Issue 1I 10 February 2017

Mrs Naomi Wilkins Principal

Welcome to the new College year as we embark on another year of growing and nurturing excellence, wisdom and service in our learning community. We have come a long way since our first days in 2012 and I appreciate the confidence that many families have shown in the College as we pioneer a new school in this growth area of south west Sydney. The College has seen significant growth across these years and our current enrolments are close to 480 students, Prep to Year 10. We have a staff team of 45 and are full in two year groups. This year we will seek initial registration for Years 11 and 12 with the NSW Education Standards Authority (formerly BOSTES) so that we can progress students through to the Higher School Certificate. It is an exciting time to be part of this vibrant learning community.

Our Senior School students have moved into our new Senior Studies building, although there are still a few finishing touches being made to the specialists’ rooms and library which has prevented us from full access at the moment. There are also a lot of landscaping works being undertaken which will allow us to extend our playground area and provide a link to our second carpark on South Circuit. Students have settled in well and are enjoying the new, flexible learning spaces.

In the coming weeks parents will have an opportunity to come into the College and meet with their child’s teacher/s to learn more about the programs being undertaken in each year group. Our Junior School Meet the Teacher night is on Monday 13 February and our Senior School Information and Meet the Teachers night is on Tuesday 28 February. I would encourage at least one parent from each family to come to their respective session as we seek to partner with you on your child’s learning journey this year.

What are your hopes for your child this year? Is it for them to improve in a key learning area, to have increased confidence to attempt new activities, to develop resilience and the ability to bounce back in the face of adversity or have their creativity fostered so they can dream big about their future? These are just a few of the hopes that our teachers have for your children and we look forward to promoting both character and skill development in our students through all our programs.

I look forward to meeting and chatting with parents about the many exciting developments happening at the College this year. Please feel free to catch me in the playground or email me questions you may have.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forev-er; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100

Week 3 Monday 13 February:

P&F - Information Session: 7:30 pm Tuesday 14 February:

MISA: OPAC vs BAC Thursday 16 February:

Secondary League Tag Gala Week 4 Tuesday 21 February:

MISA: OPAC vs MTC Friday 24 February:

South Met Zone Swimming Carnival

Full College Assembly with Principal’s Commissioning Service

Week 3 Monday 13 February:

Year 2 Swimming

Kindy and Year 1: Zumba

“Meet the Teachers” - Prep Red, K - 6 Parents

P&F - Information Session: 7:30 pm, Tuesday 14 February:

Multilit Parent Information Session: 9:00 am

“Meet the Teachers” - Prep Blue: 3:30pm - 4:00 pm Wednesday 15 February:

IPSSO: OPAC vs MAC Thursday 16 February:

Multilit Parent Information Session: 2:15 pm Friday 17 February:

P - 6 Assembly (4B item) Week 4 Monday 20 February:

Year 2 Swimming Lesson

Kindy and Year 1: Zumba Wednesday 22 February:

IPSSO: OPAC vs MAS (home game) Friday 24 February:

Full College Assembly with Principal’s Commissioning Service

Parent Portal What can you see and do via the Parent Portal includes:

Edit and update personal details including changes of address, phone number, email and medical information

See and acknowledge your child’s absences from College

Verify absences instead of sending a written note (only for common types of absences)

Merits and detentions should they occur

We would like to encourage all parents, on their first log in to the Parent Portal, to update any personal details – in particular EMAIL ADDRESSES as a current and correct email address is critical in ensuring that our regular communications are received by you. Some parts of the Parent Portal will not function without a current and correct email address.

Please follow instructions on the “Parent Portal Access” document. If you experience any difficulty logging into or using the Parent Portal please don’t hesitate to contact the College Office.

MultiLit Program

Oran Park Anglican College has worked with the MultiLit program for a number of years and have seen great results for our students.

MultiLit is a reading program researched and devised by Macquarie University to help low progress readers make up for lost time in literacy. It is a structured program that follows a steady routine and can be easily delivered. This program aims to get students back on track with their reading, one on one, through three weekly sessions.

Over the years we have run this program with the invaluable help of volunteers from our College community. If you think you might be interested in learning more about the opportunity to volunteer, Mrs Humphreys would love to chat with you further.

Information sessions

Tuesday 14 February - 9:00 am

Thursday 15 February - 2:15 pm

Please contact Mrs Humphreys via email to register your interest: mhumphreys@opac.nsw.edu.au

From the College Office:

Scholastic Bookclub

During the term, the College will handout Scholastic Book Club brochures to students to take home.

If you would like to purchase items, the College will receive reward points from Scholastic to spend on student resources.

In 2017, the College will only be accepting LOOP online orders. NO CASH/CHEQUE PAYMENTS TO THE OFFICE.

If you do not have a LOOP account, please go to https://mybookclubs.scholastic.com.au/ and create an account.

You will need to place your order by the due back date on the Book Club brochure handed out, for the order to be shipped to the College.

Once orders have been confirmed by the College it takes approximately 7-10 days for delivery to the College. The Office staff will then hand the order to the student to take home.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Lynch at the College Office.

Medication

If you have medication in the College Office from 2016 that is still required for your children in 2017, please fill out a new ‘Permission to Administer Form’.

If your child no longer requires the medication, please collect it from the Office as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at the College.

Enrolments Reminder:

Enrolment Applications are being accepted for students commencing at the College in 2018. Sibling applications had priority if received prior to 30 January 2017. If you still have not submitted an application for 2018, please do so ASAP as places are filling up fast. If you have any questions or queries, Please contact Sally White at the College Office. Interviews for 2018 will commence early 2017.

After College Pick– Up Bay

A reminder to parents who drive through the car park to pick up their children – please display your name card clearly on the front left hand side of your vehicle so that Mrs Grant can see who is coming in the queue (pegged to your sun visor is a perfect spot!). Please remember to drive slowly when you exit the carpark as students are still walking around the vicinity. Parents of Senior School students are reminded to enter the drive through after 3:20pm in order to free up the drive through for parents of Junior School.

A warm welcome to all our College families for the 2017 school year, with a special welcome to our new families! I hope that you were able to enjoy a restful holiday and are ready for a year full of exciting learning opportunities. It has been a calm and settled start, with a buzz in classrooms as students make the space their own. It has been lovely to see the caring interaction between students, especially with the older children keeping an eye out for Kindy, ensuring they are looked after in the playground.

As a newcomer myself, to Oran Park Anglican College this year, I can appreciate the range of emotions and expectations that a new year can bring. If you have any concerns at all I encourage you to speak to your child’s teacher early on, so that we can work together to ensure the best start possible to the year.

In the Junior School there are many familiar faces on campus and it is a pleasure to have a number of new staff joining the teaching team.

Prep Blue – Mrs Ainslie Blake

KG – Mrs Emily Presbury

1W - Mrs Caitlin Grant

1B - Mr Aaron Plunkett

3R - Mrs Kate Hills

4B - Mrs Krystine Keen

6B - Mrs Meriel Snelson

Over the last fortnight it has been wonderful to meet many students and parents. Thank you for the warm welcome I have received. I look forward to meeting many more at our Meet the Teacher night on Monday 13 February for Prep Red and K - 6 Parents.

This will be a wonderful College community event. Please come and enjoy the sausage sizzle and the opportunity to meet other families and staff.

Prep Blue’s Meet the Teacher is on Tuesday 14

February, 3.30-4:00 pm with supervision provided for students and their school-age siblings.

Mrs Katherine Kendon Deputy Principal - Head of Junior School

In the classroom with Year 1

Year 1 have settled beautifully into their new classrooms

and are making lots of new friends. We are learning about

Celebrations and have enjoyed sharing what and how we

celebrate with our class. We also got to participate in

Zumba which really got us warmed up for the year ahead.

Mrs Worthington, Mrs Grant and Mr Plunkett

In the classroom with Kindergarten

We are so pleased with the way that the children are excited to learn and experience all that school is about and are keen to participate in the variety of learning activities presented each day.

Kindergarten have been learning to follow routines and College rules. We have also spent time interacting with our friends and developing our social skills.

Here are some photos of us engaged in our classroom activities.

Mrs Ferdarico, Mrs Finlay, Mrs Zucchi and Mrs Presbury

In the classroom with Prep Blue

Prep Blue have been busy settling in to College and getting to know each other. This term we will be investigating our senses. We started this week by talking about our sense of touch and have been describing the feel of different objects in our classroom. We came up with some fantastic describing words to explain what we felt. We are also working on developing our fine motor skills and have colourfully decorated the first letter of our names and have displayed these in our classroom. We are excited to continue exploring and learning as the term continues.

Mrs Blake

In the classroom with Year 5

Year 5 have had a great start to the term. We have had some great days at our Swimming Carnival and the IPSSO trials (although it was a little warm). We have had a great time learning together and have particularly appreciated having our own Middle School space. A great year lies ahead for Year 5.

Mr Chapman and Mr Hudson

Starting at a new school can conjure up a mixture of emotions - excitement and fear, hope and trepidation, and that’s just for the staff! It is however, with great delight that I take up the position of Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School this year and it is my privilege to welcome so many new students to the Oran Park Anglican College community. We have a number of new staff joining the team in the Senior School this year: Mrs Iris Arundell - STEM Coordinator Mrs Catherine McLaren - English Mr Scott Mannow - TAS/Technology Miss Helen Turner - Maths Miss Jade De Lang - HSIE In my first few days at the College I have been impressed with the welcoming nature of the students and the positive character being displayed both in and out of the classroom. We have hit the ground running and have had to adapt quickly to new classrooms and routines as we await the completion of the Senior Studies building. The manner in which students and staff have shown patience and flexibility is a testament to the optimistic culture already present at Oran Park Anglican College. We are very blessed to be enjoying the benefits of a strong building program and as the College grows its physical footprint it is our hope and expectation that we will also develop as learners. A true learning community is one in which staff, students and parents are continually learning together developing our hearts, hands and minds. One of my favourite mottos is ‘The best always want to get better’. As education professionals we want to not only strive for excellence, but for continual reflection and improvement of both our teaching practice and student outcomes.

To that end, we are reminded that it is the students who are the focus of our work here at Oran Park. Developing positive relationships with students, where they feel they are genuinely known and cared for, that is the heart of great education. As I move from class to class and watch the interactions of staff and students and the warmth with which they collaborate I am confident that we are headed in the right direction. I look forward to meeting you all in the coming weeks and months as we partner with you in the education of your children. Mr Michael Newton Deputy Principal - Head of Senior School

Senior School Choir and Concert Band

Choir and Concert band will be starting up again in Week Three. Choir will meet on Friday Lunch in the music room in C block ready to start some great new repertoire. Concert band will also start up in Week Three on Thursday afternoons between 3:10 – 4pm. There are multiple performance opportunities this term so get involved!

Mrs Lane

http://www.newlifeanglican.org.au

Swimming Carnival

On the 1st of February we held our Years 3-9 swimming carnival. A huge thank you for the support of our College community and those who assisted in running this event. As we are now our own College we now have a direct pathway into CIS through the Christian Schools Sports Association (CSSA). Students with the two fastest times for an event will gain selection for the Zone Swimming Carnival held on the 20th of February at Prairiewood Leisure Centre, Prairie Vale Road & Moonlight Road, Prairiewood.

CSSA has an app which indicates various upcoming events. You can download the app by following the Instructions here:

http://www.cssa.net.au/

Well done to our Age Champions for 2017:

IPSSO Trials

We have recently completed our IPSSO trials and wish to thank all of our students for participating so enthusiastically. Our first game is on Wednesday 15 February away against Macarthur Anglican School. We will be playing against Macarthur again on Wednesday 22 February at home.

For Summer IPSSO home games, Girls Football will be played at Brabham Reserve and Boys Cricket will be played at Harrington Park Reserve. Basketball and Oz Tag remain at College. Girls Football has the safety requirement of shin pads and students in the Senior Boys Cricket team will need to wear a box. All other safety equipment is provided by the College.

Training is held at the College at 8am. Oz Tag and Football will be held on the oval with Basketball and Cricket on the College grounds.

Mr Anthony Chapman Junior School Sport Coordinator AGE MALE FEMALE

8 Years

- Ava Brown

9 Years

Lachlan Manton Charlise Palmer

10 Years

Cooper Brown Lara Faddy

11 Years

Aiden Ibrahim Maddison Palmer

12 Years

Dylan Bootsma Ashley Twemlow

Secondary Sport

What an exciting year for Secondary Sport at Oran Park

Anglican College. We are competing in the MISA

(Macarthur Independent Sports Association)

Competition on Tuesday during periods 5 and 6 as well

as representing the College at CSSA (Christian Schools

Sports Association) sporting events. This is an

excellent time of growth and development for Sport at

Oran Park. We look forward to partnering with parents,

students and other schools in the sporting arena.

MISA teams will be selected this week and the lists will

go up outside D-Block.

Swimming Carnival

On the second day of College, the OPAC Swimming

Carnival was held at Camden Memorial Swimming

Pool. This was a wonderful day, especially after all the

hot weather! Attendance was excellent and participation

was fantastic!

Well done to our Age Champions for 2017:

Well done to Wilberforce who is the winner of the

Secondary Swimming Carnival!

The CSSA Swimming Carnival is to be held on Friday 24

February. Please stay tuned for more information!

Mr Rebecca Clisdell Secondary School Sports Coordinator

AGE MALE FEMALE

U12 Blake Ranson (Wilberforce)

Emily Alden (Wilberforce)

U13 Evan Gardner (Wilberforce)

Kaneisha Cox (Carmichael)

U14 Hayden Kaye (Liddell)

Gabriella Russo (Liddell)

U15 Angus Geoghegan (Lewis)

Naomi Wyatt (Lewis)

U16 Cody Turner (Wilberforce)

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