Principal Report & School News
Year Level, Specialist
From the Principal...
As we head into November and begin the end of year reporting, class structure and staffing planning for 2023, I thought it was a great opportunity to reflect on some of the successes of 2022. Our experienced PLC Leaders have been working throughout the school this year analysing data and exploring a range of high impact strategies to improve student learning outcomes. We have secured a PLC leadership coach to work with the current trained staff to ensure we have a successful PLC implementation plan moving forward. Our tutoring program and extension groups continue with significant gains in student learning.
Extensive time has been devoted to professional learning through a comprehensively developed meeting schedule. Student Wellbeing has been managed by the Assistant Principal and the wellbeing PLAT with regular contacts with professional support organisations and the department. Our whole school curriculum day was a huge success with teachers and ES staff fully engaged with a Numeracy workshop highlighting ‘Top 10 Mathematics’.
The Leadership Team is currently developing the class structure profile for 2023. Should you have a genuine request for your child's class placement next year, please initially have a conversation with your child's teacher during November. Many hours are spent in trying to ensure that there is an even balance in classes each year. The classroom teacher knows your child well and will ensure that they have planned for your child to have an optimal learning opportunity in 2023. 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.
Parents can also 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.
Staffing
The school has employed an additional ES staff member – Daniel, who has begun working at the school recently. He has been a valuable addition to our ES team, working with a number of students across the school and he has already participated in one of our recent recruiting interview processes. Welcome Daniel to OPS! Other positions are currently being filled to ensure we have a full staffing profile for the commencement of 2023.
Buildings and Grounds
Firstly, a heartfelt thanks to every one of you who has participated in and contributed to our school fundraising efforts in recent times. Thanks to your enthusiasm and generosity I am delighted to advise that the school is now in a financial position to fund the replacement turf and create a wonderful new outdoor space for our children to enjoy.
Before proceeding with the turf upgrade, our school was required to undertake a rolling facilities audit by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA), which is the current method for assessing Victorian Government school buildings and grounds. The audit took place at the start of term 4, the results of which are unfortunately not a great outcome for moving forward with replacing our Astro turf in the immediate future.The VSBA assessor determined that OPS’ current issues with drainage and water damage are a direct result of our infrastructure. This is a combination of past building works, roofing, guttering concerns and inadequate run off.Last week was a classic example, with water leakage to the library area and an accumulation of ground water over our main play spaces. There have been multiple calls to emergency management to make these areas safe; but for future planning our drainage needs to be addressed. Unfortunately, this will involve excavating some areas of the current Astro turf to access the pipes and plumbing below, which means we’ll need to pause our plans to replace the turf until the drainage issues are fixed.
We are currently waiting on further advice from the VSBA as to next steps and timings and the School Council and I are doing everything we can to expediate the process. I will be sure to keep the school community informed as we learn more.While I recognise this is disappointing news, it’s a ‘pause’ not a ‘stop’ to our new Astro turf. By addressing the drainage issue first our school is going to be better off for the longer term.
Car Parking & Traffic Safety
A reminder to all parents around the school to slow down and drive carefully so we don’t have any accidents. The parking conditions vary in different locations. If you are parking anywhere around the school, please make sure you read the signage on display. Please watch for little people exiting vehicles at all times and use the crossings when needing to cross roads at all times.
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. 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 vital to their success at school.
Sun Smart Uniform
As we are a sun smart school Term 4 all children require their hats whilst outside. If your child has lost their hat, please make sure that it is either found or replaced through the Primary School Wear uniform shop. Any children without an approved school hat will be directed to a shaded area during recess and lunchtimes. Children also need to be wearing an approved school uniform to school as per the school uniform policy.
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.
Curriculum Day & Professional Planning Day (Pupil Free Days)
Monday 19th December will be a Professional Practice Day for staff, therefore it will be a Student Free Day. This will tie in with our Curriculum Day on Tuesday 20th December which is also a Student Free Day. Out of School Hours Care will be operating on both of these days for those families who still require care.
2023 Return to School Schedule
Students in Years 1 to 6 will start on Monday 30th January 2023 at 9am.
