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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 30
September 20th 2024 |
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
Term 3 Events:
Term 4 Events:
Principal's Column
Thanks for an amazing Term 3 and Concert!
Term 3 is often seen as a challenging time, with shorter daylight hours, cold and wet weather, and no public holidays to provide a much-needed break. Regardless of how we view it, one thing is clear: by the end of Term 3, both students and staff are usually feeling quite tired. I would like to acknowledge the commitment of our staff and students on their teaching, learning and amazing collaboration this term. Moana was an amazing achievement for our school community, another demonstration of how multi-talented and well-rounded we are as a school. As we look ahead to Term 4, which brings its own set of challenges requiring high energy levels, I encourage you to take some time to fully switch off and enjoy a break. Ensure you have a safe and restful holiday. 
Long Service Leave for Michael
I will be taking six weeks of long service leave to spend time with our second child, Idris, as my wife is returning to work after family leave. During my absence, Sally will step in as Acting Principal and Amy Devlin will take on the role of Acting Assistant Principal. I have full confidence in Sally and Amy's leadership abilities and their capacity to manage the school effectively during this time. I plan to visit most weeks to stay connected and will attend community focussed events. Kind regards, Michael Gill Principal WHAT'S HAPPENING @ OAK PARK
WHAT'S COMING UP
School Concert
That’s a wrap everyone! Thank you all so much so attending Moana JNR this week! The school concert is always a highlight on the school calendar and it’s wonderful to see teachers and parents come together to make this production possible. The school concerts are a lasting memory for students, and they will remember them well after their primary school years. Each student’s performance experience is unique, and each child worked hard to achieve their own personal goal. This might be walking on the stage with their grade, being a leader for their grade during the performance or having a main role where singing and acting is rehearsed and performed. I would like to especially thank to those who put in hours and hours of their own time to get this concert to the level Oak Park P.S is well known for, without this additional help it simply would not have been at the high standard we showcased. First, the teachers who volunteered their time to rehearse the main characters during lunchtimes every week this term, without your help those main characters would not have shown the confidence they displayed performing. Thank you for your dedication every week Rachel, Kate Ducie, Jane, Jasmyn, Stephanie, Sally, Alex, Kate Dyer, Maree, Fabia and Kate Simmonds. Thank you to the parents who helped supervise during concert nights- Tom Delaney, Simone Landau, Kylie Smith, Leah McGregor, Megan Wilson, Bek Fletcher Maaz Athar, Fatima Balbissi, Bree Baker, Kate Lamont, Stephanie Hurst, Josephine Hipwell, Ayesha Zain, Wendy Grace, Aida Benfatti, Prudence Pereira, Tabitha Pereira, Pinar Gulenc, Jen Harding , Johanna Mitten, Rochelle Rix, Selda Bordonaro, Olivia Lawrence , Julie Delaney, Hang Banh, Emel Atiya, Nabila OPray, Fazilet Engin, Paula Rudy, Taboka Finn, Amanda Judd, Bree Williams, Fatima Ali, Rebekah Fletcher, Liz Bolte, Michelle Newman, Stella Pisano , Lola Grech, Abby Wells , Damion De Soto, Simone Tsinidis, Taliah Smith, Natalie Dickson , Turgay, Alihos. Kristen Elis, Melissa Laird, Bree Baker, Marta Kawinska, Chathu Kalugalla, James Tsinidis, Liz Bolte, Natalie Reed, Bree Williams, Danielle Acosta Clark, Kirti Crute. To our Costume Team, headed by Stephanie- thank you so much. Every concert this is such a huge task and this year was no exception. Sheryl, Michelle, Ali, Columbia, Susan, Sue B and all the parents- thank you for your incredible talent and attention to detail. You transformed our vision into stunning visuals that enhanced our characters. Parent Costume Team Cassie Arnold, Morgan Oliver, Lola Grech, Antoinette Cartwright, Junior and Sarah Manase Fazilet Engin, Siwaphan Polyaem, Yvette Winn, Lauren Corcoran, Shea Burt, Steph Hurst, Susanna Morton, Ben Maxwell, Sophie Shuai Yang, Leah McGregor, Amanda Judd, Megan Wilson, Christa Zheng, Vida Lay, Josie Hipwell, Jo Pleban, Anita Banh and Eugenie Baulch. A huge shoutout to teachers and staff who helped make props, including Sally Morath, Alison German, Amy Devlin, Columbia, Cassie Arnold, Kristian and Alison Penno, Your creativity in Mortha, crafting the perfect props added so much depth to our story. A special thanks to St. Paul’s Anglican Grammar School for the beautiful Moana Boat, and to David Flint and Ali German for your work on the sail—it looked amazing! I want to thank Michael for hiring the transport and moving that Moana boat not only to the Clocktower yet after the last night driving it back to school at 10pm and putting it back, oh yes and then reloading the boat to get back to it’s hire school, thank you! Also thank you to David Flint for running the Poster competition, we have some great artists in our school and it is a highlight to see their artwork on our program and concert video. Kate Dyer, your direction of the staff video has given us a lasting memory of this journey. Thanks for your passion and commitment to this mammoth task and also your unwavering dedication to your own class dance. David Lu, always helping with all school event and the concert was no exception! Thank you so much so editing the song lists, ordering the USB’s and handing 3 back-ups, that is so crucial to me to have that piece of mind on the day! Also Sally and David Lu for designing and printing the programs and ensuring they looked amazing and editing