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Embracing Hope in Challenging Times
Dear Parents,
As we navigate through the complexities of our world today, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the many crises we face. Yet, it is in these moments of difficulty that we find the true essence of hope.
I recently read a book by Pope Francis, in it were some profound reflections on the importance of maintaining hope amidst adversity.
He spoke about the various challenges our world is encountering. Despite these daunting realities, Pope Francis encourages Christians to remain hopeful and faithful, invoking the power of the Holy Spirit to inspire and sustain us.
In his writings, Pope Francis emphasizes the virtues of patience and perseverance. He beautifully puts writes, "Patient men/women are weavers of goodness. They stubbornly desire peace". This resonates deeply with the values we are striving to instil in our school community.
Moreover, Pope Francis highlights the crucial role of hope in overcoming feelings of despair. He reminds us, "If hope is missing, all the other virtues risk crumbling and ending up as ashes". His words serve as a powerful reminder that hope is not just a divine gift but also a human responsibility. It has the potential to transform our lives and, indeed, the world.
As we move forward, let us embrace hope as a fundamental aspect of our lives. Let us teach our children the power of hope and the strength it brings. Together, as a community, we can weave a tapestry of goodness, patience, and peace.
Social Media & Comparison Culture
Young people today are growing up in a world where exposure to other people's lives is constant. Through social media and other platforms, they are regularly presented with curated highlights - from flawless holiday photos and academic milestones to the latest fashion trends and fitness achievements. This continuous stream of idealised content fuels what is known as comparison culture, where self-worth is often measured by how someone stacks up against others.
For children and adolescents, who are still figuring out who they are, this culture can be particularly damaging. Constantly comparing their appearance, achievements, or social standing to friends, influencers, and even strangers can lead to unrealistic expectations and a skewed sense of self-worth. This relentless need to measure up can contribute to feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and anxiety - undermining both confidence and emotional wellbeing.
It is vital that parents and caregivers understand how deeply comparison culture can influence a child's self-perception and sense of value. Left unchecked, it can foster perfectionism and a dependence on external validation, where a 'like' or comment becomes the measure of their worth.
The good news is families have a powerful role to play in helping young people navigate these challenges. This Special Report will help you empower your child to build the resilience and confidence needed to navigate today's comparison-driven world and embrace their own unique path.
Here is the link to your Special Report https://shortland.catholic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-social-media-comparison-culture-au
NAPLAN
Those parents of students in year three and year five would be fully aware that NAPLAN has begun.
NAPLAN assesses literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through their regular school curriculum. Students will sit assessments in writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar, and punctuation) and numeracy.
Questions assessed content linked to the Australian Curriculum: English and
Hopefully, absences will be kept to a minimum, however, if your child I unwell on a testing day the window for NAPLAN will remain open from Wednesday 12th March till Monday 24th for catchup tests.
Please remember that NAPLAN is just one small snapshot of a child’s ability. Whilst we look forward to seeing how our children found the test, it will never replace the ongoing assessments made by teachers on student performance.
How you can best help your child this new year.
As we embark on another year of school, and another year of learning and growth, reading to your child each night is more than just a bedtime routine; it is a gift that keeps on giving.
By sharing the world of stories, you are not only cultivating essential literacy skills but igniting a lifelong love for learning. This daily ritual creates a bond that transcends pages, fostering emotional connection and preparing your child for academic success.
As you embark on these nightly adventures, you are not just reading stories; you are building a foundation for their future, shaping curious minds, and giving them the tools to navigate the world with confidence. In those moments, you are not just a parent; you are a storyteller, a guide, and the architect of a brighter, more imaginative future for your child.
Here are five more reasons on the benefits of reading to your child each night.
- Reading aloud creates a special bonding time between parents and children. It is an opportunity for shared moments and connection, fostering a strong emotional bond that can last a lifetime.
- Reading aloud exposes children to a rich vocabulary and helps them develop language skills. It introduces unfamiliar words, sentence structures, and concepts, enhancing their communication abilities.
- Regular reading stimulates a child's cognitive development by engaging their imagination and critical thinking skills. It encourages them to ask questions, make predictions, and understand cause-and-effect relationships.
- When parents read to their children consistently, it instils a love for reading from an early age. This positive association with books can lead to a lifelong enjoyment of learning and exploring new ideas.
- Children who are read to regularly often perform better academically. They develop strong listening skills, attention spans, and a foundation for literacy, setting them up for success in school and beyond.
Kindest regards,
David Treloar
Principal- Our Lady of Victories.
Over the past 12 months, OLV staff have been working collaboratively to develop our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework. This process has involved valuable input from not only our teaching and support staff but also our parents and students, ensuring a shared vision for fostering a positive school culture.
For our new families, PB4L is an evidence-based framework that unites the whole-school community in creating a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment. The implementation of this framework will enhance the social, emotional, behavioural, and academic outcomes for all students at OLV.
When PB4L is effectively embedded, teachers and students can focus more on building strong relationships and engaging in meaningful learning. The benefits of PB4L include:
✅ Reduced inappropriate behaviour
✅ Increased time for focused learning
✅ Improved social-emotional wellbeing
✅ Positive and respectful relationships among students and staff
✅ Support for teachers to teach, model, and respond effectively to student needs
✅ A predictable learning environment where clear expectations guide behaviour and learning
From Week 7 until the end of the term, our PB4L focus will be RESPECT. Students will engage in explicit learning activities to understand what RESPECT looks like in all areas of school life. Our positive behaviour reinforcement will highlight and celebrate students demonstrating respect across all school settings.
