|
The Oak Leaf |
|
Address: Willett Avenue, Oak Park VIC 3046
T:(03) 9306 9182 E: [email protected] |
Issue 18
November 19th 2020 |
Oak Park Primary School will work collaboratively to provide a stimulating, safe and challenging learning environment that promotes resilient, innovative thinkers.
|
Calendar of Events
|
|
Principal's Column
Last week I wrote about some of the teachers I had come across. So now I’m thinking about some of the parents I’ve known over the years at different schools. Like the parent years ago, who saw me with my goatee for the first time and said that she liked it. “It makes you look very extinguished,” she said. And Renzo’s dad. He was a single father with two tear-away boys. This was at a previous school. He would come in to my office and we would chat about stuff. He’d tell me it was ok for me to hit the kids when they were doing the wrong thing. And he would tell me about his tomatoes and how he loved his kids. He was doing it tough but you could see he wanted to do the right thing, though he may have been misguided with a few things. We see parents who strenuously defend their children in all situations, believing that they could no wrong. And we understand that. They love their kids and the maternal/paternal instincts are strong. Conflict can occur when teachers trying to be neutral and not taking a particular side are seen to be unfair. We know kids make mistakes – that’s their job. But its important for kids to accept responsibility for what they have done and to accept the consequences of their actions. There have been countless parents who have done so much for the different schools I have been a part of. Some of that is because they want their kid’s school to be a good school, so there are intrinsic motives there. But so many of them just felt a connection with the school and wanted it to be better for all the kids. Fantastic people – many of them at Oak Park. Let me share this, from Robert Fulghum. He suggested the following ‘rules’ for parents:
Finally. You will never really know what kind of parent you were or if you did it right or wrong. Never. And you will worry about this and them as long as you live. But when your children have children and you watch them do what they do, you will have part of an answer. Start / Finish Times
Please note that we will be reverting back to the normal starting and finishing times for all students commencing next Monday 23rd November. This means that all students will be expected at school by 8.50am and will be dismissed at 3.30pm. Parents are reminded that they must still wear face masks and practise social distancing. We will maintain the restriction on parents entering school buildings until further notice. Wellbeing
Dear Parents and Families, We are excited to announce that the School Breakfast Club program will be commencing at our school next week. Starting week beginning 23rd November, our new School Breakfast Club will run every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday morning from 8.30am to 8.50am. Our School Breakfast Club aims to ensure our students start the day with a healthy meal, to improve their concentration, to help students make friends and to build strong social connections. We will also be starting our free fruit program, providing apples and oranges for every classroom, each week and continuing to promote brain breaks. To start up and run a successful Breakfast Club, we are inviting our wellbeing leaders to assist with the running of the program. We will trial the program this term, and then reassess for 2021 how many days breakfast will be offered and what modifications to the menu need to be made. Please note, the breakfast club is not replacing the before care program. It is there to provide breakfast for children unable to have it at home. If your child will be attending the breakfast club, next week, can you please send me an email, so that we can prepare for the number of students attending. [email protected] Maria Giordano Assistant Principal 
NAIDOC Week
Last week, we celebrated NAIDOC Week (November 8th – 15th). A week where we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Students celebrated NAIDOC Week with virtual visits from local Wurundjeri woman, Kellie Hunter. Due to COVID- 19 restrictions, Kellie was unfortunately not able to perform a Welcome to Country on site, instead she performed a Welcome to Country with a Smoking Ceremony and Question Time virtually. Throughout the school, students engaged with the Welcome to Country video, exploring their understanding and wondering about culture, items, rituals and customs of significance. Many areas of the school related this to their inquiry topics and developed important cultural connections. During Sustainability, the Grade 3/4s attended a virtual workshop hosted by Parks Victoria and delivered by Ranger Ebonee, a proud Wadawurrung woman. On Friday, students across the school attended a 15-minute Question Time with Kellie Hunter where students asked questions related to their inquiry topic, the Welcome to Country and about Kellie and her culture. In light of the NAIDOC Week’s theme. Always was. Always Will be. 
