14 November 2018

Newsletter Articles

School Calendar

PRAYER

Have courage
no matter what
your crosses are…

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop 7.5.1891

Principals Report

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

We have had a really lovely four weeks with all students working hard in classrooms as they move through Term 4. Teachers are finalising our end of year assessments and beginning their preparations for reports.

It always amazes me how much the children grow during the year in so many ways; their height, academic ability, confidence, faith and maturity change before our eyes and it is so easy to miss if we don’t remember to stop and take in the amazing little people that we have in front of us.

It’s a special time of the year where we also need reminders about accepting that we all have different opinions, likes, dislikes, personalities and learning capabilities. We are all unique, made by God and we are all asked to try our hardest to accept people for who they are. The staff at OLOR know that this time of the year can be difficult in many ways for everyone. Join us in making sure we remain encouraging towards each other and forgive more frequently. We are about to enter into the time of Advent in the Catholic Church Calendar, which is a special waiting and reflection time in preparation for Christmas.

Our school is currently practising for our Christmas Family Night on Tuesday, 27th November. We are planning to start at 6pm, with families bringing along food for a picnic tea with their own family or family friend groups. We will have the school barbecue available for cooking if needed and some basic soft drinks available from the school canteen. All other drinks are byo. At 7pm families are invited to join us in the school gym/hall for our Christmas Concert. At the end of the concert the children will be provided with an ice-cream from the school canteen. We hope to see as many families as possible there on the night.

2019 Classes

Today each family will receive a letter with the class placements for 2019. Due to the increase in school student numbers and to make sure we have reasonable class sizes, the school board has approved composite classes for Years 2 through to Year 7.

The classes have not been worked out around academic ability of students. At OLOR each teacher designs classroom lessons around a differentiated style of curriculum planning and makes sure all students are catered for regardless of their learning style, needs or ability. The classes have been structured around equitable numbers in each classroom and taken into account siblings not being in the same class where possible.

Any questions regarding classes for 2019 need to be addressed to the Principal before the 23rd November.

I’m pleased to announce that Miss Nicolette Roberts is now permanently employed in the school as of next year. Also, Miss Cobie Drogemuller has accepted another year replacement position and we welcome Mr. James Preece from Adelaide who will be joining our teaching team in 2019. Mr. Preece visited our school last week and taught in every classroom. He was super excited to accept a full time position in our school and is looking forward to moving to the Berri community. The positions and classes for 2019 are as follows.

Blessings to you and your family.

Ros Oates
Principal

Special Events

Our little OLOR angel, Miss Lilly Andrews, who is in the Foundation class, lives daily with the challenges of living with type 1 diabetes. Lilly is currently a ‘government advocate’ for the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), representing over 120,000 children and adults in Australia with type 1 diabetes.

On Friday 16th November the school will be holding a special ‘Blue’ casual day, lunch time disco and walk to help raise funds for JDRF. We will have Sugar Free-zies (ice-blocks) as well. We ask for a $2 coin donation from each child to participate. Monies raised will be added to the event being held locally on Sunday 18th November.

Lilly and her family are hosting in Berri at Glassey Park a ‘One Walk’ event as a part of the world’s biggest type 1 diabetes (T1D) fundraising event being held around Australia.

Each year, JDRF One Walks around the globe bring together around a million people to raise over $85 million for life-changing T1D research. This success is only possible because of the support, commitment and strength of our community.

Why Walk?

JDRF is here for 120,000 Australians challenged by type 1 diabetes (T1D) every single day. Their determination to overcome this chronic, life-threatening disease strengthens ours to end it.

T1D is an autoimmune disease in which a person’s pancreas loses the ability to produce insulin—a hormone that turns food into energy. The disease strikes both children and adults suddenly and is not caused by diet or lifestyle. T1D requires constant blood-glucose testing through painful finger pricks, and a constant supply of insulin by injection or pump, just to stay alive.

