The Turragraph Term 1 Week 3 - 10 February 2025

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the first Turragraph of the year! Although this newsletter arrives on a Monday, following two successful days of the term, we will publish the Turragraph each fortnight on Fridays moving forward.

I would like to extend a warm welcome back to those returning and to those joining our community for the first time. While I’ve had the chance to catch up with many families already, I hope everyone had an opportunity to rest and recharge over the summer holidays.

For your reference, this week is designated as Week 3 of Term 1 on the Department of Education calendar, with students having commenced their learning last week (Thursday of Week 2). Weeks 1 and 2 included four school development days for staff, who were collaboratively engaged in English and Mathematics curriculum planning as well as important start-of-year organisation across the school. Term 1 is 11 weeks long and will conclude on Friday, April 11.

At Turramurra North, all students are known, valued and cared for. They are engaged and challenged to learn by an expert and collaborative team of educators, specialists and administration staff. I am immensely proud to lead such a dynamic, innovative and inclusive learning community, where positive partnerships with the P&C and the wider community consistently contribute to excellent outcomes for our students.

Thanks to the collective hard work of our school executive, teachers, administration and support staff, we were able to finalise our classes on day 1.  This allowed every child to begin their learning program with their assigned teacher and class, resulting in a smooth and successful start to Term 1 for Years 1 to 6. All students settled into their classes just after 9am.

We have formed nine classes: four for students in Kindergarten to Year 2 and five for students in Years 3 to 6.

The atmosphere at school has been lovely, filled with a healthy mix of anticipation and excitement. It has been wonderful to see the students return eager to reconnect with friends and teachers and to dive back into their learning routines. In the coming weeks, our teachers will focus on fostering strong connections with their students by learning about their interests, strengths and learning styles. Overall, we have had a positive and successful start.

I would like to extend a special welcome to our new TNPS families. We are delighted to have you join our community. It has been a pleasure getting to know Elsa, Edwina, Eloise, and Cruz.

Welcoming our Kindergarten 2025 students last Thursday was very special. The sunny weather matched the big smiles of our students and their proud parents/carers. We were all very impressed by the excitement of our youngest students as they proudly donned their uniforms and carried school bags that were almost as big as they were! It's a delightful reminder that, as they say, they'll grow into them in no time. Most took themselves and their parents/carers confidently to their Kindy classroom on arrival at 9:30am! Although it's early days, it has been heartwarming to see our Kindy 2025 students beginning to meet and engage with their teachers, their peers and their Year 6 buddies during recess and lunch breaks.

As routines are being established, it is crucial that all children are aware of their going-home arrangements. Our K-2 students received an Arrangements and Contacts form with their Welcome Letter (see below). Teachers will use this information to remind and reassure students as needed, so please return the completed form to your child's teacher as soon as possible.

Thank you for your support with our drop-off and pick-up arrangements. The morning kiss-and-drop at the gate helps ensure a settled start to the day. We encourage families to consider using any of the other three gates (IGA, Normurra, or Orange Green) to help ease congestion at the main Bobbin Head Road gate.

We strongly encourage all students to arrive on time by 8:55am, as this sets them up for an organised and positive start to the day and minimises disruptions to classroom learning. If your child needs to be picked up before the end of school, please inform your child’s teacher in writing or via email. If you need to enter the school to collect your child during the day, please use the gate entry buzzer and proceed to the office to check in. This allows the teacher and office staff to prepare your child for your arrival. Please note that it is challenging to reach individual students during recess or lunchtime. A reminder that our school gates close at 9am and reopen at approximately 2:50pm for afternoon dismissal at 2:55pm.

We hope all families found the stage-based Welcome Letters sent home recently helpful in outlining key information to ensure a great start to the year. In case the information didn't make the journey home in your child's schoolbag, here’s another copy for you:

We know families are eager to participate in the events planned for the term. In the coming week, parents and carers will receive an email with important information and permissions required for participation in Term 1 activities. Our planning is well underway for events such as Life Education, the swimming carnival, our Jellybeans music program, school photos, the UR Strong program and much more. Thank you for your patience; this information is being finalised and will be sent out soon. In the meantime, you may want to check the school calendar and What's On? for the summary of events.

