21 March 2025

Principal News

Dear Kimberley Park State School parents and carers, 

2025 P & C Executive

The Annual General Meeting this week acknowledged the extraordinary work of our 2024 P & C. Over the last two years, they have contributed $130,000 to the school.

The funds have:

• Refurbished our Multi-Purpose Courts
• Extensively upgraded our Hall sound and lighting systems
• Installed the Prep shade sails
• Restored the Hall floor
• Installed the Oval shade sails
• Built the sports shed on the Oval
• Funded home readers for Prep and Year 1

Our P & C strategically led the OSHC Building project to its first stage, securing $100,000 to build the temporary ‘Cool Room’ and OSHC storage.

Significant projects managed by our P & C over the last two years have been:

• Tender process for our school uniform purchasing to be ‘hours friendly’ for families, by the shop being outsourced
• Tender process for our OSHC provider to secure Camp Australia
• Advocacy team towards securing a replacement OSCH building
• Tuckshop renewal

We farewell Marlise Van der Merwe who worked tirelessly as our 2024 P & C President. Thank you Marlise for your dedication.  We thank all of our 2024 Executive for their time, events, fun, funds and comradery.  Our school could not ask for a better team.

Introducing our 2025 P & C Executive:

• President, Dylan Gorman
• Vice President Events, Natalie Turner
• Vice President Retail, Linda Bowd
• Treasurer, Kait Novak
• Assistant Treasurer, Erin Holmes
• Secretary, Megan Bailey

A huge thank you to these community members, who volunteer their time for all of us to enjoy all the trimmings at Kimberley Park State School.

What is BULLYING and what is NOT BULLYING

Children are of course born not knowing what it means to be a social and collaborative friend. Some naturally have more understanding than others. When our own children struggle with social competency, it can be challenging. As parents, it can be easy to imagine that what others are ‘doing’ or ‘not doing’ is the cause, when it is developmental.

In my conversations with students and some parents, there appears to be some confusion around ‘bullying’.  I shared this in Term 1, 2023 and thought that it could be helpful for our many new families since then.

The term bullying is often used in unhelpful ways when people do not understand the difference between ‘bullying’ and social development.  Bullying is when someone does something that causes distress to you; you tell them clearly what it is that you want them to stop doing and what it is you want them to start doing; the person continues to do the action that causes you distress.  This is when someone is bullying you.  Conflict between two children who are growing in their negotiation skills, to get what they want is not bullying. Conflict must be a part of every child’s experience for them to grow well.  When a group of children do not include a child into their game, it is not bullying, it is isolating someone to maintain their group dynamic; humans do this all the time when choosing their friendship groups.  When someone randomly pushes past another person as they move too quickly through a crowd, or in trying to get their school bag first, it is not bullying, but random acts of rudeness, with no particular person being targeted.  Bullying is when a person targets another person, when they have been clearly told to not do something to someone that causes them distress.

Conflict example:

Peter and Larry were having a great time playing at Pete’s house.  Larry suggested they play the PlayStation.  Both boys decided that they would go first. Before they knew it, they were talking angrily, and both had hold of the console.  They pushed and pulled trying to take hold of it independently.  Connie came into the room and was surprised by what she saw. Connie said, ‘Pete and Larry, what is going on?’ Pete replied, ‘We are playing the play-station and I am going first’ Larry piped up and said ‘No Pete, I am going first and Pete is being a bully’. Connie realised both boys were confused.  They were in a ‘conflict’ situation as both of them wanted the same thing, a go at the play-station first.  No one was being a bully; they were just having a power struggle, but cared about each other as friends. Connie replied, ‘Boys you can sort this conflict out.  How about flipping a coin to see who can go first?’ Pete replied ‘OK, neither of us are getting a turn this way.  All we are getting is fighting.’  With this response, Pete flipped a coin and they agreed it was Larry’s turn first.  Suddenly the conflict was finished and they had found a win/win solution. Conflict is when there is an equal balance of power between parties. Both parties are feeling upset by the situation.   Both parties want a win/win solution to the problem.

Conflict is not bullying.

Bullying is when one person targets another person over and over again with the intention to hurt them emotionally or physically.  Pete was not a bully at all, as he just wanted to go first.

