From The Principal
Prepare Your Child for the Road
Prepare Your Child for the Road
Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child
As parents and teachers in a school we are invested in developing flourishing and wonderful children who become great adults. We want to do everything possible to help and assist them to succeed. However, sometimes there is a delicate balance required to ensure that what we do supports rather than hinders their growth. American parenting columnist Ann Landers once wrote: “It’s not what you do for your children but what you have taught them to do for themselves that will make them successful human beings.”
This is a helpful reminder to parents and teachers as students grapple with the onset of childhood and adolescence. An article in The Huffington Post (over ten years ago) resonated with a similar message. Kari Kampakis pointed out that loving a child means doing what is best for them in the long term. She asked herself what sort of adult she was hoping her kids would turn out to be and what should be done to foster this.
Her main point was that what makes a child happy at 10 or 15 is not what makes a happy, healthy and flourishing 25, 30 or 40-year-old. She quoted statistics of parents who had done everything for their children to ensure happy childhoods but found they struggled terribly as adults. Kampakis wrote, “Adults today are too quick to swoop in. We don't want our children to fall, so instead of letting them experience adversity, we clear the path. We remove obstacles and make their life easy. But adversity is a part of life, and only by facing it can our children build life-coping skills they'll need down the road. So while it seems like we're doing them a favour, we're really stunting their growth. We're putting short-term payoffs over long-term wellbeing.”(1)
In encouraging adults not to go overboard or get too involved, the author identified 10 common child raising mistakes, suggesting that well-meaning actions may not always be best for children and adolescents in the future.
Mistake 10: Worshipping our children. Children and young adolescents should be loved but when they become the centre of the universe, they grow to believe it, which doesn’t help later on.
Mistake 9: Believing our children are perfect. Being realistic is important.
Mistake 8: Living vicariously through our children. If we are too invested in their lives, it gets hard to see where they end and we begin. Suddenly it's not about them, it's about us. Their happiness starts getting confused with our happiness.
Mistake 7: Wanting to be our child's BFF. Our children need parents and teachers, not another friend.
Mistake 6: Engaging in competitive parenting. When we try to ‘win at all costs’ we lose sight of character. It may not seem important in childhood or adolescence, but in adulthood it's everything.
Mistake 5: Missing the wonder of childhood. Rushing kids through adolescence deprives them of many wonderful experiences.
Mistake 4: Raising the child we want, not the child we have. Enjoying them for who they are can impact on their life powerfully.
Mistake 3: Forgetting that our actions speak louder than words. If we want kids to be wonderful, we need to model for wonderful, too. Adults and teachers need to be the people we hope they'll become.
Mistake 2: Judging other parents – and their kids. Judgemental adults develop judgemental children.
Mistake 1: Underestimating CHARACTER. We can’t force character on our kids, and at age 10 or 15 it won’t win much credibility! However, as adults it won’t be about how successful they were in year 2, Year 10 or the HSC, but how they treat others and what they think of themselves. There are many ways to love a child, but in our quest to help them to flourish and enjoy their lives, let us stay mindful that sometimes it takes short-term pain to help them to achieve long-term gain. These thoughts are directed as much to teachers as parents and I trust that as we partner together under God that our children will flourish through their school careers and grow to wonderful and flourishing adults beyond their time at OAGS.
"Prepare your child for the road, not the road for your child."
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 47
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he (or she) will not depart from it.“ Proverbs 22:6
(1) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karikubiszynkampakis/10commonmistakesparentstodaymakemeincluded_b_4753451.html?ir=Australia
Mr David Smith
Interim Principal
Junior School
Head of Junior School
Head of Junior School
Digging Deeper… Reading Fluency
Reading fluency is often described as the bridge between word recognition and true comprehension. When a student reads fluently, reading sounds like natural speech - flowing, expressive, and effortless. But fluency doesn't happen by chance; it is built on a foundation of accuracy, rate, and prosody.
Accuracy: To read fluently, students must first read words correctly. Early accuracy relies heavily on systematic phonics instruction to help children map sounds to letters. As students progress, accuracy expands to mastering more morphologically complex words (prefixes, roots, and suffixes). Our implemented programs of InitiaLit and SpellEx explicitly target this progression, equipping students to decode increasingly challenging texts with confidence.
Rate: Reading rate refers to the speed at which text is processed without sacrificing accuracy. Rate improves naturally as words transition into a student's long-term memory, becoming automatically recognised on sight. Automaticity frees up precious cognitive energy, allowing young readers to focus on meaning rather than decoding every individual letter.
