Dear Families,

I hope that the school Term is going well for your family. We have two weeks until our Easter Term break. Before then however, we have many events on at school. NAPLAN, swimming, Holy Week, cross country and end of Term assessments/activities. I am very much looking forward to this engaging time at our school and seeing parents at some of our events.

Last week I wrote to advise that Ms Miranda Murray will spend the remainder of this Term and Term 2, working at Toowoomba Catholic Schools as an Education Officer, beginning Monday March 18. I am pleased to advise that Mrs Emily Mckay will be acting Assistant Principal during this time and Mr Garry Birch will join the Year 5 teaching team. I am looking forward to the leadership Emily will bring to our school and her contributions towards achieving the best outcomes for our students.

FOOD

I ask that you please ensure that your child/ren have sufficient food in their lunch box each day. During swimming week, children tend to be hungrier. We do not have the ability to provide children with additional food unless it is an emergency. Thank you for ensuring this occurs.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that our students are learning through the school curriculum. It allows you as parents/carers to see how your child is going against the National standard. It also provides information for us as a school to compare our student growth to both National Standards and schools that are like us. It also allows us to ask the question - äre we are providing the best possible teaching and learning opportunities?”. I wish our students the best during these exams.

2025 ENROLMENTS

This week I have begun the process to enrol our 2025 prep students, who will also be our 2031 Year 6 School Leaders. It is hard to believe, but an important point in time for our school. As a 3-stream school, we have the opportunity to welcome students into OLOL for an education where they are called to Think, and become Global Citizens when they graduate high school in 2037,informed by the Catholic values and beliefs. If you are a current family with a prep student for next year, please contact the school office as soon as possible.

SRIP

Please contact our school office if you would like to have an interview to contribute to our school renewal and improvement plan. This will take place Tuesday April 30 and Wednesday May 1. Parents are encouraged to be a part of this important process.

Take care,

Bridget

Ms Bridget Trenerry
Principal

Upcoming Events

Parent Portal

Booking Parent Teacher Interviews:

Parent Teacher Interview can now be booked via the Parent Portal.  If you are unsure on how to schedule a time with your child's teacher, pleaser refer to the instruction video via the below link.

Updating Absenteeism:

Updating Absenteeism via the Parent Portal can be done at any time for the day your child is absent, or for future dates of absenteeism.  The instruction video link is below.

If you require any support with any aspects of your Parent Portal, please don't hesitate to contact me in the office.

Kind Regards,

Carla

Dear Parents,

Our core belief is that Our Lady of Lourdes has a powerful influence on how students communicate, act, look, listen, and think as learners and global citizens. Guided by the gospels and our Serviam values, we believe Lourdes Learners are CALLed to Think. Our teachers are constantly exploring different strategies and resources to help teach our students to become better learners and global citizens. This is ongoing work our learners need so they have the knowledge, skills and attributes that enable them to thrive in our complex world.   

Lourdes has a supportive and inclusive environment where perseverance, respect, and commendable progress in learning is valued and cultivated. We aim to foster a growth mindset—a belief that our abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, effort, and a willingness to learn. However, at times we often encounter obstacles and face challenges that test our resilience and determination. Importantly, during these times we have the chance to grow and learn.  

It is worth remembering that challenges are not roadblocks but stepping stones on our journey towards personal and academic growth. Thank you to all our parents and carers who partner with us in support of our children growing and learning each day. A rising tide raises all boats, thus when turning toward each other, everyone can support the best of each other.  

Starting next Monday, Mrs Emily McKay will step into the acting Assistant Principal role until the end of Semester 1. Emily is no stranger to this role, having been involved in stints with the leadership team over the years. I have complete faith in Emily being able to support the leadership team as they continue to lead strategic direction drive continual improvement and maintain the smooth operation of the school. Emily will be an asset supporting all staff and students across the school.  

I will be taking on the role of Education Officer in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office. Even though it is a short-term role, I am excited about the new experience and the opportunity to gain further knowledge and skills that will no doubt help our school and others across the diocese.  

Thank you for your continued support of this great school. I look forward to hearing about the many opportunities and successes the students will experience over the coming term.  

