Principal's Message

Dear OLA Families

WOW! What a sensational Fete! This year’s Fete was a wonderful example of our strong community working together. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who made our OLA Fete such an incredible day! First and foremost, a very special thank you to our amazing OLA Fete Coordinators Rach and Kim. Your dedication, commitment, countless hours of planning and hard work brought it all together, and we are so grateful! To our wonderful OLA Fete Committee thank you for being right beside Rach and Kim throughout the past 20 months and thank you to our Logistics Team who were there from the start to finish, thank you all for the time (time off work too!), energy and enthusiasm you put into making the day such a success.

To all our stall coordinators, staff and volunteers, thank you for giving up your time, rolling up your sleeves and getting involved. We simply couldn’t do it without you!

And finally, to all our OLA families and wider community, thank you for coming along, supporting our OLA school and church and thank you for joining in the fun. We certainly experienced a little bit of everything – rain, hail and sunshine – but nothing could dampen the spirits of our amazing community!

Days like these remind us just how special our OLA community really is. So much fun, laughter and community spirit, all coming together to make wonderful memories especially for our children. Thank you everyone. We couldn’t have done it without you! 

We realise it is a major fundraiser for our school and church but this activity also works in building strong relationships within the community and it has been wonderful to see so many of our parents/parishioners/staff/local businesses working together in the lead up to this year’s Fete. Congratulations to all involved in helping raise more than $42,000 for our school and church. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Gratitude to our Fete Sponsors

We are grateful to all our sponsors and to our local businesses and families for the many generous donations. Thank you for providing us with donations of goods, services, vouchers or money. This generosity has enabled us not only to pay for the rides and activities but it also enabled us to make an amazing $42,000 for our school and church - this is just brilliant!

Raffle Prize Winners

1st Prize - Nintendo Switch 2, generously donated by Sound Electronic Integration. 

Won by Tim Bollard

2nd Prize - $500 Luxury Escapes voucher, generously donated by Luxury Escapes

Won by Suzanne Radojcin

3rd Prize - $500 Westfield gift card

Won by Vicki Fowler

4th Prize - $200 Gold Class voucher, generously donated by Pritchard McIntyre & Associates. Won by Shereen Santiago

Donations

We are proud to have donated many of the remaining toys and books from the Fete to great charities such as St Vincent de Paul and the Salvos. 

OSAC/P&F AGM & Thank you to Volunteers

We invite you all to our AGM on Monday 7 December at 7.00pm. This will be a relaxed event, where we will share our school, P&F and School Advisory Council achievements for 2026. Light refreshments will be provided on the night.  This is our way of saying thank you to all our volunteers and to take the opportunity to enjoy some Christmas cheer.

Remembrance Day

On Tuesday our school stopped to honour and acknowledge this important moment on the 11th of the 11th at 11am. We came together to remember in faith all who have served, and continue serving in our armed forces, especially those who have died and those wounded in battle. We also pray for healing and peace; that one day, all peoples will lay down their arms and embrace one another as brothers and sisters in one human family. 

During World War 1 which occurred from 1914 to 1918, on many of the ruined fields in France and Belgium where the fighting took place, red poppies began to grow and flower. People saw the flowers as a symbol of remembrance for those who had died. Today, we wear poppies on Remembrance Day to honour all those who have died in wars.

LEST WE FORGET

OLA Mural

The story behind the OLA primary school mural was developed over several brainstorming workshops with selected students from various Grade 3-6 classes. Key themes discussed were centred around the local Cheltenham community, the school and students daily lives in and around Cheltenham. We are just over half way to completion.

Key themes include:

• Native flora and fauna found in the school grounds. 
• Welcoming and a sense of belonging in the school as well as the openness and belonging of the wider Cheltenham community. 
• Students value the kindness they experience and can demonstrate towards others.
• Students value hope for their future and the future of Cheltenham.

Key symbols include:

• Rainbow Lorikeets are found around the school and symbolic for social & community connection and kindness.
• Gum Leave silhouettes symbolic of welcoming and bringing people together. 
• Bees symbolic of students contribution to the wider Cheltenham community. 
• Light blue colour has connection to schools theme of Peace.
• Native Hibiscus connection to the school environment and symbolic for Hope.
• Banksia plant reinforcing sense of belonging. 
• Blue Fairy Wren pair symbolic to social connection, peace and hope.

Thank you to Dulux for donating the paint and thank you to Suburban Rail Loop and to the Community Projects Fund for making it possible for Kyle, from the Creative Sparks Projects, to work with us here at OLA.

“Our Mural Project has been awesome. I loved painting with my friends and classmates and I’m super excited to see how it turns out. It was great to have a voice in the planning. I also loved that we got to talk about all the things we value at OLA and then to see them represented in the mural.” Poppi

Prep 2027 Parent Information Evening

It was a joy to welcome our incoming families for our two Prep classes for 2027, at the Prep Parent Information Session held last week. On the night, we provided an overview of our programs and practices, and some important school readiness tips for our littlest students and their families. The Prep and Leadership Team were so impressive, reassuring families that their little ones are in the very best hands at OLA. It was also really lovely to mingle with our parent group before and after the session, and to hear just how excited they are to join our wonderful community. The relationship between school and home is arguably the most trusted and crucial throughout a child's journey, and is a huge influence over this 7 year period. 

Thank you to Meg Fowler for speaking about tips for starting school, being an active parent and the many ways families can get involved in the OLA community. Thank you also to Ella Meagher, Ros Sayers and Renee Wigesinghe from OSAC for their hospitality and thank you to the amazing Second Hand Uniform Shop volunteers for providing this brilliant service to our OLA families. 

Prep 2027 Orientation

We loved having our 2027 Prep children for their first Orientation morning this week and we can't wait to have them all back again next Tuesday! The Grade 5 Buddies for next year especially loved it and we hope our Preps loved it too. The parents took the opportunity to meet at Frank's Café which was a lovely way to meet up again and make even stronger connections. The orientation program provides a wonderful opportunity for the students to meet one another and spend time playing together, as well as engaging with the staff who will work with them next year. During these sessions, the staff observe the emotional and social interactions, and look for ways to best support the little ones with their transition to school. We are acutely aware that some students can easily transition, while for others, this can be quite an emotional and tricky time. Rest assured, these little hurdles are all part of the school journey and, in time, the students will become better equipped with the skills to overcome these challenges. The remaining orientation sessions are as follows: 

Christmas Carols

We look forward to hosting our OLA Christmas Carols on Thursday 3 December 6.30pm in Brigid Hall. Please come wearing a touch of Christmas and be ready to singalong with some traditional carols as well as some fun new ones too!

Staff Departures for 2026 

In a previous newsletter I was able to confirm that Michela Vella will be finishing up at OLA at the end of this year.  I know Michela has very much appreciated the support of the OLA community in wishing her well and for the gratitude that she has received. 

Throughout Term 4, in preparation for the coming school year, we are able to confirm changes to our team in 2027. Although it is sad to see members of our amazing staff 'leave the nest,' they always go with our heartfelt blessing, knowing their dedication to the OLA community has contributed greatly to our success.

Farewell and thank you to Mr Pertz

It is with mixed emotions that we share the news that our highly respected Grade 5/6 teacher, Mr Steve Pertz, will be finishing up his time at OLA at the end of this school year. During his time with us, Steve has made an extraordinary impact on our school community. He has built amazing, genuine relationships with students, staff, and parents alike, creating a classroom environment where everyone feels valued and supported. Steve is known for setting high standards and holding the highest of expectations for his students, consistently inspiring them to strive for their personal best.

Beyond the classroom, Steve’s energy and leadership have been the driving force behind so many of our students' favourite school memories. Whether he has been leading Interschool Sport, coordinating the adventures of School Camp, or sparking curiosity through his popular extension classes, his dedication has enriched the lives of our senior students in countless ways. Steve will be deeply missed by the entire OLA community. We thank him sincerely for his passion, hard work, and unwavering commitment to our students. Please join us in wishing Steve all the very best for the exciting next chapter teaching closer to home at Emmaus College. It will be a 6 minute drive rather than a 46 minute drive!

Reflection from Mr Pertz...

It is with a heavy heart that I announce my departure from OLA. As my family commitments grow, an opportunity to work closer to home has presented and after much deliberation I have decided to make the move. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our families for an amazing five years. You welcomed me with open arms, and it has been a privilege to partner with you in supporting your children's personal and academic growth. 

To the students: thank you for the wonderful memories, learning and joy. Whether in the classroom, on the sporting field, or on school camps, teaching you has been deeply rewarding. As a senior teacher, I hope I have helped prepare you well for high school. I enjoyed catching up with so many of you at the recent OLA Fete and hope to see you there again in two years, minus the dunk tank! 

To the OLA staff: thank you for your support, guidance, and friendship. From camps to graduations, it truly is a team effort, and I have learned so much from the teachers, LSOs, and admin alike. A special thank you to Richard, Caitlan, and Josy for believing in me as a leader and guiding me during my four years on the leadership team. OLA is a truly special community and I will miss you all.

2027 OLA Class Structures 

We are so excited to see how word of mouth, the work of our teachers and the deep sense of community at OLA have all assisted in building the reputation of our school over the last 7 years.  We have grown from 18 children coming into Prep in 2020, to 50 children in 2027!  This growth is very exciting and very positive for OLA.

The staff, Leadership Team, Consultative Committee and School Advisory Council have been in consultation over class structures and numbers for 2027 and beyond. We have researched and spoken with experienced educationalists and parents, and are determining a grade structure that will best support the needs of students and the school over the coming years.  Whilst we are finishing off the year with great momentum we are also securing staffing and plans for next year.

2027 Enrolments per level:  (as at 13.11.26)

With Grade 1 and Grade 2 we have looked at the learning styles of the children and teachers, the student numbers, finances, MACS regulations etc. and have determined that the best combination for next year is two straight Grade 1 classes and two straight Grade 2 classes.  We are excited to be maintaining 13 classes in 2027 as we exceed 304 students. We will continue with multilevel classes for Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6. We are excited to present our families with the following Prep to Grade 6 class structures in 2027: 

Our class structures take into consideration the following key elements:

• Priority for the development of learning outcomes for all students
• Priority for the wellbeing needs of all students
• Recognition of the formation of each of the characteristics, strengths and needs of each class and level grouping, for example, Prep, level 1&2, level 3&4 and level 5&6 across the school
• Allocation of staff to all classes and levels across the school, matching staff expertise to specific level placement along with staff team skills and dynamics, which will be shared 10 December 2026, following the 2027 orientation morning  
• Recognising the Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement and the industrial requirements in regards to staff allocation of hours and work loads and agreements in regards to class numbers from Prep-2 and 3-6
• Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) - Allocated 2027 Staffing Budget Consideration of the funding as allocated to OLA School from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) for the OLA 2027 staffing budget.  Each Melbourne MACS school has an allocated staffing budget which is determined by MACS and cannot be exceeded.  Whilst we would always be delighted to have a higher budget we unfortunately are directed to base our staffing on what has been allocated.  The school principal and MACS Business Partner use a MACS designed ‘staffing calculator’ to ensure that the school takes into consideration the allocation of all employees, their years of service, ‘oncosts’, level loading etc to ensure that the budget is allocated to best meet the needs of a school.   

As highlighted above, there are numerous elements that we take into consideration when negotiating school structures. The 2027 school structures have been designed to best meet the needs of the entire school taking into consideration the financial allocations to our school along with the 6 elements as listed above.  As a leadership team we have great confidence that the allocation of teaching staff, along with support of staff, will provide a highly productive year of learning and growth for our student cohort.  

Locations of classrooms for 2027 :

• The two Prep classes will be relocated to the current Performing Arts/WIN Room and Spanish Room 
• The Grade 1/2 classrooms will remain where they are
• The Grade 3/4 classrooms will remain where they are
• The Grade 5/6 classrooms will remain where they are 
• The Performing Arts Room will move to the Stage and Hall
• The WIN Room and Spanish Room will be relocated to the current Prep rooms.

We thank members of our staff and our parent representatives on the School Advisory Council for the level of consideration given to the structure of classes for the 2027 school year.  We approach the new year with great anticipation as we continue to see the OLA community thrive.   

Books & Stationery for 2027

We will ensure book list items including exercise books and stationery will be purchased by the school and all costs are included in your school fees and levies. The school will supply new pencil cases complete with all stationery at the beginning of the 2027 for Grade 3 students. The pencil cases have the OLA school crest printed on them and your child will keep that pencil case from Grade 3 through to Grade 6. We ask that children use the pens and pencils provided at school and keep their special stationery for home. We will be emphasising that these pencil cases are cared for and graffiti will not be accepted. At the end of each year pencil cases will remain at school and the student’s leftover stationery will be sent home in a bag. Stationery for Prep to Grade 2 will be provided, ensuring shared access for all. We will also purchase band aids, tissues and wet wipes in bulk. These costs are also included in your school fees and levies.

School Shoes

Correct school shoes and socks must be worn and we remind students and families, when purchasing new school shoes for next year, black sneaker Asics or Nike runners are not part of the regular school uniform. If the sport shoes are black leather and black soled then they are welcome to be worn as school uniform.We thank you in advance for your understanding. 

OLA Parents & Friends 

The OLA Parents & Friends Association (P&F) aims to encourage social interaction between families (by organising events for parents, students and staff) and assist in building a sense of community and wellbeing within the school. It also exists to raise funds for projects and resources that would not otherwise be financed and that will benefit the students. In past years, events have included welcome picnics, trivia nights, breakfasts, cocktail nights, fetes, along with raising money with raffles and other fundraising activities.

The P&F welcomes all parents and encourages you to become involved. Being a member of the P&F is a rewarding and enjoyable way of being involved in our school community. It offers the opportunity to meet school families, make new friends (across various year levels) and contribute to the vibrant OLA community. Most importantly, involvement in the P&F benefits your child/children.

P&F Executive Team for 2026

John and Raf (Co-Chairs) 

Eli Dunlevie (Secretary)

Volunteer Welcome (Treasurer) 

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Grade Representatives play an important role in the P&F. The primary role of a Grade Representative is to develop a friendly, supportive, inclusive community within each year level and to facilitate open and effective communication across the school in relation to P&F social and fundraising events. As a Class Rep, parents attend P&F meetings to communicate meeting outcomes back to the year level parents, welcome new families to the school, and help organise and promote social and fundraising events for the wider school, year level or class group. 

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P&F Contact Details: pandf@olacheltenham.catholic.edu.au

OSAC

We thank all parents who nominated for OSAC in 2026.  We will hold the final OSAC meeting on Monday and after three years on OSAC we will farewell Lucas Ryle (father of Jamie 5/6MG & Sophie 3/4NC). We thank Lucas for his unwavering support of OLA and look forward to him continuing to support our great school. We welcome Martin Nightingale (father of James 3/4GO) to the OSAC team in 2027.  Thank you for your commitment to OLA and we look forward to working with you over the next three years.

School Advisory Councils are an essential component of governing and operating Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The School Advisory Council provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where parent  voice and community perspective are available to inform and support the decisions made by the school, where students’ wellbeing and outcomes are paramount. 

The following are some examples of the many ways the School Advisory Council may support the school and the principal:

• articulating and enacting the school’s vision and mission
• promoting the school’s Catholic ethos and culture
• promoting faith formation and development
• supporting school policies as required
• giving advice to the principal on issues such as school improvement plans and enrolment trends
• engaging in discussion with the principal about the annual school budget and other financial matters
• giving advice to the principal about the school master plan
• providing capital resource planning and maintenance support to the principal.

OLA School Advisory Council members for 2027:

Richard Jacques

Caitlan Taig

Ros Sayers (mother of Hana 1/2 RN)

Ella Meagher (mother of Grace 5/6ES & Jacob 1/2NL)

Anthony Bons (father of Harper 5/6ES, Noah 1/2RN & Finn 1/2CH)

Renee Wijesinghe (mother of Flynn 5/6MG, Charlie 3/4NC & Elliott 1/2MV)

Lauren Morel (mother of Sophie 5/6MG & Harry 3/4GO)

Martin Nightingale (father of James 3/4GO)

Fr Alan Fox

Child Safe Standard 10

11 months 11 standards...

As a school we will highlight one Child Safe Standard each month. For November it is Child Safe Standard 10.

‘Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.’

As Catholic educators, we have a moral, mission-driven, and legal responsibility to ensure that our child safety practices are not only in place, but are regularly reviewed, strengthened, and improved. This responsibility is lived out not just through policies and procedures, but through ongoing reflection on how effectively they are understood, implemented, and embedded across school life. 

Our commitment to child safety includes routinely evaluating our approaches to safeguarding, learning from experience, and responding to feedback from children, families, staff, and the broader community. By reviewing what is working well and identifying areas for improvement, schools can respond to emerging risks, strengthen consistency, and ensure that child safety remains effective and relevant. 

Grounded in our Catholic mission, Child Safe Standard 10 calls us to act with humility, accountability, and care. When schools commit to continuous review and improvement, child safety and wellbeing are strengthened over time, ensuring children are protected, their dignity is upheld, and our communities continue to grow in trust and responsibility.

Prep 2028 Sibling Applications

Believe it or not, we are already planning for Prep 2028! We have received strong interest from new families wishing to join the OLA community, and we are beginning to look ahead to future enrolments. If you have a younger child who is eligible to commence Prep in 2028, we kindly ask that you submit a sibling application as soon as possible (please log onto our website to complete). This will assist us in understanding the number of sibling places required and help us determine how many new families we may be able to welcome into our wonderful school community. We have over 20 applications already so please ensure your application is submitted too.

School Fees

Term 4 school fee statements were sent out this week. We kindly request that all families with outstanding account balances settle their payments at their earliest convenience. In the event that you did not receive your fee statement as anticipated, please reach out to Maria (mhogan@olacheltenham.catholic.edu.au). Please note Term 4 is the term a school relies on its cash reserves that are paid by our families and that is why our fees are due at the end of Term 3. We appreciate all families who have been at the table or in conversation and have established a payment plan with the school. For anyone who is on a payment plan we understand that payments do continue in this last term of the school year.

Calendar

Please open the ‘Key Dates and Events’ tab in this newsletter for important dates or access the OLA Calendar here. 

School Term Dates - 2026

Term 4, 2026

Tuesday 6 October - Tuesday 15 Dec (11 weeks)

Pupil Free Days for 2026

• Friday 4 December 2027 Planning and Preparation 

Please note on the following date school finish early at 1pm:

Last day of school Tuesday 15 December

Congratulations

Art Work at OLA

We are thrilled to share that a brand new collection of student artwork has been selected to be professionally framed and hung throughout the school! It is such a wonderful treat to see our hallways and shared spaces refreshed with so much colour, creativity, and talent. Walking past these vibrant displays brings a smile to everyone's faces and celebrates the hard work happening in our Art Room. A huge thank you to all the children who are generously loaning their original pieces to the school until our next Art Show. Be sure to take a moment to admire our young artists' work next time you are at school.

And the gold medal goes to...

Last Sunday Amelia competed in a Gymnastics Victoria competition and she won gold for her rings routine. We are very proud of you Amelia.

Australian Mathematics Competition

Last Friday at Assembly we were delighted to share the results of the Australian Maths Competition and present certificates to each child who participated. Congratulations to Charlie Fedrick on achieving the Best in School Award together with a Distinction. Congratulations also to Bernard Grose and Jack Morecroft for also receiving Distinctions.

Principal Award

Luca came to see me throughout the week and said, "I have not written this much ever in my life!" He was so proud of his writing. I was super impressed and proud of Luca but naturally had some concerns about the content as it talked about dunking the Principal at the Fete!! No wonder his smile and excitement is next level.  Moments like this bring joy to the job!

And finally...

As we come to the end of a very full week, I thank our students, staff and families for the energy and enthusiasm they bring to OLA each day.

There is so much to look forward to as we move through the final weeks of the school year, including excursions, Christmas Carols, Prep 2027 Orientation, Grade 4 Camp Experience, Grade 5 School Captain Speeches, the Prep Nativity 

and Grade 6 Graduation. 

Wishing all families a safe, happy and restful weekend.

Richard Jacques

Principal