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“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9
Respect, Love, Mercy and Community
Brendon Napier
Principal
Dear Parents and Care-givers,
I trust that you and your family have had a joy-filled break from school and hope you have taken some time to reflect on the gift of the Risen Christ.
The resurrection of Jesus offers us on-going hope, and possibilities for transformation. Every day we have an opportunity to begin again, to grow in kindness, and to live with love and joy. Let’s seize the moments we’re given!
He is Risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
What is Easter All About?
Easter designates the transformation of the Jesus who rises from the dead in Jerusalem to the Jesus who rises, if we allow it, in us. The Resurrection of Jesus is about coming to grips with the transformed and transforming presence of Christ then, now, and always. Once that happens, life is never again the same. Life begins anew.
To say, “I believe in Jesus Christ…who rose from the dead,” then, is to say I believe that the Resurrection goes on and on and on forever. Every time Jesus rises in our own hearts in new ways, the Resurrection happens again. Every time we see Jesus where we did not recognize him before—in the faces of the poor, in the love of the unloved, in the revelatory moments of life, Jesus rises anew. But that is not all. The real proof of the Resurrection lies not in the transformation of Jesus alone but in the transformation awaiting us who accept it.
To say, “I believe in Jesus Christ…who rose from the dead” is to say something about myself at the same time. It says that I myself am ready to be transformed. Once the Christ-life rises in me, I rise to new life as well. “Christ is risen; we are risen,” we sing at Easter. But it has a great deal more to do with life than with death. If I know that Jesus has been transformed, then I am transformed myself and, as a result, everything around me. Transformation is never a private affair. But it is always a decisive one.
Until we find ourselves with new hearts, more penetrating insights, fewer compulsions, less need for the transient, greater awareness of the spiritual pulse of life, Resurrection has not really happened for us. Resurrection is about transfiguration.
—from In Search of Belief by Joan Chittister (Liguori).
Social Action for Justice: Project Compassion – Caritas Australia
Our school community has been extremely generous in working together to support Caritas Australia through our Project compassion fundraising campaign. The funds from this project go directly to providing life-changing support to communities facing poverty, food insecurity, lack of education, and water shortages, while building resilience against future challenges. Together through faith and action, we are bringing hope and opportunity to those most in need.
We’re pleased to announce that this year we have raised the following funds:
|
Who |
Event |
Donations |
|
Whole School |
Harmony Day |
$ 444.80 |
|
Library |
Water Drops |
$ 41.50 |
|
Prep |
Crazy Socks |
$ 72.70 |
|
Year 1 |
Icy Poles |
$ 304.10 |
|
Year 2 |
Movie Day |
$ 218.15 |
|
Year 3 |
Guess the lolly jar |
$ 136.75 |
|
Year 4 |
Colouring competition |
$ 143.05 |
|
Year 5 |
Walk for water |
$ 373.20 |
|
Year 6 |
Bake sale |
$ 733.70 |
This makes a grand total of $2,467.95!! What an amazing, generous community! Thank you for your support and we look forward to getting this money to Caritas Australia as soon as possible. Our faith calls us to move beyond words and take meaningful action and this support is certainly putting our faith into action.
As Easter people we pray…
Risen Lord,
fill our hearts
with your Easter joy.
May the light of your new life
shine forth from us,
so that we may fill the world
with the good news
of your resurrection.
Dying you destroyed our death,
rising you restored our life.
Amen
(The Folly of God – Rina Risitano, fsp)
Blessings,
Toni Foley
Assistant Principal - Religious Education
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you all had a restful and joyous Easter break!
During the holidays, I was fortunate to spend time with family, move house and enjoy a trip with friends to New South Wales. I am excited to see the energy and enthusiasm our students bring as they reconnect with their peers and dive back into their learning.
The Learning Dashboard
From Semester 1, Our Lady Help of Christians will be transitioning to our new academic reporting application, The Learning Dashboard (TLD). On Thursday June 26, you will be using the new app to access your child's Semester 1 report and all future reports.
You will notice some differences with TLD compared to our previous reporting system. Rather than accessing a PDF report, TLD will take you to your child's report via a modern web interface, providing an improved user experience when accessing it via your mobile phone, tablet or computer.
View the video below to see how to access a child’s report via the Parent Portal.
https://youtu.be/97uTtcuyM4wThe new report will also include student cohort data about their achievement judgements. This cohort graph provides you with a visual indicator about your child’s grade and those of their peers.
One of the changes we are excited about is the integration of our school values into the report. Each child will now be marked against our four values: Respect, Love, Mercy, and Community. Throughout the semester, students have various opportunities to demonstrate these values through classroom activities, school events and daily interactions.
We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a parent information session around TLD on Thursday, June 5. To accommodate your schedules, we are offering three session times:
- 8:00 - 8:30 AM
- 2:45 - 3:15 PM
- 6:00 - 6:30 PM
Each session will cover the same material, so you only need to attend one. By providing multiple time options, we hope to include as many families as possible. An EdSmart slip with further details will be sent out in Week 5.
Seesaw
We continue to utilise Seesaw as a vital tool for communication and engagement. Seesaw allows you to stay connected with your child's learning through regular updates and interactive features. If you are not yet connected to your child's Seesaw journal, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher, or myself, as I am more than happy to assist you in getting connected on your own device, ensuring you don't miss out on any important moments or updates.
To keep you informed and engaged, we will be sharing bite-sized information each fortnight in the newsletter, on both The Learning Dashboard and Seesaw. These updates will help you navigate the platforms effectively and engage in your child's learning.
I look forward to another exciting term and can't wait to see what it holds for our students and community. Together, let's make it a memorable and successful one!
Karina Brady
Assistant Principal - Administration
Lauren Blenkinsop
Finance Officer
Library News
Jill Watson and Paula Tindall
Borrowing Days
Please ensure your child brings their library bag and returns ALL borrowed books at their weekly session. The class borrowing days are:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Year 3 | Year 6 | Year 5 | Prep | 4O |
| 4E | Year 1 | Year 2 | 4L |
Overdue Book Notices
Please check your emails for any overdue library notices. If you receive an overdue list, take the time to search all the great book hiding places at home.
Any outstanding books need to either be returned as soon as possible or a payment for their replacement to the library or office. Please don’t hesitate to contact the library staff if you have any queries.
Introducing the “Cassowary Cup Reading Challenge”
This week, students will be given a recording sheet for our “Cassowary Cup” reading challenge. They will have to log the title and author for each book they read or listen to during the challenge period. It will run from Week 2 until the end of Week 10 Term 2.
Reading plays an important part in students’ lives during their school years and beyond. It allows children to actively engage their imagination and opens up a world of educational opportunities.
Students will be given a sheet to record the books they read. The requirements are as follows:
- Prep to Year 3 should read (or listen to) at least 20 books
- Years 4, 5 & 6 should read (or listen to) at least 5 compulsory genres and 15 novels.
Every student who completes the challenge (finishes one sheet) will receive a Certificate of Participation and students may complete as many recording sheets as they wish during the reading period.
Important Library Dates
These are some important whole school library dates and celebrations coming up for the remainder of this year. We will release more information about each activity closer to the date.
|
Term |
Activity |
|
2 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
4 |
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Happy Reading,
The Library Team:
Paula Tindall and Jill Watson
Wellbeing Corner
Hello and welcome back to reality! The school holidays often feel as if they race by on double time. We attempt to jam in time with family and friends, extra activities such as camping and day trips, as well as down time to rest and refresh. I hope that you and your children enjoyed the Easter break and are feeling the benefits of a change to routine.
To sustain that wellbeing boost takes a conscious effort. Afternoon naps are not an option at school or work (we wish), but we can get to bed at a reasonable time to ensure that we are rested. Most of us have overindulged in chocolate and treats during the holidays, so now it’s time for tasty, healthy eating.
What about our mental health? Holidays generally boost our mood because we are doing more of our preferred activities. To maintain a positive mindset, reflect on those things you enjoyed. Try out the link from Big Life Journal here. It provides questions to prompt family conversations which encourage gratitude and mindfulness. Adapt the questions to fit your family. The holidays are over but listening to what each other thought the best parts were, is a lovely way to get more mileage from your experience.
Mrs Wunsch
Student Wellbeing
The MyCE app will now be our main way of communicating with parents. If you have more than one student attending at different catholic schools, you will be able to see all of them on the one app, instead of accessing the different school portals.
Things that will be able to be seen/accessed on MyCE:
- School Reports
- Edsmart slips
- Advising of absences
- Access to newsletters
- School Calender, etc
If you require any assistance with the MyCE App, please contact the office.
Calling All Dads! Let’s Give the Mums a Break This Mother’s Day
Each year, our P&F does an amazing job organizing the Mother’s Day stall, but more often than not, it’s the mums who end up running it. This year, let’s give them the morning off and step up to help!
I’m looking for some dads to volunteer at the stall on Friday, 9 May, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. Your job? Simply help the kids pick out and purchase gifts for their mums—making sure they have a special surprise to take home. It’s a fun and rewarding experience, and a great way to be involved.
If you can lend a hand, please get in touch with me at 0428 406 069 or shaun@halpinpartners.com.au.
Shaun Donaldson
OLHOC Backpacks are now for sale in the office for $75 each.
No pre-order required. Stock Available.
