26 - 16th August, 2024 - Term 3, Week 5
Principal's News
Dear Families,
A large part of yesterday was spent with our Risk and Compliance Officer, Julie Graham, and a reviewer from the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, working our way through the minimum requirements that must be met to ensure that our school is operating safely and meeting all eleven Child Safe Standards. Evidence, which comes from the programs we teach, the signage we display, the curriculum documents that we develop and follow, and the policies and procedures in place at our school all contribute to how we meet the required standards. I am happy to say that our school passed this audit with flying colours and as we already knew, we have more than the minimum in place to address each of the elements that must be covered. This is thanks to the dedication and high-quality work practices of all school staff, as well as the advice, support and work of our School Advisory Council. Families cannot obviously know or understand everything that goes into ensuring that a school runs smoothly, but rest assured that there is a lot involved, and the children are always at the forefront of all that we do.
Today, letters will be going home to current families who have a new Prep student beginning school in 2025. This is an offer of enrolment, and we ask that you make an acceptance as soon as possible. Attached to the offer is a link to a survey for parents about your child which will tell us a little bit about them. This survey is very brief, and its aim is to give us some background into your child and their development. As siblings often already know the school reasonably well, an in-person interview is probably not as necessary as it would be if families weren’t familiar with the school. If you would still like to meet in person, this can be arranged, but we will meet at the Transition Days later in the year.
Thank you to those families who have returned their camp notes for the 3/4 camp to Swan Hill. These were due today, so if you have not indicated yet whether your child will be attending, we ask that you please do so as soon as possible. There will be a cut-off date for final numbers, and we would hate anyone to miss out. If any family has questions about the cost of the camp or is having difficulty paying, please call me at school to chat.
Our Junior Swimming Program finishes today, and it has been a very successful week for the Grade Prep, One and Twos! They loved the lessons, especially the survival component yesterday when they had to wear their pyjamas or clothes in the pool! The heated water has also been a bonus! Thank you to Mrs. Watson for her bus driving and the teachers and LSOs for their organisation and supervision.
As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we have a new playground on the way! An image has been included below to show families what the new playground will look like. Some colours may vary slightly. The students (particularly the juniors!) are very excited to see the finished product!
We are hoping to see lots of dads at our Father’s Day Breakfast next Friday! Get your orders in fast as the date is creeping up.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Narelle Gallagher
Links:
Enrolments at OLSH:
OLSH Calendar:
Religious Education News
- Sacrament of First Holy Communion (Grade 4 & above)
- Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday August 28th at 7pm at Sacred Heart Church
- First Communion Masses: Friday 25th, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th October 2024
- Sacrament of First Reconciliation (Grade 2 & above)
- Parent Information Meeting: Wednesday October 16th at 7pm at Sacred Heart Church
- Sacrament Masses: Wednesday 27th November 2024 at 6 or 7pm at Sacred Heart Church
Learning and Teaching
Father's Day Breakfast
Sports News
OLSH Athletics Day
Our annual Athletics Day will be held on Tuesday September 10th at the Mildura Little Athletics Club. All children will need to be dropped off by 8:45am by their parents. Buses will bring the children back to school where they can be collected at the end of the day.
We are seeking assistance from parents throughout the day, so if you are able to help out can you please email Michael Breewel at mbreewel@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au or ring the school office on 50 252 258.
We will have some assistance from children from Merbein P-10 College but we need parental help for various activities such as:
- Running athletic events - High jump, long jump, vortex throw, discus, shot put and running events.
- Cooking the BBQ
- Setting up and packing up.
Without the help of parents, this day will not run smoothly! Helping out is a great way to be involved and while also watching your children participate!
School TV
In this edition of SchoolTV - Respectful Relationships
Fostering a nurturing environment of respectful relationships within your family holds the key to not only harmonious living, but also improved academic outcomes for your children. As parents and caregivers, embracing the art of teaching children about respect at a young age sets the stage for a lifetime of healthy interactions and empathetic understanding. It will help cultivate a positive environment where communication flourishes, conflicts are resolved constructively, and bonds are fortified.
Teaching children to respect themselves and others will open up avenues for both personal growth and academic achievement. Fostering an environment where respect is not just a word, but a practiced behaviour, will empower young people with essential life skills. Effective communication, active listening, and the art of compromise, will provide your child with a solid foundation that will transcend family interactions and help them collaborate effectively with peers, teachers and the broader community.
Equipping children with an understanding of healthy versus unhealthy relationships is an important aspect of their development. It will guide them to make informed choices, foster positive connections, and set boundaries that contribute to their emotional wellbeing. Understanding the nuances between healthy and unhealthy relationships provides children with the essential tools to navigate their social world, build self-esteem, and cultivate meaningful relationships.
In this edition of SchoolTV, learn how to empower young people in healthy interactions to embrace differences and forge connections that honour their self-worth.
We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.