Isolation example:

Gaby and Oscar and a group of other students were having a great time playing a game which involves different characters, which have been developed over days.  All the children involved understand the different characters and how they interact with each other.  Larry asked if he could play.  He didn’t normally join in this game, but he wanted to today. Gaby and Oscar said that Larry couldn’t play, because there wasn’t room for another person in the game.  Larry was really sad and sat on the hill nearby to watch.  Pete came along and asked if he could play with Gaby and Oscar. Pete had been at Oscar’s house the afternoon before and they had played a similar game, so Oscar said ‘Yes’. Larry saw that Pete had been allowed to join the game when he was told that there was no more room for another person.  Larry didn’t understand that Pete knew more about the game than he did. Larry said that Gaby and Oscar had been bullying him.   Gaby saw how upset Larry was.  She went on to explain that it was an ‘isolation’ situation.  Larry had not been interested in the game before and so now that it was developed, he didn’t understand how it worked. He had different interests in the playground up to this point in time. Gaby, Oscar and Pete had all played together and developed the game. No one was being a bully, but Larry was in an ‘isolation’ situation.  He wanted to play but the group didn’t want him to.  An ‘isolation’ situation can really hurt your feelings, but it is not bullying.  

Isolation is not bullying.

Individuals and groups have different interests.  As a result of this, children and groups can choose not to play with an individual/s.  The isolated person can feel upset by the situation and unintentional hurt or distress may result.  They may feel threatened by the inclusion of another person/s.

Bullying, conflict and isolation can be part of social interactions between adults as well as children.  Children need to see all the adults demonstrating how to problem solve without aggression or threat.  It is confusing to children when they see the people they are modelling themselves after behaving in a way that they know is inappropriate.

Every emotional response other than the six hardwired emotions of joy, anger, surprise, disgust, sadness and fear must be taught. These are emotions of survival not development. Cooperation, patience, embarrassment, empathy, gratitude and forgiveness are crucial to society and our community. If a child has not had these modeled appropriately, they will not know how to show them and so together, we must teach them. In my experience, when children do not demonstrate the appropriate behaviour, we need to teach them explicitly what they need to do.  Children are all very different in what they respond to, ‘one way’ does not fit all children.  We always want the consequence for an inappropriate behaviour to increase the child’s motivation to choose to not do this behaviour again, but to replace it with an appropriate behaviour.  We want children to understand that what they choose to do determines what happens. This is where we talk about consequences instead of punishment.

Bullying is when someone does something that causes distress to you, when you have told them to stop. Conflict is when two people want different things and so need to negotiate.  Isolation is when someone is not included in what a group are doing. Humans are complex creatures. We all want to belong and want our children to belong, feel safe and be happy. Children need to be able to fully participate in the consequences of their choices without being rescued from their mistakes. The adults in our community can together create an atmosphere which models problem solving to children as they grow to understand their own and others feelings, thoughts, body language and choices, so that they grow to be emotionally resilient, kind and generous adults.

Drop and Go Must Dos

Every afternoon, members of staff support our three Drop and Go zones. Here are the things that you can do to instantly HELP them:

1. Never leave your car parked in a Drop and Go; it completely blocks everything
2. When stopping, follow the directions of the staff member to move closer to the car in front. They can see the distance and also see the traffic that is moving in and out
3. Staff are volunteering their time to help everyone to be safe; please be kind to them

Before School Expectations

Before school is a very busy time for teachers and parents.  Before school supervision is very limited, as teachers are preparing for the school day, to ensure that everything is ready for engaged learning. Students should not be at school before 8.30am.

To ensure that all students are safe before 8.50am when the first bell rings, we need the support of parents and carers to make sure that the following rituals, routines and rules are clearly understood and followed.

Student Supervision before school:

• Students that are not supervised by their own parents or carers need to sit undercover in the tuckshop area.

Small Prep Playground:

• Prep students are permitted to play in the Prep area before school if their parents or carers are standing or sitting very close to the playground, can see their child and are supervising them. Older siblings need to sit with their parents or carers.

Other Playgrounds:

• All other playgrounds are not for any children to play on before school. Playgrounds in our local parks are a great option if children are wanting to climb and run.

Students with Parents before school:

• Students with parents or carers until 8.50am are able to sit together in the school waiting for the bell;
• Students must be sitting with their parents during this time and not roaming.

We totally understand that children want to play before school and so recommend going to a local park with other families. We appreciate how our community is so supportive of the safety and care of our children.  We appreciate your support for the school being a settled place at the commencement of the day.

Libby Jordan
Principal

Year 3 - 6 Deputy News

Supporting children through anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal human emotion.  As parents it is natural to want the very best for our children.  We strive for them to be happy, confident and secure. 

Just like adults’, children experience worry and stress and that is a normal part of life.  Learning how to manage feelings is such an important life skill that young people need to grow in to happy and settled adults.  It is our biggest wish for our children that they will experience all of the wonderful things life has to offer.  It also follows that, just like we have, they will experience times when times are hard.  Every day is a day we can use to prepare our children for those moments. 

Anxiety is our body’s natural response to an unknown or uncertain situation.  It is also heightened during more stressful times.  Anxiety is a basic survival mechanism that humans have evolved with to ensure that we could ‘get away’ from the dangerous situation.  This would have once been what we needed to stay alive.  Anxiety is not always problematic; some anxiety can be a good thing.  It can help us to really try our best, or to work as hard as possible to do well in something we care about.  However, in modern times when we are not being hunted by a hungry animal/encountering people from an unknown place, and we still have this ‘mechanism’ which was once so important, it has come to be viewed as ‘something negative’.  It doesn’t have to be viewed this way.

For children, anxiety can show up in different ways.  It could be when they are trying out a new sport or joining a new school, it could be a ‘test’ or making new friends.  Children will sometimes say they ‘have a tummy ache’ or ‘feel a little sick or dizzy’.  They haven’t yet learned to name the worry they feel and use a strategy to ‘tame’ it.

So, how do we tame that feeling? At Kimberley Park how do the adults help students stay on top of anxiety when their worry becomes bigger in their minds?

Some of the strategies that we use in a school setting can be helpful for families to know:

• We acknowledge their feelings. ‘I can see this is hard and you are a little nervous, let’s talk about what worries you about this’.
• Model calmness. Children often take emotional cues from adults.  By staying calm we demonstrate that we can remain in control and that is reassuring for children.
• We encourage them to think through the problem and be part of the solution. If we take the time to break the problem down into manageable steps, it doesn’t seem so big and frightening. Children are empowered when they are part of their own solution.
• We teach coping strategies. Breathing exercises.  These are so underrated.  When practiced consistently these have an excellent effect.  Two sharp breaths in through the nose and then long blow out the candle to exhale.  Or the ‘5 things strategy.’  1) Something you can see.  2) Something you can hear. 3) Something you can smell. 4)  Something you can touch.  5) Something you can taste.  There are lots of variations of this strategy, we find out what the child prefers and work with them on this. We acknowledge that this takes practice, breathing strategies are not a quick fix and we discuss that with the children.
• Normalise worry without overemphasising it. Everyone worries sometimes.  That is perfectly normal.  Then ‘this is what we can do about it’ and they choose a strategy. This empowers students.
• Encourage them to be kind to themselves. We might ask them how they would talk to a friend if their friend had the same worry. Often, they are more kind to another person, than they would be to themselves.  By encouraging them to consider the problem from the point of view of another child helps them to see that they can think kind thoughts about themselves too.

The goal is not to eliminate all worry for them.  Wouldn’t that be lovely!!!!  .…but it wouldn’t prepare children to grow into resilient adults, who can grow through life and problem solve all of the ‘things’ that being a teenager or an adult in the real world brings.  Our biggest goal is to do our very best to partner with families to raise resilient and happy young people who know their value, see their value and feel connected to their community. 

In other news

When I told my children about my last newsletter on screentime they set me a challenge. It seems that they notice in the evenings when I am multitasking and using my phone rather than being present with them. So……I am trialling a period of the evening when I am fully present. It is so hard not to juggle all of the things I know are piling up in my inbox, or to check messenger for messages from friends, however I am attempting to fix a moment in time in my evening to be fully present and chat to them without the distraction.  I am not always getting it right, but I am committed to giving it a try.

Sian Haywood
Deputy Principal, Year 3 - Year 6

Prep - Year 2 Deputy News

Supporting our children is an essential part of being a parent but sometimes it can be difficult to navigate the complex world of parenting.  I would like to share with you all an online resource that can be very useful at times when you are looking for tips to support your child, the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program.  This site has a wealth of information, I have included a few articles from their website that some parents may find as a useful resource to support your child. 

What is Positive Parenting?

Positive parenting is simply an approach to parenting that gives parents and carers tools and strategies to raise their child in an environment that is safe, loving and predictable. Triple P’s positive parenting program allows each person doing the program to decide what is important to them. So it’s not telling you how to raise children, but giving you the confidence and skills to build good relationships, set boundaries and rules calmly and in ways that kids understand, and follow up with consequences that are not harmful.

