This week is School Support Staff Recognition Week and I want to publicly thank all of our SAS staff for the work they do to enable our core business to function so well. They do a mighty job and we want them to feel appreciated. A special morning tea was held for them at the primary site after recess on Tuesday.

You have probably heard on the news and read in the CWD that all of the Orange Schools will now be getting new flued gas heaters. New research was done on what were the coldest areas in the state and Orange schools of course came out near the top. The new heaters will be placed in our schools between now and next winter.

I have decided that I will retire at the end of this year. I know there has been much speculation and I need to tell everyone early enough to provide time to advertise for a new Principal. It is now time for a new Principal to lead the school forward for the next six years. I have truly enjoyed my time as Principal of Orange Public, no doubt the best school in town.

Despite the wet morning we had an excellent roll up of next years kindies at the Meet and Greet on Monday morning. We had lots of parents and grandparents and a number of the little ones didn’t want to leave when it was time to go. I think they are going to be a wonderful kindergarten group in 2011.

Mrs Fisk tells me that we had 2 Kinder classes combined, two Year one classes combined and two Year two classes combined in the Verse Speaking last week. The Kindy group came third and the other two groups received Highly Commended. Fantastic! We are very proud of them all.

At the time of writing we have had a number of high results for our String groups. I know we have had a 1st and a 2nd and few thirds and lots of highly commendeds. I know there a number of groups still to play this week. Mrs Hughes will be writing out all the results for me to publish next week.

The District Athletics was postponed from last Friday due to the rain and the condition of the grounds. I have been told by a reliable source that the grounds will not be dry enough to play on again this Friday so we will await our next instructions from the organisers.

Mrs Smith has informed me that the Excursion to the Zoo last week was just so good. The children behaved wonderfully well. It was wet but they still had a great time.

Last Thursday OPS played Canowindra in Orange and defeated them 20 points to 4. They moved on to play Mudgee on Monday and unfortunately were defeated by a very strong Mudgee team.

Our girls’ soccer team played Lithgow on Tuesday and held them to a Nil all drawer. Unfortunately Lithgow won the game on a count back of corners.