Dear Parents & Parishioners,

Welcome to Term 4

It feels like yesterday that we were welcoming students for the start of the 2024 school year and now we are commencing our final term for the year. As usual there is lots to look forward to this term. We have the swimming program, Year 6 Graduation, 2025 Transition, excursions, House Debating and Swimming Carnival to name just a few. Excitedly it is now a little over two weeks until our OHR Spring Carnival School Fete. Read below for more details of this major event.

Vision for Instruction

In February 2024, MACS examined the way reading, writing and mathematics are taught in its 300 primary and secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Vision for Instruction promotes explicit instruction, a way of teaching in which complex skills are introduced to students in small steps, supported by clear explanations and demonstrations of what students are expected to learn. Students then practise what they have learned and receive feedback from their teacher until the skill is mastered.

MACS is leading explicit instruction and evidence-based practice education in Victoria to achieve teaching and learning excellence. To find out what becoming a flourishing learner means for your child, and how you can help, read Parents Guide to Vision for Instruction and ask your child’s teacher if you have any questions. MACS also regularly posts about Vision for Instruction in social media.

To follow MACS, please click on the following links for Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Principals' Pilgrimage

Frank returns from his Principals' Pilgrimage next week. The details of the trip he published in the Newsletter at the end of last term, which I have included below:

I will be away in Spain for two weeks with 25 other Catholic Principals on a pilgrimage refererred to as the Camino de Santiago.

There is no singular starting point for the Camino de Santiago. There are many different routes to Santiago and, in turn, many starting points. The reason for the huge variety in starting points is that the original pilgrims would have commenced their Camino journeys from their own homes. So essentially that is why so many different Camino Ways have emerged over the centuries.

Our group will be walking the Camino Frances, which is the most famous Camino de Santiago trail, featured in books and films about the Camino such as ‘The Way’ with Martin Sheen and ‘The Pilgrimage’ by Paulo Coelho. Like many pilgrims we will begin our Camino in the Galician town of Sarria and walk the final stages of the Camino Frances.

The final destination, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, is where the remains of the Apostle St James are believed to rest.

Summer Uniform & Hats

As we are a SunSmart School, all students will be required to wear their hats to school from the first day of Term 4. Students have the option of wearing either their summer or winter uniform for the first two weeks of the term, but not a combination of the two. We also ask that the students wear black leather school shoes on the days they are not wearing their sports uniform.

Working Bee

Our final Working Bee for the year is fast approaching and will be held on the morning of Sunday 20 October between 8.30am and 10.30am. The Working Bee will be coordinated by both Luke Torpey and Justin Bolger to address the upkeep of the school grounds and minor maintenance matters. Working Bees are a cost-effective and essential means of maintaining aesthetic school grounds that afford a safe and welcoming environment for our children, parents and visitors - especially with the Fete being the following Saturday.

Working Bees provide the opportunity to connect with other families, and the children always have a great time helping out and playing with one another.

For task planning and catering purposes, please indicate your attendance by emailing either:

Justin: justin.trees@hotmail.com or

Luke: luke.torpey@jrtpartnership.com.au

Term 4 School Closure Days

Melbourne Cup Weekend - Monday 4 & Tuesday 5 November
2025 Planning Day - Monday 2 December

OHR Spring Carnival School Fete - Only 2 Weeks to Go

The fete committee continue to meet to plan for this year's school fete. This is a HUGE event for our school and to ensure that it is a success the fete committee will require everyone's support.

Make sure that you visit the PFA News page for further information. Also check out our list of invaluable sponsors listed on the first page of this newsletter.

A link to the fete website can be found on the homepage of our school website.

Nick Byrne

Deputy Principal

Student Wellbeing