Kearns Public School Newsletter

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Kearns Public School would like to acknowledge that we meet, learn, and play on the homelands of the Dharawal people who are the Ongoing Custodians of this land. We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge, songlines and stories. We take pride in our cultural connectedness and walk hand in hand to share Aboriginal heritage, culture, and history. 

A MESSAGE FROM MS PHILLIPS

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We are now halfway through Term 2. I would like to take a moment to reflect on the great work happening across our school and thank you for your continued support.

Our classrooms have been buzzing with energy as students follow consistent routines and dive deeper into their learning. I am proud of the way our students are showing persistence and pride in their work, and it’s wonderful to see so many of them setting personal goals and striving to achieve them.

We appreciate your partnership in strengthening school routines, attendance and safety. Your cooperation in matters such as morning drop-off, attendance follow-up and respectful behaviour, supports a calm and positive environment for all. We look forward to seeing you in week 10 for our community BBQ. 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to a positive and productive second half of the term.

Semester 1 Student Academic Reports

As part of our commitment to providing clear and meaningful communication about student learning, your child will soon receive their Semester 1 academic report. This report provides a snapshot of your child’s achievement in each learning area, as well as information about their effort, engagement, and progress.

The report reflects your child’s learning against the NSW curriculum standards and includes teacher comments that highlight areas of strength and suggestions for future growth.

We encourage you to take the time to discuss the report with your child and celebrate their achievements. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your child’s progress further, please contact the school to arrange a meeting with their teacher.

Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey.

Emergency response drills

Emergency drills are important because they help students and staff know how to respond safely and confidently in real-life situations. We understand that drills may briefly interrupt class time but they are essential for ensuring we are well-prepared in the event of an emergency.

Please note: a drill is scheduled to take place later this term. As always, we appreciate your support in reinforcing with students the importance of staying calm, listening carefully, and following instructions during these events.

Kind regards, 

Ms Phillips 

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADDRESS - K-2

Another exciting term of learning, growth and perseverance is taking place for all K-2 students who are each making incredible strides in both literacy and numeracy. 

Our K-2 classrooms are coming alive with the sounds of reading and writing. Viewing quality texts encourages class discussions that allow achievements aligned to specific learning intentions and success criteria. Our kindergarten students are becoming wonderful phonics detectives! They are learning to recognise sounds and blend them together so they can read simple words. They are building their tricky word knowledge and are using their phonic knowledge to write simple sentences that have a capital letter, finger spaces, and a full stop. During reading, students are building their understanding of the audience and purpose of an informative text. Students have enjoyed learning about the life cycle of a caterpillar through ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ text. During Mathematics, Early Stage One has been developing their measurement skills by exploring mass, using the terms hefting, heavier, lighter, or the same. They have also been introduced to methods to display and interpret data, measure the duration of time, and read the time on digital and analogue clocks by the hour.

Stage One has also been very busy building upon their phonic knowledge and learning various rules to spell words correctly. Students have been exploring quality informative texts that represent the natural world realistically, imaginatively, or as a combination of both. They have also been identifying persuasive techniques used in a range of humorous fiction picture books. They experiment with these techniques in their texts to persuade a familiar audience. In mathematics, students have been investigating how to use uniform informal units to measure the length, area, volume, and mass of an object and recalling the attributes and features of two-dimensional shapes. They have also been developing their knowledge and understanding of number combinations that add up to a given number.

In sport, K-2 are focusing on developing their confidence and competence to engage in physical activity by actively participating in a broad range of movement to develop their movement skills and to enhance their performance by using their fundamental movement skills they explored last term. What an incredible display of grit and determination we witnessed as several of our Year 2 students conquered this year’s cross country. They embodied true sportsmanship and perseverance as they tackled the two-kilometre course. We cannot wait to see our students take part in the K-2 Fun Run this week.

During Week 4, students enjoyed listening to ‘The Truck Cat’ by Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell as a part of the National Simultaneous Storytime. This fun event aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADDRESS - YEARS 3-6

It’s been a busy and exciting time for our Years 3–6 students! Classrooms are buzzing with learning, and seeing students engaging so positively with their peers and teachers is wonderful. Whether through creative writing, collaborative group work, or hands-on learning experiences, our students demonstrate curiosity, resilience, and a love for learning.

Gala Day

Gala Day was a fantastic celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fun! Students enjoyed participating in various sports, connecting with peers from other schools, and showcasing their skills in a friendly, supportive environment. The energy and enthusiasm on the day were a credit to everyone involved.

