Things to Know

Professional Learning

Over the past couple of weeks our talented and dedicated teaching team have been busily planning for another fantastic year of learning. At Kaleen Primary School, we are all learners, so teachers kicked off the year by participating in a range of professional learning, strengthening our learning and teaching practices. Staff looked at researched based strategies to enhance our teaching of numeracy and improve our consistency of practice across teaching teams. Teachers furthered their knowledge of our PBL program and learnt about essential classroom practices that enhance mental health and promote a positive school culture. Staff also took the next steps in our cultural integrity journey with Adam Ship (a Wiradjuri man from NSW from the Dubbo region). Adam educated us on some of the local plants the traditional Aboriginal people used as both food and medicine. Thank you to our staff for their high level engagement throughout all professional learning sessions.

Meet and Mingle (with free BBQ)

We will be hosting a community event for all of our Kaleen families on Thursday 13 February (week 2) 4:00pm - 6:00pm. This is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s teacher(s) and hear about some of the classroom learning and routines. Each session begins with a teacher welcome, followed by an allocated time for you to mingle and ask questions. The barbecue will be available from 4:15-5:45pm and you are welcome to gather near the basketball court at any time that fits in with the allocated sessions outlined in the timetable below. If you have children in consecutive years and need to attend back-to-back sessions, the initial ‘Teacher information’ sessions do not overlap, so you will be able attend all of the ones relevant to you, no matter how many children you have at KPS! If you happen to miss the ‘Mingle and Information’ time for your child’s year level, teachers will be available for questions or a chat during the barbecue. Please note that these sessions will begin on time, so please be prompt to avoid missing any information. Preschool families have already attended information sessions prior to commencement of Preschool, however they are most welcome to come to the community barbecue as well. We look forward to seeing you there!

Chris Shaddock

Principal

Administration

2020 Term Dates

Term 1: Monday 3 February to Thursday 9 April

Term 2: Tuesday 28 April to Friday 3 July

Term 3: Monday 20 July to Friday 25 September

Term 4: Monday 12 October to Friday 18 December

Personal Property

Please label all your child’s clothing and school items such as lunchboxes, drink bottles and bags. If your child loses an item and it is labeled we are able to return it. Any unlabeled lost items are sent to lost property, located at the front of the canteen.

Uniforms

Thank you for all your patience and support while we transition to our new online uniform supplier. There have been unforeseen delays due to the material being kept in quarantine for 14 days. We have been reassured that all uniforms on back order will be delivered to school as soon as possible.

KPS Second Hand Uniform Shop

Second hand uniforms can be purchased from the Uniform Shop (adjacent to the Preschool) every second Wednesday 8:30am -9:00am starting from Wednesday 12 February. Please see the front office if you would like to purchase second hand uniforms and are unable to make these times.

Donations of second hand uniforms would be greatly appreciated. Please see the front office if you have any items to donate.

2020 Book Packs

A note was sent home this week in regards to payment for 2020 Book Packs. These packs provide the necessary stationery and educational resources to support student learning and engagement throughout the year. Please see the front office if you did not receive the note.

If you are yet to pay for your child's book pack and require any assistance, please come and see our front office staff, phone 6142 1750 or email admin@kaleenps.act.edu.au. Our front office staff will be able to set up payment plans to enable you to pay in instalments.

Medical Conditions and Medication

Medical forms have been sent home to all families. We ask that you please fill out and return all relevant sections. This information is required by the ACT Education Directorate.

Please ensure any medication is labelled with the child’s name, dosage and time of administration. We are unable to administer any medication unless it has been prescribed by a medical practitioner.

If you require new forms, they are available from the Front Office.

Student absences

If your child/ren are absent for any reason from school, you must notify the school before 9:00am on the day of the absence. We have three ways you could let us know.

• Direct communication with the teacher via Seesaw

• Telephone the school on 6142 1750, or

• Email the school at KaleenPS.Absences@ed.act.edu.au

Please include the date, student's name and class. It is a legal requirement that all absences are recorded with an explanation. If we have not been informed, the absence will be marked as unexplained and you will be sent a notification via SMS.

Learning Session Times

Preschool: 8:45am - 2:45pm

Kindergarten - Year 6: 9:00am - 3:00pm

Session 1: 9:00am - 11:00am

Morning Break: 11:00am - 11:30am

Session 2: 11:30am - 1:00pm

Lunch Break : 1.00pm - 2:00pm

Session 3: 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Parking

Our friends at Access Canberra have provided the following information for you to consider when dropping off and picking up your children from school.

Think before you park…and keep our kids safe!

With school now back for the year we are encouraging all parents to make parking safety a priority! This means:

• keep clear of ‘no stopping’ and ‘no parking’ zones

• don’t park in bus zones, on school crossings, across footpaths or driveways; and

• don’t double (or triple) park!

Remember - it’s okay to park a little further away from the school and walk the rest of the way! Consider - having a pre-determined meeting spot agreed with your kids. That way if you are a little late, they know where to wait. Think – visibility around schools and if your car may be blocking the view of crossings for other motorists. Also be mindful when entering or leaving parking spots – look twice! Be kind – to other road users and pedestrians and also if you see any parking officers in the area – they are doing their job and working to keep our kids safe! Note - Licence Plate Recognition (or electronic chalking) vans are now actively monitoring schools. Penalties range from $114 upwards to $600. Details at www.act.gov.au/accessCBR

Late Arrivals and Early Leavers

All students entering or leaving school during school time must be signed in/out by their parent/carer. All parents wishing to collect or drop off students outside of normal hours must enter the school via the front office. Parents/carers are not permitted to go directly to their child’s classrooms without KPS front office staff support. Under no circumstances are students to leave the school without being signed out from the front office.

Students Arriving Before School

All students who arrive before 8:45am without parental supervision are required to wait at the back of the school on the basketball courts. No students are permitted to play on the senior or middle playground equipment before school commences. Parents are able to supervise their own children on the junior play equipment adjacent to the kindergarten classrooms.

Transport Canberra Information

To assist in planning school bus travel, use our handy tips and checklist below.

Routes and timetables:

Check the details of services required for your child to and from school, also making sure your child is familiar with the times and stops. If your child is new to school or changing schools, please check available school services or regular bus timetables information.

Journey Planner:

The Transport Canberra Journey Planner includes school services, allowing you to plan out the most convenient mode of transport for your trip to school. Use Transport Canberra’s journey planner to plan your travel, and use NXTBUS to track your awaited service.

MyWay cards:

MyWay is the cheapest and easiest way to travel with Transport Canberra services. A student MyWay card can be purchased online, over the phone, or at a MyWay Recharge Agent. Adding travel credit is even easier with the options of B-Pay or Autoload direct debit, attracting an additional 5% discount on all fares. Students can also top up their MyWay card or purchase a single or daily ticket at Transport Canberra’s new ticket vending machines, available at selected bus stations and Light Rail stops.

When travelling on Transport Canberra services, it is important for students to carry their concession entitlement in addition to their MyWay card as Customer Service Officers regularly check concessions.

Fares:

A single trip school student MyWay fare is now $1.22 on school days and a single trip school student cash fare costs $2.50. All information about MyWay and cash fares are available online.

Public Transport Safety:

If your child is new to public transport or a regular user, don’t forget safety is a top priority. Make sure your child is familiar with the safety rules for inside and outside their chosen bus or light rail service. For further information on Transport Canberra travel safety, please visit the Etiquette and Safety and Staying Safe sections on our website.

School Safety Tips:

A School Crossing Supervisor program has been in place since 2018. School crossing supervisors (lollipop people) assist children to cross roads safely by directing traffic with a stop sign and providing instructions. They also help to manage the flow of pedestrians and motorists at the busiest crossings. For further information on schools participating within the program please refer to our Active Travel page, under School Crossing Supervisors.

Active Travel:

Walking, riding or scooting to school is also a great way to reduce congestion and increase safety around schools. There are several initiatives in place to support families wishing to walk or ride in 2020, including the Ride or Walk to School, Active Streets for Schools and School Crossing Supervisor programs. Part way drop off points near a school, like a local oval or the shops, can be a great option if walking or riding the entire trip is too far.

Further information:

Pick-up and set down guidelines, tips for parents, tips for staff/volunteers, tips for students, safe driving, safety tips, safe school travel plans and travel congestion information can be found under the School Safety Tips on the Transport Canberra website.

