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This Lent, God is asking us to examine whether in our lives, in our families, in the places where we work and spend our time, we are capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of our own needs.
The Holy Father, Lenten Message (2025)
This message, gifted to us from Pope Francis, resonates very much as God is asking each of us to walk together, deeply listen and think about the needs of others in our school and wider community.
As a Catholic community of faith, I would like to share with you the very sad news of the passing of one of our parents. We pray for Ollie M in Year 5M, and pray for the eternal reward of his mother, as she passed away last week.
We remember Ollie and his family, especially his dad and sister in our prayers at this time of loss and sadness. May she rest in eternal peace.
At the Diocesan launch of Project Compassion last week on Tuesday, Bishop Brian Mascord reinforced the three pillars of Lent - Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving, however he said in addition to ‘doing’ these, we must go ‘deeper’ and suggested we need to think about this question:
What do I need to change to become more like Christ?
I have pondered this question over the past couple of days and for me, the answer lies in Pope Francis’ Lenten message, thus this Lent I will endeavour to examine whether in my life, in my family, in my work place and where I spend my time, am I capable of walking together with others, listening to them, resisting the temptation to become self-absorbed and to think only of my own needs?
May the words of this Litany encourage and sustain you on your Lenten journey towards Easter.
Almighty and ever living God,
you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus;
seeking you in those we often ignore.
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter.
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
Amen
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we have now begun the liturgical season of Lent, we also keep in our prayers those students who will make the sacrament of Reconciliation next week on Thursday 20th March. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a celebration of God’s forgiveness, love, and mercy. It celebrates the call to repentance after a process of conversion of heart. During this sacrament, a Catholic confesses his/her sins in the spirit of true repentance and receives forgiveness of God through the ministry of the priest.
We ask for God’s blessing on these students at this very special time.
We also are grateful for the support of our Sacramental Coordinator, Mrs Samantha McGarrity, Miss Ainsley Northey, Mrs Alicia Failla and Mrs Megan Marshall (REC) in supporting the students and parents in the preparation of this sacrament.
As this is a parish-based program, we are very grateful for this support.
Jane Webb
PRINCIPAL
Yesterday, our Year 3 and 5 students began NAPLAN (National Assessment Program, Literacy and Numeracy) with their Writing Assessment. This assessment is completed by all students across Australia in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9.
To be ready for these assessments, students must come to school each day with their iPad fully charged and have their headphones at school. Please note that Year 3 and Year 5 students, who have the most recently released iPad, will need to purchase bluetooth headphones as there is no audio input port for wired headphones.
Naplan
Further information about NAPLAN Online and the National Assessment Program can be found at
www.nap.edu.au/naplan and https://nap.edu.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/naplan-information-brochure-for-parents-and-carers.pdf
The dates assigned for the NAPLAN assessment this year are from 12 March - 24 March 2025.
The timetable for these assessments at OLHC is outlined below (please note the change of date for the Reading assessment):
Wednesday 12 March - NAPLAN Writing (AM)
Monday 17 March - NAPLAN Reading (AM)
Tuesday 18 March - NAPLAN Language Conventions (AM)
Thursday 20 March - NAPLAN Numeracy (AM)
Attendance at school during this period for Year 3 and Year 5 students is very important and we recommend that leave is not taken during this time.
If your child is unwell and unable to attend school on one of these days, there will be opportunities to catch up on the days in between. The last day for this is Monday 24 March.
Throughout the term all students have been trying hard to receive House Points. There are a number of ways that they can do this; by wearing their uniform correctly, completing their homework each week and when they borrow from the library. Students are able to receive extra house points in the classroom and on the playground for following the school rules - BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL and BE AN ACTIVE LEARNER. The Year 6 House Captains count the House Points each week and each Monday the House Points are announced at Flag Raising. Congratulations to Sarkis for being the winning House colour for half way through the term and receiving the ice block reward last week.
The House Points currently sit at:
1st - Sarkis (1769 points)
2nd - MacKillop (1699 points)
3rd - Rose (1357 points)
4th - Ingham (1279 points)
This week our PB4L focus has been expectations for when we arrive at school in the morning before the bell goes at 8:25am. Students enter the school via the St Anne gate or through the gate near the St Joachim hall and walk to the amphitheatre where they sit in their grade groups, supervised by a teacher, until 8:15am. At this time they walk across in their class/grade lines to assemble on P2 where their teacher’s pick them up from when the bell rings. The expectation is that all students are silent when the bell rings. Please see the poster that is displayed in each classroom to outline the expectations for all students during this time.
