Newsletter Term 2 Week 2 2025

"We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians on whose land our school rests. Their footsteps and whispers blow in the wind, drift on the clouds, remain deep in the sandstone and float on the waterways of this place. Their memories and Dreaming stories will continue to connect us to the land and guide future generations of our school community. Country is alive if you take the time to look, listen and learn."

Principal's News

Kindergarten Enrolments 2026 - Help Us Spread the Word!
Exciting times are ahead, we kindly ask for your help in spreading the word to friends and neighbours who have little ones ready to embark on their educational journey next year. Our enrolments are officially open, and we have a school tour scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th. This is a fantastic opportunity for prospective families to explore our vibrant school, meet our enthusiastic student leaders, and begin forging connections within our community.

If you have a child currently attending Balgowlah North and a sibling who will be joining us next year, please take a moment to fill out the online enrolment form linked below. We have a wonderful lineup of connection events planned for the upcoming terms, and we can’t wait to welcome our new families. Thank you for your support in making our community even stronger!

Online Enrolment Application

Ignite the Passion: Fostering Social and Emotional Potential
At Balgowlah North Public School, we believe that nurturing our students' social and emotional potential is just as important as their academic growth. Our teachers are committed to providing a range of opportunities both within the classroom and beyond to help students develop essential skills in this vital domain. Through engaging activities such as collaborative group projects, student voice initiatives, and our strong leadership programs, we empower our students to express their emotions, build resilience, and foster meaningful relationships. 

By igniting their passion and equipping them with the tools they need, we are proud to support our students on their journey to becoming confident, compassionate individuals. Our student voice policy and procedure was completed at the end of 2024.

Click on the link below to see the pathways our students can engage with over their time at BNPS.

Procedures and policies - Balgowlah North Public School

Wonderful Work
So lovely to connect with Delilah and Jayden from KMS and to share the wonderful writing they have created following the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 

Have a great day everyone,

Brooke Keevers
Principal

Assistant Principal's News

Stage 3 engages with critical evaluation of the Dystopian Genre
This week, Stage 3 have engaged with a critical evaluation of multiple texts as the culminating activity from their dystopian fiction unit of work. Since the start of the year, Stage 3 students have been involved in an in-depth exploration of dystopian literature, focusing on the comparative analysis of themes such as control, resistance, identity, sustainability and freedom. 

This English unit of work encourages higher-order thinking, ethical reasoning, and creative problem-solving. Learners engage in tasks that promote autonomous inquiry, critical debate, and philosophical reflection as they consider the role of literature in shaping societal values and envisioning future possibilities, fostering metacognition, empathy, and global awareness. 

To demonstrate their understanding, students were asked to examine and evaluate the themes and purpose of multiple texts to compare and contrast similarities and differences across the genre. Here are some of examples of our students deep understanding:

“The texts are similar as they have a protagonist who is lonely and notices things others do not which inspires them to change the world for the better”
Sasha H

“I can see similarities between the texts as the central protagonist in Wall-E, The Scarecrow and The Tin Forest always fights for what they believe in”.
Austin S

“Wall-E, The Tin Forest and The Scarecrow all share a common theme of environmental destruction.”
Abbey M

“There are similarities between the texts The Lost Thing and The Scarecrow as they show us that things aren’t always as they seem and you should read between the lines to see the true meaning”.
Isaac R

The Scarecrow and The Lost Thing are connected in the way both settings show controlled environments where things are covered up”
Laila W

The Stage 3 teaching team take great pride in providing our students with enriching opportunities to examine, analyse and evaluate texts to ensure we inspire curiosity and challenge our students to fulfill their potential.

