Newsletter

Our Lady's Primary School - 23rd July 2021

Our Lady's Primary School Surrey Hills


Guided by the life of Jesus Christ

Inspired by the Spirit of Mary

Our Lady’s Primary School is a place of growth and challenge.

Where we seek to ignite imagination and promote a lifelong passion for God and learning 

Learning together in Faith Hope and Love


Principal: Mrs Annie Engellenner - principal@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au

Office Manager: Mrs Julie Leung - jleung@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au

Parish Priest: Fr Brendan Reed - wattlepark@cam.org.au 

Hours of Supervision of Students: Monday – Friday 8.30am -3.45pm

School Office Hours: Monday to Friday - 8.30am – 4.00pm


Reflection - God Moments


Have you ever stood so close to a painting that you can only see the colours of dark brown, light green, fawn, orange, off white and blue? Take a few steps back and you can tell that it is a landscape of a valley, trees, creek, clouds and sky. It is only when we step back that the picture becomes clearer. The same happens in our daily life. Rewind your thoughts and see the gifts that you have received during the past few days. Positive people, even when they have a bad day, will notice a small positive comment, smile, compliment, wave, thank you, encouraging word or apology. They will see someone helping someone else, or a total stranger opening a door for them, children sharing things with each other, or a kind word from someone in their day. We have to be switched on to pick these things up. It is often said that a day is wasted if you don’t reflect on it. At the end of each day it is a great habit to spend a minute with your children reflecting on the nice things they have seen in others, and the great moments they have experienced in their day. In year 6 we call these great moments “the God Moments.” These are the moments that can be seen as the real joy of life.

School Improvement Plan Goals - 2018 - 2021

Strategic Intent:

At Our Lady’s School, we aim to strengthen our Catholic community through: fostering respectful relationships; clear, strategic faith-filled leadership; and our commitment to professional pedagogical excellence that is founded upon our deep knowledge, collegiality, effective teamwork and our Gospel inspired dedication to the learning and wellbeing of each child.

Education in Faith

That students understand and make more meaningful, relevant connections between the Catholic story and their own lives.

That staff develop their capacity to design and implement a contemporary RE curriculum.

Leadership and Management

That staff teamwork and ownership of the Vision and educational priorities of the school will improve

Learning and Teaching

That student learning outcomes will improve.

Student Wellbeing

That the wellbeing of all students will improve.

School Community

That the home/ school partnership is strengthened to the benefit of student learning outcomes. 

Important Dates

Term 3

Sunday 25th July - First Eucharist  - Postponed

Wednesday 28th July, Year 5/6 HoopTime Nunawading - TBC

Friday 30th July  - Confirmation for 2020 Year 6 Students - TBC

Monday 2nd August - OLPS Mini Olympics

Wednesday 4th  to  Friday 6th -Principal Conference

Friday 6th August - School Disco - TBC

Wednesday 11th August  - School Advisory Council

Friday 13th August  - COVID Inspection

Wednesday 18th August, Year 3/4 Hoop Time Nunawading  - TBC

Friday 20th August, OLPS School Sports Friday

3rd September -School Performance   - TBC

Term 4

Tuesday 14th December Graduation Mass and Dinner


School Closure Days - 2021

6th December  (Term 4 )

2021 Term Dates

2021 Victorian Term Dates

Term 3   Monday July 12th - Friday September 17th @ 1.45pm ( School Closure Day Monday 12th July)

Term 4   Monday October 4th – Thursday December 16th @ 1.45pm             

Leadership and Management :To grow and sustain a professional culture that is characterised by excellence, shared vision, collaboration, a strong sense of teamwork and a focus on continuous improvement.

Thank You!

As you will be aware the current lockdown has been extended until 11:59pm on Tuesday 27th July. We are hopeful all students will return onsite for face to face learning on Wednesday 28th July.

On  behalf of the OLPS staff I wish to thank you and acknowledge the incredible efforts our families  are making to support our students throughout this current period of lockdown and remote learning.

