OLHC News Issue 22 Term 3 Week 4 - 5 August 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 
• Year 3 & 4 Camp to SunnyStones, Melton, 

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.

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                                                                                

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

Senior Excursion - Grain Corp, Murtoa

On Tuesday last, a glorious, sunny but windy day, the Senior class departed for an excursion to Grain Corp. We were on a mission to find out about what happens to the wheat once it has been harvested. We met with Aaron and Simon, who kitted us out in fluro vests, safety goggles and hats, prior to entering the site.

Aaron first took us up to one of the sample stand rooms which is part of where the grain is categorised. He showed us canola, wheat and  barley, which are the grains that Grain Corp trades in. 

Aaron took us for a long walk to the weigh bridge, and we all hopped on. As a class collective we weighed in as, 640 then it changed to 660. Aaron told us that it was changing because it was meant for big trucks, not people. 

Aaron told us what happens to the grain as it travels around the site. We walked past the blue bunkers and Aaron explained how they were created and what the machionary does to build the grain piles so high. 

Aaron took us to look at where the grain is taken to be stored in silos and the big storage shed by the site trucks. From here the majority of the grain is loaded onto train carriages. The grain goes to ports in Melbourne, Portland and Adelaide. It then is shipped in big container ships overseas. 

Aaron told us that they receive 300 000 tonne of wheat most harvests. That is a lot of wheat. 

Nathan came to say "Hi" and gave us some more details about the Grain Corp site, he also gave us some grain and let us keep the hats. Up to 50 trucks at a time could be unloading on the site at any time during the day in the harvest period. 

We would like to say thank you to Aaron and Nathan for allowing us to visit and learn about the path wheat takes from the paddock to the plate. 

Book Week

We have some special events planned for Book Week, which we are celebrating on August 22nd-26th. The theme for this week is ‘Dreaming with eyes open'. Students are asked to come to school on Monday 22nd August dressed as their favourite book character or something related to the Book Week theme.  We will begin the day with a parade in the library to show off our costumes.  Students will be in small groups and have opportunities to be immersed into the storytelling and interaction with the books featured from the CBCA 2022 Shortlist.  Teachers will be facilitating engaging activities for all students on this day. 
We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration of Book Week this year! 

Child Safe Standards - Commitment Statement

Below is a link/file attachment that is the updated Statement of Commitment to Child Safety from the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV). This statement has been updated in light of the revised Child Safe Standards that came into effect on July 1st.
Please take the time to read the updated statement.
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 Cathy via phone or email.. 

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.

Catholic School Parents Australia 2022 Parent Survey Now Live

Have your say on what matters regarding the wellbeing and learning of your child.

For example, has COVID-19 or your partnership with the school affected your child’s wellbeing and learning?

If you are a parent or carer with a child in a Catholic school, CSPA would love to hear from you.
Click on the survey link and share your feedback to assist CSPA in reporting to the Federal Government and Catholic education.

Your feedback will remain anonymous.

School TV - School Refusal

“School refusal is a complex issue as there’s rarely a single cause. It may be linked to separation anxiety, worries about leaving home, a phobia, depression, social problems or learning difficulties. It can start gradually or happen suddenly.”

Though many children will refuse to go to school at some stage in their lives, school refusal is very different to truancy. It is a more serious condition than separation anxiety and often stems from a child’s anxiety about school. They may be worried about their school work, interacting with other kids, dealing with teachers, playing sports or being away from family. School refusal is a behaviour that can also be accompanied by sadness or depression, physical symptoms and social isolation. This condition is equally common amongst boys and girls, from all socioeconomic groups and across both primary and secondary levels.  School refusal can become an entrenched on-going issue. It can become more difficult to address in the later years of schooling due to the anxiety being based on a distant memory. The behavioural signs of school refusal can be very gradual. Symptoms can escalate the night before school, but quickly diminish once the child is assured of being able to stay home.

Please click on the link below to read more about school refusal and watch some very thought-provoking video clips from experts in the field.

https://olhcmurtoa.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/school-refusal

Mass Times & Parish Information

Mass: St Mary's Church, Murtoa
Sunday 7th August Mass 8.30am 

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.