The Turragraph Term 4 Week 4 - 7 November 2025
Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today, we join in celebrating School Counsellor and School Psychologist Day, a special occasion to acknowledge the vital role school counselling staff play in supporting students, families, teachers and the wider school community. We are proud to celebrate Ms Asha Black, our school psychologist.
This year’s theme, "Together, We Grow," perfectly reflects the impact Asha’s work at our school. Through many moments of listening, understanding and connecting, she has helped students, families and staff recognise their strengths and needs, persevere through challenges and continue to grow.
Celebrating Our Wonderful Staff on World Teachers’ Day
Last Friday, we joined the nation in celebrating World Teachers’ Day - an important opportunity to show our teachers how much we appreciate the care, inspiration and support they bring each day. Our educators are the heart of our school community, guiding and encouraging every student to grow and succeed.
Thank you to everyone who contributed flowers, kind words, and personal thank yous - these thoughtful gestures were deeply appreciated by our teachers and made them feel truly valued. Our teachers have expressed how much these acts of kindness brighten their day and remind them of the meaningful difference they make.
A special thanks to our P&C who, on behalf of the whole TNPS community, provided our teachers with morning tea, coffee and a delicious lunch to celebrate their hard work.
To all our teachers - thank you for your dedication, creativity and the positive impact you have on our school community. We are truly grateful for all that you do!
A Magical Movie Night - thank you!
What a fantastic evening we shared at the Top Quad for our Family Movie Night! From dressing up to munching on popcorn and fairy floss, enjoying the slushy machine, and guessing the number of scary eyeballs, there was something for everyone. Settling into plenty of comfy beanbags to watch Despicable Me made for a perfect night under the stars.
After a few stressful moments, the weather finally cleared, providing the beautiful evening that was hoped for.
A huge round of applause and heartfelt thanks go to Kate Bearfield for coordinating and leading another terrific TNPS fun-raising event. Thank you also to the hardworking team of parent helpers — your generous donations, time and dedication made the night a seamless success. Thank you to everyone who attended and stepped up to help on the night; your support truly made a difference.
A special thank you to Matt Bolin and the Ray White Upper North Shore team for their generous sponsorship. We are so fortunate to have your support.
Remembrance Day
As we approach Remembrance Day on Tuesday, 11 November, our students and staff will come together to remember, honour and reflect on the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have served our country.
This year, many of our students will be creating lovely poppies in class to wear with pride, serving as a symbol of our gratitude and remembrance. Our Year 6 students will share the significance of this day, fostering a sense of understanding and compassion. At 11am, we will pause to observe a respectful one-minute silence, providing us all with a moment to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy today.
We encourage the entire school community to pause wherever you are to honour and remember those who have served.
Start of the 2026 School Year
The NSW Department of Education (DoE) has confirmed that there will be eight school development days for staff in 2026. These days are intended to provide teachers with extra time to plan, develop, and prepare, especially as new syllabus documents continue to be rolled out: Maths and English (currently being implemented), and Science and Technology, Creative Arts, PDHPE (Personal Development/Health/Physical Education), and HSIE (Human Society and Its Environment), will all be fully implemented by 2027. All staff will also be engaged in mandatory CPR and emergency care training.
Term 1 2026
- School Development Days ( for staff only ): Tuesday 27 January – Friday 30 January
- All students K-6 start on Monday 2 February: ALL Kindy to Year 6 students commence school on the same day. Years 1-6 will move into their 2026 classes at 9:00am and Kindy will start at 9:30am. The Kindy Best Start program will occur during the school day over the first four to five weeks of term.
- Term ends: Thursday, 2 April
Term 2 2026
- School Development Days ( for staff only ): Monday, 20 April – Tuesday, 21 April
- Students K-6 start: Wednesday, 22 April
- Term ends: Friday, 3 July
Term 3 2026
- School Development Day ( for staff only ): Monday, 20 July
- Students K-6 start: Tuesday, 21 July
- Term ends: Friday, 25 September
Term 4 2026
- School Development Day ( for staff only ): Monday, 12 October
- Students K-6 start: Tuesday, 13 October
- Term ends: Thursday, 12 December
Planning Ahead
We've commenced school planning for 2026.
Thank you to all the families who have already provided us with their plans for the start of 2025 school year.
If your child/children will have a delayed start to the new school year, due to an extended holiday or for other reasons, please email the office team at:
turramurrn-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Please use the words Extended Leave 2026 in the subject.
Selective High School and Opportunity Class Applications 2027 - open
Opportunity Classes are designed for academically gifted students in Years 5 and 6, providing a challenging learning environment within your local area. Selective High Schools offer an enriched curriculum for high-achieving students in Years 7 through 12, aiming to nurture their talents and support their academic growth.
If you are considering applying for either Opportunity Classes or Selective High Schools for your child, please note the following important dates and steps:
Applications for both Opportunity Classes and Selective High Schools for 2027 opened on Thursday 6 November 2025. The closing date for submitting applications is Friday 20 February 2026. It is essential to submit your application by this date to be considered.
Students applying for entry to a Selective High School will sit a test on either Friday 1 or Saturday 2 May 2026. Students applying for an Opportunity Class placement will sit a test on either Friday 8 or Saturday 9 May 2026. For more details, please visit the NSW Department of Education website .
1SR’s Journey Through Earth and Space: Exploring Moons, Constellations and Weather!
This term, 1SR have been working hard in Science, exploring all things Earth and Space. Students investigated changes that occur in the sky through hands-on experiments to represent the appearance of the Moon and stars at night. 1SR made the phases of the Moon using Oreos, carefully carving away the creme and matching the halves of the Oreo to the correct Moon phase. Students then looked at constellations and discussed ones they knew, such as 'The Southern Cross' and 'The Little Dipper'. Using marshmallows and toothpicks, 1SR recreated different known constellations and even tried designing their own!
We also looked at how we can collect information on the weather, becoming 'Weather Collectors'. Students designed and created their own rain gauges to collect information on rainfall. 1SR secured them in our TNPS veggie garden and collected data over a full week. Students discovered that the gauges needed to be really secure to collect rain, as other elements like wind affected the results.
Cards, Skills & Probability: 3/4F Designed Games for Every Player!
New Soccer Goals - installed and ready for great games ahead
Thanks to our fantastic P&C and community fundraising contributions, the new soccer goals are now installed on the oval and are already being enjoyed by our students. We’re excited for many great games ahead - Thank you all!
Enjoy your weekend ahead.
Kind regards,
Michelle Verhagen
Principal
Band - 2026 registrations close tonight
Musical Explorers Evening - thank you to everyone involved in the instrument trials. It was so much fun as you can see...
It's not too late to join the Band for 2026 - you have until midnight tonight to register!
Fete Day - 19 November
DONATIONS FOR FETE DAY
As part of our upcoming Fete Day, we are excited to organise a Tombola stall. To make this event a great success, we kindly ask for your generous donations. We are seeking donations of small toys, pantry items, drinks, household items and other goods suitable for our Tombola. To ensure safety and suitability, please adhere to the following guidelines for donations:
- No glass jars or containers (e.g., no jams or sauces in glass jars)
- No nut products (e.g., peanut butter, nut-based snacks) due to allergy concerns
- No perishable items, including food (e.g., no fresh produce, homemade cakes)
- All products must be within their use-by or expiry date
Some examples of suitable items include:
- Small toys or games such as puzzles, figurines or stationery
- Packaged items and drinks such as bottled water, juices, pasta or canned goods
- Household items such as kitchen gadgets, decorative items, picnic items, soap or candles
- Packaged non-perishable snacks (nut-free), like chips or biscuits
Your support in providing safe and suitable items will help us create an enjoyable experience for everyone attending while ensuring health and safety standards are maintained.
Donations can be dropped off in the tub at the school office from Friday 7 to Friday 14 November.
Thank you in advance for your support of our Stage 3 students.
Miss Beavis, Miss Carter and Mrs Dinale
Term 4 Calendar
Events in red have been added or changed since the last newsletter.
November
- 11 - Kindy 2026 Orientation Session 1 - 9:30-10:45am, including Parent/Carer Information Morning in hall.
- 11 - Remembrance Day (more information to come)
- 13 - Footsteps Dance K-6
- 14 - HZSS summer comp
- 17 - Uniform items not available to purchase online or in store from 17 November to 8 December
- 18 - Kindy 2026 Orientation Session 2 - 9:30-10:45am, including Q&A and tour for parents/carers
- 19 - School Fete Day
- 20 - Footsteps Dance K-6
- 21 - HZSS summer semi finals
- 21- Turragraph published
- 24 - Assembly hosted by KA - 2pm start in hall - parents and carers warmly welcome
- 27 - P&C General Meeting and Annual General Meeting from 7pm in the hub
- 28 - HZSS summer finals
- 28 - Band Fest 6-7:30pm hall (more information to come)
December
- 2 - Junior Band last rehearsal
- 3 - Final SRE Christmas Assembly and SEE classes
- 3 - Thank You Volunteers' Morning Tea 11-11:30am hall (more information to come)
- 4 - Footsteps K-6
- 4 - Performance Band last rehearsal
- 5 - Final 2025 Turragraph published
- 9 - Presentation Day 2025 assemblies in the TNPS hall. Year 3-6 assembly at 9:15 - 10:45am, with morning tea for parents & carers in hub at 11am, then K-2 assembly at 11:35 - 12:35pm. All students are to wear full school uniform with black shoes (not sports uniform). Parents and carers are welcome to attend. Individual invitations will be sent home to the parents and carers of award recipients.
- 12 - Year 5 & 6 Dinner Dance and Year 6 Graduation Ceremony - 6pm in the hall
- 15 - K-2 Picnic Day - Reptile Park
- 15 - Year 5 and 6 Picnic Day - Sydney Academy of Sport
- 16 - Year 3 and 4 Picnic Day - Strike Bowling
- 17 - Semester 2 Student Reports emailed to parents and carers
- 18 - Talent Quest (more information to come)
- 19 - Clapping Out Ceremony 2:45pm in the top quad - parents and carers welcome
- 19 - Last day of school for students and staff
February 2026
Monday 2 February - Term 1 2026 commences for students.
Years 1-6 at 9am and Kindergarten at 9:30am.
New TNPS students by appointment from the office.
More information to come.
Team Kids
TNPS Uniform Shop - important changes ahead!
The Midford Uniform Shop at 1315 Pacific Hwy Turramurra will be open Monday to Saturday throughout the school term and holidays for all your TNPS uniform needs!
