MONDAY, 6th NOVEMBER

A significant number of our families have informed us that their children will be absent on Monday, November 6th. With Tuesday being the Melbourne Cup Public Holiday, many families are taking advantage of this opportunity to extend their weekend away.

As you know, numerous staff members, including teachers and Education Support staff, have accrued Time in Lieu as per the Victorian Teachers Agreement due to their participation in overnight Camp experiences throughout the year. Consequently, many of our teachers will be using some of their Time in Lieu on Monday.

We greatly appreciate the advanced notice provided by many families. Given the high number of expected student absences, we will be implementing an alternative timetable on Monday. Please be aware that because of this change and the fact that several staff members will be using their Time in Lieu, students in attendance will be grouped into different classes for their learning on this day.

If you and your family are planning to go away for the long weekend or will not be able to attend on Monday, we kindly request that you proactively log your child's absence through Compass in advance. This will help us ensure that we have sufficient staffing to support the modified learning we will be organizing for the day.

TAYLOR EXCELS AT STATE ATHLETICS!!

We are thrilled to share some exciting news within our school community. Our very own Taylor McAndrew recently showcased incredible athleticism and sportsmanship at the highly competitive State Athletics Competition. Taylor competed in the high jump event against the best athletes of her age group from right across Victoria and finished an impressive fourth place!

This remarkable achievement is a testament to Taylor's dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment to her sport. Taylor has been practising here at school and at home. Representing our school on such a grand stage is an honour in itself, and Taylor's exceptional performance has made us incredibly proud.

Please join us in congratulating Taylor on this outstanding accomplishment. We look forward to celebrating more of Taylor's achievements and supporting their continued journey in athletics. Go, Taylor!

REDUCING LATE ARRIVALS FOR A SMOOTH SCHOOL START

In order to facilitate a positive and seamless beginning to the school day for our students, we encourage all parents and guardians to ensure their children arrive at school between 8:30-8:35am. This window of time allows our students to enter the school community as soon as the doors open at 8:35am, giving them the opportunity to prepare for their day in a calm and settled manner. Regrettably, our data indicates a concerning trend of increasing late arrivals, which we believe requires our attention.

We all understand the discomfort and anxiety that accompanies arriving late to a meeting or event, unsure of what's happening and what's expected. It's a feeling that many of us can empathise with. When a student arrives late, we kindly request that parents or guardians accompany them to the administration building, where they can sign in through Compass. This process is not only a legal requirement but also essential for providing an explanation for the tardiness, ensuring that we maintain a transparent and accountable approach to late arrivals. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

CURRICULUM DAY

In recent weeks, your children may have come home and mentioned the recent changes in their Reading Program, with a strong emphasis on daily Reading Fluency practice. Today, our staff had the opportunity to engage with Emina McLean, a primary researcher, primary English and literacy leader, instructional coach, and education consultant. Emina facilitated professional learning sessions for our staff to enhance our collective understanding of best practices in reading instruction. Our focus has extended beyond Reading Fluency to include Accuracy, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. We look forward to incorporating this newfound knowledge into our Reading Program at OPPS, further enriching our students' reading experience.

DIVISION CRICKET CHAMPIONS

On Friday the 20th of October our District Champion girls cricket team attended the Division Cricket finals at Pakenham. Despite having 2 players pull out on the day due to illness, our amazing girls played with 6 players and WON the day and are now DIVISION CHAMPIONS!

We are not only so proud of their achievements in winning the competition, but also the incredible resilience and persistence they showed as a team in dealing with the adversity they faced. They are now off to the Southern Metro finals in the coming weeks. Good luck girls!!

Berry Street - Foster Care