OUR LADY OF HOPE NEWSLETTER - Term 2 Week 1 2025

A Word from the Principal

Welcome to Term Two

Dear Families

I trust that you were able to access time during the holiday break to enjoy some quality time with your children. Amidst the Easter celebrations we were deeply saddened by the passing of Pope Francis. His example of humble servant leadership will be sorely missed in a world desiring strong role models with a deep love for all of humanity. May he rest in a deep peace with his God.

On Tuesday morning we gathered in the Parish Centre for our whole school weekly community prayer and prayed for the soul of Pope Francis and asked God to give us the courage to emulate his beautiful qualities in our lives. Whilst we met as a whole school, we used this opportunity at the start of a new term to reinforce a number of key procedures to ensure our school is safe, happy and successful for every member of our school family.  

In particular, I reiterated the following:

• The OLOH Way: We discussed the 4 values that underpin every element of our school day and how they can be positively demonstrated in our interactions; Respect (Kindness), Relationships, Responsibility & Resilience

• Movement Around The School/Lining Up After Break Times: Moving in an orderly manner around our school demonstrates respect to other classes and minimises silly behaviour that could potentially escalate into more serious incidents. Previously our Yr 3 – Yr 6 students have lined up across different locations. As of Tuesday, we have all of our children gathering in designated areas in the main courtyard. Already there is a calmer atmosphere with this procedure which is a credit to our students.

• Sports Equipment/Break Activities/Student Belongings (Toys): On Tuesday every class was provided with a 60 litre wheelie bin containing a netball, football, soccer ball and basketball. It has seen a significant increase in children accessing the oval and being active during our break times. I also reiterated to the children that our staff generously offer a range of activities including Dance Club, STEM (Coding) Club & Beebots, Lego Club, Library, Hope Grows Garden, Running Club, Mindfulness and courtyard sessions (See schedule below). We also have courtyard games/equipment to engage children in social activities. With so many school based activities offered, there is no need for children to bring toys/items from home.

Past experiences have seen personal toys/games create issues including upset children when personal belongings are lost or broken. At times, children have been ostracised from groups etc when individuals do not include peers in activities or sharing their belongings. We seek the support of families to check school bags in the morning to ensure toys are not inadvertently packed in pockets etc and brought to school.

We acknowledge that children with identified needs may find support regulating their behaviour by accessing sensory items/toys from home. We continue to support these children utilising these resources at school if they are listed on their Personal Plan for Learning and arrangements made with their child’s teacher to minimise loss/breakage.

• Hats (Sun Smart Behaviour): Traditionally hats have been worn T 1 & T 4 and not required T 2 & 3. Considering the unpredictable weather conditions, we are insisting that children continue to wear their hats during break times and to Physical Education lessons. Our priority is to protect our children from harmful UV and develop lifelong sun smart practices. I aim to investigate the possibility of OLOH becoming a Sun Smart School.

• Safe Play Spaces (out of bounds areas): We are fortunate to have a wide range of play spaces at OLOH. These are supervised by Teachers and ESO-curriculum staff to enjoy the company of the children and address scrapes and falls and assist with potential school yard disputes. Students were also reminded about areas that are out of bounds as they are unsafe for playing games.

I look forward to continuing to connect with our families in the morning and afternoon and during our upcoming school celebrations such as Mother's Day Breakfast & Liturgy and Book Week celebrations. 

Your ongoing support of our staff is appreciated and we value the partnership that we share in ensuring your child/ren are able to experience growth as a learner and human being so that our world benefits from their respectful, responsible, relational and resilient behaviour. We certainly honour their terrific contribution at Our Lady of Hope School.  

May God be within us and amongst us.

Paul 

Paul Bennett

PRINCIPAL 

Religious Dimension

Mother's Day Liturgy

Sunday 11th May is Mother’s Day

It’s a special time for everyone. Mother’s Day is a day in which we can focus on the great gift of motherhood. We can celebrate the gift of our own mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers, aunts and all the special women who model for us the qualities of motherhood at our liturgy on 9 May after breakfast. We hope to see all our women who are special in our students’ eyes.

