The Life

Volume 3, Issue 12 Friday, 29 August 2014

Peter Brock Drive, Oran Park NSW 2570 PO Box 1293, Narellan NSW 2567 Telephone: 02 4604 0000

Website: www.opac.nsw.edu.au Email: admin@opac.nsw.edu.au Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8.00 am - 4.00 pm

From the Head of Campus What an exciting week we have had sharing with family, friends and the community the wonderful things the students have been learning at the College this year. Our Year 7 on Show was an evening event that combined displays of students work, both static and interactive, as well as performances of Music and Drama. The students are to be congratulated for the way they worked together to make the event such a success. Particular mention should be made of the range of hors d'oeuvres they prepared and served – there were definitely no leftovers! In addition, our Year 7s were supported by Year 12 students from Thomas Hassall Anglican College who showed us what we have to look forward to when our students pursue music to a higher level. P-6 students also enjoyed having parents visit their classrooms and take part in morning lessons. Often parents don’t get the full story of what their children are up to at school. This was an opportunity for parents to step right in and see for themselves samples of their children’s work and a learning session in action. Our biggest event of the week was Grandparent’s Day and the Book Week Parade Assembly. The sun was shining which allowed us to enjoy an outdoor assembly and family picnic. I spoke to the grandparents about the differences in their schooling to 21st century schooling. It is not just the introduction of new technology that makes our classrooms different, it is the focus we have on how and what we want students to learn. 21st century classrooms focus on what students know, can do and are like, even after all the details or content are forgotten. Our College wants to see students active in their learning, collaborating with their classmates and able to connect what they are learning to real life contexts. Not only do we want our students to have the skills to seek out meaningful employment or higher education, we want to see our students develop a conscience about caring for other people in their family, community and the world and be equipped to contribute and make a difference in our world. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:4-5 Mrs Naomi Wilkins Head of Campus

Prayer Points Praise for Enrolment applications being received. The progress on the new building. A fantastic Year 7 On Show. Families touring the College. A wonderful Open Day. The fun had at Grandparent’s Day. Prayer for The building of new classrooms. Enrolments for 2015 and beyond.

The Official Newsletter for Thomas Hassall Anglican College Oran Park Anglican College Campus

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Year 1 Excursion Year 1 have been learning about sustainability in HSIE and Science this term. As part of this unit we went on an excursion to the Mount Annan Botanic Gardens. We participated in a recycling workshop where we learnt about how to know which rubbish goes in each bin and how we can decid whether to recycle plastics or not. We also got to hold worms and use microscopes to look at them closely. We were amazed to see how worms help to look after our soil. Before our workshop finished we got to plant our own pea seedling to take home to put in our own gardens. We had a great day!

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Year 7 On Show On Thursday, 21 August we held our inaugural Year 7 display night. The event provided a unique opportunity for Year 7 students to showcase some of their classwork to families, friends and the wider community. Students were given the brief in Food Technology of ‘planning a menu with various hor d’oeuvers for 100 guests’. The students then investigated, researched and finely tuned their recipes before they commenced catering for the big event. They did an amazing job and we were very impressed and appreciative to all Year 7 and staff for their hard work. We would also like to thanks Mrs Clisdell for her organisation of the music performances, Mrs Monteleone for the English performance, Mrs Lowe for the art display, Mr Ford, Mr Clisdell and the entertainment students for the sound and lighting and Mrs Stelzer for her assistance with the Food preparation. A big thank you to all of the families and the wider community who attended and supported the event.

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Art Competition Winners

Prep - First Place

Frank Tacca

Kindergarten - First Place

Isabelle Cook

Kindergarten - Second Place

Ellie Holmes

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Art Competition Winners

Year 1 - First Place

Cooper Brown

Year 1 - Second Place

Isabella Saliba

Year 2 - First Place

Ryan Vetrano

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Art Competition Winners

Year 3/4 - First Place

Alicia Pavone

Year 3/4 - Second Place

Toby Tax

Year 5/6 - First Place

Leah Veld

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Art Competition Winners

Year 5/6 - Second Place

Jonathon Marcusson

Year 7 - First Place

Munisha Pillay

Year 7 - Second Place

Gemma Pope

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Prep - Year 6 Open Classrooms On Friday, 22 August, parents enjoyed stepping back into the classroom as they joined in on a morning of activities with their children in class. Parents were able to experience first hand, a range of classroom routines and left thinking 'It wasn't like that when we went to school! It's much more fun these days!'. Students really enjoyed the morning as well as it gave them the opportunity to show their mums and dads what they had been learning this year. We look forward to many more of these days in the years ahead.

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Cocurricular The College Cocurricular program continues to develop. More and more students are taking advantage of the music tuition available. Over the past weeks we have met our drum and brass peripatetic tutors. The College also provides keyboard, vocal and guitar tutoring. The Senior School band had it’s very first gathering with eight of our Year 7 students attending! The College is looking for a string tutor to add to our peripatetic list. If you know of any string or woodwind tutor, or are interested in learning an instrument, please contact the Office.

Book Week: Author Visit On Thursday, 21 August local author Jo Oliver visited the College and gave three wonderful workshops to our Junior School classes. The children were engaged and enjoyed the presentations and seeing how Jo's books were made. They had many questions and were fascinated with the pro-cess of writing and illustrating books. They were astounded that authors earn so little money for each published book. Copies of Jo's books were left with each stage to go into our classroom libraries. A very big THANK YOU to Jo for giving her time to come and share with us.

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Grandparent’s Day and Book Fair On Monday, 23 August the College held its third Annual Bookfair and Grandparents Day. This year saw the greatest number of grandparents that have visited the College. Grandparents took the opportunity to visit classrooms, enjoy a delightful morning tea provided by the students and watch the Book Parade which was awash with character and colour. Grandparents were also treated to wonderful performances presented by all the students. There was singing, dancing and drama. It was a special opportunity for students to be able to give a little something back to the fabulous grandparents who play such an important part in their lives. Thank you to all those who attended and made this day so special. Also, a special thank you to all the parents who helped sell books at the Book Fair and helped by serving in the canteen.

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In the Classroom with Mr Chapman and 3/4Red

As part of Science Week last week, the students in 3-4 Red had a challenge. In groups, they had to make a bridge that could sustain the weight of a Matchbox car with nothing other than straws and masking tape. They were given a budget (a set of straws) and a time frame (40 minutes). There was limited teacher support. The students had to problem solve their way through the making of a bridge. The bridges were then tested to see if they cold hold the weight, which all bridges could. Some boys from Kindergarten then came in to judge whether or not they would play with them and which one they liked best. The designs shown were very impressive and the students’ ability to solve problems and create creative designs with limited materials was commendable. Well done to all.

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In the Classroom with Mrs Humphreys Thank you again to the volunteers that make these programs run. For more details see http://www.multilit.com. This term we have seen students make great gains in Learning Support. Students have been working towards acquiring new skills that support their learning across all curriculum areas. We have seen a number of students complete components of the MULTILIT program. Students have experienced a boost in confidence as they reach these important milestones. This program aims at assisting students in Year Two and beyond, in the acquisition of important skills that are required for successful reading. Students are developing the ability to recognise commonly found sight words, decode unknown text and improve fluency in their reading. An exciting new development in Learning Support has been the decision to implement the MINILIT program which supports readers in Year One. This broadens our ability to better cater for students who have not yet become confident readers. Stay tuned as the training and resources are put into place for this new program. Thank you again to the volunteers that make these programs run. For more details see http://www.multilit.com.

Walkathon: Prep - Year 7 Students Oran Park Anglican College will be holding a Walkathon for Kindergarten to Year 7 students to raise money for much needed co-curricular resources. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to give back to the College and to feel a sense of pride in contributing to our College’s growth. Students are asked to seek sponsorship from family, friends and neighbours. Date Monday, 15 September 2014 Time 11.00 am - 1.00 pm Venue Wayne Gardner Reserve

Prep/Kindergarten students will complete a course in the middle of the oval. Years 1-6 students will be walking along the concreted path around the reserve. Year 7 will walk several kilometres around Oran Park Town.

Keep an eye out for the email with the sponsor sheet and raise as much money as you can for our College.

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What’s happening in Sport

Sport: Year 3 - Year 6 IPSSO Finals On Wednesday 3rd September the IPSSO finals will be held at Macarthur Anglican College. Four of our students have qualified for the finals. Alexander Giakoumelos and Emily Alden in the Junior Aussie Rules team and Dylan Bootsma and Josiah Beggs in the Junior Football (Soccer) team. We wish them every success!

NASSA Athletics Carnival - Junior On Thursday 21 August, Matthew Russo, Gabriella Russo, Mae Alden, Mary O’Connor, Cerise Bootsma, Alex Giakoumelos, Jaiden Pope, Hayley Rodgers, Alicia Pavone and James Rogan ventured out to represent the College as well as Thomas Hassall in the NASSA Junior Athletics Carnival. All the competitors did a fantastic job and assisted Thomas Hassall to achieve their best ever result of third place. Some standout performances included: Alexander Giakoumelos 3rd 10yrs 100m; 6th 8-10yrs 200m; 2nd 8-10yrs 4x100m Relay; 3rd 8-10yrs Discus; 2nd 8-10yrs High Jump Matthew Russo 2nd 8-10yrs Long Jump Hayley Rodgers 5th 9yrs 100m Gabriella Russo =6th 11yrs High Jump A special congratulations to Alexander Giakoumelos and Matthew Russo for qualifying to represent NASSA at the CIS Carnival on Wednesday, 10 September. All the best boys!

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Live Life Well @ School Getting out and active has been hard to do over the last few weeks, but staying active doesn’t always mean going outside. It is important for you and your child to remind your brain that it has a body attached to it too! Why not try some of the activities below instead of playing on devices or resorting to television. It may even help prevent ‘cabin fever’ during those long wet weeks. Screen-free things to do Limit your child’s screen time to no more than one to two hours a day. This includes television, electronic games and computer games. Offer alternatives to watching TV, until new, healthy habits are created. Some alternatives are:

listen to music go to the park draw a picture play cards ride a bike read a book make a scrap book hula hoop jump rope play with your pet do a crossword learn a magic trick learn to juggle plant some seedlings play hopscotch learn to knit or crochet play a board game create sidewalk art with chalk build a cubby house.

Vegie Ideas! Thank you to all those parents who have already offered to help with the Vegie Patch. On Friday, 5 September, I am asking anyone who is interested and has a green thumb (or want to know how to get one) to meet with me straight after school in Kindergarten Reds’ room to discuss the beginnings of a Vegie Club. Come with a vision and some enthusiasm! If you are interested and unable to make it on the day please let me know before hand via email kedwards@opac.nsw.edu.au

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Sushi for Kids Makes 24 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups SunRice Japanese Style Sushi Rice (see note) 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1 tablespoon caster sugar 4 nori sheets 2 tablespoons whole-egg mayonnaise 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks 1 medium avocado, thinly sliced 1 medium carrot, grated Salt-reduced soy sauce, to serve Method Step 1 Rinse and drain rice 3 times or until water runs clear. Place in a sieve over a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes to drain. Step 2 Place rice and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or until water has absorbed. Remove from heat. Stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Step 3 Meanwhile, place vinegar and sugar in a microwave-safe jug. Microwave on high (100%) for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve sugar. Transfer rice to a large ceramic dish. Using a spatula, stir to break up lumps. Slowly add vinegar mixture, lifting and turning rice, until rice has cooled. Step 4 Place 1 nori sheet, shiny-side down, on a sushi mat. Using damp fingers, spread 3/4 cup rice over nori, leaving a 2cm strip at 1 short end. Spread 2 teaspoons mayonnaise over centre of rice. Arrange one-quarter cucumber, avocado and carrot over mayonnaise. Using the sushi mat, roll up firmly to form a roll. Cut into 6 slices. Repeat with remaining nori sheets, rice, mayonnaise, cucumber, avocado and carrot to make 24 pieces. Serve with soy sauce.

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2014 Dates For Your Diary Term 3 Y5-7 Cybersafety Seminar Tuesday, 2 September Father’s Day Stall Wednesday, 3 September AASS - Cricket @ Raby Sports Complex Art Excursion Thursday, 4 September P&F Meeting Father’s Day Breakfast Friday, 5 September Y5/6 Canberra Excursion Friday, 12 September Walkathon Monday, 15 September P-6 Public Speaking Championships Tuesday, 16 September Last Day Term 3 Friday, 19 September P&F– Bunnings BBQ (Narellan) Saturday, 4 October Term 4 Public Holiday Monday, 6 October Professional Development (Staff) Tuesday, 7 October First Day Term 4 Wednesday, 8 October

Prep - Year 6

Assembly Parents are invited to attend the College weekly assembly held on Fridays at 2.30 pm. Class leading Week 7 Y7 / KR Week 8 Y5 Week 9 Y6 / KB

Student Banking

Banking day is Monday.

Students are to bring their completed bank book to their class teacher. Public Holiday Monday, please bring to College on Tuesday. No penguin key rings available as prizes.

Scholastic Book Club

If you have any queries, please contact the Office.

2015 TERM DATES

T E R M 1

Wednesday, 28 January Thursday, 29 January Monday, 2 February Tuesday, 3 February Thursday, 2 April

Kindergarten, Year 7, Year 8 commence Y1 – Year 6 commence Prep Red (3 day) commence Prep Blue (2 day) commence Last day of Term 1

T E R M 2

Tuesday, 21 April Monday, 8 June Friday, 26 June

First day of Term 2 Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday Last day of Term 2

T E R M 3

Monday, 20 July Friday, 18 September

First day of Term 3 Last day of Term 3

T E R M 4

Tuesday, 6 October Monday, 9 November Friday, 4 December

First day of Term 4 Mid Term Break - Students Only Last day of Term 4

Parents’ & Friends’ Association

Meetings will be held on the first Thursday of each month.

Next Meeting Thursday, 4 Sept 7pm at College Everyone welcome.

P&F Email Contact pandf@opac.nsw. edu.au

P&F Webpage http://www.opac.nsw.edu.au/pandf

Supporting Our Families

If your family or you know of a College family who is need of support or would like to offer assistance in preparing meals, please contact Mrs Lynch at the College Office. Confidentiality will be respected when requested.

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From the Parents’ & Friends’ Association From The P&F President Monday, 25 August was “Grandparent’s Day”. This day was widely attended and a huge success. I’d like to thank the college for holding this event as part of book week and thank all the staff, students and parents who assisted in making this day special for all involved. Grandparents Day saw the conclusion of book week. The P&F have pledged to match the total sales of books during book week dollar for dollar up to $3000. The total books sold was just over $5,100. Thankyou to everyone for their support. Upcoming Events The Fathers’ Day Stall will be held on Wednesday, 3 September. The children will have an opportunity to purchase gifts for their Dads during the day. The Fathers’ Day Breakfast will be held Friday, 5 September from 7.30 am. Dads will have a chance to enjoy a BBQ breakfast with their children at school. There will be a coffee van selling hot beverages at the college between 7.30 - 8.00 am. The P&F require the assistance of some parents (preferably Mums) to assist with the running of the BBQ. You can let us know your availability via the P&F email – pandf@opac.nsw.edu.au The College Walkathon is to be held Monday, 15 September between recess and lunch. The College has asked the P&F to run the canteen at Gardner Reserve for the day. Order forms will be sent out soon for students to pre-order ahead of the event. Lunches will include a hot dog, a drink and a packet of chips or chocolate bar. Some items will be available individually. Upon return to the College all children will receive a Zooper Dooper ice block. The P&F require the assistance of some volunteers to run the canteen. If you’re available between 10.30 am – 1.30 pm, please let us know via email. Change of Date The P&F previously informed that we will be holding a Bunnings BBQ – Saturday, 4 October. Unfortunately Bunnings has asked us to change this date. When the P&F have an alternate date, we will forward the details. Next Meeting Our next P&F meeting will be held in the College Staffroom at 7 pm, Thursday, 4 September. All are welcome to attend and we look forward to seeing you there. Matthew Saliba