Principal's Piece
God's Love and Care for All
Our Lady's aspires to be a welcoming community unified by love, faith, hope and learning.
Term 1, Week 1
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to the 2025 school year. I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable summer, and are as excited as we are to begin another wonderful school year.
As we embark on another exciting year at Our Lady's, we extend a warm welcome to all our families, both returning and new! Thank you to all families for their efforts in ensuring our first week back provided all students with a smooth transition back to the routines of school. Our prep students look as though they have been here for a while and it's great to see how well they have settled into the routine of the school day.
Some baby news, congratulations to Mrs Fiona Gianchino and her husband Dan on the arrival of their son Lucky born on the 23rd of January, weighing 3.6kg and measuring 52cm. Wishing them all the best as they embark on the beautiful gift of parenthood.
We welcome our new staff to Our Lady’s Community:
Ipshita Nair - Prep, Tahlia DiNoto - Prep, Sabrina Adam - Year 1, Kim Taki -Year 2, Larissa Skenderis - Year 2, Lilli AbiHalia - Year 4, Jayne Mooney - Year 5, River Nario- Year 6, Rance Lazarus - Music (2 days). We also welcome back Melissa Laing, our school psychologist who is returning from maternity leave. Each of them brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to their respective roles, and we’re confident they will help make this year special for your child. Be sure to introduce yourself when you see them around the school!
Classes and teachers for 2025:
Classroom Teachers / Specialist Teachers
| Name | Room | Teacher | Name | Room | Teacher |
| PREP A | 25 | Bianca Angerosa | 3C | 42 | Zachary Wright |
| PREP B | 27 | Tahlia DiNoto | 3D | 41 | Alisha Lok |
| PREP C | 24 | Kate Sheills/ Danielle Jordan | 4A | 36 | Jess Habchi |
| PREP D | 26 | Ipshita Nair | 4B | 37 | Jo Elliott/Ann Matti |
| 1A | 15 | Kelly Farrell/Harriet Jenkins | 4C | 39 | Monique Abboud |
| 1B | 21 | Mariam Mansour | 4D | 40 | Lilli Abi Haila |
| 1C | 22 | Karina Capraro | 5A | 44 | Jayne Mooney |
| 1D | 23 | Sabrina Adam | 5B | 45 | Celeste Martin/Jacinta Garcia |
| 2A | 31 | Larissa Skenderis | 5C | 46 | Nicholas Petruolo |
| 2B | 33 | Steph Burgess | 5D | 47 | Melissa Buttigieg/Angelo Iacopino |
| 2C | 34 | Chanel Romeo | 6A | 48 | Rushani Rupasinghe/Carli Scavo |
| 2D | 35 | Kim Taki | 6B | 49 | River Nario |
| 3A | 32 | Cristina Yousif | 6C | 51 | Katey O’Keefe |
| 3B | 43 | Sarah Grimes | 6D | 50 | Tam Phi |
| ART | 10 | Nora Goga | Music | 52 | Mrs Helena Balazs / Mr Rance Lazarus |
| Library | 54 | Carolyn Watt | Physical Education | 30 | Mr Anthony Whitty / Jade Herd
|
| Japanese | 54 | Daniel Caia | STEM | 53 | Robert Yacoub |
At this time of the year, the emphasis at school is to ensure
● We have a safe and supportive school environment
● We have an orderly school environment
Our school routines are centred around our timetable, rosters and ensuring students are familiar with the school expectations, routines and rules that will ensure a safe, secure and orderly learning environment for all. Parents play an important role in the success of our school so that our staff can focus on getting to know their students and providing a quality education for all children. Positive connections between parents and teachers have been shown to improve children’s academic achievement, social competencies and emotional well-being. When parents and teachers work as partners, children do better in school and at home.
Communication is key to a successful school year, so be sure to stay connected with us! Important information will be sent through COMPASS and our fortnightly school newsletter. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself.
Here are some important reminders to ensure a smooth start to 2025:
- School gates open at 8.30 and students will be able to enter classrooms at 8.40 am.
- Classes commence at 8.50am.
- School finishes for students at 3.20 pm
- The office is open from 8.30 am - 4.00 pm each day.
Uniform: Summer uniform is required in term one and don't forget your school hat. Parents- please ensure all uniform items are clearly labelled with your child’s name.
Some important dates reminders for Term 1:
School Photo Day: Wednesday 5th February
Beginning of School Year Mass: Thursday 6th February
School Closure Day: Thursday 20th February
Please check the school calendar for other important dates and school events.
Our Zooper Dooper Tuesday will continue this term, all proceeds will go towards our Year 6 Graduation. The cost of the Zooper Doopers is $1.00. If you would like to volunteer please complete the document below. Please be aware that you will be required to have a Working with Children's check in order to volunteer. Thank you in advance for your support.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1cSsM5-kROcBKddSRwXhH96ibhpjcJkPPcQcSwcIv3e8/edit?gid=0#gid=0
We are all excited about the school year ahead and look forward to all the growth and fun that it will bring. Thank you for entrusting us with the education and well-being of your child.
Wishing you and your family a fantastic start to the school year!
God Bless
Cinzia Mancuso
Acting Principal