28 August 2019

Newsletter Articles

School Calendar

PRAYER

Father’s Day Blessing

This Father’s Day we remember the many sacrifices fathers make for their children and families, and the ways – both big and small – they lift children to achieve
dreams thought beyond reach.

We also remember those who have helped fill the void when fathers pass early or are absent – grandfathers and uncles, brothers and cousins, teachers, priests and coaches – and the women of our families.
For those who are fathers, we ask for wisdom and humility in the face of the task of parenting. Give them the strength to do well by their children and by You.

In Your name, O God, we pray.
Amen

Principals Report

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

Thank you to all of our parents who put in a huge effort to prepare their children for the Book Week character dress up on Wednesday last week. I know this would have added some extra time to your morning routine but your children looked amazing. Thank you.

We were also very fortunate to have the Berri Regional Childcare Centre staff, students and their parents join us for our Book Week parade.

Our focus on reading throughout the whole school is really making a huge difference and conversations about good books to read is being heard throughout the school. This term we will be adding to the library book resources and take home readers. We ask for parent assistance in making sure that children bring their library books back to school regularly to change over. Library borrowing day is WEDNESDAYS. This week all the children in Years F-4 will be given a free calico library bag for personal library borrowing. Class teachers will also be sending take home readers in their blue diary bag. Thank you to the school community for supporting teachers in listening to students read every morning from 8.30 am onwards. Remember, teachers are very happy to meet with parents before that time or please make an after school appointment.

Our students have been busily practicing for our school play ‘Hercules’ and this week they will all have the opportunity to work on their class dances with the staff from ‘Footsteps’. .

The whole school production will be held Term 4, Monday 21st October for Matinee performance and Tuesday 22nd October for the evening and family night performance.

Promotional posters will be sent home in the coming weeks.

Student Learning Portfolios

This Semester the teachers will be developing a student learning portfolio that will be sent home twice each term.  This folder will provide parents with a collection of authentic assessment work samples of their child’s learning.

The portfolio is designed to celebrate growth in a child’s learning and there will be a variety of assessment techniques used by the teachers across all year levels. For example, (observation, consultation, focussed analysis, self and peer assessment) and a range of recording tools (eg annotated work samples, anecdotal notes, checklists, rubrics, criteria sheets, reflective writing, photographs, audio, running records) in a variety of learning situations over varying periods of time.

We are aiming for the student learning portfolios to be a valuable resource in providing teachers and parents with knowledge, understanding and insights into their students and allowing students to develop responsibility for their own learning. It is an additional and important communication tool that is added to Semester reports and parent teacher interviews.  Student learning portfolios will be sent home with students next week.  Please make sure you look at these carefully and return them promptly back to school.  If you have any questions related to the work samples and assessment in these learning portfolios, teachers will be most happy for you to contact them and make an appointment to discuss.  

'DAD's Day' (grandfathers, brothers, carers)

At school on Friday 30th August we invite all Dads and father figures in the children’s lives - grandfathers, brothers, carer to visit the school and classes when they can.  We have a number of events planned for the day.  Please come along and join us in celebrating these important people in our lives.

9.00 am    Years 2/3 Assembly in the school gym. 
9.20 am    Coffee and cake - join in daily fitness.
11.45 am  Lunch time and play.
3.00 pm    Sausage sizzle and refreshments in the junior primary court yard.

This Sunday, 1st September we celebrate Father’s Day at St. Mary’s Church, 9.00am. All are welcome.

Mrs Ros Oates

Principal

Religious Education News

Last Sunday was Migrant and Refuge Sunday (25 August) I leave you with the following prayer.

Lord, during Your life amongst us you taught us to love one another, especially those who are most in need. Help each of us to become people of reconciliation where migrants, refugees and all people on the move may find Australia a nation of welcome and of unity.

“In every political activity, in every programme, in every pastoral action we must always put the person at the centre… And this applies to all people, whose fundamental equality must be recognised.” ~ Pope Francis

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

Witness - Latest Addition

The Witness is a bi-monthly publication of the Catholic Diocese of Port Pirie. Issued every February, April, June, August, October and December.

School News

Library

BOOK CLUB

Last week your child/ren received Issue 6 of Scholastic Book Club. Orders are due in by Wednesday, 4th September. If you would like to place an order, please send correct payment by cheque (made to OLOR) or cash. Credit card payments can be made online by following the instructions at the top of the order form. 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”.

PREMIER'S READING CHALLENGE

A reminder that all completed PRC forms are due back this Friday, 30th August. Thank you.

Regards, Sandy Sando

BOOK WEEK 2019

This year OLOR were lucky enough to share our book week celebrations with the children from the Berri regional child care center. All students and staff did an amazing job with their costumes and it was a fun day for all, below are a few photos of our book week parade.

Music

“Music Alive School of Music” is delighted to be providing lessons in guitar and drums at Our Lady of the River. Teachers will be coming to the school each Thursday offering one on one 30 minute weekly lessons. The cost will be $295 per term, payable directly to Music Alive. For more information and to enroll please call Music Alive on 85845561, if you are interested call soon as spaces are limited!

Literacy News

What are idioms?

An idiom is a phrase or expression that means something different to the literal meaning and usually develops among a particular group of people. Consequently, new idioms are constantly being introduced into the English language.

Making students aware of idioms and discussing their meanings with them expands children’s ability to communicate meaning and also gives children’s language character.

It is impossible to avoid idiomatic language altogether as many expressions seem natural for us to say.

How often do you use these idioms in your family?

‘That was a piece of cake!’
‘Grass is greener on the other side!’
‘I am fed up!’
‘My head is on the chopping block!’
‘She is barking up the wrong tree”
“The early bird catches the worm”

What idioms do you use regularly use and do you spend time explaining them to your child when you use them?

Children need to learn common idioms and their meanings to maximise their understanding of language and also find fun and enjoyment in English.

Well that’s idioms in a nutshell, see what I did there.

Literacy Co-ordinator
Melanie Steele.

Foundation/Yr1 Excursion

"This is the best day ever!" squealed Agam in excitement as he watched the light in his hand magically change colours. His enthusiasm was shared by all of the students in the Chaffey Theatre as they wondered how this kind of wizardry was possible and danced to the beat of the music. Zoom was a fabulous performance which captivated the audience and had students mesmerised for an entire 45 minutes. The time zoomed by as we got a glimpse of the main character as she entered the magical world of her own imagination. It was so rewarding to see the students' eyes light up with joy as they observed the show.

Last Tuesday, the Foundation and Year 1 class set off on their excursion to Renmark. The first stop in Renmark was a play at St. Joseph School where the students participated in the nature play equipment provided at the school and then sat down for lunch. It was planned that the students would explore the Church that was near St. Joseph school but time was cut short.

Next stop was the Chaffey Theatre, where the students watched a performance called Zoom, by Patch Theatre. Zoom is a light performance of a child alone in her bedroom who falls asleep and takes a journey around the room with lights discovering that ‘the dark is a magical place’. Prior to sitting in our seats, we exchanged darkness with a magical light with the light keepers at the door and when they gave the lights to the students they would say ‘if you take care of the light, the light will take care of you’. The performance was interactive and the students were mesmerised by the magic that was displayed.

After the performance, the Foundation and Year 1 class went to the Renmark Football Oval where they all shared a fruit box and played on the playground. The students discussed their favourite part of the Zoom performance while playing and sipping. The group packed back on the bus and headed back to school. Some students had such a big day that they fell asleep on the bus ride home.

A big thank you to the parents that could come along to support the two classes for the day, we really appreciate that you could come with us. The group had a great day and will remember the experience for a long time.

Year 2/3

The Year 2/3 Class made their own super hero profiles for Book week. They also selected a book each and created a book review.

Mackenzie: “ I would save the world by making sure everyone is safe”

Harley M: If I had a super power I would be strong and fast”

Bailey: “I read the book Alpacca with Maracas, I have the book 5 stars. I really enjoyed it”

Latesha: “I read Pig the Pug, my favourite character was Trevor”

Sports News

Quote of the Week

A famous quote sometimes forgotten about by many. Originally coined by Tim Notke (a US High School Basketball Coach) but more recently brought to light in the last decade when Kevin Durant (NBA Superstar) quoted this saying about hard work as he was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma Thunder) back in 2007.

I have known of and been friends with many talented footballers and cricketers during my junior and high school sporting years. We would always joke around and list off the 3-4 teammates we would think would make it to the AFL or play for Australia in cricket. Yet around the time when I was 18, I was surprised and shocked to hear certain names I used to play footy with being called at the AFL Draft. These players, Mitch Wilkins and Tom Curran, were not the most athletic or talented footballers in our teams in junior years. Both boys had potential to succeed but most importantly they were honest, dependable, and ‘get the job done’ kind of players. The type of player you want on your team. The type of person you want as a friend. Not one of the players me and my mates had earmarked back in Under 13’s ever got drafted. These players were the “flashy” ones, the ones who, in hindsight, celebrated outrageously and arrogantly after every goal or little win in their game. They also took their talent for granted.

