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"Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed," Jesus told us in last week's Gospel, "and nothing hidden that will not become known." May our stewardship of God's gifts be such that we would not be ashamed if it were seen in the clear light of day.
The Gospel ....
Matthew 10:26-33
In this Gospel passage, Jesus might be understood as putting suffering in perspective. The disciples of Jesus are called upon to keep their focus on God. Those who can harm the body do not have ultimate power; God does. Still persecution and suffering cannot be avoided or prevented. But Jesus reassures his disciples that God knows and cares about what happens to his children.
We might not face the same type of persecution, but we do experience difficulties as we endeavour to live a Christian life. Sometimes we let the opinions of others prevent us from doing what we know to be right. We need the reminder that what God thinks about us is more important. We are reassured by the promise that God cares for us and protects us.
Dear Parents and Carers,
As this will be the final newsletter for the term, I wanted to pass on my personal thanks for all your support especially during the time of remote learning and for adapting to the changes in dropping off and picking up routines due to the current restrictions. I wanted to pass on my gratitude for all your support in what has been a rapidly changing climate. It has been wonderful to have the students back at school and return to face-to-face learning.
Hopefully, with the continued easing of restrictions we will be able to welcome parents back next term and find new ways of sharing your child’s learning with you.
Semester One - Parent Teacher Interviews
Thank you to the over 100 parents who have booked in a telephone interview time to have a telephone conversation with their child’s teacher. These bookings are available via the COMPASS app. Bookings will close this afternoon at 3:30pm. If you wish to make an interview after this time, please contact the school office and you will be assisted to book in an interview time.
Parent Teacher interviews will take place throughout next week. With the current restrictions of numbers of people on site it has been decided that teachers will be released from class for one day to conduct telephone interviews with parents. Interviews will be for 10 minutes and will take a future focus on learning for each child.
Teachers will reference the remote learning period and also make comments on observations and provide insights about learning engagement since returning to school for face to face learning.
Unless otherwise notified, teachers will be calling the first number on the school Compass system. In most cases, this is the child’s mother’s mobile phone number.
Teachers may be using their private mobile phone to make these some of these calls, especially if after school hours. In this case, a No Caller ID will appear on your phone at the scheduled time of the phone call.
As teachers will be making phone calls ‘back to back’ they may need to schedule a further meeting face to face in Term 3 to continue the conversation.
Your understanding of the importance of keeping to time is appreciated.
I hope that you have some time over the upcoming holiday break to enjoy the change of routine.
With every blessing for the coming weeks.
Jane Webb
Principal
Here we are almost at the end of the term and if we reflect back on the first half of the year we could only say how unusual and unprecedented it has been. Even though it has been difficult at times, it has been great the way we have worked together as a school community to ensure everyone’s safety and to maintain learning and teaching. I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of the teachers for all of their hard work and for the professional way they approach each day eager to teach and achieve new things with the students in their class. Thank you to the students who continue to make us smile each day and for trying their best to always follow the school rules. To the parent community, thank you for your continued support and the staff look forward to touching base with many of you next week via our telephone parent teacher meetings (another first!).
The students and teachers have enjoyed rugging up in our winter woollies today for our mufti day. It is nice to be able to join together in this way to support St Vinnies and all of the wonderful work they do for those in need in our community.
Next week the winner of our House Points for Term 2 will be announced and there will be a mufti day next week for the house who achieved the most points this term.
I wish you a very safe and relaxing holiday, enjoy the time spent together as a family and we look forward to more great things to come in Term 3.
Take care.
Alison Fazio
Assistant Principal
St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal
Thank you for your contributions to the Winter Appeal. It was wonderful to see staff and students wearing their “Winter woollies” to support this important cause.
Masses
Over the past couple of weeks classes have enjoyed attending Mass virtually. It has been wonderful to listen to the good news in the Liturgy of the Word and we thank Father Sarkis for providing this service to all members of the parish via the OLHC parish youtube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/
In the Classroom
Year 1 has been learning about Jesus’ love through the story ‘Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand’ (Matthew 14:13-2).
When reflecting on Jesus’ love, students were asked to pick a colour that could represent the love Jesus had for the people in the story. These were some of their responses;
Jesus’ love is the colour gold because it is precious.
Orlando
Jesus’ love is the colour green because green is the colour of plants and a plant starts off small then it grows just like Jesus’ love.
