PRAYER FOR THE START OF OUR SCHOOL YEAR
Almighty God, We give you our school.
We give you all the teachers and staff who work here,
We give you all the children who are present here.
We pray our school would be a place of great discovery, adventure and creativity.
May it be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love,
A place where every one is respected and all are deeply valued.
We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Dear Families,
Welcome back
It is wonderful to see everyone back at our beautiful school again. I have enjoyed hearing about the exciting adventures that students embarked on over the holiday period. My family and I were fortunate enough to travel around Europe during the holidays, and we shared many wonderful moments together as a family. I hope that you and your family managed to get plenty of rest over the holiday period, and that your children are feeling excited and refreshed for this new school year.
New staff
We welcome the following new staff to Our Lady of Good Counsel in 2024. I am sure you will join me in making them feel very supported and welcome.
- Miss Kayla Graffin - Pre-Primary Teacher
- Mrs Sammy Preston - Pre-Primary Education Assistant
- Mrs Kirsten Italiano - Pre-Primary Education Assistant
- Ms Hayley Pollard - Year 1/2 Education Assistant
- Mrs Annelize Soontiens - Year 3/4 Education Assistant
- Mrs Simone Hesse - Physical Education Teacher
- Mrs Elisa Rigoli - Art Teacher
New Families
We welcome all new families joining Our Lady of Good Counsel School for the first time in 2024; whether your child has commenced in Pre-Kindy, Kindy or another year level. We are very pleased that you have joined us, and we hope that you feel embraced and welcomed to as a part of the OLGC community. I hope to see you at our P&F Welcome Event on Friday 23 February (details below).
Parent Information Evening
A massive thank you for your attendance at the Parent Information Evening last night. The research is very clear in demonstrating that when families and schools work in partnership, we are able to achieve the most successful outcomes for students.
In my presentation, I outlined a few topics; please see relevant links regarding this below:
- Code of Conduct: Families are reminded to familiarise themselves with the OLGC Code of Conduct. This is a set of norms that all staff, students and families are expected to adhere to in their interactions with one another. The Code of Conduct can be accessed on the school website here: https://www.olgc.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/WS-Code-of-Conduct-staff-and-parent.pdf
- ICT Policy: As advised last year, we have extended our 1:1 ICT program from Year 1 to Year 6. This will enable us to provide innovative and contemporary learning opportunities for our students, in an ever-increasingly digital world. Please familiarise yourself with the OLGC ICT Policy, which can also be found on the school website under the Families tab: https://www.canva.com/design/DAF7m7OIbP4/bTQ7Votw1N3WdHENSHopWQ/view?utm_content=DAF7m7OIbP4&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor
- Communication: Families are reminded that staff will strive to reply to emails within a 48-hr window (excluding weekends). Teachers priority during the school day is the education of your child, and they are not able to monitor their emails during this time. Please be conscious of this when communicating with teachers - they will always endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible. Should you wish to to meet with your child's teacher to discuss any concerns or issues regarding your child and their education, please email them to arrange a mutually convenient time.
School Upgrades
You may have noticed some exciting changes around the school when you returned last week. Over the Christmas holiday period the following works were undertaken:
- New School Bus playground installation in Nature Play area. A big thanks to the P&F whose fundraising efforts last year have enabled the purchase and installation of this equipment.
- Library - Our library received new flooring, paint and a complete overall of layout to allow STEM lessons and THINQERs (Gifted & Talented) lessons to be undertaken in this new learning hub.
- Staff Hub - a rearrangement of teaching resources and consolidation of spaces , alongside some new flooring and painting has resulted in the creation of a Staff Hub. This room will be utilised for collaborative planning meetings, specialist teachers work space and general meeting area.
Learning 2024
There are lots of exciting new learning initiatives that are being implemented at Our Lady of Good Counsel in 2024. All classroom teachers have been trained in the Synthetic Phonics program - Sounds-Write. Sounds-Write is an evidence based, highly successful program that ensures students receive a solid grounding and understanding in the building blocks of reading and writing.
Mrs Ciullo, our THINQERs teacher has been appointed to the role of Leader of Learning & Innovation. Mrs Ciullo will be working with staff to examine the assessment data of students, assist in the use and tracking of this data to inform individual teaching & learning objectives and support teachers in implementing innovative learning initiatives. She will also oversee the assessment schedules of the school, such as PAT and NAPLAN assessments.
Mrs Alicia Randazzo has moved into the role of STEM teacher this year, with the introduction of a Specialist STEM program at Our Lady of Good Counsel. Mrs Randazzo will be covering the Science curriculum, as well as the Digital and Design Technologies curriculum across 2 lessons per week with students. She has lots of exciting plans in place and we can't wait to see what the students get up to!!
Finally, I wish everyone a successful and joy-filled year. I hope that 2024 brings our community together in many positive and engaging ways, and we have the opportunity to celebrate all the wonderful things about OLGC together!
Lisa
LENT
The Lenten season, a time of spiritual significance, begins with three key observances: Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, and the First Sunday of Lent.
Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day, marks a preparatory moment before Lent, where we share pancakes and reflect on moderation and readiness for the journey ahead. Ash Wednesday signifies the start of Lent, urging us to contemplate mortality and repentance through the receiving of ashes. This solemn day encourages us to embrace renewal and reconciliation.
The First Sunday of Lent prompts reflection on Jesus’ forty-day fasting, symbolising resilience in the face of temptation. This initiates a period of self-examination and spiritual growth based on Jesus’ teachings.
Approaching Lent, let us all embrace introspection, growth, and solidarity within our school community. Through prayer, fasting, and support, may we deepen our faith connections, fostering compassion and understanding. Together, let us navigate this Lenten journey, aiming to emerge stronger, more compassionate, and spiritually enriched.
Blessings to all as we embark on this Lenten season.
PROJECT COMPASSION
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.
Please give generously to Caritas Australia this Lenten season and help vulnerable people around the world, now and for all future generations.
With your support, Caritas Australia has been able to assist communities around the world through income generation, water and sanitation, food security, education and disaster risk reduction programs.
Project Compassion 2024 reminds us that the good we do today will extend and impact the lives of generations to come. Together, we can help vulnerable communities face their challenges today and build a better tomorrow.
You can donate through Project Compassion donation boxes and online by visiting caritas.org.au/project-compassion or by calling 1800 024 413.
SACRAMENTAL PARENT MEETING
The parish sacramental team invites all parents/caregivers who wish their child to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation, First Holy Communion or Confirmation to attend the Sacramental Parent Meeting on Wednesday 21st February at 6pm in the OLGC Hall (children are not required to attend this meeting).
- Parents entering the staff carpark with their vehicle to drop off and pick up children
- Cars parked across the footpath on Miles Street
- Vehicles not giving way to children crossing outside the church drive-through
We do not want to have to engage the services of the CoS Rangers, however, we will be obliged to do this for the safety of our students if parents fail to adhere to safe driving and parking practices.