  • Thank you for persevering when technology fails
  • Thank you for your patience as your child makes attempts at the learning tasks
  • Thank you for multitasking as you manage households, learning and work from home
  • Thank you for your creativity with the materials and resources you have at home
  • Thank you for being role models of resilience for your children
  • Thank you for your support and understanding as we all navigate this time together

Kindness and generosity – both to self and others.

It’s good policy at the moment.

Stay safe and well,

Mrs Annie Engellenner

Principal

Farewell Mrs Loadman and Miss Nicholson

Last week we welcomed all our families to the commencement of Term 3.  We hope that the holidays  presented an opportunity for all to spend time with family and special people. It was lovely to see many smiling and eager faces return to school for the new term.   We look forward to exciting times of learning and engagement ahead for our children and further developing our partnership with our families. 

It has been so unfortuante that we have had to return to remote learning as a result of this most recent lockdown. We are very hopeful that we will all be back onsite on Wednesday 28th July.

Thank you once again for your amazing understanding and support during this time.  We thank our families and trust that we will continue to do our very best for our students under these circumstances. 

This term we warmly welcome Miss Liana Baviello and Mrs Carissa Bright to OLPS. Liana will be teaching Year 3 /4 N and Carissa will be teaching Year 5/6 . Liana and Carissa have have been working along side Emily and Ange for the past few weeks and have already spent time in the classroom getting to know the students. 

Both Liana and Carissa are very excited to be joining us.

Last week,  we gathered as a school to say farewell to Miss Emily Nichnolson and Mrs Ange Loadman. The children sang the Irish Blessing and both teachers were presented with gifts from the staff and parents of OLPS. Antonella Coloretti and Bern Potter spoke to the acheivements and impact of both these very special teachers resulting in many tears 

Emily has accepted a position at St Martin's in Rosanna and Ange at St Justin's in Wheelers Hill.

On behalf of all school community, I take this opportunity to say thank you to Emily and Ange for their years of service at OLPS and wish them success, good health and happiness as they continue thier careers in catholic education.

Mrs Rose Urquhart is on Long Service Leave ( LSL) for this term, so we welcoem Mrs Michelle Benson to Year 3/4 U. Mrs Joelle Lake is also on LSL for the first 4 weeks of the term, so we welcoem Mrs Lynette Brugliera to Year 1 /2L.

Staff LSL requests are submitted a year in advance. 

Welcome Liana Baviello and Carissa Bright to OLPS

We are very fortunate to be welcoming Miss Liana Bavialoo  - Year

3/4B and Mrs Carissa Bright 5/6B to Our Lady's Primary School. Both Liana and Carissa are passionate about learning and teaching and supporting students to realise thier full potential.

Liana has made such as wonderful start and has been very supportive of the students during remote learning.

We look forward to welcoming Carissa on Monday 6th August.

Remote Learning Survey

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfecCUv7qKDmtDJ_lGP9mAqOCGbWV7NlnmsAAtB-CG_IWfPDA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Your feedback is very important to us. We would appreciate you taking a moment to complete this google survey, so we can continue to improve in the delivery of our remote and flexible learning program at OLPS. 

Thank you for your time.

Australian Early Development Census - Prep Students

 This term, our school, along with thousands of others across the country will begin preparations for the fifth Australian Early Development Census (AEDC). The AEDC gives us a national picture of the development, health and wellbeing of children in their first year of full-time school. Since 2009, the census results have helped communities, schools and governments plan services and develop better policies to target support for children and families. Children don’t miss any class time, and parents/carers don’t need to supply schools with any new information for the census. The AEDC gives us data at a school and community level - it isn’t an assessment of individual children. Participation in the AEDC is voluntary. Parents/carers don’t need to take any action unless they choose not to include their children in the census. If you do not wish for your child to be included in the census, please email me directly. To find out more about the census and how communities are using the data to help children and families visit the AEDC website: www.aedc.gov.au.

School Advisory Council - SAC

All Catholic parish and diocesan schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese, is now under the guidance of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS). Every school has been asked to establish a School Advisory Council as a way of giving parents and guardians a chance to be involved in the school. Our current Parish School Education Board will continue as a School Advisory Council under a new Terms of Reference. At our most recent meeting, the Parish School Education Board, spent time tailoring the Terms of Reference to reflect the culture and vision of Our Lady’s Primary School.

 The purpose of the School Advisory Council is to advise the Principal on important matters and be a support to the Principal and Leadership of the school in their decision-making process.

 In many ways we have emphasised the importance of parents and guardians being involved in partnering with the school and the way this helps your children in their education.

 The School Advisory Council includes: Fr Brendan Reed, Annie Engellenner, Clare Hicks, Jane Edge (Chairperson), Madeleine Jones (Secretary), Fiona Feenaghty (PFA President) Andrea Belmonte, Kat Rellos and AiMe Lim. As Principal of Our Lady’s I greatly value the support and wise counsel offered by the members of the Council.

 

Learning and Teaching :To improve student learning outcomes through personalised, effective and stimulating teaching that builds student engagement and success in all areas of the curriculum.Add a title

Year 5 /6 Concrete Poetry - By Ayla

Learning Intention:

We are learnng to use the physical words of our peoms to enthrall our reader.

Week after week I feel like a robot programed to stay here forever

You give us hope when you say we’ll get back … never

It’s like pretending to give a dog a bone

Lives have been lost but we’ve lost everything we’ve ever known 

We’re pawns in a huge game of chess

Someone controls our every move

We all have some feelings we want to express

But we all feel like animals in a zoo

News From Our Specialists

Student Art Work

Foundation - Rainbow Art

Foundation students investigated the different colours of the rainbow and using any art mediums or household objects they presented their own rainbow inspired art piece.  Students chose a variety of ways to depict the rainbow including  drawing, painting, collage or found objects. The results were amazing! 

Student Art Work Year 1 /2

Year 1/2 Foil Olympic Figures

Focusing on the upcoming Olympic Games students investigated the pictograms released for the Tokyo games. Using kitchen foil the students manipulated and crumpled the foil to make their own olympic figure. They incorporated the figure with a background depicting the sport they had chosen. Fantastic work by Year 1/2 students 

Student Art Work Year 3-6

Year 3-6 Paper Construction Sculptures

Year 3-6 students were set a challenge to create their own paper sculpture at home. Students had to show their skill at rolling, folding, cutting, bending, and twisting the paper to make different shapes and protrusions and glue them onto a base in different exciting looking configurations. The completed sculptures were outstanding!

OLPS Mini Olympic Games 2021

Our Lady's students will be involved in a Mini Olympic Games on Monday 2nd August. Every child will compete in some fun events in multi-age groups under the flag of an allocated nation of the world. Students will be asked to come to school on the 6th August wearing the colours of their nation (e.g If your child is competing under the Jamaican flag it is hoped they could wear black, green or yellow sports clothing). If restrictions allow we would love parents/families to come and join us as spectators, to view our 'Parade Of Nations' & our athletes competing in their events.You will be notified next week what country your child is in. Looking forward to returning to school with GUSTO! OLPS Olympics Committee. 

Remote Learning Resources

Learning Potential © Commonwealth of Australia

https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/for-or-against
Big conversations

Being able to express your opinion (and argue persuasively in favour of it) is an important skill – both for school and for life. International research shows that one of the most important ways parents can support learning is by having ‘big conversations’  with their children. So encourage family discussions about issues that interest your child, and give them lots of practice at:

  • looking at the different sides of an issue
  • explaining their viewpoint clearly using supporting arguments and evidence
  • listening to people who disagree with them, and making sure they understand what they are saying
  • thinking about their reasons, acknowledging where they agree, and developing counterarguments where they disagree
  • being prepared to change their viewpoint
  • being passionate but respectful
  • knowing when (and how) to agree to disagree – they don’t always have to ‘win’ the argument!

