Term 2, Week 8

13 June 2023

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 19 June
Whole School Prayer
(Primary - 5M Leading)
9:00am in the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

​Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 2​​​​​​​​​
  • Don College Production (Grade 5-6) - Thursday 15th June
  • Assembly (Junior Joeys) - Friday 23rd June (2:00pm - 2:45pm)
  • Cross Country (Kinder - Grade 2) - Thursday 29th - Friday 30th June
  • SBSC Taster Day (Grade 6) - Friday 30th June

MR Farr's  Reflection

deputy Principal

Welcome everyone to Week 8.

At last Friday's Assembly I spoke to our students about how they can live out our school values of being Respectful, Responsible and Safe.  We went through the usual conversation of how they could do that whilst they were at school, but we also discussed how we could live out our values outside of school.

The long weekend brought with it several major experiences such as the Devonport Cup for our students who represent the Devonport Strikers, the Mid Winter Classic for our students who represent local basketball clubs from Latrobe, Devonport, Ulverstone and Penguin, and other experiences for our students such as camping, holidaying or simply staying at home and relaxing (if there is such a thing)!  With these experiences in mind, the question posed to our students was "How can we show that we truly live out our values of being Respectful, Responsible and Safe beyond our school?"  There were many responses to this question, all of which were, pleasingly, simply extensions of what our students learn here at school.  Our students learn that being Respectful in the classroom and in the playground looks like listening to others, especially adults, following instructions, holding doors open for others, being humble in victory and gracious in defeat, keeping ones hands to themselves etc.  Being Responsible looks like being organised each morning for the day's learning, owning behaviours - positive or not - and accepting consequences, naming up behaviours that are not in line with our values to fellow students and to teachers, giving of your best toward all learning opportunities etc.  To be Safe is about making choices that do not endanger or harm oneself or others and covers the simple things such as not splashing water on the floor of the toilets, to not jumping down stairs or throwing things across the classroom etc.

Our students were able to connect these experiences to outside of school.  Those playing in the Devonport Cup could recognise that the values we strive to instil in them could be lived out on the soccer field just as easily as in the classroom.  Those playing basketball at the Mid Winter Classic could connect with being humble in victory is how they should behave when representing their club, not just whilst playing at lunchtime.  Those going camping or staying home could connect with following their parents instructions with being respectful at school by following teacher instructions.

The purpose of this conversation was to support our students to make connections between learning what a behaviour 'means' and truly living it out in their lives each day.  It is one thing to come to school and 'not get in trouble'.  It is quite different to be a Respectful, Responsible and Safe person at school, at home, at dance class and on the sporting field.

The feedback I have received so far is that there have been many wonderful examples of our students truly achieving this.  Transferring the Respectful, Responsible and Safe behaviours they have learnt at school into their weekends filled with sport, holidaying and hanging out.  If our students can each truly live out these values then we as a school community are certainly on the right track, which is worth celebrating.

Celebrating our students, and celebrating as a community is something we don't tend to do enough of.  Below is a video, that has been created in recent weeks with the support of Lusy Productions, that does exactly this.  It celebrates the wonderful community that we have, the wonderful students, staff, community members and facilities at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.

Enjoy your week,

Stu
Teaching Practices at Our Lady of Lourdes - Direct Explicit Program
Catholic Education Tasmania have committed in a 3 year strategic plan towards lifting student learning outcomes in Catholic education in Tasmania.  This involves teachers using Direct Explicit Instruction to teach effectively.  OLOL has begun this with the system approved InitiaLit program last year in Prep – Grade 2 and the data shows very strong student growth in learning sounds and to read. 

Spelling Master, another Direct Explicit Program started at the beginning of Term 2 at OLOL is already showing strong academic data in spelling mastery from Grades 3-6.

Direct instruction consists of: choral responses as a whole class; fast paced learning in order to maintain attentional focus;  checking for understanding every few minutes so that gaps in learning are responded to in the moment and spaced practice to name a few of the strategies. Catholic Education Tasmania are providing coaches to work with our staff in supporting these changes to teaching practices.
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Direct Explicit instruction is based on the Science of Reading and Leaning which uses existing cognitive-science research on how students learn and connects it to practical implications for teaching.

Social & emotional learning 2023

School news

School Gates
​The school Steele Street gates will now be 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 Free Days 2023
Student Free Days for 2023 are:
Term 3: Monday 24 July
Term 4: Monday 16 October
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Canteen
Soup Special Day $6.00 - Wednesday 21st June
Pumpkin (GF) or Chicken Noodle Soup, served with a buttered bread roll. GF rolls available. 
Orders are now open on school24.net.au and will close Monday 19th June at 9.30am. 
Late orders will not be accepted.
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Uniform Shop
Uniform Shop Hours
Amended hours - commencing Monday 5th June - Wednesday 6th July
Open afternoons only.
Monday - Wednesday 1:30pm - 3:30pm
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SBSC Enrolments
Second-round enrolments for Year 7 2024 will close on Friday, 30 June 2023, contact us today to secure your enrolment interview as spaces are filling up quickly! Interested students and their families can get more information by contacting the College Enrolment Registrar at [email protected] or visiting www.sbsc.tas.edu.au/enrolments.
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Don't miss out on the chance to join our vibrant and supportive learning community, where we provide a quality education that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and lifelong learning.
Contact us today to start your educational journey.

College Production (Tickets on sale Thursday 1st June)
Rehearsals are well underway for the College production of Pippin. Students have been working hard on dancing and singing, and things look positive. We have some talented students in the lead roles and supporting players with great vocal talent. The choreography as well is led by some very well-tuned dance students. The sets are being created by a fantastic artistic team and constructed by Bevan Scramm and his crew.

Pippin tells the story of a young man, fresh from his studies at University, determined to live a fulfilling life and do the extraordinary. As he moves through his life, he realises that the promise of an exciting life isn't all it is cracked up to be. With some fabulous choreography and singing, Pippin will be a show you will never forget.

Tickets are on sale now through the Paranaple Arts Centre.
Avoid disappointment, don't miss out, and get your tickets early!

Adults - $30 
Concession - $22
Student - $20
​Children's Book Week Dress Up Day - Thursday 24th August

Student of the week

Sports News & Rosters

Click here to access 'Sports News, Registrations and Rosters​​
  • Devon Netball 
  • Soccer - Season Commences 1st April 2023 
  • NW Football League Primary School Roster 
  • Devonport Primary Basketball Roster​

Mersey Leven Catholic parish

Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil
  • 6:00pm St Mary's, Penguin
  • 6:00pm 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

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

eSafety
The eSafety Commissioner website is a Government website that provides up to date, effective advice and support for parents, educators and children to safely and effectively navigate and manage the challenges that often come with being 'online'.

We encourage you, as parents, to access the eSafety Commissioner website to further develop your understanding of the Apps your children may be using, how to have difficult conversations with children regarding a range of online behaviours and how to recognise that your child may be experiencing harmful online behaviours such as cyberbullying, looking at inappropriate content for their age or perhaps overuse of technology.

You can visit the eSafety Commissioner website here: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Additionally, you may like to view the attached resources which can be downloaded directly from the eSafety Commissioner website: 'Online Safety: A guide for parents and carers' and 'eSafety: Early Years - Online safety for
​under 5s'
School Technologies Focus

Community News

Click here access 'Community news'​​​
  • Devonport Surf Life Saving Club - Aquathlon - 17th March
  • City of Devonport Brass Band
  • Net Set Go Come and Play - Netball  5-10 years
  • Devon Dragonflies North West Netball Clinic
  • Tasmanian Tennis Academy
  • Tennis
  • Hockey
  • Studio 81 Dance Company
  • Mersey Leven Catholic Church - High Tea
  • School Holidays @ Hive
  • NAB - AFL Auskick - skills development program

Policy in Focus

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Strategic Plan 2023 - 2025

As part of our ongoing school improvement process Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School develops a 3 year Strategic Plan.  This plan is aligned to both the Archbishop's Charter and the Strategic Plan of Catholic Education Tasmania.  Our goals have been developed through a process of discernment and consultation amongst staff and our school board as a representative of our parent and community and are reflective of the feedback provided through our Validation process in 2022.

Our Strategic Plan is attainable in that it has 3 accessible, broad goals which we as a community have discerned to be of most important to our school, yet it is aspirational and identifies how we as a school aim to support all members of our community to be the best version of themselves.  As you can see below our Strategic Plan has 3 goals, which are unpacked further to identify the strategies and structures that we will live out over the next 3 years.

Throughout the course of this Strategic Plan we will be gathering data through a variety of means to determine how successful we, as a school community, have been in achieving the goals identified and to provide future direction as we continually strive to make Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School the best it can be for all members of our community.

Tasmania Catholic Education Commission Outdoor Play and Learning Policy

OLOL School Calendar

2023 Term Dates

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2023 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Friday 3 February - Thursday 6 April
TERM 2
Wednesday 26 April - Friday 7 July
TERM 3
Tuesday 25 July - Friday 29 September
TERM 4
Tuesday 17 October - Thursday 14 December