Dear Parents and Community Members,

Christmas is a really busy time for families. It comes just after the end of the school year, which in itself is an extremely busy time, too. It is a time to catch up with people we love, to share meals together and to celebrate what we mean to each other. In amongst the craziness, we can forget the true meaning of Christmas.

Christmas is about love. God loved us and so He gave us His most precious gift, his son Jesus. Christmas is a time where we are called to come together and to love one another. The love that we share in our relationships with others is a reflection of the love of God.

At Christmas, we remember that Jesus was born in poverty, and this is a reminder that we are called to reach out to those in need. Thank you for your generous donations to the Vinnies Christmas hamper appeal, showing our care and concern for others, looking beyond ourselves.

As Christmas approaches, take the time to slow down and breathe. Remember what Christmas is about, reach out to those in need, and enjoy the time with your families.

It was a magical night for our Christmas Concert last Wednesday. Thank you to everyone for coming. Our students were fantastic. Special thanks to Mrs Graham for all her work in preparing the students and organising the logistics for the night. The smiles on the faces of our students and the audience spoke volumes and brought some Christmas joy to our gathering. Thank you, also, to the Arts Crew for their work to help set the scene, and to the Comms Crew for their commentary between items. See attached photos and save the date for next year (Wednesday 3 December 2025)!

Yesterday, our Year 6 students had their End of Year Excursion to Gravity, and the Yallingup Maze. We will celebrate their Graduation with a special Graduation Mass tonight, giving thanks to God for all the learning, growing, fun and friendship together over the years. Tomorrow, we will be having morning tea for our graduating students and their guests, kindly prepared by the Year 5 parents, and then a whole school farewell Graduation Assembly in the hall. This will include:

• Performance of the Graduation song.
• Presentation of the Graduation certificates.
• The Year 6 Cohort Address.
• The "Passing of the Light" ceremony.
• Farewell to the graduates.

The Year 6 team has been working extremely hard to make these last days at Primary School a fitting and memorable way to finish their students’ time at OLC. Sincere thanks to Caitlin Delane and Nick Jones for all their organisation, attention to details and care.

Special thanks to Ellie Haines, dance teacher, who will be moving into new directions and challenges next year. We thank Ellie for her contribution to OLC, awesome dance concerts, and wish her well. We also say goodbye to Michelle Blythman, who did a wonderful job with our Pre-Kindy this year. Thank you to Megan Zanetti, teaching in Year 4 this year. Wishing Tenille Lamotte well as she leaves us. We look forward to seeing Megan and Tenille as relief teachers next year. We thank them for their kindness and care, supporting students in their classes. We also farewell Mrs Rose Anderson and thank her for the wonderful EA support she has provided to the school this year.

Mrs Julie Birch returns after a well deserved year off as Visual Arts Teacher and teaching one of our Pre-Kindy classes. Welcome back Julie.

The P&F Christmas raffle was drawn at our Christmas Concert. A terrific End of Year Fun Day was enjoyed by all students on Tuesday. Thank you to our wonderful P&F for all their work supporting these last activities for the year. Looking forward to a few different things that are planned for next year, including a project to upgrade the Pre-primary playground.

Reports will be made available to parents via Seqta Engage on Monday 8 December. If your child is in Year 6 or is leaving the school, you will need to download and save or print your child’s report before Thursday 12 December, as these reports will be archived and no longer available for you to access.

Class allocations for 2025 will be communicated to parents via text at the end of Week 10.

It is essential for the running and improvement of school facilities and resources, as well as the sharing of responsibility between all families, that we receive payment of fees. School fees are billed annually.

Your annual fee statement will be issued at the start of term one and sent home with your child. At the beginning of each term a statement will also be emailed showing the remaining balance. Payments are accepted via EFTPOS, Credit Card, Bpay (your Bpay details are printed on your invoice). A Payment Advice Form will be attached to your fee statement.

Please note the following methods of payment of fees:

Option 1: Full annual payment on receipt of fee statement.

Option 2: 2 Semester Instalments.

Option 3: 4 Quarterly Instalments – at the start of each term.

Option 4: .20 fortnightly Instalments

Other payment options are available by making an appointment with the Principal. Likewise, if you are having difficulty meeting the full fee amounts please do not hesitate to contact the Principal for a confidential meeting to discuss options and alternatives.

Health Care Card (HCC) discounts are applicable to tuition fees, IT & building levies and amenities. Catholic Education WA can further assist holders of a means tested Health Care Card (family card) or Pensioner Concession Card. The maximum level of tuition fees charged to eligible families will be set at $300.00 per student (K-Yr6).

A copy of the fee structure for 2025 is attached below:

Term 1

Australia Day public holiday – Monday 27 January

Student Free Days – Thursday 30 January, Friday 31 January, Monday 3 February,

Tuesday 4 February

Students commence (PP-Year 6) – Wednesday 5 February

Labour Day public holiday – Monday 3 March

Student Free Day – Parent Interviews – Friday 4 April

Last day of Term 1 for Students and Staff – Friday 11 April

Term 2

Student Free Day – Monday 28 April

Students commence – Tuesday 29 April

Western Australia Day public holiday – Monday 2 June

Last day of Term 2 for Students – Thursday 3 July

Student Free Day – Friday 4 July

Term 3

Students commence – Monday 21 July

Student Free Day - Catholic Day – Friday 22 August

Last day of Term 3 for Students and Staff – Friday 26 September

Term 4

Student Free Day – Monday 13 October

Students commence – Tuesday 14 October

Last day of Term 4 for Students – Friday 12 December

Student Free Days – 15 to 17 December

If your child has medication being held at the school, please collect from the office on the last day.

Up-to-date medication should be returned on the first day of school in 2025, with advice of any updates to their treatment plans.

Please click on the link to review our School Uniform Policy. Please note the addition of black shorts and black long pants as part of the girls formal uniform as an optional alternative to the checked dress. These are worn with the white school shirt. We have been exploring a teal poly-cotton jumper that will be coming soon, as a more comfortable option than the current woollen jumper. Sandals as part of the school uniform will be phased out during Term 1 next year, due to being unsupportive for growing feet and dangerous for play. Our uniform sets the tone and instils a sense of pride in our school. Our unique teal colour sets us apart from other schools and helps with our identity as a school. Thank you to parents for assisting us to maintain our uniform standards.

Please make sure you are aware of the Permapleat uniform shop closing dates so you are prepared with uniforms to start the new school year. These are noted in the Uniform section on the website.

With Christmas approaching, you might be looking to gift a phone or device to your children. How do you choose which one to buy? How do you protect your children when they are online? How do you protect the device? The Alannah & Madeline Foundation have some great advice on this topic. Click here for further information on how to approach technology for kids.

The eSaftey Commission have an informative guide on their website covering recommendations, key features to consider and tips to ensure your family stays safe. They advise to be smart, safe and secure when choosing tech gifts for children and young people. Click here to read the full guide.

The Department of Education has allocated our swimming schedule for 2025.

We have been allocated Wednesday 5th February – Friday 14th February (Weeks 1 & 2), meaning lessons will commence on the first day of school.

Sessions will be held at Old Dunsborough Beach.

Forms have been sent home via the class earlier this week. Please return to your class Teacher by tomorrow.

Note that if your child/ren does vacation swimming and progresses a level over the holidays, please advise the school on admin@ladyofcape.wa.edu.au once they have been graded so that we can adjust the forms.

More details, including a schedule, will be sent out prior to commencement of school in 2025 by classroom teachers and the OLC office.

As the end of the school year approaches, I would like to thank everyone for their presence and contribution to our school life this year. It is through the efforts of so many that we achieve so much.

To our Year 6 students – congratulations on completing your first eight years of schooling. Enjoy high school knowing you have been well prepared. You are all ready for this next exciting chapter in your lives.

To our families leaving at the end of this year – thank you for the support you have shown the school during your time at OLC. Best wishes for all your future endeavors.

I hope you and your families have a lovely Christmas and that our staff and students enjoy their well-deserved break.

School concludes for students on Friday 6 December. Reports will be available to view and download on SEQTA Engage on Monday 9 December.

School commences for 2025 for students in Pre-primary to Year 6 on Wednesday 5 February, and Kindy on Thursday 6 February for half of the class, staggered start, and Friday 7 February for the other half of the Kindy class. Pre-Kindy starts on Wednesday 12 February.

Have a wonderful holiday and best wishes for a blessed Christmas.

May God bless you and your families.

Mrs Angela Hegney

Principal

Thank you OLC Students for an amazing 4 years dancing together. It has been a pleasure seeing you grow and being a small part of your Primary School experience. I am so proud of the incredible Dance Shows we have produced together and seeing you shine so bright on stage has been so rewarding. Thank you OLC families for all your support and kind words.

Merry Christmas - Mrs Ellie Haines 🕺🏻🕺🏻🕺🏻

All families are welcome to celebrate the joy of the season at Our Lady of the Southern Cross church (Naturaliste Tce), on the following dates and times this Christmas. May this Christmas bring you and your loved ones moments of true joy, the peace of Christ, and the comfort of knowing His love. May you find time to rest, reconnect, and rejoice as a family. We look forward to welcoming you back in the new year as we continue to walk together in faith and community. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a joyful New Year.

Mrs. Amie Meyer

Assistant Principal

This is one of the most common things that parents have said to us over the years when it comes to friendship issues. And, we’ve heard from numerous children and educators who have shared some of the unhelpful or inappropriate advice well-meaning parents have given children.

When parents are activated by their child’s friendship issues (especially if someone has been cruel or malicious – what we call in our Friendology curriculum, “Mean-on-Purpose”), it is common for a parent’s protective instinct to kick in. This can trigger their FIGHT/FLIGHT/FREEZE/FAWN response, thanks to the autonomic nervous system. These default settings might sound like:

• FIGHT: “Just punch them back!”
• FLIGHT: “Go play with someone else!”
• FREEZE: “Ignore them!”
• FAWN: “Be friends with everyone!”

