Mount Ousley Public School News

Wow, its is Week 9 and we are fast approaching the end of the Term 1!

In big news for our school, Miss Brule has been successful in gaining a promotion within the Department of Education. From the beginning of Term 2, Miss Brule will be working as a Learning Design Officer to share her expertise in using technology to enhance learning with many schools across NSW. After 10 wonderful years of developing as an outstanding classroom teacher and leader of learning in our school, her loss will certainly be felt.  We wish her all the very best and hope to see her continue to chase her dreams and build her skills as an educator and leader. Congratulations Miss Brule.

Mrs Jasmine Soames will be teaching 3/4 Rise for the remainder of the year. Mrs Soames comes to us from Miranda North Public School. She has taught all grades and is passionate about creative and performing arts and has also led sport initiatives across her current school. I am sure you will all give her a warm Mount Ousley welcome in Term 2.  

Friday's Shave for a Cure afternoon was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to bake, cook and serve sausages, spend time at the activities and join in with the festivities of the afternoon. It was tremendous to see our community back in the school and supporting a great cause. Your generosity on the day raised just over $980. This does not include all the kind donations made online to both Sienna and Ms Williams, which totalled $4075. Congratulations Sienna and all our students who were brave and shaved. The care and empathy that our students show to support those with blood cancer is incredible. The genuine support our students demonstrated for their brave peers who shaved their heads was truly amazing.  We are so lucky to all be part of such a wonderful school culture. 

To support our school in providing canteen for our students we are seeking volunteers for Fridays. If you are available to help out could you please contact Mandy Lawler or the office to let us know. You do not have to volunteer each Friday, it can be one Friday a month, which is 3 hours of your time. 

As part of our Harmony Day celebrations this year, we are hosting a Harmony Day Picnic at 11am on Thursday 24th March. We would love for all Mount Ousley families to join us for the festivities and bring along a special family dish to share with your child’s class. 

Please meet on the basketball court at your child's class table at 11am with your dish and a serving spoon/tongs etc. Once the food has been shared out, you are welcome to find a spot in the playground for your picnic rug and eat with your family and friends. Families are welcome to stay and celebrate until the end of lunch at 12pm. If the weather is not kind and it is raining, we will move the picnic to the hall and Kindy verandah areas.

Tomorrow will also be a Mufti Day. Students and families can wear something orange on Harmony Day to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

 We are looking forward to celebrating with you all!

 The Harmony Day Team

Congratulations Sienna! You rock the new hair do, it looks absolutely stunning on you. The other students who were Brave and shaved are Jackson, Oliver, Koha, Hirada, Lexi, Mack, Gwen, Jay, Hugo and Archie. 

Ms Williams and Mr Murphy were also brave and shaved their hair. 

We would like to say a huge thank you to Fairy Meadow Woolworths and Graze Butchers in Balgownie for their generous donations of bread and sausages. Don't hesitate to mention that you are from Mount Ousley if you visit Graze Butchers in the future. 

If you are keen to know more about Sienna's story, you can read about it on the Illawarra Mercury website. 

To prepare for NAPLAN online that will be taking place in term 2, we will be participating in some practice sessions in the coming week. These sessions are designed to ensure all students in Year 3 and 5 are familiar with a variety of question types and the tools of the NAPLAN platform. It is essential that all students in Year 3 and year 5 have the NAPLAN lockdown browser installed on their device. If your child uses a school device, we have it installed for them.

Please follow this link to download it to your child's device prior to Monday next week (Year 3) or Friday this week (Year 5): https://apps.apple.com/au/app/nap-locked-down-browser/id1086807255

We are planning on running a Small Steps anxiety workshop for parents on Tuesday 29 March at 6pm in the library. The session information will be delivered by a  presenter from the Mental Health Association of NSW. Once this is confirmed by their office a Skoolbag message will be sent out. Please pencil this date in your diary. 

SALE

We are selling our decommissioned, generation 5 iPads. There are 9 iPads available for purchase each device has been restored to factory settings and is in good working order. The only reason for the sale is due to an upgrade in our school devices. If you would like to purchase one, they are $150 each and can be paid for and picked up at the office. Limit of 2 per family. 

Parent Helpers Needed

Are you available this Friday 25th March? We need some parent helpers to contact new Guided Readers for our K-2 students. The more parents the merrier! Please contact your child's class teacher if you are available to help. Parents are welcome to work in the Planning Room from 8:30am. Don't forget to sign in at the office when you arrive. 

Absent days

If your child is away from school please let us know by either calling the office or filling in an absent note on the Skoolbag App. 

Band and Guitar

Please remind your children to bring their instruments on Thursday each week for band and guitar. 

Easter Raffle

Year 6 are raising funds for their farewell activity.  Please return all tickets to the office, sold or unsold, before 7 April.    Donations of easter eggs or easter like items would be greatly appreciated.  There will be a basket at the office for all donations. 

TERM 1

Please see below list of school events and activities for the upcoming months:

TERM 2