29 - 6th September, 2024 - Term 3, Week 8

Principal's News

Dear Families,

We’ve had a taste of summer over the last couple of days and students have made the most of this with the changeover from Winter to Summer uniform. Summer uniform can be worn from now on, and all students must be in their full summer uniform by Week Two of next term. Until then, what we don’t want to see is students wearing a bit of summer and winter uniform – it is one or the other! The holiday break is a great opportunity to get everything you need from Lowes. Hats must also be worn again in Term Four, but we encourage these from now on.

Next week our Athletics will take place at the Aerodrome Ovals and information has gone home regarding the day. Looking ahead to next week, the weather looks like it will be kind to us with some sun, so please ensure that your child has their school hat to wear on the day and sunscreen on. This morning at Assembly, Ryder gave us preview of how students could dress up to get into the spirit of the day, but please do not feel that you need to head out to buy lots of items. The main theme of the day will be to compete to the best of our abilities and to give everything a go. Thank you to those parents/grandparents who have volunteered to help. There will be a coffee van present for parents and spectators only – parents are not to purchase drinks or food for students from this van, as they will be bringing their own. All students will return to school by bus – no child will be allowed to leave with their parents from the ovals at the end of the day. Make the most of the last hour before pick-up time! It should be a great day!

Thank you to those families who have made payment (or part payment) of their school fees. All fees are due to be paid by the end of October, as per the fee commitment that families sign at the beginning of the school year. If you are on direct debit, your fees will take care of themselves. If any family is having difficulty with payment of outstanding fees, please contact me as soon as possible to make alternative arrangements. We would prefer to hear from families sooner than later if there are any issues, rather than leaving this until the last minute.

Next Thursday, R U Ok? Day will be acknowledged across the country. The day encourages us to check on those around us to make sure that they are feeling well and happy, and if not, provide support where needed. In primary schools, we are seeing an increase in instances of anxiety in children, which can occur for many different reasons. Our families also experience pressures at different times in their lives, as do our staff. It’s important therefore that we not only look after our students but consider our whole school community. We can all use a little kindness now and then! The students are encouraged to wear a splash of yellow with their uniforms next Thursday in support of the day!

OLSH was saddened to hear of the passing of Judy Gourlay this week. Judy was not only one of our grandparents, but also a staff member who helped to run the canteen here at school for many years. She was a kind person who loved being around the students, and we will remember her with fondness. Our condolences go to the Longeri and Gourlay families at this sad time on the loss of their mother and grandmother. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend!

Narelle Gallagher

Links:

Enrolments at OLSH:

OLSH Calendar:

Religious Education News

A reminder to those children making their first communion to get the yellow registration form that was sent home into the parish office. They are now overdue. 

• 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.

STEM

This week, students have been participating in STEM activities. These activities range from making toys with magnets to using light to display their work. The focus of these days is on collaboration and problem-solving skills, as working with others to generate ideas is a vital part of the experience.

While STEM days involve a lot of hands-on and fun activities, they also present students with challenging situations that help build resilience, as not all ideas will work—even really good ones- and some groups may not succeed with their task. Students learn that they must work within the limits of the materials provided and that they don't have endless resources available to them. However, the key takeaway is learning from setbacks and understanding what to do the next time they encounter a similar situation.

Each group reflects on how they worked together, what they did well, and what they could improve for next time.

Mini Olympics

Mini Olympics was held yesterday. A big thanks to Mrs. Watson and parents for assisting with supervision. All students represented the school well and participated to the best of their ability, which was great to see!

Congratulations to the following children who represented OLSH: Cody Pollard, Hayden Gourlay, Dane Anderson, Zali Breewel, Isaac Longeri, Shanae Scheer, Michele Dichiera, Paley Hammet, Holly Cumming, Levi Davis, Ariana Mazza and Aston McGowan. 

Shanae came third in the discuss event - a great achievement!

OLSH Athletics Day - 10th Sept

Please refer to the information & flyers below

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 between 8.30am and 8:45am by their parents. Buses will bring the children back to school where they can be collected at the end of the day. All students must return to school with their class.

We ask that parents complete the consent on SIMON Everywhere.  There are questions regarding assistance from parents on the day.  If you have any questions please contact 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. 

The Athletics day will not run smoothly without the assistance of parents. Coming along to help out is a grat way to get involved and also watch your kids participate!

Sunray Warriors - 11th Sept

Our students have been invited to take part in the Sunray Warriors - An Environmental Adventure! Students will enjoy hands on interactive activities, all with an environmental focus. Students will need to be dressed in their sports uniform, bring a snack in a brown paper bag, a drink bottle and hat for the day. Students will travel by bus to and from Mildura South Sporting Precinct.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO FILL OUT THE PERMISSION ON PAM AND PAY YOUR MONEY FOR THE BUS

($5.00 PER CHILD OR $10.00 PER FAMILY OF 2 CHILDREN OR MORE).

R U OK? Day at OLSH - 12th Sept

OLSH Disco - 19th Sept

OLSH Footy Day

ORDERS ARE DUE BY THE 18TH SEPTEMBER

School TV

A Special Report: R U OK?Day

Understanding the growing challenges related to mental health among young people is an important consideration. Anxiety, depression and self-harm - are all causes for concern. Factors like academic pressure, social media, family dynamics, and societal expectations, are contributing to these issues. It's therefore crucial for parents and caregivers to take action early, remove the stigma around discussing mental health, and offer accessible support to address these issues and the wellbeing of their children.

R U OK?Day is an initiative that focuses on preventing suicide by encouraging meaningful personal connections and helping informal support networks to help recognise the signs of distress. We urge all families to take part, emphasising the value of genuine human relationships and reminding everyone to ask the important question, "Are you OK?"

Engaging in R U OK?Day activities goes beyond the classroom; it's a commitment to our students' overall development. By talking openly about mental health, schools create safe spaces where students feel understood, valued, and supported. As parents and caregivers, you can contribute by fostering open conversations, normalising feelings and breaking down mental health stigmas. Participating in R U OK?Day promotes compassion and shows our dedication to the wellbeing of the entire school community, reaffirming that together, we can truly make a difference.

This Special Report provides guidance on how to talk to your child about mental health and engage in meaningful discussions.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report:
https://olshmerbein.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-r-u-ok-day

Student of the Week

Happy Birthday

We wish the following students a Happy Birthday in the coming week:

• Sophia Moroni - 12th Sept - 12 yrs
  

• Evie Chirgwin - 13th Sept - 8 yrs

• Faith Lawrence - 14th Sept - 12 yrs

• Elki Garraway - 15th Sept - 8 yrs

Prep News

Show and Tell- Week 9’s topic is ‘Share a picture of your pet or a pet you would like to have’.

STEM-We will be completing a STEM activity in Week 10. We will need cardboard boxes for this activity (similar in size to A4/A3 paper) and bubble wrap. If you have any please send these in at any time.

Next week is going to be very busy. Please read reminders on Seesaw and the newsletter for more information about each event.

Tuesday- Athletics Day

Wednesday- Sunray Warriors Excursion

Thursday- R U Ok? Day

Friday- Prep/One/Two Activity Day and Dinner at school

School Nurse

A flyer went home last week with your child. We ask that forms are completed by 20th September 2024.  

https://students.educationapps.vic.gov.au/sehq/s/

Grade 1 News

Another fantastic week in Grade 1! A full week with no interruptions has been rare lately! Students have done really well with identifying paragraphs and understanding topic sentences. They have worked hard in Mathematics where we have revisited place value.

In Science we are focusing on heating and cooling. Freddo Frogs were put outside to see if the sun would melt them or not. The weather on Thursday led to our Freddo Frogs half melting but the students enjoyed eating them!

It is a very busy week next week, so please keep an eye out for information on Seesaw.

Monday- Normal day

Tuesday- Athletics Day

Wednesday- Sunray Warriors excursion

Thursday- R U OK? day

Friday/Saturday- Activity day/Sleepover

Please feel free to message if there are any questions about next week!

Grade 2 News

 This week has flown by as usual and we are gearing up for a busy week ahead!

I hope everyone has had a chance to look at the Week 9 Reminder letter I sent out earlier in the week. If your note didn't make it home, I also posted a copy on SeeSaw. It has all the information you need for each day next week.

Please ensure that you have paid for each event next week (Sunray Warriors and Sleepover as well as sausage orders for Athletics Day if required). Money can be paid at the office or sent in with your child to school. 

Please also let us know if your child requires medication on Friday night. This needs to come with signed written instructions about dosage and times and should be handed directly to the office or a teacher. 

If you have volunteered to help at the sleepover, please ensure you have completed all of the relevant paperwork. If you have not received this, please ask your child's classroom teacher. 

This week in Science we made paper helicopters as part of our unit on 'Forces'. The students had fun timing how fast the helicopters flew and what factors affect their speed. We also discussed the different forces that affected the movement of the helicopters. 

We will have our STEM Day in Week 10. Thank you to everyone who has brought in small/medium boxes. Some cardboard tubes from paper towels would be great as well!

Have a great weekend!

Lisa

Grade 3 & 4 News

Hi everyone,

Thanks to those who came to Grade 3/4P's assembly today.

A reminder that OLSH Athletics Day will be held at the aero ovals on Tuesday 10th September. It is parent's responsibility to get their children to the ovals by 8:45am. Students will return to school by bus. Please give permission via SIMON.

Our 3/4 STEM DAY will be held on Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th September in the afternoon. Thanks to those who have already brought in items for our activity. A reminder that we still need the following items -paper towel cardboard tubes, aluminium cardboard tubes (no toilet paper rolls please), cardboard boxes (nothing bigger that a cereal or shoe box) and fridge magnets if you have any. These will be returned to you on request.

On Wednesday 11th September, the whole school will travel to the Sporting Precinct for the Sunray Warriors Environmental Expo. We will depart at 9:15 and return by lunchtime. Please give permission via SIMON. A reminder that this event costs $5 per student/$10 a family of 3 or more.

RU OK? Day is held on Thursday 12th September. Students are encouraged to wear a spalsh of yellow on the day!

This week Grade 3/4P presented their Early Australian Explorer research project on google slides. These were fantastic and the whole class should be proud of their efforts! Congratulations also to Holly, Thomas and Jasper for receiving their Pen Licence this week!

This week in Grade 3/4L, students completed their seed experiments and began an experiment on water filtration. They have also been working hard on their insect projects, which should be completed by next week and ready for presentation to the rest of the class. Well done to Violet for receiving her Pen Licence!

Another reminder to please have camp fully paid by the end of this term - unless other arrangements have been made with  Mrs Gallagher. A note regarding what to bring, etc, will be sent home later next week.

Julie and Adam.

This week, Grade 3/4L conducted a science experiment on water filtration.

Grade Five News

This week a number of Grade 5 students represented the school at the Mini Olypmics. They are all to be congratulated on their effort and team spirit. We are so proud of you all!

This week in STEM we have explored properties of light including reflection and refraction and used our knowledge to add interest to our designs. You can find photos of the students collaborating and creating their designs on SeeSaw.

A reminder that OLSH athletics day will be held at the Aero Ovals next Tuesday 10th September. Please drop your child to the ovals by 8:45am. Students will return to school by bus. Students can wear their team colours. Please remember hats, sunscreen and a water bottle. 

On Wednesday 11th September, the whole school will travel to the Sporting Precinct for the Sunray Warriors Environmental Expo. We will depart at 9:15am and return by lunchtime. Please give permission via SIMON. A reminder that this event costs $5 per student/$10 a family of 3 or more children.

RU OK? Day is held on Thursday 12th September. Students are encouraged to wear a splash of yellow on the day!

Have a safe and happy weekend!

Cheryl-Anne 

Grade 6 News

On Wednesday, we had our STEM day for the term. We got to learn about light - things like reflection, refraction and absorption. The children got to explore the effects they could create using torches and other light sources that use colour to project different effects, different materials, shadows and different shaped prisms. In groups, they then had to create a display that used light and sound to bring focus to a chosen piece of work. This display was to hold the attention of the viewer for one minute. One thing a lot of the children seemed to learn is that one minute is longer than it sounds! The children worked very well with this challenge and should be proud of their efforts.

Our next and final Grade 6 Assembly is on the last day of this term. So if you are able to come along, it will be great to see you there!

With our Athletics Carnival next Tuesday, it is important that the children know where their school hat is, as they will need it for this day.

Please continue to remind and support your child in completing their homework, which is to be handed in on Mondays along with their home reading.

Have a great weekend!

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

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.