Newsletter Term 3, Week 8, 2024

Sports Fun Day – Friday 27 September (last day of term) on our school Oval

Sports Fun Day is fast approaching!  This year we have decided to have Sports Fun Day on the last day of Term 3.  Our students have been very busy practising for the events in between the wet weather. 

Sports Fun Day begins at 10.00am and concludes at 2.00pm.  Our normal school day will operate until 10.00am.  At the conclusion, students can either depart with parents or remain in class for normal dismissal.  

The following information will help explain our expectations regarding Sports Day:-

• All Parents / Grandparents are invited to attend Sports Day. 
• All students are expected to attend Sports Day – GiR – Year 6.
• School will start at normal time.
• The Out of School Hours Care service will be available for before and after school care as usual.
• Students are permitted to wear a coloured polo top or t-shirt in the colour of their sports team. TOPS MUST NOT DISPLAY BRAND NAMES, LOGOS OR OFFENSIVE IMAGES/SLOGANS.
• No coloured zinc or hairsprays etc are to be brought to school – this can be applied at home.
• All students must wear their school sports shorts and school hat and bring a bottle of water.
• Please apply sunscreen to your child(ren) before they come to school - it will be re-applied by staff during the day as needed.
• Toilets – Parents / Grandparents are asked to use the Veritas centre toilets – all children are to use the other toilets.
• Please do not bring dogs to Sports Day.  No dogs are allowed on school grounds at any time. 

Our Sports Leaders will assist Mr Merrett in coordinating Sports Fun Day.  Our Sports Leaders are:-

Sports Fun Day is always a great event and a celebration of the effort and achievement of our student's sporting abilities, school/team pride and good sportsmanship.  We look forward to sharing the day with you and your family.

Sports Day Lunches

Sausage sizzle lunch (sausage/drink/jelly cup - $8.00) will be provided by Ruga’s Cafe but this needs to be pre ordered and paid for via the QKR app by the end of day Tuesday 24th September.  No late orders will be accepted!  Please note that the normal lunch menu will not be available on this day!  

Parents can also order the sausage sizzle via the QKR app.

Building Update

Many thanks for the way all parents managed the change of parking over the last few weeks.  The closure of the Railway Tce carpark was necessary as SA Water have provided a new line into the school.

The anticipated conclusion date of the Stage 2 building works is October, with the Year 2 & Year 3 classes moving into the new classrooms in Term 4.  OSHC’s move into the upgraded St Francis Hall is dependent upon Education Standards Board granting the approval for the change of location.  This process of approval can not begin until the building is completed.

New Playground works will begin once the site huts are removed, this will be late October.  The 4 transportable buildings will be removed from the court area, I anticipate this will be during the December school holidays.

Hats

It has been pleasing seeing the students wearing their hats at recess, lunch and sports sessions given the warmer weather we have had.  The students are aware of the areas they need to play in if they do not have a hat.  Thanks for ensuring that your child has their hat.

Dearest All,

Goodness me, only two weeks left of Term 3. Time is so precious and extremely valuable due to the fact of scarcity and limited availability. Do you ever wonder where time goes?

Season of Creation

We are celebrating Season of Creation. The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with God and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together.  During the Season of Creation, we join in prayer and action for our common home, the earth. Thus far we (whole school) have prayed, completed a range of activities to support daily Bible verse promoting good earth health (examples below) and have sat in awe and wonder pondering what earth could be like for future generations if we all did our bit for creation:

• So, neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:7)  
• Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. (Psalm 96:11-12)  
• God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)
• This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 15:12)
• For, we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

The theme for Season of Creation 2024 is To Hope and Act with Creation – Sadly, the times we live in show that we are not relating to the earth as a gift from God, but rather as a resource to be used. We are showered every day with the gifts of the earth: air to breathe, nurturing rain, flourishing soil, delicious berries and busy honeybees, the tree that becomes the paper we write on, a bag of rice, and the exuberance of a field of ‘goodies’ at full bloom. For the earth to stay in balance, for the gifts to continue to flow, we must give back in equal measure for what we are given. Our first responsibility, the most potent offering we possess, is gratitude.

The Season of Creation started 1st September and ends 4th October. What can you do to help creation sustain life?

Spiritual Gatherings Etiquette

Attending Mass and Liturgies during the school day is very much part of the fabric of who we are as a Catholic school community. The purpose of every school Mass and Liturgy is to unite us all, especially our students and young people, more closely to Christ.  Mass and Liturgies are the central actions and aspects of OLV and the primary way in which our community worship God.

