Principal Report, Whole School & OSHC
From the Principal...
Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a fun and restful break and are ready for a busy finish to the year. The term has commenced well and all students are really settling in smoothly. We welcome our new families to the Ormond Community and hope they can attend some of our end of year celebrations and get to know our other wonderful families.
There are many fun activities planned, I will be joining Year 4 students next week when they attend their first school camp to Lady Northcote. I am thoroughly looking forward to spending time with them. There are also many science activities and the junior students are very excited about their upcoming sports carnival and swimming program. Term 4 also means lots of hard work from staff and students as they prepare for end of year reports, class preparation for 2023, Year 6 graduation and more.
2023 Class Placements
Should you have a genuine request for your child's class placement next year, please provide a written statement to the principal. Requests must have an educational basis with a reference to your child’s academic, social and emotional needs. Written requests (email here) must be received by Friday November 25th to be considered. This is the very final day we can consider placement options for your child/children.
Our teachers are well tuned into friendships, productive learning partnerships, and student combinations that work well. So please trust them to make informed decisions, in relation to 2023 classes. Requests for teaching staff cannot be accommodated, as our teachers are trained to work anywhere from Foundation to Year 6. At the end of each year, the school may decide to create different teaching teams to ensure newer staff are well supported and mentored.
Families/Students not returning to OPS in 2023 (Foundation to Year 5)
If you know that your child/children will not be continuing at Ormond Primary School in 2023, please email ormond.ps@education.vic.gov.au as soon as possible.
Please include your child's final day at OPS, the name of the new school they will be attending and a forwarding address if applicable.
If your child is currently in Year 6 - this does not apply to you.
Sunsmart School
A reminder that 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. Students without hats will be asked to remain in the shade or potentially indoors. At OPS however, 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 apply sunscreen before school and 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. Hats can be purchased from the uniform shop (PSW) Primary School Wear on North Rd, Ormond.
Kerri McLeod
Principal
Out of School Hours
Curriculum Day
The Out of School Hours Program will be providing care on the Curriculum day, scheduled for Monday 31st October. For bookings please see the program booking sheet on the parent table, outside the hall, during session times or text your booking to the program mobile 0439111026.
Appreciation Note
Thankyou to the Tyndall family for their donation of costumes and games and blocks, and also to the Spencer family for their donation of coloured clay.
Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thankyou
Photos from the Spring School Holiday Program.
April Kopitz
Out of School Hours Coordinator
Ph:9578 5826.
New OPS Social Media platforms - COMING SOON!
We have had many busy bees (parents) working behind the scene to prepare new OPS Social Media Platforms.
The OPS Instagram and Facebook pages will help bring to life our great school community and convey our strong school values. Posts will largely convey highlights from our fortnightly school newsletter, including student achievements and any school activities including sport, music, drama, art, STEAM and year level excursions and incursions. They will also profile our teaching staff, school facilities and P&F activities.
Strict social media guidelines will be followed to ensure post appropriateness and child safety. Should parents/carers have any concerns regarding a post and/or wish to remove or edit it, the office can be contacted. Our OPS ‘Social Media Policy’ has been updated to reflect this and been approved by the School Council.
Social media photography consent
As with all our school communications, parents/carers can OPT OUT of their child appearing. If you would like to OPT OUT of your child/children appearing in the new OPS Facebook and Instagram pages please complete the attached Photographing, Filming and Recording students Collection Notice and return it to the school office ormond.ps@education.vic.gov.au - by Wednesday 5th October 2022.
“OPS Community Kindness” and year level Facebook groups
Our new social media pages are part of our evolving school community engagement strategy and build on our refreshed website and student-led virtual school tour that we launched earlier this year. Once launched, we will retire the “OPS Community Kindness” Facebook page; but private Facebook groups for each year level will remain. If you are not currently a member of your year level Facebook page and would like to join please contact your P&F year level representative or email p.and.f.ormond@gmail.com.
WORKING BEE! Sunday 23rd October
Term 4's Working Bee will be held on Sunday 23rd October 9:30am to 12:00noon.
Please come along for all or some of the morning if you can. It will be great to see people together on site. We also welcome new families joining us in 2023 to come along and get to know their new school community. If you know your neighbours or kinder friends are starting at OPS next year, please extend our invitation to them.
Please bring any garden tools that will assist on the day.
Cyber Safety Term 4
The final Cyber Safety incursion for all students is coming up in two weeks on Monday 17th October for Year 3-6 and Tuesday for Foundation to Year 2.
Topics for Foundation to Year 2 students include cyber bullying and how to navigate their way through unsafe content and interactions.
Year 3 & 4 students will explore critical thinking, sharing personal information and how to navigate unsafe interactions.
Year 5 & 6 students will also explore critical thinking, how to evaluate websites and ‘fake news’ and also how to navigate their way through potentially unsafe interactions.
Keep an eye out for the ‘Parent & Carer Tip Sheet’ that we be coming home with your child during that week.
Parent Webinar
The final webinar for parents in our 'Healthy Families' series TACKLING TRICKY CONVERSATIONS will be hosted on November 17th.
This webinar will focus on understanding barriers to healthy communication, working out “what” needs to be said and “when” and ideas to help you have conversations with kids who just won’t talk.
Pop the following date and time into your calendars and be sure to register prior to the event to access the replay if you are unable to attend the live session.
Presenter: Carley McGauran
Date: Thursday 17 November
Time: 7.30pm (60 min)
Here is the link for you to register for the webinar:
Once registered you will be emailed a link to the webinar, a reminder on the day of the event and a link on the following day to access the replay.
Student Scholarships
The Department of Education and Training administers a number of scholarships that are available to eligible students who are currently enrolled in Grade 4 to Year 12 in 2022.
Applicants for these scholarships will be evaluated on their:
- participation in school activities
- community involvement
- academic record for the current year.
Scholarships are either one-off payments or cover the duration of the student’s course or annual study.
Many of these scholarships have specific eligibility criteria so please refer to individual applications for more information. Applications are open and close on Wednesday 1 February 2023.
For more information and a list of available scholarships, see the 2022 Student scholarships for Grade 4 – Year 12 fact sheet.
For information on how to apply, refer to Student scholarships.
Library News
As the school holidays are now over, could parents please remind students to return borrowed books.
During December, the library will be closing for the yearly stocktaking. Students will still come into the library to enjoy some reading time but will be unable to borrow books in that time.
Education Support News
This term the Education Support staff will be busy as ever.
We will be heading to Lady Northcote camp with the Year 4, attending swimming with Year 2, Year 3 incursion, assisting with 2023 Foundation Transition and on top of all that, still get to class and help our students be everything they want to be in the future. Who knows we may have some budding politicians in there somewhere!
A big thank you to the ladies – Lorrie (Ms Dell), Jan Cassidy, Sue Rimmer, Brodie Thomson, Michelle DeSilva, Amanda Davis & Belinda Van Kessel.
Well done Ladies you are all such an amazing group that work behind the scenes everyday.
Anaphylaxis, Allergy & Asthma Plans and Medications
Letters were sent home to parents late last term, and more will be sent in the coming days for those who are required to update their child's plans and/medications.
Please have these completed by your GP and returned to the office as soon as possible to ensure the school has the most updated medical information for your child's safety.
Below are copies of the specific plans we are required to have completed if you require a new copy. Please return the original coloured version to the office. If you require a new one printed please contact Brodie in the office.
Thunderstorm Asthma — be prepared this pollen season
Grass pollen season, which runs from October to December each year, brings an increase in asthma and hay fever symptoms. It also increases the risk of thunderstorm asthma. For people with asthma or hay fever, especially those who experience wheezing or coughing with their hay fever, thunderstorm asthma can be sudden, serious and even life threatening.
OPS will implement a range of measures to keep our school community safe when the risk of thunderstorm asthma increases.
Many of our staff are trained in asthma first aid, and we will monitor the VicEmergency app to receive thunderstorm warnings, and, where appropriate, keep students indoors when weather forecasts identify greater level of risk.
