Principal's Piece 

Term 4, Week 9

Dear Parents and Carers, 

As we enter the season of Advent, we are reminded of the significance this time holds in our Catholic tradition. Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year and invites us into a period of preparation, hope, and joyful anticipation as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus at Christmas. In the busyness of daily life, Advent encourages us to pause, reflect, and remember what truly matters. It is a time to appreciate the gifts of love, faith, and kindness, and to share these blessings with those around us. The Advent wreath, with its four candles, guides us through each week leading up to Christmas. Each candle symbolises hope, peace, joy, and love, values we aim to nurture in our students every day.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Learning Celebrations on Tuesday evening. It was wonderful to see so many parents engaging in their child’s learning and celebrating their accomplishments. Your presence truly makes these occasions meaningful and memorable for our students. It was also lovely to see how enthusiastic our students were as they shared their learning and proudly showcased their achievements.

Congratulations to Trevin Perera, who participated in the pencil and brush division in the 2025 Japanese Language Calligraphy Competition. Trevin achieved an outstanding 2nd place in Victoria. This is a remarkable accomplishment that reflects his dedication, skill, and passion for language learning and the arts.

Last Wednesday, we had our 'Meet Your Teacher for our Prep 2026 students.’ We welcomed 100 excited future students and their families.  It was wonderful to see how eager and excited they are to be coming to the “big school.” 

I  would like to share some news about changes to our canteen operations next year. Unfortunately, we have needed to outsource a canteen provider commencing next year, this decision has been made after careful consideration. With this change, it means that we will be saying farewell to Maryanne and Joanne at the end of this year. We are incredibly grateful for their hard work, dedication and friendship to our school over the years. Their commitment to supporting our students and staff has been truly valued and appreciated. Further details about the new provider and transition arrangements will be shared with you once they are finalised.

Last Friday, our staff came together for our annual Faith Formation Day.  The day focused on building on our knowledge and deepening our understanding of the various faiths within our school community. The day provided opportunities for us all to broaden our perspectives, strengthen our cultural and spiritual awareness and learn ways we can support and connect with our students and families. The common message that emerged throughout the day for me was the importance of compassion, community and tradition.

A big thank you to our amazing parents, Tara Anderson, Sanya Spasovski and Sue Christodoulou for beautifully decorating and setting up our Christmas tree and nativity in the school foyer. Your time, creativity and festive spirit have been very much appreciated. 

We farewell some of our remarkable teachers who will be leaving us at the end of the year.  We say goodbye to Ms Herd, Ms Jenkins, Ms Nair, Ms Garcia and Ms Mooney. We thank them for their dedication, passion, and commitment to our students’ growth and learning and for the valuable contributions they have made to Our Lady’s community.  We wish them all the best at their new schools and wish them every success and happiness in the future. 

Next year, we welcome back Ms Dionne Mancuso and Ms Fiona Gianchino, who will be returning from maternity leave. 

Our end of year whole school mass will be on Tuesday, 17th December at 9:15 am. All families are welcome to attend. We will be having our final assembly at 2.30 pm to farewell our Year 6 students as they end their years in primary school and prepare for the exciting journey ahead in secondary school.

Our school choir will be performing at the Hume Carols on Saturday, 7th December at ANZAC Park from 5:00–8:30 pm, and Mr Lazarus will also be showcasing his talent as part of the event.  A big thank you to Mrs B for her ongoing commitment, preparation and dedication in leading our choir, especially at these extra curricular events. 

A reminder to families to book tickets for our Christmas Musical on Thursday, 11th December.

Location: Kolbe College Gymnasium (39 Lysterfield Dr, Greenvale)

Performance Times:  

5:30 pm: Samaritan and Teresa Houses

7:30 pm: Kolbe and Romero Houses 

PLEASE NOTE: Only family members require tickets; there is NO need to book a ticket for students attending Our Lady’s as seating has already been arranged for students. 

Link for tickets: https://compasstix.com/e/i48gs0w1h5 or the QR Code Below

If your child is not returning to Our Lady’s next year and you have not yet informed the school, can you please email principal@olps.vic.edu.au 

Take care and God Bless

Cinzia Mancuso

Acting  Principal