Miranda

Miranda Murray
Assistant Principal

Last Friday our female Captain Hallie and Sports Captains –Millie, Indee, Abbey and Mia were invited to breakfast at St Saviours College for International Women's Day. We felt very privileged to be invited and to listen to Mrs Jessica Wade – St Saviours College Principal and Tawana Carmody – TCSO  First Nations Education Officer. We caught up with some Old Girls from Our Lady of Lourdes – Eliza Morcom – Current St Saviours College Captain and Abigail Lasserre – Year 11 student.   Breakfast was lovely and the girls represented Our Lady of Lourdes respectfully. We thank Mrs McKenzie for joining us and helping with the return to school trip.

Last Sunday the Confirmation and First Eucharist Candidates completed their 2^nd workshop.

The 3^rd preparation meeting for our Confirmation and First Eucharist participants is on Sunday 24^th March at 10:30am in the OLOL Church. If you have any questions, or queries please direct them to the Parish Office – Office hours are 9:00am – 1:00pm weekdays, email: oloparish@bigpond.com  telephone contact: 46 34 1453. 

It’s St Patrick’s Day this Sunday 17^th March

We are celebrating St Patrick’s Day on Friday 15^th March with a “Wear Green and Orange coloured clothes” Day. St Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland – Many of the early settlers, catholic priests, nuns and brothers who came to Australia were from Ireland. These priests, nuns and brothers were the teachers who taught the Catholic Faith in the early catholic schools around Australia. We honour St Patrick by remembering his special day. St Patrick taught the people of Ireland about the Trinity – the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit by using a clover leaf – 3 leaves on one stem. Just like we believe the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit are one.  

Please wear your weird and wonderful sun safe green and orange outfits and bring a gold coin donation to celebrate St Patrick’s Day on Friday. This will raise some more money for the Caritas Lenten Appeal. Our Pancake Day on Shrove Tuesday raised $600 which was a great start to our Caritas Appeal.  Each Friday is “50c Friday” for Lent – every little bit helps those in need. 

On Sunday 17^th March after 9:30 am Mass - we have invited the parish to have a walk-through of our new school classrooms.  It is wonderful to hear the parishioners tell the stories of “when they were here at Our Lady of Lourdes”. All are welcome to join us.

We thank the Year 4 classes for their thoughtful assemblies about kindness and friendship over the last couple of weeks. Last Thursday 2D shared a wonderful reminder about looking after our world. Tomorrow, 2G will share their assembly.

Please note there is no Assembly in Week 9 due to the swimming commitments. 

We have our whole school Holy Week Stations of the Cross Prayer at 11:00am on Thursday 28^th March in the OLOL hall.

Please come along to pray with us. 

If you choose to take your children home after this prayer commemoration – please alert your class teacher rather than the office, so that rolls can be recorded accurately.

Mothers' Day

Calling for photos of Mothers and their Children for our Mother’s Day Mass (Friday 10^th  May 10am) next term – Take One photo per family over the Easter Holidays ready for next term!  Email to Janice.Moore@twb.catholic.edu.au   Please ensure photos are at school no later than Friday 3^rd May. 

Diary Dates 

Term 1 

Thursday 28^th March – Whole School Holy Week Stations of the Cross Prayer- 11 am OLOL School Hall 

Term 2  

Monday 15^th April – Pupil Free Day 

Tuesday 16^th April – Term 2 begins –  

Thursday 18^th April – Resurrection prayer – led by Year 6C and  6 M - 2 pm

Wednesday  24^th April – OLOL Anzac Day Reflection 2:00 pm – OLOL Hall – Led by Year 5        

Sunday  28^rd April – 4^th  Confirmation/First Eucharist Preparation Workshop at 10:30 am in OLOL Church  

Friday  10^th May – OLOL Mother’s Day Mass 10 am and Morning tea – Mother's Day Photos sent to Mrs Moore by 3/5/2024 So we can cater for our visitors – please fill in this simple form by Monday 6/5/2024.

Monday 20^th May – Practise for Confirmation Sacrament 3:30 pm in OLOL Church 

Tuesday 21^st May- Sacrament of Confirmation 7 pm OLOL Church  

Thursday 23^rd  May – Practise for First Eucharist Sacrament 3:30 pm in the OLOL Church 

Sunday 26^th  May –Sacrament for First Eucharist – 11 am OLOL Church 

Have a blessed week! 

