Cardboard Box Sleep Out

Last week, our courageous Year Six students participated in a meaningful sleep-out to gain insight into the challenges faced by many individuals experiencing homelessness in our community. The evening began with a simple noodle soup dinner shared in the courtyard, where they were joined by Margie Thomas, President of St. Vincent de Paul Berri. Margie spoke passionately about how St. Vinnies supports those in need and highlighted the importance of our students' support, and presented each of them with a St. Vincent de Paul badge. 

By spending the night outside, the students learned firsthand about the hardships faced by those without shelter. This event was not just an eye-opening experience; it also aimed to raise awareness and funds to support individuals in our community. 

Earlier this term, the students had organised a soup lunch and a Feast of Hope. They also hosted a casual dress day last week; each of the fundraisers was a tremendous success. These initiatives allowed them to raise vital funds for St. Vincent de Paul, with every dollar going directly to support our local Berri community. 

Congratulations to our Year Six students Ms. Moll-Short and Caicee for planting the seeds of hope through their compassion, leadership, and commitment to making a positive impact. We are very proud of you. 

OLOR Mass Times - St. Mary's Church, Berri

Saturday September 27^th – 6:30pm 

Sunday October 5^th – 9:00 am

The current edition of the Catholic newspaper put out by the Archdiocese called,' The Southern Cross,' is available at Southern Cross Latest Issue

Heavenly Father,  

As we embark on this break, may we plant seeds of peace and hope in our hearts and minds. Grant us moments of rest and renewal, allowing hope to flourish within us, preparing us for the Trem rem ahead.Keep us safe as we  enjoy more time with our precious time with our loved ones.  

May these moments remind us of the hope and beauty that unfolds when we focus on what truly matters.  

We make these prayers in your name.  

Amen  

Sending warm wishes to everyone in the OLOR community for a fantastic break. I hope it offers you the much-needed rest and rejuvenation, and that you create joyful memories with your lovely children. 

Rosemary Perre

APRIM

A Term Full of Opportunities

What a fantastic Term 3 it's been at OLOR! Our school has been a hub of activity, with countless opportunities and celebrations for our students. From exciting events like Book Week and Science Week to our recent Sports Day and SAPSASA events, every day was a chance for students to expand their horizons. We also had amazing participation in Wakakirri and the Riverland Music Festival choir.

I want to extend a huge thank you to all the staff who went above and beyond to make these events happen. Their care, planning, and support for our students made this term a truly memorable one.

Cardboard Box Sleepout

Last Thursday night our Year 6 students took part in the Cardboard Box Sleepout. Margie Thomas from our local Vinnies chapter came and shared how Vinnies support the poor, homeless and those less fortunate in our community. Students had a basic dinner before learning more about homelessness, then sleeping in their boxes overnight. They were tired the next morning! This learning experience brings home the reality of why we do outreach and social justice initiatives at OLOR. By giving students experiences like this we are making a difference to how they see the world and how they can make it a better place, now and into the future. Thanks also to our whole school community for coming together today raising money for Vinnies by wearing casuals. 

Sports Day Success

Our Sports Day yesterday was a perfect way to wrap up the term. The students loved the friendly competition, and I was so proud of the sportsmanship they showed. They encouraged one another and gave every event their all.

We were very happy with how the day ran at St Francis of Assisi College, and it was wonderful to see so many families there to cheer everyone on. A big congratulations to the winning team, St Mary's, as well as St Joseph's, who won the Spirit Cup. Well done to all the teams who put in such a great effort all day.

A special thank you to Mr Dunn for his preparation and organization, and to all the teachers and ESOs who helped prepare the students and run the events. Sports days are a great way for students to learn about teamwork and celebrate their athletic achievements.

PBIS Comfy Day

To celebrate that across the school we have tallied up over 9000 PBIS points so far this year, we had our PBIS Comfy Day today to reward the students. Casual and comfy clothes were worn, and students got to do a variety of relaxing, calming activities to thank them for their efforts.

Looking Ahead to Term 4

Term 4 is just around the corner, and it's already packed with exciting events! We have the Foundation to Year 3 classes doing swimming lessons, High school and next year transitions, and our end-of-year Wizard of Oz performance. It's sure to be another fun-filled term that will fly by quickly.

I hope all our families enjoy a safe and fun holiday break. We can't wait to see you all when Term 4 begins on Tuesday, October 14th.

Take care,

Mr Michael Slagter
Principal

Assembly Awards

Congratulations to Ashton, Sathvika, Sirat, Hunter, Theodora, Sylvester, Darcy B, Lewis, Brook, Aubrey, Aarvika and Hannah G who all received Certificate of Achievement Awards at our last assembly in recognition of their efforts during the past few weeks.

We were also proud to announce our PBIS award winners for earning the highest number of points in each category. Congratulations to -

Archer C - RESPECT

Akirah - KINDNESS

 Jastaj - RESILIENCE 

Heartley - BEING YOUR BEST 

SAPSASA Cricket

On Thursday of Week 9, seven of our Year 5 and 6 boys represented OLOR at the SAPSASA Cricket Carnival at the Berri Football Oval. It was a fantastic day of competition and learning. All our competitors demonstrated improvement as the day progressed and showed great sportsmanship towards their opposition. Our students made the most of the chance to develop their skills and learn game tactics throughout the day. 

Sports Day

On Wednesday of Week 10, we celebrated our annual Sports Day. It was an excellent day of fun, sportsmanship and competition. All our amazing students should be proud of their efforts and celebrate their achievements. As a staff, we were blown away by resilience and persistence that our students demonstrated. After a long day of competing, I would like to congratulate St Mary’s for taking home the overall shield on the day, and St Josephs for winning the Spirit Cup.  

I would like to thank St Francis of Assisi for allowing us to host our sports day on their campus. Their facilities ensured that the day could run smoothly. I would also like to thank our amazing team of staff for their efforts on the day, supporting students with events, scoring and modelling sportsmanship and positive competition. Thank you to the families that came along to show their support, it provided a positive atmosphere for our students the day. Additionally, I appreciate those that took the time to complete the feedback survey sent out on Seesaw; this information will aid us in making next year’s day even more amazing. 

Luke Dunn
PE Teacher

Production News: The Wizard of Oz

Congratulations to the following students who have been successful in receiving a main role in our production of The Wizard of Oz!

I would like to thank Keisha and Elise who were on the audition panel and supported me in making these decisions. We had lots of students audition this year, and we were very impressed with their resilience and the amount of effort that many of them put into learning their audition parts.

Next term I am looking forward to working with all classes to create our production. Each class will be contributing to the production and rehearsing in their Art lessons.

Foundations: The Cyclone

Year 1/2: The Winged Monkeys and The Winkies

Year 2/3: The Munchkins

Year 4/5: The Ozians (in Emerald City)

Year 5/6: The Farm Hands, The Crows, The Apple Trees and others

Dance Troupe: The Jitterbugs

We look forward to sharing our performance with you in Week 8, Term 4 on Thursday 4^th of December, at 6pm.

Peace Poster Competition

Well done to the students in Year 5/6 who entered the annual Lion’s Club Peace Poster competition. This year the theme was ‘Together As One’. Congratulations to Ada Dalamagas for her winning entry.

In an increasingly digital world, online platforms and games are a major part of our children's social lives and entertainment. One of the most popular platforms is Roblox, a global online platform where users can create and play a vast variety of games. While it offers incredible opportunities for creativity and connection, recent reports and ongoing concerns highlight the importance of understanding the potential risks and how to ensure our children's safety. 

Recent news articles and research studies have brought to light instances of inappropriate content and interactions on the platform. These concerns range from users encountering sexually suggestive content and explicit language to more serious issues like grooming and predatory behavior. While Roblox has implemented various safety measures, including content moderation and parental controls, these reports show that the platform is not entirely free from risk. 

It's crucial for us as a school community and as parents to be informed and proactive. Open communication is the first and most important step. We encourage all parents to have conversations with their children about what they are doing online. Ask them about the games they are playing, who they are interacting with, and what they are seeing. 

Here are some practical steps you can take to help keep your child safe on Roblox: 

• Utilize Parental Controls: Roblox (and other games) offer a range of parental controls that allow you to manage your child's account. You can restrict who they can chat with, limit their access to certain experiences, and monitor their screen time. Make sure these settings are in place and are a topic of ongoing discussion. 

• Encourage Reporting: Teach your child how to use the "Report Abuse" feature within Roblox. This tool is the most direct way to alert the platform's moderators to inappropriate content or behaviour. Explain that reporting is a way to protect themselves and others, and that they should never hesitate to do so if something makes them feel uncomfortable. 

• Discuss Private Information: Remind your child never to share personal information online, such as their full name, age, address, school name, or phone number. Explain the risks of moving conversations off the Roblox platform to other messaging services. 

• Stay Involved: Play the games with your child, or at least be familiar with what they are playing. This can give you a better understanding of the content they are exposed to and the types of interactions they are having. 

• Set Screen Time Limits: Gaming addiction is a real concern. Set clear boundaries on screen time to ensure a healthy balance between online activities and other pursuits like schoolwork, sports, and time with family and friends. 

We need to help our children navigate the digital landscape responsibly. Staying informed, maintaining an open dialogue, and using the tools available to us are the best ways to ensure a safer and more positive online experience for everyone. 

For more information about online safety , visit the safety website
https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents 

And encourage your children to also know the kids help line is there if they want to talk to someone 1800 55 1800 

Hearts for Hope is a FREE workshop to craft a heart with wool and leave hopeful messages to the community. Come and enjoy River Families First's new sensory corner equipment and face painting! No skills or prior experience required and all materials will be provided on the day.

No booking required, just pop in and pop out as you see fit

The program will be returning in December 2025 and January 2026 with the newly adapted Royal Life Saving Swim & Survive program.