Newsletter 21st October 2020
Principal's Message
Tree Removal
As you are probably aware, we have works underway at our school to install a system of ramps to allow disability access to the school site. I communicated with you recently to let you know that some trees had to be removed because their roots had been damaged during this process and they presented a safety risk to students and staff.
I have just been informed that another two trees will need to be removed in order to complete these ramps. These trees are not native and were not planted in this location intentionally, they were self-seeded. They are too close to the footpath and, if left, they will eventually expand into this pathway.
The Department of Education will work with the school next year to plant new trees that are more suitable to the area. While this is a regrettable situation, we hope we can improve the environment in the longer term, whilst also providing safe access for people with disabilities.
Mr Rowley's Farewell
Last week was our gardener, Mr Rowley's, last week. He doesn't officially retire until April next year but he has a lot of leave to use before that. The staff held a surprise afternoon tea for him and his wife last week. He has been at our school for 26 years and is much loved and respected. He will be missed. When you look around the beautiful school grounds, it is largely due to his work that we have these to enjoy. His marking of the oval for carnival days is also something we have benefited from each year. Mr Rowley was farewelled in front of the school after the Colour Run last week and the students made a book of messages for him which had been presented earlier. Please welcome our new interim gardener, Mr Geoff Leatt-Hayter.
Open School Board Meeting and the Art Exhibition
Next Monday the School Board is having an open meeting. Anyone interested in hearing about the Board’s work and the school’s progress on achieving our Business Plan targets is welcome to attend at 7pm. This brief presentation will be followed by an opportunity to see the Art Exhibition and enjoy some nibbles (BYO drinks). The meeting will be in the senior block along with the Art Exhibition.
Additionally, the Art Exhibition is open between Monday and Thursday next week. Parents are welcome to take a look and can access the room between 8:30 – 3:30pm each day.
Book Week Dress Up Day Thursday 22nd October
A reminder that tomorrow we have our annual Book Week dress up. The theme this year is “Curious Creatures, Wild Minds”. However, it is more than fine to dress up as a favourite book or comic character.
Year 5 Sleepover
This year the Year 5s are having their sleepover on Friday 23rd October. There will be a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activity with FireTech.
2021 Student Leaders
All Year 5 students worked with me last week to identify what leadership was and what it required. I also explained that the Student Councillors will have a budget next year that they can use to fund a special project to benefit the whole school. They will be identifying philanthropic projects that benefit the wider community. Any students interested in obtaining an elected position (faction captains and student councillors) must prepare a speech and be elected. All students will, however, be given at least one leadership position next year, irrespective of the results of these elections. Faction captain speeches and voting will be on Tuesday 27th October 9am and Student Council speeches and elections will be on Monday 2nd November 9am.
World Teachers Day
Friday 30th October is World Teachers Day. The Bahai community have offered to help in celebrating this event by providing lunch to staff on Wednesday 28th October. Many people over this year have shown their appreciation of the teachers, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is lovely to realise the value the community places on teachers. The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) recently released the results of the Teacher and Learning Intentional Survey (TALIS). Key messages revealed that:
- teachers are more valued by the community than they think
- the way teachers are perceived in society can impact the entire career lifecycle; from recruitment, retention, job satisfaction and performance
- there is a positive correlation between how teachers are perceived and student achievement
- negatively skewed portrayals of teaching in the media do not appear to match community sentiments
- recognition of teaching expertise, through programs like Highly Accomplished and Lead teacher certification, can contribute to improving the status of teaching — consequently attracting high-quality candidates to the profession and retaining a strong workforce
For more information on this you can follow the link below.
https://www.aitsl.edu.au/research/spotlight/teaching-a-valued-profession
Day For Daniel
Day for Daniel is a National Day of Action hosted by the Daniel Morcombe Foundation (DMF) to raise awareness of child safety, protection and harm prevention. Held on the last Friday of October (30th October this year) each year, it is about educating children and adults about keeping kids safe through child safety and protection initiatives. Students at Kensington PS will revisit some of the key safety messages teachers have been sharing throughout the year and throughout their primary years.
Outdoor Classroom Day
Another special day that is coming up soon is the Outdoor Classrooms Day (5th November).
When teachers take learning outdoors they report some powerful impacts: children’s behaviour improves, whole classes are excited to learn, and individuals who feel inhibited by the curriculum often thrive in an outdoor environment.
When adults think back to their own happiest memories of childhood, they frequently recall the joy of playing outdoors. Play is not only central to children’s enjoyment of childhood, but teaches critical life skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and creativity.
Find out more about the benefits of outdoor play and learning and the difference that Outdoor Classroom Day is making in schools around the world in the latest report, Muddy Hands.
Nitish’s Baby
Our cleaner, Nitish, and his wife recently had a little baby boy called Rehan. Mother and baby are doing well, and father is exceptionally proud and overjoyed.