If there is one thing I look back on in my sporting career so far is that I haven’t achieved anything without hard work. The weeks where I have been lazy and not trained were the weeks where I performed poorly and didn’t play my role for the team to the best of my ability. The weeks where I put in the hard yards and work on my bowling, batting, kicking, running and so on is the weeks where I have tended to perform well personally.

If you have a dream of being a scientist, being a police officer, working in a mine, working a trade or reaching the highest point of your chosen sport – work hard, earn the respect of your friends and later you will enjoy the results!

Sapsasa News

Riverland Soccer Carnival

In what seems like a lifetime ago, on Friday of Week 2, the Year 6/7 class competed at the Riverland Sapsasa Soccer Carnival held at Renmark. Both teams enjoyed and experienced the ups and downs of competitive sport with many playing soccer for the first time. Both teams finished mid-table in their respective divisions and played with pride and fairness and plenty of fun! I would like to thank Ron Foulds and Roger Cross for managing the boys team and to Carolyn Martin and Sarah Rothe for assisting with the girls team.

Riverland Basketball Carnival

Congratulations to Meg, Amelia, Abby, Zoe, Molly, Lily and Ayuen who competed at SAPSASA Basketball on Thursday 22nd of August. The girls went through undefeated, winning all 5 of their games. They showed great teamwork, skill and fair play all day. The girls will now head to Adelaide to compete at the State finals. Well done!

As part of my report to the school board last week, I included some information and highlighted our sporting achievements so far as a school and explained the areas of focus for year levels during their weekly specialist physical education classes.

Riverland Sapsasa Representatives

We have been very lucky and proud to have had 11 senior students represent the Riverland at Sapsasa State Championship Carnivals this year. Well done to those successful so far!

Sapsasa & SACPSSA Achievements

As you can see below we have a very strong cohort of swimmers between Years 4 and 7 who have represented the school well and successfully this year and we hope for many years to come with a good group of swimmers in Years 2 and 3!

Riverland Sapsasa Swimming

• Uzzell Shield (4x50m Mixed Medley Relay)
• Appleton Shield (4x50m Mixed Freestyle Relay)

Riverland Sapsasa Basketball

• Division 1 Girls Champions

SACPSSA Swimming

• Section Runners Up

Physical Education

“Health and Physical Education is the curriculum area that engages students in worthwhile learning experiences to develop skills, knowledge, self-efficacy and dispositions that will enable young people to live healthy and active lifestyles.” (ACHPER, 2014)

Below I have outlined the key focus areas that I teach across the school during students’ weekly specialist Physical Education classes.

Physical Education Classes

Yrs F-3

• Focus on Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS)
• Learning and following rules in activities/games
• Working well with others

Yrs (3)4-5

• Transitioning FMS into small-sided modified games (fielding and striking games, invasion games, net/wall games, target games)
• Expand on playing fairly by beginning to create own rules/self-umpiring
• More of a focus on cooperation games and learning about group dynamics (role within a team to solve a problem)

Yrs (5)6-7

• Key focus on applying key FMS in Modified Games where students have a stronger control over officiating
• Students have some engagement with Sport Education (SEPEP) and managing roles within teams that reflects real-life sporting team situations.

Sapsasa Calendar

Yours in Sport,
Mr Cotter
Physical Education Coordinator

Car Park Safety

Can I remind everyone once again to be absolutely diligent at the 3.10pm pick-up time, especially on Verran Terrace. NO Parents should be parked across the road on the housing side of Verran Terrace. Please hold children’s hands when walking to cars and keep everyone safe. If there is not sufficient parking the church car park is often free.

Special Events

Petticoat Lane

There is a variety of goods for sale at St Catherine’s Petticoat Lane. Stalls include cakes, biscuits, produce, plants, White Elephant and craft. to raise money for the St Catherines Aged Care. FREE admission and all are Welcome. Held at the Senior Citizens Hall on Crawford Tce Berri from 9am – 2pm on Friday the 25th of August. it is the major fundraiser for St Catherine’s nursing home. Head down and grab yourself a bargin

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.

Policy Documents

School Uniforms

School Uniforms

We would like to make aware to OLOR families we have a large collection of second hand uniforms in good condition. If any families are interested please see Pat or Sandy in the front office.

TERM 3 Reminders

Community News

Happy Birthday!