Newsletter 22nd May 2024

Principal's Message

WA Day Public Holiday

Monday 3^rd June is a public holiday so school will not be open. This day commemorates the founding of the Swan River colony in 1829. It was formerly known as Foundation Day. It’s now “a day to celebrate all Western Australians, recognising our Aboriginal history, early European settlers and the many from all over the world who have made, and continue to make, Western Australia their home” (What is WA Day? - Celebrate WA).

Bookbook Owl Returns

Our Southern Boobook owl, immortalised in the mural on the donga near the office, has returned for its annual visit.  It perches in the peppermint tree near the music room and junior playground.  Boobooks are nocturnal.  Please be aware of its presence and ensure that it has a safe stay at the school.

Playing After School

Just a reminder that the OSHClub has a deed of licence to use the undercover area (and some other rooms), basketball court (near the undercover area) and the nearby playground equipment areas and amphitheatre.  They happily allow our community to use the playground until 4pm, but we must ensure that only OSHClub students and staff use it after this time, for safety reasons. So, please leave the area by 4pm.  Likewise, please ensure you leave the early childhood area by that time to allow our staff to work in quiet and without interruption.

Playground Upgrades

As you may be aware, the P&C have recently had a busy-bee in the early childhood areas.  This was to tidy up the play area and clear away unnecessary items. This also prepared the area for further improvements.  We will be adding an extra course of limestone around the lower sandpit to enable us to build up the soil in the playground to cover the tree roots.  The P&C has also commissioned a nature play designer to develop designs for upgrading this area and for the naturescape area near the basketball courts to be revamped, following the deterioration of the wooden poles that used to hold up the web.  Once the  bikeshed is complete, this will be the focus for the P&C fundraising.

Honours and Values Awards

Foyer Display - Room 8

Today is National Simultaneous Story Time and to celebrate the story ‘Bowerbird Blues’ by Aura Parker, Room 8 has created a display for the foyer. The story has a strong tie to themes of sustainability but ultimately revolves around the importance of connection and love in a world where we often focus on material things. The students have written about an important person in their lives and outlined why that person means so much to them. There are some very touching pieces of writing hanging in the foyer this fortnight. The class has decorated their pieces using recycled materials collected from the Kensington, Como and South Perth communities to represent the Bowerbird’s love of blue. Our class has had discussions around repurposing materials to give them a second life and the positive impact this can have on our environment.

Pathway to Post-School Success Expert Panel Report

What's Coming Up - Reconciliation Week

Reconciliation Week (27^th May – 3^rd June)

Kensington PS is celebrating Reconciliation Week in our classrooms.  Each class is studying an aspect of our First Nations history or culture during the week.  On Friday the children will join students from other classrooms and year levels to share what they have learned in a yarning circle.  This means they will hear what the children in each of the other classes has learned too.  The Year 5/6 students will experience Koora Wangkinkiny Boodja (see below to find out more about this experience and how you too could participate in an evening experience).

Significant Dates in Reconciliation Week

• 27^th May – celebrates the referendum in 1967 that acknowledged Aboriginal people as citizens of Australia
• 3^rd June – Commemorates the Marbo decision of the High Court in 1992 accepted that ‘terra nullius’ was a fiction and recognised native title.

Another important date is the day before National Reconciliation Week, 26 May - National Sorry Day, which was first held in Sydney in 1998 and is now commemorated nationally to remember and honour the Stolen Generations. Additionally, On 13 February 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd offered a formal apology to Australia's Indigenous peoples, particularly the Stolen Generations, on behalf of the nation at the Australian Parliament House.

Koora Wangkininy Boodja Workshop/Experience

We have special guests working with our 5/6 students on 30^th May to commemorate Reconciliation Week.  Parents are also invited to this special interactive activity workshop (the same one the Year 5/6 students and our staff have attended) for parents at 5:30pm on Thursday 30^th May.  This is a very moving and enlightening experience and, for those who were never taught much about Aboriginal histories, this is a must do experience.  Please RSVP to the office via email or phone (kensington.ps@education.wa.edu.au or 6436 8448).  We need 20 participants to run the workshop.

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Our RAP committee is meeting next Tuesday (28^th May) at 2pm in the staffroom to continue work on our RAP, focusing on planning the strategies for the fourteen mandatory actions.

PALS Grant

We have successfully applied for the Partnership Acceptance Learning Sharing (PALS) funding grant.  This will enable us to fund another special whole school event to continue to promote reconciliation and understanding of First Nations’ culture throughout the year.  We have another wonderful event planned for this.  More information will be forthcoming next term.

What's Coming Up

Student Council Fundraiser

The Student Council are raising funds for Telethon Kids.  Please wear your pyjamas and bring a gold coin donation on Friday 7^th June.

P&C Day WA (Friday 24th May)

P&C Day is a special day where we acknowledge all the hard work and wonderful support our P&C does to help us provide the best learning environment and opportunities.  While raising funds to support the school is a big part of what they do, they also support school events and organise social and fun events for the community.  This includes busy bees, sausage sizzles, DUCKs campout and weekend events, fundraising, book club and library support, uniforms, supporting sports and music events and community environmental action (e.g. Containers 4 Change).  A special thanks to the P&C Executive, led by President, Ed McLarty, including: Drew (VP), Angela (Treasurer), Nicole (Secretary), Kimberley (Library & Book Club), Vanessa (uniforms & Board member) and Conrad (DUCKs). Also a big thank you to committee members: Amanda & Katherine (Communications); Brett & Malav (DUCKs), Carla (Year 6), Jen (Environment & Recycling) and Sean, Jodi and Tash (general).  Stay tuned for further acknowledgements.

Premier's Reading Challenge

WA school students, from Kindergarten to Year 10, are encouraged to participate and uncover great mysteries through the world of books and reading for this exciting challenge.

With so many great prizes up for grabs, it’s a fantastic opportunity to embark on more adventures and reap the benefits of reading.

What's Been Happening

P&C Artist in Residence Program - Mosaics

On the 13th and 14th May Year 1 ,3, 5 and 6 students worked with Mosaic artists to complete the 2nd stage of our Makuru season installation. Each student had the opportunity to place tiles to create an artwork that included the flora and fauna of the Makuru season. The final artwork will be installed along the ramp in the quadrangle in the coming weeks.  Keep an eye out for this.

National Simultaneous Story Time

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and our involvement is organised by our library officer extraordinaire, Mrs Rankin-Hume. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 24th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.  Today, for this year’s event we read Aura Parker’s Bowerbird Blues. A number of staff dressed in blue to support this event. Mrs Rankin-Hume has put up a lovely display in the library in preparation.

Student Voice Forum

Over the last couple of newsletters, we provided some of the feedback obtained through the Student Council run Student Voice Forum.  Two students from each of the classes from Year 1-6 joined the forum.  Below are the suggestions the students gave the student council on what charities to support and how to support them.

Charities, Service & Fundraising

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Sport News

Proposed Faction Cross Country Program Friday 14th June 2024

Parents are welcome to attend the event.
Medallions and ribbons will be presented after each event.
The Faction Shield will be presented to the winning Faction in the UCA at 2.50pm.

An event will not commence before the allocated time but may be later than the set time.

The interschool cross-country is in Term 3, Thursday 25^th July.
Runners from Year 3 -6 will be selected from the carnival to compete.

Walk Safely to School Day

On Friday 10^th May 225 (60%) of our students walked, rode or scootered to school. On arriving at school, they were greeted by the Eagles mascot and several Eagles players.

Room 7 had 72% of their class walk closely followed by P3 with 70%. Remember active kids learn better.

(Thank you to Mrs Stanford for organising this event again - Principal)

Jump Jam Workshop

Our Jump Jam team participated in a workshop conducted by Brett, the creator of Jump Jam. During the 80-minute workshop the team received practical tips on how to perform the routines more effectively and learnt a new routine. The team will showcase the new routine at an assembly later in the term.