As we aim to support our children in fostering healthy relationships throughout their lives, it’s critical that parents understand how unhelpful and, in some cases, dangerous these stress responses can be for children.

A parent whose default setting is to FIGHT, teaches their child to respond to conflict with aggression and violence. Encouraging a child to get physical as a defence-mechanism immediately escalates the situation, activating anxiety in the child. Most children are not naturally aggressive and they know punching/pushing/pinching is wrong and will get them in trouble. When a parent tells a child to do something that is socially-unacceptable, it feels deeply confusing for them. Children are less likely to seek help from parents who promote fighting, often withholding information to avoid triggering anger in them. This is scary for children. Encouraging physical aggression is easily the most dangerous, trauma-inducing advice that can have serious long-term impacts.

A parent whose default setting is to FLIGHT, teaches their child to avoid conflict. This inevitably results in unhealthy friendships (and relationships) that lack trust and respect. When conflicts and frustrations are ignored, resentment builds and connections are fractured. A conflict-avoidant mindset prevents authenticity, transparency, and honesty in relationships. It limits the depth of a friendship and, for children, the friendship feels persistently in the Red-Zone on The Friend-o-Meter.

A parent whose default setting is to FREEZE, teaches their child to bottle their emotions. While ‘fight’ is exploding, ‘freeze’ is imploding. This approach teaches children to shut down, preventing them from processing their feelings. Research shows that repressing emotions amplifies them and can lead to feelings of anxiety. Children who keep their big feelings in often experience physical symptoms like stomach aches and trouble sleeping. Similar to avoiding conflict, healthy relationships are impossible when one person is unresponsive – relationships are a two-way street.

A parent whose default setting is to FAWN, teaches their child to be a people-pleaser. Fawning is when a child absorbs all the blame, overlooking their own feelings and doing whatever it takes to make the other person happy. According to Dr Rebecca Ray, “Fawning behaviours are common for people who experience significant levels of anxiety, and who identify as highly sensitive.” Children who fawn feel disempowered and often end up as the “door mat” in their friendships.

So, what can parents do instead to have a more helpful, socially-acceptable response?

CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF

First, notice how you feel when your child shares their pain with you. Do you feel yourself reacting? Are you getting angry? Is it triggering something inside of you? Which of the 4 F’s can you feel yourself wanting to default to? The key is to remain calm and objective.

In the field of Positive Psychology, we love the famous Viktor Frankl quote: “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” This space that Dr Frankl describes is where empathy, compassion, and understanding can keep relationships in the Green-Zone on the Friend-o-Meter!

Just by being aware of how you’re feeling will allow you to be more mindful in how you respond to your child’s friendship issue.

FOCUS ON YOUR OWN CHILD

Second, focus on how YOUR child is feeling. Too often parents will focus on the other child (“I can’t believe they did that to you! What’s their problem? Why would they be like that?”), instead of their own.

Help your child name their emotions. Dr Dan Siegal coined the term “name it to tame it” – a very simple, effective technique that helps reduce the intensity of big feelings by labelling them.

Ask them, “How did that make you feel?” Give your child time and space to get their feelings out. Let them cry or be angry and JUST LISTEN. Offer a hug, go for a walk, play catch… Allow them a chance to get it out.

BE A FRIENDSHIP COACH

When you’re both in a calm state, it’s time to be a Friendship Coach and empower your child with evidence-based strategies.

If it was a Friendship Fire, encourage them to find a good time to talk to their friend. If it was Mean-on-Purpose, ask them: “Did you say your Quick Comeback?”

Check out this interactive tool (be sure to activate your FREE parent membership first!) where you can see the questions our URSTRONG Schools ask children when they experience conflict in friendship to coach them along.

Here are a few more resources that might help:

• Think of Yourself as a “Friendship Coach”
• When to Step-In and When to Step-Back
• High-Conflict Friendships
• 10 Reasons to NOT Call The Other Child’s Parents
• Boundaries: How to Use an Exit Strategy

Friendship skills are relationship skills! Teaching your child to manage conflict in a healthy way will help ensure they have positive relationships throughout their lives.

Written by: Dana Kerford
Founder & Friendship Expert

Please take some time to check the lost property tomorrow. All remaining items at the end of the year will be donated to Vinnies and 2nd hand uniforms.

The P&F Christmas raffle was drawn last week at the OLC Christmas Concert with 50 prizes in total! Congratulations to all the winners!

There are still some unclaimed prizes waiting in the office to be collected so please be sure to claim your prize if you haven’t already.

The P&F Summer Fun Day was held on Tuesday. This was organised by the P&F for the kids to celebrate all their hard work this year and it was so great to see all the students have such a wonderful time! A very big thank you to all our amazing volunteers on the day.

Finally we would like to say a very heartfelt thank you to all the families, volunteers and local businesses who have supported our P&F fundraising activities throughout the year to help support our beautiful school. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season!

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/