You Can do this!

Good afternoon. My name is Cara Harris, and I was a student in the Neutral Bay OC in 2017 and 2018.

First and foremost, I’d like to congratulate all of the incoming students on your invitation to join the Opportunity Class program; you should all be very proud of how well you’ve done.

Before I talk about my experience as a member of the OC, I’d like to briefly describe what I have been doing since leaving Neutral Bay. I have just completed my HSC at Monte Sant Angelo, placing first in my cohort for six of my seven subjects. Also, while at Monte, I was awarded Dux of my year group 4 times. Next year I will begin my undergraduate studies in the USA having accepted a combined Academic and Athletic scholarship to play football and study at a university in New Jersey.

It may sound like an overdramatisation, but I truly believe that much of what I have achieved and pursued since leaving primary school was structured upon the foundations I built in the OC. As I’m sure is true for each and every one of you, the incoming students, I enjoy being stretched in my thinking and exposed to new things, and the OC is the perfect environment to do that in. Never in that class did we ever do anything halfway, whether it was a book study, a foreign country project or an inter-school competition; we were always encouraged and guided to fully immerse ourselves in learning. I vividly remember the enjoyment and curiosity I experienced studying Afghanistan in Year 5, working with my partner to research culture and history and going so far as to cook “Elephant Ear Pastries”, an Afghan dessert, for our presentation.

Since leaving the OC, I have also seen two of my younger brothers join and thoroughly enjoy the program. Interestingly, all three of us are very different learners and people, yet all three of us flourished in that environment. That is no coincidence, and it is due to the environment that the OC cultivates. In that class, I found myself befriending a nationally ranked skier, a state champion speller, a grade 7 violinist and 26 other incredible young students. Being surrounded by so many high achievers inevitably drew out the best in every one of us, and it has been so rewarding to watch my brothers experience the same thing, discovering like-minded friends who push them to be their best.

If anyone has any questions or would like to chat about anything I’ve talked about today, I’m more than happy to continue the conversation offline. If so, Micki Hatfield can pass along my contact details.

Thank you

Welcome parents and caregivers. Today I'll be explaining why Neutral Bay is the perfect school for your child's learning. 

I’m sure that you have heard our motto; play the game. This can mean different things such as being a team player, focussing on something you really like doing or finding a sport that suits you.

When I first came to the school, I was nervous and scared but I slowly started to make friends and fit into the environment. Now, we all play in a big group of thirteen.

Neutral Bay includes lots of peer and group activities. We get to learn a lot of things that we would normally write in a text book or on a worksheet. One time, we had to make various different 3D shapes out of only a piece of string. I remember laughing with my friends when we got tangled.

To conclude, based on the reasons above, Neutral Bay is the perfect school for your child and I hope that they will experience the same bond of friendship, learning facilities and fun I've had at Neutral Bay Public School.

Thank you.

Good afternoon,

This past year has been my favourite. l  have made new friends and introduced them to my old ones. Not only this, but l have been challenged academically like never before. At least once a week, l will learn about something l never even knew existed.

Having a twin in mainstream showed me the differences and similarities between the two Year 5 experiences. Being in the O.C. class has many amazing opportunities for excursions to places like the Sydney Writers Festival, the State Library and the Art Gallery of NSW. We go to all these places, and we are joined by the Year 6 O.C. class.

The O.C. class is not shut away from the rest of the grade. Assemblies, The Great Aussie Bush Camp, and sports twice a week are just a few of the things we do with the rest of Year 5. The topics in most curriculum areas are the same. For example, indices. We both did it, but our class looked deeply into negative numbers as well as positive ones.

I know l will continue to learn next year. l will even have the chance to explore the new parts of our school when the new building opens up. The new build will offer extra running space. Last but certainly not least, your class stays the same for two years, so you don't have to learn about a whole new set of people.

I’m really excited to meet all of you on our orientation day, and I really hope you make the choice to come to Neutral Bay. Thank You.

Excited but nervous. Those were what I felt at this time last year, and I am guessing you are feeling right about now. If you’re nervous, you are not alone. I assure you, your other 29 soon-to-be classmates are feeling almost the same.

I have been at Neutral Bay Public School, or NBPS as we, and now you, call it, since kindergarten. I was very lucky to get to stay here and move into the OC class. But most of you have come from different schools, so I promise, if you make the move here, I’ll do my best to welcome and settle you into your newly-renovated, wonderful school. 

But let's not get ahead of ourselves. You still might be in the phase of thinking: why should I go here instead of staying at my other school? Well, apart from the wonderful teachers and incredible friends you will make, or the fantastic facilities and the new library, two of my favourite things about NBPS are:

1. All the extra-curricular activities and sports include debating, choir, dance, band, strings, tournament of minds, and much more.

2. The Bay Way

Let me tell you about the latter. The Bay Way is our school's values. They are: Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Do Your Best. As a school, we try to contribute to our community within these rules.

Our school is inclusive, hard-working and welcoming. So, I hope you take the next step forward and join Neutral Bay Public School OC class next year. If so, welcome to the family.

Thank you 

Excitement, Eagerness, Relief. One year ago, I was in your shoes. I had just received the news that I had been accepted into the O.C. class at Neutral Bay. You are probably feeling a lot of emotions, but the most important one is to be proud and to celebrate!

I remember also feeling nervous about leaving my friends at my old school. Then my mother told me something very wise: you find your best friends surrounded by people who are similar to you. 

Neutral Bay Public School offers a variety of activities in and outside of the classroom. Some of these are Dance, Choir, Debating and Chess - they even have a snow sports team. There is something for everyone, and it’s easy to find people who like the same things as you!

I joined the choir this year. I was surrounded by people who liked to sing, like me, and I made four amazing friends, two of them in my class and two of them not. We rehearsed on Fridays and even got to perform at the Opera House, which was an amazing opportunity.

I highly recommend and hope that you move schools because when I did, I quickly found a wide group of friends and I’m so happy I moved.

Being in Neutral Bay Public School for almost a year, I have more of a sense of belonging. Whether it was the writing assignments or even the sports I used to dislike, I love it here at Neutral Bay. I’ve met so many people from different schools in the O.C.! 

A year ago, I was wondering. Should I accept this position to go into the O.C. class? Leave all of my friends back in my old school? I made the choice to expand my knowledge. While It was sad to leave my old friends, I’ve gained new ones here. I have never regretted this decision.

Macbeth doth come! As a part of the O.C. class, we had an opportunity to go to the State Library and study Macbeth. Furthermore, we got to go to author talks and buy books at Chatswood Concourse at the Sydney Writers Festival.

On top of that, I learnt so much about math. Learning how to solve algebraic equations blew my mind. Neutral Bay has been a fantastic experience. Hope to see you around at our spectacular school!

I can understand that you might be feeling nervous. I can understand that you may be feeling overwhelmed. I can understand that you might be feeling like a stranger. I can understand that.

I remember on my first day, when I walked through those gates, I was scared. This was a foreign place. I did not know what these new people would be like, or whether I would enjoy the new school. But I can tell you right now: Neutral Bay is the best school I have ever been to. It’s a school like no other.

For one thing, our teacher is fabulous—challenging, calm and creative. I have had so much fun in her class, it’s hard to believe that I am actually there. All of the other children are welcoming and kind. In my class alone, there are two brilliant authors, three Maths whizzes and almost everything else you could wish for in an OC class.

Not to mention the other extra-curricular activities. Depending on your interests, you can play in our school band, sing in the choir,or join our celebrated chess program. Our Science teacher is absolutely hilarious, and library has gone in one year from an ‘Oh-why-do-we-have- to-do-this experience’ to a ‘Yes! We’re-doing-library experience’. This is, without a doubt, the best school in Sydney. (For me.)

I remember my OC Orientation like it was yesterday. I sat towards the back of the hall, hoping no one would identify me. I clutched my black Middle Harbour stockings and stared at the array of unfamiliar uniforms. Being the only girl coming from my old school, I thought I would struggle to find friends. Boy, was I wrong!

