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,

Welcome to Term 4

After a two week break it is always amazing to note how much some of the children have grown and changed. I have enjoyed hearing some holiday stories.

Here we have had a terrific start to term with a hive of activity and movement in and out of the school including our swimming program, a Foundation dress-up day and an excursion to Fairy Park today.

As is the tradition here at OLHC, I write to parents at this time of year to outline our procedures around class selection for next year. See below. Despite this, each year I get requests that either come after the fact or are not within the stated criteria. At OLHC we are very fortunate and one of the few schools in Warrnambool district (Catholic or State) that does not have any composite classes. Our choice to go to straight classes comes at a financial cost to us as composite classes allow for greater flexibility of numbers but often produce larger class sizes. While enrolments remain steady, we will stay committed to that goal of straight-level classes. Our structure at OLHC is 7 Levels from F-6 with three classes in each level. Within our 21 classes, our optimal numbers are Foundation to Gr.2 with 22 students and Gr.3 - Gr.6 with 24 students. These numbers are subject to change and allow us to accept Catholic families who come to the parish throughout the year. I share this so families have the full picture on a complex arrangement that is governed by a range of factors.

"Class Lists"

For your information, later in term 4 a number of meetings are set aside where class teachers go about creating class lists. Some of the major factors that influence their decisions include:

academic ability,
social and emotional behaviour,
peer dynamics and
gender balance.

If there is something of significance that they need to know it should be communicated with them or myself to see if we can factor this in. I want to be really clear, there are no promises made to parents re class placement as it is simply impossible to meet every request that comes our way. I can assure you though that every attempt is made to make up fair and equitable class lists.’

Before/After School Care 2024

On Thursday we released a survey to gather interest for Before/After School Care (see below). We had a couple of queries asking if this program is CCS (Child Care Subsidy) registered. We are happy to say it is if this helps with making a decision as to whether or not you would utilise this service. CCS can cover up to 90% of fees, depending on earnings.

The below questions are to gain an indication of numbers that may wish to access our before and after-school care program, run by an external company called TheirCare in 2024. This is not an official registration for the days, just an indication of possible numbers who may wish to access the program. We will provide registration details towards the end of the year when we have all the details ourselves.
We have a meeting with TheirCare next week and need a rough indication of demand for this type of service. To help you make an informed decision, please see the attendance fees and operating times below. Please complete the below form by this Monday 9th October.
Before-school care - 6.45am to 8.45am - $21 per student

After-school care - 3.25pm to 6.30pm - $29 per student

Staff PD/Student free days - 6.45am to 6pm - $75 per student

Vacation care - 6.45am to 6pm - $75 per student

Before/After Care Survey Form

If you are unable to submit this form, please email your responses to admin@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au

Important Dates Term 4

3rd - 13th October - Yr 3/4 Swimming Program

16th - 27th October - Yr 5 Swimming Program

Wednesday 18th October - PFA Meeting

Friday 20th October - Mission Day

Thursday 26th October - Helen Diamond Presentation

30th Oct - 3rd Nov - Yr 3/4 Bike Ed Program

Wednesday 1st November - Yr 5 Emmanuel College Visit

Tuesday 7th November - Melbourne Cup Day

Friday 10th November - Staff PD - Student Free Day

Saturday 11th November - Remembrance Day

20th Nov - 1st December - Foundation, Yr 1 & 2 Swimming Program

Thursday 30th November - 2024 Foundation Transition 1 & Parent Information Session

Wednesday 6th December - 2024 Foundation Transition 2

Thursday 7th December - Yr 6 Graduation

Monday 11th December - Yr 4 Fun Day

Tuesday 12th December - Orientation Day

Wednesday 13th December - Foundation & Yr 3 Fun Days

Thursday 14th December - Yr 1, 2 & 6 Fun Days

Friday 15th December - Students' last day for 2023 finish @ 3.25pm

Monday 18th December - Staff's last day for 2023

Position Vacant

Our Parish Secretary for the past 13 years, Leanne McElgunn, has advised of her intended retirement on Friday 24th November.

This position will need to be filled and the Parish seeks interest from either experienced and/or qualified individuals. Interested individuals may call into the Parish office at St. Joseph’s Warrnambool to collect a role description or call 5562 2231 for further information.

This is a role of about 32 hours per week (9.00am - 4.00pm) with award wages but this could be negotiable.

There is also a part-time administrative position as well. The workload has increased for our administrative staff due to our larger Parish. The latter position would be a 0.4 or 0.5 position.

(Fr John)

Starting next Tuesday, October 10

Every Tuesday for the rest of term 4

Icy poles for sale on Tuesday at 11.00am

50c per single Zooper Dooper

Foundation, Year 1 and 2 in the Courtyard

Year 3 to 6 sold from the Canteen

Funds raised will support our Mission activities

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

Week 1 Term 4

We’re back into learning with lots happening in classrooms and across the school this week. Term 4 brings the good weather and plenty of extra curricular activities such as swimming, bike ed and beach safety. This term seems to move the quickest as we head towards the end of the year.

FOUNDATION INQUIRY KICK OFF AND EXCURSION

Excitement levels were high on the loop Monday morning as the Foundation students piled out of their cars dressed up as their favourite fairy tale or movie character. This was a fantastic kick off to their Inquiry unit, ‘Everyone has a story to tell’. The Foundation team did a great job of dressing up the classrooms with lots of thought-provoking displays and props that certainly got the students’ imagination going. We headed down to the Fairy Park in Anakie on Friday for an excursion that further captured their imagination as we explored the different fairy tale exhibits. It’s a long day but a worthy one that they won’t forget in a hurry. A big thank you to the parent helpers who assisted on the day. Check out all the happy faces in the photo below. Well done Foundation team.

