Welcome back to the school year for 2024, in particular, welcome to our new Year 7 students and to any students and their families who are joining our school community for the first time. I hope that everyone enjoyed the summer break and you are feeling refreshed and motivated for the year ahead. I know that I am very much looking forward to this year and I am feeling very optimistic and positive about 2024.

In addition to new students, we also have some new staff joining our team. Welcome to teachers Brendan Poke, Grace Bannon and Todd Nankervis as well as our non-teaching staff in Luke Brooks (Education Facility Attendant – Grounds), Susan Millwood (Education Facility Attendant) and Ashlee Woodberry (Teacher Assistant). All these staff will enhance our already strong team and I hope everyone makes them feel welcome and supported. I am also pleased to report that we are starting the year with a full complement of teaching staff. I would also like to thank our Administration staff, Education Facility Attendants and technicians for all the work they have done getting things ready for the return of students.

As we start the beginning of another year, it is very important that students develop good habits and routines regarding school. Regular attendance at school is vital for learning, wellbeing and for developing and maintaining relationships. The minimum recommended attendance rate is 90%, so every minute, every hour, every day of school matters. Ensuring students get enough sleep, manage time well and are organised with the correct equipment, all contribute to fostering regular attendance at school. If students and/or families are finding this challenging, then please seek support from us as we are only too happy to work with you.  Afterall, when school staff work in a constructive partnership with parents/carers and the student, then positive outcomes for the child are more likely to result.

We expect every student to wear full school uniform every day. If you require support in accessing uniform, then please let us know.  As part of this, only school branded hats are able to be worn at school. Following on from work regarding school uniform over the last year or so, a small working group is in the process of refining our uniform options. This builds on the previous work of last year whereby greater flexibility with day-to-day uniform was provided.  We hope to have this resolved in the first half of the year.

You may have noticed a huge crane hovering over our gymnasium. This is part of works that are currently underway to re-roof our gym as well as some other modifications. This will mean this facility is out of use this term and possibly the early part of next term. While this will be disruptive, we are sure to get a positive outcome at the end.  We will all need to be patient, flexible, adaptable and tolerant while these works are underway. The gymnasium and surrounding builders’ compound are out of bounds until further notice. Thank you for your support in this matter.

With students returning to school the roads around schools and within the boundary, become very busy at the start and end of the school day in particular. Please be a patient and respectful driver during these periods to ensure the safety of all our students.  Please remember to slow down in and around our schools with 40km/hr limits on the roads and even lower speed limits within the grounds. Pedestrians are also reminded to use the crossing to cross our internal road and students must not cut through the school car park at any time. Please take care and let’s ensure we keep everyone safe.

We understand that running a household, transporting children and work responsibilities can be a ‘juggling act’ for many parents/carers. As a result, getting students to school and collecting them at the end of the day can create some time pressures. Please note that while we have staff on site at various times throughout the day and evening, the active duty and supervision of students occurs from 8.10am until 3.20pm. As we cannot provide active supervision outside of these times, please ensure students are not on site prior to 8.10am or after 3.20pm unless there is a specific event they are attending. Thank you for your anticipated co-operation in this regard.

This year we enter the second year of our School Improvement Plan. Our three priority areas will continue to be literacy with a focus on reading, quality teaching and learning with a focus on the five key teaching practices and a culture that ensures learning for all with a focus on engagement and wellbeing. In November, we will have an External School Review. The previous review occurred in 2021.

At the end of last year I received a letter from Mr Tim Bullard, the Secretary of the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP). This letter congratulated us for being one of about 20 schools in Tasmania to achieve good results in 2023 NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy) when compared to similar schools. This was particularly in relation to our Year 7 students in 2023. Well done to our current Year 8 students.  Keep up the good work!

In the latter part of 2023, DECYP launched the new Strategic Plan 2024-2030 and, as part of this, updated the values. As such, our school has adopted the five values. You may note that three of these have not changed. The five values that shape our thinking and behaviour at Kings Meadows High School are as follows:

Courage - Accepting challenges and embracing opportunities.

Growth - Aspiring to learn and improving, even when it is tough.

Respect - Caring for ourselves, each other and our environment.

Responsibility – Stepping up and doing what is right.

Connection – Building positive relationships and a sense of belonging.

While I believe we are a good school with a great community, I also think that it is important that we continuously keep trying to improve and aspire to be better. A school community is about people and if we can all adopt a growth mindset and ensure we uphold our values then I am sure we will have another great year at Kings Meadows High School. I look forward to seeing you throughout the year.

Regards

Cary Stocks
Principal