Principal's Message

Wawa, Wominjika. 

Here at Old Orchard Primary School, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we visit each day, the Wurrunguri and Woiwurrung people of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge and respect the elders and leaders past and present and the elders and leaders of all of the cultures and nationalities that are part of the Old Orchard Primary School community. We express our gratitude towards the orchards that were kept in place by the peoples on this land before us. We thank the traditional owners for sharing this beautiful land that we all love, and for keeping the land, sky, waterways and animals all in great condition for thousands of years, not only for themselves but for all the generations to come.

Year 5 & 6 Market Stalls

Our Year 5 & 6 students have been working very hard on their market stalls ahead of the market day next Thursday. The market stalls are a fantastic learning opportunity for our students, incorporating creativity, collaboration, research, presentation and much more. An important element of the market stalls unit is raising funds with a view to improving our school facilities. This year our students voted to allocate any funds raised towards the development of an inclusive playground at Old Orchard. We are very proud that our students identified a genuine need and a way in which they could support other students in the school, reflecting our value of Respect for Others.

Pupil Free Day - February 6th 2026

You will have received details from Sheree in relation to the commencement of school in 2026, including a pupil free day on Friday 6th February. We are very aware that having a pupil free day so early in the year is not ideal, however, we have the opportunity to work with highly regarded literacy expert, Ris Leung and her available dates were extremely limited. The focus of our work will be Explicit Modelling and Explanation in relation to the teaching of literacy.

Staff Plan - 2026

Included below is the 2026 staffing plan. I will also send this home separately via email. We extend a very warm welcome to new staff members, Deb Strike (returning to Old Orchard after several years), Abby Goldie, Althea Huf, Lucy Lin & Benjamin Cook. We are very excited to have these staff join our team and look forward to what they bring to our students and school community.

We bid fond and sad farewells to Laura Feltham, Ruth Reading and Armann Kumruyan who are moving on to other exciting opportunities. We will include more detailed farewells and acknowledgement of these teachers in next week’s edition of the Harvest.

Our thanks to Yolanda Yan who has done a fabulous job filling in for Tracey Ding this term and also to Alisha Lee & Zahn Hobson who consistently demonstrate their capacity to fit in wherever and whenever they are needed at Old Orchard.

Nan Ternai will be here during Term 1 before heading off on Maternity / Parental Leave and an exciting journey ahead.

Jenny Flower will be on Leave Without Pay during 2026; we can expect to see her as a CRT throughout the year.

Year 5 & 6 Student Awards

Our annual Year 5 & 6 Awards Assembly was conducted yesterday, and it was fantastic to see so many parents and other family members in attendance. In addition to the awards that were presented, we were entertained by several of our talented Year 6 musicians, Eleanor Hibberd, Paul Li and Mackenzie Reed & Chris Manuofetoa, who performed a superb duet. Thank you to everyone involved in this event and to those who attended. A list of award recipients is included below.

Wellbeing Day - Lewis Ness

On Tuesday of this week, we celebrated Wellbeing Day with a focus on International Day of People with Disability. Year 3 student, Lewis Ness, spoke to our students at a special assembly about how he lives with NF (Neurofibromatosis) and the types of adjustments he has had to make in his life. Lewis also spoke about the support he has received from his family, friends, school as well as doctors and other medical staff. Our entire school population were fully engaged with Lewis’s presentation and throughout the day, many, many students touched base with Lewis to share positive feedback. We are incredibly proud of Lewis, as well as our school community for their inclusive, respectful and caring qualities. We are holding a Colour Run in the final week of school with funds going towards the Flicker of Hope Foundation, which supports research into NF. 

Fairy Tale Ball

Our Prep students (and parents) were at their creative best this morning, with students coming to school dressed as their favourite fairytale character. There were some sensational costumes and our students loved the chance to stand up on stage and model their outfit on the catwalk with an audience of parents, carers and Year 6 buddies. Not to be outdone, our prep teachers, Beth, Milly and Nan came as the 3 Lttle Pigs complete with buckets of straw, sticks, and bricks and were beautifully coordinated. Thank you to everyone for their support of this special event and to our staff who has always find fun ways for our students to engage with their learning.

Year 6 Graduation

Our Year 6 students are looking forward with great excitement to their Graduation next Monday evening at Karralyka. The Graduation is always one of the feature events on our school calendar and this year promises to be no exception.

Hooptime State Basketball Finals

Best wishes to our basketball team ahead of the State Basketball finals at the State Basketball Centre tomorrow. We know that they will represent our school with pride and distinction. Thank-you to David Trinchi who will be coaching throughout the day.

Public Speaking Grand Final

Best wishes also to our students from Prep to Year 4 who will be participating in the Public Speaking Competition Grand Finals on Friday. This is yet another event where we are endlessly amazed by the talents of our students and I’m certain that we will be thoroughly entertained once again. 

Carols on the Green

We hope to see all our school families in attendance at Carols on the Green next Wednesday afternoon. It is always an enjoyable, relaxing event where we can share in the  festive spirit. Thanks to Rhiannon Trimby and class teachers for their preparation for the Carols.  An email will be sent out today with details of this event.

Bunnings Sausage Sizzle

Don’t forget the Old Orchard Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings, Nunawading on Sunday. Please make an effort to drop by to buy a snag or three and to offer your support.

Christmas Collection

Thank-you to the many families who have already donated to our Christmas collection for the Anglicare Toy and Food Appeal. We are collecting new, unwrapped gifts and non-perishable food items. A list of suggested donations is attached to help guide your contributions. Donations suitable for teenagers are also encouraged, including gift cards, which are always greatly appreciated. All donations can be placed under the Christmas tree at the school office. Thank you for your generosity and support in helping make the festive season a little brighter for those in need.

Warm regards,

Duncan