From the Acting Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Over the last two weeks teachers have held appointments with parents to discuss how students have started the school year. Staff at Norwood Primary decided it was important to offer parent teacher meetings in term 1 as a way to build connections and communicate with our families. It has been wonderful to see so many families making the most of this opportunity, coming in to meet with their child’s teacher. These connections build a true partnership. The Department for Education, Children and Young People has released a reporting and communication procedure document which outlines how schools will communicate learning progress with families each term.
At Norwood, we will communicate learning progress with families in the following ways:
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 |
|
Primary Progress Report (P-6) - tick box indicating how students have settled into their new classes Two or three way conversations |
Report (YEARS 1 – 6) 9 point scale for English , Maths and Science No written comments Two or three way conversations to share feedback on evidence of learning for English and Maths. |
Two or three way conversations to share feedback on evidence of learning for English and Maths. |
Report (Prep – 6) 9 point scale given for English, Maths, HASS and Science (no HASS rating for Prep). No written comments
Feedback on evidence of learning for English and Maths. |
|
Sharing of feedback on evidence of learning once per year on other learning areas taught e.g P.E, Music, Science, HASS |
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This will look different for Kindergarten, with our Kinder team trialling the use of Canvas, an online platform, to share evidence of learning with families. More information around this will come in term 2.
NAPLAN
Over the past two weeks our Grade 3 & 5 students completed their annual NAPLAN testing. We were very proud of the way our students approached this. For many it is a tiring couple of weeks and the cognitive load can be quite high. Our students were calm and motivated to try their hardest which is all we ask of them! A big thank you to the rest of the school who also have to be very flexible around changes to timetables due to NAPLAN.
School Improvement Plan for Norwood Primary School
We are currently working to develop our School Improvement Plan for this year in line with our goals and targets for every student. Key priority areas in 2023 are Mathematics with a focus on number and once again reading will remain a priority. These priorities have come from our data which continues to show that although students at Norwood are progressing well in these areas even more learning and growth is possible. We hold the highest expectations for the level of success for every student. We have been able to access some support from the Principal Education Officer for Numeracy who will begin work with our teachers in term 2. Striving for improvement in leading, teaching and learning as well as our partnerships with families will help us to achieve even better results.
Breakfast Club – making a good start to the day
There is a lot of research that highlights the importance of eating breakfast. Numerous studies have shown that eating breakfast helps a child’s attention span, concentration and memory which are all important for learning at school. We are aware that some families are struggling in this economic climate and may struggle to put food on the table, as a result we are starting up a breakfast club. This will begin in term 2 operating from the staffroom after 8.30am for students in need. This wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for the generous donation from Woolworths Kings Meadows of bread, butter, and some spreads. It is wonderful to see companies like this supporting their local community.
On another note, Woolworths Kings Meadows have kindly donated a morning tea for our staff this Thursday as a way of thanking them for all the hard work this term, this generous form of appreciation is a wonderful way to end the term.
Retirement
Ms Jacqueline Glen will be retiring in June at the end of her Long Service Leave. Ms Glen has worked at Norwood for the last 15 years and contributed greatly to students well-being and learning. We thank Jacqueline from the bottom of our hearts for her many years of service to the NPS community. Jacqueline’s care, support and dedication to countless students over her time here at NPS will certainly be missed. Jacqueline, we wish you all the very best for this next new chapter in your life, enjoy every day.
HAPPY EASTER
This will be our last newsletter before the end of term, the term finishes for students on Wednesday 5th April. Teachers will be attending a Moderation day on the 6th April. I would like to wish all our families and community a happy and safe Easter break. Students will return to school on Wednesday the 26th April.
Elizabeth O'Donahue