Prosody: Often called reading with expression, prosody is the rhythm, phrasing, and intonation of spoken language. True prosody requires more than just reading speed; students must possess a solid awareness of syntax, a strong grasp of vocabulary, an understanding of punctuation marks, and clear overall comprehension.
Developing fluency takes explicit teaching and structured practice. Across our year levels, teachers employ several evidence-based routines to support students on their reading journey:
Decodable Texts: Early readers practice using texts carefully matched to their current phonic knowledge, ensuring high success rates and reinforcing accuracy.
Paired Fluency Readings: Students partner up to take turns reading aloud, providing feedback, support, and mutual encouragement.
Repeated Readings: Rereading familiar texts multiple times helps students increase their automaticity (rate) and build confidence.
Echo Readings: The teacher reads a sentence or passage with rich prosody and expression, and students "echo" the reading back, modelling natural speech patterns.
By combining explicit word-level instruction through InitiaLit and SpellEx with dynamic classroom reading practices, we ensure our students move beyond simply decoding words to becoming expressive and highly capable readers.
Ms Alice Glyde
Head of Junior School
Kindergarten - Father's Day Portraits
Kindergarten - Father's Day Portraits
In the lead-up to Father's Day, our Kindergarten students took time to reflect on what makes their dads and father figures so special.
The children wrote sweet messages sharing why they love them, expressing gratitude for fun outings, masterful ponytail styling, feeling safe, and, of course, the very best dad jokes. To complement their words, students participated in a guided drawing activity, bringing their artwork to life with bright colours and detailed features like iconic beards, glasses, and cool hairstyles.
These personalized portraits were truly special, and we hope all of our wonderful dads and father figures had a fantastic Father’s Day!
Mrs Michelle Pearson
Kindergarten Coordinator
Father's Day Breakfast
Father's Day Breakfast
What a fantastic morning celebrating the incredible dads, grandfathers, and father figures in our OAGS school community! 🍳🧡💙🍳
We had a huge turnout for our Father’s Day Breakfast today. Thank you to everyone who joined us for delicious bacon & egg rolls, hot coffees, and quality time together before the school bell rang.
Check out some of the bright smiles from the morning’s celebration.
Making Music
Making Music
Making Music & Building Confidence in Junior Music!
Our Prep to Year 2 students have been filling the music room with energy, rhythm, and creativity this term! It has been an absolute joy watching our youngest musicians grow in confidence as they explore the wonderful world of sound through hands-on activities, movement, and play.
Here is a glimpse into what our learners have been up to:
Expressive Movement & Scarves: Using vibrant, colourful movement scarves, students have been learning to feel the beat, express musical dynamics, and float through melodies as they bring music to life with creative motion.
Singing Games: Interactive singing games like "Bow Wow Wow" have kept everyone on their feet, helping students develop pitch awareness, rhythm, and teamwork in a fun, collaborative circle setting.
Space Adventure & Classroom Instruments: Taking their imaginations out of this world, our students orchestrated an exciting space adventure! Using percussion instruments—including hand drums, triangles, castanets, and xylophones—they created soundscapes to match their cosmic journey while practicing control, beat-keeping, and instrumental technique.
From dynamic movement to hands-on music making, our Prep to Year 2 learners are laying a strong foundation for a lifelong love of music!
Miss Veronica Li
Junior Music Teacher
Year 4 Camp
Year 4 Camp
Year 4 Camp 2026
In Week 7, our Year 4 students traded their classrooms for the great outdoors, embarking on their highly anticipated annual camp at Galston Gorge. Over four action-packed days and three nights, students immersed themselves in the beautiful bushland setting, enjoying the sunshine and a diverse range of activities run by the CRU team.
The itinerary was designed to challenge students both physically and mentally. From the adrenaline of BMX riding and indoor high ropes to the strategic thinking required for score orienteering and Stratego, there was never a dull moment. Students also engaged in bushwalking, challenge courses, spy hunting, and a high-energy mini-olympics, all capped off by the legendary Big Night of Fun and quiet moments of reflection during Christian Discovery and evening campfires.
The Power of "Manageable Discomfort"
While camp is undeniably fun, it serves a deeper educational purpose. In a recent article, Dr Nathaniel Swain noted:
"Education can’t—and shouldn’t—promise a life free from discomfort. Part of our responsibility is to help young people discover that they can experience manageable discomfort, persist through it and emerge successfully on the other side."