Running Club

Join us for a fun way to start the day on Tuesday and Friday mornings from 8.00am – 8.30am. new runners are welcome.

Japanese News

Connect and Communicate with Nihon at Kensington PS

On Friday May 10 Michael sensei from Kite Kinetics came to our school to talk about Japanese kites and instruct all students from Year 2-Year 6 in how to make their own kite  that they could take home following the day.

Due to the beautiful weather conditions, Michael Alvarez sensei was able to fly his high kites above the students flying their constructed kite below on the oval in the afternoon. Students heard about the origins of tako, kites and their history and significance in our cultures. Earlier in May it was a Children’s Day holiday in Japan, and one would be able to see koinobori (carp streamers) flying all over Japan. This year in Japanese lessons, Calligraphy is still to come, and skills will be taught over Term 2 and 3 together with our fabulous language assistant Asuka Nakashima sensei. There is lots to engage and Connect and Communicate with Nihon (Japan).

Whittle sensei

Japanese language teacher

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Music News

School Board

The next School Board meeting will be on Monday 10th June.  On the agenda will be an update on our Play and Inquiry priority; the National Quality Standard (K-Year 2), the Reconciliation Action Plan and the ongoing review of our Positive Behaviour Plan.  We will also provide feedback on our Berry Street Education Model training that occurred on 6th May and the ongoing facilities improvement plans.  

P & C News

Colour Run

Hope everyone has recovered from Friday’s Colour run - Congratulations to everyone who participated it was great to see so many smiling faces trying their hardest!

Sponsorship forms and payment are due 29th May. Please return the forms to the office in the P&C slot, direct deposit is preferred for fundraising (details on sponsorship forms) or drop correct cash labellled with name and class in the P&C slot at the office.

Prize winners will get a choice of gift vouchers to spend - make sure you submit your form to be eligible.

P&C Meeting

The next P&C meeting is week 8, Tuesday night 7:30pm 4th June. We would love to have your thoughts / input on upcoming P&C events and activities.

Mother’s Day Raffle

A huge thankyou to the Kindy parents for running the Mother’s Day raffle. Congratulations to all the lucky winners (first prize winner Tracey Pictured with her prize basket).

Thankyou to the wonderful Kensington community for the donations that helped pull together the incredible prizes that made the raffle such a success.

Uniform Shop

Next uniform shop date is 6th June (8:15 - 9am), online orders are continuing as well - please note that some stock is limited during this period as we change over to the new supplier.  PLEASE NOTE, the onsite uniform shop will be closing and so this is a great time to buy uniforms before prices rise.

Uniform Online Orders

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.

DUCKs Indoor Climbing event, Sun. 9 June 2024, 2pm

We have a DUCKs Indoor Climbing event at Rockface Climbing Centre in Balcatta at 2pm Sunday 9 June 2024. 

This is targeted at Dads and Kids, and father-figures are welcome too. Mums and other family members are also welcome to join. Please let us know on the RSVP form linked below.

Details:
Location: Rockface Climbing Centre, 7B Ledgar Road, Balcatta WA 6021
Date: Sunday 9 June 2024
Time: Arrive at 1:45pm for a 2:00pm start. Please arrive on time. Finish will be about 4pm, but you can stay longer if the kids are having too much fun.

Please RSVP for the event to completing the form in this link:

Click Here

You will also need to complete a Rockface online Registration form for each person participating - there is a link in the RSVP form for this. If you have been to Rockface before, then you won't need to fill in the form again.

We will also be catering this event with basic food and drinks for the kids and parents attending, but please remember to bring a water bottle too for climbing.

Further event details are available in the RSVP link.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks,

Conrad Slee - DUCKs (Dads United for the Children of Kensington)
Email queries to: DUCKS.KPS@gmail.com

Containers for Change

Community News