Rachel Ridley
Assistant Principal Stage 3

School News

Stage 3 Homework - The Perfect Shoe

Stage 3 believes that homework plays an important role as it helps students to build independence, responsibility, and the ability to manage their time. It gives them a chance to practise and apply what they’ve learned in class, helping to deepen their understanding. Last term, we worked on an exciting project where we had to plan, design, develop, and skilfully craft ‘The Perfect Shoe’ - one that blended comfort, style, functionality and innovation. Homework gives us extra time to research materials, sketch ideas, and refine our designs, making sure every detail was carefully thought out. This helped us produce final products that were not only creative but also durable and stylish.

6SR quotes:

Me and my dad had lots of fun crafting, glueing and designing.
Cooper C

I enjoyed the trial-and-error side of things when I did this project. It really made me think about time management.
Max H

I think it was a fun experience for homework especially since it definitely used creativity and skills to put it together. 
Lachie T

I had so much fun making my shoes and it was such a good result. This is one of my funnest projects I've had in a while, so it made me say…” This shoetastic day left a smile on my lace”.
Henry Y

I love making shoes that do the shoe-ffle.
Finn R

Finding out that we got to make and research shoes I got excited and started planning right away. I am very proud of the shoes I made.
Eva

I think this school project was a very creative homework that pushed my mind to the limit.
Ayrton

The shoe project was fun as you had to use your imagination to design and create a perfect homemade shoe.
Max M 

6/5H quotes:

The shoe project was fun to design and to create. I loved showcasing our creations in the shoe parade.
Grace K

We had the opportunity to create whatever type of shoe we wanted, which made it an interesting project to work on over the term. 
Arkie

We were able to express our creativity by designing the type of shoe we wanted. We all had different ideas.
Eliza

I learnt that making a shoe is really hard and that the material you choose was really important. 
Camilla

It was really challenging to find the stability of the shoe while also making it comfortable and good looking.
Lydia 

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Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

•         year of schooling
•         category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
•     level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

•        formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
•        consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
•       develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.

The complexity of school refusal webinar

Wednesday, 14 May 2025 - 07:00 pm to 08:30 pm
If your child is struggling to attend school, you’re not alone. School Refusal—or as some call it, School Can’t—is a growing challenge affecting many families across all school settings.

Join us for a webinar where experts will explore the complexities of school attendance difficulties.  Featuring panelists from KYDS, EPIC and Youth Up Front,the webinar will examine factors involved, the anxiety cycle's impact on attendance, and strategies for early intervention. It will also cover school initiatives aimed at supporting students and provide guidance on available resources and services for families.

Designed for parents and carers of children aged 10 –16 years (approx. Years 5 –10), as well as educators, social service providers, and community members.

An initiative of the Northern Region Network of Councils, produced by Northern Beaches Council, with support from Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, City of Ryde, Willoughby City, Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, and Hunters Hill Council

Bookings essential through this link:
The complexity of school refusal 

Free Contact information:
Community Development
youth@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au

Creative Corner

This term and next, students across the school will be exploring music from around the world as part of our music program. In Term 2, our focus will be on listening to and creating music inspired by a range of global traditions and cultures.

Each week, students will discover a new instrument, experiment with their voices, and use body percussion to make music in fun and creative ways.

Here’s what students in each stage will be engaging with in their music lessons with Mrs McAllister:

• Early Stage 1 will explore music from their own culture and nearby countries. They’ll enjoy experimenting with instruments, finding new ways to make sound, and learning important musical concepts through singing and play.
  
  
• In Stage 1, students will listen and respond to music from a variety of cultures, especially focusing on Asia and nearby regions. They'll express their ideas through sound, create simple songs, and even use symbols to represent musical patterns.
  
  
• Stage 2 students will be learning about music from North and South America, while continuing to build their understanding of musical concepts and symbols. They’ll also experiment with ways to organise and improvise music inspired by these traditions.
  
  
• In Stage 3, students will explore music from cultures across Europe and Africa. They'll sing, play instruments, and compose short pieces using what they’ve learned, including how to write down their music using proper musical notation.
  
  

It’s shaping up to be a wonderful journey through the diverse world of music, and we’re excited to see students connect with and enjoy sounds from around the globe.

