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I am excited to introduce this year’s diocesan theme: Seeds of Hope. This theme invites us to celebrate our unity and strengthen the connections among our 14 diocesan schools. It offers a wonderful opportunity to share our faith and nurture the spiritual growth of our communities.
In alignment with Pope Francis’ declaration of 2025 as a jubilee year, ‘Seeds of Hope’ encourages us to reflect on the blessings of our shared faith journey and the positive impact we can have on one another and the world. Planting seeds of hope can be as simple as offering a smile, a gesture of friendship, a kind glance, a listening ear, or a good deed. By doing so, we foster an environment where love, compassion, and understanding can flourish. This, in turn, brings us closer as a community and inspires us to live out our faith every day.
We look forward to seeing how this theme will guide and inspire us throughout the year!
Welcoming the New Year with a Smoking Ceremony and Sharing Stories
We were blessed to begin our school year with a meaningful and significant experience led by Sam Mitchell from ADAC. Sam worked with our teachers during the first week and then engaged with our students on Wednesday, January 29th. He opened our school year with a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony, a powerful ritual that welcomes people to country and provides spiritual cleansing. This ceremony set a positive tone for the year ahead and reminded us of the importance of starting our journey with respect, connection, and hope.
After the ceremony, Sam shared a personal story about his uncle and father, who were taken from their family due to government policies affecting Aboriginal families from the 1800s until the 1970s. This moving account gave our students valuable insight into a significant chapter of Australian history that many may not have previously known.
Sam was highly professional, related well to the students, and shared his knowledge in an engaging and age-appropriate manner.
He also spoke about the upcoming Apology Day, which will take place on February 13th in Berri. As a key figure in organising this event, Sam explained how Apology Day aims to bring both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities together, fostering understanding, healing, and positive movement toward reconciliation. In support of this initiative, our students participated in a special activity that will be displayed at the Apology Day event, and we encourage everyone to attend. Please see the flyer for more details.
We are incredibly proud of how our students participated in this ceremony and respectfully engaged with the stories shared. Learning about our history and Indigenous cultures is one way that we can sow ‘Seeds of Hope” - we are taking small yet significant steps toward understanding, empathy, and reconciliation. Acknowledging the experiences of our Indigenous people is an essential part of the healing process, and we are committed to continuing this important journey together as a school community.
Rosemary Perre
APRIM
We have had a great start to 2025 at OLOR. Students have settled into their routines and learning, and have had a great effort at beginning their learning journeys in their new classes. The school has a wonderful calmness about it, and the students and staff have all started the year positively. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead with lots of things happening around the school. We welcome two new ESOs this year, Cailee Lehmann and Elise Lambert, and also a number of new students across the school.
This year our Diocesan theme is “Seeds of Hope”. We are encouraging everyone to look for the positives and opportunities to grow each day, as well as see the goodness around them. We will be working with our staff and students this year in making this theme come alive across our school.
Before school started our staff were all busy preparing for the new year. Classrooms were setup and prepared, resources were organised for students and teachers began their planning for the year ahead. This involved some Professional Development with Sam Mitchell into the Indigenous history of our local areas and regions, and what we all can do to learn more in this area. We also worked on ways to improve the writing of our students across the school. This year we will be developing our knowledge around this area and working with St Joseph’s Barmera to develop plans to improve writing as well as develop and enhance our Literacy programs.
We had our Commissioning Mass with Bishop Karol Kulczycki in Barmera, where all staff from our five Riverland Catholic schools were sent forth by the Bishop to carry out their work in a spirit of Catholic calling and mission. Bishop Karol asked us all to listen to the call, and to act on it with faith that God is supporting the work that we do.
This year we look forward to many great opportunities and events, from camps and excursions, to events like Wakakirri and the Riverland Choir, as well as opportunities such as SAPSASA and Sports Day. The calendar of our school is always a busy one, but we believe it gives all students opportunities to let their lights shine as they find out their own strengths, talents and interests.
We also look forward to our building program commencing, with new classrooms and a new front office being built during the year. These facilities will help enhance the learning and opportunities at OLOR for many years to come.
With the hot weather forecast for next week, we have decided to change our Welcome Night to a Welcome Morning next Tuesday. It will be an opportunity to make connections, learn more about what is happening in your child’s class and meet other families who share the OLOR journey. It will also be a chance to catch up with class teachers and learn more about what is happening this year.
One of the things teachers will share is about our PBIS focus this year. This is all about teaching students about positive behaviour choices and having high expectations for all. Our whole school is working on this together this year, and we have even developed a behaviour tracker app that teachers and ESOs are using to support and encourage students with positive choices. If you see staff on their phone at the end of the day, they are giving out points to students for fantastic behaviour! We will also be utilising the Smiling Mind website and SEL program to support our students with their mental wellbeing. This is great chance for students to learn more about how to understand their feelings and emotions, as well as have tools and strategies to support them if they need help.
This year we are embarking on a new language across the school. All classes and staff will be learning AUSLAN as the extra language this year, a change from Chinese that we have had in recent years. This is a fabulous opportunity for students to learn a different way of communicating and is a way of being more inclusive in our interactions. We look forward to what this learning looks like across the year.
2025 promises to be a great year at OLOR and we thank families for their ongoing support as they entrust us with the care and education of their children. We welcome everyone to become part of the OLOR family, as we work together for the benefit of all of our children.
Mr Michael Slagter
Principal
PE
This term students will be developing their fundamental movement skills and learning new games that they are able to play at Recess and Lunch times. These games help students learn about taking turns, teamwork and how to use equipment safely.
This term students will be developing their skills in Tennis and European Handball through modified games and there will be a major focus on Athletics in preparation for SAPSASA Athletics. Students will also be developing their teamwork and fair play skills, while also learning how to be positively competitive and extend themselves.
SAPSASA
PE Teacher
Our Arts Coordinator, Mrs Jade Owens recently sent the following information home to families. Please contact her via SeeSaw for any further details.
Wakakirri
This year, OLOR will once again be participating in Wakakirri, a national story-dance festival for schools. The Aboriginal word Wakakirri means 'to dance' according to the Wangaaypuwan people from Cobar NSW.
Wakakirri is a great opportunity for students to work collaboratively to plan, choreograph and perform a dance that tells a story. The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Mind Over Matter: Tales of Inner Strength’. Students from Year 3-6 are invited to join our dance troupe. Everyone is welcome – no dance experience required.
Wakakirri rehearsals will be held from 8:15 – 9:00am on Wednesday mornings in the Hall. Rehearsals will begin in Week 2.
Students who wish to be involved in the final performance will be expected to have high attendance at these rehearsals.
Our performance will occur in Term 3 in Adelaide. Last year, students had a great time travelling to Adelaide for our final performance – it was an amazing experience to perform in front of a live audience.
As we get closer to our final performance in Term 3, we will consider how to source costumes and props that will be sustainable, cost effective and add to our performance.
In the last three years, our dance troupe has won a number of awards, including a national award for excellence in performing arts and raising awareness about mental health in 2022; and best public speaking award in 2023 and 2024.
Choir
OLOR will be performing in the Riverland Primary Schools’ Music Festival. Students in Year 3-6 are invited to attend our choir rehearsals, with students in Year 4-6 being able to participate in the performance at Chaffey Theatre in August.
Choir rehearsals will be held from 8:15 – 9:00am on Friday mornings in the Art Room. Rehearsals will begin in Week 3.
Students who wish to attend the performance will be expected to have high attendance at these rehearsals.
Students are expected to practice the songs at home with the aid of the Festival of Music app. Students will have the opportunity to audition for a solo or as a host early in Term 2 (more information to come). It is especially important for these students to become familiar with the repertoire and begin practising at home. Books will be distributed at our first rehearsal.
Choir students will attend rehearsals with the other schools in our cluster in preparation for their final performance. We will attend three cluster rehearsals at the Berri Town Hall, as well as a dress rehearsal at the Chaffey Theatre on the day of our performance.
Instrumental Music Lessons
Music Alive offer lessons for piano, drums, guitar, violin and singing at OLOR for students in Foundation-Year 6. Lessons are 30 minutes and are taught in an individual or paired format during school hours.
For enquiries about starting lessons through Music Alive in 2025 please email: info@musicalive.com.au
Please provide your child’s name, year level and the instrument they are interested in learning.
JANUARY
Foundation - Darcy T
Year 3 - Nirbaan, Nathan
Year 4 - Harry, Rayner
Year 5 - Amanat, Irmaan, Ollie
Year 6 - Ashton, Catie
FEBRUARY
Foundation - Archer C
Year 1 - Aria
Year 2 - Rugved, Portia
Many children will have a positive experience starting school or moving from primary to high school and despite some initial nervousness, most will settle in very quickly. However, we know some parents/carers may be very concerned about the upcoming changes e.g. buying uniforms, books or devices and that's where we can help.
What is Saver Plus?
Saver Plus is a program for people on lower incomes. It’s about enhancing financial skills, to develop (and keep) good savings habits. Since 2003, Saver Plus has supported more than 60,000 people to start saving.
Saver Plus has helped overcome the barriers around education expenses. And sets families up for a brighter future.
To be eligible You must have all of the following:
- A Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
- An eligible Centrelink payment*
- Be studying yourself OR have a child in school (can be starting school next year)
- Have regular income from work (either yourself or your partner)* including Carers Payment / Child Support / Cash in hand
- Be 18+ years old
- Agree to join in free online financial education workshops called MoneyMinded
- Not completed Saver Plus previously
* Many types of income and Centrelink payments are eligible, see the Saver Plus terms and conditions for more information.
What are the eligible savings goals?
Eligible savings goals are education related products or services eg:
We also offer Saver Plus in 6 languages: Arabic, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Karen, Burmese, and Dari.
If families would like to check their eligibility and receive a call back please include our enquiry link - Our Saver Plus financial literacy program (thesmithfamily.com.au) or they’re welcome to call our national number 1300 610 355 and a local coordinator will contact them directly.
