Principal's Message
From the Principal
Dear Families of Our Lady Star of the Sea,
October Month of The Holy Rosary
The Rosary, at its core, is a contemplative prayer where we meditate on the life, passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ through the eyes of His beloved mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. The repetitive nature of the Hail Marys provides a rhythmic backdrop that allows the faithful to dive deep into these mysteries, drawing them closer to both Jesus and Mary.
During October, we are invited to rekindle our relationship with this cherished prayer. In a world riddled with challenges and distractions, the Most Holy Rosary stands as a beacon of hope, a weapon of spiritual warfare, and a conduit of grace.
Planning for 2026
While there is much to still happen in the next eight weeks, our staff will be doing some preparation for 2026 later in the term. One of these processes includes working out how the classes will be allocated for next year. The teachers will make recommendations to the school leadership team who will have the final say in class placements of all students. If you have any concerns regarding your child/ren for 2026 I would ask you to send an email, info@olssmiranda.catholic.edu.au to Mrs Fairhall or myself before Monday November 10. You are, of course, welcome to address any concerns via an appointment with your child’s class teacher.
Unequivocal decisions regarding classes for 2026 will be finalised immediately after this date, and further discussions regarding placement for 2026 will not take place. You are invited to be proactive rather than reactive.
Please note that this is not an opportunity to request individual teachers, but an opportunity to discuss a particular issue that might impact your child’s learning in 2026. Also note that because we are committed to the belief that each child begins each school year anew, we do not retain information regarding these discussions from previous years. This is the time to discuss any issues regarding your child’s optimum learning for 2026.
Staffing for 2026 will also be finalised late this term. All teachers in primary schools are K-6 teachers and grade placement is based on student /school needs each year.
Leaving Families
If your family is intending to leave OLSS at the end of the year could you please inform the office in writing via email as soon as possible.
Please send an email through to info@olssmiranda.catholic.edu.au and kindly let us know which school your child will be attending in 2026.
Social Media
As you may be aware there is an important change in Australian law that will come into effect on 10 December 2025. Under the amended Online Safety Act, social media platforms will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent children under the age of 16 from creating or maintaining accounts on age-restricted platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).
This initiative, known as the Social Media Minimum Age Framework (SMMA), is designed to support the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians. It shifts the responsibility to tech companies—not families—to ensure age-appropriate access and protections.
Some key benefits of this change include:
Improved mental health outcomes: Reducing exposure to harmful content and addictive design features that can negatively impact self-esteem, body image, and emotional wellbeing.
Greater privacy protection: Platforms must follow strict rules about how age-verification data is handled, ensuring children’s personal information is safeguarded.
Support for real-life development: The policy aims to give children more time to grow through real-world experiences rather than being shaped by online algorithms.
Reduced risk of cyberbullying and exploitation: Limiting access to platforms where these risks are more prevalent helps create a safer digital environment.
I understand this change may bring challenges, especially for children who use social media to stay connected. However, for the implementation of this legislation to have the most positive impact on the wellbeing of our children, a unified approach from both school and home would lead to the best outcomes for our community.
The link below has some great tips and starting points for conversations with your children:
God Bless,
Mrs Maria Rose
Principal
'Our love is not just words but something real and active'. Jn 3:18