Principal's News
Dear Parents & Parishioners,
During Monday's assembly the students in the Senior School took enormous pride in introducing their Prep buddy to the school community. While it may have been daunting for the Preps to stand up in front of the assembled students, parents and grandparents, it was also the first step - albeit a small one - in their OHR journey which is intentionally littered with opportunties to publically appear, and speak, before a variety of audiences.
Those of you who attended Marian Nicolazzo's presentation last Thursday evening, were reminded of the importance of talking with your children. Marian mapped out the countless opportunities and contexts for talk. Oral language development is the vital foundation for literacy, academic success, and social-emotional growth, as it builds the vocabulary, comprehension, and communication skills necessary for reading and writing. It enables children to express thoughts, understand complex ideas, and build self-confidence.
Marian's slides were emailed to parents on Tuesday, however, if you missed this communication you can access the slides in the Learning & Teaching News page.
Interested in Becoming a Parent Helper this Year?
If you are interested in volunteering to be a parent helper, head to the Learning & Teaching News page for induction details.
We are Committed to Child Safety
For many years, OHR has partnered with Inform & Empower to create safer and more positive online experiences for every student. Inform & Empower has reimagined how primary schools teach cyber safety and digital wellbeing. Their innovative whole school, every-term approach creates a powerful online community for students - one that grows with them, supports them and empowers them in the modern digital age.
Inform & Empower's live stream incursions were nationally recognised for innovation, where they received the Inspiration Award at the 2023 iAwards run by the Australian ICT Industry Association (AIIA).
In 2026, your child will take part in Inform & Empower’s Cyber Safety & Digital Wellbeing program. This means they will participate in engaging and interactive live-streamed incursions each term. Developed by qualified teachers, these incursions are designed to help create safer and more positive online experiences for your children. Inform & Empower is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a 'Trusted eSafety Provider'. You, the parents and carers, will be given resources to support conversations with your children at home. You will receive a concise “tip sheet” each term that outlines what your child learned about in class and how you might open up these important conversations at home.
During 2026, we are also supporting parents and carers in this space through a “parents only” webinar/presentation which will be held during the evening of 19th March. Further details to follow.
Team Teach
For over 25 years, Team Teach has been a pioneer in behaviour support training across Education, Healthcare and all Social Services. Team Teach is an accredited, positive behaviour support training program designed to equip individuals and teams to deal with challenging situations and behaviours utilising the latest research about the psychology of behaviour support and biomechanics.
MACS has partnered with Team Teach to provide staff teams with a toolkit of holistic strategies on de-escalation and crisis intervention, both verbal and non-verbal, for supporting and reducing instances of disruptive and distressed behaviours, whilst reducing occupational violence.
The OHR staff will undertake a full day workshop, facilitated by Team Teach, on Monday 23 February. This is our first school closure day for the year.
Supervision Before and After School
The children are supervised before school by teaching staff from 8.25 – 8.40am. Commencing at 8.30am, the children may enter their classroom and begin setting up for the day as long as their teacher is in attendance. In the interest of child safety, we request that children are not dropped off at school any earlier than 8.25am. Teaching staff are not scheduled for playground supervision until 8.25am as prior to this time they are regularly involved in meetings, preparation and administration.
The children are dismissed at 3.15pm, with staff supervision in the school grounds extending from 3.15pm – 3.30pm. We kindly request that all children be collected by no later than 3.30pm as staff are often involved in a variety of meetings commencing at this time.
We appreciate the fact that so many parents and/or guardians have been prompt in picking up their children at the end of the school day.
Please note the following:
Children are allowed to play on the Junior Playground equipment between the times of 8.25 – 8.40am and 3.15 – 3.30pm, but not in the sandpit nor on the Middle/Senior Playground Equipment at the Northern end of the grounds.
In the interest of everyone’s safety, ball games are not to be played before or after school between the times of 8.25 – 8.40am and 3.15 – 3.30pm.
Children should never wait to be picked up in York Street. They should always be collected by an adult from within the school grounds, if they are not exiting through the Barton Street kiss and drop-off.
Child Absences
In order that the safety of all children at OHR is met during school hours, it is important that student absences are reported to the school by phone, email or the nForma Parent App prior to 8.45am on the day of absence. All registered schools must record student attendance twice per day and note the reason for each absence. This is necessary to: (a) meet legislative requirements; and (b) discharge the school’s duty of care to all students. To this end, and for your child’s safety, we ask for your assistance with this important matter.
Parents will always be notified when there is an 'unexplained absence'.
Traffic and Parking in the Vicinity of OHR
I would like to draw your attention to the traffic and parking strategy that became effective on 7 October 2024, and is applicable to Barton and York Streets.
During 2024, Boroondara Council worked with local residents and the school to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety, by imposing restrictions on U-turns and right-hand turns, adjusting parking times, and decreasing speed limits around the school.
We encourage you to read the attached letter that was distributed to local residents back in September 2024 advising of these changes.
I ask that you support the school with this strategy both for the safety of our students and parents, and as a courtesy to our local neighbours.
Sacramental Dates in 2026
Please refer to the Education in Faith section of this newsletter for a letter from the Parish regarding 2026 Sacramental dates.
Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund (CSEF)
If any families hold a current Health Care Card and are eligible for CSEF, please see Heather in the school office to obtain the necessary paperwork for completion.
2026 Parent Gatherings
On Monday, each Prep - Year 2 parent should have received an email containing an invitation to the Junior Parent Gathering to be held at the home of Neil and Renee Shepherd. This particular evening is scheduled for next Friday, 20 February.
Term 1 School Closure Day for Staff Professional Leanring
Each term, one day is a designated as a school closure day for staff professional learning. The date set aside as a school closure day in Term 1, 2026, is Monday 23 February.
Easter Colouring Competition
Once again, Our Holy Redeemer students are invited by the office of Jess Wilson MP to participate in the Easter Colouring Competition. Please see Jess' invitation below:
Dear Frank
I am once again delighted to invite Our Holy Redeemer Primary School to participate in the 2026 Easter Colouring Competition for primary school students in the Kew electorate.
Easter is an important date in the Christian calendar and is also a time widely celebrated by children, many of whom enjoy a chocolate treat on Easter Sunday.
Please find enclosed copies of the Easter colouring competition for distribution to students. Students who wish to participate are invited to colour in the Easter picture for their chance to win an Easter prize. The competition is open to primary school students who live in or attend a primary school in the Kew electorate (students do not need to reside in the electorate).
One winner and one runner-up will be selected from each participating school, with entries judged by me prior to Easter.
Students are asked to submit their completed entries to the school office by Friday 13 March 2026. My office will arrange collection from schools commencing Monday 16 March 2026.
An afternoon tea will be held at my office for the winning students, where certificates and prizes will be presented. Further details will be confirmed closer to the date.
I hope Our Holy Redeemer Primary School will be able to participate in the 2026 Easter Colouring Competition.
Yours sincerely
Jess Wilson MP
Member for Kew
Wishing everyone a great weekend,
Frank