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 & Stewardship

Principal's Message

Dear members of the OLHC school community,

School Absences

This week has seen us with unprecedented numbers of sick and absent children. Most days this week we had around 150 students and 6-10 staff not present each day. While it certainly made school a bit quieter it has been a challenge for staff to run their normal program. I do wish to thank the parents for keeping sick children at home and we are trying to ensure the school is as clean and germ free as possible.

New Enrolments at OLHC

On Wednesday morning I met with the Saqat family. They are new arrivals to Australia and have been sponsored into our country by the Catholic Church under the Australian refugee program. They are Christians from Iraq and have been in a refugee camp for a number of years in Beirut. They are living in the OLHC presbytery and Mum (Rita) and Dad (Salah) have already enrolled into a TAFE course for English. OLHC will be taking in Jayms (James) into Grade 6 for the remainder of the year. Mirna will be going to Emmanuel College and Jonathan will be attending a kindergarten or child care setting.

We gave them a gift bag with a new ball, some school resources and picture storybooks. Many parents may not realise this, but as a Catholic School our actions are guided by 7 Catholic Social Principles and we as a school look forward to walking the talk with this family.

Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation.
Rights and Responsibilities.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers.
Solidarity.
Care for God's Creation.

I hope you get the chance to meet this lovely family either at Mass or around school and extend the welcome we are known for.

Jonathan, Salah, Mirna, Jayms and Rita Saqat

Insight SRC Surveys

Last week families were randomly selected to complete the Insight SRC surveys. These families received a letter with a unique password and username. This survey only takes about 10 mins to complete.

This survey data is really taken very seriously by our staff, particularly the leadership team. Along with PAT, NAPLAN and the Enhancing Catholic School Identity survey the Insight data provides feedback to us in our progress, in working towards our school improvement objectives i.e. Wellbeing, Teaching and Learning and Catholic School Culture.

So, if you did receive survey information please take the time to complete it as the more families that complete the surveys the more accurate our data will be. If you are unable or unwilling to do the survey please return the note so that we can pass it on to another family.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

Semester 2 Student Leadership Team

rerun due to an error in last week's newsletter

School Captains - Hugh McCarthy & Isabella Berry

Vice Captains - Layla Sherlock & Finn Morgan

Arts/Japanese Leaders - Imogen Johnson, Isaac Lowe & Felicity Dennis

Sports Leaders - Lenny Thornton, Cleo Tamasese, SIenna Kenneally, Ollie Dowie, Alana Scott, Charli Martin, Ned Bowman & Lily Crawford

Social Justice Leaders - Taj Warhurst & Zahli Dean

ICT Leaders - Max Nicolson & Lara Jaensch

Library Leaders - Lily Hogan & Jude Delaney

Term 3 Important Dates

Thursday 10th August @ 9.15am - Helen Diamond Parenting Presentation Workshop

Friday 1st September - Father's Day Breakfast

Friday 1st September - PFA Secondhand Uniform Sale

Sat 2nd & Sun 3rd September - Eucharist Celebrations

Sunday 3rd September - Father's Day

Friday 8th September - Literacy staff PD - Student free day

Friday 15th September - Term 3 concludes @ 2.30pm

NCCD Parent Fact Sheet

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

Week 4 Term 3

FUN LOOP FRIDAY

This is still proving to be a way to drive positivity in the mornings as students make their way into school. A big thanks to Mr Hogan and Mrs O’Keeffe who have been jumping in to support this. I’ve had plenty of requests to bring Tootsie the dog back for a visit. Stay tuned.

BOOK FAIR 2023

We close the bookshelves on another successful Book Fair this week. This generates so much excitement for our students each year and is a great fundraiser for the school. As mentioned last week, Mrs Taggert is a stalwart in this area, having run the Book Fair for a number of years. She has the ability to turn the Library into a wonderland of new offerings and things to purchase for students that they all love. She has been well supported by Mr Louden this year. Well done Library team!

BASKETBALL COMP

The 4-6 students have been participating in a lunchtime basketball competition lately. Last week the Grade 4 classes played each other, this week the Grade 5’s and next week the Grade 6 classes will play off against each other. The games have been umpired by the Sports Captains, showing excellent leadership while doing so. Mr K reports that they have been brilliant in officiating the games with plenty of spectators across the school lining the courts cheering the games on. Well done Mr K and Sports Captains.

Thanks!

Have a great weekend!
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

Middle School Student Agreement

We have been working to create new student agreements that are more tailored to the level the students are in. This has helped us to achieve our eSmart Status at OLHC! Today we are showing you the middle school which is tailored to the year 3 and 4 levels. The pdf versions are available in our policies section on the school website.

What is going on in the classrooms this week?

Foundation: Will be continuing to create their own Little Learners Love Literacy book using Google Slides

1s: Will be learning how to collaborate in a Google MyMaps

2s: Will be continuing to create Google Slides all about themselves and learning all the features of the app.

3s: Will be continuing their project using Google Draw to create a picture of themselves

4s: Will be continuing their project on Google Draw to create a comic strip

5s and 6s: Will be continuing to create their own website using Google Sites

Book Fair

Thanks to our school community who have shone throughout a difficult time with so many ill. Our Fair made $8,446.00 which gave us $427 in book product and leaves us with about $2000 in commission to purchase books throughout the next 12 months.

Hat competition winners were: Bonnie Talbot, Harper Green, Indiana Pickford, Alexis Pickford, Sophie Byrne, Gabriela Niraban and Julia Harrington.

The Lucky book raffle winner was Scarlett Nolan.

A big thank you to Gen Howland for her help with Book Fair sales and to students who assisted with posters and small sales Mia Borthwick, Brooke Shaw and Cam Dennis. Many others assisted with set up and pack up. What a great community we have!!

Thank you Louise Taggert Book Fair organiser

AFL Footy Clinic

Classroom Awards

Foundation

Tommy Madden

Tom Ryan

Finn Murfett

Jaxon Cross

Henry Bowley

Julian Taylor

Yr 1

Alice Coxall

Olivia Nolte

Grace Dennis

Maisie Parhar

Easton Squires

Quinn Moloney

Yr 2

Layla Williams

Pippa Knowles

Ruby Dews

Lily Barraclough

Esther Dillon

Freddie Wheeler

Yr 3

George Green

Elora Bowley

Evie Christison

Elise Ryan

Axl Irving

Lennox Robertson

Yr 4

Sophie Byrne

Harry Powell

Harrison Watson

Gabriela Niruban

Deepinder Singh

Caiden Mitchell

Yr 5

Laila Conn

Rhyce Levett

Fletcher White

Jessica Williams

Stacey Fleming

Molly Nicholson

Yr 6

Zavier Turner

Max Nicholson

Levi Nolte

Timmy White

Harrison Chiller

Mason Lewis

Our Lady's Spirit Award

Ruben Mills

Jack Skilbeck

Jude Delaney

Harper Turner

Chris Jerin

Kobi Hare

June Preston

Alexis Pickford

Walk Ride Champion of the Week

Walk Ride Champion is if you ride or walk to school you receive a prize and get to have your 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: Zahli Dean

Age: 11

Grade 6

Class: 6 SI

House: green

Favorite food: lettuce

Favorite color: green

Favorite animal: manta ray

Sports you like: cricket

Football team: Geelong

How far do you walk to school: 1.5km

How much did you walk this week:4 days

How long does it take you to walk to school? 10 minutes

How long have you been walking to school? start of this year

What is one tip you would give to anyone wishing to walk to school for the first time?

