Newsletter T2W2
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,
Yesterday offered us a time to pause, reflect and pay our respects to the sacrifices those have made in the past. I was most appreciative of our Senior School leaders who represented the school and the ANZAC Day march yesterday. Thank you to the Senior teachers who supported them also. An anti-climax for those supporting the big game yesterday between the Pies and the Bombers.
The beginning of the term has seen a number of levels kicking off their Inquiry units with some engaging activities for the students. Monday and today saw our Grade 6 level walking the coastline and Tuesday saw our Foundation level dress up in their olden days outfits and participate in some old-fashioned school games. We finished the week off with our Grade 5 level visit to the Warrnambool Art Gallery today followed by a street art walk around the city centre, and one of the highlights for our Grade 1 level is their pirate-themed day linking to their Inquiry unit, Mapping Our World. A big thank you to our teachers and support staff for planning and implementing these activities.
Irish blessings to those travelling to Koroit for the Irish festival this weekend.
Thanks,
Steve
We are currently working towards enrolments for Foundation in 2025. If you have a child currently at kindergarten and plan for them to begin school at Our Lady's in 2025, we ask that you please help us by completing your child's enrolment using the below link. If possible, kindly complete this by Friday, May 10th, so we can determine the available positions for families outside of the OLHC community.
Enrolments for non-OLHC families open on Monday 20th May.
If you need further discussion on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We thank you for your cooperation.
Important Dates
Term 2
Thursday 2nd May - May Race Day Holiday
Friday 3rd May - Division Athletics
Monday 6th May - PlaceBook
Wednesday 8th May - Mother's Day Breakfast
9th & 10th May - Yr 5 Grampian Retreat Camp
Fri 10th May - District Cross Country
Friday 10th May - Assembly 1JA
15th - 17th May - Book Fair
Friday 17th - Division Cross Country
Friday 24th May - Assembly 4DP
Friday 7th June - Assembly - 5GR
Monday 10th June - King's Birthday Public Holiday
11th & 12th June - Yr 6 Camp
Friday 21st June - Assembly 2BW
Teaching & Learning @ OLHC
A Message from Mr A
Week 2 term 2
ANZAC DAY MARCH
A big thank you to our Senior school leaders for marching on Thursday. They were well supported by our Senior teachers. It was great to see so many OLHC faces in the crowd ensuring we keep the tradition of remembering and paying our respects for years to come.
FOUNDATION INQUIRY KICK-OFF "WHERE HAVE WE COME FROM?"
Tuesday saw our Foundation level kick-off their inquiry unit with their olden-day themed dress up. We should never forget how much these kids love dressing up and I’m sure it will be a highlight for most of them for the year.
GRADE 1 INQUIRY KICK-OFF- MAPPING MY WORLD
This has to be one of the more fun days on the Grade 1 calendar for the year. Plenty of swashbuckling sea dogs jumping out of the cars on the loop this morning. The Grade 1 level made a decision a few years ago to make their Inquiry unit, Mapping Our World, more fun and engaging by incorporating pirates into the unit. Everyone knows pirates need maps to find treasure. Check out some photos below.
GRADE 5 INQUIRY KICK-OFF "THE WORLD OF ART"
The Warrnambool Art Gallery hosted our Grade level on Friday as they kicked off their Inquiry unit, The World of Art. The central idea looks at how people use different mediums to convey emotions and ideas. This unit is brilliant as it culminates with the students running an Art exhibition later in the term. The students spent the day in the Art Gallery and then walked the streets looking at the local street art.
GRADE 6 INQUIRY KICK OFF- THE COAST IS CLEAR
On Monday our oldest students headed off along the Warrnambool Coastline as part of their Inquiry unit, The Coast is Clear. They got dropped off at Moyjil (Point Ritchie) and followed the coast to the surf club. This unit focuses on the sustainability of our coastlines and what we can do to protect them. The day finished with the students having a shared lunch with parents at Lake Pertobe. The sun was out ensuring a great day for our students.
Have a great weekend, to be sure!
Naish
ANZAC Day Parade
Yr 1 Pirate Day
Technology Toolkit with Ms Bourke and Mrs Murfett
New technology updates, cyber safety tips and snapshots of the learning experiences happening in the digital classroom. Let’s work together to make the online space a positive space! If you have any questions or concerns please contact us:
Ms Peta Bourke: petabourke@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
Mrs Sarah Murfett: smurfett@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au
DigiKnow Podcast
New episode! Protecting Children Online with Kristi McVee and Trent Ray - S2E1
Cyber Safety Project - DigiKnow Series
“Placebook” Term 2, 2024
Placebook is back! The Grade 5s are very excited to be holding Placebook 2024 in Term 2 this year.
Placebook will be held in the Eugene Dalton Hall on Monday 6th May (Week 4). All students will be invited to buy them from 20c to $2. The money raised will go towards Caritas, helping transform the lives of people living in poverty.
Thank you for all the book donations that have already come into school. There is one more week to bring in any pre-loved picture books, novels, comics and non fiction books you would like to donate. Please ensure they are primary school age appropriate books.
This episode tackles the critical issue of child safety in the digital age. They discuss the four main ways children are vulnerable to abuse online, how technology aids groomers, and the signs that a child may be at risk. The episode offers direct advice on teaching children protective behaviours and practical conversation starters to help parents talk about online safety effectively. Tune in for essential insights and tools to safeguard the young internet users in your life.
OLHC Cross Country
The school Cross County was held on Wednesday, the day had a small interruption with rain, providing optimal running conditions for the participants.
The moderate weather ensured that the runners could focus on their performance.
The senior division of the cross country took place at the Reid Oval and Albert Park.
Participants showcased their endurance and determination as they navigated the challenging course.
Spectators cheered on the runners, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of the event.
Meanwhile, the junior category unfolded at School. Young athletes demonstrated their budding talent and enthusiasm for running. They also exhibited remarkable sportsmanship and determination.
Overall, the Cross Country competition brought together athletes of all ages, from seniors to aspiring juniors, in a celebration of athleticism and sportsmanship.
McAuley House took out the overall trophy for the 9th year in a row.
Total | McAuley | 349 | Mercy | 324 | Frayne | 284 | MacKillop | 232 |
Please find the top 10 in each year level in spreadsheet below...
The top 6 from Yr 3 - 6 will advance on to the districts on Friday 10th May.
Congratulations and good luck!
Yr 5 "The World of Art" Excursion
Book Club
Please note all book club purchases must be done online
& closes next Tuesday 30th April
Book Fair
Yes, our Book Fair has moved to May this year!
Books arrive 9th of May. Children will do their wish-list then and the Fair will run from Wednesday, May 15th to Friday 17th.
The theme this year is Garden - Catch The Reading Bug.
Watch out for competitions just before the Fair next term.
Classroom Awards
Foundation
Josie Thomson
Mila Murfett
Phoebe McAllen
Ari Hare
Yr 1
Finn Murfett
Rory Tuggey
June Preston
Lewis Shortt
Yr 2
Xavier Cunnington
Kai Devereux
Ruben Davis
Ada Jones
Yr 3
Patrick Bonnett
Archie Philp
Daisy Palmer
Yr 4
Zara Morfett
Harry White
Evie Lowe
Macy Skene
Yr 5
Hugo Lamb
Ava Barraclough
Penny Taylor
Beau Timms
Yr 6
Zane Parsons
Marley Gannon
Edward Thornton
Spirit of Our Lady's Award
Finn Taylor
Harvey Goss
Charlie Isles
Archer Ryan
Lawson Chow
Lilly Harris
Grace Vorbach
Faith & Culture
Parish Office Hours: 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday
P: 5562 2231
E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au
Sacrament of Confirmation - Yr 3
Enrolment Mass Weekend - Saturday 27th @ 6pm & Sunday 28th April @ 9am
Confirmation Practice - Wednesday 22nd May @ 2pm (during school hours)
Celebration of Confirmation - Saturday 25th May @ 6pm & Sunday 26th May @ 9am
God Is Greater than Our Hearts
(John 15: 1 - 8)
Jesus said, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant ... This is how God works – when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.” (John 15: 5, 8)
“He must increase; I must decrease.” John the Baptist once used these words to describe his relationship to Jesus. John, we understand, was a pretty impressive character. He was such a charismatic speaker that multitudes sought his baptism, listened to his levelling criticisms of popular culture and values, and vowed radical changes as a result of encountering him. John was a prophet and guru with his own circle of disciples. When Jesus appeared on the scene, John might have viewed him as a rival.
Instead, John responds with extraordinary humility. He acknowledges that Jesus is greater. And not only greater: John admits that Jesus replaces him altogether. John’s mission is complete the hour Jesus arrives. As Jesus ascends, John will fade away. John doesn’t lament this. He states this fact is obvious and right.
This is the relationship of the vine to the branches. The vine survives the trimming of its branches, but the branches do not survive without the vine. The vine is more enduring, the very source of life. The branches play their part in relationship to the vine. It’s folly for a branch to forget what it is. But in service to the vine, it bears much fruit.
Define yourself as a branch attached to Jesus the vine. Name the fruit you bear in this relationship.
Get Back on the Horse and Try Again
(John 15: 1 - 8)
I have the knack of selecting the wrong line at the supermarket. Once, I was next in line, with four people behind me, when the cashier announced that her register was closed, which meant (of course) that everyone behind me turned and scooted with their shopping trolleys to a newly opened register, leaving me at the end of the new line. I complained that they should have a better system, then left the store without buying anything, hurting only myself.
Recently I was in line with my groceries at a different store. Ahead of me a customer was giving the cashier a hard time and taking a long time doing so. The woman behind me had one item. I invited her to go ahead of me. Turns out, she wanted cash from her debit card. That took a long while as well!
I was proud of staying patient and not saying anything untoward to anyone. When my turn finally came, the cashier apologised even though she had done nothing wrong at all. I noticed she had a wristband with WWJD printed on it. Often it’s what we do that matters, not what we say or don’t say.
I called the manager over and complimented the cashier’s gentleness and professionalism. Then I opened the bag of delicious chocolates I had purchased and gave one to each of them. The cashier started to cry. The harried manager smiled.
