GRANDPARENTS’ & SPECIAL FRIENDS’ DAY IS TOMORROW.

PLEASE ARRIVE NO LATER THAN 8.45AM FOR A 9.00AM START IN THE CHURCH

Tomorrow we recognise and celebrate grandparents and special friends, and the deeply important role they play in our lives. They give us love, wisdom, support, and a sense of belonging that helps shape who we become.

Grandparents often connect us to our family history, traditions, and values. Through their stories and experiences, they teach patience, resilience, kindness, and respect. Many grandparents provide comfort during difficult times and celebrate our successes with genuine pride. Their unconditional love can give children and adults alike a feeling of security and acceptance. They also remind us of the importance of family, continuity, and caring for one another across generations.

Special friends are equally valuable. True friends encourage us, listen to us, and stand beside us through both joyful and challenging moments. They help us feel understood and less alone. Good friends inspire confidence, help us grow, and often bring laughter and happiness into everyday life. Sometimes, special friends become like family because of the trust, loyalty, and support they share with us.

Together, grandparents and special friends enrich our lives emotionally, socially, and spiritually. They teach us how to love, how to serve others, and how meaningful human connections can be. Their presence reminds us that life is not only about achievements, but also about relationships, compassion, and shared memories.

As we grow older, the time spent with grandparents and special friends often becomes some of our most treasured memories. Their guidance, encouragement, and companionship leave lasting impressions that continue to influence our choices and values throughout life.

Child Safe Standards

As part of MACS '11 Months 11 Standards' campaign, next month we will focus on Child Safe Standard 5: Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice. Make sure you visit the Child Safe Standards page in this newsletter to keep abreast of the Standards.

National Reconciliation Week: 27 May - 3 June

The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.

All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.

The theme also reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for generations.

The dates for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) remain the same each year; 27 May to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey — the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision, respectively.

The #NRW2026 campaign was created in collaboration with Carbon Creative, a First Nations-owned and operated marketing and creative agency.

The artwork for this campaign is by renowned Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung artist Otis Hope Carey, who applied his distinctive style to create a colourful and optimistic visual representation of people from all walks of life being ‘all in’ to make change.

Go to the Student Wellbeing page to see how students recognised National Reconciliation Week at OHR.

Kew Primary School Leaders' Forum

Last Friday, our two School Captains, Sophie and Andrew, represented OHR at the Kew Primary School Leaders' Forum. Jess Wilson MP, invited student leaders from the Kew electorate to raise issues that were important to them and to speak on their chosen topic in the Legislative Assembly chamber at Parliament House.

Sophie spoke on a local council matter, where she argued the case for an increase in the number of pedestrian crossings, and crossing supervisors, in the vicinity of schools in the Kew electorate. While Andrew spoke on the matter of the ever-ballooning Victorian state debt, and how this was not a good example on which to model a small or big business.

We are very proud of our students at OHR and the number of opportunities they embrace to bring their public speaking skills to the fore.

Working Bee

Don't forget that we have our second Working Bee for the year this Sunday, 31 May, from 8:30 - 10:30am. Within that time we will also have a sausage sizzle.

We have had fantastic attendances at every working bee over the past few years, and are hoping that this one will follow suit. It's a great morning for the kids, so make sure that you bring them along, too.

Please bring along wheelbarrows, shovels, trowels and leaf blowers.

For task planning and catering purposes, please confirm your attendance to our wonderful Working Bee coordinator, Laura: lauradinicol@gmail.com

MACSEYE

As Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) prepares OHR's transition of OSHC providers, from Camp Australia to MACSEYE, we know that families are likely to have questions during this period of change. MACSEYE will be hosting online information sessions where families can meet the team, learn more about MACSEYE OSHC, and ask any questions you may have.

Note, that anyone intending to use MACSEYE OSHC will have to undertake a totally new registration process as you will be engaging with a totally new provider. Former registrations with Camp Australia will cease on the last day of this term.

MACSEYE have arranged two online sessions. The first was held on Tuesday evening, with second to be held on:

• Wednesday 10 June, 6.30pm – 7.00pm

The sessions will also be recorded and shared with you, so families unable to attend can access the information.

Details can be accessed in the below flyer.

MACSEYE: How to Enrol

To enrol and book your OSHC sessions, visit the dedicated MACSEYE OSHC webpage: www.macseye.vic.edu.au/oshc/oshc-locations/our-holy-redeemer-oshc-surrey-hills/ This web page contains all the key information needed to get started, including:

Session times•
Fees
Enrolment information
Enrolment form link

We encourage all families to complete their enrolment as early as possible, even if you are still thinking about when you might need care. That way you can book as soon as you are ready.

More information

For more information, you can also refer to the Service Flyer and MACSEYE brochure, both of which can be found on the MACSEYE page.

Contact MACSEYE

If you need support with enrolment or have any questions, the Customer Service Teamis available to assist, Monday to Friday between 9am – 5pm (AEST):1300 501 029 enrolments@macseye.vic.edu.au

School Closure Day

Our next school closure day for staff professional learning will take place next Friday 5 June, which immediately preceeds the King's Birthday long weekend. The staffs from our three parish schools will gather together on this day where the focus will be on Staff Faith Formation.

Wishing everyone a great weekend,

Frank Dame

School Community