OLHC News Issue 21 Term 3 Week 3 - 29 July 2022

WELCOME TO COUNTRY...

Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School acknowledges that God has been walking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, making God's presence known through a continuous living culture over many thousands of years. We pray in thanksgiving for these ancient peoples who have enriched and sustained our continent over all that time. In particular, we praise God for the people who nurtured the lands where our schools are built and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who continue to support Catholic schools.

As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.  Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School is committed to the safety and well-being of all students.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples. This newsletter comes to you from the lands of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia, and Jupagalk Nations.

Principal Report

Dear Parents, carers, families, and parishioners,

REMINDER - Please log onto PAM and complete permission forms for the following events:

• Kinder visits 
• CEP Performance "Aladdin" Parent Excursion 
• Murtoa Grain Corp Senior Excursion 
• Year 3 & 4 Camp to SunnyStones, Melton, 

**Year 3/4 Camp update:  The new date for camp has been updated on our school calendar.  The new date is Wednesday 24^th August – Friday 26^th August 2022.**

Staff Professional Development - RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

On Thursday 15th and Friday 16th of September (the last two days of this term), staff will be having professional learning in Halls Gap.  There will be no school for students on these days.  The professional learning will be focused on our Catholic Identity and Faith formation.  The two days will be facilitated by consultants from the Catholic Education Office, Ballarat.  Staff from St Patrick's school in Nhill will also be participating in these two days.  This will be a great opportunity for us to finally have some face-to-face professional learning in Religious Education as this has been a challenge for us the last two years due to the pandemic.  Please mark these two dates in your diary.  Therefore the last day for students this term will be Wednesday 14th September.  Students will finish at the normal time of 3.15 pm on this day.

Thank you Fr. Jim & welcome to Fr. Matt

Mons Glynn has informed our Parish that Fr. Jim is moving to the position of Assistant Priest in Ballarat, effective from next week. We take this opportunity to thank Fr. Jim for his contribution to our parish in the time he has been here and wish him well in his new appointment. From next week we welcome Fr. Matt Restall as Assistant Priest. Fr. Matt is very new to the Priesthood, being ordained in Ballarat last Friday. Fr. Matt will be helping  Mons Glynn in the schools and nursing homes in particular in St. Paul VI Parish Wimmera-Mallee. We keep both Fr. Jim and Fr. Matt in our prayers as they commence in their new ministry roles next week. 

Child Safe Standards

The Victorian Government has announced new Child Safe Standards to further strengthen child safety across organisations, including schools. The new standards recognize the critical importance of families and the broader school community in maintaining and promoting child safety and wellbeing.
Please note the following policies have been updated recently and are on our school’s website:
• Diversity & Equity
• Engaging families and caregivers
• School Bullying Prevention
• Complaints Handling
Please contact the General Office if you would like a hard copy of any of these policies. We are committed to continuous improvement in our approach to child safety and wellbeing and welcome feedback from families and members of our school community on ways we can further strengthen our child safety policies, procedures, and practices.  If you have any suggestions, comments or questions, please contact me via a phone call or email. 

Reminder - Circuit Breaker weekend:  Friday 12th August and Monday 15th August SCHOOL CLOSED - no school for staff or students.  A letter was sent home at the end of last term explaining the Circuit Breaker weekend.  If you need another copy of this letter please contact the General Office.

Kinder Visits

On Monday 8th August, our Junior class is having an excursion to the Murtoa Kindergarten.  Our students are going to meet up with some Kinder buddies and learn about them and their Kinder.  A permission form was released on Simon for all students.   We have been made aware of some technical issues with Simon and iPhones.  Technicians are working on the issues and hope to have them rectified in the next few weeks.  If you have any problems accessing PAM and/or giving consent for excursions, please contact the General Office and we will send home hard copies of the permission forms.

Until next week                                                                                                                                                                

Kind regards

Mrs. Cathy Grace                                                                                

S.W.P.B.S. - School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

School-wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) is a framework that brings together school communities to develop positive, safe, supportive learning cultures.  SWPBS assists schools to improve social, emotional, behavioural and academic outcomes for children and young people.

