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Dear God,
Thank you for the beautiful trees that give us shade, clean air, and homes for animals.
We are grateful for their beauty and the life they bring to our world. Help us to take care of them and plant new ones so that they can grow tall and strong.
Guide us to be good stewards of your creation, loving and protecting the environment.
Thank you for this special day to celebrate and protect our trees.
May we always remember the importance of nature and our role in caring for it.
Amen.
Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome to Week 3 of the term. On Friday 26 July we celebrated National Tree Day. Friday was a great day, the weather was perfect, all Year Prep and Year 6 students were amazing and so helpful and well mannered.
Tree Day is a great way to inspire students to learn about the local environment while playing an active role in their community. This enriching experience for our students and school community as a whole is an opportunity not just to plant trees, but to foster a deeper connection with nature and instil environmental stewardship in future generations. As a catholic community we are called to care for creation and something we continue to value greatly. The following is included and highlighted in our mission statement:
We are stewards of creation and show responsibility for the environment and actively care for creation.
We thank Kellie Clark, the Prep parents and grandparent, the Year 6 sustainability leaders and Garden Club who have worked extremely hard over the past 2 weeks on preparations. Also a thank you to Bellarine Landcare Nursery for their advice regarding ongoing care and plant selection and the Bellarine Catchment Network for their support and lending/loaning us their planting tools for the day.
- 160 students planted
- Tree day activities were assisted by 12 staff
- 70 indigenous plants were planted on Friday with another 70 to be planted over the coming weeks in STEM classes & lunchtime Garden Club
- 14 species of indigenous plants local to the the Bellarine Peninsula
- Total planted Kellie's seven tree days is 1783. We estimate around 2000 trees, shrubs and grasses at school and approximately 6000 planted in the community at local dunes and wetlands over time. An amazing achievement.
Continuing along with caring for the environment here are our chooks. Year 4 have moved our chicks outside. Their temporary hutch is set up between Purple Hub and the gym. Classes across the school are visiting to check out our 10 week old chicks.
Screen Time versus green Time: We often chat to our students about the importance of “green time over “screen time.”
Spending time outdoors, known as "green time," is essential for physical and mental health, aiding in exercise, vitamin D intake, stress reduction, mood improvement, and cognitive and social development. In contrast, excessive "screen time" can lead to physical issues like a sedentary lifestyle and eye strain, mental health problems such as disrupted sleep and increased anxiety, as well as attention problems and diminished creativity and social skills.
To ensure a healthy balance, parents should set clear screen time limits, encourage regular outdoor activities, establish screen-free zones and times, model balanced technology use, and support alternative hobbies and creative play.
At Our Lady Star of the Sea we are here to support you and work in partnership to ensure our students have clear boundaries and understand the importance of green time over screen time. Students in Year 3-6 also have the option of leaving their IPADS at school and doing paper homework. Please speak with your child’s teacher if this is required. Together we can work in partnership to support our students to make these responsible choices and decisions.
We are offering the following information sessions to our families.
Year 2 IPAD Information session: Parents and Students of Year 2 are invited to attend an Information Evening at school on Tuesday 9 September, 6-7pm about the upcoming Year 3 iPad Program for 2025. This event will provide valuable insights into the program and address any questions you may have. Topics to be covered:
| Introduction to the iPad Program Overview of the program and its objectives |
| School Leased Program - Why? Explanation of why the school has chosen a leased program |
| Tech Levy Details about the technology levy and its benefits. |
| The Device Information about the iPads being used, including specifications and features |
| Student Responsibilities Guidelines and expectations for students using the iPads. |
| Parent Recommendations Suggestions for parents to support their child's use of the iPad |
| Jamf Parent Introduction to the Jamf Parent app and how it can be used to monitor and manage the iPads |
| Questions Opportunity for parents and students to ask questions and get clarification on any concerns |
We believe this program will significantly enhance our students' learning experience and equip them with essential digital skills.
Year 3 IPAD Information Remote session: Year 3 Parents are invited to attend a remote meeting to discuss important aspects of the Year 3 iPad Program. This session will be held via Google Meet, making it convenient for you to join from the comfort of your home. Date and time to be confirmed. Topics to be covered:
| Student Responsibilities Guidelines and expectations for students using the iPads |
| Parent Recommendations Suggestions for parents to support their child's use of the iPad |
| Jamf Parent Introduction to the Jamf Parent app and how it can be used to monitor and manage the iPads. |
| Questions Opportunity for parents to ask questions and get clarification on any concerns |
We look forward to your attendance and to providing you with all the necessary information to support your child’s learning journey.
Walkathon and Green and Gold Day Friday 2 August: On Friday 2 August we are walking together in unity and striving to make a difference for Our First Nations people by donating a gold coin to the Opening Doors Foundation which is an annual fundraiser as part of our commitment as a Fire Carriers School. These funds will go towards enabling First Nations students to go to school and get the best education they can. We are also celebrating the launch of the Olympics by wearing Green and Gold.
Why do we wear Green & Gold? These are Australia's national colors. Gold represents our beautiful beaches and rich mineral wealth, while green symbolizes our lush forests and eucalyptus trees. They are also the colors of our national floral emblem, the golden wattle. These colors are inclusive and represent everyone.
It doesn’t matter who you are, your sporting ability or your background, sport has the power to unite us all.
The Walkathon will be held at Shell Road Oval.
The times we have allocated for the year levels are:
| Prep, Yr 1 and Yr 2 | After assembly (20 minute walk - a thon) |
| Yr 3 and Yr 4 | 12noon - 12.30pm (30 minutes) |
| Yr 5 and Yr 6 | 2:20pm - 2.50pm (30 minutes) |
Wishing you a fortnight ahead full of peace, unity and plenty of opportunity for green time.
Kerryn
Lodging an absence through PAM links the absence directly to the Attendance Roll helping us maintain accurate and up-to-date attendance records.
NAPLAN 2024 Results: Last week, Year 3 and Year 5 students were sent home with their individual Naplan results in an envelope in their bag. You can also access these results on PAM. To assist parents and carers in understanding NAPLAN reporting, an information brochure for parents and carers is now available for download from the VCAA website. This brochure is available in multiple languages.
It’s that time of year again! Book Week 2024 is just around the corner, from 17 August – Friday 23 August.
We are looking forward to our school celebrations on Friday 23 August.
Students will participate in a fun, book-filled day, starting with a whole school parade at 9am. All are welcome.
It is wonderful to see the participation and creativity at all levels of the school on display and DIY is the best!
This year’s theme is ‘Reading is Magic’. Students may choose to dress to the theme or a favourite book character.
Sponsorship Update
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our supporters, especially our major donors:
Greenroom https://greenroom.com.au/
Bloom Art & Coffee https://www.bloomartandcoffee.com.au/
Burchell Built https://www.burchellbuilt.com/
Ligeti Partners Law Firm https://ligeti.com.au/
Evoke Kinesiology https://www.evokekinesiology.com.au/
The Mex https://www.themex.com.au/
Kre8 Living https://www.kre8living.com/
Mr Grubb https://www.mrgrubbatoakdene.com.au/
Zambrero Ocean Grove https://www.zambrero.com.au/locations/ocean-grove
Forma Advisory https://www.formaadvisory.com.au/
Farm Dog Brewing https://www.farmdogbrewing.com.au/
Beauty Basement https://www.thebeautybasementco.com.au/
The Mystery Rooms Geelong https://themysteryrooms.com.au/
The Range @ Curlewis https://therangeatcurlewis.com.au/
Port Phillip Ferries (Portarlington & Geelong) https://www.portphillipferries.com.au/
Searoad Ferries (Queenscliff) https://www.searoad.com.au/
Mt Duneed Estate https://www.mtduneedestate.com.au/
The Driftwood Cafe https://www.thedriftwoodcafe.com.au/
Rolling Pin https://www.rollingpin.com.au/
The Grove Coffee Co https://www.thegrovecoffeeco.com/
Woolworths Kingston Village https://www.woolworths.com.au/
Baker’s Delight https://www.bakersdelight.com.au/
Van Loon’s Nursery https://www.vanloonsnursery.com.au/
Steve Menegazzo, Natural Real Estate https://www.naturalrealestate.com.au/
A student case of Slap Cheek has been confirmed. If a child is diagnosed with Slap Cheek, but is well, no school exclusion is necessary. Further information can be found at Vic Health.
A small number of confirmed Influenza A cases have been confirmed in our student population. Please ensure your child is well enough to be at school and if not they should stay home until completey well. Further information can be found at Vic Health.
It is important that children are reminded to practise good hygiene. Catch your cough in your elbow, wash and dry hands thoroughly, dispose of tissues.
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
Term 1
Thursday 30 January: Students return - Friday 4 April
Easter: Friday 18 April - Monday 21 April 2025
Term 2
Tuesday 22 April - Friday 4 July
Term 3
Monday 21 July - Friday 19 September
Term 4
Monday 6 October - Wednesday 17 December 2.30 pm 2025
| Schoolzine App |
School app, used for sending reminders, notifications and for providing access to PAM, Parent Calendar, newsletters, School website. Additionally, you can find the newsletter and information, including the canteen menu.  |
| Staff email address | first initial and surname@staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au |
| School newsletter |
Our main form of communication is the fortnightly newsletter, emailed on Tuesdays. Group emails from the school office will also be sent through the Schoolzine platform. |
| School website |
www.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au Access to policies/procedures, school information and parent calendar. |
| Parent calendar | Link to calendar can be found on our website Home Page and school app. |
| PAM Parent access module | A platform for lodging student absences and gaining access to student digital school reports. Past years' reports are also stored on this platform.
Please click the link here: http://pam.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au . This will take you to the PAM login page. Your username is the email address you have provided to school. For new families please sign up now by clicking the link here: http://pam.staroceangrove.catholic.edu.au This will take you to the PAM login page. Click on the 'Forgot Password?' link and follow the prompts. You will be asked to enter your email address, then you will need to access the link sent to your email address. You can then create a password and this, along with your email address will be your login to PAM. * Use the School App for a quick access to PAM |
| Permission notes |
 Operoo is an electronic version of permission forms and information for excursions, camps and parent/student meetings. It also provides you the opportunity to update medical information promptly while providing the school with instant access to the emergency information provided by you.
* Use the School App for a quick access to Operoo
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| Seesaw |
 Student digital learning journal and providing an additional means of reminders for the entire parent group.
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Our Lady Star of the Sea Ocean Grove School Facebook Page: Sharing of learning experiences and events hosted by the school. OLSOS Parents Ocean Grove Vic Parent Chatter Facebook: A platform for parent reminders and queries. OLSOS Ocean Grove Recycled Uniforms Families may post here to purchasing, sell or give away of school uniforms.
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| Canteen Online Ordering |
The canteen service is open on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays operated offsite by Kylie Taylor.
Ordering cut off time is 8.30am.
Fresh Salad boxes are available on Wednesdays only.
Sushi is for Fridays only, these MUST be pre ordered by Thursday. To cancel an order:
Before cut-off time (8.30am): Login to your account and select ACTIVE/CANCEL ORDERS. Locate your order and select CANCEL on the right-hand side of the order (you may need to scroll across to see the cancel link).
Orders are processed through www.quickcliq.com.au You can order up to 30 days in advance.
* Use the School App for a quick access to our canteen online ordering platform
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| Student Medical Forms |
Students who require ANY medication at school must have their medication stored at the office, accompanied by the relevant forms, as below. No medication will be dispensed without these being completed and up to date.
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| School Assembly |
School assemblies are held every Friday morning 9am in our school gym, known as Djila Tjarri. All welcome.
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Star of the Sea are supporting Bellarine Feed Me Food Drive. Donation are welcome at our school office.