Items in red have been updated or changed since the last publication.

FEBRUARY

• 10 - Band rehearsals commence
• 11 & 12 - Jellybeans Music Lesson commence (continuing weekly throughout the term)
• 18 - Life Education commences (more information to come)
• 18 - Meet the Teacher evening - KA at 5:30 -6:15pm 
• 18 - Meet the Teacher evening - 1SR, 1/2W & 2F at 6:30-7:15pm
• 20 - Meet the Teacher evening - 3RG & 3/4H at 5:30 -6:15pm 
• 20 - Meet the Teacher evening - 4/5E, 5D & 6B at 6:30-7:15pm  
• 21 - Homework commences (more information to come)
  
• 21 - Turragraph Newsletter published
• 25 - Swimming Carnival at PLC  (more information to come)
• 26 - Special Religious Education and Ethics commence  (continuing weekly)
  
• 28 - Hornsby Zone School Summer Sport (HZSS) commences and continues weekly (more information to come)
  

MARCH

• 5 - Hornsby Zone Swimming Carnival (more information to come)
• 6 - Leadership Induction Assembly (more information to come)
  
• 6 - P&C Meeting - all welcome - 7pm (more information to come)
  
• 7 - P&C Welcome BBQ (5-7pm - more information to come)
• 7 - Turragraph published
• 10 - School Photo Day for class photos, individual portraits and sibling photos - more information to come.  (Please note: all group photos will be taken later in the year - Thursday 16 October.) 
• 12 to 24 - NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 (more information to come)
• 15 to 21 - Harmony Week (more information to come)
• 21 - Turragraph published
• 22 - P&C Grounds Working Bee (POSTPONED until late in the year)
• 24  to 28 - Parent/Teacher Interview (more information to come)
• 24 - 6B Class Assembly 
• 28 - Band workshop and informal concert (more information to come)
  

APRIL

• 1 - Sydney North Swimming Carnival (more information to come)
• 2 - School Tour No. 1 - 9:30am (RSVP  02 9144 4107)
• 4 - Final homework sent home for Term 1
• 4 - Turragraph published - final for the term
• 7 - ANZAC Assembly 2:15pm
• 9 - Special Religious Education Easter Service 10:20am - 10:55am
• 10 - TNPS Easter Event - (more information to come)
• 11 - Final day of Term 1 
• 30 April  - Students return for TERM 2

Staffing 2025

This year, we are delighted to warmly welcome both our new staff members and those returning to Turramurra North Public School. Each of them is already making a positive impact by supporting and encouraging their students to strive for excellence. Transitioning into a new class, often taking on new roles, and collaborating with different groups of students and fellow teachers brings an exciting energy to our school community.

I am thrilled to introduce the newest members of the TNPS team: Miss Caitlan Drown, who will be teaching 5D; Miss Pip Stanley, joining us in 1SR; and Miss Asha Black, our new school counsellor. I am confident that their enthusiasm and dedication will contribute greatly to our school.

Class Teachers:

• KA - Mrs Alex Atterton
• 1SR  - Miss Pip Stanley (M,T,W) and Mrs Samantha Rosewell (Th,F) 
• 1/2P - Mrs Kierly Paterson
• 2F - Miss Rebecca Feather
• 3RG - Mrs Nicole Rennie (M,T) and Mrs Nada Gaffney (W,Th,F) 
• 3/4F -  Miss Nicole Fagan
  
• 4/5E - Miss Olivia Ellem
• 5D - Miss Caitlan Drown
• 6B - Miss Justine Beavis 
  

Specialist Teachers:

• Learning and Engagement - Ms Sonya Kliffen (M,T,W)
• School Counsellor - Miss Asha Black (M)
• Art - Mrs Lee-Anne Plasto (T,W,Th)
• Teacher Librarian - Mrs Alison Burnes (W, Th)
• PD/Health/PE - Mrs Jane Deck (T,Th)
  
• Student Learning Support Officers (SLSOs) - Ms Bella Furolo, Mrs Simone Spencer, Mrs Margo Daly, Ms Joanne Kamasz

School Administration and Support:

• Administration Managers and Officers -  Mrs Sanchia Bradley (T-F) and Mrs Wendy McKasah (M, T, Th, F), Mrs Helen Student (Relieving M, W)
• General Assistant - Mr Sal Cardinale (M-W)
• Cleaners - Bibek, Prajwol and Bikram 
• Crossing Supervisor - Mr Angus Moody

Executive Team:

• Principal - Ms Michelle Verhagen
• Assistant Principals -  Mrs Alex Atterton (K-2), Miss Justine Beavis (3-6)
• Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction - Mrs Jess McWilliam (M, Th)  and Ms Marienne Galluzzo (Relieving each Wednesday)

We warmly invite parents and carers to our "Meet the Teacher" and Parent Information Evenings, where you can gain valuable insights into the 2025 school year. These sessions will cover important topics such as class expectations, the class timetable, curriculum areas, homework details and more. Held in your child's classroom, this is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child's teacher and strengthen the partnership between parents, staff, and students, which is essential for successful education.

During the K-6 Parent Information Evenings, teachers will present an overview of the program, explain class routines, outline curriculum expectations and highlight major events. They will also provide ideas on how you can support your child's learning at home. Attending these meetings will greatly benefit parents/carers, helping you to better understand your child's class and our school. I look forward to seeing you next week!

Confirmation of days/times as follows:

KA - Tuesday, 18 Feb. 5:30 to 6:15pm

1SR, 1/2P & 2F - Tuesday, 18 Feb. 6:30 to 7:15pm

3RG, 3/4F - Thursday, 20 Feb. 5:30 to 6:15pm

4/5E, 5D & 6B - Thursday, 20 Feb. 6:30 to 7:15pm

Please note that the Meet the Teacher evenings are intended for parents and teachers only, so we kindly ask that extended family members do not attend due to classroom space limitations. Thank you for making alternate care arrangements for your children during this time.

Your child's progress

Turramurra North Public School takes pride in fostering and maintaining positive relationships through open and effective communication. In addition to the previously mentioned "Meet the Teacher/Parent Information Evenings," we will be hosting Parent-Teacher Interviews during Week 9 starting on Monday, 24 March. This provides families with another opportunity to receive feedback on their children's progress, which is essential for creating a holistic understanding of each student’s development. It is also important for teachers to receive feedback from parents and carers, as this collaboration strengthens the support network for our students and enhances their learning experience. Information will be sent home at the end of February with details on how to book an interview time.

Please note that the interviews are intended for parents and teachers only, so we kindly ask that extended family members do not attend on this occasion. Thank you for making alternate care arrangements for your children during this time.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's education, please reach out to your child's teacher first to schedule an appointment. For more general inquiries, feel free to call or email the office.

Keeping up with Turramurra North School Happenings

Our SZapp (SchoolZine app) is probably the easiest way to stay in touch with school happenings.

The app will:

• enable the school to send messages to your smartphone regarding any important information e.g. cancelled sports events, reminders about special events etc.
• allow upload of important notes to the app to read on your phone/tablet.
• enable parents/carers to send in absence notes from ‘Absentee Form’ tab in the app.
• enable parents/carers to access canteen and uniform shop information.
• provide a link to the school calendar and school website

Student Leadership

Congratulations to our 2025 leaders on your election to the Student Leadership Team. We are confident that you will represent the students, school and community with commitment and pride this year.

Looking ahead, we are excited to recognise and celebrate the contributions of our leaders in the Band, Choir, and Dance groups, as well as the upcoming elections for our SRC Captains, Art, Technology and Library Monitors in the weeks to come.

