The Oaks Public School

School Updates

Principal Address

As we wrap up another busy and rewarding term, I would like to take a moment to celebrate some of our recent highlights.

Our students proudly represented the school at the HPGE Challenge Cup, where four of our students showcased their knowledge and expertise. They answered challenging questions with confidence and creativity, and even designed an interactive game as part of the event. Congratulations to them on their efforts and achievements.

We were also delighted to welcome our 2026 Kindergarten students and their families to interviews with Mrs Godkin, Mrs Grieve and Miss Green. It was a pleasure to meet our newest learners, and we are very excited to welcome them officially next year. Please keep an eye out for information about our upcoming Kindergarten orientation sessions.

A heartfelt thank you goes to our P&C for their hard work in organising the Father’s Day Stall. The students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to choose special gifts for their loved ones.

Finally, our Public Speaking Finals were a huge success, with students impressing us with their confidence and ability to engage an audience. We now wish our finalists all the best as they compete in the regional finals next week.

Thank you all for your support throughout Term 3. I wish our students, staff, and families a restful and safe holiday break.

Mrs Suzanne Bowyer

Principal

Around the school!

What a great few weeks with wonderful work in phonics to public speaking finals, helping in the canteen and our Student forum, These have all been great opportunities for our students and we congratulate them all.

Upcoming Student Opportunities

Year 5 students will soon be able to participate in nominations for Student Leadership for 2026. As a school we have procedures that we have designed to ensure students are able to engage in these opportunities. Recently we reviewed the Student Leadership Procedures with our students and as has been the case in the past, we will have 5 students leaders in 2026. This information is being shared with students who are attending Leadership Workshops and any other interested Year 5 students.

Some extracts from our procedures:

Formal student leadership and student representation programs provide important benefits for individual students and schools. Student leaders have the potential to influence the school environment and the behaviour of their fellow students by becoming advocates for positive change in the school community.

In fact students report that when they actively participate in school life, and their ideas and opinions are listened to and valued, they feel respected and encouraged to make further contributions.

They have:

increased communication skills
improved academic performance for students involved
greater commitment to the school from the wider student body
positive influences on the climate of the school
strengthened school spirit
increased cooperation from students.

The principles which we at The Oaks Public School advocate are that:

all students have the potential to develop leadership skills
students will be encouraged to apply leadership skills to initiatives that strengthen the school community and the communities in which they live
leadership programs can build students' confidence that their views are important to staff and that they can have an influence on what happens in the school.

Who

Students in year 5 going into year 6 may nominate themselves to run for School Leader positions.

When

Elections for School Leaders will be held during Term 4 each school year. Students will be advised by the Student Leadership Coordinator and/or Stage Leader when the elections will be occurring.

Roles And Responsibilities

These may include:

leading and setting up K-6 assemblies
assisting dignitaries and visitors in the school
flying the flag in the appropriate manner
assisting with Kindergarten Orientation
co-ordinating and organising SRC initiatives
representing the school at official school functions.

Criteria For Nomination

Students can be nominated if they fulfil the following criteria:

demonstrates exemplary behaviour at all times; acts with integrity, honesty and respect
displays initiative; shows a willingness to assist and an ability to make decisions for themselves
works well as a team member
displays strong communication skills
wears full school uniform at all times and appropriately
outstanding role model for other students in the classroom, playground and when representing the school
displays a willingness to participate in extra-curricular activities and school events
takes responsibility for their actions at all times
upholds the school core values.

Nomination Procedures

Students must complete a Nomination Form for School Leader. This form must be signed by the student, seconded by a grade peer, their current teacher, another staff member and a parent/carer. Staff members signing the form need to carefully consider the suitability of the candidate.

The Nomination Form for School Leader acknowledges that the student:

has a consistent record of following the school values in the classroom, playground and at out of school activities.
is prepared to wear full school uniform every day that it is required.
is prepared to give up their own time to perform assigned or requested duties.
is reliable and punctual.
is aware that they must have support from their parents, classroom teacher, a member of staff and a grade peer.

