Next week, we honour All Saints’  (1/11/25)  and All Souls’ Day (2/11/25), two special feasts in our Catholic tradition that remind us of the deep communion we share with all God’s people — those who have gone before us and those who walk beside us in faith. On All Saints’ Day, we give thanks for the countless saints, known and unknown, who inspire us by their holiness, courage, and love of God. On All Souls’ Day, we prayerfully remember our loved ones who have died, trusting in God’s promise of eternal life. Together, these days invite us to pause, give thanks, and reflect on how we, too, are called to live lives of faith, hope, and love.

Staff Formation Day

At the start of the term, our staff came together at the beautiful Murray River Queen in Loxton for our annual Staff Formation Day. We focussed on the theme of hope, and reflected on our call to vocation, a call that enables us to serve, inspire, and nurture the God-given potential within every child.

During our gathering, we took a meaningful pilgrimage to explore the inspiring story of St. Mary MacKillop. We reflected on her powerful witness to hope and engaged in discussions about what it means to truly live with hope, trust in God’s goodness, serve with humility, and plant seeds of love in our everyday interactions. We were blessed with beautiful weather, stunning views, and delightful company. It was a lovely way to ease into the busy term ahead.

“Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14

Today, we take a moment to recognise and give thanks for the truly outstanding teachers who make Our Lady of the River School such a vibrant and caring community.

Our teachers are a vital part of the OLOR story, and we are truly blessed to have such remarkable individuals sharing their gifts. We are deeply grateful for their professionalism, creativity, and the genuine care they show in helping each student grow in confidence, faith, and knowledge. We acknowledge their exceptional contributions and extend our heartfelt thanks for the way they embody love in everything they do – today and every day.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your incredible generosity in supporting our fundraisers earlier this year — Walk for Water, Soup for Hope, and Feast of Hope. As you know, the funds raised are donated to both St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Missions. Thanks to your kindness, we have raised essential funds that will aid our brothers and sisters around the world who are in need.
Your contributions have truly planted seeds of hope that will lead to meaningful change. We are deeply grateful for your support and commitment to helping others. Together, we are making a significant difference in the lives of many. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Last Friday, our school proudly presented donations to Margie Thomas and Val Fewster to support St. Vinnies. We are grateful for our connection with St. Vinnies and the important work they do to assist those in need within our community. Each week, our students visit St. Vinnies to pack food supplies for individuals and families facing hardship. We would like to extend our thanks to John Fewster and Greg Beach for their guidance and support during these activities.

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

Sunday November 2^nd – 9:00  am

Saturday November 8^th  – 6:30 pm 

Sunday November 16^th – 9:00  am

Saturday November 22^nd  – 6:30 pm - The Baptism of Max O’Loughlan

Sunday November 30^th – 9:00  am – Whole School and Parish Mass hosted by                                                                  Foundation, 1/2 and 2/3 students

Sunday December 7^th – 9:00  am

Saturday December 13^th  – 6:30 pm 

Sunday December 21^st – 9:00  am

We are thrilled to once again support the Vinnies Christmas Appeal and invite all families to join us in making a difference for those in need this holiday season. We encourage you to donate a gift that can bring joy to families facing challenges. You can drop off your unwrapped gifts in the donation box located in the front office.

If you're short on time, you can also contribute by donating cash in the giving jar, available in the front office. Every donation, big or small, is greatly appreciated and helps ensure that all Riverland families can experience the warmth and joy of Christmas.

Please remember to have your gifts submitted by Friday, November 28th, as we will be presenting all donations to St. Vinnies that day. Thank you for your generosity and support in spreading holiday cheer!

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

Prayer for All Saints and All Souls

Loving God,We thank You for the saints — holy men and women who showed us how to live with faith, hope, and love.

May their example inspire us to follow You each day with joyful and generous hearts.

We also remember all souls who have gone before us.
Welcome them into Your eternal peace and light.
Comfort us with the hope that one day we will be united with You and with all those we love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amen

Rosemary Perre

APRIM

Welcome back to all our students, families, and staff for Term 4. It’s wonderful to see everyone refreshed and embracing the excitement of the final term of the year. 

Our students are busy starting preparations and learning moves for our end of year production “The Wizard of Oz”. Main roles have been auditioned and allocated, rehearsals have started, and classes are beginning to learn their parts for the production in their Arts lessons. We thank Mrs Owens for this great opportunity and look forward to seeing the finished product in early December. 

In a few weeks’ time, our Foundation to Year 3 students will take part in swimming lessons at the Berri pool. This is an important part of life in the Riverland with water always close to our lives. We encourage all families to support their children and encourage them to take part.  

As we head towards the end of the year, we continue to maintain a strong focus on learning and wellbeing. Please encourage your child to continue their efforts in all areas of their education and help them to finish the year well. Over the coming weeks we will be finalising staffing and class placements for 2026, and information about this will be shared with families once it is finalised. 

Today we celebrate World Teacher’s Day, an annual opportunity to honour the incredible dedication, hard work, and invaluable impact of educators everywhere. World Teacher’s Day recognizes the essential role teachers play in providing quality education, helping to shape future generations, not only in their minds, but also in their hearts. It's a chance for all of us—students, parents, and community members—to pause and express our profound gratitude to the committed professionals who inspire curiosity, champion potential, and nurture the foundational skills our children need to thrive. At OLOR we are blessed to have teachers who strive to do their best for their students every single day. I thanks them for all that they do and encourage families to also extend their thanks. 

As mentioned on Seesaw, we ask parents support the school in limiting things that students bring to school. Toys and other belongings can be a distraction at school, and the school supplies any fidget or regulation tools that students might need. Bag tags and other things attached to student bags have been taken in recent weeks. While we endeavour to monitor student movement, we are unable to watch all bags at all times, so encourage families to limit what students have in or on their bags, and to label what they do have, to ensure that we can return stolen items to their rightful owners. 

We also remind parents and caregivers to monitor their child's attendance and punctuality. Regular school attendance is crucial for academic success and personal development, as well as for maintaining and developing social connections.  

We look forward to a productive and enjoyable Term 4.  

Mr Michael Slagter
Principal

Assembly Awards

Congratulations to Irmannn, Gurion, Stellar, Sriyan, Kaylee, Felix, Elise, Armaan, Darcy T, Ameila, Brook and Portia 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 -

Gurmehar - RESPECT

Lucas J - KINDNESS

Grace - RESILIENCE 

Laura - BEING YOUR BEST 

Save the Date

OLOR Presents… The Wizard of Oz 

When: Thursday 4th December 6pm 

Where: OLOR Hall 

All students are involved in the Production. All families and friends welcome to attend.  

Please let Mrs Owens know as soon as possible if your child is unable to attend the production.

In Math lessons last term, Miss Michalski taught us all about measurement.

We learnt how to measure length, mass and capacity!

We have been learning to sign in Auslan. We are practicing signing our names in Auslan too. Have a go!

In Religion lessons, we have been learning about Jesus. We know he is kind, respectful and loving. We also know that Jesus is the son of Mary and Joseph.

Artworks by: Aarvika, Gurnoor, Gurkeert, Brook, Aubrey & Gracie

We are looking forward to a very exciting end to our year in Foundation. We can’t wait for swimming lessons in week 6, The Wizard of Oz Production in week 8, and our combined Junior Primary Weekend Mass at the end of week 7!

From the Foundation Class