STUDENT VOICE

School Captain News

What’s Happening Week 6

Year 4 Community Engagement Event (ART) 4.30 - 6 pm
Year 3B & 3D Scienceworks Excursion on Thursday

What's Happening Week 7

BOOK WEEK
Parade and dress-up day on Monday
Confirmation retreat day on Tuesday
Confirmation family night on Wednesday
Year 1 Community engagement event (Bedtime Stories) 4.30 - 6 pm
Book Week Performance on Thursday (students only)
Prep Mass on Thursday 9.15 am
District Athletics on Friday

Principals Day

Last week on Friday, it was Principals Day for all primary schools in Australia. Alongside the Principals, Deputy Principals were also recognised for the work they do.

We had the chance to go and interview our very own principal, Mrs Mancuso, to see what she loves about our school.

Here are some questions answered by Mrs Mancuso:

How do you feel about being principal of OLPS?

I feel incredibly grateful and privileged to be the Principal of OLPS. It is a wonderful school community filled with caring students, dedicated staff and supportive families. I feel very proud of our school and excited about the future. Every day brings something new, and I feel very fortunate to be leading and serving the students, staff and families of OLPS.

What is your favourite thing about our school?

My favourite thing about OLPS is our strong sense of community. I love seeing students looking out for one another and displaying our school values, our teachers supporting and encouraging every student and our families who support the OLPS community. Most of all, I love seeing our Catholic values of love, faith, hope and learning lived out each day.

What do you think our school can improve?

There is always room to grow! I would like us to continue strengthening opportunities for every student to develop their confidence, resilience, independence and love of learning.

What is the hardest part of being a principal?

One of the hardest parts is balancing all of the responsibilities that come with being a Principal. There are meetings, planning, administration and many important decisions that need to be made. If I could, I would love to spend even more time in classrooms, learning alongside our students and being inspired by their curiosity, creativity and enthusiasm. Being in the classrooms is one of the most rewarding parts of my role, so it can be difficult when the demands of leadership mean I can't be there as often as I would like.
The hardest part is knowing that there are many different needs and priorities to balance. Every decision needs to consider what is best for our students, staff and families. Sometimes making difficult decisions can be challenging, but it is all worthwhile when we see our students thriving and coming to school feeling happy and safe.

What goals do you have to improve our school?

My goals are to continue building a strong culture of learning and wellbeing, strengthen our Catholic identity and sense of belonging, and provide every student with opportunities to achieve their best. I also want OLPS to be a place where every student feels valued, supported and inspired to make a positive difference in the world.

What is your favourite AFL team?

Essendon :-)

Essendon Footy Club Visit

On Wednesday, players from the Essendon AFL club paid the Year 5s and 6s a visit. We asked them questions such as who their role model was on their journey into AFL and what they do to help calm their nerves. The players who came were

Zach Merret, Zach Reid, Liam McMahon, Lewis Hayes and Jaxon Prior. At the end, we all got signatures from the players. We had a great time!

Thank you to Mr Whitty for organising this great opportunity for us. We hope Essendon have a better season in 2027!