Our school is implementing SWPBS.  This is helping teachers and students have more time to focus on relationships and classroom instruction. Our ongoing benefits from implementing SWPBS are:

• increased respectful and positive behaviour
• increased time focused on instruction
• improved social-emotional wellbeing
• positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
• increased adoption of evidence-based instructional practices
• a predictable learning environment with improved perceptions of safety and increased attendance.

Each week or fortnight, we have a specific focus in our school on teaching explicit behaviours according to our SWPBS Matrix.  Below is our School Matrix.  The highlighted expected behaviours are what we are currently learning about and putting into action to make our school greater and help us be the best we can be.  That is being safe, being respectful and being a learner.

As we continue to introduce our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support matrix, after each Monday afternoon AUSLAN session,  we speak about one aspect of the matrix.  So far we have looked at moving around QQCC (quickly, quietly, carefully and calmly), how we show being safe when we are moving and also playing outside, and an aspect of being a learner by showing/teaching others how to behave appropriately at school.  We all have a responsibility to do this.

Staff are very pleased with the manner in which students have responded these last few weeks to the small changes that have been introduced.

During play times, staff have been monitoring for students demonstrating aspects of Respect, Responsibility and Safety within the schoolyard. When staff have noticed students displaying the expected behaviours, students have been receiving dojo points.  Please ask your child about our points reward system and how it works. Each classroom has specific rewards for particular points.  Student's voice has played a huge part in the ownership of teaching positive behaviours.

The matrix highlights expected behaviours of all students across all areas of the school and also when representing the school off-site.  Our three key foci are Safety, Respect, and Learning .

These three foci and the associated behaviours are discussed explicitly during class time and in assemblies.

Staff will continue to develop frameworks around monitoring and the reinforcement of these expectations.

Enrolment 2023 – Tours available anytime! Please call for a time that suits you and your child - 53852526

AUSKICK

On Monday 25th of July, we were fortunate to have Mikayla Smith, from AFL Auskick, run a free  Auskick clinic at school.

During the coaching program, the students practiced football skills through appropriately modified activities where the emphasis was on fun and having a go.

The program provided an environment where students experienced personal achievement in terms of competence, enhanced self-esteem, social cooperation, maximum participation, and skill development in a fun and safe environment.

Next Thursday, 4th August we will have the privilege of another Auskick session.  All students are to wear their sports uniform on this day.

Below are some happy snaps of our AUSKICK session.

AUSKICK SNAPS

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Diocesan Bulletin

Please find below the link for the July 2022 edition of “Our Diocesan Community”

https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ODC-July-2022-web.pdf.

There are hard copies available at the General Office if you would like to collect or have one sent home with your child. 

Australian Parents Council Newsletter

Please see the link below for information for parents

CEP Performance "Aladdin"

CEP (Country Education Partnership) Performance "Aladdin" from Alpha Shows

• Wednesday, 10th August at 10.30 am
• Horsham Town Hall
• Depart Our Lady's School at 9.45 am
• Return to Our Lady's School at 12.30 pm
• Travel by Bus
• Cost $10 per student
• Permission Forms on PAM/Simon - please log into PAM and give consent/permission for your child to attend the performance.

School TV - Managing Screen Time

“Parents have an important part to play in role modeling a positive approach to using screens and assisting young people to navigate the content they watch.” Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

In this edition of SchoolTV, parents will discover practical advice for managing screen time in your household.  Click on the link below to watch short video clips which focus on the following questions:

• What guidelines exist around screen use for children and young people?
• What does screen time mean for our young people?
• How can parents help their children get off screens and engage in other activities?
• What are the signs that screen use is having a negative impact?
• How much screen time is ok for my child?
• How can I establish rules around screen use?
• Do a different set of rules apply to a child on the spectrum?
• How can parents best handle 'digital conflict'?
• What is the best type of parental control for screen use?

