BOOK WEEK

Book Week is next week, and on Friday morning (August 25th) at 9 am, we'll be hosting a parade in the school gym. This parade offers every student the exciting opportunity to showcase their favourite book character by dressing up in costumes.

We are continuing our tradition from last year and kindly requesting families to contribute a new book to enrich our school library. The donated book will become a part of your child's Learning Community, and a special sticker will acknowledge your family's generosity. This initiative allows students to borrow each other's books from their Learning Community Library.

Following the parade, our school leaders will conduct a whole-school assembly where we'll recognize students who have been awarded an Orchard Spark.

We are excited to extend an invitation to all of our 2024 preps to join the parade. They are more than welcome to dress up and celebrate alongside our students, making this a fantastic opportunity for them to become familiar with the school and get excited about starting school next year.

Following the parade at 10 am, some of our Year 5 students would love to sit with smaller groups of our 2024 preps and read one or two of the 2023 CBCA shortlisted picture stories.

ASSEMBLY – FRIDAY 25th AUGUST

Please note, as per the Compass message earlier in the week, on the 25th of August, the assembly will be happening in the morning following our Book Week parade celebrations.

KURMBOON KINDER CAR PARK

We are very excited that Kurmboon Kindergarten next door has opened and understand that some families are picking up their kinder children at the same time as their children at OPPS. When using the car park for this reason, please enter the kinder car park via the entry off Barnsley Road and leave via the exit onto Pink Hill Boulevard. We would appreciate if we can all please be driving slowly to ensure the safety of all children in our community.

STAFF CAR PARK

We kindly ask that all parents respect that the staff car park on Barnsley Road is for staff only. This car park is clearly signed and is not to be used as a pick-up or drop-off point. We do not have any supervision in this car park, and ensuring the safety of our students is of paramount importance.

YEAR 3/4 IMAX and MUSEUM EXCURSION

Today our Year 3/4 students had a fabulous time at the iMax theatre where they were watched The Story of Earth in 3D and then explored a range of exhibits in the museum including Dynamic Earth, the Forest Gallery and Triceratops.

PARENT OPINION SURVEY

Our school will be conducting a survey to find out what parents and caregivers think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families' perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage all families to participate (it will take approximately 20 minutes to complete). Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. A separate Compass communication will come out at the beginning of next week, outlining how parents and carers can participate in the survey.

DISTRICT ATHLETICS

Next week on Thursday, we have 41 students in years 3-6 heading off to represent Orchard Park Primary School at District Athletics. We couldn't be prouder of these students for making it to this stage and wish them all the best on the day.

FATHER'S DAY STALL

Father's Day is on the way! On August 31st, our Parents and Friends Group will be holding a stall where students can buy gifts for their dads or special people. In addition to the stall, we will have a special celebration afternoon on September 1st from 2:10 pm to 3:00 pm for our dads and special people.

SCHOOL DISCO

Our School Disco is happening tonight, and we have some very excited students! We will post some photos of our students enjoying the night on Facebook in the coming days and in the next Newsletter. A huge thank you to our Parents and Friends' Group for making this event possible.

YEAR 3/4 CAMP

Save the date for the Grade 3/4 camp from October 4th-6th (first week of Term 4). Details will be on Compass soon. If your child is yet to experience an overnight event, we encourage you to begin to talk to your child about the camp and provide them with opportunities to stay over at friends' or family's houses to support them with this experience.

DATES TO REMEMBER