Dear Parents and Community Members,

No qualifications needed, start the conversation! Thursday 12 September 2024 was the national day of action when Australians were reminded that every day is the day to ask, ‘Are you OK?’ and start a meaningful conversation whenever they spot the signs that someone they care about might be struggling with life. Ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day. A lot can happen in a year, a month, a week. The people you care about go through life’s ups and downs every day.

By having regular, meaningful conversations, you build trust and normalise talking about what’s really going on, so when the people in your world find themselves struggling, they know you’re someone they can talk to. So even though R U OK? Day on Thursday September 12 is our National Day of Action, we encourage you to Ask R U OK? Any Day of the year because a conversation could change a life.

Congratulations to our newly confirmed Year 6 students. We pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to guide them in their lives. Thanks to all who assisted to make this such a special celebration.

Congratulations to the lucky winners of our Father’s Day raffle:

1st Prize – Polly South

2nd Prize – Ashley Edwards

3rd Prize – Craig Saunders

Thanks to our P&F for organising the raffle and for the sponsors who donated prizes.

We would like to thank our wonderful EA staff for all the work they do, especially behind the scenes, to make our school run successfully. We are so lucky to have such a talented and dedicated group of EAs who make our school a better place.

Our Sports Carnival was held last Thursday 12 September. Congratulations to all students for their participation and teamwork on the day, and to all who contributed towards the success of the day.

We welcomed the opportunity to share our learning with family members during our Learning Journey this afternoon.

Please note for your calendar that we will be celebrating Grandparents Day in Term 4 on Friday 18 October from 1.00pm. Grandparents are invited to join us for afternoon tea and classroom visits, concluding with an Assembly.

On Sunday 3 November, the Parish Mass will be celebrated in our school hall, and will be followed by a Fun Day. Please save the date and look out for more information below. If you would like to set up a stall on the day, please contact the school office. As well as fun activities and food, this is an opportunity for families to share information about local businesses as well.

Please note this date: Wednesday 27 November at 5.00pm on the school oval, Kindy to Year 6.

Staffing is a very complex process and will not be finalised until November. Once finalised, this will be announced at the Annual School Community Meeting on Monday 11 November, and in the school newsletter.

If your child will not be returning to OLC in 2025, please inform the office in writing to enable our planning for next year. Thank you.

School fees are now overdue. If you are experiencing difficulties with payment, please make a time to see me as soon as possible. Thank you.

If you would like to support this Social Justice initiative, perhaps you could prepare your shoebox during the holiday, ready to return to school by Friday 11 October.

We look forward to a special treat tomorrow, Friday 20 September, with the K-6 Dance Concert commencing at 11.30am in the School Hall.

As part of the National School Chaplaincy/Wellbeing Program, we have received funding to engage the services of a Wellbeing Consultant to support OLC families, commencing next term. I would like to welcome Mrs Bronwyn Capell to join our team. Next term you will receive an introductory letter and Bron will spend time in all classrooms making herself familiar with our school setting and being visible to students. In time, and with parent consultation, Bron will be available to support students on the request of parents. Bron comes to us with a wealth of experience, and we look forward to having her available to support students, staff and families.

Wishing you a wonderful week and a relaxing holiday with your family, commencing tomorrow, Friday 20 September.

School commences for Term 4 for students on Tuesday 7 October, due to the staff being involved in Day 2 training in the Berry Street Education Model on Monday 6 October.

May God bless you

Mrs Angela Hegney

Principal

In 2014, OLC put in place class blogs to serve the purpose of building connection between class and home as well as share homework, learning and class information with all parents.

While the blogs have been central in class communication to parents over the years, we acknowledge that the class blogs have now served their role.

With our ongoing goal of having efficient and concise forms of communication to our parents, we have decided to cease the use of the class blogs and replace it with the Seesaw app.

