We are committed to ensuring a safe and happy environment for your child.
We support your child’s health and safety through a range of strategies including:
- the behaviour code for students, which outlines the standards of behaviour expected in all NSW public schools
- anti-racism education
- anti-bullying programs
- conflict resolution and mediation training
- peer support
- road safety education
- the Healthy School Canteen Strategy.
For more information, visit the student wellbeing section of the department’s website.
Like all NSW public schools, we promote the healthy development of students through:
- school programs and practices that protect and promote health and safety
- supporting individual students who need help with health issues
- providing first aid and temporary care of students who become unwell or who have an accident at school.
Student wellbeing
Like all NSW public schools, we provide safe learning and teaching environments to encourage healthy, happy, successful and productive students.
The department is committed to creating quality learning opportunities for children and young people. These opportunities support wellbeing through positive and respectful relationships and fostering a sense of belonging to the school and community.
The Wellbeing Framework for Schools helps schools support the cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual development of students and allows them to connect, succeed and thrive throughout their education.
Positive Behaviour for Learning
At our school, we use Positive Behaviour for Learning – a whole-school approach for creating a positive, safe and supportive school climate where students can learn and develop. Our whole school community works together to establish expected behaviours and teach them to all students.
Student Leader Elections
Students in Year 5 self nominate to stand for a student leader towards the end of year 5. All the candidates present an election speech on the one day in front of the whole school assembly including parents. Most speeches are serious, tinged with a sense of humour. The quality of these speeches is sensational. At the conclusion of this assembly, students from Year 1 to Year 6 vote for their preferred twelve candidates, one leader for each of our twelve classes.
The Year 1 vote is counted as a half vote and the teachers' votes only count for 1 vote, the same as for every other student in the school.
Announcement of the Results: Because this is such an emotional moment, one way or another, the Principal informs candidates privately of the outcome. This gives children the opportunity to celebrate or commiserate away from the public eye. Using this method, by the time Presentation Day comes, all the candidates have had time to gather their emotions, and to be more accepting of the situation.
Many alternative leadership opportunities are still available for the unsuccessful candidates to explore, and in fact there are roles for every child in Year 6 should they choose to be involved.
House Captains and Vice-Captains
Each of our 4 houses has a captain and vice-captain. These positions are filled by Year 6 students who were not elected as student leaders. Hence, 12 more students have a leadership role.
Student Council
The student council is run by the 12 school leaders and it operates in a simplified parliamentary format. The chairperson and secretary are the 2 school captains who alternate these roles at each successive meeting.
The other 10 leaders become ministers such as Minister of Environment, Minister of Sport, Education, Health, Charities, Special Events, and so on.
The 'parliament' is then made up of 2 representatives from each class and these positions are elected each semester. This means that 44 more children are given leadership experience throughout the year and in kindergarten, the representatives are changed each term, meaning 8 additional children overall.
What has the student council achieved over the years?
- A pedestrian pathway beside the driveway to Symes Ave.
- The positioning of the bike rack.
- Playground markings / more handball courts and games.
- Bubblers outside the hall facing the oval.
- A new and larger sandpit.
- Toys for the sandpit.
- Sports equipment generally
- A basketball ring outside the hall
- Basketball rings inside the hall.
- Parents working in the canteen were requested to wear plastic gloves when preparing food.
- More food variety on offer at the canteen.
- Toilets to be painted.
- Shelter over the fixed equipment.
- Shelters at either entrance to the school as protection while waiting for the bus or for parents.
- A new school sign with changeable letters.
- More gardens.
- Possum boxes.
- More trees to be planted.
- Establishment of a peace garden.
- More discos.
- More books for the library.
- Establishment of the bully box.
- Establishment of the K.F.C. - (Kahibah's Friendly Children).
Children at our school take their roles seriously and they form an important cog in the wheel of decision making. It is their school and we listen to their needs and follow-up on all realistically possible suggestions.
Tribes
To develop leadership in our younger children they can volunteer for duty on one of our 3 tribes, each marked with a sash of a different colour.
The Electric Eels turn off the lights in vacant classrooms, the Water Tribe ensures all taps are turned off with no dripping and the Environmental Tribe checks playground cleanliness.
Members of each tribe give intermittent reports in front of the whole school at the afternoon assembly.
Responsibility is a main focus, as is respect for other people and cooperation as a group. Their confidence is also boosted as the little folk summon up the courage to talk in front of a large forum. These children are very proud of their contribution.