Newsletter

Guided by the life of Jesus Christ

Inspired by the Spirit of Mary

Our Lady’s Primary School is a place of growth and challenge.

Where we seek to ignite imagination and promote a lifelong passion for God and learning 

Learning together in Faith Hope and Love

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students & Friends of Our Lady’s School Community,

Information Evening

Thank you to all the parents that were able to attend the Information Evening on Wednesday. We hope you found it valuable. If you were unable to attend, all the information that was presented is available in the Year Level Handbook which is available from your classroom teacher.

This year at Our Lady’s, we have a focus on instilling a positive attitude towards learning. We know that students will make good progress and be successful if they approach their learning with a positive mindset.

We have introduced the theories of Dr Carol Dweck to students and are determined to embed its ideas within our school ethos. We are steadfast in our commitment for students to relish challenges, embrace their mistakes as part of the learning process, value the importance of effort, respond carefully to feedback and take inspiration from others. This will help them to achieve, not only with us, but also in their future lives as adults.

We are very excited about the prospect of nurturing a growth mindset culture at Our Lady’s. Please see the Growth Mindset presentation below as shown to parents at our Information Evening.

I am very grateful to the teachers for their engaging and informative presentations. Hopefully you were able to get a taste for what the learning looks and sounds like in our classrooms. We look forward to sharing the learning with you throughout the year.

Home Visits

This year we have introduced Home Visits in the Foundation level. This purpose of Home Visits is to provide an opportunity for teachers to step into the world of our students. This helps us to build relationships and foster a positive connection with each and every student. The children are very keen to show us all their treasures and we have had the pleasure of enjoying some yummy afternoon teas!

Miss Lynch and I visited Ted, Finn, Roy Ned and Issac last Wednesday and this week Miss Lynch and Ms Hicks had the opportunity to visit Lorcan, Zander, Henry, George, Jasper and Jojo. We are very grateful to the families that have kindly opened their homes to us.

Welcome BBQ

We look forward to welcoming the school community at our BBQ this evening. A big thank you to the PFA for their outstanding coordination of this event and to all the parents that volunteered their time to set up, prepare food or manage the BBQ.

The presence of alcohol is permitted with the permission from the Principal. This is in line with our Child Safety Code of Conduct. I have given my permission with the following condition:

Ø  Although school staff will be present on the evening, teachers are not responsible for the supervision of students. Please be aware of where and what your children are doing at all times.  Also in line with Child Safety Standards - the consumption of alcohol is not encouraged and should be kept to a minimum in the presence of children.

Ø  In accordance with our Social Media Policy, no photographs/ video’s should be taken of students without the explicit permission of their parents.

The purpose of these protocols is to set clear expectations that ensure the ongoing safety of our students.

You are all welcome to join us from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. In the interests of our neighbours, I do ask that you have left the school grounds by 8.45pm. If families could take their rubbish with them that would support us immensely.

This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other and to celebrate together. Often, lifelong friends are made from the connections you make in primary school. I do hope that you are able to join us. Make sure you collect a raffle ticket per family to be in the draw for a lucky door prize!

Parent/ Teacher Exchange Meetings- Year 1 to 6

Our beginning of the year exchange meetings will be held on Thursday 21st February from 2.00pm. Please see the booking details further on in the newsletter. Whilst two formal meetings are conducted each year please feel welcome to see your child’s teacher should you have any concerns or issues you would like to raise. It is also really valuable and important that staff receive positive feedback – this certainly contributes to the teachers’ sense of satisfaction and personal wellbeing. The website will be closing for interview booking on Wednesday 20th at 4.00pm. 

Classes will finish at 1.45pm. Students can be collected from this time or alternatively remain at school under the supervision of staff until 3.25pm.

You will receive a letter, which you will need to return to the office by Tuesday, informing the school of your intention/permission regarding your child/children's dismissal on this day.  

If the students are picked up prior to 3.25pm they will need to be signed out via the school office.

Happy Weekend

Annie

This term sees our whole school inquiring into the question, “How can we create learning environments where everyone can grow?”. Students will be exploring questions such as;

What makes a great learner?

Why is learning important?

Do rules help us to learn?

What behaviours, skills and dispositions help us all to learn?

How does our environment impact our learning?

How does our faith help us to learn and grow?

Foundation

Lulu - For being so happy and hard working in her first week of Prep.

Roy - For making a great start to Prep. He always uses his manners with a smile on his face. 

1/2JL

Florence - For having a fantastic attitude to learning by asking questions and always getting started on her work straight away.

Isabel F - For always being an active listener and responsible learner. Well done on a great start to the year. 

1/2S

Edward C - For settling into Our Lady's with much ease and for his diligent attitude.

Caleb - For excellent thoughtful responses during Share Time.

Zara - For her amazing creativity and imagination.

3/4C

Xavier - For contributing actively and enthusiastically to class and group discussions.

Molly - Exhibiting a love of learning and a positive attitude to all aspects of school life 

3/4U

Tahlia - For having a growth mindset in Mathematics.

5/6H

Amelie - For producing beautiful and heart-felt poetry and solving complicated Maths tasks requiring a deep understanding of number and place value.

Athan - For two weeks of hard work and beautiful poetry. You have put 110% effort into every activity. 

Zara T - for approaching her leadership role with initiative and always helping others within the classroom.  

Barnaby - for being a caring and supportive buddy.

Sports Awards

Nikolas K - For excellent effort during Hot-Shots tennis. Great forehand connection.

Charlie P - For starting off the year wonderfully in P.E. For following instructions, trying hard and hitting the ball well in Hot-Shots tennis.