We would like to streamline our communication at OLC. Therefore, as from Term 4 2024 the class blogs will no longer be used to communicate to OLC parents and the Seesaw app will replace all relevant class communication from the teacher that was previously on the class blogs.

We will also be utilising the Seesaw platform to greater lengths across the whole school to keep parents informed about learning happening in their child’s classroom.

What’s new?

• At least 3 Seesaw posts per term of photos of incidental learning happening in your child’s class.
• All relevant class information for parents sent through the Seesaw app. This may include reminders, messages, excursion information, important dates, etc.

What will remain?

• At least 3 Seesaw posts each term specifically about your child’s Reading, Writing, Maths and Religious Education learning that are part of the formal reporting process and include a description and an assessment of the learning.
• Parents receiving SMS notifications from the class teacher about merit or star citizen awards.
• SEQTA email for formal communication from the class teachers, school admin and the leadership team.

What to do?

• If you do not already have the Seesaw app, please ensure you have this downloaded with notifications.
• Check with your child’s class teacher/s for the Seesaw class code if you require access.
• Get set for more updates on your child’s learning via Seesaw.

Arian Torrese

Assistant Principal

Dear Parents,

URSTRONG’s whole-school friendship strategy has improved the social climate in schools around the world, connecting over a million kids, parents, and teachers with a common language of friendship. We are proud to be a URSTRONG School and are committed to empowering your children with friendship skills.

You are invited to take advantage of a FREE Parent Membership to access hundreds of resources – including an 8 session video series. This will allow you to learn the same language & strategies being taught in the classroom through the Friendology 101 curriculum. We hope that, as a URSTRONG Family, you will reinforce the important messages of empowerment, self-compassion, & kindness at home.

As a next step, we would recommend:

• Click here to view an overview of URSTRONG.
• Activate your FREE Parent Membership and explore all the resources available to your family.
• Explore the hundreds of resources available to you!

We believe that empowering our students with these skills will create a culture of kindness at our school and we hope that, together, we can support your children to have healthy, feel-good friendships.

5 Reasons Kids Don’t Seek Help with Tricky Friendships

Parent: “How was school today?”
Kid: “Good.”
Parent: “What did you do?”
Kid: “Nothin.”

How many parents have had this conversation with their kids? When it comes to challenging friendships, the reality is kids do not often tell their parents if they’ve had a Friendship Fire® with a friend, or they’re dealing with an up-and-down friend, or they’re having trouble making friends. Instead, kids & teens often suffer in silence.

So, why do kids keep their friendship issues private? Over the last 14 years, we have worked with tens of thousands of kids in schools around the world. Students have shared all sorts of things with us about what’s really going on in their friendships. While friendships have changed a lot for kids since we first launched our Friendology curriculum in 2009, these 4 reasons that kids aren’t totally honest and forthcoming with their parents has stayed the same:

1. Your child is worried you’re going to freak out. You might call the other kid’s parents, you might call the school, you might say the wrong things, you might cry, you might say, “I knew that kid was trouble!” Basically, you might say and do all the wrong things and just make matters worse. Read our most popular blog: 10 Reasons to NOT Call the Other Child’s Parents
2. Your child is embarrassed. They want you to think they’re cool and popular. Your child wants to make you proud! It’s a pretty vulnerable thing to respond to, “How was school today?” with, “Not very good. I feel like I have no friends. Sat by myself at lunch and kids made fun of the bargain shoes you bought me.” Kids and teens will not readily offer that information.
3. Your child knows it sounds silly or trivial. Kids are totally aware that sometimes the things they’re upset or annoyed about aren’t a big deal, but they can’t shake it. When they think about telling an adult, they think parents + teachers won’t get it and will respond with, “Just ignore them! It’s not that big of a deal! Why do you care? Play with someone else then!” These sentiments are obviously not helpful and diminish a child’s feelings.
4. Your child is so tuned in to you. They know if you’re stressed or have a lot on your plate right now and they don’t want to add to your pile by unloading their friendship drama on you. They also know it will upset you – so they protect you from that.