JDRF is the largest non-government funder of T1D research. We are the right team to drive life-changing breakthroughs to better treat and, one day, prevent and cure T1D.

By joining a JDRF One Walk, your fundraising means that JDRF can continue funding critical T1D research.

OLOR families together with many others around Australia, we can walk to the finish. And turn type one into type none. Please join our staff team on Sunday 18th November. Dress in your favourite ‘Blue’ outfits and walk with Lilly and her family.

Sunday Event Details:

Name of Event: JDRF One Walk Berri
Date: Sunday 18th November 2018
Time: Registrations from 9am - Walk starts at 10:30am
Location: Glassey Park Berri, Hockey Club Rooms

Additional Details:

Upon returning to the Walk Village (Glassey Park) there will be plenty of fun for the whole family including Jumping Castle, Face Painting and old School Games for the Children. For the grownups we will have a Raffle, a Silent Auction, Mini Market and entertainment. We will have JDRF Merchandise, a sausage sizzle, Drinks and Icypoles for sale on the day.

How to register before the day: Registrations can be done online at the following link. When filling in the online registrations you can select if you would like to setup a team or join an existing team where you can select Lilly's Team.

If walkers are registered online before the walk and raise $35 on their walk page they will receive a free Blue JDRF One Walk T-Shirt that can be worn on the day of the walk.

How the fundraising aspect of the walk works: Funds are raised by people getting sponsored by family and friends to do the walk, donations can be made online or cash donations which can be added to the fundraising page via the offline donations tab.

PLEASE READ THE NEWSLETTERS CAREFULLY. Everything you need to know about the school week and dates is on the school app. (SZapp) You can download on all smartphones and tablets for free. We get a lot of phone calls & text about events and programs that have been advertised widely.

Sport Days – Mondays (Mr. Cotter: Whole school).
Thursdays (Class teachers: Foundation, Year 1, 2 and Years 4/5)
Friday (Class teachers: Year 3 and Years 6/7)
A reminder that full day uniform is to be worn on other days. Sandshoes only on sport days.

Religious Education News

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

As we approach the Christmas Season, it is time to ask for your generosity as we consider those families who do it tough at this time of year. Many families are struggling with costs and low income. Our St Vinnies appeal for Christmas toys for children commences on Monday 19th November. We ask that you label your toy as boy or girl and the expected age you intend the gift to go towards. There will be a collection box in the administration office in the near future.

Missionaries of God’s Love Visit

Last week we were graced with the Missionaries of God’s Love team who spent time in each classroom playing games and talking about the different work they do. We have loved having them at OLOR and look forward to seeing them again in a few weeks.

The Missionaries of God’s Love Team hosted a Faith, Fun, Feed after 11am Mass in Loxton on Sunday. There was a lovely gathering which included OLOR staff members and their families who enjoyed a sausage sizzle and a play at the Loxton Playground. The weather was amazing! We look forward to seeing the MGL Team back at school in a few weeks for their final visit.

November 1 is All Saints Day. It is a day where we remember the Saints who are now in Heaven and the amazing work they did on Earth. We are reminded that it does not take much to be saint like; that we should be kind to each other, ourselves and God each day, in all that we do. The staff enjoyed dressing up as their favourite Saint, as did some students.

The latest edition of the Southern Cross features all the latest news and information on our Catholic community. Click on the following link below.

Latest Addition

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES 2018

Christmas Eve:

6pm - Morgan, Loxton
6.30pm – (Family Mass) Renmark
8pm – Waikerie, Barmera

Christmas Day:

9am – Berri
10am - Renmark

The OLOR ladies Christmas lunch will be held on Friday November 30th at Bella Lavendar: 12pm for 12.30pm. RSVP to Betty Beech on 85882561 or Gloria Burns on 0419855950 by the 15th November. ALL Welcome.

SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS

Year 6/7 Digital Books

In term 3, the senior students made some wonderful digital books to share with the younger students.

