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.

SCHOOL RAMPS UPDATE

Schools can apply for funding through the Accessible Buildings Program, which supports modifications that improve access for students, staff, and visitors. As many of you would be aware, our school is currently replacing our ramps as part of this program. While the works are taking longer than expected, we had two major concrete pours this week—bringing us one step (or ramp) closer to completing the project.

SCHOOL MAINTENANCE- ARBORIST 

Schools are required to carry out regular maintenance of their grounds, which includes routine tree assessments by arborists. During an assessment last week, a significant crack was discovered in the trunk of one of our most beloved trees near the Prep steps. Unfortunately, this meant the tree had to be removed for safety reasons. We were saddened to see the tree go, but we’re now looking forward to reimagining and redesigning that space to create something new and meaningful for our school community.

YEAR 3 & 4 MELBOURNE MUSEUM EXCURSION

On Monday, our Year 3 students visited the Melbourne Museum, with our Year 4 students set to attend this Friday as part of their Inquiry unit on First Nations Peoples. The excursion offers a valuable opportunity for students to deepen their understanding through hands-on exploration of artefacts. Our students had a fantastic time engaging with the exhibits and gaining meaningful insights into First Nations history. 

As teachers, we love everything the Melbourne Museum offers to support student learning. But we also love the exhibits that may not directly align with the curriculum—yet still spark curiosity and excitement. Did you know there’s currently a LEGO Star Wars exhibition? It’s definitely worth a weekend visit for all those Lego/Star Wars fans (both young and old). 

EVACUATION DRILL

On Wednesday, our whole school took part in an evacuation drill. These drills are essential for ensuring that both staff and students are familiar with emergency response procedures, allowing us to respond effectively in the event of a real emergency.

We were very proud of how our students conducted themselves during the drill on Wednesday.

IVAN’S PIE ORDERS

Don't miss out—Thursday, 29th May is your last chance to order Ivan’s Pies! Warm up this winter with a freezer full of tasty pies and quiches, thanks to our much-loved fundraiser. It’s an easy way to take the stress out of dinner planning while supporting our school.

Orders will be packed and ready for collection from school on Thursday 12th June.

Printed order forms are available at the office. Feel free to invite friends, family, and neighbours to join in—every order helps!

All proceeds will go towards upgrading our playground equipment.

YEAR 5 & 6 ROUND ROBIN

Last Friday, our Year 5 and 6 students participated in the inter-school sports round robin, competing in tee-ball, soccer, netball, and football. 

Inter-school sport is a valuable part of the Year 5/6 curriculum, offering all students the chance to get involved in a format that supports their individual skill levels and abilities. Our program promotes resilience, embraces a wide variety of sports to suit different interests, and places a strong emphasis on participation over performance.

It was a fantastic day filled with teamwork and sportsmanship. A special shout out to our netball team, who had an exceptional day and have progressed to the next stage of the competition!

Jen McCann & Clare Murray