Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope you have settled back into the routines of school life and are enjoying the positive vibes from your children. We certainly are. The students have settled in really well and their zest for learning, social interaction and all the joy primary school life brings, is certainly contagious.

We continue to embrace our Beacons of Hope theme and are mindful of the recent media reports of the impact the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria has caused. As a community, we pray for all those affected and those working tirelessly to help. Caritas is calling for donations to provide urgent support to affected communities. If you would like to donate, please visit the Caritas website; https://www.caritas.org.au/donate/emergency-appeals/turkey-and-syria-earthquake/ 

Year 6 School Leaders: At Our Lady Star of theSea, we value the importance of all students having an opportunity and a voice. Therefore, we have a variety of roles including action groups which enable student agency and positive contributions  in making some beneficial change in their school and wider. We have recently been very impressed by our Year 6 students and Year 2 students who have worked really well and presented amazing speeches as part of their application to leadership roles. The best we have seen yet!

Below are the student leadership roles for 2023. We wish them all the best as they learn and grow as leaders and are Beacons of Hope in their role for others. Please note Year 2 student house leaders will be announced in week 4 at assembly.

School Mural: We have been fortunate to collaborate with First Nations artists and cultural educators Norm Stanley and Nikki McKenzie from Wurri – Ki Culture to design and create a mural for our school. This Geelong Gallery project is an ideal opportunity to provide meaningful connections and to celebrate the rich and thriving culture, knowledge and experience of our First Nations people. Norm Stanley started this Project yesterday with a whole school assembly which was fabulous.  The project will run over the following three weeks with grade 4, 5 and 6 students participating in the mural creation. Many thanks to Rachael Thomas, our highly skilled and brilliant art teacher who applied for the grant and brought Norm and Nikki our way.

It was wonderful to have Norm Stanley present to us all at an assembly yesterday. The students were very engaged and there was great take away learning for us all.

Solar Buddy Initiative: We are very excited to have our Year 5 /6  students participate in the Solar Buddy initiative. There is a group called  SOLAR BUDDY- https://www.solarbuddy.org/ which was started up by a gentleman in Queensland, which is a story on its own.  Solar Buddy does an amazing job of bringing hope to the world, to some of the poorest communities. They offer solar lighting for women giving birth in the dark and lights to children around the world so they have the opportunity to better their situation with education.  Our  Year 5 and 6 students will be  building the solar light kits that Solar Buddy makes, to aid children of a similar age in Papua New Guinea, experiencing energy poverty.  They will  learn from one of the visiting Solar Buddy educators about what is going on in poorer countries and the injustice involved. They will then build the kits, knowing the impact that it will make and write an accompanying letter  to  the receiving child. Very much Beacons of Hope in action. Who knows the difference an action like this can have. Many thanks to Sue Constable, our Sustainability Leader, who successfully applied for and received a $4,000 grant from Viva Energy.

COVID Update: COVIDSafe measures have changed, but schools are required to continue to implement important practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Schools must continue to ensure air purifiers are used, external ventilation is maximised, good personal hygiene is encouraged, and face masks are made available for staff, students and visitors who wish to wear them. 

It is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff if they: − have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, no matter how mild − are a household or close contact of someone who has COVID-19 − are a social contact of someone who has COVID-19.

The Department of Health recommends that all Victorians report their positive RAT result via the online form or by calling 1800 675 398.

Principals are no longer required to inform their school community of a positive case associated with the school.

Dog Policy: It is wonderful to be enjoying this wonderful weather and see the active travel to school by families. Please click here for our  Dogs Other Animals On School Grounds Procedure and the importance of always having the dog on a lead and not inside the buildings. 

Wishing you a bright fortnight ahead

Kerryn