In the coming weeks, at our morning gatherings, our Year 6 PB4L Student Leadership Team will help lead discussions and reflections on our focus area, encouraging everyone to embody respect in their daily interactions.
Below, you will find our PB4L Behaviour Expectations across various school settings, including the classroom, playground, library, and toilets. These expectations help ensure that OLV remains a welcoming and respectful environment for all.
Pancake Day
Last Tuesday, we had a successful fundraiser for Caritas Australia. As a school we raised $143.00. Fabulous effort OLV students and parents. Thank you to all the staff of OLV who provided the pancakes and toppings.
Easter Egg collection for Raffle
Friday the 14th March is an out of uniform day where the children can wear casual clothes and bring in Easter egg donations which will make up our hampers for the Easter Raffle. Keep in mind, the more Easter eggs donated, the more prizes you'll have the chance to win.
St Patrick’s Day
On Monday 17th March we will celebrate St Patrick’s Day by selling green jelly for $1. All money raised will go towards Caritas Australia.
St Joseph’s Day
St Joseph’s Day is Wednesday 19th March. We will have a dress up day where the children can dress as a carpenter/ builder for a gold coin donation. All money raised will go towards Caritas Australia.
Up Coming Events
Please add the following dates to your calendar.
Week 7
- Thursday 13th March - Cuppa and a Chat
- Friday 14th March - Out of Uniform- bring easter egg donations for Easter egg
raffle.
- Friday 14th March - PB4L Liturgy Respect led by Year 6
Week 8
- Monday 17th March - St Patrick’s Day- Jelly for $1
- Wednesday 19th March - St Joseph’s Day dressing up as a carpenter - gold coin donation.
Week 9
- Thursday 27th March - Harmony
Week 10
- Infants attending 9am Parish Mass.
Week 11
- Wednesday 9th March - Easter Hat Parade and Easter Raffle drawn
- Thursday 10th March - Stations of the Cross.
- Thursday 10th March - Cuppa and a Chat
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
In order to Volunteer at OLV you are required to complete the Volunteer Induction and be cleared by the Catholic Schools Office to Volunteer.
Please follow this link
https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/people/volunteer/
and complete the steps.
EXTERNAL PROVIDERS
If your child will be seeing a provider (e.g. speech therapist or occupational therapist) this year at school, please complete the attached application form and return to school. If you require further information, please don't hesitate to contact the office.
COMPASS
OLV uses the "Compass" App. Log in details for parents/carers have been emailed to all new parents. If you are still unable to login, or your account has been made inactive, please contact Leanne in the office to arrange a reset of your password.
- For all new families please familiarise yourself with the information booklet you received in your information pack or enrolment pack, "Parent Portal Compass User Guide" This is also attached
- Only Parents/Carers have access to Compass Parent Portal. Parents must have separate email addresses in order to both have access to compass
- New Users when logging into Compass are given the opportunity to update their details. It has been noted that some parents have updated their mobile phone number by taking out the gaps within the phone number. This is not required. The system requires phones numbers to be in this format
- REMINDER: PLEASE ONLY EXPLAIN WHOLE DAY ABSENCES - PLEASE DO NOT REPORT PARTIAL ABSENCES through the Compass App. Reporting partial absences will cause inconsistences with your child's attendance
- SMS's are sent to parents of students who are absent from 9.35am each weekday morning. You will receive a text message if your child was not present during the marking the roll process. Please logon onto compass and explain your child's absence. Do not reply to the text as compass does not accept reply texts
- Please notify the office beforehand if your child is going to arrive late; you will however still receive an SMS. The arrival time of the student will be logged as an explained absence when they present to school on their arrival
- On occasion you may be sent a text message even though your child is in attendance at school, this may be because they have arrived late and not come to the Office for sign in. If your child is late, please come into the Office with your child and sign them in via the compass kiosk.
QKR APP
Part of “progress” is moving towards a cashless society. To assist with the banking, ordering and handling of money, we are moving more of our payments to the Qkr system.
You will find attached instructions for the QKR App. This easy to use phone app gives you the flexibility to place orders for Canteen and fundraisers from your phone. It also reduces the need for your child to bring cash to school. Please remember to amend your child's year group on the QKR App to aid the timely collection of their order. We will be moving to a wider usage of this app as the year progresses.
- Make sure your child matches the class they are in now. You may need to go to your account settings and change their class. This will have to be completed at the beginning of every school year
- Please do not send in a paper bag as well as ordering online; this will stop any double up of ordering
- If your child is away or sick and you have ordered their lunch, you have until 8.00 am to cancel your order on QKR and receive a credit for next time
- All ordering is now closing at 8.15 am Monday morning. This allows enough time to print out the relevant reports for our volunteer ladies
- As of Term 2 all lunch orders will only be able to be ordered through QKR. Cash on the day will only be for ice blocks, lollies and chips.
We will be looking at providing this service for other quick financial transactions such as sausage sizzles, raffles, pie drives etc,
Thaks to everyone for taking up this service.
Health Care Card
All families with a valid Health Care Card can receive 50% of their tuition fee. If you have a valid Health Care Card please complete the following link.
We would like to wish the following children a Happy Birthday.
| Kindergarten | |
| Year 1 | Hannah F (January) |
| Year 2 | William H, William F, Nicholas O |
| Year 3 | |
| Year 4 | |
| Year 5 | Thea W |
| Year 6 |
Congratulations and we hope you had a happy day
You will be able to access the school newsletter here, special dates notifications and other messages from time to time.
Go to this link to download the Schoolzine App: