Leadership Message – Issue One
Prayer for the Start of the School Year
Father,
you call us together at the beginning of this new school year.
We ask you to send your spirit upon us that,
as the days and terms unfold,
we may be always mindful of your presence
and alert to opportunities to see and serve you in those around us.
We pray that we may teach well by the example of our own lives,
by our knowledge and love of learning,
by our gentleness and care of the pupils entrusted to us.
In all that we do and say,
we pray that, in building up the community of our school,
we may contribute to the betterment of society
and to the Kingdom of your Son, Jesus Christ,
for your greater glory.
Amen
Welcome back! It has been wonderful to see you all back at school. As you’re all aware, I have been on long service leave and am refreshed and excited about being back at our wonderful school. Community members have been asking me what I did during my leave and to be honest I didn’t do a lot. I renovated sections of my home (mainly the kitchen) read a number of educational publications, non-fiction books on leadership, a number of fiction books, watched movies on Netflix and STAN, enjoyed my afternoon siestas and went down to Busselton a couple of times. I am ready to go in 2022!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Michael Morris and Rebecca Smith (OLA Leadership Team) for continuing with the great work at OLA during my absence. It was quite refreshing to see they carried on with the great work and that all the tasks were up to date and/or in the process of being completed. Thank you, Michael and Rebecca.
Wishing you all a safe and wonderful 2022!
Welcome to New Staff and Families
I warmly welcome new staff and families to OLA. I look forward to meeting all new students to OLA as well as welcoming back current students. I wish all new staff members every success in their new roles at OLA For those of you who are unaware, Rebecca Smith will be on secondment to Santa Maria in 2022. Colette Meyerkort is currently on LSL and will be returning Week 8 this term and Mary McAuliffe is also on LSL and will be returning Semester 2. I wish them all an enjoyable break from OLA.
I warmly welcome the following new staff members to OLA, in 2022.
 Johanna Carbone – Pre-Kindergarten (G&M) |
 Elena Capolingua – Kindergarten G |
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Liana Anastasio (Commenced Term 4, 2021) – Pre-Primary G |
Grace Smith – Year 1M |
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James Ryan – Year 4M |
Sophia Carbone – Year 5M |
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Sophie Webb – Year 6M |
Sophie Costello – Music (Semester 1) |
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Emily Coffey – Science (Weeks 1-7, Term 1) |
Jessica Ianetta – Year 2G (Mon-Wed)- No photo available |
COVID-19 Updates
As COVID updates are brought to our attention, you will all be informed. In the interim, it is business as usual unless otherwise advised. A reminder to wear your mask when entering the classrooms. We do encourage parents to wear a mask on entering the school grounds. Parents may consider to drop off and pick up once the children have settled in, especially those students in Years 2-6. I perfectly understand parents need to drop off and collect their children from the Pre-Kindergarten – Year 1. A reminder to all adults social distancing rules apply. Only one adult, from the same family, is permitted to enter the classroom at any given time. We’re endeavouring to decrease the number of parents in the classrooms at any given time, hence your support is appreciated.
Induction/Commitment Mass for New Staff, Year 6 Students, OLA School Advisory Council and P&F Executive
Depending on the restrictions currently in place, and what the Premier announces later in the week, all families are invited to the school’s Induction/Commitment Mass scheduled for Friday 4 February, commencing at 9.00am in the parish church.
During the celebration, all new staff to OLA, Year 6 students, OLA Advisory Council and P&F Executive members will be making a commitment to serve our wonderful OLA community during the year. During the celebration, all new staff, OLA Advisory Council and P&F Executive members will be presented with a religious symbol. The Year 6 Students will be presented with the blessed Ministry and Leadership Badges. A reminder Covid-19 protocols apply in the OLA church and parents will be required to scan the QR Code, wear masks and social distance
Looking forward to seeing all families at the celebration.
Reflections
Included in this newsletter, and all future newsletters, will be a spiritual reflection, by Dr Nathan Leber. Nathan was a parent at our school and is now the Pastoral Care Coordinator at Saint Ignatius’ College, Adelaide. Nathan was also our treasurer last year on the OLA School Advisory Council. We wish Nathan all the best in his new role.
Welcome Back Family Night – Movie Night
As scheduled on the Term 1 school calendar, a Welcome Back Family Night – Movie Night has been scheduled for Friday 11 February (5.30 – 9.00pm). The BYO picnic movie night (Tom and Jerry Movie) promises to be an exciting evening for all families with areas set out for rugs and other areas for deck chairs. Popcorn, slushies, ice-creams and drinks will be sold at the canteen on the night. The movie night will proceed as planned unless I receive a directive from either the Premier’s Office or CEWA.
2022 Term Calendars
Attached to this newsletter is the current school calendars for 2022. Please note the interactive calendars on the website are updated daily. I request you check the website calendar when confirming events and times.
Parent Information Evenings
As mentioned previously, the Parent Information Evenings have been cancelled for 2022, however, the staff will be emailing a PDF copy of the presentation to all parents by the end of the week. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s classroom teacher.
2021 School Annual
The 2021 School Annual is currently being finalised and will be sent to the printer when proof read and given the tick of approval. I am hoping to have them distributed to all families by the end of Term 1.
Extra Cleaning
Maria and Anisha Giangiulio (our school cleaners) will be doing extra cleaning around the school, until further notice. The cleaning practices include the extra cleaning of railings, door handles, remotes and toilets each day.
New School Uniforms
A reminder the current changeover period will cease at the end 2023. By 2024, all students should be in their new school uniform, but I am hoping families will endeavour to change uniforms in the near future. A reminder to all parents that students are not permitted to wear free dress items.
Parent Details
If your details have changed over the last six weeks, e.g. contact details, addresses workplaces and /or family circumstances, please email Jane at jane.sloss@cewa.edu.au and advise her of the changes so the school’s database can be updated.
Medical Conditions
If your child has a medical condition, e.g. anaphylaxis or asthma, please complete the required paperwork that is available from the School Office. All medications need to be left at the School Office with your child’s completed paperwork. Students in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Pre-Primary will have medications stored in the classroom, however, the School Office will still need to be notified of your child’s medical condition.
Permission to Use Student Images 2022
If you would like to amend your child’s permission to use student images from 2021 then please contact your child’s class teacher directly. All permissions given in 2021 will rollover to 2022 unless otherwise advised. New students to OLA in 2022 will be given a consent form in the near future.
OLA Swimming Carnivals
The OLA Senior Swimming Carnival will proceed as scheduled, next Friday 11 February, at Bayswater Waves, commencing at approximately 9.20am and concluding at approximately 2.30pm. Please read the letter(s) sent home by Mr Allsop.
Comp Now Staff Professional Development
Through the introduction of over 100 iPads into the junior years, it was important to ensure that the technology was being used correctly for the best educational outcomes. We engaged Comp Now to assist us in this journey of a side by side and constantly accessible professional development program. Consultants were available to staff online to ask questions and give advice. This was then complemented by the consultants (who were both teachers) assisting our teachers to deliver lessons using the technology side by side with them. It was a great success and ensured that our investment into the iPads was worthwhile.
Thank you.
Greg Martin and Michael Morris
The OLA Leadership Team
