Term 3 Week 5 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear parents and friends,

Greetings from Rockhampton!

This week, I had the privilege of participating in the ‘Leading With Integrity for Excellence Program’ led by Dr Stephen Brown of the Brown Collective. This enriching experience has provided me with valuable insights and learnings that I am excited to bring back to our school community. One topic that particularly resonated with me today was Responsible Stewardship. Our schools in the Diocese of Rockhampton have been pillars in our communities for many years. In fact, Our Lady's is proudly heading towards its 125th anniversary. This rich history is a testament to the dedication and commitment of all those who have come before us.

As leaders, it is our responsibility to be diligent ‘caretakers’ of our schools during our time here. This means not only maintaining the high standards set by our predecessors but also striving to leave our school in an even better place for future generations. Responsible stewardship is about making thoughtful decisions that benefit our students, staff, and the broader community, ensuring that our school continues to thrive and serve as a beacon of education and values.

Our classes will acknowledge the Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop on the 8th of August, a remarkable figure in our history and a source of inspiration for our community. Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia's first canonised saint, dedicated her life to the service of others through education and social justice. As we celebrate her Feast Day, let us reflect on her legacy of compassion, perseverance, and dedication, and strive to embody these values in our daily lives. Our Year 3s were able to celebrate this special day with Fr Bang.

National Science Week is occurring next week, and we are excited to participate! The 2024 school theme is "Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability." At Our Lady's, we will hold science activities relating to this theme in our classrooms on Friday, 16th August. Students will be grouped in mixed year levels, allowing younger students to be supported by their older peers. We look forward to a day of exploration and discovery as we delve into the important topic of species survival.

Preparations for the Winton Poetry Competition are well underway! We are currently finalising travel arrangements for our students and are awaiting the return of all travel permission notes before sending arrangements home to families. Thank you to those who have already submitted their notes. This event is a wonderful opportunity for students, and Our Lady's has been a proud supporter of this western event for many years. I fondly remember attending as a student in Year 7 at the Waltzing Matilda Centre.

God bless,

Mr Peter Thurecht

Reflection – Sr Kym Harris OSB

Faith

Just how are we to believe? Certainly not with the attitudes of ‘the Jews’ in this Gospel: readily complaining, arrogant in their limited knowledge of Jesus and quick to ridicule what they didn’t understand.

In contrast, when Jesus describes the person who believes, he uses a number of verbs that imply openness, receptivity and interaction: being drawn, being taught, hearing, learning. The first verb –drawn- is interesting. We are drawn to what attracts and delights us. Something good appeals to us and seems to reach down within us and impel us to come close, even to commit ourselves to that good. There is always an element of mystery – not a mystery in the sense of being in imponderable question but rather a mystery that yields even deeper results as it is pondered.

What draws you to God? What attracts or delights you about God? These are good questions to ask ourselves. Each one’s answer will be personal and intimate. To find it takes times being quiet and still with God.

One thing I discovered doing this (and I think would hold true for all) is that where I take delight in God is where God delights in me. The particular qualities with which he has created me are the qualities by which I am drawn to love and worship. Such a discovery feeds the heart with hope and assuages our deepest thirst for meaning. When we enter into our delight in God, we enter into eternal life – even in this world.

Loving God, you know the depths within us that hunger and thirst for the fullness of life. Draw us, lure us, speak to our hearts that we may come close to Jesus and live by his Spirit. We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us.

Sr Kym Harris osb 

APRE News

Welcome to Week 5 of Term 3!

Gospel Reflection:

In John 6:24-35, the crowd seeks Jesus after witnessing the miracle of the loaves and fishes. When they find Him, Jesus tells them they are looking for Him not because they saw signs, but because they ate the bread and were filled. He urges them not to work for food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life, which He, the Son of Man, will give them. They ask what works God requires, and Jesus responds that believing in the one He has sent is the work of God. The crowd then asks for a sign, referencing the manna their ancestors ate in the wilderness. Jesus explains that the true bread from heaven is not like the manna, but is Himself, the bread of life, who gives life to the world. Those who come to Him will never hunger, and those who believe in Him will never thirst.

In school communities, John 6:24-35 can be related to the pursuit of deeper, meaningful education and values rather than superficial achievements. Just as Jesus encouraged the crowd to seek the "bread of life" rather than temporary fulfillment, schools can inspire students to pursue lasting knowledge and character development over immediate rewards or material success. The call to believe in Jesus as the "bread of life" parallels the idea of fostering a strong foundation in moral and spiritual values, encouraging students and staff to seek a deeper purpose and understanding beyond academic success. In this way, schools can serve not only as places of learning but as nurturing environments for holistic growth, emphasizing the importance of inner fulfillment and service to others.

Masses:

This Sunday at 9am, Our Lady’s will be ministering mass at St Brigid’s Church. It would be great to see as many students, staff and members of our school community as possible join us.

Next Thursday (15/8), the whole school will be attending mass at St Brigid’s to celebrate the Feast Day of the Assumption. Students will walk to the church first thing Thursday morning to attend a 9am mass. All members of the Our Lady’s school community are invited to join us in this celebration.

God Bless,

Mr KD

St Brigid's Sacramental Program

St Brigid's Sacramental Program is offering to prepare children to make their First Reconciliation. Children must be 7 years or older.

Please contact Angela Arthur to enrol or for more information angela_arthur@rok.catholic.edu.au

Student Protection

Student Protection is taken very seriously within our school and Diocese. Each year all staff undertake mandatory student protection training at the beginning of the year. This year our School Student Protection Officers are Mr Peter Thurecht, Mr Sahlie Komndi-Diggins, Mrs Belinda Thurecht and Ms Sarah Wall. If you have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact one of our officers.

Celebrating Queensland's School Crossing Supervisors for 40 years of service

This year, Queensland’s School Crossing Supervisor Scheme celebrates 40 years of keeping kids safe as they travel to and from school.

We'd like to say a big thank you to our wonderful School Crossing Supervisor Ms Hughes, for everything you do for our students and school community! You do a great job keeping our students and other pedestrians safe as they cross the road in peak drop-off and pick-up times.

Why not say a big thank you the next time you see them on duty! You can also show your appreciation for School Crossing Supervisors by slowing down, following directions and being courteous while travelling in our school zone.

Did you know?

• The School Crossing Supervisor Scheme is operated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
• There are more than 2000 school crossing supervisors who operate over 1300 crossings at more than 700 Queensland schools.
• There has not been a single fatality on a supervised crossing since the scheme started in 1984.

Parent Orbit App

We're excited to announce a new mobile app for Our Lady's Longreach, Parent Orbit, is now ready for you to download and use.

The Parent Orbit app, which is connected to Parent Lounge, will improve our communication with each other as it offers a quick and easy way to receive notifications, view academic reports, book Parent/Teacher interviews, add Student Absences, view and pay School Fees, accept or decline excursions via the Events and Activities, update student details, email class teachers and much more.

Once you are in the app enter your Username and Password.  Your Username is your Parent Code, and your password is the same password that you use to login to Parent Lounge.  If you cannot remember your Parent Lounge password, click here to access the "Forget Password?" feature and follow the prompts to reset your password. Please contact the school office on 4994 8375 if you require further assistance.

Please take the time to explore the app as it offers many useful features. A "How To" guide has been included below. The app is very intuitive and will help keep us connected to support the education of your children.

The key features of the Parent Orbit App:
• Instant Notifications: Stay up to date with the latest announcements and important
alerts on your smartphone (be sure to enable Notifications)
• Events and Payments: Easily approve excursion attendance or make fee payments
• Medical Details: Keep your student’s medical details up to date
• Attendance Tracking: Easily track attendance and notify the School of your student's
absence
• Event Calendar: Stay informed about school events, meetings, and important dates
• Parent Teacher Interviews: Schedule parent-teacher interviews and receive
reminders
• Academic Reports: View and download your student’s school reports

How to download the Parent Orbit App
To download the app, scan the following QR code or follow the directions below

For iOS (iPhone and iPad) Users:
• On the iPhone or iPad device you would like to install Parent Orbit
• Once the App Store page for the app appears, tap "Get" or "Download"
• You may be prompted to enter your Apple ID password or use Touch ID/Face ID to
confirm the download
• After the download is complete, tap "Open" to launch the app
• Please ensure you enable Notifications

For Android Users:
• On the Android device you would like to install the Parent Orbit app
• Once the Google Play Store page for the app appears, tap "Install"
• The app will request certain permissions; tap "Accept" to grant them
• After the installation is complete, tap "Open" to launch the app
• Please ensure you enable Notifications

Setting Up Your Account

Once you have successfully downloaded and installed the app, follow these steps to set up your account:

1. Open ‘Parent Orbit’
2. Type “oll” (in lower case) into the School Code box and click Submit
3. Select Our Lady’s Catholic Primary School, then ‘Continue’
4. Enter your Parent Code (same 6 digit number Username as Parent Lounge which can be found under ‘Account Number’ on your Fee Statement) and Password (the same Password for Parent Lounge), then select ‘Login’
5. Parent Orbit will request access to your student information from Parent Lounge, select ‘Allow’
6. Parent Orbit will request permission to send Notifications, select ‘Allow’
7. You can now navigate Parent Orbit
Please note: A red dot signifies either; a notification, something that needs action ie. Events and Payments or an absence to acknowledge
8. Information such as links or contact details for the school can be obtained via the side bar. This can be accessed by hitting the hamburger menu button located in the top left corner, or by swiping right.
9. For extra security when accessing the parent orbit app, Face ID or a PIN can be setup (dependant on phone settings). This can be done by first going to the settings page and then selecting Face ID or PIN to be enabled.

Changes to Arts and P.E for Term 3 and 4

Due to Mrs. Neuendorf teaching Year 6 on Mondays and Tuesdays next term, Arts and P.E. classes will now be scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings. The Term 3 timetable is as follows:

Wednesday – P.E for Prep, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, and Year 5/6;

Thursday – Arts for Prep, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, and Year 5/6;

Friday morning - P.E. and Arts for Year 1.

Please ensure your child wears their P.E Uniform on Wednesday and Friday next semester.

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School P&F

The next P&F meeting will be held on Wednesday 21st August at 5:30pm in C block. Zoom details will be emailed next week for those who cannot attend in person.

VET - A Parent Webinar

If you are a parent of a Queensland high school student, you won’t want to miss this free parent webinar, brought to you by the peak parent bodies in Queensland.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects are more popular than ever in Years 11 and 12. We bring together experts in curriculum, VET and industry to help unpack the opportunities and advantages of combining academic studies with job-ready VET subjects, to set young people up for success in the workplace. A parent with a child studying VET will also share her family’s experience.

DATE: Wednesday 28 August

TIME: 7.00pm – 8.00pm GMT +10

MODE: Online

COST: Free

Click here to register

This webinar is brought to you by the Queensland Joint Parent Committee.

Winton Poetry Festival - 11th September

Winton Poetry Festival 2024: Prep to Year 6 Performances

We are excited to announce that our students from Prep to Year 6 will be performing at the Winton Poetry Festival this year! This wonderful event will take place in Winton on Wednesday, 11th September 2024, and will feature both group and individual poetry competitions.

Group Performances

Each year level will perform a group poem, coordinated by their teachers. Most of the practice for these performances will happen at school, but students may need to do some memorisation at home as part of their homework. Teachers will provide the necessary materials and instructions for home practice to ensure that everyone is well-prepared and confident on the day.

Individual Performances

For those interested in the individual poetry competition, participation is at the discretion of parents. Students wishing to compete individually must perform a short poem with rhyme and rhythm, written by an Australian author and reflecting our Australian way of life. Poems should be suitable for public performance at the festival.

Parents and students need to inform the teachers of their intention to participate in the individual competition by Friday, 2nd August, so teachers can assist with preparation. While there will be some practice time allocated at school, it is expected that students will also practice at home to ensure they are ready for the event.

Information about the festival has been sent home with students this week. Please make sure to return the transport notes by Friday, 9th August.

Book Fair - 5th to 16th August

Book Week Parade - Friday 23rd August

LSHS Year 6 Highschool Parent Information Evening & Transition Days

Mobile Phone & Wearable Technology Policy

Uniform Policy

Tuckshop

There will be no Tuckshop on Friday 19th July (Term 3 Week 2).

Key Dates

St Brigid’s Parish News

Please follow us on Facebook for up to date information on what’s happening in the St Brigid’s Parish. https://m.facebook.com/people/Central-West-QLD-Catholic-Church/100080215845014/

Catholic Diocese of Rockhampton

Community Notices

Longreach School of Dance

Longreach Regional Council

We have an exciting program from September – November 2024 and February 2025 for all girls and women 14 and above. The program consists of exercise, nutritional information and beauty session with a variety of local instructors and businesses.

The program takes places every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon starting 10/09/2024 at 5:30pm and all we need is your commitment! It is completely FREE and for all levels, beginners through to experienced athletes. Grab your girlfriend and sign up! Active Women and Girls – Longreach Regional Council

Storyfest Out West - 4th to 6th September

Griffith University

Outback Futures - Bouncing forward in tough times

The Outback Futures team values the connection we have with you and your community, and we'd like to share a special free email series with you.

Our 9 week Resilient Kids and Youth series shares practical tips and tools to help kids and teens grow their resilience.

We know resilience is one of those words that has been used so much, its value and meaning is often diluted.
But before you dismiss this, let's take a quick look at why building resilience is so important for our children.

Bouncing forward - It can be helpful to think of resilience as bouncing forward in tough times.
This means having a good set of support, skills, and tools that help us - no matter what age we are - tackle life’s challenges and move forward through tough times rather than get stuck or even move backwards.

Key signposts - So, what does resilience look like in our kids and teens?
The Outback Futures team has developed three key signposts, based on the latest research, which can help our children navigate their way through life: 

1. I HAVE people who love me and help me 
2. I AM a person who knows myself well and is considerate of others
3. I CAN solve problems and proactively navigate my emotions

9 weekly emails - Sign up and each week you'll receive an email with:

• A 4-5 minute video, presented by Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia's most trusted parenting experts. He shares easy to understand and relatable ideas you and your family can put into action straight away.
• A 4 page workbook of ideas and activities you can work through with your kids and teens at your own pace.
• Some extra resources from the Outback Futures team and our friends at Parent TV. 

Qantas Founders Museum to exhibit Internationally Acclaimed Artist Yayoi Kusama’s infinity art experience

Qantas Founders Museum proudly announces a prominent artwork by the globally celebrated artist Yayoi Kusama, to be unveiled from 16 March to 22 September 2024 on loan from the National Gallery of Australia.

Kusama’s infinity experience THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS will travel to Longreach in Western Queensland.

Renowned for her mesmerising installations, sculptures, and paintings characterized by recurring motifs such as dots, eyes, nets, and pumpkins, Kusama delves into the realms of repetition and sensory experiences. This immersive installation showcases Kusama’s signature style, inviting viewers into a mind-bending journey through vibrant colours, mirrors, and meticulously crafted pumpkin sculptures.

CEO of Qantas Founders Museum, Tony Cullen, expressed immense pride and privilege in collaborating with the National Gallery to grant such an iconic installation to regional Queensland. Mr Cullen highlighted the rare opportunity for the local community, schools, and visitors to engage with world-class contemporary art.

Senior Curator Sarah Johnson, Qantas Founders Museum, echoed the sentiment, emphasising the significance of featuring Kusama’s artwork in Longreach, extending the National Gallery’s collection to remote communities of western Queensland. She continued, “Kusama’s art is beloved worldwide, and people of all ages are encouraged to participate in this unique artistic encounter in our community”.          

Dr. Nick Mitzevich, Director of the National Gallery, hailed Kusama as one of Japan's most influential contemporary artists, with the mesmerising nature of the installation and its unparalleled visual appeal. “I am thrilled that more people in regional Australia will be able to experience this remarkable artwork. The National Gallery’s Art Across Australia program will connect more people with extraordinary art from the national collection.”

The official unveiling of THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS from the National Gallery will take place on March 15, 2024, at the Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach. Further details regarding public programs and announcements will be released soon.

This work of art is on loan from the National Gallery of Australia as part of Art Across Australia.

Share #ArtAcrossAustralia

Image caption: Yayoi Kusama, THE SPIRITS OF THE PUMPKINS DESCENDED INTO THE HEAVENS, 2017, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 2018 with the assistance of Andrew and Hiroko Gwinnett. © YAYOI KUSAMA.

Catholic School Parents Queensland

The Australian Council on Smoking and Health (ACOSH). ACOSH is a not-for-profit advocacy organisation dedicated to creating a smoke-free and vape-free Australia.

ACOSH is conducting an online survey to find out what parents think about student vaping in high schools. We would like to hear the views of adults who have a child attending high school in Australia.

All results will be kept anonymous and no individuals or schools will be identified. ACOSH will use the survey results to advocate for improving vaping education and support for students.

Click on the link below to complete the 5-minute survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/acosh_parent_vaping_survey

Central West Hospital & Health Services