Term 4 Week 9 2024

A Message from the Principal

Dear parents and friends,

It is hard to believe we are at the final newsletter for 2024. The year has flown by, and for the first time in many years, we find ourselves entering the liturgical season of Advent (beginning on Sunday, 1st December) before the school year ends. Advent is a significant time of preparation as we await the celebration of Christ’s birth. At home, my own Imogen loves Advent—mostly for the chocolate Advent calendar in the fridge! However, it is important that we share with our children the true meaning of this season. Advent reminds us that Jesus is the reason for the season, amidst the ever-growing commercial side of Christmas. I encourage you to take a moment to talk with your child about the spiritual significance of Advent and how it invites us to prepare for the gift of Christ.

As we wrap up the year, a few key events remain. Report cards will be available on Wednesday, 4th December, at 12pm via Parent Lounge and the new Parent Orbit App. If you need assistance accessing these documents, please contact Ms. Wall in the office.

Awards Night will take place this Thursday evening, where we will celebrate the achievements of our students. On Friday, the Thomson Pelicans and Kennedy Kangaroos will compete for victory in our swimming carnival. Mrs. Neuendorf has promised good weather for a fantastic day of swimming and team spirit! Next Tuesday, we will gather for our Carols Morning at 9am, with each class performing two songs. Families are warmly invited to this joyful event. Finally, on Wednesday, our Prep class will lead us in a beautiful re-enactment of the Nativity—a wonderful way to conclude the year together.

I would like to take this moment to thank our Year 6 class for their leadership and contributions to our school community. As you embark on your high school journey, we hope you carry with you the lessons and values learned here. Remember the words of Michael Jordan: “Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Go forward and make it happen! We will formally farewell our Year 6 students at their Graduation Mass on Monday evening at 5:30pm, followed by dinner at Harry’s Restaurant.

This year, we also say goodbye to two valued staff members. Miss. Haylee Flanagan, who has supported our Prep students for the past three years, leaves us to pursue new opportunities. Haylee, we wish you the very best in your next chapter. Mrs. Megan Sidebottom will take leave in 2025, and we send Megan, Lance, and their family our love and prayers as they await the arrival of their newest member.

We also farewell several families as they move on to new adventures. Whether your time here has been brief or long-lasting, your contributions have made our school community stronger. Thank you to the Holland, Rockett/Ballard, Ruzicka, Staudinger/Leonard, Tommy/Bookie, Wiggins/Kohler, Birchall, and Howard families.

I extend my deepest gratitude to our families for your support throughout 2024. I wish you a joyful and blessed Christmas filled with love, peace, and the presence of Christ. May your holidays be relaxing, and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2025 for another exciting year at Our Lady’s.

Take care, and God bless.

Mr Peter Thurecht

Reflection - Sr Kym Harris OSB

Christmas Stocktake

We are made for happiness.  To be happy is God’s passionate desire for us and in the coming of Jesus, we see the lengths to which God will go to make us happy.  He has given us his best and dearest.  The questions we each need to ask ourselves are, ‘Am I happy?’ and ‘How can I make myself happier?’  As Christmas approaches, we are inundated with all sorts of suggestions as to what would make us happy:  food, books, clothing, travel – the roll is as long as it takes to list anything that can be sold. But do these things make us happy?  If they did, we would not need to keep on buying them, over and over, year after year.

But what would make us happy?  While the answer to that is as unique and personal as each of us is, the best clue we have is in the gift of Jesus.  God did not give us ‘things’ or ‘experiences’: he gave a person, Jesus, a person who taught us how to enter into relationship with God and how to love each other.  So what will make us happy? Becoming better lovers of each other, being a kind and wise parent, an attentive spouse, a reliable colleague. 

As we enter Advent and prepare for Christmas one way we can prepare ourselves for happiness is by trying to develop our skills for love.  My sister suggested that we try one random act of kindness each day in the lead up to Christmas.  I’m going to do that…how about you?

I wish you and your loved ones the happiest Christmas you have ever known.

Loving God, you desire our happiness with all your being.  Let me open myself to that happiness by the way I love you and other people.  I ask this in Jesus’ name confident that you will hear me.

Sr Kym Harris osb

APRE News

Welcome to Week 9 of Term 4!

It’s hard to believe how quickly the year has flown by! As we wrap up for the end of the term, classrooms are being packed up, Christmas crafts are in full swing, and whispers of holiday plans and the excitement of next year are filling the air. In the midst of all this activity, it’s easy to forget the most important part of this time—Advent and the anticipation of Jesus’ birth at Christmas.