Resley
Jesus' love is like the colour brown because it is like a teddy bear and it’s soft.
Ezrah
Jesus' love is the colour blue because feelings are blue and Jesus cares for people.
Ally
Kindergarten have been learning about creation and God as the creator of all things. They have responded with wonder and awe to their learning and they have given thanks to God for creation.
End of Term Prayer
We thank you Lord, for this term.
For the challenges, the successes, and the mistakes from which we have learnt.
Be with us as we spend our time with family and friends.
Give us strength and courage to do what is right: to be witnesses of our faith. Help us to be a practical Christian these holidays, to appreciate what others do for us, to give time and effort to help others.
To be peacemakers in our family.
Keep us safe in our activities; give us good rest and good fun.
Bring us back refreshed and ready for a new term.
We thank you for our classmates, teachers, parents
And a community that cares for us.
May we always be conscious of you in our lives.
Amen
Ripples
The Catholic Education Office has developed a podcast to support the spiritual formation of staff and parents.
Ripples seeks to offer a space where people can draw on the wisdom of a series of guest speakers and can experience some treasured stillness through meditation. On Tuesday of each week a new Episode and Meditation are released. Practices like these create a ripple effect. They have the potential to impact the way we respond to family, friends, colleagues, to others in our world, to creation and to our loving God.
The Ripples Podcast is available on the Continuity of Faith and Learning website, on Podbean. and Apple Podcast.
Natasha Ferderer
Religious Education Co-ordinator
School Attendance & Absences
It is most important that students attend school unless there exists a genuine reason for absence, such as sickness. It is also most important that students attend school for the full school day. Whilst the first 10 minutes of school or the last 20 minutes of the school day may seem unimportant to parents, it is during these times that students are instructed of the essential routines and guides of the school day that help to create productive learning environments.
As parents, you are urged to ensure your child/ren arrive at school on time and stay for the complete school day every day of the week. It is also encumbent on parents to advise the school of the reason for a child's absence. This can be entered through the Compass system if this is more convenient for parents.
If the school is not advised the reason for a student's absence, below is an outline of the processes the school will use to follow up extended absences. As a systemic primary school within the Wollongong Diocese, Our Lady Help of Christians adheres to the School Attendance Guidelines and Procedures of the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong.
As such, the following process will be used to support the regular attendance of students at school.
Step 1: 3 - 4 days absent
- Phone call to parents by classroom teacher (if required ).
- Follow up with letter to parents if absences continue - arrange meeting with parents to discuss.
- Review situation for the following week.
Step 2: 7 - 14 days absent
- Regular phone call to parents re attendance.
- Registered letter to parents re attendance.
- Referral to school counsellor/Family Support.
- Meeting with school Principal.
- Head of School Services to be informed.
Step 3: 14 - 21 days absent
- Inform Head of School Services.
- Regular contact to parents.
- School informs Catholic Education Office.
- Meeting with school Principal and Head of School Service (Action Plan agreed on and review date set).
- Registered letter to parents.
Step 4: 22+ days absent
- Head of School Service with Principal to determine Action Plan.
Step 5: Above 30 days absent
- Report ‘education neglect’ (i.e., habitual absence or not enrolled) to Community Services (CS) Child Protection Helpline.
- Letter to parents from Head of School Services advising that the system has reported to Community Services (CS) or if not enrolled, also reported to Department of Education and Communities (DEC). If there are any concerns for the child’s wellbeing, normal child protection procedures apply - this can be made any time during the above procedure.
National Consistent Collection of 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 provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.
This data collection happens annually in August.
If you have any questions about this collection of data, please do hot hesitate to contact either Mrs Cameron or Mrs Webb.
As we approach the upcoming holidays, parents are asked to ensure that their child’s pencil case and school supplies are replenished. Having everything at their fingertips each day aids in the learning process, allowing children to focus on the task at hand rather than worrying about not having the equipment to complete the task.
As we approach Semester 2, it is important that the students continue to wear the full school uniform. It may be a good idea to check your child’s uniform, including school hat, school shoes and joggers, to make sure that they will all ‘last the distance’ and that they satisfy the uniform policy requirements until the end of the year.
Celebrations and Sharing of Food
In light of the current environment that we are living in, I ask that you please do not send in birthday cakes or food to share with the class. I understand that this is something that the children enjoy, however, we need to maintain controlled safety and hygiene procedures in the school. If you would like to send in something to acknowledge and celebrate your child’s birthday, you are able to send in packaged goods only (eg, packets of maltesers, small wrapped chocolate bars etc such as a Freddo Frog). We will notify you when these restrictions are lifted.
School Photographs
| Abigail Crawford (2W) | Quinn Dickey (2M) | Olivia Ditotto (5M) |
| Jason Gilbert (5W) | Lachlan Gorrie (5M) | Olivia Harkin (2M) |
| Emerson Hickey (5M) | Alexander Jallad (1M) | Andrea Joseph (1M) |
| Letwin Karimusango (4M | Kamryn MacDiarmid (3W) | Mia-Rose Morena (1M) |
| Isabelle O'Toole (4M) | Ignatius Przybylo (4W) |
Until further notice, if you wish to obtain some part of our uniform from the Clothing Pool, please telephone the office with the size and what you require and a member of staff will select the clothing and send your requirements home with your eldest child.
Banking is still on pause. We will advise you via an altert when it recommences.
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".
eSafety Website
Over the past few weeks, students have been engaging in mindful activities. Social and Emotional learning helps students understand their emotions, manage their emotions, maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions.
At times, emotions can confuse or overwhelm children so it is important to teach them how to regulate their emotions. Students have been introduced to the Zones of Regulation. The Zones use four colours to help students identify how they are feeling in the moment. By using the zones of regulation and mindful activities students learn strategies that they can use to stay in a zone or move from one zone to another.
Zones of Regulation
Over the past few weeks, students have been engaging in mindful activities and tools that they can use to regulate what zone they are in. Students have worked through an app called ‘Smiling Mind’. This is a free app that students can use at home and guides them through meditation.
Students have engaged in mindful breathing using a chime or bell. During this time students are encouraged to focus on their breathing and repeat the word ‘Maranatha’ meaning ‘Come Lord Jesus’. Students have also been using a process called the lazy 8.
Students have also been participating in mindful colouring. During this time students have been colouring or creating zentangles.
These mindful activities and tools can be adapted to suit your child at home. We are looking forward to students engaging in further mindful activities in Term 3. It is hoped that students will have a range of methods in their toolbox to understand and manage their emotions.
If you have any further questions please contact Miss Stroligo for further information on StroligoA01@dow.catholic.edu.au
Co-curricular Awards and Excellence Awards
As a result of the postponement or cancellation of various co-curricular events we will be having our co-curricular assembly at the end of Semester Two. Unfortunately, due to the current circumstances we have also had to cancel our excellence awards ceremony for 2020.
Please give our school Facebook page a like. We regularly upload photos of students through this platform and would love to keep our school community updated. Select the link below for our OLHC Facebook page.
Please give our school Facebook page a like. We regularly upload photos of students through this platform and would love to keep our school community updated. Select the image below for our OLHC Facebook page.
Alana Stroligo.
The Canteen is currently only open to provide Break 1 lunches. Please write your child's name, class and what they wish to order on a paper bag and enclose the correct money, if possible. We will advise you when this situation changes.
The Canteen is run by Made Fresh. Should you have a need to contact the Canteen, please email Maria at "made.fresh@yahoo.com" or telephone 0410 481 150.
- Normal weekdsay and weekend Masses have resumed. ie. Saturday Vigil Mass at 6.00pm, Sunday Masses at 8.30am and 10.00am. Weekday Mass times will continue as usual.
- There will be a limit of 50 people at each Mass, as well as the Priest and essential assistants. This applies to both weekend and weekday Masses.
- You will need to register beforehand giving name, telephone number and email. This is necessary to enable contract tracing, if required.
- To make this as simple as possible, you will need to ring the parish office to register for which Mass you wish to attend. Please ring between 9.30am - 3.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and between 9.30am and 2.30pm Friday only.
- You cannot just "turn up".
- Monitors will be present to assist and ensure required protocols and health requirements are fulfilled. To ensure these are done without unnecessary delays, please arrive 15 minutes before the start of Mass. Once Mass starts, the doors will be closed.
- After Mass you will be provided with a disinfectant wipe to rub over surfaces where you have been sitting or come in contact with.
- Toilets will not be open
- Anyone who is elderly, vulnerable or prone to infections are discouraged from attending at this stage. If you do, then please check with your doctor first to ensure that you are cleared to gather in groups and notify the parish office of this when you register.
Please find attached the latest flyer from Camp Australia.