Proud to be a part of OPAC
Last Saturday we opened the gates of our College to the wider community to showcase the learning, values, buildings and facilities, and the fabulous students who make up our OPAC family. There was so much excitement from our Junior School students as they waited for each tour group to come and visit, so they could show them the various parts of our College. With over 400 visitors – it was a busy day and once again our students and teachers impressed those who came to visit. Events like Open Day are not just an opportunity to showcase our College. There is another and very important opportunity for those taking part – feeling proud to belong.
At OPAC every student is an important part of our community. Feeling proud to belong to a school is something special, and it helps make our school a happy, supportive, and exciting place to learn.
When students feel proud to belong, they feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. It means they feel safe, accepted, and valued by their friends, teachers, and classmates. This sense of belonging is important because it helps students feel confident in who they are and encourages them to do their best.
But wasn’t just students working hard on Saturday. Our teachers and support staff also worked very hard to lead or provide experiences for those on tours to catch a glimpse of what it is like to work and learn at OPAC.
Being proud of our school community also helps us work together. When we celebrate each other’s successes and support each other through challenges, we grow stronger as a group. Students who feel like they belong are more likely to share ideas, help their classmates, and treat everyone with kindness and respect. This sense of pride can even inspire others in the community, showing everyone that when we work together and support one another, great things happen. We set a good example for our families and those around us by treating each other with kindness and showing the importance of being part of something special.
Here are a few ways you can help encourage your child to feel connected. Of course this is not an absolute checklist – we all have busy families and often time is short and interrupted. But I just wanted to raise it to your attention in case you have an opportunity to drop in a comment or ask a question:
- Talk About School Positively: Share excitement about school activities, teachers, and events. When children see that their parents value school, it helps them feel more connected.
- Get Involved: Attend school events, parent-teacher conferences, and volunteer opportunities. Being active in school activities shows your child that you care about their school community.
- Encourage Friendships: Help your child form friendships by arranging playdates or encouraging them to join clubs or teams. Friendships are key to feeling like you belong!
- Celebrate Achievements: Whether big or small, celebrating successes helps children feel proud of what they contribute to the school community.
- Be Supportive: If your child faces challenges at school, listen and offer support. Showing that you care about their school experience helps them feel safe and valued.
At OPAC, we all have something special to offer. Whether it’s excelling in sports, creating beautiful artwork, sharing a great idea, or helping a friend, every student brings something important to our school. When we are proud to belong, we create an environment where everyone can thrive and enjoy their time here. People who are yet to our join our College community are aware of this and are keen to provide this experience for their child. We saw many examples on Saturday of students working together to show and include others in a learning demonstration, some of our students spoke about the College values and the different ways they are woven into everything we do, others spoke about how they help others in the playground to solve problems while they are small. These are all the things that come together to make OPAC the special place that it is.
God bless,
Mrs Jenny Squire
Deputy Principal – Head of Junior School
Sport
It has been a busy two weeks in Junior School with students representing our college at both CSSA Zone and CSSA State carnivals.
CSSA Zone Swimming Carnival
In Week 5, 20 students headed to Prairiewood leisure centre to participate in the CSSA Zone Swimming Carnival. From the very first race, our swimmers gave it their all, showing incredible sportsmanship and effort. There were outstanding performances across all age groups, with many students finishing in the top 3 of their events which then progressed them to CSSA State.
Congratulations to Nate W, Brad W, Lucas J, Noah J, Grace S, Ryder S, Angus D and Maisie D who all progressed to CSSA State. A special congratulations to our Senior Boys relay team who took out first place.
CSSA State Swimming Carnival
In Week 6, 8 Students from our College swan at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre to represent us at the CSSA State Swimming Carnival. This was a huge achievement for our students as they swam against to best swimmers in CSSA from across NSW.
During the evening students participated in all qualified events. Our Senior Relay boys performed extremely well, narrowly missing out on CIS by 1 second.
Nate W finished 4th in the 50-metre backstroke which qualified him for CIS.
Noah J also qualified for CIS finishing 2nd in 50 metre freestyle and 3rd in 50 metre breaststroke.
We wish the boys the best of luck as the compete on the 26th March at CIS Swimming.
CSSA and CIS Nominations
From time to time, the College is able to nominate some of our exceptional athletes to trial for CSSA or CIS representative teams. These teams are selected for high level representative competitions, drawing from almost 100 schools across NSW. If you would like the College to nominate your child for one of these events, please follow the procedure below:
- Go to CSSA website to see the list and dates of these trials (cssa.net.au)
- Email me (swright@opac.nsw.edu.au), expressing your child’s interest, background and skills in the sport
- If they fit the requirements of the trials, I will nominate them to attend
- Attend the trials with your child
Upcoming Events
Week 8
Wednesday (19/3): IPSSO
- Home Game against Macarthur Anglican
- Juniors 11:35am
- Seniors 1:15pm
- Basketball and Girls Soccer at College
- Cricket and Oz Tag at Bradham Reserve.
Thursday 20/3/25: Year 2 Swimming finishes
Week 7
Wednesday (26/3): IPSSO
- Away Game against Broughton Anglican
- Juniors 11:45am
- Seniors 1:00pm
- All games are at Broughton Anglican College
God bless,
Mrs Stephanie Wright
Junior School Sports Coordinator
