Principal's Message

Dear families,

It's wonderful to see the energy around the school as we're now a month into Term 3! It's fantastic to see everyone embracing new challenges and reconnecting with friends. This term is packed with learning and events and we can't wait to see what our students will achieve.

A huge congratulations to our incredibly talented cast and the dedicated Performing Arts department, as they commence rehearsals for this year's major production of Matilda Jr - The Musical! The enthusiasm in the rehearsal room is wonderful, and I have already been treated to some sneak peeks of the amazing talent we have on stage and behind the scenes. We have been absolutely amazed at how well tickets have sold! While demand for both shows has been high, there are still some great seats available on both levels of the venue. Tickets for this extraordinary musical can be available for purchase by clicking the link below! Performances will be held on 10 and 11 September. We can't wait to see you there!

https://www.trybooking.com/DDCXT

Get ready to dive into a world of stories, because Book Week is just around the corner! We are so excited to celebrate the joy of reading and foster a lifelong love for books with our students. We have a fantastic week of activities planned, culminating in our highly anticipated annual Book Week Dress-Up Parade. Join us on Tuesday 19 August at 9:15am in the school GP Room to see our students' incredible costumes and share in the fun! We warmly invite all parents and families to attend this wonderful community event.

With so much happening this Term, it's essential to stay informed about important key dates. Please keep a close eye on the school newsletter, website, SeeSaw and Schoolzine and our Facebook page for upcoming events and activities. We will aim to consistently publish details on both our Schoolzine and Facebook platforms.

An Exciting New Chapter in Reading!

We are thrilled to share an important and positive update on how we are teaching Reading here at Kingston Primary School.

You may have noticed some wonderful changes and we want to let you know why they are so crucial for the success of our students. We are moving towards a high-quality, evidence-based and structured approach to Literacy. This is a commitment across all Tasmanian Government schools to ensure every child has the strong foundation they need to become a confident, lifelong reader.

What Does a Structured Approach Mean for Your Child?

Learning to read is a complex skill, and it's something that needs to be explicitly and thoughtfully taught. Our Teachers are now using proven, evidence-based strategies to guide your child on this journey. This means that:

• Skills are Taught Step-by-Step: Your child will learn foundational Literacy skills one at a time, building on each new skill to create a solid understanding.
• A Daily Focus: We are dedicating 60 minutes every day to focused Literacy instruction, giving students the consistent practice they need to build their Reading skills.
• Building Confidence: Our goal is to empower every student to become a confident and capable Reader, starting in the Early Years and continuing throughout their entire school journey.

This structured and explicit approach is designed to give every child the best possible opportunity to succeed. We are incredibly excited to see our students flourish and grow into confident, skilled Readers.

Parent and Community Engagement

Your feedback is incredibly valuable to us, and we are committed to improving communication and the school experience for everyone. We recently distributed a two-question Parent Survey via Schoolzine and Seesaw to gather your thoughts. The survey asks: "What is something you would change or like to see improved?" and "What is something you think should keep going?". The survey is completely confidential and will take just a few minutes to complete. We love hearing your voice! While we have received a number of responses, we'd love to hear from more families!

https://forms.office.com/r/AWFFtRSUxn

School Infrastructure Improvements

We are excited to provide an update on a number of key projects and improvements around the school. The commencement of our new Outdoor Kitchen/Garden Classroom located near the Child and Family Learning Centre is now underway. This exciting new space will not only provide an outdoor facility for our students and classes to access but will be a space in which our talented Garden Specialist will be able to grow produce to support our Lunch and Canteen Programs more extensively.

Further, and due to an overwhelmingly strong student movement, new Soccer goals have been installed on the Early Years and Middle/Upper Primary ovals, with netting to be added soon. These spaces are overrun with students now allowing for far greater soccer games to be played for our students.

Looking ahead, several exciting projects are in the pipeline. The replacement of desktops is moving forward, with new products ordered and scheduled for installation in Years 3-4 soon. We also have continued development planned for our Kindergarten play space, including the installation of an outdoor dining table, new artwork, and an outdoor painting easel.

Finally, Mr Parrott and our Upper Primary students have begun the task of planning for a collaborative Mural Set to begin late in Term 3. This will see a local artist work alongside our students to give the walkway connecting the Early Years and Middle and Upper Primary, located at the back of our school a much needed facelift. Our students are excited by this project, and we cannot wait to see their vision come to life.