Principal's Report 

From the Principal...

Thank YOU to School Council & wider community

I wanted to take the time to warmly thank the school council and wider community for the support you have shown me as the new Principal of Ormond PS. I want to mention our School Council President – Kit Vati. In your role as school council president you have provided so much time to help me but you have also guided and driven the work of our wonderful school council.

Rachel Marsden and the work of the P&F team is also very much appreciated.  Even at this busy tail end of the year, I am forever grateful for securing my leadership role here and for getting the opportunity to get to know your children. The students at this school are the most amazing bunch of young people I have ever come across. The student leaders, SRC and even our deep thinkers in Foundation are not afraid to make suggestions and to take action.  I also wanted to thank the staff for their commitment to their work and dedication to all accountabilities associated with the teaching profession. I particularly need to recognize the work of Lorrie Dell, my Assistant Principal and the work she does behind the scenes with wellbeing and her education team.  The office staff (Jan Cassidy and Brodie Thomson) have also been incredibly supportive to me and I appreciate all the additional tasks they have taken on throughout 2018.

2019 – Final Staffing Profile

I need to farewell a few staff who are leaving us this year. Julie Nield has picked up a classroom teaching position at Ripponlea PS and we wish her every success in her new role. Katie Airey is also moving on to a teaching position at Kingswood PS. We are also delighted by the news around Jade Zajonc who is expecting her first child next year, so she will fulfill a supportive role for the first term of 2019 and work closely with the Year 3 team to cover long service arrangements, as well as supporting individual students with targeted needs. Schools create their staffing profile based on enrolment figures at each level and occasionally to avoid large class sizes in each grade, consideration is given to multi-age classes or composites. Composite classes are not new and they occur in many schools across Australia and beyond. Parents need to be aware that all classes contain abilities levels from 3 sometimes 4 assessment levels and teachers plan accordingly.

Ormond PS offers a highly differentiated curriculum in every grade and students set their own learning goals to match their individual needs. A teacher working with a composite class plans and organizes the learning exactly the same as their colleagues and they are part of a highly collaborative teaching team. Students in a composite class are not disadvantaged or isolated, in fact they are in a learning space that cultivates collaboration, challenge and teamwork. Evidence across the state indicates that straight grades and composites achieve exactly the same results, but true learning growth occurs when there is a high quality teacher in front of the grade.

In 2019, Ormond PS has had to create a composite class to ensure class sizes will not sit around 29 but rather the ratio for teacher to student falls at 21. Aside from a high quality teacher matched to that class, we have ensured the location of the grade is in close proximity and planned for students to work as an entire year level at times or in more flexible groupings as required. All classes are created with academic and social / emotional needs considered and the composite class is no different. The school does not see the composite class as a learning space where children slightly older requiring support are all placed or younger students needing extension. It has been constructed fairly and it represents a cohesive group of students with differing needs, skills and abilities just like any straight class at Ormond PS.

We operate in highly collaborative teams across Ormond PS with handover and team planning opportunities. I would like to introduce our teachers that will all be making a significant difference in your child/children’s lives in 2019. The staffing profile has been carefully considered to ensure there is a range of staffing experience across all levels and that we have matched new staff with experienced leaders in the school. As so much time and effort has gone in to developing classes, we are unable to accommodate any further requests but will monitor and assess groups as they commence the new school year.

Foundation Team

• Lorraine Bell
• Jacinda Hocking
• Laura Cecil (NEW from Tucker Rd PS)

Year One & Year Two Team

• Elani Gibney
• Laura Bainbridge
• Effie Liarakis
• Sally Berryman
• Amelia Delaney

Year Three & Year Four Team

• Marika Evans
• Kim Stewart & Support (Jade Zajonc)
• Jack Capicchiano (NEW)
• Gregg Workman
• Dorothy Markou / Margot Hudson (Shared Class)

Year 5 and Year 6 Team

• Courtney Mason
• Melissa Kah
• Michael Pannam
• Sandra Johnson
• Mary Thanos
• Simon Brown (NEW from Hughesdale PS)

Specialists

• Music/Performing Arts – Lead by Margot Hudson/ Elani Gibney Support
• Creative Arts – Helen K (3 days) & Helene I (1 day)
• Korean – Anna Park
• Health & PE – Emma Milliken

Transition update

Whole school transition occurred on Tuesday afternoon and it involved all students meeting their new staff teaching team at each level. They met as a whole cohort and then broke in to groups so they could rotate around activities and classrooms. The staff observed the groups to see if they were well constructed and that the new students were not anxious or without friends. The tasks were centred on kindness, our school values and getting to know you activities. The students worked in groups that may become their home group unless level leaders believe we need to look at reconfiguring things. The date that all classes will know their home teacher is at our ‘Meet the Teacher’ event on Tuesday 18th December.

