Welcome to Term Two.

I hope your Easter break was a time of rest and time spent with family and friends. As we return to school life after the joy of Easter, we begin what is our reporting term. This means that students will receive their Semester One report cards at the end of this term.

At our first assembly this morning, I reminded students that while report cards provide a snapshot of academic performance, what matters most is their effort. The way they approach their learning, the habits they form, and the attitude they bring to the classroom all contribute to their growth as learners and as young people. Results are important, but effort is the foundation of future success.

This week is a short one, with Easter Monday behind us and Friday being ANZAC Day.  This means we won’t be at school for long. Nonetheless, the tone for Term Two has been set. We are now well and truly into the swing of the school year. Term One was about settling in, Term Two is about growing and stretching.

I again ask for the continued support of you all. I know I may sound like a broken record, but we truly need your partnership in helping form respectful, responsible, and accountable young people. Please help us by not making excuses for your children, accountability is a gift we give them that will serve them for life.

Talking back to staff is not acceptable behaviour, and it’s not something we give reminders for. Respect is not optional at OLHOC. Please also have conversations at home about the importance of keeping hands and feet to ourselves. Play fighting is not allowed, it often escalates and quickly becomes something more serious. We will continue to “sweat the small stuff” because we know from experience that small things can easily grow into bigger things if left unchecked.

A quick note around lunchtime behaviour particularly with soccer, which continues to be a very popular activity. While we have many talented soccer players at OLHOC some of whom play on weekends, in representative teams, or even through a Centre of Excellence. It’s important to remember that lunchtime soccer at school is not to be played in the same spirit as club level competition. We want all students to feel welcome to join in and have a fair go. We're not playing for sheep stations, this is about fun, inclusivity, and community. Please chat with your children about the way they participate in games during break times and remind them that how we treat others matters just as much as how we play.

As we move through this term, I leave you with the words of St Paul to the Galatians:
“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

I look forward to seeing you around the school, whether at Mestrez Gate or the Balaclava entrance. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

(I am sorry this was a long one)