OLHC News Issue 27 Term 3 Week 8 - 6th September 2024

Our Lady Help of Christians is a Child Safe School and is committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We acknowledge the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia, and Japagulk peoples as the traditional custodians of the land upon which our school was built. 

Principal Report

Dear Parents and Friends of Our Lady's,

Firstly, I draw your attention to the article below on important traffic arrangements for the next few weeks.

I received in the mail this week some beautiful religious artwork I had ordered in preparation for some work we will do with the children in October. I wondered what the Church focuses on in September, and my research uncovered three different aspects of our faith that we can attend to this month:

- the Cross of Jesus

- Mary, Jesus' mother and

- the Bible

For different reasons, the Church draws these to our attention. The cross of Jesus reminds us of God's great love for us. The focus on Mary reminds us that she is, in a unique way, our mother too, and can intercede and pray for us always. The bible is the word of God, and can illuminate the meaning of life, the path to heaven, and the ways to navigate all the challenges daily living throws at us. 

The Church encourages us in our lives and offers us 2000 years of wisdom and learning. By attending to what the Church places before us in September I hope all in our community can find some solace, comfort, respite, and assistance.

All the very best, 

Chris McCumstie

principal@olhcmurtoa.catholic.edu.au

Important Traffic Information

After many weeks of preparatory work, Murtoa College will be installing the Early Years Learning Centre (ELCC) Modules. A crane will be onsite before 8.00 am each day, ready to install the modules which will be delivered via truck on the following delivery days:

• Wednesday 11 September 2024
• Friday 13 September 2024
• Tuesday 17 September 2024
• Thursday 19 September 2024

Mornings of 11/09, 13/09, 17/09, 19/09: There will be two (2) traffic controllers present for each delivery morning, with one located outside Our Lady’s Help of Christians to divert traffic in the opposite direction to what our community is accustomed to when dropping off their child/ren. Pedestrian or bike riding students are asked to keep using the new track across the paddock and the children’s crossing which  Staff continue to man for 15 minutes before and after school. 

• Why reverse the traffic flow direction? Reversing the normal travelling direction will allow for greater traffic flow through to the ELCC site on module delivery days. 
• When will I be stopped by a Traffic controller? Traffic attempting to travel past the ELCC site at the time a delivery is taking place will be stopped by a traffic controller when a truck is reversing onto site.  When this occurs, we do not expect delays beyond a few minutes. 
• Afternoons 11/09, 13/09, 17/09, 19/09: Once delivery and lifting is completed, and all trucks have left the ELCC site, the traffic controllers will pack up. We expect the one-way road to be returned to its normal direction in the afternoons. However, if traffic controllers are still at site, we ask families to be mindful that they may be directed to travel the opposite direction again.  
• What about the Buses? Buses will continue to use their normal route during the module delivery period.
  

New Build in 2025- Plans for Classrooms

We are at an exciting stage with our plans for a new school. Swanbuild, the company that the school have employed, have commenced work and at this stage we are looking forward to the whole project being completed by mid-2025.  

When the original and main school building is demolished, learning will take place in the Library and Multipurpose Room. Our Junior Class will move to the Library for their day-to-day learning, and Seniors will move to the Multipurpose Room. Because the build is modular and largely occurs offsite, we are hoping for our time in temporary learning spaces to be short and swift.

Black Ranges Athletics

Black Ranges Athletics were held yesterday in very drizzly weather at Stawell.

A huge congratulations to our students who took part, running, throwing and jumping to their best!

First and second place students and 1^st in relay progress to Greater Western Region Athletics on Friday 11th October 2024 at Llanberris Athletic Track, York Street, Ballarat.

Results.......

• Kaden - 200m 1st,  Discus 4th 
• Eddie - Triple Jump 2nd, Shot Put 5th,  Relay 4th
•  Andre - Discus 7th, Relay 4th
• Nihal - Triple Jump 4th,  Relay 4th
• Charlotte - 100m 3rd,  Triple Jump 4th,  Relay 5th
• Eimer - 200m Equal 4th,  Triple Jump 1st, Relay 5th
• Kirat - 100m 3rd,  200m 3rd,  Relay 3rd

Message from Mrs. Dalgleish

Mrs. Dalgleish has advised that several library items are overdue.

Please check for library books that may be at home and return to school.

Thank you.

Footy/Netball Colours/Casual Clothes Day

Footy/Netball Colours/Casual Clothes Day and lunch  on Friday, 20th September - all staff and students are invited to wear their favourite footy/netball team clothes.  This is the last day of term for our students, so a special lunch will be provided of pies, party pies with a fruit box.  

Hunter is hard at work coming up with other ideas for the students to enjoy on that day, and there may even be a football or two up for grabs as prizes!

Murtoa Show

138th Annual Murtoa Show will be held  on the Big Weekend,  on Friday, 4th October 2024. (This day is the last Friday of the school holidays)

Students have been preparing entries during various lessons at school.  The school will enter student's work into the show to represent OLHC.

Children are welcome to enter other sections as a Murtoa resident.  If they have time during the school holidays, they might like to create an entry and follow the directions in the show schedule below to enter into the particular category. Detailed instructions, including entry information, are contained in the flyer below.  

Child Safety

Our Lady Help of Christians is a Child Safe School. We implement the 11 Child Safe Standards, and work to embed these in our school culture. Our newsletter is just one place among a number where we educate our community about Child Safety. Below is a concise and helpful guide to the Child Safe Standards. The Child Safety Officer at OLHC is Chris McCumstie, and he can be contacted for information at any time.

principal@olhcmurtoa.catholic.edu.au

Child Safe Standard 3:

OLHC prioritises Child Safety, and informs children about the way they can be supported in staying safe. We regularly remind children about being safe, who they can speak to if they feel unsafe, and the importance of advocating for friends. We have a Child Safety Wall, with clear information about what to do if a child feels unsafe, and who our Child Safety Officer is (Chris McCumstie, the Principal.)

School TV

The SchoolTV initiative at Our Lady Help of Christians School aims to help parents to navigate the often complex issues they face in raising their children.

Expert advice, helpful tips, and other resources, are available to all our parents and caregivers. Explore the wide range of topics at SchoolTV by clicking on the link below. 

Important Upcoming Dates:

September: 

• Thursday 12th September - Year 7 2025 Murtoa College Transition Day 1
• Friday 20th September - Footy/Netball Colours/Casual Clothes Day
• Friday 20th September -  Last Day of Term 3  Early finish at 2.15pm

October:

• Friday 4th October - Murtoa Show Day
• Friday 4th - Sunday 6th October - Murtoa's BIG Weekend
• Monday 7th October - Term 4 starts
• Friday 11th October - Greater Western Region Athletics Ballarat
• Monday 21st to Wednesday 23rd October - Year 3/4 Camp - Information was sent home this week

December:

• Monday 9th to Wednesday 11th December - Year 5/6 Camp Melbourne - Information to Come

Mass Times & Parish Information

Sunday 8th September - Livestream  at St. Mary's Catholic Church 10.30am

Parish Bulletin

Calendar Dates

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