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The Oak Leaf |
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Address: Willett Avenue, Oak Park VIC 3046
T:(03) 9306 9182 E: [email protected] |
Issue 25
August 18th 2023 |
Oak Park Primary School will work collaboratively to provide a stimulating, safe and challenging learning environment that promotes resilient, innovative thinkers.
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Calendar of Events
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Principal's Column
CERES Schools for Wildlife Project. The CERES Schools for Wildlife Project, led by Bella (Ceres) and Steph our Science Teacher, brings nature closer to our students. This initiative fosters appreciation for native flora and fauna. Through multiple engaging sessions, a select group of Year 5/6 students discover the importance of native planting for local animals. Notably, the garden's strategic location, visible from Willett Ave, showcases students' dedication to creating a haven for wildlife. As it flourishes, the garden embodies our commitment to environmental stewardship. Upon completion, Junior school classes can enjoy the space during lunch-eating time. In the future it should seamlessly integrate into our lunchtime clubs, offering a supervised space for exploration. The CERES Project blends education and environmental consciousness, aligning with our holistic learning ethos. We thank Bella and Steph for their dedication, shaping our students' lasting love for the natural world. Stay tuned for more updates as this project unfolds its promise. 
Planned Power Outage - Wednesday 23th August
We would like to inform you that Jemena, the electrical distributor has contacted the school regarding a planned power outage. This outage is anticipated to occur from 7:30am to 4:30pm on Wednesday 23th August. Despite the power outage, the school will remain operational. However, we kindly request that students bring a jumper or jacket on that day, as the outage will impact our ability to heat the classrooms. Please also be aware that the school's phone lines will be temporarily offline during this period. In case of emergencies, we have arrangements in place to communicate via school mobile phones. We are hopeful that the outage will be resolved as swiftly as possible. On that day, both students and teachers may need to tap into their flexible mindsets and resilience to ensure a smooth learning experience. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. Kind regards, Michael Gill Principal Dogs Connect - Zoe turns 1!
This week, Zoe turned 1! She’s had an amazing week of celebrations filled with treats, presents and cakes and lovely cards and letters. Even Drawing Club learnt to draw westies! The celebrations finished up with a cake at the Junior Assembly. Happy Birthday Zoe! 
Assembly Timetable - Term 3
Book Week
2023 Book parade assembly at 9:15am - Friday 25 August Is your child unsure what to dress up as? Here’s an option- join the teachers! This year all the teachers are dressing up from the childrens classic book- 101 Dalamatians and we would love some additional puppies to join us! It’s an easy dress up (white t-shirt with black spots) and the more of us the better! Can you imagine if we actually reached 101 puppies on the day! 
The Great Book Swap
We are thrilled to see the tubs in the front office begin to be filled with your book donations for the Great Book Swap! Thank you for all the books so far. If you have any books at home you'd like to donate, drop them to the front office before August 23rd. We will then conduct our Great Book Swap during lunchtime on Wednesday the 23rd of August 2023. Students are asked to bring in some money on the day, each book will be sold for $1 each. This event supports fundraising efforts for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, a charity that provides culturally relevant reading materials to students in rural and remote communities around Australia. This will be a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with new reading materials, whilst contributing to a worthwhile fundraising event. Last year we raised $675 during The Great Book Swap! Let’s see if we can beat this fundraising target this year! Thank you in advance for supporting our efforts to promote reading in our school and contribute to the important work of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation! 
Wednesday Walks
Wednesday walkies with Zoe have been a hit! We have had a wonderful time walking Zoe around the Oak Park Community for the first half of lunch each Wednesday. Students each have a turn at walking Zoe with Maree’s supervision, allowing her to sniff trees and go to the toilet! It has been a great opportunity to get some sunshine and exercise in too! Remember to sign up at 5/6S (Maree’s room) before the Wednesday of each week if you want to join us! 
P.F.A
This year the PFA’s Father’s Day Stall is scheduled for Thursday 31st August and Friday 1st September, and we are looking for donations from the school community to augment the stock for the stall. Gifts are usually sold for between $1 and $6, so items such as key rings, socks or other small, simple handmade goodies are ideal. If you are able to make or otherwise have something to donate, please email us at [email protected] to let us know what you would like to give and to organise drop-off details. We will need to receive donations by Friday 25 August. Thank you for your support! The PFA Specialist
Physical Education The 10s and 12s in the Oak Park Juniors have both qualified for their grand finals this weekend and we are all so excited and proud!
Performing Arts
Book Parade Assembly Song
Students have enjoyed learning a song which we will sing as a whole school for our Book Week Parade assembly next Friday at 9:15am. The song is called ‘Words Make the World Go Round” by Justine Clarke and Josh Pyke. It is a particularly fitting song as all proceeds from this song go towards the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, the same foundation we are raising money for with our school ‘Great Book Swap’ which will also be held next week. Here is a link to the song if your child would like to practise singing it at home- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUhvx_f6u2Q 
Thanks you for the parents who have lent or donated Mexican Hats, it really enhanced Grade 3-6 cultural dance lesson!Next week we are travelling to India! If you have any traditional outfits at home we can look at (not wear) please send them in with your child next week on their Performing Arts day!
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Visual Arts
Our talented Grade 3/4 students have recently created Aluminium Foil Humanoid Sculptures! These sculptures showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of OPPS students, with some even including accessories such as sports equipment, clothing, trees, and animals. To add an extra touch of artistry, our students also experimented with shadows by incorporating a light source such as the sun or a lamp. It has been truly amazing to witness their imaginations come to life through these sculptures. Most of the students managed to complete their foil sculptures, which was a testament to their determination and perseverance during this series of Art Lessons. It was truly gratifying to see their hard work pay off, and they should be very proud of their achievements for this series art of lessons. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the accomplishments of the Grade 3/4 students. Below is just a small sample of the foil sculptures made. 
Science
This week in the Science room the Grade 3/4s and 5/6s have been making discoveries about animal adaptations. We spent some time discussing the phenomenal ways that animals and plants have special adaptations to allow them to thrive in their natural environment. We learned about the three types of adaptations – physical, behavioural and physiological. Students were keen to share their stories and understandings about animals and plant adaptations and it was fantastic to see so many students participating in group discussions. Students were asked to create animal fact files highlighting some interesting and important adaptations of specific animals. Below are some exemplars of sensational student work. We also learnt about some very strange ways that some animals have adapted to protect themselves from potential predators – including storing toxins, breaking their own bones and playing dead. Great work senior scientists! 
School Contacts
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