Newsletter

Date	Event
10 December	Raptor Reptile Incursion
15 December	Whole School Assembly 2:15pm
16 December	Yarn Up for Aboriginal students & their families 1:00- 2:30pm
17 December	Semester 2 reports home
17 December	Year 6 Farewell
18 December	Class Party Day
19 December	Last day of Term 4
2 February 2026	First day of school for all students K-6

*Dates subject to change. Please ensure you regularly check for updates.

Statement of Accounts	All Years	Overdue
Raptor Reptile Incursion	K-2	05.12.2025

Thank you to the parents and carers who took the time to complete our end of year survey. Your voice matters in helping to shape the future directions of the school. All suggestions will be considered in planning for 2026. Please see below a summary of the survey results:

Respectful Engagement	Disagree	Neither agree or disagree	Agree or strongly agree
I feel welcome when I visit my child's school	0%	0%	100%
I feel comfortable speaking with my child’s teacher/s	0%	0%	100%
I get regular reports on my child's progress that are written in terms I understand	3.8%	23.1%	73.1%
Student Learning
Teachers have high expectations for my child	0%	23.1%	76.9%
My child feels like they belong at school	0%	7.7%	92.3%
Teachers support my child to reach their goals	0%	3.8%	96.2%

Things we do well at Telopea:

• The school is welcoming, safe and friendly
• Sense of community & belonging
• Huge improvements over the last 2 years in terms of opportunities for the students, facility upgrades and community spirit
• Communication with the staff is amazing. From the principal to admin and my son’s teachers, everyone is friendly, supportive and easy to talk to
•  Inclusion of excursions & sports carnivals
• Engagement of networking with schools within the community and the consistency of staff within the school.
• Create a community where children feel comfortable and cared for
• They teach the children how to behave and act with one and another and in school environment.
• Ensuring parents feel heard and responding to questions or concerns in a timely manner
• The introduction of a P&C
• Inclusivity
• Challenge children at their academic level
• Smaller class sizes makes the school feel more comfortable and better engagement for the students
• Students are encouraged to be caring to each other and develop relationships across grades
• Support for learning difficulties
• They teach the children a variety of skills, such as gardening, creative writing, and sports programs, so that all the children have a chance to develop some different abilities depending on their preferences
• Always looking for ways / things to improve to benefit the students and staff wellbeing

Things we can do to make our school even better:

• More excursions & events
• Greater sporting opportunities
• More movement breaks & novelty activities
• Increased engagement between parents & teachers on academic goals and progress
• Onsite OOSH

Additional questions:

82% of respondents expressed interest in attending a parent workshop on how to support their child with reading and maths.

76% of respondents expressed interest in purchasing a warm winter jacket as an additional uniform item.

Parent & Carer Quotes:

"The school has seen a great amount of growth with the dedication of the amazing staff and principal Mrs Dooley at Telopea and this is to be commended. Well done to each and every staff member and thank you for your dedication to ensuring the development of the children’s future."

"The staff at Telopea Public School are absolutely wonderful and they make a positive difference to our family each and every day. It's fabulous to see how much they care about creating a warm and welcoming environment and ensuring students at our school aren't disadvantaged just because we are a smaller school."

"My daughter loves the school and the teachers do a fantastic job! We are so grateful we have Mrs Dooley as the principal. Mrs Dooley has done wonders in renovating and rejuvenating the school and organising a P&C committee in her tenure."

"Just want to say thank you all staff admin, teachers and principal of Telopea for excellence and kindness in all you do."

Congratulations to the following students who were inducted at Presentation Day last week, as our new school leaders for the 2026 school year.

School Captain - Pippa Eves

School Captain - Youssef Alwardani

Vice-Captain - Amber Petkovic

Vice-Captain - Matias Herrera

Last week we held our annual Presentation Day. This formal assembly acknowledges academic, sporting, citizenship and leadership efforts across the school year. Congratulations to the students who received an award at Presentation Day. We also acknowledge the efforts of all students at our school in trying their best to achieve their learning goals this year. Thank you to Mrs White, Ms Kerr, Mrs Di Losa & Mrs Chmet for their hard work in organising this special event and to our families and special guests who attended on the day. 

If your family is planning to move for the 2026 school year and will be changing schools, please advise the school office as soon as possible. This will allow for important planning and staffing considerations for the new school year.

Congratulations to the students who have visited the principal's office in recent weeks to celebrate the achievement of a learning goal.

The “NSW Police Legacy Child Safety Handbook” is a comprehensive and free resource to assist parents, carers as well as teachers on a range of topics essential to child safety.  

This new digital edition includes important content updates: Home Fire Safety (Fire and Rescue), Rail Safety (Sydney Trains), the Online Safety (eSafety Commissioner), Basic First Aid (St John Ambulance), Fire Danger Ratings (Rural Fire), and more.

Selective high school and opportunity class applications are open from 6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026

Selective high school Year 7 entry in 2027: Apply when your child is at the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6.

Opportunity class Year 5 entry in 2027: Apply when your child is at the end of Year 3 or the beginning of Year 4.

Selective high schools and opportunity classes are some of the ways the NSW Department of Education supports high potential and gifted students.

What are their benefits?

• Students learn alongside, and form friendships with, other high potential and gifted classmates. Special teaching methods allow students to learn at a quicker pace and in more detail.
• Research shows that students benefit both academically and socially when learning with classmates who have similar abilities.
• Selective high schools and opportunity classes are not zoned so you can apply to ones outside your local enrolment area. Within each co-educational opportunity class and selective high school there will be an equal number of places available for girls and boys.

Do you speak another language?

Translated resources are available in 13 languages on our website: edu.nsw.link/shsoc_languages

Is a selective high school or opportunity class the right fit for my child?

A selective high school or opportunity class might be a great fit if your child:

• learns quickly
• asks complex questions
• is highly motivated
• has a good memory
• is intensely focused in their area of interest

Where are selective high schools (Year 7-12) located?

There are 4 types of selective high schools:

• fully selective high schools, where all students attending the school have high potential or are gifted
• partially selective high schools, where there is a mix of students who have high potential or are gifted and local area students
• 4 agricultural selective high schools, including 3 boarding schools
• Aurora College, which provides online selective classes for rural and remote students in their local host schools.

Search for a selective high school near you at Find a selective high school.

Where are opportunity classes (Year 5-6) located?

There are 2 types of opportunity classes:

• full-time opportunity classes in selected primary schools
• Aurora College, which provides online opportunity classes for rural and remote students in their local authorised host schools.

Search for an opportunity class near you at Find an opportunity class.

Students successfully placed attend the opportunity class full-time in Years 5 and 6. In most cases, students who have accepted a place in an opportunity class will leave their current school to attend the school with the opportunity class.

Discuss the opportunity with your child and look through the information together on the Selective high schools and opportunity classes website and in the student resource hub:

·         Applying for a selective high school: Student resource hub

·         Applying for an opportunity class: Student resource hub

Fair and equitable access

The Equity Placement Model  helps make access fairer for more high potential students in our community.

We know that some students may be missing out because they experience educational disadvantage.

Under the model, up to 20% of places in each selective high school and opportunity class are held for:

• students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students
• students from rural and remote locations
• students with disability.

These students still receive offers based on their performance in the placement test.

Learn more at Fair access.

The application process

Complete the online application.

Applications close on 20 February 2026.

Once your application has been submitted and processed, your child will need to sit a computer-based placement test. Learn more at Application process.

Ready to apply?

Apply online at shsoc.education.nsw.gov.au

Further information

Visit Selective high schools and opportunity classes. 

During Week 7, four of our talented students had the opportunity to attend Cumberland High School for a sports enrichment day. This high potential and gifted education opportunity targeted Stage 3 students across our network of schools, allowing them to come together to engage in a variety of sporting games at a higher level. Congratulations to Matias, Daniel, Alanna & Amber for representing our school at this event. Thank you to Cumberland High School & the talented Year 9 PASS students for making this opportunity possible for our students. 

Sports Enrichment Day - a recount from our students

Today, on the 27th of November, we took part in an Enrichment Sports Day at Cumberland High School. We took part in three events – netball, soccer and volleyball. We discovered new skills and made friends. The coaches, who were Year 9 students, were nice. They  helped us fix our mistakes. In the middle session, we had a mini recess with juice, fruit and protein bars. At the end, the coaches congratulated everyone and we stood and thanked everyone. They handed our MVP awards and Matias got one.  

Thank you to Ms Kerr and Mrs Dooley for letting us participate in such an amazing opportunity, and thank you to the Cumberland teachers. 

Alanna, Amber, Daniel and Matias (Year 5) 

In Week 7, our Aboriginal students in Years 2 to 6 visited Oatlands Public School for a "Meet the Mob" event. This was an opportunity for the Aboriginal students in our local area to come together for cultural activities including games, dancing and storytelling. This event was supported by Patrick Pumpa, our Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer and the staff at Oatlands Public School. Patrick will be visiting Telopea Public School on Tuesday 16th December at 1pm for our end of year Yarn Up party. All Aboriginal students and their families are invited to attend. 

Our swimming scheme was a fantastic success, with students learning new swimming techniques and developing important water safety skills. We were proud to see their confidence grow as they actively participated and improved throughout the program. Well done to all the swimmers. They displayed courteous behaviour and positive ‘Telopea spirit’.

Mrs Wallace, Mr O Brien, Mrs Repousis

It’s the time of year when we start our stocktake and ask that all library books be returned to the library. Students who bring back overdue books go into the draw to win our end of year surprise prize. Students who borrow and return every week are also in the running for this prize. So please have a good look around the house and return all books. It would be much appreciated 😊

At lunch time many students take advantage of our library to play games or read quietly with friends. It is cool in summer and a lovely place to chill out with friends.

Thank you

Mrs Ramsey

From Garden to Table – Fresh Garlic Bread

In weeks 3 and 4 students from Kindergarten to Year 6 took part in an engaging hands-on activity that combined gardening and cooking. Fresh garlic was harvested straight from our school garden. The garlic, which was planted in April, was finally ready to enjoy!

We started by peeling and mincing the fresh garlic and chopping parsley, also from the garden. We them mixed the garlic and parsley with lots of butter and spread the garlic butter on to fresh bread before baking in the oven until golden. The aroma of freshly baked garlic bread filled the canteen making everyone eager to taste their creations.

The result was delicious garlic bread that the students very much enjoyed. This experience highlighted the benefits of using fresh, homegrown ingredients and encouraged students to appreciate the journey from garden to table.

 

Silk Worms

We were lucky enough again this year to have silk worms so we can observe a living life cycle. Our eggs hatched and out came tiny larvae, hungry for fresh mulberry leaves. We fed them everyday and watched the little black larvae grow into large white and stripy caterpillars. After feasting on leaves, our caterpillars were ready to spin their cocoons and they are currently emerging as cute and fluffy silk moths! Everyone is keen to catch a glimpse of these adorable insects and we enjoy asking questions during gardening lessons. 

At our school, we have been taking time to review and celebrate the benefits of our Crunch and Sip breaks. This short, daily break encourages students to refresh their bodies and minds by enjoying a piece of fresh fruit or vegetables and drinking water. 

Crunch and Sip promotes healthy eating habits, helps maintain energy levels, and improves concentration throughout the school day. Discussions and activities have been taking place during gardening lessons so we can all remember why we have Crunch and Sip and why it's important for our whole body. Learning about fruits and vegetables also helps set up healthy habits now and into the future. 

We encourage families to support Crunch and Sip at home by providing fresh, easy-to-eat fruits and vegetables and water in a bottle everyday. Together, we can help our students stay focused, energised, and ready to learn!

Thank you for helping us make Crunch and Sip an important part of our school routine.

Our Stage 3 students recently completed an exciting science project where they created 3D dioramas representing various biomes from around the world. Each student chose a biome—from tropical rainforests and deserts to tundras and wetlands—and brought it to life with detailed models showcasing key environmental features, plants, and animals.

The creativity and effort in these dioramas were outstanding! Students carefully included details like climate characteristics, terrain, and the unique flora and fauna adapted to survive in each biome. Alongside their models, the students delivered engaging speeches, explaining the specific adaptations of both plants and animals, highlighting how life thrives in these diverse environments.

This project has not only enhanced the students' understanding of ecology and biodiversity but also developed their research, presentation, and artistic skills. We are proud of their hard work and enthusiasm in bringing the natural world into our classroom.

Thank you to all families for your support, and congratulations Stage 3 on a job well done!

Annual General Meeting Update

Thank you to everyone who attended our P&C Annual General Meeting. We’re excited to announce the 2025/2026 committee:

President: Tarina Popham (re-elected unopposed)

Vice Presidents: Jessica Lee (re-elected unopposed) and Amy Wymark (new executive member) 

Treasurer: Scott Wymark (re-elected unopposed)

Secretary: Position currently open – we’d love for a member of our school community to join! 

Floor Member: Victoria Govers (elected unopposed)  

Additional floor member positions remain available, please speak with the P&C committee if you are interested in learning more.

This past year, our P&C has proudly funded several wonderful initiatives, including:🌱 The new greenhouse for the school’s gardening program and gardening equipment for the use of all students. 📚 A large donation of books to enrich our library🎒 Welcome packs for our incoming Kindergarten families✨ A range of exciting items that will be rolled out during Term 4, 2025

Christmas Raffle

The P&C will be holding a Christmas Raffle at the final assembly for 2025 to help raise funds for purchases for the school. Please consider donating an item or two towards some lovely Christmas hampers for a fun raffle. 

Possible donations could be: toys, candles, colouring-in books, stationery, self-care products, books, arts & crafts, chocolates, biscuits etc.

Focusing on Safety

Following a number of concerns raised by parents about student safety travelling to and from school, the P&C contacted Parramatta Council regarding traffic conditions at the intersection of Manson Street and Sturt Street, Telopea.

As a result a review of the location was conducted by Council who will arrange for maintenance of signs and lines at and near the intersection of Manson Street and Sturt Street. 

No further traffic facilities are proposed for this area in the short term however, as development occurs in Telopea an upgrade of this intersection is proposed.

The P&C will be monitoring this situation closely and working with Council on ways to improve safety around our school in general.

If you have feedback you would like to share with us on this matter please email us at telopeapspandc@gmail.com or email council at council@cityofparramatta.com.au

🗓️ If you missed the AGM but would like to get involved or reactivate your membership, our next P&C meeting will be held on Wednesday, 3rd December at 6:30pm we’d love to see some new faces on the night – and remember, kids are always welcome!

Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference for our students and school community.

Students are encouraged to wear the correct items of uniform each day including the school hat. Please see the photos below for acceptable uniform items of clothing during summer.

COLLECTING STUDENTS FROM SCHOOL

A reminder that if you have made arrangements for someone to collect your child/ren that is outside of your normal arrangements, please ensure that you have notified the office so we are aware and can let other staff members know in a timely manner.  This applies to leaving early and for the end of the day. 

SAFETY

A reminder to all students and parents that entry to the School is via the Pedestrian gate on Chestnut Ave located near Block D. This is for everyone's safety. If you require disabled access there are two entry points into the school via the ramp into the school office and via the gate on the corner of Sturt and Manson Streets. 

NOTES SENT HOME

On occasion important notes will be sent home. Please ensure you remember to check your child's bag each day.

CELEBRATIONS

Here at TPS we enjoy celebrating student’s birthdays. You are most welcome to bring in something to celebrate but we ask that individual store bought small bite size cupcakes or individually wrapped sweets are brought in to school as this makes it easier for the students to eat. A large cake makes it difficult to distribute to their classmates. 

LOST PROPERTY

There are a number of items in the Lost Property box which do not have names on them. If your child is missing an item, please check this box which is located in the D Block breezeway.

CONTACT INFORMATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE CHANGE

Please ensure that your contact details are up to date. It is important that the School be able to contact you in case of your child being ill, a child not being collected from school or in case of emergency etc. If your family circumstances change, please also provide the school with any updated documentation. 

You can notify the school of any changes or updates via written confirmation or complete the template form located in the office foyer. 

MOBILE PHONES OR DEVICES

If you require your child to carry a mobile phone/device, you will be required to complete a permission note (please see the school office if you require this note). Student mobile phones/device are to be turned off and handed to the school office during school hours in the morning. Mobile phones/devices will be returned to the students at the end of each day. 

Dear Telopea PS and SaCC Communities,

The SaCC Project is cruising along nicely as we approach the half way mark for Term 4. If you have children aged up to five years and would like to join any SaCC initiatives please contact me directly on the phone number or email below.

BREAKFAST CLUB

Every Monday and Thursday morning 8:30-9:00 with last orders taken at 8:50am. This ensures students are arriving to morning assembly on time for 9:00am bell. Breakfast Club for students is FREE with a nice variety of breakfast options to satisfy any hungry tummy. Here are a few good reasons to eat breakfast before school:

• Research has shown that children have better academic success when they eat breakfast before school than when they do not.
• Students demonstrate better concentration and are less distracted in class.
• Students who eat breakfast tend to also have stronger immune systems reducing time away from school with illness. 

Our BC assists parents and carers by providing breakfast two days a week....the environment is friendly and students enjoy sharing their breakfast with friends. TPS students are encouraged to use the information on the attached Breakfast Club poster to assist ordering process and encourage independence. 

Recently I attended the TPS Transition to School Expo to welcome and support 2026 enrolling families, parents and children, to our beautiful school. I value the opportunity to meet our incoming families and spruiking the SaCC Project. 

I look forward to a fostering strong relationships with our newest TPS community members in the new year.  

Pip

Phillipa (Pip) Martins

Facilitator - Telopea 'Schools as Community Centres' (SaCC) Project

Ph: (02) 9898 3448

email: phillipa.martins@det.nsw.edu.au

School student travel information for parents and students

School Travel Passes

Applications are now open for 2026 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel. 

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass) for the first time will receive their School Opal card at their nominated postal address from mid-January 2026.

Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply for a new card or update their existing card as soon as possible. Students who receive a notification that their School Opal card is expiring need to re-submit their details. 

If a student has lost their School Opal card, they will need to apply for a replacement card. Note: a new card will not be issued if an existing School Opal card is updated online – you must submit a replacement application if a School Opal card is lost.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.

All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.

Jubilee Community Services provide Before School, After School and Vacation Care Services. 

For more information you can contact them on 0421 225 694 or yaoosh@jubileecs.org.au 

Below is the link should you wish to enrol your child/ren.

http://ccs-yatesavenueoosh.kinderm8.com.au/enrolment-form