Term 1 Week 3 Newsletter - 17.02.23
Principal News
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the journey of Lent.
As a school community we join with Christians throughout the world to remember and recall the events of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
On Ash Wednesday, many Christians receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads. This powerful sign reminds us that we are fragile people and that we are not perfect.
It reminds us that we are called to be people of kindness, care and compassion - towards our land, with each other and with our God. On Ash Wednesday, we tell God and each other that we are sorry for the times we have been hurtful. This is a time for us to think deeply about our lives and about God.
On Ash Wednesday, we commit ourselves to taking a Lenten journey.
We commit ourselves to being more prayerful.
We commit ourselves to living simpler lives.
We commit ourselves to sharing with those who are in need.
As a community we make a special promise to work for peace and to support those in need.
School Expectations
BE RESPECTFUL
Everybody has the right to be treated with respect.
Everybody has the responsibility to act safely, thoughtfully and respectfully towards others, the environment and each other’s property.
We demonstrate love and respect when we….
- Speak politely and listen to each other
- Keep our hands and feet to ourselves
- Keep our school clean and tidy
- Look after everyone’s belongings
- Wear our school uniform with pride
BE RESPONSIBLE
Everybody has the right to feel safe and accepted by others.
Everybody has the responsibility to tell the truth, show forgiveness and learn from their mistakes.
We demonstrate love and honesty when we…
- Love one another and show forgiveness
- Respect the personal space of others
- Be honest and tell the truth when things go wrong
- Invite and include others in our games and activities
BE A LEARNER
Everybody has the right to learn and achieve their personal best.
Everybody has the responsibility to try their best, value others, allow others to succeed and be part of the team.
We demonstrate learning and excellence when we….
- Listen to our teachers and follow their instructions
- Work together with our classmates and encourage each other to succeed
- Ask for help when we make mistakes and never give up.
- Listen to each other and learn from each other.
- Be proud of our work and celebrate our achievements
- Move around the school quietly during learning times and not distract others.
BE THANKFUL
Everybody has the right to be treated fairly and to be understood.
Everybody has the responsibility to love others and to try and be like Jesus in everything they do.
We demonstrate love and thankfulness when we…
- Love one another and show the Face of Jesus to all those around us.
- See a need and do something about it, just like Mary MacKillop
- Be a good role model to those around us.
- Stand up for what is right.
- Show gratitude and say thank you to those around us.
Minor Behaviours Teacher Managed Behaviours- any behaviour that does not meet the “School Expectations” | Major Behaviours-Leadership Managed Deliberate actions that are offensive and/or dangerous to the physical and/or emotional wellbeing of other. The consistent and repeated occurrence of minor behaviours may also be considered as major. |
Off-task Behaviours- not engaging in learning activities, task refusal, task avoidance, calling out, wandering around room, annoying others. | Disruptive Behaviours- not engaging in learning activities, task refusal, task avoidance, calling out, wandering around room, annoying others. |
Inappropriate Language – low-level use of inappropriate language. Eg name calling | Abusive Language - verbal aggression such as swearing, threats, racism, gender related language. |
Physical Contact -non-serious or accidentally use of inappropriate physical contact. | Physical Aggression -serious or deliberate physical contact where injury may/ has occurred. |
Defiance- brief or low level failure to respond to adult requests. | Defiance / disrespect- repeated refusal to follow reasonable requests / directions. |
Dress - student wears clothing/jewellery that is not within the expectations of school guidelines. Not wearing school hat during play. | Stealing- having possession of or removing property belonging to someone else or the school. |
Property -unintentional damage or low level misuse of school or personal property. | Property Damage - substantial destruction or disfigurement of school or personal property. |
Technology- inappropriate but low level misuse of technology at school. This includes iPads, Chromebooks and personal devices. | Technology misuse - misuse or damage of any technology at school which is sustained or (potentially) harmful to others. |
Lateness- one off incidents of arriving late to class, lines, lunch and play areas. | Lateness - repeated or sustained incidents of arriving late after the bell. |
Excluding others- one off incidents of excluding others from games, eating areas learning experiences. | Bullying- ongoing incidents of excluding others from games, eating areas learning experiences. |
Other- any other inappropriate behaviour that has low intensity. Eg unsafe behaviour on the playgym | Other - any other inappropriate behaviour that is potentially harmful, or has caused harm to self or others. This includes physical, emotional or psychological harm. |
Year 6 Leaders
As a school community it is important to recognise that we are all leaders. We can be leaders in everything that we do in our daily lives - in our work, at school, when we are teaching others or when we are learning from others. Often in life we are faced with difficult decisions and challenges and it is our attitude that often determines the path we take and the choices that we make.
Facing challenges and learning from our mistakes takes courage and support from family, friends and our school community. As our Year 6 leaders continue on their journey of learning and leadership throughout the year, we wish them every success and pray that they will have the strength to face challenges, learn from their mistakes and strive to be the best that they can be.
Whilst all Year 6 students are leaders, I would like to congratulate the following students who have been nominated by their peers and teachers to serve in the following roles.
School Captains- Maggie Alyward and Tyson Cahill
Leaders of Ministry- Rose Smales and Lucy Fry
Leaders of Social Justice- Ried Simes and Annaliese Fifield
Leaders of Sustainability- Claire Gough and Sienna Santin
Leaders of Sport- Hugh Bashforth and Tully Sedelaar
Learning Conferences
We will be holding Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences in Week 8 of this term. The focus of these conferences is for the students to showcase their classwork, discuss their learning, discuss progress towards goals they are working on, to discuss future learning and/or any concerns or issues. These conferences are a very important part of strengthening our parent partnership.
Parent Forum
I would like to personally invite you to attend our Parent Forum meeting on Monday 13th March. The meeting will be held in the school and will commence at 6pm in our Year 3 classroom. The Parent Forum is one way of supporting school initiatives, being part of school decisions and developing a stronger sense of community. I thank you in advance for everything you do to support your child’s education and I look forward to seeing you on the 13th March if you can make it. Please find the draft agenda below.
- School Improvement Plan for 2023
- Parent Partnerships- How do we best engage parents in the educational journey?
- School Expectations
- Enrolments and Kindergarten 2024
- New Library Concept
- Christmas Tableau- Feedback from 2022 and planning for 2023.
Flood Anniversary
Although we find ourselves 12 months on since the devastation caused by the 2022 floods, it is important that we take time to acknowledge what has happened and also celebrate what has been achieved as part of our receovery and healing.
Acknowledge-On Monday 27th February at 1pm, we will be holding a prayer service at school to acknoweldge the events that unfolded on the 28th Feb 2022.
Celebrate- On Monday 13th March, we will be holding a day of activities to celebrate what we achieved together as a parish school community during extremely difficult circumstances. More information will be shared as the date approaches.
Supporting Your Family
Anniversaries are times of remembering and reflecting. When an anniversary marks an event that was distressing, sad or frightening, it can bring about reactions that are similar to those experienced at the time of the event. So it is normal for you and your family to experience apprehension, anxiety or distress as we approach the 12 month anniversary of the floods that impacted so many of our communities. This tips below list some helpful ways to support our own and our family's wellbeing at this time.
Marking the Anniversary
There is no right or wrong way to mark an anniversary, only the way that suits your family best. All, or some of your family, may choose to participate in a school or community event, or instead spend time alone reflecting on the past year. Some may prefer not to mark the event at all preferring to seek out relationships or environments that make them feel safe and secure.
Understanding Reactions & Behaviours
Children and young people will react to the anniversary in a variety of ways depending on their age, developmental stage, experience of the flood and the ongoing impact and disruption it has caused.
Some children may become anxious, upset, withdrawn or angry without realising why they're feeling this way. Also at this time some children may be reluctant to be separated from loved ones. Older children may act out, become withdrawn and anxious or alternatively, want to talk about the event with friends and family. You may need to be extra patient and understanding with outbursts and also provide extra support settling children at bedtime around the time of the anniversary.
How to Help Your Child
Nurture relationships with family and friends
Children are best supported when somebody important to them knows what's going on for them and how they are feeling. Nurture your family with time and attention and be ready to have open, ageappropriate conversations about what they are thinking and feeling and how they are responding to the anniversary.
You might try conversation starters like:
"I notice you seem a little quieter (or more anxious or a bit edgier) than usual. I wonder why that
is?
"People seem to be talking a lot more about the flood again. How is that making you feel?"
If you do notice changes in your child's behaviour, make contact with your child's school to discuss
this. Your child's relationships at school can be another avenue for support.
Minimise other stressful life events
Try avoiding other stressful events and activities during this period so that you and your family have the time to prioritise wellbeing over productivity.
Be mindful of media exposure
There is often renewed media attention during anniversaries. Be aware of how much your child is
exposed to media coverage on television and also social media. Too many reminders of the flood and its impacts can overwhelm children.
Look after yourself and each other
Look after you and your family's wellbeing by exercising regularly, eating healthily and getting enough sleep. Practicing breathing exercises, meditation and muscle relaxation can also help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Seek help
It is never too late to access help for yourself or a family member. Parentline (1300 1300 52) is a good place to start if you feel your family needs extra support at this time.
Student Attendance
Regular attendance at school for every student is essential. Student non-attendance at school places the student’s learning, social and emotional growth at risk. Thank you to our parents for the support and value you place on your child being at school each day. Regular school attendance plays a critical role in ensuring that every student has access to the same learning opportunities.
Schools in partnerships with families are responsible for promoting the regular attendance of students and for ensuring that non-attendance is addressed effectively. While families are legally responsible for the regular attendance of their children, the school, as part of our duty of care, is required to record and monitor part and whole day absences. The school has legal obligations to follow up with the family and legal departments when non-attendance becomes and continues to be a concern.
We ask that if your child is absent or going to be absent that you please notify the school either by email, phone call or responding to the text message that is sent by Schoolworx. An explanation does not approve the absence; it simply alerts the school of the nature of the absence.
Mission News
Ash Wednesday and Lent
Next week we will begin our Lenten journey, marked by Ash Wednesday. It is the start of 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
During our liturgy we recieve ashes on our forehead in the shape of a cross. The cross is used to show that a person belongs to Jesus Christ, and it also represents a person's grief and mourning for their sins – the same sins that we believe Jesus Christ gave his life for when he died on the cross.
We invite our families to join us for our Ash Wednesday Liturgy at 9am on Wednesday 22nd February.
Upcoming Liturgies
In continuing the rich liturgical life of our school, all families are invited to attend our upcoming liturgies.
- Wednesday, 22 February 9am - Ash Wednesday Liturgy
- Monday, 27 February 1pm - Anniversary of the Lismore Flood 2022 Prayer
- Friday, 17th March 2:15pm - Feast of St Patrick & St Joseph Liturgy (and School Assembly)
Dates and further information to come:
- Whole School Opening Mass OLHC Parish Church, South Lismore
- Holy Week (Week 10 3 April - 6 April)
Student Discipleship
Througout the year, our Year 4-6 students are offered the opportunity for student discipleship through Diocesan retreat days. Our Year 6 students may attend the Incitare Retreat, Year 5, the Exuro Retreat and all Year 4 students participate in the Accendere Retreat. These retreats allow our students to celebrate their faith and are a chance to bring students together to meet like-minded peers and to celebrate with other young people who practice their faith.
Our first retreat is coming up on the 28th Februuary and students in Year 6 have been offered the opportunity to apply. We have 21 students who have shown interest in attending the retreat and we look forward to announcing those students and showcasing their day in an upcoming newsletter.
Making Jesus Real Awards
KP
Evie F - For always being ready to support her classmates. Thank you for bringing sunshine to our room.
1L
Lylah M - For Making Jesus Real by showing empathy and concern for a Kinder child and helping them navigate the 'Scary' break times. You are a great friend Lylah, thank you.
Vera H - For always showing a kind and generous heart towards others. Thank you Vera you are a valued member in 1L.
2L
Mae E - For always being polite and curteous towards her peers. You brighten up our day Mae, keep shining your light.
2P
Nahri J - For being empathetic, compassionate and for always looking out for your friends. Keep it up Nahri!
3L
Lachlan S - For going out of his way to make others feel welcomed and included. Well done Lachlan!
3P
Hudson H - For leading with your heart in all that you do. You show the spirit of Jesus through the dignity and respect, justice and compassion you show to others.
4L
Mason B - For always demonstrating kindness and compassion towards others. Thank you for making our classroom shine!!
4P
Malachias C - For being a kind and generous member of our new class. Thank you!
Abby P - For supporting a fellow student who was in need of a good caring friend.
5L
Matilda J - For being a warm and welcoming student and bringing the face of Jesus into our classroom with your compassion.
6P
Anneliese F - For seeing a lonely student on the playground and checking on them without hesitation. Your light shines so bright.
Riley C - For never seeing a need without doing something about it.
Learning & Teaching
New K-2 English and Home Reading Information Night
Kindergarten - In Mathematics this week the students have had fun learning all about subitising, counting and representing numbers.
Year 1 - In Mathematics this week, Year 1 have looked at organising and counting collections to deepen their understanding of whole numbers and their attributes.
Year 2 - In Mathematics this week, Year 2 have been organising, counting and quantifying collections to deepen their understanding of 2 and 3-digit numbers and their attributes.
Year 3 Handwriting
4L- Exploring angles in the environment
4P History and Behind the News
5L Creating a Character Profile
6P writing sizzling starts
OLHC Achievement Awards
KP
Alexander N - For his settled start to Kindergarten and willingness to participate in all learning activities. Keep up the great work Alexander.
Ava H - For her willingness to contribute to class discussions. A great start to Kindergarten Ava, keep it up.
Cooper O-M - For always coming to school with a readiness to learn. You set a great example for the class Cooper! Keep it up.
1L
Ethan R - For settling well into Year 1 and displaying high expectations with his learning and behaviour. Keep up the great work, Ethan!
Abigail L - For starting the year off with a growth mindset and high expectations with her learning and behaviour. Well done, Abigail!
2L
Ned R - For always having a happy and enthusiastic attitude towards his learning. Keep it up Ned!
Cleo F - For your positive attitude towards all learning tasks, and always giving everything 100%. Well done Cleo!
2P
Robbie S-A - For being a motivated and independent student with a great love of learning. You're a Superstar, Robbie!
Grace H - For always being an enthusiastic and self motivated learner. Keep up the fantastic effort, Grace!
3L
Harvey C - For your amazing sentences and effort in Maths. Keep up the hard work Harvey.
Lila T - For settling into year 3 fabulously. Welcome to Our Lady Help of Christians South Lismore!
3P
Alby S - For your consistent effort across all areas at the start of year 3. Your growth mindset and your determination when things are challenging deserves to celebrated.
Felicity F - For always trying your best and for the pride and care you put into your work. You put 100% all of the time, and it does not go unnoticed.
4L
Charlotte F - For demonstrating excellent mathematical reasoning when placing numbers omn the number line. Keep up the great work!!
Brody C - For a settled start to the year and making a big effort to make good learning choices. Well done Brody, I'm proud of you!
4P
Harper S - For having a happy and enthusiastic attitude towards all aspects of your learning! Keep it up, Harper!
Colin W - For being such a responsible member of our new classroom and taking great care with your work. Well done, Colin!
5L
Jack D - For settling into the year 5 classroom quickly and for persisting to create some very interesting ideas with your writing.
Tessa R - For a great start to the year and for approaching all Mathematics problems with persistence. Great work!
6P
Tyson C - For starting Year 6 with a great attitude and completing all learning tasks to the best of his ability.
Layla W - For being a quiet achiever and setting a great example for others.
Sports News
K-2 Tennis Program
This term all students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 will participate in a tennis skills program that will be run by two coaches from On Tour Tennis, Lismore.
The program will start Tuesday the 7th of February (Week 2) and finish Wednesday the 5th of April (Week 10). Kindergarten and Year 1 will participate in the program every Tuesday and Year 2 will participate every Wednesday. The children will wear their sports uniform and black school shoes as they normally do on PE days. They will be out in the sun, so it is very important to ensure they all have their school hat and a drink bottle. We do have suncream at school, however, if your child requires a specific suncream, please pack this for them.
This program will provide the opportunity for the children to be introduced to tennis through learning basic fundamental movement skills and perceptual motor skills which will assist in grasping the key concepts required to play.
Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival
On Monday the 13th of February, 23 students attended the Richmond Zone Swimming Carnival at Alstonville Aquatic Centre. The children proudly represented our school. It was wonderful to see them all try their best and cheer each other on.
Year 2: Willow Hall, Frankie Daley, Nahri Jensen, Dacry Stephens and Reuben Tsourlinis
Year 3: Harriet Johnston, Braith Fing and Alby Sedelaar
Year 4: Milani Hague, Charlotte Forbes, Harper Stephens and Ryder Hall
Year 5: Lexi Goulding
Year 6: Tully Sedelaar, Pippa Tulk, Rahni Pope, Anneliese Fifield, Lucy Fry, Ryan Fry, Reid SImes, Kobi Preston, Hugh Bashforth and Archer Alley
Congratulations to Rahni Pope who has progressed to the Lismore Diocesan Swimming Carnival. Rahni will travel to Kempsey on Friday the 3rd of March and compete in the following events; 50m 12 years Freestyle, 50m 12/13years Butterfly, 50m 12/13years Backstroke and 50m 12/13years Breastroke. As a school, we wish Rahni all the best as she competes at this next level.
Summer Sports
Congratulations to Reid Simes who was selected for the Polding cricket team and Hugh Bashforth who was selected in the Polding team for Basketball. Both the boys trained really hard to ensure they could put their best foot forward on the day and their hard work paid off. As a school, we wish them all the best at representing our school at the next level.
Winter Sports Trials
On Thursday the 16th of February we had 18 Year 5 and Year 6 students participate in the Richmond Zone Winter Sports Trials.
Rugby League (Boys U11) | Robbie Grace, Xavier Boyd |
Rugby Union (Boys) | Levi Poole, Harrison Newton, Isaac Serone |
Soccer (Boys) | Jack De Guisti, Tyler Elford, Cooper Johnson, Tyler Brown, Tyson Cahill |
Soccer (Girls) | Laini Lynch, Harper Jasmin, Sophie Maher, Sophie Newton, Maggie Aylward |
Netball | Claire Gough |
Hockey (Boys) | Riley Chaplin, Archie Wilson |
All the students represented our school proudly and they displayed outstanding sportsmanship and determination during the trials.
Congratulations to the following students who have progressed to the stage.
- Hockey: Riley Chaplin and Archie Wilson
- Soccer: Laini Lynch, Harper Jasmin, Maggie Aylward and Tyler Brown
- Rugby League: Robbie Grace and Xavier Boyd
- Rugby Union: Levi Poole and Harrison Newton
A big thank you to Mr Denny and Miss Jensen for being a part of the selection process. Without teachers putting themselves forward for these events, we would not be able to proceed forward with the Winter Sports Trials.
Term One - Upcoming Events
- Week 2 to 10 - K/2 Tennis Program
- Friday the 3rd of March - DIO Swimming Carnival, Kempsey
- Friday the 10th of March - DIO Winter Sports Trials, Grafton
- Friday the 31st of March - Cross Country at Riverview Park
School News
Community News
Painted Hearts of Love
On behalf of Resilient Lismore and Creative First Aid, I wish to inform you that the hearts (provided by various Men’s Sheds) the students so beautifully painted for us, will be hung around the CBD in Lismore, by Friends of Lismore Gallery, in time for the anniversary on the 28th February.
The hearts have been painted both sides and on some, messages to the people of Lismore, have been written.
Some of the hearts are currently displayed in the Keen street window of Resilient Lismore Hub.
Thank you to all the students that have participated.
I am sure that the hearts will bring some brightness into what is still a difficult time for many in our community.
Again many thanks
Ros Martens
Volunteer Resilient Lismore
