Catholic Education Week

OLOR's Catholic Education Week celebrations began with a tribute to the special people who nurture and support us, guiding us through life's journeys. We are truly grateful for the light they shine on us every day. Our mums will always hold a special place in our hearts. 

OLOR completed our Catholic Education Week celebrations with a Fun Fancy Dress Friday. It was a day to embrace our uniqueness and spread some positivity. Students were encouraged to come to school dressed in a way that represents how they shine their light. It was wonderful to see the students.

What a massive week of prayer, connection and celebration. 
Enjoy the highlights, Let your light Shine!  

 

School/ Parish Weekend Masses

The Year F/1, 2/3, and 4/5 classes hosted a beautiful Sunday Mass last week. 

We always love seeing as many families at our Sunday School/Parish Masses as possible. It is always a positive experience and is a great way to build Parish and School connections.

A friendly reminder of the dates for our School/Parish weekend Masses for the year. 

Term 3 – Sunday 15th September Yr. 4/5 and Yr. 5/6 

Term 4 - Sunday 8th December F/1, Year 1/2  

Sacramental Program

For those families whose child/ren are involved in the 2024 Sacramental Program, please be aware of the following dates for Term 2. 

First Communion

Parent Education and Rite of Election  - May 19th 8:15 am 

First Holy Communion – 2nd June 2024, 9:00 am 

Commissioning Mass  - 16th June 2024, 9:00am 

Confirmation

Welcome Mass – 30th June 2024, 9:00am 

You can access this month’s Southern Cross with the following link. 

 The Southern Cross May 2024 

A contemplative luminary prayer walk complemented our shining day of bright sunshine and smiles. Each of our students decorated a lantern, which was used in the luminary. These same lanterns were also featured as our sacred prayer space for our launch of Catholic Education Week.  
You can experience our luminary virtually with the following link. 

 May the Divine Creator bless you on your luminary, 

And guide your steps along the path to peace. 

May the Holy Spirit Illuminate your way with its radiant light,  

grant you the strength to shine your light brightly, 

and courage to spread it wherever you go. 

May you walk with grace, embodying kindness, 

and sow seeds of joy in your world. 

In Jesus’ name, we pray, 

Amen. 
 

May you find your light and shine it bright for the world to enjoy! 

Amen. 

Rosemary Perre
APRIM

What a fantastic couple of weeks we have had at OLOR! Catholic Education Week last week was a great celebration of all of the things that make our school unique. We celebrated with other schools, welcomed Mothers, Grandmothers and special friends into our school, let our lights shine and thought about how to make the world a better place. Our combined day at St Francis of Assisi College was a great experience for all and a wonderful way to share with other students at Catholic schools in the Riverland. A big thankyou to Mrs Perre for all of her organisation and initiative with the week and making it the great celebration that it was. 

This week our PBIS (Positive Behaviour Intervention and Support) Leadership Team had another day of learning and planning. This time we looked at exactly what procedures we want all students to be able to do at school to be successful, as well as how to teach the behaviour skills that all students should be able to display to get the most out of their schooling. It is also about teaching students that their behaviour affects others, and if they want the most out of their time at school, and the most chance to succeed in life, that there are expectations around how they act not only in school, but also out in the community.  

In this week’s newsletter you will find a parent info sheet about keeping your family safe online. Increasingly students are exposed to online dangers, and often parents aren’t aware of the issues, or don’t realise that their children would be involved in possibly dangerous and inappropriate activities. There are lots of great tips, articles, websites and videos available at https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources for parents looking to gain or manage control of their children online. I encourage all families to look at the resources and take charge of what their children do online. We need to remember that we are responsible for our children’s safety and behaviour online, as they often don’t know the dangers or how to navigate issues when they arise. 

I also encourage all families to have a talk to their children about the way they treat others and the things they say. In recent weeks we have had a number of students using hurtful words and exhibiting negative body language to others in the playground and sometimes in the classrooms. Sometimes this comes from Social Media they have seen (which none of our students should be on) or movies or TV shows they have watched. I urge families to monitor the appropriateness of what their children engage in, what they do and what they say, as well as their reactions to others. We want to create a school environment where everyone is treated with respect, everyone is valued and we can all feel safe. Parents have a huge role to play in this by modelling appropriate interactions, setting boundaries for their children at home and encouraging their children to make good choices in the way they talk, act and react at school.  

This upcoming week is National Reconciliation Week, a time to reflect and build on creating respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders people and other Australians. This is something which I personally have strong feelings about, having lived and worked in a remote Aboriginal community for two years and seen firsthand the struggles and difficulties that many of our Indigenous people face on a daily basis. Students and families that I worked with at Wingellina in WA had not only a language barrier, but also health, family and remote living challenges. Since working and living there I have been passionate about promoting Indigenous issues and working towards a more just and fair go for those who are among the most disadvantaged in our country. 

This year marks the 57th Anniversary of the referendum which recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Australian census. Before this many of our Indigenous people were not allowed to vote in state elections, marry whomever they chose, move to wherever they chose, own property wherever they chose, be the legal guardian of their own children, receive the same pay for the same work or drink alcohol. The census allowed them to have equal rights as other Australians in these areas. As Catholics, we are always focused on ‘loving one another’ as Jesus loved us. As a nation we need to acknowledge the truth of our history. It has not always been a positive history and there have been many instances where our indigenous people have been discriminated against and treated badly. The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue. 

In the next few weeks we have our Year 3 students going on an overnight camp to Monarto Zoo, which was a great experience last year when I attended. We also look forward to First Holy Communion with a number of our students undertaking this important Sacrament in a couple of weeks. There is always lots going on at OLOR and plenty for students to be part of.