Kapinara Newsletter – April 2026 – Kapinara Primary School

Important dates

24 April 2026	Year 3 – Room 3 Anzac Assembly – 9:15am
29 April 2026	Interschool Swimming Carnival
30 April 2026	Coffee Catch up with the Principal 8:45am – RSVP
6 May 2026	Year 4 HASS Incursion – Payments Due
8 May 2026	Kindy Visit, Families 2027 -9:00am – 9:15am – RSVP
22 May 2026	Year 2/3 – Room 11 Assembly
22 May 2026	P&C Disco
29 May 2026	School Development day
3 June 2026	Interhouse Cross Country
12 June 2026	Year 5 – Room 10 Assembly
16 June 2026	Yirra Yaaki Incursion
17 June 2026	Interschool Cross Country
18 June 2026	Kapinara Soiree – 6:00pm – 7:00pm
3 July 2026	Students Last day Term 2
20 July 2026	Term 3 – School Development Day
21 July 2026	Students resume Term 3 2026
19 August 2026	Open Classrooms 2:00pm-3:00pm
26 August 2026	Book Week Parade – 8:50am
2 September 2026	School Athletics Carnival
8 September 2026	K-Yr2 Tabloids
12 October 2026	Term 4 – School Development Day
17 December 2026	Students last day of school 2026

Principal Message

Welcome back to Term 2. I hope the school holidays provided an opportunity for rest, connection and a joyful Easter with your families. We have returned to school with a wonderful sense of purpose and energy, and I have been delighted to see our students so quickly re-engage with their learning.

I would like to extend a warm welcome back to Mrs Aleisha Niebieszczanski, who returns to Kapinara as our Deputy Principal overseeing K–2. We are so pleased to have her back with us. This term also sees a shared leadership model across Years 3–6, with Mrs Joanne Dixon and Mrs Madeline Smyth job sharing the Deputy Principal role. I know our staff, students and families will benefit from the depth of experience and care across this team. Additionally, we warmly welcome Tiffany to our school office, we are delighted to have her join our front-of-house team.

I am pleased to share that our 2025 Annual Report has now been finalised following endorsement through our School Board governance processes. The report reflects the collective efforts of our staff, students and community, and highlights the strong progress we continue to make across our Business Plan priorities. I encourage all families to take some time to read the report via the link provided: Annual Report

As we look ahead, we will soon begin the process of School Board appointments for 2026. The School Board plays a vital role in supporting the strategic direction of our school, and I warmly encourage parents who are interested in contributing to the governance of Kapinara Primary School to consider nominating with an expression of interest. There is one meeting each term time commitment, which are currently held on Tuesday 5.30-7pm. We are seeking three parent appointments for a term of three years. Please refer to our school website for additional information on the School Board (School Board – Kapinara Primary School). Please express your interest via the link provided – Expression of Interest Board.

Building strong relationships with our community remains a priority, and I would love the opportunity to connect with you informally. I invite parents and carers to join me for a Principal Coffee Catch Up on Thursday 30 April at 8:45am. This will be a relaxed opportunity to share ideas, ask questions and continue strengthening our partnership. Coffee with the Principal– Thursday 30th April RSVP

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of our school. Together, we continue to build a community grounded in kindness, consideration and service for others.

Warm regards,
Natalie Oddy
Principal

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Last term, we were delighted to welcome Aunty Lois to our school. Students had the opportunity to learn about culture, connection, and respect through engaging stories and activities. She provided an immersive cultural experience, sharing her knowledge of the Noongar language and the significance of Lake Gallup. This was a meaningful opportunity for students to connect with and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of our local area.

Students from PP to Year 6 took part in the In Harmony Show Incursion, enjoying interactive storytelling, music, and hands-on activities. These sessions encouraged participation and brought important messages about inclusion and belonging to life. Harmony Day was another highlight, giving us the chance to celebrate the diversity within our school community.

Kapinara School Values in Action

Art Leaders Easter Drawing Competition

Our Art Leaders recently hosted an Easter Drawing Competition, giving students the chance to express their creativity. Students produced impressive artworks, these were proudly showcased in the undercover area, allowing the whole school to enjoy and be inspired. This event highlighted the important role our Art Leaders play in motivating others to be creative and lead by example. We are incredibly proud of all students who participated and congratulate the winners for their creativity and thoughtful contributions.

Living Our School Values

At Kapinara Primary School, we celebrate students who demonstrate our school values every day through our Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) program. Students earn points for showing kindness, consideration and service for others in the classroom, playground, and around the school.

These points are more than just rewards they reflect how our students are living our school values in real life. Whether it’s helping a friend, showing persistence in learning, or being a positive role model, each token highlights the ways students contribute to a caring and respectful school community.

We are excited to share that many students are close to achieving their first PBS badges, marking an important milestone in recognising their consistent effort and positive behaviour.

We are incredibly proud of all our students for embracing these values and look forward to continuing to celebrate their achievements through our PBS program.

News & Updates

Year 3 ANZAC Assembly – Friday 24 April 2026

We warmly invite our Kapinara Primary School community to attend the Year 3 ANZAC Assembly on Friday, 24 April 2026. The assembly will begin at 9:15am and will be held at the flagpoles on Catesby Street. All members of our school community are welcome to join us for this meaningful occasion as we honour the service and sacrifice of our armed forces.

Request for Flowers for Wreaths
Families are encouraged to contribute flowers or greenery to help create our commemorative wreaths. Donations can be delivered to the Instrumental Room from 8:00am on Friday, 24 April, with wreath preparation starting at 8:15am ahead of the 9:15am assembly.

Welcome to Our New School Officer

We are pleased to welcome Tiffany to our school as our new School Officer for Term 2. Tiffany joins us with a breadth of knowledge and experience, having previously worked at Duncraig Secondary.

Please join us in giving Tiffany a warm Kapinara welcome as she becomes part of our school community.

Kapinara Run Club

We’re excited to announce the return of Kapinara Run Club, kicking off in Week 3!

Open to students in Years 3–6, sessions will run from Week 3 to Week 9, every Thursday morning from 7:45–8:30am on the top oval.

Led by the fantastic Mrs Burrows, Run Club is all about getting active, building skills, and starting the day with energy and a whole lot of fun!

Join Us for a Kindergarten Visit – Families Kindy 2027

We warmly invite you and your child to a Kindergarten visit on Friday 8 May, starting at 9:00am. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore our early childhood learning environment, meet our staff, and see our Kindergarten program in action. After your visit, you are welcome to stay for our Playgroup session, a relaxed and friendly space to connect with other families and begin your journey within our school community.

To attend, please RSVP. We look forward to welcoming you to Kapinara Primary School.

Sustainability Team – Toy Recycling Initiative

The Sustainability Student Team, in collaboration with our Year 6 parents, is excited to launch a new initiative to support both sustainability and our upcoming Term 2 Disco. We are inviting families to donate pre-loved toys that will be used as prizes in a special “lucky dip” at the disco. This is a wonderful opportunity to recycle gently used items while contributing to a fun school event.

Donations can be brought in through to the end of Week 4, Term 2. We kindly ask that all toys:

Are in good, usable condition
Are no larger than an A4 sheet of paper
Are placed in a zip-lock bag
Include a clearly labelled age range

Parking Reminder for Families

For the safety of all students, we kindly remind families not to park in the staff car park or use it for student drop-off and pick-up—even if you are arriving outside of school hours.

Please use the designated Kiss and Ride area or the allocated parking bays for families when arriving and departing. These procedures help ensure a safe and smooth flow of traffic for everyone.

Thank you for your cooperation and support in keeping our students safe.

Voluntary Contributions

We sincerely thank our families for their ongoing support through voluntary contributions. These contributions play a vital role in enhancing the learning environment and opportunities we provide for our students.

Here is a snapshot of contributions received to date:

Voluntary Contribution ($60 per student) 81.18%

P&C Contribution ($200 per family) 73.15%

ICT Voluntary Contribution ($50 per family) 77.15%

Chaplain Voluntary ($20 per family) 65.26%

It’s encouraging to see strong participation across all areas, and we appreciate the commitment shown by our community. In particular, we would like to highlight the importance of the ICT voluntary contribution. As a school, we make significant investments in iPads and digital learning tools to support student learning. These funds directly contribute to maintaining, updating, and expanding our technology resources.

Continued support in this area is essential. Without sufficient funding, the school may need to explore alternative approaches, such as a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) model in the future.

To make a payment, please use the Qkr! app, which provides a quick and convenient way to contribute.

We thank all families who have contributed so far and encourage those who have not yet had the opportunity to consider doing so. Your support makes a meaningful difference to our students’ learning experiences.

Supporting Student Wellbeing

Chaplain Chats

Helping children navigate scary or unsettling situations.

In today’s rapidly changing and often uncertain world, it is essential to support children in navigating unsettling changes so they can develop both a sense of security and emotional resilience.

For just under two months now we have been seeing, reading, hearing and for some experiencing personally aspects of the war in the Middle East. Justin Coulson, who has the website and podcast Happy Families (https://happyfamilies.com.au/) has this to say about how to help our children navigate scary news. This relates, not just to the current news cycle, but for all instances when we are dealing with difficult things, either at a global news level, more locally, or personally within our own homes.

1. Follow their lead, don’t get ahead of them.
Don’t volunteer more information than they’re asking for. Let their questions guide the conversation. A child asking “Is there going to be a war?” needs something different to one asking “Will we be okay?”

2. It’s okay to say “I don’t know.”
You don’t need to have all the answers – and making things up to fill the silence does more harm than good. “I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Nobody really knows yet. But I’ll always be honest with you” is a great answer. None of us is an expert on global affairs. Acknowledge it.

3. Validate before you inform.
Before you explain anything, acknowledge how your child feels. “That does sound really scary. It makes sense that you’re worried.” Children need to feel heard before they can absorb information.

4. Keep it age-appropriate and honest.
Younger kids need simple, calm reassurance. Older kids can handle more – and they deserve honesty rather than spin. Avoid the urge to over-explain or lecture though. A simple, “Here’s what I know… how does that sound to you?” will often be enough.

5. Separate their world from the wider world.
“The world can feel unsafe right now. But our home, our street, our family – we are safe.” Kids need to believe that their world is predictable and secure, even when the wider world isn’t.

6. Limit exposure to news and social media – for everyone.
The 24-hour news cycle feeds anxiety in adults just as much as children. Brief, intentional check-ins are enough. You don’t need to have the news running in the background, and neither do they.

7. Name what’s good.
Even in dark moments, there are helpers, peacemakers, and people doing good. Point to them.

8. Stay regulated yourself.
Your children are watching you more than they’re watching the news. If you’re calm, they’re more likely to be calm. Model the steadiness you want them to feel.

9. Keep the door open.
Let your children know they can always come to you-no question is too hard or too silly.

All the best for a happy and harmonious term ahead.

Kind regards,

Paul Stokes

Chaplain

Grow Your Mind

Building Brains, Belonging and Resilience

At Kapinara Primary School, student wellbeing is at the heart of learning. Through the Grow Your Mind (GYM) program, students are supported to build resilience, strengthen emotional literacy, and develop respectful relationships, including an understanding of consent.

Grounded in age-appropriate neuroscience and brought to life through engaging storytelling, Grow Your Mind helps children understand how their brains work and how emotions shape behaviour. Students learn practical strategies to manage challenges, make positive choices, and feel a strong sense of belonging within their school community.

Each newsletter will also share insights into the program, along with simple strategies and language families can use at home to reinforce learning and support their child’s wellbeing journey.

Grow Your Mind April Download