12 December 2018

Newsletter Articles

School Calendar

PRAYER

Principals Report

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

Well, we have arrived at the end of another school year and this will be the last newsletter for 2018. I don’t know about you, but the years seem to go faster all the time!

Pictured below are the graduating students for 2018. We had a wonderful celebration last Thursday evening and thank you to all the students, parents and especially Mrs. Rosemary Perre and the staff for all their contributions in making it such a lovely send off to our Year 7’s.

In closing, to all the staff of OLOR, I thank you. You are dedicated, supportive and understanding. Together we are a team that strives for a common vision of supporting students to be ‘thriving people, capable learners and the next leaders of our world’. You provide opportunities for students to gain knowledge and skills. To be mindfully reflective of how to treat one another, to be curious, to look after the environment and develop confidence, to take a risks and learn from different mistakes and experiences. I can’t wait to work with you again in the New Year on the planned and unplanned adventures we will share together in 2019.

Thank you to the Parent Community, who continue to support and commit your energies into the school in the many and varied ways. I would like to especially acknowledge the School Board members under the leadership of Cilla Marsden. Thank you to Michelle Kennedy, Phil Cresp, Rowan Cresp, Naomi Hunt, Kelly Minchella, Brett Meigel, Kelly Storer, Rosemary Perre, Sarah Rothe and Cilla. You are fantastic to work with and are motivated to see the success of our school grow and thrive into the future.

To Fr Paul Bourke, thank you for your continued encouragement and support to myself, the staff and the students of this school. We consider ourselves blessed and very special to have you leading our faith community.

This is also the time of the year when we say farewell to many members of our school community. This Friday we will see the end of an association with Kelly & John Minchella, Sonia & Toni Herbert, Chrissy & Terry Eleftheriadis and Baljit & Nav Singh. We will also farewell members of our staff, Kayla Jones, Tayla Nash, Ashlee Reichelt and Jenny Segui. We farewelled earlier in the year Lyn Moldovan. Thank you for either your short or long association with Our Lady of the River School and for the contributions many of you have provided to our community.

Thank you to our students, we do have the most wonderful young people in our care. Just ask the many who visit OLOR from outside the school. We are never short of positive comments and accolades from visitors or from the people who have contact with you outside the school walls. As just one example…. to see the smiles on the faces of all the residents of St Catherine’s when the children visit and have fun with them, to witness the incredible way the children interact and enjoy being with these adults in our community, is something just words can’t fully explain. The students, although different in many ways, continually impress and amaze us. We share the joy in your improvements and love watching you be the best you can be. Have a wonderful holiday and I look forward to seeing you in all the New Year.

To conclude as we all go forward, whether beyond the fence of our school grounds or just into the New Year, may you go with my love and blessings this Christmas season. Be proud of what has been and be hope filled for the future which lies ahead. And remember…..

“Dr Seuss’s message is simple but never foolish: life may be a ‘Great Balancing Act,’ but through it all ‘There’s fun to be done.’” I look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

Mrs. Ros Oates
Principal

Berri Merri Christmas

Thank you to the OLOR children for their outstanding singing to open the Berri Merry Christmas on Friday 7th December. Thank you to Miss Jones for preparing the students.

Graduation – End of Year Mass Photos

Semester 2 Reports

Reports were given out to families last week.

The reports for years F (Reception) - 7 describes an individual student’s progress and achievement against the Australian Achievement Standards. In the overall grading for each key learning area your child will receive an A-E from Years 1-7. If your child receives a ‘C’ your child is meeting expectations for their year level as mapped against the Australian Curriculum Year Level Descriptor. A ‘C’ grade is something to be proud of and means that your child is achieving at the expected level for their age. Please see teachers this week if you have any questions regarding your child/ren’s school report.

School Magazine

With fingers crossed, we hope the 2018 school magazine will be available by Friday 14th December. The cost of these is $20 per copy. If you would like a pictorial magazine capturing the memories of OLOR’s 2018 year, please order your magazine through the SZapp. We have ordered extra copies for families who may wish to give a magazine as a Christmas gift this year.

2019 Reminders

Swimming lessons for the students in Years, Foundation to Year 3 will be held in Week 1, Term 1, 2019 from Wednesday to Friday at the Berri Swimming pool. There will be a cost for pool entry if your child is not a season member of the Berri Swimming Pool.

School stationery for the children is given out during the first week of school next year. We supply books that already have a hard plastic cover, saving parents the cost and bother of contact and labels etc. All pens and smaller stationery will be sent home for labelling. Next year, extra supplies will not available. If children use all their allocation or lose equipment they will be required to replace at their own cost.

Special Events

Christmas Concert Photos

Last Day of Term 4, 2018

School will conclude at 2.20 pm. Final short assembly in the school gym/hall at 2.00 pm.

Professional Development Dates for 2019

To give families plenty of warning and preparation for child care, could you please make note of the following dates that will be student free days in 2019.

Term 1: Thursday 11th April and Friday 12th April

All Staff: Australian Childhood Foundation ‘Making SPACE for learning’ (Trauma training)

Term 3: Monday 22nd July - Friday 26th July (all Week 1 of Term 3)

All Staff: 7 Steps to Writing, Making SPACE for learning and Religious Staff Retreat

REMINDERS

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

Our collection box for Our St Vinnies appeal for Christmas toys has been set up in Admin area. We ask that you label your toy as boy or girl and the expected age you intend the gift to go towards. Thank you for the donations we have received.

CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES 2018

Christmas Eve:

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

Christmas Day:

9am – Berri
10am - Renmark

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

TERM 4 Reminders

Community News

ADELAIDE STRIKERS HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Throughout the month of January, we will be running Adelaide Strikers Holiday Programs across the state, including in the Riverland and Murray Bridge which is a fantastic result for the Murray Mallee region.

ADELAIDE STRIKERS HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

Join the fun and get to an Adelaide Strikers Holiday Program this summer!

• 3-25 January 2019
• For boys and girls aged 5-10
• Develop your skills through fun game-based activities

For more information, visit the link below.

To register, visit the link below and search ‘Adelaide Strikers’

BERRI/BARMERA LIBRARY HOLIDAY PROGRAM

Free holiday activities for the whole family at Berri and Barmera Library. To view our programme please visit the website below or the facebook page.

COMPUTER FOR SALE

iMac computer for sale. 27” I Mac Apple computer. $395.00
13 3.2 GHz 1 3-550
4GB ram
1TB HD
512MB ram
Model A1312

If interested please contact Italo Vardaro 8582 3111 or email vardaro@riverland.net.au.

Happy Birthday!