Beautiful day for reading and buddies - Room 10 and Room 2
Most weeks our Buddies get together for learning, socialisation and fun. Although we do an array of activities throughout the year together, many sessions are dedicated to reading. The roles of reader and listener are interchangeable and the benefits for all children are equally valued:
The ‘Little Buddies’ benefit from:
- hearing stories read-aloud (modelling of reading fluency, phrasing and expression)
- having conversations with an older student about topics that interest and involve them (extending their vocabulary and oral language abilities)
- having regular opportunities to practise familiar reading with 1:1 assistance
- enjoying fun and positive experiences with a ‘big kid’ who is now a familiar face in the playground
The ‘Big Buddies’ benefit from:
- fostering leadership and problem-solving skills
- further developing their own literacy skills
- implementing and teaching decoding and comprehension strategies
- improved self-confidence that comes from being looked-up to
- a very real and important reason to be responsible
Reading Buddies promotes a higher interest and engagement in reading, improvement in social and communication skills and, most importantly, it’s FUN.
Values and Honour Awards
Perseverance
Committing to goals and overcoming obstacles no matter what it takes. Choosing your committments wisely, and then don't give up!
Classroom Foyer Display
Growing Our Garden - Room 9
The Room 9 students have been busy working in the School's Kitchen Garden since Term 1. We have enjoyed integrating our work with lessons in a variety of subject areas such as Maths, Science, Technology and Design, as well as writing and cooking. We have even enjoyed some lovely quiet reading time in the well tended garden.
The students have grown a variety of herbs and vegetables and are all 'expert weeders'!
Teacher - Mrs Bushen
Sports News
Circus
How amazing are our circus skills? It was great to have Mr Ran back in the school helping us with our circus skills. We will have another session in Week 7.
Running Club
Running Club continues on Tuesday and Friday mornings on the oval from 8.00 – 8.30am. Come and join us for an energetic start to the day. Active kids learn better.
Colour Run
Library News
Music News
Senior Choir on Television this Sunday. The Telethon filming that our students were a part of at Langley Park will be aired on Channel 7 immediately after the news this Sunday 25th October at 6.30pm.
The Senior Choir is now rehearsing for their next big performance on the steps of the Perth Concert Hall on November 19. Please ensure that your child is learning all the words and choreography for the 8 songs. You should have received an email, and your child should have given you a copy of the Senior Choir News for Term 4.
The Junior Choir is busy rehearsing for their Christmas Musical - "The Little Bell That Could Not Ring" and for the Nativity Play. Please encourage your child to listen to their CD and learn the songs very well so that they can gain confidence and enjoy the performance. More details will follow soon.
Lynette Dewing
School Board
Join us next Monday at 7pm in the Senior Block for a brief presentation on what we do and what we've been doing this year. Then take a look at the Art Exhibition while enjoying some nibbles (BYO drinks).
The next School Board meeting (held prior to the open part of the meeting) will review 2021 Contributions and Charges, Booklists, Pupil Free Days and look at the results of the current business plan and begin work on the next one.
P & C News
P & C BOOKFAIR
The bookfair was well supported once again this year. We had a great collection of books on display supplied by the excellent children’s bookshop ‘Child Education Services’ in East Perth.
Thanks to all of the students and families who visited and purchased books for themselves or for the library.
The sales total earned the P&C a voucher for $350 which Mrs Rankin-Hume will use to buy more great books to be enjoyed by the students.
Lastly a big thankyou to Kirsty, Sarah-Jane, Jen, Lara, Giselle and Nat who gave up their time to help during the bookfair.
ICY POLES ARE BACK FOR TERM 4
The Year 5s are fundraising by selling icy poles every Friday at lunch time in the amphitheatre.
$1 each
WANTED - RECYCLED FOOD TRAYS FOR THE ARTS DEPARTMENT.
If you have any unwanted plastic/ foam food trays please drop them into the school office.
Thank you!
Community News
Win a mural by Stephen Michael King
To celebrate Puffin’s 80th anniversary and the release of the second book in the Atticus Van Tasticus series, Puffin is giving one lucky school in Australia a school mural, painted by Stephen Michael King.
The lucky school will also receive a visit from the author Andrew Daddo, plus a set of Atticus books for every grade class in the school. The individual student who submitted the winning drawing will get a set of Atticus Van Tasticus books plus a signed limited edition drawing from Stephen Michael King.
To enter, follow these steps:
- Ask students to draw a picture on an A4 piece of paper that they’d like to see on a school wall. The picture must contain the character Atticus Van Tasticus and a Puffin. It can be about anything they want. It can be an individual entry, or a class effort.
- Ask each student to write their first name, class and school on the back of each entry.
- Collect all entries and send them with a checklist cover sheet that lists:
Name of school - Contact name - Contact email - Contact phone - Size of wall (approximate). Note that wall size is limited to 3m high x 6m wide - Is the wall inside, outside or under cover? What is the wall made of? - Mail the information sheet and entries to:
Puffin 80th mural competition
Penguin Random House
Level 3, 100 Pacific Highway,
North Sydney NSW 2060.
Hurry! Entries close 5pm Friday 30 October 2020.
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