The guidelines below cannot say everything that could be said about the celebration of Mass or Liturgy. Although not an exhausted list, they do, however, address some important aspects from the perspective of what the Church asks with respect to our spiritual gatherings: 

• Arrive to Mass or Liturgy on time.
• Enter the celebration reverently.
• Kindly remove hats or caps.
• Please turn off (or to vibrate) all mobile devices.
• Please be ‘prayerfully silent’ allowing those in close proximity to practice their faith meaningfully.
• Listen attentively focusing on the celebrant and students.
• Avoid consuming gum, lollies, food, coffee, etc.
• If you choose to receive the Body of Christ, please be sure your hands are clean, and your right hand is under your left hand. Consume immediately.
• If you choose to receive a blessing, please indicate by placing your hands of opposite shoulders with arms across the chest.
• Exit the celebration after the final song and if in a Church, after the celebrant has completed the recessional procession.

Let’s enjoy these wonderful celebrations together, respectfully.

Wall outside of front office

Over the past couple of weeks, we have noticed an influx of students climbing on / over our Lady of the Visitation design on the wall outside the front office, especially at the end of the day. Whilst climbing helps promote one’s flexibility, this type of activity should be left to the PE and class fitness times when the correct supervision and risk assessments are in place. We ask all families to be extra vigilant when walking past this beautiful wall honouring the very patron of our school, Mary, Jesus’s mother. Thank you for your support in helping us keep you and your family safe.

God Bless.
Linda Caldinez

The Role of Police and Cyber Safety

On Tuesday, September 3rd, our students took part in a ThinkUKnow presentation. Students from Reception to Year 2 attended a session titled "The Role of Police," which explained who the police are and what they do.

Students in Years 3 to 6 participated in a ThinkUKnow session. ThinkUKnow Australia is an evidence-based education program delivered nationwide to prevent online child sexual exploitation. This program is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft Australia, Datacom, and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and is delivered in collaboration with the New South Wales Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Police, South Australia Police, Tasmania Police, Western Australia Police, and Neighbourhood Watch Australasia.

Senior Constable Brett Massey delivered the presentation, covering topics such as self-generated online child sexual exploitation material, online grooming, image-based abuse, sexual extortion, and the importance of seeking help.

This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn about the role of the police and for middle to upper primary students to understand the online environment and how to be safe and responsible technology users.

If you would like further information regarding ThinkUKnow and how you can support your child, you can visit https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/about

Tina Ida
Leader of Learning

Keeping your cool when your kid loses theirs.

Some of you may already know me, but for those of you who don’t, I’m Julie, the Wellbeing Coordinator at OLV.

I am also a parent, and I can remember when my kids would lose their cool and how hard it was to keep mine while caught up in the busy side of life.

When your kid is losing their cool, staying calm yourself is crucial but having some strategies may help.

Here are a few practical tips to help you keep your cool when your kids lose theirs:-

• Pause and Breathe - It seems so simple, but it works, take a moment to breathe deeply.  A few deep breaths can help you stay centered and reduce your stress.
• Stay Calm and Neutral - Your own emotional state can influence your child.  A calm, neutral demeanour can help de-escalate the situation. When we stay calm, we create a space of security for our child as they work through their big feelings.
• Use Simple, Calm Language - Raising your voice or sounding frustrated can make things worse. If you can keep a soothing tone and use simple words. Phrases like “I’m here” or “Let’s take a deep breath” can help without adding to the chaos and avoid escalations.
• Listen and Validate - Acknowledge their feelings. Let them know you understand they are upset, even if you don’t agree with their behaviour. This validation can sometimes help them calm down faster.
• Provide a Safe Space - If possible, let them have a moment to themselves in a safe space. Sometimes a little distance can help them regain control.
• Use a Calm Strategy - Have a few calming techniques ready, like a specific calming phrase, a favourite toy, or a short, quiet activity.
• Consistency is Key - A consistent approach with your responses to meltdowns, helps your child know what to expect and can reduce the frequency of outbursts over time.

Staying calm is not easy, it’s a skill that can get better with practice. Having strategies and a plan in place can make an enormous difference in that moment but can go a long way to managing big feelings in the future.

Julie Taylor
Wellbeing Coordinator

Community Portal

Introducing the Community Portal

Commencing next week, Our Lady of the Visitation School will start rolling out (by year level) the new CESA Community Portal for families.

The CESA (Catholic Education of South Australia) Community Portal offers a secure centralised platform where you can access important school and student information from any location on any device at any time. The Community Portal will be made available to parents/caregivers within our school community and will provide you with information and services relevant to your child(ren). Only designated parents/caregivers will have access to their respective students’ information.

