Newsletter 20th September 2023
Principal's Message
Happy Holidays
Holidays start at the end of this week and students don’t return to school until Tuesday 10th October. We hope you all have a lovely and safe holiday.
Planning for 2024 Survey
It's that time of year again when we start to look at how many students we will have in 2024 and to plan to staff the school to meet those needs. We have created a Microsoft Form to enable you to inform us about whether or not your child is returning in 2024 (current PP – Year 5 students only). You may complete one form (see the link below) for your family. However, if you have differing plans for each of your children currently attending our school (excluding the Year 6s), please complete separate forms for each.
Please complete your forms by Friday 6th October. The link for this survey is at https://forms.office.com/r/rhZPpSKLvT
Congratulations Miss Marris
Congratulations to Miss Marris and her husband on the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Lara Scott Mullins, born on the 12th September. We wish them well and look forward to Lara's first visit to Kensington.
Farewell to Mr Guidi
This week we say farewell to Mr Guidi who has been working with Mrs Stanford this term. We wish him all the very best as he embarks on his career as a teacher. We hope to see him next term doing some relief at our school.
Soklich Jewellery Competition
Congratulations to Chloe C for being a finalist in this competition.
Telethon
Joshua G is actively participating in the upcoming Telethon event (21-22nd October). He has been invited to share his story as a sibling of a child with a disability and life-limiting condition and he is very proud to be part of this. He is a beautiful young carer and already a big advocate for anyone with a disability. Josh’s classmates will help out with the event by making crazy hats as part of the segment involving Josh.
Jirdarup Bushland Book Launch
On Saturday, I attended the Jirdarup Bushland book launch at the Harold Rossiter club house with the Friends of Jirdarup Bushland. The school has been given a copy and I purchased one for myself too. It is a beautiful book with lovely photos and a great history of the area. Our very own Mrs Veronica McPhail’s (Education Assistant in P3) photos are included.
Honours and Values Awards
Safety
Securing and protecting everyone, including our school’s reputation and our environment.
High School Scholarships
Special congratulations to the following students who have been accepted into specialist programs for high school:
Grace T - Selective Ballet Program at John Curtin College of the Arts
Niko M - Specialist Aviation Program at Kent Street SHS
Upcoming Events
Massed Choir Festival
This very exciting event (a highlight of my annual calendar) will be held at the Perth Concert Hall this Friday 22nd September (last day of term). We had a sneak preview of two of the items when S3 students performed at the assembly in Week 4 and when the choir performed at the assembly in Week 8. From my experience, students find the opportunity to perform in such a large choir (our choir is large by most standards, but this massed choir is exceptional) at the concert hall in front of a large audience is exhilarating.
What's Been Going On
Japanese Consul-General Visit
Today we had a visit from the Consul-General of Japan in Perth – Mr NAITO Yasushi. He is a supporter of our Japanese language program. Whittle sensei organised this visit. It was an honour to meet him.
Interschool Athletics Carnival
Last week invited students from Kensington competed in the interschool athletics carnival at East Victoria Park against five other schools. The Kensington team won the competition by 150 points. Thank you to the staff that prepared the team and accompanied them to the competition on Tuesday and Friday (Mr Powers, Mrs Jetta, Mrs Dash, Mr Guidi and Ms Fravi). A special thanks to Mrs Stanford for organising our participation.
Heroes for HeartKids
The Student Council ran its fundraising event for HeartKids yesterday. Everyone was encouraged to dress as their hero on that day and bring a gold coin donation to support this worthy charity. It was great to see that many students felt their hero was their parent or a local community member such as a doctor or the police and some were their teachers too. We raised over $450.
Photos of Kensington Heroes
P&C Art Award
Foyer Display - Science
New Science Laboratory
Did you know that Kensington Primary School now has a Science laboratory? The laboratory is situated beside the music room and was fitted out and completed at the end of Term 2. This term the Year 1 and 2 students have been attending Science lessons in the new laboratory. Come and see the foyer display to view images of the science laboratory and read testimonials from the Year 1 and 2 students to find out more. Also, please be sure to come and check out the new laboratory during the school's Open Night in Week 2 of Term 4.
Elise Pedley - Junior Primary Science Teacher
Japanese News
Japanese 日本語 news
Connect and Communicate with Nihon
Konnichi wa!
The Japanese classroom has been busy over the term with calligraphy and taiko. Sao sensei and I assisted students to write kanji calligraphy. This year’s Kanji was “心”kokoro which means heart.
School winners; Sienna Year 6, Sabine Year 5, Ava Year 4 and Rayan Year 3 are to be congratulated and have had their entries submitted to the State competition.
Japanese club, with Year 4/5 and sensei, in second break on Fridays keeps us in love with Japan and we have enjoyed making uchiwa, bonodori dancing, matsuri, manekineko and rajio taisoo which is how Japanese children like to keep fit. Last week we were treated to a fabulous engaging Taiko Japanese drumming experience with Kiyomi sensei. Year 2-6 students saw taiko drums in a variety of sizes and had the chance to try them out. Students were taught how to pick up a set of bachi and use their counting skills while beating the taiko. The S4 class have been sharing online exchange with our “Tomodachi” friends in Hyogo Prefecture, our sister state. Today we are explaining our exchanges to Naito san, the Consul General of Japan who is visiting s4 in Japanese time.
Whittle sensei
Japanese language teacher
Sports News
Inter School Athletics Carnival
Well done Kensington on a fantastic team effort to win the inter school carnival.
We had a slow start to the carnival with Kensington placing 5th after the jumps, throws and 400m events last Tuesday. After the postponing of the carnival to Friday, Kensington came out on fire! Our runners across the board ran brilliantly and the effort continued into the team games. Our Year 1 and 2 competitors were outstanding, winning most of their team games. We finished the carnival by winning the grand relay.
Congratulations to our individual champions in Nevaeh Yr. 3 runner up champion girl, Finn Yr. 4 champion boy and James Yr. 6 champion boy. Well done James on winning the champion boy every year from Yr. 3 – 6, an amazing effort. Thanks to our team managers, helpers and staff who assisted at the carnival, especially Mr Guidi as the starter and Mr Powers as the overall judge.
Thanks to all the parents who came and supported our team.
Place School Points
1st Kensington 581
2nd Lathlain 434
3rd Millen 398
4th Vic Park 380
5th East Vic Park 368
6th Bentley 172
Mr Caiden Guidi
Many thanks to Mr Guidi (pre-service teacher from Notre Dame) who has been teaching PE with Mrs Stanford this term. He has been outstanding in his support of the sport program at Kensington. He has assisted with all carnivals and running club. He will be back next term as a relief teacher. All the best for your teaching career Mr Guidi and thanks for being part of our school community.
Running Club
Running Club is over for another term. Thanks to all the parents who have assisted over the term especially Mel and James. We will recommence on Tuesday of Week 4 and run through every Tuesday until Week 8. There will be no running club on Fridays. Keep running over the holidays!
Community Sport
Congratulations to many of our students who have recently competed in grand finals in basketball, netball, AFL, hockey, and soccer. It is great to see so many of our students involved in weekend community sport.
Don’t forget to sign up for a summer sport, registrations open now on local club’s websites.
School Board
School Board Meeting
The Board met on Monday 11th September in the staffroom at 5:30pm. We have updated our Business Plan targets to reflect the change in NAPLAN and the attendance target has also changed to reflect the fact that we are now able to send out SMS requests for parents to provide reasons for absences. The Board is also interested in reviewing and updating out school vision statement. We have developed a new document to replace the Complaints Management Policy called Connect and Respect. This includes statements from the Department of Education along with information pertinent to our school. The updated Business Plan and the Connect and Respect document can be found on our school website
P & C News
Heads up!
It's almost Christmas! But before the silly season we have a busy rest of the school year to get through! See our upcoming dates below (including our parent mixer disco!)
There will be lots of opportunities for you to volunteer or support our last few events of the year. First call to arms is for the Ducks/P&C sausage sizzle and bake sale on Referendum Voting day! 🌭 🥓 🍳🍰
Link below to get in early - sign up now to volunteer your time as it's the first weekend back at school!
We're also looking for donations of nautical items for the kindy playground upgrade. The new decking (funded by the P&C) is look fabulous thanks to Ed and the team of parents that helped out so far. Please reach out if you have anything!
Thanks for your ongoing support, don't forget to mark your calendars and enjoy the school holidays!
Cheers,
Ducks and the P&C.
2023 DUCKs DADS AND KIDS CAMP – Friday 10 November
Tickets ON SALE NOW for the famous DUCKs Camp Out & Silent Disco
Pitch a tent or swag with your kids. Show us your moves at the Silent Disco! Famous BBQ dinner, breakfast and Little Banksia Coffee included.
Established in 2015 by the wonderful, late David Mundy, founder of KPS DUCKs, this event is a highlight of the KPS year. Book now, lock it in the diary and we’ll see you there.
$40 per family (regardless of how many children). This includes dinner and breakfast, morning coffee for dads, marshmallow toasting, party games and the silent disco.
We’ll be wrapped up by 8am Saturday morning, so the kids can get off to sport etc.
Helpers will be required for this event – please get in touch via the booking form or contact below.
Whilst DUCKs activities encourage Dads to get active in their kids' lives, we understand that there’s not always a father figure available. As always, DUCKs activities are also open to mums who would like to attend.
Note Education Department requires kids to attend with their own parent. Vegetarian and GF will be catered for. If camping isn’t your thing, you can come for dinner and breakfast.
Please use the link below to book:
https://www.trybooking.com/1119520
Justin Nicholls
0436 461 666
Uniforms
Follow the QR code for a direct link to the uniform shop to order online. Include your child’s name and classroom and we will deliver the following Thursday. Easy As. Happen to have ordered the wrong size? No problem we are happy to exchange, just leave the tags on. Wondering what to do with uniforms you’ve outgrown? Leave them in the red donation bin located next to Room 7.
Reminder - the uniform shop has moved to the donga with the bright mural next to the staff car park.
Containers for Change
Community News
Are you truck for ideas on how to keep your kids entertained on the final weekend of the school holidays?
Head down to Camp Quality Convoy Perth on Sunday 8 October and enjoy a FREE Family Festival from 10.30am-2.30pm packed with entertainment for kids and adults alike, including food vans, rides, facepainting, roving entertainment, live music, and of course the opportunity to cheer on the returning Convoy and check out all the fancy trucks at the ‘Show and Shine”.
Funds raised will help Camp Quality bring positivity, fun and laughter back into the lives of kids facing cancer.
For more info visit: https://campquality.me/fam_festival
School holidays are just around the corner!🥳Have you booked any of our activities yet? We still have tickets left for Wonderful Waterbirds at the South Perth wetlands for kids aged 4-7 years. Join us at our favourite spot to spot the amazing array of birdlife that call this place home. Learn all about these amazing birds, and what you can do to protect them! 🦆
🏷Tickets: Wonderful Waterbirds - Parks and Wildlife Service WA Reservations (rezdy.com)
🗓Full program here: Updated Spring School Holiday Flyer (dbca.wa.gov.au)
📷bird photos by Veronica McPhail Photography 😍
Kidsport Funding
Financial assistance is available for eligible children, aged 5 to 18 years, to use for sporting club fees. Parents and guardians can now apply for $300 per financial year to help their children take part in community sports and recreation.