Lord, grant us the courage and humility to walk alongside our First Nations people, to listen and learn from their wisdom, and to work together towards healing and unity.

We pray for our political leaders, that they may have the wisdom, empathy, and determination to embrace the principles of Uluru Statement and take the necessary steps to create a more just and equitable society.

Help us, as a nation, to acknowledge and embrace the truths of our history, to seek reconciliation, and to build a future where all Australians are honored, valued, and empowered.

May we walk together on a path of healing, understanding, and respect.

We offer this prayer with open hearts and a commitment to justice and reconciliation, trusting in

your abundant love and grace.

Amen.

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome back to Term 3. We are delighted to see our students are refreshed and energized for the term ahead. 

As you are aware Naidoc Week was celebrated last week across the Nation. NAIDOC Week (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) occurs annually in July, and celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians all over the country and overseas. 

Over the last 3 Sundays, the Faith and Spirituality Group, have led 3 wonderful sessions titled STATEMENT OF THE HEART: WALKING TOGETHER to support further understanding of the Statement of the Heart and what the Voice to Parliament actually means for our country and Indigenous people. We are grateful for this parish school link and being part of this important work in making the best informed decision for our country moving forward. These sessions have not been about directing the vote in the upcoming referendum but about all of us learning a little bit more about the complex issues arising in Uluru Statement, the Voice, and a change to the Australian Constitution.

It was an opportunity to come together to consider the Australian Government’s commitment to implement Uluru Statement from the Heart, through a referendum to be held between October and December 2023 to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution and by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Father Darien also shared that the writers of Uluru Statement from the Heart are asking for recognition, consultation and for all Australians to Walk Together. If you have not had the opportunity to read the Uluru Statement of the Heart, I  have included a link here Uluru Statement from the Heart which is  read aloud by First Nations collaborators. On reflection, I certainly found these sessions informative, thought provoking and gained a clearer understanding of what a voice to parliament will ultimately entail for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people and all of us. This particular breakdown of what is actually involved in the constitutional change certainly made it simpler to understand and was taken from the First Nations Referendum working group. https://www.niaa.gov.au/indigenous-affairs/referendum-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-voice 

Many thanks to Arthur, Tom and Willow Annand and Ruby Ritchie who contributed so positively to the sessions.

The Annand family also shared their heritage via Willow and Tom which is remarkable.

Hello, my name is Willow and this is my brother Tom. Thank you for allowing us to share some of our family history with you all. My Grandfather, on my Mum’s side, was a proud Aboriginal man. His tribe was Wotjobaluk which is from the Wimmera-Mallee region of north- west Victoria, which is near the Grampians. My Grandfather was born in Antwerp which is near Dimboola where he lived with his 7 brothers and sisters. Antwerp was a former Aboriginal mission reserve. My Grandfather parents were Margaret Kennedy, a Wotojobaluk woman, and Athol Harrison, a Gunai man. My Great Grandfather tribe, Gunai, is located near Lakes Entrance in Victoria. My Great Grandmother, along with her siblings, was born on the Wimmera riverbank between the reserve and the Ebenezer mission. While the mission had closed in 1904, the reserve was kept for those who remained in Antwerp, but most of the old people moved to Lake Tyers, Dimboola and elsewhere. My Grandfather’s great great grandfather Jungunginnyook, was well known for his tracking skills and his involvement in finding the lost Duff children near Horsham in 1864. He was also a member of the first Aboriginal cricket team which toured England in 1868. My Great Grandfather worked for the railways, in his “holidays”; harvested salt at Pink Lake near Dimboola and also worked on the vegetable gardens there. My Grandfather’s parents were very resourceful. They built the family a house with a big vegie garden down near a billabong, heaps of chickens and 3 cows. My Grandfather’s mother bottled fruit, made jam and sewed clothes. Unfortunately my Grandfather is no longer alive but our culture lives on through our Aunties and Uncles. My Aunty Nancy is a respected tribal elder and is often called to do welcome to country, she is on the Victorian honour role for her role as an Aboriginal elder and she has also done artwork for Mount Zero Olives. You might see her artwork in cafes or shops as it's on Mount Zero salt shakers. We are very proud of our culture and proud that my uncle Glenn was the first aboriginal man to be an emergency doctor in Australia.

Thank you for listening to part of our background and story.

Camps and their benefits: It was wonderful to send off our happy campers in Year 4 and Year 6 yesterday who are, by all counts, having the best time. 

