OLHC News Issue 12 Term 2 Week 2 - 5th May 2023

Statement of Commitment to the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples...

Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School acknowledges that God has been walking with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, making God's presence known through a continuous living culture over many thousands of years. We pray in thanksgiving for these ancient peoples who have enriched and sustained our continent over all that time. In particular, we praise God for the people who nurtured the lands where our schools are built and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who continue to support Catholic schools.

As partners in Catholic Education and open to God’s presence, we pursue the fullness of life for all.  Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School is committed to the safety and well-being of all students.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Victoria and pay respect to the ongoing living cultures of First Peoples. This newsletter comes to you from the lands of the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia, and Jupagalk Nations.

Principal Report

Dear Parents, carers, families, and parishioners,

Concert - Andrew Chinn

This week Mrs. Newton has been liaisoning with Andrew Chinn who is a songwriter, singer, and performer for Butterfly Music.  Andrew worked as a classroom teacher in Catholic Primary Schools in Sydney for nearly twenty years before moving into his full-time music ministry. Andrew has visited more than 1100 Catholic primary schools, performing in 3000 concerts across Australia, New Zealand, the USA, and Canada sharing his music and his faith with children, teachers, and parents. He has released 12 albums, 5 DVDs, and 6 picture books, which are used widely by teachers and catechists in the faith development of children. In recent years he has developed the Butterfly House, an online RE Resource which our school uses frequently.

Mrs. Newton has been successful in obtaining Andrew to come to our school to perform workshops with the students and then the students perform a concert after the workshops.  This year, we thought we would do something different and use this opportunity and Andrew's expertise.  Andrew will be in our school on the morning of Thursday 1st June to facilitate workshops with the students followed by a concert.  We are unsure what time the concert will be however we will keep you posted once this is confirmed.  Our students love Andrew Chinn's music. songs and videos and often say they wished he could come to our school.  Thank you Mrs. Newton for making this happen.

Staffing update

From the 29th of May, I will be on medical leave for 8 weeks.  In my absence, Mrs. Newton will be Acting Principal and Miss Bedford will be teaching the Junior class full time.  Mrs. Newton will teach the specialist classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays.  My medical leave will run into my Long Service Leave.  My final working day will be Friday 26th May.  

I received official correspondence from DOBCEL this afternoon re: the new Principal for OLHC.  All families need to check their emails for this correspondence.  If you did not get this email, please contact me ASAP.

Year 5/6 Camp - Anglesea

From Wednesday 17th May to Friday 19th May, the Year 5/6 students with Mr. Collie and Mrs. Maher will be attending Camp Wilkin in Anglesea.  Please keep checking your PAM notifications for permission forms and as soon as we receive the explicit camp information we will send a copy home.

Parents and Friends Meeting

On Wednesday evening, our Parents and Friends group met.  Thank you to those people who were able to attend.  There was discussion around a few events to be held this year, these possibly being:

• Cinema Family Movie Day
• Pie Drive
• Spring Garden Raffle and
• A major corporate raffle with a big ticket item.

More information about these events as it comes to hand. If you were unable to attend the meeting and if you have any suggestions, please pop the ideas on the OLHC Facebook Messenger page.  All families are connected to this page.  Alternatively, please let Joan know in the office and she can pass the information on.

Thank you to all families for your commitment and dedication to supporting our school.  Your contribution is invaluable and I thank you for the benefit you give to our students and your children.

Black Ranges Cross Country

Yesterday we had seven students compete in the Black Ranges Cross Country in St Arnaud at Lord Nelson Park.  This was an amazing achievement to reach this level of competition.  

A huge congratulations to our seven participants - Kirat Dhillon, Eimer Delahunty, Orlando McGrath, Kaden Thomas, Charlotte Boussac, Sienna Finnigan, and Maeve Delahunty.  We are so proud of your effort and how you represented our school with pride.  You all certainly deserved a well-earned rest at the end of the event.

Kind regards

Mrs. Cathy Grace                                                                                

Black Ranges Cross Country

Important Upcoming Dates:

May

• 10th - Seussical the Musical Performance - Horsham Town Hall.  Please complete the permission form on PAM.
• 11th - School Photos (order envelopes will be sent home in the near future)

June:

• 12th - King's birthday - school closed - no school for staff or students.
• 23rd - End of Term 2 - school finishes at 2.15 pm

July:

• 10th - Term 3 begins

September:

• 15th - End of term 3 - school finishes at 2.15 pm

October:

• 2nd - Term 4 begins

November:

• 6th - Pupil Free Day - No school for students - Staff PD
• 7th - Melbourne Cup - school closed - public holiday.  No school for staff or students.

December:

• 15th - Last day for students.

Media Team News...

Thursday was Cross Country for Kaden, Charlotte, Sienna, Maeve, Eimer, Kirat & Orlando. Cross country was held at St. Arnaud (Lord Nelson Park). Maeve, Sienna Kaden and Charlotte had to run 3kms whereas Eimer, Kirat & Orlando had to run 2kms. It was very hilly terrain and very rough. Everyone who competed had to run through the bush too.

While Kaden, Charlotte, Maeve, Eimer, Kirat, Sienna & Orlando were at Cross Country the rest of the Senior class (André, Hunter, Nihal and Eliza) had to do: Literacy, Auslan, Recess, Coding, some free time with Mrs Bedford, Lunch, Library, made and played a Kahoot, and we had a game of Silent Ball to finish the day.

On Friday last week,  Year 5 and 6 got a note about camp and what to bring for Camp Wilkin. Camp Wilkin will be held on the 17th-19th and students will be picked up from Murtoa College at 7:30 am. The students will have a great time and meet new people.

Next week on Thursday, 11th May is the Mother's Day celebration, it will be  held at 2:00 pm in the Multi-Purpose Room. All welcome.

by Hunter and Charlotte

Mass Times & Parish Information

Mass: St Mary's Church, Murtoa
Sunday 7th May  Mass 8.30am

Sacramental Program 2023

St Paul VI Parish

St Paul VI Parish children have begun their sacramental program sessions as part of the Sacramental life of the Catholic Church. The Parish is offering this new program of preparation to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Parents are the first teachers of the faith to their children and are therefore encouraged to play an active part in helping their children prepare for the Sacraments.

This program will give parents, teachers, catechists, and children time to discuss, absorb, and appreciate the fundamental truths and gifts of each Sacrament offered to us from God, the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion will be encountered in the Year 4 (and above) age group. Below is a photo of Fr. Matt with Hunter, Eimer, and Riley.

Calendar Dates

Please click on the link below to take you directly to our School Calendar.

Bread Bags and Bread Tags Collection

Collect bread bags and earn sports equipment for your school!

We have registered our school for bread bag collection to help with recycling and to earn sports equipment from RHS Sports.

Help us collect bread bags which we can exchange for points to redeem for new sports equipment!

Bring you used, crumb free bread bags into school, and we will get busy collecting!

Further details are available on - https://wonder.com.au/wonder-recycling-rewards

Bread Tag Collection

Along with the bread bags we have decided to collect bread tags.

We will collect only plastic bread tags, not cardboard tags or N95 mask clips.

"Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs collect plastic bread tags nationally in Australia. The tags are recycled locally, raising funds to buy wheelchairs for disadvantaged people, mainly in South Africa"

Read their story on the following link - 

https://ozbreadtagsforwheelchairs.org.au/

Murtoa Silo Art and Digital Art Invitation