This year’s athletics carnivals events were a resounding success, not only was there impressive athletic abilities displayed but also the fantastic sense of school community.

It was heartwarming to see students of all ages participating wholeheartedly, giving their best efforts in various events at both carnivals.

Additionally, the house spirit was wonderful to see throughout the day as students cheered each other on, celebrated victories, and created a wonderful atmosphere.

Thank you to all the staff, parents, and student volunteers who contributed to making these carnivals a success.

As we approach the end of the term, we look forward to the much-loved Prep and Kindergarten Easter Hat Parade next Wednesday. Our youngest students have been busy rehearsing, creating beautiful Easter artworks, and designing their hats, ready to celebrate this special occasion.

Next Thursday, Stage 1 students will enjoy an exciting excursion to Elephant Park, a great way to wrap up the term with fun and exploration.

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for a fantastic term. Wishing you all a blessed and restful Easter break!

Congratulations to the OCS team who came 3^rd overall at the Science and Engineering Challenge on Thursday 3 of April. Completing a range of engaging enrichment activities throughout the day that required collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.

Congratulations also to Ebony Cooke (Year 11) and Eleanor Buchanan (Year 10) who recently auditioned and won the Concerto Competition at the Orange Regional Conservatorium. The girls will perform their audition piece Vivaldi’s Concerto in A minor, accompanied by the Orange Youth Orchestra at the end of June. Well-done girls!

ELEVATE EDUCATION SEMINARS

John Donne, Dean of St Paul’s in London and famous English poet was able to preach hour long sermons from memory. He used a technique known as a ‘memory palace’. On Tuesday April 29 Elevate Education will join our Secondary students again for study seminars in preparation for exams in Term 2 and 3. The presenters assist students in areas such as memory techniques, like memory palaces, time management and motivation.

FACTS DAY

Year 12 Students will head to CSU Bathurst in on May 9 for the FACTS Day where they will meet representatives from UAC, many universities and employer organisations. This is a valuable opportunity for Year 12 to refine their thinking about post-school options.

UAC (University Admission Centre)

Entries opened on April 2. Year 12 students have been sent their logins and I am meeting with each of them to discuss options and directions. It is so encouraging to hear from our senior students where they want to go and what they want to do.

ANZAC DAY

March in Orange April 25 – meet in Anson St, pick up near the rotunda in Robinson Park

Anzac Ceremony at School on April 28 (first day back). Please refer to the notes coming soon on SchoolStream for specific times and details.

Peeling juicy oranges, zest flying, and slathering Sao’s with strawberry jam to simulate plate tectonics. Mapping ‘knuckle mountains’ on the backs of our hands to better understand contour lines. Pumping the sounds of Foreigner’s ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ to signal the end of a round of ‘Speed Dating with a Book’. These are the moments that make us, as teachers, feel a little bit crazy. But they are also the moments that remind us why we love our job.

Deep learning that looks and feels like play has been at the heart of our English and HSIE lessons this term, fostering engagement and curiosity. Whether it’s experimenting with adverb-adjective combinations in writing, debating the impact of Fake News, or reenacting the “Scramble for Africa” of the Imperial powers in Modern History, our classrooms thrive on active learning. In these moments, we embrace the organised chaos.

Of course, when the noise of our interim, makeshift classrooms in the Hub became overwhelming, we found opportunities to step outside. Stage 4 Geography students practiced field sketches of Mount Canobolas, while Stage 5 History students took a road trip through time at Reception This Way, an exhibition at Orange Regional Gallery celebrating the evolution of road-side motels and hotels as a reflection of Australian popular culture.

But none of this is worth a pedagogical fist pump if students can’t articulate what they’ve learned. That’s why we’ve challenged them to put pen to paper—whether it’s answering an ‘exit pass’ reflection question, crafting an anecdote in a distinctly discursive voice, or constructing a ‘book snap’ discussion post.

We hope you’ve heard echoes of these learning experiences in conversations at home (or, at the very least, that this article sparks more than an undecipherable teenage grunt when you ask what they did at school today). We can’t wait to see what deep learning encounters await us next term—perhaps minus the oranges and jam.

Most of the data is in! There’s still a little bit to be finalised so stay tuned for further updates, but given this is the last newsletter for the term, we wanted to give a shout out to most of our record breakers…

Zoe Jones – 15 years girls 800 metres (by 13 seconds!), 100 metres, 200 metres and High Jump

Finn Rumbold – 18-19 years boys High Jump

Lilly Tyack – 17 years girls High Jump

Lily Bangert – 18-19 years girls 100 metres

Charlie Reeks – 12 years boys Shot Put, High Jump, and Discus Throw

Isabelle Castvan – 17 years girls 200 metres, Javelin Throw, Discus Throw,

Congratulations to all! Stay tuned for more updates..and see below for some action shots and happy snaps from the day