Finally… 

As we begin this new school year, let's draw inspiration from the wisdom and transformation symbolised by the Year of the Snake. Together, we can embrace new opportunities for growth and learning.

I encourage everyone to tap into their intuition and creativity as we work together to make this another successful year for our school community.

Kind regards,

Michelle Verhagen

Principal

Calendar - Term 1

TERM 1 - Please note any changes to dates and events, since the last Turragraph newsletter, are in red.

FEBRUARY

• 10 - Band rehearsals commence
• 11 & 12 - Jellybeans Music Lesson commence (continuing weekly throughout the term)
• 18 - Life Education commences (more information to come)
• 18 - Meet the Teacher evening - KA at 5:30 -6:15pm 
• 18 - Meet the Teacher evening - 1SR, 1/2W & 2F at 6:30-7:15pm
• 20 - Meet the Teacher evening - 3RG & 3/4H at 5:30 -6:15pm 
• 20 - Meet the Teacher evening - 4/5E, 5D & 6B at 6:30-7:15pm  
• 21 - Homework commences (more information to come)
• 21 - Turragraph Newsletter published
• 25 - Swimming Carnival at PLC  (more information to come)
• 26 - Special Religious Education and Ethics commence  (continuing weekly)
• 27 - P&C Meeting - all welcome - 7pm (more information to come)
• 28 - Hornsby Zone School Summer Sport (HZSS) commences and continues weekly (more information to come)
  

MARCH

• 5 - Hornsby Zone Swimming Carnival (more information to come)
  
• 7 - Turragraph published
• 10 - School Photo Day for class photos, individual portraits and sibling photos - more information to come.  (Please note: all group photos will be taken later in the year - Thursday 16 October.) 
• 12 to 24 - NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 (more information to come)
• 14 - P&C Welcome BBQ (5-7pm - more information to come)
• 15 to 21 - Harmony Week (more information to come)
• 20 - Leadership Induction Assembly (more information to come)
• 21 - Turragraph published
• 22 - P&C Grounds Working Bee (more information to come)
• 24  to 28 - Parent/Teacher Interview (more information to come)
• 24 - 6B Class Assembly 
• 28 - Band workshop and informal concert (more information to come)

APRIL

• 1 - Sydney North Swimming Carnival (more information to come)
• 2 - School Tour No. 1 - 9:30am (RSVP  02 9144 4107)
• 4 - Final homework sent home for Term 1
• 4 - Turragraph published - final for the term
• 7 - ANZAC Assembly 2:15pm
• 9 - Special Religious Education Easter Service 10:20am - 10:55am
• 9 - TNPS Easter Event - (more information to come)
• 11 - Final day of Term 1 
• 30 April  - Students return for TERM 2

Canteen - Local Lunches

Please ensure your child's order is placed with the name of their 2025 class.

Opportunity Class and Selective High School Applications

Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop Opening Time: Wednesdays 2:30 - 3:15pm

Please label all clothing clearly  with a first and last name.

The lost property basket is located just beside the 3/4F classroom in D block.

We wanted to update you regarding uniform orders submitted via MunchMonitor. Unfortunately, our suppliers have experienced a delay in delivery of the orders we placed last year, which has impacted our ability to fulfil a number of online orders.

We understand this may be inconvenient, and we sincerely appreciate your patience. We are in regular contact with the suppliers and will arrange for all outstanding items that have been ordered but not yet received by families to be delivered to the classrooms as soon as we receive the stock from the suppliers. TNPS polo shirts and school shorts ( not sport shorts ) have arrived today - Monday 10 February, and will be distributed this week. In the meantime, if your child doesn’t have a TNPS top, shorts or skort to wear, a plain white polo/shirt and navy shorts/skorts can be worn until the stock is received - Kmart and Target both stock these items.

If anyone has any second-hand uniform items that are no longer needed and still have life in them, we will be organising a second hand uniform sale in March so any donations of preloved items would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be made directly to the Uniform Shop on Wednesday afternoons or to the office on the other school days.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

TNPS Uniform Shop