Dear Parents, Caregivers, Staff, Students and Friends,  

Welcome to our Week 5 newsletter!  We've had some beautiful sunshine this week, and the community is literally 'blossoming'.  The impressive almond orchards, a sea of white, is special to witness as we travel around the Riverland.  A small blessing in still uncertain times.

Thank you all for doing your best to follow current health advice, ensuring the safety and well-being of our community members. We continue to ask you to use our Kiss and Drop as much as possible to say goodbye to students. Please remember to wear your masks if you do need to come into the school grounds, and not to enter classrooms, unless your child is distressed. We understand that some of you hold exemptions and are therefore not required to wear a mask; please let staff know and adhere to social distancing guidelines. This continues to be the advice that is based on the recommendations from SA Health. I will certainly keep you updated as soon as this advice changes and restrictions are eased. 

Pulse Survey 

This week, all the children have responded to the Term 3, Pulse Survey, which helps measure their general well-being at school.  Catholic Education South Australia provides this service to all students to have a voice to express their feelings about school and how they are tracking. We believe that for all students, the classroom has the potential to be a place in which they feel safe, secure, welcomed and accepted.  

Some children attend school with a range of complex needs, and often they are receiving professional assistance with their distress, sometimes inside the school and sometimes outside the school.  In addition to professional allied health support, our teachers provide a safe nurturing environment for the children, essential in the healing process. Similarly, the school has a school counsellor and extra help in the classroom to support student well-being and learning needs. We have hard-working Education Support Officers in every year level who support the learning process.  Our Lady of the River provides ongoing training to our teachers in techniques for deescalating and calming anxious children so that they can access the learning they need to grow as confident people.  We also provide children with a regular routine and clear expectations for appropriate behaviour, talking regularly about 'A' choices being a priority.   

This year, something new to our school in the daily teaching process is students are involved in their learning process by communicating regularly and referring to the Learning Intentions of their year-level curriculum and co-constructing what success looks like with their teacher.  Teachers working with students on the 'Success Criteria' ensures that our students know exactly what success 'looks like', and their pathway to achieving quality learning.  

Living Learning Leading Survey   

Today, all families received a flyer last week (via Seesaw) introducing you to a survey we are currently conducting about the school climate and the Catholic Education Living Leading Learning Framework, in conjunction with Curtin University.   

We value your feedback greatly, so all parents are invited to participate in the survey as an important opportunity to let us know how things are going for you and your child/ren. CESA and school staff will use the data to identify strengths and areas to work and build upon as part of our continuous improvement.  

Please be assured that your feedback will be anonymous and confidential.  

We would appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey.   To get started, use the QR code below or go to www.NSIPartnerships.com.au and enter the access code OLTRLLLP.   

'Never see a need without doing something about it.' Blessed Mary Mackillop. 

Ros Oates
Principal