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A Heartfelt Welcome to Term 2

It is a privilege to write my first newsletter entry as the Principal of Our Lady Star of the Sea. My first week here in Esperance was a whirlwind of names, faces, and learning the “OLSOTS way,” and I want to sincerely thank the students, staff, and parents for the incredibly warm welcome that Jo-Anne and I have received. It is clear that this is a community that truly lives its mission to “Walk with God”.

Reflections on Sacrifice and Freedom

Last week was bookended by significant moments of reflection. On Saturday, it was an honour to march alongside our students in the Esperance ANZAC Day march. I was particularly proud of our School Captains, Elliott and Eva, who along with other students and teachers, represented us with great dignity as they laid a wreath on behalf of our school community.

On the following Tuesday, we continued this reflection with a moving school memorial service hosted by Miss Ella Fish and her wonderful Year Two class. During the service, we spoke about the powerful link between the sacrifice of Jesus at Easter and the sacrifice of our servicemen and women. Both represent the “greatest gift” – putting others before oneself so that we might live in freedom and peace. Our school value ‘Respect’ was lived in the hall as we acknowledged another of our CORE values, ‘Courage’ as displayed by our servicemen and women.

It was a pleasure too, to welcome our new parish Priest, Fr Marek (Mark) Paczka to the school. Fr Mark has arrived from Poland where he had spent a little time following a 15 posting in Canada. Fr Mark also shared a message about the value of ‘courage’ with the students. In the Salvatorian tradition, we look forward to journeying on together from here with Fr Mark.

Exploring Our Stunning Home

On our first weekend here, Jo-Anne and I had our first real chance to explore and enjoy some of the Esperance coastline. Standing at West Beach and Twilight Beach, it is easy to see why you are all so proud of this region. While Jo-Anne has now returned to Brisbane to continue her specialized teaching and rehabilitate a shoulder injury, she was so touched by the warm welcome she received at the first Monday’s assembly. We are already counting down the days until she joins us permanently after Christmas.

Student Agency: A Special Invitation to Admiralty House, Sydney

One of the reasons I was so drawn to the community of Our Lady Star of the Sea is our shared commitment to helping every child grow, not just academically, but as a person of character filled with hope and faith.

Next Tuesday, I have been invited to Sydney for a very special event at Admiralty House, hosted by our SchoolAid Patron, Her Excellency the Governor-General. As the Founder of SchoolAid, I will MC the gathering as we discuss how we can better empower our young people through philanthropy, kindness, gratitude, and volunteering. We are also conferring accreditation to some schools and awards to outstanding young philanthropists.

I am particularly excited to be introducing a friend and colleague, Angela Falkenberg, the President of the Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA), and a remarkable young leader named Willow.

Willow’s story is a powerful example of what we mean when we talk about “Student Agency.” A former SchoolAid Award winner, Willow is now in secondary school in the Hunter Valley. She will be sharing how her early experiences with volunteering and kindness gave her a real sense of purpose and the confidence to lead as she grows into adulthood.

Why this matters for OLSOTS

You might ask, “What does a meeting in Sydney have to do with my child in Esperance?” My answer is: Everything.

When we teach our children to look beyond themselves—to be grateful for what they have and to act with kindness toward others—we are building what educators call “Complex Capabilities.” These are the skills of the future: empathy, collaborative problem-solving, and the resilience to lead in a changing world.

I want our students at OLSOTS to see themselves as “change-makers,” just like Willow. Whether it is a small act of kindness in our playground or a community project in town, I want our kids to know that their voices matter and their actions can change the world

I look forward to sharing the insights (and hopefully a few photos!) from this visit with you all a bit later if I manage to get there in light of the news about my mother following.

To our OLSOTS Mothers, Grandmothers, and Carers

Mother’s Day is one of the most beautiful celebrations in our school calendar. It is a time when we stop to say thank you to the women who are our first teachers, our greatest advocates, and so often, the quiet heart of our homes.

It is with a heavy heart that I share my apologies for being unable to join you for our Mother’s Day breakfast.

I am currently in my hometown of Tumut, NSW, where my family have gathered around my own mother. Her health is failing, and we believe she is in her final days. While it is a difficult time, it is also a sacred one. Being here to walk with her as she prepares to “Walk with God” is the most important way I can honour the woman who shaped the man I am today.

Please know that even from the other side of the country, I am thinking of you all and celebrating the incredible gift of motherhood.

I want to thank the staff, the CEWA team, and so many of you who were aware, for their support and compassion during this time. I look forward to being back with you all soon, but for now, my place is here, holding the hand of the woman who first taught me about love, faith, and kindness.

I wish every mother in our community a day filled with the love and gratitude you so richly deserve.

The Road Ahead

In the coming weeks, I look forward to spending more time in classrooms and on the playground, getting to know the “lead learners” of our school – your children. I feel lucky to be here and working with such an outstanding team building on the great work led by Mr Shaw and Mr Curry. My goal is to be a companion on the journey with you, ensuring OLSOTS remains a place where every child is seen, valued, and safe.

Thank you for trusting me to lead this beautiful school. I look forward to seeing many of you at the school gate!

With best wishes,

Sean

“A child’s life is like a wall, on which every passerby leaves a mark”

          – Chinese proverb

Welcome back from the holiday break. I trust your holidays were restful and that you are all ready for another busy term here at Our Lady Star of the Sea. 

May the Month of Our Lady 

Hail Mary, full of grace. 

The Lord is with thee. 

 Blessed art thou amongst women, 

 and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

 Holy Mary, Mother of God, 

 pray for us sinners, 

 now and at the hour of our death. 

Amen. 

Caritas Box: Spanning the six weeks of Lent each year, Project Compassion brings together thousands of Australian schools, parishes, and supporters to raise funds for people living in some of the most vulnerable communities around the world. Thank you for your generous support, which helps create meaningful change today – and for all future generations. 

This year, we raised $1512.50 for Caritas. 

If you have not yet returned your Project Compassion box to the office, please do so at your earliest convenience. 

School Feast Day  

The Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians is on Sunday 24 May. This year our school will celebrate feast day on Monday 25 May. There will be lots of fun activities planned for the day. Students can also dress in casual clothes for a gold coin donation on that day with fundraising going to CatholicCare. 

Sacramental Program

As part of this year’s Sacramental Program for children preparing to receive Reconciliation, Holy Communion, and Confirmation, families are asked to attend the following important meetings and workshops. Please add these dates to your diary: 

• Sunday 17 May – Mass and Sacramental Parent Workshop, 9:00am in the Church 
• Sunday 2 August – Mass and Sacramental Parent Workshop, 9:00am in the Church 
• Tuesday 18 September – Sacramental Workshop facilitated by Mildred Rego  
• Saturday 19 September – First Reconciliation  
• Sunday 25 October – First Communion 
• Sunday 29 November – Confirmation  

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD)

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (the national data collection) is an annual collection that counts the number of school students receiving an adjustment due to disability and the level of adjustment they are receiving to access education on the same basis as other students. 

For more information regarding the NCCD data follow the link FACT SHEET FOR PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND CARERS

Please ensure all Book Club orders have been submitted before 11 May. Book Club Issue 3 

How Parents can order from Book Club online: 

1. Log in, or create a new account at LOOP
2. New parents can follow the Wizard to set up a child’s profile  
3. Click the Order tab, and select the child’s school and Issue of Book Club  
4. Select your child’s name  
5. Enter the product item number from the Book Club catalogue  
6. Apply promotional codes that children may have earned from previous issues  
7. Make a payment via credit card  
8. Feel great about the Scholastic Rewards that have been earned for the school 

We have had a wonderful start to Term 2 in Pre-Primary exploring our new investigation spaces. Our class brainstorm last term led us to the big idea of ‘Nature all around us’ and our teachers have combined our ideas with our learning about community in HASS and healthy food in Health. We have enjoyed arranging and delivery bouquets of flowers, exploring space in our small world set up, creating dinosaur lands with the big blocks, caring for babies in our doll corner and fixing vehicles in the OLSOTS garage. We also brought nature into our Religion learning last week, reading the storybook ‘Wombat Stew’ and using the mud kitchen to cook our own friendship stews full of love, kindness, sharing and including people in our games.

In the lead-up to ANZAC Day, our Year Two students have been learning about the symbols and meaning of this important day as we prepare for our ANZAC liturgy. To bring this learning to life, we had lots of fun baking traditional ANZAC biscuits, connecting to how they were shared with soldiers during wartime. The biscuits were super yummy, and the students were very impressed with their baking, making it a fun and meaningful experience for all.

In Term 2 students have revised the two major types of movement and dance, those being locomotor (moving) and non-locomotor (non-moving). They explored how these different types of moves can be performed at various levels. We have watched examples of how dancers use their bodies to make shapes and create variety with their moves. We have also discussed the importance of finding the beat of the music and considering the tempo of the music to dance in a way that matches this.  

Students have started learning a range of basic dance moves and have also had a go at putting these together to create a short dance sequence to different types of music with varying tempos. 

This month in Friendology, we’re celebrating something pretty special…

💛 We are better together! 💛

One of our favourite reminders comes from Dr Christopher Peterson, who summed up Positive Psychology in three simple words: “Other people matter.”

And isn’t that what friendship is all about?

In Friendology, we help children understand that friendships aren’t about finding people who are exactly the same as us — they’re about appreciating our differences and recognising that those differences make friendships richer, more meaningful, and more fun.

✨ Different personalities
✨ Different interests
✨ Different ways of thinking

This month’s Friendship Fact #2: Every Friendship is Different.

When children learn to honour and celebrate what makes each person unique, they become:
🌟 More open
🌟 More inclusive
🌟 More connected

Because the best friendships don’t happen when we’re all the same…
They grow when we value each other for exactly who we are. 💫

We enjoyed a lovely social morning last Friday for our coffee van visit! Despite the rain and howling wind, it was fantastic to see so many parents come along. A big thank you to New Moon for keeping the warm beverages flowing ☕️

Our first P & F meeting for the term followed, and we appreciate everyone who stayed on to be part of the discussion. Our dynamic team is already enjoying the extra enthusiasm Mr Gordon is bringing to meetings!

We also have a fun school disco on the radar this term, so keep an eye out for more information coming soon. If this is something you’d like to help with, please email olsotspnf@gmail.com.