Term 3 Week 2 Newsletter - 01.08.25

Principal News

Welcome to Term 3! I'm truly honored to have been appointed Principal of Our Lady Help of Christians, South Lismore. The warm welcome I've received from staff, students, and families has been wonderful, and I'm incredibly excited to continue supporting our school community. We have a fantastic community here, and while I know we face challenges, I'm eager to work alongside you all to lead us through them, ensuring continued success and growth for every student.

Assistant Principal Appraisals

Dear Parents,

During Term 3 Kristy on the 5th and Katie on the 8th of September will be involved in an Assistant Principal appraisal process as part of their contract conditions with the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools.

The appraisal process seeks information from a variety of people associated with the school. The process aims to highlight the positive aspects of the Assistant Principal’s performance and identify areas for further development.

A timeline will be constructed to suit the needs of the school community. A panel consisting of the school Principal as Chair and a Regional Assistant Director from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools will conduct the appraisal.

 The full Assistant Principal appraisal process involves:

• a survey and self-appraisal statement completed by the Assistant Principal

• surveys of school staff and Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools personnel

• Input by the Principal

• input as arranged with the Parish Priest

• interviews with school staff

• interviews with any parents who wish to present

• a formal interview with the Assistant Principal by the panel

 Any parents who wish to make contact with the panel are welcome to do so by contacting the Principal before the appraisal date. Please note, not all those that wish to be interviewed may be accommodated.

 Thank you for your support of the school’s leadership team.

We have a number of school staff who continue to support extracurricular activities for our students. As you can see, there are a variety of activities available for students to choose from this term, including dance, poetry & public speaking, Canva, gardening and choir.

I have been fortunate to listen to two of the poems that are currently being written; these are sounding fantastic, and we have some plans to work on the front garden that will incorporate the cross and statues that we have from our old site. Keep an eye out for this work.

Later in the term, we will hold our Art & Learning Showcase, where you will have the opportunity to see our dance and choir groups perform. This will be held on Tuesday, 9th September. Keep an eye out for further details in the weeks ahead.

Mission News

6P Prayer Space

Prayer spaces are such an important part of our classrooms at OLHC. They reflect faith and learning and are visible representations of our strong Catholic identity, fostering a sense of reverence and community through shared prayer and symbols of faith. The photos below are of a beautiful prayer space in 6P.

Explanation of our prayer space - it reflects Ordinary Time and the focus is the Gospel passage: Mark 4:1-2

 “Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.”

This passage is all about Jesus teaching by the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd gathers, so Jesus gets into a boat and sits in it, while the crowd remains on the shore. He then teaches them many things through parables.

We chose this passage to be our prayer table theme because it evokes meaning in the fact that Jesus teaches the townspeople like our teacher teaches us in the classroom.

We update our prayer table theme quite regularly to connect with what we’re learning in class or what time/day it is in the Liturgical year. We want our prayer table to not only look beautiful but tell a story and have a deeper meaning for our fellow classmates and any visitors.

Written by Charlotte. F and Milani. H on behalf of 6P.

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation

We were so happy to welcome families and Fr. Bing to our Confirmation preparation program last Wednesday evening, sharing this special journey of faith together! Partnering with families in this way strengthens the connection between home, school and parish, helping children grow in their understanding and commitment to the Sacrament.

We continue to pray for our Confirmation candidates, asking the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen them as they prepare to recieve this sacred sacrament.

We look forward to celebrating the Sacrament on Wednesday 13th August 5:30pm at Our Lady Help of Christians Parish, South Lismore. All are welcome to attend to support our candidates!

Term 3 Mission Calendar

This term is jam packed with Sacraments, liturgies and masses which we are very excited about! We have put together a timetable below for ease of access. Any changes to this will be sent out via Compass. Any events TBC will be confirmed at least two weeks out from the event.

SAVE THE DATE!

Our Lady Help of Christians is hosting the Schools and Community Mass at the Cathedral in Term 3. We'd absolutely love to see all our families there to share in this special occasion.

We're also looking for a few helping hands! If you're available to lend some time with the BBQ or serving, please let us know – we'd be incredibly grateful for your support.

You'll find all the details you need in the flyer below. We're really looking forward to seeing as many of our staff and families there as possible!

Welcome Sr. Ninfa!

Sr Susan Ninfa Escala Timbal of the Holy Family will be joining Sr Evelyn and Sr Di at St Carthage’s Parish.

Sr Ninfa has 34 years in Consecrated Life and was born in Tagbilaran City, Bohol Province, Philippines. She has spent 14 years in Indonesian Missions assisting in the formation of younger sisters, spiritual formation of younger people and assisting at the Campus ministry in 2 Catholic Universities.

