Principal's News
Cybersafety Parent Webinar this evening! It's still not too late to register. Details below.
Dear Parents & Parishioners,
Wellbeing is critical to children and young people’s learning and life outcomes. It is embedded in all facets of life within a Catholic school community and is lived in the everyday as a reflection of the Christian faith. Wellbeing is enacted through the school’s vision and mission and its policies, practices and procedures, which are grounded in Catholic teaching and tradition. Wellbeing is brought to life through the actions, interactions and attitudes of all school community members.
School leaders, teachers and families are pivotal in fostering the wellbeing of children and young people. Together they strengthen the students’ ability to navigate the breadth of experiences they will face in their environment and relationships.
Wellbeing comprises and is influenced by a range of interrelated factors. It encompasses our sense of self-acceptance, personal growth, purpose in life and positive relations with others and the environment. Learning to identify the connections between people, ideas and their surrounds enables children and young people to better understand how to regulate emotions and behaviour from within.
When children learn to self-regulate they have stronger
friendships and relationships with others, are more able
to pay attention and learn new things and deal better with
the normal stresses and disappointments of daily life.
In Catholic school settings, ‘wellbeing’ is understood to be ‘realising one’s unique potential through physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development’. Wellbeing incorporates ‘the degree to which a student is functioning effectively’ and their capacity to cope, learn and thrive.
Adapted from Excel: Wellbeing for Learning
At OHR, wellbeing permeates all our practices and procedures. We have a team of staff who ensure wellbeing is brought to life across the entire community. Staff implement specific practices learned through: the Berry Street Education Model; the Respectful Relationships program and; approaches taught through experts such as Inform & Empower. The About Real Life sexuality program has been booked for the students in Years 3 & 4 and Years 5 & 6. Parent information evenings and a parent-child session also form part of this program, which will be held in Term 3.
Catholic Education Week
To conclude Catholic Education Week celebrations, last Friday Ms Kate Mackay and two of our mums, Tash C and Tash J, accompanied our School Captains and members of the RE/School Parliament team to the annual Mass for Schools at St Patrick’s Cathedral. More than 2,000 students gather at this annual event, representing both Primary and Secondary school across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. This was followed by the ever-popular Concert in the Park in the nearby gardens, where students gathered to enjoy the best school bands and share lunch.
Senior School Passion Play
The annual Senior School Passion Play is on this Wednesday, commencing at 9.00am in the school grounds. Please refer to the Education in Faith page for further details.
OHR Public Speaking Competition
Refer to the Learning & Teaching News page for details of next term's whole school Public Speaking Competition.
OHR ANZAC Day Memorial Service
On the day prior to ANZAC Day the school will hold the annual OHR ANZAC Day Memorial Service. Mrs Lisa Canty has written about our plans for this event in the School News page further in today's newsletter. Please take the time to read this section and if you would like to be involved in the ceremony feel free to email Lisa.
Promoting OHR in the Community
Education Consultant, Tony Dalton, has been working with OHR's School Advisory Council (SAC) over the past 12 months in the area of actively promoting the school within the wider community. We maintained our focus on this project throughout every meeting held during 2023.
This long-term project has required a sustained and committed effort. Our group will meet again on Tuesday evening to consolidate the work completed to date on the subject of ‘Reputation’.
The OHR SAC will communicate developments over the coming weeks and months.
OHR Sports Day
There is only one more week until the OHR Sports Day. This is always a great day for the children and parents, alike. We would love to see as many parents on the day as possible. Details and permission are on Operoo.
When: Thursday 28 March
Where: Box Hill Athletics Track, Hagenauer’s Reserve
Barwon St, Box Hill North (Mel Ref 47 C7)
Time: 9.15am – 12.00pm
Make sure that you catch up on all OHR's sporting news by jumping to the PE News page in today's newsletter.
End of Term Sausage Sizzle
Following the OHR Sports Day, the PFA will be running the end of term Sausage Sizzle for the students on the school grounds commencing at 12.30pm.
Q: The price for a sausage in bread? A: A gold coin donation.
Years 5 & 6 Parent Gathering
Many thanks to Fiona and Damian Love for hosting last Friday's gathering for parents with children in Years 5 & 6. We had a fine evening in which to mingle in the Love's backyard. It was great to see quite a number of families in attendance.
OHR Family Easter Picnic
The PFA did a great job in orchestrating last Sunday's OHR Family Easter Picnic, which followed the Year 1/2 Family-led Mass. The weather couldn't have been any better for this event, with many families taking the opportunity to show up and mingle.
The sausage sizzle, drinks and ice creams were a hit, as were the novely events which included the traditional egg and spoon races.
Thanks to everyone who volunteered their time to make for a great sociable gathering.
Raising Kids in a Digital World: Tonight
Join us this evening for an enagaging, insightful and practical webinar where you will hear from both the expertise of an experienced primary school teacher and cyber safety educator - Marty - combined with the insights of a psychologist and mum - Carley.
Inform & Empower is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.
The Digital World is a rapidly evolving landscape for parents and their children. This very practical webinar will provide parents with the tools to support their children in navigating this landscape in their homes.
Here is the link so that parents can register for the webinar :
Once parents register (with an email address and name), you will be emailed a link to the webinar. You will also receive reminder emails. The day following the webinar, you will receive a link to access the replay. Therefore, we recommend that even if you are unable to attend the live webinar, that you register to ensure access to the replay which will be available for 30 days.
Working Bee early this Saturday
Our first Working Bee for the year is scheduled for this Saturday 23 March. The Working Bee will commence at 8.30am and conclude around 10.00am A barbeque and refreshments will be provided between 10.00 and 10.30am.
Feel free to bring along your children. They can either play with their friends or help out if they feel inclined.
Please indicate if you will be attending on Saturday by emailing either of our Working Bee Coordinators, Luke luke.torpey@jrtpartnership.com.au or Justin justin.trees@hotmail.com
As the school has a limited supply of tools, it would be helpful if you could bring some of your own. On the day we require leaf blowers, hedge trimmers and/or loppers, shovels and wheelbarrows.
End of Term 1
The students will be dismissed at 1.00pm next Thursday to commence their school holidays.
Wishing everyone a great weekend,
Frank Dame