Our Lady of the Cape Primary School

Dear Parents and Community Members,

On Sunday 7 June at 9.00am, some of our Year 4 students will be receiving Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time. Please pray for our students and their families as they take this important step in their faith journey.

Our School Choir is performing in the Primary Choir section in the Eisteddfod at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre tomorrow! If you would like to hear them sing, they will be performing one of the songs they have prepared for the Eisteddfod at OLC’s Got Talent on Friday 26 June. Congratulations to the 24 students and to our music teacher, Mrs Natasha Stokes.

This year, Science continues to inspire curiosity, discovery, and wonder across our school as a vibrant specialist learning area. Changes to the timetable in 2026 enable classes from Pre-primary to Year 6 to have two dedicated Science lessons each week, taught by our specialist teacher, Mr McSevich. Students have been enthusiastically exploring the world around them through hands-on investigations, critical thinking, and collaborative problem-solving.

Our Science program encourages students to ask questions, test ideas, and make sense of the real-world. This term students are exploring topics including forces, motion, energy transformation, light and electricity. Throughout the year, students also explore topics as diverse as the rotation of the earth, changes to the earth, chemical and physical changes, properties of materials, living systems and how we categorise animals. Our learners are developing a deeper understanding of how science shapes their daily lives.

A highlight of our lessons is the emphasis on inquiry-based learning. Students are not just learning scientific facts—they are becoming young scientists. They are predicting outcomes, conducting experiments, recording observations, and reflecting on their findings. This approach fosters resilience, creativity, and a genuine love of learning.

It has been wonderful to see such enthusiasm and engagement in our Science lessons. We look forward to continuing to nurture our students’ natural curiosity and developing the skills they need to think critically about the world around them.

We encourage families to continue the conversation at home—ask your child what they are investigating in Science and celebrate their discoveries together!

Students in Years 5 and 6 travelled to Hay Park in Bunbury today to participate in our winter carnival, playing netball, football and soccer. Special thanks to the parent coaches who assisted. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to play against other schools, show their skill and sportsmanship, and have fun with their friends!

In preparation for our participation in the SW Schools Interschool Cross Country next term, we are having our Cross-Country event on Thursday 18 June. Students from Years 1-6 will participate. Parents are invited to come along and watch. We select students for our interschool team, based on the results of the event. The Interschool Cross Country event will be held at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School on Thursday 30 July for students in Years 3-6.

School fees reminder statements were sent home last week. If you have not commenced any repayments and are experiencing difficulties, please contact me to arrange a confidential chat. Thank you.

Thank you to all who have either paid their fees in full or are on a payment plan. The receipt of fees is vital for our cash-flow to assist with school budgeting.

Our P&F are preparing for the upcoming Disco. We thank our hard-working P&F for the wonderful efforts they make to bring us together as a community, and while doing that they raise funds to support school projects.

To ensure that you receive your child(ren)s report for Semester One, please check your SEQTA login before the end of Week 10 (Friday 26 June) and contact Adrian Torrese adrian.torrese@cewa.edu.au if you are having trouble.

School attendance matters as early as Kindergarten.

Children who regularly attend school have opportunities to socialise, problem solve and learn in an enriched environment. Studies show that children who miss too many days in Kindergarten and Pre-Primary, struggle academically in later years.

It only takes one absence every two weeks for attendance to be concerning as learning is missed. Attend today and achieve for a lifetime.

How can you help?

• Plan holidays for non-school days

• Try to schedule appointments for the end of the school day

• Make sure your child attends school every day unless they are sick

• Ensure your child has a good routine before school (alarm, breakfast, pack bag night before, etc.)

• Solve any problems your child is having at school with their teacher as early as possible

How can we help?

• Teachers show a genuine interest in your child’s wellbeing and future success

• Teachers support your child to build positive relationships with other students

• Teachers support your child’s learning to ensure they feel confident in the classroom and achieve their full potential.

If your child is experiencing any difficulties related to attendance, we would like to be able to support you. Please contact the office to make a time to meet.

Recently, Easten noticed lots of rubbish on her local beach, and decided to do something. She collected all this rubbish. What a great thing to do! Thanks, Easten, for caring for your local environment.

On Friday 22 May, 106 of our students walked or rode their bikes to school. Thanks to these students and their families for choosing to make a positive choice, when possible.

The 'Green Dream Team', a committed group of Year 6 environmental enthusiasts, are promoting 'Walkie Wheelie Wednesdays'. What a great way to care for our environment by walking or riding to school - or even part of the way if you live too far away.

We are seeking donations of fruiting plants for our school garden. Each family that donates will have their name proudly displayed on the tree, recognising their contribution to our growing space.

For anyone able to donate, please contact Kyle Edwards on 0415 995 045.

The OLC Community Garden focuses on sustainable practices, including composting, seasonal fruit and vegetable growing, and environmental stewardship. Students will actively engage in the cycle of pick, compost, grow, and eat—harvesting produce, composting organic waste, enriching the soil, and growing new food. This hands-on process builds understanding of sustainable food systems and waste reduction while delivering tangible outcomes.

