OLOF TIMES

VISION

Nurturing lifelong learners who live out Jesus' message of love and peace.

MISSION

At Our Lady of Fatima School, we:

• Provide a holistic Catholic education where the teachings of Christ are lived, valued and promoted
• Strive for excellence and through contemporary pedagogies, support the resilience, curiosity, creativity and social and emotional wellbeing of each child.
• Foster a sense of community through meaningful relationships with students, staff, parents, parish and wider community.
• Maintain an innovative learning environment, embracing
• sustainable practices.

Loving God,

On this World Teachers' Day, we give thanks for all teachers and educators who dedicate their lives to guiding, encouraging, and inspiring young people.

Bless our teachers with patience, wisdom, and joy as they nurture the gifts of every child. Strengthen them in times of challenge, renew their passion for learning, and remind them of the profound difference they make each day.

We give thanks for the faith, knowledge, and values they share, helping students to grow in character, confidence, and compassion. May their work continue to reflect Your love and bring hope to the communities they serve.

We especially pray for the teachers, education assistants, and staff of Our Lady of Fatima School. May they always know how deeply they are valued and appreciated.

We ask this through Christ our Lord,

Amen.

Dear Parents and Carers,

On the weekend, we celebrate All Saints' Day, where we are reminded that every saint responded to God's call to live a life of purpose and mission. Thank you to Father Ben, Miss Rinaldi and our Year 3 students, who lead our whole school Mass on Thursday, honouring this important part of the Catholic liturgical calendar.

Saints are not simply people of the past. They are examples of ordinary individuals who trusted God and used their gifts to make a difference in the world. This year, our focus on Mission invites us to reflect on how we are each called to share God's love through our words and actions. St Maximilian Kolbe, the namesake of our red faction, is a powerful example of this. Throughout his life, he devoted himself to serving others, spreading the Gospel, and standing firm in his faith. In the face of great suffering, he lived his mission with extraordinary courage, ultimately giving his life to save another person. St Maximilian's example reminds us that mission is found in the daily choices we make to show kindness, compassion, and service to others. As a school community, may we be inspired by his witness and by all the saints to live our own mission of love and peace.

On World Teachers' Day, we give thanks for the dedication and care our teachers bring to their vocation each day. Through their commitment to faith, learning, and service, they help every child grow and thrive. As we celebrate our staff, we also reflect on the example of St Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the patron of our yellow faction and patron saint of teachers, whose mission reminds us of the life-changing impact of education. My sincere thanks to our wonderful teachers for the difference they make in the lives of our students and families, and to the P&F for the lovely morning tea and thoughtful gift provided for staff today.

Over the final few weeks of the year, as part of our 2026 focus on Mission, I would like to highlight some of the missionary work done by Sisters within the order. Sister Marie Therese Ryder often attends our school events. In this article, she shares the story of her lifelong missionary journey as a Sister of Our Lady of the Missions, who believes that God’s love inspires her sense of mission. Inspired by the example of other missionary Sisters and the vision of the Foundress, Euphrasie Barbier, Sister Marie Therese embraced a call to "go beyond" and share God's love wherever she was needed. Her experiences living and working alongside people from many cultures around the world highlighted for her the richness of diversity and the universal call to mission. Her reflection reminds us that mission is about being a compassionate presence, serving others, and helping each person recognise God's love in their lives:

https://rndmaustralia.org.au/sister-marie-therese-ryder/

A gentle reminder that we ask all families to settle their fees by the end of October, unless you have made prior arrangements with the school. If you have not already done so, please arrange final payments as soon as possible.

A special congratulations to Miss Cream, who is now engaged to her fiancée, Ryan! I am sure the school community joins me in celebrating this lovely news.

Please consider nominating for the P&F Executive or Catholic School Advisory Council. Both parent bodies contribute significantly to the quality and opportunities for students at Our Lady of Fatima School. Each group meets only once a term and are supported by school staff. Further information is below and please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you would like any further information: principal@olof.wa.edu.au.

Wishing you a nice weekend,

Jacinta Petersen

Principal

• Tuesday 3 November- Interschool Spelling Bee for selected students in Years 4 to 6; Catholic School Advisory Council 6pm
• Wednesday 4 November- Pre-Kindy 2027 Parent Information Night 5pm; Kindy 2027 Parent Information Night 6pm
• Thursday 5 November- Year 3 attending Parish Mass 9am; School tour for prospective families 10am
• Friday 6 November- Year 1 assembly 8:50am
• Tuesday 10 November- Year 1 Pally Explorers Excursion
• Wednesday 11 November- Whole school Remembrance Day Prayer service led by Year 5 11am
• Thursday 12 November- Year 2 attending Parish Mass 9am
• Monday 16 November to Wednesday 18 November- Years 5/6 Camp
• Thursday 19 November- Year 1 attending Parish Mass 9am
• Friday 20 November- Seton Pantomime Incursion 1:45pm
• Monday 23 November- Kindy Muddy Gully Incursion; Guitar Recital 2pm
• Wednesday 25 November- Kindy Bunnings Incursion; Year 3 Pally Explorers Excursion; Piano Recital 6pm & 6:45;m
• Thursday 26 November- Year 4 attending Parish Mass 9am; Constable Care Incursion
• Friday 27 November- Pre-Kindy 2027 Playdate 9am

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Don’t forget to follow along with our school calendar, available at https://www.olof.wa.edu.au/our-parents/calendar/

DATES FOR 2026

• Term 4 Tuesday 13 October- Friday 11 December.

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In 2027, Catholic schools in Western Australia commence a mid-year three-week break. Term dates for 2027 are shown below. These now include scheduled pupil free days and the Catholic day.

• Pupil free day on Friday 26 February
• Easter falls on 28 March, and school will be closed on Friday 26 March, Monday 29 March and Tuesday 30 March

• Pupil free day on Monday 19 July
• Catholic day on Monday 23 August

• Pupil free day on Monday 11 October

This Sunday as we celebrate All Saints’ Day, we are reminded through the Beatitudes that holiness is found in the everyday ways we live with faith, humility, mercy, and love. The saints show us that true happiness comes from following Christ, and their example inspires us to live our own mission:

(Matthew 5: 1-12a)

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

Well done to our fabulous, socially-conscious Year 5 class and Miss Lomma, who coordinated a fundraiser fair in support of Polar Bears International, creating Arctic-themed products and activities and raising $558.40. They were inspired by their class novel The Last Bear by Hannah Gold, which explored the threats of climate change and pollution and wrote persuasive letters to the Arctic Council calling for action.

Congratulations to our Years 3 to 6 students who were involved in the Interschool Athletics Carnival last Friday. We are proud of our students for coming third overall in the Championship Shield. Congratulations especially to the following students, who were recognised as Champion/ Runner Up Champions for their year level:

• Year 3 Champion Girl: Claudia
• Joint Year 3 Champion Boy: Ted
• Year 4 Champion Boy: Brooklyn
• Joint Year 6 Runner Up Champion Girl: Elly

A big thank you once again to Miss Moore for coordinating our participation in the carnival and running interschool training in the lead up to the event. Thank you also to Mrs Ahern and Miss Cream for assisting on the day.

If you have some ‘Fabulous Fatima’ news, please email principal@olof.wa.edu.au.

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Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten enrolments are now open for 2027. Interviews will be taking place In Term 4. If you have not submitted your entry/ enrolment form, please do so as places are limited, which are available at: https://www.olof.wa.edu.au/enrol-with-us/

Please note the priorities for enrolment in a Catholic school:

• Catholic students from the parish with a Parish Priest reference
• Catholic students from outside the parish with a Parish Priest reference
• Other Catholic students
• Siblings of non-Catholic students
• Non-Catholic students from other Christian denominations
• Other non-Catholic students

Please contact Gaynor or Jemma at admin@olof.wa.edu.au if you require a hard copy entry/ enrolment applicant form or if have any questions.

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Seton’s tours commence with a 15-minute information session led by senior staff members, providing valuable insights into the College’s ethos, programs, and community. Following this, student leaders guide visitors on a campus tour, offering a firsthand look at Seton’s facilities and learning environment. The tour concludes with morning tea, where families can engage with senior staff and student leaders in an informal setting—an excellent opportunity to ask questions and gain further insights into life at Seton Catholic College. For more information or to book a tour, please visit Seton’s website.

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The P&F is led by a volunteer group of parents, each of whom are elected to office bearer positions. The P&F Committee membership conditions are:

(a) a commitment and desire to promote Catholic education;

(b) a commitment and desire to give service to the school;

(c) a commitment to the safety, wellbeing and pastoral care of all students and staff;

(d) an ability to work cooperatively and constructively with the Principal, school leadership team, the School Advisory Council and other members of the P&F; and

(e) a sufficiency of time to devote to P&F duties.

More information about the roles is available here.

If you would like to nominate for the P&F Executive or seek further information, please complete the following form by Friday 30 October (5pm): Catholic School Advisory Council and Parents & Friends (P&F) Association Nomination Form – Fill out form

The Catholic School Advisory Council comprises the Principal (ex-officio), Parish Priest (ex-officio), one person from the Parish Council who is nominated by the Parish Priest and between four and six persons. There are some vacancies for the School Advisory Council in 2027. Membership conditions are as follows:

• A commitment and desire to promote Catholic education and give service to the Catholic school community;
• A commitment to the safety, wellbeing and pastoral care of all students and staff;
• An ability to work cooperatively and constructively with the Principal, school leadership team and all other members of the Advisory Council;
• The possession of skills, competencies and experience that are reflective of, relevant and beneficial to the Catholic school community; and
• A sufficiency of time to devote to Advisory Council duties.

More information about the role of the School Advisory Council is available here. Experience with Finance, Marketing or Building would be beneficial.

If you would like to nominate for the P&F Executive OR Catholic School Advisory Council or seek further information, please complete the following form by Friday 30 October (5pm): Catholic School Advisory Council and Parents & Friends (P&F) Association Nomination Form – Fill out form

As we move into warmer weather and a higher daily UV index, it is timely to remind all students of the importance of wearing their school hats during outside play. If the children do not have their hats, there are shaded areas that they will be directed to play in during recess and lunch. Applying suncream at home in the morning is important and all classes have a supply of suncream for students to apply during the day. If your child has a sensitivity to suncream, I encourage you to pack a suitable option in his/her school bag for personal use. If you are volunteering at school in the classrooms or on excursions, please ensure you bring along a wide-brimmed hat. You can find Our Lady of Fatima School’s Sunsmart Procedures here: https://olof.wa.edu.au/assets/files/sunsmart-procedures-our-lady-of-fatima.pdf.

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Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA) has confirmed that smart glasses will be prohibited in Catholic schools from Monday 12 October 2026.

This follows the Western Australian Government’s decision to prohibit smart glasses in public schools and reflects CEWA’s commitment to maintaining safe, respectful and secure learning environments for students and staff.

Smart glasses are wearable devices that may incorporate technology such as cameras, microphones, internet connectivity, artificial intelligence and recording or communication capabilities. Their use may create risks relating to privacy, child safety and wellbeing, unauthorised recording or sharing of information, information security and the integrity of learning and assessment.

From 12 October 2026:

• Students and staff must not wear, use, charge or store smart glasses on school premises or at any school-organised event or activity.
• Parents and caregivers, visitors and contractors must not bring smart glasses onto school premises or to any school-organised event or activity.

The Principal may approve an exemption where smart glasses are required for school-approved medical, accessibility or assistive technology purpose. An exemption may also be approved where smart glasses are being used as part of an educational program specifically authorised by the Principal.

If your child requires smart glasses for medical, accessibility or assistive technology purposes, please contact us to discuss the appropriate arrangements.

We appreciate the support of our families in helping us protect the privacy, safety and wellbeing of all members of our school community.

We remind parents and grandparents, that students should always be near adults when in the carpark at the start and end of the day. For safety reasons, students are not allowed to cross the carpark alone to meet their parent or grandparent.

If parents or grandparents are using the drive through, ensure that the students enter the car from the hall/ building side and do not move in front of or behind cars to get in on the other side.

Please do not park on the verges of local streets, which is contrary to local parking laws, available here: https://www.melvillecity.com.au/our-city/about-our-city/parking-and-getting-around/local-laws-relating-to-parking. Please be aware that residents can contact local rangers to report vehicles that they identify parking on their verges without their permission. We seek your support in ensuring that you only park in marked bays on Harris and Hammad Streets, or alternatively, park on the basketball courts. We ask that you please convey this to any grandparents or friends who might drop or pick up students from school.

Please be vigilant of students who walk/ride to school when you are arriving or leaving the school and remember to follow all speed restrictions in the area. Please observe courtesy and patience during pick up and drop off time for the safety of all.

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Please note this is live now and parents are diverted as soon as they reach School Lunch Online with all their account details moved across automatically.

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Support our school at Gilbert's fresh market and The Foodies BasketSupport our school at Gilbert's fresh market and The Foodies Basket

Gilbert's Support Our School Program donates 1% of the money spent by you to your nominated school every time you shop with us! Sign up for free at the checkout and scan each time you shop.

Email: admin@olof.wa.edu.au
Website: www.olof.wa.edu.au
Location: 3 Harris St, Palmyra WA, Australia
Phone: 08 9333 7900