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INK

60 Crook Street (PO Box 45) Strathdale 3550 www.kenningtonps.vic.edu.au kennington.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au Phone: 5443 2011 Fax: 5441 7321

Principal:

Assistant Principal: Assistant Principal: Assistant Principal

(Deaf Facility):

Travis Eddy Trudi Jacobson Luke Monaghan Marg Tope

Newsletter No. 40 Wednesday December 20, 2017

Kennington Primary School Values Awards

Caring

Is showing concern for others and being thoughtful, and understanding of their feelings. It means your thoughts; words and actions show consideration for others.

Community

Is working together for the common good. It means being able to work together and act positively with others.

Inclusion

Is respecting and valuing differences. It means we include others in work and play.

Personal Best

Is always aiming high and being the best I can. It means being optimistic: that I will be successful in the end.

Respect

Is treating everybody and everything with consideration and courtesy. It means looking after myself, others and the environment.

1:30pm Dismissal – Friday December 22

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Dates to Remember - 2017

Term 4

December Thu 21 4:30pm –

6:30pm Grade 6 Blue Light Disco

Fri 22 8:00am – 9:00am

Grade 6 Breakfast

Fri 22 1:30pm dismissal

Term 4

Dates to Remember – 2018

Term 1

January

Wed 24 8:00am – 4:00pm

Book Collection / Payment Day

Wed 24 Grade 6 Commemorative Shirt payment / collection at office

Mon 29 No School for students

Curriculum Day Staff Commence

Tue 30 8:35am Grades 1 to 6 students commence

Tue 30 Grades 1 to 6 students Jump Start

Wed 31 Grades 1 to 6 students Jump Start

February Thu 1 8:35am

8:45am

Prep students commence Prep Parents/Carers and New Families Welcome. Refreshments in the amphitheatre.

Thu 1 12:00pm to 3:00pm

Grade 5 and 6 Jumpstart Swimming

Wed 7 Prep students Rest Day

Wed 14 Prep students Rest Day

Thu 15 No School for students

Curriculum Day

Fri 16 No School for students

Curriculum Day

Wed 21 Prep students Rest Day

Mon 26 – Wed 28

TBC Grade 6 Urban Camp

Wed 28 Prep students Rest Day

March Wed 7 8:00am –

3:15pm School Photos

Mon 12 No School Labour Day

Thu 29 2:30pm Dismissal

Term 1 concludes

Term Dates – 2018 Term 2: Monday April 16 to Friday June 30 Term 3: Monday July 16 to Friday September 21 Term 4: Monday October 8 to Friday December 21

Medication Medication, including asthma puffers / spacers and epipens that has been held in the office must be collected by an adult by 1:00pm on Friday December 22, 2017. Any medication remaining after Friday will be taken to the local chemist for disposal. Please take time over the holidays to update medical plans and ensure that all medication has valid dates for the first day of school in 2018.

Lost Property in Office Lost Jewellery Have you lost some jewellery? Has your child ‘borrowed’ something from your jewellery box for Show and Tell or to show their friends? Jewellery has been handed into the office. If you are missing jewellery, please pop into the office and provide a description of what you are missing.

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Principal’s Report Dear Parents and Carers, This is our last Link for 2017. I would like to take this opportunity to thank staff, school council members and members of the school community for their support during the year. It has been another very busy year. Among the highlights of 2017 are the following and this is by no means a complete list:

School Review and New School Strategic Plan

2018 – 2021

Jump Start

School Fair

Team Planning

Overseas Learning Experience - China

Chinese Student Immersion Program

Camps and Excursions Program P - 6

Sporting opportunities and successes

Production–‘Porridge’

Instrumental Music Program and Concert

Carols at Kennington

Deaf Facility Activities

Mother Goose Program

Energy Breakthrough

School Visitors – to observe teaching and learning

I would like to wish all members of our community a very happy and safe festive season and trust that you will enjoy quality time with your children over the holiday break.

Dismissal on Friday December 22 A reminder that children will be dismissed at 1:30pm

on Friday December 22, to eat lunch at home. Please ensure that your child brings something substantial or has a mini lunch to eat at first lunch between 11:00am and 11:30am. Our farewell assembly will commence at 1:10pm. Following the assembly, students will return to their classrooms and will be dismissed at 1:30pm. Parents and carers are invited to attend the final assembly.

Grade Placements After input from many areas including students, staff and parents and many hours of deliberation, taking into consideration the needs of all students, the grade lists for 2018 have almost been finalised. Today, Wednesday December 20 the students met their new teacher (where practical) and in their new classroom. When the students discuss their new class with you, it is important to be positive and enthusiastic, and support children through the transition process.

Some children find change quite stressful, other children embrace change readily. It is important that families trust in our staff and our processes. If you have concerns please alert me Trudi Jacobson or Luke Monaghan so that your child can be monitored closely over the first 3 weeks of Term 1. Children will not be moved from their allocated grade.

Home Reading Over the Holidays You will have noticed that your children did not bring home a home reading book from school today. This is because we are stocktaking for 2018. It is important that your children continue the fantastic reading that they have been doing throughout the school year and continue to read over the holidays. We have already sent home a holiday reading challenge and I encourage your children to complete this as well as reading something every day of the holidays. Carols at Kennington Primary School Thank you to all of our community who supported the annual Kennington Primary School Christmas Carols. It was a great night with some fantastic performances. A special mention and thanks to the Kennington staff for their work with the students and setting up the evening and to our Parents and Friends team for organising the raffle. Farewell and Thank You As is usually the case at the end of the year we farewell some highly valued members of staff. As mentioned in an earlier LINK; Leah French Leah will be moving to Melbourne for 2018, taking up a position at Toorak Primary School. Sharon Malberg Sharon will be taking leave during 2018. Amaya Osborn-McPherson Amaya will be taking leave during 2018. Sharon Grant Sharon will finish her fixed term contract for Term 4, 2017. Michael Lawler Michael will finish his fixed term contract for Term 4, 2017. Thank you to Leah, Sharon, Amaya, Sharon and Michael for their contributions to K.P.S. You will be missed. Term 1 Leave Sherilyn Butler Sherilyn will be taking Long Service Leave during Term 1, 2018.

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Principal’s Report continued…. New Staff 2018 I also welcome the following new staff members; Lianne Brett, Richard Eagle, Reece Gilmore, Michael Coombes, Jaimee-Lee Tobin and Ange Rothacker. Staffing – 2018 The following is a list of known staff for 2018:-

Principal Travis Eddy

Assistant Principal Trudi Jacobson

Assistant Principal Luke Monaghan

Assistant Principal - Deaf Facility

Marg Tope

Grade Room Teacher

E Block

Prep A 43 Aimee Welton

Prep B** 44 Hollie Morgan**

Prep C 45 Sarah Harvey

Prep D 46 Laura Nardi

Prep E 47 Gabrielle Cavallaro

A Block Upstairs

Grade 1A** 31 Cath Moorhead**

Grade 1B 30 Talia Cosgriff

Grade 1C 29 Patrick Coughlin / Penny Peters

Grade 1D 32 Jaimee-Lee Tobin

A Block Downstairs

Grade 2A** 26 Lianne Brett**

Grade 2B 27 Aaron Collins

Grade 2C 25 Todd Canobie

Grade 3A 23 Leah Daley

Grade 3B 24 Michael Coombes

Grade 3C** 28 Cherie Walker** / Jess Gibbins

D Block Upstairs

Grade 4A 12 Ange Rothacker

Grade 4B** 14 Jason Hague**

Grade 4C 15 Reece Gilmore

Grade 4D 16 Wendy Batters

D Block Downstairs

Grade 5C 17 Amy Futcher

Grade 5D 19 Richard Eagle

BER Building

Grade 5A 36 TBA

Grade 5B** 37 Cameron Ladd**

Grade 6A 34 Jeremy Hibbs / Jess Gibbins

Grade 6B 41 Chris Guinane

Grade 6C** 38 Geoff Pitson**

Grade 6D 39 TBA

** Designates Grade Level Leader **

Education Support

Library Assistant Sally Lowndes Business Manager Dianne McKean Office Assistant Sonia Lewis Office Assistant Sharyn Oliver Office Assistant Education Support

Lyn Pearce Carolyn Briggs

Education Support Moo Chris Paw

Multicultural Aide Nay Thway Aung Bilingual Program Kerry Hicks

Specialist Teaching Staff

Performing Arts Jo Hill

Visual Arts Lisa Findlay and Sarah Broadbent

Physical Education Alicia Smalley and Laura Hicks

Auslan Penny Peters

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Michele Chng

Inclusion / ICT Jac Louttit

Teachers of the Deaf Trish Johnstone Brooke Howman Peter Wilscher

Grade 6 Awards Night On Tuesday night the Grade 6 Awards Evening was held at the Baptist Church in Junortoun. After our students enjoyed dinner together, parents, carers, extended family and friends joined us for the presentation of awards. The evening was a great success. A special thank-you to Mrs Lyn Pearce and Mrs Trudi Jacobson for their work. Without their skills and attention to detail, the event would not have been as successful as it was. All students received a year level photograph and pen. Awards were presented to acknowledge outstanding achievement. The selection criteria for all awards includes;

the consistent demonstration of our school values - personal best, caring, community, inclusion and respect

commitment to learning and to our school

A high level of achievement.

Awards Recipients Dedication to Learning:

6A Zoe Harpley & Jye Broadbent

6B Marnie Burgess & Jack Weston

6C Michaela Fawdry & Hay Moo Moo

6D Eva Annison & Jylan Hornsby

Citizenship Awards: Anna Winter

Will Gilmore

Janet Mitchell Dedication to Community Awards:

Machlan Kelly

Mark Winter Performing Arts Award:

Jylan Hornsby

Mathematics Award: Mitchell Smith

English Award: Isaiah Filo

Auslan Award: Marnie Burgess

Technology Award: Jackson Ray

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Principal’s Report continued…. Sports Awards: Morten Hafkamp

Visual Arts Award: Oliver Kean

Science Award: Miles Watson

Humanities Award: Zoe Jenkins House Shield Winner for 2017 Kennedy

James Cheal Shay Wignall Isiah Filo Farewell to Grade Six Families We have well over 40 of our Grade 6 families who have had a long association with Kennington Primary School who will be leaving us this year. These families are: Al Aamri Al-Shadori Arbuckle Archer Bain Belleggia Bourne Delana De Leeuw Draper Draper Dyer Edmonds Evans Fawdry Hampton Hogan Honeychurch Hornsby Ising Ivezic Jenkins Jones Kean Kuku Logan Lowther Martin Moo Ray Redula Shaw Smith Taw Thomas Travers Wainwright Watson Weston Winter Wright Uniform At Kennington Primary School, we are very proud of our uniform. A uniform dress code reinforces in students a pride in their own appearance, instils recognition of themselves as an integral part of the school community, and assists in developing pride in representing their school. If you are purchasing new uniform items over the holidays, please refer to the Uniform Policy, which is attached. When purchasing shoes over the holidays, please refer to the section of the policy which states:

SHOES Appropriate black shoes, however sports shoes, which are mostly white, are acceptable. Bright coloured sports shoes are not acceptable. Shoes with an open toe are not acceptable

Previous News Family Accounts To help with your books and fees on Book Collection Day (January 24, 2018) parents are welcome to come to the office anytime, between 8:00am – 4:00pm to put money on their family accounts to help with their 2018 payments. Money you put on your account this year will be carried forward to next year. Fees and Costs 2018 The following table outlines the costs that are payable on Book Collection Day on Wednesday January 24, 2018.

Classroom Requisites

Prep – Grade 6 $55.00

Printing

Prep – Grade 6 $45.00

1:1 ICT Parent Co-contribution

Grades 5 and 6 $100.00

Jump Start Program

Grades 1 – Grade 6 $15.00

Mathletics

Preps – Grade 6 $10.00

Major Sporting Events

Grades P– Grade 2

Grades 3 – Grade 6

$15.00

$20.00

** Please note changes to Prep fees**

Class Totals Preps $125.00 Grade 4 $145.00 Grade 1 $140.00 Grade 5 $245.00 Grade 2 $140.00 Grade 6 $245.00 Grade 3 $145.00 If you have any CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund) money on your account to carry over to 2018, this money can be used to pay for your Major Sporting Events and Jump Start fees at the beginning of the school year.

School Council Voluntary Levy 2018 At the School Council meeting, it was decided that the School Council Voluntary Levy would remain the same as it has been this year. School Council Voluntary Levy for 2018 will therefore be:

School Council Voluntary Levy

First Child

Second Child/ Third Child

Fourth/More

$140.00

$110.00

No Fee

Please note that the School Council Levy is voluntary.

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Principal’s Report continued…. Centrepay

Centrepay is a voluntary bill-paying service, which is free to parents/carers receiving welfare payments. You can use Centrepay to arrange regular deductions from your Centrelink

payments.

You can have amounts deducted to pay for school fees/camps etc. Forms for Centrepay are available from the school office. If you would like to know more information about this, please see Dianne in the office.

Instrumental Music Expressions of Interest 2018 To secure a place in the Instrumental Music Program 2018, an Expression of Interest form and a deposit of $60.00 is due by end of Term 4, 2017. If you would like your child to be involved in the program for 2018, an Expression of Interest form is available from the office. The Child Safe Standards are compulsory minimum standards for all Victorian early childhood services and schools, to ensure they are well prepared to protect children from abuse and neglect. Working with Children Checks (WWC)

Over recent months, there has been a change to the Working with Children legislation. Based on

the new legislation and best practice that is in line with the Child Safe Standards, it is now a requirement for all parents and carers who volunteer their time at Kennington Primary School to have a valid WWCC. For more information about how to get your volunteer WWCC please come into the office or go to http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/home/

Like Our School Facebook Page & Follow us on Twitter Kennington Primary School has an official school Facebook and Twitter page. We encourage parents and carers who utilise Facebook or Twitter to ‘like’ or ‘follow’ the Kennington Primary School pages. The Facebook and Twitter pages will enhance communication with our parents and local community and support promotion of our school in the wider community. The school will use Facebook and Twitter to share posts on current events and activities as well as the school newsletter each week.

The Link The Link is the main form of communication with you so please ensure that your child brings it home. The Link is sent home with the youngest child in each family or can be accessed at www.kennington.vic.edu.au and loaded up to Facebook. The Link is published on Thursdays. Sometimes, where we need to ensure that a piece of information gets to all of our school community, a notice will be repeated in a number of newsletters. Cheers, Trav

State Schools’ Relief - Prep 2018 CSEF uniform support

Program background As part of the Victorian government’s Affordable Uniform Program, every Prep government school student who is a recipient of the Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund (CSEF) automatically qualifies for a uniform pack voucher. Each year, State Schools’ Relief (SSR) provides tens of thousands of children with school clothing, shoes and other essential items. For the first time SSR has received government funding so that it can help more families needing financial assistance, and ensure no one is left behind.

What uniform support is provided? State Schools Relief will provide:

A basic windcheater and tracksuit pants

OR one of the following

A bomber jacket, rugby top, hoodie or zip jacket

How can parents apply for the uniform? Primary schools are required to make applications on behalf of parents.

Once approved, the voucher will be dispatched electronically to the school & uniform shop. The school will provide the voucher to the parent/student to present at the uniform retailer.

Please see Dianne in the school office for any State Schools Relief support.

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100 Nights of Reading At assembly, we acknowledge students who have completed 100 nights of home reading. These students receive a certificate and their photo is displayed on their year level ‘100 Club’ wall. Well done to the following students who are the most recent members of the Kennington Primary School 100 Club: Grade 1 Deegan A Grade 5 Callum W

200 Club Congratulations to the following students who are now members of the 200 Club. These students were presented with a Kennington Primary School bookmark at assembly on Monday. Prep Hamish K Tien F-D Declan R Grade 1 Adam K Gracie H-J Grade 3 Ashton F Dehkeal K Neve L Zain A-R Grade 4 Alanna B Sarim B Noah F Max H Grade 5 Madison P

300 Club Congratulations to the following students who are now members of the 300 Club. These students were presented with a Kennington Primary School bookmark at assembly on Monday.

Prep Holly C Grade 1 Robbie B Grade 2 Marli M Jannah M Flynn M Grade 3 Josh M Grade 4 Bryce H

Love to sing? The Bendigo Youth Choir is seeking primary and secondary students to join our choirs. It’s a great opportunity to learn choral music, and perform locally, nationally and even internationally. Uplifting and fun, “It’s like one big family” as one of our young people recently said. Phone Rosalie on 0427 250 768

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