Great news! - Skipping Club is back on for 2019! Children are invited to attend on the day of their year level, advised below - 

Monday - Foundation 

Tuesday - Yr 5/6, 1st Break   - Yr 3/4, 2nd Break

Thursday - Yr 1, 1st Break  - Open Skills Session 2nd Break

Friday - Yr 2 

The benefits of skipping include improved fitness, balance, coordination and can even make you smarter! The Jump Rope Institute concludes that during this activity, both the right and left parts of your brain are developed simultaneously which enhances spatial awareness, improves reading skills and increases memory. However, the best part of our Skipping Club is we have so much FUN!

Nicki Francis

Skipping Coach

It’s been delightful to see all our classrooms setting up wonderful times of daily prayer. There are many ways that we pray at Our Lady’s, including prayers of petition, thanksgiving and praise. We also pray in contemplative ways. Meditation is a way of being silent and still and simply ‘being’ with God, without the need for words.

As theologian Rowan Williams reminds us, meditation is a way we can encounter our ‘peaceful worthwhileness’, a knowing that we are ‘ok’, and in fact wonderfully made, just as we are, without having to do anything or produce anything.

Schools are such wonderfully busy places, where we teach our students many, many skills. However we also believe in giving our students the time and space to be silent and still and simply ‘rest in God’.

This form of rich prayer has many benefits. Not only does it nurture the spirituality of our students it has many wellbeing benefits, including easing our anxieties and helping us to be calm and mindful. Meditation also helps us in our daily interactions with others, as we learn to pause before responding, allowing us to respond in the most loving way. 

Through making connections in all areas of the curriculum to our inquiry question, rich learning can occur. By incorporating our faith into this question, we assist our students to live out their faith, making it real on a daily basis. 

Parent Meditation Group

I am looking for expressions of interest in a parent meditation group.

This would be a very relaxed gathering where we learn about meditation and have a brief time of meditation together, followed by a cuppa. This could take place straight after drop off in the morning, possibly on a Friday morning, or a morning that suited most people. It would go for about and hour, or however long you can stay!

I would love to hear from you if this sounds interesting to you.

chicks@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au 

Parent information evening for the Sacrament of Reconciliation

On Tuesday the 19th Feb, Father Mark will lead an evening about the Sacrament of Reconciliation for our Year 3 parents. This will be held in the church at 7.30pm. 

Parent information evening for the Sacrament of Confirmation

On Tuesday the 5th March, there will be an information evening for the Sacrament of Confirmation. This will be held in the church at 7.30pm 

Sacrament of Confirmation

As of this year the Sacrament of confirmation will be just for year six students, rather than combined year five and six. 

ANDREW CHINN- Wednesday 27th Feb

Please remember our Andrew Chinn Concert. Andrew has a background in education and is very popular with schools across Australia and internationally. He has a passion for music and community gatherings through the medium of music. This will be a wonderful time of celebrating together as a whole school community. Andrew will be spending the whole day with the students and preparing them for the evening concert. The whole family are invited to join us from 7pm in the church. It is sure to be a wonderful evening.

Surrey Hills Wattle Park Parish provides sacramental preparation, catechist classes for children within the parish who do not attend the parish schools. 

RECONCILIATION classes, for children in Yr4+, who have been Baptised, will be held after school, at Our Holy Redeemer Church Meeting Room. Classes begin on: Thursday, 7 February 

CONFIRMATION classes, for children in Yr 6+, who have been Baptised and received First Eucharist, will be held at the same venue, beginning Wednesday, 27 March. 

EUCHARIST classes, for children who have been Baptised and received First Eucharist (First Communion) will begin Thursday, 13 June. 

For Reconciliation and Confirmation class enrolment details (Eucharist enrolment in Term 2) please contact:

Nanette Giovannini,

Parish Sacramental Coordinator. nanette.giovannini@cam.org.au Tuesdays & Wednesdays, Parish Office, (excluding school holidays) 9890 2510.

Dear Parents, Students & Siblings! 

Welcome back to all our Staff, Students and families of OLPS for 2019!  We need to give a big Thank You to Principal Annie Engellenner and her family members for taking the time during the holidays to clean and prepare the school yard before school classes commenced for the year. 

Your attendance to our ‘child-friendly’ Working Bee would be much appreciated.  General duties will include maintenance of our garden beds and adding a fresh coat of paint on all the decking areas in the school and some internal painting. Please consider even an hour of your time. Tools down at 11:30am when there will be a Sausage Sizzle provided with refreshments for all the ‘Working Bees’. 

Working Bees are not just about school maintenance, they are about building relationships and experiencing the benefits of belonging to our school community.

If you can spare some time on Saturday, March 2nd, we would love to see you there!          

With kind regards,

Nick Karagiannis and Richard Maugueret

Co-ordinators

Our OnPsych staff member is, Deidre Voss, a passionate psychologist who works with both children and adolescents who are experiencing a range of difficulties such as anxiety and mood disorders, learning and behavioural difficulties, exam stress, interpersonal, self harming and adjustment difficulties (social & situational. If you believe that this might benefit you child, please contact Ange Loadman the School wellbeing Leader, or Annie, Clare  for further information.

Children’s Liturgy – Sunday at 9am mass at Our Lady’s – ALL CHILDREN WELCOME!  (please note that pre-school children need to be accompanied) 

We would love more volunteers (parents) to run the Children's Liturgy, please contact Joanna Kelly if you are keen to assist, it's fun and easy!

Joanna Kelly - 0422 901 894,  hughandjoanna@gmail.com