In 2017 our school learning community collaboratively developed our three-year 2018 – 2020 school plan that included our school Vision, mission, strategic directions, and improvement measures. For the past three years we have been strategically and methodically utilised our people, programs, and practices (3Ps) to ensure that our vision would become a reality by the end of the 2020 school year.

Our school’s 2018 – 2020 Vision was:

'Our Vision is to be Australia's most outstanding future-focused learning community.'

When we developed this Vision our school learning community defined what we meant by ‘future-focused’. At the end of 2017 our school’s staff, parents and students believed if our students were going to be successful then and in the future they would need to develop outstanding knowledge and skills in three main areas. We believed our students needed to develop outstanding;

1. Basic Skills in literacy and numeracy.
2. Technology Skills.
3. 21^st Century Skills such as critical thinking, creative thinking, communication and collaboration.

At the end of last year our executive team led a very thorough consultative process to determine if in the three years from 2018 – 2020 our school had achieved our Vision, mission, strategic directions, improvement measures and if our students had developed outstanding Basic Skills, technology skills, and 21^st century skills.

We also expected this process would assist us better understand what programs and practices should continue at our school and be included in our new 2021-2024 School Plan. At the end of last year, we consulted:

• All school leaders and teachers
• Year 4 – Year 6 students
• Parents

In Term 4 2020 we sent our parents a short survey to ask for their views on our school’s strengths and also areas in which we could further develop. We were so pleased that 216 (45%) of our families responded to this important survey. Parent responses were overwhelmingly positive and have provided us with valuable information that will assist us develop our new 2021-2024 school plan. Thank you, parents.

We are currently in the process of developing our new school plan in order to become an even better school for our students, our teachers and our parents over the next four years.

We will keep you informed about the development of our 2021 – 2024 School Plan and our vision, mission, strategic directions, and improvement measures.

2021 SCHOOL SAYING

Each year our school develops a ‘SCHOOL SAYING’. The purpose of the ‘School Saying’ is to provide students with a clear focus for their learning, attitude, and behaviour for that particular year. During the first two weeks of each school year, students, staff and parents are able to nominate ‘Sayings’ to be considered for selection.

I am very pleased to inform you that our 2021 Saying was suggested by Mrs Picken, one of our teachers. Our 2021 School Saying is

I know that each of our students will soon start developing their GOALS to assist them shine BRIGHT this year. I also know their wonderful teachers are in the process of developing high quality, engaging, harmonious class families that will support each student shine BRIGHT in 2021.

I encourage all parents to speak with their children and assist them develop a list of Goals that the students would like to achieve this year.

BEST WISHES MS Bazzi and Mrs Stiffe

Ms Bazzi and Mrs Stiffe will be taking leave this week to commence maternity leave as they await the birth of their babies. We hope both Ms Bazzi and Mrs Stiffe take the opportunity to relax over the next few weeks.

We look forward to Ms Bazzi and Mrs Stiffe visiting Auburn North late this year to proudly show off their little “bundles of joy”.

Best Wishes Ms Finlayson

Ms Finlayson has been teaching one of our year 1 classes since the beginning of the year. Ms Finlayson is a temporary teacher however, recently she was offered and accepted a permanent position in another school.

We would like to thank Ms Finlayson for ensuring her year 1 students began this school year very successfully and we wish her all the best in her future career.

2021 STAFF LIST - OUTSTANDING 2021 K-6 TEACHERS

Please find below the names of our outstanding 2021 classroom teachers and specialist support teachers who will be working with YOU this year to assist your children exceed their potential in all areas this year and achieve their goals:

CLASS REPORTS – 3W and 6/5V

For your reading pleasure please find attached to this newsletter reports that have been written by 3W and Miss Whitaker and 6/5V and Mrs Varley.

I would like to thank and congratulate these students and their teachers.

