Narrabri West Public School

Welcome back to an exciting year, packed full of fun and learning! We are delighted to see so many smiling faces in the playground and in the classrooms. We are really looking forward to a very successful year with your children. 

Our Kindergarten team, Mrs Gett, Miss Collier, Mrs Ward and Mrs Brooker are especially excited about working with this new group of ‘Westies’! This will be a new adventure for all of these children and we are sure they will enjoy school life at ‘The West’. 

This year we welcomed 42 Kindergarten students. What a wonderful start to their learning journey this will be, with gifted teachers and access to fantastic resources and support staff. To these students and their families, we extend a special welcome and wish you a long and happy association with our school.

We look forward to working with our new Pre-Schoolers who also commence this week. How exciting for them!

We also welcome other new families whose children have joined us at Narrabri West in Years 1 - 6. We will make it our top priority to ensure your children feel settled and happy in their new school too. If you are unsure of any procedures, please see your child’s teacher or contact the school office.

You only get one ‘first day of Kindergarten’ and at Narrabri West it was a huge success. Your children have commence their learning journey under the guidance of their caring teachers, they have settled in well and so far enjoyed their first week of learning. 

Every NSW Public School Kindergarten student will again take part in the Best Start literacy and numeracy assessment program and our new Kindergarten students are currently participating in this.

Research shows that early intervention gets the best results when it comes to improving literacy and numeracy skills and under the Best Start program teachers will start assessing students’ reading and writing, their communication skills and recognition of the sounds and letters of the English language. Teachers will also look at students’ early numeracy skills in counting, number recognition and how they work with groups and patterns. The program allows teachers to assess and diagnose the starting point of a child’s education and gives students the best start by allowing teachers to plan their lessons to cater to each child’s current level of proficiency in literacy and numeracy.

When forming classes, a lot of time, effort and thought goes into ensuring students will not only be happy in their new class, but also in one that will be a challenging learning environment for them, so that they can achieve their very best.

Every class must have a mixture of boys and girls and a mixture of ability groups. On occasion, some students can feel a little upset in their new classes, usually because they feel they are not with any of their friends. We do take into account their relationships with their peers. Teachers know if  ‘best friends’ can work productively in the same class or not. Some friendships are best suited to the playground only.

As students move through the years of primary schooling, new challenges face them every day and the best way to cope with change is to make the most of it, embrace it and enjoy the challenge. Most of the time, the upset feelings pass quickly and sometimes, very rarely, the feelings can take a little longer to pass. It is important as parents to keep being positive.

We ask you to support your child by talking positively about the new situation, reassuring them and encouraging them to be strong and resilient in dealing with the change. 

We have again formed 14 classes this year. We have structured the classes taking into account the best fit for the students, the organisation and running of the school and how to best teach in all of the curriculum areas. With our excellent group of teachers, we look forward to a wonderful year at Narrabri West as we assist your children to develop to their full potential.

When forming classes we ensure there is a balanced mix of students in each one.  Our teachers then plan their programs together to ensure consistency across the stage.

Classes and staffing arrangements are as follows:

Pre School           Miss O’Brien

KC                          Miss Collier

KW                         Mrs Ward & Mrs Brooker (Fri)

1B                          Miss Browning & Miss D. O'Brien (Fri)

1M                         Mrs Meppem

2N                         Miss Neeves

2W                         Miss Woodhill

3D                          Miss Dunmall

3P                           Mrs Phillips

4J                            Miss Stibbard

4S                           Mrs Smith

5F                           Mrs Floyd

5W                          Miss Ward

6A                           Miss Ausburn

6T                           Mr Tester

We also have support staff who will work with class teachers in English and Maths sessions. Schools can be quite complex environments and quite often all you see is the interactions made with our students via the classroom teachers, but our support personnel assist the teachers with additional educational support.

Mrs A Gett, Mrs C Hatton, Mrs J Keys, Mrs B Parker, Miss R Maunder and Mrs L Stewart are very valuable members of our team and it is this extra support that has so much to do with helping students to achieve their very best. Their roles are:

·         Learning Support (Coordinator) – Mrs Hatton

·         RFF (Pre School & Kinder), Learning Support - Mrs Gett

·         RFF (Stage1) & Learning Support - Mrs Hatton

·         RFF (Stage 2) & Learning Support – Mrs Keys

·         RFF (Stage 3) & Learning Support – Mrs Parker

·         RFF - Miss Maunder

·         RFF – Mrs Stewart

·         Instructional Leader – Mrs Norris

Our school leadership team comprises Mrs Nichols and five Assistant Principals, who are delegated leadership and management of teachers and students within the school.  Mrs Gett is looking after Pre School and Early Stage 1 (Kindergarten), Mrs Hatton  Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2) Mrs Keys Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4), Mrs Parker Stage 3 (Years 5 & 6) and Mrs Norris Instructional Leader

Throughout 2021 we will be using the combined experience and expertise of our leadership team to focus on the further enhancement of our own leadership capacity and the professional practice of our colleagues, with particular emphasis on successful classroom organisation and effective teaching and assessment strategies. 

Our administration staff work extremely hard to ensure the service you receive as parents is first class. Our office hours are 8:45am to 3:45pm.

Office - Mrs Barnes, Mrs Galvin, Mrs Collins, Mrs Macrae and Mrs Buchanan

Library - Mrs Buchanan

Pre School Learning Support Officer - Mrs Lawty

School Learning Support Officers -  Mrs Kirk, Mrs Watson, Mrs Booby, Ms Maxwell and Miss Connell

Aboriginal Education Officer - Rhiannon Keeler (relieving)

General Assistant - Mr Nott (relieving)

Canteen - Mrs Richardson

The key to a successful year is communication. Members of staff are always available to discuss any concerns, or your child’s progress. Please arrange a mutually convenient time and give the teacher some idea of your concern so they can have the best information available. Learner Led Conferences will again be held at the end of Term 1 and these are an ideal opportunity to discuss students and their progress.

2021 will as always be a busy year, but it is one that we are looking forward to. We have many new ideas and initiatives that will further add to the great educational experience that is Narrabri West. We will be doing lots of work, learning heaps and having fun while we do it!

Our 2021 swimming carnival has been held, with Cunningham winning the House Champions Shield. It was a fun day for all the swimmers with many competing in their first race event and displaying excellent team spirit. Full results of our carnival can be downloaded below.

Our individual champions were:

8/9 yrs:      Lucy Booby, Ryan Warnock

10 yrs:        Lexie Fernance, Max Booby

11 yrs:        Kiara Vlahopoulos, Lennon Simmonds & Ethan Megalokonomos

12/13 yrs:  Pip Collins, Liam Nott

Children who have been selected, based on the times recorded at our carnival, to represent Narrabri West at the Narrabri Zone PSSA Swimming Trials to be held in Narrabri will shortly receive information and permission notes. Please note there are qualifying times for events at the PSSA Trials. 

Narrabri West Swimming Record 

Congratulations to Pip Collins who broke N. Regan’s 1998 record in the open girls 50m Butterfly, with a time of 40:06 seconds. Nice swim Pip!

This year as part of our school sporting program we are again entering NSW PSSA Knockout competitions for school teams. Based on interest amongst our students and also available numbers, we will be able to participate in these sports:

·         Tennis

·         Netball

·         Rugby League

·         Boys and Girls Football

·         Boys and Girls Touch Football

·         Boys and Girls Softball

If you would like to assist these teams in any way through coaching etc, please contact the sports organisers Mrs B Parker,Mrs J Smith or Miss E Ward. Competition draws for each of these sports will be available in the next few weeks.

Students will also have the opportunity to attend Narrabri Zone PSSA selection trials in the following sports as these are held throughout the year:

·         Swimming

·         Tennis

·         Softball

·         Cross Country

·         Athletics

·         Touch Football

·         Rugby League

·         Football (Soccer)

·         Netball

We will be having parent information afternoon on Wednesday 10th February for Kindergarten at 4:30pm in our school hall.

We have purchased a mathematics journal and mentals workbook for every child from Year 1 to Year 6. The text this year is again ‘GoMaths’ and the cost for each student is $27 for the two. Students will be supplied with these this week.

Invoices for these items will be sent shortly. Your prompt payment is appreciated as the school has already paid for the texts (almost $12,000). These textbooks will significantly assist your child’s education. 

We are purchasing a handwriting workbook for Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 again this year. The cost for each student will be $14.

All public schools set an amount for voluntary school contributions each year for one, two or more students. Our contributions are set at:

·         $30 for the first child,

·         $25 for the second child

·         all other children in the family pay $20.

These are still well below the maximum allowable amount of $49 for the first child.

Our school fees are the lowest of any primary school in Narrabri, but our resources are unsurpassed and the envy of many much larger schools. These contributions are voluntary, but they are important in the overall scheme of the school. They allow us to provide many resources and facilities that would not otherwise be purchased.

We have again identified priority areas where we will use our school contribution funds received in 2021. ALL school fees received will be used for the purchase of technology equipment.

Please assist your child’s education by paying these as soon as possible. Payment of contributions can be made at the front office, or by credit card by phone.

We have a great uniform. Please make sure that your child wears theirs consistently and therefore always looks part of the Narrabri West ‘team’. Students should wear their formal uniform (Boys - blue shirt and grey shorts Girls – blue tunic) on Mondays and have the option to wear sports uniform on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. All students should wear their sports uniform on Friday.

Place your uniform orders via MySchoolConnect app or please see the Front Office.

All students should have received their free blue school hats. Students may store their hats at school or take them home. Any student without a blue school hat will not be permitted to play outside due to sun protection issues. Students without a hat will have to remain in the shade.

If your child was absent or did not receive their hat, please make sure they see their teacher.

We will be enforcing our school and NSW Department of Education policy, of ‘No Hat No Play’. 

Bell times during the day are as follows:

9:15 am: Morning time (students into rooms – set up for the days learning)

9:25 am: Learning commences – morning session

11:30 am: Lunch

12:20 pm: Middle learning session

2:00 pm: Recess

2:20 pm : Afternoon learning session

3:25 pm : End of day

Any students arriving after the 9:25am commencement bell are required to go to the front office to get a late note.

Any student needing to leave the school prior to the 3:25pm end of day bell also needs to go to the front office to get an early leaver note.  No students can leave the school without an adult.

General Information card, General Consent and Internet Agreement forms were sent home today.  Please complete these and return to your child’s teacher as soon as possible.  The information cards are kept in the front office for quick reference when parents need to be contacted.  It is vital that your contact details are correct and up to date in case of emergencies.

Parents are required by law to provide an explanation to the school to say why their child was absent. A note of explanation should contain:

1.     Date that the note was written

2.     Child’s name

3.     Days/dates the child was absent from school

4.     The reason the child was absent

5.     The signature of the child’s parent or carer

If more than one child from the same family has been absent a separate note for each child should be written.

A note should be brought to school on the first day the student returns after an absence. We are required to investigate all unexplained absences (where a child has been absent and no explanation has been received) within two days.

The class roll is a legal document and teachers are required to record the reason for an absence according to guidelines from the Department of Education (DoE). Unjustified or unexplained absences are followed up to ensure students develop regular and punctual attendance habits.

You can notify us of absences through the Skoolbag app, by phone, email or note.

We welcome information from you about your child's health, even if you are not requesting specific support from our school. We ask for medical information when you enrol your child, but it is also important that you let us know if your child’s health care needs change or if a new health condition develops.

Information about allergies, medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes and other health care related issues should be provided to the school. This will greatly assist us in planning to support your child’s health and wellbeing.

The Department of Education supplies all schools with a general use adrenaline auto injector (an EpiPen) for their first aid kit.

This does not replace the need for parents to continue to provide the school with an adrenaline auto injector and ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis, signed and dated by their doctor when their child has been diagnosed with anaphylaxis.  The general use adrenaline auto injector is intended to be used if:

·         An undiagnosed student has an anaphylactic reaction at school;

·         There is a misfire of the adrenaline auto injector that has been prescribed for a student; or

·         A student requires further adrenaline auto injector to be administered after his or her own adrenaline auto injector has been administered.

Please contact the school if you would like further information in relation to this matter.

In every government school, time is to be allowed for the religious education of children of any religious persuasion, provided the religious instructor is approved by the Department.

Parents have the right to have their child participate in, or object to any form of religious education at any time, without being required to state any reason.

In line with NSW Department of Education policy, we must advise you that parents who do not want their child to participate in scripture MUST inform the principal EACH YEAR in writing of their objections. The school will keep a record of the parent’s written request and a certificate of exemption will be provided to the student.

The only students who will be exempt from scripture lessons will be those for whom written requests have been received from parents. All other students will be expected to attend scripture lessons.

Scripture lessons for 2021 will start on Thursday 18th February.

Each afternoon students will be taken by teachers to the hall and asked to wait there under supervision until collected by parents. No students will be allowed to leave and go to the car park to meet parents and we request that if you are collecting your children you come into the school to meet them there. This also means they are under shelter and protected from sun, rain etc.

Student safety is the basis for this arrangement and we appreciate your continued cooperation.

We encourage you to keep an eye on our school website and to become involved in our school and work with us in the interests of your child’s education.

Skoolbag, SeeSaw and our Facebook page is a source of information about school life. Search Narrabri West PS.

Term 1:

Autumn holidays commence Friday 2 April 2021 and conclude Friday, 16 April 2021

Term 2:

Winter Holidays commence Monday, 28 June 2021 and conclude Friday, 9 July 2021

Term 3:

Spring holidays commence Monday, 20 September 2021 and conclude Friday, 1 October 2021

Term 4:

Summer holidays commence Monday, 20 December 2021.

Please note: School Development Days occur at the beginning of Terms 1, 2 and 3 and one on the last day of the school year.

Please remember school speed zones (40kmh) operate on all school days, including school development days.

Playground supervision commences at 9:00am. Teachers at school before 9:00am are here for lesson preparation and meetings and as part of their work agreement, do not start duty until 9:00am in the mornings. They are not able to provide supervision prior to that.

Parents are reminded you remain legally responsible for your children prior to 9:00am when supervision begins. Please try to avoid having your children arrive at school before 9:00am.

Student bank books should be taken directly to the office first thing Wednesday morning. 

If your child has been diagnosed with asthma, your doctor or health care provider should have provided you with an Asthma Action Plan to help you and your child with their asthma.

It is recommended that you provide your childs’ school with a copy of their Asthma Action Plan and their own Ventolin puffer (and spacer if needed) so we too can help your child with their asthma if they happen to have asthma whilst at school.  The school does have Ventolin for emergency use only.

If you have already provided us with an action plan, please ensure that it is current and up to date.

These plans must be signed by your doctor or health care provider.

Our school has been recognised as an Asthma Friendly School by meeting the set criteria to become an Asthma Friendly School.

The criteria are as follows:

•              Asthma records kept for each student with asthma

•              Asthma first aid posters are on display

•              Asthma medications are readily available to students with asthma

•              Spacer devices are available

•              A plan is in place for managing asthma during sporting activities, excursions or camps

•              Asthma education offered to parents/caregivers within the school

•              Asthma education provided for all school staff

•              Asthma education program in the health curriculum

•              Potential asthma triggers minimised with in the school environment

1 IN 4 PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN &

1 IN 7 HIGH SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE ASTHMA!