Geelong Fairy Park

We started the term the way we finished the last one with another great turnout of parents for the Grade 1 shared lunch. Another great opportunity for us to connect with the parent community and one the students always look forward to.

GRADE 6 CRICKET

On Wednesday we had a number of Grade 6 students participate in cricket. The students did very well but the highlight for me was an email we got from a parent who commented on some things he noticed while in attendance. This particular parent made a point of letting us know how supportive our students were of each other on the day and the care they showed while competing. I ducked into the Grade 6 classrooms and let them know this on Thursday and that we are proud of this type of behaviour. This isn’t isolated and is a common theme we see from our students, which highlights the great community of students and families we have at this school. Well done Seniors!

Enjoy the weekend.

Thanks,

Naish

Yr 1 Shared Lunch

Yr 6 Cricket

Regional Athletics - Ballarat

Athletic results in next week's newsletter

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

As we start the term fresh perhaps it is also a great time to discuss how technology is used in your home.

Foundation: Cyber safety - how your body tells you that you may not be using a safe site.

1s: Cyber-safety - our feelings online

2s: Cyber-safety - safe sites

3s: Cyber-safety - sharing online

4s: Creating a cyber safety game for the younger levels.

5s and 6s: Cyber safety - what is a shady website?

Awards

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: Brooke Shaw

Age: 12

Grade: 6

Class: 60b

House: blue

Favorite food: lasagne

Favorite color: blue

Favorite animal: dog

Sports you like: basketball,

Football team: Collingwood

How far do you walk to school: 1.5 k

How much did you walk this week: 3 days

How long does it take you to walk to school? 4 min

How long have you been walking to school? 2 years

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

Tip of the week:

“Be aware of swooping magpies”

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Wild Grapes at Harvest
(Matthew 21: 33 - 43)

It sounds like the same story repeated from Isaiah: a vineyard fails to produce a harvest. But this time, it’s not grapes that fail, but the farmhands who work the land. The harvest is available, but the workers won’t give it up to the owner. They’re willing to go far beyond selfishness. They’ll accept bloodshed to hold onto what they see rightfully theirs.

Isaiah’s parable presents sin in a passive light: a failure to produce what’s good. Jesus tells a story of sin that’s about actively choosing to pervert the good. These two kinds of sin have been called “acts of omission and commission” by the church. They are “what we have done and failed to do,” as we confess at Mass. We are responsible for both behaviours: choosing not to do good as much as the deliberate decision for evil. Even in Jesus’ time, people boasted of keeping the Ten Commandments, as though that fulfilled their obligation to God. But the absence of active evil is not the same as the presence of love.

Consider “what you have done, and what you have failed to do”. Which weighs on your conscience more?

Let God be God
“Here’s another story. Listen closely. There was once a man, a wealthy farmer, who planted a vineyard.
He fenced it, dug a winepress, put up a watchtower, then turned it over to the farmhands and went off on a trip. When it was time to harvest the grapes, he sent his servants back to collect his profits”. (Matthew 21: 33 - 34)

I asked a friend, Don, how life was going for him, and he said that things were horrible at work. His wife’s friend’s husband had been out of work a year or so back and Don paved the way for him to get an interview where he worked. Don’s company hired him, and Don felt pretty good he was able to help someone out.

But things haven’t turned out so well. The guy Don helped quickly got designs on taking over Don’s job, and he’s making Don’s life miserable. He constantly second-guesses Don in front of their colleagues. He finds reasons to talk to Don’s clients behind his back. He spreads false rumours to try to undermine Don’s authority with his staff.

As it turns out, the new guy is actually shooting himself in the foot. The bosses and staff, originally impressed with his initiative, have come to see how self-serving he is. It won’t be long before he’s out of work again, which saddens Don because the guy had a pretty good deal for himself– before he started angling to get more and more. In this week’s gospel, Jesus tells a parable about people who had a pretty good deal – in fact a covenant with God almighty. But instead of enjoying the vineyard God prepared, they wanted it all for themselves. The good news this week is that there is only one God – and it’s not me and it’s not you. We just work for God.

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!

What to do when your child drops a swear word

Our selection of thought-provoking and useful resources from around the web on educating and raising children, and supporting families.

What the *#@%?! How to respond when your child swears

(Wendy Goff, Anne Rhode, Bin Wu, The Conversation)

So, you’ve just heard your child drop a swear word for the first time and you’re not quite sure how to react. It’s important to handle this situation with care. The authors suggest that parents should take this opportunity to talk with their children about swearing rather than overreacting or ignoring the word.

Swearing is a natural part of language development that children will inevitably encounter – by the time children start school, they have about 42 taboo words. Just like other words, they are expressions of our feelings, thoughts and intentions.

The authors suggest that parents start by acknowledging their child’s use of a swear word. By saying something like, ‘Why did you choose that word? Is there a better word to use in that sentence?’ parents can show their child they are taking the matter seriously. This opens up the opportunity for a productive conversation.

The goal is to help children understand the social rules surrounding swearing and equip them with the ability to make appropriate choices. So, next time your child swears, don’t panic! Instead, use it as a chance to have a conversation and teach them about the complexities of language.

Read the full article here.....

Parents & Friends Association

Next Meeting

Wednesday 18th October, 2023

@ 7pm

Community

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 appreciate 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