How you can prepare
During pollen season, there are some things you can do to prepare and protect yourself and your family:
- If your child has ever had asthma: talk to your doctor about what you can do to help protect your child from the risk of thunderstorm asthma, including updating your asthma action plan. Taking an asthma preventer properly and regularly is key to preventing asthma, including thunderstorm asthma.
- If your child has hay fever: see your pharmacist or doctor for a hay fever treatment plan and check if you should have an asthma reliever puffer. These are available from a pharmacy without a prescription.
- If your child has hay fever and experiences wheezing and coughing: it is important to make sure they don’t also have asthma. Speak to your doctor about an asthma action plan.
- Where possible, avoid being outside during thunderstorms from October to December, especially during the wind gusts that come before the storm. Go inside and close your doors and windows. If you have your air conditioning on, turn it to ‘recirculate’.
Protect yourself this pollen season – managing asthma and allergies matters.
Remain vigilant for COVID-19
It is important for students to manage any hay fever or asthma symptoms, as these conditions can produce symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and loss or change to sense of smell or taste, which are similar to COVID-19 symptoms.
If your child experiences these symptoms in different or worse ways to their usual hay fever or asthma symptoms, medical advice should be sought.
Find out more
For more information, visit your general practitioner (GP) or visit the Better Health Channel.
Covid-19 Updates
COVIDSafe measures have changed but important practices will continue to be in place across all Victorian government schools to ensure every possible effort is made to ensure staff and students are safe and that schools remain open.
Rapid antigen testing
The Victorian Government is providing further deliveries of rapid antigen tests in Term 3 and again in Term 4 to schools.
It is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff when symptomatic. Household contacts are required to test negative using a rapid antigen test on at least 5 out of 7 days if they are attending or working at a school onsite.
Positive Cases - still must be reported to the school
If staff or students receive a positive test result at any time, they must report this through the Department of Health portal or via the coronavirus hotline at 1800 675 398.
Any student or staff member who tests positive to COVID-19 must now isolate for a minimum of 5 instead of 7 days. If they are asymptomatic, they may return to school on day 6. If they are symptomatic, they must remain in isolation until day 7. If they have symptoms after 7 days, they are strongly advised to stay home until their symptoms have resolved.
Household contacts attending school who are over 8 years of age are required to wear face masks indoors unless they have a valid exception, however the school requests that students in all year levels wear a mask in this situation.
As an additional risk mitigation, the Department of Health strongly recommends that you wear a face mask away from home indoors and outdoors when you cannot physically distance. If you are leaving isolation on day 6, wear a mask for 5 days but particularly the first 2 days. If you are leaving isolation on day 7, wear a mask for 4 days but particularly first 2 days.
Current advice from the Victorian government is available at Face masks.
It is recommended by the Department of Health that face masks are worn in indoor settings or outside where physical distancing is not possible.
Consider taking rapid antigen tests before attending a workplace, including schools, sensitive settings or visiting people at higher risk of severe illness. If you are positive, stay home.
Parents must also still report a positive result for their child to the school by written notification; this is so the school can record that they will be absent while in isolation, provide support and learning materials as needed, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite and that they should monitor for symptoms.
If a staff member or student has recovered from COVID-19, they are not required to get tested or isolate/quarantine if re-exposed to a case within 4 weeks of ending their isolation period.
Students who report a positive result must isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved.
Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school. Household and household-like contacts are no longer required to quarantine as long as they take additional safety measures in the 7 days that would have been their quarantine period (see Table 1). If household contacts do not undertake the safety measures they are required to isolate and test on Day 1 and Day 6 of isolation. Household contacts are required to inform the school that they are attending during the 7 day period.
Parents/carers are able to leave isolation if other arrangements cannot be made to transport their non-infectious child via private vehicle to and/or from school. The person leaving self-isolation must travel directly to and from the location, making no stops, unless there is an emergency or as required by law. They must remain in the vehicle at all times, unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to deliver the person to and from school, and must wear a face covering whilst outside the place of self-isolation.