Term 1, Week 1

6 February 2024

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 12 February
(9:00 am - 9:15 am)
Whole School 
Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 1
  • TERM 1 Students Resume - Wednesday 7th February
  • OLOL Parish Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes Mass & BBQ - Sunday 11th February (9:30am)
  • Ash Wednesday Prayer Service (Prep - Grade 4) - Wednesday 14th February 9:00am (School Gym)

Mrs seagar's Reflection

principal

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.
Nelson Mandela
Educating is an act of love, it is life-giving. 
Pope Francis
Welcome back to OLOL for 2024.  

It is always such a pleasure to begin the school year at Our Lady of Lourdes as we eagerly await the arrival of our students and parent community back to this amazing school. I have written this as staff were busy in classrooms preparing their teaching and learning for the beginning of the year. Each teacher, supported by Teacher Assistants, has put in many hours of work:  preparing the classroom, ensuring easy access to resources for learning, preparing lessons, units, assessment for each subject area and so much more,  in order that learning begins on Day 1.   

Staff have attended a professional learning day on the continuing INSIGHT journey based on the Science of Learning where explicit and direct instruction are prioritised (daily review, new material small steps, ask questions, provide models, guide student practice, checking for understanding, obtaining high success rate, scaffolding for difficult tasks, independent practice, weekly and monthly review). On this professional learning day Our Lady of Lourdes showed that we are at the vanguard of these new teaching pedagogies, as we have been on this ‘best teaching practices' journey for a number of years now thus finding the transition of teaching practices natural and organic. At Our Lady of Lourdes we have well embedded Professional Learning Communities; have detailed knowledge and awareness of Rosenshines 10 Principles of teaching and through ‘walk-thru’ professional learning OLOL have been easy adopters of the INSIGHT framework.
Please welcome Morgan Horsman (Grade 4M)  and Katherine Nedelkov (Prep M) to Our Lady of Lourdes for 2024.  We are all looking forward to working with both of these teachers this year.

Below is the school Strategic Plan with the Annual Plan for 2024 incorporated. Throughout the year we will reference for you, our progress in the key goals identified, in order to keep you abreast of teaching, learning , wellbeing and discipleship at OLOL.

God Bless

​Carol
​
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Picture
Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes
​This coming Sunday 11th February is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes and there will be a sausage sizzle to celebrate this feast day, following Mass at 9:30 that you are all welcome to attend.

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, our school and parish community’s patron saint, celebrates when a young girl, Bernadette, had visions of Mary the Mother of Jesus at Lourdes in France in 1858. Mary, who we call Our Lady of Lourdes, gave Bernadette a message for all of us, which is to pray and to turn our hearts towards God and towards our brothers and sisters, as Christ taught us. Today we pray that we too may hear Our Lady of Lourdes call and open our hearts to God. 

​Below is the prayer that staff prayed together on Monday as we start the school year.
God our Father, we pray that we may be inspired by the teaching of your Son; 
that we will remember to make space for silence and reflection in our own lives; 
and that we will always use the gifts you have given us to enable our students to discover their own gifts
 and become the best people they can be. 
May our school community be a place; of peace, faith, of hope, and of love. And together we praise God for this new school year as we say:
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 
Amen. 
Upcoming Events
OLOL Parish Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes Mass and BBQ, Sunday 11th February, 9:30am
Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes Mass, Monday 12th February, 9.00am 
Ash Wednesday Prayer Service (Prep - Grade 4), 14th February, 9.00am in School Gym

Sacramental Program

School news

Digital Citizen Policy
Can all parents please read and sign our school Digital Citizenship Policy no later than this Friday 9th February. The policy will be sent via Compass to all families. Students will be unable to use any school device if not read and signed.

​Fish Free School Zone & Nut Awareness
Can all parents be vigilant about enforcing our fish free school zone and nut awareness.
​
These foods can contain fish:​
  • Fried rice, spring rolls and paella with fish specifically.
  • ​Dishes that are often prepared with fish-based sauces, like oyster sauce.
  • Sushi.
  • Salad dressings.
  • Sauces, like steak and Worcestershire.
  • Seafood soups and broths.
  • Spreads like taramasalata​​
​
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.
​
Photo Day - Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th February

​OLOL Complaint Procedure 
Kinder 2025
We are now taking enrolments for Kinder 2025. Please complete enrolment forms which can be found on our website or collected from our office.
​
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.
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Head Knocks at School
If your child presents to First Aid with a head knock, we will assess and treat 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.
Online Safety - eSafety Commissioner's Office Resources

Sports News & Rosters

Click here to access 'Sports News, Registrations and Rosters​​
  • OLOL Sports Policy

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

Community News

Click here access 'Community news'​​​​​
  • Mersey Rowing Club - Learn to Row Program
  • Niche Movement
  • Under 12 Devonport Football - Tuesday 12/12




Policy in Focus

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Class Formation Policy


Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, Devonport is committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for its students, staff and volunteers. This commitment includes the social, emotional, spiritual and academic growth of each child.
A clearly defined, collaborative and transparent process for the creation of classes at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, Devonport will assist in maintaining a positive environment for all stakeholders, particularly students, and create a school community that is effective in its core purpose of providing education for its students.
The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear framework for the process of placing children into classes and ensure Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School:

  • Provides each child with the opportunity to be part of a class of children where they will have the best opportunity to learn.
  • Provides evenly balanced classes in which the social, emotional, academic, spiritual and physical needs of each child are taken into account.
  • Ensures that optimum use is made of prior knowledge that teachers, parents and other key stakeholders have of each child before class placement. 

OLOL School Calendar

2024 Term Dates


2024 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Wednesday 7 February - Thursday 11 April
Easter Break
Friday 29 March - Tuesday 2 April
Students Return - Wednesday 3 April
TERM 2
Monday 29 April - Friday 5 July 
TERM 3
Tuesday 23 July - Friday 27 September
TERM 4
Tuesday 15 October - Wednesday 18 December