Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School East Warrnambool eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Today we acknowledge and pay our respects to the First Peoples, the traditional custodians of the lands and waterways and thank them for their continued hospitality.

We acknowledge and celebrate the continuation of a living culture who have lived with Creator God through creation of land, sea, waterways and life.

Prayer

Leadership & Stewartship

Principal's Message

Dear members of the OLHC school community,

OPEN DAY TOURS for 2024

This week we had the first of our three open day tours and information sessions. It was great to meet some prospective parents and students and we remain confident we can continue to fill OLHC with great families who will add to our fabric and culture as a welcoming school. From a classroom perspective, we plan to run 21 straight grade classes again in 2024. We will host a 10am and 6pm session next Monday 22nd at OLHC.

BUILDING PLANS

On Monday, Naish and I met with the architects and deputy director to outline our proposed plans for the next stage of our master plan. We are closer to finalising plans for a new wing of classrooms that minimise disruption to our day to day operations. Once these have been finalised, l will share them with you and we hope to go to tender late this year or very early in 2024. The spiralling costs have stymied some plans, but with the pending pledge of 5 million from the state government we remain well placed to proceed with a level of confidence.

Have a relaxing weekend!

Steve

Sickness/Health

Due to a recent surge in illness within our school community, we kindly request your cooperation in keeping your child at home if they are unwell.

If your child exhibits symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue, body aches or sore tummy, please exercise caution and keep them at home.

Please reinforce good health practices with your child, including regular handwashing, covering their mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, and practicing hygiene measures at home.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us.

Thank you for your continued support.

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

An important process of learning is the ability to listen to and accept feedback. My wife gave me some feedback last week that I don’t need to comment on the weather at the beginning of each newsletter as Mr Madden normally does at the start of his section. I’ll take this on board and jump straight into teaching and learning.

‘GOOD’ REVOLUTION/FUN LOOP FRIDAY

We had a great response around the school of students thinking of a different word than ‘good’ when asked how they were going when coming through the loop. This progressed to students taking this up throughout the day when I passed them in the hallways and playground. I must admit that I miss the classroom and the daily student interactions we have as teachers. I really enjoyed this experience of setting our students a challenge and it was fantastic to see parents having conversations with their children about a better word than good as they pulled up in the loop. Those who travelled through the loop on Friday may have noticed something a little different. We’re just trialling ‘Fun Loop Friday’ to boost students' energy levels and create some smiles as they walk into school on the last day of the week. There’ll be a few tunes playing and for any student who would like to, they can dance their way into school. There was a great vibe out there this morning and a positive way to round off the week.

SCHOOL TOURS FOR 2024 ENROLMENTS

We had our first tour on Tuesday with big numbers coming through. A massive thank you to Brendan, Noel and Tanya who work tirelessly to ensure our school is well presented. I do feel a sense of pride when we get to showcase our school on these occasions. Our final day of tours is this Monday 22nd May @ 10am and 6pm. Our enrolments open 22nd May-16th June. If you know someone who missed the tours and would still like to walk around the school, they can ring the office and book a time to go on a tour with me.

CYBER SAFETY WEEK/PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT

Just a reminder that it is Cyber Safety Week next week, 22nd-26th May. We have our Cyber Safety information night on Wednesday 24th May, 6pm-7pm. I would encourage all parents to come along, particularly the parents of our more senior students. Please RSVP by clicking on the link so we can get a gauge on numbers for the evening. bit.ly/cyberOLHC We will move the presentation into our two Grade 6 rooms (6OB/6SI) in the main building to provide a warmer space than the ED Hall. Please enter through the main doors at the office.

WORLD OF WORK- GRADE 2 INQUIRY

On Thursday our grade 2 cohort travelled to the Timor Street post office to check out the inner workings of the post system here in Warrnambool and the occupations attached to it. The students had lots of interesting questions to ask Val, who was kind enough the take all three grades through the building. Check out some photos below.

Have a great weekend with your family. Hopefully the weather is nice 😁

Thanks,

Naish

Cyber Safety Bits with Ms Fitzgerald and Mrs Murfett

Hello Parents, Guardians and Friends,

Each week the Digital Technology teachers Ms Fitzgerald and Mrs Murfett will be bringing you new cybersafety tips and what is going on in the technology room this week. If you have any questions or concerns regarding cybersafety please contact us on:

Ellen Fitzgerald: efitzgerald@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Sarah Murfett: smurfett@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Parental controls are a tool we can use to help our children stay safe online. The image below is a screenshot of the Apple help desk that focuses on parental controls on Apple devices. It may be useful for parents with such devices to have a look at what they can control and change on your child's device. https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201304

No parental control tool is 100%  effective. Helping your child build good online safety habits is just as important.

What is going on in the classrooms this week?

Foundation: Introduction to keyboard skills.

1s: Understand basic concepts of hardware and software.

2s: Coding - how to code a sandcastle.

3s: Coding - programming a human computer.

4s: Coding - a jam sandwich lesson.

5s and 6s: Coding - have you got your wires crossed?

Sports Report from Mr K

Cross Country

Last Friday 12th May 40 students competed in the Warrnambool City District Cross Country.

It was held at the Reid Oval/ Albert Park for 40 students that run against students from St. Josephs, East, Jamo and St Pius.

It was a fantastic day with everyone doing a great job to run their respective distances.

Cross Country is about Personal Growth and Milestones. For many athletes, the cross country is a journey of personal growth. They all pushed themselves to their limits, and overcome challenges. Whether it's running a faster time, improving endurance, or overcoming mental barriers, each athlete had their own unique story of growth and accomplishment.

Just like our school cross country, it was also good to see Sportsmanship and Camaraderie amongst students from other schools. Athletes showed respect, support, and encouragement toward their competitors, creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere.

The day went extremely well with 17 students qualifying for the Division Cross Country scheduled today. Results in next week's newsletter.

Chloe Burrows

Sophie Byrne

Mabel Clements

Eliza Farrer

Abbey Hermans

Mason Lewis

Tadhg Loughran

Bonnie McLeod

Maya McLeod

Marli Moore

Beau Morrison

Harvey Rogers

Lenny Ryan

Jobe Templeton

Lenny Thornton

Harrison Watson

Hugh White

Awards

Classroom Awards

Foundation

Peggy Chiller

Sully Dickson

Hudson Dillon

Ada Gore

Henry Ward

Jaxon Cross

Yr 1

Aisha Maggi

Piper Theobald

Emmy Drake

Fletcher Rea

Yr 2

Grace Barr

George McCulloch

Charlie Lucas

Finley Asenjo

Alex McMillan

Amit Hiria

Yr 3

Ned Busuttil

Arlo Drew

Savannah Davis

James Hare

Hugo Auld

Baylen Squires

Yr 4

Mabel Clements

Sid Lewis

Deepinder Singh

Bella Warburton

Zane Palmer

Andi Orr

Yr 5

Layla Turner

Schuyler Smits

Mira Brightwell

Jonah Sabo

Harrison Asenjo

Tadhg Loughran

Yr 6

Jordy Palmer

Lenny Ryan

Layla Sherlock

Sonny Moloney

Amelia Barnes

Makenzie Murphy

Spirit of Our Lady's Award

Lucy Gaffy

Ed Thornton

Charlie White

Bonnie Talbot

Charlotte Aiken

Evans Ajang

Freddie Isherwood

Walk Ride Champion of the Week

Walk Ride Champion is if you ride to school the most you get a prize and get to have a profile in the school newsletter and an interview on ClassDojo. So start riding or walking today to be in the running for a prize!

Name: Evie Coxall

Age: 10

Grade: 5

Class: 5CW

House: yellow

Favorite food: ice cream

Favorite color: magenta

Type of bike: Merida Mountain bike

Favorite animal: cheeta

Sports you play: netball basketball

Football team: Geelong cats

How far do you ride to school: 2k

How much did you ride this week: 2 days

How long does it take you to ride to school? 15 mins

How long have you been riding to school? 1 year

What is one tip you would give to anyone wishing to ride to school?

“When you see a road, hop off your bike, look both ways, then cross if safe”

Tip of the week:

“When you see a road, hop off your bike, look both ways, then cross if safe”

Faith & Culture

Parish Office Hours: 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Celebration of Confirmation 27th May 6PM and 28th May 9AM

Parish Bulletin

New_Star_of_the_Sea.pdf

Don’t Just Stand There: Do Something
(Mark 16: 15 - 20)

The Ascension of Jesus is an event recorded three times in the New Testament: at the end of Luke, the beginning of Acts, and here, in what’s called the longer ending of Mark. (Early manuscripts record several different endings to his gospel.) In each version of the Ascension story, Jesus has different final instructions for the disciples – the ones in “longer Mark” being the most colourful. But in every account we have, Jesus tells the disciples to go and be witnesses of the gospel they have received. On this point, all three speak in one voice. It would seem this mission is non-negotiable.

How we do that is up to us. If we want to knock on doors or preach in the park, suit yourself. If you feel drawn to foreign missions, the prayer of the church will support you. Maybe the least missionized corner of the world is right where you are. Do you have good news to share?

When you show up, is it “good news” for those around you? How do you demonstrate the gift of faith that’s been given to you?

Pray
God of heaven and earth, we celebrate the Christ who came to live as one of us. We welcome the Christ who would stop at nothing – not even death – to proclaim God’s love for all people. We celebrate the Christ who rose from death to show that there is no end to God’s love. And we celebrate the Christ who, in leaving this earth, entrusted to us the task of continuing this work. Amen.

Ponder
Allow someone’s testimony of faith to speak into your life: read a biography of a holy person. Allow your testimony to speak to someone else. Practice the virtues of faith, hope, and charity until they become the “new normal” for you. “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the message of God’s good news to one and all”.

Unleashing Some Awesome Power

At his Ascension, Christ assures onlookers “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you”. Little did his disciples know that they would receive this spiritual power almost immediately after Jesus finished speaking. It came in the form of awe as the wonderstruck crowd watched as Christ rose into the heavens. Awe, it turns out, is an extremely powerful emotion.

According to a 2015 study from the University of California, Irvine, awe makes even the most selfish people want to do something good for others. “Although often fleeting and hard to describe, awe serves a vital social function,” say researchers. Awe encourages people to forgo self-interest and concern themselves with the greater good. Awe inspires people to engage in “prosocial behaviours,” such as “giving more to charity, volunteering to help others, or doing more to lessen their impact on the environment”.

The awe we feel when walking along a beach staring at the night sky, seeing a child learn to ride a bike, or watching a record-breaking athletic feat infuses us with the power to see ourselves not at the centre of the universe but as part of a greater whole, and that impels us to care and moves us toward action. Or to put all this research in Christian terms, through the awesome power of the Spirit, we become the Body of Christ.

Wellbeing

If you want to learn to ride a skateboard or get better at maths, you need to practise. It’s the same when you want to feel happier!

Here are some easy ideas to give Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy a try every day. Because the more you practise, the better you will feel.

Let's Practice!

8 Conversations to have with your kids at dinner time

Next Meeting

7th June @ 7pm

Community

Active After School Sporting Program

Term 2: Concluding on Wednesday 14th June

Term 3: Monday 17th July, concluding on Wednesday 30th August

Term 4: Monday 9th October, concluding on Wednesday 22nd November

The students participating, meet staff in the courtyard after school where they have some fruit before heading over to the school hall.

This program runs from 3.30pm to 4.45pm

We appreciated parent/guardians being prompt on pick up.

Enrolment forms are in the school foyer or can be found on PAM in the "Knowledge Bank" under forms and then selecting sporting schools or on the link below.

These forms need to be returned to the school office prior to your child/ren participating in the program.

If you have any further queries please contact the school office.