Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School East Warrnambool eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Our Grade 4 students have created personalised Acknowledgement of Country posters that reflect their own thoughts, feelings and wishes. We will share a new poster each week.

Prayer

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.

Amen

Leadership & Stewardship

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Guardians & Students,

There is a deciduous tree in our backyard and in last Sunday's brilliant sunshine, I took the chance to mow the lawn around it. It was with great pleasure that I noticed the first buds of new growth about to literally spring into life. This time of the year sees our days grow longer, the grass grow quickly and the weather warms up. It also reminds us how quickly the year is going by. My wife Jan (who is at St John's in Dennington) and I are taking some Long Service Leave in the last 3 weeks of term. I know Naish will be more than capable in the chair.

I will see everyone in term 4.

Steve

Important Dates

Term 3

Friday 29th August - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY - Literacy PD

Saturday 30th August - Yr 4 First Eucharist Celebration

Friday 5th September - Father's Day Breakfast

Friday 5th September - 3RW Assembly

Sunday 7th September - Father's Day

8th - 18th September - Yr 5 Swimming Program

Friday 12th September - FSD Assembly

Thursday 18th September - Grandparents Day

Friday 19th September - 6OB Assembly - Time to be confirmed

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

Technology Toolkit with Ms Fitzgerald and Ms O'Keeffe

A space providing weekly snapshots of student learnings, as well as online safety tips and relevant technology updates. Please reach out with any questions:

Ms O’Keeffe: nokeeffe@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Mon & Tues)

Ms Fitzgerald: efitzgerald@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Wed, Thurs & Fri)

Co-use of Technology with our Children

When I attended Jacqui Harverson’s research at Warrnambool library on 14th August, a lot of her research suggested that students have more positive experiences with technology when they are co using. It created interactive dialogue and the child wasn’t so much in a bubble using their technology. Some suggestions of how you could incorporate this co use within your own home:

Sitting down with your child/children to watch television shows and movies and chatting during or after about what you watched
Sitting down with your child when they are playing games and if this isn’t always possible with time, check in with them after their screen time and ask them what they did
Encourage kids playing their games with their siblings whether that is playing a game or an app on the same device or using different devices together

Thinking about our assumptions of technology, I think it is very easy to focus on the negatives of screen time but this talk by Jacqui really gave me a different perspective that it doesn’t always have to be negative. Some of my best memories myself was playing Pokemon on my GameBoy and all those memories I have are playing next to my brother and helping each other out throughout the game or chatting about the difficulties. Just another perspective to look at with screentime!

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

webpage : https://www.southwestcoastparish.com.au/

Weekend Masses

Saturday Vigil

6:00pm OLHC, Warrnambool East

Sunday Morning

9:00am Infant Jesus, Koroit

9:00am St Pius X, Warrnambool West

10:30am St Joseph’s, Warrnambool

10:30am St Patrick’s, Port Fairy

6:00pm St Joseph’s Warrnambool

*11:00am St Anne’s, Purnim

2nd Sunday of the month (Eucharist)

Weekday Masses

NB: MASS OF THE DAY IS REPLACED WHEN A FUNERAL IS HELD AT THAT CHURCH

Tues 10:00am St Pius X

Wed 10:00am St Joseph’s

Thu 10:00am OLHC & 11:00am Mercy Place

Fri 10:00am St Joseph’s

Sat 10:00am OLHC

2025 OLHC SACRAMENTAL DATES

YEAR 4 FIRST EUCHARIST

SATURDAY AUGUST 23RD & SATURDAY AUGUST 30TH

Sacrament of First Communion - held over two weekends
6pm at OLHC Church, Warrnambool.

Who Gets a Seat at OUR Table?
(Luke 14: 1, 7 - 14)

Jesus continued, “When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front’. That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I’m saying is, if you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.” (Luke 14: 10 - 11)

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus notices how people scramble for the best seats at the table. He uses this simple moment to teach something radical: true greatness is found in humility, and blessing is found when we choose to serve those who cannot repay us.

