December 11th

Welcome to our final newsletter for 2019….where has the year gone! It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was organising my new office here at Norwood Primary and now I am in the process of organising 2020! 

Class placements for 2020 are now complete. Students will visit their new class and meet teachers on Friday, and official placement notices will be sent home with reports on Friday afternoon. 

The end of year report will include curriculum ratings, indicators for students’ approach to learning and a general comment from the class teacher. This report is intended as a summary of your child’s achievements to date. Please talk with your child’s class teacher if you would like further information or any clarification in regards to this report.

Starting a new year with a new group of peers and most likely a new teacher can initially cause some nervousness. This is not dis-similar to the feelings we have as adults when beginning a new position or getting a new boss or new staff to our work place. Most often, once settled, it all works out and the ‘newness’ nerves are quickly gone.

If your child presents with any worries about their new class, please help them with some ‘green road’ thinking by focusing on the positives and the possibilities.

This year we will say goodbye to some members of staff, but will also welcome some new staff at the beginning of next year. 

In closing, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Norwood School Community for your ongoing support and faith in trusting us with your child’s primary school education.

Staffing News…..

In addition to the farewells included in our last newsletter, we will also farewell Mrs Ellen Smith, who has been the successful applicant for the Advanced Skills Literacy Coach position at Exeter Primary School. Ellen’s dedication and enthusiasm for ensuring children have a well-rounded and quality education will be greatly missed.  We wish Ellen the very best as she takes up her new role.

Mr Jamie Rae will continue his current role as Advanced Skills Teacher at Ravenswood Primary School.

Congratulations & best wishes to both Jamie and Ellen.

Mr Ben Humphrey & Ms Grace Bannon will conclude their contract at NPS at the end of next week. We are extremely grateful for the work both Ben & Grace have put into their roles this year and wish them well for their future teaching career. 

Our Teacher Assistant roles are in the process of being finalised.

We will also welcome a number of new teaching staff and senior staff at the beginning of next year.

Teaching & Senior Staff roles for 2020…….

Mrs Bec  Leedham - Kinder

Mrs Lynette House - Kinder

Mrs Melinda Williams - Kinder

Mrs Alison Taylor - Prep

Mrs Sarah Green: Mon|Tues - Prep

Mrs Caroline Gale: Wed - Frid - Prep

Miss Laine Paulsen - Prep/1

Mrs Sam Hookway-Dare: Mon|Tues - Gr. 1

Miss Terri Gibbons: Wed - Frid - Gr. 1

Mrs Kate Andrews - Gr. 1

Mrs Tamsin Walker - Gr. 1|2

Ms Brooke McCoy - Gr. 2

Ms Leonie Youdale - Gr. 2|3

Ms Jacqueline Glen - Gr. 3

Miss Claire Hill - Gr. 3|4

Mrs Bec Barker - Gr. 3|4

Miss Amanda Horkings - Gr. 4

Miss Emily Faulkner - Gr. 4|5

Mrs Roslyn Faulkner - Gr. 5

Mrs Megan Poke - Mon- Wed. Gr. 5l6

Miss Hayley Marshall - Gr. 5l6

Mr Scott Driessen - Gr. 6

Mrs Katrina Richards - Gr. 6

Mrs Tania Fankhauser - LiL | LIFT

Mrs Zoe Marshall - Literacy Coach

Mrs Lauren Holt - M | Tu |W

Mr Andrew Lamb: Mon | Tues - Music

Yolanda Turmine: Wed - Music

Miss Vanessa Abernethy - PE

Mrs Rebecca Chandler - AST - Student Support

Mrs Grace Evorall - AST - Curriculum Leader

Mr Duncan Walker: AST – Gr. 5/6 (Thur/Fri)  l Curriculum Support

Mrs Lynn Wyllie-Watson - Assistant Principal

Mr Gary Jones - Assistant Principal

Ms Karen Hampton - Principal

Karen 

If you would like to be parent help at our picnics please see your classroom teacher. All parent help will need to show their Working With Vulnerable People card in the days prior to the picnics. Younger siblings are not able to attend the picnics. Thank you.

