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

Leadership & Stewardship

Principal's Message

Dear members of the OLHC school community,

Confirmation

We congratulate the children who will celebrate Confirmation this weekend and thank their parents and teachers for their preparation.

School Tours

On Tuesday evening Naish, Julie and I finished the last of our three open day/tours for prospective parents. The reality is there wouldn’t be a week go by when we don't have families walking through and looking at our school. It is always an interesting exercise to listen to the opinions and perspectives of “fresh eyes.”

Dan Tehan Visit

At this Monday morning's assembly, we were joined by Dan Tehan, the local federal minister for Wannon. Dan spoke to the children and presented our leaders with some new flags (saves buying them!) Like many, he was surprised by our wonderful school and took the chance to walk through and meet some of the children and staff.

Lastly, a number of OLHC parents took the opportunity to contact our local member, Roma Britnell regarding the State Government's $400 School Savings Bonus. Last week, Roma raised this in the State Parliament and will continue to support our school community with this issue.

Roma Britnell Letter Template

Important Dates

Term 2

Saturday 25th May - Sacrament Celebration of Confirmation @ 6pm

Sunday 26th May - Sacrament Celebration of Confirmation @ 9am

Monday 27th May - Regional Cross Country

Thursday 6th June - Division Girls Footy

Friday 7th June - Assembly - 2BW

Monday 10th June - King's Birthday Public Holiday

Tuesday 11th June - School Review Writing Day - Pupil Free Day

11th & 12th June - Yr 6 Camp

Wednesday 19th June - Enrolments Close

Friday 21st June - Assembly 5GR

24th, 25th & 26th June - Yr 5 Art Show

Thursday 27th June - Last day of Term 2

Friday 28th June - Staff Literacy PD - Pupil Free Day

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

Week 6 term 2

SCHOOL TOURS

That’s a wrap for our school tours for our prospective 2025 Foundation families. We had big numbers through and the feedback we received highlighted that we positively showcased the school. A big thank you to the teachers, support staff, office administration and students for doing this. Special mention to Tanya and Brendan who worked tirelessly to present the school in pristine condition.

CONFIRMATION

Good luck to the students celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday night and Sunday morning. Our sacramental program is an important part of who we are and our identity as a catholic school. Hats off to Mr I who has been in the background getting these students ready for the weekend. Thanks Sammy!

HOW GOOD IS THIS!

I happened to catch the end of something really cool in the grade 2 area during the week. The level has had a number of parents in to chat with the students about their occupations, linked to their Inquiry unit, World of Work! The teachers tapped into a resource within, getting Mrs Taggert to speak about her role as Library manager here at school. There was an opportunity for Mrs Taggart to just simply rock up and chat with the students, but this is not her style. She read her favourite book, The Rainbow Fish, in character to the students which was a big hit…see the photo below! Mrs Taggert has a long history here of being able to catch the students’ imagination when delving into a storybook and this was a prime example. We’re lucky to have you in the Library team Louise!

SCHOOL WINTER SPORTS

I travelled around to all the Winter Sports grounds on Thursday for our Grade 6 students. What a great opportunity for the students to get out and compete against other schools in Football, Netball, Teeball and Soccer. We had some good results but more pleasing was that our students showed spirit, sportsmanship and humility when competing. This is something we value at OLHC and are thankful our students were able to participate in this way. Thanks to Mr K and supporting staff for helping on the day.

Have a great weekend and stay warm.

Thanks,

Naish

Sports Report!

In the Warrnambool District Winter Sports Lightning Premiership held on Thursday, May 23rd, Grade 6 students showcased their athletic prowess across four sports: Football, Soccer, Netball, and Teeball.

The highlight of the event was undoubtedly the success of the Grade 6 teams across multiple disciplines. They clinched victories in Football, Soccer, and Netball B. Although they fell short in Netball A, securing the second position, their performance was commendable. In teeball, they secured the fourth position, in a very close competition, with their first three games ending in a draw, rounding off a day filled with spirited competition and sportsmanship.

Overall, it was a thrilling day of sports action, with Grade 6 students demonstrating their skills and teamwork on the field. Congratulations to all participants for their efforts and achievements in the Warrnambool City District Winter Sports Lightning Premiership!

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

Podcast recommendation: Parental As Anything Teens.

This recommendation is directed at parents of older students this week.

How do you know when your teen’s gaming habit levels-up from hobby to obsession?

Once teens are on their gaming consoles, it can be really tough to get them to press pause. Even to go to the toilet, eat dinner or go to sleep.

Bec Sparrow uncovers the red flags to look for if your teenager’s gaming is becoming obsessive, and gives you practical tips on how to turbo boost your tech and gaming boundaries.

Listen here!

Division Cross Country

Congratulations to all of our students who represented OLHC in the Division Cross Country last Friday! The following students have qualified for the next round, which will take place this Monday at the Regionals.

Good Luck!

Beau Morrison

Sophie Byrne

Harrison Watson

Miranda Jansz

Maya McLeod

Matisse Aberline

Lenny Jansz

Bonnie McLeod

Mabel Clements

Lotte Forsterling

Pippa Byrne

Oliver Hildebrandt

Tadhg Loughran

Classroom Awards

Foundation

Cooper Edwards

Jax Uzkuraitis

Frederick Clark

Xavier Grant

Yr 1

Ruby Reddick

Lucas Davey

Jaxon Cross

Sonny McKean

Yr 2

Issey Collishaw

Charlie White

Murphy Castle

Yr 3

Alec Palmer

Harry Keogh

Toby Perrett

Archie Philp

Yr 4

Monty Veale

Tayah Lake

Harper Turner

Yr 5

Patrick Beard

Bonnie McCulloch

Ruben Mills

Yr 6

Camdyn Spencer

Jordy Templeton

Spirit of Our Lady's Award

Lotte Forsterling

Isabella Moore

Grace Pitt

Chloe Hare

Eliza Farrer

Emmy Drake

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

Sacrament of Confirmation - Yr 3

Celebration of Confirmation - Saturday 25th May @ 6pm & Sunday 26th May @ 9am

Congratulations to the following students who are making their Confirmation over the weekend

Indi Edwards
Isaac Paul
Lincoln Paul
Sophie Battistello
Olivia Hodson
Charlotte Taylor
Liam Roberts
Kieran Roberts
Lottie Moore
Toby Perrett
Lucas Harrington
Patrick Bonnett
Daisy Talbot
Harry Keogh
Vincent Lamb
Ned Ellerton
Harry Hawken
Mia Goss
Nate Orr
Maisie Paton
Archie McCullough
Toby Sedgley
Olivia Ryan
Alex McMillian
Tayah Lake
Pippa Knowles
Layla Williams
Rose McLeod
Sophie MacDonald
Zara Doherty
Banjo Auld
Ruby Dew
Jack Broderick
Maeve Barraclough
Lily Barraclough
Grace Barr
Lily O’Keefe
Jon Kelly
Finley Asenjo
Hazel Clements
Maggie Harris
Charlie Isle
Violet Barlow
Ollie Doherty

Something So Great
(Matthew 28: 16 - 20)

Jesus said to the disciples, “Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28: 19 - 20)

What could be greater than being a disciple of Jesus as he toured around Galilee two thousand years ago, teaching and healing? Perhaps the answer is: being a disciple today, post resurrection and ascension, with the gift of the Spirit dwelling in us. The Holy Spirit makes the difference between the uncomprehending band that followed Jesus from place to place, seeing but not believing, and the vital life of faith that bloomed in the early church directly after Pentecost. Happy are they who have not seen, and have believed! Remember, that’s us.

And we remember as well that Jesus isn’t going anywhere. Until the end of time, the wisdom and power and true presence of Jesus is with us. Just as the magnificence of God is revealed in creation, the presence of Jesus remains in Word and sacrament. The indwelling Spirit puts that power to work in our lives, so that all this faith business doesn’t remain spiritual mumbo-jumbo. Mother Teresa and two Popes can’t possibly be the only saints of this generation. God, Jesus, and the Spirit invite us, today and every day, to a discipleship every bit as exciting as theirs.

How do you experience Jesus as “with you always,” as he promised?

Pray

The hands of God uphold you. The hands of the Saviour enfold you. The hands of the Spirit surround you. And the blessing of God; Trinity of love, peace, and justice, uphold you for evermore. Amen.

The Awe-Inspiring Mystery of it All
(Matthew 28: 16 - 20)

It is said that in the midst of his 30-year struggle to write his treatise on the Holy Trinity, de Trinitate, the great saint and Doctor of the church Augustine took a walk by the seashore to clear his mind. He noticed a boy using a sea shell to carry water from the ocean to a small hole in the sand where he dumped it. Augustine, bishop of Hippo at the time, asked the boy what he was doing. “I am emptying the sea into this hole” they boy replied. Augustine smiled. “I’m afraid that is impossible, my child. This hole couldn’t possibly contain the vast ocean.”

The boy looked deeply into the eyes of Augustine and said, “And it is also impossible for you to understand the vast Trinity with your small mind.” Taken aback, Augustine looked to the horizon to ponder the boy’s words. When he looked back, the boy had vanished. Because of this great story, the sea shell has become a symbol of Saint Augustine and of the study of Theology.

It is well and good that we ponder the mysteries of faith as well as the mysteries of the universe. It is well and good that we debate, that we explore, that we discover, even that we doubt at times. But we should never forget that our individual consciousnesses is not capable of conceiving or containing the fullness of truth. At the end of the day, awe is the only proper response to the greatest mysteries.

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!

Tap here to access SchoolTV

Try being five minutes late: Lessons in resilience

If you're not on time for pick up, how does your child react? Here, tween and teen parenting author and speaker Michelle Mitchell, shares her common sense ideas to promote resilience.

