Deputy Principal's Message

Deputy Principals’ News

As we come to the end of another busy and rewarding term at COHR, we would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the wonderful moments and celebrations that have brought our school community together throughout Term 3. It has certainly been a term filled with learning, growth, connection and many special memories for our students and families.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for the support of our wonderful school community. The strength of COHR comes from the many people who contribute to making our school such a welcoming, caring and vibrant place for our children. As we look ahead to Term 4, there is certainly plenty to look forward to, but first, we would like to share a few highlights and updates as we finish Term 3.

Father’s Day Breakfast

It was wonderful to see so many Dads and their children at our Father’s Day Breakfast! Families enjoyed delicious food and coffee but most importantly, good company. It was fantastic to see our Dads spending quality time with their children and enjoying the wonderful sense of community that makes COHR such a special place.

The morning concluded with a special Father’s Day Assembly, providing a beautiful opportunity for our school community to come together in prayer and celebration and to give thanks for the special role that fathers, grandfathers and father figures play in the lives of our children. We hope all of our Dads had a wonderful Father’s Day and felt very spoilt and appreciated.

Thank you to all of our mums who helped set up, cook, make coffees and cleaned up at our Father's Day breakfast. You all showed what the COHR spirit is all about.

Walking in the Footsteps of St Paul

Over the past two weeks, Miss Gale has taken some time away from school and joined 15 other principals from the South Eastern Principal Network on a pilgrimage through Greece and Turkey, following in the footsteps of St Paul.

Aimee has shared that it has been an incredible experience to literally walk in the footsteps of St Paul and to see how a pilgrimage such as this can bring the New Testament to life. To travel through the ancient lands and cities where Christianity first took root and from where the faith began its expansion into Europe, is a truly unique opportunity.

Following St Paul’s journey through these ancient places provides an opportunity to reflect on his courage, perseverance and unwavering commitment to sharing the Gospel. His journey reminds us that faith is not always an easy path, but one that calls us to be courageous, to persevere and to continue sharing God’s love with others.

As St Paul reminds us in his letter to the Philippians:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

Prayer

Loving God, We thank you for the example of St Paul and for his courage, faith and perseverance. Help us to follow his example by sharing your love, showing kindness to others and remaining strong in our faith. May we continue to walk together as a community here at COHR, supporting one another and recognising your presence in all that we do.

Amen.

We are very much looking forward to Miss Gale’s return and to hearing her stories, reflections and insights from this very special pilgrimage.

Spark Night – Thursday 8th October

We are very excited to welcome our families to Spark Night, a special evening celebrating the learning and creativity taking place in our Specialist Classes. Join us on Thursday 8th October from 6:00pm to 7:30pm as we celebrate Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Italian, STEM, Physical Education and Library. Families will be able to explore the Visual Arts displays along the junior corridor and in the Art Room, Performing Arts in the Performing Arts Room, STEM in the STEM Room, Italian in the Italian Room, Physical Education in the Hall and Library in the Library.

The Courtyard will be the place to enjoy a sausage sizzle and music, while raffle prizes and art pieces will be displayed in the Office Foyer. There will also be door prizes and scavenger hunts for everyone to enjoy. A huge thank you to our amazing Specialist teachers, Mrs Hunt, Ms Taylor, Signora Pansino, Ms Tobin and Ms Hutchings, for all their hard work in preparing for this special evening. We look forward to welcoming our families and sharing this special evening together!

Be sure to check out each class’s amazing artwork and buy a raffle ticket to win one of these beautiful pieces! Raffle tickets are being sold before school for $1 per ticket. We will also sell tickets on the night.

"R U OK? Day" Buddy Afternoon

Our "R U OK? Day" Buddy Afternoon was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect, have fun and remind each other that asking “Are you OK?” can make a real difference. Students spent time with their buddies taking part in a range of fun activities, sharing conversations and enjoying each other’s company. It was lovely to see our older and younger students supporting one another, building friendships and creating a strong sense of belonging across our school. Most importantly, the afternoon reinforced the message that we can all look out for each other, listen and let someone know they are never alone.

One Day Left! Have Your Say and Enjoy an Icy Pole!

We’d love to hear from our families! The MACSSIS (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools – School Improvement Survey) gives you an opportunity to share your feedback about your experience of our school, celebrate our successes and help us continue to improve.

Your voice matters and every response helps us understand what we’re doing well and where we can grow.

Complete the MACSSIS Survey and Enjoy an Icy Pole!

There is now just ONE DAY LEFT to complete the survey!

As a little thank you, every child whose family completes the survey will receive an icy pole!

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete, so if you haven’t had a chance yet, please take a few minutes to share your thoughts before the survey closes tomorrow, Friday 18th September.

Together, we can continue to make Christ Our Holy Redeemer the best possible place for our students and families.

Please let your class teacher know once you have completed the survey!

Thank you for your valuable feedback and support!

Morning Punctuality

A reminder to all families about the importance of arriving at school on time each morning. School begins at 8:45am, with students expected to be settled, organised and ready to begin their day. Lessons commence promptly at 8:55am, so arriving on time ensures students do not miss important learning, instructions and the opportunity to start their day calmly and positively. We understand that mornings can sometimes be challenging, but we ask all families to please make punctuality a priority. Being on time helps students develop positive routines and sets them up for a successful day of learning.

School Uniform

We would also like to remind families about the importance of wearing the correct COHR school uniform each day. We have noticed an increase in students arriving in items that are not part of our uniform, including incorrect clothing, hair accessories and colours that are not school colours. Our uniform is an important part of our school identity and helps foster a sense of belonging and pride across our community.

Please ensure that students come to school wearing the full and correct school uniform, including appropriate school-coloured hair ties and accessories and that school hats are worn as required. We appreciate families supporting us to maintain consistent uniform expectations and ensuring that students are dressed appropriately and proudly in their COHR uniform each day. As we start Term 4, students will be expected to wear their summer unifor

Term 4 Swimming Program Prep–6

We are looking forward to our Term 4 Swimming Program, with all students from Prep to Year 6 taking part. The program will be held over Weeks 3 and 4 of Term 4 at Monash Aquatic & Recreation Centre (MARC).

The Swimming Program provides students with the opportunity to develop their water safety awareness, swimming skills and confidence in and around the water, while building on the skills they have developed throughout previous years.

We will share further information with families early in Term 4, including program details, session times and what students will need to bring each day. We look forward to seeing our students dive into the program and make the most of this valuable learning experience!

Reminders

Don't forget that hats should now be worn every day for the remainder of the year. Not hat, no play!
End of Term 3: Tomorrow. Students will be dismissed at 3:20pm.
Term 4: Begins on Monday 5th October.
Spark Night: Thursday 8th October, 6:00pm–7:30pm.

Recognising Our Amazing Staff

As we come to the end of Term 3, we would also like to take this opportunity to extend a very special thank you to our incredible staff. To our teachers, education support staff, administration team and all those who work tirelessly behind the scenes, thank you for everything you do to support our students and families. So much of the work that keeps a school running happens quietly behind the scenes and we are incredibly grateful for the care, dedication, flexibility and commitment that our staff show every day. Your work makes an enormous difference to the lives of our children and to the strength of our school community.

Wishing Our COHR Community a Safe Holiday

We thank our school community for your support while Miss Gale has been away and wish all of our students, staff, parents, grandparents, friends and families a blessed, safe and restful school holiday. We hope you enjoy some special time together and return refreshed and ready for all that Term 4 has in store. We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday 5th October.

MRS ILONA CETROLA & MRS KAREN GOSLING

DEPUTY PRINCIPALS

“Let all that you do be done in love.” St Paul, 1 Corinthians 16:14