OLHC News Week 10 Term 1 2022

Principal Report

Dear Parents, Friends, and Carers,

 I will be on sick leave until the beginning of Term 2.  In my absence, Mrs. Bush will be in charge.  If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Heather during school hours.

Important Dates for your diary:

• School Athletic Sports - Friday 1st April at Murtoa Recreation Reserve.  Our school is hosting the Sports this year so we will be asking our Parents and Friends to run the Canteen
  
• Casual Clothes Day - Friday, 8th April. Party pies and sausage rolls will be provided for lunch. No cost.
• Term 1 ends Friday, 8th April 2022 at 2.15pm
• Term 2 commences Tuesday, 26th April 2022 at 9.00am

Until next week                                                                                                                                                                      Kind regards

Mrs. Cathy Grace                                                                                

Working Bee

Wow, what an amazing turnout and effort for our annual working bee. The weather was incredible and everyone worked extremely hard for two hours. The best part was reconnecting with each other face to face in the beautiful sunshine and enjoying some finger food for lunch.
A huge THANK YOU to all our amazing families. Your time, effort, and hard work are greatly appreciated. It’s fabulous to belong to such a great community. We look forward to some social functions in the near future. THANK YOU AGAIN!

School Sports

The Dunmunkle Cluster School Athletics will be held tomorrow,  Friday 1st April at Murtoa Recreation Reserve.  This will involve participation of all students from Marnoo, Minyip, Rupanyup Primary schools, Murtoa College Junior campus and OLHC Primary School.  There will be a few secondary students from Murtoa College who will be trained to assist on some events.

Teachers will be responsible for running the events and supervising students and parents can enjoy the day watching their children compete.   The Dunmunkle Sports Cluster is working together in organising and running the Sports.

Our students have been training up for the events and participating in training runs within the school grounds.

Permission Note has been posted on Simon and needs to be approved by parents, please. 

Important notes

• Students need to arrive at the oval by 9 am. The sports will officially begin at approximately 9.15 am.  Our school is the host school and will be running the Canteen.  
• The Athletics program was sent home on Tuesday.
•  The Sports format will be similar to last year - Sprints, Hurdles, and 200m  first, followed by field events, 800 metres for 10, 11 & 12-year-olds, and relays after the lunch break.   Presentations and a closing ceremony will conclude the day.  The day should be completed by approximately 2 pm or soon after.  
• Students need to wear their school sports uniform.  Teachers will bring the students hats and sunscreen to use on the day.  All students need to have a cut lunch and a drink bottle with water. 
• During the running of events, students are not to be going to the Canteen.  Students may visit the Canteen accompanied by their parent/carer during the lunch break.  Parents are welcome to purchase items from the canteen and take them to their child at an event.
• Further explicit information is outlined in the Athletics Program - so please take the time to read this when your child brings it home.  Please remember to bring your program to the sports as there will not be copies available on the day.
• If anyone can help with a tarp or picnic rug for the children to sit on in our school bay, it would be much appreciated.
• No gate charge
• We would appreciate parents' assistance to pack up at the end of the day after the sports, please. Equipment (Our Lady's and DSSA) and the sand need to be transported to Our Lady's.

Child Safety at Our Lady Help of Christians

The Governing Authority has ratified the policies and procedures for Child Safety.  Please click on the link below to access these policies which address each of the Child Safety Standards.

https://olhcmurtoa.catholic.edu.au/child-safe

Lent - Fifth Week

Fifth Week of Lent 
(Week beginning Monday 4th April)

This week through Project Compassion we learn about Shaniella who is attending a vocational school in the Solomon Islands supported by Caritas Australia Solomon Islands (CASI).

Not long after Shaniella started, the school was hit by a landslide, flooding, and a cyclone, all in quick succession.

With your kind support, CASI helped install water tanks, restoring clean water access to nearby schools, health centres and the wider community. Training was held in agricultural skills to help boost the school community’s food security, as well as in environmental risk management and emergency responses.

Now, Shaniella can complete her skills training, with enough water and food to eat, and improved sanitation. She is improving her ability to earn an income, learning skills which will expand her job opportunities. Students are also better prepared to respond when disaster strikes.

Watch a short film about Shaniella’s story here.

Please support Project Compassion: lent.caritas.org.au

FREE Parent session - The Resilience Project

On Wednesday 6th April, there is a free Parent and Carer Webinar with Hugh van Cuylenburg (the founder of The Resilience Project) from 6.30 pm-8.00 pm (90 minutes) AEDT.

During this presentation, Hugh will share his experiences and combine them with practical strategies that can be implemented every day to improve our overall well-being.

Parents will need to register using the following registration link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KAyQq0s-TjiuXOVAuBa1JQ

**Upon registration, registrants will receive a link to attend the webinar, along with a reminder the day prior.

Please note that the webinar will include parents and carers from our Partnership Schools. 

If you need any further information about The Resilience Project or our team, details can be found on our website: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/about/

Mass Details & Parish Information

Mass: St Mary's Church, Murtoa
Sunday 4th  April                                                                                                                8.30am                                                                                                                                                                 

Financial Assistance Information

Calendar Dates

Please click on the link below to take you directly to our School Calendar.

Crime Stoppers: Missing Child - Heidi

Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate missing child Heidi, who is believed to be with a family member.

The 11-year-old was last seen with her parent Meduline in Dimboola, in western Victoria, on 27 January.

Heidi is described as approximately 152cm tall, of average build, with blue eyes, long light brown wavy hair and has pierced ears.

