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

God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak,
and care for this world in which we live.
The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light,
help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!

Amen

Pope Francis

Leadership & Stewardship

Principal's Message

Dear members of the OLHC school community,

On Monday, we began the school week with some senior students leading us in prayer. The thread this week was acknowledging the Catholic faith's commitment to preferential options for the poor. At the children's level, we discussed being appreciative but also recognising that a cornerstone of our faith and therefore school, is fighting for the disadvantaged or underdog. Some of you may be new to Catholic Education, but it is worth noting that the first schools established in Victoria were often set up by incredibly hardy nuns, often in remote, rural settings specifically to support the down and out - not the privileged. Times and circumstances change, but on a personal level, this aspect of our faith is one that resonates with me. It breeds humility, perspective and decency. Long may these be qualities we model at OLHC in front of your children.

On Tuesday representatives of the PFA and office staff met with Steve Baldock, the Director of Their Care. TheirCare is an external company that we will be using next year to offer before and after school care, (as well as a holiday program). In the next few weeks, we will post information about the service, as well as dates for parent information sessions. These sessions will give all parents an opportunity to ask questions and check if this service is one they wish to access. We were very impressed with the presentation and feel confident we have a cost effective and professional service for our community. Keep an eye on our upcoming newsletters.

Enjoy the weekend!

Steve

Important Dates Term 4

16th - 27th October - Yr 5 Swimming Program

Wednesday 18th October - PFA Meeting

Friday 20th October - Mission Day

Thursday 26th October - Helen Diamond Presentation

Friday 27th October - Beyond Bank Walk to School Day

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

Please remind family members or friends doing the pick up for you.....

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)

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

Week 2 Term 4

We’re back into learning with lots happening in classrooms and across the school this week. Term 4 brings good weather and plenty of extracurricular 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.

KINDER VISITS- FOUNDATION

Our Foundation teachers have been busy visiting surrounding kindergartens to get some inside information on our 2024 Foundation cohort. This process assists us in allocating class groups for the new year and is the first step in welcoming these new students and families into our school community. Thanks to the Foundation teachers for doing this.

GRADE 1 EXCURSION- WERRIBEE ZOO

This one is always a favourite! On Friday the Grade 1 level headed down to Werribee Zoo for an exciting day exploring the different animal exhibits and jumping aboard the Safari Bus. It is a big day for our second youngest level but one that they always look forward to. Thanks to all involved.

GRADE 4 UPDATE- MS O’KEEFFE

“We finished our swimming program today and enjoyed ourselves whilst improving our water skills. In Literacy we continued writing our narratives and applying the spelling rules we’ve learned this term. Impressive student efforts were evident when creating a master word list containing the ‘ch’ code.” Ms O’Keeffe

GRADE 6 UPDATE- MR I

“Grade 6 students have started their I AM Passion Inquiry Unit. To get the students tuned in we invite parents to come and talk about their passion. We had Vanessa Thornton generously speak to our Grade 6 classes about her passion for hospitality as she owns the Beach Kiosk. Thank you for coming in Vanessa.” Mr I

Have a great weekend with your family.

Thanks,

Naish

Passion Inquiry

3/4 Swimming Program - That's a wrap!!!

On Monday the 9th of October the Grade 3 and 4 students were lucky enough to participate in a Healthy Heroes clinic with the Geelong Cats AFLW team. The players shared with the students some of their key messages about being a Healthy Hero. These messages included;

• Screen Time = Less than 2 hours per day
• Hydration = Drink 7 glasses of water per day
• Physical Activity = 60 minutes every day (and does not need to be at once)
• Healthy Eating = Eat 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit a day
• Sleep = Children this age need 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night

After the presentation, the students engaged in a football clinic on the oval where they learnt how to kick, handball and catch a football. It was an amazing experience for our students to be involved in and they have taken away some excellent information and skills to make their life healthier.

Yr 1 Werribee Zoo Excursion

Region Track and Field

Here are the results from last Friday, everyone should be proud of their results, there were lots of PB's, and a great day was had by all.

Highlights:

Over 12 Personal Best times or distances over the day.

A big thank you to Marli Moore for stepping up into a relay with only minutes to spare just after winning her discus event.

Hugh and Sophie winning their 100m event.

Sophie also scissor-kicked a win in the High Jump

Beau and Fletcher winning their 80 Hurdles.

Harrison took out the 1500m and 800m events.

Alexis 1st and 2nd in Discus and Shot.

4 relay teams taking out their age group.

18 Qualifying for State Track and Field in Melbourne on the 1 Nov.

Thank you to the parents who made the trip up, to not only watch but help out. And thanks to Ava Bishop for her assistance throughout the day.

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

Moonhack is an international event bringing together kids from across the globe for a week of coding. Over the past 7 years, more than 190,000 kids have coded as part of Moonhack. All of our Grade 5 and 6 students will be participating in Moonhack in Digital Technology this term. If you have a young coder at home you may also want to register.

What is going on in the classrooms this week?