Alison Fazio
Assistant Principal
Shrove Tuesday
Thank you for your generous donations for our first Project Compassion Fundraiser. We raised $143.72.
Andrew Chinn Concert 10 April 2025
Megan Marshall
Religious Education Coordinator
Diary dates are published on our website home page. You can also check Compass calendar and the events tab. All newsletters can be accessed on our school website.
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Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March |
Year 4 Parish Mass Naplan commences across various dates and finishes 24 March 2025 |
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Friday 14 March |
Year 4 Classroom visit by Fr. Sarkis at 10am |
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Monday 17 March |
St Patrick's Day - Compassion lolly bags for sale P&F AGM Meeting at 7.30pm in school library |
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Wednesday 19 March |
Kindergarten Parish Mass at 9am |
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Thursday 20 March |
WEN Day selected students at Gwynneville |
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Friday 21 March |
Year 6 Reconciliation at 9am Year 3 class visit by Fr. Sarkis at 10am Assembly - Merits and Awards at 2pm school hall, all welcome |
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Wednesday 26 March |
Year 4 Parish Mass at 9am |
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Thursday 27 March |
Year 5 and 6 Parish Mass at 9am |
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Friday 28 March |
Western Region Soccer trials - selected students Year 2 classroom visit by Fr. Sarkis at 10am |
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Wednesday 2 April |
Year 3 Parish Mass at 9am |
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Thursday 3 April |
OLHC Cross Country held at John Therry grounds - Sport Uniforms and house coloured shirt and hat. |
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Friday 4 April |
Year 4 and 6 Benediction Assembly - Merits and Awards at 2pm school hall, all welcome |
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Monday 7 April |
OLHC Athletics Carnival at Campbelltown sports stadium (more details via Compass closer to event) |
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Thursday 10 April |
Easter Concert - Andrew Chinn Concert |
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Friday 11 April |
Last Day of Term 1 |
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Saturday 12 April to Sunday 27 April |
******** School Holidays ********* |
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Monday 28 April |
Staff Development Day - Pupil Free Day |
Attendance is important - Arrive to Thrive
We will be monitoring attendance closely this year. New attendance levels have been established to address students’ attendance patterns:
• Regular Attendance: 90% – 100%
• Targeted Intervention: 71% – 89%
• Intensive Intervention: 70% and below
Each school will develop specific processes for these attendance levels and will contact parents in various ways to encourage and support regular attendance. This
communication may include: daily absence notifications,weekly reminders for unexplained absences, telephone calls, emails, and letters. Targeted and Intensive
Interventions will involve parent meetings and the creation of Individual Plans to improve attendance.
We have some tips to help children coming to school in the fact sheet below;
ENROLMENT PACKAGES - KINDER 2026
Enrolment Applications for Kinder 2026 can now be downloaded from the following link;
Following the return of completed enrolment applications an interview will be organised with Fr Sarkis and Mrs Webb next term.
Please let family and friends know that we are accepting enrollment applications now. These applications will be due by the end of this term - Friday 11 April 2025.
NATIONAL CONSISTENT COLLECTION DATA (NCCD)
Please see the attached letter below that provides further information for parents and carers about the National Data Collection for Students with a Disability. This provides information provided to the Australian Government on an annual basis. The NCCD collection provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disabilities. This data collection happens annually each August.
If you have any questions about this collection of data, please do not hesitate to contact either Mrs Cameron or Mrs Webb.
HARMONY DAY – Friday 21st March
At OLHC, we aim to create a safe and supportive school community for everyone. Next week, we celebrate Harmony Week. Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.
Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.
Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week. Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. On Thursday, the students are invited to incorporate a splash of orange into the uniform e.g. ribbon or socks.
By following our school rules, policies, and procedures we all play our part in ensuring that as a community we live in harmony and respect for one another.
SCHOOL CYCLIC INQUIRY AT OLHC - SEPTEMBER 2025
In Term Three, our school will participate in a School Cyclic Inquiry (SCI). This is an integral component of our Diocesan Continuous Catholic School Improvement approach to strategic planning leading to improved student outcomes and successful growth in faith, learning and wellbeing.
The SCI is a school led inquiry and review process that generally occurs every 4 years. The process evaluates the school improvement efforts of the previous four years and through inquiry into evidence, leads to the development of a four-year Strategic School Improvement Plan.
Staff have begun the 'self-review' phase of the SCI and will continue this deep reflection using evidence at the upcoming Pupil Free Days at the beginning of Term Two and Three. It is important that we consult all stakeholders in the SCI process and as such we will be seeking feedback and insights from our families over the next several weeks.
Staff Development Days 2025 - Save the dates
As all staff will be engaged in professional learning on these dates please arrange for alternate care arrangements for your children.
POSITIVE BEHAVIOURS FOR LEARNING (PB4L)
When students exhibit positive behaviour, by following our school rules, their name is written on a raffle ticket and is entered into a draw where two winners are selected at flag-raising on a Monday morning. The students receive a voucher for the Canteen which can be used for treats or put towards a lunch order. Congratulations to these winners:
Hudson Moore (2M), Howard Kho (1M), Charlotte Moore (1M)
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Principal Awards |
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Class |
Student Name |
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1M |
Kingston MUNOZ |
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1M |
Princess CABRERA |
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2M |
Georgia MCINTYRE-WORMALD |
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2M |
Leona NGUYEN |
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3M |
Atonio-Jr GATEHAU |
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3M |
Dominic ABRAHAM |
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3W |
Leon OCA |
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5M |
Josie KLARICH |
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5M |
Lawrence BEGG |
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6M |
Eloise SORIANO |
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6M |
Alex D'EMANUELE |
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6M |
Tevita-Jr GATEHAU |
Western Region Swimming Carnival - Thursday 27 February 2025
On Thursday the 27th March, Mrs Hickey had the pleasure of taking some students to the Western Region Swimming Carnival. All students gave it their absolute best and participated to the best of their ability. The behaviour and school spirit that was displayed on the day was exemplary. A special thank you to Mrs Tabone and Ms Davies for their assistance. 
Respresentative Sport
Congratulations to Ezrah Latulipe on being selected for the 2025 Wollongong boys' touch football team!
We also wish Lucas MacDiarmid, Jacob Failla, Robbie Ribicic, and Ezrah Latulipe the best of luck as they compete in the Wollongong sports team trials later this term
Cross Country and Athletic Carnival - Parent Volunteers wanted
Thursday 3 April 2025 - Cross Country held at John Therry sporting oval.
Monday 7 April 2025 - Athletic Carnval at Campbelltown Sports Stadium (See Compass events for online consent)
Should you like to volunteer, please advise the school office and also complete the new onboardinmg process for parent volunteers by scanning QR code below link;
Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT
Tell us about your experiences as a Catholic school parent and what you'd like to know more about.
We value every parent's thoughts and opinions!
Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) NSW/ACT would like to know how involved/engaged you feel you are in your child's learning at a NSW/ACT Catholic school, how connected you feel in your child's school, and your thoughts on how schools could enhance family-school partnerships.
This data informs our parent learning program and provides us with valuable information about how our dioceses and schools are engaging with families.
Thank you so much for taking time out to give us your feedback.
Please use the following link to access the survey: https://ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/survey/71.
Canteen News - Canteen Closed Monday 17 March 2025
Canteen Menu can be found on our website.
Clothing Pool Open
Reminder: P&F Annual General Meeting (AGM) -
The next meeting on 17th March 2025, will be the AGM. At this meeting, all positions on the P&F executive will be declared open and nominations called for. I encourage you to come along to this meeting (and all P&F meetings) so that you can be involved with and support your child’s education at OLHC.
Nomination forms will be shared via COMPASS and is also below along with minutes and agenda.
Please note - Nominations for executive roles need to be present at the AGM.
We look forward to welcoming new and existing parents at the AGM.
P&F Nominations form
P&F Agenda
P&F AGM Minutes
P&F Minutes last meeting
Appin and Sorry Day Events (Winga Myamly)
This year marks the 209th Anniversary of the Appin Massacre. The memorial service will be held on Sunday 13 April 2025 at Cataract Dam from 11:00 am – 3:30 pm, with a free sausage sizzle.
We encourage staff, students, and their parents, to attend the Appin Memorial as a sign of respect for the Dharawal people who were killed in the Massacre at Appin on 17 April 1816.
School Travel Passes
Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.
In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.
Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use .
This includes travel within the approved times between 6.30am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday on school days only. Students must use their Child/Youth Opal card for any travel outside these times.
All students are required to comply with the Student code of conduct. The code of conduct aims to ensure the safety and well-being of school children and other passengers. It is important that parents ensure their child is aware of this, as failure to comply with the code of conduct can result in a suspension from travel.