Galston Gorge provided the perfect environment for this growth. We saw this "manageable discomfort" transform into triumph throughout the week:
Physical Perseverance: Students who were initially nervous about the high ropes found themselves climbing significantly higher than they ever realised possible.
New Skills: Several students faced the daunting task of learning to ride a bike for the first time on the BMX track, proving that persistence pays off.
Independence: For many, the greatest challenge was the simple act of sleeping away from home. Emerging from the third night with a smile was a huge milestone in self-regulation and independence.
Collaboration: Activities like the challenge course and Stratego required students to move beyond individual effort, learning to communicate and work effectively within a team to achieve a common goal.
We are incredibly proud of the resilience shown by Year 4. They return to school not just with tired legs and dusty clothes, but with a renewed sense of what they can achieve when they persist through a challenge. Mrs Reed, Mr Bowtell, Mrs Willis and I all discussed how encouraging it was that our students worked together to achieve goals, showed each other grace and kindness, and had fun as they did it!
Student Quotes:
What was the most challenging part of camp?
Adeline G: “The high ropes and the challenge course.”
Rose D: “ The high ropes because I’m super scared of heights and I had to jump off.”
Henry B: “The most challenging part of camp was the challenge course because it was hard.”
George A: “Not talking after lights out because we had a lot of things on our mind from the day.”
What was the most enjoyable part of camp?
Tim P: “High ropes because I like climbing.”
Felicity M: “Challenging myself.”
Hugh J: “Ga Ga Ball and the food.”
Emilie R: ‘Being with my friends.”
What is something that you learned about yourself?
David M: “I learned I’m very competitive.”
Rebekah J: “I can’t ride a bike, but I can ride a scooter.”
Agamjot S: “I’m very good at climbing.”
Jade F: “I’m good at BMX riding.”
Year 6 Learning Showcase
Year 6 Learning Showcase
Year 6 Firetails
Firetails Learning Showcase: Exploring Electricity!
On Thursday 3rd September, the Firetails held their Learning Showcase, sharing their exciting Science learning with their parents and families.
Students have been exploring the fascinating world of electricity and developing their knowledge and skills by designing and creating their own electrical circuits. In their circuits, students could choose to light up a light or use a sound box to make a noise, carefully checking that their circuits were connected correctly and that the electrical current could flow.
Using a success criteria, students investigated a range of different materials to discover which materials could conduct electricity and which acted as insulators. Students then had the opportunity to explain and justify their findings to their parents before completing a Seesaw activity to record and present their discoveries.
There was plenty of hands-on fun along the way! Students even made their own homemade playdough and tested whether it could conduct electricity in their circuits.
It was fantastic to see the Firetails experimenting, problem-solving and sharing their scientific thinking. We certainly had lots of fun lighting up our learning!
Mrs Erin Purvis
Year 6 Firetails
Year 6 Eastern Rosellas
Eastern Rosellas Learning Showcase
On Tuesday 8 September, the Eastern Rosellas welcomed their parents to our Learning Showcase. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to share their learning and show their parents what we have been working on in class.
We began with our Maths Daily Review and a SpellEx activity, where students and parents worked together to answer questions and display their answers on whiteboards. Following the SpellEx activity, students and parents enjoyed a short interactive activity together.
Students then shared our class novel, Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief, explaining what the story is about and discussing some of the important symbols and their meanings. They also proudly showcased their Term 3 artwork and demonstrated the coding we havebeen learning in Science, as well as our work with electrical circuits.
It was lovely to see the students confidently sharing their learning and to have our parents involved in celebrating their achievements.
Mrs Anita Venter
Year 6 Eastern Rosellas
Looking Ahead
Looking Ahead
Pastoral Care
UR Strong: Forgiveness
UR Strong: Forgiveness
The focus for the month of September in the UR Strong program is forgiveness. This is a very important part of the Friend-O-Cycle and as a Christian School, a key part of our values. Jesus taught us to, ‘Treat others just as you would want them to treat you’ John 6:31. This obviously includes forgiving others as we would want to be forgiven.
Through the Friend-O-Cycle, students are taught that a healthy relationship involves speaking the truth to each other when a ‘friendship fire’ occurs. A friendship fire could be a disagreement about the rules of a game, upset due to someone being selfish, unkind words being used, or a misunderstanding. When a friendship fire occurs, students are encouraged to confront the issue (when everyone is calm) by explaining what went wrong from their perspective. Students can then ‘talk-it-out’ by taking turns to share what they could do differently next time to find a solution to their problem.