Here is the link to the Respectful Relationships edition of SchoolTV
https://olshmerbein.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/respectful-relationships
Student of the Week
| Class: | Awarded to: | For: |
| Grade Prep: | Arabella Barlow | always completing her work to a high standard. Keep it up! |
| Grade 1: | Addison Bock | helping her peers and always taking pride in her work. |
| Grade 2 : | Layla Portaro | her wonderful efforts in contributing to class discussions and sharing her ideas. |
| Grade 3 / 4 L: | Dixie Canning | being engaged in class and contributing more to class discussions. |
| Grade 3 / 4 P: | Toby Walsh | his vibrant and entertaining contributions to class discussions! |
| Grade 5: | Isaac Longeri | having a positive attitude to learning and writing well-constructed sentences and paragraphs. |
| Grade 6: | Ryder Goldsmith | the focus and effort he is putting into his work and his contributions to class discussions. |
Happy Birthday
We wish the following students a Happy Birthday in the coming week:
Prep News
Subtraction Artwork
Information Reports
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Rebecca Appledore- rappledore@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 1 News
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Grace Laity- glaity@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 2 News
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Lisa Ryan - lryan@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 3 & 4 News
We have had a great week of learning this week with few interruptions!
Both grades have begun to research an inland Australian Early Explorer which has been fun. This will carry over for the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to everyone who has returned camp slips with their $50 deposit. These should've been returned whether your child is attending or not. More information regarding camp will come out in the next couple of weeks.
We have quite a few events coming up. These probably should be noted in your diary/calendar:
- Friday 30/8: Grade 3/4L assembly
- Friday 30/8: Father's Day Breakfast (please indicate if you are coming if you have not already done so)
- Friday 6/9: OLSH athletics at aero ovals
- Thursday 19/9: Disco
- Friday 20/9: Footy Colours Day
Congratulations to Ariana Mazza for winning the Child's Pass to the Mildura Air Show. Hers was the lucky name to be drawn out of the hat.
Julie and Adam
The Grade Three Mathematics Class was working hard learning about volume.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
3/4 L: Adam Lawrence – alawrenc@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
3/4 P: Julie Phelan – jphelan2.3@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
3/4P (Friday's): Emma Garraway - ewood@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade Five News
This week Grade 5 students have completed their Geography work exploring the continents of North America and Europe. Students demonstrated their knowledge by writing a 4 paragraph text comparing Italy and Australia.
In Religion we're exploring Laudato Si' and Pope Francis' message to us all to care for our common home. Students are learning that some of the decisions we make in our daily lives impact on the lives of others from faraway countries. We hope to share our posters and slides with you soon.
On Thursday we harvested lettuce from the school's vegie patch and cooked tacos and nachos to share. It was delicious!
Have a happy and safe weekend!
Cheryl-Anne
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Cheryl-Anne Courtney - ccourtney@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 6 News
It's hard to believe we are now half way through the term!
We have been continuing to read our class novel ''Holes'' which the children have been really into. They are always disappointed when our reading time is up and have fantastic understanding of what is going on in the story. By this time next week I imagine we will have finished it and we'll finally have all of our questions answered!
We are getting to the stage where the children are starting to put together their Asian country projects and I look forward to seeing how they choose to present their information.
Please continue to remind and support your child about completing their homework to be handed in on Mondays and also their home reading.
Have a great weekend!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me by email and I will respond during office hours:
Tana Lawrence - tlawrence@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
General News
School Advisory Council Members:
Thel O’Shea, Hannah Mills, Grant Finlayson, Courtney Portaro, Amy Cupper, Sandra Hammet, Lana Borchard, Adam Lawrence (Staff Rep) & Narelle Gallagher (Principal).
Change of details:
Please contact the office if you have had a change of details. Phone: 50252258 or Email: admin@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Bell Times
8.30am | Supervision of students begin. Classrooms are remained closed. |
8.45am | Classrooms are opened for reading time. |
8.55am | Organisational bell (students go to the toilet, get a drink, be in line before music ends). |
9.00am | Teachers collect students from their line and proceed into class. |
11.00am | Recess bell. |
11.25am | Organisational bell (students go to the toilet, get a drink, be in line before music ends). |
11.30am | Teachers collect students from their line and proceed into class. |
1.30pm | Lunch bell. |
1.40pm | Students are to finish eating and go and play. |
2.20pm | Organisational bell rings (students go to the toilet, get a drink, be in line before music ends). |
2.25pm | Teachers collect students from their line and proceed into class. |
3.10pm | NSW bus bell. |
3.25pm | End of day bell rings. |
SIMON Everywhere App
This can be downloaded from either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store. The app has been updated earlier this year and an email was sent out to parents. If you are having issues with logging in, can you please contact Mia in the office.
Student Medical Profile
Medical Profile: Please make sure that the school has been notified of any changes that have been made to your child’s Medical Profile on PAM and to also include this on the pink Parental Authority and Consent Form each year.
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PARENT TO MAKE OLSH AWARE OF ANY CHANGES.
Parent Notified Absence
If your child is unwell and will be absent from school, you are able to complete a Parent Notified Absence (PNA) on the SIMON Everywhere App or Parent Access Module (PAM) which will automatically notify the teacher and a text message will not be sent.
Newsletters
These are distributed every Friday on SIMON Everywhere and the OLSH Website. Please contact us if at any time you have any queries or require any further explanation about events, dates etc. Any items for the newsletter are asked to be handed in at the office by 9.00am on Friday.
Attendance & Sign in
A reminder to parents that the school needs to be notified of a student absence by 10 am on the day. This can be done by calling the school office or by using SIMON Everywhere or sending an email to admin@olsmerbein.catholic.edu.au.
Second Hand Uniform
Please contact the school if you require any second hand uniform.
