Term 4, Week 2 |
25 october, 2022 |
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
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We are Respectful
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We are Responsible
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We are Safe
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What's On?
School Prayer School Prayer for Term 4 will alternate between Grade 3 - 6 Monday Week 1, and P - 2 Monday Week 2. On occasion there may be a liturgy or service that takes the place of the School Prayer. |
Forms to be completedSeesaw Portal
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upComing EventsTerm 4
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Mr farr's Reflection
deputy principal
‘When Jesus spoke again to the people He said “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; they will have the light of life.”’
(John 8:12)
(John 8:12)
Welcome to Week 2 of Term 4.
Recently our Early Years or Primary School Prayers on Monday mornings have begun or ended with the song ‘Need to Know You’ by Rend Co. Kids. The song is a great introduction to our School Prayer sessions as it sets the scene for what we are striving to do during the reflective prayer session and, effectively, during our students time at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School - come to know Jesus’ more, His teachings, His story and through Him, come to know God.
Yesterday we began exploring the above Gospel passage during our Early Years School Prayer. It is a passage, or a reference that we often make - Jesus being the light for the world or being a light for us. To explore this Gospel passage the wonderful Mrs Cornell lead our service through a Godly Play. In this experience the leader guides the audience through a scripture passage or a story based on one, using objects and symbols. The leader asks reflective questions to help those listening wonder and reflect upon the story or the message.
As our children listened to Mrs Cornell yesterday their eager young minds were clearly enthralled in the script. They were slowly leaning forward in their seats and looking and listening with genuine engagement and wonder as Mrs Cornell helped them to unpack what it means when Jesus said He is the light of the world.
As the Godly Play, and thus the story comes to an end, Mrs Cornell lead our Prep - Grade 2 students through some 'I wonder . . .’ questions. These questions require no answers, but are simply asked and left ‘hanging’ for our children to take in and begin to find their own meaning.
I wonder . . .
These simple questions help our children to make the connection between their own experience and Jesus’ message. As such, they come to know Jesus, His message and His story a little bit more.
Enjoy your week,
Stu
Recently our Early Years or Primary School Prayers on Monday mornings have begun or ended with the song ‘Need to Know You’ by Rend Co. Kids. The song is a great introduction to our School Prayer sessions as it sets the scene for what we are striving to do during the reflective prayer session and, effectively, during our students time at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School - come to know Jesus’ more, His teachings, His story and through Him, come to know God.
Yesterday we began exploring the above Gospel passage during our Early Years School Prayer. It is a passage, or a reference that we often make - Jesus being the light for the world or being a light for us. To explore this Gospel passage the wonderful Mrs Cornell lead our service through a Godly Play. In this experience the leader guides the audience through a scripture passage or a story based on one, using objects and symbols. The leader asks reflective questions to help those listening wonder and reflect upon the story or the message.
As our children listened to Mrs Cornell yesterday their eager young minds were clearly enthralled in the script. They were slowly leaning forward in their seats and looking and listening with genuine engagement and wonder as Mrs Cornell helped them to unpack what it means when Jesus said He is the light of the world.
As the Godly Play, and thus the story comes to an end, Mrs Cornell lead our Prep - Grade 2 students through some 'I wonder . . .’ questions. These questions require no answers, but are simply asked and left ‘hanging’ for our children to take in and begin to find their own meaning.
I wonder . . .
- How people feel when they are in the dark.
- How people feel when they are in the light.
- What it is like to wait and hope for something.
These simple questions help our children to make the connection between their own experience and Jesus’ message. As such, they come to know Jesus, His message and His story a little bit more.
Enjoy your week,
Stu
School uniform survey
The Our Lady of Lourdes School Board is seeking parent opinion/feedback on the possibility for Grade 1 and 2 students to wear sports uniform on a full-time basis. The Board have researched the pros and cons of such a move and now seek feedback from the wider community. The guiding principle for the School Board is the evidence that a sports uniform allows for and encourages much more physical activity, as well as being more comfortable for learning in the classroom.
The Board have attached some easy reading articles for your benefit as well as a pros/cons list below the survey.
If the community support this initiative, there would be a transition of Prep to Grade 1 for next year, 2023 and then into Gr 2 for 2024. There may be the opportunity for the Grade 2s to move into a mixture of sports uniform and formal uniform next year, on nominated days. The Board are aware that some parents may have purchased newer items of the formal uniform already.
Other Catholic Schools in Tasmania have made this transition over the last few years with some moving to Gr 4 as well.
The community will be consulted again if there is a desire, over time, to extend the full PE uniform to all grades.
This survey is anonymous.
The Board have attached some easy reading articles for your benefit as well as a pros/cons list below the survey.
If the community support this initiative, there would be a transition of Prep to Grade 1 for next year, 2023 and then into Gr 2 for 2024. There may be the opportunity for the Grade 2s to move into a mixture of sports uniform and formal uniform next year, on nominated days. The Board are aware that some parents may have purchased newer items of the formal uniform already.
Other Catholic Schools in Tasmania have made this transition over the last few years with some moving to Gr 4 as well.
The community will be consulted again if there is a desire, over time, to extend the full PE uniform to all grades.
This survey is anonymous.
Pros of pe uniform for kinder - 2
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cons of pe uniform for kinder - 2
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Articles for your reference
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COVID-19 Update
COVID Changes
As you would be aware over the past few months the government has been shifting its COVID-19 management approach from one focused on population health to one of personal responsibility. Recently it was announced that mandatory isolation for persons who test positive for COVID-19 would end on 14th October. Changes have also been made to other requirements such as those for close contacts.
Further to the above and in accordance with advice provided to the education sector by Public Health, please be advised that our COVID-19 settings for term 4 are:
Thank you for your support and co-operation.
As you would be aware over the past few months the government has been shifting its COVID-19 management approach from one focused on population health to one of personal responsibility. Recently it was announced that mandatory isolation for persons who test positive for COVID-19 would end on 14th October. Changes have also been made to other requirements such as those for close contacts.
Further to the above and in accordance with advice provided to the education sector by Public Health, please be advised that our COVID-19 settings for term 4 are:
- Staff or students who test positive for COVID-19 are no longer required to undergo mandatory isolation.
- It is a Catholic Education Tasmania (CET) requirement that staff or students who test positive and who display acute COVID related symptoms are not to enter a school until their symptoms have gone or have significantly resolved e.g. they have not had a fever (or signs of fever such as chills or night sweats) for at least 24 hours.
- Requirements for close contacts such as mask wearing when outside the home no longer apply.
- Staff or students with cold or flu symptoms should stay home and test using a rapid antigen test for two consecutive days. If the person tests negative on successive days for COVID-19 and their symptoms are mild e.g. a runny nose but no coughing or sneezing, then it is OK for the person to be at school.
- Staff and students who test positive for COVID-19 but who are asymptomatic can enter a school.
- Staff who are asymptomatic and who look after high-risk students should either stay away from school for 5 working days or wear a mask for 5 working days.
- Registration of positive tests, whilst no longer required, is recommended particularly for those persons who may wish to access health services such as COVID anti-viral treatments and COVID @ home.
- The provision of rapid antigen tests to staff and students on request is to continue.
- It is a Public Health requirement that staff and students who test positive shall not enter any listed high-risk settings (hospitals, residential aged care etc) until 7 days after they test positive.
- With the onset of warmer weather opportunities to maximise natural ventilation of indoor areas should be pursued.
- Continue to promote the ‘stay away if unwell’ message, personal hygiene and to wipe down frequently touched surfaces with soapy water or disinfectant once per day.
Thank you for your support and co-operation.
RE NEWs
The Month of the Rosary
October is the month of the most Holy Rosary and the month of Mary.
Why does God wish us to pray to Mary?
We pray to Mary because she is the Mother of God and her prayers are very powerful. When we pray the Hail Mary we combine worship of God and honour of Mary. We combine both our prayers to God and her prayers to God. We do not worship Mary; we only worship God. When we pray to Mary we honour her as the Mother of God, and as our Spiritual Mother. If you get a chance this week you may like to pray the Rosary or a part of the Rosary with your children.
The Rosary is prayed Monday to Friday mornings at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Devonport at 12.30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend, just walk in and take a seat!
Why does God wish us to pray to Mary?
We pray to Mary because she is the Mother of God and her prayers are very powerful. When we pray the Hail Mary we combine worship of God and honour of Mary. We combine both our prayers to God and her prayers to God. We do not worship Mary; we only worship God. When we pray to Mary we honour her as the Mother of God, and as our Spiritual Mother. If you get a chance this week you may like to pray the Rosary or a part of the Rosary with your children.
The Rosary is prayed Monday to Friday mornings at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Devonport at 12.30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend, just walk in and take a seat!
Socktober
During the month of October, Catholic Mission is raising money for families in Ethiopia. Our school is participating through a crazy sock day. The children are allowed to wear crazy socks and are asked to bring a gold coin donation if possible. For more information regarding Socktober and the families in Ethiopia please visit the website: socktober.org.au
Your generosity would be greatly appreciated.
During the month of October, Catholic Mission is raising money for families in Ethiopia. Our school is participating through a crazy sock day. The children are allowed to wear crazy socks and are asked to bring a gold coin donation if possible. For more information regarding Socktober and the families in Ethiopia please visit the website: socktober.org.au
Your generosity would be greatly appreciated.
Advent Family Mass
On the second Sunday in Advent on the 4th December there will be a School/Family/Parish Mass to celebrate together. The children will be participating in singing and reading.
Christmas Mass
We are also celebrating Christmas with a School/Family/Parish Mass on Christmas Eve so please keep this date in mind also please. The children will be participating through singing, reading and dramatising the Gospel
Please pop these dates on your calendar as we would love you to attend.
On the second Sunday in Advent on the 4th December there will be a School/Family/Parish Mass to celebrate together. The children will be participating in singing and reading.
Christmas Mass
We are also celebrating Christmas with a School/Family/Parish Mass on Christmas Eve so please keep this date in mind also please. The children will be participating through singing, reading and dramatising the Gospel
Please pop these dates on your calendar as we would love you to attend.
School news
Class allocation for 2023
Class allocation for 2023, involves a variety of factors including balancing academic, social and emotional needs of all of our students. Our staff are in the best position to objectively do this. They spend 800 hours with your child over the school year.
From the OLOL Class Formation Policy it states that we:
I have monitored the effectiveness over the last 5 years of student and parent input into the selection of friends for their child in classes. Most students may choose 1 or 2 students who enable them to continue learning to their best, however many choose ‘friends’ who do not enable this. Parent input likewise can be skewed by friendships that again do not assist the student in learning. I acknowledge that each student needs to feel secure and safe to facilitate strong learning and I have observed that teacher judgement of student class grouping is more often than provides the best model.
We do appreciate working with you the first educators of your child and you are welcome to meet and share any valid concerns with the Principal as part of this process. These concerns are not friendship requests, but born of a genuine need that would affect the future learning of your child.
We do state that this process does take us considerable time and discernment, therefore any parent requests received after 28th October will not be considered.
As in previous years if any parents have valid concerns for class allocation in 2023, please contact the school office for an interview with Carol between Monday 26th September and Friday 28th October: [email protected]
If parents know that they will not be continuing enrolment of their child/children at OLOL in 2023 please let the School Office know as soon as possible. The realities around budgets in schools rely heavily on maintaining the right numbers of students. It helps our school out immensely with maintaining staffing, allocating resources and balancing classes whether any students will be moving schools.
Assemblies
Parents are invited to attend all assemblies held on a fortnightly basis in the school gym, The McCarthy Centre. OLOL also live streams these assemblies via our facebook page.
Class allocation for 2023, involves a variety of factors including balancing academic, social and emotional needs of all of our students. Our staff are in the best position to objectively do this. They spend 800 hours with your child over the school year.
From the OLOL Class Formation Policy it states that we:
- Provide each child with the opportunity to be part of a class of children where they will have the best opportunity to learn.
- Provide evenly balanced classes in which the social, emotional, academic, spiritual and physical needs of each child are taken into account.
- Ensure that optimum use is made of prior knowledge that teachers, parents and other key stakeholders have of each child before class placement.
I have monitored the effectiveness over the last 5 years of student and parent input into the selection of friends for their child in classes. Most students may choose 1 or 2 students who enable them to continue learning to their best, however many choose ‘friends’ who do not enable this. Parent input likewise can be skewed by friendships that again do not assist the student in learning. I acknowledge that each student needs to feel secure and safe to facilitate strong learning and I have observed that teacher judgement of student class grouping is more often than provides the best model.
We do appreciate working with you the first educators of your child and you are welcome to meet and share any valid concerns with the Principal as part of this process. These concerns are not friendship requests, but born of a genuine need that would affect the future learning of your child.
We do state that this process does take us considerable time and discernment, therefore any parent requests received after 28th October will not be considered.
As in previous years if any parents have valid concerns for class allocation in 2023, please contact the school office for an interview with Carol between Monday 26th September and Friday 28th October: [email protected]
If parents know that they will not be continuing enrolment of their child/children at OLOL in 2023 please let the School Office know as soon as possible. The realities around budgets in schools rely heavily on maintaining the right numbers of students. It helps our school out immensely with maintaining staffing, allocating resources and balancing classes whether any students will be moving schools.
Assemblies
Parents are invited to attend all assemblies held on a fortnightly basis in the school gym, The McCarthy Centre. OLOL also live streams these assemblies via our facebook page.
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Socktober
This Friday 28 October the Junior Joeys will be hosting a Socktober day to raise money for children who do not have access to clean water, food and clothing in other countries. We invite students to wear crazy socks with their regular school or PE uniform and bring along a gold coin donation. Please remember this is not a casual clothes day but a crazy sock day to be worn with student's normal school uniform. |
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Uniform Shop
Shop hours:
Monday & Tuesday 8:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 8:00am - 10:00am & 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 10:00am
Order forms are available on the website or at the school office. Orders will be attended to in the afternoons and placed in class trays.
New Finance System (2022 Fee Invoices and Billing)
Shop hours:
Monday & Tuesday 8:00am - 10:00am
Wednesday 8:00am - 10:00am & 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 10:00am
Order forms are available on the website or at the school office. Orders will be attended to in the afternoons and placed in class trays.
New Finance System (2022 Fee Invoices and Billing)
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MOVE WELL EAT WELL
STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Sports News & Rosters |
Community News |
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Click here to access 'Sports News, Registrations and Rosters
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Click here access 'Community news'
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Policy in Focus
In our Policy in Focus section we are sharing the Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission policy - Outdoor Play and Learning Policy. This policy was approved by the Tasmanian Catholic Education Commission on 24 July 2018, and came into effect 27 July 2018.
The purpose of this policy is to support the provision and use of play spaces within our schools and to encourage positive learning experiences outside of the classroom. The intent of the Policy is to ensure all parties are aware of their obligations in providing inspiring play spaces and rich outdoor learning experiences to enable students to grow and develop to their full potential in accordance with our Gospel values while ensuring the safest possible environment for those experiences. A key aim of the Policy is to reinvigorate play spaces as areas for learning and adventure with reasonable and appropriately identified, managed risk-taking whilst ensuring Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements are met.
We encourage you to read through and explore the policy.
The purpose of this policy is to support the provision and use of play spaces within our schools and to encourage positive learning experiences outside of the classroom. The intent of the Policy is to ensure all parties are aware of their obligations in providing inspiring play spaces and rich outdoor learning experiences to enable students to grow and develop to their full potential in accordance with our Gospel values while ensuring the safest possible environment for those experiences. A key aim of the Policy is to reinvigorate play spaces as areas for learning and adventure with reasonable and appropriately identified, managed risk-taking whilst ensuring Work Health and Safety (WHS) requirements are met.
We encourage you to read through and explore the policy.
CECT Outdoor play and learning Policy
OLOL School Calendar
Term Dates
2022 TERM DATES
TERM 4
Tuesday 18 October - Thursday 15 December
2023 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Friday 3 February - Thursday 6 April
(Easter Break - Friday 7 April - Tuesday 11 April)
TERM 2
Wednesday 26 April - Friday 7 July
TERM 3
Monday 24th July - Friday 29th September
TERM 4
Monday 16th October - Thursday 14th December
TERM 4
Tuesday 18 October - Thursday 15 December
2023 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Friday 3 February - Thursday 6 April
(Easter Break - Friday 7 April - Tuesday 11 April)
TERM 2
Wednesday 26 April - Friday 7 July
TERM 3
Monday 24th July - Friday 29th September
TERM 4
Monday 16th October - Thursday 14th December