St. Eugene De Mazenod Feast Day

I would like to extend a heartfelt invitation to all our families to attend a liturgy to celebrate St Eugene De Mazenod Feast Day on the 21 May at 10.20 am. He is an Oblate priest, like Father James and Father John.

St Eugene had experienced a moment of grace on Good Friday in 1806 and this changed his life forever. Eugene devoted his life to God, helping the poor and the uneducated.  We are very excited to celebrate this momentous occasion this term with our community.

Project Compassion

This year we have raised $569.20 for Project Compassion. I sincerely thank you for your kind donation towards this worthy cause which will allow these communities to help themselves break free from poverty and become more independent

Regards,

Suzie Subotkiewicz

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: RELIGIOUS IDENTITY & MISSION

Hope Grows News

I am excited to share that our Hope Grows Garden is open during lunchtime on Fridays! Last week, the children had the delightful experience of harvesting tomatoes, and to their surprise, they also unearthed some potatoes.

This initiative gives our students a wonderful opportunity to engage with nature by taking part in activities like watering, planting, and tidying up the garden. It’s a fantastic way for them to learn about responsibility and teamwork while enjoying the fruits of their labour.

We encourage all students to join in and help care for our garden!

Learning Dimension

Dear Families

I hope you had a wonderful Easter break filled with joy and relaxation. As we embark on a new school term, we are thrilled to reconnect with our students and witness their enthusiasm for learning. It has been a fantastic week getting back into the rhythm of school life and seeing the students' smiling faces once again.

Staff Professional Learning Day

On Monday, our dedicated staff participated in a Professional Learning Day focused on enhancing our teaching practices. In our continued pursuit of teaching excellence, we dedicated the day to exploring effective assessment practices, including the design of tasks. This was a day of deep learning and collaboration, allowing our staff to share insights and strategies to better support our students' educational journeys.

Social Emotional Supports

We are excited to continue with our COMPASS time, which stands for Connection, Openness, Mindfulness, Perseverance, Acceptance, Self-awareness, and Social Skills. This remains a dedicated time during the week where we offer programs to support nominated students in these areas. Our programs, including Peaceful Kids, Drumbeat, and What's the Buzz, are designed to foster these essential skills and provide a supportive environment for our students' personal growth. Please feel free to contact me for more information on these programs or fill out a referral on SZApp if you feel that your child would benefit from engaging with these.

School Values and Catholic Identity

Our school values—respect, responsibility, resilience, and relationships—are deeply embedded in our Catholic identity, guiding our actions and interactions in the spirit of Christ’s teachings. I’m pleased to share that plans are underway to make these values more visible across our school grounds. I am currently working with a local company to develop signage that will highlight how these values are lived out in different areas of our school. It is heartening to see how our community continues to embrace the OLOH Way, bringing our values to life each day through the way we treat and support one another.

Whole School Independence Day

Starting this term, we are introducing a Whole School Independence Day every Wednesday. The purpose of this day is to grow student’s self-efficacy, critical thinking, resilience and problem-solving skills.  Teachers will ensure that all students are supported in growing their personal responsibility. This approach aligns with our commitment to providing a holistic education that prepares students for future challenges.

It is expected that students will:

• Carry their belongings to class.
• Walk into class independently.
• Unpack their own bags and manage their belongings.
• Managing their belongings upon arrival at school.
• Take responsibility for reading instructions on the board.
• Independently begin morning routines.

Teachers will support by:

• Teaching and modelling expectations.
• Monitoring how students manage routines and identify those needing support.
• Allowing students time to work through challenges, using minimal prompts.
• Celebrating growth by acknowledging effort and celebrating small gains to build self-efficacy.

Parents can support by:

• Encouraging and supporting your child in taking these independent steps.
• Allowing your child to manage their belongings and walk into class on their own.
• Reinforcing the importance of independence and responsibility at home.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child’s learning journey. Together, we create a school environment where students feel valued, supported, and inspired to grow. We look forward to a successful and enriching term ahead, filled with meaningful learning, strong relationships, and continued opportunities for every child to thrive.

Warm regards

Sarah

Sarah Alford

LEADER OF LEARNING & WELLBEING

Administrative Dimension

Welcome Damian Emery

Recently we appointed Mr Damian Emery as our new Business Manager at Our Lady of Hope School. Damian is very experienced in this role having undertaken this work across a number of Catholic Schools. Damian is replacing Mrs Charmaine Gillard who is taking long service leave in Term 2 & Term 3 and returning in Term 4 in a part-time finance role. Damian enjoys immersing himself in the life of a school and thus we look forward to his assistance next Friday as we feed over 450 members of our school family at our Mother's Day Breakfast. As a Melbourne Football Club supporter, Damian posseses an optimistic outlook to life and we are thrilled to have him become a valuable part of our OLOH family. Please feel welcome to drop into the office and say hello. Damian is eager to make connections and support our families as required. 

Right To Disconnect

Our staff value the partnership that we share with families and the importance of timely and productive communication. Currently we incorporate the following modes of communication at OLOH:

• Face To Face Conversations
• Seesaw
• SZApp
• Telephone/ Online Team meetings
• Three Way Learning Conversations
• Before/After School Meetings
• Education Support Review Meetings

It is our aim to find a reasonable balance that will allow this communication to occur for the benefit of our whole school community. 

In 2024, Federal Legislation was introduced to better support employees to maintain healthy boundaries between work and personal life, providing them with improved rest and recovery time outside of working hours. Consequently, Our Lady of Hope staff are not expected to check or respond to communication outside of regular working hours (8am - 5pm) nor on weekends.

​We will always endeavour to make every effort to respond to a communique from families within two working days. Thank you for your anticipated understanding with this protocol. 

School Absentee Notification

Since the impact of COVID 19 our attendance data has dropped below 90%. I am setting our community a challenge to increase our student data attendance above 92%! Not being at school hinders learning and disrupts the important routines that children require to consolidate their learning and social/emotional connections. However, we also recognise that if your child is unwell they need to heal and minimise the impact upon staff and peers. If your child or children are going to be away for any reason (i.e. illness, family/social, medical/dental appointment, car trouble, running late etc.) we ask that parents please contact the Front Office via the SZapp absences form or if this is not possible by phone on 8289 8344.  If your child arrives at school after 8.50 am, please sign them in at the Front Office.

Finance News

Term 2 fee statements will be mailed to all families late this week.

Term 2 fees are due for payment by no later than Friday, 6^th June. Families who paid their fees in full and have a zero-balance owing will receive their final statement with no further statements for the rest of the year.

If you do not receive a statement and believe that you should have, please contact the school to advise - they occasionally do get lost in the mail.

If you think you will qualify for School Card, please remember that School Card applications must be made each year.  Please see below for the link that will take you to the site for school card applications online.

https://online.forms.sa.edu.au/content/forms/af/public/application-for-school-card.html

If you have any queries about your fees or are experiencing any financial difficulties, please do not hesitate to contact us for a confidential conversation regarding your situation.  Remember if we don’t know we cannot assist.

If you have a query about fees, please email businessmgr@oloh.catholic.edu.au or call between 8am and 4pm any weekday.

Community Dimension

Our Lady of Hope Principal Tours

Maggie Moo Music

School Calendar

Families are able to access a ‘live’ calendar at the following locations:

• Szapp tiles
• OLOH Website ‘News & Events’ tab – School Calendar
• OLOH online newsletter

A paper copy is static and doesn’t allow us to make alterations should circumstances change. Whilst it is our intention to eliminate date changes, should they be necessary, we will communicate these to families via Szapp/Seesaw.

Noticeboard

The services and events contained in this bulletin are in no way connected or endorsed by the school and are included in this newsletter for your information only.  Parents and caregivers need to make their own enquiries and assessments about the suitability of these events and services for the needs and those of their children.

Kildare College - Farewell to the Hall Party + Celebrating 60 Years of Kildare College

Saturday 28 June 2025 | 6.30pm-11.00pm - $100 per person.  Refer to flyer below for more information.

Purchase your ticket/s here (please note tickets are limited): https://www.trybooking.com/CZZHJ 

Coming Soon: 'Buy a Seat and Make it Yours' in our new Lightbridge Centre Theatre.

NetSetGo - Tango Netball Club

The program will commence on Monday 5th May from 5:30pm-6:30pm and held inside at the Kings Baptist Grammar School Gym enabling all sessions to go ahead despite the weather outside. 

Saver Plus Program 2025