OakMail - Term 1, Week 3
OakMail - Term 1, Week 3
Dear Oakdale School Community,
A big warm welcome back to all our new and returning OPS families!
As we settle into a new year of learning, I sincerely thank our families for your support in ensuring such a smooth and positive start. Your encouragement and commitment to high expectations have allowed our students and staff to begin 2026 with enthusiasm, confidence, and purpose.
It has been wonderful to see students arriving each day in full school uniform, ready to learn. Walking through classrooms and seeing them so settled proudly wearing their uniforms, with shiny black shoes neatly beneath their desks fills me with pride. Our students present themselves with confidence and reflect the high standards we value as a school community.
As I visit classrooms, I see engaged learners and enthusiastic teachers establishing the routines and expectations that will set the tone for a strong year of growth. I warmly welcome our Kindergarten students, who have settled beautifully. Each morning, they can be seen deeply engaged in purposeful play. A powerful reflection of what high-quality early learning looks like. Through calm exploration, rich conversations, and hands-on experiences, they are building friendships, developing independence, and strengthening the foundational skills that support lifelong learning. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity, confidence, and genuine excitement for learning shining through so early in their Kindergarten journey.
This term we are refining our communication processes to ensure families remain informed and connected. Your first point of contact is always your child’s teacher, or the office who will assist you. We appreciate your patience as we strengthen this and look forward to sharing more at our Meet & Greet BBQ.
Don’t forget to RSVP for our Meet & Greet BBQ on Tuesday 24th from 4-5pm
Thank you to our community, local AECG, and Aboriginal Community Liaison Officers for your ongoing support, which has helped bring our Yarning Circle to life. We are excited to officially open this special outdoor space on Monday 23 February, where all students can connect to Country, share stories, and learn together.
We are looking forward to a fantastic year ahead, filled with learning, growth, and
memorable experiences.
#LoveWhereYouLearn
Warm regards, Nathan Vanderwey Relieving Principal
KN have had an incredible start to Kindergarten! They have impressed Mrs Napoleoni and all the school teachers with how well they have adapted to the school routine and settled quickly into their classrooms. Some teachers are even wondering if they’re truly in Kindergarten or ready for Year 1! Mr Vanderwey was super excited to welcome KN to his office today. After completing their first 10 days of Kindergarten, each student received a special Principal’s sticker to celebrate this milestone. Well done, KN, on such a fantastic beginning to the year!
I'm really looking forward to having some of my previous year students back and making lots of fun new memories together. This year, we’ll work as a team to create a friendly and safe space where everyone feels respected and comfortable. I know we will have a great time, and I can’t wait to see how much we all grow and learn from each other along the way!
Miss Haywood
Hi from 1/2MA! We have all settled well into our new classroom with our new friends. Both our teachers, Mrs Auzner and Mr McKay, have been getting to know us and helping us with the new routines. We are looking forward to a great year of learning and supporting each other.
In 3/4M, we are so excited to start the year together — seeing lots of familiar faces and welcoming a few new ones into our colourful rainbow-themed classroom, where we remember to “be the rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” We’re looking forward to exciting opportunities like Stage 2 camp, attending gala days, and using our laptops to support our learning. Most of all, we are ready to be safe, respectful learners and get our brains sweaty as we challenge ourselves in the Learning Pit!
This year 4/5C have settled wonderfully into our routines and expectations and are striving to be the safe, respectful learners that we are here at Oakdale PS. We are excited for the fantastic year ahead, and all the opportunities life in Year 4 and 5 brings. We can't wait for events like gala days, camps and being co-leaders in peer support.
MS
5/6T are excited for the year ahead and can’t wait to see what it has in store for them as they continue to grow into young, responsible school leaders. Mrs Tincknell is happy to see some familiar faces again in her class. Everyone in 5/6T are especially looking forward to camp!
MS
We were thrilled to have Warragamba Silverdale Neighbourhood Centre (WSNC) host a Lego Day workshop on Wednesday, 11 February. This engaging session promoted teamwork, resilience, and social-emotional development—key areas aligned with the PDHPE syllabus and our PBL focus on being Safe, Respectful Learners. All students enjoyed collaborating and creating amazing Lego designs. A big thank you to WSNC for this wonderful experience!
We were so lucky and privileged to welcome alumna Macie Carlile from the Sydney Roosters NRLW to our school today! Macie shared her inspiring journey as a former Oakdale Public School student, highlighting the importance of setting goals, resilience, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. She encouraged our students to always give their best effort and to follow their dreams and goals. Thank you, Macie, for motivating and inspiring our school community!
Looking for an extremely rewarding way to make a difference? Become a Reading Helper at Oakdale Public School and support our wonderful students with their reading practice! 🤩
Training provided
A current Working With Children Check is required (we can assist with the application)
Registered volunteer work recognised by Centrelink
Interested? Get in touch with Reading Friends Australia today!
Reading for All (RFA) is a 100% volunteer-run registered charity that provides free support to primary public schools. 💙📚
We will continue to share important updates and information with parents and carers through the School Bytes platform. To stay informed about all the latest news at our school, please download the School Bytes app. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the school office. Stay connected with us!
Our Inspire Oakdale centre is our very first onsite centre, and is located within Oakdale Public School. The centre’s program is run from a versatile hall with a large garage door that opens up, extending the space to include the school’s playground area. We also have access to the sports shed, field, basketball court and the COLA area – where we enjoy playing tons of outdoor sports and games!
"I Strive"