June 3rd
What a wonderful feeling it is to have the majority of our students back at school! Schools just do not feel right without the sound and the feel of the amount of students that they are designed to have!
The ongoing resilience that we are seeing from students with the changes that have been required in terms of alternate drop off and pick up is fantastic! Thank you for your help in assisting children to be well-prepared & supported to follow all the current temporary measures to ensure that we can do our bit to keep Tasmania safe & well.
In response to some frequently asked questions from families, I have put together a document as a reference point for any wonderings or questions that you might have about our school and the arrangement relating to COVID-19. We are planning on attaching this to our website so that we can update it as things change. Hopefully this is helpful, but please continue to contact us with any other questions, wondering etc. that you may have.
Happy to be back with friends.....
Student Parliament
With most students now back at school, we have been able to complete the process for grade 3-6 selection of students for our Student Parliament Representives (SPR). Student Parliament representatives are elected by their class to bring their concerns, requests and feedback to the Parliamentary Meetings for consideration, verification and action. It is an expectation that student representatives follow and model the schoolwide behaviour expectations.
Badges will be presented to the group during an Microsoft Teams assembly next week. Given that we are unable to invite families to our assemblies at present, this will be recorded and placed on class CANVAS pages for families to watch at their convenience.
2020 Student Parliament Representatives...
Children and Road Safety
Please remember to always use the official crossing when crossing the road...children learn by what they see adults doing so let's all model the safest way of getting across the road!
Staff news....
After many years of dedication to the Norwood Primary School community, Mrs Linda Guy has announced her retirement. Linda has been a highly valued member of the NPS staff and has, and will continue to be greatly missed. We wish Linda the very best as she begins the next adventure of her life.
With Norwood PS enrolment continuing to be 500 plus, we have qualified for a second permanent Assistant Principal position. It is with pleasure that I formally announce to the school community, and congratulate, Mrs Lynn Wyllie-Watson on being the successful applicant for the permanent Assistant Principal - Early Years position at NPS. We are very pleased that Lynn has chosen to make NPS school her permanent work place!
Our children are experiencing a whole mixture of emotions as they transition back to school. There is lots of joy, delight, enthusiasm and activity as they reconnect. At times, there is a sense of being overwhelmed with these positive emotions or by worries about how they now fit again. They are not alone in these feelings. It is really important that we acknowledge the validity of these thoughts and feelings and that they are normal reactions. Be You is a website that we are using as teachers, and is available for you as parents, to help support the mental health of our students. In a webinar provided by Be You last week, we heard psychologists provide the following tips in supporting our children back to school:
- Ensure a safe, supportive environment
- Encourage approach and not avoidance – so if our children are worried or anxious, instead of suggesting they avoid the situation that may be causing the worry, we need to support them actually participating or giving it a go. Avoidance will only increase the anxiety.
- Encourage realistic thinking
- Encourage independence and don’t offer too much reassurance
- Pay attention to and acknowledge courageous behaviour (remember being brave doesn’t mean not being scared or worried but it does mean giving it a go)
- Be a calm, coping role model.
Another very useful website is the Macquarie University, Centre of Emotional Health “We’ve Got This Covered” which has short videos and factsheets for parents and carers about anxiety generally and especially in relation to the current situation.
Lynn Wyllie-Watson
As part of our LIFT (Learning In Families Together) we would like to gather some information about your experiences during the ‘learning at home’ time. Please complete the survey below by Sunday 7 June 2020.
For our grade 6 students of this year, and the parents, moving to high school is a significant educational event. The high schools are adapting to the Covid 19 situation and much of the transition to grade 7 will include an on-line environment. Each grade 6 student will be asked to indicate where they are going to school next year and if they are unable to name the school with any clarity then you can expect a phone call in the near future.
ALSO, if your child attended Kindergarten in another school, we request a photo of them from the Kinder year. This will be used as a small piece in the end of the year celebrations. The picture can be scanned and sent to the school office email or a hard copy can be provided and we will scan and return (hopefully) on the same day.
Gary Jones
Several classes during the time of isolation took the opportunity to create a card and a positive message for the residents of Regis Aged Care. During this time of limited visitors the residents thoroughly enjoyed received correspondence and cards from NPS students. This act of kindness has resulted in several thank you's, by phone, card and letter in appreciation.
A wonderful sense of community has been developed even further.
Gary Jones
Facebook Page
If you would like to access the Launching into Learning Facebook page please click on the link below. It is a closed group so will need to be accepted before you can access the page. You will be kept updated with pre-kinder information and have access to songs and ideas for 0-4 year olds.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/263439228117785/
Tania Fankhauser
Writing from Grade 2 McCoy
If I could go anywhere I would go to America because we were actually going. Luckily we didn’t book the flight. We were going to see my cousins in Canada. By Sebastian
If I was a whale for a day I would swim around in the water and eat all day and I would try and find other things to eat so I could be big and strong. Then I could do whatever I wanted. By Sienna
I want to meet Elsa because she has a power that no other Disney Character in the universe has. That is why I love Elsa. I also love Mini Mouse because she is adorable, funny and amazingly loving. I also love Olaf the snowman because he is so so funny, cute and cold. By Mia
During COVID times school bus travel has been free. This community service is due to end soon. Bus travellers will need a green card and have credit on this card to pay for the travel next month. Bus drivers are keen to have a cashless system.
Gary Jones
While we encourage the healthy pursuit of riding to school we remind students that for the safety of all, helmets are required and we do NOT want children riding in the school grounds. This is a particular safety issue at the end of the school day as everyone heads for the exit gates at the same time.
The school does provide a locked cage for housing the bikes and scooters, but it is care and no responsibility. We recommend that students consider a personal locking system for their own ‘wheels’. The cages are an out of bounds area, near the groundsman’s shed.
Gary Jones
1 Bailey/Hookway-Dare have drawn 'The Cat in the Hat'.
Scholastic Book Club order forms have been sent home. Orders need to be finalised by 3:00pm 19th June.
Thank you.
We would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You”! Thank you to the school community that have been faced with many changes this year, causing anxiety in both students and their families and the steps you have all taken, returning to school last week with happy and excited faces.
Thank you, to the teachers who have been teaching online and in person, and also facing many changes and challenges themselves but still providing a safe, positive and fun environment for our children to be in.
The School Association would like to wish the families of Norwood Primary School a safe and calm rest of Term 2.
As the School Association were unable to hold their AGM in March, they are excited to announce that a new date has been set!
Please see details below:
Norwood Primary School Association AGM
When: Tuesday 16th June
Time: 7pm
Where: School Hall - TBC
Agenda: Principal’s report, Chair report, Selection of Committee, Selection of Office bearers
Positions declared vacant: Six School Committee positions including: Chair, Vice- Chair, Secretary and Treasurer