GANNAWARRA’S newest group of Preps skipped through the gates for their first days of a 13-year adventure last week.
With wide eyes and a spring in their step, the Preps joined thousands of other kids across the state in settling into the classroom and routines that will be a constant in their lives for over a decade.
Kerang South Primary School students will be hoping they can finally get a full year in the classrooms.
KSPS principal Lyn Veall told the Gannawarra Times she couldn’t wait to welcome back normality.
“It’s started off very smoothly,” she said.
“I’ve got my fingers crossed we’re going to have a simple 2023 after the past three years – without interruptions, restrictions and people can come in and visit the school.
“We’re just looking forward to having our kids here every single day because each day counts.”
Getting families back involved in the school is high up on the priority list for the school after years of restrictions.
“It was great to get the parents to our first assembly after they couldn’t do so in 2022,” Ms Veall said.
“A big focus this year for us is getting our families back involved in the school because community spirit is so important to us.”
It can be a day filled with tears as kids leave Mum and Dad’s side for the first time, but generally, it was mostly smiles.
“We might have only had one or two kids have a few tears, but they did a lot of transition before day one,” Ms Veall said.
“It’s understandable if they were apprehensive after the past three years. These kids have had limited social contact besides their family.”
The transition program run by the school has been crucial in preparing the kids for the big change.
Students had the chance to attend three come-and-try days, three formal transition half-days, and the statewide step-up day.
“In Term 4, any students that have enrolled in the school can come along to our perceptual motor program in the shed, which the preps and grade ones do, which is just about getting used to being around lots of kids and the noise,” Ms Veall said.
“For a lot of them, they’ve been in and out of the school a fair bit already, so when the first day came, it was all fine.”