There is, however, a 5th reason that has emerged: Your child is worried you’ll take away their device. If the friendship issue happened online, they’re worried you’re going to make them delete the platform or take their device away. In the past few years especially, this has become a huge concern with children experiencing awful things online that they’re not sharing with grown-ups.

So, what can you do to encourage your child to open up and share freely with you?

First, think of yourself as a Friendship Coach. Coaches don’t go out there and play the game for their players. Instead, they give them advice and send them to play. Then, they stand back on the sidelines and watch. When they call their team in, they point out what they saw and give the players some tips and guidance. It should work that way with parents too, coaching your children through their friendships. Avoid jumping in to solve the problem. Instead, ask: “What can you do to make this situation better?” Empower your child with this activity: Keep it Cool!

Second, empathize. Sometimes all your child needs to hear is, “That sounds really hard. Would you like a hug?” Sit with them in the discomfort, remind them their feelings are normal and valid, and show them you’re there. For teens especially, be a Potted Plant Parent.

Lastly, give this tried-and-tested strategy from my Mom a go. Whenever I was experiencing any kind of emotional turmoil, my Mom would find me a book or article and leave it on my pillow. It was her way of saying, “I’m here if you need to talk, but here’s some advice.” With that in mind, print this activity and pop it on your child’s pillow. Who knows – maybe you’ll get invited to go for some ice-cream!?

Written by: Dana Kerford
Founder & Friendship Expert

In the spirit of making Jesus real through love and service, we are blessed to offer a Pastoral Care Freezer to help support members of our community during difficult times. Whether facing illness, grief, unexpected challenges, or just needing a helping hand, this initiative is a way for us to live out our faith in a tangible and compassionate way.

If your family, or someone you know, is in need of meals, we warmly encourage you to reach out. The Pastoral Care Freezer is here to ease the burden, providing lovingly cooked home-cooked meals.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the generosity of Sara Drmota who has prepared meals for the freezer and the OLC P& F who donated $500 towards ingredients for the cook up. Your kindness is a reflection of Christ’s call to serve others, and your effort brings comfort and hope to those facing hardship.

As a community, we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, and this is one way we can continue to support each other in times of need. If you are in need of assistance or know of a family who might benefit, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. No request is too small, and all are welcome. Simply email me at amie.meyer@cewa.edu.au

May we continue to grow in love and service to one another, embodying the values of compassion, generosity, and solidarity as we walk together in faith.

OLOSC Parish/School Fun Day – November 3, 2024 (Please note the change of date).

We’re excited to announce our upcoming School-Parish Fun Day on Sunday, November 3, and we need YOUR help to make this day a success! This is a wonderful opportunity for parishioners and school families to come together, strengthen our community, and engage in intergenerational activities that foster positive relationships. Being that we are celebrating Grandparents Day on Friday the 18th, it will be a lovely way bring along your extended family for some fun. The day will begin with Mass at the school at 9.00am followed by a series of fun activities for all ages from 10.00-2.00pm.

What We Need:

We are seeking volunteers to help coordinate a variety of activities for all ages, from running stalls to supervising games. Volunteers of all ages are welcome to join in the fun! Small business owners also have the chance to set up promotional stalls, selling goods or showcasing their goods or services during the event.

Possible Activities:

Cake Stall – Donations of cakes needed
Bottle Stall – Donate non-perishable bottles for this fun mystery game
Treasure Hunt – Help with clues and prizes
Second-Hand Book Stall – Donate or sell books
Craft Corner – Facilitate crafts for kids and adults
Face Painting – Artistic volunteers needed!
Biscuit Decorating – Assist with decorating stations
Photo Booth – Help set up fun props
Bean Bag Toss – Supervise and hand out prizes
Cultural Food Stand – Share delicious homemade food
Storytime Tent – Read to younger children
White Elephant Toy Stall – Collect, organize and sell donated items
Talent Show – Help manage sign-ups and performances
Community Art Project – Lead a collaborative mural
Sausage Sizzle – Cook and serve food
Local Emergency Services – Invite fire, police, and ambulance to showcase their services
Bouncy Castle – Help supervise this fun activity

Raffle – Source prizes and run a raffle

Any other ideas? If you would like to run something you think people would enjoy, please share your thoughts with me!

