Dear Parents and Carers

As we finish the first full week of schooling, I took some time to reflect on the start to the school year. The joy on children’s faces as they arrive in new uniforms for the next stage of schooling, the delight in being in a new class and the anticipation of new activities and opportunities were all highlights for me. The sense of community at Orana is also a standout. I witnessed parents reaching out to new families to make them feel welcome at the Parent Information Sessions. Thank-you for demonstrating the meaning of Orana, an aboriginal word for ‘Welcome’. I also had the pleasure of joining in with the Kindy Make a Move class this week and I thought about how much school has changed since I was school. The children get so many opportunities to learn different things and to develop in a holistic way. Thank-you to the students, parents and the staff.

Whilst reading this week, I came across the prayer above. It seems so timely for the beginning of the 2023 school year journey. The line “Help me to be the best version of myself, so that I may flourish here” can apply to all and in particular, to our new Year 6 leaders that today received their leadership badges. Thank-you to Father CJ for blessing the badges and to the Year 6 staff for their coordination of the assembly.

Staffing News

Lisa Winkler has been appointed as Digital Technology Specialist Teacher. Lisa possesses a wide variety of experiences in this learning area and she comes highly recommended by her previous colleagues. Lisa will start teaching in Week 3. Monica Fernando will take over the Information Technology Coordination. Thank-you to Monica for her willingness to use her skills in this area.

Congratulations to Bek Hogan

After a visit to Orana from the CEWA Science Consultant, Bek Hogan, our Science Specialist, was invited to present at the Science Teacher Network Professional Development Session. Bek will share goal setting strategies and lesson planning ideas with the participants that came from CEWA schools across Perth.

Year 6 Classroom Restoration

The restoration to the Year 6 Classrooms is now complete. There was extensive damage to the classrooms. A builder that specialises in restorations coordinated the repairs which included replacing carpets, built in cupboards, skirting boards, sections of gyprock walls and painting. Students returned to the classrooms during the week, well ahead of schedule.

Building Project

The senior toilet / Science block build is now underway. The builders will be operating out of the staff carpark. This will decrease the number of bays available and will intensify the congestion at pick up and drop off time. We will be monitoring strategies that we put into place and adapting where necessary. Thank-you in advance for your flexibility and patience while we navigate the build.

The following has been put into place:

-The staff are asked to park on the oval overflow once the remaining staff bays are filled.

-The bays opposite the green shed are for parent use.

-Parents of children in Kindy only are asked to leave the school as soon as practical to make some bays available.

-Parents coming to the green shed for pick up are asked to arrive after 3.15pm, once the children are there and the line is moving.

-Parents are asked to ‘go around the block’ if there are no bays available.

-Pedestrians must use the paths and the crosswalks; please do not walk down the driveway to exit through the automatic gate entry. This is unsafe and we do not want to model unsafe practices to our children.

Parent Information Evening

Thank-you to all the parents that attending the Pre-Primary - Year 6 Information Evening on Tuesday, demonstrating their support of the child/ren and the school.

Supervision

Please remember that supervision starts at 8.30am. Students should not be left unattended before this time. Supervision finishes at 3pm for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten and at 3.30pm for Year 1-6 students. If you need to be at school earlier or cannot arrive to collect your children until after these times, OSHC services are available on site and details are on our website on the following link: https://www.orana.wa.edu.au/out-of-school-hours-care/

Website Links

A Term 1 Planner is available on the website under News and Events – Calendars or via the following link: https://www.orana.wa.edu.au/calendar This includes sacramental and key dates for the year. Please regularly check the Dates to Remember section of the newsletter for updates. Catholic Education WA’s Executive Directive (Policy statements) and various school-based guidelines are also available on the school website, including our Code of Conduct and School Behaviour Support Guidelines. Please take a few minutes to review these documents. https://www.orana.wa.edu.au/policies/

Salvado House Mass

On Friday the 17th February, please join us at 9.30am in the hall to celebrate the charism of Rosendo Salvado.

Best wishes and God bless.

Dee Johnston

PRINCIPAL

Join us this Saturday night – 5.30pm at our Church of Saints John and Paul to celebrate our first community Mass of the year. This is student-led and always has a special atmosphere. We will also commission our staff, advisory council and P & F for the 2023 school year.

Did you know Orana is a registered Crunch & Sip School?

Participating in a daily in class Crunch & Sip break provides an opportunity for children to drink water and eat an extra serve of vegetables or fruit to support good health and to help with learning and concentration in the classroom.

Salvado Celebration/Feast Day

This year, Orana will continue to on our four Houses – Salvado, Ward, MacKillop and Francis. We aim to develop in the children, an understanding of who these significant Catholic figures were and why they head our four houses.

This coming Friday, we will celebrate our first House Mass – Salvado. Parents, you are most welcome to join our celebration in the hall as explore the life of Bishop Rosendo Salvado in prayer.

Celebrating the Sacraments in 2023

The following years will celebrate as sacrament this year.

• Year 3 – Reconciliation

• Year 4 – Eucharist

• Year 6 – Confirmation

If you are new to Orana, or have any queries about your child celebrating the sacraments, even if they are not in the year levels mentioned above, please email Kathryn alp kathryn.alp@cewa.edu.au.

Thursday - 16 February 2023 - Make A Move

Friday - 17 February 2023 - Salvado House Mass - 9.30am

Friday - 17 February 2023 - Make a Move