Listening to books being read aloud is one of the most valuable and pleasurable experiences beginning readers and can have. Listening to a story being read aloud should be part of every child's day. This offers a chance to model good reading and thinking strategies and to expose young learners to a rich variety of literature. With this in mind the Senior Students set out to create a Digital Library for our younger students to enjoy, a digital space where they could find a book and listen to it being read to them.

This experience offered a chance for the senior students to discuss what is important when reading books aloud. We decided as a group that it was vital that we paid attention to the punctuation in the text, read with expression and changed our voice to engage our audience. Books were chosen and the students practiced their read aloud voices. They then used Digital Technologies to bring the books alive. Students took photos of their images, recorded voice overs and merged these together with the use of transitions to create their digital masterpieces.

They have done a simply amazing job. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have enjoyed making them.

Rosemary Perre

Abby Fenwick and Meg O’Leary-Fletcher

Gurshaan Singh and Josh

Library News

Only a few weeks left of borrowing and then all books will need to be returned in Week 7, ready for stock-take in Weeks 8 & 9. We ask that students bring from home their favourite books to share with their buddy reading partner. Over the next few weeks children will be sharing stories as a part of our down time after breaks. This is a lovely way for the older students to form a reading relationship with the younger students.

CLASS NEWS

Lest We Forget

Thank you to our school leaders who attended the Remembrance Day Mass in Berri on Sunday November 11th with Mrs. Rosemary Perre. Photos in our next newsletter.

Miss Jones completed an art piece for Remembrance Day, at Plaster Fun House in Brighton. The piece of art is currently displayed in the front office to be viewed. If you are heading to Adelaide during the summer holidays, Plaster Fun House is a fantastic, cost-effective and fun day out for the kids. Kids pick out a plaster cast, most are valued at under $15. They then supply you with smocks and paints, free of charge and you spend as long as you like perfecting your art work. There are two Plaster Fun Houses in Adelaide, one in Brighton, south of Adelaide and one in Brahma Lodge, north of Adelaide.

Year 3 Activities

Excursion to Berri Barmera Council

In HASS the Year 3 class visited the Berri Barmera Council to learn about the important work they do to keep our community safe and healthy.

A very big thank you to Jayne, Steven, Jess and Mayor Peter Hunt for making our visit so special.

Science & Maths Activities

The Year 3 class have been learning about shadows and the way the Moon, Earth and Sun orbit around each other. In maths they have been turning a plastic bottle into a measuring tool to measure different containers volume.

Lots of sharing of ideas and fantastic Maths talk!

Year 2 St Catherine’s visit

Year 2 students enjoyed their time at St Catherine’s last week. They made candle holders to give to the residents which were greatly appreciated by all. Students sung songs and played games a great time was had by all.

SPORTS DAY NEWS

Best of luck to all our final SAPSASA representatives in the up and coming carnivals.

Yours in Sport,
Mr Cotter

Playgroup

Come along to B.O.P.P.E.R.S. (Berri OLOR Planned Playgroup Early Readiness for School) on Tuesdays 9am till 11am. There are a lovely group of young children and their carers enjoying our opportunity for free play, structured games and craft activities. Please let friends and family know in the community.

TERM 4 Reminders

Community News

Legally Assisted Mediation that is available through the Riverland Relationships Australia office.

This is a partnership with Women’s Legal Service and the Southern Community Justice Centre.

Any enquiries can be made by calling Relationships Australia on 8582 4122 or email berri.intake@rasa.org.au

2018 Loxton Light Up Day/Night is a magnificent event held in Loxton November 24th full of activities and food stalls. Santa, Free Craft, New Kids Zone, Main stage entertainment, Food and shopping. Fireworks spectacular at 9.00pm.

All enquiries to Sonya Altschwager 0427 064 825 or admin@loxtonchamber.com.au

Happy Birthday!