2020 - Looking Ahead

We have many new and returning programs to look forward to in 2020. We will have our brand new building along with the return of much loved programs and with some new and improved ones. Here is a highlight of some of the programs and events to look out for in 2020:

Grand Opening

The first Friday back for 2020 will see us open our brand new building with a smoking ceremony performed by our local Wurunjeri Elder, Aunty Di. All will be welcomed to see our new building that will comprise of a brand new Art, Music, STEAM and Multipurpose rooms.

Whole School Assembly

2020 will see the return of our whole school assembly. We will be making use of our outdoor stage when the weather is great, and utilize the indoor gym when the weather is not. We are very lucky to have a great space for all of our students to enjoy.

We will be seeing some changes to the way assembly is run. Our Captains and JSC will be creative in developing a new format and will be introducing a new school song based upon our new school values. All parents are welcome.

Playground Plans

By the end of this year, we hope to have a plan in place to begin our playground works. The playground comittee have collected all of the feedback from everyone and we are putting together a whole school plan which will allow us to bring our ideas to life over stages. Over the past two years, Parents and Friends have raised over $80 000, to which will be spent on playgrounds next year. Stay tuned for news in 2020 to see our vision for the CNPS outdoor spaces.

With all of that asbestos out of the way, we will be able to complete the sensory garden and begin working on planting around the school. We have secured a $9000 grant from the Maintainance Blitz from James Merlino which will be spent on plants for our new gardens. All those green thumbs out there get ready for planting in 2020:)

Sustainability

In 2020 we will be creating a Sustainability vision statement for the school as well as continuing to work on building sustainable systems. We will be installing water tanks to our new buildings as well as connecting those to toilets to allow for recycled water to flush them. Team Verde will be working on a new campaign for the school to allow for zero waste in our school lunches. Nude food will be cool and will be seen in every lunch box across the school. Go Team Verde!

In 2020, the sustainability community team will be focusing on investigating a school kitchen garden where we will be seeing all of our vegetables in one place that will allow for easy access and the ability to run an effective kitchen garden program. We will be investigating best practice in schools and use ideas to create one that works best for CNPS. Exciting times ahead.

All things Sport

New and returning programs will be featured in 2020. We will have our very first Mini Olympics for our F-2 students as well as our our Years 3-6 Athletics Carnival. We will see the return of Bike Education in Years 3 and 4 and will have opportunities for students to participate interschool summer and winter sports (on our very own basketball courts and oval), regional swimming trials, cross country and district athletics. We will be introducing House colours for the whole school to particpate and score points for their house throughout the year. Stay tuned for more sporting events throughout the year.

Swimming

The Swimming Program at Coburg North Primary School (CNPS) places a strong value on developing water safety knowledge, survival and rescue skills as well as developing your child’s confidence in the water.

CNPS has created our swimming program with advice and support from the Department of Education and Training and Life Saving Victoria. We are pleased to offer a fantastic program that caters for all needs of the students. In addition, the wide variety of activities both in the pool and in the classroom will provide students with the opportunity to be awarded the Victorian Water Safety Certificate.

The new program in Term 4 forms part of the school’s Health and Physical Education (HPE) plan and will be as follows:

• Foundation, Grade two, Grade four, Grade five and Grade six will attend four swimming lessons
• Grade one and Grade three will attend three pool based water safety lessons focusing on rescue and survival skills
• All grades will participate in classroom based lessons centred on water safety and dry swimming

Throughout these lessons, students will gain an understanding of water safety knowledge at home, swimming pools, beach/surf and inland waters. In addition, they will be able to make safe decisions and behave in ways that protect their own safety and that of others. Students will also be developing their fundamental motor skills that include floating and various movements through water.

Swimming and water safety are life skills which require ongoing practice and learning. Therefore, we strongly encourage ongoing participation in swimming and water safety lessons outside of school to build your child’s confidence in the water.

Concert and Harmony Day

With our school expanding, we will be trialing over the next two years a split concert, with 2020 seeing our very first Years 3-6 Concert being performed at our school using our brand new facilities. We are in the process of forming the concert comittee and will be working with our Parents and Friends to make the night a spectacular event. We are looking forward to creating some magic for all to see in September.

This year’s Harmony day was a great success and will be continued in 2020. Look out for next year’s event. All is welcome.

Art Show

With our brand new Art room we will be seeing our very own Art Show. Margaret has some great ideas for our show in December. With a brand new kiln, there will be a range of sculptures and pottery on show.

Our CNPS student artists will be busy in 2020 putting together concert props and displays for our concert. It will be a spectacular sight.

Italian

Italian will have their very own classroom in 2020 using the multipurpose space in the new building. The program will see another great year ahead with Carnevale as well as using Italian in real life experiences through cooking and gardening. Next year our Italian program will be working on developing a sister school in Italy with plans to arrange biannual overseas trips for our students starting in 2021.

School Wide Positive Behaviors

Next year we will be launching our new school values along with our SWPB matrix. This whole school initiative, based on positive behaviors will make a difference to how behaviors are taught across the school. Our new values will be released in Term 1 along with a range of new initiatives to promote positive behaviors. Stay tuned in 2020.

Inquiry

Student Voice and Agency will continue to be a driving force for our 21st century curriculum. We will be joining the New Pedagogies for Deep Learning Hub which comprises of many schools in Australia that are committed to providing students with opportunities to be creative, collaborative, critical thinkers, communicators, explore citizenship, and develop characerter education. We will be working with international public speaker Lane Clark in Term 1 for 2 days to extend on developing our 6Cs to provide our students with the necessary skills they need for their future.

Improving Growth Data

Next year we will be continuing our understandings of Professional Learning Communities and working towards improving our student outcomes through the use of student data, analysis and best practice research. We have made significant changes to our planning for 2020 and we look forward to continuing our growth over the next 5 years.

Student Well Being

We are in the process of creating a pilot program in conjunction with Merri Health to fund an Art Therapist to work at the school 1-2 days a week with students building their mental health and wellbeing. We believe that this program will benefit many of our students.

The whole school will be involved in Body Awareness in 2020 and we will also provide programs based on eSafety for students and seminars for parents keeping them up to date and aware on being safe online.

What a year ahead. No doubt there will be many more activities and events ahead to create another memorable year at Coburg North Primary School. Go CNPS!

Until next fortnight, have a good one,

Monika Gruss