Orana Catholic Primary School

Where have I shown forgiveness in my personal life

What words do I use to ask forgiveness to someone I have hurt or offended?

What words might I say to someone who is asking me for forgiveness?

Do I pray often with attention and trust or am I restless and unfocused?

Do I hurt others, annoy them or make them angry on purpose for selfish gain?

Am I loyal to my friends and family? Do I keep my promises in thought, word and action?

Do I blame others for what I did?

Am I ready to help those in need when I know they can use a helping hand or a kind word?

Am I lazy and careless with my duties and responsibilities at home or school?

Do I talk respectfully with and about my friends, family or colleagues?

Dear Parents and Carers,

Harmony Week

Next week is Harmony Week. Harmony Week is an annual celebration of Australia's cultural diversity and the benefits it brings to the entire Australian community. In 2024, Harmony Week runs from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 March and is celebrated during the week that includes International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March. Students will complete a class activity and our Social Justice Team will coordinate a display in the quad. Embracing the cultural diversity of our community is a priority for our school and the focus on our school improvement goal will continue beyond Harmony Week, as we plan for and include initiatives throughout the years.

Advisory Council

Our Orana Catholic School Advisory Council have had their first meeting. The following positions on the Advisory Council have been filled and I thank the members that have volunteered to take on these roles. We thank our parent leaders who assist in guiding and endorsing our school-based decisions. The positions for 2024 are as follows:

Chair: Barbara Cook

Deputy Chair: Carmelle Wilkinson

Secretary: Mathew Maiolo

Treasurer: Cesar Villar

P and F Hot Cross Bun Fundraiser

Please support the P and F’s Hot Cross Bun fundraiser. High quality hot cross buns will be supplied by Lawley’s Bakery at a great price. The P and F will benefit from each packet sold. Please visit the P and F online shop to order via this link.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent teacher interviews have commenced and will continue next week. Parent teacher meetings are an opportunity to discuss student progress, set goals and share information, whilst emphasising the partnership between home and school that is a key factor in developing each child to strive for their potential. If you have not yet made a time to meet with your child’s teacher, please contact your child's class teacher directly, as the booking system closed today.

NAPLAN Assessment

NAPLAN assessments commenced this week. Teachers have worked with students to ensure they are familiar with the testing platform and format. NAPLAN results are one of the data sources that schools use to determine student achievement and progress over time.

Interschool Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to the interschool swimming team; the team displayed excellence in their participation at the event and challenged themselves to achieve their best. Orana placed third, which was a fabulous result in a competitive field of seven Catholic schools. Congratulations to Charlie, who was awarded the Year Six Champion title. Well done to Will Ellis for the preparation of the team and the staff that attended. Please see below for more details.

Sacramental Enrolment Mass

Thank-you to everyone who attended our first Community Mass at the parish. This was also one of the Sacramental Enrolment Masses for our Year 3, 4 and 6 students who will receive a sacrament this year. If you did not attend an enrolment mass, there will be an opportunity to collect your form after the 5.30pm Mass this Saturday, the 16th of March. A table will be set up outside the church under the verandah.

Stations of the Cross

Our Year Four students will be leading the Stations of the Cross at the parish at 7pm on Friday 22nd March. All are welcome to attend. Please read below for more information on the Stations of the Cross.

2025 and 2026 Kindy and Pre-Kindy Enrolment

Enrolments are open for 2025 and 2026. Please ensure that if you have a younger child, or you know someone that is wanting to attend Orana, please complete the enrolment expression of interest as soon as possible.

Best wishes and God bless,

Dee Johnston

PRINCIPAL

Stations of the Cross

From the earliest days of Christianity, pilgrims journeyed to Jerusalem to walk in the footsteps of Christ's passion on the road to Calvary. Tradition holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, herself led by example in making daily visits to the sites of her Son's sufferings, death and resurrection following his ascension into heaven. More than 2,000 years later, however, Christians are still trying to grasp the saving gift of Jesus by meditating on or reenacting his crucifixion through what has come to be known as the stations of the cross.

Our Year 4 students will lead our parish in praying the Stations of the Cross. This 'child-focussed' prayer is a moving way to enter into our most important time of the Christian calendar - Holy Week. Stations of the Cross will begin at 7pm in Saints John and Paul Church, 5 Ingham Crt, Willetton. Please join us!

You may have noticed if you are new to Orana, that we have our own beautiful mosaic Stations of the Cross around the school grounds. These were created by previous students. Every year, each class prays the Stations of the Cross during Holy Week which begins on 24th March with Palm Sunday.