The rest of her time has been spent in the Philippines assisting the Provincial Government as Secretary and campus ministry in a Catholic University and some Parochial Schools. Sr Ninfa loves to sing, dance, listen to people and share her Carmelite/Palautian spirituality.

Her personal vision for her ministry in Lismore:
“I envision a ministry where family members are being assisted in the deepening of their relationship with the Triune God in faith, hope and charity, empowering them to become witnesses of this relationship in the society”.

Please make Sr Ninfa feel welcome when you see her.

Making Jesus Real Awards 

KP

August C  -  For always having a beautiful caring nature towards your friends.  Keep letting your light shine Augie.

Oliver P  -  For very thoughtful wondering in Religion.  Your curiosity shows a deep understanding.  Well done Oliver!

1L 

Oscar R  -  For brightening our days with your cheerful, happy attitude and great sense of humour.  You bring positivity and smiles to all around you.  Thank you Oscar.

3L

Darcy C  -  For being a calming presence in our classroom and always being helpful and inclusive to those around him.

4P

Charles D  -  For treating everyone with respect and compassion. Continue to let your bright spirit shine, Charles!

5L

Isabella F  -  For the way she kindly treats those around her and lights up our room with her positive attitude, vibrance and helpfulness.  Keep shining Issy!

5P

Tyler N  -  For showing the spirit of Jesus through your kindness, compassion, and care for others.  You brighten our classroom with your gentle heart Tyler.

6L

Shelby D  -  Shelby makes Jesus real through her kindness, compassion and the respectful way she treats others each day.

6P

Archer S  -  For the positive way you approach each day.  Your joy is shared with others and makes our classroom a happier place to be.  Thank you, Archie!

Learning & Teaching News

2025 ICAS test Schedule

For students who have signed up to complete ICAS tests this year, the schedule of tests is below:

Congratulations to Kinder who celebrated 100 days of school on Friday 1.8.25!

Year 3 English

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In English, Year 3 are reading the book 'Rowan of Rin'. This week, they started to create character descriptions of some of the main characters.

Online Safety for families

We would like to remind parents of some of the great resources available to support you and your children navigating online safety. The E Safety Commission has a variety of fantastic resources and can be accessed from the link button below. 

One area that research shows is having big impacts on young people is online bullying and drama. The video, Cyber bullying and online drama on the e safety commission website, is a great watch for parents and provides tips for supporting you child through any drama or cyber bullying.  It also provides tips on how to identify if your child is experiencing a problem and what steps to follow if they are.

Last year, Constable Ricki also gave our Stage 2 and 3 students the following tips- It could be worth discussing these with your child.

Be aware what you share:

•  Your profile or username can say a lot
•  Keep your information private
• Choose smart usernames
• Have your settings set at ‘Private’ or ‘friends only

We can still have fun posting photos and keep our information private 

• Hide your uniform logo. 
• Watch footage back before uploading, and cut, edit or hide anything you think could be personal. 
• Don’t share your location, especially while you are still there or if you are there often.

Before you send content to other people, ask yourself:

• Why are you sending it?
• Who are you sending it to?
• Do you have permission to share it? 
• Is it appropriate to send? (is it rude, racist or inappropriate in any way)
• If you wouldn’t show your parents or a trusted adult something, do not post it online!

Not everyone is who they say they are:

• Only interact with people you know in person online. Do not chat with people you do not know face to face.

Gaming:

• It is best to play in ‘single player’ mode or ‘multiplayer’ with trusted friends
• Keep the chat about the game only or do not use the chat function at all!
• Know how to report and block users who don’t play nice

If you need help, speak to a trusted adult and the Police are there to help if you need it. 

Please see the below links for more information. 

OLHC Achievement Awards 

KP

Charlie M  -  For incredible growth in InitiaLit.  You have been working very hard Charlie.  You're a superstar!

Ella L  -  For reading fluently and with expression.  You're a reading superstar Ella!

Olivia H  -  For a fantastic attitude towards learning and never giving up.  You are showing amazing growth Olivia, Keep it up!

1L

Isobel Mc  -  For her focus and willingness to challenge herself during Maths learning and tasks.  Keep up the great work Isobel.

Maggie Q  -  For her dedication and focus to do her best during phonics time which has led to pleasing improvement and confidence.  You're on fire Maggie,  Keep it up.

Leo R  -  For his dedication and focus to improve his phonics knowledge, which has resulted in pleasing growth and confidence.  You're on fire Leo, Keep it up.

Ryder B P  -  For his mature attitude and dedication to earning, making the most of every learning challenge and opportunity.  You are on fire Ryder.

Bryce D  -  For his consistent dedication and willingness to challenge himself in all KLA's.  Keep up the great work Bryce.

2P

Elsie D  -  For always being a focused and responsible learner.  Your focus helps you learn and grow every day, well done on being a learning superstar Elsie!

Ava H  -  For starting Term 3 with a wonderful attitude towards learning!  Your efforts have been shining this week Ava, Well done!

Dustin J  -  For always approaching maths with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a "can-do" attitude.  Your love for learning and willingness to try your best makes you shine!

Lucas T  -  For a wonderful recount of your holidays, using punctuation and sounds that you've learnt!  Well done Lucas!

Reggie J  -  For showing fantastic number skills, brilliant problem solving, and a super attitude towards learning maths.  Well done Reggie, Your a true Maths star!

3L

Maddie C  -  For always showing interest and enthusiasm in all aspects of learning.  Keep up the amazing work, Maddi!

Alyssa J  -  For being positive and motivated to take on new tasks and challenges.  Keep being a superstar, Alyssa!

4P

Nash H  -  Nash confidently shared a special celebration and spoke with pride and joy.  Great job showing what matters to you!

Riley Mc  -  Riley has returned to school with a great attitude and is showing awesome focus in spelling.  Keep it up!

5L

Alby S  -  For the way he approaches all tasks with enthusiasm and the outstanding effort he puts into his work.  Well done, Alby!

Anika B  -  The effort and perseverance she displayed in editing her writing piece.  You did and incredible job, Anika!

5P

Isla D  -  For being a confident mathematician who solves problems with perseverance, clearly explaining your thinking.  It is wonderful to witness your growth Isla!

Hudson H  -  For consistently showing outstanding learning behaviours, especially when faced with challenges.  Your positive attitude sets a great example for others.

6L

Grace C  -  Grace demonstrated outstanding effort and determination during soccer in P.E.,  showing great focus and a strong team spirit.

Rhiannon F  -  Presented to Rhi for her exceptional hard work and unwavering dedication to her learning.  Your commitment and perseverance are truly inspiring - well done!

Kaiden K  -  Kaiden showed excellent teamwork in P.E., supporting his peers and contributing positively to group activities.

6P

Mason B  -  For the amazing improvement he has made in his reading comprehension.  Well done, Mason!

Hamish J  -  For the deadly improvement you have made in your reading comprehension. Congratulations, Hamish!

Sports News

Touch Football Gala Day (Primary students): 

Primary students have been invited to attend a non-competitive Touch Football Gala Day in Ballina on the 19th of August. Students have had the opportunity to nominate for the event over the past few weeks. If your child has changed their mind and would now like to participate, please email me before the 5th of August at zachary.denny@lism.catholic.edu.au.

Students are permitted to wear football boots on the day, but these must be brought in a separate bag.

Stage 3 (year 5 and 6): 

Stage 3 (Years 5 and 6) will participate in a sports day at multiple venues across Lismore on the 29th of August. Students have chosen their sports and are looking forward to a great day! They have elected to compete in either soccer, netball, or multisports. More information about these events will be sent to parents in the coming days.

Zone Athletics: 

The new date for Zone Athletics has been set as the 13th of August at St. Johns College Woodlawn. The same program will be used that was intended for the original date.

Rhiannon's Dance Competition:

Rhiannon and her performance team at JC Dance competed at the Ooh La La Dance Extravaganza in Murwillumbah on 26 July. The team competed in the 12 years variety against 7 other teams and 12 years lyrical against 5 other teams. It was fierce competition but the team performed extremely well, coming away with a 1st for variety (musical theatre) and a 2nd for lyrical. The team is looking forward to their next competition, Starbound in Brisbane in August.

Congratulations Rhiannon! We are all very proud of you. 

Community News

2025 Book Week Parade and Book Fair

Our annual Book Week Parade will be on Friday 22nd August commencing at 9:15am. We warmly invite parents and carers to attend. 

This years Book Week theme is "Book an Adventure". It's time to start thinking about which book character to come as!

We will also hold our annual Book Fair in the office from 4th August until our Book Parade. The Book Fair will be open BEFORE school from 8- 8:45am each morning with books ranging from $5 to $30.  Students will also complete a wish list next week. 

Term 3 Overview of Events

Free Courses for parents about ADHD and Autism

There are two free courses for parents available on the OLT platform. 

ADHD: This short course was developed with the help of Parents for ADHD Advocacy Australia (PAAA). This course is aimed at supporting the parents and carers of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Other people may also find it helpful, such as other relatives, teacher assistants, and teachers.

Autism: This short course is directed at parents and carers of children with autism. Other people may also find it helpful, such as other relatives, teacher assistants, and teachers.

Parents of children who’ve been identified on the autism spectrum have been interviewed to identify the issues that concern them the most. This is reflected in the videos throughout this short course.

The link to access these courses is below.