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV

https://olhcmurtoa.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time

Mass Times & Parish Information

Mass: St Mary's Church, Murtoa
Saturday 30th July Mass 6.00pm  

Calendar Dates

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

UPDATED COVID-19 information

As of 11.59 pm Friday 24 June, there will no longer be a mandated vaccination requirement for staff working in mainstream schools.  

With almost 100% of school staff now vaccinated across Victoria, this will cause little change to our school.

As part of the changes, parents and carers who have COVID-19 can transport their non-COVID-19 children via private vehicle to their primary or secondary school when an alternative person is not available to assist. This will include school holiday programs held on school grounds.

This means that parents and carers will be able to leave COVID self-isolation to take their non-COVID-19 child to school or school holiday programs via a private vehicle.

The parent or carer must travel directly to and from the school only. They must remain in the vehicle at all times unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to walk the child to and from the entrance of the school safely. They must wear a face mask at all times.

Family members are asked to continue reporting positive COVID-19 cases to the Department of Health.

You must also let the school know if your child is a close contact. Students who are close contacts and want to attend should still take 5 RATs over 7 days and wear a face mask whilst indoors if they are aged 8 years or over.

Students should continue to stay home if they are unwell, even if they test negative on a RAT.

It is strongly recommended by the Department of Health that face masks are worn in indoor settings, with face masks mandatory for those aged 8 and over who are household contacts and attending school. This is because wearing masks is effective in reducing the transmission of COVID-19.

In practice, this means that the Victorian Government is recommending that, through to the end of winter, students aged 8 and over and staff will wear masks when in class, except where removing a mask is necessary for clear communication or when a particular activity requires the removal of a mask.

Masks are not required to be worn outdoors but can be worn when physical distancing is not possible. This recommendation should not constrain student participation in the full range of school activities, including music, sport and performances.

Reduction of Testing and Isolation Exemption Period.

The period of time when someone is considered a recently confirmed case and therefore exempt from testing and isolation requirements has been reduced to 4 weeks. Previously, this period was 12 weeks.

This means, that staff or students that have recovered from COVID-19, are not required to get tested or isolate/quarantine again if they are re-exposed to a case within 4 weeks of ending the isolation period.

After 4 weeks, the relevant advice must be followed depending on the type of contact.

Additionally, where a student or staff member who is a household contact wishes to attend school (and not isolate for 7 days) they must:

• Continually test negative using a rapid antigen test, on at least 5 days out of the 7-day period (ensure tests are spaced at least 24 hours apart)
• wear a mask indoors when outside your home (for those over 8 years of age)
• notify their employer/school, and
• not visit hospitals or care facilities.
• More information is available via the coronavirus.vic.gov.au webpage.  See links here for close contacts and COVID-19 cases.

Thank you for your support as we continue to make these adjustments.

HAVE YOUR SAY - 2022 RECYCLING FEEDBACK

The Circular Economy (Waste Reduction and Recycling) Act 2021 has been introduced to maximise the continued use of products and waste material over their life cycle and account for their environmental impacts. In recognition of the Act, the Victorian Government has introduced a standardised household waste and recycling service that will see glass recycling implemented across the state by 2027. Council introduced a new purple glass recycling bin in July this year. 

Council recognises that the change to the mixed recycling (yellow bin) collection service to four-weekly has not met the needs of some residents. 

Your feedback on your recycling preferences allows Council to review the recycling collection service to ensure it meets the needs of the Yarriambiack community. Council encourages all residents to complete the following form to assist in improving the recycling schedule for the remainder of the 2022-23 year and beyond.   Feedback will be collated until Friday 12 August. **If you have completed the hardcopy paper form you are not required to complete the online form.

For more information regarding the recycling collection service and feedback form please email Council's Waste and Sustainability Coordinator:

La Vergne Lehmann on llehmann@yarriambiack.vic.gov.au or call our Customer Service Centre on (03) 5398 0100. 

Murtoa Basketball Meeting

A meeting will be held on Monday, 15th August 2022 at 7 pm at Marie Davis, 47 Cromie Street, Murtoa (0419 852 227) This meeting is to see if there is any interest in restarting basketball in Murtoa.

 If no volunteers come forward, Murtoa Basketball will go into recession.