Why Volunteer?

• Strengthen our parish-school bond: Working together helps build relationships across generations and deepens community connections.
• Support local businesses: If you’re a small business owner, this is a great opportunity to promote your services or sell products while giving back.
• Make a positive impact: Helping at the Parish Fun Day means contributing to a joyful and meaningful event that brings everyone together.

Interested in helping out?
Please contact me at amie.meyer@cewa.edu.au, ASAP to let me know what you would like to coordinate, contribute to or offer to help with. Many hands make light work - let’s make this day a memorable one for our entire school and parish community!

Thank you for your support!

Expressions of interest are invited for any OLC students (or parents!), who would like to provide entertainment for our Parish/Family Fun Day on Sunday the 3rd of November.

Do you or your child like to dance, sing or play a musical instrument? Solo, in pairs or in groups? We are looking to create an entertainment schedule with performances limited to a maximum of 5 minutes each, to show case as many acts as possible.

If you or your child are interested in performing, please email Mrs Graham at jessica.graham@cewa.edu.au with the name/s of the performer/s, a description of the act and its approximate duration. You may also like to nominate a preferred time of day to work in with other commitments, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Please note that student performers will need to prepare and practice their acts in their own time and depending on how many requests we get, it may be a case of first in, best dressed!

We are looking forward to showcasing some amazing talent on this day.

Mrs Amie Meyer

Assistant Principal

We would like to thank Victoria Bray for volunteering to assist with the Uniform Shop. The Uniform Shop is open on a Wednesday from 8.20am - 9am. Thanks again to Anna Rowe for her services.

A reminder that Running Club is on again next term on Wednesdays and Thursdays (sport games). This is now available to students from Y2 and up. No need to register, just turn up at 8am outside the hall.

Mrs Sinclair

Our lost property bin is overflowing!! Please check to see if any of these items belong to your child. All items not collected will be donated to charity and the second hand uniform cupboard.

As we come to the end of term 3, we want to say a big thank you to everyone for your support this year!
These are answers to a few common questions we’ve been asked lately.

• The 2024 P&F planner is available to everyone.
• Social activities can be organised anytime by class reps.
• All are welcome to attend the General Meetings and there is one per term.
• The end of year Fun Day is scheduled for the last week of school and a messenger group will be created in term 4 for those who would like to be involved and volunteer on the day.
• Donations for the Christmas raffle are being collected at the moment and more details will be shared in term 4.
• Windance wine will be available in November, stay tuned.
  
• The P&F will be supporting Grandparents Day, Teachers Day and Year 6 Graduation Day in term 4.

• A reminder that our P&F House of Cards Spring Wine Fundraiser finishes on the 30th of September. This is an amazing opportunity to buy premium House of Cards wine bundles with the added bonus of supporting our school!

  How it Works:

  1. Order your wine online and save
  2. $5 per bottle will be donated to the P&F
  3. Enjoy your wine!

  To order please click here for more information:

  houseofcardswine.com.au

  Thank you for supporting P&F fundraisers!

We are now working on the 2025 planner and it will be shared at the term 1 General Meeting for comment. There are lots of exciting plans for our school.

Thank you, we hope you have a wonderful spring holidays ☀️

Email: admin@ladyofcape.wa.edu.au
Website: www.ladyofcape.wa.edu.au
Location: 245 Cape Naturaliste Road, Dunsborough WA, Australia
Phone: 9781 3200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLCDunsborough/