TERM 3 WEEK 3/4 NEWSLETTER 2025

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND REMINDERS

Congratulations to:

• Stage 1, 2 & 3 Dance Troupes: Our Stage 1, 2, and 3 dance teams confidently and proudly represented our school at last week’s eisteddfod. Their energy and big smiles were wonderful to see! Special congratulations to our Stage 1 dancers for earning a Highly Commended award – a fantastic achievement!
• OEPS Debating Team A: Excellent job securing a win over Dubbo PS on Thursday. Your hard work and dedication really paid off. Best of luck in the next round!
• OEPS Debating Team B: Congratulations on your victory against Parkes PS on Monday. Great effort from everyone! Good luck in the upcoming round!
• Inclusive Ten Pin Bowling Team: Well done on representing our school so well today. We heard there were some impressive Strikes and plenty of Spares!
• Alexis Wynne: Fantastic job reading a poem at the Victory in Europe ceremony at the Cenotaph today. You represented our school with great pride.

Sebastian Hewitt – State Representation!

Congratulations to Sebastian ‘Baz’ Hewitt for his selection in the NSW State Softball team (pictured below). This is an outstanding achievement as he is the only player from the Western area to make the team! Baz has represented Western at the State Carnival for the past three years and has now earned a place in the State team in his final primary carnival.

We know he will represent our school and the Western area with pride and skill. Well done, Baz, and good luck at Nationals!

Good luck to:

• Debating Teams A & B: Best of luck in your next round. Hopefully, you won’t face each other, but if you do, it will be a great debate!

Save the Date:

• School Choir at the Orange Eisteddfod: Thursday, 4th September. Further details will be provided soon.
• Orange Performing Arts Project (Orange Civic Theatre): Stage 3 Dance Troupe will perform at the evening show on Monday, 8th September. The School Choir will perform at the evening show on Tuesday, 9th September. More information about the shows and ticket sales will be shared shortly.
• Book Character Parade/Open Classrooms: Tuesday, 16th September (Week 9). Mark your calendars!

OFFICE VISITORS

SCHOOL NEWS

2026 KINDERGARTEN ENROLMENTS

Plans are now well underway for our incoming 2026 Kindergarten students and in particular, our school transition processes. If you intend to enrol a kindergarten student for next year, or know of someone who will be, please ensure enrolments are placed via the school office as soon as possible. Our enrolment panel convened last week, with offers going out to successful applicants.

SUMMARY OF KEY DATES

• OEPS Supported Transition Playgroup – Commences Mid-Term 3 (Thursday, 28^th August)
• Kinder Parent Information Evening – Wednesday, 3^rd September
• Kinder Transition Sessions – Commence Early Term 4 (Thursday, 23^rd October)

Please see the attachment below for more information about our 2026 Kinder enrolment process and Transition to School Program.

OPEN CLASSROOM/CHARACTER PARADE - SAVE THE DATE

SAVE THE DATE!

Our School Open Day (open classrooms) and Book Character Parade will be held in Week 9 on Tuesday, 16th September. As per previous years, students are invited to come dressed as their favourite book character. The Book Week theme this year is ‘Book an Adventure!’.  The format for the day will be Open Classrooms from 11:30am - 12:20pm, Book Character Parade at 12:25pm followed by a BBQ at 1:10pm. All parents/caregivers and wider family are welcome to attend.

CLOTHING POOL

The Clothing Pool is open every Wednesday morning from 8:40 to 9:10 AM. Afternoons are available by appointment only. A reminder that the Clothing Pool has moved to the former General Assistant/Cleaner's Shed, located next to the disabled toilet.

Due to high demand for sizes 8, 10, and 12, there is currently very limited availability of second-hand items.

We kindly remind all parents to label their child's uniform items with their name. This will help ensure that lost items are returned quickly.

The Clothing Pool also welcomes donations of clothing. Please drop off items at the office or Clothing Pool on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Thank you for your support!

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND STUDENT ABSENCES

We are committed to working with you to offer support and remove any barriers that may be preventing your child from regularly attending school.

Please remember that the NSW Education Act requires that all student absences must be explained within 7 days of the first day of them being away from school. Please contact us promptly whenever your child is absent and let us know the reason for them being away. This allows us to provide the right support and make sure your child's absences are recorded correctly. Absences can be explained via the School Bytes App or Parent Portal, email, note, phone call or in person.

Explaining Student Absences Using School Bytes

In the event your child has repeated or ongoing unexplained absences, we will continue to try to contact you about each absence to provide appropriate support for you and your family.

We know that for our students every day of school matters.

Missing a day here or there may not seem like much, but absences add up and can negatively impact your child's learning and wellbeing. When your child misses one day a week, that's 40 days of school and 8 weeks of learning in one year. Over an entire school journey this adds up to 2.5 years of lost learning.

If you have any questions or if you need support with your child’s attendance, please contact our School Attendance Monitor, Miss Croker - 6362 7464 or alison.croker@det.nsw.edu.au.

CURRENT FORMS/PERMISSION NOTES

UPCOMING EVENTS

FRIDAY ASSEMBLY

ASSEMBLY INFORMATION

In 2025 we will continue with our regular alternating Friday Assembly with parents and carers invited to attend. The assembly commences at 2pm on Friday in the School Hall. Each week the assembly will alternate between Primary (Yr 3-6) and Infants (K-2).

On Friday mornings from 8:40am, either Infants or Primary students (corresponding with the assembly weeks listed below) are invited to bring their lots of 10 Blue Merit Awards to the office for stamping. During the day, we will also process Principal Awards and Homereading Awards. These awards and the Safe Respectful Learner Awards will be presented at the assembly after lunch.

Parents will receive a notification early in the week via the School Bytes app if your child is receiving a Principal’s Award.

Photos of the award recipients will continue be included in the newsletter the following week.

Please note the roster below:

Term 3

• Week 5 – Friday, 22nd August (Infants, K-2)
• Week 6 – Friday, 29th August (Primary, Yr 3-6)
• Week 7 – Friday, 5th September (Infants, K-2)
• Week 8 – Friday, 12th September (Primary, Yr 3-6)
• Week 9 – Friday, 19th September (Infants, K-2)
• Week 10 - PBL Award Assemblies Friday, 26th September

WEEK 2 PRIMARY ASSEMBLY

WEEK 3 INFANTS ASSEMBLY

A MINUTE WITH...

HENDRIX COCK – 4/5 WALLABY

What’s your favourite thing to do at recess or lunch?

I like playing hide and seek or football. It’s a lot of fun and gets a lot of energy out.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

I got a PS5 last year for Christmas from Mum and Dad. I like playing Roblox and MBA 2025 on it.

If you could be a teacher for one day, what subject would you teach?

I would teach maths or PE. I’m good at maths and I could teach kids a lot of fun games in PE.

If you could be anyone, who would you choose?

I would pick Harry Grant. He’s a football player for Melbourne Storm. If it was game day, I could play for the Storm!

Who do you admire?

I admire my dad because he is nice, caring and he’s funny.

RILEY MCLENNAN - 5/6 CROCODILE

If you could have any superpower what would it be?

I wish I could breathe underwater so I could see all the sea life, such as sharks and octopuses. I love the ocean.

If you could invent something, what would it be?

I would invent a dinosaur park because why not? Also, I love dinosaurs. I would like to see a T-rex the most.

Who do you look up to the most and why?

I look up to my dad because he is always fixing stuff, making stuff and he teaches me lots of things.

What’s something you’re really proud of?

I got a scholarship for my viola. I was really nervous so I just smiled the whole time and got through it!

If you could live in any time period, what would it be?

I would go back to when the dinosaurs ruled the earth. I would swim with the Mosasaurus.

P&C NEWS

P&C FATHER’S DAY STALL – FRIDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER

All Gifts $5

Gifts for Dad, Pop, Uncle—or anyone you’d like to celebrate and say thank you to on Father’s Day! Some smaller items are bundled—so there may be more than one item per $5.

Order now: https://qrco.de/OEPSfathersday

Hurry—orders close on Thursday, 28 August 2025. Due to the time required to purchase gifts, no late orders can be accepted after this date.

How to Order:

1. Select the class(es) your child/children are in.
2. Select the total number of gifts you’d like to buy.
3. At checkout, include your children’s names separated by commas (e.g., Bart Simpson, Maggie Simpson, Lisa Simpson).

Please contact the school should you require assistance.

P&C MEETINGS 2025

Term 2 Meetings

• Week 8 - Tuesday, 9th September @ 6:30pm

Meetings are held between 6:30 - 7:30pm in the Staffroom with access from the Spring Street entrance (see map below). Meeting length is strictly limited to one hour or less if possible! New members are warmly welcomed. Do not hesitate to contact the school office if you would like further information.

Parents and carers can also opt to join via Zoom Meeting:

https://us05web.zoom.us/j/8018279751?pwd=fZEKBn6L7hE4yZUuhsMNHKPPJzMRTH.1&omn=81359200690

Meeting ID: 801 827 9751
Passcode: OEPS

JOINING THE P&C OR VOLUNTEERING

We love parent involvement at Orange East. You can volunteer in the classroom, working bees, help cook at BBQ's, share your professional or special interest skills, join a committee and more. Please complete this online form to register your interest and the P&C will email you details of upcoming events and P&C meetings for your calendar.

Expressions of Interest - OEPS P&C (google.com)

COMMUNITY NOTICES