I really hope you enjoyed the last edition of our newsletter that was a little more child focused. With such positive feed back we will produce another edition later in the term.  

Hopefully you recognise this graphic from out school Strategic Improvement Plan.

To continue our Parish links and support the school in promoting our catholic identity I am giving a short presentation to the parish this Sunday.  I’ve added a shortened version for you to read.

Good morning, everyone my name is David Treloar and I am very honoured to be the new Principal of Our Lady of Victories Catholic School, Shortland. It is a vibrant school community dedicated to nurturing the academic, spiritual, and personal growth of each student.

Our Catholic school’s mission extends beyond serving only Catholic students—it’s about embodying and sharing the values of the Gospel with all who walk through our doors. While only 39% of our student cohort identifies as Catholic, every child benefits from an education rooted in compassion, service, and moral formation. However, “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” — Aristotle 

This belief lies at the heart of our approach at Our Lady of Victories.  

At Our Lady of Victories, we embrace the whole child and through our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) framework, we foster a positive and inclusive school culture. Through PB4L and our pillars, ‘In truth we Love, in truth we Serve and in truth we Live,’ we aim to instil values of respect, responsibility, and resilience in our students, preparing them to be compassionate and capable members of society. 

“Let all that you do be done in love.” — 1 Corinthians 16:14 

Our Lady of Victories is home to a dedicated team of staff, who are committed to providing a supportive and enriching educational environment. Our Lady of Victories is a proud Catholic school, our Josephite charism permeates throughout the school. Mary MacKillop the foundress of the Josephite Order had a desire provide a quality education to all children.  Similarly, it is our desire at Our Lady of Victories to equip our students with every opportunity to experience educational success.

We have a community where faith is lived, not just taught, and where Catholic identity is visible in our care for the marginalised, our commitment to justice, and our nurturing of spiritual growth. Mrs Patricia Dunn, our school Religious Education Coordinator is fully committed to being authentic in her role in helping to shape our school to be one that is welcoming of students of all backgrounds, fulfilling the Church’s call to evangelize through witness, ensuring that our school remains a vibrant ministry of the parish and a beacon of Catholic values in the wider community.

It is our school’s goal to build capacity of the teaching staff; building the capacity of the staff to support and lead student learning. Learning Intentions, Success Criteria enable real-life applications for the children, linking life to lessons. This linking is crucial for clarity in learning. The pedagogy that essentially sharpens our focus on what matters most, Clarity.  

"When learning, and the path towards it are clear, research shows that there a number of important shifts for students. Their motivation improves, they stay on-task, their behaviour improves, and they are able to take more responsibility for their learning." Absolum, M. (2006). 'Clarity in the Classroom'.

With expert knowledge and leadership from our Assistant Principal Amber Deegan, our lesson sequences and programming are designed to challenge and inspire students, encouraging them to strive for excellence in all areas of their education. We offer a broad range of tasks that cater to the diverse interests and talents of our students. Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure that each child reaches their full potential, both academically and personally. 

Our spacious playground is a favourite among students, offering ample room for play and exploration. Recently, we have added new play equipment, enhancing the outdoor experience for our children. The central garden beds are a beautiful addition to our environment, providing a serene space for reflection and learning about nature.

Finally, I’d like to reflect again on the words of Mary MacKillop and my philosophy as a Principal of Our Lady of Victories, “remember we are but travellers here” Let us act upon those needs we see, Lead with heart and conviction and aim to be an inspiration to all I come in contact with.

Thank you for listening to me and thank you for praying for our school community. We are in this together and we, most especially the children need your prayers and best wishes. 

 Uniform and Wellbeing Reminder

As part of our commitment to student wellbeing and safety, I’d like to kindly remind families of the importance of students tying back long hair during school hours. This simple practice supports and applies to both boys and girls:

• Health and Hygiene: Tied-back hair, helps prevent the spread of head lice and keeps hair away from faces during meals and activities.
• Focus and Learning: It reduces distractions in the classroom, helping students stay engaged and on-task.
• Safety in Play and Practical Lessons: Whether in sport, science, or the playground, tied hair reduces the risk of accidents and ensures children can participate fully and safely.

This expectation is part of our uniform policy and reflects our shared values of responsibility and respect—for ourselves, for others, and for our learning environment.

Let’s work together to ensure our students are not only dressed for success but also prepared to thrive in every aspect of their school day.

Baby News

We would like to Congratulate the Zartiga-Lumbang family on the arrival of beautiful baby girl. We wish them all the very best.

Kind regards

David Treloar

Principal.

What an amazing start to the term we’ve had at Our Lady of Victories! In just three short weeks, so much has happened across our school—from exciting learning experiences to community celebrations—and there is already so much to be proud of.

NAPLAN Success: Celebrating Outstanding Academic Achievement!

We are thrilled to share the success of our students in the 2025 NAPLAN assessments. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is a nationwide test that provides valuable data on students’ progress in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy. It is a snapshot that helps schools, parents, and teachers understand how students are progressing against national standards.

This year, our Year 3 students achieved exceptional results, performing well above the national average in:

• Reading
• Writing
• Spelling
• Grammar and Punctuation
• Numeracy

Our Year 5 students also performed strongly, achieving:

• At the national average in Reading and Numeracy
• Above the national average in Writing, Spelling, and Grammar and Punctuation

These results reflect the hard work, high expectations, and consistent efforts of our teachers and students. They affirm the strength of our teaching programs and our commitment to high-quality learning outcomes for all.

Importantly, this data is not just about celebration—it also helps guide our future planning. It highlights areas of strength and identifies where we can continue to grow. We are proud of the progress made and look forward to building on these achievements to support every student’s learning journey. 

School Improvement – Learning: Focus comprehension through mathematics problem- solving

We are continuing our work to improve student outcomes in Mathematics, with a particular focus on Reading and Comprehension in Numeracy. Using the Density Model of Instruction, our students are being supported through targeted teaching and small group work.

Our maths groups have resumed, and we are now focusing on Multiplication and Division, including understanding and solving worded problems where:

• the result is unknown,
• the change is unknown, or
• the starting amount is unknown.

What does this look like in action?

Multiplication Problems

• Result Unknown:
  There are 4 baskets. Each basket has 6 apples. How many apples are there in total?
  (4 × 6 = ?)
• Change Unknown:
  A fruit shop had 4 baskets of apples. There were 24 apples in total. How many apples were in each basket?
  (? × 4 = 24)
• Start Unknown:
  There are 6 apples in each basket. There are 24 apples altogether. How many baskets are there?
  (6 × ? = 24)

Division Problems

• Result Unknown (Equal sharing):
  24 apples are shared between 4 baskets. How many apples in each basket?
  (24 ÷ 4 = ?)
• Change Unknown:
  There were some apples shared between 4 baskets. Each basket has 6 apples. How many apples were there to begin with?
  (? ÷ 4 = 6)
• Start Unknown:
  There are 6 apples in each basket. There are 4 baskets. How many apples are there in total?
  (6 × 4 = ?)

By focusing on the structure of these problems and the language we use to explore them, we are building stronger literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills in our students. 

Here are some of the groups in action!

School Improvement – Wellbeing: Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

We’re continuing to build a culture of care and responsibility through our PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) initiative. Our new focus beginning in Week 4 is: “Caring for Our Playground Equipment and Gardens.”

We are encouraging all students to show care for:

• Climbing frames
• Slides and play structures
• The sandpit
• Our beautiful garden areas

Why is this important?
These shared spaces are a blessing. By using them safely and respectfully, we ensure they remain safe, functional, and enjoyable for everyone—now and in the future.

How Do We Teach This? A PB4L Lesson Snapshot

Each PB4L lesson is delivered explicitly and links back to our school vision:
Our upcoming focus is linked to our Vision-  “In Truth we SERVE”
As stewards of God’s creation, we teach our students to care for and respect the gifts around them, including our school playground.

In a typical lesson:

1. We present a relatable scenario:
   This scenario helps students understand what happens when the playground is not treated properly. It shows how unsafe and disrespectful behaviour—like misusing equipment or damaging plants—can lead to a playground that looks messy, sounds chaotic, and feels unsafe. By exploring this, students see why it’s important to follow the expectations and care for our shared spaces.
2. We ask students to reflect:
   “Why is it important to look after our playground?”
3. We clarify the expectations:

• Use equipment as designed (e.g. slide down the slide, don’t climb up).
• Avoid rough play or dangerous swinging.
• Take care of plants and gardens.

Through explicit teaching and reinforcement, we continue to support our students in becoming respectful and responsible members of our school community.

Bullying No Way Week – Week 4 

The theme for 2025 is: Be bold. Be kind. Speak up.

During Week 4, our school will be participating in Bullying No Way Week, a national initiative that encourages students to take a stand against bullying by speaking up, showing kindness, and supporting one another. This directly reflects our school vision, In Truth We Love, as we teach our students to show respect to all and create a community where everyone feels safe, valued, and supported.

On Thursday 14 August, students will engage in special activities during their afternoon session to support this important message.

• Primary students will take part in The Kids Helpline Largest Anti-Bullying Lesson, an engaging session designed to empower students with strategies to recognise and respond to bullying.
• Infants students will participate in a learning activity called OKAY or NOT OKAY. This lesson helps young learners understand what bullying is, how to recognise unkind behaviour, and what they can do if they see or experience it. The focus is on building empathy, awareness, and practical strategies.

Through these activities, we hope students grow in confidence to speak up, show kindness, and stand up for others.

Get Your Socks On and Support Our Year 6 Fundraiser!

Our amazing Year 6 students – with the help of their wonderful parents – are running a Jolly Soles fundraiser to raise money for their end-of-year celebrations! ?

You can grab yourself some fun, colourful, comfy socks and know that every purchase helps make our Year 6 send-off extra special.

Let’s get behind our kids and make this a year to remember! 

Please note that all sales will be in cash No EFT available.

As we celebrate a great start to the term—with strong NAPLAN results, a focus on positive behaviour, and important learning during Bullying No Way Week—we thank you for your ongoing support.

Together, we continue to live our vision to 'Love, Serve and Live the Truth of 

Jesus' creating a safe, respectful, and caring school community.

Amber Deegan

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.

Speech Pathologist

Speech Pathologist 120.97 KB

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.

Compass How to Guide

Compass How to Guide 1,002.42 KB

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.

The first weeks at canteen have been well received by families and as always there are ways of making some improvements. The following are suggested to streamline the process even more:

• 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.

QKR Parent Instructions

QKR Parent Instructions 1.10 MB

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 email it through to leanne.fry@mn.catholic.edu.au, I will then return your email with the link for you to complete.

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