Meduline is described as 172cm tall, of medium build, olive complexion, short wavy hair and has a French accent.

They may be travelling in a white Hyundai Sante Fe with registration 1RO 4BF, which may have a white caravan trailer attached with registration L95934.

Police have released images of the two in the hope someone recognises them and can provide information on their whereabouts.

Anyone who sights them or has information on their whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

COVID-19 reminders...

Our school continues to monitor and abide by all COVID safe regulations and recommendations issued by the State Government and the Catholic Education Office.

Rapid Antigen Tests - RAT Tests have been handed out to families.  Thank you to the families that have tested their children and let the school know the result.  These tests are voluntary - It is suggested children are tested twice weekly (eg. mid-week and end of the week).  We will continue to distribute RAT tests to students when they arrive.

Face Masks - Students in Year 3 and above must wear a facemask indoors, unless a lawful exemption applies - Students are not required to wear a mask outside - School staff must wear a face mask in all indoor settings, except where removal of a mask is necessary for effective communication of teaching. All visitors to the school-aged 8 or above must wear a mask unless a lawful exemption applies. Students in Prep to Grade 2 a strongly encouraged to wear a mask indoors at school.   A face mask must cover the nose and mouth. Face shields, scarves, or bandanas do not meet these requirements. (Please see information above in the Principal report).

COVID Safe requirements for visitors and volunteers performing work on school site

Visitors and volunteers performing work on school sites (both inside and outdoors) are required to have received three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by 25 February 2022 if they became fully vaccinated on or before 25 October 2021. For those that became fully vaccinated after 25 October 2021, the deadline is 15 March 2022, or have a valid medical exception.

This requirement applies to:

• a person contracted to work at an education facility and who will or may be in close proximity to children, students, or staff, whether or not engaged by the education operator including casual relief teachers, NDIS providers, and auditors (but does not include delivery personnel).
• the diocesan education office staff who attend an education facility (such as allied health personnel)
• the staff of any other entity who attends an education facility
• volunteers that attend an education facility and that work in close proximity to children, students, or staff (including parent helpers)
• students on placements at an education facility.

Schools must advise visitors and volunteers they must adhere to COVIDSafe requirements –
including vaccination, physical distancing, face mask requirements, cough etiquette, and good
hand hygiene. 

Other visitors to schools (not performing work)
Service Victoria QR code check-in is not required at schools. Routine school visitor record
keeping arrangements will continue to apply.
In Victorian Catholic schools, parents, carers and other adult visitors who enter school buildings must be able to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine or have a valid medical exception.
The following limited exceptions also apply:

• when attending to administer medical treatment to their own child when the treatment
  cannot be administered by the school
• when attending to collect their child who is unwell and cannot leave the school
  building unaccompanied by their parent/carer
• when attending for a momentary period that does not involve any sustained contact
  with staff or students, for example, to collect a completed art project, collecting a
  packet of rapid antigen test or similar.
  

Proof of vaccination can be checked by a COVID-19 digital certificate (Service Victoria app or smartphone wallet) or printed copy of a digital certificate or immunisation history statement.

Community News

MINYIP MURTOA FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB

Hello NetSetGO families! Great news, our registrations for NSG are open! Please see the link below.NetSetGO is aimed at school-aged children between 5-10. Training will start the first Thursday of Term 2 on the 28th April. Kristy Davo will be taking on the SET/GO girls again and we have a few 15s girls eager to develop our NET group of girls. There’s a few changes this year, including the platform on which you register. It’s very simple but please be aware you will need to create a new user. Don’t try and use your old passwords to login! The information I have is that after you register, you will receive an email with a voucher to receive your NSG pack. So this is a little different too. Please if you have any queries, don’t hesitate to contact me. Can’t wait to see the girls on the court https://netball-registration.worldsportaction.com/userReg...

Senior RE - Ukrainian prayer packs

Despite the peacekeeping attempts, the conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate with many refugees fleeing the country to escape the violent attacks by Russian troops. People around the world are saddened and devastated by the events that are unfolding. Both adults and young people are feeling the stresses of war from afar as they experience fear, frustration, and helplessness.

Our school community has decided to take action by producing prayer packs.  These packs are our way of reaching out as a united group and praying for Ukrainians, their safety, and their families.

Please purchase our prayer packs for the people of Ukraine (Gold coin donation).  You will see these packs at various locations in Murtoa and Rupanyup stores.

By buying our Ukrainian prayer pack you are helping us support others in a time of great need. 

Please take time to stop and join us as we pray, for peace for the Ukrainian people and our world.

With many thanks.

The children and staff from Our Lady Help of Christians. 

How do making prayer packs for Ukraine help us to show we are ‘good Samaritans’?

Student responses:

• Helping people even if they are strangers or even if you don’t like them makes me feel good. Ukraine needs money to live and we feel sorry for them.
• The money we send them from the prayer packs will help them survive.
• It helps Ukraine families to survive with the money we give them so they can buy food or blankets or something.
• It shows respect for the Russia and Ukraine war. It also makes them happy and makes me feel good to help someone.
• This shows that we are respectful and thoughtful and thinking about what they are going through at these times.
• Because we feel sorry for them so when we get the money we can give it to the people. They will use the money for all the people who have lost their homes and supplies.
• It shows mercy because we are giving money to Ukraine that needs money to buy food and other things to survive.
• It shows compassion and shows we care for them even though we don’t know them.