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Dear Parents, Caregivers, Staff, and Community Members, 

There is a distinct shift in energy around the school ground as the weather warms up and the days grow longer. The spring sunshine on the oval, the buzzing energy during break times, and the vibrant learning happening across every classroom make this one of the most rewarding times of the school year.  

Our Open Day and Dance Showcase was a terrific occasion to celebrate your children and all that is good about OLSOTS. I am so proud of the team here for all they do to facilitate and celebrate learning in a way that develops the whole child (head, heart and hands) in this sometime crazy world we live in. My special thanks again to our fabulous dance teacher, Fiona Ryan – such passion and skill is a rare combination! 

Acknowledging Our Incredible Education Assistants 

Thursday, 3rd September, marked National Education Assistant Appreciation Day – a time to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary contribution our EAs make to our school every day. 

In every classroom, our EAs are the quiet champions working alongside teachers to ensure every child gets the tailored support, encouragement, and patience they need to thrive. Whether scaffolding learning, helping a child build confidence, or providing care behind the scenes, their impact on student learning and wellbeing is profound. 

While designated appreciation days are important, our teachers and leadership team know that the value of our EAs cannot be measured by a single day on the calendar. We are deeply grateful for their heart, dedication, and professionalism each and every day.  

Take a bow and thank you, Gayle Berg, Karen Florisson, Mas Stephenson, Bec Devitt, Fiona Ryan and Pippa Crane, for all that you do for OLSOTS. 

Miss Starcevich

We are holding Hannah and her family in our thoughts and prayers after the loss of her Dida (granddad) recently. We pray that she will be comforted by her family and friends and that her Dida continues to be at peace under God’s loving protection, no doubt shining his radiance over all her family. 

Bush Fire Preparedness Training and Trees 

Along with school leaders from across the shire, I attended the local workshop recently that included scenario exercises. I am also in the process of updating our Bush Fire Management Plan. As you know we have already conducted fire drills onsite to ensure we are all familiar with the procedures and ready to keep everyone as safe as possible in such situations.

An inspection of or property with the Council’s Officer confirmed our concerns about overgrowth of vegetation around the school and trees in need of trimming or removal to reduce the hazard. This work will be carried out on the coming school holidays by a contractor and his crew (and a dad at our school) Mcleay Stannard (Lucca’s dad Kindy).

The Council have also agreed to trim vegetation back on the outside of our property and hopefully that will also be completed during the holidays.

That done, we expect to be compliant by October before the bush fire season. 

Senior Girls Toilets 

Water entered the ceiling above the senior girls toilets after the strong winds and rain recently that resulted in minor damage to the ceiling internally. A call to Shannan Dixon had this rectified the same day! The work included some new housing on the roof to prevent a further incident and the replacement and painting of a part of the ceiling. 

A big shout out to Shannan and his team for getting this fixed and the toilets reopened so quickly. 

Bird Cage Area  

During the holidays, the old bird cage and the gardening area with shade cloth covering (outside the Science Room) will be removed and the area made good for use by the students. When we come to Master Planning the property that area will likely be reimagined for further development in ways we will all be able to contribute to. Early ideas include some tiered seating and covered area for eating, meeting, and play; a yarning circle; an extension to the prayer garden; and … we are open to your ideas. 

In advance, I share our appreciation to Tristan Hurley (Corbyn’s dad Yr 1) for offering to do this work. If you have time, I’m sure he would appreciate an extra set of hands for the demolition and removal works. 

 Father’s Day Breakfast

The start to September was particularly special, a morning which welcomed so many fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and father figures to our annual Father’s Day Breakfast. 

There was a wonderful buzz around the school as families gathered over breakfast to connect and share a meal. The highlight for many – especially the kids – was heading out onto the oval afterward. Watching our students kick a ball, play games, and share a laugh with their dads and grandfathers in the sunshine was a wonderful reminder of the strength and warmth of our OLSOTS community. 

A massive thank you must go to our dedicated staff team, who arrived bright and early to prepare food, set up spaces, and host the morning. Their generous spirit makes events like these possible. To all our fathers and father figures, thank you for your ongoing partnership, presence, and the vital role you play in the lives of our children. 

As we wrap up a busy, joyful Term Three, many families in our local community are starting to turn their minds toward next year and beyond – thinking carefully about where their children will begin or continue their learning journey. 

If OLSOTS is on your radar, or if you have friends and neighbours currently weighing up school options for 2027, I’d love to extend a warm, open invitation. 

We know that choosing a school isn’t about fancy slogans or glossy marketing. It’s about how a place feels. It’s about knowing your child will be seen, valued, and encouraged – not just academically, but as a whole human being. Whether it’s our play-based approach in Pre-Kindy that protects the joy of childhood, or our focus on building critical thinkers ready for a changing world, we take pride in being a child focussed, Christ centred and family-first community. 

There’s no need to wait for a formal event or stress about an interview. My door is always open for a casual walk-through, a look into our classrooms in action, and an unhurried chat about your child’s future.  

Thank you to all our staff, and families for another fantastic term. I wish everyone a safe, relaxing, and sunshine-filled school holiday break, and I look forward to seeing everyone back refreshed for Term Four! 

With best wishes, 

Sean

Mr G’s Quote for the Day: 

“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” 

— Mark Twain 

Socktober 2026 – Malawi: 

Message from the MJR Ministry. 

We are excited to announce that Silly/Odd Socks Day is back again this year as part of Socktober! This special day will be held on the last Friday of Term Three, Friday 25 September. 

Socktober is an initiative run by Catholic Mission that raises funds to support communities in need around the world. This year, Socktober is focusing on helping children and families in Malawi by providing access to food and education, giving them the opportunity to build a brighter future. 

To celebrate and support this important cause, we will be combining Silly/Odd Socks Day with a fun soccer and sports afternoon, organised by the Year Six Sport Ministry, the MJR Ministry, and Miss Panizza. On the day, you can wear your faction shirt and your oddest or silliest socks for a small donation to support Socktober. 

Thank you for helping us Making Jesus Real in our school community through your generosity and support. 

To learn more about the cause, watch this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BWix1Pm2s8 

2026 Sacramental Dates 

As part of this year’s Sacramental Program for children preparing to receive Reconciliation, Holy Communion, and Confirmation.  Please add these dates to your diary: 

• Saturday 19 September at 2pm – First Reconciliation – meet in the Church ready to start at 2:00pm 

• Sunday 25 October at 9am – First Communion – Meet at the church ready to start at 9:00 am 

• Saturday 28 at 6pm November – Confirmation – Note Change of Time to 5:00 pm start at the Church.  All students meet at the church at 4:30pm. 

Please refer to the School Calendar for the 2027 dates. Click on the calendar at the top of the newsletter. You can change the calendar view to “Month” to see the dates more clearly, as shown in the image below.

At Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, we value strong partnerships between home and school. Open and effective communication helps us work together to support the learning, wellbeing, and faith development of every child.

In Year One we have been learning how to collect and organise data using tallies and graphs. Students completed an investigation where they used collections of teddies to collect and display data.

Our Year Three-Six students have been busy combining their creativity, problem-solving, and mathematical thinking in an exciting integrated project. Students have been challenged to design and build their own board game or card game with the goal of helping players practise a specific maths skill, such as fractions, addition, multiplication facts, or BIMDAS.

The project has taken students through the full design process, from planning their game rules and layouts to creating engaging challenges for players. They have also been encouraged to think sustainably by constructing game pieces and components from recycled materials wherever possible.

It has been wonderful to see students applying their maths knowledge in such a creative and meaningful way, while developing collaboration, design, and critical thinking skills. We are incredibly proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown throughout the investigation and can’t wait to see the finished products on display in the coming weeks!

A strong parent voice shapes stronger outcomes for children. This Learning and Wellbeing survey is an important opportunity for parents to share their experiences, insights and hopes for your child’s learning and wellbeing. When parents speak, decision makers listen, and when your perspectives are gathered collectively, they become a powerful source of evidence that can influence policy and guide improvement across our schools.

Surveys are an efficient and confidential way to understand what matters most to families. By taking a few minutes to participate, you help create a clearer picture of how children are experiencing school and how the partnership between home and school can be strengthened. When children see the adults in their lives, parents and teachers, communicating and working together respectfully, it builds the psychological and emotional safety they need to flourish.

Your voice genuinely makes a difference, and we would be very grateful for your participation in this survey: https://unesurveys.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bDFBiwnMuAjB0Ue