To sum it up, Triple P helps you:

• Raise happy, confident, capable kids
• Build and maintain a close, loving relationship with your child
• Understand more about child development to make parenting more enjoyable and easier
• Encourage positive behaviour
• Prevent and manage misbehaviour effectively, in a way that supports children’s emotional wellbeing
• Have rules and routines everyone respects and follows
• Feel less stressed and calmer
• Feel more able to handle various parenting situations, knowing you’re doing the best for your kids.

Where does Triple P come from?

The research home base of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is in Australia, at the University of Queensland’s Parenting and Family Support Centre. Foundation Director Professor Matt Sanders is regarded as one of the world’s leading authorities on parenting. Today, there are hundreds of researchers in universities and institutions around the globe contributing findings that inform the development of new Triple P programs. Their work means Triple P has the largest evidence base of any parenting program in the world

 If your child is aged six and up, you can help them build resilience through Fear-Less Triple P Online. 

Janelle Ireland
Deputy Principal, Prep - Year 2

Inclusion News

NDIS – Early Childhood Approach                     

A child’s early years are vital as they set up how they will learn and develop later in life. Of course we all want our children to thrive, however, sometimes our children experience challenges meeting their developmental milestones. At Kimberley Park, we regularly collaborate with therapists and outside agencies to ensure our children receive consistent supports and adjustments they require across both home and school environments.

Part of the wrap-around services students may require can be accessed through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The NDIS Early Childhood Approach focusses on being both family-centred and strengths-based. Families are at the centre of NDIS services and supports as families know their children best.

From 1 July 2023, the Early Childhood Approach changed to include children younger than 9, with this change being rolled out over the following two years. If your child is younger than 9, the Early Childhood Approach is the NDIS pathway you will access.

The Early Childhood Approach helps children younger than 6 with developmental delays or children younger than 9 with disabilities to access the right support. Children younger than 6 do not need a diagnosis to get support through the Early Childhood Approach where there are concerns about their development. A visit to your GP can assist you in accessing this service.

If you would like to learn more about early childhood intervention, please watch this family perspectives video.  You can read more information about the NDIS Early Childhood Approach in our guidelines - early childhood approach.  You can also find more resources in accessible formats on the booklets and factsheets page.

At Kimberley Park, we are committed to working with our students and families to ensure each and every child reaches their potential, both academically and socially.

Anne Purdy
Head of Inclusive Learning

Curriculum News

Term 2 – Planning to Excite and Ignite Learning!

As we near the final weeks of Term One, all of our teachers will be participating in Year Level Planning Days.  Each year level team will be released from their class for a whole day to work collaboratively to develop and refine engaging units of work for Term Two.  As with Term One, these Year Level Planning Days will occur towards the end of each term through the year, in preparation for the following term’s learning.

Classroom routines and programs will continue to run smoothly during each of these days, as all teachers leave detailed plans of their regular classroom routines and ongoing learning for our relief staff to deliver.

Planning Days offer valuable and rich professional development for our teachers as they engage with their colleagues to translate the curriculum standards into classroom programs and lessons.  Our students are so very fortunate to have such dedicated teachers who invest their time and energy into planning ahead for the following term’s learning. 

This intentional forward planning allows teachers to begin resourcing for the term ahead, ensuring that many activity-based learning opportunities are available for their students. 

Our staff are collectively committed to our students being engaged and excited by their learning!

Cathy Day
Head of Curriculum

From the Mentors

Math News

Over the past few weeks, I have hosted a series of parent math workshops focused on the importance of fluency with number facts for children from Prep to Year 6. These sessions highlighted how fluency goes beyond memorization—it is about developing a deep understanding of numbers, fostering flexibility in thinking, and improving efficiency in mathematical reasoning.

Throughout the workshops, we explored strategies that help children build confidence with numbers, including recognizing patterns, using different mental strategies, and applying their knowledge in different contexts. By prioritizing understanding over rote learning, children can develop stronger problem-solving skills and a more positive attitudes toward math.

I sincerely thank all the parents who attended and engaged in these workshops. Your support in reinforcing these concepts at home plays a crucial role in your child’s mathematical development. I look forward to continuing this journey together!

Next term, we are planning to present a series of writing workshops and Prep reading workshops, which will be advertised before the end of this term.

Yours in Math

Robyn Slater
Maths Mentor

Prep and Playgroup News

Kris Whitman
Transition Coordinator

Dates to Remember

Term 1

Administration News

QParents

Just a reminder that ALL Excursion/Incursion/Camp permission forms are only available via the QParents App.

If you need any help signing up, Bec in the office is more than happy to assist you – she is available during office hours, Monday through Friday in person, via phone or email.  DON’T DELAY, SIGN UP NOW!

Payment Reminders:

Community News

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