Our Lady Help of Christians School Murtoa eNewsletter

Statement of Commitment to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples...

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.

Statement of Commitment

Principal Report

Dear Parents and Friends of Our Lady's,

The end of the term has arrived! Thank you to everyone in the community for all the hard work they have put into making it a productive and positive term. Some highlights for me:

- meeting and being welcomed by all the staff, students, and families

- welcoming new staff members to our school

- the joy-filled excursion to watch Cinderella in Horsham

- the Fathers' Day breakfast, where we acknowledged the significant influence fathers and other role models have in our lives

- the Gifting Mass, where students donated to help those in need

- First Holy Communion for two of our Year 5 students, and regular visits from Fr Matt

- school tours with many families from our community and with members of the DOBCEL Board

- multiple visits to and from the Murtoa kindergarten

- lots of AFL and other exercise during playtime, PE, and whole school sports sessions

- witnessing engaging learning activities and the academic progress of our students

We are a great school because we have great students, capable of achieving excellence in their school work, and of displaying praiseworthy behaviour. These students are supported by good teachers and learning support staff, but most importantly by loving families who are invested in their children and their future. Thank you again to all who make our school what it is and who are working towards improving it further.

I wish everyone in our community a safe and happy holiday and look forward to working hard in Term 4 to continue developing OLHC as a place of excellent teaching and learning.

All the very best,

Chris McCumstie

Staffing Update

Earlier in the week I received the resignation of Anne Newton, who has been on long-service leave since the end of Term 2. Anne has been a dedicated teacher and much-loved member of Our Lady's School for 27 years. She has helped the school to grow and develop and has supported staff, students, and families in innumerable ways. Anne's gentle manner, excellent teaching, and quiet faith will be missed. On behalf of the community, I would like to thank Anne for the immense contribution she made to Our Lady Help of Christians School. I wish her all the very best for the future.

In light of this news, both teaching positions will be open at our school in 2024. The full-time teaching positions at OLHC are currently fixed-term positions until the end of 2023. These two classroom teaching roles will be advertised on the Catholic Education Ballarat website in the coming weeks with the opportunity for our current teachers to apply for the ongoing positions.

Last Day of Term!

The last day of Term 3, Friday September 15th, was a day of celebration and fun! The Children wore free dress and donated a gold coin towards the charitable works of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They had negotiated with their teachers some of the acitivities they wanted to participate in for the final day of term. The children cooked donuts and brownies, played extra sport, and completed the final touches on some art work for the Murtoa Show. It was a celebration of the effort our children put into their work and behaviour across the term. Enjoy the photos from the day below!

Education is not only about the intellectual or academic instruction we give to students. It is also about the cooperation between the home and the school in the formation of our students' character. Each week we would like to share with the parent body our school-wide behaviour focus, so that parents and caregivers know what we are working on at school and can make similar efforts in the home. We want to form well-rounded, polite, hard-working students who are filled with joy and who get the most out of their time at school. This requires positive reinforcement of good behaviours, and gentle correction or redirection when expected behaviours are not evident.

For the remainder of the term, our focus will be RESPECT.

Respect includes:

- using manners (pleases and thank yous)
- listening and looking at others when they speak
- giving others their own personal space
- following the instructions of teachers and parents straight away
- using appropriate language, including tone
- helping others in need

There will always be times when our students depart from these expectations, but so long as we are united in our efforts to build up the character of our students, we can hope to see progress and the formation of good habits.

School Holidays

All the staff at Our Lady's School wish the students and families a happy and safe holiday. Rest, recuperate, enjoy time together, and come back to school ready to go in Term 4.

The Horsham Regional Art Gallery has a Spring Holiday Program that may interest families. See the flyer below and, for more information, visit: horshamtownhall.com.au

Murtoa Neighbourhood House

Murtoa Show

137th Annual Murtoa Show will be held on the Big Weekend, on Friday, 6th October 2022. (This day is the first Friday of Term 4, and is a Pupil Free Day, which gives families time to attend Murtoa Show.)

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. Click on the 'Murtoa Show Schedule' link below for further information.

Murtoa Show Schedule

School Fee Accounts

School Fee accounts were sent home with students earlier in the term. If parents have any questions, queries, or difficulties, please come and see the Principal.

Important Upcoming Dates:

October:

2nd - Term 4 begins
6th - Murtoa Show: School Closure Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STAFF OR STUDENTS
6th - Greater Western Region Athletics - Ballarat
23rd - CEP Performance - 'Music in My Suitcase'

November:

6th - Pupil Free Day - No school for students - Staff PD
7th - Melbourne Cup - school closed - public holiday. No school for staff or students.

December:

15th - Last day for students.

Mass Times & Parish Information

Sunday 17th September, Mass at St. Mary's Church, Murtoa at 8.30am

Sacramental Program 2023

St Paul VI Parish

Greta, Eimer, Riley and Hunter celebrated the Sacrament of First Holy Communion, on Sunday, 3rd September at St. Mary's Church, Murtoa at 8.30am. After Mass families and parishioners enjoyed a cuppa at Rabl Park.