We value all our camps at Our Lady Star of the Sea for Year 3-6. Research shows there are many  benefits of school  camps. Some of these include  Peer bonding, being physically active because even just being in an outdoor environment will often inspire children to become more physically active in their day-to-day. Freedom to be responsible and make conscious and positive decisions for themselves, Screen-free time which brings them back down to earth and present in their surroundings. New experiences which become cherished memories for students. Spending time in nature which we know that consistent exposure to nature can be a defining factor in mental health. Spending time outside in the natural environment can decrease stress and anxiety, help us sleep better and regulate emotions in adults and children alike. Not only that, but increased time in nature can stimulate a greater sense of responsibility for the environment and living things. These experiences and skills don’t have to be limited to school camps though. At home, you can follow up on your child’s camp experience by chatting to them about what they learned and enjoyed and try to integrate some of this into your day-to-day. Encourage your children to put down their screens and go for a walk. Support their desire to try new sports or activities. Give them age-appropriate responsibilities within your household. These tools will help shape your child into a well-rounded young adult.

School Disco Friday 28 July 4.30pm-5.30pm Prep-3; 6.15pm-7.30 pm (4pm-6pm): Excitingly we have the whole school disco coming up on Friday 28 July. Tickets can be purchased via try booking. We have further evaluated from last year and you will note QR codes on arrival to sign in and again sign out on pick up. This should provide a smoother procedure for drop off and pick up. We thank the PFA for their organising of this event and bringing our students this exciting opportunity. We also thank the staff who will also be in attendance and enjoy the night with the students.

Principal For the Day: Many thanks to Nikita Turner for her great work last term as Principal for the Day.

Wishing you all a happy fortnight ahead as you settle back into the routines of school term.

Kerryn 

It was wonderful to see our Year 4 and Year 6 students heading off on camp yesterday. Talking with both students and parents as they waited for the campers departure, it was interesting to hear of the wide variety of feelings. It is common for events like camp (or even just the first day of term) to bring forward a range of emotions, as we know two people can encounter exactly the same thing but have very different emotional experiences.  All of us deal with a range of different worry or anxiety levels in our daily adventures.  

For most of us the levels of anxiety sit within the minimal or mild range, where despite the small feeling of worry, we are able to get things done  and focus on our tasks without any physical symptoms.  Sometimes this worry might include small stomach aches or muscle tension, however we are able to continue on with our day and concentrate on our daily activities.  With students, we often see  that once they are engaged with activities or distracted with friends, these physical symptoms of worry subside.  This is most often the case for many of our students with their camp experience.  In fact, camps play an important role in helping students build confidence and resilience.  Camps also offer a range of activities to help students students connect to the environment and develop skills such as:

• building independence through being away from home.
• building on new and existing relationships with peers.
• self-awareness and self-development.
• communication and social skills.

We look forward to the students returning from camp and sharing their experiences of their adventures. Once they work through their tiredness they will be filled with stories of their time away.  Teachers and students will be able to build on these experiences as they launch into the new school term.

Paul Anderson

Student Wellbeing Leader

Term 3 Week 1 - Purple Hub 5 News

Year 6 2025 jumpers and polo tops are now available for ordering at Bellarine Uniforms.

To place an order, please click the following link: 

https://www.noone.com.au/school/lady-star-sea/shop Filter by Year/Category/ Click on Grade 6 2025

Term 4 2024

Thursday 21 November: Yr 5 Parish Mass/Year 1 MOPA Excursion

Friday 22 November: Yr 5BC assembly

Thursday 28 November: Yr 3 Parish Mass

Friday 29 November: Staff Professional Learning Day - Student Free Day 

Staff Planning Day for 2025

Tuesday 3 December: School Concert 5:30pm-7:30pm

Wednesday 4 December: Prep orientation

Thursday 5 December: Prep orientation

Tuesday 10 December: Whole school orientation/Prep orientation

Wednesday 11 December: Future leaders days 2025

Friday 6 December: Diversity Day 2pm assembly 

Tuesday 10 December: Whole school orientation day 9.15am - 11am

Wednesday 12 December: Yr 6 end of year excursion

Friday 13 December: Yr 6EB assembly/End of year Mass

Monday 16 December: Whole school Beach Day (students are welcome to bring plastic shovels and buckets. Ensure they remember to bring sunscreen and hats).

Wednesday 18 December: Yr 6 Graduation Assembly/Last day of school Students finish at 1pm 

Term1 2025

Tuesday 28 January: Staff return

Wednesday 29 January: Staff professional Learning day

Thursday 30 January:  Students return 

Please note: Please refer to the Parent Calendar for all dates