Janice

Janice Moore
Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE)

https://forms.office.com/r/wAxpSDa6Xm

Prep

The season of Lent is progressing nicely in Prep. We are becoming more aware of how to treat others, start our day with a smile and be on the look out for anyone who needs a helping hand. Well Done, Prep!

The Prep children will lead the school in the Holy Week Assembly on Thursday 28^th March in the hall. We will sing and dramatize Palm Sunday. Parents are welcome to attend - the liturgy begins at 11am.

Next week Old MacDonalds Farm will be visiting to give us a real life experience of using our senses to learn about the observable features of farm animals.

This week your child received an All About Me as a Toddler Sheet. Please return this to school so the students can discuss in their HASS lesson.

This Friday we are to wear green to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Please send along a gold coin donation for the Catholic missions.

We continue to practise for cross country on the 27^th March at Newtown Park. Parents are welcome to come along and cheer us on. Please see the sports section of the newsletter for more information.

We look forward to chatting with you at our Term 1 Interviews - please sign up if you haven’t already done so.

Thanks,

Melita, Amy and Becky   

Year 1

It’s hard to believe we are in week 8 already. Before we know it, the term will be over!

The children have been enjoying the English unit, Wombat Stew, and have been writing some great recounts of the story. We have been looking at addition and subtraction in Maths, and we are starting to use thinking routines and develop the problem-solving skills needed to find solutions to number problems. In Religion, the children have been interested to learn about the life of Jesus and His disciples. This will tie in with the Easter Story and our Stations of the Cross presentation in Week 10.

We have a busy end to the term. Friday is St. Patrick’s Day theme free dress. The children are encouraged to wear green and orange clothes and bring along a gold coin donation for Caritas Australia. Next week (Week 9) the children will be attending swimming lessons each day at the Glennie pool. In Week 10, we have our gymnastics excursion to All Stars, Cross Country and Stations of the Cross.

We are looking forward to catching up with everyone at our Parent-Teacher interviews next week. Please book a time through the Parent-Portal if you have not already done so. This is a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s progress over the term.

Laura, Jenny and Dennielle    

Year 2

Welcome to Week 8! It is hard to believe we are approaching the end of the term –we have certainly had a wonderful term so far. We have a few important things happening over the next couple of weeks:

• 2G will be presenting the assembly prayer tomorrow afternoon (14^th March)
• Next week is Swimming week – please refer to the information sent home and ensure that children have everything they need each day
• The OLOL Cross Country will be held on Wednesday 27^th March (Week 10). We will be leaving school as soon as possible after the morning bell, so please have students at school on time, with their hats and water bottles.
• Each class will be presenting part of the Holy Week story on Thursday 28^th March. This will take place at 11am in the school hall and families are most welcome to attend. This day is also the last day of Term 1.
• Parent-teacher interviews will be occurring over the next couple of weeks.

In class, students have been learning about data and how to represent it in Maths, continuing their literary retells in English and applying their knowledge of being a steward of creation in Religion.

Have a great week!

Sarah, Ange B and Ange G    

Year 3

It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of Week 8! We have had a super busy start to the year, and we have seen so much growth from the students.

Maths

Cooper & Ryan V ~ In Maths this week we have been learning about finding patterns in addition and subtraction problems. For example:

8 + 3 = 11

18 + 3 = 21

28 + 3 = 31

We have also been learning about money and how amounts can be shown in different ways. We’ve been learning about grouping together the coins to make $1 when adding up collections and starting our counting of the notes and coins with the biggest value.

English

Ollie & Zayne ~ In English, we have been learning to write persuasive texts to convince someone of our opinion. We use high modality words and give three good reasons to persuade the reader.

Science  

Nate & Hugh ~ Minerals are in food, rocks, and everything! Different minerals come in different sizes and colours. Minerals are found under the ground in mines.

HASS

Joe and Javannah ~ we have been learning about how to read grid maps and find Australian icons on the map. Some Australian icons are the Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. We have also learned that Australia has 7 states and territories and each has a capital city. The capital city of Queensland is Brisbane.

Health

Llewellyn and Hollie ~ In Health, we learned about how making mistakes is a good thing. You can learn so much from your mistakes. We created artwork full of our mistakes. We scribbled on the page and then coloured the parts to make some beautiful, colourful name pictures. We have also been learning about resilience. When we are resilient, we keep trying and never give up!  