Mrs McAllister
Dance and Music Teacher

Wakakirri

We are thrilled to share that our enthusiastic Wakakirri team is busy this term preparing a 7-minute Story-Dance performance titled “Finding Your Light Within”. This powerful piece explores the theme of “Mind Over Matter: Tales of Inner Strength”, highlighting the resilience, courage, and determination that lives within each of us. The performance beautifully reflects the values of our URSTRONG program, encouraging students to build confidence, emotional awareness, and strong connections with others.

Through expressive movement and storytelling, students will take the audience on an emotional journey—showing how challenges can be overcome when we listen to our inner voice, support one another, and believe in ourselves. The message is one of hope, empowerment, and finding strength in difficult moments.

Each week, students are working hard to learn choreography, develop characters, and contribute creative ideas for costumes, staging, and props. It has been inspiring to see them collaborate, grow in confidence, and bring this meaningful story to life.

We are so proud of their dedication and can’t wait to share the final performance with you early in Term 3!

Warm regards,
Wakakirri team

Curiosity and Outdoor Learning

Kindergarten had fun considering a range of different ways they might sort a variety of objects.

Class Snapshot - 1C

Sports News

Winter PSSA
Winter PSSA training will take place during school sport time on a Friday afternoon for weeks 1 and 2.  Before school Friday training will commence in Week 3 on the 16^th May.

Thank you
PSSA Coaches

Library News

Meet our Thursday Library Monitors  
Their favourite books are:

Claire Z - Keeper of the Lost City by Shannon Messenger
Kora P- Claudia and the Bad Joke by Ann M Martin and Arley Nopra

Scholastic Book Club Orders
All orders for Scholastic Book Club need to be submitted by Friday 16th May

Amanda Mason
Teacher Librarian

Admin News

PBL week 2

The Week Ahead

Thursday 8 May             Mother's Day Breakfast in the front playground 8am
Thursday 8 May             P&C Mother's Day Stall
Monday 12 May             3-6 Assembly 2.30pm
Tuesday 13 May            Rugby 7's Gala Day
Tuesday 16 May            Walk to School Day
Monday 19 May             K-2 Assembly 2.30pm
Wednesday 21 May      National Simultaneous Storytime
Wednesday 21 May      Stage 1 Gallery Excursion
Wednesday 21 May      Stage 3 Sydney Writers Festival
Wednesday 21 May      P & C Meeting 7.30pm
Monday 26 May             Whole School Assembly 1.45pm
Tuesday 27 May            School Tour 2
Monday 2 June             3-6 Assembly 2.30pm

P & C News

🎉 A sizzling success! 🎉
The BNPS Band fired up the Democracy Sausage BBQ on 3 May to raise funds for our band program! Thank you to all the amazing volunteers, superstar bakers, and everyone who dropped by for a sausage sandwich, bacon roll or to buy a cake.
A special mention to Clare and Pete Rhodes who facilitated the day seamlessly.

Uniform Shop
Please note that the Second-Hand Uniform Shop will now be open on TUESDAYS, from 2.30pm-3.15pm. 

All clothing items are $10 / hats $5. All proceeds from the shop go directly back to the school and your support is greatly appreciated! We are always grateful for donations and are currently in need of smaller sizes across both winter and summer uniforms. Any preloved items may be left at the school office during opening hours or at the shop on Tuesdays. 

Save the Date - Trivia Night
Please save the date for the next big event on 21 June 2025.
Start thinking about your table of 8 and your table theme/costumes because tickets go on sale on the 19th of May!

Save the date - School Disco
Please save the date for our school disco to be held on Thursday 26th June.

P&C Meeting
Please join us for the next P&C meeting to be held on 21 May from 7.30pm at the school library. We look forward to seeing you then.