Foundation: Basics of typing

1s: Foundations of typing

2s: Typeclub

3s: Hour of Code challenges

4s: Cyber-safety school challenge

5s and 6s: Moonhack!!!!!! 🌜

Awards

Classroom Awards

Foundation

Peggy Chiller

Sully Dickson

Rory Tuggey

Henry Ward

Grace Ghiggioli

Hudson Dillon

Chloe Hare

Yr 2

Banjo Auld

Stella McNaughton

Lucy Gaffy

Olivia Hodson

Ruby Dews

Maggie Harris

Yr 3

James Hare

Nathan Smith

Taylen Nolte

Oliver Vorbach

Dane Baulch

Bonnie Dickson

Yr 4

Harry Barr

Ruby Skene

Hamish Tuggey

Lincoln Paul

Ella Moloney

Emily Connolly

Yr 5

Chloe Burleigh

Paddy Clarke

Thomas Jack

Matisse Aberline

Casey Fleming

Marli Moore

Yr 6

Megan Roberts

Rocco Waterson-Locke

Finn Morgan

Abbey Hermans

Levi Nolte

Harry Wiffrie

Spirit of Our Lady's Award

Fletcher Watson

Pippa Byrne

Lewis Taylor

Harvey Warburton

Logan Rae-White

Henry Bowley

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Dining in God’s House
(Matthew 22: 1 - 14)

This is a strange story: why should invited guests not come to a king’s wedding feast? In our time, any celebrity who throws a party can expect everyone to come, the invited along with the uninvited. People want to see and be seen at notable occasions. Certainly, a royal wedding qualifies as a must-see event.

But in this story people do the remarkably inappropriate thing: they snub the king. And when the king practically begs them to come a second time, some of those invited do violence to the messengers. This is such an incredible response; we recognise that Jesus is referring to the response to himself and to prophets who came before him. No one would behave this way to a king, his son, and his servants, Jesus is saying. And yet you behave this way to God, God’s son, and the prophets.

As listeners to this story, we have a choice. We can be like those invited who don’t bother to go, or who retaliate with rage. We can come without preparation. Or we can have something to say for ourselves if caught poorly clad at God’s feast. “O God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” is a good prayer to have on hand.

Which role do you see yourself playing in the parable of the wedding feast?

You’re Not Worthy

Jesus continued, “When the king entered and looked over the scene, he spotted a man who wasn’t properly dressed. He said to him, ‘Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!’ The man was speechless”.
(Matthew 22: 11 - 12)

People turn down great business opportunities every day out of fear, suspicion, or lack of vision. Instead of seeing possibilities, they see threats and end up losing out. Supervisors, middle managers, and CEOs alike can suffer from this debilitating fear of risk and lack of self-confidence.

What would it take to release these people from their self-inflicted paralysis? A belief that they are unworthy. That sounds strange considering their lack of confidence. But the fact of the matter is that they won’t act until they are humbled to the point of realising that no one is worthy of the varying degrees of fame and fortune or glory and power that come with work.

No matter how hard you work, someone works harder. No matter how smart you are, someone is smarter. So instead of believing you are or should be worthy or deserving of the job entrusted to you, be grateful for the opportunity to work, and do your job well with integrity, compassion, and humility.

Like those invited to the king’s feast in this week’s gospel, we make up excuses for why we’re not quite ready or worthy to be part of the festivities. But look around at who’s enjoying the riches of God’s love: the sick, the sorrowful, the sorry, and you’ll know that worthiness doesn’t come into play. Recognise yourself in the least of your brothers and sisters, and you won’t hesitate to enter the banquet hall.

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!

I’m a child psychologist in the Netherlands, home to the world’s happiest kids—6 things parents here never do

(Veronique van der Kleij, CNBC)

Dutch children are consistently ranked as the happiest in the world, and in this article, a Dutch child psychologist in the Netherlands reveals what makes Dutch parents stand out.

According to her, one of the key aspects is the level of independence Dutch kids are encouraged to have from a young age. She explains how parents prioritize their children’s autonomy, allowing them to explore and make their own choices. ‘Dutch parents don’t overprotect their children; they believe in preparing their kids to deal with life’s ups and downs. It fosters resilience and self-reliance.’

But it’s not just about independence – Dutch parents also prioritize quality family time. Dutch families frequently enjoy shared meals, engaging in conversations, and spending time together, creating strong bonds and happiness.

In addition, unlike helicopter parenting prevalent in some cultures, Dutch parents tend to be more relaxed. They believe that children should enjoy their childhood and playtime, but they still provide structure through clear daily schedules.

Dutch parents also strive to make their kids feel seen and heard. ‘When we ask for our children’s opinions and truly listen to them, they’ll be more likely to develop a sense of positive self-worth.’

Read the full article here...

Flourish Health & Wellbeing Magazine - tap here

Parents & Friends Association

Community

Term 4: 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.

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

Young Entrepreneurs Market

Look out for some talented OLHC Entrepreneurs this weekend

Saturday from 10am - 2pm at the Civic Green.

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