Principal's News

Dear Parents & Parishioners,

It's hard to believe, but by the end of this week we will already be halfway through this term and, yet, there is so much still on the horizon.  A number of major highlights ahead of us on the calendar include the Kids & Dads' Night with Kaboom Sports, Book Week Celebrations, Fathers' Day Stall, the Sacrament of Confirmation, the OHR Art Show, and Footy Colours Day.  Whew!

Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop

Last Saturday was the feast day of Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first canonised saint.  Mary was an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life. A woman of faith, courage and hope, she faced countless obstacles and challenges with determination, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire people today.

Born in Victoria to Scottish immigrant parents, Mary was the eldest of eight children. From a young age, she worked to help support her family and experienced many of the hardships that shaped her character and deepened her faith.

At the age of 24, Mary devoted her life to God and took the religious name Mary of the Cross. From that moment, she dedicated herself to serving others.  Mary turned her vision for education into action, especially for children who were poor, isolated or underprivileged. Through her dedication and determination, she established dozens of schools across Australia and New Zealand, bringing education and hope to communities that were often overlooked.  Mary became a powerful example of compassion, resilience and unwavering faith. 

Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s famous guiding life motto is: "Never see a need without doing something about it". This core principle drives community work, schools, and charitable foundations across Australia inspired by her legacy.

Celebrating 100 Days of Learning

Last Friday, Mrs Hollow and Ms Dening prepared a special day to recognise 100 Days of learning in Prep. The Prep students all arrived at school wearing clothes that were typical of what might be worn by a person around 100 years of age.  I've never seen so many walking canes and stooped backs!

The 100 days of school celebrations began with a photo shoot to capture our growing and aged Preps.  

The students then set about making '100 day glasses'- where they displayed their great fine-motor skills that have been strengthened during 100 days of learning.

This was follwed with a “Buddy Catch Up” session where the Preps practiced precise counting to check their 100 item collections.  Conversations were also held on the topic, “Things I would like to do before I am 100”.

The Fitness session consisted of playing Grandma vs Grandpa Chasey.  The students also completed 100 exercises, e.g. 10 star jumps +10 fist bumps + , etc.

The students  watched 101 Dalmatians, and made their own 100 Day crowns.

The day concluded with every student receiving a certificate commemorating 100 Days of Learning.

Ms Dening and Mrs Hollow would like to extend their many thanks to everyone involved in sharing this special day.

Book Week

For a full outline of Book Week at OHR and the events we have scheduled, please visit the Learning & Teaching News page.  Remember, we begin this special week with our annual Book Week Assembly, where all students are invited to dress up as their favourite book character.

MASH Rotary Club Speech Competition

On Tuesday evening the Mont Albert & Surrey Hills (MASH) Rotary Club will hold the 21st Annual Primary Schools Speech Competition.  The Speech competition is an annual event where local primary schools are invited to select two students to represent their school.   16 students will represent eight local schools on the night.  

We are very pround of all the OHR students who presented speeches in the lead-up to this competition.  

The two students proudly representing Our Holy Redeemer are Charlie C and Andrew J.

Australia's Best Teachers

At OHR, the teachers inspire, support and nurture our students every day to be the best versions of themselves possible.  I am incredibly blessed to witness the care and dedication shown towards every one of our children.  

News Corp’s Australia’s Best Teachers series, now in its fourth year, celebrates the positive impact teachers have in the classrooms and school communities they serve.  

Nominations for Australia's Best Teachers were made available through the school newsletter some time ago.  One of our own staff members, Michelle Hollow, was featured as a finalist in the Herald Sun Australia’s Best Teachers Campaign last Saturday 8 August. Thank you to the parents who nominated Michelle for this award.

At OHR, we are incredibly proud of Michelle and, indeed, all of our dedicated teachers who make such a positive and lasting impact on the lives of our young people. Their commitment, passion and care for every student are at the heart of our school community, and we are grateful for the difference they make each and every day.

The teachers featured in the article, below, were selected from more than 2,000 nominations submitted by fellow staff members, students and members of the wider school community.  You can find Michelle in there.

National Science Week

This Saturday marks the beginning of National Science Week.  Be sure to check out the Science and STEM page for further details.  

Dads' & Kids' Night

The PFA are organising a special Dads' & Kids' Night in the lead-up to Fathers' Day.  The event will be held a week prior to the Fathers' Day weekend, and is scheduled for Friday 28 August: 5.00 - 6.45pm.  Kaboom Sports have been engaged to run the night. This is always a popular and well-attended evening in the lead-up to Fathers' Day.  Details can be found on the PFA News page further in this newsletter.

Train2Gain OHR

Want to build up your strength with other parents in a friendly environment?  Why not consider coming along to a Train2Gain OHR class?  Details can be found in the PFA News.

MACSSIS

Every year, we take the time to listen to our students, families and staff to gauge how our school is travelling. This feedback is invaluable to our progress as an effective school community and is backed by evidence-based research and best practices. 

A significant and formal way in which we engage and gather data is through MACSSIS, the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Surveys.  Please take the time to read the attached letter.

OHR Art Show

The countdown is now officially on to the OHR Art show, which is a night to celebrate the incredible artwork of our students.  

We ask families to arrive at 6.25pm on the evening of Thursday 10 September, so that they can be there for the official launch at 6.30pm.  Shortly after the launch, families will be invited to tour the exhibits.

• Next week is our final week for raffle prize dontations.  We kindly ask all families to donate.  A list of items can be found on the 2026 OHR Art Show page.

• Families have until Monday (yes, the time has been extended), to complete decorating their cube.

Make sure that you head to the 2026 OHR Art Show page where Mrs Hansen has included further details and a competiton for the children to enter.  

Learning Snapshots  

As part of our Family Engagement focus this year, we are implementing Learning Snapshots which will take place regularly between 8:45 - 9am (at dropoff) or 3:00 - 3:15pm (at pickup), commencing this term.  The Learning Snapshots are designed to best support you when working and guiding your child at home with their learning.  Each session runs for only 15 minutes, thereby making them accessible for busy parents (and grandparents).

Yesterday, Penny Hansen ran an informative session on how you can support your child in developing a 'Growth Mindset'.  You can access some helpful parent handouts on the Learning & Teaching News page.

Save the Date: OHR School Fete

Remember to save the date of Saturday 24 October in your calendar. This is the date of the OHR School Fete, branded as the OHR Spring Carnival School Fete.  

Our organsing committe has been meeting regularly to plan for this exciting event.

Details can be found on the PFA News page.

Is your Working With Children Check up to date?

Parents have been notified by the school when their Working With Children Check is due to expire. Upon expiry of the Working With Children Check, legislation requires that you obtain a new card and  bring it to the Office in order that it can be verified and photocopied.    

The Card MUST be displayed at all times when volunteering at School in any capacity. Thank you for your support.

Wishing everyone a great weekend,

Frank Dame