Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School East Warrnambool eNewsletter

Acknowledgement of Country

Our Grade 4 students have created personalised Acknowledgement of Country posters that reflect their own thoughts, feelings and wishes. We will share a new poster each week.

TERM 2 CONCLUDES AT 2:30PM FRIDAY 4TH JULY

Note the early finish time of school for all students on the last day of term.

Country buses run to an earlier timetable.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, please keep within Your special care Children on holidays from school. In their time spent outdoors, may they see Your glory. In their play, may they grow in strength. In their freedom, may they be safe in their adventures.

Amen.

Leadership & Stewardship

Principal's Message

Dear Parents, Guardians & Students,

On a lighter note:

In a Catholic school cafeteria, a nun places a note in front of a pile of apples:

"Only take one. God is watching." Further down the line is a pile of cookies. A little boy makes his own note: "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

TERM 2- That’s a wrap

As term 2 comes to a close I wish to thank the staff for maintaining high standards of care and communication to all students and families. Working in education remains incredibly fulfilling, despite the constant evolution of what school looks like and what is expected of schools and teachers. Having been fortunate enough to have worked in a range of school settings I do remind myself, and anyone who will listen, that serving the OLHC community is a blessing. We are fully aware that life for some remains very challenging. Financial pressures, health battles for children and the complexities some children face with neurodevelopmental conditions. While we are far from perfect as a school, we do subscribe to the theory that the harder you work, the luckier you get. I hope luck, fate or good karma comes to you if life is throwing some serious challenges your way.

INQUIRY

On Tuesday, I refreshed our Inquiry page on OLHC website for the staff to use if the time was right. I hope these pages can promote lots of questions, discussion and engagement. Scroll down to the Kid's Corner segment and check out these 4 wonderful websites.

Enjoy

https://www.olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au/inquiry-learning

Congratulations

OLHC children continue to shine in a wide range of extracurricular and sporting domains.

Mia and Ava Southwell along with Savannah Davis continue to perform at a high level with their Aerobics.
Sophie Byrne has been selected in the Victorian under 12 state netball starting squad. This is an outstanding achievement considering the number of participants and the “country tax” we all pay when having to drive our kids across the state to trial against children in large urban centers. We recognised all these girls at Monday’s assembly and are very proud of them. We look forward to watching their progress.

School Captains - Connor Ryan & Sophie Byrne

Vice Captains - Beau Timms & Ava Southwell

Japanese/Arts Leaders - Emily Connolly & Ella Moloney

ICT Leaders - Zane Palmer & Lucy Perrett

Library Leaders - Ollie Drake & Julia Harrington

Social Justice Leaders - Liam Roberts & Arlie Le Cerf

Environmental Leaders - Harry Barr & Alice Marr

Sports Leaders - Max Mills & Penny Taylor

Sports Leaders - Hamish Tuggey & Ruby Skene

Sports Leaders - Lincoln Paul & Issy Dyer

Sports Leaders - Lachlan Kerr & Harper Green

Important Dates

Term 3

Monday 21st July - First day of Term 3

Thursday 24th July - SSV State Cross Country

Friday 25th July - 1ES Assembly

Monday 28th July-Friday 8th August - Parent Teacher Conferences

Friday 8th August - Division Lawn Bowls

Friday 8th August - 2SS Assembly

Friday 22nd August - 4MS Assembly

Friday 29th August - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY - Literacy PD

Friday 5th September - Father's Day Breakfast

Friday 5th September - 3RW Assembly

Friday 12th September - FSD Assembly

Friday 19th September - 6OB Assembly

Teaching & Learning @ OLHC

A Message from Mr A

PRIMARY PERFORMERS

On Thursday, I had the pleasure of accompanying some students down to watch our 16 Primary Performers at the Lighthouse Theatre. What a pleasure it was to watch them in action. Such a cool experience to be involved in and a positive way of promoting a career in drama and performance as they get older. Well done to the below students-

Tilly Kawade	Ruby Dews
Buddy Fitzpatrick	Eleanor Adcock
Charlie Miller	Tayah Lake
Aleah Wenga	Bella Green
Quinn Moloney	Audrey Loft
Harriet Jess	Sophia McCarthy
Eleanor Hales	Ben Adcock
Dotty Fitzpatrick	Ella Moloney

GRADE 2- FITZMEDIA VISIT

The Grade 2 level have been out and about again with their Inquiry unit, World of Work. This week they spent some time visiting the Fitzmedia office. Jack and Tommy were news readers for the day and everyone experienced the life of a journalist, editor, photographer and videographer. A big thanks to Ellie, Sharna, Tom and Anthony for welcoming us into their workplace. Well done Grade 2 team, on a successful and engaging unit of Inquiry.

GRADE 5- WORLD OF ART

Wednesday in the ED Hall saw the culmination of the Grade 5 Inquiry unit, World of Art. The students’ work of exploring the different art elements over the course of the term was on full show. Another great turnout of parents with a shared lunch added onto this experience. The students spoke and presented well and the finished pieces again highlighted what a talented cohort of students we have here at OLHC.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS UPDATE

“Hey there! It’s Ollie and Holly here, Semester 1 Environmental Leaders.

As our time is wrapping up we wanted to give you an update and say a big thank you to everyone who has participated in Fruit & Milk Box Fridays so far. Each week, we are seeing more boxes in the bins. So far over the past 6 weeks since starting we have collected and recycled 328 boxes. Keep up the great work! All money collected from recycling the boxes will be donated to Western District Food Share. All the best to the Semester 2 Environmental leaders. Thanks” Ollie D and Holly S

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT

I’ve actually attended this in Geelong in the past. It provides some great opportunities for discussion between you and your children as they grow up.

Enjoy the break with your loved ones.

Thanks,

Naish

Technology Toolkit with Ms Fitzgerald and Ms O'Keeffe

A space providing weekly snapshots of student learnings, as well as online safety tips and relevant technology updates. Please reach out with any questions:

Ms O’Keeffe: nokeeffe@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Mon & Tues)

Ms Fitzgerald: efitzgerald@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Wed, Thurs & Fri)

Classroom Snapshot: Year 2 Digi Tech

Our Year Two students concluded this semester by applying their coding skills to help Bit, the adventurous LEGO robot, solve challenges in the Kingdom of Cybit. For those interested to play along at home: https://www.lego.com/assets/FranchiseSites/Portal/BitsAndBricks2/v10/deploydsd/index.html

Or just search ‘bits & bricks LEGO’. Have fun!

Sports Report with Mr K

Grade 6 vs Teachers Basketball Showdown

Yesterday, the teachers hit the court for a thrilling basketball match against the 6MM girls and 6SH boys, following the students' victory in the lunchtime class vs class tournament.

The atmosphere was electric, with students cheering loudly from the sidelines. The 6MM girls played a strong game—midway through the second half, they had a chance to draw level, but their shot just popped out. The female teachers quickly capitalized, running the ball down the court to score. In the end, the female teachers claimed victory, 17–10.

Next up, the 6SH boys took on the male teachers. It was a fast-paced match, with the boys showing great teamwork and some sharp shooting from the floor and the 3-point line. But the male teachers proved too strong on the day, taking the win 21–9.

A big thank you to our referees—Hudson Ryan, Sophie Byrne, and Alice Marr—for keeping the games fair and fun. Shout-out to our scorers: Indi Pickford, Hugo Ross, Mabel Clements, and Evie Dillan.

And thanks to Indi Pickford and Hugo Ross for capturing some great photos of the action!

We are thrilled to announce that Sophie Byrne has been selected to represent Victoria in the School Sport Australia (SSA) 12 Years and Under Netball Championships!

After a series of trials held in Ballarat and Melbourne, Sophie earned her well-deserved place in the Victorian Netball Team. She will compete at the SSA Championships, which will take place in Ballarat, VIC, from Saturday, 25 October to Friday, 31 October 2025.

This is a fantastic achievement, and we couldn’t be prouder.

Spirit of Our Lady's Award

Vincent Orero

Mila Murfett

Edith Wilde

Fergus Mahney

Jonah Davis

Isabel Anto

Mia Southwell

Tadhg Amarant

Amelia Murphy

Faith & Culture

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

P: 5562 2231

E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au

webpage : https://www.southwestcoastparish.com.au/

Weekend Masses

Saturday Vigil

6:00pm OLHC, Warrnambool East

Sunday Morning

9:00am Infant Jesus, Koroit

9:00am St Pius X, Warrnambool West

10:30am St Joseph’s, Warrnambool

10:30am St Patrick’s, Port Fairy

6:00pm St Joseph’s Warrnambool

*11:00am St Anne’s, Purnim

2nd Sunday of the month (Eucharist)

Weekday Masses

NB: MASS OF THE DAY IS REPLACED WHEN A FUNERAL IS HELD AT THAT CHURCH

Tues 10:00am St Pius X

Wed 10:00am St Joseph’s

Thu 10:00am OLHC & 11:00am Mercy Place

Fri 10:00am St Joseph’s

Sat 10:00am OLHC

2025 OLHC SACRAMENTAL DATES

YEAR 4 FIRST EUCHARIST

TUESDAY JULY 29TH:

First Eucharist Information Evening (Parents and Children)

7pm - St Joseph's Church, Warrnambool

TUESDAY AUGUST 5TH:

Formation Day (Students and Miss Squires)
10am - 2pm at St Pius, Warrnambool

SATURDAY AUGUST 9TH:

Presentation of First Communion Candidates
6pm at OLHC Church, Warrnambool.