Grade 3-4 Classes

Who: 3's from 2-3G, 3 B, 3 H, 3-4 F, 4 H and 4's from 4-5 S 

Where: Riverside Swimming Pool 

When: Monday 16th December. Leave school at 9:05am and return by 11:30am

Cost:  $5.00 to be paid to the school office

Students can wear plain clothes (no singlets or bare shoulders) and bring their school hat. They will also need bathers, towel, sunscreen, plastic bag for wet bathers, morning tea and a large drink. Don’t forget to pack underwear. The pool kiosk will be open for students to access. Students will be fully supervised by staff and pool lifeguards.

Jacquie Glen, Rebecca Barker, Claire Hill, Roslyn Faulkner, Amanda Horkings and Amanda Summers

Grade 5-6 Classes

Who: 5's from 4-5 S, 5 M, 5 PW, 5-6 B, 6 D and 6 R 

Where: Riverside Swimming Pool 

When: Monday 16th December. Leave school at 11:30am and return by 3:00pm

Cost:  $5.00 to be paid to the school office

Students can wear plain clothes (no singlets or bare shoulders) and bring their school hat. They will also need bathers, towel, sunscreen, plastic bag for wet bathers, morning tea and a large drink. Don’t forget to pack underwear. The pool kiosk will be open for students to access. Students will be fully supervised by staff and pool lifeguards.

Amanda Summers, Hayley Marshall, Megan Poke, Duncan Walker, Grace Bannon, Scott Driessen and Katrina Richards

Prep Walker have created wonderful directed drawings of an elf.

Congratulations to all our students who took the plunge to participate in the Schools Triathlon, on Thursday 28th November. Everyone participated with enthusiasm and a great time was had by all. 

Malachi E, Rohan C, Thomas H, Alex L, Zac M, Brad W, Ethan W, Ruby S, Zoe R, Lincon R, Thomas N, Zoe P and Mattea W.

We had almost double the participants of 2018 so let’s see if we can add to this in 2020.

Banksia

 Waratah

Wattle

Congratulations and thanks to Mrs Poke’s and Mr Walker’s class for a fantastic and joyful Christmas Assembly for our early childhood classes. Also thanks to Mr Lamb for preparing Christmas songs with our classes. It’s feeling more and more like Christmas - let’s enjoy it together.

The following levies for 2020 have been approved by the School Association.

A copy of the 2020 Norwood Primary School Levy Policy is available via the school office. 

In 2020 we are changing the process for receiving your child’s books.  Book packs will be available for collection on Levy Payment day which will be held on Wednesday 29th January between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.  A detailed infosheet will be sent home with your child’s report on Friday 13th December. Please see the School Business Manager Nicole if you have any questions. 

Grade 6 Celebration Dinner

Date of the dinner is Tuesday 17th December at the Launceston Golf Club. Payment due by Friday 13th December. 

Write4fun

Milla R (4/5 Summers) is to be congratulated on becoming a published author. Under the theme of ‘Inspired’,  Milla entered a short story entitled “The Big Question” that was short listed by the judges and will be included in a publication of best entries from across the country. Well done Milla.

We would like to thank everyone who participated in our ExCEL challenge fundraiser for the Dogs' Home of Tasmania by adding something blue to their school uniform. We are very proud to say that we raised a total of $280.55 for this great cause. Thank you for your support, Annie H and Caitlin R (5M). 

Did you know you can view our School Calendar, Forms & Documents and advise student absence via the Schoolzine app? Just click on the relevant button.

Changes to Metro school bus arrangements for Term One, 2020

As part of the process of finalising arrangements for the introduction of the new Launceston public transport network, Metro has identified the need to make some minor alterations to the afternoon Route 824PM school bus from Norwood Primary to Kings Meadows. These alterations will assist the service with maintaining its schedule, and will take effect from the first day of Term One on Wednesday 5 February, 2020.

The changes to note are as follows:

 - Route 824PM will now depart Norwood Primary at 3.05pm, not 3.10pm as previously advised.
 - The route will no longer service the entire length of Quarantine Rd. Instead it will follow the originally proposed route from Norwood Primary to Penquite Rd at the
junction of Quarantine Rd, then turn right into Quarantine Rd, then right into Opossum Rd and follow Opossum Rd through to the junction of Hobart Rd.
 - The route will then turn left into Hobart Rd, left into Nunamina Ave, right into Edinburgh St, right onto Quarantine Rd, right onto Hobart Rd and then as per the
originally proposed route through to Ainslie Grove, arriving there at 3.32pm.