Staying up to date:

To keep up to date with Transport Canberra news and important service information, sign up for our email alerts or follow us on our social media channels: Email Alerts Facebook Twitter

Further information can be found under the FAQ’s section on our website. For all other enquiries, please contact us on 13 17 10.

School Board Vacancies 2020

Membership of the Kaleen Primary School Board is a wonderful opportunity to a participant in the management process of the school and to contribute to the determination of the school’s future directions.

In 2020, our School Board will have one Parent and Citizens Members vacancy and one General Staff vacancy for the period of 1 April 2020 until 31 March 2022.

Nominations opened at 11.00am on Monday 3 February 2020. Any parents wishing to nominate can contact the school for more information.

Diana Wallace

Assistant Returning Officer – School Board

P&C News

Welcome to the 2020 school year!

The Kaleen Parents and Citizens’ Association (P&C) is starting the year at the 'Meet and Mingle' on Thursday. Come over and say hello. To any new parents, this is a really wonderful, supportive community and it really is what we make of it for our kids.

We’re having our annual general meeting in about a month where association members list you can nominate and elect a P&C committee for 2020. It’s really important that we get views from a good cross-section of the school community so whatever your background, please come along and express your views. A gentle reminder that volunteering isn’t just women’s work so fathers shouldn’t be scared to turn up too. If you’re interested in learning more about what’s involved my number is 0466 386 377 or come and find someone from the 2019 committee at the meet and greet.

A quick reminder that parking in the bus zone at the front of the school is a total no no. The busses can’t get past or safely drop off our kids safely. Please be careful and considerate of others when you’re parking as kids are hard to spot. In addition to the safety aspect, there were a lot of parking tickets issued to parents parking illegally last year. There are limited parks but that’s no excuse for parking illegally.

There’s been a bunch of anxiety about fires, smoke, Coronavirus and school starting. From my perspective the school has done a pretty good job of communicating with parents about protocols and risks but if you would like the P&C to raise any concerns, please let us know.

Ben Peters Jones

2019 P&C President

0466 386 377

kaleenpandc@gmail.com

Bottle Recycling

The P&C has set up a bottle recycling account so that any family wishing to donate their 10c per bottle to the school can do so. The account is linked to the P&C bank account and email address but to my personal mobile number. Sometimes the account number is best and sometimes you just need a mobile number.

Account number: E010182 (zeros not Os)

Mobile number: 0466 386 377

Cyber Safety Parent Information Session

In response to feedback received from the P&C, we have booked a cyber safety parent information session with 'Think You Know" scheduled for Wednesday 26 February from 5:00 pm- 6:30 pm in the library.

Please RSVP by Monday 24 February via the link below.

https://forms.gle/xbcFwYtdqn9VcStM8

Senior School Swimming Carnival 2020

Kaleen Primary School Senior Swimming Carnival will take place on Tuesday 25 February 2020 at Canberra Indoor Swimming and Aquatic Centre, Belconnen (CISAC). Buses will leave the school at 9.15 and return 2.30pm. 100m swimmers will need to be dropped at CSISAC pool by 8.15am and meet Miss Van Huizen.

Year 2 students turning 8 years of age in 2020 (born in 2012) may attend if they can confidently swim 50 metres and wish to participate in the 50 metre freestyle event in order to be selected to compete at the Belconnen regional carnival.

Our carnival will have two components;

Part A: Competitive races for confident swimmers

Part B: Aquatic skills and water safety for less confident or non-swimmers (Years 3-6)

This year we are trialling a digital entry form please click here to access the link to register your child for the carnival.

Permission note and excursion medical form will be sent home with your child on Monday 10 February 2020.

Parents are welcome to come and watch but there will be a $2.75 entry fee into the pool unless you volunteer to assist with the carnival.

There is no set timetable for the 50m events they will run between 9.30am and 12pm.

Royal Life Saving Society ACT Survival Challenge Proficiency Test

This year we will be conducting the Royal Life Saving Society ACT Survival Challenge Proficiency Test for students entering in 50m events. This test will include 4 steps:

1. Perform a slide-in-entry and walk 5 metres of water with acceptable stability and coordination.

2. Swim continuously for 25 metres using an action that resembles a stroke.

3. Perform survival scull, float and tread water for 1 minute in deep water. Call for help once within this time.

4. Exit water unassisted.

The outcome of the Proficiency Test will determine what events/activities your child will participate in on the day.

