KSS_W3T2_Newsletter
Principal Update
This week, we had our School Review. I'd like to thank our parent community for sharing their thoughts around what makes our school a great school, as well as ideas on how to make our school even better. Within the next month, we will receive some information back around this and I look forward to sharing and celebrating this with you all.
I would like to welcome Mr Pat Mackle to Kingston State School. Mr Mackle will be Acting Principal for the next three weeks whilst I am on long service leave. I know that Mr Mackle is very excited to be leading Kingston State School for this time and I know that he will look forward to seeing the amazing work that our dedicated staff do each day for our learners.
I would like to thank our P and C for their work in organising our Mothers Day stall and for providing an opportunity for our students to purchase something special for their mums, grandmas, aunties or significant person in their lives. I would also like to thank the volunteers who helped over the course of this week to make this happen. We really appreciate your support!
Thank you,
Robyn Marshall
Principal
** Deputy Principal **
Reading at home and school using shared reading practices
At Kingston State School, we use shared reading to teach language comprehension that includes planned and explicit exploration of rich, varied texts. Teachers use prompts to systematically build student’s language skills in specific areas. Purposeful questions are planned to facilitate discussion and encourage students to deepen and clarify their understanding of complex texts.
During shared and dialogic reading, the adult and student are active participants in constructing a dialogue, or conversation, about the text. The adult reader intentionally and carefully structures interactions to purposefully challenge, extend, and scaffold students’ skills to support and accelerate learning.
Why use shared book reading?
Shared reading describes the interaction that occurs between an adult and a child when reading or looking at a book. Although one of the most obvious and engaging features of storybooks is their illustrations, they also provide children with access to a world of sights, sounds, and words that may be quite different from what they experience in their homes, communities, and schools.
Reading aloud with your child builds language development so that by the time children have mastered letter-sound correspondences and can read increasingly complex texts themselves, they will have the language skills to understand what they read. Having strong oral language skills sets the foundations for children to build strong literacy skills.
Reading authentic texts aloud to your child allows them to continue to hear stories, information and written language they may not yet be able to read themselves.
What does shared reading look like?
An important aspect of shared reading is the conversation that occurs between the adult and child during the reading. Pausing while reading and taking the time to discuss details in the story can support your child’s oral language development. The conversation might focus on the storyline, such as characters or where the story takes place; it may focus on similar experiences the child has had to those that happened in the book; it may focus on specific words; aspects of print; or concepts that are new to the child. When you read aloud to your child, they hear and learn lots of new and sophisticated words and sentences they may not hear or use in everyday talk.
Easter Bonnet Parade
Thank you for attending our Easter Bonnet Parade. It was wonderful celebrating a term or learning and growth.
Under 8s Day
We are celebrating Under 8s Day on 23 May 9.30-10.30am for students in Prep to Year 2.
Pop this date in your diary with further information to be released.
UQ Hearing Screener
Our school has engaged the UQ Health & Rehabilitation Clinics to provide a Hearing Screening Program for our Prep students on 13 and 15 May, 2025.
Research indicates that hearing difficulties may have a significant effect on a child’s ability to learn. Children with a hearing loss may experience speech and language delays, educational difficulties, behavioural problems and often require increased educational support. A child’s hearing may change over time so it is important to monitor your child’s hearing even if they have passed a previous hearing test.
This is an excellent opportunity for your child to have their hearing screened.
A letter and consent forms have been sent home to Prep families, to be returned by Thursday 8 May.
Prep Vision Screener
Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child’s ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development.
A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school on 27th and 28th May 2025 to conduct vision screening for children in their prep year.
If you wish to have your prep child participate in this FREE vision screening program, please complete a consent form-
1. Online by 25/5/25 (using QR code) or
2.Hardcopy returned to school by 19/5/25. Please collect the printed form from the office
Parents do not need to be present for screening, however if you would like to be, please contact the school to arrange this.
If you have concerns about your child’s eyes at any time, please take your child to see an eye health professional (optometrist/ophthalmologist).
For further information, please visit the Program website or contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.
- https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/our-work/prep-vision-screening
** HoD - Student Engagement Update **
** Prep Update **
** P and C Update **
Thank you to our volunteers for their support with the Mothers Day stall. Without your support, it would not have been the success that it was. Thank you so much!
Our winter uniform stock has arrived! We have our new winter jackets available for purchase in the tuckshop. They will cost $55.00 each.
Keep your eye out for notes that will come home next week. The P and C will be holding a Cookie Dough fundraiser and we look forward to community support to raise money for our school. We will also post updates in the newsletter and on the Kingston State School P and C Facebook page.
** Community Update **
Nominate an outstanding educator for the 2025 National Excellence in Teaching awards. These awards recognise inspirational, talented and committed teachers who make a significant impact on their students, school and community. Winners will receive a $5,000 or $10,000 professional development grant. Nominations close 27 June.
The Teach Queensland website has a fresh design. It is the central location for information about teaching in Queensland state schools, including the teacher application process, education regions, benefits and incentives and inspiring teacher stories.
Visit teach.qld.gov.au to check it out.
