May 3rd

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope you and your family enjoyed a lovely Easter and holiday break and are refreshed and ready for another busy term. I always love the first day back to a term, students are excited to be back to catch up with friends and teachers are refreshed and eager to hear about student’s holidays. We began term 2 with an ANZAC day service led by our student leaders. I would like to thank Matilda, Eddie, Luca and Matilda for leading the 3-6 service with such depth and dignity. I was very proud of the respect and empathy demonstrated by our student leaders throughout the service.

At the beginning of the term, I was advised that Mrs Karen Monaghan would be returning to her full-time capacity as Principal on 15^th May. As such it will be my last day at Norwood Primary School on Friday 12^th May. Mrs Monaghan will be working with me over the next two weeks as a handover. I know she is looking forward to getting into classrooms and connecting with students and their families during this time.

I want to take the time to acknowledge the Norwood Primary School community for your warm welcome and support. I have loved leading the school over the last 10 weeks. Before I leave, I feel it’s important to acknowledge some of the many positive observations I have made while I have been here. Firstly, the students here are a credit to the partnership between home and school, students strive to do their best, every student comes to school wearing their uniform with pride and there is an obvious sense of belonging. The overwhelming sense of respect and care for each other regularly shines through in your children. Classroom environments have a hum of engagement in learning, and this is a credit to the hard-working team of teachers and leaders who have created orderly learning environments where Inquiry and Learning Assets are evident. Teachers have an unwavering commitment to do the very best by their students and this is evident in the many and varied opportunities provided here such as options, girls groups, gifted and extension programs and pre-school programs just to name a few.  The school’s outdoor environment is beautiful, offering passive and active places to play. Lastly, I want to thank the Leadership team for their unwavering support and commitment to work together as a team to achieve positive outcomes for our school.

I know you will join me in welcoming Mrs Monaghan back to Norwood after her leave and I wish the school all the best into the future. I look forward to saying hello to students as I reconnect with them in the community.

Mother’s Day

Next Sunday, May 14^th is Mother’s Day. We wish all our mothers a wonderful day. We hope you are showered with love and appreciation on this day. Our wonderful School Association fundraising group have worked tirelessly to put together a Mother’s Day stall where children can buy a small gift chosen by themselves to give to their mums.  This stall will be held next Wednesday 10^th and Thursday 11^th May.

Safeguarding Lead Appointed

Norwood Primary School has recently appointed Grace Evorall as our first Safeguarding Lead.

Safeguarding Leads have been appointed in all Tasmanian state schools to help ensure all children and young people in Tasmania are known, safe, well and learning.

Grace will support the wellbeing of all our students and help us all understand that keeping children and young people safe is everyone’s responsibility.

Please support Grace in this new role!

For further information on Safeguarding in Schools please click here.

Thank you

Mrs Elizabeth O’Donahue

We are now in Cross Country season at school and have our school carnival coming up soon. The NPS Cross County Carnival will take place on Friday 19^th May on school grounds. Students have been and will continue to train and practice for this event during PE and Daily PE. We suggest students who have their PE lesson in the morning to bring spare socks due to the wet mornings at the moment.

Students are to wear their uniform and running shoes, bring a large drink bottle, spare shoes and socks, warm clothing and house colours are encouraged. Students with asthma need to bring their puffers.

Parents and spectators will be encouraged to attend this event, with a cordoned off section for viewing. This will allow spectators to see both the start and finish of the events. There is no limit to the number of spectators per student, however, please stay home if you are feeling unwell. We appreciate your assistance with this.

The structure of the day is below. It should be noted that spectators will not be able to leave/enter the viewing area during race times.

Kinder Fankhauser and Kinder Williams will be running their events on Thursday, 18^th May at 2:00pm.

Ben Humphrey

HPE Teacher

Value Certificate Recipients

It was fantastic to acknowledge students across the school, on the last day of Term 1, who were deserving recipients of Values Certificates. These certificates highlighted those students who have displayed exceptional behaviour, an outstanding approach to learning and academic excellence. Congratulations to all recipients.

We would like to acknowledge the students that were successful in gaining positions as Grade 6 Literacy Leaders for 2023:

This wonderful team of committed leaders have had a busy start to the year, running various lunchtime programs as well as coordinating the Easter colouring competition. In Term 2, they will be working in our Early Childhood classrooms to support reading, as well as running Reading Club before school and undertaking various other Literacy responsibilities. Congratulations to the team, for their very important role in our school.

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.