After a wonderful four-week holiday with my family, it was incredibly humbling to return to our amazing school and community and to be welcomed back with such warm wishes.

Our trip was full of unforgettable experiences — sitting on a longhorn and watching a rodeo in Texas, visiting the Grand Canyon, seeing shows on Broadway in New York, bike riding across the Golden Gate Bridge, and being flipped upside down on some very fast (and very scary!) rides.

A very big and heartfelt thank you to Mrs Schneider for stepping into the role of Acting Principal during my leave, and to Deirdre and Miss G for their support of Mrs Schneider throughout this time.

Year 5 & 6 Girls Football

Our Year 5 and 6 girls came home with a Runner-Up trophy at the Girls AFL Footy Day! With multiple games in one day — and the Melbourne sun beating down on them — the girls showed outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork, and positivity. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented KPS. Well done, girls!

Colour Fun Run

Information has now gone home about how to register online and start fundraising for our biggest fundraiser of the year — the Colour Fun Run! This year we’re adding foam to the slime and colour, promising an afternoon full of fun and mess.
There are also some exciting incentives, including the chance to slime me, Mrs Schneider and other staff!

And the best prize of all…
⭐ Top fundraiser gets to be PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY! ⭐

December

There are only 41 days until Christmas — a scary thought when we consider how much we still need to fit into the remainder of the school year! Teachers are currently busy completing assessments and reports, and we also have camps, excursions, and festive activities coming up. We look forward to celebrating the lead-up to Christmas while making the very most of our final weeks together.

Term 4 Events

The following events are scheduled for NOVEMBER:

• 5/6 City Camp – Wednesday 18th – Friday 21st November
• Prep Transition – Wednesday 26th November  2:45
• Whole School Colour Run – Friday 28th November

• 56 Beach Day - Thursday 4th & Friday 5th December
• School Up Days - Monday 8th & Tuesday 9th December
• Year 6 Orientation Day - Tuesday 9th December
• Christmas Carols Picnic - Wednesday 10th December
• Christmas Lunch & Raffle - Friday 12th December
• P-2 Class celebrations - Monday 15th December 
• Year 6 Graduation - Wednesday 17th December
• 56 Ballam Park Excursion - Thursday 18th December
• Final Assembly @ 1pm - Friday 19th December
• Term 4 ends @ 1.30pm - Friday 19th December

• P1A - Wynter; Zayne
• P1B - Maddie; Yoshi; Amelia
• 12B - Alia; Aaron
• 34A - Osman
• 34B - Annabelle; Rebecca
• 56B - Madeline D; Nathan; Louis

Our Garden Path… 

We are so excited and proud to have received yet another award from the Victorian Schools Garden Program adding to a number of amazing achievements for 2025!  We look forward to the Award Ceremony to be held in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Melbourne on November 27^th curious to discover in which category our garden most impressed the

 judges!

Our Butterfly Border is a riot of pink, purple, blue, orange and yellow together with sipping stations added by some of the students 

during their lunch break, creating a haven for bees, butterflies, hoverflies and hopefully, dragonflies!

Also starring in our garden are dwarf apple trees, nectarine, potted guava, plum, mandarin and lemon as well as our thriving berry bed…

                   
Some Grade 6 students recently planted a number of colourful Salvia shrubs to their garden established just a few months ago, adding dashes of red and white to existing native ornamental grasses, shrubs and groundcovers.

Students were also happy to see the amazing growth in shrubs and grasses they planted in July as part of Tree Planting Day, especially those in the ANZAC memorial garden and at the Mallum Avenue gates!

With special thanks to Phil and Michael Webb (Morrison and Mabel), the next exciting stage of our Montessori Garden is underway with delivery of three apple crates ready to be lined, filled and planted up by students over coming weeks!

Thank you also to Brian Jones (Morrison and Mabel) for assembling our new storage box to hold and protect our garden tools, watering cans etc

Wanted Please: 

Large pieces of cardboard to line base and sides of apple crates (please drop off next to Community Garden shed).

Marilyn, Julie, Jo and Emily

(November 14^th 2025)

We are excited to share some important changes to the way families will order and pay for booklists and school fees in 2026. These changes have been agreed upon through School Council to make the process clearer and more efficient for everyone.

Streamlined and Sustainable Booklists

We have worked hard to ensure our booklists are:

• Consistent and progressive from Foundation to Grade 6.

• Focused on minimising waste, with every item carefully selected for use throughout the year.

• Environmentally conscious — any unused or excess materials will be returned to students at the end of the year.

New Ordering Process for 2026

For 2026, families will order directly through TwoBays Office National via a Parent Portal.

• Karingal Primary School will no longer order supplies on behalf of families.

• Families will make payments online through the Parent Portal.

• Materials will be delivered to the school in January 2026 — ready for the new school year.

How to Order Your Child’s Booklist

Follow these simple steps to place your order:

1. Go to the website:
   https://booklist.officebrands.com.au/twobays/karingal-primary-school/

2. Enter the Access Code:
   KaringalPS

3. Select your child’s year level and add the required items to your cart.

4. At the checkout:

   • Use the drop-down menu and select:
     “Collect at school (pay now)”
     (This is the only option available — please ensure you select it before finalising your order.)

5. Follow the prompts to complete payment and confirm your order.

Next Steps for Families

• Order early! Make your payment before the 28th November, 2025 to guarantee delivery before the first day of school.

• Watch Compass for updates and reminders.

• Contact the school office if you need support or have questions about the process.

Separate Payments for 2026

In 2026, Booklists and School Fees will be separate payments:

• School Fees – These are a voluntary payment, but they are essential in helping us provide high-quality programs, resources, and opportunities for all students.

• Booklist Payments – These are required, as they cover the personal materials your child needs for learning throughout the year.

⚠️ Booklist payment must be made for your child to receive their supplies for the start of the 2026 school year.

Need Help or Have Questions?

If you need help or have any questions, please see:

• Samantha Cooke (Principal)

• Jacquie Schneider (Assistant Principal)

We’re here to support you and make sure every child has the resources they need for a successful start to 2026.