Save the Date - Term 3 Events (More Details Coming Soon!)
Father's Day Breakfast + Gift Stall - 4th Sept
Outdoor Movie Night - 5th Sept
Dads' Event - 20th Sept
Mums' Event - Date TBD

Sponsorships and Sponsorship and Donations
We are always looking for new sponsors for our events. If you are interested in being a sponsor, please contact Dan Brabant on 0434 004 797 for further information.

Green Grove

Did you know that we have three new chickens in The Green Grove?

Just yesterday we introduced Luna and Pumpkin (names voted in by children who attended the Green Grove yesterday). And in the school holidays we were donated another gorgeous chicken, named June, from a local family. They are all settling in very nicely.

If children would like to come and help out with the chickens and the garden, The Green Grove is open on Mondays at lunchtime (with parent Cate Webster) and on Thursdays at lunchtime (with teacher Katherine Evans). We do fun nature-based activities and learn about how to care for plants and animals. We hope to see your children there!

Cate Webster

Band News

Busy start to the term for all our band members and parents with rehearsals and all the activity around the election day sausage sizzle.  A great success from all reports with around 500 sausages sold, 20 kg of bacon plus the colourful and creative addition of balloon animals and crowns!  Well done to Junior Band members, Jasper and Cleo on taking the initiative – they even got a mention and lovely pic in the Manly Daily. Thanks so much to everyone who volunteered and provided treats for the cake stall. It is great to see all the bands back into their regular rehearsal schedule. We have had a change of conductor this term due to long term illness however we are very fortunate to have good conductors willing to step in to fill in at rehearsals.

 We are looking forward to some upcoming performances:
Thursday 8 May:  Mother’s Day Breakfast – ALL Bands.
Thursday 22 May: Harbourside Music Festival 6pm/6.30pm – Performance Band and Concert Band. Location: Balgowlah Boys High School
Thursday 26 June:  School Disco.  Big fundraiser for band. 
Monday 30 June – Band Performance Evening.  Location:  BNPS

Caroline Fechner
Band Manager

Canteen News

Koolkuna News

We hope everyone had a lovely Easter break. We wanted to give a HUGE thank you to all the parents and families who donated books for the "Books for Africa" Charity. We can't thank everyone's generosity enough and the response was absolutely amazing.
Coming into Term 2 we wanted to announce that it is a legal requirement & the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure that their child/ren are signed into OSHC for BSC & Vacation Care and signed out of OSHC from ASC & Vacation Care. All parents/guardians must use their Xplor Home Accounts to sign their child/ren in/out of care. If someone other than those listed on the Enrolment Form will be picking up your child, please send an email to the Centre to provide temporary authorisation for collection. If your child/ren is found not to be signed in or signed out of OSHC by an authorised contact, educators will contact the parent/guardians and a No Sign In/Out Fee of $11.00 will be applied to your account. We are looking forward to Term 2 and we can't wait to see everyone back again at Koolkuna!

Kind Regards,

Sam

Koolkuna OSHC Admin

School Community News

Primary School Newsletter Story Fire and Rescue NSW Open Day
Are you ready for winter? Cooler weather is just around the corner, so this is a great opportunity to catch up with your local NSW Fire and Rescue firefighters and learn all about keeping your family fire safe this winter. 

We would like to educate your family and the community about fire prevention and safety. Our key message this year is around home fire safety, encouraging everyone to consider and take ownership of the fire dangers in our homes.

Fire and Rescue NSW will be hosting its annual Open Day on Saturday 10 May 2025 between 10:00am and 2:00pm. This will give you an opportunity to engage with your local Fire and Rescue NSW station. 

You and your family are invited to head down to your local fire station for home fire safety tips, activities, and demonstrations. 

You will also have the opportunity to chat with firefighters to learn more about their everyday role and type of fires and rescue emergencies they attend.

For more information on your local station, visit www.fire.nsw.gov.au/openday and follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/frnsw. 

Make sure you mark it in your diary and come and join us!

School Sponsors