Principal's Report

From the Principal...

What a fabulous weekend leading in to an incredible week filled with many celebrations of student learning! By the weekend I mean the well-organised, simply spectacular trivia night. I have never ever been in a school and seen so many parents getting in to the spirit of it all with table decorations and costuming. The scene was set for a fun and engaging night prior to the trivia questions even being delivered. The Incredibles (well, staff) tried their best but the pace was rapid and the questions challenging. Well done to the organisers of the event and to the ultimate winners. Our incredible team hopes to have better luck next year but I thank them for attending and also getting in to the team spirit.

A significant amount of fundraising has occurred for the school recently and we thank our community for their contributions to a number of events. There are some definite items being sourced with these funds such as upgrading backboards, purchasing portable goals and adding additional brand new multimedia televisions for classrooms. The students, staff and parents continue to look at the most pressing needs for the school – always with the children in mind and their interests. From this year, we will also be looking at longer term projects that coincide with our capital building works and how we can enhance the school environment and classrooms with more modern furniture, outdoor seating and storage. The children will benefit from more orderly, more modernised learning spaces with opportunities for collaborative group work in breakout areas that are far more visible.

Building Update

Meetings continue with architects and departmental representatives regarding our building works. We have entered the second phase of our planning and different designs are being presented and considered. Parent input and student input will be included as part of the final decision making. The architect will meet with the building sub-group on September 15th and then the entire school council at their next meeting.

School Review Information

Just a reminder that Ormond PS will undergo a review process at the end of this year and in to Term 1, 2019. The approach includes a new model of school review to create a self-sustaining cycle of continuous improvement, where all schools are supported by the system on a needs basis, to improve student outcomes. There are some significant changes in the review process for 2018 and Lorrie Dell and I attended the full day training which was very informative.  In the next few weeks we will be gathering data from academic records, school surveys and assessment records to analyse and summarise. We will also be seeking input from all stakeholders and representatives from the school community. I appreciate the feedback I receive regarding school programs and how we might improve the various functions of the school at all levels. We have been allocated a school reviewer by the department and she has been in contact to look at our review timeline heading in to 2019.

School Council

Gregg Workman will join school council as a staff representative to replace Felicity Hall-Shulman and at the last meeting Ben Jenkinson joined us as a parent representative. Ben is currently working as a director of one of the newest TAFE schools in Casey and has a wealth of knowledge around innovations in curriculum, particularly STEAM related learning. He is also very knowledgeable about creating newer learning spaces that are flexible and promote collaborative hands-on learning. He contributed well to the discussions at the last meeting and we thank him for his input.

Highlights

Well Ormond PS certainly has talent. I witnessed that first hand when the finalists hit the stage. From singing to dancing, gymnastics, instrumental, karate and comedy. So much was on offer! I did not envy the judges making their final decisions. Well done to all students who tried out for this event and to those who placed on the day. Finally, I want to mention the soiree I attended for Years 5 and 6 last night. The stage was set for an awesome evening with popcorn, stunning outfits and even a red carpet entrance. The work the students compiled was nothing short of incredible! Thank you to Zach for his leadership of this event, for Kim Stewart and the work she does in the ICT room and to Melissa Kah for the stunning ambiance and decorations. All senior staff had major roles to play and the children appreciated all your efforts. Well done Years 5 & 6 on a tremendous movie night and I trust you all enjoyed yourselves! I now look forward to the Year 1/2 soiree next week.

Parent Opinion Survey 2018 -  extended until 2nd September

Those parents who were selected to participate in this year's Department of Education & Training's Parent Opinion Survey are reminded that you now have until Sunday 2nd September to complete them. Your opinions are important to us and will contribute to the future management and organisation of our school.

Lunch Order Survey

Below is the link to access the important survey regarding lunch order provision at Ormond PS. The short survey will cover a range of topics such as food choices, quality, payment methods and how often families can or should access the service. The school kindly asks that you all make the time to answer the questions to help ensure everyone is heard and to guarantee a comprehensive audit of current food provision takes place. The survey data is strictly anonymous and the results will be shared with leadership, school council and the wider community.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CP5FJ6V

2019 Enrollments

Any families who have children that are due to commence school next year and  have not yet enrolled them, please see Brodie in the office as soon as possible to collect your enrolment forms. 

Kerri McLeod

Principal