SATURDAY AUGUST 23RD & SATURDAY AUGUST 30TH

Sacrament of First Communion - held over two weekends
6pm at OLHC Church, Warrnambool.

First Eucharist Enrolment is open until the end of Term 2. Please click on the link below to finalise your child's enrolment.

To families who have already enrolled their child/ren at the beginning of the year, please reaffirm your commitment as well as select the Mass you will be attending. Thank you.

https://forms.gle/CNGTXN9SKiCb7ac8A

Go Light. Love Bold. Come Back Rejoicing
(Luke 10: 1 - 12, 17 - 20)

“The reign of God is at hand.”

Jesus sends out 72 ordinary people with no backup plan, no gear, no script – just a mission: go love people and let them know that God’s kingdom is already breaking in.

He doesn’t send them out with a marketing strategy or a security detail. He sends them with vulnerability, urgency, and peace. “Take no purse, no bag, no sandals.” In other words: don’t bring comfort – bring connection. Rely on the hospitality of others. Speak peace. Eat what’s set before you. Stay where you’re welcomed. Heal. Be present. Be real.

This is a radical move in today’s world where we’re taught to curate, control, and protect our image. But Jesus flips the model. He tells us: Don’t lead with strength – lead with peace. Don’t hide your need – let it build bridges.

It’s a reminder that the gospel isn’t about pushing people to “get it right” but about showing up and saying, “God is near. Right now. Right here. Even in this.”

We’re sent not to condemn or complete but to notice and nourish. In our workplaces, families, schools, digital spaces – we’re ambassadors of peace in anxious times. And that will sometimes mean rejection. Not everyone will welcome the message or the messenger. But Jesus saw that coming. “If they don’t welcome you, shake the dust off and move on.”

That’s not bitterness. That’s freedom. Don’t carry the rejection. Don’t let it define you. Let it go and keep walking.

When the 72 come back, they’re buzzing. “Even the demons submit to us in your name!” It worked. But Jesus grounds their joy: “Don’t rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but that your names are written in heaven.” In other words: Don’t tie your worth to the outcome – anchor it in your belonging. Your value doesn’t come from results or recognition. It comes from the fact that you’re known and loved by God. That’s the real miracle.

Work is Holy

Growing up, my sisters and I received an allowance from Mum and Dad. At 12 years old we started working in the family grocery store on Friday evenings and Saturdays. We missed being able to hang out with our friends. But that was more than offset by the little brown envelope that contained the few dollars we earned – most of which made its way to our savings account at the local bank. But still ... some money in hand that we could spend any way we wanted to, just like the butchers, stock boys, cashiers, truck drivers, and other employees in the store. I felt part of a big family, all of us working together to compete and beat the bigger national store with the green stamps.

More than half a century later, I still run into people who fondly remember our store as children. Staff often would appear at our house for holiday dinners and barbecues, which somehow always seemed to include our favourites.

In my youth, I didn’t always appreciate the gift of work like I do now. As a people, we celebrate all the work that has been done and still needs to be done in our country and around the world to bring us together as family and heal us. That’s what it means for all to truly be free. And scripture this week reminds that we must do the work of the Lord together. That’s what it means to be a universal church, freely open to all.

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!

**A reminder to parents, carers and grandparents that SchoolTV** is a free resource.
SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource that we have to support you with the challenges relating to modern-day parenting. This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.
In addition to the weekly topic we publish in our newsletter, all of the SchoolTV topics are always accessible through our school website under the Student Wellbeing section. You can also use this link: https://olhcwarrnambool.catholic.schooltv.me/category-latest-newsletter
There are videos from experts as well as a huge range of websites, books, apps, fact sheets and podcasts.
If you require any further information about SchoolTV, please contact Mel (mwillis@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au)

Tap here to access SchoolTV

Parents & Friends Association

Next Meeting

Wednesday 6th August

Save the date!

School Disco - TBC Late August

Father's Day Breakfast & Stall - Friday 5th September

Grandparents Day - Thursday 18th September

Community

TheirCare Registration Form - tap here

Seaside Community Kitchen

An update and an invitation to any family or person who would like to share a three-course meal on
a Monday night.
Meals are served between 5.30 pm and 6.30 pm in St Joseph’s Hall, entry off Kepler Street or Ragan
Parade.
Meals are free and are intended to assist people in these challenging economic times. Please do not
feel embarrassed to come along. The hall is warm, tables are set, and the atmosphere is friendly.
To date (up to and including Monday 23 rd June), 114 meals have been served. On Monday, 23 rd
June, 31 meals were provided – 10 sit-downs in the hall and 21 takeaways.

Phone Alan 0417 222 221 or Anne 0418 529 990 for further information.