14 February 2018

Newsletter Articles

School Calendar

Principals Report

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

Today, it was wonderful to see so many families and children attend our opening school Mass. Making the commitment to be here at school at 7am, to celebrate Ash Wednesday and then enjoy a community breakfast together, was a wonderful occasion to begin our school year and our Christian churches season of Lent.

There has been a fantastic buzz of activity, focus and learning around the school since we returned two weeks ago. Classes have settled into new routines, with children already working hard to demonstrate new learnings, especially with our Cracking the ABC Code strategies. Thank you to parents in such hot weather, for having the children come to school ready to listen and learn, and thanks to all our staff for such a great start to the year and the amazing bright and engaging displays in each and every classroom. They are simply outstanding.

Thank you also for ensuring the children started the year dressed in the correct uniform. You will find our policy attached below and also for easy reference, it’s placed our school SZapp. Having the correct school uniform helps develop a sense of pride in self and the school when children take the time to present themselves neatly in their uniform.

School Fees statements will soon be sent to families. You will be pleasantly surprised that our school fees this year have hardly increased. This is due to the great efforts of the staff and school board in reducing costs where possible and the community working hard in fundraising each year. Please contact me if there are going to be any difficulties in meeting fees this year. We have a policy in place to help families who find themselves either in short term or long term financial difficulties.

Further information about school funding that could see a significant change in how our school is funded by governments is mentioned later in this newsletter. I encourage you to read this carefully as funding is unfair and it impacts on why ‘you’ the parents, pay fees. It’s also amazing how OLOR manages to provide more to educate your child/ren but get less!!! Where is the fairness in that?

Make your vote count for your child’s education

Catholic Education SA wants our school families to make an informed choice when they vote in the upcoming election.

It’s important that – as you decide which party to vote for – you consider what is important to you and your family.

You might also like to consider how each party will support Catholic schools in South Australia.

OLOR Staff with our new Director of Education, Port Pirie Diocese, Mrs. Nichii Mardon after our Commissioning Mass on Sunday 4th February

Congratulations OLOR students ~ Young Riverland Musical Society

Just before the school holidays completed the ‘Young Riverland Musical Society’ held a very full day of auditions. Many of our OLOR students auditioned and won positions within this year’s production Little Mermaid Jr. It takes incredible courage to sing and perform in front of a panel of five strangers and try to convince the panel as to why they were best for the role. Some had to sing 2-3 songs and perform a dialogue in character in front of the panel and should be congratulated for their success. Our successful cast members are:

Kiana Rundell - Lead Role Mersister
William Heuzenroeder - Lead Role Flotsam
Amity Kassebaum - Ensemble
Molly Wishart - Ensemble
Maddison Wurth - Ensemble

The students will now rehearse 4 hours every Sunday afternoon throughout Term one before the performances at Bonney Theatre Barmera on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd April. If history repeats they will be performing to four near full house audiences.

The OLOR community congratulates these students and we look forward to seeing their performances in the near future. Well done also to our amazing and talented parent, Narelle James who is the Production Manager for the YRMS.

Ensuring our school is a safe place for all

As the school year commences I want to assure all parents and carers of our absolute commitment to ensuring that Our Lady of the Rivers School is a safe place for all.

• Our staff are committed and trained to protect the children and young people in our care.
• All staff and regular volunteers have current police checks.
• We teach our children age-appropriate strategies to keep themselves safe through South Australia’s Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum.
• Staff complete certification and undertake regular updated training in Responding to Abuse and Neglect in Education and Care Settings.
• We also promote strategies to minimise bullying and help students stay safe online.

Additional information about the broader protection policies of Catholic Education SA can be found on their website.

The website also includes links to online resources for parents and students on a range of topics including anxiety, depression, bullying and how to support your child.

If you have any questions or concerns about child safety please contact the principal, Ros Oates.

Parent Information Night

Thank you to all the families who attended our parent information evening last night. The teaching staff all value having the time to speak with you and to inform you about the learning and activities happening with your children this year.

‘CHOCOLATE CARNIVALE’

Saturday 24th March – 4pm till late.

This event, like last year’s, we have a ‘Chocolate’ theme but for something different we have added a Rock & Roll flavour to the 2018 Carnivale. Best dressed prizes awarded on the night! We plan to have Carnivale food, events, stalls, games and entertainment all held on the OLOR site. Our first meeting is on Friday 16th March at 5:30pm in the multi-purpose room @ OLOR, drinks and nibbles will be provided. If you can’t make it please let the principal, Ros Oates know and forward any suggestion to her email roates@olor.catholic.edu.au before Friday 16th.

We will need all families to support and help with this event. To begin with ALL families are asked to donate a Cadbury chocolate gift to the value of $10 for our monster raffle.

This was a great fundraiser, last year and many of the main prizes went to families from our community.

If you are a local business owner and would like to contribute a monetary sponsorship to the event then please contact the administration office as soon as possible. We have sponsorship packages starting at $200. Major sponsors can place advertising banners on our Crawford Terrace fence and will be mentioned in all local advertising leading up to the event and throughout the Carnivale night.

Schoolzine Newsletter and Calendar

A reminder that the calendar is only available online through the School App ‘SZapp’. Having it online will ensure that it is current and always up to date. The Newsletter will continue to highlight upcoming events to ensure that parents and families are fully aware of what is on. The newsletter is every fortnight on the odd weeks, e.g. 1, 3, 5 etc. and will come to your email inbox or ‘SZapp’ on the Wednesday of those weeks. I encourage all families to install the ‘SZapp’ on your smart phone or Tablet. To ensure you receive the newsletter in your inbox each week, please ensure the front office has your correct email addresses. If you do not have an email address, please let the front office know (this week) so that we can send paper copies home with your eldest child.

Finally, I thank you for your efforts in preparing your children so well for what has been a smooth, though exceptionally hot, start to the year. We look forward to the year ahead and I wholeheartedly offer my support to you as we work together in the education of your child.

It was once said… The beginning is the most important part of the work. Plato

Ros Oates
Principal

Religious Education News

LENT 2018
Ash Wednesday

The season of Lent (which began today, Ash Wednesday, February 14). In history this was the time of commencing Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness after he was baptised, where he prayed and thought about his life and mission. The name “Ash Wednesday” is derived from the faithful with blessed ashes as a sign of penitence and humility. The ashes that priests use on Ash Wednesday come from the remains of burned palms that were blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. They symbolise death, mortality and sorrow for sin. The marking of ashes on the forehead in the form of a cross also symbolise that sins are forgiven through Jesus’ death and resurrection. This year Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, entrenched in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with an opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we've done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need.

Today, each family will receive a Project Compassion box to have in their homes for the six weeks of Lent. Please read the following invitation from Bishop Greg O’Kelly. I encourage all families to try and support CARITAS, who for over 50 years, helped those around the world in need.

Welcome Deacon Hau

Deacon Hau is from Adelaide and is currently completing his 7 years study to become a Catholic priest. Deacon Hau’s ordination will be held in St. Mark’s Cathedral, Port Pirie Diocese, in May this year. Deacon Hau is currently residing with Fr. Paul Bourke and is participating in all parish and community activities in the Riverland, St Mary’s Parish. He has already visited a number of classrooms at OLOR, talking about Project Compassion this year and to participate in classroom prayer and lesson activities. We wish Deacon Hau a warm welcome and consider ourselves very blessed to have him working in our parish.

Diocesan Assembly

This year’s theme is “Looking forward in hope to Plenary Council in 2020”. If interested please send the registration form below to www.pp.catholic.org.au.

School News & Events

Our Lady of the River is participating in the Coles Sports for Schools program!

When shopping at Coles you should receive a voucher for every $10 that you spend.

We ask that collected vouchers be placed in a bag and be given to the administration office.

I encourage you to get your extended family involved and ask them to collect for you. The competition closes in April. At the end of the program we will be able to exchange the vouchers for sports equipment. More information can be found at the Coles Sports for Schools website:

Introducing New Staff Member – Kayla Jones

Introducing our new teacher Kayla Jones to school and community. Kayla has come to OLOR with teaching experience in the fields of Science and History. She has a wealth of experience in the Arts vocation through many years of Choir and musical productions. This year at OLOR Kayla will also be undertaking Chinese lessons interacting with the Chinese teachers from China teaching Mandarin to OLOR students. Kayla is looking forward to meeting parents and families at OLOR.

Sports News

On Tuesday 6th February, Kurt Miegel from SACA and the Adelaide Strikers came to OLOR to kick start our PE for the year with a cricket clinic for every class. The students really enjoyed the experience of hearing a different voice and getting a taste of what is to come for this term in PE. We thank Kurt for his time to deliver the clinic. In other PE news, as well as cricket, students will be taking part in Gymnastics later this term.

This weekend, Berri Oval will be hosting the best female cricketers in the state as the Riverland hosts a round of the Women’s Premier League. On Sunday, there is a one off GIRLS ONLY cricket clinic being held at Berri Oval. A great opportunity for girls to experience cricket without any pesky boys getting in their way! Please see flyer for more info.

Yours in Sport,

Mr Luke Cotter

Swimming – Junior Primary

Last week the Junior Primary classes’ years Foundation to Three attended swimming at the Haden Stoeckel Berri Pool. While it was cold all students had a blast and learnt a lot. Here are some highlights from the Year 2 Class.

“My favourite part about swimming this year was that we got to go into the deep pool which we hasn’t done with school before and it was warmer.” – Layla Vallelonga

“I thought it was too cold to swim in the little pool but I like practising my surviving techniques like how to save someone who is drowning and rolling up in a ball to keep warm.” – Will Cresp

Swimming was fun, I liked how cold it was and the sinker game. The last day was the best when it was warm and we got to play What’s the Time Mr Wolf” – Wavely Marsden

At Swimming I liked the warm up games on the grass, like rob the nest, the running races and the pool noodle saving game.” – Cruz Miegel

“I liked learning how to swim backwards and getting better at swimming, Sarah and Lewis our instructors were really cool.” – Sirat Kaur

Wonderful photos of the children enjoying swimming lessons. Foundation to Year 3.

BOOK CLUB

Last week your child/ren received the first issue of Scholastic Book Club for 2018. Orders are due in by Monday, 19th January. OLOR receives a small percentage from the orders, which allows us to buy books for our Library. If you would like to place an order, please send correct payment by cash or cheque (made to OLOR).

There is no longer a Credit card payment section on the back of the Book Club catalogues. This has been replaced with an online LOOP system on the Scholastic website. An information leaflet is included in this newsletter. Please see Sandy if you have any questions.

You can still pay with cash, please remember to clearly write your child’s name and class on the order form and send to school in an envelope marked “Book Club”.

Regards,

Sandy Sando

Fortnight Reminders

Happy Birthday!