All my fears and worries were put to rest when I saw the OC students were each given an iPad! I saw the great facilities the school had. I saw the fun extra curriculum groups offered to children of all ages, including dance, drama, Glee and computer programming. (Just to name a few.) Not only are Maths, English, writing and History taught in a way that leaves you thinking, “Wow, I seriously just did that!”, there are endless possibilities for social and competitive sport teams. I left the orientation with a bubbling feeling of joy spreading through my body. I knew I was now a Neutral Bay girl.

While some of you are familiar with what makes an OC classroom different from mainstream, many of you are not. In a mainstream class, everyone is at different levels in terms of ability. In OC, everyone is pretty much the same. That means no more waiting for everyone else to finish the test. No more standing up 15 minutes before anyone else stands up.

Don’t worry! OC is not all work, work, work! Dance, Drama, Glee Club, Choir and School Spectacular are all great examples of fun activities we do.

When making the move, my main worry was that I wouldn’t find friends. I thought I’d either play with the Year 6 OC students or by myself with a book. But with 12 other girls in my class, I had 12 more friends than I ever had at my old school. You see, in mainstream I would stand out as someone different. Here, I’m treated as if I’m normal and not a freak of nature! And if having 29 other students in a class isn’t enough, the school has over 900 students! Academic and sporting teams provide a great opportunity for children looking to find other children with the same interests and hobbies as them. For example, if you are destined for Broadway, Neutral Bay is right up your alley. There is a club for the sporty and musically inclined, for dancers or singers... The list goes on!

I know now why OC is the Opportunity Class; we are offered the opportunity to share a class with 29 other children who share the same hobbies and interests as we do. Now I’ve experienced OC, I don’t know how I would have coped at my old school. I was once asked about the best decision I’d ever made. In less than a nanosecond I had responded with two letters: ‘OC’.

To all of you starting OC, you may feel scared now, but trust me. Coming here will be the best decision of your life. Although it might seem scary, although you might be afraid, OC isn’t as scary as people make it out to be. It might seem frightening at first, but that’s not what OC is really like. If I could go back to my OC Orientation, I would tell myself: ‘It’s okay, Olivia. Everything will always work out.

I remember that day like it was yesterday. To be honest, I wish it was. That would mean I could repeat this wonderful year all over again. Sure, I was looking around, clutching my mum's hand like you all might be doing, and looking into the sea of unfamiliar faces for someone I actually recognised. Don't be fooled by the lack of familiarity. When I came to Neutral Bay,  I came with three other people from my old school. If you are coming alone, you might be thinking that I'm lucky and sure, it gave me a base to build on, but in the end I’ve made really good friends and only one of them I had seen before.

Hi, my name is Charlotte, and I'm here to reassure you. What I can't reassure you is that I have a magic wand that can make this new start easier to navigate. What I can reassure you is that if you take this opportunity, you will make priceless memories that you will never forget. 

People tell you ‘Carpe diem’ or ‘Seize the day!’ and honestly, sometimes that’s hard to do but this class helps you achieve that goal to ‘seize the day!’ I have had so many opportunities at this school, I can't count them. I’m in band and many other extracurricular activities. I know this sounds unreal, but in this year alone,  I have performed at the Town Hall, Opera House, and soon I’ll be performing at the Qudos Bank arena! You’ll definitely find something for you to fully immerse yourself in, as this school gives you too many opportunities to list. (just make sure if you have permission to get your photo taken before you get your photo taken.)

From someone singing under their breath during a maths test to someone singing under their breath for the sake of singing a good song, in fact, to the person whose current book never leaves their side, you will find new and interesting friends. I will never regret my decision to leave my old school and come to this new one. It’s an amazing feeling to go to school every day and to be surrounded by people who love learning as much as you. I hope that someday you, too, will get to experience this.

Good afternoon, parents, carers and most importantly, future students of Neutral Bay Public School. My name is Sam and today I’m going to be telling you all about what life’s like in an Opportunity Class at Neutral Bay. I know right now you probably have a million questions racing through your head. What if there’s no sport or creative arts? What are the camps like? And that last, most daunting question that every kid coming to a new school asks themselves. What if I don’t make any friends? Well, I’m here to answer all three of those questions in what little time I have.

What if there’s no sport or creative arts? 

That’s an easy one. You have my word that if you come to Neutral Bay Public School, you will find no lack of either sports or creative arts. At my old school, I was constantly itching to get out of the classroom and do something, but here, I am perfectly content to sit in my class and pay close attention to whatever the teacher is teaching us, be it Shakespeare, Pythagoras Theorem or what defines a planet. I, personally have participated in a number of sporting events, including Soccer Knockout, Cricket Knockout, Interschool Oz Tag, AFL and Soccer PSSA. As for the creative arts, I know many students in my class who have taken part in the Glee Club, Bay Dance, Choir, Band and even the School Spectacular.

What are the camps like? 

All the way back in Term 1, all the Year 5 students, including me, enjoyed the Great Aussie Bush Camp. There was mud world, build a raft, high ropes and more, but my favourite part was the Giant Swing. At a terrifying 12-metre high, it was an experience like no other. Once the other students have pulled you up to the height that you have chosen, you make a decision. To pull the release rope or not. Then you pull the rope, and the adrenaline rush is incredible. Every single nerve is screaming for it to stop. But then you get through your first swing, and everything evens out, falling into a comfortable, steady rhythm.

What if I don’t make any friends?

In many ways, I think that the Giant Swing is a great metaphor for the first year  of OC. The first thing that you have to do is make a choice. To pull the release rope or not. Then, you’ve done it and your free-falling downward with a thrill of exhilaration. It may be a little overwhelming at times, but in the end, you always know that you’ll make it to that comfortable, steady rhythm. And do you know what gets you there? It’s the friends that you make along the way, and yes, you will make friends, for there is an abundance of them at OC, always there to comfort and guide you when there is any doubt or uncertainty or even fear.

I really enjoyed my time at Neutral Bay Public School and look forward to seeing you next year. Thank you.

Welcome, children, to Neutral Bay Public School. My name is Esther, and I am a Year 5 student in the OC class. Today, I’ll be talking a little bit about what makes this school and its OC class so amazing.

I know a lot of you will be asking: Will I do well academically if I go to this school? Let’s get this answer out of the way: YES. Take me for an example. In school, we studied poetry, and I enjoyed it so much that in my free time now, I love reading classic poems and analysing the techniques that poets use to improve their writing. I also write poems and creative works. 

Just recently, I self-published a poetry anthology and a novel and donated both to our school library. If you go to Amazon, you can buy one of my books right now, which is something I never thought about doing last year. So, while this school has helped me improve academically, it’s also helped me develop my own interests and hobbies. 

Teamwork is so important in life, and Neutral Bay does this in a fun and engaging way. Great Aussie Bush Camp teaches us the value of trying new experiences, and it always provides delicious food! Learning maths and sciences improves our problem-solving skills and knowledge about the world. My favourite subjects are history and literature because learning about them helps me appreciate the beauty of the world around me. 

I like to think of myself as a little seedling, with Neutral Bay being the fertile soil in which I am planted and the teachers as dedicated farmers who water me daily in hopes that I one day grow into a big tree.  It’s a wonderful school that I love dearly, and I hope you will grow to love it just as much as I do. If you’re new and trying to make friends, my advice is to try and talk to as many people as you can. Look for common interests, involve yourself in extracurricular activities, and always be a kind and caring individual. 

Dr Seuss once said, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.”

Your first days feel different. A new class, a new teacher, a new school. You’ll worry that you made a mistake by saying goodbye to your old friends, the life you knew. But then you start quickly making friends and everything changes, and you fit in. Suddenly one day you’ll wake up, and the thought of not going to school is utter flapdoodle.

And a new life begins.

It was like that for me. Every day, I come home from school at Neutral Bay with a new thing that has surprised us or stunned us all. Here it matters not who you are, for here you’re at the same level. Reflecting back on this year, a wave of memories washes over me. The first day, jokes told in Music class, homework, comprehension, library and band practice. One student being excited for a spelling test to start. Another singing softly from sheer happiness during a Maths test and a gazillion other memories I don’t have time to mention today.

There comes a time when your light shines above all others. That moment is now. I feel you should make the most of this opportunity you’re given because you may never have this again. Moments like this comes along once in a blue moon.

You are special.