As educators in Catholic schools, this is a powerful reminder. Our culture often celebrates status, achievement, and recognition. We know the pressure – to be the “top” school, to deliver the best results, to be seen as excellent. Yet Jesus flips this on its head. He asks us not to chase prestige but to make space at the table for those who are overlooked, struggling, or without a voice.

For us in education, this means reimagining what success looks like. It’s not just the student who tops the exam who matters most. It’s the child who feels invisible in the classroom. It’s the one who finds learning hard, who doesn’t have support at home, who hungers – not just for food, but for encouragement, dignity, and belonging. Jesus is asking us to notice who isn’t being invited to the table of learning and community, and to bring them in.

This Gospel challenges us to teach, lead, and serve with humility. Our vocation is not about where we sit at the table of society’s recognition, but also about whom we invite to sit beside us. And it asks us to give without expecting anything in return – to invest in young people who may never say “thank you,” to plant seeds we may never see grow.

The Table at the Community BBQ

It was the parish community BBQ, and the oval was buzzing. Families spread picnic rugs, kids chased footies, the band was warming up, and the small of sausages drifted through the air.

As people lined up for food, the long rows of trestle tables quickly filled. At one end, the “important” seats were taken fast – the parish council members, the school principal, a few well-known business owners in the community. Their table was loud with laughter, selfies, and chatter about upcoming projects.

At the other end, near the bins and a little further from the action, a small group sat quietly. A mum new to the country, still learning English. An older man who’d lost his wife last year and rarely left the house. A couple of teenagers on the edge of things, glued to their phones but clearly not part of any group.

People walked past them, maybe smiled politely, but kept heading towards the “better” seats.

One young family arrived late, plates in hand, and for a moment they hesitated. There were spots open at both ends. The kids wanted to sit near their friends in the noisy crowd, but the parents paused. They glanced down the row, noticed the quiet group, and made a decision.

“Let’s sit here.”

At first, the conversation was stilted. But soon, something shifted. The mum from overseas shyly offered to share some homemade food she had brought. The older man’s face lit up when the kids asked about his football days. The teenagers laughed when someone showed them how to win at the sausage sizzle raffle. By the end of the afternoon, that table – once ignored – was alive with energy, laughter, and real connection.

On the way home, the father said quietly, “You know, I think we found the best seats in the place today.”

This is exactly what Jesus was getting at in today’s Gospel. True blessing doesn’t come from being seen in the “important” seats, from status or recognition. It comes when we choose to sit with those who are overlooked, when we make space for those who cannot repay us, when we give our attention and love where it’s least expected.

The challenge for us today is simple but confronting: at school, at work, at parish events, even around our own dinner tables – where do we sit? Do we rush to be with the familiar and comfortable, or do we slow down, notice who is left out, and choose to sit there instead?

That choice can change everything. It might just be the place where God’s Kingdom comes alive – around an ordinary table, with unlikely people, where everyone finally feels they belong.

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!

**A reminder to parents, carers and grandparents that SchoolTV** is a free resource.
SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource that we have to support you with the challenges relating to modern-day parenting. This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.
In addition to the weekly topic we publish in our newsletter, all of the SchoolTV topics are always accessible through our school website under the Student Wellbeing section. You can also use this link: https://olhcwarrnambool.catholic.schooltv.me/category-latest-newsletter
There are videos from experts as well as a huge range of websites, books, apps, fact sheets and podcasts.
If you require any further information about SchoolTV, please contact Mel (mwillis@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au)

Tap here to access SchoolTV

This exclusive, one-off event is fast approaching and we’d love to see your families benefit from the insights of two of Australia’s leading experts, Susan McLean and Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.

They will share invaluable insights on how to empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

WEBINAR: Digital Media Literacy & Safety (Part III)
DATE: Wednesday, 3 September 2025
TIME: 7:30 pm

Topics in this webinar include: