Term 3, Week 9

19 September 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 25 September
Whole School
Parents and carers are welcome!

upComing Events

Term 3​​​​​​​
  • Swimming Program (Grades 2-4) - Monday 18th September - Friday 22nd September
  • Peace Pole Ceremony - Tuesday 26th September
  • Andrew Chin Concert - Wednesday 27th September
  • Footy Colours Day - Thursday 28th September
  • Assembly - Friday 29th September
  • Last day of Term 3 - Friday 29th September

MRs seagar's Reflection

Principal 



Welcome to Week 9.

Science of Learning
The science of learning draws on research from cognitive psychology, neuroscience and education to understand the processes through which we learn. While there is a focus on the cognitive processes involved in learning, the science of learning also recognises that cognition is affected by affective, emotional and contextual factors.

This year OLOL has taken on the CET initiative called INSIGHT which is based on the science of reading and learning. It encompasses a knowledge rich curriculum, with set pedagogies and expected high levels of achievement.
Features in the classroom that you may see and that the students experience are:
  • Choral responses in a quick pace lead by the teacher with cues to the students
  • Mini whiteboards for regular, repeated practices that are then shown to the teacher as a group for formative assessment ( checking for understanding regularly throughout the lessons). Reteaching if 80% of students are not progressing
  • Active responses from all students to ensure focus, and attentional control and no split focus
  • Pair-Share with a partner for quick checks for understanding or thinking time
  • All students can be aksed questions - no hands up but use of popsicle sticks with student names 
  • Modelling of content by the teacher and then completing this with the students and then independent work by the students.
  • Retrieval practice daily and daily reviews to keep reinforce content learnt. Retrieval pracitce boosts learning by pulling information out of students’ heads (e.g., quizzes and flashcards), rather than cramming information into students’ heads (e.g., lectures). Retrieval practice is a no-stakes learning opportunity that increases student performance, beyond formative and summative assessments.
  • Spaced practice involves regular practise ( daily, weekly, monthly). The  more we practise, the more stable and accessible the information becomes, which means that it will ‘survive’ longer gaps, and subsequent repetitions will take less effort. This boosts learning by spreading lessons and retrieval opportunities out over time so that learning isn’t crammed in all at once. By returning to content every so often, students’ brains have had time to rest and be refreshed.
  • Interleaved practice  mixing up the order of learning creates spaces and distractions between two repetitions of the same material, which forces students to re-engage with the material and invest effort in reconstructing the information.  This  boosts learning by mixing up closely related topics and encouraging discrimination. For example, learning increases when students practise addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems all mixed up, rather than one type of problem at a time.

This learning is having strong outcomes in learning for all students after just a few terms of introduction.  The Initialit program used in ECE over the last 18 months is based on the features above; all incorporated into a Direct Instruction format.
Some theoretical knowledge to assist in your understanding of why students are learning so well are:
  • Activating existing knowledge: A new concept is always learned in association with already existing knowledge. The amount of existing knowledge and level to which it is interconnected influence the quality of learning (more interconnected knowledge leads to easier and faster learning). 
  • Cognitive load: all new information must be processed in the working memory before it is processed to long-term memory. Our working memory has limited capacity, and therefore if tasks are too cognitively demanding or if confronted with too much new information at once, learning is impeded. 
  • Practice is essential to learning: students need to practise retrieving information from their long-term memories to use in a new situation or context. Practising a particular skill or retrieving particular information is more effective when spread over time, rather than repeated sequentially over a short time period. 
  • Effective feedback is essential to the learning process and is given regularly throughout each lesson. This  boosts learning by providing the student the opportunity to know what they know, and know what they don’t know. This enhances students’ metacognition or understanding about their own learning progress.
  • Affective learning skills are essential: students’ sense of self-belief about their ability to learn, that is, believing that intelligence is mutable, greatly impacts their achievement. Furthermore, so-called non-cognitive skills such as self-regulation and motivation are essential to successful learning. 

​
God Bless

Carol
​
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Andrew Chinn Concert
On Wednesday 27 September, Australian religious songwriter and singer, Andrew Chinn, will be visiting our school to share his songs with our children. Andrew’s songs, such as “These Hands”, “Rainbow”, “An African Blessing” and “Rise Up!” are used in classrooms and liturgies around Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada.

Classes will work with Andrew throughout the day to learn a variety of songs.  The day will culminate in a concert in our School Gym, at 2:00pm.  We warmly welcome you to come along and join in and look forward to seeing you there!
Picture
Andrew Chinn will be performing at our school on Wednesday 27 Septermber at 2:00pm.
About Andrew Chinn:
  • ​Was a teacher for 20 years in Catholic schools in Sydney, taught all grades from kindergarten to Year 6 (was a kindergarten/prep teacher for two years)
  • Song writing since 1993
  • Has released 12 albums, 6 picture books, and 5 DVDs and has an online resource for teachers: www.butterflyhouse.online
  • His music is used in schools across Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada and he has visited more than 1000 different schools around those countries.
  • His best-known songs are These Hands, Together As One, Rainbow, In the Beginning, Shine Among Them, An African Blessing, God Made Them All, and Rise Up!
  • Lives in Wollongong with his wife, Bernadette and a couple of Shetland Sheepdogs called Mollee and Elbee, who love going to the beach.
  • He has four daughters and TEN grandchildren!
  • He is a proud Sydney Swans supporter.
  • Andrew’s music is available on iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music.
Picture

​Forgiveness
From the weekend readings, the theme was forgiveness: “Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.” Sirach  28:2

Jesus taught, “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you” Mt 6:14. Peter asked Jesus how often it is necessary to forgive, and Jesus replied, “Seventy-seven times” Mt 18:22, a number to be taken symbolically, not literally, for the never-ending way that we ought to forgive.
In my reading of the plays of  Shakespeare, there is a great price paid for grudges, vendetta, and revenge. In the grip of these powerful emotions painful incidents linger in the mind of Shakespeare’s characters and as is stated in Hamlet:  Revenge should have no bounds Hamlet 4.7.143. I feel that sometimes in the 21st century we too still hold onto the wrongs of us and will or are at the least hesitant to forgive.

The Christian understanding is that the gift of forgiveness (giving and receiving) is the better option. The 18th century English poet, Alexander Pope, gave us the antidote: “ to err is human, to forgive divine.”   Our challenge today is to see how we can forgive others and how this can make us even more human and divine.

There are many benefits to the act of forgiveness: 
  • Letting go of anger and resentment. 
  • Bringing inner peace and frees us from the past. 
  • Allowing us to focus on the present and the future. 
  • Reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and improving our immune system.

Forgiveness is a sign of strength, not weakness. It takes courage to forgive. As we seek God for help in forgiving others, these benefits of forgiveness help keep us focused on God. Forgiveness is an act of love and compassion. It shows that we are willing to let go of the hurt and pain that we have been holding onto. When we forgive, we are choosing to move on from the hurt and pain. We are choosing to live in God’s peace and happiness.
​
“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”
Ephesians 4:31-32.

School news

​Class Formation 2024
Class allocation for 2024 involves a variety of factors including balancing the academic, social and emotional needs of all of our students.  Our staff are in the best position to objectively do this.  

Our Class Formation Policy 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. 
To support our staff to create balanced classes where the needs of each of our children are met, this year we will be utilising a program called ‘Class Solver’.  This is a program that several other Catholic Schools have used in the past and have recommended it to us.  The program allows our staff to input information regarding each student ie their friends, academic needs etc and any valid requests from parents.  The program will then sort classes according to the data it has been given.  We as a staff are then able to review the classes suggested and make adjustments as required.  We envisage ‘Class Solver’ will support us to continue to create balanced classes that meet the needs of all our students, parents and staff in a more streamlined and efficient manner, whilst allowing teacher understanding of student’s needs to remain at the forefront of our process.

We appreciate working with you, the first educators of your child, and you are welcome to meet and share any valid concerns with Mrs Seagar 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.

This process does take us considerable time and discernment, therefore any parent requests received after 27th October will not be considered.  As such, if any parents have valid concerns for class allocation in 2024, please contact the school Office for a conversation with Carol between Monday 18th September and Friday 27th October: [email protected]

​If parents know that they will not be continuing enrolment of their child/children at OLOL in 2024, 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. Knowing whether any students will be moving schools helps our school immensely with maintaining staffing, allocating resources and balancing classes.
Swimming & Water Awareness (Grades 2, 3 & 4)
Students in Grades 2, 3 and 4 will take part in their Swimming and Water Awareness program at the Splash Devonport Aquatic and Leisure Centre on the following dates:
Monday 18th September
Tuesday 19th September
Wednesday 20th September
Thursday 21st September
Friday 22nd September

*It is important to note:
  • swim caps are compulsory for all students and are available at the Office for $4.00
  • students may wear their PE uniform to and from school for the duration of the Swimming Program.

Canteen
AFL Special Day - Thursday 28th September
  • Hotdog - $4.00 (GF Available)
  • Jumbo Sausage Roll - $5.00 (GF available)
  • Large Meat Pie - $5.00 (GF available)
*Sauce will be supplied at no extra cost

Orders are now open on school24.net.au and will close, Monday 25th September at 9.30am. Late orders will not be accepted.
*Please order this special from 'EVENTS' on school24.net.au NOT Compass.

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.  Although the weather is beginning to change (slowly!) and it is lovely in the after school sun, our 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.

Digital Citizenship Guidelines
Our Lady of Lourdes is asking for parent support. If your child contacts you through their iPhone watch asking to go home, can you please ring the office so that the class teacher is fully informed of what is happening.
In our school Digital Citizenship Guidelines it states:  I will only use Digital Technology when I have permission.
​
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 Free Days 2023
Student Free Days for 2023 are:
Term 4: Monday 16 October
​
​OLOL Breakfast Club - Term 3
Venue: OLOL Gym 
Monday - Friday
8:00am - 8:40 am
All Welcome

Change of Clothes
Due to the wet weather, there seems to be more students coming to the office needing uniform items due to falling over in the muddy/wet conditions. Can all students please pack a spare change of clothes. 

​​Uniform Shop
Updated Hours
Monday August 28th - Wednesday September 27th
Monday October 16th - Wednesday October 25th
​Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
Afternoons Only
1:30pm - 3:30pm
​
OLOL Student Free Day - Malangenna School Holiday Program
Malangenna will be open on OLOL student free day, Monday 16th October at the OLOL service.
Families Tasmania - Online Workshops
Families Tasmania are thrilled to be offering some great online workshops. For more information and to book, access the link below.

Technology NEWS

Student of the week

Sports News & Rosters

Click here to access 'Sports News, Registrations and Rosters​​
  • Devon Netball Spring Roster
  • Devonport Primary Spring Basketball Registration
  • Triathlon
  • 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'​​​​​
  • City of Devonport Brass Band
  • Mersey Rowing Club - Learn to Row Program
  • Come & Try Scouting
  • Girls Primary School Football - 15 Sept - 6 Oct
  • School Holiday Tennis
  • Tennis - Come & Try Day
  • Hockey
  • Studio 81 Dance Company
  • Slip Stream Circus

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

2023 Term Dates

​
2023 TERM DATES
TERM 3
Tuesday 25 July - Friday 29 September
TERM 4
Tuesday 17 October - Thursday 14 December

2024 TERM DATES
TERM 1
Wednesday 7 February - Thursday 11 April
Easter Break
Friday 29 March - 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