Principal Report
As we move through another busy and rewarding term at Oatlands, it has been wonderful to see our students engaging so positively in the many opportunities available to them both inside and outside the classroom. It is always a pleasure to walk around the school and see students smiling, connecting with peers and embracing all that school life has to offer.
This week our basketball courts have been upgraded with brand new backboards, rings and nets, along with added safety padding around the poles. The safety padding was funded through proceeds raised by our wonderful PFA fundraising efforts. We look forward to seeing our students enjoy the updated courts and continue developing their skills, teamwork and love of physical activity during recess and lunch.
Over the past two weeks, our Grade 5 and 6 students have participated in Swimming and Water Safety lessons at Haileybury as part of the Victorian Government’s Swimming in Schools initiative. Throughout the program, students strengthened their swimming abilities, built confidence in the water and developed important water safety skills. It has been fantastic to see students encouraging one another, celebrating each other’s successes and participating with such enthusiasm.
Across the school, our lunchtime clubs continue to be a huge success. Students have enjoyed a range of activities including sports clubs, Calm Cave activities, robotics, library club and Lego club. These opportunities support students to explore interests, connect with peers and develop important social skills in a structured and supportive environment. It has been lovely hearing students talk so excitedly about the clubs they attend and seeing the sense of belonging these opportunities create.
Foodbank Australia continues to support our Breakfast Club program and weekly fruit deliveries. Breakfast Club runs every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:15am–8:45am, providing students with toast, cereal, fresh fruit and milk for a healthy start to the day. Fresh fruit is also delivered weekly for students to enjoy during fruit and story time. We greatly appreciate Foodbank’s ongoing support of student wellbeing and healthy habits.
Our recent Mother’s Day event was another wonderful celebration of our Oatlands community. We were thrilled to welcome over 600 mums and special guests into the school for the morning. Our guest speaker, Claire Hooper, was incredibly relatable and had the audience laughing throughout her presentation. Students absolutely loved spending time with their mums in classrooms following the presentation, and the delicious morning tea was enjoyed by all. It was incredibly special to see the joy on students’ faces as they shared part of their school day with the important people in their lives. Thank you to everyone who helped make the event such a success, and a very special thank you to all the mums and families who joined us for the celebration.
We are looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things our students will achieve during the second half of Term 2.
Michelle White
Assistant Principal