Advent is a season of preparation and anticipation leading up to Christmas, beginning four Sundays before Christmas Day. It’s a time for Catholics to reflect on the coming of Jesus Christ—both as a baby in Bethlehem and as our Saviour who will come again. During Advent, we are invited to grow in hope, peace, joy, and love, preparing our hearts to celebrate Jesus’ birth. This season is so special because it reminds us of God’s incredible love and His promise of salvation, calling us to live out our faith and share His light with others.

For the first time in several years, the staff and students of Our Lady’s will still be at school as Advent begins on 1st December. This marks the start of a new season in the Church’s liturgical calendar, moving from Ordinary Time to Advent. Next week, our classes will celebrate this meaningful occasion by changing prayer cloths to purple, engaging in Advent activities, and exploring why this season is so important for us as a Catholic school.

To celebrate and bring meaning to the Advent season at home, you could:

• Light an Advent Wreath: Light a candle each week, pray together, and reflect on the themes of hope, peace, joy, and love.
• Create a Jesse Tree: Decorate a tree with symbols from Bible stories leading to Jesus’ birth, reminding us of God’s plan throughout history.
• Perform Acts of Kindness: Share Christ’s love by donating to charity, writing cards for those in need, or volunteering.
• Pray Together: Spend time in family prayer or attend special Advent Masses.
• Prepare a Nativity Scene: Set up a Nativity display, adding figures gradually and reflecting on the journey to Jesus’ birth.

As I reflect on this year, and especially my last six months as APRE, I feel immense gratitude for the efforts of our staff, students, and community. It has been a joy to grow in my understanding of Our Lady’s and my appreciation for what it means to belong to such a wonderful school, parish, and faith community.

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season. May your Advent and Christmas celebrations be filled with joy and shared with those who matter most. Merry Christmas!

God Bless,

Mr KD

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.

2024 Annual Awards Night

Please join us after the Awards Ceremony for dinner. We will have on offer steak burgers for $10 and a free sausage sizzle for children.

To assist with catering for the night we ask you to kindly complete the following google form: https://forms.gle/NbNgo9FxR3zDf3PZ8 

Please place all orders by 3:00pm Monday 25th November.

125th Anniversary Celebrations

Past and present families and friends of Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, you are warmly invited to join us in celebrating our 125th Anniversary at our Community Ball.

Purchase your ticket here: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1300810

Upcoming Events

Swimming Lessons & Carnival Information

2025 Booklists

We are pleased to inform you that the P&F has generously decided to donate the tissues and A4 reams of paper for all students at Our Lady’s in 2025, as well as headphones for our incoming Prep class. This incredible support helps to ease the financial burden on families and ensures our classrooms are well-equipped for the year ahead.

If you have any questions about the booklists or the provided items, please don't hesitate to reach out to the school office.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the P&F committee for their ongoing commitment to our school community and their generous contributions.

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.

Our Lady's Catholic Primary School P&F

We are excited to announce that the Our Lady's Catholic Primary School Parents and Friends (P&F) Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Wednesday 5th February 2025, at 5:30pm, in C Block.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all families to come together, hear about the achievements of the past year, and help shape the future of our school community. Whether you're a long-time supporter or new to the school, we warmly invite you to join us, share your ideas, and get involved. Together, we can make a meaningful difference for our students and families. We look forward to seeing you there!

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

Homework Policy

Homework Policy Update for 2025

Another important agenda the School Board has focused on this year is our Homework Policy, which will come into effect at the beginning of 2025. After thoughtful consideration, some significant changes have been made to better align with the developmental needs of our students.

For students in Prep to Year 2, homework will still remain optional. At this early stage of learning, we recognise that students often require an adult to assist with homework tasks. Understanding the busy schedules of families, we know this won’t always be possible, and as such, we encourage, at the very least, regular reading at home. Reading together as a family fosters a love for learning and is an excellent way to build essential literacy skills.

For students in Years 3 to 6, homework will be compulsory. As children move into the middle and upper years of primary school, we aim to instil greater independence and a sense of responsibility in their learning. The rigor of homework at these levels is designed to support the development of key skills that will benefit them throughout their educational journey.

We are excited to see how these changes will positively impact both our students and their learning experiences moving forward!

Mobile Phone & Wearable Technology Policy

Uniform Policy

Tuckshop

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

Positive Partnerships

Longreach Regional Council

Longreach Stingrays

Central West Hospital & Health Services