Relieving Deputy Principal's Report

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been another jam-packed fortnight at Oak Flats Public School with our incredibly successful Athletics Carnival, our debaters progressing to the third round of competition, many sporting events and of course our successful Reconciliation week of activities led by our Aboriginal Committee. Thank you to our students and community for sharing in our celebrations, acknowledgements and school events.

Attendance 

On occasion, children may need to be absent from school. Justified reasons for student absences may include:

· being sick or having an infectious disease

· having an unavoidable medical appointment

· being required to attend a recognised religious holiday

· exceptional or urgent family circumstances.

Please remember that following an absence, parents and carers are required to explain the absence within 7 days of the first day of a student’s absence.

Absences can be explained via email, phone, replying to SMS notifications, or via a letter on return to school. After three days absence, a medical certificate is required.

Premier's Spelling Bee 2023

The Premier’s Spelling Bee is a fun and educational way for primary school students to engage with and improve their spelling. This year, Oak Flats Public School students from Stages 2 & 3 will be eligible to compete in the Spelling Bee Competition. Two students from each class will be selected to go into the school final, which will be held in the school hall on Tuesday, 20 June (Term 2, Week 9) from 11.50am-1.50pm.

Parents of students participating are invited to come along to this event. The two students selected from the Stage 2 & 3 classes will be given more information and competition spelling lists to take home on Friday, 16 June. Only one winner from Stage 2 (junior) and one winner from Stage 3 (senior), will be chosen in the school final to attend the Regional Finals which will be held somewhere between weeks 7 and 8 in Term 3. This date is yet to be advised. Best of luck to all of our participants who will be listed in our next newsletter.

Pedestrian Safety

A new pedestrian crossing was constructed on Wentworth Street, over the last two weeks and is now ready for our community to use. A pedestrian crossing (or crosswalk) is a painted road surface where pedestrians may cross a road. They are part of a safety system which allows people to cross roads when it is safe to do so. In towns and cities, traffic and pedestrians are both users of roads. There must be rules which keep pedestrians safe but allow traffic to flow as smoothly as possible.

The following pedestrian safety guidelines will help prevent accidents:

· Hold your child’s hand when crossing roads together and wherever there’s traffic or cars. Take special care where there’s heavy traffic, high-speed traffic, narrow or non-existent footpaths, or things that block the view, like parked cars and trucks, trees, hill crests or crowded footpaths

· Always cross at pedestrian crossings or corners, wait for the lights, and look in every direction to check there are no cars coming. To help your child understand about when and where it’s safe to cross, explain what you’re doing

· Stop at driveways and check there are no cars reversing or entering

· Start talking about road safety while your child is still in the stroller. For example, ‘Uh oh, car coming. We’ll wait until it’s gone before we cross’

· Keep talking about road safety as your child gets older.

As parents/carers walk together or when you’re near roads, you can ask your child simple questions to get them thinking about pedestrian and road safety:

· Where is the safest place to cross this road?

· What do we need to do before we cross the road together?

· Why do we hold hands to cross the road together?

· When is it safe to cross the road?

· What do we look for when crossing the road?

· What sounds are we listening for when we cross the road?

Have a great fortnight ahead!

Mrs Wigny