Discovering Wadawurrung
As part of NAIDOC Week our Grade 3 & 4’s took part in a virtual visit from Park Ranger and proud Wadawurrung (pronounced ‘Wuh-duh-rung’) woman Ebonee Cook. Ebonee told us about the land and culture or the Indigenous people that lived in the Wadawurrung area, which extends from Geelong to Ballarat and beyond into the western area of Victoria. Most of this was centred on discoveries around the You Yangs Park. Students learnt about how the original inhabitants made rock wells, how they hunted using tools and clever strategies, the use of devices such as emu callers to attract animals for hunting and other items such as coolamons and possum skin cloaks which served a variety of purposes. I am pleased to report the students were engaged and respectful and some students spoke about their links to Aboriginal clans. It was a great learning experience that connected well with the work 3/4’s completed early in the year about Indigenous land management. If you would like to immerse yourself in what the students experienced, or your kids would like to know more, here are some links that you could use to discover more about the Wadawurrung. Connection to Country video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUTR26UJVNM&list=PLWTnHc7pcIKeIAK8coINrlaEGtM28S91S https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiTW32TEvqQ&list=PLWTnHc7pcIKeIAK8coINrlaEGtM28S91S&index=2 360 video of Big Rock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM2cRDjS44Y Timeline of Wadawurrung history in the Geelong area: https://www.djillong.net.au/images/Djillong_Timeline_Banner_-_update_FINAL_Aug18-compressed_2.pdf Wadawurrung language app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wadawurrung-language-intro/id1511858036 Grade 6 Graduation
Students and staff are invited to celebrate the Grade 6's of 2020. The Grade 6 students will celebrate their time at Oak Park Primary School during our Graduation ceremony on Thursday, December 10th, 2020. At this stage of the Covid-19 restrictions, we are currently planning for a live-streamed Virtual Graduation ceremony. Students are invited to celebrate their end of Primary School Graduation and reflect on all that they have achieved. The live-streamed ceremony will be available for parents and families to view remotely. Following the ceremony, students will enjoy a pizza dinner and refreshments and will have time to take photos and celebrate a successful end to the year. Our hope is that restrictions may ease, allowing an audience. Further details will be shared in the coming weeks, including starting time and itinerary. When: Thursday, 10 December 2020 Ceremony Time: TBC Where: The Tiger Turf & Multi-Purpose Room, Oak Park Primary School. Dress Code: Formal. Cost: $15.00 per student to be paid via Compass. We understand that there is a cost involved this year, which will cover the food and drinks for students. We have had some fundraising earlier in the year which has helped to keep this cost at a minimum. Library
Dear Parents and Guardians The end of the year is fast approaching, and it is time for me to find all the resources that have been borrowed by students and staff. ALL resources (library books, class readers etc) need to be returned to the Library by Friday 27th November. This gives me time to make sure the Library is up and running for the first week of 2021. Michelle Foundation 2021 Transition sessions
Parents have been advised via email, the group sessions their child will attend. Should there be any issues or you know of families who have not received this information, please email [email protected] With regard to the Transition sessions (split into colour groups) we ask that you enter via the school grounds, not the Administration building. Students are to be dropped off at the Library with parents leaving the school grounds immediately. We thank you for your assistance with regards to this. Please click here to view the 'Parent Information Session Questions' Please click here to view the 'Friend Preference Sheet 2021 Form' Community News
|
|
Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity for a year of FREE SPORT . We know families are doing it tough this year so St Francis Football Club and St Francis de Sales Cricket Club are offering families the opportunity to save money and get their kids back out playing team sports . Free registration closes November 30 th , fees apply after this date come and try cricket this Wednesday night at JP Fawkner ( back oval) contact club for details. Let’s get kids playing again!
|
This is a friendly reminder to please register for the Teacher Environment Network Meeting on Wednesday 2nd Dec 4-5.30pm. You can register here before Friday 27th November.
The flyer is attached below with the details about our fabulous speakers from Cool Australia, BirdLife and the Frogs census team at Melbourne Water. 
School Contacts
|
