Assistant Principal's Report
HOME READING
It is hard to believe that it is already Week 5 of Term 1! The students have settled very nicely into our classroom routines and are ready to formally begin reading at home.
Research shows that primary school students should engage in regular reading practise. Students will soon start taking home books to complete their at-home reading. At Orchard Park Primary School, our homework policy is for all students to engage in 10-20 minutes of reading each night. This will be the only set homework. The expectation is for all students to be reading five days a week, building their stamina up to 20 minutes a day.
In order for your child to take readers home, they must be using their book satchel (available from the uniform shop). Students will be taking home two levelled books and one interest book. Each year level will communicate their preferred borrowing day, but students are expected to bring their satchel to school every day.
We encourage you to enjoy a variety of reading opportunities with your child, such as reading to them, reading with them, and having them read to you. It is more than ok for your child to read independently; however, we ask you to talk with your child about their reading.
All families will be provided with a list of age-appropriate suggested questions/prompts to encourage these discussions in the coming weeks.
We thank you for your ongoing support with your child’s learning at Orchard Park
EASTER RAFFLE
On Friday the 24th of March, the school will be holding a free dress day for all students. Rather than a gold coin donation, we ask that all families donate an Easter Item, such as an egg or bunny, to contribute to the hampers that our OPPS Parents and Friend group are putting together for the final assembly of the term.
Raffle ticket books will be sent home in the next couple of weeks and will be available for purchase to enter the draw. Along with several Easter Hampers, the first prize will be a 10kg block of chocolate!!
The raffle draw will take place at the final assembly for the term on Thursday, the 6th of April. We hope that this initiative will make our free dress day more exciting and enjoyable for everyone while also supporting our school community's fundraising efforts. Let's spread the Easter cheer and have a great day!
HOT CROSS BUN DRIVE
In addition to our Easter Raffle, we are excited to announce our first hot cross bun drive, supported by Emerald Village Bakery! This is another wonderful fundraising initiative run by our Parents and Friends group.
Families can choose from three delicious flavours: fruitless, fruit, and chocolate. To make purchases, an event will be set up on Compass where orders can be placed. Orders will be able to be placed from 14th March. Hot cross buns will be available for pickup on Wednesday 5th of April, between 2:30 and 3:30 pm. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enjoy some sweet treats while supporting our school!
SMILE SQUAD
We are thrilled to announce that Smile Squad has generously provided every student with a take-home pack that includes a drink bottle, toothpaste, and toothbrush. These will be distributed to students next week.
Smile Squad is the Victorian Government's free school dental program, and they offer free annual dental care for all children attending Victorian Government Schools. This initiative from Smile Squad will not only promote dental hygiene but also help students understand the importance of taking care of their teeth. We thank Smile Squad for their support and encourage all students to use their take-home packs regularly, ensuring that they maintain good oral health.