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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 05
March 3rd 2022 |
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
COVID-Safe Update Over the last week we have had four positive cases across three different classrooms (1/2, Year 3/4 and Year 6). Thanks to parents for the continued use of RATs – they are a useful tool to help keep positive cases outside of schools. QR-Code check-ins are no longer required within schools. In Primary schools, masks are still required indoors, and following the current written advice parents, carers and other adult visitors who enter school buildings must be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception. If a staff member asks for you to demonstrate your vaccination status, please be obliging - all these steps are taken with the aim of keeping students, staff and community members safe. Our playground plan remains in place to keep cohorts separate within the playground, as per recommendations from the current DET COVID Safe Operations Guide. For the remainder of the term, Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 students will swap areas in the playground to provide further variety of play spaces. School Council Elections – Welcome new members of School Council. We are delighted to report that our School Council membership for 2022 has now been confirmed. Sincere thanks to the many parents that I have chatted to over the last few weeks leading into the School Council ballot and to all the candidates for participating in this process. We appreciate every parent that submitted their ballot to decide the three new members of School Council, the successful candidates were: Kirti Crute, Dan Williams and Lola Grech. We really do value the input from our parent community as we frame up the key directions and policies for our wonderful school through School Council’s governance. Please feel welcome to liaise with any of the following Councillors who are your representatives on the Oak Park School Council. Parent Councillors: Jo Pleban, Kane Miller, Marta Kawinska, Joanne Roolker, Andrew Ward, Frank Doyle, Kirti Crute, Dan Williams and Lola Grech. Education Staff: Michael Gill, Sally Morath, Melanie Ojczyk and Lauren Heard Community Member: Eugenie Baulch – Parents and Friends Association Power Outage - 8:30am – 4:30pm on Monday 7th March This upcoming Monday 7th March the school will unfortunately be without power due to integral overhead line works completed by Jemena. At this stage the weather is looking supportive with a forecast of 24 degrees. This will be a challenge as the school’s internet and phone lines will be unavailable during this period – please be understanding that this outage is beyond our control and thankfully short-lived. Sustainability – Chicken Carers – Thanks 3/4H! Our school continues to maintain our student agency supporting strong sustainability practices across the school. One element of sustainability are our school chickens. The chickens help by consuming some green waste and providing manure that is periodically used to fertilize plants around the school. Currently our chickens are cared for by Year 3/4H, the student leaders are responsible for letting the chickens in and out each day, ensuring their food and water is replenished and coop cleaned once a week. Thanks for the ongoing support to the students in 3/4H. 
Kind regards,
Michael Gill Principal Student Absences
If your child is going to be absent from school for the day or is self-isolating, please note you can notify the school by using the Compass app. If you need any assistance using the app or understanding the absence categories, please check with the office, we’d be happy to support with understanding this process. If you will be dropping your child at school late or picking up early due to an appointment, you do not need to pre-advise via Compass. You just need to sign them in/out on arrival or departure on the actual day. By all means, you may email your childs teacher to give them notification your child will be attending an appointment and will be late to school or leaving early. School Assembly
During Term One we will continue to separate cohorts by having Junior and Senior assemblies. Parents are welcome to attend, please practise social distancing while attending assembly. 
Breakfast Club
We ask that parents/guardians please advise the school if your child will be attending the Breakfast Club, as this will assist us with catering. You may email [email protected] Congratulations
Diya(5HS) and Anya(1/2F) cut off their hair for a good cause! “2 weeks ago, I cut off 28cm of my hair and donated it to Cancer Council to make wigs for children who don’t have any hair. I did it because last year my friend Aanya did it, and a week before I did, my sister cut hers. At first, I was hesitant about it, but I was excited. After I cut it off, I felt very pleased because my hair is easier to maintain now. Overall, I feel happy and proud of myself because I’m going to help someone else and I would be happy to do it again!” Diya Grade 5 
2022 Concert
The Oak Park Primary School Concert will be held over 2 nights, Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th September 2022. All students are required to attend both nights. Further information will be forthcoming closer to time. 
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5/6 Leaders - Dream and Lead Conference
On Monday the 28th of February, the grade 5/6 student leaders went on an excursion into the city, to the Youth Leadership Academy Australia conference. We learnt a lot about different people, and the types of challenges they faced to get where they are today.
One of the main things we learned about was not letting our age stop us from achieving big dreams right now.
Morgan Hipworth started to supply desserts to cafes at the age of 13 and Wil Massara built a website about planes at the age of 11. Wil Massara talked about how he was a nerd, and started a website at age 11 about planes, and that he chose to be himself and not to fit in at high school. Now he is the founder of the Youth Leadership Academy Australia. Heather and Tari were the main speakers, and they gave us a few tips on public speaking such as keeping your back straight, and shoulders back. You also need to look like you are confident, because people won’t listen to you if you look shy and nervous. A few inspiring quotes were... “Leave people happier then when you found them” - Nazzia “If not you then who? And if not now then when?” - Wil Massara “If you find what you love, you won’t have to work a single day in your life” - Morgan Hipworth “If you have a set plan, then there's no room for opening new doors” - Morgan Hipworth “If you don't work for it, it wont work for you” - Morgan Hipworth “Make people feel good for the thought, not for the outcome of a reward” - Nazzia “Dreams don’t have a dress code” - Wil Massara “If you hate yourself and try to be someone else, then you will just hate yourself more” - Nazzia “The purpose of life, is to live a life of purpose” - Nazzia
Our Grade 5/6 Captains getting interviewed on the day
Grade 5 News
Who said that learning decimal numbers was tough? 5M have blown me away this week with their hard work and amazing results. They have demonstrated that they can use their Powers of Ten Place Value understanding to read and represent decimal numbers containing tenths, hundredths and thousandths. They’ve used Decimats for the first time to make the connection between fractions and decimal numbers look easy. They even humoured me when I said their work reminded me of fairy bread. Hundredths and thousandths…. Get it?! I had to explain the joke to them too…
Grade 3/4 News
In Grade 3/4 we are exploring our identity as readers – finding out why, how, where and what we like to read. We read for pleasure, to discover new information and vocabulary, and develop our comprehension skills. This week, we have been reflecting on our reading history and the way our relationship with reading has changed. Here are some great examples from Kyle, Scarlett, Billie & Mulan. We can wait to see what the future holds for us as readers! 
Year 6-7 Transition
Year 6 - Year 7 application/placement information packs will be available to parents from Term 2. 2022 to 2023 placement information pack for parents/carers with Year 6 students at government schools will be sent home to parents from the primary school. They are not available via the Secondary Colleges. The information pack will include an Application and information regarding the process. There is a timeline which will be included in our newsletter as well as any open days and information received from the Secondary Colleges. Most secondary Colleges are strictly zoned, parents/guardians will need to be aware of which schools this refers to, and that you will need to reside within the zone to attend those schools. Those families applying to Private or catholic Schools will still need to complete the form as there is a section if your child has been confirmed at one of these schools 
Community News
MISSING CAT One of our neighbours is asking if the Community can please keep their eyes out for his lovely cat Mozz. He’s been gone since the 19th Feb and he is missed very much by his family 
School Contacts
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