Dear Parents & Parishioners,

Parent engagement in learning is known to lead to improved outcomes for students of all ages. The terms parent engagement and parent involvement describe how parents and families support their children's academic achievement and wellbeing.

Parent involvement usually focuses on school-based activities such as attending events or volunteering in class.

Parent engagement encompasses children's learning at home, at school and in the community. There is strong evidence linking parent engagement with improvements in academic achievement for children of all ages.

The ACT Government defines parent engagement in two parts—family-led learning and family-school partnerships:

Family-led learning focuses on high aspirations for children, shared reading, a positive environment for homework, parent-child conversation, a cognitively stimulating home environment and support for social and emotional wellbeing; and
Family-school partnerships that encourage positive parent-teacher relationships, communication about children’s progress, and engagement in the school community, while equipping parents to effectively support and encourage their children’s learning and wellbeing (ACT Government, 2014).

School effectiveness research has identified positive home-school relations as a characteristic of schools with high academic standards, regardless of student background variables. Highly effective schools regard parents as partners in education and promote home-school partnerships

Reseach has also highlighted the importance of understanding which aspects of engagement are most beneficial. It has shown that good parenting, including providing a safe, secure and intellectually stimulating home environment, and modelling educational values and aspirations, has ‘a significant and positive effect on achievement and adjustment even after all other factors shaping attainment have been taken out of the equation’ (Desforges & Abouchar, 2003, p. 4).

Whilst the following five minute video is made in the USA, the messages are universal.

A great opportunity to foster parent engagement is by attending one of our Parent Learning Walks. Details can be found further below. If you are unable to attend the Walk scheduled for 15 May, you will have another opportunity during Term 3.

OHR School Cross Country

The OHR School Cross Country is being held today at Macleay Park, Belmore Road, Nth Balwyn. Details, including approximate start times, were communicated via Operoo and can also be found in today's PE News.

Wishing all our students the very best today as they complete their circuits.

Grandparents’ & Special Friends’ Day

The school, with the assistance of some very dedicated parents, is planning this year's ‘Grandparents & Special Persons Day’. This special event will be celebrated on Friday 24 May. On this day we would love for either the grandparents of the children, or other special persons in their lives, to come to the school for the morning. The day will commence with a very special whole school mass in the churc, celebrating the place of these important people in the lives of the children. The visitors will then be invited to partake in various activities within the classrooms. Following the classroom activities, our special guests are warmly invited to stay on for a delicious morning tea in the Hall.

Please mark this date in your calendar and commence sending out those important invitations.

Mrs Willis' News

Last week we learned the exciting news that Mrs Danielle Willis (3/4JW) is pregnant and due to give birth to her third child in October. Congratulations to both Danielle and Tom as they prepare for another baby to join the Willis family.

An Invitation to a Guided Learning Walk for Parents

On Wednesday 15 May, you are invited to come to the staff room for a decent coffee (we use Nespresso pods!) and then see firsthand how children learn at our school through joining us on a Learning Walk for Parents. Learning Walks are a great opportunity for parents to come to the school and, with other parents in a small group, be guided around classrooms by one of the school leaders. It is a great opportunity to observe what learning looks like in different levels of the school.

These guided walks will provide you with:

A first-hand look into selected classrooms to observe the learning
Special commentary and insights from school leaders
An opportunity to ask questions
A chance to meet, listen and learn with other parents

If you are interested in joining us on one of these walks please indicate your interest by emailing ohradmin@ohrsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au or alternatively completing the Google Form that was sent out last Friday.

Our Learning Walk for Parents will commence at 8.45am on Wednesday 15 May. Please allow 45mins.

Working Bee

This is a friendly reminder that our next Working Bee is scheduled for this Sunday 5 May from 8:30 - 10:30am. Within that time we will also have a sausage sizzle.

The main aim of the morning is to entirely clear and sort out the Dungeon. The Dungeon is the storage room beneath the hall entry. We require as many hands as possible to assist with removing old furniture and other discarded items. The remaining items need to be neatly stored to enable ease of location and access.

For task planning and catering purposes, please confirm your attendance to either of our Working Bee coordinators, Justin or Luke:

Luke.Torpey@jrtpartnership.com.au or Justin.trees@hotmail.com

Science Talent Search

Registrations are open once again for the annual Science Talent Search (STS). Students in Years 2-6 are warmly invited to enter with entry costs covered by the school. OHR students have been involved in this competition for many years and many of our students have achieved great success with their entries being awarded a Bursary, a Certificate of Distinction or a Certificate of Merit.

Mrs Axon regularly meets with entrants to support them on their journey.

Registrations for this year's STS are closing soon. For further details, refer to the Science and STEM page further in this newsletter.

Maths Talent Quest

On the Teaching & Learning News page you will also find details of this year's Maths Talent Quest (MTQ). Proposals need to be emailed to Mrs Penny Hansen by 11 May. If you have any questions in relation to the MTQ, please email Mrs Hansen: phansen@ohrsurreyhills.catholic.edu.au

Advance Notification of King's Birthday Long Weekend

The next school closure day for staff professional learning will take place on Friday 7 June, just prior to the King's Birthday long weekend.

The staff from our three parish schools will come together on that day for a focus on Religious Education.

Wishing everyone a great weekend,

Frank Dame

Learning Diversity