Nikki Van Huizen

Yr 4 Classroom Teacher and Sports Coordinator

Kaleen Primary School

Japanese News

A Happy New Year!

あけましておめでとうございます。

2020 is a year of rat (ねずみ）in Chinese/Japanese zodiac.

A message from Sairi, the Japanese teaching assistant at KPS in 2019

Dear KPS community,

Thank you so much for having me at your lovely school for 8 months last year. I had a great time and learnt a great deal by assisting Kitasaka-sensei with the Japanese classes and the Japanese Choir. My special thanks go to the host families who accommodated me so kindly while I was there. I am now back with my family in Kagoshima City, which is located in the southern island called Kyuushuu. I will study for two more years at Kagoshima University to finish my bachelor’s degree. The other day I met with Madoka, who will be Kitasaka sensei’s assistant this year. She is really looking forward to meeting with you all soon.

Thanks again.

Sairi Hamasaki

Library News

Library Opening Hours:

Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 1:35-2:00 pm

Wednesdays 3:00-3:15 pm

ORDERS DUE Monday 17 February

Every purchase from Scholastic Book Club

helps the school to buy extra classroom resources.

Scholastic Book Club orders for Term 1 are now open and orders will close on Monday 17 February

The easiest way for families to order and pay for Book Club is to use the online LOOP platform. This will ensure that students get their orders, which are delivered to school for free, and that the correct payment is received. Please use the link to register and start your order www.scholastic.com.au/loop

LOOP is also available as an app, for both apple and Android devices.

For cash payments, please ensure you have the correct money and that the envelope is securely sealed with your completed order form. This makes it a lot smoother to process all orders and ensures the order can be submitted to Scholastic in a timely manner.

Sustainability

Talking to children about the bushfires across Australia

The current bushfires across Australia have raised anxieties for many Australians about how we will cope, what our lives will look like in the future, and what will happen if they reach us. Many families have been impacted by bushfires this summer, from being in flame affected areas, to evacuation, cancelled holidays and smoke. The smoke from the bushfires has significantly impacted Canberra, and this may be enough to raise the fears of children who have already been exposed to information in the media. Media stories have contained graphic, scary and disturbing images of houses, animals and people affected by the fires, and this can cause distress or worry for children and adolescents.

There is a common misconception that talking with your child may make a trauma or crisis worse, however research suggests that it usually has the opposite effect. For many children, not having information is scary, and children will fill in the blanks with their own imagination – often imagining something far worse than the truth. For older children, they make take to the internet for their answers, and this can sometimes become overwhelming.

How can parents help?

• Take notice when your child is feeling sad, frightened, angry or upset, and help them to name these emotions. Reassure them that these feelings are normal in the situation and help them to label where in their body they may be feeling the emotions.

• Encourage your child to talk about what’s troubling them, listen and show you understand how they are feeling.

• If your child brings up the bushfires or smoke, find out what they know. Answer questions honestly and with solid information about how the fires directly affect your child at this point in time.

• For older children, show them maps and help to develop fire readiness skills or a plan with them (even if you think it is unlikely). This will help them feel in control and prepared.

• Help children to contribute to the relief efforts if you think this is a value that they hold dearly. Help them to donate time or money and to identify a cause that hits home for them. This will help them to feel less helpless, and in control. Many children are particularly affected by reports of the deaths of animals, so allowing them to create pouches or help in some other way can relieve distress.

• Encourage your children to engage in things that help them to feel better – connect to their community, do something physical, play with friends, or do something kind for someone else.

• Make sure you look after yourself. If you are feeling low and are struggling to manage your own emotions around your children, it can be difficult to not take it out on them sometimes. If you are constantly crying or have lost your temper, talk to them about this. Help them understand why this is happened (in terms of an overload of feelings or a reaction to a loss but avoiding burdening children with adult anxieties about decisions to be made), and engage in activities together that will make you both feel calm.

Heroes' Corner

Thank you to Jenny Stokes for her generous donation towards student support.

If you would like to have your child’s achievements acknowledged here, please email a short blurb to KaleenPSAdmin@ed.act.edu.au.

Community