News from our Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this message finds you well as we approach the middle of Term 4. It is with great enthusiasm that I write to you after returning from my professional renewal leave. I was deeply grateful for the opportunity to step back, reflect, and engage in my own spiritual renewal and professional development. I am excited to bring some fresh educational perspectives and renewed energy from the Finland educational system to our wonderful school community.

During my leave, I had the chance to explore new educational strategies, attend inspiring workshops, and connect with other educators. These experiences have reinforced my commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for our students. Over time I am eager to share and implement some of the innovative ideas I have gathered with you all and to continue fostering a culture of excellence and inclusivity at our school.

I would like to thank Mrs Gordon and Mr Buxton who led the school so capably in my absence. Mr Buxton enjoyed his time at OLF so much he is considering moving from secondary to primary schools! We are very fortunate to have such experienced and enthusiastic leaders in our community!

Colour Fun Run

Last week it was wonderful to return to the Colour Fun Run! What a fabulous community experience! Thank you to all those who got involved and helped out in some way. A special thank you to Anna Giovenco and Nicola Ainsworth who led the initiative and worked really hard behind the scenes making the event such a successful reality. We were able to raise over $42,000 that will contribute to new bubblers and drinking fountains on the playground for the students. Over the next few weeks the prizes and initiatives should be delivered to the school to be distributed.

Kindergarten 2025

Our 2025 Kinder students attended their first Orientation session this week. It is a special time for these children and their families as they prepare for life at “big school". It is also exciting for our community as we welcome our new families for 2025. It is a reminder to us of the foundational work that goes into the education of our early years students and the partnership between home and school. These young people come to us with a variety of experiences and abilities and we do our best, with their families, to prepare them for a bright and successful future.

We look forward to welcoming our new little people again next week who are ready to begin their school journey with us.

End of Year

As we move into the latter part of Term 4, I would like to highlight a few important updates and upcoming events:

End-of-Year Celebrations: We are planning a series of events to celebrate the achievements of our students throughout the year. This includes our Learning Symposium, our Annual School Christmas Concert, Swimming Carnival, End of Year Mass and Awards, and the much-anticipated Year 6 Graduation Ceremony. More details will be shared closer to each event.
Student Progress Reports: Our teachers are diligently preparing the end-of-year progress reports that will be shared with at the end of the year.
Community Involvement: I encourage all parents to get involved in our school community. Whether it’s through volunteering, attending school events, or joining our Parent Representative meetings. Your participation is invaluable and greatly appreciated. Our final Parent Rep meeting for 2024 to begin planning some events and initiatives for next year will be held on Thursday 5th December at 2pm in the library. All are welcome.

I am looking forward to reconnecting with each of you over the coming weeks and continuing our collaborative efforts to make our school a place where every child can thrive. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to our school community.

Mrs Sue Clay | Principal