Principal's Piece 

Term 4, Week 9

Dear Parents and Carers,

“It’s almost Advent; only a few weeks till Christmas!” Was it really a whole year since we last heard those words? The four weeks of Advent commence this Sunday and at school, we invite all to celebrate the first week of Advent at our whole school mass this coming  Wednesday at 9.15 am. For Christians, Advent allows us time to ponder how Jesus came into this world in such a stunningly humble way. As we contemplate His birth in a bed of straw in a messy stable, perhaps, we see our own life as being a little messy too. 

Our life can be often distracted, self-centred and sometimes leaves us wishing we were better people. But if we can slow down and refocus our attention, we might realise that life isn’t so bad! If that isn’t enough the shopping centres get in earlier each year, however: make sure you get out the Christmas tree this weekend!

Student Reports: Next week Reports go home on Tuesday and enclosed with the report is your child's grade teacher for next year. I thank both teachers and students for their efforts in completing an excellent year's work, which is reflected in the students report. Please take the time to read the comments. Organising 700 students into 28 grades is an important and challenging task and it's crucial that families trust and support the school's decisions on this matter. The school's expertise in pedagogy and understanding of individual student needs guide these decisions. Trusting the school's judgment fosters a collaborative environment between parents, teachers, and administrators, ensuring a holistic educational experience. At this stage, we are still looking for one teacher for our class cohorts for 2024.

 Learning Celebration and Meet Your Teacher: Thursday highlights the end of their school year with our Learning Celebration Evening (3.45-6.45) when families and friends are invited to the classrooms where students will share their learning achievements for the school year. Then during the day, we commence the 2024 school year when students will meet their 2024 teacher and classmates. 

Carols Night: Maybe our lawn is fake but our Carols are all sung by real live performers, so please keep Tuesday the 12th of December free for our annual Carols Night presentation (don’t forget to ask Nanna and Pa). Organization is underway and Mrs B  has sent out a costume list for each grade. As has been the tradition at Our Lady’s, Carols will commence at 6.30 pm but we invite families to come earlier and share a picnic meal with their family. 

Tune into Channel 7 news tonight at 6 pm, when Dylan Marguccio, (ex OLPS student) who is currently completing a work placement at Our Lady's shares his latest song adventure for Christmas. Enjoy!

Take Care and remember only 23 days till Christmas !!!

Paul