Newsletter 5th April 2023

Principal's Message

Happy Holidays

We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday period.  The last day of this term is tomorrow, Thursday 6^th April.  Students will not be returning for Term 2 until Wednesday 26^th April (after ANZAC day).

Keeping our School Safe

During the holiday period school premises are more vulnerable than usual to vandalism and damage by intruders and can become targets for a small number of offenders. The upcoming holiday period is from Friday 7^th – Tuesday 25^th April 2023.

We would also like to let you know that there will be some works happening in the music building visible from Fourth Ave.  However, we have also been having some issues with vandalism on the new basketball courts since the courts were redeveloped.

If you are in the vacinity, please listen for unusual noises; look for suspicious vehicles parked at the school and notice if groups of children or teenagers are congregating around the school. Your involvement can really make a difference in preventing damage to our school. I urge you to report any suspicious activity immediately to:

SCHOOL WATCH – 1800 177 777 or

POLICE – 131 444

Changes to Room 6 Staffing

Ms Marija Zavodja will be taking leave to have her second baby.  Mr Conrad Lubich will take the class in Term 2 while Ms Zavodja is away.  Mr Lubich has been working across the school and particularly in the library.  We wish Ms Zavodja and her expanding family all the very best and look forward to her return.

RATS – Saliva and Nasal

If you want saliva or nasal RATs, please pop into the office and we would be only too happy to give them to you – as many as you would like.  You can also collect them from teachers when you come for your parent-teacher interview.

Regular testing for COVID-19 continues to be an effective strategy to keep our schools and communities safe. It is best to test if you have COVID-19 like symptoms such as:

• fever (37.5°C or more)
• cough
• shortness of breath
• sore throat
• runny nose
• loss of smell or taste.

Upcoming Events

Early Close

Please don’t forget your appointments this afternoon if you have booked a parent teacher interview.  If you have already attended a meeting, we thank you for coming along to work with our teachers to support your child(ren)’s learning.

TREK 2 SCHOOL – Year 5 & 6

Kensington Primary School is taking part in the TREK2School Study led by the Telethon Kids Institute. The school has participated in a similar study a few years ago so it will be good to compare results. 

Information about the study was sent to parents of Year 5 and 6 students recently. Please review the information provided, and if you and/or your Year 5/6 child wish to participate, please complete the consent form online at https://redcap.link/vo8u0qek by Monday, May 1st.

Best wishes,

TREK2School Research Team

A copy of the flyer that was sent via the teachers is below.

Easter Hat Parade

Just a reminder that the Easter Hat Parade is taking place first thing tomorrow morning.  We encourage all students from Pre-primary – Year 5 to get involved.  (Year 6 students have their leadership day instead).

Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse will take place just before 11.30am on 20 April 2023 in the Ningaloo region of Western Australia. The eclipse will last for 62 seconds.

A partial solar eclipse may be visible from other parts of Western Australia between 10 am and 2 pm.

Safety Tips:

• Do not look at the sun.
• Looking directly at the sun during a solar eclipse can cause permanent loss of vision.
• Children and teens are most vulnerable to solar damage.
• There is no treatment for damage caused by looking directly at the sun.
• Indirect viewing is the safest way to view a solar eclipse.

The main hazards to the eye from very intense sunlight are from heat (infrared radiation), ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and from excessive visible light, especially blue light.

Even a momentary glance at the sun can focus a very intense amount of light energy onto the back of the eye (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye – named the retina). Known as solar retinopathy, this damage occurs without pain or warning and the effects of retinal damage may not appear for hours.

UVR can cause 'sunburn' to the outer surface of the eye (cornea).

The least understood risk is from blue light which may also cause damage to the eye.

Children and teens are most at risk of solar damage.

Lions Eye Institute ophthalmologist Dr Hessom Razavi talks about solar eclipse eye safety on the linked YouTube below.

https://youtu.be/_7YQbtPM0Xc

For more information from the Health Department, visit: Solar eclipse (healthywa.wa.gov.au)

What's Been Going On At KPS

ANZAC Day Commemorative Service

This morning we conducted our ANZAC Day commemorative service.  The choir sang a song called Green Hills of Albany, remembering that our original ANZACs sailed from Albany in 1914 to fight overseas. They also sang We Are Australian. The school band played Abide with Me and Lest We Forget.  Thank you to Mrs Dewing, the choir and our band.   The performances were a highlight.  As was Maya Minard’s recitation of a speech her sister, Cora, previously wrote about their grandfather’s experiences in World War II.  Thank you, Maya and Cora.  A big thank you to Mr Griffiths for organising the whole event.

Foyer Display - Pre Primary

Together in Pre-primary we all made poppies for ANZAC day. We have been learning about the importance of ANZAC day and the special ANZAC spirit that lives on today

Sports News

Interschool Swimming Carnival

On Tuesday we ran the interschool swimming carnival involving our school, East Victoria Park and Victoria Park Primary Schools.  Kensington PS won the event by a considerable margin. The results are below.  Thank you to Mrs Stanford and her wonderful team of parent helpers: Shannon Kynaston, Mel Byfield, Martine O'Connell (ex KPS parent) and Brendan Joss.  Thank you to Mr Powers for supervising, our student leaders for organising the team, Mrs Jetta for judging  and Mrs Bernic for keeping the score.  There was a wonderful atmosphere at the carnival with everyone showing great sportsmanship and enjoying the lovely weather.

Overall Scores 

1st - Kensington Primary School

2nd - Victoria Park Primary School

3rd - East Victoria Park Primary School

Individual Results - Year 4

Champion Boy  - Finn V (KPS)

Champion Girl - Jessie C (KPS)

Runner Up Boy - Max D (KPS)

Runner Up Girl - Sloane (EVP)

Individual Results - Year 5

Champion Girl - Isabel Y (KPS)

Champion Boy - Xavier (KPS)

Runner Up Girl - Eliza (KPS)

Runner Up Boy - Freddie (KPS)

Individual Results - Year 6

Champion Boy - Harper (KPS)

Champion Girl - Zoe T (KPS)

Runner Up Boy - Joe (KPS)

Runner Up Girl - Harriet (KPS)

Summer Carnival

Last Thursday was the Victoria Park area summer carnival. We played 5 sports against 6 other schools, Victoria Park, East Victoria Park, Lathlain, Bentley, and Millen. It was a new experience for all students as last year’s carnival was cancelled. Our students competed in an exemplary manner with great results. The tee ball team placed 1st, Newcombe ball 2nd, volleyball 2nd, girls cricket 1st and 6th, boys cricket 1st and 4th. (We had 2 teams in the boys’ and girls’ cricket- a great experience for the Year 5 students who were able to play). Kensington won the overall summer carnival shield. Big thanks to our parent helpers Mel, Leanne, Amy, and to our staff, Cecelia, Denise, Jack, and Ashley for their coaching at senior sport and the carnival. Without their assistance we would not be able to field the extra teams and be so successful.

Curtin University sponsored our summer carnival. They offer School Holiday Sports programs through Carnaby Kids. Check out their website or the attached brochure for details.

Running Club

Running Club will commence the first Friday back next term. This year we are using Consent2Go as a permission for your child to attend. Once you child has attended their first club in Term 2, you will be sent an invitation to give permission for your child to participate. Running Club will be on Tuesday and Friday mornings 8.00 – 8.30am on the oval. Parents of Kindy, PP and Year 1 students must attend with their child. Please see Mrs Stanford if you require more details.

Japanese News

The visit by Japanese students to our school was a success and there were a few tears before their departure. They were sorry to say goodbye to us and their host families. They attended English classes in the morning and spent afternoons visiting various classes, including some Japanese lessons, for a week at Kensington. Thank you to all families who offered to host one of these students offering our school this unique opportunity.

I hope many of you were able to attend the Perth Japanese Festival held recently. I wish you all a restful autumn break.

Whittle sensei

Japanese language teacher

School Board

School Board Members

We have a new parent Board member, two parent Board members who are taking up a second term and two new staff Board members this year.  Our first meeting with the new members will be on Monday 27^th March.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the outgoing Board members (Adam Bartle, Erin Sutton, Ashley Griffith and Rhonda Skinner) for their wonderful commitment to the school.  Their guidance, advice and efforts have made a great difference to our school. 

Our new (or renewing) parent representatives are:

• Lara Parsons – 2 years (returning after a break)
• Claire Stone – 2 years (returning for a second term)
• Elizabeth Pickles – 2 years (returning after completing a 6-month term)
• Jen Young – 2 years (following on from being the P&C secretary for a number of years)

Our new staff representatives are:

• Jemma Marris (Pre-primary teacher) – 2 years
• Clint McNerney (Deputy Principal) – up to 2 years

Returning for a second term is Clare Brook – 2 years.

Community members will be decided by the Board members at the next meeting.

We will publish the updated Board on our website.

P & C News

2023 Colour Run

Forms will shortly be sent home with the students for the 2023 Colour run! Hopefully, they will have plenty of time to fundraise over the Easter break! 

Containers for Change

We have a wheely bin and a wool bale in the quadrangle where you can deposit containers, help the environment and fundraise for the school all at once.  We hope, with sufficient support from everyone, to expand this program.

Community News