Term 3, No. 1

29 july 2025

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School

​We are Respectful
We are Responsible
We are Safe
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is located on the traditional lands of the Punnilerpanner people of the North Nation. We acknowledge and deeply respect the Palawa people, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, and all Elders past and present. We are committed to learning alongside our students and community in this place, and support the continued sharing of knowledge and culture.

What's On?

Whole School
​Prayer

Monday 4th August (9:00am - 9:30)
Aboriginal Students
Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 3
  • Premier's Reading Challenge (Kinder - Grade 6) - Monday 16 June - Sunday 24 August
  • ​Book Week Character Dress Up Day - Wednesday 20 August
  • Assembly (Grade 1) - Friday 1 August
  • Man of the Shroud Excursion (Grade 5) - Friday 1 August
  • Hagley Farm Excursion (Grade 3) - Friday 8 August
  • Assembly (Grade 4) - Friday 15 August

mr Mcculloch's Reflection

acting principal

Dear Parents and Caregivers,
​
Welcome back to Term Three. I hope the break offered you an opportunity to rest and recharge. At our place, winter illness made an appearance, so it was nice to slow down and enjoy some quieter days. We were fortunate to squeeze in a trip to Cradle Mountain and had a wonderful time in the snow.

As you may have seen in the correspondence from Dr Gerard Gaskin, our Executive Director, Mrs Carol Seagar has formally advised that she will not be returning to her role following her current period of leave and will conclude her time with Catholic Education.

On behalf of the Our Lady of Lourdes community, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Carol. Her 26 years of dedicated service to Catholic education — including the last seven as Principal of Our Lady of Lourdes — have left an enduring legacy. Carol’s unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, learning and pastoral care has helped shape the culture of our school and made a lasting impact on countless students, staff and families.

Beyond our school, Carol has made significant contributions to Catholic Education Tasmania through her leadership on finance and resource committees, capital planning and parish councils.

We are deeply grateful for Carol’s professionalism, compassion and vision, and we wish her every blessing in the years ahead.

Celebrating OLOL Student Accomplishments
At Our Lady of Lourdes, we believe in recognising and celebrating the diverse achievements of our students. In an effort to support this, the school has recently updated its approach to how student accomplishments are shared through our communication platforms, including the newsletter.

We value and acknowledge that student success occurs across many areas - academics, the arts, sport, leadership, community service, and other personal pursuits. Highlighting these achievements not only affirms the efforts of our students but also strengthens our school community by promoting a culture of encouragement, inspiration and pride.

Moving forward, families are warmly invited to share news of their child’s achievements that occur outside of school, particularly in areas such as State or National representation, awards, performances, or other significant milestones. Submissions, including a short description and a relevant photo, can be sent to [email protected]

Please note that while we are proud of all our students, the school is not able to monitor or track all external achievements independently. As such, we rely on families to notify us of these successes.

In terms of school-based events, the school will continue to celebrate student achievement in formal academic, artistic and sporting tournaments or competitions. This includes events where students are selected or represent the school formally. However, roster-based games and activities will not be featured, as the volume and variation make it difficult to ensure equity and consistency.
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Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to celebrate the many ways our students strive, grow and succeed.


Kind regards

Ben McCulloch
Acting Principal
Review of CET Mental Health Supports
​Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) is undertaking an independent Review of Mental Health Supports, facilitated by Altum Counselling and Consulting Pty Ltd. The review is evaluating how well current mental health and wellbeing supports are provided across CET schools and how they reflect our Catholic mission and commitment to care.

Specifically, the review will consider:
  • The accessibility and effectiveness of student counselling services,
  • How complex mental health needs are supported and managed,
  • The reach and impact of mental health initiatives for staff and students, and
  • How all of this is integrated into CET’s broader governance and Catholic identity.

We warmly invite you to complete a short survey (approx. 8–15 minutes) to share your perspective. You do not need to have detailed knowledge of these areas - your experience as a parent or carer is what matters. Even if you feel unsure about some questions, your input is still important and helps us build a fuller understanding across the system.

Your responses are anonymous and will not be linked to your name or contact details. All data will be reported in a way that protects individual identities.

Thank you for partnering with us. Your voice will directly inform improvements in how we care for the wellbeing and dignity of every student in our school communities.

Please access the survey via this link:  
Parent/Carer Survey
*Please ensure this survey is completed by Friday 9th August, 2025.
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Thank you for taking the time to contribute. Your voice will help strengthen mental health supports across all Catholic Education Tasmania Schools. 

School news

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Premier's Reading Challenge (June 16 - August 24)
The Premier’s Reading Challenge is a personal challenge – not a competition. Students are encouraged to set a personal reading goal for the Challenge and see how they go!
It doesn’t matter what they read, as long as they are reading. Students are free to choose books they want to read for the Challenge. To help your child get started be sure to check out the books PRC have recommended in the Challenge Booklists.
Children can read books in a variety of formats including print, digital, audiobooks and graphic novels. For younger children, a book that is read to them counts toward their total.
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There is a random prize draw for children who have completed and returned their reading log to the library at the end of the challenge. All children who complete the challenge receive a PRC certificate.
Reading helps children to understand the world they live in. It sparks curiosity, nurtures imagination, and is fun to do. Reading is integral to developing vital literacy skills and fostering independence and self-assurance.
The Challenge is most successful when parents show interest and support their children. Help your child with their reading challenge and you will be making a positive difference to their future.
If you have any queries about the challenge don't hesitate to speak to Mrs Marshall in the library or visit The Premier's Reading Challenge website:
https://www.decyp.tas.gov.au/about-us/events/premiers-reading-challenge/
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​Children's Book Week Dress-up Day - Wednesday 20th August
Our upcoming Dress-Up Day for Book Week is on Wednesday 20th of August. To celebrate the magic of literature and encourage a love for reading, students are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character.

​Vinnies School Essentials Program
Vinnies School Essentials Program runs for the whole school year and is available to anyone that is finding things tough.
We can help with Uniform, Sports shoes, bag, lunch boxes, drink bottles, sports rego, camps and other things that benefit a child's education.
  • Kinder to grade 6 up to $150.
  • Grade 7 to 12 up to $250.
James Cook University Research Project
​Calling all parents and carers, students at James Cook University are conducting a research project exploring parental burnout. The team are particularly interested in hearing from parents of neurodivergent children, but all parents and carers are invited to participate.  
Your input will add valuable knowledge to the field, supporting further research and understanding of parental stress and burnout. 
Thank you for helping us support families in our community!
To access the survey, click on the link below:

Teaching & learning

Teaching and Learning at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School #1
Meg Wootton – Acting Early Years Leader
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At Our Lady of Lourdes, we are deeply committed to nurturing every child’s potential through evidence-based, purposeful teaching and learning practices.

What This Looks Like in Practice
Our teachers regularly engage in professional learning that builds expertise in explicit instruction, data-informed planning and high-impact strategies. On Monday 21st July, staff engaged in learning around System Sprints short, focused cycles where teachers collaborate to address a specific area of student need. These sprints, guided by student data, help us respond quickly and intentionally to what students need right now to make progress.

Our classrooms are places of rich dialogue, deliberate teaching and ongoing reflection. Whether it’s through Early Literacy Programs like PreLit, MiniLit, MacqLit and Language Lift or through data-informed Spelling Mastery groupings in Years 3 - 6, The Science of Learning helps us stay focused on what matters most, student growth.

Thank you for walking alongside us as we continue to make learning meaningful, inclusive and transformational for every child. We look forward to sharing further updates and ‘insights’ into classroom learning in upcoming newsletters.

Student of the Week

Week 1

Sports Update & Information

For further information regarding sporting events please visit the Website under the heading OLOL Sport

Devonport Junior Soccer – Season Extension
Devonport Junior Soccer Associated are excited to announce an extra week of soccer! The season will now finish on 
Friday, 30 August. Please keep an eye on the website roster for any updates to game times and schedules.

Devon Spring Netball Roster - Devon are trialling something new
  • Netta is now open to Grade/Year 1, 2, 3 & 4 students.
  • Primary is now open to Grade/Year 4, 5 & 6 students.
Grade/Year 4 students now have the flexibility to participate in either Netta or Primary, depending on their skill level and preference.
Season commences 3rd September - 26th November.
Please express your interest and preference to Mrs Cook no later than Friday 1st August.
Devon payment link will be sent out to all interested players after the close of Expression of Interest.  ​
National Representative Seth Ramasinghe - Montesilvano Cup (Italy)
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​During the July school holidays, Seth Ramasinghe (5B) had the opportunity to be part of the Australian Futsal Association Under 11s team which competed for the Montesilvano Cup in Italy. Seth had a wonderful tour, he scored nine goals in five games including a hat-trick. It was a life time experience for him.

Mersey Leven Catholic parish

Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil
  • 5:00pm St Mary's, Penguin
  • 5:00pm Our Lady of Lourdes Devonport
Sunday
  • 8:00am St Joseph, Port Sorell
  • 9:00am Sacred Heart, Ulverstone
  • 9:30am Our Lady of Lourdes, Devonport
  • 11:30am Holy Cross, Sheffield
  • 5:00pm St Patrick, Latrobe

POLICY IN FOCUS

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Attendance Policy

RATIONAL
Attending every school day is essential to enable student to achieve the most from their education and to achieve quality outcomes in their lives.
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OLOL School Calendar

Term Dates

2025
TERM 3
Tuesday 22nd July - Friday 26th September
TERM 4
Tuesday 14th October - Thursday 18th December
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