February 15th

Welcome to the first newsletter of the 2023 school year at Norwood Primary School. It has been an incredibly settled start for us, with students being engaged in their learning. Our whole staff have done an amazing job in preparing our school, from grounds to classrooms. I am sure that many of you have taken notice of and appreciate this. Norwood Primary is a school where we take great pride in our orderly learning environments, and this contributes to student participation in learning and engagement.

Being visible throughout classrooms and at break times has been a focus for the Leadership Group to ensure that all students are known and can feel safe. This is something that will continue for 2023.

Throughout this term, we will communicate further our priorities, targets for the year, big events and how we can further engage families in our school environment. All of this will support the teaching and learning of our students.

Staffing update

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new staff into the school for 2023. They are as follows:

Tula Thomas (3/4)

Jessica Milne (3/4)

Julia Rainbow (3/4)

Stef Jackson (3/4 & 5/6)

Laura Cronin (5/6)

Isaac Klug (5/6)

Katie Koch (Prep and LiL)

Bianca Sutton (1/2)

Michelle Clark (EAL)

Gina Cunningham and Mel Todman (Teacher Assistants)

Katie Koch	Bianca Sutton
Tula Thomas	Jessica Milne
Julia Rainbow	Stefanie Jackson
Isaac Klug	Laura Cronin

Rebecca Chandler, our Student Support AST, was successful in her application for a Disability Educational Adjustment Moderator role for 2023. This has meant a tweak to our staffing for 2023. The Leadership Team welcome Nita Cummings in a 0.8 capacity as a Student Support AST and know that she brings experience and capacity to this role. This has meant that Isaac Klug will be on 5/6D in a 0.8 capacity (Tues-Fri), with Nita filling the remaining 0.2 (Mon). We wish Rebecca all the best for this chapter of her career.

Norwood Primary School can also officially welcome Stef Jackson to the team in a 0.6 capacity. Stef will be picking up 0.4 on 5/6C with Rob O’Brien and a 0.2 load on 3/4C with Kayla Farran. Stef brings with her a wealth of experience as a successful classroom teacher.

We are genuinely looking forward to working with all staff to improve educational outcomes for all students.

An EOI has been advertised for the Acting Principal position at Norwood Primary School for the remainder of Term 1, 2023. The closing date for these applications is Wednesday 15/2. I will update all families on the outcome of this process as soon as possible.

Student Safety – Before and After School

A reminder to all Norwood Primary School families around student safety, in particular on Norwood Avenue both before and after school. Norwood Avenue is an incredibly busy place at these times, but we can all play a part in providing safety for all by ensuring we:

• only cross the road at the designated Children Crossing Zone 
• make sure no child is running along the footpath
• are being patient and respectful of all
• follow the directions of School staff and the Crossing Guard

A few reminders around roadside Drop Off/Pick up:

• If picking up from the 'Pick up | Drop off' zone, please be aware that this is strictly a no parking area.
• This means that you must only use this area to pull in and pick up or drop off.
• Cars arriving early for pick up, must not park in this area to wait. This includes all of the car parking spaces South of the designated Disabled Parking spot.
• Students are being asked to wait at the steps closest to the roundabout and access their 'pick up' from there. Please remember to keep moving up as cars leave so that cars are not lined up down the road waiting.
• Our car park is not to be used for general Drop Off/Pick Up.

Student safety is our number one concern, and it is vitally important that we take collective responsibility for this at the front of our school. 

Norwood Primary School Uniform

Over the past years the school have worked very hard with our School Association and students to re-design our uniform. We believe that we now have a uniform that provides a range of options, is generally gender neutral, hard wearing and looks very modern and stylish. We get many positive comments from the public about how smart our students look in their uniforms.

We ask that all families abide by our uniform policy as this instils a sense of belonging and pride in our school. If you would like to see a copy of our Uniform Policy, please contact the office. Please remember that the bottom half of the uniform must be loose dark blue shorts, skorts or trackpants.

Luke Padgett

In 2023 all students from Prep to Grade 2 will be part of our new, exciting Early Childhood Wellbeing Program at Norwood Primary. This program will be run by Mrs Fox, Mrs Cummings, Mr Driessen and Mrs Evorall and focus on The Zones of Regulation and ways that we can regulate our emotions. We will start by talking about things that worry us and what we can do when we are worried. Have a chat with your child about what they have done as part of the wellbeing program this week and stay tuned to hear more about our wellbeing learning!

Grade 3 and 5 students will be sitting NAPLAN between 15 and 27 March 2023.

The National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are already learning at school. On its own, NAPLAN is not a test that can be studied for, and students are not expected to do so.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process – it does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance; however, students and parents may use individual results to discuss progress with teachers.

This is the first year NAPLAN will be held in March, having previously taken place in May. This change was made so school systems would have access to results earlier in the school year, so they can be used to inform teaching and learning plans for the remainder of the year.

Why NAPLAN is conducted online.

NAPLAN online provides a better assessment and more precise results.

One of the main benefits of NAPLAN online is that it uses tailored (or adaptive) testing. This means that students receive questions better suited to their abilities, so they can show what they know and can do.

