*Please ensure you are familiar with Key Dates for Term 2.

Dear Parent/Guardian/Carer/Students and Staff,

Congratulations to all our students on receiving their 'BELIEVE and ACHIEVE' awards this week along with their fortnightly G.R.O.W.TH awards. Awesome work team!

Before we end, I'd like to thank all our families for a terrific Term and wish you all a happy, healthy and safe Term 1 break/holiday. Our kids have worked tremendously hard and we are very impressed with how well they have represented themselves in the first bit of the year. I'm sure they are all looking forward for some down-time at home.

Equally my staff have worked very hard leading lots of changes and innovation. From myself personally, I'd like to thank my team for their super effort in making OPS the best place to be for our kids. You are all a polished bunch, for sure.

Department Digital Enrolment Process

From Term 2, all DET schools will use an online system for new enrolments called VicStudents. VicStudents will be available for students who are enrolling in a Victorian Government School for the first time. This includes Foundation (Prep) enrolments for 2025. The link to enrol via VicStudents will be available from the beginning of Term 2 (April 15). VicStudents has been assessed by the Department of Education to a high degree of security in line with the Victorian Protective Data Security Standards and is compliant with ISO 27001, the leading international standard for information security. More information to come in Term 2.

Year 6-7 Placement Information

Moving from primary to secondary school is an important step in your child’s education. The Department of Education is introducing an online enrolment system called VicStudents for Year 6 students enrolling in Year 7 at a Victorian government secondary school for 2025. This year, Officer Primary School will be using VicStudents, which aims to simplify and streamline the enrolment process for parents/carers of Year 6 students. If you do not wish to use the VicStudents online enrolment system, you may opt out and use a paper form instead. To opt out, please let us know by contacting the school.

Students not attending a Victorian government secondary school in 2025

If your child is already enrolled to start Year 7 at a non-government secondary school next year, please advise us via return email, including evidence of your child’s Year 7 enrolment for 2025, by Monday 15 April 2024. You will not need to complete the digital process. If you are currently considering a non-government secondary school for your child, but are waiting for acceptance confirmation, please use the digital process. You can withdraw your child’s application later if you need to.

Students from families with shared decision-making responsibility

The email containing the link to register and use the online system will be sent only to the email address of one adult, as currently captured in our records. It remains the responsibility of all adults to consult with each other in making your child’s enrolment decision for 2025, where it is safe to do so. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.

On Wednesday 17 April 2024, one adult from each Year 6 student’s family will receive an email with a link to register and use the online system. Please look out for this email (including within any spam or junk folders). If you have not received the email by 5 pm Thursday 18 April 2024, please get in touch with us.

Further information

A Quick Reference Guide will be provided to help you navigate the online system. This will be included in the email sent to one adult on Wednesday 17 April 2024. We will also be available to answer questions and support you through the process as needed. For more information about secondary school enrolment and supporting your child during this important transition, please visit the following webpage: https://www.vic.gov.au/moving-primary-secondary-school-information-parents-and-carers

Indigenous Art Excursion

Students were highly engaged in the immersive ‘Walking on a Songline’ Exhibition on Wednesday. We would like to extend our gratitude to Cardinia Cultural Centre who welcomed our school. The staff at the centre provided an outstanding experience, introducing students to the Exhibition and guiding reflections on the Indigenous paintings outside the show. Well done Ms Bodhi on leading your first excursion.

Easter Bonnet Parade

It was a magnificent last day of Term with big, bright and eggcellent bonnets created by our students and their families. Our students walked the parade with pride. Thank you to all of our parent community who attended the event. Thank you to our PFA team for setting up all our raffle prizes. We managed to raised $500.00.

Emergency Management Procedures: Lock-down Drill

On the 25th of March we ran our Term 1 Emergency Management Procedures. We ran a lock-down DRILL. All students did a tremendous job learning about how to react in a lock-down situation. We thank our kids for their exceptional behaviour.

Progress Reports-Reminder

If you have not yet accessed your child's Progress Reports please do so. If you have any questions/concerns please contact the relevant classroom teacher. Please note they can only be accessed through a browser and not on the COMPASS app.

Math Fun Day

On Monday 25th of March, we ran a Math Fun Day at school. Students broke up in groups across the school and engaged in workshops that proved that Math is fun. Students and teachers engaged in some awesome tasks. Thanks to Mr D for setting up the program for all year levels. Photos to come on FB.

Congratulations to Karen Hutchinson for being nominated for School Council President for 2024. A message from Karen:

Hi, My name is Karen Hutchinson and I'm the School Council President for 2024.

I have two children at Officer Primary who are in Grade 3 and Grade 6.

We have been at the school since 2018, which was also my first year on the school council.

I have seen the changes Officer Primary has made over the last year, and I am excited to see the direction our school is taking.

Officer Primary is a great community school and I am proud to be on your school council.

Karen is also a practising classroom teacher. We congratulate her on the position!

Harmony Day 21st March

Our school celebrated diversity and belonging on Harmony Day. Students came dressed in stunning traditional/cultural background clothes. They engaged in cultural based activities including cooking, dancing, learning and sharing something special about their backgrounds. Thanks to those students who also wore a touch of orange to recognise the day. Nice work team!

April Staff Birthdays:

Emily W

April Student Birthdays:

00 River G

1/2 Vada Q

1/2 Joel F

1/2 Hitansh S

3/4 Malik A

3/4 Summer A

3/4 Haniala N

3/4 Sophie M

3/4 Sophia S

3/4 Kallie H

3/4 Emily H

5/6 Jaxon T

5/6 Adele R

5/6 Zahra A

5/6 Jacob S

Officer Primary School Newsletter

Issue 3 · 28 Mar 2024

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