National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy - NAPLAN
I am pleased to advise that ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority) has identified Our Lady’s school as having demonstrated substantially above average gain in reading achievement, as measured by NAPLAN in 2018. The recent email from ACARA read:
"On behalf of ACARA, I would like to extend my congratulations to you and your school community on this achievement. Improvement in student literacy and/or numeracy of this magnitude, as measured by NAPLAN, is significant and worthy of highlighting and acknowledging." (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority)
Congratulations to all the staff from Prep to Year 6 for providing a rich and deep sequence of learning for all our students.
NAPLAN testing will once again take place this year in the week beginning May 13th.
Social Media
We are excited to announce that from May, Our Lady’s Primary School will be using social media to promote our wonderful school to local families and surrounding communities.
As the next step in our online marketing strategy, the aim of our social media accounts will be to show prospective families all the wonderful activities and learnings happening at Our Lady’s. We envisage launching on Facebook and Instagram by the middle of May.
As social media platforms become increasingly visual, we would like to use the opportunity to post photographs and videos of our students (students names will not be used) at school events. Examples might include the recent fun run, Sacramental events, sports day, book parade, awards etc…
Before launching on social media, we would like to ensure appropriate consent is received from each of our families. Families provide Video and Photo permission at the beginning of each year as a matter of process but as this is a new platform for us, you are invited provide permission or not once again.
The consent form will accompany the students home on Monday. Please return the permission forms to school by Friday, 3rd May.
School Vision and Logo
I am really pleased to announce that the we will be ready to launch our new school logo and vision statement at assembly in week three. This has been the culmination of reflection and inspirational thinking over a many months. The new vision statement clearly articulates the aspiration of our school community to be a place of acceptance, optimism, success, growth and challenge. A learning community that ignites imagination and promotes a lifelong passion for God.
I am very grateful to the Parish Education Board, our staff and school families for the feedback and participation in this project. We have so much to be proud of at Our Lady’s and so much to look forward to.
Confirmation Reflection Day
Next Thursday, May 2nd our Year 6 students will be attending a Retreat Day at the Don Bosco Retreat Center in Lysterfield.
Please keep our Year 6 students in your prayers as they continue to navigate their way through the final year of primary school. It is a very exciting time for them but it can also be tinged with some trepidation. The chance to participate in a retreat day will allow them time to be together in reflection and gratitude.
I take this opportunity to thank Clare Hicks, Lucy Ludescher and Brendan Hawke for preparing the students to receive the sacrament.
The sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated Friday, May 10th at Our Lady’s Church at 7.00pm.
Assessment and Reporting
This year will be sending students reports home via the Parent Portal on our reporting database - nForma. This will streamline the process and also reduce the cost of printing etc. It also means that you will have an electronic copy of your child’s report for future reference.
For this process to be successful, it is very important the school has your correct email address. If you email address has changed and you have not communicated this to the office, could you please email Julie at jleung@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au.
The office will contact you if we do not have an email address included on your child’s enrolment record.
Reading Recovery
Next week we welcome Carolyn Hibbard back to Our Lady’s School. Carolyn will be working in the role of Reading Recovery Teacher whist Mrs Bern Potter is on pilgrimage in Israel. We welcome Mrs Potter back on May 20th.
Parent - Conduct in the Playground
Our Lady’s Primary School is committed to providing a respectful learning environment that is safe, positive and supportive for all students, staff, parents and other members of the school community to visit us.
We believe that parents are valuable contributors in the life of our school and play an important role in the education of their children. As such, it is imperative they act, at all times, in the best interests of all our students and their families.
It is important to be very mindful about conversations you are having in the playground about any students in our school.
As we are teaching the students to be people of kindness and love, so too must we be models of this behaviour for our children.
When visiting our school, parents are required to:
● Not discipline any child, or speak to any child about their behaviour. This is the role of the staff members.
● Treat all others in our school community with courtesy and respect.
I thank you for working with us to make Our Lady’s a place of acceptance for all.
School Fete
Whenever you talk to families that are new to our school, or families that are considering enrolment, one of the things they always talk about is the reputation of our school as being a place of welcome and hospitality.
The annual school fete is famous and has for many years enjoyed a positive reputation in Surrey Hills and surrounding communities.
The success of this event has only been possible due to the families that make up our school community.
Families that have volunteered their time to take on a role of coordinator, all the way through to simply volunteering some of their time on Fete day to work on a stall for a couple of hours.
We now need to enlist the help from our new families to ensure the continuation of this great tradition. If all contribute a small amount of time, the load will be eased. Please visit the Our Lady’s Facebook Page and sign up to help on this great day. I particularly appeal to the families in Prep and Year One and Two.
My youngest daughter Charlotte helped out on one of the food stalls last year. She signed up for one hour - but stayed most of the day - she was having so much fun!
Fundraising is a wonderful outcome of events such as these and we certainly would not have been able to have the playground design we have, without the money that was raised from the Fete.
But the Fete is so much more!
Primary schools are in the unique position to be able to provide families a place where they can come together in community. We want our children to come to a school where they feel loved, cared for and extended in their learning. Primary school can become a second family. Being involved in the Fete is an opportunity to foster friendships and make connections with others that may last a lifetime. In times when a strong sense of belonging could never be more important, I urge you to see getting involved in our school fete as investment in positive wellbeing.
Looking forward to seeing you at Assembly on Monday. Please note that student awards will be given out in Week 3 - Monday May, 6th.
Quote
"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members." – Coretta Scott King
Thank you for your continued support of our school community,
Annie Engellenner
Principal