Issue 9, 23 June 2023, Week 9 Term 2

Dear Families,

It is hard to believe the term is almost over. It has been an absolute pleasure to continue to lead this school and share in the wonderful learning experiences of both staff and students. I feel incredibly proud of our students, particularly the enthusiasm and dedication in how they have approached each day. Both staff and students have embraced all learning opportunities provided. Thank you to staff, students and our entire Kingston community for the term. I look forward to Term 3 and witnessing all that Kingston Primary will continue to achieve.

Term 3 Staff Changes

As we move towards Term 3, there will be several significant staff changes at Kingston Primary School. I am saddened to announce that Mrs Shona Hunt, Mrs Kris Steele and Mr Russell Dowsett have made the decision to retire after taking a period of Long Service Leave. Shona, Kris and Russell will finish up at the end of Term 2.

I know this will be a shock to many Kingston community members. Shona, Kris and Russell all have a great wealth of knowledge and connection with the wider school community and their departure will be sorely felt.

As we bid farewell to Shona, Kris and Russell, let us remember the countless memories and achievements they leave behind. The unforgettable concerts from Shona, many drama performances from Russell and the early years expertise from Kris where the students in their care achieved greatness. The milestones achieved, the competitions won and the profound impact they have had on their students are a testament to each of their exceptional teaching and mentorship.

On behalf of all your students, colleagues, and the community, we extend our deepest gratitude for your immeasurable contributions to the world of education. You are all beacons of inspiration and your legacy will resonate with those who have had the honour of being taught by you all. Congratulations to you all on extraordinary careers and best wishes for retirement.

Further to this, we will be farewelling Leila Karimi from our Teaching Assistant team, as Leila and her family move interstate. Leila has been a wonderful asset to Kingston Primary School not only playing a vital role in supporting and connecting with our Launching into Learning families, but also in her work with our students in the Middle Primary. Wishing Leila and her family all the best as they embark on their future endeavours.

There will be no change to our 2023 staffing structures. Mr Stephen Jones will continue in the role of Performing Arts and Ms Amelia Doyle will continue in Prep.

Mid Year Reporting 2023

Following on from last year’s changes to reporting, your child’s teacher has assessed your child’s current progress against the Australian Curriculum Achievement Standards for their year level in the learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science, Health and Physical Education, Languages, The Arts and Technologies.

A 9-point Scale and Worded Descriptor will appear on your child’s report. This replaces the A-E ratings used previously. The 9-point scale shows specifically where you child’s learning achievement is against the expected standard for their year level. It does not compare your child’s progress to other children in their class.

Please note: Prep students will receive Behaviour and Effort ratings only.  They will be assessed using the 9-point scale in their End of Year Reports.

Students on Individual Learning Plans will show their progress towards their goals using the Learning Plan Goal Continuum. In conjunction with the Learning Goal Continuum, your child may also have their progress in learning areas such as Health and Physical Education, Languages, The Arts and Technologies assessed against the Australian Curriculum. In doing so your child may receive a 5-point Worded Descriptor. This remains the same as in 2022.

Your child’s teachers have also provided information about their application to learning such as Effort and Behaviour.

Communicating Student Progress with Families

A phased implementation of the new Communicating Learning Progress with Families Policy will see some changes to the way student learning is shared with families.

This year we will begin Sharing Evidence of Learning with families throughout the year. We know that sharing learning progress more regularly will support the development of strong partnerships and help families to feel connected to their child’s learning. Opportunities to meet with your child’s teacher/s about their learning progress will also be provided.

The following table is an outline of our ‘Communicating Learning Progress with Families’ schedule across the year.

We will be holding formal Learning Partnership Discussions again in Term 3, following on from the discussions held in Term 1. However if you have concerns or need to discuss your child’s learning or wellbeing outside of this schedule, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.