STEM OPEN MORNING

On Monday the 27th of May 2024, we have our STEM Open Morning. The event will be running from 8:45 am to 9:45 am.

The purpose of the morning is for students to become the teachers and show our parent community some of the STEM activities they have been completing in class.

Our students have been working very hard with Mr. Pattison to prepare for the activities they will teach to parents. They are very excited to present some challenges to our parent community and explain all the amazing things they have been learning about.

Parents will need to sign in at the admin building. QR codes will be available at the far end of the administration building.

We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

MOTHER'S DAY AMAZING RACE

We were thrilled to have so many mums and special people visit last Friday for our Mother's Day Amazing Race. It was fantastic to see our students spending quality time with the special people in their lives, with many smiles and much laughter.

A big thank you to Camp Australis for donating our Mother's Day raffle prize, and congratulations to our winner, Kiara in Prep B, for winning the hamper full of goodies for her mum.

A massive shout-out to our Parents and Friends group, who once again put on a sensational event with our Mother's Day stall on Thursday. Our students thoroughly enjoyed selecting a special gift for their mums or special people. We hope all our mums and special people enjoyed their weekend and were able to have some quality time with loved ones.

PLAYGROUND UPDATE

You may have noticed that unfortunately our new playground is still fenced off and not being accessed by our students. We are so close to finally being able to open the playground, however there are some final works that need to be completed, this being rubber cushion fall areas. I have requested the playground be opened before these cushion areas are installed, however this request was not granted. We are hopeful that the final works will be completed in the coming weeks so that our school community can begin to enjoy experiencing our wonderful new facilities.

THE BUDDY BENCH: FOSTERING FRIENDSHIP AND INCLUSION AT OUR SCHOOL

Ever wondered about the blue bench near the STEM Room? It's not just any bench; it's our Buddy Bench, and it serves a special purpose!

🤝 The Buddy Bench: Its purpose is simple yet powerful. It's a place where students can go if they're feeling lonely, in need of a friend, or just want someone to talk to during play break.

👭 Connecting Friends: When students sit on the Buddy Bench, it signals to others that they're looking for a buddy to play with or chat with. It's a wonderful way to encourage inclusion and kindness in our school community.

🤗 How You Can Help:

Parents, you can support this initiative by discussing it with your children. Here are some conversation starters:

"Have you ever noticed the blue Buddy Bench at school? Do you know what it's for?"
"How do you think it would feel to sit on the Buddy Bench and have someone come over to talk to you?"
"If you see someone sitting on the Buddy Bench, what could you do to make them feel included?"
"Can you think of a time when you felt lonely and how a friend helped you? How could you be that friend for someone else?"
Encouraging these conversations at home can help reinforce the values of kindness and inclusion, making our school a more compassionate and welcoming place for everyone.

DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY

On the 10th of May, 36 of our Grade 3-6 students participated in the Officer District Cross Country event. We are super proud of how our students represented OPPS with such commitment, pride and sportsmanship.

Congratulations to Tahlia, Holly, Remy, Harley, Jude, and Alek, who placed in the top 10 in their races and will now progress to the Division event later this term! 🏅 OPPS as a school finished 3rd overall, which is an amazing effort!

NATIONAL SIMULTANEOUS STORY TIME

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held every year by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Each year, a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, and many other places around the country.

This year, our NSS is happening on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, at 12:00 pm. Students will join people from all across Australia as we read the book Bowerbird Blues, written and illustrated by award-winning Aura Parker.

STAFF CAR PARK

A reminder that the staff car park on Barnsley Avenue is for staff only. This is not a pick-up or drop-off zone. Please be aware that staff enter and leave at various times throughout the day, and it is not safe for students to be in this area.

The staff car park is an out-of-bounds area for all students, and we appreciate your support in not confusing our students by allowing them into this area at any point during the day.

Orchard Park News

Going Further Together

Issue 8 · 17 May 2024

In this issue