After Nomination Forms are received, executive and stage 3 staff will look at the list of nominees and check against behaviour entries in School Bytes to determine their eligibility.

Election Procedures

Candidates will present speeches of up to 2 minutes to the whole school.
Each class from year 1 to year 5 will vote for five students via a Google Form. The order of the students does not matter.
Kindergarten teachers will cast a class vote in their classroom.
Staff members will cast their vote via a google form and counts for 1 vote.

Collation Of Results

In consultation with the Principal, the Student Leadership Coordinator will collate the voting information, following these instructions:

Once all classes and staff have voted, the Student Leadership Coordinator and one other staff member (excluding stage 3 teachers) will collate the voting information from the Google Form.
The five students with the majority of votes, and approved by the Principal, will be elected to the position of School Leaders.
If there are two students tied on the same count, an interview with the Principal and the Student Leadership Coordinator will take place and each student's responses will be used to determine the outcome.

School Rewards and Recognition

In Term 4 week 9 we will hold a Celebration of Learning where special Awards are handed out to students for a variety of acheivements. This information aims to provide details about all of the rewards and recognition throughout the year at TOPS. If you have any questions please speak to your child's class teacher or Mrs Bowyer.

Voluntary Contribution

Voluntary school contributions are optional contributions we request from parents and carers to enhance educational programs. The level of voluntary school contributions in line with published departmental advice for The Oaks Public School and in consultation with the school community is $50 per student or $100 per family. The payment of voluntary school contributions is at the discretion of parents and carers. Please see details on how to pay the voluntary contribution should you choose to pay.

Learning and Growth

School attendance

Stage I - Brain Strain

On Wednesday, excitement filled the air as students from several local schools gathered to take part in the much-anticipated Stage 1 Brain Strain Challenge. Hosted at Mount Annan Public School, the event brought together eager young minds for a friendly competition that celebrated curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Each school entered a team of three Stage 1 students who faced off in a variety of brain-teasing activities. Our school team was represented by Caleb, Lara and Willow. From logic puzzles to quick maths, memory challenges to word games, the students impressed the crowd with their teamwork and enthusiasm. Fun filled the air as teams raced against the clock—and each other—to solve each challenge.

Our team performed exceptionally well, showing great perseverance and sportsmanship. Though the competition was fierce, the real reward was the joy of learning and challenge.

A big thank you to the organisers, teachers, and volunteers who made the event such a success. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Brain Strain Challenge!

Library

Another busy term in the library has come to an end! Next week overdue notices will be sent home, could you please have a search to see if you can locate any overdue books. We are looking forward to an exciting term four with lots of opportunities for students to borrow. K-2 have been amazing borrowers this year with most students remembering to bring their library bag every week. It would be great to see many more of our stage two and three students borrowing regularly, remember you only need to bring a bag if you would like to borrow more than one book. Students in 3-6 may borrow one book without a bag.

Sport

Some great results from our SSW Athletics students this week! We are so proud of you all. Well done - Bronte, Alyssa, Maddie, Kye, Indigo.

Special mention to Kye who came first in Long Jump and is off to State! Congratulations.

Aboriginal Education

Well done to our Deadly Award winners. It has been lovely to see the growth and enthusiasm for learning from our First Nations students. Congratulations!

Events

Up Coming

Woolworths Silverdale Supports TOPS Country Fair

Kody, Joey & Jake from Year 6 visited Woolworths Silverdale to ask for a donation for their Country Fair stall. They impressed store managers with their respectful engagement, a thank-you certificate, and explanation of their fundraising. They received a full behind-the-scenes tour, selected goods for their stall, and were invited back for future job opportunities, with Woolworths eager to support and strengthen ties with the school community.