I caught up with a mum over coffee this afternoon. She shared with me this gem, which is a great example of letting children build their own life from the ground up. She said, ‘I don’t want the first decision my kids make (independently) to be whether they should get into the car with someone who has been drinking or not. If they have never felt the consequences of little decisions, they won’t know how to make life-changing decisions well. That’s why they choose whether they wear thongs to walk across a hot road or not. That’s why they choose if they wear a jumper or not.’

How easy is it to want our children to be so comfortable that we don’t want their feet to be hot or their body to be cold? When we put it in this perspective, it is ridiculous, isn’t it?! It is uncomfortable watching anyone struggle, let alone your own children, whom you have cared for since birth – so it takes commitment for parents to let go and let their children discover life. The reality of this style of parenting means that your child will experience failures, and things won’t always be plain sailing.

If your child is a dreamer and has grand ideas that you know have a high chance of failing. The temptation would be to block their ambition. Maybe he or she wants to try out for a sporting team that you know they won’t get picked for. The temptation would be to talk him or her out of it. Maybe your child struggles with anxiety, and instead of trusting teachers at school to care for them, the temptation would be to respond to their texts during the day and bring them anything they request.

When we constantly fill in all the gaps, our children don’t need to stretch themselves by asking for help, solving problems or taking risks.

By stepping back, we give our children confidence that they can’t gain any other way. We say to them loud and clear that we believe in their ability to get through challenges. We hand them their lives to take responsibility for.

In saying that, one of a parent’s main roles is to protect their child. If we are going to let go of our children’s responsibilities, we have to lean into ours! We’re not just talking about a child’s physical safety, but emotional and social safety as well.

There is often tension between protecting a child and allowing them to make mistakes or fail. Resilient children grow up to calculate risk well because they have practised making mistakes. During these times, they have had opportunities to assess their capabilities, limitations, and tolerance for the gap between the two.

With each year that their children grow, parents face the challenge of letting go a little more.

I distinctly remember feeling the drive to protect my boys from taking risks when they were learning to surf. The waves they wanted to surf and the waves I thought were safe to surf were two totally different things. I wasn’t sure they were assessing their capabilities accurately.

After surfing for some time (and not drowning), my eldest got his license, so the two of them were able to go up the coast and take those risks without my supervision. The tension I felt when they had ‘gone surfing’ was real! Were they wearing sunscreen? Were they keeping an eye out for each other? Were they checking for rips? I am sure they came home with amplified stories about nearly crashing into rocks and drowning just to wind me up!

Despite my inner turmoil, I realise it was good for my children to have healthy ways to push boundaries and challenge themselves. The risks our children want to take may seem silly in our eyes, but they are developing their stories and strengths. Whether it be to try out for a lead in a school musical, start a small business or participate in an action sport, we have to let go enough for them to pursue their dreams. The pursuit of healthy purpose leads them to discover resilience.

Parents have many questions about the appropriate age to give children independence:

At what age do I let him ride his bike to his friend’s house? It is about a five-minute bike ride.
I used to walk to school every day but for some reason I am scared to allow her to do it. It seems crazy to be so concerned about her getting kidnapped by a random, but I am.
When is the best age to let them go to the shopping centre or movies by themself? I will be there the whole time and they have a mobile phone if they need me urgently.

As with all risks, education and preparation are essential. There is nothing like a little risk management from a parent along the way.

I am not suggesting blindly saying ‘yes’ to a child without helping them understand the consequences of poor or miscalculated choices. I also caution parents about being too relaxed about technology. It is the only area in which I feel we underplay the potential danger.

Children need us to get out of the way so they can discover their own capabilities. There are some risks that children won’t take when a parent is watching over them, so the parent’s absence is actually essential. Similarly, there are some mistakes children won’t make if their parent is on the sideline cautioning them. Here is some advice for parents wondering where the lines are:

If the physical risk is minor (to medium), let them go for it.
If you are concerned for their reputation and they aren’t, let them go for it.
If you think it’s a silly or pointless idea but they don’t, let them go for it.
If you usually watch them at ballet every week, try doing the groceries instead.
If you always pick them up from school on time, try being five minutes late.
If you call them three times a day, stop it.

Do your words AND actions communicate that you have CONFIDENCE in your child? We can encourage our kids all we like, but our actions have to back up those words. If they don’t, our words lose their impact.

RECOMMENDED READING: For more, check out Michelle’s book “Everyday Resilience: Helping Kids Handle Friendship Drama, Academic Pressure and the Self-doubt of Growing Up”.

About Michelle Mitchell

Michelle Mitchell is an award-winning speaker and bestselling parenting author. She has been termed ‘the teenage expert’ by the media and is sought after for her compassionate and grounded advice for parenting tweens and teens.

Parents & Friends Association

Pizza Day will be happening later this term (18/06/2024). Look out for order forms in student's bags next week.
Next PFA meeting will be 18/06/2024 at 7 pm, we would love to see you there!