Years 3-6 Cross Country

The School Cross Country displayed determination, resilience, and school spirit. Students gave their best effort as they tackled the course, cheered on their classmates, and celebrated each other’s achievements. It was wonderful to see so many smiles at the finish line and a strong sense of community throughout the event.

Congratulations to Murray House on winning the Cross-Country Carnival! Their outstanding effort, team spirit, and determination throughout the event led them to a well-deserved victory. It was fantastic to see all the students giving their best and supporting one another on the day.

Thank you to Mr Tomasich for organising the Gala Days and the School Cross Country Carnival. His planning and coordination ensured both events ran smoothly and provided great opportunities for students to participate, compete, and enjoy themselves. We appreciate the time and effort involved in making these days a success.

Year 6 Mural in a Day

Our Year 6 students participated in the exciting Mural in a Day experience! This creative project allowed students to work together, express themselves through art, and leave a lasting memory at Kearns Public School. The mural celebrates their time at Kearns and leaves behind a meaningful contribution for future students to enjoy.

Thank you to all families for your continued support. We look forward to sharing more of our students’ achievements in the weeks ahead!

Ms Maros - Assistant Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL ADDRESS - APCI

We are continuing to focus on improvement in reading across the school. Assessment data indicates several areas for focus, particularly around comprehending texts. One aspect we have been looking at is the explicit teaching of reading strategies to support comprehension. Assistant Principals are delivering professional learning around

effective programming and developing specific learning intentions and success criteria. Teachers are then supported in the classroom to apply their knowledge to implement quality reading programs. Students are demonstrating improved understanding around focus concepts. They are encouraged to read regularly at home to support their progress.

Ms Woods - Assistant Principal

Student Leadership Team

The school leaders have been meeting each fortnight with an executive staff member. We spend time discussing our current roles and responsibilities and share new ideas. Leaders worked together to create a roster for our jobs. We have to do the flags, daily announcements, help in Monday morning and whole school assemblies. We are working hard every day to make the school a better place.

Penny, Grace, Rayeed and Ella - School Leaders

SRC

The SRC representatives meet every second Tuesday and have been given a book to collect ideas from their peers. We are looking at ways to give back to our community, so if students have any ideas they should reach out to their class SRC representatives. We voted and agreed on an exciting initiative to help people in need. Ms Phillips has approved our involvement, so stay tuned for more details!

Amelia and Aria - SRC Publicity Officers

Library Monitors

Our library monitors have been supporting during lunch and recess when there are clubs in the library. One of our other important jobs is to encourage other students to be involved in the Premier’s Reading Challenge. If any students need help with the challenge, they need to speak to Mr Ryan or Ms Woods. Please make sure you always bring your library bag on your borrowing day so you can take a book home. We have lots of new and exciting books that have been donated to the library, so make sure you have a look!

Library Monitors

LIBRARY LEARNING HIGHLIGHTS

Kindergarten 

Kindergarten students have been deepening their understanding of books by learning the difference between fiction and non-fiction. Through storytelling, read-alouds, and hands-on sorting activities, they’ve learned to identify whether a book is a made-up story or full of real facts. They’re becoming confident library users and curious readers!

Stage 1

Stage 1 students have been having a blast with our BeeBots! Through these fun, friendly robots, they’ve been learning the basics of coding and sequencing. Students have been programming BeeBots to follow paths, solve simple problems, and even navigate mazes – all while developing their teamwork and communication skills.

Stage 2

Stage 2 students have been learning the ins and outs of block coding. They’ve been exploring how different coding blocks work, including loops, movement, and control functions. Their confidence is growing as they begin to understand how individual blocks work together to create programs.

Stage 3

Our Stage 3 students have been putting their coding knowledge to the test by working towards designing and building their very own digital games. They’ve been developing their skills in logical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. In the coming weeks, they'll put all these skills to the test in their game design.

Mr James - Librarian

GREEN TEAM NEWS

During this term, Green Team has continued the hard work of recycling and keeping the playground tidy. We have started to look into the next steps we need to get the school some worms and how to maintain them. We can't wait to get this up and running again. Remember, any student is welcome to join the Green Team.

Miss Watson - Green Team Coordinator

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:- Year of schooling- Category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional- Level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive. This information assists schools to:- Formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools- Consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools- Develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

LEARNING LINKS: LINKS AT HOME PHONICS TOOLKIT

Learning Links have developed a step-by-step guide to help parents / carers provide extra support with their child’s reading at home, particularly if they are having difficulty learning to read at school.

• Links at Home toolkit - https://shorturl.at/BUs1E
• Links at Home Facebook Group - https://shorturl.at/19MEY

HELP US RETURN LOST PROPERTY - PLEASE LABEL BELONGINGS

We have accumulated a large number of lost items without names in our lost property collection. To help us return belongings to their rightful owners, we kindly ask all parents to ensure that school items, such as hats, jumpers, drink bottles, and lunch boxes, are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Labelling items makes it much easier for staff and students to identify and return lost belongings. We also encourage families to regularly check the lost property box for any missing items.

Any items not collected will be donated at the end of the term.

Thank you for your support in keeping our school belongings organised and accounted for.

VIOLENCE IS NEVER OK 

At Kearns Public School, we are committed to creating a safe and respectful learning environment for every child. Physical violence, in any form, is unacceptable and goes against our school values.

We understand that children may sometimes struggle with big emotions but using violence to solve problems is never the answer. Our staff actively support students in developing positive ways to manage conflicts, such as using their words, seeking help from an adult, and practicing self-regulation strategies.

We ask for your partnership in reinforcing this message at home. Please talk to your child about the importance of kindness and respect and encourage them to speak to a teacher if they ever feel unsafe or need help managing a conflict.

Together, we can ensure that Kearns Public School remains a place where every student feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

COMMUNITY CHARTER

The NSW Department of Education’s Community Charter outlines expectations for respectful behaviour and collaboration between the school community.

We ask that all members of our community:

• Respect the rights and dignity of others, including students, staff, and parents.
• Communicate openly and respectfully when discussing school matters.
• Support a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
• Work together to provide the best possible learning experiences for all students.

By following these principles, we help ensure that our school remains a supportive and inclusive space where all individuals can thrive. 

ATTENDANCE MATTERS 

We know that regular attendance is essential for every child’s learning, wellbeing, and future success. Attending school every day helps students build strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, develop social skills, and form positive learning habits.

Missing just one day a fortnight adds up to four weeks of lost learning each year. Even arriving late or leaving early can add up, just 10 minutes late each day equates to nearly a week of lost learning over a year. Partial absences can disrupt a child’s routine and affect their confidence and progress in the classroom.

While we understand that illness and unexpected events happen, we encourage families to prioritise full-day attendance and establish routines that support on-time arrival and staying for the whole school day.

If your child is experiencing any challenges attending school, please reach out to us. We’re here to support every student in achieving their best.

Let’s work together to make every school day count!

ENCOURAGING STUDENT INDEPENDENCE AT DROP-OFF 

Developing independence helps build confidence and responsibility, and it also ensures a smooth start to the school day. Please say goodbye to your child at the gate and encourage them to walk into school on their own. 

A reminder that all parents should exit the school grounds promptly. This helps us maintain a safe and organised environment for everyone.

Thank you for working with us to support your child’s independence and ensure a safe and efficient start to the school day. 

GOOD HYGIENE

As we head toward the cooler months, we are committed to keeping our school community healthy, and good hygiene plays a big role in preventing the spread of germs. We kindly ask for your support in reminding your child about the importance of:

• Washing hands regularly with soap and water, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
• Covering coughs and sneezes with their elbow or a tissue.
• Avoiding sharing food, drinks, and personal items like water bottles.

By working together, we can help keep everyone safe and minimise the spread of illnesses at school. Thank you for reinforcing these healthy habits at home.

KEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE 

As children spend more time online for learning and entertainment, it’s important for parents to actively monitor their internet use, the content they access, and their social media activity. Many social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, have age restrictions to help protect young users.

To support your child’s online safety, we encourage families to:

• Monitor internet use and know what your child is watching and playing.
• Set parental controls on devices and apps.
• Limit screen time to ensure a healthy balance of activities.
• Discuss online safety and remind your child not to share personal information.
• Encourage open conversations so they feel comfortable talking about their online experiences.

By working together, we can help our children develop safe and responsible digital habits. 

CHANGE OF STUDENT DETAILS

Please update our admin team if any of the details below have changed: 

• Change of address

• Change of email address

• Change of phone number(s) – home, work or mobile

• Change of emergency contacts

• Change of medical circumstance or an added medical circumstance

• Change of parental care – are there any new court orders/are there any updated court orders or legal documentation that we should be aware of.

ALLERGY AWARE

Please be aware that there are students in our school with allergies to nuts. We ask that you avoid packing nut products, in particular peanuts and peanut butter in your child’s lunch.