final touches on the winning artworks and getting them printed off. Amy for being organised with sign in, sign out sheets, lanyards (with David Flint design on them- thank you!), the teacher signs, it was great to see all of those things just magically appear for concert week, thank you! To our dedicated Backstage Crew, Michael and Stephanie, your seamless coordination ensured everything ran smoothly. Lacey-Rae on the mics, thank you so much, that task is complicated and you are amazing at it! David Flint, thank you for designing the projections that enhanced every scene. There was also the invaluable “midnight club” (or in Sally’s case the 5am club!!) who stayed up in the nights heading into the concert, and giving up weekends to make sure costumes were completed and everything was sorted. Thank you Sally, Michelle, Ali and Stephanie for giving that time right at the end to make sure everything came together. Also Stephanie who was my concert assistant with everything, it couldn’t have been done without you! I’m surprised your still standing after everything you have done! Ali who could fix problems before I even knew there was a problem. Thank you for your time and dedication to this concert, it wouldn’t have hit the standard without you. Sally, Ali and Michelle for kindly taking the Moana costume off me at the last minute and creating a beautiful main character outfit. Thank you! Each of you has played a crucial role in this production, and I am so grateful for your passion and teamwork. Thank you for making this project a success and creating something the students and families will remember from their primary years. Thank you to all staff and parents who contributed to our production- it takes a whole community to come together to have a concert of such a high standard. More concert photos from all grades in our next newsletter! Thank you so much, we all deserve a big rest over the holidays!! 
Unexplained Absences
On this final few days of Term 3, I would again ask families to please check your Compass and update the many unexplained absences. It is a requirement that if your child is absent that you notify this absence via Compass. If your child has been absent without a reason, it becomes unexplained, therefore parents/guardians need to add in a reason. Thank you for your prompt attention to this 2025 Foundation Transition
We are looking forward to welcoming parents/guardians of our 2025 Foundation students to our Foundation transition sessions next term. During these sessions your child will get to meet one of our 2024 Foundation teachers, participate in some activities in the classrooms and meet some of their 2024 peers. Please see attached our timeline including the dates, times and important information for our 3 transition sessions as well as our final ‘Meet the Teacher’ session. If you already have a child at Oak Park Primary School and you will be enrolling that childs sibling for 2025, but have not yet completed an enrolment form, please email Fran to complete an enrolment form as soon as possible. [email protected] You may also collect a form from the office 
Chess Term 4
Please find attached, Term 4 Chess forms for your completion. As it will be an 11 week term, the cost is $55. Please ensure completed form and proof of payment is returned to Fran at [email protected] by Tuesday 8th October. 
P.F.A News
MEETINGS: Below are the PFA meeting dates for the reminder of the year to put in your diary! Meetings start at 7.30 pm and are held in the staffroom at the school. All are welcome to attend. Term 4 Tuesday 8 October Tuesday 12 November Tuesday 3 December (mtg/end-of-year celebration) WHOLE SCHOOL
Assembly Timetable
SENIOR SCHOOL
2025 Grade 6 Uniforms
GRADE 6 STUDENTS 2025 A representative from A PLUS UNIFORMS will be in attendance at Oak Park Primary School on MONDAY THE 14TH OCTOBER to size students for the GRADE 6 POLO TOPS and HOODED WINDCHEATERS. To enable the students to receive their garments by the start of 2025, order forms and payment must be received by FRIDAY 8th of NOVEMBER. Attached is an order form for your information. This form will be sent home with your child on the 14th of October listing items and sizes that have been tried on. NO LATE ORDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE 8TH OF NOVEMBER. 
Grade 6 to Year 7 Orientation Days
Tuesday 10th December 2024 & Wednesday 11th December 2024. Further information will be forwarded to families from the Secondary Colleges Grade 5/6 Shark Tank
SPECIALIST
Visual Arts
Hi OPPS Families, Your child(ren) will be bringing some artwork home in the first week of Term 4, that they will have planned and made a start on in art classes in Week 10 (the final week of school for Term 3). The artwork is being created for the annual PFA Kids Art Works fundraiser. Student artworks can be scanned and printed onto items such as calendars, diaries, greeting cards, mousepads and sketchbooks. Artworks need to be finished at home (if not already completed) and must be returned to David Flint (Art Teacher) in the Art Room by Friday October 18th (Week 2 Term 4). Ordering information will be distributed to students next term, and further information from the PFA will be sent out on the Compass app. Any order inquiries can be directed to the PFA at the email address below. [email protected] This is an annual fundraising initiative that has been quite successful in years gone by. A portion of the money generated by Kids Artworks orders will be reimbursed to the school, assisting with funding programs and initiatives for the 2025 school year. We highly value the continued support shown by the OPPS community for this fundraising initiative. Thank you! David Flint Visual Arts Teacher & OPPS PFA 
Community News
Oak Park Saints Basketball
Sports4All
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School Contacts
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