OLHC News Issue 11 Term 2 Week 2 - 26th April 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,
It's been a busy few weeks at our school!
Learning around ANZAC was incorporated into our week, with the children making ANZAC biscuits in buddy pairs. Auslan is continuing and beginning to be incorporated into daily life. English and Math continue as always, as do our RE lessons, which are focussing on Easter and the hope this season brings.
In staffing news, we are very fortunate to welcome Mr Chris Robarts as a teacher one day per week. Chris had a long career across schools in our diocese, teaching and leading schools as a principal in Swan Hill, Charlton, Mildura, and Horsham. We are blessed to have such experience and expertise in our midst and are very grateful to Mr Robarts for taking on this work. Chris will work predominatly in the junior room, but will also assist with whole school activities.
Thank you to those who have completed the ECSI survey I sent out. A reminder to those who have yet to do so, that today is the final chance to have your say and assist the school with valuable information about your beliefs and perceptions. The results are anonymous and your participation is voluntary.
Have a great weekend and all the very best,
Chris McCumstie
principal@olhcmurtoa.catholic.edu.au
Black Ranges Cross Country
Congratulations to the following students on their efforts and success at Cross Country last week. Charlotte, Kaden, Eddie and Eimer have qualified for the next level - Black Ranges Cross Country - to be held at Lord Nelson Park St Arnaud on Thursday 2nd May. We wish them well.
Permission on Simon. Transport by parents.
ANZAC Day
A number of staff and students took part in the Murtoa dawn service on ANZAC Day. Thank you to our school captain, Eimer Delahunty, for placing a wreath on behalf of our school community.
LEST WE FORGET
ANZAC Day Visitor
On Wednesday, Kaden introduced us to Gerard Emmett, who has been in the Australian Army for 18 years. Gerard spoke with the children about ANZAC Day and where and when the first ANZAC Day service was held. He also brought with him a ration pack, which he opened and we saw all the meal packets and the huge variety of foods for one day. He had driven to school in a Mercedes army vehicle which he spoke about and let the children sit in. We are very grateful to Gerard for his visit, and for sharing stories about his life in the army, and the importance of ANZAC day.
Outdoor Learning Area
The new outdoor furniture has been installed. In the space left after the art room went to St Pat's Nhill, Mr. Critch and the children have assembled and placed tables, chairs and benches. We look forward to developing this area further, with plans for a vegetable patch, and a 'music corridor'. The view from the main school building through the outdoor learning space to the oval is very pleasing.
School Wide Positive Behaviour
SWPBS continues to form an important part of our school life. Directly teaching and reinforcing positive behaviour is just as important as directly teaching other parts of the curriculum. This idea has been in the press lately, with many education experts and high-performing schools acknowledging that behaviour curriuclums enhance learning and well-being in schools.
An area we would like to focus on in Term 2 is Respect, and we will update the community in this space as our learning begins. Some prompts for consideration:
'How do we show respect with our words?'
'How do we show respect with our body language?'
'How might we model respect as adults?'
'How might we form our children if they do not show respect?'
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
Introducing School TV
Our Lady Help of Christians School is very excited to introduce a new initiative to help support parents in the education and formation of their children.
Because parenting doesn't come with instructions, SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource implemented at our school to help support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting relating to youth mental health and wellbeing. Parenting is a learning journey and SchoolTV supports families by providing credible information from trusted sources with practical strategies to help alleviate some of the challenges being faced by young people today.
Watch video interviews with leading wellbeing specialists and browse a library of resources. Each topic is accompanied by factsheets, podcasts, books, articles, apps and other videos.
This award-winning resource helps families build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It will assist you in starting those conversations on topics that can sometimes be awkward or difficult to tackle.
Parents and caregivers are the greatest influence on a young person's life and SchoolTV focuses on empowering confident parenting.
Explore SchoolTV today, by clicking on the link below.
School Photos
School Photos will be taken on Tuesday 30th April, commencing at 9.00am.
An order envelope for each student has been sent home. Family envelopes are available from the General Office.
Ordering online is an option, details are on individual envelopes.
Envelopes are to be returned even if you are not ordering photos.
DSSA Athletics
The Dunmunkle Cluster School Athletics will be held on Friday 10th May at Rupanyup Recreation Reserve. Students have been practising each day to become familiar with all the events.
Murtoa College has offered the services of some of their senior students to assist on the day, to allow the teachers to be in charge of an event. This provides the Murtoa College students leadership opportunities in sport and allows all our parents to watch their child or children compete in each of the athletic events. Thank you to Dr. Bec Carter and the staff from Murtoa College for offering this service and we appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gesture.
Students need to arrive at the oval by 9 am. The sports will officially begin at approximately 9.30 am. Rupanyup Primary School is the host school and will be running the Canteen.
- Parents are responsible for taking their children to the Sports at Rupanyup.
- All students need to be at Rupanyup Recreation Reserve (located at Gibson Street, Rupanyup) by 9.00 am.
- On arrival please report to Mr. Collie and Ms Mock
- Students need to wear their school uniform including shorts for competing
- Warm clothes including a coat would be advisable
- Programs will be sent home prior to the Sports Day
- At the end of the day, parents need to notify teachers that they are taking their children home
The Athletics program will be sent home prior to the Sports Day. The Sports format will be similar to last year - Sprints & Hurdles first, followed by field events, 800 metres for 10, 11 & 12-year-olds, and relays after the lunch break. Presentations and closing ceremony will conclude the day. The day should be completed by approximately 2 pm or soon after.
Students need to wear their school sports uniform. All students need to have a cut lunch and a drink bottle with water. During the running of events, students are not to be going to the Canteen. Students may visit the Canteen accompanied by their parent/carer during the lunch break. Parents are welcome to purchase items from the canteen and take them to their child at an event.
Further explicit information is outlined in the Athletics Program - so please take the time to read this when your child brings it home. Please remember to bring your program to the sports as there will not be copies available on the day.
Important Upcoming Dates:
April
- Tuesday 30th April - School Photos 9.00am
May:
- Tuesday 7th May - Mother's Day Liturgy 9.00am
- Tuesday 7th May - Hip Hop Dance Workshop with Justin 2-3pm
- Wednesday 8th May 'Shrek Show' at Horsham Town Hall at 11.00am
- Friday 10th May - DSSA Athletics at Rupanyup Oval
June:
- Monday 10th June - Holiday - No school for students
- Saturday 15th June - 60th Anniversaery Celebrations Open Day 12noon to 5.00pm
- Friday 21st June - School Closure Day - Teacher PD Horsham
- Friday 28th June - Last Day Term 2 Early finish 2.15pm
CEP Performance - Circus
Thank you to those families who have sent in the money - $10 per student, for the Circus performance and Workshop (Term 1). Outstanding money is welcome.
Mass Times & Parish Information
Sunday 28th April LiveStream at 9.00am St. Mary's Murtoa
Parish Bulletin
Calendar Dates
Please click on the link below to take you directly to our School Calendar.