The Community Portal will enable easy access to:

• Finance Statements
• Review Financial Transactions
• Make Online Payments
• View Medical Details
• View your Child’s Demographic Information
• View Emergency Contacts

Enhanced functionality is planned later to enable the ability to update your child/ren’s demographic and medical information, provide school news, calendar and communications. However, at this initial phase our focus is initiating access and enabling parents/caregivers to view their information.

During next week, an invitation email will be sent to you from noreply@civicacloud.com.au.

Please check your junk or spam Inbox if you do not receive the invitation email.

Click on the link in the invitation email to complete your Community Portal Account Registration. Note that this link will only be valid for 7 days.

Invitations to the Community Portal will be sent to the parent/caregiver email address/s provided in our student records system. Where no email address has been recorded, no invitation can be made, in such cases we invite parents to notify the school administration team of their current email address.

Once activated you can access the Community Portal from: -
https://cesa-portal-auth.civicaed.com.au/

You might find it useful to Bookmark this page for ease of future access.

Carpark Safety

We still have ongoing concerns regarding the safety of our students in the carparks of the school. As our school is growing, the amount of traffic in the carparks is increasing. It is important that we all work together to always ensure the safety of our students and families. Please refer to the following important information:

Staff Carpark – Victoria Road

• Between the hours of 8am - 5pm this carpark is for staff only!
• OSHC Parents can use this carpark between 7am – 8:00am and 5.00pm – 6.00pm. At all other times the rear carpark or Church carparks are to be used.

Church Carpark

• This carpark is not supervised by a teacher before or after school.
• Please be vigilant in supervising your child/ren.
• The traffic flow is one way at all times please follow the arrows.
• Please don’t allow your child/ren to run around the Church and ‘play’ in this carpark, there have been some close near misses where drivers have not seen children until the last minute.

Back Carpark

• This carpark is supervised by a teacher after school.
• It is a Kiss and Drop Zone only. Do not park and leave your car to pick up your child/ren.
• Parking in this carpark is only permitted in the diagonal parks along Railway Tce.
• Children are to only access cars along the striped pedestrian crossings.

For the safety of all our children we ask that you be more vigilant around drop off and pick up times and thank you for your cooperation. We also ask that you kindly pass these reminders on to anybody else who may be picking up or dropping of your child/ren.

Dogs are not allowed on school grounds at any time!

IMPORTANT Reminder to families: pets are not permitted on our school grounds. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

The safety of our students, families and community is paramount. As such, this is a friendly reminder that puppies, dogs and cats are not permitted on our school premises, including all buildings, outdoor areas, and oval unless prior permission from Mr. Detullio has been gained.

The Dog and Cat Management Act 1995 states that: “A person who owns or is responsible for the control of a dog is guilty of an offence if the dog (not being an accredited disability dog, guide dog or hearing dog) is in, or in the grounds of, a school, kindergarten, child care centre or pre-school centre without the permission of the person in charge of that place.”

We kindly request your cooperation in adhering to this policy. If you are dropping off or picking up your child, we kindly ask that you leave your dog at home or make appropriate arrangements for their care during these times. We appreciate your understanding and support in creating a safe environment for everyone in our community.

Even good dogs have bad days - Any dog can bite.

2024/2025 Student Uniform Fittings

Information from Campus Schoolwear

Welcome to this busy time for school uniforms. Please make an appointment to ensure we can provide you with a personalised and efficient fitting service and it would be appreciated if the student and only 1 other person attends the fitting.

Your student’s uniform will be available for immediate purchase.

Online ordering is also available with an $9.00 delivery fee to your home.  Online Shop link: https://campusschoolwear.com.au/collections/our-lady-of-the-visitation

We invite you to Book Your Child’s Uniform Fitting
Location: Shop 3/54-56 Grange Road, Welland|
Normal Trading Hours: Monday to Friday 9am-5.30pm & Saturday 9am-Noon. November, December and January by Appointment only

1. Click on the Link  https://bookings.campusschoolwear.com.au/retail-store/
2. Select a date on the calendar (blue dot appears on date selected)
3. Complete booking details: fill in the required field information (student name etc). Please make one appointment per student.
4. Click “Book Appointment”
5. You should receive an email confirmation after booking the time of the appointment (please check your “junk” mail). Please record the details of your appointment as you will not be sent a reminder.

If you wish to cancel or change your appointment please go to your email confirmation and there will be a link for cancelling your appointment.

Our experienced staff fit for growing room. However, if for any reason your son or daughter grows significantly over the holiday period, we will happily exchange any uniform item provided they have not been altered or washed and labels are still attached.

Methods of payment available are EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Cash. We look forward to meeting you.

Your Sincerely,
Campus School and College Wear