Term 3 Week 6 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear parents and friends,

This week, our school proudly acknowledged the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. The theme for this year was "Everyone Belongs." When each of us feels a sense of belonging, bullying struggles to find a place in our lives. This theme emphasizes the importance of embracing who we are, respecting our differences, and standing together against unkindness. Belonging means that we all play a role in preventing bullying. We are encouraged to speak up, create a safe space where everyone feels supported and respected, and ensure that our voices are heard and valued.

Put your science lab coats on because it’s National Science Week at Our Lady’s! This year, the school theme for National Science Week 2024 is "Species Survival - More Than Just Sustainability." The theme highlights the crucial role of science and innovation in ensuring that different species survive and thrive in an ever-changing world. Students will be immersed in exciting mixed year level activities this Friday from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. It promises to be an engaging and educational experience for all.

Parent-Teacher meetings are just around the corner. From Week 8 (26th-30th August), parents will have the opportunity to book a time to meet with their child’s teacher and discuss their learning journey. Meetings will take place during Weeks 9 and 10 (2nd-13th September). Bookings can be made through the new school app or via the front office. Please note that bookings after the 30th of August will need to be negotiated directly with your child’s teacher.

On Thursday, our school community came together to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption. All staff and students participated in a beautiful Mass at St Brigid’s, led by Fr. Bang. As a Catholic school, it is important that we pause to acknowledge these special days as a community, reflecting on our faith and the values that unite us.

Our school has welcomed many new visitors this week as we begin our Prep Interviews for 2025. The joy on the faces of these young children and their eagerness to start Prep have been truly heartwarming. If you know of any families who may wish to join our wonderful community in 2025, please encourage them to contact our school office to arrange an interview. We look forward to meeting more future students and their families as we continue to grow our vibrant school community.

We were delighted to be the recipients of a donation from the Longreach Thomson River Lions Club this week. This kind contribution will be used to purchase new books for our school library, ensuring that all our students can benefit from this kind gesture. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Lions Club for their continued support of our school.

God bless

Mr Peter Thurecht

Reflection – Sr Kym Harris OSB

They don’t really do it for the fame

If I asked you who is the most famous Australian Olympian in the world at the moment, you would not name the ones who won multiple medals but the woman who didn’t even get a point in her competition.  Reactions to Raygun’s performance have been mixed, to say the least, but she will be known for years to come.  Memes are going to have a life of themselves and will give her greater fame than id she won the Gold Medal. 

How did our other Olympians react to her fame?  By enjoying what she did and have her dance as part of their entry into the closing ceremony. They knew she loved what she did, as they loved what they did – even if it entailed years of sacrifice and even pain.  They, more than anyone, know what a risk competing at the Olympics can be.  So many things can go wrong on the day, but they accept that risk…because they love what they do. 

For most of us, most of the time, our work isn’t fascinating or exciting but if we can’t find a way of getting something positive, other than the pay packet, out of it, we will struggle emotionally.  I think of my grandfather who worked as a cleaner in a factory – he took pride in a job well done.  Or of my sister, a nurse, or my brother, a coach driver – they work long hours, often with difficult people, but they chose to look on the good aspects of their work to help carry them through the challenges. I saw an interview with Raygun yesterday, and she doesn’t seem to be having any adverse reaction to the criticism or ridicule heaped on her – she loved what she did and will stand by it. 

We are made to work – that is our share in God’s creativity.  For most of us, it will not bring either fame or fortune, but if we look for something to love in what we do, we will have a sense of satisfaction and even happiness. 

Loving Creator, help me to recognise how my work, however hard or humble it might be, can be a share in your creative love at work in our world.  May your Spirit open my mind and heart to how I can respond positively to the challenges I face.  I ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear me.

Sr Kym Harris osb

APRE News

Welcome to Week 6 of Term 3!

Gospel Reflection:

This week’s Gospel reading, John 6:51, is a continuation of Jesus' discourse on the Bread of Life. In this verse, Jesus proclaims Himself as the "living bread" that descended from heaven, offering eternal life to all who partake in it. He reveals that this bread is His flesh, which He will give for the life of the world, foreshadowing His sacrificial death on the cross. This passage emphasizes the profound significance of Jesus' sacrifice, teaching us that true spiritual nourishment and eternal life are found in accepting Him as the source of our salvation.

In our school setting, this message resonates with the way we nurture not only academic growth but also the spiritual and emotional well-being of each student. By fostering an environment of care, respect, and service, we mirror the self-giving love that Jesus exemplified. Our school community becomes a place where everyone is encouraged to grow in their faith, build strong, supportive relationships, and contribute to the common good.

Just as the "living bread" sustains us spiritually, our shared commitment to these values sustains our community, helping it flourish as a place where every member is valued and inspired to reach their full potential.

Feast Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated on August 15th, is a significant event in the Catholic Church. It commemorates the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into heaven at the end of her earthly life. This feast day highlights Mary's unique role in salvation history as the mother of God and her exemplary life of faith and obedience to God's will. The Assumption is a powerful sign of hope for all Christians, symbolizing the promise of eternal life and the resurrection of the body. It is a day to reflect on Mary's purity, her close relationship with God, and her role as a model for believers on their journey of faith.

His Holiness Pope Francis had this say about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary last year,

“Mary ascends, and the word of God reveals to us what characterized her as she does so: service to her neighbour and praise to God,” Pope Francis told people in the square.

“In other words, Jesus and Mary travel the same road: two lives that ascend upward, glorifying God and serving their brothers and sisters,” the pope said.

Mary’s journey from Nazareth to visit Elizabeth was not short, the pope said. Serving others has a price, which everyone experiences “in the effort, the patience and the worry that taking care of another brings,” whether it is traveling for work to support one’s family or sleepless nights caring for a newborn or volunteering to care for those who can offer nothing in return.

“It is tiring, but it is ascending upward, it is earning heaven,” Pope Francis said. 

This feast day holds special importance for our school, as we are named after Mary in “Our Lady.” To honour this occasion, our entire school community will attend Mass at 9 AM on Thursday at St. Brigid’s Church, alongside other members of our parish. Additionally, each class will engage in lessons and activities to explore the significance of this feast day within our school and the broader Catholic community.

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.

Accelerated Reader

James Anderson - Performance Mistakes - the mistake we don't want to make

Some mistakes are bad. They have negative consequences and should be avoided. The problem many of our children have is that they fail to distinguish between these Performance Mistakes, and the more helpful stretch mistakes.

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.

Australian Council on Smoking and Health

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

Book Week Parade - Friday 23rd August

Fathers Day Celebrations- 29th August

Movie Night - 12th September

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

2025 Storyfest Writing Competitions Now Open!

The Somerset National Poetry Prize

The Somerset National Poetry Prize encourages young writers in their literary endeavours and is open to all Australian high school students. It is a wonderful opportunity for serious student writers, encouraging them in their literary growth. And there are also some fantastic prizes on offer! 

Here's what the competition entails:

• Write a poem of no more than 50 lines
• ​The Somerset National Poetry Prize is open to ALL current secondary students who are Australian citizens or permanent residents attending school in Australia. Students receiving home schooling are eligible to enter. Entrants must be under 19 years of age as of the competition closing date
• The winner in each category will receive $300 plus flights to the Gold Coast to attend the Somerset Storyfest in April 2025
• Closing date Friday 6 December 2024

Click here to submit your entry!

Storyfest National Novella Competition

The Storyfest National Novella Writing Competition is open to all Australian high school students. It is a wonderful opportunity for serious student writers, encouraging them in their literary growth - and there are also some fantastic prizes on offer! 

Here's what the competition entails:

• Write a novella of between 8,000 and 20,000 words
• Have it judged by an expert panel
• Winners from each State will be flown to the Gold Coast to enjoy Storyfest in April 2025 and will also receive a cash prize
• Closing date Friday 6 December 2024

Click here to submit your entry!

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. 

Central West Hospital & Health Services