Term 2 Week 7 Newsletter - 14.06.24
Principal News
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Have you ever seen a mustard seed? A mustard seed is so small that if you were holding one in your hand and dropped it on the ground, you might not be able to find it. Even though the mustard seed is one of the smallest of all seeds, when it is planted in the ground, it grows into a plant so large that birds can perch on its branches and can even build their nests in it.
Jesus told a parable comparing the mustard seed to the kingdom of God. Jesus said, "It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade."
How is that a picture of the kingdom of God?
Well, when Jesus first began his earthly ministry, he had no followers. The Bible tells us that Jesus was walking along the shore of the sea of Galilee when he saw two fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, casting their nets. "Come, follow me," Jesus said to them. They immediately followed Jesus. As they continued on their way, they saw two other brothers, James and John, mending their nets. Jesus called them and they immediately left their nets and followed him. One by one, Jesus called his disciples until there were twelve of them. That is still a pretty small beginning, isn't it? Jesus sent out the twelve and they brought others to Jesus and the kingdom of God grew. From a very small beginning, the kingdom of God has grown and grown until it has spread over the entire earth.
Jesus started growing the kingdom of God with a handful of disciples. Every follower of Jesus is a part of the kingdom and that means that you and I are a part of God's kingdom. Each time we tell someone about Jesus, be the face of Jesus to others, we are helping to grow the kingdom.
Leading with Integrity and Excellence
Last year I was successful in an application through our Catholic Schools Office to undertake some further professional learning in the leadership space. During Week 1 and Week 6 of this term, I spent 6 days in Brisbane working with Dr Stephen Brown from the Brown Collective and 50 Principals from across the Nation to learn together and improve how we do things for our students, our staff and our system of schools. It was a wonderful opportunity and one that I am incredibly grateful to have been part of.
Leading with Integrity for Excellence seeks to enhance my executive leadership and further develop our strategic and operational capability to ensure and assure high-quality Catholic schooling delivery and positive outcomes for all students at OLHC. It is underpinned by guiding principles and designed around modules based on six elements which are core issues for school leadership. Each of these modules is interrelated to our work, the schooling context, and Catholic identity.
Module 1: Governance
Module 2: Ethics
Module 3: Thinking Strategically
Module 4: Responsible Stewardship
Module 5: Creating a Culture of Safety & Wellbeing
Module 6: Creating a Culture of Performance
We are all learning and constantly striving to be the best we can for our children and the families we are called to serve here at OLHC. I am excited to share my learning with our staff and I know that together we will continue to drive a strong school improvement agenda as we focus on Faith, Learning and Wellbeing.
At times it might seem easier to do nothing. To leave things as they have always been.
Doing this makes leaders popular. Our students deserve more than that.
Tell Them From Me
Many thanks to all families who participated in the recent Tell Them From Me survey that our school participated in earlier this term. This year saw the highest number of family responses we have ever had and this is outstanding. It is a clear sign of the strong partnership we have with our families. This gives us very good feedback and data to reflect on our current reality and supports our school improvement journey.
We will be presenting the survey results at our next meeting of the School Community Forum on Thursday 27th June at 5:30pm in the Year 3 Classroom. All families are most welcome to attend and a reminder that the disco is on the same night for our children.
Grandparents Day
One of the biggest celebrations that we have at OLHC is for our Grandparents. The people who play such a special role in the lives of our families and even more so today. I see each day how much grandparents are supporting their grand children by dropping them off to school or picking them up.
We will be celebrating all of our grandparents with a special day of celebration on Friday 20th September here at OLHC. The Feast of St Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus sits at the heart of this celebration. We invite all grandparents to set this day free if possible so as to come to our special day to honour you, thank you and be with you.
Leave
I will be taking some Long Service Leave for the last two weeks of Term 2 and the first week of Term 3. During this time I am taking my family on a camping trip to Cape York and I am excited to be able to spend this valuable time with my family. Mrs Katie Rose will be Acting Principal during the three weeks and I know that she will have your full support during this time.
I look forward to seeing everyone again in Week 2, Term 3.
Snitches
It is not uncommon for children to worry about being labelled as a ‘dobber’, ‘tattler’, or ‘snitch’ when facing bullying situations. The fear of being seen as a ‘snitch’ can make them reluctant to report incidents to parents or teachers. However, bullying is a serious matter that is unlikely to be resolved if it is ignored. As a parent, it is essential to understand these concerns and approach the situation with sensitivity.
Here are some tips to encourage your child to share their experiences.
Be Patient and Supportive: It may take time for your child to feel comfortable enough to open up about bullying. Be patient, provide a supportive environment, and let them know you are always there for them.
Empathise and Validate: Let your child know that their feelings and fears are valid. Reassure them that you understand their concerns about being labelled negatively and that you will navigate the situation with care.
Explain the Importance: Help your child understand that reporting bullying is not about "dobbing" on someone but about ensuring their safety and wellbeing. Explain that it's essential to address the issue so that we can take appropriate actions to stop the bullying.
Focus on the Behaviour, Not the Child: Emphasize that it is the bullying behaviour that needs to be addressed. The goal is to promote a safe and respectful environment for everyone.
Responsible Reporting: Help your child see this important action as Responsible Reporting. Dobbing, tattling or snitching is telling on a peer when the situation is safe. Responsible reporting is alerting an adult to a situation that is not safe and/or your child needs help managing the situation.
Discuss the Consequences: Help your child understand that students who display bullying behaviour need to face consequences for their actions, as it is essential for them to learn from their actions and to change their behaviour. Remind your child that reporting bullying can also help protect other children who might be facing similar issues.
Involve the School Sensitively: If your child remains hesitant, consider discussing the issue with the school in a way that maintains anonymity, if possible, while still addressing the concern.
The cornerstone of all Catholic social teaching is the inherent value of the human individual. Thus, at the heart of our school lies the principle that every person is created in God's image and likeness.
Mission News
2024 Sacramental Program
Receiving the sacraments is a special time in our journey of faith, and it is the means by which baptised children can complete their journey into full membership of the Catholic Church. They are community events, which remind us of the role of the community in our faith life.
We look forward to sharing our 2024 Sacramental Program with our students and their families. Preparation for the sacraments will occur at school as part of classroom learning, and families are asked to support candidates by attending our parish mass in the weeks leading up to the sacraments. In our parish, students receive their sacraments as detailed below:
Confirmation: When your child is in Year 3 and is a baptised Catholic
Reconciliation: When your child is in Year 4, and has received the sacrament of Confirmation.
First Eucharist: When your child is in Year 4, and has received the sacraments of Confirmation and Reconciliation.
If you have any questions regarding the 2024 Sacramental Program please contact me via the school office or email kristy.hague@lism.catholic.edu.au.
Our first Sacrament for 2024 will be Confirmation on the 14th August. Further details will be sent out through Compass for relevant students next week.
Year 5 - The Bible
Year 5 have been learning about the Bible this term and were lucky to welcome Mrs Helen Hunter to their classroom this week to learn all about the Parables Jesus told. The students undertook an activity called Mirrored Reductions where they learn how to pull the most important pieces of information out of a text. The students were very engaged in their learning and did a great job at being able to explain their understanding of what a Parable is.
Welcome to the Family!
Congratulations and welcome to the Catholic family Harlee, Brody, Leo and baby sister Lainey who were Baptised recently at St Carthage's Cathedral.
May you always remember your Baptism day, and may God's joy, love and peace fill you through all your tomorrows!
Caring for Creation
A huge thank you to our gardners who are doing a wonderful job of caring forour gardens in our adventure playground. They are looking so great!
Making Jesus Real Awards
KP
Archer C - For your genuine love of Jesus. You always let your light shine in Religion lessons Archer.
1L
Jordy B - For shining bright as a role model of kindness and respect in our class. Your gentle, caring ways are appreciated by those around you.
2P
Rory S - For the kind and thoughtful way you invite others to play and be part of different activities.
3L
Charles D - For being a kind, giving and gentle friend to all in the classroom and on the playground. Your helpfulness never goes unnoticed by your classmates and teachers
4L
Lily B - For relating to others with kindness and empathy. Keep shining your light Lily.
4P
Clancy Floyd - For the calm and positive attitude you are bringing to the classroom each day. Your smiles and sense of humour brighten our day, Thank you!
5L
Patrick C - For your selfless act that had a positive impact on a fellow peer. Thank you for making Jesus Real.
5P
Ryder H - For consistently prioritising others and considering how he can offer assistance in any given situation. You exhibit the face of Jesus every day, Ryder!
6P
Holly W - Thank you for the beautiful way you lead our class in Christian Meditation, you inspire us to be more prayerful. Keep shining your light, Holly!
Learning & Teaching
Kindergarten working on illustrations for their stories.
Year 1 students with their self-portraits.
Mathematics is always fun in Year 2.
Year 3 are creating Lego i-motion movies in drama
Year 4 are creating Lego i-motion movies in drama
Year 5 are writing persuasive texts, giving feedback to each other and publishing them
Year 6 Long Jump and Parable drama skits
Stage 3 Laboratory of Light NORPA performance Friday 7th June
OLHC Achievement Awards
KP
Oscar R - For a superstar effort in sounding out words when writing sentences. You are working so hard Oscar!
Emma P - For working hard when learning about syllables and rhyme. Keep it up Emma!
Ryder B-P - For always being ready to learn and being a fantastic listener. You lead by example Ryder.
Bryce D - For 'having a go' when writing independently. You are amazing at sounding out words to write sentences Bryce.
1L
Archie B - For being such a responsible and dedicated learner who willingly accepts all challenges and makes the most of every learning opportunity.
Asta B-A - For being such a quiet achiever who gives her best at all times. It's great to see your confidence as a learner blossom Asta.
Charlotte C - For consistently making positive contributions to class discussions. It's always great to hear your ideas and thinking, Charlotte.
Violet Mc - For consistent application to all learning tasks which is reflected in your achievements. Keep up the great work Violet.
2P
Cooper Q - For your positive consistency in completing English tasks and you high standard of presentation. Keep up the wonderful work!
Elle W - For always contributing in class discussions with a positive attitude and for sharing your range of knowledge. Keep up the great work!
3L
Frankie D - For her thoughtful contributions to class discussions and her amazing factual sentences about Dingoes that used subordinating conjunctions.
Ned M - For his enthusiasm in all his learning, particularly the way he has engaged in class discussions during Maths this term.
4L
Nash B - For applying yourself during maths lessons to work out all the outcomes of chance experiments. Well done on showing a great understanding Nash.
Alistair P - For working hard to improve your reading fluecy through decoding difficult words. Great work Alistair!
4P
Mason Mc - For your use of mathematical language. You were able to steer your partner through street maps using directional language, compass and using landmarks.
Poppy W - For the creativity your are putting into your writing tasks. Your attention to detail and use of quoted speech makes your writing engaging for your audience.
5L
Max G - For your well-articulated insight into the improtance of the Bible. Well done!
Scarlett J - For her ability to plot and label points, given co-ordinates, in all 4 quadrants of the number plane.
5P
Chaise K - For demonstrating perseverance and adopting a growth mindset while tackling multiplication and division problems. Keep up the great work, Chaise!
Aleena C - For effectively applying techniques to spell unfamiliar words and incorporating them into her writing. Keep up the great work Aleena!
6P
Sophie M - For always doing your best when completing learning activities, especially during English and Maths. You are a star, Sophie!
Sports News
At OLHC, we love celebrating the sporting achievements of all our students. If your child has a special achievement that you would love for us to share with the school community, please send any photos and a short paragraph outlining their achievement to Mrs McCarthy - haylee.mccarthy@lism.catholic.edu.au
1500m Race
On Tuesday the 11th of June a group of 35 students walked to Neilson Park to compete in the 1500m Race. We were blessed with wonderful weather, however the heat from the sun did make it a little challenging for the runners.
Everyone gave it their all and tried their absolute best. Congratulations to the following students who will now progress onto the Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival next term.
8-10 Years: Hamish Johnson, Nash Brock, Felicity Fredricks and Zarli Butcher-Plim
11 Years: Mason Box, Cooper Johnson, Harper Jasmin and Bailey Newton
12/13 Years: Jack De Giusti, Flynn Wiblen, Sophie Maher and Laini Lynch
Athletics Carnival
Well done to all the students who participated in our school's Athletics Carnival on Friday the 14th of June. As a school, we witnessed some of the best racing, team games and relays across all the age groups. The students displayed wonderful school spirit and sportsmanship, and I’m sure their efforts made it an enjoyable spectacle for all the families that came to watch. A big thanks to all those who assisted in the organisation of the day.
The age champions and winning house will be announced at our assembly on Friday the 21st of June.
If your child was successful with the following placements in the events below, then they will be invited to attend the Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival on Thursday the 1st of August at Woodlawn College. A Compass event will be organised towards the end of this term.
Event | Age | Number B/G |
100m | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12/13yrs | 3 |
200m | 8-10yrs, 11yrs, 12/13yrs | 3 |
800m | 8-10yrs, 11yrs, 12/13yrs | 2 |
1500m | 8-10yrs, 11yrs, 12/13yrs | 2 |
Long Jump | 8-10yrs, 11yrs, 12/13yrs | 2 |
Shot Put | 8-10yrs, 11yrs, 12/13yrs | 2 |
Richmond Zone Gala Day
On Friday 30th of August our Year 5 and 6 students will be provided with the opportunity to participate in the Richmond Zone Gala Day. This day will allow students the opportunity to participate in sports such as soccer, netball and multi-sports. I’m still awaiting further information regarding this day, but there will be a Compass Event sent out early next term.
Leaders of Sport
This fortnight, Cooper and Harper interviewed Marni and Xavier about their favourite sport.
Titans Together Run out
Every year, the Titans Rugby League team's charitable arm, Titans Together host a very special group of children on match day at Cbus Super Stadium, with children from the Down Syndrome Association of Queensland taking centre stage. Last week, Ethan in Year 1 participated in the Titans Together Run out. It was a fantastic experience for Ethan and his family.
2024 - Events
Please note that these dates may change due to weather or circumstances that we can not control.
Term Three
- Thursday the 1st of August - Richmond Zone Athletics Carnival, Lismore
- Friday the 16th of August - DIO Athletics Carnival, Lismore/Coffs
- Friday the 30th of August - Richmond Zone Gala Day
Term Four
- Monday the 4th of November - Richmond Zone Tennis Summer Sports Trials (Years 4 and 5 ONLY)
- Wednesday the 6th of November - Richmond Zone Cricket Summer Sports Trials (Years 4 and 5 ONLY)
- Thursday the 7th of November - Richmond Zone Touch Football Summer Sports Trials (Years 4 and 5 ONLY)
- Tuesday the 26th of November - DIO Tennis Summer Sports Trials, Lismore (Years 4 and 5 ONLY)
- Friday the 29th of November - DIO Cricket, Softball, Touch Football and Basketball Summer Sports Trials, Lismore (Years 4 and 5 ONLY)
- TBC - OLHC Swimming Carnival
School News
Invitation for Parent Helpers
Over the next two terms, Mrs Transton and Mrs Rodda will be doing Dance for Creative Arts with the students. Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 will be in Term 3 and our students in Years 3-6 in Term 4.
In order to enrich the experience, we would like to invite parents or family members with special dance talents to come and share their craft with our students. For example, you may be an Irish Dance wiz, or have Ballet or Jazz skills. If this is you and you would like to be involved, please contact Mrs Transton and Mrs Rodda via email. Thank you!
amy.rodda@lism.catholic.edu.au
lisa.transton@lism.catholic.edu.au
Community News
