Newsletter T4W4
Acknowledgement of Country
Our Grade 4 students have created personalised Acknowledgement of Country posters that reflect their own thoughts, feelings and wishes. We will share a new poster each week.
Prayer
Leadership & Stewardship
Principal's Message
Dear Parents, Guardians & Students,
Prayers
Please keep a number of our OLHC connected families in your prayers who are experiencing the loss of loved ones. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Ryan/Lloyd families on the passing of Cheryle Ryan and the Hocking/Kavanagh families on the passing of Maureen Kavanagh. Maureen is the mother of Cate Hocking.
World Teacher’s Day, Friday 31st October
This week we celebrate World Teachers’ Day, a special opportunity to recognise and thank the incredible teachers who make such a difference in the lives of our students every single day.
On behalf of our students, families, and the wider community, we say a heartfelt thank you to our teachers for the difference they make each and every day.
Happy World Teachers’ Day!
School Grounds
With some brilliant spring rain and care from our maintenance crew, the school grounds are looking great at present. Our Hands on Learning team continue to revamp the sensory garden and Mr’s Ross and the gardening club are in full swing on Wednesdays. I thank the relevant staff for keeping the school’s appearance at a high level.
Grade 5/6 Building
This week saw some ground broken for the first time which is very exciting. A number of children who love watching the big equipment in action, have enjoyed the show. We will keep you posted with the progress and thank you in advance for any inconvenience this may cause with the Church carpark. At this stage, we are looking at the slab being poured around November 8th and are hoping to have some steel up before Christmas. That is the best case scenario at this point.
Important Dates
Term 4
Friday 7th November - Yr 1 Werribee Zoo Excursion
Friday 7th November - Yr 6 Cricket Blast Port Fairy
Tuesday 11th November - Remembrance Day
Tuesday 11th November - Tennis Hotshots Competition - Colac
Wednesday 12th November - Yr 5 Emmanuel College Visit
Friday 14th November - Assembly FJF
Thursday 20th November - End of Year Mass @ 10am
24th - 28th November - Yr 4 Bike Ed
Wednesday 26th November - Yr 2 Poetry Cafe
Wednesday 26th November - 2026 Foundation Transition
Friday 28th November - Assembly 1JA
Friday 28th November - Community Picnic & Young Entrepreneurs Evening 5pm to 7pm
Tuesday 2nd December - 2026 Foundation Transition
Wednesday 3rd December - Yr 6 I AM Exhibition
Monday 8th December - Yr 6 Beach Education
Tuesday 9th December - Orientation Day, whole school
10th - 12th December - Yr 6 Beach Education
Thursday 11th December - Yr 6 Graduation
Friday 12th December - Foundation Fun Day
Friday 12th December - Final Assembly 4TD
Monday 15th December - Yr 4 Fun Day
Tuesday 16th December - Yr 3 & Yr 6 Fun Days
Wednesday 17th December - Yr 1 & Yr 5 Fun Day
Thursday 18th December - Yr 2 Fun Day
Thursday 18th December - Last day for students
Friday 19th December - Last day for staff
Teaching & Learning @ OLHC
Week 4 Term 4 with Mr A
REGIONAL GIRLS BASKETBALL
On Friday last week, I had the pleasure of accompanying our Senior Girls basketball team to Ballarat for the Regional Tournament. It was great to see the girls play within the rules and with a competitive spirit. We are in the process of developing a new mantra for our students when they compete against other schools to ensure they play within the spirit of the game, while also recognising that it is a competition, so therefore they should be playing to win. Our mantra was “Play Hard, Play Fair, Play Humble’ which all of the girls encapsulated in the way they went about the day. Well done girls and thanks to Ava for her expert coaching on the day.
ASSESSMENT PERIOD- TERM 4
All levels will spend the next month completing school wide assessments, such as PAT testing and DIBELS. The aim of these is to track cohort and individual data and is used for teacher judgement when reporting. These are a normal part of the education system, however, sometimes they can cause a certain level of stress for some students. Our message is always to do your best, nothing more, nothing less.
SENIOR SCHOOL MISSION DAY
Another successful Mission Day was run expertly by our Grade 6 students on Friday. The students started the week by working in all the classrooms on Tuesday with a short reflective prayer about Mission Day and an activity. This was a fantastic show of leadership by our most senior students and sets an excellent example for our younger levels. Then we kicked off Mission Day with all the amazing events and activities designed and facilitated by the students. This is a highlight on the calendar for a substantial amount of our student population and a great way showing who we are as a Catholic school.
Technology Toolkit with Ms Fitzgerald and Ms O'Keeffe
A space providing weekly snapshots of student learnings, as well as online safety tips and relevant technology updates. Please reach out with any questions:
Ms O’Keeffe: nokeeffe@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Mon & Tues)
Ms Fitzgerald: efitzgerald@olhcwarrnambool.catholic.edu.au (Wed, Thurs & Fri)
Ctrl Shift - Guide to the new Social Media Reform Ctrl Shift is a new organisation that is working with teachers, parents, children and schools to create more communication when it comes to online safety. They have created a fantastic guide for parents navigating the new social media reform that will be starting from December 10th this year. Link to Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x7aiDCSG4z1qxnrPO2aQ4bIS9SCS8wFP/view?usp=sharing |
Interschool Equestrian
Congratulations to Layla Williams for representing OLHC and competing in the Interschool Equestrian Competition held over the weekend at the Warrnambool Show. Layla had a fantastic day out, winning her show jumping section and placing 4th and 5th in the dressage. Well done Layla!
Spirit of Our Lady's Award
Asher Purcell
Maisie Paton
George Couch
Nadar Mutti
Rory Tuggey
Willow Wickenton
Maisie Sabo
Faith & Culture
Parish Office Hours: 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday
P: 5562 2231
E: southwestcoast@ballarat.catholic.org.au
webpage : https://www.
Weekend Masses
Saturday Vigil
6:00pm OLHC, Warrnambool East
Sunday Morning
9:00am Infant Jesus, Koroit
9:00am St Pius X, Warrnambool West
10:30am St Joseph’s, Warrnambool
10:30am St Patrick’s, Port Fairy
6:00pm St Joseph’s Warrnambool
*11:00am St Anne’s, Purnim
2nd Sunday of the month (Eucharist)
Weekday Masses
NB: MASS OF THE DAY IS REPLACED WHEN A FUNERAL IS HELD AT THAT CHURCH
Tues 10:00am St Pius X
Wed 10:00am St Joseph’s
Thu 10:00am OLHC & 11:00am Mercy Place
Fri 10:00am St Joseph’s
Sat 10:00am OLHC
To Do the Will of the One Who Sent Me
(John 6: 38 - 40)
Jesus continued, “This, in a nutshell, is that will: that everything handed over to me by the Father be completed – not a single detail missed –and at the wrap-up of time I have everything and everyone put together, upright and whole.” (John 6: 38)
Today, as we mark the Feast of All Souls, we pause to remember, with tenderness and faith, all who have gone before us. We hold in prayer our loved ones, colleagues, mentors, and students who now rest in God’s eternal embrace. Their memory reminds us that our vocation as educators is not only about what happens in the classroom, but also about what happens in the heart.
In this Gospel, Jesus speaks clearly of his mission: to do the will of the Father, a will grounded entirely in love, mercy, and the promise of life that never ends. This same divine mission is entrusted to us, especially in Catholic education. We are not here simply to teach subjects, manage behaviour, or meet outcomes – we are here to ensure that no one God has given us is lost, that every child entrusted to our care encounters something of the living Christ in us.
As educators, we walk daily with young people who are searching: for meaning, identity, belonging, and hope. To do the Father’s will in our schools means to notice the quiet ones, to lift up those who have fallen behind, to speak life into situations of despair, and to hold firm to the belief that every student is sacred, every story is worth listening to, every moment is an opportunity for grace.
On this Feast of All Souls, we are reminded that our work echoes beyond the walls of our classrooms. Every act of patience, every word of encouragement, every seed of truth we plant in the hearts of our students participates in God’s great work of resurrection. Teaching, then, is not just a profession, it is a ministry of hope.
Let us take courage in this sacred calling. May our teaching be infused with compassion; may our faith be evident in our presence; and may our classrooms be places where young hearts glimpse the promise of eternal life through our witness.
The Lanterns by the Lake
On the evening of All Souls’ Day, the parish youth group gathered by the lake, each holding a paper lantern. The sky was turning violet, and the air was still.
Father Ken said, “Tonight we remember, but we also hope. Jesus promised that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life, and that he will lose no one. Not one person is forgotten.”
Chad looked down at his lantern. He had written Nana Rose across it, his grandmother who had died that year. She used to tell him, “Heaven is home, just with better tea.”
He smiled a little, then placed his lantern on the water. One by one, the others did the same, until the lake shimmered with tiny lights, each one a prayer, a memory, a promise.
As the lanterns drifted away, Chad felt that ache of missing her, but also a deep peace. The lights did not disappear; they just moved out of sight, still glowing, still held in the dark.
He whispered, “See you again, Nana. Just not yet.”
And in that quiet moment, he understood that in Christ, love does not end; it is raised up.
Wellbeing
If you want to learn to ride a skateboard or get better at maths, you need to practise. It’s the same when you want to feel happier!
Here are some easy ideas to give Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy a try every day. Because the more you practise, the better you will feel.
Let's Practice!
A reminder to parents, carers and grandparents that SchoolTV is a free resource.
SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource that we have to support you with the challenges relating to modern-day parenting. This award-winning resource helps build relationships, foster connections, enable understanding and break down barriers to navigate a pathway towards better mental health and wellbeing for young people. It can assist in starting conversations on topics that are sometimes awkward or difficult to tackle.
In addition to the weekly topic we publish in our newsletter, all of the SchoolTV topics are always accessible through our school website under the Student Wellbeing section. You can also use this link: https://olhcwarrnambool.
There are videos from experts as well as a huge range of websites, books, apps, fact sheets and podcasts.
If you require any further information about SchoolTV, please contact Mel (mwillis@olhcwarrnambool.
Parents & Friends Association
Next Meeting
2nd December
Community
Birthdays
Yr 1
Michael Nelson
Yr 2
Levi Hill
Theo Davis
Nicholson Niruban
Carrick O'Brien
Yr 4
Banjo Auld
School Sponsorship
School Forms & Policies
Mobile Phone Policy & Form
Medication Administration Form
Asthma Action Plan
Camps, Sports & Excursions Funding Form
OLHC Lunch Orders
Lunch orders can be placed through the My Schools Connect portal through the link below...
Country Bus Travel Application
Tania Malone - Administration/Bus Coordinator @ Brauer College
P: 5560 3888
E: Tania.Malone@education.vic.gov.au
TheirCare Before & After School Care - plus Vacation
& School Closure Day Care
WCC After School Care Information
LOWES Uniform Price List
OLHC 2024 Prospectus