13 - 9th May, 2025 - Term 2, Week 3
Principal's News
Dear Families,
Today we celebrated with our lovely mums, with all it seems enjoying a beautiful liturgy, activities and morning tea. The students were extremely excited to host their mums and to spend time chatting and creating something special for mum to take home. As always, Mrs. T and her band of LSO helpers created a beautiful morning tea and teachers spent the last couple of weeks creating something extra special with their classes for mums on Sunday. We certainly hope that all our OLSH mums and special women felt the love today and that you have a lovely day on Sunday – you do an amazing job and are much appreciated! Thank you to Mr. Breewel and all staff for their organisation.
From the 26th to the 30th of May, we will celebrate Catholic Education Week. This annual event shines a light on Catholic education in all schools across the Ballarat Diocese and its importance in guiding and developing our students, both academically and spiritually. The theme of the week this year is “May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace.” All Catholic schools in Sunraysia will once again come together for a mass at the St. Joseph’s College Mercy campus (this will be held in the week prior to Catholic Education Week on the 21st of May) which is always a great celebration. More information about Catholic Ed Week will be in next week’s newsletter, and permissions to travel to mass will be out soon.
Thank you to families for ensuring that students had the correct winter uniform on this week. It was (of course!) very warm on Monday and Tuesday, but thankfully the rest of the week has been a bit cooler. We appreciate that life is busy, but there have been several reminders in the newsletter about uniform over the last month, so please assist us with enforcing our uniform policy by making sure that your child is in the correct uniform on Monday. With jumpers now being worn, naming uniform items is also a great idea.
We had a group of students who attended the District Cross Country at the aerodrome ovals on Tuesday, and they did OLSH proud with their efforts! Well done to Summer Alderson and Isaac Longeri, who made it to the next round of the Cross Country in St. Arnaud.
Our admin staff have been attending a conference in Melbourne for the past two days, so things have been quite busy in the office and with all of the special activities going on! I would like to shout out our wonderful staff, who are always prepared to jump in to assist wherever they are needed, and they have certainly done a great job this week! It also highlights how much work our admin staff do every day!
Once again, we would like to wish all of our OLSH Mums a wonderful day on Sunday, and we keep all those mums who have gone from our lives in our thoughts. Happy Mother’s Day!
Narelle Gallagher
Links:
Enrolments at OLSH:
OLSH Calendar:
Religious Education News
Sacramental Program: We have a number of children involved in the sacrament program in the coming weeks. Children are now preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation and Holy Communion, so please keep the following students in your prayers:
Confirmation: Jacinta Wagner, Sophie Barnes, Anatasia Cory, Layla Portaro, Ivie Mazza.
Holy Communion: Isaac Lohmeyer and Morgan Dowling.
* A reminder to parents that all forms should now be returned to the parish office filled out with your child's details, Mass times you are attending and your child's sponsor name.
* Children making their first commuion need to ensure they have the passport and attend 3 Masses before making the Sacrament of Holy Communion. These need to be handed into the parish office the week before the sacrament.
* There will be practice sessions for both sacraments the week before the sacrament. Please contact the parish office for further details.
* Lessons are online and need to be completed before making the sacraments. It's encouraged that students complete one lesson a week with their parents.
Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 3 & Above)
- Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation will be held on the weekend of Friday 30th, Saturday 31st May & Sunday June 1st.
Sacrament of Holy Communion (Year 4 & Above)
- Celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Communion will be held on the weekend of Friday 20th, Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd June.
Sacrament of Reconciliation (Year 2 & Above)
There will be an opportunity for children in Grade Two or above to make their Sacrament of Reconciliation. Below are the details of the parent information night and the celebration of the sacrament. Please contact the parish office for further details if you are interested in making the sacrament.
- Parent Information Session - Wednesday October 15th
- Celebration of Sacrament - Wednesday November 26th
Mother's Day Liturgy & Morning Tea
A heartfelt thank you to all the wonderful mums who joined us this morning to celebrate Mother's Day at school. Following a beautiful liturgy, it was truly special to see our students sharing meaningful moments with their mums. More photos to come in next weeks newsletter!