“Don’t walk near magpies because they will probably swoop you”

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Eucharist Dates

Eucharist Practice: 24th August @ 2 pm

Celebration of Eucharist: September 2nd & 3rd - Please note change of dates

A Divine Design
(Matthew 17: 1 - 9)

Jesus was changed before their eyes. Have you ever seen a transfiguration? Have you ever seen a simple thing become a holy thing, like bread become sacred flesh? Have you ever seen a plain face become a radiant beauty when seen through the eyes of love? Have you ever seen a timid person become a loin when circumstances required strength beyond fear? Transfiguration is not an isolated incident, a one-time deal in salvation history. Transfigurations happen around us in surprising places, for those who have eyes to see.

Sitting with my dying friend for many weeks, I watched how a weakened body can become a temple of great holiness. The spiritual strength of a failing mortal life was so much stronger than the physical vigour he once displayed. Before his illness, he scaled mountains for pleasure. In his last illness, he ascended to spiritual heights that astonished me with their breathtaking vistas. Once, he saw the view from the peaks of the Sierras and hoped to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Now, his vision is on higher places, and the things he sees are lovelier than all of earth’s delights. This is transfiguration, as surely as what Peter, James and John saw it on that fateful day.

Prepare for the Light of Love

Most people can pinpoint the moment when the attraction they felt for someone turned to love. It usually has to do with seeing the person in a new light. As one man described it, “One night I watched as a woman who had been my good friend for many years gently stroked her dying mother’s forehead. I was struck by the sheer tenderness and beauty of the act. I knew then that my feelings for this woman were forever changed”.

Whether it is a simple act of kindness or a bold or courageous gesture, something happens that brings the person’s true character into relief, and the enlightenment leads to love.

Jesus’ Transfiguration is one of those moments of light – a luminous mystery – as Pope John Paul II termed it, in which Jesus is glorified –transfigured – before the eyes of his chosen disciples. They see with utter clarity who Jesus truly is: The son of the living God, and they are filled with awe and a new level of love. Their lives are changed forever.

We cannot command enlightment any more than we can force ourselves to fall in love. But we can be attentive as we walk with others. The more we notice the small details about our neighbours and God, the more likely we’ll be awake when the big reveal takes place and we can see these people for who they truly are: Beings worthy of our unconditional love.

Parish Bulletin

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!

There’s a Bully in My Brain: A book review

NATALIE MOUTAFIS 25/07/23 Sometimes, our inner voice can become too negative. Natalie Moutafis has found a new picture book that seeks to quiet that self-doubt and encourage more positive thinking.

It’s well known among my parent friends that I adore a great children’s book, more so when it has a meaningful message, even better if it happens to rhyme.

There’s a Bully in my Brain is a newly released children’s picture book written by Lauren Thompson, who is not only a support teacher but also a mother of three. The book beautifully portrays the experience of recognising negative self-talk and how it affects us.

The story depicts negative thinking as a ‘bully in the brain’. The first part of the story delves into the various manifestations of negativity and self-criticism in children, accompanied by dark and gloomy illustrations.

As the story continues, the young girl protagonist starts standing up to the bully and changing her thought process. This positive shift is reflected in the illustrations, which become brighter and more cheerful, and her self-talk becomes optimistic.

This book is straightforward enough that my kindergarten kid was happy to sit through the whole story, but also captivating enough that my primary school kid could reflect on the language and imagery – sparking conversations about how we can have more of a growth mindset and the impact of positive affirmations.

There’s a Bully in my Brain is best suited for ages 4+, and I’m sure it will help many grown-ups too.

There’s a Bully in my Brain by Lauren Thomspon, illustrated by Kayla Lee, is published by Little Steps, and retails for $16.95.

Parents & Friends Association

Community

Term 3: 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 parents/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.

Lingapiny Ajak Inc. Is a registered non-profit charity organization, established in March 2023. Our mission is to teach and empower underprivileged individuals, families and communities in Sudan and continue to develop projects that assist creating a better life for all.

Earlier in the term we included in our newsletter, an article that was in the local newspaper putting the spotlight on Teresa Padiet (Yr 6 student Evans Ajang's mum) and the wonderful work she is achieving in Sudan. Please see details on the webpage below.

Webiste: lingapinyajak.org

Email: lingapinyajak@gmail.com