Welcome to week 5 of term. Can you believe that today is half way through term 1 ! Can hardly believe it myself. The term has started very smoothly and students have been very engaged in high quality learning and. Our Instructional Leaders, Learning and Support Coordinator, Intervention teachers and School Learning Support Officers have been super busy putting in place support programs and working with students and staff to ensure that these interventions programs are differentiated to meet the needs of each and every student in our school. Our support staff pride themselves in knowing our students and what they need in their learning.
Last week we held our Meet the Teacher time zoom sessions. There were questions across each stage zoom around homework. I would like to address homework as a whole school item. Our students at KSPS have a very diverse and full life outside of school. Most of our students have a diverse range of commitments outside of school that takes not only their time, but parents as well. The short time between school hours, dinner and bedtime is already full. We therefore ask parents not to look for formalised homework each week. Instead, we ask you to read with or to your child each afternoon or evening. Regular and consistent reading habits developed overtime dramatically improve reading abilities. Below are a few starting points for reading at home:
1. ensure the book that is chosen is a topic that your child understands and can make connections with and they perhaps make the book choice.
2. Children get to hear how an adult fluently reads aloud
3. You are both able to discuss the book / what is read after you have finished reading for the day. Perhaps discussing the character or the setting helps your child to understand a little deeper the connections in the story.
4. Make the time enjoyable and a time to connect, even if it’s only for 5-10 mins, it forms a positive habit.
Today students from KSPS will be attending the Newcastle City Zone swimming carnival at Lambton pool. We wish all our students the best of luck and we know you will do your best. A big thank you to the KSPS Team Teacher Mrs Bird and to the Newcastle City Zone PSSA President Mr John who make these events possible.
This Friday, Scripture/Ethics lessons start up again for the year. These lessons are delivered by accredited volunteer external providers and will take place Friday morning at 9am for approx.30mins per week. Parents have a choice to have their child in either Scripture (generic religious based instruction), Ethics, (ethical instruction using scenarios) or non-scripture (neither). Students in years 1 -6 will remain in their identified classes from 2020, unless a parent sends in a note to change classes. Notes have gone out to Kinder parents and new students to the school, asking what class they would prefer their child in. Please ensure that you return this note ASAP to have your child placed into the preferred class. Please know that there are class limits of 22 for Ethics. There is a waiting list and this is filled by the Ethics coordinator. Both Scripture and Ethics are looking for volunteers to teach lessons each week. If you can assist, please contact the school and we will put you in touch with the either of the coordinators.
During the week there has been some classroom maintenance in 3/4C and 3/4M. Thank you to the students and their teachers for the flexibility in the spaces that they have been working in over the last few days whilst this takes place. Everything should be back to normal by Friday.
Recently, we have had some parents request permission for external agencies to be working with students in school time. Please contact Mrs Fear- our Learning and Support Coordinator for further information regarding this process. This is an individual case-by-case decision based around the educational merits for each child and the best meeting the operational needs of the school and minimal disruption to the student and the class teacher.
Next Wednesday 3 March, our Year 6 Ministers are hosting their first fundraising event for the year. This is a Crazy sock day. Please see details from the Ministers further on in this newsletter.
All public school are currently undergoing the writing of the new School Improvement Plan for a four year cycle. Next week the school executive will be consolidating our situational analysis and sharing that with our Director of Educational Leadership. KSPS is also scheduled for the process of External Validation on 19 May. These two whole school processes will form the basis of our direction in the coming years.
A reminder that the Premier's Reading Challenge opens for students on the 1st of March. Here is the link to register. PRC website-home. More information next newsletter.
Our amazing P & C are back at it, working hard to raise funds for our school. Please support our P & C who support us. Keep these dates handy so you can support us. Events coming up for the P & C are: Bunnings BBQ on 21 March, Athletics carnival 26 March, Easter raffle 1 April. Please lend a helping hand where you can
A HUGE thank you to all those parents and carers who have already paid their voluntary contributions this year. A whopping 50% of our families have paid in 48 hours of receiving their invoices. These funds go directly to providing all manner of items for your child at school. Those families who pay their Voluntary Contribution fees before the end of term will go into the $100 draw for a VISA gift card.
Be safe, look after yourselves and make the moments matter
#KSPSisagreatplacetobe
Mrs Maxworthy
PRINCIPAL
