OLHC News Issue 23 Term 3 Week 5 - 11 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,

REMINDERS:

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

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.

School Advisory Council - SAC

Last night we had our Term 3 School Advisory Council meeting and it was great to have all members in attendance.  Topics discussed were:

1.  Dunmunkle Child Care Project status as per Yarriambiack Shire correspondence.  The council has several factors to consider and has been awaiting outcome reports before formally responding or engaging further with stakeholders.  At this stage, no final decision has been made on the location of the childcare centre.  The Mayor and CEO of Yarriambiack Shire will meet with Tom Sexton (Director of Catholic Education) and myself once Council has worked through a number of matters.  They are hoping this will be in early September.  This is great that the Council will be working with all stakeholders so the schools and businesses in our Dunmunkle cluster can continue to thrive.  

2. Building Project update - on Monday 23^rd May, two people from the Capital Grants Committee Melbourne,  visited our school to do a cross-check of what was submitted in the two Capital Grants applications and developed an understanding of our needs.  I’ve been informed we should be notified around late October or early November if we have been successful or not with either of the Grant Applications.

3. School Promotions and Community visits - information about strategies in place where our students are in the Murtoa community sharing and extending their learning as well as promoting our school.  Everyone was also reminded of our school video - please click on this link to view our video if you missed it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7KBCej5zhQ

4. Staffing - we welcome back Mr. Glenn Critchley who is returning as our Grounds and Maintenance worker.  Mr. Critch, as he is known, will commence work next week.  We are excited to have him back with us.

4.  AAP (Annual Action Plan):  the SAC was reminded of what our three priorities are for our school AAP.  These are: 1. Transforming and strengthening the way we plan and teach religious education, recontextualizing faith, and respecting diverse philosophies of life.  2.  Developing and implementing an agreed approach to learning and teaching that engages all in their learning.  3.  Strengthening partnerships with all families and the wider community, maximizing student learning.  The core of our work this year is to address these three priorities.  At the end of each term, we reflect on our termly goals and set next term goals in working towards achieving these priorities this year.

5.  Child Safe Standards - please see the section below for further information about the new Child Safe standards.

6.  Upcoming events:

Family night on Friday 28th October at Murtoa Mechanics Hall.  This is a music family trivia night with a Halloween theme.  More information will be advertised in the near future.  Please mark the date in your diary as it will be great to have every family represented plus extended family, friends, and community people.  So please spread the word and keep your eyes peeled for explicit details.

Fathers Day Breakfast - All fathers and significant adult male family members are invited to breakfast on Wednesday 31st August, 8:30 am.  Breakfast will be eggs/bacon muffins or muffins with jam/vegemite and tea/coffee/orange juice.  We look forward to sharing this special meal with the significant male people in our lives.

Murtoa Big Weekend - Saturday 1st October and Sunday 2nd October.  This is the 150-year celebration for Murtoa so there is lot happening in the town over this weekend.  Our school will be open on Saturday from 1 pm to 3 pm.  Further information closer to the date!

Until next week - have a great long weekend and please travel safely if you are on the roads.                Kind regards

Mrs. Cathy Grace                                                                                

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

Gifting Mass

On Tuesday 6th September at 2pm, our school will be celebrating a 'gifting Mass' at St Mary's Church, Murtoa.  The focus of this Mass is to reflect and pray for community members who need assistance in a wide range of situations. As a school community, we offer up a variety supplies of food and toiletry items that are generously collected and donated by our students, staff and families over the weeks leading up to the Mass.  The generosity and kindness of our community can be felt through seeing our students presenting baskets to the church altar, giving people access to food that they need but find it difficult to purchase.
These baskets of food will be accepted by St Vinnies and the Christian Emergency Food Centre, who will then provide them to our community members in need. 

Please take some time to clean out your pantry and send your non-perishable items to school and have them placed in the baskets at the front door.  Below is a list of possible/suggested items:

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.. 

Horsham Town Hall experience: "Aladdin"

On Wednesday 10th August, we were fortunate to experience an incredible performance of Aladdin.  This was performed by the Alpha Theatre Company from Melbourne.

The show was a spectacular musical rock concert for everyone of all ages. It brought together the classic tale with a hilarious modern take, culturally appropriate storytelling and casting, as well as integrating magical and important messages that help to raise understanding and awareness to all in the audience.  The show focused on what blocks people from their dreams – their unhealed emotional injuries from their environment. As a homeless boy on the street, we can use Aladdin as an example of how to overcome adversity even from the lowest of existences.

The idea of just ‘imagining what you want every night and magically getting it',  isn’t real. Of course, the Genie in Aladdin is a fun way to explore the ‘what if’ of that scenario, but Alpha believes in HARD WORK and setting goals. But behind all that – what if you felt deep down that you were worthless or a nobody? Do you think you’d want to go after what you want? The cast of Aladdin showed the audience something we already knew inherently, that we deserve to have all of our dreams, think of how wonderful life would be, and how life’s bumps would seem less potent. This is the promise of learning about how to make wishes, from the heart – not from the head. If you be truthful to yourself and others and face up to whatever you have to about yourself, whatever you don’t like, then you can let go of some of your old concepts of yourself and truly start to make life magical!

Alpha’s Aladdin accomplishes this introduction to one of the secrets to the universe. It does it so the audience can get an experiential feeling of what it means to truly wish for things or whatever they want in life and actually move towards getting it, instead of living life believing ‘only lucky people get what they want'.

The show is built on other Alpha shows – now that we can let go of things that don’t serve us, like limiting beliefs about ourselves or the pain of our past, it’s time to get going and manifest what it is we want out of life!  A great show  - check out the below photo gallery of our experience.

Aladdin Performance

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 16

Next

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 - Digital Reputation

“What kids do and post online, the sites they visit and the things they say are permanent. This digital footprint denotes their digital reputation and there’s nothing to stop someone from saving and storing that information about your child.”  Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

Social media has become such an integral part of a young person's life that it can cause anxiety and lower self-esteem. Modern teens are learning to do most of their communication whilst looking at a screen instead of another person. They are missing out on very critical social skills.

And dependant on what they are communicating online, it can affect their digital reputation. Friendships, relationships, and even future job prospects are all at risk. As a parent, it is very important that you are aware of what picture they are painting of themselves online.

Once information makes its way online it can be difficult to remove. Images and words can be misinterpreted and altered as they are easily and quickly shared around. Privacy settings on social media sites need to be managed in order to protect your child’s digital reputation.

Please click on the link below to read more about your child's digital reputation and watch some very thought-provoking video clips from experts in the field.

https://olhcmurtoa.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/social-media-and-digital-reputation

Mass Times & Parish Information

Mass: St Mary's Church, Murtoa
Sunday 14th August LLA 9.00am 

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.