Orana Catholic Primary School

Dear Parents and Carers,

Catholic Identity Pillar

Stations of the Cross

The Year 4 students will lead the Stations of the Cross this evening at the church, at 7pm. We invite you all to attend and prayer the stations of the cross with us.

Holy Week and Easter

This year, we will celebrate Holy Week and Easter over the holidays. These events are the most significant time in the Christian calendar. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. The Easter Triduum is the summit of the liturgical year. This includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday, which is celebrated as one liturgy. Please refer to our Parish Website for Mass Times or further below in our newsletter.

Easter Reflection

The Year 5 students will lead the whole school Easter Reflection next Thursday, 10th of April. Please join us in the hall at 9.30am.

Project Compassion Big Walk Fundraiser

Congratulations to the Social Justice Team on organising the Big Walk Fundraiser. Students demonstrated perseverance and teamwork to share the load of carrying the water. This real experience helped our students to understand the challenges of others in less developed countries and to build a sense of empathy. Thank-you to all who sponsored our students.

Education Pillar

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent / Teacher interviews for students from PP-Year 6 continue next week. Term 1 interviews are a compulsory part of our assessment and reporting procedures. Thank-you to the parents and carers that have made times to meet with teachers. Your participation emphasises the partnership between home and school in developing each child to their full potential. If you have not yet made an appointment, please contact your class teacher to finalise a time before the end of term.

Cricket Carnival

Congratulations to the Year 6 students for their participation in the CAPSS Cricket Carnival on Tuesday. The teams displayed excellence sportspersonship in their participation at the event. Mrs Lake received a personal message from a staff member from another school congratulating one of our teams on their exceptional acceptance and inclusion of a student with vision impairment. Well done to Tayla Lake for the preparation of the team, the Year 6 staff and the parents that attended to assist.

Kaboom Music Incursion

Thank-you to the P and F for funding a music incursion for Pre-primary to Year 6 students on the last day of term, Friday 11th April. This is a wonderful way to end the term.

Community Pillar

P and F Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

Thank-you for your support of the P and F’s Hot Cross Bun fundraiser. Orders are now closed. Thank-you to Pamela, Shannon and the P and F executive team for coordinating the fundraiser. The orders will be delivered on Friday 11th April.

Communication Guidelines

Parents and carers play an important role in their children's education and a strong partnership between parents and the school enriches their learning experiences. Good communication is central to our community being informed about all that happens in and about our school.

Class and specialist teachers are the first point of contact for any communication regarding your child. Staff will communicate directly with relevant parents to follow up on school matters. Please do not contact other parents to independently resolve school-based matters.

If a concern has not been resolved with the class teacher/specialist teacher, parents are to contact the office to arrange a meeting with the relevant Assistant Principal. Kathryn Alp looks after students in blue classes and Andy Di Carlantonio looks after students in white classes.

Please refer to our School-based Guidelines on our website for more information.

Stewardship Pillar

Advisory Council Vacancy - Can you help?

There is now a vacancy on the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council meets once a term so the commitment is not onerous. If you would like some information about joining the Advisory Council, please contact the office.

Calendar

The Term 2 Planner will be available on our website at the end of next week. This is a forward-planning document, and updates are sometimes made. Please regularly check the newsletter and the Events Calendar on the website for the most up-to-date information.

Term 2 Winter Uniform

Next week is the final week of term. Students return to school on Tuesday, 29th April, in their winter uniforms. High standards of uniform presentation set a precedence for our school and the image we portray. Clear expectations for uniform and grooming are available on our website. Please support your child in meeting these expectations to ensure Orana students are united by wearing their uniforms with pride and to a high standard. The Uniform Shop will be open on Monday, 28th April 9-12.30pm.

Short-term Principal

I will be on leave for the first two weeks on Term 2. Andy Di Carlantonio will be Short-Term Principal during my absence.

2026 and 2027 Kindy and Pre-Kindy Enrolment

Places are filling for Kindergarten in 2026. Interviews are currently underway. Please ensure that if you have a younger child or you know someone that is wanting to attend Orana, the enrolment expression of interest is completed as soon as possible. Enrolments are also open for 2027.

Have a safe holiday and blessed Easter.

Dee Johnston

Principal

All members of our school community are welcome to join the Year 4 students who are praying the Stations of the Cross.

When: Tonight, Friday 7pm start

Where: Saints John and Paul Church, 5 Ingham Crt, Willetton

Project Compassion

This fundraising event will raise money for Caritas to assist students such as Toefuata’iga in Samoa, to access clean water and improved hygiene.

We asked our families to make donations via the QR code. Children carried water in buckets to help understand the difficulties that other people around the world encounter and their access to clean water. Our school's goal was to raise $1000. We managed to raise $2665! It is not too last to still make a donation. The money in the classroom money boxes will also be sent to this cause.

The most important time in our liturgical calendar is fast approaching. Please view Mass times at Saints John and Paul Church.

Congratulations to Adam Palmer and his wife Lauren on the arrival of gorgeous little Ella. We wish the Palmer family all the very best for this exciting chapter of their lives.

Sue Tormay has kindly gifted an outdoor table for staff to enjoy a quiet spot in the sunshine during their breaks. Parents are welcome to have a seat before and after school. Mr Di Carlantonio was the first to try the new bench.

This framework of nine elements combine supporting a child safe culture, healthy and respectful relationships and extended guardianship in school communities, based on the latest research and recognised best practices. Over the coming weeks, we will be exploring each of the nine elements. Please view the video below for an introduction to the framework.

https://childsafe.cewa.edu.au/introduction-key-concepts/

What Does the Element of 'Support and Healing' Look Like?

Responding to those who have been injured or hurt through abuse and harm and assisting them to heal.

Actions are:

1. Students affected by all forms of abuse are nurtured and supported in their recovery
2. Continued support for the victim focuses on truth, humility and healing
3. A holistic approach is taken to ensure the family, the notifier, the accused and the school are all supported
4. The school’s actions provide an effective and thorough response to reports of concerns regarding safety

.

Limited Spaces Available

Mother’s Day Breakfast 9th May 2025

The next coming up event will our Mother’s Day Breakfast, happening on Friday 9th May, 2025. We are still on a lookout for awesome dads to lead the event. Dads out there, email oranapandf@gmail.com to register your interest.

Canteen Order

Lunch orders have started this term with lots of delicious lunches being handed out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We do need volunteers - 35 minutes of your time (12.10pm – 12.45pm) to cross check orders and sort into classroom tubs.

Term 1 is all filled out, thank you very much to our volunteers. Woohoo!! To volunteer for Term 2, simply put your name down on the signup sheet for 2025 https://signup.com/go/dXdgNWV

Parents of Orana Facebook page

The Parents of Orana Facebook page is a private group exclusively for parents with children at Orana. It is a great place to stay informed about school events, connect with the community and ask any questions you may have. Simply search “Parents of Orana” on Facebook and request to join!

P&F Car Bay Raffle

Make school pick up a breeze with your very own, reserved Orana car bay for all of Term 2! You can enter as many times as you like. Competition closes 25th April and winner will be drawn and notified on 29th April. https://orana-catholic-primary-school-parents-and-friends-association.square.site/

All proceeds go to the P&F fund to support more amazing projects and events at our school.

Janet Kearney, former Vice President, has been a valued member of our school community for many years. Having led numerous fundraising projects, events, and initiatives, she brought a wealth of experience and passion to the role. Janet is well known and well-loved within the community for her warm nature, can-do attitude, and genuine care for others. Her presence brings people together, and her positive energy has left a lasting impression on students, parents, and staff alike.

1. What year level(s) are your children in?

I have Harry in Year 6 and Ivor in Year 3.

2. What keeps you motivated to volunteer, even on the busiest days?

I have been volunteering since my oldest was in Pre-Kindy in various capacities. It is important to me to model to my children the value of giving back and showing generosity. The absolute joy on the students’ faces when they ate their hotdog, pizza, ice cream or hot Milo on a cold day when we held the Canteen Days. Being part of the sensory additions in the Kindy and Pre-Primary added value to the children’s learning environment, which I believe is an important enrichment. I have thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the many events, such as Father’s Day and Mother’s Day breakfasts to the Sundowner. Helping to plan, organise and see it through has been part of my whole family from organising the tokens in the envelopes to helping put up equipment and buying of the food and drinks. My boys have loved seeing me help and that’s my motivation.

3. In your view, how does volunteering make an impact on our school community?

Volunteering has given me so much as a person by gaining life long friendships as well as showing that if we have many hands to help then it is easier to manage and enjoy. The last project I did was the hopscotch over the Summer holidays. It was such a delight to see the students use it straight away. The positive words impact the minds of our beautiful children, so hopefully this embraces those thoughts and makes a harmonious community.

Term 1

Wednesday 5th February - Friday 11th April

Term 2

Monday 28th April - Friday 4th July

Term 3

Monday 21st July - Friday 26th September

Term 4

Monday 13th October - Thursday 12th December

Public Holidays

18th April - Good Friday (School Holidays)

Monday 2nd June - Western Australia Day

Monday 29th September - Kings Holiday (School Holidays)

Pupil Free Days

Monday 7th April

Monday 28th April

Tuesday 3rd June

Monday 21st July

Monday 1st September - Catholic Day

Monday 13th October

2025 - Term 1 | Week 9 - Term 2 Week 1

Monday 7th April - Pupil Free Day

Tuesday 8th April - Parent/ Teacher Interviews

Wednesday 9th April - Parent/ Teacher Interviews

Thursday 10th April - Easter Reflection Presented by Year 5 - 9.30am - Hall (Yr 1 - Yr 6)

Thursday 10th April - Parent/ Teacher Interviews

Friday 11th April - Kaboom Percussion Incursion - Whole School

Friday 11th April - Parent/ Teacher Interviews

Term 2 Week 1

Speech Screening

Monday 28th April - Pupil Free Day

Monday 28th April - Uniform Shop open 9.00am - 12.30pm

Tuesday 29th April - First Day of Term 2

Tuesday 29th April - Anzac Day Service 11.00am

Thursday 1st May - Parent Information Night - Puberty Talk Year 5/6

• Year 5 - 6.00pm - 6.45pm
• Year 6 - 6.45pm - 7.30pm

Friday 2nd May - Kids' iPad Conference