Last Sunday's Gospel ....

Matthew 4:12-23

The Gospel tells us little about the background of these fishermen, their work, and their families. In the Gospel, we are simply told that James and John left their father, Zebedee, in the boat and followed Jesus.

Matthew points out the separation because he wants to show that Christian discipleship can require a change in our lives and even our family relationships.

Perhaps the message for us today is to balance the call to be a follower of Jesus with the challenge to be “fishers of men” even within our own families. Creating this balance may require that we change some of the priorities of our own family life.

Questions to ponder:

Does our family schedule give evidence that we put God first in our family life?

What could we do to better reflect that God is our priority?

Stewardship Thought ....

Peter, Andrew, James and John all respond immediately to the call of Christ.  May I be as open to God's call and as ready to use my talents in His service as those first disciples were.

Dear Parents,

Welcome to the new school year at OLHC!

 It has been wonderful to warmly welcome back staff, students and families to OLHC this week. It is hoped that after a restful holiday break all members of our school community return this week re-energised for a year that is filled with exciting learning opportunities where all students experience growth in faith and improvement in learning.

As a staff, it is our hope that all students commence the school year knowing the great opportunities that a Catholic education at OLHC provides. We encourage all students to embrace this year filled with enthusiasm, determination and a positive growth mind set.

St Thomas Aquinas, whose feast the staff celebrated at Mass with Fr. Sarkis on Tuesday morning, once commented that “Whatever is received is received according to the mode of its receiver”. It is our greatest hope that all our students have an attitude to do their very best they can for themselves and also for their peers.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to two new members of staff. We welcome Mr Kyle Myerscough, who is teaching Year One Maroon and Miss Alicia Zoccoli who will be taking classes this year to provide teachers with professional planning time (PPT) each week. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to those families who have joined the OLHC community this year, especially those families whose children are commencing school.

On a personal note, I wish to thank Fr. Sarkis and the OLHC staff for the generosity that they have already extended to me in making me feel so welcome. I look forward to becoming acquainted with many parents and carers over the coming weeks. Your input will be valued in assisting us to continue in our school improvement journey. I look forward to meeting with you at our first P&F Meeting on Monday 3^rd February at 7.30pm in the staff-room.

In our role as teachers and educators, we devise plans and make decisions that directly affect and impact on the life of your child. As a staff we willingly accept the great joy and important responsibilities that come with our chosen vocation. Please keep all the school staff in your prayers over the coming months so that they may complete their work with grace, courage, compassion and faith.

In a sense, our school has a double staff, not only the staff that teaches within the school but also the very important ‘staff’ that performs within the home. Your child’s education can be greatly enhanced by your involvement at home, in particular, but also through your involvement in school life. It is often the support, enthusiasm and involvement of parents that will help to inspire children to do their best.

Children will frequently adopt attitudes and opinions held by the adults that they look up to, and enthusiasm for learning is no exception. If children sense that parents value their education and consider it to be a high priority, they are likely to view it in a more positive manner themselves. This positive reinforcement will assist children to adopt a more enthusiastic attitude towards the learning process.

WHAT’S ON AT OLHC? – THE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

The school newsletter is one way that we communicate, celebrate and acknowledge the great things that happen here at OLHC. This year the newsletter will continue to be published every second Thursday in odd weeks.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT: MEET AND GREETS

At OLHC, our school motto, Seek Wisdom, Love God, invites us to be the best we can be. In taking up this challenge we commit to the promotion of authentic engagement in students’ learning with parents and carers. To do this effectively, a strong home and school partnership is vital. Parents are warmly invited to attend a “Meet and Greet’ conversation with your child’s teacher (Please note – students are not required to attend). The purpose of this session, is to meet your child’s teacher, visit your child’s classroom and for you to share important information with the teacher so that they can get a holistic picture of where your child is at as they start the year.

Meet and Greets will be held during the week commencing Monday 10th February. The meet and greet conversations will be 5 minutes duration, so if necessary, please make an appointment for a longer chat at another time.

More information, including the online booking form, will be shared next week.

PARENT ENGAGEMENT – ASSEMBLIES

Assemblies at OLHC are an opportunity for our community to come together to acknowledge and celebrate the great learning and events that happen in our school. We welcome parents and friends to our school assemblies. The first assembly for the school year will be held next Friday 7^th February at 1.50pm in the St Joachim Hall. Hope to see you there.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

The students have returned to school looking very smart in their summer uniform. Thank you to parents for assisting in maintaining the high standard of uniform that exists in the school.  A copy of our uniform requirements and "How to Wear the Uniform" is attached.

2020 KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS

Kindergarten students will have their first day at school on Thursday 6^th February. Students are to come to school on Thursday dressed in full summer uniform.

God bless,

Jane Webb

Principal

Welcome back to OLHC for 2020 to all of our school community – students, teachers and parents. We welcome new students, families, teachers and especially our new Principal Mrs Jane Webb. It was a pleasure to stand in front of all of the students on Wednesday morning at flag raising and see them so keen and ready to start another year of learning and growing. It was evident the pride the students have in wearing their school uniform correctly to start off the year and I thank you, their parents, for your support with this.

All teachers have commented on how settled the students have been to begin their new school year. They will all begin the year by setting up expectations and procedures in the classroom so that students are able to follow the school rules and clearly know what is expected of them with regards to their behaviour and attitude to learning. The students will be explicitly taught the school rules - Be Respectful, Be Safe and Be an Active Learner and how to follow these rules in the classroom and throughout all of the areas in the school. These rules are revisited throughout the year with a different focus each week.

I look forward to seeing many of you over the coming weeks as we celebrate as a school community, starting with the Swimming Carnival for our Years 3-6 students tomorrow. Then in Week 3, the teachers will be holding their Meet and Greet interviews with you. This is a chance for you to meet your child’s teacher and to share anything of importance with them.

Alison Fazio

Assistant Principal

This term is a busy and exciting one with many special events, feasts and celebrations. For staff, the year started on Tuesday with a beautiful Mass where we celebrated the feast of St Thomas Aquinas. St Thomas was a philosopher and theologian, who sought to  ‘Seek Wisdom and Love God.’

We are looking forward to being able to gather as a school community for our Opening School Mass on Friday 21st of February at 10.00am. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to come together as a community to celebrate the Eucharist and to ask for God’s blessing on our new school year. 

This year I am personally thrilled to be returning to the OLHC community and excited to work with you all in my capacity as Religious Education Co-ordinator. I would love to hear any ideas you might have to enhance the Catholic Life and Mission of our school and I thank you in advance for your support and feedback.

Coming Up in RE this term:

Friday 21st February 10am- Opening School Mass

Tuesday 25th February - Shrove Tuesday

Wednesday 26 February - Ash Wednesday

Saturday 29th February 6pm- Welcome Mass and BBQ

Monday 2nd March - Catholic Schools Week commences

REMINDER:  Swimming Carnival (Note:  finishing time of carnival brought forward).

The OLHC Swimming Carnival for students in Years 3 - 6 will be held tomorrow, Friday 31st January 2020, at the Gordon Fetterplace Aquatic Centre, Bradbury. Students must arrive at school by 8:25am so that the roll can be marked before the bus departs. Students will return to school ready for regular afternoon dismissal procedures. We kindly remind students to ensure they have:

• protective school hat

• plenty of sunscreen

• swimming costumes (worn under sports clothes) and goggles (if required)

• thongs (can be packed to change into at school) and a towel

• plenty of water

• recess, lunch - please do not pack any food products containing nuts

• asthma puffer (if required)

Please note:  Due to the expected high temperature tomorrow, and in the best interest of student safety, departure times from the pool have been brought forward with the first bus leaving at 1.00pm.  Students not collected by parents, at this time, will be transported back to school.

A reminder that no child will be permitted to leave the carnival until its completion. If you are at the carnival you may sign your child out from the swimming centre. As per usual dismissal procedures, students are only permitted to leave with their own parents unless they have a note detailing alternative arrangements. 

Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to a successful carnival.

Assembly

Please join us at our next assembly on Friday 7th Assembly at 1.50pm in the St Joachim Hall. Merit and Principal's Awards will be presented.  Congratulations to the following students who will be recieving a Principal's Award:

Jacob Failla, Marise Kosema, Resley Lijo, Eva Bolshakova,

Nelson Martinez-Ramirez, Robbie Barrett-Vizcaino, Isabella Drake,

Carrington-Ann Slatter, Zachary Potts, Toby David, Georgia D'Emanuele.

Compass App

This app should be downloaded so you can be kept up to date with the latest events and information from the school.  This app is also used for distribution of the Newsletter.  Please download the app from your relevant store.  For more information please see the attached flyer "Accessing the Compass App".

How_to_App_or_Google_Instructions.pdf

How_to_App_or_Google_Instructions _pdf 107.43 KB

Facebook

www.facebook.com/olhc.rosemeadow

eSafety Website

This website provides online safety basics.  Help your children safely navigate their digital world and educate them to avoid harmful online experiences.  Explore websites, games, apps and social media together and set some rules.  We urge parents to take the time to look at this site by visiting:

esafety.gov.au

School Banking

School banking is every Friday.

Congratulations and best wishes to the following students who celebrate a birthday in January:

Mary Camilleri, Katrin Camilleri, Mathew Mifsud, Resley Lijo, Isabella Nguyen-Gibbons, Kolten Opalniuk, Ezrah Latulipe, Allyse Halliday,

Mathew Kleeman, Makenzie Williams, James Trinh, Ollie Marshall, Cooper Joyce, Charbel Hachem, William Tracey, Dominic Hachem, Charles Przybylo.

P&F Meeting

Please join us at our next meeting, Monday 3rd February, at 7.30pm in the staff-room.  We look forward to welcoming new families to our meeting.

Clothing Pool

The Clothing Pool is open every Wednesday from 8.00am - 8.20am.  The Clothing Pool is located between the Years 1 and 2 classroom.

The Relics of St Therese of Lisieux plus Her Parents - REMINDER

The relics of much loved Carmelite Saint, St Therese of Lisieux plus her parents, Saints Louis and Zelie Martin, are coming to Australia for a national tour in 2020.  They are coming to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, 193 St Andrews Road, Varroville for a visit from Wednesday 22nd January until Saturday 1st February, when the official tour begins.  The relics will be in the parish church at Our Lady of Mt Carmel, from Saturday 25th January until Tuesday 29th January, for public veneration and all are most warmly invited to attend.

CatholicCare

Attached are the Term 1 courses available from CatholicCare for Term 1 2020.  We urge parents and care-givers to read this brochure as these courses could be of invaluable use to you and your family.