A Wonderful Start to the School Year

We have been absolutely delighted with how smoothly the year has begun. The children have settled beautifully into their classes and routines, and it has been wonderful to see their confidence, enthusiasm and positive attitudes so early in the year. This smooth start is a true reflection of the dedication, care and professionalism of our amazing staff, who work tirelessly to ensure every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn. Thank you to our families for your ongoing support it makes a real difference.

Attendance – Every Day Counts
There is no safe number of days for missing school. Every day at school matters and plays a vital role in your child’s learning and wellbeing. Missing just one day a fortnight adds up to four full weeks of missed learning by the end of the year. Developing strong attendance habits early sets children up for success.
If your child is unwell, please keep them at home to recover and to protect others.

Extended Family Leave
Families planning extended holidays, finishing early or starting late must notify the school in writing at least two weeks in advance. Please include your child’s name, grade and leave dates and email requests to:
kuyim.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au (attention: Zania Cope)

Prep Assessments
Our Prep students have been working hard to complete their mandated assessments, showing great confidence as they settle into school life. Thank you to our Prep parents for your support and for bringing your child in on Wednesdays for their scheduled assessment time with the teacher.

Swimming Sports
On Thursday 12th February, our Year 3–6 students travelled to Splash Pakenham for our annual Swimming Sports. It was a wonderful day that promoted participation, sportsmanship and plenty of fun in the water.
Thank you to the parents and carers who joined us to support and cheer on our students — your encouragement is always appreciated. It was an exciting and enjoyable day for all involved.

SunSmart – Hats Required
As part of our SunSmart Policy, students must wear a broad-brimmed school hat from September 1^st until the 30^th of April.  Please ensure hats are clearly named. Students without hats will be required to stay in shaded areas. Thank you for your support in keeping our students safe.

Curriculum Day
Friday 20th February is a curriculum day. Students do not attend school on this day.

Assembly
Our first assembly for the year will be on Friday the 27^th of February in the Gym.  We will be commencing this at 2:40 pm

Labour Day Public Holiday
Monday 9th March is the Labour Day public holiday. School will be closed on this day.

Annual Privacy Reminder
Our school complies with the Department of Education and Training privacy requirements. Information about the Schools’ Privacy Policy can be accessed via the Department’s website. Schools' privacy policy | vic.gov.au

Communication – Staying Connected
Strong communication between home and school is essential. We use Sentral as our main communication platform to send notifications, messages and emails. We strongly encourage all parents to download the Sentral app from their device’s app store. If you need any assistance, please contact the office, we are happy to help.

Phones and Smart Watches

As directed by the Education Minister, students must hand in mobile phones and smart watches to the office at the start of the school day. Devices can be collected at the end of the day.

Voluntary Contributions
Thank you to families who have already made voluntary contributions for 2026. These contributions directly support classroom resources and learning programs that benefit all students. Payments can be made via Sentral or at the office.

Personal Property and Ambulance Cover
Please note that personal items brought to school are not insured. Students are discouraged from bringing valuable items. Ambulance and accident insurance are the responsibility of families. This is a reminder that schools do not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance and any other transport costs.

Spare Clothes
We encourage all students to keep a spare set of clothes in their bag. We currently have no spare clothes available at school. If your child has borrowed clothing, please return it clean as soon as possible.

Names on Jumpers
With warmer weather, many jumpers are ending up in lost property. Please ensure all clothing is clearly named so items can be returned to their owners.

Absences: Parents should notify Kuyim Primary School of absences by entering absence reason into SENTRAL, calling the Administration Office or sending an email to the school’s email address - kuyim.ps@education.vic.gov.au If a student is absent on a particular day and the school has not been previously notified by a parent, or the absence is otherwise unexplained, a notification is sent automatically and an email sent at 10:00am.

Late Arrivals: Students arriving after the roll is marked at 8:45am will need to be signed in at the office by a parent/guardian. They will be given a green “LATE PASS” which they need to hand directly to their teacher. This ensures their teacher knows they have been signed in and will prevent an unexplained absence text being sent. Any student arriving late to the classroom without a Late Pass will be sent back to the Administration Office to ask for one.

