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- Pupil Free Day
- Kinder 2022 Parent Information Evening
- Class Placements 2022
- Sport Uniform Days
- Student Arrival and Dismissal
- Hair Cuts
- World Teachers' Day
- First Holy Communion
- Canteen Re-opening
Stewardship Thought ....
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to the first official weeks of face to face learning at Our Lady Help of Christians! Kindergarten and Year 1 have officially returned onsite and the staff, students and parents were all so excited that this day finally arrived after 12 weeks of remote learning. We now all eagerly await the return of the entire school community next week when Years 2-6 walk through our gates next Monday morning. A huge THANK YOU to the Years 2-6 families who were able to keep older siblings at home this week, leaving the school to manage remote learning for the students of essential workers. As you are aware, remote learning officially ceases at the end of this week with face to face learning and teaching returning to all of our classrooms.
At this stage, the school is focussed on and committed to creating a positive experience for all as we return to school life. Unfortunately at this moment, there are no school assemblies and gatherings; children are separated into their stage groups and we are making a conscious effort to restrict movements across the school. Staff will continue to wear masks while indoors in adherence with the current Public Health Orders. Thanks to our Kindergarten and Year 1 students and families who have adapted very well to the staggered finish to our school day. The staggered finish is again in adherence with the Public Health Orders. At 2.30pm students in Kindergarten and Year One can be collected from both the Demetrius Road exit as well as the car pick up line located at John Therry Catholic College. If at any time parents and carers need to enter the School Office, please wear a mask and sign in via the QR code.
The School Canteen will be open, as usual, for Lunch 1 from next Monday 25th October.. We encourage children to pre-order their food and this can be done for Lunch 1. This prevents children having to wait in lines and enables the students from various stages to be separated. All children are asked to bring a drink bottle to school every day as the school bubblers are not to be used.
So far, the transition back to school has been smooth and the changes to school processes have worked well, with minimal issues. This has been made possible by the wonderful efforts of all members of our community – staff, students and parents – and is a real testament to the agility, resilience and teamwork that exists within the Our Lady Help of Christians school community. We are very grateful for the ongoing support of our parent community and the energy and dedication of our staff who, as always, go above and beyond.
Jane Webb
Principal
Kindergarten 2022 Parent Information Evening - Monday 25th October
Next Monday evening, a Parent Information Night will be held for parents and carers of Kindergarten 2022. Our meeting will be held via Zoom and we will welcome 43 students into our Our Lady Help of Christians school community. We will have two kindergarten classes at OLHC in 2022. We look forward to meeting our new Kindergarten friends in the future.
Class Placement 2022
Term 4 is the time when we complete the 2021 school year as well as prepare for 2022. One of the major tasks this term is to prepare classes for 2022. Teachers and staff members utilise their professional expertise in making decisions, seeking to create equitable class groupings considering all student needs. Please note - this applies to Kindergarten, Year Four and Year Six that will be regrouped for 2022. All other grades (Year One, Year Two, Year Three and Year Five will remain single stream for 2022).
Optimising the learning environment is the prime focus when forming new class groups for 2022, not forming friendship groups. The aim is to provide classes in which each child is able to continue to develop to their full potential.
If there is a particular issue regarding your child’s optimum learning for 2022, please write to Mrs Webb, via email, stating your concerns and requests. You are invited to be proactive, rather than reactive. Please note that this is not an opportunity to request individual teachers, but an opportunity to state a particular issue that might impact on your child’s learning in 2022. All requests will be considered but NOT NECESSARILY GUARANTEED. Please send your email requests to info@olhcdow.catholic.edu.au , using Class Placement 2022 as the subject line, marked to the attention of Mrs Webb by Friday 19th November 2021. Further requests regarding class placement will not take place after this date. Please note that because we are committed to the belief that each child begins each school year anew, we do not retain information regarding these requests from previous years.
This is the time to raise any issues regarding your child’s optimum learning for 2022. After all requests have been considered the school will make the final decision regarding all placements.
If your child is not returning to Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Parish Primary School in 2022, could you please notify the School Office as soon as possible. There is a ‘School Leavers’ form that needs to be completed.
Important Dates for Term 4
- Staff Development Day this Friday 22nd October - all staff will be offsite attending a Spirituality Day. Thank you for making care arrangements for your child/ren on this day.
- Last day of Term 4 for students Wednesday 15th December 2021.
Celebrating Birthdays at School
Birthdays are an important part of a child’s life and having an opportunity to recognise their birthday with their school friends is exciting. Special treats to share are allowed, however, they must be wrapped such as a ‘Freddo’ frog, or similar is encouraged. The sharing of food such as cupcakes and lolly bags is not allowed, particularly in this period of COVID-19.
Sports Days - Term 4
Students in Years Kinder - Six will need to wear their sport uniform to school on the following days this term.
Kindergarten - Tuesday and Friday
Year One - Wednesday and Friday
Year Two - Tuesday and Friday
Year Three - Monday and Friday
Year Four - Wednesday and Friday
Year Five - Wednesday and Friday
Year Six - Wednesday and Friday
It was so wonderful to see the smiling, energetic faces of our Kindergarten and Year One students this week as they entered their classrooms for the first time since Term 2. I know both Mrs Hickey and Mrs Nowak have loved teaching their classes face to face this week and to see how much their students have grown. We can’t wait to have all of the Year 2-6 students back at school next week, it has been a long road but it is great to be heading back into the classroom.
With the return to face to face teaching and having students back at school, we are now under Level 3 restrictions and have had to make some adjustments to procedures to align to these restrictions.
The morning drop off is similar with the two drop off zones being at the St Anne gate or Drop Off through John Therry. The students have access to hand sanitiser as they walk through each gate. Parents are not allowed on the school grounds- thank you to the parents who have followed this directive this week. Mrs Webb or myself will be at the St Anne gate each morning to greet the students who are dropped off there. The students wait in the amphitheatre area in their Stage groups until 8:15am when they will move over to Playground 2 where they will remain seated in their stage groups until the morning bell goes and their teacher will collect them.
Afternoon dismissal at the St Anne gate will be staggered with the Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 students heading to this area at 2:35pm, Year 3 and 4 students at 2:40, and Year 5 and 6 students at 2:45pm. We thank you for moving from this area quickly after you have collected your children. The Car Pick Up zone will be used as our other dismissal point, the students will walk up to the area in their stage groups and will be seated under the cover in these groups. We ask that you display your family name in your car, that was given to you, to help make this process as smooth and as quick as possible. Any students who are collected by their John Therry siblings will remain at our school near the St Joachim hall gate where they can be picked up by their older brother or sister. Please let your older children know of this change to procedure as they will now need to walk down to the gate near the hall to collect them as we won’t be walking our students up to John Therry any more.
Please be mindful when you are using the Drop Off and Pick Up Zone of a morning and afternoon that you are not able to get out of the car to put bags in the boot or to help your children get out of the car. This is for your safety and for the safety of your children.
With all students coming back to school we ask that boys and girls hairstyles align to the school uniform policy. Boys' hair needs to be of even length (no undercuts or shaved sections) and no longer than the eyebrow or collar. Girls hair that is below the shoulders needs to be tied up with a maroon or white hair tie.
I hope we are blessed with beautiful weather over the weekend and you all have time to relax before we begin Week 4.
Take care.
Vinnies Christmas Card Competition
This year St Vincent De Paul are holding a competition to find an artwork that will be placed on the front of their yearly Christmas card. Students wanting to participate can click on the link to get more information.
https://youthnsw.vinnies.org.
Mission Month
In the Catholic Church, October is recognised as World Mission Month, a time when Catholics all over the world join to support and celebrate global missionary work.
This year to acknowledge Mission Month students have been participating in Religion lessons each Friday that have a focus on learning about the broader mission of the Catholic church and the role they play in that mission.Month of the Rosary
Month of the Rosary
The Church dedicates the entire month of October to the Holy Rosary so that individuals, families, and communities pray the Holy Rosary, if possible, on a daily basis for peace in the world.
At OLHC students and staff have been praying Marion prayers, including the Rosary, in honour of our namesake, Our Lady. This week, as students begin returning to school we will continue to pray to Mary for the peace and safety of our school community.
Miss Ferderer
Religious Education Co-ordinator.
Our next Assembly will be held on Friday 29th October. Merit and Principal Awards will be presented. Congratulations to the following students who will be receiving a Principal's Award:
Alexis Dellis (3M), Jason Gilbert (6M),
Makanaka Karimusango (3W), Miranda Martin (3W),
Mia-Rose Morena (2M), Isabelle O'Toole (5W),
Brody Smidt (4M).
Pupil Free Day - Term 4
Please mark in your diaries, Friday 22nd October as a pupil free day. Staff will be attending a spirituality day and there will be no-one on site.
Year 3 2022 iPad Program
Parents and care-givers are reminded that the Compass survey for this program needs to be responded to by Monday 25th October.
World Teachers' Day
Friday 29th October 2021 is World Teachers' Day - a day to celebrate all those involved in the teaching profession.
