Term 1, Week 6

12 March 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 18th March
(9:00 am - 9:15 am)
ECE - 1B 
Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 1​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  • NW Primary Swimming Carnival (Grade 3-6) - Tuesday 12th March
  • Naplan Testing (Grades 3 & 5) - Wednesday 13th March - Monday 25th March
  • Grade 1 Swimming Program - Monday 18th March - Thursday 21st March
  • Prep Swimming Program - Tuesday 19th March - Thursday 21st March
  • Assembly (1M) - Friday 22 March
  • Grade 4 Excursion (PCYC Burnie) - Thursday 28th March
  • Easter Break - Friday (Good Friday) 29th March - Tuesday (Easter Tuesday) 2nd April (students return to school Wednesday 3rd April)​

Mrs gratton's Reflection

deputy principal

Tiny Moments Matter
Welcome everyone to Week 6.

Recently in our household, we’ve been working towards more consistent sleep for everyone. I know that we are not alone as parents in this age-old battle. 

From the moment we knew we were expecting twins, we knew routine would be vital to our functioning as a family. The need for sleep was desperate in the early days, so bedtime routines have always been a non-negotiable in our house. We’re all avid book lovers, so there are always a few good stories read each night. However, one component of bedtime that we’ve intentionally focused on lately is bedtime check-in with our little people. 

It’s as simple as three questions;
What’s one thing that went well today?
What’s one thing that was tricky today?
What’s one thing you want me to know about today?
Jess : Nurtured First Parenting
@nurturedfirst

These seemingly simple questions hold great power at bedtime.
Here’s why…
Bedtime signals to our children that they will be alone (in some cases) for the next 10-12 hours. This separation can feel incredibly daunting and trigger some big emotions. These three questions have the potential to ease the bedtime transition, addressing your child’s worries and strengthening your connection with them. 

Perhaps your child is three or four when you commence this bedtime check-in routine. Now fast forward… Ten years. Now they’re 13. Still, you check-in with them at bedtime. Connection.

Twenty years later. They’re 33. They call you. They share their challenges, wins, and perhaps even their own parenting joys and fails. Still, the check-in happens. Connection.

Wishing you a wonderful week, full of connection.

Eve
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness"
Gen. 1:26
Lent
Today is the halfway mark of the Sundays of Lent. This Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday: it is a Sunday of joy. The celebrant has the option to wear rose-coloured vestments. 

As Lent is half over, and Easter is enticingly nea.  Last Sunday is our foretaste of Easter joy. Knowing the ebb and flow of intensity even in our best efforts, God deals with us tenderly in rhythms of consolation and desertion. So today, thoughts of freedom and joy come in the middle of Lent. But the joy does more than cushion our failing energies and needle our lagging spirits. It is a positive, meaningful joy, born of our fruitful life in Christ and of our sweet freedom as His purchased children. 

I tell the students at every assembly that they are ‘good’ people; born in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27). As such we are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus, to live the good life as He had intended us to live it.  Just as an artist respects the medium they work in, so too God respects us as human beings with free will.  God watts us to be revealed in light, as in any good painting.  Christ is that light.  We know well, that it is at time necessary for the LIght to dispel some darkness in our lives.  In this regards, Christ ia a healing Light to illuminate us in a way which more clearly reveals the love the Divine Artist us for us - His creation. We might take a moment to pray for the courage to expose ourselves to Christ’s healing light this Lent to be more beautifully illuminated at Easter.

Sourced at:
© Fr Michael Tate; [email protected]
https://www.liturgyhelp.com/calendar/date/2024Mar10/0/RefMiTa

Project Compassion
During Lent our students and in fact all Catholic Schools and communities contribute funds to Project Compassion. Project Compassion raises much-needed funds to help alleviate poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in the world. 

Project Compassion Is the lifeblood of Caritas Australia. The first national appeal for overseas aid was held in 1965 and the theme of Project Compassion is For All Future Generations. This year, the focus is on the resilient people from the Philippines, Samoa and Malawi. 

At Caritas Australia:
  • 87% of funds are spent on local and international programs, including vital education and advocacy programs in Australia.
  • 3% of funds are spent on essential administration costs, including our talented people.
  • 10% of funds are spent on fundraising activities so we can maintain and expand the scope of our programs which reach over 3 million people each year.
https://www.caritas.org.au/resources/project-compassion/

Our student’s donations this year will provide:
  • $65: a goat for a family in rural Malawi.
  • $200:  support to households in need of house repairs and toilet constructions in the Philippines.
  • $500: provide skills training to 15 people for income generating activities as well as start up business support in the Philippines.
  • $2000: support households with 5,000L water tanks with stand-alone harvesting systems in Samoa.

​Sacramental Program

School news

Midford Uniform Shop
Midford School Uniform Shop, East Devonport, would like to advise families their store will be closed Saturday 16th March and will reopen for normal trade 8:30am Monday 18th March. 

Digital Technologies - Roblox Heroes Battlegrounds
It has come to the attention of the school that some students are playing an online game called Heroes Battleground.
Heroes Battlegrounds, is a game from the Roblox series. The game consists of a variety of heroes you can choose from Green Hero to Blue Flames hero. You can slap other players with your unlocked gloves! You might spend some robux to buy the game passes to unlock heroes. (From Google) It is a PG game with mild violence and online interactivity and recommended 9+.
The particularly concerning aspect is the with the online interactivity (voice and text); where the children playing are hearing adult conversations with sexualised language.
As you would agree, this is a worrying context for young children to be playing an online game in.
Please take an intentional interest in the sites your children are accessing and what is actually occuring within this site that your child may be exposed to.
​
Personal Sport Equipment
​Our Lady of Lourdes provides lots of balls and sports' equipment for students to play with at lunchtimes.  We ask that students do not bring in their own sports equipment.
Only toys needed for classroom regulation may be brought to school.

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 3:20 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.

Learn to Swim Program (Prep - Grade 1)
  • Prep Learn to Swim program will commence March 19th - 21st.
  • Grade 1 Learn to Swim program will commence March 18th - 21st​.
More information has been sent via Compass.


​OLOL Complaint Procedure 
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.

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.
​
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.

Student of the week

Sports News & Rosters

Click here to access 'Sports News, Registrations and Rosters​​
Basketball
Soccer
​Netball​

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

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