Early Leavers: If a student needs to leave school any time before 3:00pm, a parent/ guardian or a listed emergency contact needs to sign them out at the office prior to collecting them. An orange “EARLY LEAVE” pass will be given to be handed to the teacher, and the student can be collected from their classroom. Please knock on the door and let the teacher know who is being picked up early, hand them the orange pass and wait outside the classroom.

After School:  Any children not collected on time are taken to the Administration Office. We know being late to collect children is sometimes unavoidable. We ask that you please talk with your children so that they know what to do if you are not here to collect them on time. Make sure they know to go to the Administration Office at any time if they are worried.

Please don’t call the school if you are going to be just a few minutes late, as it is impossible for our office staff to deliver messages to students while supporting the office during the end of the school day.

Please notify the office immediately of any changes to:

• Medical conditions or plans (asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes, etc.)
• Phone numbers, addresses or emergency contacts

For any medication to be administered to a student while at school, we require a Medication Authority Form to be completed and signed by a parent/guardian.

Medication to treat Asthma or an Allergic Reaction does not need to be accompanied by a Medication Request Form provided a student has an Action Plan for Asthma or Allergic Reactions and the medication is listed on that plan. It is a requirement that Action Plans are reviewed every 12 months and signed by your Doctor.

All medication must be in the original bottle, box or container and clearly labelled with the student’s name. Medication must be within its expiry date. Any medication that is brought to school must be brought to the Administration Office by a parent. At no time should a student be responsible for providing medication to the school. Our Medication Management Policy can be found on our website. Any questions, please contact the Administration Office.

Parking and Road Safety
The safety of our students is our highest priority. We ask families to be vigilant when driving, parking and dropping off children. Please ensure:

• Children exit vehicles only when parked in a designated space
• Extra care is taken, as children may act unpredictably

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our community safe.

Bikes, Scooters and Skateboards

For safety reasons, bikes, scooters and skateboards must not be ridden within school grounds. Thank you for supporting this important safety requirement.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.

Payment amounts this year are $400 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the school office on 5929 8411 and ask for an application form. You can also download the form, and find out more about the program and eligibility, on the Department of Education and Training’s Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund web page https://www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund 
Check with the Administration Office if you are unsure, and please return completed forms and a copy of your concession card to the school office as soon as possible. Families who applied in 2025 do not need to reapply unless circumstances have changed.

What if My Child Is Having Difficulties at School?

If your child raises a concern, it is important to remain calm and reassuring. Children often take cues from their parents’ reactions. Please contact your child’s classroom teacher as the first point of contact to discuss any concerns. Teachers are happy to arrange meeting times as needed.

Our Assistant Principal Rachel Davis is also available to support families, however classroom teachers remain the first port of call.

Support Services

• Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (24/7 for ages 5–25)
• Parent Helpline: 13 22 89 (8am–midnight, 7 days)
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): 1300 094 187
• The Orange Door: 1800 312 820 – support for family violence and families needing extra assistance

Our School Council is composed of parents, the School Principal, staff, and occasionally a community member. All members play a crucial role in shaping the educational policies of our school. Our School Council will comprise of 4 parent members, and 2 volunteer staff members. We have one parent vacancy for 2026.  No specific qualifications or experience are required—what matters most is your enthusiasm and desire to contribute to enhancing the school environment, student wellbeing, and learning outcomes.  School Councillors serve a term of one or two years, with the option to renominate for an additional two years or until their children graduate. Those completing their term can renominate, and parents new to School Council are also welcome to nominate.  Our School Council convenes twice per term at the school. If you're interested in learning more or getting involved, please don't hesitate to reach out to me through the school office. Your participation is greatly valued. 

Why is Parent membership on School Council so important?
Parents serving on school councils offer crucial perspectives and possess valuable skills that help shape the direction of the school.  Active parental involvement on the council not only proves fulfilling for the parents themselves but can also foster a greater sense of belonging for their children.  Wondering how you can get involved? The primary way is by participating in the elections held during Term 1 each year. However, elections are only conducted if there are more candidates than available positions. Your participation is highly encouraged and greatly appreciated.

What is a school council and what does it do?
Below is a table of the roles of School Council.

 School governance responsibilities

The following table shows a range of school activities that school councils may be involved in: