CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL
The carnival will go ahead. (update at 8.30am)
Coffee will be available from the Lady Latte Coffee Van from 11.30am on the top oval.
REMINDERS
RATs available from the office, Nasal and Saliva – 20 per box or individual tests
2024 Pre-Primary Applications to be returned for existing Kindy students
RSVP to the office for Acting Principal’s Open Meeting Monday 12 June
THIS WEEK
Monday – Public Holiday
Tuesday – Orchestra Rehearsal
Wednesday – Choir Rehearsal
Wednesday – Cross Country Carnival
Thursday – Running Club
Friday – 4/5D Assembly
Friday – Crazy Hair Day (gold coin donation)
Friday – P&C Meeting 1pm in the school library
NEXT WEEK
Monday – No Running Club
Tuesday – Orchestra Rehearsal
Wednesday – Choir Rehearsal
Thursday – Running Club
Friday – P&C Scitech Fundraiser (Tickets via Qkr)
Message from the Acting Principal
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
Dear Parents and Guardians
I hope that all families took advantage of the extra-long weekend and did something special. Staff took advantage of the opportunity to have a professional learning day on Friday to build on our understanding of our students, the curriculum and assess our teaching approaches.
One of the main underlying beliefs we discussed in depth was classroom engagement. When students are engaged, they are focused and looking at tasks to learn and strengthen their capacities. We seek to understand children, for we know their learning is dynamic, complex, and holistic. We want to ensure that our learning programs demonstrate and reflect how children learn in different ways. Our starting point is working with what is present not what is absent—and plan what works for the child.
There is always a great deal going on at Kapinara Primary School, and we are very proud of our students and our teachers for what is being achieved.
Developing our Positive Behaviour Policy and Approach
We are reviewing our Student Behaviour Policy. The development of our new policy is in response to student and staff feedback. The focus will be on the latest research and guiding principles on supporting our students to make positive and proactive decisions. Over the coming weeks, I will be providing information on key areas that the new policy will embrace.
Bullying in the National Spotlight
In relation to bullying behaviour, I have heard the phrase from parents ‘kids will be kids’ more times than I would want to, particularly around children making and changing rules that excludes or includes or what is said by students using social media. Children are not born with these bullying traits, they are learnt by observation or acceptance, and they don’t stop unless challenged by us as adults and importantly through their peer group. We need to be the universal constant of what is acceptable by our thoughts, words, and deeds. Bullying is a constant discussion point in all parts of our wider community and particularly in school communities. We all have a responsibility to address this issue.
“Bullying is a behaviour which can be defined as the repeated attack, physical, psychological, social, or verbal, which is formally or situationally defined, on those who are powerless to resist, with the intention of causing distress for their own gain or gratification.” (Besag, 1989)
The four main parameters of bullying are:
· Repetitive – prolonged over time
· Involves an imbalance of power
· May be physical, verbal, social, emotional, or psychological (direct or indirect)
· Intention of causing distress for their own gratification and power.
Bullying is not a one-off argument, or disagreement, or fight between students. Kapinara will have a zero tolerance to bullying. We are realistic to know that we cannot prevent bullying from occurring; however, we do have processes in place to manage it promptly and ensure education occurs. As parents, I believe you want to know the school;
– Knows and understands what bullying is.
– Listens to children and parents about bullying
– Has processes in place where children feel safe to report bullying to them or they have witnessed others being bullied.
– Teaches children about respectful behaviours.
What we know is, more times than not, the person being bullied doesn’t want retribution they just want it to stop and for it not to happen anymore. New research in dealing with bullying indicates that punitive responses are not effective in preventing further occurrences. Punitive approaches cause behaviours to manifest in other areas, it doesn’t stop it – education, understanding and empathy does. Our school approach will focus on this.
Principal
Elizabeth Blackwell will be on leave until the end of term. I have been asked to continue in the role of Principal and am very happy to be here in this great school.
School Review and Business Plan
Please find attached the community survey for our school. We welcome your support and input.
Your time and support with completing the survey will help the Board and the staff to understand what the community needs and wants for Kapinara PS. Survey will close midnight next Thursday 15 June.
https://www.schoolsurvey.edu.au/s/4ubZ35t2
Reminder – I will be hosting on Monday 12 June two open meetings, the first at 9am to 10am the second in the evening 5pm to 6pm. If you are interested in participating in the meetings, please RSVP to the Front Office by Friday 9 June.
School Cross Country
The forecast for tomorrow is for the day to be fine, albeit a bit cool. If this decision changes, we will cancel and postpone to next week. If we cancel, we will let all families know first thing in the morning.
Simon Reid
Acting Principal
Running Club
Cross Country is approaching quickly, so thank you to all that have put in extra effort at training. Running club will follow on through to Week 9. Even if your child does not make the interschool Cross Country team, we would still like them to come along and join in on the fun.
Students need to attend 80% of trainings, which is a minimum of one session a week for five weeks,(doesn’t need to be in a row) and gain a position at interschool to be eligible to receive their Sporting Cross Country Badges.
Students that have participated in Run club this term will receive a wrist band which are exclusive to Run club students only, as a reward for their hard work. Please have them wear these for the Cross Country Carnival, I look forward to seeing them worn with pride.
The turn out to Running Club so far has been spectacular, keep it up Kapinara!
Mrs Scott
PE Teacher
Crazy Hair Day Fundraiser
The Student Leadership are organising ‘Crazy Hair Day’ for this Friday 9 June. It will be exciting to see all the different hair styles. Gold coin donations will go directly to the Cancer Council.
Change of Plans
We understand plans change especially on rainy days. Many messages were delivered to classrooms this afternoon being such awful weather. It would be very helpful to the office staff if the students knew Plan B in bad weather or to come to the office if you are not at your usual pickup spot.
Community