Learning Potential © Commonwealth of Australia

https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/cooking-up-a-storm
Practical tips and ideas to nurture your child’s learning potential, from the high chair to high school | Developed in partnership with Education Services Australia The kitchen is a great place to sharpen up your child’s literacy and numeracy skills, with the added bonus of a delicious reward at the end!  As you and your child explore more complex recipes, you’ll find lots of opportunities to extend their vocabulary and maths skills as well as their cooking skills. To extract the most learning from your child’s time in the kitchen:

Onsite Supervision Program: Eligibilty

All students will continue to learn from home, except for students in the following categories:

  • children whose parents/carers are considered authorised workers who cannot work from home, work for an essential provider and where no other supervision arrangements can be made:
    • where there are two parents/carers, both must be authorised workers, working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for onsite provision
    • for single parents/carers, the authorised worker must be working outside the home in order for their children to be eligible for onsite provision
  • children experiencing vulnerability, including those:
    • residing in out-of-home care
    • deemed vulnerable by a government agency, funded family or family violence service, and assessed as requiring education and care outside the family home
    • identified by a school or early childhood service as vulnerable (including via referral from a government agency, funded family or family violence service, homeless or youth justice service, or mental health or other health service).

It was announced yesterday that onsite supervision is also available where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress. This may apply to students enrolled in special schools and students with a disability enrolled in mainstream schools.

Literacy News

Well done to all the children who are participating in the Premiers’ Reading Challenge. There are still many weeks to go and we have a large section of the library dedicated to Challenge Books with stickers to indicate which year level the books are for. Many thanks once again  to Somee and Yvonne. 

Term 3 is always an exciting time to celebrate books with Bookweek. Book week this year is from 21-27 August. This year the theme is “Old Worlds, New Worlds and Other Worlds.” We will be having a performance on Monday August 16th for a “tuning in” for all students. We will also have some really fun activities throughout the week and of course our annual Book Week Dress Up Parade!

We will also have the Scholastic Book Fair which has not been at Our Lady’s for a number of years.

It is a great chance for students and parents to explore and purchase the many books Scholastic has to offer!

Book Week 21-27 August.

Extra Curricula Opportunites at OLPS.

Chess Club - We had over 30 students attend our free Chess Club session on Wednesday. It was very successful and from all the reports from our students a great success. If there is sufficient interest, we will be able to continue the classes every Wednesday for term three for a cost of $150.00 for 8 x 45 minute classes (approx. $18.00 per lesson). Parents are asked to contact info@kidsunlimited.com.au to arrange enrolment.

In addition to Chess Club we also provide the following extra curricula activities for our students to be involved in;

  • Running Club
  • Chess Club
  • Orgami Club
  • Sustainability Club
  • Green Team
  • Lego Club
  • Lola Club

Education in Faith; Students undertand and make more meaningful, relevent connections between the catholic story and their own lives. Staff develop their capacity to design and implement a contempory RE curriculum. a title

First Eucharist: Group 2

The students in First Eucharist Group 2, comprising students in Year 4 who have been preparing for the Sacrament, were to receive Eucharist for the first time this  Sunday, July 25th @ 3.00pm. Due to the lockdown this is postponed. As soon as another date is identified, I will communicate this to you.

Annie Engellenner

How do we teach Religious Education?

“It is not enough to say that we are Christians. We must live the faith, not only with our words but with our actions.” Pope Francis.

It is these words that inspire us as a school community, to be people of faith and people of great love. As Christians we are particularly mindful that building a just world involves stepping into the shoes of another, however uncomfortable this may seem.

At Our Lady’s, this is the message that underpins the teaching and learning in Religious Education. We link our teaching in religious education to everyday life. We are acutely aware of our responsibility to teach our students about the dignity of the human person and to care for God's Creation.

We often teach Religious Education through inquiry units, which are guided by a rich essential questions. This year we have explored the question, ‘If there was one rule, what would it be?’. Throughout this inquiry we explored rules that would make a difference to our world, country, school and home. We pondered as to whether Jesus, Scripture and church had rules that they followed. We wondered how these rules can support the way we live our lives to make a positive difference to others and ourselves.

This term we are exploring the question “Can I put myself in the picture?”

This question challenges us to understand and empathise with others. We connect to our faith tradition, and other traditions, through exploring once again the calling to love one another. We ‘put ourselves’ into parables and scripture and allow them to guide and nurture us to love others and ourselves and contribute to making the world a better place.

 

All people, whatever their colour, religion, sex belong to humankind and are called to be kind to one another, treating one another as brothers and sisters. There is hardly a day in our lives in which we are not called to this”.

(Henri Nouwen, Bread for the journey)

Religious Education: Invitation to serve at the Altar

Students from 2020 have finally celebrated their First Eucharist while the First Eucharist candidates from 2021 are waiting to celebrate the Sacrament  in the coming weekends. These children have grown deeper in their faith journeys and willingly let their lives be guided by the Sacraments of the Church. They have also participated in the life of the Church on a different or even more meaningful level. From now on, our children are invited to receive  Communion during Mass with the rest of the Church’s faithful who usually gather every Sunday. Through this Communion practise, the children will have more chance to experience the meaning of celebrating the Last Supper which Jesus shared with his closest disciples before his suffering and death on the Cross.

Within our parishes setting and tradition, after the children have celebrated their first Communion, they are also invited to attend the Altar Server Come and See day in which the children will spend some time in exploring, for example,  some of the items that are used in celebrating Mass, the meaning of different liturgical colours and the Lectionary and Roman Missal. The children will also have an opportunity to experience being an Altar Server on the day by dressing in the Altar Server robes and assisting at the Altar.

After the Altar Server Come and See day, we are also warmly inviting children to join the Altar Server Ministry in our parishes. This ministry is a group of our youngest parishioners from Grade 4 and above who have been trained to serve regularly in Sunday liturgies as well as at other special liturgies during the year such as School Masses, Easter and Christmas. This is a great opportunity to have our children share the responsibility of church’s lives and liturgies. In addition, it is a simple way that our children can deepen their faith journeys. Further training will be provided at a refresher day for our current Altar Servers and for any new members across our parishes.  From 11 am to 12 noon on Saturday 28 August 2021.

Come and See Days:

●       OLGC School children: from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Thursday, 5 and 12 August.

●       OHR School children: from 2:15 pm to 3:15 pm on Thursday,19 August.

●       OLPS School children: from 2:30 pm to 3:15 pm on Thursday, 26 August.

 

Refresher Training Day:

For current Altar Servers and for any new members across our parishes: from 11.00 am to 12 noon on Saturday, 28 August 2021. 

To express your interest in training as an Altar Server, please email the Altar Server Coordinators:

●       Camberwell, Balwyn and Deepdene Parishes:

Kerry Hersom - kerryhersom@live.com or Mieke Lochrie - miekelochrie@gmail.com

●       Surrey Hills Wattle Park Parish: Kirsten Italiano Kirsten.Italiano@cam.org.au  or Fr Trac Nguyen - trac.nguyen@cam.org.au

or contact the Parish Office…

Celebrating Mass Online

Although the current coronavirus restrictions prevent us from coming together physically as communities of faith, we can virtually join Archbishop Peter and the clergy of the Archdiocese in their celebration of Mass.

We are invited to join the daily live-streamed Mass from St Patrick’s Cathedral via the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne YouTube channel. On Sundays, the 11 am Mass is also available on free-to-air TV via C31 (channel 44 on digital TV).

Student Wellbeing :To develop a whole school approach that will reinforce and strengthen positive, respectful relationships within the school community.dd a title

Learn how to help young people safely use popular apps including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube.

This webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 8-13.

It will cover: 

  • an explanation of the popular apps used by young people
  • case studies, research, and targeted advice 
  • ways you can support the young people in your life to have safe, enjoyable online experiences.
Dates (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Monday 16 August 12.30 to 1.30 pm 

Tuesday 31 August 7.30 to 8.30 pm

Visit esafety.gov.au for more information on parent webinars and to register.

Information Sharing Schemes


The Victorian Government has introduced three interrelated reforms that are integral to reducing family violence and promoting child wellbeing and safety. The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS), the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and the Family Violence Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM) commenced on 19 April 2021. From this date schools, including Our Lady’s Primary School, became an Information Sharing Entity (ISE) and when thresholds are met, will be able to share information with other ISEs.

Thresholds take into account the need for the information shared to promote wellbeing and safety, inform an action and not contain legally excluded information. The School will be able to share and request information with other ISEs, such as: Child FIRST, CYMHS, General Practitioners, community-based child and family services and primary schools. While consent is not required from any person to share or request information under these schemes, Our Lady’s Primary School will seek or consider the views of those involved when it is safe, reasonable, and appropriate to do so.

School Community :To enhance the relationships between the school and the parent community.

2022 Enrolments

A reminder for any parents that are wishing for their child to commence Foundation next year (2022), that they have confirmed their place with us and provided all the relevent document.

Annual Report to the Community

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Whitefriars College - In Fide 23 July 2021Add a link title

https://www.whitefriars.vic.edu.au/newsletter/in-fide-23-july-2021/
Last Friday our community celebrated the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the Patron Saint of the Carmelites. The early Carmelites chose Mary as their Patron as they believed that she was the perfect model of the interior life, a life which seeks God in everything, a life of prayer and the practice of living in the presence of God. This is the life to which the Carmelites aspire. A life too, which continues to inspire and influence the work we do in support of the young men of Whitefriars College.

Office News

School Fees

School fee statements have been sent to families.  School fees can be paid by direct credit or  B-Pay. If you pay your school fees by credit card, when you fill in your credit card details please include the CVC number on the back of the card.


Student Absences

If you child is going to be absent from school, it is your responsibility to inform the school via telephone call, skoolbag app notification or email.

Teachers do not check their emails after 8.45am as they are invloved in the act of teaching or student supervision.

If you are notifying the school after 8.45am, could you please contact the office not individual class teachers. This will avoid the school needing to contact families.

Parents and Friends Association

Parents & Friends Association (PFA) Class Representative

Thank you to our parents that have voluntered to be class reps this year. 

Prep: Lisa Grant, Kat Brosolo, Joanna Kelly

Year 1 /2 C: Kasia De Costa, Emma Ryan

Year 1 /2 L: Jess Campbell, Laura Edgcumbe

Year 3 /4 L: Rach Voshege, Melissa Pellegrini

Year 3 /4 N: Marjie Langford, Rach Glass

Year 3 /4 L: Emma Lynch, Elaine Hanlon

Year 5 /6 H&L : Daniela Greening, Cath Bergin, Steph Johnson

School Uniform

Please see attached below information regarding Our Lady's School Uniform, including how to order online and the uniform price list.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Uniform Orders are filled on Mondays.
  • Please order Uniform Orders thru CDF.
  • To keep costs low we are only stocking limited quantities across the Range. If items are not available please allow a 2 week turn around to allow time for items to be ordered and delivered from our Supplier.
  • If you need to try on Uniforms for size this can also be done on Mondays unless other arrangements have been made with Krista.
  • If you have any queries, please email Krista on uniformshop@olsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au

Uniform Policy

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How to Order Online through CDF Pay

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Our Lady's Uniform Price List

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Child Safety

All students attending Our Lady’s Primary School have the right to feel safe and be safe. The highest possible standard of care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school community.