Term 1 Week 5 Newsletter 03.03.2023
Principal News
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.
It is our choices…that show who and what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
You never know the impact a small act of kindness could have on someone.
Anniversary of the 2022 Floods
As we acknowledge the 12 month anniversary of the 2022 Floods, we share comfort in knowing that our loving God is always with us in times of need, as well as in times of joy. God’s grace strengthens us to look forward to a future filled with hope, charity and love.
Our love for others gives us the courage to face our difficulties. When we face challenges, our faith gives us strength to keep on going. Our hope that things will be better encourages us to not lose sight of what really matters. Faith, hope, and love are all important, but God’s love and love of neighbour is what makes our community so special.
Generous and loving Father,
When our day goes well, may we rejoice. When it grows difficult, surprise us with new possibilities and may all we do today reveal your goodness knowing that you are with us always.
Amen
STEM Challenges
A big thank you to Mrs Lindsay for organising the wonderful STEM activities for our students to engage in and challenge themselves each Friday. This week, students were challenged to design and build the tallest structure they could from small paddle pop sticks. It was so much fun!
My New Gallery
2023 Pupil Free Days
As is the case for all schools across NSW, schools within the Diocese of Lismore are allocated 4 days within which to undertake Professional Learning opportunities. This year the Bishop has allocated an extra day for all schools in our Diocese for 'Proclaim'. We are also undertaking our School Improvement Review in Term 3 this year. This process also requires an extra day for the development of our Three Year Strategic Management Plan.
It is important that all members of our school community are learners and continually striving to improve. Our Professional Learning Days are aligned with our School Improvement Plan with the goal of improving student outcomes and driving school improvement and performance.
Please see below for a list of dates.
Term 1
- Monday 6th March
Term 2
- Monday 24th April
- Wednesday 31st May- Proclaim
Term 3
- Monday 17th July
- Friday 22nd September- School Improvement and Performance
Term 4
- Monday 9th October
I hope you find this helpful as you plan out your year ahead. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding our Professional Learning Days.
NAPLAN
Students in Years 3 and 5 will complete NAPLAN (National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy). The NAPLAN tests will be conducted from the 15th – 20th March (Week 7). Students will sit the following assessments;
1. Wednesday 15th 9am- writing (Year 3: 40 minutes, Year 5: 42 minutes)
2. Thursday 16th- Reading (Year 3: 45 minutes, Year 5: 50 minutes)
3. Friday 17th- Conventions of Language (Year 3: 45 minutes, Year 5: 45 minutes)
4. Monday 20th- Numeracy (Year 3: 45 minutes, Year 5: 50 minutes)
Parents and Guardians will receive their child’s NAPLAN analysis during Term 2, 2023.
Please take the time to read through the attached PDF below outlining changes to the way in which NAPLAN will now be reported to schools and families.
Mission News
Ash Wednesday
Last Wednesday we held our Ash Wednesday Liturgy to begin the season of Lent. We prayed that with God’s help, we could try to reach out to others with more love and kindness especially in our own families, our school and in our world and we thought about how we can be servants to God’s people. I was very proud of our Year 6 leaders who led our liturgy for the first time.
Student Discipleship - Incitare
This week, 8 of our Year 6 students attended the Incitare Diocesan retreat. I was greeted with great enthusiasm about the day on Wednesday morning and I am very proud of the way our students represented our school. I look forward to sharing some reflections of the day from our students in the next newsletter. A big thank you to Mrs Innes who accompanied our students and will continue to support them back at school.
Project Compassion
Each year, Project Compassion comes as a timely reminder of the importance of solidarity and how a single act of kindness – whether big or small, can make a life-changing impact in the lives of those who need it most. The 2023 theme of Project Compassion is ‘For All Future Generations’. This phrase is a powerful affirmation that the good that we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. It is also a call for all of us to play our part in making the world a better place by working together as sisters and brothers in finding long-term solutions to global issues.
Fundraising with our Leaders of Social Justice
At our Ash Wednesday Liturgy, our Leaders of Social Justice, Anneliese and Reid, challenged us as a school community to raise $500 over the six weeks of Lent. $500 works out to be about $1.80 per person in our school or just $55/per class.
In response to this challenge, we have a number of fundraising events coming up over the last few weeks of term. Year 6 have organised a week's worth of activities in Week 10, including lunchtime Kahoots, and talent shows, Zooper Doopers, colouring competition and a very special surprise event on the last day of term. Year 2 has an Easter Raffle and Year 5 will hold a bake sale.
Year 6 are putting together some posters and further information will be shared next week!
Making Jesus Real Awards
KP
Charlotte C -For giving support and offering kind words to a peer in need. Keep shining bright Charlotte.
1L
Grace B - For always showing a kind and generous heart towards others. Thank you Grace, you are a valued class member in 1L.
Alaura P - for always being so thoughtful and considerate towards others. You're a star, Alaura!
2L
Ramona K- For always showing empathy and compassion towards others.
2P
Hudson R - For being polite, courteous and kind to the people in our classroom. Thank you for brightening everyone's day Hudson!
3L
Mia B- For always showing the values of an MJR star! Mia, you consistently show kindness to your peers and teachers. Congratulations Mia.
3P
Evan S- For showing the spirit of Jesus through the kindness and compassion you give to others. You are always the first to lend a hand.
4L
Oliver B - For being a kind and caring classmate, who always encourages others.
4P
Isaac S- For being such a caring and helpful member of our classroom.
Ryan B - For seeing a need in our classroom and acting upon it. It is great having you in 4P!
5L
Sophie M - For being a compassionate and just classmate by standing up for others and what is right. Thank you Sophie.
6P
Levi P - for the gentle way you demonstrate our classroom expectations. Thank you for being a wonderful leader, Levi!
Learning & Teaching
Kindergaten - Using their sound knowledge and drawing skills to create stories.
Year 1 - Learning about past, present and future tense to support their writing of Super Sentences.
Year 2 - Learning about place value and how it helps us to identify number patterns.
3L are learning how to work out which words have long and short vowels
3P Spelling dictation sentences
4P Spelling dictation exercises
4L-Partner fluency reading, bead string tug-o-war and designing on Tinkercard.
Year 5 are learning how to covert units of measurement for length.
Year 6 are using the Kids News website to practise their comprehension skills.
Home Reading Focus for Years 3-6
Our Years 3-6 students are working on building their reading fluency by reading out aloud. We encourage students to read aloud to their families each day for extra practise.
OLHC Achievement Awards
KP
Jordy B - For always trying hard and giving 100% towards your learning. Well done Jordy.
Archie B - For being a confident and independent member of our class. Keep up the great work Archie
Tallis J - For the enthusiasic way you give insightful contributions to class discussions. Thank you Tallis!
1L
Darcy C - For his enthusiastic approach to all learning tasks and for taking pride in his presentation. Keep up the great work, Darcy!
Maddison C - For her creative and mathematical thinking when creating patterns. Well done Maddi!
2L
Zarli B-P - for being confident, organised and always eager to begin work. You are doing a fantastic job in InitiaLit Zarli.
Oliver D - For a fantastic settled start to Year 2. You are displaying great work habits and giving 100% to your learning.
2P
Jack C - For using a great variety of reading strategies. Keep up the fantastic effort, Jack!
Charles D - For being a determined and self-motivated learner. Your attitude towards learning is inspiring. Keep it up, Charles!
3L
Xander T- For your persistence with your handwriting and narrative writing. Well done!
Braith F- For consistently applying feedback to your work. Well done on having a growth mindset. I look forward to reading more of your engaging narratives.
3P
Clancy L-P - For being imanginative and creative member of our class. We love when you share your amazing ideas in class discussions.
Doninic R - For communicating his ideas with clarity and showing respect for other student's ideas and opinions.
4L
Bly B- For consistently focusing on her learning and striving to do her best in all tasks.
Ethan R- For increased effort and detail in all writing tasks.
4P
Elle B - For always displaying a positive attitude to all areas of your learning. You are an inspiration to others.
Ryder H - for always striving to do one step better. That is an amazing growth mindset Ryder!
5L
Harper J - For applying new learning to your writing and creating descriptive and well edited texts. Keep it up Harper!
Xavier B - For excellent focus on all learning and great persistence when working with perimeter in Mathematics. Awesome work Xavier!
6P
Lucy F - for your perseverance when learning how to measure angles accurately. Keep up the hard learning, Lucy!
Annabel T - for having a mature attitude towards your learning and trying your best when completing learning tasks. Well done, Annabel!
Sports News
Term One - Upcoming Events
- Week 2 to 10 - K/2 Tennis Program
- Friday the 10th of March - DIO Winter Sports Trials at Grafton
- Friday the 31st of March - Cross Country at Riverview Park
Term Two - Events
- Friday the 28th of April - Polding Winter Sports Trials at Tamworth
- Wednesday the 3rd of May - Richmond Zone Cross Country at Hepburn Park
- Tuesday the 23rd of May - DIO Primary Cross Country at Grafton
- Our Lady Help of Christians Athletic Carnival - Date to be confirmed
Term Three - Events
- Thursday the 27th of July - Zone Athletics Carnival at Riverview Park
- Wednesday the 9th of August - DIO Athletics Carnival - Locate to be confirmed
- Friday the 18th of August - Richmond Zone Gala Day
Term Four - Events
- Thursday the 2nd of November - Richmond Zone Summer Sports Trials (Year 5 and 6 ONLY)
- Friday the 24th of November - DIO Summer Sports Trials
- Our Lady Help of Christians Swimming Carnival - Date to be confirmed
School News
2023 Premier's Reading Challenge
It’s that time of year again - all children at OLHC are encouraged to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge 2023. The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for pleasure in students; while exposing them to quality literature. The Challenge runs from 28th February through to 18th August, 2022. All details are on the Premier’s Reading Challenge website: https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/prc/home.html
Notes went home this week to the eldest child in each family. To sign your child up, please return the note to Mrs Rose. If your child has previously completed the challenge, their logins are valid and they can begin reading right away.
Happy Reading!
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Competition
This poetry competition is now open to all students. We encourage students to have a go at writing a poem about the theme, 'The Winding Road' and enter it into the competition for the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
For more information, visit: https://dorothea.com.au/how-to-enter/
Community News