Actions can speak louder than words. I didn’t have to be knocked off a horse this time to get it.
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!
Flourish Wellbeing e-Magazine – April 2024
The April 2024 edition of Converge International’s Flourish Health and Wellbeing eMag is now available.
Featured Articles:
- The Cost of Living Crisis & Our Mental Health
- World Immunisation Week
- Being Financially Well
Also in this edition:
- When Is The Best Time to Exercise
- Sleep Hygiene in the Remote Work Era
- Work Health & Safety Day at Work
- Supporting Young People Through Climate Distress
- And more!
How can parents talk to their kids about distressing news events, and help them feel safe?
16/04/24Your child might have seen traumatic news coverage on television or social media, or they may have heard about it from friends. Here, psychologists share how parents can discuss such events with their children.
In the space of three days, there have been two devastating knife attacks in Sydney. Your child may have seen these on the news or social media. Or they might be hearing about it from friends or at school.
How can parents help children and teenagers process this news and ensure they feel safe in their community?
Follow your child’s lead
All children are different. Some are naturally more anxious or sensitive. Some will take a greater interest in the news. Rather than just thinking about your child’s age, you can be guided by your child’s level of interest and knowledge about recent events.
Kids are often better able to cope with hearing difficult or distressing news than we might give them credit for.
Talking about events helps children understand what happened and gives us a chance to reassure them. This doesn’t mean you need to go into a lot of detail. In fact, a calm, simple, factual answer is best.
If your young child has heard news about the Bondi Junction attack, you might say:
That man was unwell in his mind. He hurt other people but he was stopped by police. Most people struggling with feeling or thinking problems get help and never hurt anyone.
You don’t need to give vivid details or discuss anything beyond the question our child asked.
Support all emotions
If your child is upset or anxious about what has happened, it’s important to notice, listen to and acknowledge their emotions.
You can also empathise with your child – what has happened is awful and scary. Their response is perfectly natural.
Parents can sometimes think they should not give children’s fears or anxieties any space, in case they become worse. Dismissing them (‘don’t think about it!’) seems like an easy way to make a problem go away. But emotions are tricky and the opposite is actually true.
When we allow emotions to be freely expressed, we help children understand the situation and to process and move through their emotions.
Talk about how rare these events are
It’s also important to introduce some facts into the conversation.
Even though we have had two events in quick succession, such attacks are extremely rare in Australia (in fact, that’s why they make the news in such a significant way).
You can also tell your child there are strict laws against people hurting other people, and there are lots of services to help. We see the police and hospitals responding and helping when bad things happen. We also see every day people in the community coming together to help and support one another.
Our own reaction matters
Parents are role models for their children. In times of stress, children look to parents to understand what’s happened, what the risk is and how they should respond.
If parents are really emotional and show they are upset, fearful, or anxious, it can be scary or unsettling for children, as it suggests the situation is out of control.
It helps if we read the news and process our own emotions away from young children.
With older children, it’s possible to discuss our shared feelings of grief, sadness and horror. But it’s still important for parents to be calm, so we demonstrate everything is okay.
Continue normal routines
Sticking to familiar daily routines helps us and our children feel safe. This is because it’s reassuring for children to see life continuing unchanged.
So it’s important to head back to the shops, or to places of worship, just as you normally would.
If your child expresses concerns, listen to them, empathise, reassure them what happened was extremely rare, and quietly continue on with daily life.
Other activities are also great for helping your child feel safe. This includes getting outside, getting active, and having fun time together, playing, being light-hearted and silly. All these things help our bodies relax.
About the authors
Elizabeth Westrupp is an Associate Professor in Psychology at Deakin University and is a registered child clinical psychologist.
Tomer Berkowitz is a PhD Candidate at Deakin University.
This article appeared on The Conversation, and is republished here under the terms of the Creative Commons licence. You can read the original.
Parents & Friends Association
IMPORTANT DATES
Wednesday 8th May (date change due to Yr 5 camp) - Mother's Day Breakfast
Friday 10th May - Mother's Day Stall (Optional for kids)
Next PFA Meeting - 18th June
Tentative - Tuesday 18th June - Hot Food Day (Pizza & Donut Day)
Community
Athletes Foot School Rewards
Birthdays
This Weeks Birthdays
Yr 1
Sully Dickson
Alice Coxall
Savannah Jansz
Yr 3
Indi Edwards
Yr 4
Ned Busuttil
Tadhg Amarant
Nathan Smith
Max Couch
School Sponsorship
School Forms & Policies
Mobile Phone Policy & Form
Medication Administration Form
Asthma Action Plan
Camps, Sports & Excursions Funding Form
OLHC Lunch Order Menu 2024
Please clearly label your child's Name, Class, Order & Total Cost on a brown paper bag with the correct money inside.
Country Bus Travel Application
Jill Burgess - Administration/Bus Coordinator @ Brauer College
P: 5560 3888
E: Jillian.Burgess@education.vic.gov.au
TheirCare Before & After School Care - plus Vacation
& School Closure Day Care
WCC After School Care Information
LOWES Uniform Price List
OLHC 2023 Prospectus