District Cross Country
Congratulations to all the OLSH students who raced in the District Cross Country race on Tuesday. All participants represented the school with integrity and performed really well. Below are our results:
9/10 Year Old Boys
- Aiden Davis - 27th
- Morgan Dowling - 31st
- Tommy Field - 44th
- Isaac Lohmeyer - 45th
- Rory Cowling - 56th
9/10 Year Old Girls
- Summer Alderson - 7th
- Quinn Bell - 34th
- Zahleya Grayson - 46th
11 Year Old Boys
- Aston McGowan - 27th
- Levi Davis - 31st
12 Year Old Boys
- Isaac Longeri - 9th
- Phoenix McGowan - 33rd
- Connor Pole 36th
12 Year Old Girls
- Paley Hammet - 18th
- Zali Breewel - 21st
Tuning in to Kids
Book Fair
Dear Parents,
The annual book fair is coming up in Week 5. The children will be coming in to view the books with their wish list on Tuesday the 20th of May. There will be a small catalogue with a sample of what is on offer sent home prior to this day and there will also be a variety of stationery available too!
The students will then be purchasing on Wednesday the 21st and Thursday the 22nd. This year we are encouraging parents, wherever possible, to order and purchase books online through the Scholastic Book Fair prepayment system. Forms for this can be found on the back of the catalogue. Stationery items and posters must be purchased with cash and cannot be reordered.
Student of the Week
| Class: | Awarded to: | For: |
| Grade Prep : | Claude McGowan | For making great attempts to sound out words when reading. |
| Grade Prep : | Goldie Bell | For always trying her best with all of her work. |
| Grade 1 : | Alessio Portaro | For his excellent procedure writing that was detailed and clear to follow. |
| Grade 1 : | Kelly Waters | For showing amazing progress in her spelling and sounding out unfamiliar words. |
| Grade 2 : | Jordan Hammet | For her positive attitude towards her learning and for working hard to improve her handwriting. |
| Grade 2 : | Archie Milkeraitis | For his kind and caring manner towards others and for achieving excellent spelling results each week. |
| Grade 3 : | Fei Lin | For including details in her writing and lovely cursive handwriting. Well done. |
| Grade 3 : | Lexi Finlayson | For Always being respectful and responsible in class and in the playground. |
| Grade 3: | Nash Seymour | For writing interesting appositives about characters in our story. Well done. |
| Grade 4 : | Jacinta Wagner | For demonstrating enthusiasm and creativity in her writing. She goes above and beyond by writing interesting and imaginative stories at home which she enjoys sharing with her teacher. Well done Jacinta! |
| Grade 4 : | Violet Barlow | For her dedication and commitment to home reading. Well done Violet! |
| Grade 5 : | Beau Blore | For his fantastic progress in Writing and note-taking. |
| Grade 5 : | Sonny Pollard | For his excellent progress in Writing and for demonstrating improved sentence structure. |
| Grade 6 : | Michele Dichiera | For showing amazing resilience during tough times. |
| Grade 6 : | Shanae Scheer | For an improved focus when working on challenging tasks. You should be very proud. |
Happy Birthday
We wish the following students a Happy Birthday:
Month of May:
2nd - Dusty H - 7 yrs
4th - Evelyn L - 6 yrs
4th - Bailey S - 8 yrs
6th - Ivie M - 9 yrs
7th - Hunter-Rose K - 7 yrs
11th - Chloe SR - 12 yrs
14th - Meila G - 9 yrs
18th - Oliver L - 8 yrs
20th - Aysha ES - 11 yrs
23rd - Isla C - 10 yrs
25th - Harrison G - 8 yrs
25th - Paley H - 12 yrs
26th - Halle PZ - 7 yrs
27th - Jessica M - 11 yrs
27th - Harriet P - 9 yrs
28th - Parker M - 7 yrs
OLSH Canteen
Orders need to be completed by 9.15am every Friday.
Prep News
Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing Prep School Mums! We hope you enjoy your gifts and have a wonderful day on the weekend. Thank you to those who came along today.
Show and Tell- Week 4's Show and Tell is 'Something that starts with P.'
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
This week in Grade 1, we've been busy learning all about procedure writing, with a special focus on recipes. The students used their writing skills to create their very own rum ball recipe, which we turned into a sweet surprise for our Mother’s Day gift. On Thursday, we put our recipe to the test—working in groups to whip up some delicious rum balls. It was a fun and tasty way to bring our learning to life!
In Maths, we continued exploring subtraction, building our confidence with numbers through hands-on activities and games.
In History, we've been learning about our local Sunraysia region, with a special focus on the towns of Wentworth and Merbein. The students have enjoyed discovering more about the area we live in!