The next step is to ‘forgive and forget’. This step doesn’t mean you forget what happened, but rather that when we forgive someone we don’t bring it up again next time we have a friendship fire. Forgiving means letting go of our anger toward someone. Hopefully, the other person will be grateful for that forgiveness, and work toward making the friendship grow closer and stronger.
However, some friendships and relationships are determined to be unhealthy. Teachers often work through friendship fires with our students, and sometimes, we need to discuss patterns of behaviour that have become unhealthy. If a ‘friend’ breaks someone’s trust and doesn’t show them respect over a period of time, then it is wise to take a break from that friendship. We can still forgive people, and not let anger overwhelm our thoughts, but we should not accept unhealthy relationships when others do not show genuine care or a willingness to change unhealthy behaviours. Children need to know, as a protective practice, that they can say no to continuing a relationship that is not built on trust and respect.
These are complex issues that all our students need their parents and teachers ready and able to work through with them in a calm and respectful manner. We teach our children what is acceptable through what we say and how we say it. When our children experience us listening to their problems with considered reflection and a keenness to listen, they learn that solving relationship issues are important, sometimes complex, but worth persevering so we can better understand our strengths and weaknesses. Owning our own mistakes, and not catastrophising friendship fires so that the process of a friend-o-cycle can be worked through, are all important practices that make it more likely for our children to experience the joy of friendship.
Mrs Georgina Willis
Junior School Leader of Pastoral Care
Student Collection
Student Collection
Faith at OAGS
Junior Christian Studies
Junior Christian Studies
This term Year 5 & 6 have covered a unit called "Good Advice". We have explored the book of Proverbs, and students have challenged themselves to memorise Proverbs 3:1-6. Families have also had the opportunity to get involved with students being tasked to ask their families what some good advice has been that they have received in their lives.
We have seen that biblical wisdom makes us wise for life and it is our hope and prayer that the students will apply this in their lives both now and in the future. If your student is in year 5 or 6 - why not ask them about Proverbs 3:1-6.
Sport
Athletes Shine on the Regional and State Stage
Athletes Shine on the Regional and State Stage
Athletes Shine on the Regional and State Stage
It has been an action packed fortnight for our track and field stars, with students across both the Junior and Secondary schools showcasing exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship across regional and state championship events.
WAS Athletics Carnival — Dubbo
The excitement kicked off in Week 6 when a strong contingent of 75 athletes travelled to Dubbo to represent the school at the WAS Athletics Carnival. Competing against top talent from across the region, our team delivered standout performances across all track and field disciplines, setting the tone for a remarkably successful representative season.
CIS Primary Athletics Championships
Not to be outdone by their Senior peers, our Junior School athletes capped off a brilliant run of their own. Following stellar performances at the HICES Athletics Carnival in Week 5, our top Junior competitors earned their spots to represent the school at the CIS Primary Athletics Championship in Sydney during Week 7.
Congratulations to all of our athletes for their dedication, early morning training, and impressive achievements over the past fortnight. We wish Quinn, Maddi, Lucy, and Milla the absolute best of luck as they prepare to take on the state's best at the CIS Secondary Championships!
Finals Fever: Extra-Curricular Teams
It’s been a massive weekend of finals action for our extra-curricular sports teams, with incredible skill and school pride on full display across both soccer and netball.
Straight to the Grand Final!
A huge congratulations to four of our teams who dominated their first-round finals to secure a "golden ticket" straight into the Grand Final, taking place at the start of the upcoming school holidays:
Hurricanes Soccer Team(C-Grade All-Ages) — Powered by a fantastic mix of Year 12 students and parents!
Vertex Rail Soccer Team(U16)
KP Sandford Soccer Team(U14)
Regional Compliance Netball Team(U13)
The Battle Continues This Weekend
The excitement isn't over yet. Four more teams are heading back to the court and field this coming weekend for their next finals clash, with a spot in the Grand Finals right on the line:
Lightning Netball Team(U18)
Giants Netball Team(U15)
Central Caleula Motor Lodge Netball Team(U13)
Vixens Netball Team(U10)
Be sure to get out there and cheer on our teams as they push for a Grand Final berth. Best of luck to all players, coaches, and parents this weekend.
