Dear Lord,

This week we honour and celebrate the gift of mothers and special women in our lives. We thank you for the love, care, and guidance they provide each day, reflecting both your and their unconditional love for us.

Bless all mothers, both near and far, with strength, wisdom, and patience as they nurture and support their families. Grant them the grace to face the challenges of each day with courage and faith.

Lord, we ask for your blessings upon all mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, and mother figures, for their selfless dedication and unwavering love. Help us to show our appreciation for them not just one day, but every day.

As we celebrate Mother's Day, may we remember the ultimate example of motherly love in the Blessed Virgin Mary, who cared for and nurtured your son, Jesus Christ. May her example inspire us to love and cherish our own mothers always.

Amen.

Students in Year 4 are in the midst of preparing for the very special Sacrament of Eucharist.

The following are important dates for those children making their First Eucharist this year:

• Monday 20th May at 7pm - Information Evening

Maria Forde, a highly experienced Catholic educator, liturgist, spiritual director, and singer-songwriter will lead our Information Session. The Information Session will be held in the Parish Centre located next to St Peters Church, Toorak.

All students and their families who will be celebrating First Eucharist this year are expected to attend this evening.

• Sunday 2nd June at 11:15am - First Eucharist Mass

At our second Whole School Mass the students will make their First Eucharist. Please arrive at Our Lady of Lourdes Church at 10:45am. The Mass will be followed by a Morning Tea hosted by Year 2.

The OLOL winter uniform consists of :

Boys

• Long sleeve blue shirt with logo
• Long navy pants or Navy Shorts
• Navy socks / Knee length navy socks with shorts
• Navy wool school jumper
   

Girls

• Long sleeve blue shirt with logo
• Winter tunic
• Navy tights or knee length navy socks
• Navy wool school jumper

Our Woollen School Jumper, OLOL Beanie and Art Smock are the only items which are purchased on campus at OLOL.  To order these items online please use SZapp and these orders will be filled on either a Thursday or Friday and placed into your child's bag.

• There is no parking at all in the front section of the school until after 9.00am
• This is the speedy drop off area
• Drivers are asked to remain in their cars
• Mr McAlister will supervise the drop offs helping children from cars
• Students will then go directly to the top playground where Mrs Stone (Miss Archer) will be on duty

If you would like to accompany your child onto the playground, please park your car away from the designated drop off section and walk with your child into the school.  Supervision on the playground is from 8.30am.  Prior to 8.30am your child must be booked into before school care with Extend (www.extend.com.au).

AFTERNOON – 3.30pm – 3.45pm

We kindly ask that if you arrive early please do not park in the Speedy Pick-up Zone as this creates issues for our neighbours.

We ask that all parents park in neighbouring streets and walk to pick up your child/ren. Please leave the Speedy Pick-up for parents with toddlers and babies in the car.

• Students to be picked up will come to the front of the school
• When a parent/carer pulls up, drivers are to remain in their cars and staff will help the student/s into the car
• Please drive right into the curb so cars can pass you
• Car, parent/carer and students drive off allowing for the next car to move up into the section
• Please DO NOT make a U-TURN from the parking zone into the house opposite (No. 18) driveway. We understand that you need to turn around so that you are not faced with trying to get out onto Orrong Road.  We are asking that you drive off down Wynnstay Road, over the children’s crossing and then use the driveway on the other side of the crossing to make your U-turn

Finally, of an afternoon ‘Speedy Pick up’ operates from 3.30pm to 3.45pm.  You do not have to be at the front of the school at 3.30pm sharp.  There is a 15-minute window in which you can arrive.  There is no pressure from us that you are out there at exactly 3.30pm. 

There was an air of anticipation and excitement as Team OLOL arrived at the Holt Cross Country. As one of the defending champions after a sensational result in 2023, the challenge was going from the hunter to the hunted! The runners arrived, awash with nerves and energy, and were greeted by clear skies on what was a perfect day for a cross country run! 

From the first race of the 9/10 girls to the last race of the 12/13 boys, Team OLOL were on FIRE with fantastic results in each race. As each race ended, a massive number of our students were not only on the podium but in the top 20!

Team OLOL delivered again and won the Percentage Shield and were second in the Overall Shield. The enormity of the result can't be understated. To win the percentage shield is AMAZING and to finish second in the Overall Shield, only finishing behind a school that has almost double the amount of runners competing is truly incredible! Team OLOL has proven again that pound-for-pound were are the #1 school! 

A BIG congratulations to ALL students for their efforts on the day. Cross Country is a team sport and it needs everyone on the team to do their very best to achieve success. The result is a reflection of the commitment and dedication to Running Club every week. It's a credit to the students and teachers and we can all celebrate this amazing victory together! 

Congratulations to the students who finished in the Top 20 in their age category. We also wish the students who finished in the Top 8 all the very best as they progress to the Beachside Carnival.

*Qualified for the Beachside Carnival

A reminder that tomorrow, Friday 10th May, will mark National Walk Safely to School Day an event when all Primary School children will be encouraged to walk and commute safely to school. 

If you would like to take part in walking to school you are welcome to join us at Orrong Romanis at 8:00am where we will walk a lap or two of the oval before coming back to school.

We will have fruit on arrival for the students so they can fuel up for the day! 

We hope to see lots of you there!

20% Discount on SRC Group Photos available until 24/05/2024

Dear Parents,

You can now view and purchase the OLOL SRC group photo and if you place your order before 24/05/2024 you will get a 20% early order discount. Just click on the link below. Please note that the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Images can also be viewed by visiting www.advancedlife.com.au and entering the code: Z9G YBD 97C and clicking on “Group Photos”

Important

• The SRC group photo can only be purchased online, PLEASE DO NOT return payment to your school
• Photos will be returned to your school for distribution approximately six weeks after the discounted early order period has closed
• Past years' group photographs are also available at your school's advancedorder and your child's advancedyou photo sites

advancedlife would like to express our appreciation to Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School for placing your trust in us. Please remember we offer a 100% money-back guarantee on our products to ensure your peace of mind. We would also love to receive your feedback or resolve any issues you may experience, to ensure your satisfaction. If you have any questions, comments or feedback relating to your advancedlife experience, please contact us at www.advancedlife.com.au/contact

“All generations shall call me blessed.” 

(Luke 1:48)

Traditionally Catholics dedicate the month of May to Mary, the Mother of Jesus. The practice dates back at least 700 years.  Our faith and tradition teaches us that Mary is a special sign of God’s love.  Mary leads us to Jesus.  We invite all parents to spend a moment of reflection in our beautiful grotto area outside Miss Finnegan's room. You might like to spend some quiet time in informal prayer or pray a Hail Mary. 

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).

See below the link to the fact sheet for parents, guardians and carers - Nationally Consistent Collection of Data
https://www.nccd.edu.au/tools/fact-sheet-parents-guardians-and-carers

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact Mary Gammilonghi - mary.gammilonghi@olprahraneast.catholic.edu.au.

Congratulations to all the Student of the Week Award winners from Week 2 and 3. These students exemplified the value of Striving to Succeed and Best Foot Forward.

*please note that all dates are correct at the time of publishing this newsletter however dates are subject to change and therefore it is important to check the SZapp and subsequent newsletters for any changes that may occur.