Principal Report & School News

From the Principal...

Welcome back to all students, parents and carers and staff for the 2022 school year. What a wonderful thing it is to warmly greet friendly faces and establish familiar routines again. After such upheaval in 2020 & 2021, it is timely to notice the things which we used to take for granted. I hope everyone had a relaxing and restful break after such a challenging year.

At the present time due to COVID-safe practice, adults are not permitted in the school buildings unless they are double vaccinated. If you wish to see a staff member, please make an appointment with them through COMPASS or the front office. We are not able to have large groups of visitors meeting in indoor spaces at the moment and that is why our parent information evenings were conducted online. In the event you are required to meet with a teacher, all visitors must adhere to QR codes and sign-in procedures. Please respect our health & safety arrangements and co-operate with these measures, to ensure the safest conditions for all staff and students at our school. Please communicate with teachers via email if you do not need to meet face to face. This also relates to our ‘You Tell Us’ sessions scheduled for the 23rd of February. You can simply complete the online survey which will be forwarded to the appropriate class teacher and/or lock in a face-to-face meeting.

We are following the Department’s guidelines to deal with Covid 19 and have air purifiers in each classroom, ventilation through open doors and windows, everyone being masked, using hand sanitiser and social distancing as much as possible.

Student drop off and pick-up arrangements remain unchanged at this stage. Adults are kindly reminded to observe social distancing as a health measure for our community. In addition, encourage students to use the pedestrian crossings rather than crossing the road elsewhere. Parents are children’s greatest role models – so please abide by traffic expectations and rules around the local area. Our school is very congested with traffic in the mornings and afternoons. Remember to use the ‘Kiss-and Go’ zones correctly for the benefit for all and to not cause traffic congestion.

It has been a very smooth start and I thank our fantastic staff for their wonderful contributions over the holidays. Many showed great commitment by giving up some of their holidays to set up rooms ensuring the year starts smoothly. I would like to welcome new families who have joined us this year and I am sure they will enjoy being a part of the OPS school community. On the first Tuesday, we welcomed the Foundation children who began their first day at school. The teachers have created a lovely work area for our Foundation grades. I again thank the Foundation team, consisting of Laura C and Jess D for their preparation over the past couple of weeks. The Foundation students have participated in assessment tasks over the last two weeks which has provided vital information to the team around their specific learning needs.

Isla & Suyin enjoying getting creative making different shapes during play time.

Staff Welcome

We welcome our new staff to OPS. This includes Kirsty Lee Eather in Year 2, Joshua Woollan in Year 3, and Emma McIntosh in Year 5. We also welcomed back Amelia Delaney who has joined the Year 6 team. All these staff members are enjoying the start to our school year, and they have each commented on our respectful and kind students here at OPS.

Vaccinations

It’s been fantastic to see such excitement around the return to school and we want to keep it that way. A crucial part of that is getting as many students vaccinated as possible. Alongside ventilation and other vital COVID Safe steps such as regular rapid antigen testing, supporting as many students as possible to be vaccinated will help make our school as safe as possible. Bookings for children aged 5 to 11 to receive the paediatric Pfizer vaccine are open and we encourage parents and carers to get your child vaccinated if you haven’t already done so. The Pfizer vaccine is safe and recommended for children. The vaccine will help protect your child from getting sick from COVID-19, help to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and help ensure kids can have more time at school and playing with their friends.

Vaccinations for children aged 5-11 years old are delivered at 2 appointments, 8 weeks apart. Children with specific medical vulnerabilities can access their second dose 3 weeks after their first dose. If you’d like more information about this, you can read a recent statement from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI): https://www.health.gov.au/news/atagi-update-following-weekly-covid-19-meeting-19-january-2022

To book an appointment

You can book at your local GP or pharmacy: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking

You can also book at a family-friendly vaccination centre by calling the Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398.

You can also make vaccination centre bookings for your children online, though you will need to use an email address that has not been used in the system before: https://portal.cvms.vic.gov.au/

Helping children to get their vaccination

Vaccination centres understand that children may feel anxious about vaccination or have other support needs. A range of options are available to help children get vaccinated. Please discuss your child’s needs with the vaccination centre when you book an appointment.

Appointments are also available at Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations.

👉 Find out more about vaccination for kids: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/vaccination-information-children-and-teenagers

Parent Participation

A feature of an effective school can be measured in part by parent participation and input. At OPS we welcome and encourage parent participation as it supports everything we do. Commencing this year - parent participation will look somewhat different as a result of COVID-safe practices. We are unable to invite our entire community onto the school site, as we cannot police the acceptable density limits for individuals in indoor spaces. It is our hope, that as the year progresses, parents will be given many opportunities to be involved in the school and I encourage all parents to offer their assistance where and when possible.

Please consider your involvement in the following:

Class Representative Program
Working Bees
Parents and Friends’ Committee
School Council
Excursions
Sporting Events
Classroom Programs (as negotiated with classroom teachers)
Performing Arts or STEAM Support
Classroom Helper and Teacher Support

(All volunteers are required to supply a Working with Children Check, double Covid-19 Vaccination Certificate and the school's Child Safe Code of Conduct to be completed. Your WWCC is to be visible and worn whilst in the school. Please contact the office for further information)

School Uniform

Our students look amazing in their school uniform, especially the new Year 6 sports tops and rugby polos. School uniform is compulsory for all students. Please ensure that uniform is clearly marked with your child’s name, particularly hats and jumpers. Thank you so much to our many families who had their children in full school uniform for the start of our school year. Please discourage children from wearing additional clothing items which are not uniform attire.

We ask parents to also reiterate the importance of looking after their belongings and checking lost property regularly.

Contact Details

Have your contact details changed? We have already tried to phone parents and emergency contacts only to find that the phone number is no longer valid. It is absolutely vital that we are able to contact parents/carers at all times. Please update your details in writing (email) to the front office.

Attendance/Punctuality

“It’s not okay to be away!” Every minute counts! When students stay away from school their learning and friendships are affected. When children arrive late, they interrupt the learning of other students as well as valuable teaching time.

All children who arrive after 9am must be signed in by their parent/carer at the office area first, prior to going to the classroom. This will avoid an “unexplained absence” message from the school. We really look forward to the support of our families in ensuring our students absolutely maximise their educational possibilities by being here ON TIME, EVERY TIME. Your commitment to and interest in your child’s education is absolutely crucial to their success at school.

Sun Smart School

We are a Sun Smart school and as such children are required to wear a school approved legionnaires or a wide brimmed hat from September to April, however at OPS we ask that hats be worn all year round when participating in any outdoor activity (eg lunch times, sporting activities, excursions etc). They are also encouraged to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated during the day. On extreme hot weather days, the school will be running a Sweat Day timetable where children stay inside.

Our handyman Jerry has been busy cleaning up and fixing issues around the school. He has worked tirelessly to clear gutters and drainage around the school, and he has cleared the grounds of leaves and debris. We thank him so much for his efforts as this was a massive job.

School Council Elections

Finally, I encourage parents to consider a role on school council or sub-committees. We had a number of members who finished their tenor with the school last year and there are genuine vacancies. Information on nominations and the upcoming School Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be sent out in the coming weeks. I look forward to working with the school community throughout 2022 and I hope to see you all at our welcome picnic in March.

Kerri McLeod

Principal

Financial Support for Families

Ormond Primary School understands that some families may experience financial difficulty and offers a range of support options, including:

CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund)

Below is the application form for CSEF. Please find a detailed list of criteria used to determine a student’s eligibility for the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) on Compass or for more information see: Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (education.vic.gov.au)

CSEF_application_form.pdf

State Schools’ Relief

You will get help with school uniforms if your child is starting Foundation or year 7 and is eligible for CSEF (see above). State Schools’ Relief will provide basic uniform items or a voucher if your student meets the criteria. Help may also be available if you are facing: Health issues resulting in serious financial difficulty; house fires where school clothing is lost; natural disasters, or serious financial difficulty.

Resources: Department of Health & Education Website (DET)

For a confidential discussion about accessing these services, or if you would like to discuss alternative payment arrangements, contact Jan Cassidy (Business Manager) on 03 9578 1327 to discuss possible support options and flexible payment arrangements. Any information about your financial circumstances, payment arrangements or status is strictly confidential.

Payments & Consents for Student Activities

Now with the school year in full swing, there will be lots of excursions and incursions coming up requiring action from families on Compass.

We try to give families a minimum of 4 weeks notice of these events, however at the beginning of the school year this is not always possible. We ask that families please be prompt in consenting and paying for their child's activities at all times throughout the school year, but especially at the start of the year where there are shorter time frames before events.

Processing activities before their due dates is the only way to confirm your child's participation in them.

Payment/Consent after the due dates will not be accepted.

Many families still have remaining credit with the school following the cancelations of activities in 2020 and 2021. If you believe you may have credit please contact the office before processing activities so we can amend the costs associated and allocate these funds instead. Families applying for CSEF, are asked to please do so asap. Please see the Compass feed notification for further information.

Any questions at all regarding activities, payments or financial support please contact the office.

Whole School Photo Day

School Photo Day will take place on Thursday 24th February. Please order your photo packs and sibling photos directly with MSP Photography via the link on your Compass home page.

Please note that we cannot give specific times of when your child's class/portrait photo will be taken.

Out of School Hours Care

A warm welcome to all the new children and their families to the Out of School Hours Program.

For inquiries and during session times please contact us on the OSHC office phone 03 9578 5826. Office Hours are 7:30am-10:30am and 12:00pm-6:00pm.

Bookings

Once parents have enrolled their child/ren in the Out of School Hours Program you can book your child to attend a Before & After session by texting 0439 111 026 your booking at any time. Your text should state your child’s full name, booking date and which session see example below.

Example Booking Text for After School Care

Sam Smith

ASC Booking 2/2/22

Cancellations

If your child is absent from school or you no longer require care on a day your child/ren is booked to attend the program, please text your cancellation to 0439 111 026.

Late cancellation and 'no show' fees apply.

Example Cancellation Text for Before School Care

Sam Smith

BSC Cancellation 2/2/22

Fee Payments

We are unable to accept payments or assist with inquires between 3.25 to 4.00pm as this is our extremely busy time with the children. Payments are also welcomed at the school office at any time, however please remember to bring a copy of your account for them.

April Kopitz

Out of School Hours Coordinator

2022 'You Tell Us' Sessions

As part of each new year Ormond runs the ‘You Tell Us’ sessions. These aim at providing an opportunity for parents to connect with their child’s new teacher and to share any information they believe to be vital for their learning and wellbeing. We encourage families to share information pertaining to their child’s academic, social and emotional or engagement needs. Please note that any medical details are also shared with Brodie in the office.

This year families can choose from either a digital form only, a scheduled online meeting, or both. Participating in the ‘You Tell Us’ process is not mandatory and parents should take comfort in knowing that all teachers participated in an extensive handover process in 2021 in preparation for their new 2022 cohorts.

Should you wish to participate in the ‘You Tell Us’ process for 2022, please click the link below for your child's Year Level. If your preference is to have an online meeting with the teacher please make that selection within the form. These portals will be open for booking from the 14th of February and are to be run on the evening of the 23rd February. All digital forms will be closed at the end of the 25th February.

Whole School Cybersafety Program

Each term throughout 2022, Inform & Empower will present an engaging and interactive live show on cybersafety for all students across the school. Teachers will will then provide follow up lessons and activities within the classrooms. Parents will have access to to an overview of each session to help open important communications about online safety. These sessions have been created in line with eSafety's 'Best Practice Framework' to ensure a high quality and effective program.

Foundation News

In Foundation this week we introduced the word of the week, cat. The students were able to develop on their knowledge of sounds and pronunciation of letters whilst listening to “Pete the cat”.

PE/Sports News

Welcome back to a new sporting year! With any luck we will have an uninterrupted year so that all sporting events can go ahead.

Year 6 Interschool Sport

The Year 6 students have kicked off their Summer Interschool Sport competition with a Lightning Premiership on today. This is an all- day competition where the students will learn more about the rules and skills of the sport they have chosen to participate in for Term's 1&4. The competition continues into Term 4.

The weekly competition will begin on Friday 18th February. Students will go to their competitions at various schools and venues within the local area. The bus departs at 9.00am sharp each Friday, we ask that students arrive to school on time on these days. All teams are generally back by recess. A fixture will be sent home shortly.

The Moorabbin Sporting District adheres to good sportsmanship and fair play.

Good luck to all the teams!

Ormond Primary School District Swim Team Trials Year 3-6 Students

Ormond P.S. District Swimming Trials will be held at GESAC on Tuesday 15th February between 4.00pm and 5.00pm. The trials are open to any student from Years 3- 6. We have always fielded very competitive teams and it would be great to see a big turn- out for the trial. The will be further information for students at school and regular team meetings with Mr. Pannam.

Year 6 Class Open Water Learning Experience

This year, Year 6 will be doing a two part Open Water Learning Experience. On Monday 7th March, they will be going to Karkarook Park, Moorabbin to participate in a kayaking lesson conducted by Kayaking Victoria. On Tuesday 8th March they will be off to Sandridge Beach, Port Melbourne to participate in a Mega Beach Day with Lifesaving Victoria. Both activities will focus on open water safety, skills, first aid and to enjoy the experience. Further information is available in compass events.

Year 5 Lifesaving Victoria Open Water Learning Experience

Year 5 students will participate in Lifesaving Victoria’s Open Water Learning Experience at Hampton Beach, Hampton on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd February. The program will have students participating in lifesaving water skills, water safety skills and some basic first aid skills. Further information is available in compass events.

Mr Pannam

PE/Sport Specialist

STEAM News

Hello, from the STEAM room!

This year we are looking forward to using our STEAM room for all sorts of hands on, engaging activities which will encourage our students to continue to be curious learners. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths. Ormond students will put their problem-solving skills to the test as they plan and construct solutions to various STEAM challenges. They will also be developing interpersonal skills such as teamwork, responsibility, flexibility and patience.

Foundation students will learn about different shapes and three-dimensional concepts as they design and build their own shelter based on The Three Little Pigs story.

Year 1 students will be challenged to repurpose recyclable items to create their own most magnificent thing.

Year 2 students will investigate the effects of an oil spill on the environment through a hands-on STEAM challenge. Students will work collaboratively to devise a plan to collect the most oil out of a mixture in a specified time.

Foundation to Year 2 students will also be introduced to a Blue-Bot, a robotic toy. They will use arrow keys to program the Blue-Bot to follow a set of instructions.

Year 3 students will design and make a solar oven that can capture enough heat to cook a S’more using the Engineering Design Process.

Year 4 students will be challenged to design and make a sturdy table out of paper tubes that will be at least 20cm tall and can hold the most books.

With the winter Olympic Games being held in China, Year 5 students are currently designing and making a statue skier using only aluminium foil and sticky tape to attach the legs to two icy-pole skis. They will then test to see if their skier can ski down a ramp safely without falling over.

Year 6 students will learn about chemical reactions and apply this scientific concept into designing and building a car that is powered by a chemical reaction. Y

ear 3-6 students will be reintroduced to programming a Blue-Bot and experiment with a Sphero robot.

As mentioned in my most recent Compass message, we require various recycled materials to complete these activities, so please feel free to send them along to the STEAM room. The main item we require are newspapers so if you have any they would be greatly appreciated!

Overall, it will be a very busy term as the students reacquaint themselves with the STEAM room and all the exciting and interesting activities that they will take part in.

Mrs Markou

STEAM Specialist

KOREAN News

안녕하세요[an-nyeong-ha-se-yo], 여러분[yeo-leo-bun]!- Hello, everyone!

It is so wonderful to have all our students back in class.

This term we are going to begin our Korean lessons by celebrating the year of the tiger 호랑이[ho-lang-ee] through creative crafts.

Year 1 students will begin the term focusing on words related to numbers and phrases by learning songs, role-play and taking part in hands-on activities.

Through storybooks, Year 2 will focus on developing their reading skills and explore words that relate to themselves and family members.

Year 3 will be developing their communication skills through puppet shows and role-play as they learn how to exchange greetings and interact in classroom routines.

Year 4 will begin this term exploring Korean culture through the creation of a traditional kite and Year 5 will focus on extending their knowledge of Korean grammar as well as Korean modern history.

Year 6 will continue to extend their knowledge of Korean vocabulary by learning the names of the twelve birth animals as part of Lunar New Year. Their cultural experience will continue when they begin to design and create traditional masks.

Ms Park

Korean Specialist

Visual Arts News

Welcome back to a new school year in the Art Room!

To begin the term in Visual Arts we will be ‘setting the scene’ and creating a positive mindset. We will unpack what does art mean to us and other people? How do we respectfully and responsibly share our creative space? Teaching a Growth Mindset in the art room allows students to understand that the creative process is a journey of experimentation, making mistakes and problem solving. It helps them believe they can create art if they practise and try, understand that mistakes help them learn, and that learning takes time and determination.

As part of our learning of celebrations and other cultures, Foundation to Year six will begin their journey of creativity by completing a range of artworks on Tigers, as they celebrate and explore their understanding of the 2022 Lunar New Year.

Keep an eye out for future photos showcasing their work as they begin to explore this theme.

Art Smocks

Please make sure your child has brought a clearly named art smock to school to keep their uniform protected from paint etc.

Happy creative days!

Ms Kupfer

Visual Arts Specialist.