The Harvest

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.

 

World Teachers’ Day

Today we celebrate World Teachers' Day, acknowledging and appreciating the incredible educators who help shape our children’s future. Teachers play a vital role in nurturing young minds, imparting knowledge, and inspiring generations to come. World Teachers' Day is an occasion to recognise the dedication, hard work, and passion that teachers bring to their classrooms every day. It is a time to reflect on the impact they have on students and the community, and to show our gratitude for their commitment to education. Thank-you to each and every one of our teachers at Old Orchard who consistently go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of the students they teach. I am incredibly privileged and proud to lead such an amazing group of people.

 

Prep Transition

This morning we welcomed our 2025 Prep students to the second of our Prep Transition sessions. It is always wonderful to see the excitement and enthusiasm of our newest students as they familiarise themselves with the Old Orchard environment and meet new friends, along with their existing ones. We look forward to them joining the Old Orchard community in 2025.

 

Victoria Wei

Congratulations to Year 6 student, Victoria Wei, on achieving third place in the Victorian Schools Instrumental Championships in the Year 5 & 6 Primary Senior State Finals - Piano. Victoria is an extremely talented musician who practices between 2 and 3 hours per day and we are incredibly proud of her. Well done Victoria!

 

Basketball

Our Year 5 & 6 Hooptime Future Stars took part in the Regional Finals at Wantirna last week. The team played extremely well throughout the day, finishing second in their pool and ultimately winning 4 of their 6 games with both losses being extremely close games. We were extremely proud of their efforts, their teamwork and their sporting behaviour. Special thanks to David Trinchi for expertly coaching the team throughout the day and to Jennifer Hurlburt for scoring.

 

Regional Athletics

Congratulations to Sophie Wilson (100m sprint) & Lyla Hunter (High Jump) who competed in the Regional Athletics Finals at Doncaster earlier this week. The competition was very strong and both girls should be extremely proud of their performances. 

 

Fete

The 2024 Old Orchard Fete is now only 22 days away and there is a very noticeable sense of excitement and anticipation around the school. Please make sure you jump on board early to offer assistance on stalls and to engage by purchasing raffle tickets, wristbands, etc.  We are in particular need of donations of small prizes and soft drink cans.

Next Wednesday students are invited to bring a block of chocolate to school for our extremely popular "Chocolate Toss" stall at the fete.  Students will be rewarded with free dress on this day.

The Fete is always an incredible community day and this year’s event promises to be as fun-filled and action packed as ever!  

 

Spring Soiree

The sun is shining, spring weather is here! This means our Spring Soiree is just around the corner. The soiree provides an opportunity for our talented musicians to perform to an audience in a formal setting and it is always a delight to appreciate their efforts and talent. The evening will be MC’d by students, Liam & Victoria, and as always, thanks to Rhiannon for her hard work in organising this event.

 

Year 2 Sleepover

Thank-you to everyone involved in last night’s Year 2 Sleepover. The students were incredibly excited and claimed that they survived on only 2 hours sleep! They will certainly be ready for a restful afternoon and a long sleep tonight. Sincere thanks to our fantastic staff for their hard work and commitment in organising the event and giving up time away from their families and creature comforts of home. The staff involved were: Gemma Ashdowne, Adam Todd, Enza Orsini, Jenny Flower, Bianca Gelsi, Tracey Ding, Rhiannon Trimby, Liz Jackson. Thanks also to the many parents who assisted with dinner and additional staff who assisted with breakfast and set-up / pack-up.

Student Leadership Elections 

Our Year 5 students are currently going through the selection process for formal student leadership roles for 2025. The leadership selection involves written applications, speeches to the current Year 5 cohort and the opportunity for student voting and staff input. We wish our students well with the process and look forward to all of our 2025 Year 6 students being leaders within our school community.

 

Pupil Free Days

As per the recent communication, please note the following Pupil Free Days for Term 4:

  • Monday November 4th
  • Friday December 20th 

School will be closed on these days. Team Kids will be available to families if required.

 

End of Year arrangements

Please note the following arrangements for the end of the 2024 school year:

 

Thursday December 19th

  • final day for students
  • 2.30pm final assembly
  • 3.30pm final dismissal

Friday December 20th:

  • Pupil Free Day

Wednesday January 29th 2025:

  • School resumes for all students (Preps 9.00am to 1.00pm)
  

Kind regards

 

Duncan