Orana Catholic Primary School

Dear Parents and Carers,

Catholic Identity Pillar

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent; this season takes us on a journey of renewal for forty days until the dawning of Easter. Father John led our Mass for students in Years 3 to 6 on Wednesday. Students in the early years clusters participated in a class liturgy. We were all marked with ashes in the symbol of a cross to show that we want to turn away from whatever is keeping us from God, so we can have a change of heart and draw closer to God. Thank-you to Father John, Kathryn Alp, Andy DiCarlantonio, and Denise Mouttet for their part in preparing and leading Mass. Seeing so many parents and parishioners join us for Mass was wonderful.

For Catholics, Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting and abstaining from meat. Fasting reminds us that food alone cannot make us happy. We must also be fed with prayer, with God's Word and receiving the Sacraments. Our small sacrifices during Lent make room in our hearts to welcome the risen Jesus at Easter.

Project Compassion Launch

On Shrove Tuesday, Mrs Alp and the Year 6 Social Justice Leadership Team participated in the online Project Compassion Launch. The team collaborated to plan for our Project Compassion fundraising initiatives.

Education Pillar

Lighthouse Maths Professional Learning Program

Congratulations to Sarah Hicks and Sophie Rich for being successful in their application to participate in the Lighthouse Maths professional learning program for 2025. Lighthouse Maths is a professional learning program, delivered by Scitech, that explores transformational approaches in maths education to equip primary educators with powerful strategies and techniques to elevate their maths teaching practice. The Lighthouse Maths program develops the capability of primary teachers as leaders in inquiry maths approaches, with a focus on the use of problem-solving and reasoning techniques to develop a deeper conceptual understanding of maths through challenging tasks.Through the generous support of Chevron Australia, the Lighthouse Maths program is currently provided for free over the course of a year to select schools in the Perth metro region.

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual and nationwide literacy and numeracy assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. In 2025, NAPLAN will be held 12-24 March. The NAPLAN assessments are one of the methods that schools use to determine the achievement of our students and can support school improvement by enabling teachers to monitor their students' progress over time against the national measure. It provides additional information to support teacher judgement about improvement in a child's level of literacy and numeracy. Teachers will be working with students to ensure they are familiar with the test format, but it is important not to overstate the importance of the tests or to build up anxiety in children.

Orana House Swimming Carnival

Many thanks for Tayla Lake for her outstanding organisation and planning for the House Swimming Carnival. Thank-you also to the parent volunteers who assisted in the smooth running of the day. Congratulations to the students who pushed themselves to perform, encouraged each other and worked collaboratively to be ready for events. See Mrs Lake's section below for the results.

Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum

It is a requirement that all students receive a protective behaviours and sexual abuse prevention education which is developed by experts in child abuse prevention, is age and developmental stage appropriate, is culturally appropriate, is integrated into the curriculum of the school and make relevant subject matter links, includes e-safety education and builds practice self-protective skills and strategies. The KSCPC teaches children and young people to recognise abuse, tell a trusted adult, understand what is ok and not ok touching and ways of keeping themselves safe.

The curriculum is based on two main theme which are presented through topics and activities

· Theme 1: We all have the right to be safe

· Theme 2: We can help ourselves to be safe by talking to people we trust

Focus Areas

The two themes are explored through four Focus Areas, which are examined in growing complexity in accordance with the age of the learners.

1. The right to be safe

2. Relationships

3. Recognising and reporting abuse

4. Protective strategies

I've included for you below a breakdown of topics by age range.

Community Pillar

P and F News

I wish to thank the fantastic group of volunteers, led by Shannon Foster, who helped make the Welcome Sundowner a fabulous event. Thank-you to Shannon, Silvia, Emma, Deanne, Jodi, David, Carole and Kristy.

Multicultural Morning Tea

Thank-you to Laila Di Lena for running our first Multicultural Morning Tea last week. A group of our wonderful parents joined us. Laila led an excellent presentation explaining the benefits of speaking first languages at home and the school's support for students for whom English is an Additional Language/Dialect. Thank-you also to Marisa Schiavi, CEWA's EAL/D and Languages Coordinator, for attending and consulting. Marissa said she enjoyed meeting the parents and sharing their stories of raising bilingual students and the joys and challenges that linguistic diversity may bring.

