Term 3 Week 9 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear parents and friends,

It has been wonderful to see so many of you taking the opportunity to meet with your child's teacher this week. We are thrilled to have a community so invested in the learning journey of our students. Your involvement is crucial, and we thank you for engaging with our staff. This collaboration can only strengthen your child's educational experience. At Our Lady's, we firmly believe that a strong partnership between school and home is essential to your child's success. Together, we can provide the support and encouragement they need to thrive.

Our final preparations for the Winton Poetry Festival are in full swing, and the student performances are sounding amazing. On Monday morning, we will hold a school recital of all group performances during our assembly. This will be a fantastic opportunity for families to see their children perform, especially if you're unable to attend the festival in Winton on Wednesday. It also provides our students with valuable practice in front of a larger audience.

This week, we sent home important information regarding the new school fee structure for 2025. We encourage you to take the time to review the details provided. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to reach out to our school office. We're here to help.

Finally, for those who share my passion for sports, you may have been following the Paralympics. The event has showcased some truly inspirational performances and remarkable stories of resilience and determination. These athletes serve as a powerful reminder to our younger children that they, too, can achieve great things, even in the face of adversity.

God bless,

Mr Peter Thurecht

Reflection – Sr Kym Harris OSB

....and once more for the Paralympians

Next week, the week the Church celebrates the Exaltation of the Cross.  What on earth could that mean to us?  One word should make it clear…Paralympians.  Over these weeks, we are seeing people, whose disabilities we would dread having, inspire us with their courage, ability, pride in accomplishment and sheer joy in living and moving.  Each has had to face squarely limitation and pain and overcome them.  Their disabilities have not dragged them down but rather brought them to a full and rich life.

In the Church’s feast we celebrate the positive life that came through the Cross of Jesus.  Our faith simply won’t let negatives be negative.  We affirm that the grace of God can transform any situation.  While we are still in the glow of the Paralympics, this is a great opportunity to inspire your children to learn and grow from negative experiences.  One of the best ways is for you to recall when you have experienced such transformations in your life.  Clarify to yourself first what you have learnt and then share the story with your children.  You too can be an inspiration to your children.

Loving God, so often we fear difficulties and challenge.  Give us the power of your Spirit to use these to come to a richer, fuller life.  As we share our stories may we inspire each other to live by the love of Jesus.  We ask this in his name confident that you will hear us 

Sr Kym Harris osb

APRE News

Gospel Reflection:

Mark 7:1-8. 14-15. 21-23

You forget the commandments of God and hold on to human tradition.

In Mark 7:1-8, the religious leaders question Jesus about His disciples not following traditional hand-washing rituals before eating. Jesus responds by pointing out that they prioritize human traditions over God's true commandments, reminding them that what truly matters is the state of their hearts, not just outward actions.

Later, in verses 14-15, 21-23, Jesus explains to the crowd that what makes a person unclean is not what they eat, but the thoughts and actions that come from within, such as greed, envy, and deceit. He teaches that true purity comes from a clean heart and good intentions.

In our school community, the message from Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 encourages us to focus on what truly matters—our intentions and how we treat one another. Just as Jesus reminded the religious leaders, that following traditions isn't enough, we are reminded that our actions and attitudes should come from a place of kindness and respect, rather than just following rules for the sake of it.

This passage teaches us that what really defines our community is not just the outward behaviours we display, like wearing the correct uniform or following school routines, but the values we hold inside—honesty, compassion, and integrity. By nurturing a positive and inclusive environment, we contribute to a school community where everyone feels valued and respected, reflecting the deeper meaning of the teachings in our daily lives.

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.

James Anderson - Improvementism. The key to becoming the best.

Lane Beachley is undoubtedly one of the best surfers of all time. She become the best by focusing on how to be better, by seeking out opportunities to challenge herself in ways that would help her grow.

James Anderson - Why it's good to compare your self to others

We often tell our children not to compare themselves to others. But this robs them of the opportunity to learn how they achieved their growth. Comparison is bad when it's about who we are, but it's good when it's about what we can learn about how to we can emulate another's growth.

Movie Night - 12th September

Swimming Lessons Term 4

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.

2025 Uniform Orders

2025 uniform order forms have been sent home with students this week. To assist with stock control, uniforms will be pre-ordered using the form below. There will be limited stock available through the year. Parents will be notified when uniforms have arrived and are ready for collection. Our next order period will be Late Term 1 2025, to prepare for winter.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE – ORDERS CLOSE WEDNESDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School P&F

The next P&F meeting will be held on Wednesday 9th October at 5:30pm in C block. Zoom details will be emailed next week for those who cannot attend in person.

2024 National parent Survey

Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) would like to hear from you!
We are excited to launch our 2024 National Parent Survey which is now LIVE

To have your say, scan the QR code or click on the survey link: https://unesurveys.au1.qualtrics.com/.../SV_d5a7NXLpTKbNAtE

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

Isolated Children's Parents' Association Qld Longreach Branch

Family Support Program

Isolated Children's Parents' Association (ICPA) is committed to advocating for equitable education access, opportunities and support for all rural and remote students. Motivated by this commitment the ICPA Longreach Branch is initiating a program that enables our Longreach and district families to access up to $500 in financial assistance toward educational, sporting or cultural/arts support or activities for your children.

•    Educational support for your child may include, but is not limited to, speech therapy, occupational therapy, paediatrician appointment, or literacy and numeracy support.
•    Sporting activities relate specifically to those students selected to represent our region at North West Sports or a specialised coaching clinic.
•    Cultural/Arts activities may include music or drama workshops such as SHEP.

Eligibility criteria include:

•    Membership of the ICPA Longreach Branch. ($50 p/a https://icpa.com.au/qld/membership)
•    The child receiving the support lives in the Longreach 4730 / Ilfracombe 4727 postcode area.
•    The child is aged up to 17 years of age.
•    If the child is of school age, the child must be attending a Longreach or Ilfracombe school.
•    No more than one application per child to be submitted per calendar year.
•    Evidence that your child received the support or participated in the activity.

The ICPA Longreach Branch Family Support Program financial assistance is on a reimbursement basis. Upon receipt of a paid invoice/receipt and proof that your child received the educational support and/or participated in the sporting/cultural activity, up to $500 will be paid via bank transfer to your nominated account. 
ICPA Longreach Branch has allocated a capped budget for this program, so once allocated funds have been spent, the program may be modified with the aim of providing assistance to the maximum number of families in our Branch. The ICPA Longreach Branch committee reserves the right to assess applications on a case by case basis. The Committee's decision is final in all application assessments. Your input and feedback on this Family Support Program is welcome as we aspire to provide a useful service to our Branch members. 
If you are seeking educational support for your child and you're not sure where to start looking, these are providers in our Longreach area:

•    Virtual or face-to-face speech therapy, https://popfamily.au/about/
•    Little Legs - Occupational Therapy based in Central West, https://www.littlelegsot.com.au/
•    Outback Futures - multiple services, https://outbackfutures.org.au/

Please email icpa.longreach@gmail.com for more information on this program, or to submit an application form. 

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

The Cathedral College Rockhampton

Community Notices

Desert Channels Queensland - Junior Fishing Day

National Police Remembrance Day 2024

Thomson River Festival 11th to 13th October

Western Queensland Junior Rugby

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

Longreach Stingrays

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!

Positive Partnerships

Professional Disability Development Supports & Services

Central West Hospital & Health Services