This Week At OOPS
Announcing Our 2026 Class Representatives
A huge thank you to the parents listed below who have volunteered to be Class Representatives this year. We are extremely grateful for their involvement to help us build on our connections between home and school.
You can expect to hear from your class reps shortly regarding upcoming events.
**We are still looking for reps for 2RM, 4JM and 5DB**
If you are able to help, we would love to hear from you. Please email sheree.knight@education.vic.gov.au.
Year 3 Waste Audit: What We Discovered
Our Year 3 students recently took part in a hands-on waste audit, investigating what is being thrown away around our school. The students carefully checked and counted items from a range of bins, including classroom bins, outdoor bins, the staffroom bin and the breezeway bin, recording and discussing what they found.
One of the biggest surprises was just how much food waste ended up in landfill bins. We also noticed many chip packets and snack wrappers containing aluminium foil, which unfortunately cannot be recycled through our regular recycling system.
This activity sparked thoughtful conversations about where our waste goes, what happens when items can’t be recycled, and how small choices can make a big difference. Students began suggesting ideas such as packing foods with less packaging, choosing reusable containers, and being more mindful about what goes into each bin.
The waste audit was a powerful real-world learning experience that helped students understand their role in caring for our environment and making more sustainable choices, both at school and at home.
Peer Mediators
Our 2026 OOPS Peer Mediators had an excellent training day on Monday, where they collaborated on problem solving strategies and learnt about leadership qualities, emotions, and active listening. We know they are going to be a wonderful support out on the playground this year.
Junior Scholars Program
Our Year 1 and 2 Junior Scholars have been busy learning about how best to take care of animals in captivity. Their Term 1 project is to enrich the lives of our school chickens. The Junior Scholars watched our chickens up close and used scientific sketching and descriptive language to record their observations. They also viewed and discussed some animal enrichment case studies from Zoos Victoria - we were amazed by the tiger zip-line!
This week, we designed some ice-treats for our chickens! The Junior Scholars added fruits and vegetables to different shaped containers before putting them in the freezer. Next week, they will hide the frozen treats around their enclosure and wait to see what happens!
Discovery in the Playground
What a wonderful moment this was when Elijah discovered a praying mantis! His curiosity and excitement were contagious as he carefully observed it and took time to share his wonder with younger students.
Praying mantises are fascinating insects - they can turn their heads almost all the way around, have incredible eyesight to spot movement, and use their strong front legs to catch their food. These insects are also excellent for gardens because they help control pests by eating other insects. It was lovely to see Elijah so engaged with nature and treating the mantis with such gentle respect. Moments like these show his growing curiosity about his world and thoughtful care for living things.
Craft Club Creativity in Action
Our Craft Club, run by our school counsellor Kate, has been a wonderful space for students to relax, connect and express their creativity. Recently, pom pom making has been a huge hit, with students enthusiastically designing colourful creations using yarn, tools and plenty of patience. Beyond the fun, these sessions support fine motor skills, focus and social interaction, while providing a calm and supportive environment for students to work alongside their peers. It has been fantastic to see the pride students take in their finished creations and the positive connections being built each week. Lunchtime clubs run at every break time across the whole week, and you can find the timetable below. Thanks so much to all of the staff and students who have volunteered their time to run them.
Breakfast Club
Kate received a lovely surprise at Breakfast Club on Wednesday - Eliana from Year 4 brought some beautiful roses from her garden as a thank you for running Breakfast Club! Kate was so touched and the gorgeous roses have been enjoyed by everyone in the staffroom this week. Thank you, Eliana!