Technology

Lyla and Halani ~ In Year 3, we are very lucky to have our laptop to use everyday in class. For this week, we have been doing lots of NAPLAN practices. This will help us next week when we complete the real NAPLAN activities. SeeSaw is a fun and interactive learning tool that Miss Ferguson sets for us to complete. We can do lots of activities here in all different subjects. Another learning tool that we use, is Typing Tournament. This is heaps of fun and helps us to learn where the letters are on the keyboard and improve our typing.

Swimming

Swimming lessons at the Glennie pool commence Monday next week. Sports uniform is to be worn each day. Please also pack additional food in students’ lunchboxes as they tend to get extra hungry in swimming week. Please ensure all swimming and clothing items are named clearly. More information will be sent at the end of the week.

Parent Teacher Interviews

If you have not yet booked in via Sentral, please do so.

NAPLAN

Year 3 students are participating in NAPLAN throughout this week. It is important to remember that NAPLAN is a point-in-time assessment that provides an opportunity for educators and parents to see how students are progressing in literacy and numeracy against the national standard. 

The Year 3 NAPLAN Timetable is as follows:

Wednesday 13th: 

• Writing Test (paper) - 8:40am - 9:20am

Thursday 14th:

• Reading Test (Laptops) - 8:40am - 9:25am
• Conventions of Language Test (Laptops) - 11:15am - 12:00pm

Friday 15th:

• Numeracy Test (Laptops) - 8:40am - 9:25am

What you can do at home to prepare for NAPLAN:

• Arrive before the 8:25am bell and encourage children to go to the bathroom on their way to the classroom.
• Ensure children eat a nutritional breakfast. It may be a good idea to pack a little extra in their lunchboxes to refuel.
• Ensure children have a water bottle and a good night rest.
• Encourage a positive attitude and mindset.

NAPLAN results are reported using proficiency standards: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs Additional Support. This report will be sent home later in the year. This brochure has more parent information about the purpose of NAPLAN, what it assesses, and key points for parents to know.

Upcoming Dates

• 15^th March – St. Patrick’s Day (green/orange free dress & gold coin donation)  
• 27^th March – Cross Country Carnival 
• 28^th March – Holy Week Assembly 11am in Hall and Last day of Term 1

Have a great week!

Demi, Kirsty and Melissa  

Year 4

Welcome to Week 8! 

Can you believe that there are just over two weeks left in this Term? 

Firstly, we would like to encourage all parents to fill in permission slips for swimming which is next week, and Gala Day which is Tuesday of Week 10. We will also be celebrating Holy Week on Thursday of Week 10.  

Regarding swimming next week, we would encourage all students to wear their sports uniform every day, as it makes it easier for the children to change.  Don’t forget towel, thongs, goggles, and underwear.  We have found in the past that the children are usually extra hungry in swimming week, so perhaps extra food needs to be packed. 

For Gala Day, all students need to be at school on time so that we can catch the buses to Kearney Springs.  Students will wear their sports uniform, bring a packed morning tea (there is no canteen) and we will be back at school at lunchtime.  Parents are welcome to come and watch. 

This Friday we celebrate St Patrick’s Day – it is our first Free Dress Day of the year. To fit with the theme of the day, children are encouraged to wear green or orange and bring a gold coin as a donation to Caritas.

Well done to those students who have been training for Cross Country before school – we look forward to seeing you compete on the Wednesday of Week 10.  All other students will be encouraged to participate in the Fun Run to gain points for your house.  May the best team win! 

All classes are working hard to fit in all the learning and assessment in the short available time, so we would encourage all students to attend if possible. 

Suzanne, Aleisha, Jessica, and Danielle    

Year 5

A reminder of Important Dates for the remainder of Term 1 

• 13^th – 15^th March - NAPLAN
• 15^th March – St. Patricks Day (free dress & gold coin donation)  
• 18^th to 22^th March – Swimming week (sports uniform worn all week) 
• 27^th March – Cross Country Carnival 
• 28^th – Last Day of Term 1 

NAPLAN

This week is NAPLAN week for our Year 5 students. Our focus during this time will be on maintaining positive mindsets and displaying the Lourdes Learner mentality. The timeline for NAPLAN was emailed out to families last week. A reminder that:

• NAPLAN is about making sure your child is on track in the important areas of literacy and numeracy.
• NAPLAN helps you see your child's growth and achievements.
• NAPLAN isn't high-stakes testing and it amounts to less than 16 hours over 7 years of schooling.

