CNPS SCHOOL VISION: To build a community of curious, creative and engaged learners who are empowered to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing world. Collectively we will work with our students to become responsible global citizens who have the skills, knowledge and personal attributes they need for their future.
Principal’s Column
Wominjeka everyone,
Welcome to the final term of the year! Time has flown and before you know it, we will be at the end of the year.
We had a great start to the term with our inaugural Year 5/6 outdoor concert. This was our very first production at the school using our own stage. The 5/6 students put on a great show with many of the audience laughing and smiling.
A school production involves a great amount of work from many people. Starting with our production team, Stephen and Simon who worked alongside our students to create the script, TV or Not TV. From this, Stephen and Simon started producing the concert with some help from our staff and parents. We would like to give a big thank you to all who helped. Many memories were made to last for a lifetime.
Annual Policy Reminders:
Sun Smart Policy
It is Sun Smart Season. Please make note that all students MUST follow the SunSmart DET policy by wearing appropriate protective school uniform… a school hat!
Please note that any school hats that have been damaged (torn, ripped) are no longer accepted by the school.
All classrooms have a SunSmart Station. This is where students can leave their sunscreen at school for them to reapply each day. We ask that all families to set a routine up at home where children apply sunscreen at home before coming to school. Unfortunately, the school is not able to provide sunscreen due to allergies.
Supervision Policy
A reminder for all families that our school gates opening and closing times are dependent on staff attendance times and the school’s Supervision and Yard Duty policy.
Our gates opening and closing times are:
- 7:00am - 8:30am (for OSHC families)
- 8:50am - 9:05am
- 3:25pm - 3:40 (parents who are late to pick up students will be directed to office)
- 3:40pm - 7:00pm (parents in OSHC must use a code to enter the school)
Please note that gates are padlocked for student safety. They are locked during the following hours:
- 8:30-8:45 - Students in OSHC can enter the school grounds via the office on O’Hea Street
- 9:05am - 3:25pm - students who arrive after 9:05, must go to the office to receive a late pass.
- 7:00pm - OSHC closes.
For more information on our school policies, please visit our website: https://coburg-north-ps.vic.edu.au/policies.html
Captain’s Column
Please check out our Student Newsletter below to fill you in on the latest news from the CNPS Art Show and Reconciliation Captains visit to the Melbourne Museum!
What happened last month?
The Great Book Swap
Last term, on Indigenous Literacy Day, Grade 5 held The Great Book Swap Event. Students across the school generously donated previously loved books including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels and non-fiction books. The day was successful with students from Prep to Grade 6 choosing a new book in exchange for a gold coin donation. In total we raised $1028 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities that have limited access to books and libraries. Thank you to the CNPS community for your support!
Interschool Sports Basketball
On Friday the 7th of October 2022 the Coburg North Primary School basketball team played in the 2022 Interschool Sports Finals. The students showed outstanding sportsmanship and skill. Our first game was against Pascoe Vale North and the final score was 14-13 Coburg North's way. The second game was against St. Bernard's and the final score was 22-17 Coburg North's way again. The team has made it into the District’s League and will play on Friday 14th October.
Per N.
CNPS Basketball Team
School Performance
Well! Over 10 weeks, constant planning, rehearsing, script writing and casting has all added up to this weeks two performances. Both musicals were executed before a large selection of parents (and the school, during the day) on Monday and Tuesday night.
Both nights had two different casts, picked by Simon and Stephen. These main speaking roles were told to practise their lines and come to the weekly rehearsals set up by Stephen and Simon.
A special shoutout to Artemis and Riley, who both had the role of David Attenborough. They both had to remember and execute a momentous amount of lines and both performed extremely well.
The performance, for those who aren’t aware, was originally thought to be a way to raise money for a new performance stage. While this goal was more or less moved away from, the play was still to be performed in the second week of Term 4. Both Simon and Stephen gathered ideas from students that all varied greatly. Their favourite was one about a TV malfunction which caused other TV characters to enter other television programs. With some tweaks, this became the full product, adding in songs and scripts to show to the students.