The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) reinforces the strong correlation between school attendance and student achievement and highlights the importance of forming good attendance habits early. Poor attendance has serious and lasting consequences, in limiting achievement, social isolation, reducing engagement and the possibility of negative family dynamics to name a few.

Congratulations to all our 2024 Interschool Swimming Athletes in Years 4-6. Despite a late start, the carnival was a huge success. All students represented and competed honourably for the school. Thank you to our busy parents who came to support and volunteer their time. Thank you to Mrs De Boni, Mr Salvia, Mr Jinasena and Mrs Varga who all assisted on the day.

A special mention to Charlie Power, for his spectacular performance in the water; he was awarded joint Champion Boy for Year Six. Overall, Orana came 3rd on 169 points. Congratulations to Corpus Christi College who won, and the other schools that competed.

Well done to our fantastic competitors; we are so proud of you all!

Kind Regards,

William Ellis

Heath and Physical Education Teacher

William Ellis

Our school P & F still require the following positions to be filled:

P & F Chair

Coordinator of Classroom Reps

Please consider how you can assist your child's school through the P & F. It is by filling these positions, that community events can take place. You can also join the committee as a general member. If you have any queries, please contact the P & F - oranapandf@gmail.com

Hot Cross Buns Fundraiser!

The P&F have teamed up with Lawley’s Bakery to provide our Orana Community with delicious hot cross buns this Easter! A portion of funds from every pack sold goes to the P&F to help us fund events and projects at school, such as new air conditioning in the library. To order -> https://orana-catholic-primary-school-parents-and-friends-association.square.site/shop/2024-hot-cross-bun-fundraiser/45

The Uniform Subcommittee are continuing to meet and work with the new supplier One World Uniforms. The uniform design phase is almost complete and the onsite shop planning will commence next term. Here is another sneak peak of some of our newly designed uniform items.

Sign of the Cross

Father CJ reminded our students of the importance of making the sign of the cross in a reverent and respectful manner. We will focus on this over the next week leading into Holy Week.

Dates for the Season of Lent/Easter:

• Friday, 22nd March 7pm - Stations of the Cross (Year 4 presenting)
• Sunday, 24th March - Palm Sunday
• Thursday, 28th March - Holy Thursday
• Friday, 29th March - Good Friday
• Sunday, 31st March - Easter Sunday

Term 1 - Wednesday 31st January - Thursday 28th March

Term 2 - Monday 15th April - Friday 28th June

Term 3 - Monday 15th July - Friday 20th September

Term 4 - Monday 7th October - Thursday 12th December

Pupil Free Day - 26th April

WA Day - 3rd June

Pupil Free Day - 4 June

Pupil Free Day - 15th July

Pupil Free Day (Catholic Day) - 26th August

Pupil Free Day - 7 October

2024 - Term 1 Week 8 & Week 9

• 18th March - NAPLAN Numeracy Yr 3 & 5
• 18th March - Leadership Lunch - Yr 1
• 18th March - Engineers Club - 3.30pm
• 19th March - NAPLAN catch up
• 20th March - NAPLAN catch up
• Harmony Week 23rd - 26th March
• 20th March - Harmony Week
• 20th March - Make a Move
• 21st March - NAPLAN catch up
• 21st March - Make a Move
• 22nd March - NAPLAN catch up
• 22nd March - Year 3 Excursion - Resource Recovery
• 22nd March - Year 4 Excursion - Earth Day Expo
• 22nd March - Year 2 Liturgy
• 22nd March - Junior Assembly
• 22nd March - Stations of the Cross presented by Yr 4 at the Parish - 7pm
• 25th March - NAPLAN catch up
• 25th March - Make a Move Rehearsals - Blue 9.00am - White 11.05am
• 25th March - Make a Move Concert (Blue Classes)
• 25th March - Leadership Lunch - Pre-Primary
• 25th March - Young Engineers Club 3.30pm
• 26th March - Cricket CAPSS
• 26th March - Make a Move - Kindy Concert 9.10am - Hall
• 27th March - Make a Move Concert (White Classes)
• 28th March - Holy Thursday
• 28th March - Whole School Easter Reflection presented by Yr 5 - 9.30am - Hall

Imagine a child who keeps a perfectly neat desk in class, a super tidy room at home, spends afternoons ensuring their homework is meticulous and correct and expects the very best of themselves at all times. What could possibly be awry here you ask? Well, at the Quirky Kid Clinic, we know how important it is to foster the hopes and aspirations of children and awaken and strengthen a desire for children to strive to be their best, however, we know that for some children, this desire can become an all-encompassing, all-consuming striving for flawlessness, which can become a difficult load for children to carry (Hibbard & Walton, 2014).

https://shorturl.at/bktuV

Kind regards

Kath Warburton

Social Worker