Principal Report & School News

From the Principal...

We are delighted to have students transitioning back to school next week, but with this comes some anxiety and a sense of the unknown. The school is very understanding as to how you all may be feeling. 

The outlined stages to return to pre COVID conditions will be a challenge for us all. At school, we will see some changes to our routines as restrictions ease. Social distancing and the wearing of masks for adults and students in Years 3 to 6 will remain key strategies enabling us to all remain safe and healthy. It is even encouraged that all students follow these guidelines, irrespective of age. 

Every student must also have their own named drink bottle and they are not to share food. A huge thankyou goes out to our amazing staff and parents who keep navigating our children through some of the toughest times we have known. Our resilience and perseverance through lockdown restrictions has been thoroughly tested but I admire the way in which people have picked themselves up and kept going, even though at times it has been a struggle. 

Department Priorities for Term 4

Mental Health & Wellbeing

Our highest priority will be the wellbeing, particularly the mental health, of every student and member of staff. This means effectively mobilising all available resources to support our most vulnerable students and enabling staff to access the relevant support services.

Learning

Some of our students have thrived in the remote and flexible learning environment, others have maintained their learning progress, and some have fallen behind, despite their best efforts and those of their families.

Transitions

We will make every effort to ensure successful transitions for children moving from kindergarten into Foundation and the Year 6 students moving into Year 7. This means the priorities of every Victorian government school in Term 4 will be to: 

• Begin the process of catch-up learning and continue to extend those who progressed well during remote and flexible learning
• Support students to re-establish friendships and class groups when back on site, and provide additional support where needed to help every student prepare for 2022 with a sense of purpose and optimism 
• Ensure students continue to develop and thrive

Tutor Program

Minister for Education James Merlino earlier this week announced that $230.4 million will extend the single biggest boost to individual learning support in the state’s history – allowing Victorian schools to retain the tutors that have supported students throughout 2021. 

The tutor program has called on pre-service teachers, teachers on leave, retired teachers and casual relief teachers to sign up and get back in the classroom – with at least one tutor in all government schools to ensure every Victorian child comes out of the pandemic with the confidence that their learning is on track. While the past two years have seen some students thrive with the flexibility and self-direction remote learning gave them, for others this period has been profoundly difficult – and the tutors have worked both in the classroom and through remote learning to identify and support the students who needed extra help with their learning. 

Students who struggled most during the pandemic included those with low levels of English, those already at risk of disengaging from school, or those with home environments not conducive to online learning. Tutors work in small groups to provide tailored support for identified students who need assistance to catch up – regardless of their circumstances or background.

Reminder to Everybody - Technology

A reminder to all parents to please closely monitor their children’s use of any electronic devices including mobile phones, iPads and computers at home. Every parent should regularly check the site history of laptops and iPads to ensure the children are using them in the correct way. 

Sunsmart Message - Hats in Term 4

As we move towards a return to school, I am putting out a gentle reminder that we are a Sunsmart school and hats must now be worn when in outdoor spaces. Any student not wearing a hat will need to remain in shaded areas for the duration of recess and lunch. Please name all hats and other school related items, including drink bottles. 

Camps & Excursions Remain Cancelled

The Department of Education has cancelled all camps, excursions (including swimming) until further notice for metropolitan schools. Unfortunately, we needed to cancel the Year 4 camp this term to Lady Northcote, which again lead to great disappointment. The school will make every effort to look at what activities could be feasible throughout the term, under the operational guidelines. 

Departmental Support to Keep Students Safe

The school has been notified about a shade sail initiative for all schools and we are currently investigating styles and costings. A few locations have been discussed, although the school feels the area outside the STEAM room would be ideal. This would lend itself well to an outdoor learning space for both STEAM and other educational activities. 

The Education Department is trialing air purifiers in some schools, in the hope of distributing them widely throughout term 4. The number schools receive will be related to enrolments and at this stage, our school has not yet been notified of when they will arrive or how many.

Enrol Now for 2022

We are still open for 2022 enrolments and forms are available from Brodie in the front office. If you have a child turning 5 by April 30, 2022, please complete an enrolment form return it to the office with the supporting documentation as soon as possible. It helps us enormously with planning, if we have a clear indication of enrolments as early as possible. Please also reach out to your neighbours, and fellow families at the kindergartens and childcares to remind them to enrol if they have not yet done so. 

Finally, I reiterate my thoughts and joy at having our students return. The school will make every effort to abide by operational guidelines and we will adhere to the advice of the health officers. Any new information to the school will be communicated in a timely manner via COMPASS. I look forward to seeing our Foundation students on Monday.

Kerri McLeod

Principal

Schedule for Return to School 

From Monday October 18th Foundation students will return three days a week, Monday through to Wednesday, Year 1 and 2 students will attend on Thursday and Friday, two days a week. 

• Monday 18th October                -              Foundation
• Tuesday 19th October                -              Foundation
• Wednesday 20th October          -              Foundation
• Thursday 21st October               -              Year 1 and Year 2
• Friday 22nd October                   -              Year 1 and Year 2

From Monday October 26th all school students will return at least part-time: On this date, arrangements for Foundation students and Year 1 and 2 students will continue; Year 3 to 4 will attend on Tuesday and Wednesday; Year 5 and 6 will attend on Thursday and Friday.

• Monday 25th October                    -              Foundation
• Tuesday 26th October                    -              Foundation, Year 3 and Year 4
• Wednesday 27th October             -              Foundation, Year 3 and Year 4
• Thursday 28th October                  -              Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6
• Friday 29th October                        -              Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6
• Monday 1st November                  -              Foundation
• Tuesday 2nd November                 -             PUBLIC HOLIDAY              
• Wednesday 3rd November           -             Foundation, Year 3 and Year 4    
• Thursday 4th November               -              Year 1, Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6
• Friday 5th November                     -              Whole School (pending health advice)

Parent Action Required & Key Points

On-Site Attendance forms for Remote Learning Days (authorised students only)

These must continue to be completed and returned to Brodie at the front office by Wednesday each week for the following week. Attendance forms are attached below.

Face Masks required for Year 3 – Year 6 students

Students aged 12 and over must continue to wear face masks indoors and outdoors, unless a lawful exception applies. Face masks are required for students in Year 3 to Year 6, only when indoors on school premises, unless an exception applies. 

Exceptions for all year levels include: Students with a physical or mental disability are not required to wear a face mask where their disability means it would not be suitable. 

Face masks for students in Foundation to Year 2 are strongly encouraged.  

Families are required to provide their own masks. The school will only receive a small supply of children's masks for emergency situations. 

Drop off, Pick-up and General Procedures for Face-to-Face days

• Students attending face-to-face days may enter the school grounds from either the Murray Rd or the Wheatley Rd gates and make their way to their classroom. 
• Staggered start and finish times may be put in place as more students return to face-to-face. We will update the community as required if this will be introduced.
• Students of authorised workers still attending on-site on their year level remote learning days are asked to continue to enter through the Front Office so Brodie can process their attendance.
• Hats are compulsory for all students in Term 4 while on-site.
• Parents/Carers are currently not permitted on school grounds/buildings to accompany their child to their classrooms.
• Please use the gates as ‘Kiss and Go’ areas.
• Please do not congregate and remember to social distance at all times.
• Face masks must be worn at all times.
• Parents/Carers are welcome to enter the front office to conduct school business and sign their child in/out on compass if late or leaving early, however they must check in on the provided QR code. 

Out of School Hours Care – BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL

Before and After School care is open to children attending school on the relevant day for the year level AND other children eligible for onsite supervision and learning. If you have not used the program before, you will be required to complete the enrolment form attached below.

Please text April on 0439 111 026 to book. Please include your child's

• Name
• Date & Session time (Before or After Care) required

Parents/Carers are permitted on school grounds to collect their child/ren from the Hall door of Before/After School Care only. 

Visitors on site & Meetings with Staff members

All non-essential visitors are currently not permitted on-site. This unfortunately included parents/carers.  Parents/Carers, requiring a meeting with school staff are to be conducted either by phone or virtually (e.g. WebEx) and by appointment only. 

Please email your class teacher to arrange a time directly. 

Please contact the front office to arrange a time with Principal staff.

Managing unwell children

If a child is unwell in any way, even with the mildest of symptoms, they must stay at home. If a child becomes unwell during the day, parents/carers will be called, and they must be collected from school as soon as possible. 

Please see the attached poster for further information regarding illness in school.

Parents & Friends Update

Mango Fundraiser happening NOW! Orders via Trybooking! 

Digital Entertainment Book Membership Fundraiser

If you would like to purchase an Entertainment membership for $69.99 please click on the link below. 20% of every membership sale made through the link will go to Ormond Primary School. This money will go towards purchasing additional learning resources for our children. Please pass this link on to family and friends who may be interested in purchasing an Entertainment membership.

http://www.entbook.com.au/186r356

 Up Coming Events

All planned and future P & F activities such as the Comedy Night at McKinnon Hotel and the student Walk-a-thon will remain on hold until we know further details about lockdown restrictions lifting. 

2021 Ormond Oak Leaf Yearbook - ORDERS CLOSING SOON!

The Ormond Oak Leaf Yearbook is a wonderful memento which highlights your child, their class and their participation in a variety of events and programs throughout the school year. The teachers, students and school community leaders are busy collating and putting together a collection of photos and memories to capture these occasions. Families that wish to purchase a yearbook can do so now via Course Confirmation/Payments on your Compass portal, as we need to confirm publication numbers.

Yearbooks are $15.00 per copy.  

How to order:

Order via the Course Confirmation/School Payments area of Compass. this will appear as a link on you portal home screen. Please state in the question area how many yearbooks you wish to purchase. Please ensure you amend the final payment amount to reflect the total number of yearbooks you wish to order. 

e.g.   3  x  Yearbooks  = $45.00         

          2  x  Yearbooks  = $30.00 

         1  x   Yearbook = $15.00

Yearbooks will be distributed at the end of Term 4. 

Please note, any photos submitted by parents to teachers/Brodie during remote learning activities for the newsletter may also be included in the yearbook. We ask you to be mindful when taking the photos that only OPS students are in the photos and that there are no undesirables or personal items/situations visible in the backgrounds (e.g alcohol/cigarettes on tables, identifiable addresses etc) to help protect the privacy of others.

Please only send photos in that you approve of being published.

Helen Kupfer & Kim Stewart

Yearbook Coordinators