Finally, if I do not have the chance to see you at school between now and our final day – I wish you every happiness for the holiday season. I will be around for part of the holiday break assisting with preliminary building works and ensuring the school is being maintained and monitored. Thank you again for the incredible support in 2018 and best wishes for the New Year.

Please remember that the students will be dismissed at 1:30pm on Friday 21st December at the completion of the final assembly. Assembly will begin at 1;00pm, therefore because of this early finish there will be NO lunch orders available on the last day of term. 

Kerri McLeod

Principal

Not returning to OPS in 2019???

• Have you informed the office in writing? If not, please do so by Friday 14th December and remember to let us know which school your child will be attending in 2019 and a forwarding address if applicable.
• Have you downloaded and saved/print all of your children's reports off Compass? Please do so before Friday December 21st 2018, as you will no longer have access to compass after this date.
• Have you returned all school property? Library books, Class set book, anything at all that may belong to the school you have borrowed throughout the year.

Out of School Hours

Out of School Hours Enrolment 2019

For new families and families currently using the BASC program

Enrolment forms for 2019 can be found attached below and on your  Compass News Feed. Alternatively you can pick one up  in person from the program. Please ensure you also return the Pink and Purple forms. 

An immunisation certificate must be attached to the enrolment form for new children attending the service for the first time. Incomplete enrolment forms, without a booking commencement date or forms stating (To be announced or confirmed) will not be accepted and will be returned.

Families requiring Before & After School Care or Vacation Care for 2019 must submit an enrolment form by Tuesday 11th December.

Families will be informed of their Before & After School Care placements by Friday 21st December. Families requiring care during the January Holiday Program please submit your enrolment form with your holiday booking form.

January School Holiday Program 2019

School Holiday Program Dates Monday 14th January to Tuesday 29th January. Bookings close Friday 14th December 2018 unless places fill sooner.

After School Care Excursion Wednesday 19th December

Due to the Year 6 Graduation children attending the After School Care Program on Wednesday 19th December will be attending a local excursion to Alnutt Park. If your children usually attend the After School Care Program on a Wednesday they will be required to attend the excursion as there will be no child care provided at the school. It is essential, parents authorise their children to attend the excursion by signing the permission form. Permission forms will be available from the sign out desk in the hall.

Excursion Schedule

• 3:45pm - The After School Care Children depart school.
• 3:50pm  - Walk to Alnutt Park.
• 4:00pm - Afternoon Tea in the Park.
• 4:10pm to 5:30pm - Park Activities.
• 5:45pm - Return Walk to School.
• 5:55pm - Arrive back at School.

Parents can collect their children from the park between 4:10pm to 5:45pm or from school between 5:55pm to 6:00pm.

Last Day of Term

On Friday 21st December to accommodate the schools early finish time. The After School Care program will operate from 1:30pm to 6:00pm. To celebrate the end of the school year the program will be having a party. If your children are attending on the last day of school please nominate an item on the party list displayed in the program dairy. If you intend to cancel your children’s regular after school care booking for the last Friday, or if you require to book the session, Please advise us by Tuesday 18th December.

After School Care Activities

Thursday 13th Dec                  Xmas Activity

Friday 14th Dec                         Xmas Activity

Monday 17th Dec                     Xmas Activity

Tuesday 18th Dec                     Xmas Activity

Wednesday 19th Dec             Alnutt Park Excursion

Thursday 20th Dec                   Xmas Activity

Friday 21st Dec                          End of Term Party

We have not given a description of the Xmas Activities, so the children can surprise you!!

April Kopitz

Out of School Hours Coordinator