Stephen and Simon held a rehearsal to see who would be part of the main roles. Once these roles were chosen, the rehearsals began. At the same time, whole class scenes were practised in 5/6 lessons.
Everybody in this play did an awesome job, and it was certainly well loved by parents. If anyone sees Stephen or Simon, remember to thank their AWESOME WORK organising this performance!
Hugo C.
Footy Colours Day
Longest Kick Competition
As part of our Footy Colours Day celebrations, we ran a longest kick competition. Lots of students participated and showed off their awesome kicking skills. Congratulations to the students below who were able to kick the furthest on the day.
- Prep/Grade 1 - Lachie & Bella
- Grade 2 - Jonas & Layla
- Grade 3/4 - Sammy & Annabelle
- Grade 5/6 - Ned & Siri
Division and Regional Athletics Carnival
On Wednesday 7th September nineteen students represented CNPS at the Division Athletics Carnival. Students competed in a range of track and field events. These included long jump, high jump, shot put, discus, triple jump, 100m sprint, 800m, 1500m and relays. All students showed the school values and were wonderful ambassadors for our school.
Of the nineteen students we had eleven make it through to regionals. This was held on Wednesday 12 October. Despite the cold and pouring rain, our students showed up and competed. Everyone tried their best and we are very proud of all of them for showing resilience and coping in the extreme weather. Also, a special mention to Eli and Elissa for stepping in at the last minute as a substitute!
Thank you to the parents/carers for all their support throughout the carnivals and congratulations again to all students. Competing at division and regionals is a wonderful achievement and they should be very proud of themselves.
Clothing and Lost Property
Borrowed Clothing:
Please return any clothing your child has borrowed from the school to the front Office as soon as possible. We usually have some spares for children who get wet or dirty, but we are running very low on many sizes. For this reason, we suggest your child has some of their own spare clothing in their school bag in case they need it.
COATS:
With the recent heavy rains, and more likely, it’s also a good idea for your child to take a jacket or raincoat to school. Please ensure clothing is clearly named - especially jackets, coats or jumpers.
LOST Property:
Note there are currently several tubs of lost property. This is sorted regularly, but most of it is not named, so we do not know whose it is.
When named items are found, they are returned to the classroom of the student.
Wellbeing and Inclusion
October is Mental Health Month in Australia. This month encourages all of us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we may have a lived experience of mental illness or not. It also gives us the opportunity to understand the importance of good mental health in our everyday lives and encourages help seeking behaviours when needed.
In 2022, the theme for Mental Health Month is Tune In
Tuning In means being present – being aware of what’s happening within you, and in the world around you.
Tune In to your senses – what can you sense right now? What can you feel?
Tune In to your communities – what’s happening that you can be part of, or that you can help others be part of?
Tune In to stigma – how do attitudes and understandings of mental health and wellbeing impact people’s ability to live the lives they want?
Taking a moment to Tune In can help still and focus your mind, it can help you understand what’s going on for you and others. Tuning in can help you find a new perspective, and it can help you reflect and be present.
Tuning In has been shown to help build self-awareness, help make effective choices, reduce the impact of worry, and build positive connections. Tuning In to communities and the impact of mental health stigma can help ensure that people who need support have safe places to talk about their experiences and reach out.
https://mentalhealthmonth.wayahead.org.au/tips-to-tune-in/
CNPS - The Podcast Of Health
Anxiety - The Lined Mind Group
We talk about other ways to help with anxiety by using the 333 method and how anxiety can develop .We ask questions on how to prevent anxiety and we talk about social media and how that can be a big aspect of it as well . We talk about how working on your physical health can also help and we promote another podcast healthy Body Healthy mind by Amelie, Eden and Amira.
Healthy body & mind -Healthy body, Healthy mind
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind is a podcast episode all about how a healthy body affects having a healthy mind, how much physical activity is healthy and much more. Follow co-hosts Artie, Hildie and Emily along a fun and engaging educationally informational learning adventure.
Nutrition - The Wonderful World of Nutrition
What exactly is a nutritional diet? Many people ask this question, only to be overwhelmed with different recipes, programs and products, some of which don’t even work. In this episode, we will discuss the history of nutrition, the main elements in everyone’s diets, and giving you tips and tricks about how to make your diet just that little bit healthier. Plus, some fun facts about nutrition that may blow your mind.
Buildings and Grounds
I’ve had a great month around the grounds of CNPS.
Term 3 working bee
It all started started with our term 3 working bee. There was a great turn out and we managed to get lots achieved. The parklet on O’hea street has been planted with lots of herbs. Please take any that you need and top up if you have some spare herbs at home. I would love this garden to become a regular stop for families.
We tidied, weeded and planted for the morning and then enjoyed a wood fired lunch. There were focaccias and sausages and lots of baked treats for everyone. It was a great day and I’m already looking forward to the next one at the end if this term.
Coburg Crop
The interior of the propagation house is now finished and packed with plants for the crop and the P&F plant market that will be held on 26 November. The garden beds continue to produce loads of great vegies and the students are starting to use the space too. Grade 5s have been planting radishes and potatoes!
Storms and floods
The wild weather has presented some challenges. The deluge on 7 October resulted in flooding all over the school,
Help is on the way!
The rain caused some major blockages in our storm water system and with more on the way, I put a call out for help. There was an amazing turn out of volunteers who put their bodies on the line to muck out the drains. A job that would take days was completed in hours and the water has flowed freely ever since. Thank you to everyone that helped!
Grade 4 planting
Our grade 4’s took on the task of clearing and then planting some of our neglected raised garden beds. Thanks to the guidance of Emma Hopkins, these beds are now filled with natives and they look great.
Mt Aspiring +
Finally, the Mt Aspiring + will be open for business. We’ve completed all of the safety checks and each grade has had a private session on the unit. They have had an opportunity to have a go as a class group, learning the rules and getting used to the challenges of this amazing play space. Ironically, I couldn’t get the temporary fencing removed when planned because of the heavy rain. All will be cleared and free play will commence asap.
Get involved
Now that the weather is getting warmer, I am setting up lots of ways that you can get involved and help improve the school.
The Coburg Crop Group will meet every Thursday from 9am -11am. On this day each week, our resident horticulturalist, Cez, will guide you though the latest propagation, planting and harvesting for the Crop.
Fridays will be the Gardening Group’s turn, also between 9am and 11am. This will be a chance to work our way around the school, making sure the gardens are in good condition.
In the coming weeks the watering around the school will become really important and you can jump in and help with that task too.
There is also a watering can out the front for anyone keen to give the herbs in the parklet a drink!
You can sign up for any of these activities at the CNPS Volunteer Gardening Calendar via this link https://signup.com/go/xAxtFxQ. You can also contact me if you have an area of the school that you would like to work on or if you have an idea for a project. I’ll also keep you informed about jobs around the school that could use some expertise from our community, or just some extra hands to help get a task completed that’ll make the school better for our kids!
Paul, Manager Buildings and Grounds
School Council
Open Streets - Call for Volunteers
Based on the success of the first two trials, we're working again with Merri bek council to run the Open Streets program. This is where we open Bishop Street before school for walking and active transport priority. We need volunteers to help make this happen, so please get in contact by emailing coburg.north.ps@education.vic.gov.au to register your interest. Thank you!
TheirCare: After School Care
Term 4
Welcome to Term 4! It will be a long but happy one as the days get longer and the weather improves (hopefully!). Please can we remind you that we are a SunSmart School and Program, and this means that the children are required to wear sun hats (preferable a bucket style in line with school) and sunscreen. The children are now putting sunscreen on as they arrive at the service prior to them going out to play. We will provide the sunscreen but ask that a hat is packed in their bags. We have another PFD on 31st October and would ask that you book in ASAP for us to allow for staff and activities.
Please Remember:
- Always shut the gate when entering or leaving the premises to ensure that all children remain safe.
- To always bring them into the service to sign them in or out.
If you have not used our services, registrations can be completed online at www.theircare.com.au. We always welcome your input so please reach out if you have any feedback or ideas to ensure we provide the best care!
Mikhaila Borg
We are delighted to announce that Mikhaila is now in training to be our new 2IC at Coburg North TheirCare. Meliz has stepped down into a casual position due to her uni commitments and we wish her well.
Mikhaila is currently studying primary education at uni, and her passions are reading, writing and arts and crafts.
What’s been happening …
Recap of last term:
Week 6: Science Week
We had a lot of fun this week with science. The children used coloured water to dye flowers, we proved that an egg could in fact bounce! Lemon volcanoes and made pancakes. Fun busy week
Week 7: Book Week
Officially it was book week and we got to hear everything about the children’s favourite books. We made a great display of Dr Seuss book “One Fish Two Fish”, made our own bookmarks along with origami for Roald Dahl book “Fantastic Mr Fox”; and some children started to learn to knit.
Week 8: Father’s Day/Special Persons Week
We recognise that every family is different, and this week was a chance for the children to give back and say thank you to the special people in their lives. There is nothing better than homemade gifts and cards to express this. Something parents cherish always.
Week 9: Spring
The season changed and what better way to celebrate this than to use our prior knowledge to teach other about Spring. We also created bumble bees, butterflies, and flowers to start a great Spring display on the window. Lots of outside play too!
Week 10: Some of our favourite things …
For end of term fun, the children planned a week of their favourite activities from the term. The most favourite were making lollipop craft! Lots of games and fun rounded the term off just nicely!
Parents and Friends
Parents and Friends update – Election market and plant sale
Hi CNPS families and carers
Our big event for term 4 will be the state election market day on Saturday 26 November. We will have a variety of stalls, building on the May market we held for the federal election, as the school will again be a voting centre.
As part of the market, we will be running the annual CNPS spring plant sale. In past years, and even throughout covid, P&F has run this event and raised money towards playgrounds and solar panels for the school. This year, as part of the market day, the sale will go towards funding a gardener to tend the Coburg Crop.
We need your help to make the plant sale a success
Ways you can support the plant market:
- growing plants or veggies for the market (let us know what you’re growing)
- collecting bags and cardboard boxes for packing orders
- collecting used plastic milk containers and cutting into thin strips to use as pot plant markers (use flat parts of the container to cut to approx. 1.5cm x 10cm strips)
Let us know what you’re growing and if you can help out by emailing cnps_pf@hotmail.com
You can contact P&F via email (at the above email) or find out more about upcoming events on the P&F page on the school website.
Amelia Matthews
President,
Parents and Friends
Upcoming Events
Jump Rope for Heart - Starts Monday 24th October (week 4)
Week 3
- Grade 1 Dinner - Thursday, 20 October
- Foundation Merri Creek Incursion - Friday 21 October
Week 4
- Jump Rope for Heart Begins - Monday, 24 October
- Grade 2 Museum Excursion - Monday, 24 October
- Chess Tournament at CNPS Wednesday, 26 October 9-2:30pm
- Foundation Breakfast - Friday, 28 October
Week 5
- Student Free Day - Monday, 31 October
- Melbourne Cup Day (Student Free Day) - Tuesday, 1 November
Week 6
- Basketball Clinic Grade 2-6 - Friday, 11 November
Week 7
- Foundation Police Incursion - Monday, 14 November
- Basketball Clinics 2-6 Grades - 16-18 November
Community News
LOTE Online for Kids eResource
Happy Bilingual Children’s Month for October!
To celebrate, Merri-bek Libraries have a new eResource called LOTE Online for Kids. Families can enjoy the magic of books in community languages. Each book also comes with English translations to help learn languages. There are over 1,750+ digital picture books in 50+ languages. You only need a library card to join for FREE.
The link to join: https://lote4kids.com/au-moreland-city-council-libraries/