P and F Meeting

Community members are invited to support the P&F by attending the first P&F Meeting on Monday, 17th March, at 6pm in the library.

Stewardship Pillar

Carpark Use

The Querrin Ave carpark and the drive-through at the Orana shed are the most frequently used pick-up and drop-off areas for our students. Several rules exist in using this car park that are predominantly in place to create the safest environment possible for our students. Please exercise care, courtesy and patience when utilising the car park - our children's safety depends on it! A directional map and other information can be found on our website.

• Please always use the red brick paths and crosswalks to safely move around the carpark.
• Please give way to all pedestrians at the crosswalk.
• Please display your house-coloured family name on your car's sun visor to assist with the prompt collection of your child.
• Please drive slowly and cautiously.
• Parents, please stay in your vehicle in the drive-through line and ensure students get in and out safely on the car's passenger side.
• Students are not to access the car's boot in the drive-through line.
• Please merge respectfully from the drive-through line to re-enter the flow of exiting traffic to ensure the traffic continues to move.
• Please ensure you move up to car bay number 1 if you are first to enter a clear drive-through lane.
• Please listen to staff on duty who are safely directing students into cars.

• Please leave visitor car bays for office visitors. Parent parking is available opposite the Orana Shed and on the fence line of the oval.

Please work together to make the carpark work safely and efficiently.

If you require a house-coloured family name, please contact the office on admin@orana.wa.edu.au

God bless you and your family.

Dee Johnston

Principal

Ash Wednesday

We welcomed many parents, carers and parishioners from Saint John and Paul church to our celebration on Wednesday. Lent is a time for Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving (doing something for someone else). As we begin this Lenten journey, let us examine our intentions. Do I desire a change of heart, deeper integrity, a turning away from sin or renewal?

Project Compassion

A Jubilee year only comes around every 25 years, and it brings with it a special invitation for each of us. That invitation is close to the heart of Caritas Australia's Project Compassion. The theme of Jubilee 2025 is Pilgrims of Hope. It is hope which calls us to come together and Unite Against Poverty. Donations can be made via the website and our students will be fundraising throughout Lent. Stay tuned for Friday, 28th March!

2025 - Sacramental Dates (Year 3, 4, 6)

Please record dates below in your 2025 calendar if your child is baptised Catholic and will be in Year 3, 4 or 6 in 2025. If you are new to Orana, and require further information, please contact Kathryn Alp - kathryn.alp@cewa.edu.au.

...

Lenten Talk - Thursday 13th March 6.30-8.30pm

There will be a talk on Liturgy and the Real Presence presented by Mildred Rego from Catechist Services. Acolytes, Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, Catechists, parents of children receiving Sacraments and parishioners are encouraged to attend.

Altar Serving Training

If your child has celebrated their First Communion, sign up to learn how to be an altar server. Orana and the Parish would be grateful. Sign up sheet in the Church foyer.

Cleaning Angels

The church is in need of more volunteers to help clean our church and keep it in the condition we have been accustomed to. If you have a couple of hours to volunteers every 4-5 weeks, join a rostered group or make up a group of 4 people, please call Rudy - 0418286987 or rudy.mortz@gmail.com

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 6/7

Tuesday 11th March - CAPSS Interschool Swimming Carnvial

Wednesday 12th March - NAPLAN - Writing Yr 3/ Yr 5

Thursday 13th March - NAPLAN - Reading Yr 3/ Yr 5

Thursday 13th March - Advisory Council Meeting - 6pm

Friday 14th March-NAPLAN-Conventions of Language-Yr 3/Yr 5

Friday 14th March - Year 6 Reconciliation

Friday 14th March - Senior Assembly

Monday 17th March - NAPLAN - Numeracy - Yr 3/ Yr 5

Monday 17th March - P&F Meeting - 6pm

Tuesday 18th March - NAPLAN - Catch up day

Wednesday 19th March - NAPLAN - Catch up day

Wednesday 19th March - Harmony Day Celebration

Thursday 20th March - NAPLAN - Catch up day

Thursday 20th March - School Photos

Friday 21st March - NAPLAN - Catch up day

Friday 21st March - School Photos

Friday 21st March - Year 2 Liturgy