Principal's Piece 

Term 1, Week 3

Today’s overwhelming attendance at the Memorial Service for our much loved and respected Principal Mr Paul McEntee was a powerful indication of how deeply he was valued within and beyond our school community. The gathering reflected the profound impact of Paul’s leadership, vision, care, and kindness and the lasting legacy he leaves with us all.

Paul led with integrity, humility and a genuine commitment to the wellbeing of every student, staff member and family. His influence is woven into the fabric of our school, not only through the initiatives he led , but through the culture of care, trust and high expectations he nurtured each day. Many of our families have reached out on how they could support our school community and honor Paul’s legacy.  As a school we have decided to donate towards Prostate Cancer and their campaign for research to find cures and treatments towards this terrible illness. If you would like to donate please follow the link: 

https://fundraise.pcfa.org.au/fundraisers/olps

As a school, we have created a Memory Wall, where every student and staff member has shared a memory, prayer, or a legacy they wish to continue in Paul’s honour. These messages are deeply heartfelt and reflect the love, gratitude, and respect our students and staff hold for their Principal. I invite parents and families to take time to visit the Memory Wall and read the beautiful tributes dedicated to Mr McEntee. They are a moving testament to the difference one leader can make and to the legacy Mr McEntee leaves within our community.

A reminder to book your Meet and Greet time, which will be held on Tuesday 24th February from 11am-7pm.Each year level has been allocated a specialist area where families are invited to attend once your meet and greet session has concluded. Our very talented specialist teachers have organised activities for parents and students to participate in together. This is a great opportunity to share these experiences with your child. 

Prep / Year 1 - Library

Year 2- Art Room 

Year 3- Hub Room (next to the library) 

Year 4- Music Room 

Year 5- STEM Room 

Year 6- Asphalt area near the portables

On Wednesday, students from 6C participated in the filming of a Bike Education lesson for Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS). MACS approached our school with the opportunity to showcase our Bike Education program, highlighting students actively engaged in learning. This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our school, our students, and the high-quality programs we offer. The footage will be shared with other school principals and MACS staff at the launch of the Vision for Leadership on 3rd March.

Next Tuesday, we will be celebrating Shrove Tuesday, a special tradition marking the beginning of Lent. As part of the day, our students will be indulging in a delicious pancake, symbolizing the feast before the fasting season of Lent begins. We invite parents to join us at morning drop-off to sample a pancake from our Master Chef’s Mr Danny, Mr Cliff and Ale. As students will be provided with pancakes at morning recess, the before school pancakes will just be for our parents. We look forward to seeing you there and complimenting our chefs! 

Just a reminder about the parking restrictions in place on Bridgewater Road. This area is designated as a 5-minute Kiss and Drop Zone to ensure a safer and smoother drop-off for all students. We kindly ask that all families adhere to these parking guidelines for the safety of all our children and to keep traffic flowing efficiently during busy periods. Fr George has requested for parents not to park on the grass area of the church as this has been interfering with parishioners trying to park to attend mass. 

God Bless and take care

Cinzia Mancuso

Acting  Principal