From the Principal

Dear Families,

Last Friday was Ride to School Day.  What a great response from all in the community either riding, scootering or walking.  The children were greeted at the gate and were offered either fruit salad or watermelon on their arrival.  Our Year 6 Healthy Community Leaders Eden and Kye promoted the event and tallied all those who participated.  Well done!  Riding to school shows great independence and responsibility as well as keeping children fit and healthy, it is important that the children are safe as well as those using the shared footpaths.  

On Tuesday afternoon I had the privilege of being commissioned as a FIRE Carrier Leader at Our Lady's,  along with Andrea Chesterman and eleven of our current  students.  What a moving ceremony, and one that obviously had a great deal of meaning  for the children and staff.   Our current FIRE Carrier Leaders reverently passed the leadership role over to our Year 5 students who will lead the school for the next 12 months. As someone who knew nothing of FIRE Carrier Schools when I started at Our Lady's, I now know that F I R E stands for Friends Igniting Education through Reconciliation.  It is where we recognise what has happened to Aboriginal people in the past and work towards helping to repair the harm caused  over many many years.  I am very proud and pleased to be a FIRE Carrier as I truly hope I too can make a difference.  As  FIRE Carriers we have pledged that we will:-

• Raise the Aboriginal Flag
• Help with Reconciliation Activities
• Write prayers for Aboriginal people
• Encourage the use of Aboriginal Liturgy
• Acknowledge traditional Custodians
• Fundraise for Opening the Doors Foundation
• Help write and action School Covenant
• Celebrate significant dates in our shared story
• Attend FIRE Carrier meetings
• Be proud to be a FIRE Carrier
• Always remember Micha McDaniel's, Wiradjuri man's words  'My invitation to everyone is that in your everyday power, in your work place, with your regular authority, with your everyday resources, turn your mind occasionally to what you can do ,for the benefit of all Aboriginal people"

This is the second last week of what has been a very busy term.  The children finish school next Thursday 1st April at 1pm.  As we move into Easter we celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend where we remember Jesus' return to Jerusalem and the lead up to his death.   Over the past weeks the children have been working on an art response to the important days of Easter.  Each grade will have the opportunity to move through each class's response next Thursday 1st April (Holy Thursday).  This is a time for everyone to reflect on the very important days of Holy Week and in particular Jesus' death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Next week is the last week of the OLHC project compassion appeal.  The theme is 'Be More'. Every year, countless people turn Lent into a demonstration of faith, love and generosity. You can be a part of this incredible community, who believe that there are simple actions we can all take to “be more” for our world. It challenges us to venture into a new experience of compassion, and is taken from the invitation of Saint Oscar Romero, to “Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” This message invites us to step up and step out for those who do not have the essential resources they need for their survival.  You may wish to make a donation to Project Compassion using the boxes that are located in each classroom… there are many ways to put your compassion into action. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll be contributing towards a more just and compassionate world.  The money raised through classroom donations is sent directly to Caritas, it is not too late to donate.

We will draw our Easter raffle next Monday morning at Assembly.  Congratulations to Emma and her team who have given up playtimes to sell tickets.  A big thank you to families for buying the tickets.  The children are very excited.  Emma's initial idea was to support the rebuild of the Adventure Playground.  We have that covered so the children will be able to choose what they purchase with the money to compliment the outdoor space used by all. 

Next term the children will move into wearing their winter uniform.  A reminder that children should be wearing runners, only on days when they have sport.  Teachers communicated with parents earlier in the term as to what days are sports days.  Please remind the children to wear the correct shoes and uniform on the correct days.

If you have a child starting in Prep next year please make sure you have sent their enrolment form to Liz in the office.  Our Year 6's continue to do a fantastic job with school tours for prospective families.

There will be some disruption to the entrance gate on the Coles carpark side during the first two  weeks of next term.  There will be a mini excavator and work vehicles using that space as the old playground and surface is removed to make way for the new adventure playground .  We are in the situation where there is no on street parking for the workers.  The smaller gate will be open in the morning and afternoon to allow access from the Dudley Street side of the school.  

Today the children in Year 3 and Year 5 have had the opportunity to participate in the practice test for NAPLAN.  This is to ensure that the platform used to complete NAPLAN online is able to manage the demand of all children completing the tests at the same time.  All went well from our end.  NAPLAN assessments are not until May and we will give you further information closer to that time.

Until next week

Therese

HOLY WEEK & EASTER CEREMONY MASS TIMES 

Holy Thursday 1st April, 7:30pm @ OLHC, Eltham; 7:30pm @ SFX, Montmorency

Good Friday 2nd April, 3:00pm @ OLHC, Eltham; 3:00pm @ SFX, Montmorency

Easter Vigil Saturday 3rd April, 7:30pm @ OLHC, Eltham; 7:30pm @ SFX, Montmorency

Easter Sunday 4th April, 8:30am @ SFX, Montmorency; 10:00am @ OLHC, Eltham

CSEF FUND

(Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund)

Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply. A Special Consideration category also exists. Schools can receive applications from families over term one and two.

Families can list more than one student in the one application form if they are attending the same school.

FEES

Monthly Fee Payments  have commenced

Direct Debit on the 15th of each Month

Credit Cards 19th of each month

Please check your bank for withdrawals

If you have not handed in your fee commitment form please give Liz a call at the office

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