The alteration to include Opossum Rd instead of Quarantine Rd will assist families who use the existing Route 160 school bus by retaining more of the current route within the new service. A copy of the updated map has been updated on the Metro Tasmania website at https://www.metrotas.com.au/schools/norwood-primary-school-2020/

Queechy Alliance Middle Years Literacy Project 2018-2020

Reading: Anne Bayetto

Anne Bayetto, Researcher & Lecturer in Inclusive & Specialised Education from Flinders University in Adelaide, worked with our QA staff in the final week of Term 3.

Her topics included:

• Intervention
• Teaching Reading in Grades 5-8 (2 day workshop) – non-fiction and fiction, dialogic reading and planning
• Overview of the The Big 6 (Oral Language, Vocabulary, Phonological awareness, Letter-sound knowledge, Comprehension and Fluency)

Feedback from staff about the content and process was extremely positive.

A special thanks to Dianne Freeman (Principal) and Chris Cabalzar (Literacy Coach/Teacher) from Newstead College for supporting the logistics for such a huge event. It was also great that staff from Newstead could attend Anne’s session/s.

Instructional Model 2020

The Intructional Model (IM) is integral in ensuring we have consistency of teaching and learning across all seven school within the Queechy Alliance. We have unpacked each phase over the course of this year and will continue to practice using the IM until it is embedded in our culture

On Monday the 18^th November, Principals and In-School Leaders (ISLs) met at Newstead College for a full day to reflect on the progress of the project to date which included the implementation of the Instructional Model. We also developed some draft plans for 2020 and beyond.

Following a process led by Pamela Macklin, our School Improvement Consultant, it was agreed that we would focus on Quality Questioning to begin the school year. The skills we want our staff to develop include:

• Asking students questions that support/challenge/extend their thinking
• Aligning questions to the Learning Intention through purposeful planning

Professional Learning is currently being developed by the ISL team and it will be delivered in the beginning weeks of Term 1, 2020.

We wish all our families and community a safe and restful holiday season.

Belinda Simpson

QA MYLP Coordinator

Term Dates

Term1: 05 February - 9 April

Term 2: 27 April - 03 July

Term 3: 20 July - 25 September

Term 4: 12 October - 17 December

Professional Learning Days

Professional Learning Day 1: 04 February

Moderation Day: 09 April

Professional Learning Day 2: 20 July

Professional Learning Day 3: 30 October

Public Holidays

Launceston Cup:  26 February

Eight Hour Day: 09 March

Easter: 10 April - 14 April (Term 1 Holidays)

ANZAC Day: 25 April (Term 1 Holidays)

Queen’s Birthday: 8 June

Recreation Day: 2 November

Next School Association meeting:

When:       Tuesday 11^th February

Time:         7:00pm

Where:      Staff Room

Some of the Topics covered, will be: Fundraising target for 2020 and Ideas, 2020 School Fair, Mother’s Day Stall, Flutter and Arrow Programs, 3/4 Swimming Carnival.

Please send all additional agenda items to norwoodpsa@gmail.com

Everyone is welcome to attend!

We would also like to give advance notice of our 2020 Annual General Meeting:

When:       Tuesday 10^th March

Time:         7:00pm

Where:      Staff Room

More information on this meeting including Nomination forms and positions vacant will be in the first newsletter in 2020.

Mother’s Day Stall 2020

We are looking for someone to take up the exciting role of Mother’s Day Stall Coordinator. We are always looking for new faces to come on board and you will receive help from a very supportive committee.
Providing Mother’s and Father’s Day stalls to our children rely on parents involvement and volunteers. Without this help, these stalls cannot go ahead.
If you are interested or would like more information, please fb message us or via email on norwoodpsa@email.com

School Association 2019 Wrap Up….

The Norwood Primary School Association and Committee Members would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to the Norwood Primary school community for supporting us in 2019.

We are really excited to announce that we have raised over our target of $10,000 and reached $11, 107.00, this is an amazing effort in a non-fair year. This money will be spent on assisting the school with much needed grounds work for our Prep and Kinder playgrounds. From everyone on the committee we would like to wish you and your families all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

From myself, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the committee on another great year! We have such great group of parents who all work tirelessly for our students but we all agree it is lots fun and we do get a kick from it.

Kind Regards,

Ben Cunningham

School Association Chairperson

This year School Association has ran the Book Fair, Norwood Winter Festival, School Disco, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls, Entertainment books, School banking, assistance at School Photos, Canteen helpers and many, many more school activities throughout the year.

We look forward to an even bigger and better 2020!