Calendar

Lunch Time Clubs

Community

The Oaks Public School P & C Association

Term 3 Wrap Up

A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers who gave their time and energy to help run this year’s Father’s Day Stall. Your support ensured our students had the chance to choose a special gift and enjoy the experience. We’d also like to acknowledge our amazing student leaders, who helped keep classes on schedule and supported their peers in selecting and navigating the stall. Special thanks to Mrs Kerr for her role as liaison teacher, and to our fabulous office ladies for their behind-the-scenes support. We truly appreciate the generosity, smiles, and effort that made the day such a success.

Term 4 Fundraising

🍪 Something Sweet is Coming! 🍪

Get ready—Billy G’s Gourmet Cookie Dough fundraiser is on its way in Term 4! A delicious way to support our school, this is always a crowd favourite. Keep an eye out next term for all the details via School Bytes, the P&C Facebook page, and paper notes. You won’t want to miss out!

What is an AGM meeting?

The Annual General Meeting is held each year to table audits and other reports, hold elections for Office Bearer positions and renew memberships. The outcome of elections will be advertised in the next newsletter. All those wishing to join or renew membership is reminded to bring your $2 fee with you on the evening.

Thank you to the following members who have fulfilled their tenure in the following positions

President – Andrew Fell

Thank You, Andrew Fell

On behalf of our school community, we would like to sincerely thank Andrew for his dedication and leadership as P&C President. Andrew’s commitment, countless hours of effort, and steady guidance have made a lasting difference for our students, staff, and families. We are truly grateful for all he has done to support our school and strengthen our community.

Secretary – Fiona McWilliam

Thank You, Fiona McWilliam
A special thank you to Fiona McWilliam for her dedication and service as P&C Secretary. Fiona’s attention to detail, organisation, and behind-the-scenes efforts have kept everything running smoothly and supported the success of our committee. We are truly grateful for the time and commitment she has given to our school community.

Uniform Shop Manager – Sandra Zerafa

Thank You, Sandra Zerafa

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Sandra for her wonderful work as Uniform Shop Manager. Sandra’s organisation, commitment, and friendly support have ensured families are well looked after and our students are ready for school each day. We truly appreciate the time and care she has given to this role and to our school community.

Term 4 meeting schedule

· Tuesday 14 October 2025 – AGM Meeting and General Meeting to follow – remember your $2 for membership

· Tuesday 11 November 2025

· Tuesday 9 December 2025

The Oaks PS P&C Association meet every second Tuesday of the month at 7pm in the school library and via Zoom.

If you wish to join, you need to complete an application form and make an annual payment of $2 to be recognised as a financial member and entitles you to be involved in the decision-making. Several options are available to submit the application and make payment:

- Attend the next P&C meeting

- School front office - Email pandctops@gmail.com and direct deposit

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Membership Form

Community News

Wollondilly Shire Council is excited to present the September–October School Holiday Program, filled with a variety of FREE activities for children and young people across the Shire.

This program offers something for everyone – from sport and fitness to creativity and skill-building – including:

🏉 NRL Clinics (5–15 yrs)
🎾 Tennis & Pickleball (6–17 yrs)
⚽ Macarthur Bulls Soccer Clinics (5–13 yrs)
🏏 Cricket Clinics (5–15 yrs)
🥋 Martial Arts (5–15 yrs)
🏌️ Golf Clinics (5–14 yrs)
🎨 Paint a Repurposed Surfboard Workshop with Creative Kooks (5–12 yrs)
🛹 Skateboarding Clinics (5–14 yrs)
🎤 Expression Session – Music, Podcasting & Art (5–15 yrs)
🧘 Yoga & Mindfulness (4–12 yrs)
❤️ Youth First Aid Course (14–24 yrs)
🎳 Lawn Bowls (5–16 yrs)
🔨 Bunnings DIY Building Workshops (5–15 yrs)

…and more!

Registrations are essential – spots are limited and fill quickly.

View the full program and register now at:
www.wollondilly.nsw.gov.au/home/whats-on/school-holiday-activities

We look forward to welcoming your children to a fun and engaging holiday program!

Scallywaggs Newsletter

Contact details

The Oaks Public School Scallywaggs

✉️ theoaks@scallywaggs.com.au

📱0455 226 663

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