Tarra Tales

Principal's Message

Dear Families,

 

We’re already well into Term 2, and I’d like to take a moment to share some important updates from across the school.

Aboriginal Education & Reconciliation

Reconciliation Week was a significant event for our school community, particularly for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. We were proud to participate in last Thursday’s Reconciliation Walk alongside thousands of students, staff and families from across the Illawarra.

 

We remain committed to reconciliation and to the development of a meaningful Reconciliation Action Plan in partnership with community. A Reconciliation Week program developed by Ms Jordan Hickox has now been picked up by other local schools—a testament to the strength of our teaching team.

 

Later this term, we’ll welcome Uncle Richard and the Gumaraa team for NAIDOC Week workshops. We’re also seeing positive outcomes from our Gadhungal Marring Cultural Program, coordinated by Ms Deacon. 

Student Voice in the P&C

Our next P&C meeting will be held at 1:30pm on Wednesday 18 June. Our Leadership League student leaders will be joining the meeting to share student perspectives and answer questions. All parents, carers and friends are warmly invited to attend.

School Houses

We’re excited to re-launch our school houses at this Friday’s Athletics Carnival! Broker (Green), Ousley (Yellow) and Keira (Red) will now be featured not just in sports but in all aspects of school life. Points will be awarded for participation in extra-curricular activities such as debating, writing, choir, dance and district events. This helps ensure every student can contribute to their house’s success—not just our athletes.

Road & Student Safety Reminders

We’ve had a few close calls recently, so I ask all families to take extra care around the school:

  • Roads near school are 40km/h zones during drop-off and pick-up.
  • U-turns over double white lines are illegal and dangerous.
  • School driveways are not to be used for drop-off, pick-up or turning.
  • Please do not leave pets in cars during school drop-off or pick-up.
  • Smoking and vaping are not permitted within 4 metres of school entrances, in line with the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000.

Voluntary Contributions & Donations

At Tarrawanna PS, we cover the cost of most resources and programs, only requesting payments for excursions and special events. While we do not ask for a voluntary contribution, several families have asked how they can support the school. Donations are always welcome and can be made:

  • In person at the school office (cash)
  • Online via the School Bytes app: Payments → Add → Non-P&C Donation

Staffing News

There have been a few staffing changes this term:

  • Ms Jemmah Layton (Berkeley PS) and Ms Sarah Martin (Appin PS) have taken on relieving roles for Term 2. Both remain permanent members of our team.
  • In 5/6 Burri Burri, Mrs Brooke Weise is teaching Monday–Wednesday and Mr Dan Bosman Thursday–Friday for the remainder of the year.
  • Mrs Candice Potter will return full-time in Term 3, then shift to two days a week in Term 4.
  • Our wonderful SAM, Mrs Donna Tisma, is on leave in Europe (lucky her!). Mrs Kirsten Potter is relieving in her absence.
  • We are currently recruiting a full-time relieving Assistant Principal, Curriculum and Instruction for the remainder of the term.

Facilities & Safety Upgrades

Over the holidays, we were pleased to have a brand-new roof installed on our administration block. An upgrade to the soft-fall area beneath the playground equipment has begun, and new fencing and automatic gates to support student safety has now been approved and is moving to tender. In addtion, we will also be replacing our evacuation and lockdownb alarm system during the next school holidays.

Thank You to Our P&C

A big thank you to our incredible P&C for supporting school events this term, including:

  • Cross Country Sausage Sizzle
  • Election Day BBQ
  • Mother’s Day Stall

These events not only raise funds but also bring our school community together.

Book Fair Success

Thank you to everyone who supported our recent Book Fair—we sold nearly $3000 worth of books! Our 30% commission will be used to purchase new library books, selected with input from our student library monitors. A special thanks to the families who donated over 20 books, and to Mrs Rachel Coroneas and our monitors for running such a successful event.

Athletics Carnival & Colour Run

Our Athletics Carnival will be held onsite this Friday 6 June. Holding it at school saves costs and makes the event more accessible for families. We’ll finish the day with a Colour Run in the final hour. A huge thank you to Mr Chadwick and Mrs Correa for their organisation—more details to come!

NAPLAN – Preliminary Results

We’re very pleased with the early NAPLAN results, which show strong growth—particularly in the ‘exceeding’ category:

Year 5

  • Grammar & Punctuation: 25% Exceeding
  • Reading: 22.7% Exceeding

Year 3

  • Reading: 26.1% Exceeding
  • Grammar & Punctuation: 21.7% Exceeding
  • Spelling: 21.7% Exceeding
  • Numeracy: 21.7% Exceeding

These results represent a 10–15% improvement from last year. Writing results are still pending. Students requiring additional support have been referred to Learning Support if not already involved.

Recognising Our Staff

We were proud to nominate the following staff for Public Education Foundation Awards:

  • Mrs Delphine McLachlan – Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
  • Mrs Donna Tisma and Mrs Katherine Lo Castro – Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service

These nominations reflect the professionalism and dedication our staff bring every day. Thank you to the colleagues who supported these submissions.

KidsXpress Partnership

Starting in Term 3, we’re partnering with KidsXpress to provide trauma-informed support. The program includes onsite therapists who can work with individual students, small groups, and staff. We’re currently identifying students who may benefit, and referrals will be sent home later this term.

Policy & Curriculum Compliance Review

Next week, we will submit evidence to the Department as part of our curriculum and policy compliance process. This includes timetables, teaching programs, assessment practices, and reporting. In Week 6, we’ll meet with a panel—including our Director, Educational Leadership—to review our practices and receive feedback.

This is a valuable opportunity to reflect on our progress and continue improving. The work our team has done in areas such as Child Protection, Attendance, WHS, and Mandatory Training places us in a strong position.

 

As always, thank you for your continued support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions.

 

Warm regards,

 

Mr Chris Hopkins

Principal