Online testing also allows us to provide a wide range of accessibility options to support students with disability to access NAPLAN.

Feedback from students is that they find the online test more engaging.

Please note that students in Year 3 complete the Writing Test on paper.

Parent information brochures and other resources

Your questions answered on NAPLAN and what it means for your child:

NAPLAN information brochure for parents and carers

The link will take you to the official National Assessment Program (NAP) website.

Please contact the school if you have any further queries.

Please return signed Validation forms, Major Excursion forms to the school office and ICT Agreements to your class teacher asap. 

If you have a change of address we require evidence of the new address through one of the following documents:

• Bank/Financial statement
• Utility bill (phone, electricity, gas) unable to accept rates notices
• Lease/Rent Agreement
• Australian Tax Office Assessment form from the current or last financial year
• Certificate of Title

If you have a change on your child's immunisation record please provide evidence in the form of one of the following:

• Updated Child Health blue book
• Medicare print out
• Letter from Doctor

Please Note: Validation forms must be returned before students participate at the Grade 3-6 Athletics Carnival and excursions. 

Thank you! 

A reminder to parents and carers if your child will be absent please notify the school by 9:30am. You can do this in person, email school at norwood.primary@education.tas.gov.au, (please do not email individual staff members), phone (63442533), text message (0407 665 749) or via the Schoolzine App. If student absence remains unexplained after three days, parents will receive a follow up text message for them to please notify the school of these absences. Thank you!

If your child requires ‘over the counter’ medication at school you must sign a parent permission form.

If your child requires prescribed medication (eg. antibiotics) you must have an ‘Administration of Prescribed Medication Authorisation’ completed by a doctor, pharmacist or practice nurse. These forms are available at the school office or from the Department for Education, Children and Young People website.

Medication in Tasmanian Government Schools - The Department for Education, Children and Young People Tasmania (decyp.tas.gov.au)

All medication must be handed into the school office in the original packaging. Students can only have their asthma medication in their bags.

If your child has Asthma and requires Asthma medication (eg. Ventolin) at school we will need an Asthma Action Plan signed by a doctor and parent as well as an ‘Administration of Prescribed Medication Authorisation’ completed by a doctor, pharmacist or practice nurse. These must be updated annually.

Please ask at the School Office if you have any questions.

Just a reminder to parents and carers that Norwood Primary School is an allergy awareness school. Please do not send any food to school that contains nuts or nut products. Thank you.

Prep A and Prep B

On Tuesday 28th February, Prep class will be travelling by bus to the UTAS campus at Newnham. Students will be participating in a range of gross motor activities organised by UTAS Human Movement students.  

Date:      Tuesday 28th February

Time:      Depart school at 10:00am and arrive back by 11:45am

Recess/Lunch: Students will need to bring a packed morning tea, lunch and a big drink of water. NO CANTEEN ORDERS AVAILABLE ON THIS DAY

Clothing: Students will need to wear their uniform, school sun hat and appropriate footwear. 

Kelly Dahl, Lizzie Tyers and Katie Koch

School photo day will be held Monday 27th of March, more information will be sent home with students in the coming weeks.  

Book Club  2023  -  Issue 1

All Book Club orders are to be done ONLINE by Parents. See below for instructions.

Issue 1 orders will close on TUESDAY 21st FEBRUARY at 3pm.

Steps for Book Club On Line ordering from Issue 1. 

1. Using the details on your child’s Book Club catalogue - either sign in or register if you are a first time user
2. Click on ORDER and then select your school (Norwood Primary School L’Ton) and your child’s Class.

Class Names:

3. Add your child’s first name and last initial (so the school know who the book is for)

PLEASE NOTE:  Your child’s details will never be shared with 3rd Parties OR used for Marketing purposes - this is for distribution purposes only.

4. Enter the item number from the Book Club catalogue.
5. All Loop orders are sent directly to the school to submit to Scholastic. Books will be delivered to your child’s class if you order by the close date.
6. When you have completed the online order, there’s no need to return any paper work or receipt of purchase back to the school.

Thank You.

Next School Association meeting Including AGM:

When:            Tuesday 14^th March 2023

Time:              6:30 pm

Welcome back, we hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and

that the children are settling in to a brand new school year. After a successful year of fundraising and supporting our Norwood Primary community in 2022 the School Association is excited for what lies ahead for 2023.

Did you know every person with a child at our school is automatically a member of the School Association, we love seeing new faces. You

do not need to commit to be a regular member or attendee, you can also just be a volunteer. If you have any questions or want more information  about how you can support our Norwood Primary community please contact us at norwoodpsa@gmail.com We’d love to see some new families come along this year.

Our next meeting will be held on March 14th and will include the AGM.  This year there are five parent Committee Member positions vacant.  If you are interested in nominating please complete the attached form and return to the school office by Friday 3rd March 2023.  If you would like more information about what Committee Members do, please contact the School Association via email or Facebook page.  Successful nominations will be announced at the general meeting straight after the AGM. 

https://www.facebook.com/Norw

oodPSSA