Term 3 Week 6

Parents and Carers,

We have been immersed in National Science Week and the children have been involved in conducting some very interesting experiments. While moving through the classrooms this week I have seen some very eager and focused faces and heard plenty of indepth speculation about what might happen when you mix this and that or rub that on there. Our Science Inquiry units are always some of the most inspirational and engaging, hopefully we have inspired some of our students to go on and study in the field of science.

The arrival of our Annual Book Bazaar in the Library has been an outstanding success and it has been wonderful to see so many children passionate about choosing books, it really helps build a sense of occasion as we gear up for Book Week next week. The year 5’s Book Week posters are on display in the main school corridor and I have seen all the classes up there having a look at them and casting a vote for their favourite poster. All parents are welcome to wander through and have a look at the display anytime. The students will be attending an author session with Sue deGennaro on Wednesday 23rd August which is a great opportunity to hear from someone who is living a life dedicated to storytelling.

As always, our Book Week parade will be a highlight at the end of next week, so we invite you all to come along and watch between 9 and 10 am on Friday 25th August. Feel free to embrace your inner child and come along dressed up as well. As I mentioned last week, if you haven’t started working on your child's book week costume yet parents, it’s like the students' homework, don’t leave it till the last minute.

To follow on from the wonderful performance earlier in the month from the NED organisation. N for Never give up, E for Encourage others and D for Do your best. We had a performance of Zanna and The Lost Code, for the whole school this morning to mark the National Day of Action Against Bullying. The aim of the performance was to engage students in conversations about values, respect and responsibility, and inspire them to build safer and more positive online experiences. Hopefully some of the students have come home and talked about the messages from the show. If not when you get a spare minute over dinner or maybe when you're travelling in the car together ask them about it. Making links between what they learn at school and home is vitally important and takes things from theory to real life.

We have Italian Day fast approaching as well. Signora Chesterman has been working away with Signorina Liv and the Grade 6 students to prepare some great activities for the children. Our year 6’s will be running the activities on the day, while the other students rotate through. We will have a Pizza lunch, please make sure you get your orders in by Thursday 24th August and then we finish the day with a whole school performance. You can see more details of the day on the ‘Notizie Italiane’ page of the newsletter.

Father’s Day is fast approaching and as always we will be having a fathers day stall. This will be on Thursday 31st August. We will also have a fathers day celebration and Liturgy at 2.40pm in the community centre on Friday 1st September, with everybody welcome. Mrs Bisby put out a call in last week’s newsletter for parents to upload a photo of their child with their father or a significant male in their life, this could be a grandfather, uncle or friend of the family for example. These will be included in a slide show as part of the Liturgy. You can find the link in the RE news section of the newsletter again this week.

There was an article in the Age today and then on social media about the 4 small Catholic Schools that were the focus of a viability study conducted by MACS. These schools have been informed they are to close at the end of this year. These schools had a total combined enrollment of 307, all around half our size. We are one of over 170 Victorian Catholic Schools with less than 150 students. While we have not been contacted today, I am aware that there was communication from the Executive Director of MACs to small schools today who received this message.

‘We acknowledge there are several MACS schools with small student cohorts, and we continue to support these communities to remain strong and flourishing. I want to reiterate this decision has no impact on your school, its operations or the support you currently receive.

While enrolment numbers are an important factor when assessing the future viability of a school, it is only one indicator, and we continue to invest in a range of activities to promote the offerings a Catholic education provides to so many students.’

As always I am available to talk to anybody who has concerns.

In staffing news we welcome Mrs Arandt back from her travels in Europe and at the same wish Liz well as she heads off to Europe for a family wedding. Her last day in the office will be Wednesday 23rd August. Angela and Lorretta will share the office duties till Liz returns next term.

Inter School Sports was cancelled today due to inclement weather.

As a sports mad Aussie, I have been watching the Matilda’s journey throughout the World Cup. In football crazy Melbourne soccer is not everybody's favourite sport but it has been a fantastic opportunity to grow the game in our part of the world and inspire young girls to pursue their sporting dreams. I hope the Matildas can win their final match on Saturday night against Sweden. If not they have made Australia proud and are a wonderful example to our students of what can be accomplished when we work as a team.

Regards

Mark Pinkerton

Acting Principal

Canteen window for (Friday) recess sales has started.

Available for sale will be snack packets of Red Rock chips, Grain Wave whole grain chips, Pringles, Raspberry Twisters, Snakes, Smarties (Small 16g pkts), Yoghurt Frogs and Juicies.

These items can be purchased through CDFPAY (and will be ready to pick up at recess) or can be bought directly from the window.

If you are interested in helping our PFOL as a recess helper, please let us know.

Italian Day orders - Lunch Pizza

Disco

Trivia Night

Friday Recess Orders

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Please refer to our School google calendar for events throughout the year.

Links

OSHClub contact - 0432 212 815 ourladyhelpofchristians@oshclub.com.au

Family Shared Reading Time

Dear Prep, 1/2 and 3/4 families,