Just a reminder that spelling and reading are an important part of home learning each week. Regular practice at home makes a big difference!
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
This week we have had a big focus on Mother's Day and preparing for our assembly.
The students have been working hard to make some very thoughful gifts for their mothers and have also completed some writing tasks answering questions all about their mums!
In Mathematics, we have been learning about number patterns and units of measurement. Yesterday we measured objects in the classroom using metres.
In History, we have been learning about the Sunraysia area and will be doing some learning about the Murray River and the Wentworth area. Towards the end of this term, we will be going on an excursion to the Old Wentworth Gaol and Pioneer Museum. More information will be sent home about this closer to the date.
We wish all our wonderful mums a very happy day on Sunday.
Lisa
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
Painting Portraits!
Grade 3 News
This week we congratulated Quinn, Elki, Zahleya and Aiden for representing our school at the District Cross Country on Tuesday. It was a fantastic experience for these students, and we are all very proud of their efforts.
There was much excitement today as we shared the morning with our wonderful mums! The children have worked hard practising songs for the liturgy, creating beautiful artwork in the MPR, and making heartfelt gifts and cards. They have loved preparing this special celebration for you.
As we look ahead to Mother’s Day on Sunday, we want to send our warmest wishes to all the amazing mums, grandmothers and caregivers in our community. We hope your day is filled with love and appreciation — you deserve it!
Next Friday, we’re off to the Mildura Field Days. We’re looking forward to a fun and educational day exploring how businesses produce goods and services to meet people’s needs and wants. A big thank you to the parents who have volunteered to join us — I’ll be in touch very soon with more details!
Have a lovely 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 4 News
This week we had three Grade Four students representing our school in the Cross Country District competition. Well done to Morgan, Isaac and Tommy who ran their best and supported the school well!
We’ve had a noticeable number of students absent in Grade Four this week for various reasons, which has made for a quieter classroom. Despite the reduced numbers, our regular learning program has continued as planned, as we follow a structured curriculum to ensure consistency and progress for all students.
Thanks to our Mums who made the effort to attend our Mother's Day liturgy today. We hope you enjoyed the scrumptious morning tea and will put your treasured photo frame, that you made, in a special place.
Congratulations this week to Savannah W and Ivy who received their Pen Licence. Great effort girls!
Have a lovely weekend and an extra special Mother's Day!
Julie
Well done Savannah and Ivy!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Julie Phelan – jphelan@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
(Friday's): Emma Garraway - ewood@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 5 News
Happy Mother's Day!
I hope everyone has a great day. The students have been continuing their learning about the Solar System, focusing on the power of the Sun. In Religion, we have been exploring gratitude and the benefits it brings.
Next Friday, we are going to the Mildura Field Days. If you have not yet completed the consent form on PAM, please do so as soon as possible. The cost is $5.00.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Adam Lawrence- alawrence@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
Grade 6 News
Wow, it's been a busy week for lots of our Grade Six students, with our class being smaller than usual because of different events happening.
A big congratulations to those who represented OLSH at the District Cross Country event. The conditions were challenging with the heat, but everyone gave their best effort. We are incredibly proud of their determination and resilience in competing at this level.
On Wednesday, eight of our leaders went to the GRIP Leadership Conference. They came back with lots of ideas to help them be even better leaders at school. We can’t wait to see them put these ideas into action!
Thank you so much to everyone who came along to our Mother’s Day Celebrations today. It’s always so nice to see so many families there to celebrate together.
Next week, we’ll be having our second Inform and Empower lesson, and we’ll be talking about how to stay safe online.
As it is now Term Two, please remember that students should be in full winter uniform. Also, there are some student-free days coming up this term, so please make sure to check the school calendar for the specific dates.
Lastly, I hope all the mums have a fantastic and relaxing Mother’s Day this Sunday! Thank you for all you do!
Breanna
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me during office hours, either the SeeSaw app or email:
Breanna Meyer - bmeyer@olshmerbein.catholic.edu.au
- Sophie Lohmeyer - slohmeyer@olshmerbein.catholic.edu
Other News
General News
School Advisory Council Members:
Thel O’Shea, Hannah Mills, Courtney Portaro, Sandra Hammet, Lana Borchard, Sara McClelland, Jennifer Wilson, Jordan Wade, 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 remain closed. |
8.45am | Classrooms are opened for preparation 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 then go to 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.
