Term 1, Week 1

11 February 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

Tuesday 17th February
(9:00 am - 9:30 am)
Primary 6M 
Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 1​​​​​​​
  • Assembly (Student Leadership Badge Presentation) - Friday 14th February (2:00pm - 2:45pm)
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences - Thursday 20th February (3:30pm - 8:30pm)
  • Little Treasures Commences - Friday 21st February (9:30am - 11:00am)
  • Grade 6 Camp - Wednesday 26th February - Friday 28th February
  • OLOL Swimming Carnival (Grade 3-6) - Tuesday 4th March
  • School Photos - Wednesday 5th March - Thursday 6th March

Mrs gratton's Reflection

Acting principal

 


It is my pleasure to welcome you to a new year at Our Lady of Lourdes. I hope your family had a wonderful break filled with rest, joy and time together. As we begin this new term, we do so with a renewed sense of purpose, faith and commitment to nurturing a strong and connected school community.

As we embark on the year ahead, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation for all within our school. Our staff continue to demonstrate unwavering dedication, providing a nurturing and enriching environment where our students can grow and flourish. Their commitment to academic excellence, faith, and pastoral care ensures that every child is supported on their learning journey.

Our students bring energy, enthusiasm and a love for learning each day. Their kindness, curiosity and resilience inspire us all and I am grateful for the way they engage with their learning, support one another and embody our school values.

Our families play a vital role in strengthening our school community. Your trust, involvement and partnership in your child’s education are deeply valued and we appreciate the many ways you support both your children and our school. The sense of community and shared faith that exists here at OLOL is truly special.

Today, we also come together to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, a significant day in our school and faith community. This feast reminds us of Mary’s compassion, faith and intercession in our lives. As we reflect on her example, may we be inspired to live with kindness, humility and a heart open to serving others. Our students will mark this special occasion through prayer, reflection and community celebration, strengthening their connection to our school’s values.

The start of a new term is always a wonderful opportunity to reaffirm our mission as a Catholic school. We remain committed to nurturing the whole child - spiritually, academically, socially and emotionally - ensuring that every student feels safe, valued and supported in their learning journey. Guided by our faith, we continue to foster a culture of kindness, respect and excellence.

I encourage families to stay connected through our newsletters, the Compass portal and Seesaw. May we continue to support and uplift one another, ensuring that our school remains a place of love, learning and a faith-filled community.

Wishing all in our community a successful start to the year.
​
Kind regards,

Eve
​
The Smart Play Uniform
New Smart Play Uniform (The PE Uniform)  commenced this year, with a 2 year transition time.

The brochure is attached with Uniform Policy and pictures of the uniform. Students may wear the academic (dress uniform) for the next 2 years, except on PE days, and the expectation is that they wear this correctly please.

Please continue to support your child looking smart in our school uniform at all times, purchased from Midford in East Devonport; address on the policy attached.

School news

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Thursday 20th February
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday 20th February after school 3:30pm - 8:30pm.
Parent Teacher bookings will be open from 3:00pm today (Tuesday) and time slots can be booked via the Compass Portal.
To guide our time together, we will be asking three questions:
1. What are your child's strengths?
2. What areas would you like to further develop?
3. For 2025 to be successful, what would you like your child to achieve?

Canteen
The Canteen will open from Tuesday 11th February 2025. Lunch orders can be placed on Qkr! Online Canteen. 
​For more information click on the button below.
Please note:
  • Cut off for orders now 8:45am (on the day of order)
  • Cancelling a lunch order is required before the daily cut off at 8:45am. Canteen staff can no longer do this.

​Mobile Phones, Devices & Wearable Technology Policy
Catholic Education Tasmania joins a growing number of educational sectors nationally and schools worldwide seeking to manage the use of mobile phones and wearable technology.

From the start of term one 2025, students will have access to distraction free classrooms and the freedom to relax during break times.

The implementation of a systemwide Mobile Phones, Devices and Wearable Technologies Policy means that mobile phones, student owned mobile devices such as tablets, and wearable technology such as smartwatches will need to be stored whilst students are at school including during break times.

We will develop a Protocol to provide information for staff, students, and families about how we will manage the use of devices and wearable technologies. 

We appreciate your ongoing support as we work to provide the best learning environments for our students.

Please visit the Catholic Education Tasmania website button below to access more information.

Access the Policy and Procedure information via the buttons below.

​Breakfast Club
Breakfast club is held in the school canteen each school day from 8am until 8:40am.  
The first meal of the day is a chance to get the energy we need to learn, play and stay healthy. While most Australian children eat breakfast, skipping breakfast is still common.  Children who eat breakfast have better school attendance, better academic performance and improved wellbeing. Eating breakfast is associated with better dietary and physical activity behaviours.
Everyone is welcome to Breakfast Club.

School Photos - Wednesday 5th - Thursday 6th March
More information will be available closer to the time. 

Picking up Children Early
Our Lady of Lourdes reminds parents to provide advance notice if you are picking up your child early. An email to [email protected] is the best communication method. Phone call is also an option. It allows for advance preparation if the office staff are given significant advance notice as organising students to leave class or specialist lessons can take some time. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Playing in the Playground After School
It is our school expectation that if parents choose to allow their children to play in our playground after school then it is their responsibility to supervise and support them to be Respectful, Responsible and Safe through direct behaviour support of their own child and modelling of appropriate adult behaviour.  Effectively, you are responsible for your child after you have collected them at the end of the day. Our school gates will continue to be locked at 3:30pm each day.  We do ask that you please ensure you have left our school grounds by then.

Head Knocks at School
If your child presents to First Aid with a head knock, we will assess and treat it with ice. If they appear fine your child will go back to class where they will be monitored by Staff. The office will send you an SMS so you are aware and able to check in with your child when they get home. If we are at all worried about your child we will phone you so they can be collected.

School Gates
The school Steele Street gates are now locked from 3:30 pm each day.
If requiring any assistance after this time, please come to the Stewart Street school entrance and knock for assistance.

Buses
Please contact Merseylink/Kinetic on 6427 7626 for further information on routes and times. If your child will be catching the bus, please contact the office with your child's name and the bus number and we will add them to our daily bus lists.

Drop Off and Pick Up
In order to avoid congestion at the end of the day, please be reminded that students are not to wait for collection at the main office.  
We would appreciate families accessing our school by the 2 main external entry/exit points, rather than the main office doors.
  • Main gates from Steele Street Carpark
  • Side gate near Parish Hall 
We thank you and your children for your cooperation.

Pick Up Zone
A reminder to families to drive around the block if Steele Street entrance to the school is full with parked cars from 2:50pm. Staff are on duty to 3:20pm enabling pick at any time within 30 mins after school.

Morning Entry to Classes
A reminder to families, when entering the classrooms of a morning Prep - Grade 2 are to use the front blue sliding door and Grades 3 - 6 use the back oval doors.

Little Treasures Program
Our Little Treasures Program will commence on Friday 21st February from 9:30 - 11am in our Kinder classroom. Please bring a drink and fruit. All members of the community with children from Birth to 5 years old are welcome. 

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
sports Policy

RATIONAL
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School is committed to the development of the whole person. This includes providing opportunities for students to be involved in and develop healthy lifestyle habits. Students are encouraged to participate in Team Sports for a variety of educational, personal and formative reasons.
​

OLOL School Calendar

Term Dates

2025
TERM 1
Friday 7th February - Thursday 10th April
 TERM 2
Monday 28th April - Friday 4th July
TERM 3
Tuesday 22nd July - Friday 26th September
TERM 4
Tuesday 14th October - Thursday 18th December