Mrs Dominique Hutchinson
Sports Academy Leader
ACE
Success at The National All Breeds Junior Heifer Show
Success at The National All Breeds Junior Heifer Show
The National All Breeds Junior Heifer Show is probably the toughest junior cattle show on the Australian circuit. Last weekend, three OAGS students represented the school and they really made us proud. A huge congratulations must go to Flynn B in his last ever captain role, collecting not only champion bull with his animal, but taking out the coveted Angus Youth Roundup Scholarship. For a student with no agricultural experience prior the ACE program, this is testament to the success of the program. In the last two years, Flynn has won more than $3000 in awards and scholarships as a result of his involvement in junior beef programs.
Our Year 10 ladies, Jade and Isobel were also among the ribbons in paraders and heifer classes. The future is bright for the OAGS cattle team with these ladies taking over the leads! Photo credit to BA Showcase
Mrs Sarah Eyb
ACE Coordinator
CAPA
Orange Eisteddfod Success 2026
Orange Eisteddfod Success 2026
Success for OAGS musicians at the City of Orange Eisteddfod
It has been another fantastic year of results for OAGS at the Orange Eisteddfod with all of our ensembles and choirs performed magnificently. A list of results appears below, every group we entered was awarded a placing, sometimes we were even competing against ourselves. Results are one thing, but the true value of the experience was seeing everyone give their all to create performances that they can be proud of.
SECTION 562 12 Years & Under Junior Band Group
OAGS Junior Band - 2nd place
SECTION 564 18 Years & Under Senior Band Group
OAGS Senior Concert Band - 2nd place
SECTION 565 18 Years & Under Senior Jazz / Stage Band Group
OAGS Big Band - 2nd place
OAGS Stage Band - Highly Commended
SECTION 570 Open Contemporary Ensemble
OAGS Year 10 Rock Band - 1st place
SECTION 568 Open Band Group
OAGS Senior Concert Band - 3rd place
SECTION 569 Open Jazz / Stage Band Group
OAGS Big Band - 1st place
SECTION 516 Open Primary School Age Strings (6 or more players) Ensemble
OAGS Junior Strings - 2nd place
SECTION 518 Open Secondary School Age Strings (6 or more players)
OAGS Senior Strings - 3rd place
SECTION 404 Open Secondary School Choir
OAGS Senior Vocal Ensemble - 2nd place
SECTION 405 18 Years & Under Senior Vocal Ensemble
OAGS Senior Vocal Ensemble - 1st place
A number of OAGS students competed in individual sections for instrumentalists and singers with some substantial prizes being taken home including Beatrix being awarded the 13 to 18 Years Harry Slogget Memorial Senior Brass Scholarship and Imogen the 18 Years & Under Woodwind Solo. Many of our fine young pianists also competed in various age groups taking home multiple awards.
Pictured are our Junior Concert Band after their 2nd placing and the Junior and Senior Strings following their performances at the Orange Regional Conservatorium.
Noel Annett
Leader of CAPA
Soloist Evening
Soloist Evening
Junior School Soloists Shine Bright
The evening opened with the Junior School showcase, where 18 young musicians stepped up to the microphone and music stands. Performing in front of an enthusiastic audience of family, friends, and peers, these students delivered a collection of truly beautiful pieces.
From delicate vocal melodies to expressive instrumental solos, the sheer talent and potential on display was remarkable. Taking the stage at a young age requires immense courage, and every single performer rose to the occasion with poise and confidence.
Year 8 Brings the Rock and Roll Energy
As the Junior School performance concluded, the atmosphere shifted completely for the Year 8 concert. The night immediately cranked up a gear with a distinctive volume increase—swapping acoustic charm for electric guitars, driving basslines, and full-throttle rock!
The Year 8 students wowed the crowd with a dynamic lineup that featured powerful vocal performances, original student compositions, and tight-knit band sets. The energy in the room was electric as the students took ownership of the stage, demonstrating not just their individual technical skills, but their ability to collaborate and rock out together as cohesive units.
A special word of appreciation goes to Mr Rees OAM, who accompanied many of our students throughout the evening with his trademark flair and finesse, providing invaluable support on stage.
Finally, thank you to all the parents, families, and friends in the audience. Your encouragement, patience during rehearsals, and enthusiastic applause make nights like these possible and give our young musicians the platform to thrive. We can't wait to see where their musical journeys take them next!
Jonathan Clipsham
Junior & Senior Music Teacher