Mark Harris

Principal

6/5V comprises of 21year 5 students and 9 year 6 students. Within the first few weeks of 2021, we have accomplished many things already! Year 5 have been busy learning how to write persuasive texts, while year 6 have been researching and writing an informative text about bushfires. 6/5V have been developing reading and comprehension skills, with a focus on identifying key information and reading images, such as graphs and tables. All students have enjoyed engaging maths lessons that have focused on whole number, as well as addition and subtraction problem solving. Our science lessons have involved students researching about a natural disaster and presenting their findings to the whole class. Year 6 are beginning to understand why and how Australia became a nation during history lessons, while year 5 are discovering about the lives of people in Australia’s colonial past. We are also learning about safety in the home and how to be cybersafe. All students have looked forward to sport on Fridays, and of course, Friday fruit break. 6/5V students have a positive mindset and are excited about all the things they will achieve this year!

What an amazing start to the year we have had in 3W! All students have transitioned back into learning so smoothly after the long holiday. The first few weeks in 3W have involved setting up classroom agreements, establishing routines and getting to know each other! All students have had lots of fun opportunities to learn about their new classmates and they have already formed many wonderful friendships. All students have shown kindness in 3W as they welcomed both familiar faces from Year 2, as well as new peers who have just transferred from other schools. Welcome Safal and Rose to the Auburn North family!

In literacy, students have been writing expositions which include paragraphs, high modality language, rhetorical questions and outstanding reasons and examples. They have already successfully composed two texts about whether we should all learn to cook and whether cats are better than dogs.

In numeracy, students have been learning to arrange numbers in ascending and descending order. They have also started learning various strategies to assist them solve multiplication questions. This includes using repeated addition, number lines, arrays and skip counting. Aren’t they clever?

WELCOME VIDEO and OPEN CLASSROOMS 2021

We are delighted to inform you that the Department of Education guidelines currently allow schools to organise ‘Meet the Teacher’ afternoons, where parents can enter their child’s school for a short amount of time to meet their child’s teacher and see their classroom.

This year, this event will be divided into two parts to help us to limit large gatherings of adults. Please read important information below.

Part 1 – WELCOME VIDEOS

At the end of Week 4 (by Friday 19/02), parents will receive a welcome video via SeeSaw (Kindy to Year 5) or Schoolzine (Year 6). We kindly ask that all parents view the video/s for their child or children’s grades as each grade will send home a different video. These videos will contain very important information carefully prepared by your child’s teacher. Please watch the video/s and feel welcome to ask your child’s teacher any questions you may have when you visit in Week 5 (see organisation below).

Part 2 – OPEN CLASSROOMS

In Week 5, parents will be invited to enter the school at 3:15pm on their scheduled day to meet their child’s teacher and visit their classroom. Parents will be required to sign in using the school QR Code on their phone and sign a COVID attendance form. Parents will need to please exit the school by 4pm due to COVID guidelines.

Due to time constraints, it is not possible for teachers to meet parents for an extended time to discuss individual students. Parent-teacher-student meetings, or ‘3 Way Conferences’, will be held later this term, either in person or via telephone. If you do need to meet with your child’s teacher before 3 Way Conferences, please contact the office.

We very much look forward to you viewing your child’s video and then joining us for Open Classrooms in Week 5.

Last year, Auburn North PS received a Sustainability Grant. The funds were used for two projects. The first project was rejuvenating the Community Garden. Mrs Christine Daujotis worked with our General Assistants, Mr Don and Mr Ray, and students in year 4 to establish new garden beds and plant a variety of delicious and healthy vegetables. The students were able to harvest and enjoy eating these vegetables at the end of last year.

The second project was to establish better waste management practices throughout the school. Unfortunately, Covid and NSW waste contracts delayed the implementation of this project in 2020. We are now ready to proceed with these changes which will help our school by saving costs due when removing waste, improving our environment and supporting students to understand the importance of reducing waste. This term we will be introducing students to our new three bin Eco Stations where they will be responsible for sorting their waste into the correct bins. 

	The yellow recycling bin is for cans, bottles, plastic youghurt tubs, paper lunch order bags, foil and tin cans. All these items can be recycled and used again.
	The green organics bin is for food waste. This can include banana skins, orange peels and apple cores. This waste will be composted in special compost bins called Subpods.
	The red waste bin is for all other waste that cannot be recycled or composted. This includes plastic wrap, chip packets, zooper dooper tubes and zip lock bags. This kind of waste goes straight into landfill.