It would be wonderful for the students to show their appreciation of their teacher by creating a thank you card, personal note or drawing as a simple way of acknowledging the care and dedication they show to their work. We are truly blessed at OLHC to have such hard working and dedicated teaching staff.
2022 School Travel Applications
Students who require a school Opal Card for 2022 can apply now. A new application will need to be submitted if you are applying for a travel pass for the first time or if there are changes to residential addresses or schools. This will need to be done by the end of this term. To apply, please go to "http://transportnsw.info"
School Photograph Day
The taking of school and student photographs has tentatively moved to Friday 26th November (this was the only day left available) but it will be subject to the level of restrictions that are in place for schools at that time. If the Year 6 camp goes ahead, we will try and make alternative arrangements for the photographing of our Year 6 students.
Newsletter Translation
Did you realise that the Schoolzine Newsletter platform allows for the Newsletter to be translated into any language? Please follow the prompts from the attached flyer for further information.
Use of School Bubblers
School bubblers are no longer accessible to students. Students who are on-site will need to bring sufficient water for their needs each day.
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".
eSafety Website
Stage 3 Surf Day
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, we have, unfortunately, cancelled our Surf Day for 2021. Students in Years 5-6 have participated in the surf talk and activities for 2021. They will not be participating in the excursion for this year. We appreciate your ongoing support with changes due to restrictions.
The Surf Day for 5 - 6 has been billed as part of the 2021 School Fees. The cost of the program will be credited back to your school fee account. Please contact the office if you have any questions.
Congratulations, and best wishes, to the following students who celebrate a birthday in October:
Apologies - in our Term 4 Week 1 Newsletter, January birthdays were listed in error - here are our October students.
Rihanna Abranches, Olivia Anderson,
Ruby Clark, Liam Crawford,
Sophie Hailes, Olivia Harkin,
Landon Henry, Leo Kyselov,
Zali Linden, Lilly Muscat,
Fiona Nguyen, Isobel Saywell,
William Shearer, Nash Summers,
Oskar Vagaja.
The following dates are published, but subject to NSW Health Public Health Orders.
| Date | ActivityEvent |
| Friday 22nd October | Pupil Free Day |
| Monday 25th October | Students in Years 2 - 6 return |
| Monday 25th October | Kindergarten 2022 Zoom - 6.00pm - New families 7.00pm - Existing families |
| Monday 25th October | Year 3 2022 Insights Cycle Response due (iPad school managed program) |
| Friday 29th October | Assembly - Students only |
| Monday 1st November | All Saints Day |
| Monday 1st November | P&F Meeting, 7.30pm |
| Tuesday 9th November | Kinder 2022 Zoom Transition, 2.00pm |
| Thursday 11th November | Remembrance Day |
| Friday 12th November | Assembly - Students only |
| Thursday 18th November | Kinder 2022 Zoom Transition, 2.00pm |
| Wednesday 24th November | Kinder 2022 Zoom Transition, 2.00pm |
| Friday 26th November | Proposed school photographs |
| Wednesday 15th December | Last day of school for students |
The Canteen will be re-open on Monday 25th October for lunch orders and over-the-counter sales of snacks and treats at Break 1 (11.00am - 11.30am). A price list is attached. Please support the Canteen in their endeavours to support our school community.
Lunch orders are required at the Canteen by 9.00am. Please write your child's name, class and what they wish to order on a paper bag and enclose the correct money, if possible.
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 0422 469 489.
P&F Meeting
The next scheduled meeting is Monday 1st November 2021 at 7.30pm. We will advise you further details closer to that date. Let us hope we can meet again by then.
Clothing Pool
As parents can no longer enter out site, if any item of uniform is required, please contact the office and we will arrange for items to be sent home when on-site learning resumes.
School Banking
School banking will resume when COVID restrictions lessen.
School banking is available on Tuesday of every week. Please remember to bring the deposit book and savings in on this day.
- Attendees will be limited to 1 person per 4 square metres (200 people at Rosemeadow)
- 1.5 metre social distancing, wherever possible
- Face masks must be worn and hand sanitiser used
- No congregational singing
- Rub over surfaces with disinfectant after Mass
- All Mass attendance must be registered through Eventbrite on the Parish website or by using the QR code at the church entry via your mobile telephone.
- Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of Mass to avoid delay.
- It is recommended that you register via Eventbrite
Camden District Cricket Association
Cricket clubs are now providing information regarding the return of community sport and participation in cricket. Please visit www.cricketnsw.com.au for further information or details on how to contact your local cricket club.