The garden will also provide an inclusive space where families can connect, nurture the environment, and support student learning. Through shared gardening experiences, the project promotes wellbeing, community engagement, and a strong sense of belonging while creating a self-sustaining space for the future.

Requested Plants

Blueberry bushes – 16

Kiwi berries – 2

Mango trees – 2

Lavender – 10

White mulberry trees – 2

Fig – 1

Thank you so much for your support with this.

Thank you to the parents who attended the ‘ThinkUKnow’ Cyber Safety parent information session on Tuesday night. The session was designed to equip parents with up‑to‑date knowledge and practical strategies to help keep their children safe online. It also empowers families to have informed conversations about digital risks, promoting safer and more responsible technology use at home. Here are some suggestions for parents about where to get help and support.

Could parents please check their students new sports jackets to make sure they have the correct one as we have had a number of new jackets go missing during sport when they are taken off on the oval. We also have a lost property bin located near the Uniform Store, if you would like to check for any misplaced items.

There is always lots happening at our lovely school and I encourage you to keep an eye on the Website Calendar or follow us on Facebook and Instagram. It is already Week 7, and the term is flying by! I hope you enjoyed a relaxing long weekend last weekend and had a chance to take a breath in your busy lives!

“Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible,
and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
— St. Francis of Assisi

Each small step we take matters.
When we try our best, help others, and trust in God,
we can achieve more than we ever imagined.

Have a wonderful week.

May God bless you.

Mrs Angela Hegney
Principal

On the 22nd of June Australian songwriter and singer, Andrew Chinn, will be visiting our school to share his songs with our children. Andrew’s songs, such as “These Hands”, “Rainbow”, “An African Blessing” and “Rise Up!” are used in classrooms and liturgies around Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. Andrew will workshop songs with each year level during the day and his visit will culminate in a whole school concert that will take place in the school hall at 1.45pm. Parents and Grandparents are more than welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

The paid position of crosswalk attendant has still not been filled. We have many students who walk or ride to school, and need to cross Cape Naturaliste Road each day. Their safety is a great concern for us. Until an attendant is appointed, we will endeavour to provide school staff to attend the crossing. Please note that students who ride their bikes to school will need to wait for supervision before walking their bikes when on school grounds to get to the crossing.

We are working closely with the Dunsborough Police to promote the position and would appreciate your assistance in spreading the word if you know of anyone who would be available.

For more information you can contact the Children's Crossing Unit on (08) 6274 8731 or email on childrenscrossingsunitsmail@police.wa.gov.au.

We hope all OLC families have stayed safe during the last few days of severe weather. We know of many families who remained without power or water for many days after the storm had passed and we wish to remind families that the pastoral care freezer has delicious frozen meals for times like this when life takes us on an unexpected path. Please help yourself to the delicious meals that have been prepared for the pastoral care freezer and we sincerely thank Sara in the Canteen for ensuring the freezer is always stocked with hearty meals for families in times of need.

We look forward to our last event for term 2 which is the School Disco to be held on Friday 19 June. Thank you to those families who have already confirmed their childs attendance by paying the $10 entry fee. There is still plenty of time for families to confirm their childs attendance including EFT payment, cash and card to the school office or cash and card at the Disco door.

Thank you to Class Reps and Families from Pre-Primary, Year 3 and Year 6 for organising helpers for each session. This event relies on many volunteer helpers to come together to give OLC children a fun event to attend. Thank you to all helpers who have put their hand up to help on the night, we sincerely appreciate your contribution.

Please see the Disco Poster for details.

Disco Food Orders are NOW OPEN

Orders can now be placed at www.quickcliq.com.au. Pre-Kindy orders can be placed by completing the provided order form and returning it with payment to the school office. Orders close Friday 12 June.

Please see the Disco Food Order Poster for details.

Lifeline WA is coming to Busselton from 7–10 September to deliver a series of free mental health and suicide prevention training sessions focused on young people and the adults and peers who support them.

This initiative forms part of a broader partnership dedicated to strengthening youth mental health across regional Western Australia. With the support of a four-year funding commitment from Rio Tinto, Lifeline WA is delivering evidence-based training designed to build the confidence, knowledge, and capability of communities to better support young people’s wellbeing.

Young people in regional areas face higher rates of mental health challenges, making it essential that those around them feel confident to respond. These sessions strengthen the networks supporting young people by equipping parents, educators, and community members with the skills to recognize distress, respond safely, and connect them with appropriate support, while also encouraging early help-seeking and reducing stigma.

Importantly, these dates coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September), highlighting a meaningful opportunity for organizations to engage in timely and relevant professional development that strengthens their ability to support young people and contribute to safer, more responsive communities.

By building the capability of those who support young people every day, this training helps create safer, more connected communities where young people are better understood, supported, and able to thrive.

📅 7–10 September 2026
📍 Busselton

👉 Add these dates to your calendar now and keep an eye out for more details and registration information coming soon.

We thank Rio Tinto for their ongoing support in making these important workshops possible.

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/