Principal’s Coloum
Welcome back! 2020, a new decade, a new beginning! With the completion of our two new buildings, Booeegigat and Wa-Dam-Bak, staff, students and our community are looking forward to a new beginning. Our opening ceremony last Friday was an emotional event. We were fortunate to have our local Wurundjeri Elder, Aunty Di attend the assembly by conducting a Welcome to Country as well as a Smoking Ceremony that welcomed our new buildings.
Booeegigat, meaning create was named for the building that holds our Music, Art, Italian, STEAM, games hall and our OSHC program. A fitting name that will house much creative and critical thinking.
Wa-Dam-Bak, meaning renew was named for the building that holds administration and 7 new flexible learning spaces. A fitting name that will house a renewed approach to teaching and learning that will foster children’s (and staff’s) 6Cs (creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, citizenship and character education).
The day was pretty emotional for me as I got to learn more about the history of Coburg North Primary School in how the school managed to get $6.7 million (which turned into $7 million), more than any other school in our region. This was all due to the passion, persistence and resilience of our community. Our community is truly amazing.
A number of key people from our community have been involved to secure the funding, creating the vision and to implement it along the way. A sincere HUMONGOUS thank you goes towards Blair Hocking, Benjy Lee, Owen West, Jo Harrison, Kate Copping, Emma Hopkins and Sebastian Furness from our school community as well as from our staff, Simon Presljak, Steven Sharpe, Debb Davis and Tim Prendergast who have been instrumental in the progress. It is worthwhile to also mention another GINORMOUS thank you to our local Member of Parliament Lizzie Blandthorn who was instrumental in helping us to secure the funding, and to our Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Di for naming our buildings and blessing them.
Welcome Foundation Students of 2020!
We would like to welcome our Foundation students and their families who have joined us this year. Our preppy students started on Wednesday and I was amazed at how settled and happy they all were to beginning school. We look forward to getting to know the students, and our new families better over the next 7 years.
Welcome our New Staff!
We are lucky to have two new staff members joining our dynamic CNPS team. Amanda Dawson (Year 5/6) and Tristan O’Neil (Year 4).
Amanda Dawson comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience in curriculum knowledge and an ability to activate student voice. Amanda will be leading the school as our 2iC (2nd in Charge) for our Mathematics program. We look forward to great things ahead. Welcome Amanda!
Tristan is no stranger to many of the students and teachers at CNPS. He was one of the school’s frequent (and well known) Casual Relief Teachers. We were lucky to snag him just in time from other local schools (na na na na na). He comes to us with experience in student voice. Welcome Tristan
Well Done School Captains!
Last year we announced our new school captains, Eliza Hancock, Angus Wood, Esme Alves and Marcus Smith. Their first appearance at our Opening Ceremony was fantastic with Aunty Di commenting to the school how fantastic they were running assembly. Well done Captains. We look forward to many great moments of leadership from you.
Eliza Hancock
My name is Eliza, and I’m one of your new school captains. With my role, I would like to make sure that all students and teachers feel that their opinions and ideas are just as important as everyone else’s. I want everyone to feel equal and I want all students to have a voice. I believe that CNPS is a welcoming school and I am very grateful to be a part of the leadership roles.
Angus Wood
I’m Angus and I’m one of the four school captains. Some of my favourite hobbies include playing the drums, listening to music and playing basketball. My school captain goal for 2020 is bringing a day about culture. I think a culture day could be cool because we all come from different backgrounds and celebrate multiple! You can do this by dressing up and doing what your specific culture does (that is appropriate).
Marcus Smith
My name is Marcus and I applied for school captain because I knew with me and the other captains working with Monika, we could make the school better. Already we have been successful in opening our new buildings. I strongly believe that anybody in our school should have a chance together, which is why by the end of the year I will strive to have a day where grades 5/6 will help out the rest of the classes. In this day the 5/6s will have bonding time and time to work with the teachers. That is my goal for 2020 and we will continue to work hard and make the school better.
More Students Leaders to Come
We will commence our weekly assemblies next Friday to which our new school leaders will be announced. We will meet our new area leaders as well as our Junior School Council Leaders. Assemblies will be on every Friday afternoon from 3pm onwards. See you there if you can make it.
School Council Elections
This Monday, I will call for nominations for both the Parent and DET categories for school council. There are five vacancies on council; 3 parent representatives and 2 DET (staff) representatives.
School Councillors whose terms expire at this election are as follows:
- Helen Nicoll (Parent Rep)
- Oktay Kaya (Parent Rep)
- Kate Copping (Parent Rep)
- Stephen Sharpe (DET Rep)
- Carmen Post (DET Rep)
If you decide to stand for election, you can either nominate yourself or be nominated by someone who is eligible for the same category as you wish to stand for.
Nomination forms need to be in by Thursday 20th February 2020.
If there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted in the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.
The School Council Election Timeline is as follows:
School Council Election Process and Timeline 2020
- Notice of election and call for nominations - Monday, February 10
- Closing date for nominations - Monday, February 17
- If there are more nominations than vacancies: List of candidates and nominators will be posted - Wednesday, February 19
- Ballot papers will be prepared and distributed - On or before Monday, February 24
- Close of ballot - Monday, March 2
- Vote Count - Tuesday, March 3
- Declaration of poll - Wednesday, March 4
- First council meeting to elect office bearers - Wednesday, March 25
School Review
Very fitting, this year sparks the beginning of a new School Strategic Plan that will guide Coburg North Primary School over the next 4 years. Over the next 6 months, we will be undergoing a school review to develop this plan.
“A school review helps a school community by identifying goals and targets to improve student outcomes in the school’s next four-year School Strategic Plan. The new school review model is designed to reflect the significance of review outcomes for school leadership, professional practice, curriculum content, student voice and school culture.
The new review model engages all Panel members in gathering and testing evidence about current school performance. Thoughtful examination of performance data is an essential part of the core Panel members’ task. This, teamed with observations and fieldwork, determines the actions that will help the school to improve. In respecting the insights that data provides, it is important that the school review process also acknowledges that the improvement journey for every school is different. There is no ‘one size fits all’ formula for school improvement.”
School Review Guidelines, page 12, DET, 2018
Our school panel will consist of:
- School Principal and Leadership Team representative
- SEIL (Senior Education Instructional Leader)
- School Council President and
- 2 Challenge Partners
In the next coming months we will be seeking feedback from our staff, students and our community to provide us with information to help with the development of our future School Strategic Plan.
School Fees
We value your contributions made to Coburg North Primary School. 2020 will see us continue to grow and evolve, offering rich and diverse learning opportunities for our students. School Fees goes towards the running of the school for ‘Essential Student Learning Items’. Our Voluntary Financial contributions also go towards employing a School First Aider and Technician, and the Voluntary Tax Deductible Donations go towards our Building and Library Fund.
Every dollar helps our school to offer the very best for our students. You can pay online or at our front office. Feel free to contact our admin staff for assistance.
Captains Coloumn
Stay tuned for our next newsletter for our very first School Captain’s Column where we will hear from the students on what the low down is in our school.
Up Coming Events
Next Fortnight - For more events please see our Compass Calendar.
- Notice of Elections: Process begins - Monday, 10 Feb
- Safer Internet Day - Tuesday, 11 Feb
- Body Safe - Wednesday, 11, 12 & 18,19 Feb
- Body Safe Parent Forum - Monday 17 Feb F-3 6-7pm; 4-6 7-8pm
- Interschool Sports - February 21
- Closing date for Nominations - Monday 17 Feb
Community News
While community news can be found on our website here, Coburg North Primary School wishes to inform parents of the following events happening within the community:
G.A.T.E.WAYS information for 2020 Term 1 is now up on our website, and can be found by clicking this link.
Grant Szuveges, our chess tutor from GS Chess has sent the following letter for parents involved in the chess program:
Kelly sports 2020 Term 1 details have been confirmed, see the below flyer for more information: