term 1 week 3 february 8 2021

770 Upper Orara Road, Upper Orara NSW 2450 PHONE (02) 6653 8255 EMAIL [email protected]

Welcome back to all our returning families and students. I hope everyone had quality family time

over the holiday period and 2021 is the best year for everyone.

I would also like to welcome our new students, Lily and Will to our school and extend that welcome to

the whole family. Additionally, I would like to welcome our six new Kindergarten students. We have

some students with older siblings at the school and others who are first time families to the school.

We hope this is the beginning of a productive and positive partnership between the school and your

respective families.

This year we start with 32 students and each of the two classes (K-2 & 3-6) has 16 students.

All the staff at Upper Orara Public School would like to welcome Mr Michael Welldon to the team.

You can find out more about Mr Welldon in his Personal Profile included in this newsletter.

Congratulations to all our 3-6 students who went to the Swimming Carnival last Wednesday. Every

student went in at least one race and their behaviour and sportsmanship on the day was exemplary.

The Orara Valley Swimming Carnival is being held on Friday 12th February at the Orara Valley

Community Pool Nana Glen. Mr Welldon and Reidena will accompany students to this carnival.

Please remember that this is a school day and students who are not attending the carnival are

expected to attend school. Mrs Goodenough will teach students who remain at school.

Thank you to Sue Musgrave, Sonja Engelhardt and Courtney Shapter for assisting at the swimming

carnival. Your help on the day was greatly appreciated and assisted with making this day run

smoothly.

CURRENT COVID RESTRICTIONS There has been some easing of restrictions for school and interschool events, however parents and

carers are still currently unable to attend the school site or participate in off-site school events held

during school hours except for the following purposes only:

Term 1 Week 3 February 8 2021

2


• Essential parent and carer meetings with teachers and/or the Principal, with a scheduled

appointment. This includes scheduled meetings with parents and carers of prospective students.

• Parents and carers who attend a school administration building or another defined location for the

purpose of picking up their child if they are unwell or where they have been asked to arrange for a

COVID-19 test after their child has displayed flu-like symptoms while at school.

• Parents and carers who need to be on-site to collect or purchase uniforms.

• Parent or carer volunteers required as educational support roles for activities essential to the delivery

of the curriculum such as reading groups, music, dance and kitchen garden areas. Schools are

required to have scheduled programs in place and remind parents and carers that they must not

attend school unless it has been previously arranged.

• Parents and carers can attend parent orientation meetings and ‘meet the teacher’ meetings with

school staff for all year/stage groups. Meetings should be limited to 1 hour where possible.

A COVID-19 Safety Plan External link must be in place.

Whilst there is some easing of restrictions, please note that COVID safe practices need to be

followed when picking up or dropping children off at the school gate or when attending the school

site.

These practices include:

▪ Physical distancing – remaining at lease 1.5m apart from people who are not from your immediate

family group.

▪ Staying at home if unwell even if the symptoms are mild (both students and parents).

▪ Washing hands thoroughly prior to attending the school.

All visitors are required to report to the school’s Office, check in using the scan code and complete a

visitor declaration form.

We thank our school community for your support in respecting the guidelines outlined.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/covid-safe/functions-and-conferences


ALLERGIES AND ANAPHYLAXIS The school is currently reviewing ASCIA plans for students who have an identified medical condition

or an allergy. Parents of students who have plans in place will be contacted this week to get updated

details and advise of the plan’s review date. If your child or children have an allergy or medical

condition and the school has not been informed, please contact Dot in the office, she will provide

advice and procedures for this process. It is important the school has up to date information about

allergies and medical conditions. This enables staff to be well prepared should an issue arise.

Whilst the school is not a nut free school, we encourage parents and carers to carefully consider

whether they include nut-based products in their child’s lunch box. This will assist the school in

supporting students who have or may have a reaction to nuts. Additionally, we ask your support in

reinforcing to children that lunches are not to be shared at school.

STAGE 1 For the duration of weeks 3 and 4, students in Year 1 and 2 will be working in the Library with Mrs

Goodenough for their Literacy session in the morning and their Numeracy session after lunch break.

This is part of a plan to provide intensive support to Stage 1 students while Kindergarten settle into

class routines with Mrs Clark. Kindergarten and Stage 1 students will work together in the final

session of the day with Mrs Clark. At the start of week 5 the whole K-2 class will work together in the

K-2 classroom with Mrs Clark. At this time K-6 Mathematics will commence for the year and we will

start a trial of K-6 Reading groups as part of our focus on Reading.

MR MICHAEL WELLDON – 3-6 CLASS TEACHER PROFILE Mr Welldon has been teaching since 2006. He has taught in several schools in Central Queensland,

and even in South Korea. He recently moved to the Coffs Harbour region with his wife, nearly a year

ago and has been teaching at several Coffs Coast schools. It has been an exciting change for Mr

Welldon and he said that Upper Orara Public School has been the most welcoming school.

He has a passion for art and has had numerous exhibitions over the years. A love of classic cars, and

with a sad face he sold his 1967 GT Mustang to help purchase a property here in the region! He has


been fortunate enough to have travelled and seen many amazing places around the world. At the

moment he is enjoying finding new places to see within the region.

Mr Welldon has three children. His son is working in the building industry in Brisbane. His eldest

daughter is studying chiropractic in Brisbane and his youngest is in her final year of Aviation and

intends to be a commercial pilot. To Mr Welldon’s surprise, his wife adopted a white Alaskan

Malamute from the RSPCA about 2 years ago. Aslan is now his favourite child! 😊

He is looking forward to this year at Upper Orara Public School.

K-6 SURF DAY EXCURSION – February 26, 2021

Last year we disappointingly needed to postpone our K-6 Surf Day Excursion. Excitedly, we can

confirm that this day will now take place on Friday 26th February at Park Beach. Transport to this

event will be by bus and will depart from the school at 9:00am SHARP. A note will accompany

students home this week. Please return this note no later than Tuesday 23rd February.

LEADERSHIP INDUCTION CEREMONY – February 11, 2021

This year our Leadership Induction Ceremony will take place on Thursday 11th February at 2:15pm.

Parents of student leaders are invited to attend the school. Should you be unable to attend this

ceremony or if grandparents or extended family wish to watch the ceremony, they can view this event

via Zoom. Please complete the note accompanying student leaders home today and return it to

school as soon as possible.


K-2 CLASSROOM In K-2 we have been looking at a number of Big Books and sculpting the characters using playdough.

We had a gallery walk and shared what each child made. In Maths we have been looking at 2D

shapes and what is the mathematical definition of a line.

BOOK CLUB Book Club order forms were sent home with students last week. Orders can be made online at

Scholastic or they may be sent to the office with the money and the order will go from the school.

Our school order will be made this week, orders will need to be at the office on or by Friday 12th

February.


SCHOOL DENTAL INITIATIVE – Week commencing February 22, 2021 Today your child/children have brought home a form to visit the dentist. This is a Department

Program giving you the opportunity to have your child’s oral health checked. Please return the

completed form to the school tomorrow if you intend to take advantage of this service.


New students Lily and Will

Students of the Week

STUDENTS OF WEEK 3

Aaliyah (Yr K-2 Lily (Yr 3-6)

Aaliyah received her award for

“her helpfulness.”

Lily received her award for “settling in well and her positive attitude”

Congratulations Aaliyah and Lily !


##### Please note that we are planning for these activities to take place, however changes, postponement or cancellation of these activities may occur should restriction change.

8 February 9 10 11 2.15pm Leadership Induction

12 Orara Valley Swimming Carnival

15

16

17 18

19

22

23 24 25

26 K-2 Surf Day Excursion

1 March

2 3 4 3-6 Soccer Gala Day excursion

5

8

9 10 11

12 Orara Valley Cross Country

15

16 17 18

19

22

23 24 25

26

29

30 31 1 April Assembly, Easter Hat Parade, Hot Cross Bun morning tea

2 Good Friday


Swimming Carnival

term 1 week 3 february 8 2021

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