Foundation students start Thursday 2nd February 2023. Students will be given a specific start time.
On Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st January, and Wednesday’s 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd of February all Foundation students do not attend school unless they are required for an assessment. You will receive your individual date and time of assessments.
Foundation students will be dismissed at 3:30pm on all school days.
From Monday 27th February onwards all Foundation students will attend a full school week.
Sickbay Text Message Notifications
During this week we have been trialing a new Compass feature being the 'Sickbay Attendance' notification. Some parents would have received both an email and a text message if their child presented in sickbay at anytime during this week. We hope that this will be a permanent feature.
Parents are not required to do anything in reply to the text message, its merely a notification. The school will continue to phone parents directly should the issue be of a serious nature, if their child need to be collected early or if specific information regarding the issue needs to be communicated further (e.g head bumps).
Kerri McLeod
Principal
Out of School Hours
Curriculum Day
The Out of School Hours Program will be providing care on the Curriculum/Planning days, scheduled for Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th December. 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.
2023 OSHC Enrolments
The 2023 OSHC Enrolment Forms is attached below. It will also be available on Compass and directly from the program. Please complete ALL documents attached and return to April by Friday 2nd December 2022.
These forms need to be completed each year for all students attending the program. Families joining the program for the first time must include your child's immunisation record with the enrolment form.
January School Holiday Program
Bookings for the 2023 January School holiday Program will be available in the coming days. Please ensure your have completed the 2023 enrolment forms to be eligible for the holiday program.
April Kopitz
Out of School Hours Coordinator
Ph:9578 5826.
Working Bee
The new date has been set for Sunday 20th November 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 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.
Remembrance Poppies
Poppies will be available to purchase from the office. SRC Leaders will also be bringing them around to classes over the next few weeks.
Foundation News
Foundation students were met again with the Ormond Firefighters for their last stage of the Fire Ed Program. We shared our different safe meeting places with one and other and were able explore a giant fire truck. The students were lucky enough to each have a go at spraying water out of the water hoses and have a look at the different equipment that the crew uses when dealing with fires. We all had so much fun!
Year 5 News
Year 5 Crack It Incursion
On Friday the 28th of October, we participated in the Crack It Game Show incursion. The instructors introduced themselves as Miles and Jess. After getting into our groups we had to find our desk and decide on a team name and a group goal. Some groups' names were: Egg, Shrekomode and The Almighty Potato Of Fate. Some goals were to listen to each other, to cooperate and to become the chillest potatoes in the multiverse. We were told that there is a point system and points can be awarded by having good teamwork and correctly completing challenges. We had to display many of our school values to score extra points. We also had to use them to get through many of the challenges.
After recess, the scores were revealed. With the lowest score being 13 points for the Light Bulbs compared to almost 200 points. We returned to our tables and listened out for the next instructions. We received a bag of 10 letters and if we figured out what the ten letter word was, we would get 10 bonus points. By the end of the round everyone found out that the ten letter word was ‘FRIENDSHIP’.
When lunch finished, we quickly moved on to the next task. We decided who was going to be doing the engineering task, which was a hands on task, like building a marshmallow tower and the other people were going to do the thinking outside the box challenge, which involved solving riddles and rebus’.
The end of the day finally came and the final scores were revealed…in first place, THE LIGHT BULBS!!! What a comeback! Congratulations on their persistence and resilience.
By Tasha, Eva and Kira
PE/Sports News
Foundation - Year 2 Sports Day
The Foundation to Year 2 Sports Day will be held on Wednesday 9th November on the Ormond P.S. oval. Events will begin at 1:50pm and finish around 3:15pm. Students can wear house colours, but no face paint or coloured hair spray please.
Visual Arts & Steam News
The Year 5 Visual Arts & Steam Space Expo was a great success. After learning about Space artist Chesley Bonestell, students researched facts about their planet of choice which they applied to both their Visual Art and Steam learning. Students across the school thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Year 5 students exhibition of wonderful chalk pastel landscapes alongside the interactive Space themed posters, which had been created with a Makey Makey circuit and coded with voice over information using the Scratch platform.
Well done Year Five!
Helen Kupfer & Dorothy Markou