What you can do at home:

• Arrive to school on time on the day of NAPLAN testing.
• Ensure students have a good sleep and a full breakfast before the test.
• Remind students that it is a one point in time assessment and that all they need to do is their best.
• Maintain a positive attitude and mindset.
• Check with your children they have their headphones at school in preparation for NAPLAN.

Homework

Due to NAPLAN, swimming in week 9, and the other assessment taking place; there will be no set homework for Year 5 for the remainder of the term. Students are encouraged to continue reading, and practising areas that they know need continued consolidation (eg. Maths – factors, multiples, multiplication strategies; English – sentence types and writing descriptively).

Swimming is in week 9

Thanks to all those who have given permission via parent portal, if you have not given permission, please complete at your earliest convenience. Sports uniform can be worn each day in Week 9 as it is easier for students to change. As we swim in the middle session, students will change at school.  Remember girls to wear one piece please. Please ensure they have thongs, sandals or slides for walking to and from the pool. Our camp activities in Term 4 are heavily water-based, so students are expected to participate in swimming lessons.  

Jess, Emily, Sandra, and Lisa

Year 6

How fast is this term going? Last Friday we completed our final round of interschool sport, with it only being four weeks, it certainly does go by quickly. Any remaining jerseys need to be washed and returned to Mrs Wigan as soon as possible. A big thank you to the teachers for coaching and umpiring the various sports this term.

This week the students have completed several assessments, all of which will be sent home in the coming days for parents/carers to look over, go through with your children, sign and return to school.

We’ve almost finished our class novel “Home to Mother”, the children’s version of “Rabbit Proof Fence”.  Students have been enthralled and their daily writes to summarise chapters, reflect on characters and settings, have shown great improvement.

Reading rotations have progressed well this term too. We have been focussing on inferential skills – thinking about what the author is trying to tell me and what I already know and making connections. We’ve also been learning how to use our own ideas and experiences, give personal opinions to texts and talk about how texts impact thinking.

We’re pleased to report that our students’ executive functioning skills, in particular organisation, are improving! Students are remembering their own passwords, submitting work in a timely manner and remembering what to take to each class.  These are no easy feats, but we believe, achievable for all Year Six students. A huge congratulations to 6M for having 100% of students completing all aspects of the homework last week.

In our Lourdes Learner cohort meetings, we have been focussing on the students having ‘choices’. Choices in the playground, choices with behaviour, choices with attitude toward schoolwork. Each student is in control of what they do or do not do. They control their own actions and the choice they make determines the outcome. This is a phrase that Year 6 teachers will be using this year.

Parent/teacher interviews commence in Week 9. Parents can use Sentral to book a suitable time. Booking through Sentral will cease on Sunday night. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s learning thus far.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Kylie, Shauna, and Steve

The Importance of Reading Aloud with Children

Building Strong Bonds

When parents read aloud to their children, it creates a special bond. Shared reading moments become cherished memories, fostering a sense of connection and trust.

Language Development and Vocabulary Growth

Parents play a crucial role in their child’s language development:

• Rich Vocabulary: Reading aloud exposes children to diverse words and phrases, enhancing their vocabulary.
• Sentence Structure: Children learn about sentence construction and grammar by listening to well-constructed sentences in stories.

Modelling Literacy Skills

Parents serve as literacy role models:

• Fluency: Demonstrating fluent reading helps children understand how words flow.
• Comprehension Strategies: Parents can pause to discuss the story, predict outcomes, and ask questions.

Creating Positive Associations with Books

When parents read aloud, they:

• Instil a Love for Reading: Children associate books with warmth, comfort, and joy.
• Encourage Curiosity: Curious minds thrive when exposed to stories and information.

Promoting Imagination and Creativity

Through storytelling, parents ignite their child’s imagination:

• Visualizing: Children picture scenes, characters, and settings.
• Creative Thinking: They explore alternate worlds and scenarios.

Strengthening Attention Span

Regular reading sessions improve a child’s focus and patience:

• Listening Skills: Children learn to pay attention and follow narratives.

Parents, your role as reading companions is invaluable. By reading aloud, you nurture not only literacy skills but also emotional bonds and a lifelong love for books. So grab a book, snuggle up, and embark on literary adventures with your child/ren!

Weekly Returns

Please ensure you are reminding your child/ren to bring in their books in each week. Overdue books become very difficult to track down as time elapses. If you get a notice and think that you may have returned the book in question please send us an email or drop in to the Library and we can check the shelves here. Sometimes things slip through without being scanned or some of our helpful little people put them away for us before we scan them. ?

Holiday Borrowing

Students who have no OVERDUE books in Year 1 – 6 will be given the opportunity to borrow for the upcoming school holidays in Week 10. Overdue lists are sent to teachers or students can check their dashboard in AccessIt by signing in. Remember parents/guardians are more than welcome to borrow up to 10 items anytime too.

Happy St Patrick’s Day from the Library!

In March we go Green! In 2024 we have a huge range of books about TREES on display as well as a little encouragement for our ‘tree-mendous’ Lourdes Learners.

AccessIt

Over the past week our Year 5 and 6 classes have been exploring all that is on offer via AccessIt. Please bookmark this page as it is a great place to begin looking for the right information.  Welcome | Accessit Library Web App. Google will always have an answer…. But getting the right answer, at the right level for children in primary school, can take a lot of skill and time. Make it easier with the Lourdes AccessIt page. If students sign in, they have full access to Britannica, Click View and much more….

Chess Lessons

Permission forms for Term 2 will go out by the end of this term. Keep an eye out via the portal. Questions about Chess? Contact: Danielle.Leathart@twb.catholic.edu.au

Book Club

Issue Two orders have now been placed. Please keep an eye out for Issue 2 orders coming home over the next week or so. Questions about Book Club? Contact: Danielle.Leathart@twb.catholic.edu.au

Keep Reading – Mrs Leathart & Mrs Monte

Mrs Leathart & Mrs Monte

Upcoming Dates

Friday Sport – Grades 5-6

Congratulations and well done to all students who recently participated in our 3 week Inter School Sport competition (Girls Touch, AFL, Red Ball Tennis, Softball). All teams were very competitive, and the behavior of our Lourdes students was outstanding. The last week of competition finished on a positive note for the AFL team with a strong victory over Glenvale State School. A massive thank you to the grade 5 and 6 teachers! Many of them also officiated multiple games across the afternoon of sport to assist other schools.

Cross Country Training – Grades 3-6

With over 60 students attending Cross Country training at Newtown Park last week, the participating runners are getting fitter, faster, and stronger. The 30min sessions are challenging; however, they have plenty of variety with the occasional hill session testing the fittest runners.

Training will continue this week, with our last session being held on Thursday 21^st March. See below for more details.

PLEASE NOTE – STUDENTS ARE TO BE DROPPED OFF AT THE PARK AT 7:30AM.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU WALK YOUR CHILDREN TO THE MEETING PLACE AND CHECK THEM IN WITH THE STAFF MEMBER PRESENT.

FOLLOWING TRAINING WE WILL WALK BACK TO SCHOOL AS A GROUP.

IMPORTANT: As part of the risk assessment process for Cross Country Running, all students that run the competitive track must be of sound fitness.  ALL STUDENTS wishing to run the competitive track must also have a SIGNED CONSENT form.  These will be sent home with interested students.

OLOL Cross Country Carnival

Prep- Grade 2 Fun Run

• Approximate run time 9:00 – 10:00am
• Students will walk to Newtown Park in Class Groups.
• Prep, Grade 1 and 2 students will run an extended lap of the oval (approximately 600m).
• The following ribbons and house points will be presented to students in Prep – Grade 2:

• Race Order: Grade 2 boys, Grade 2 Girls, Grade 1 Boys, Grade 1 Girls, Prep Boys & Prep Girls.
• After these races, the P-2 students will return to school.

Grade 3-6 Competitive Cross-Country Event

• Approximate starting time – 10:00am
• Students will walk to Newtown Park in class groups.
• Following the P-2 Fun Run, Grade 3-6 students will participate in a competitive cross-country race.
• Students will need to nominate for this event. Only students that have completed the consent form will be allowed to run in the competitive event for their age group. Login to the Parent Portal to give your consent.

These times are approximate and subject to change. 

The following ribbons/medallions and house/individual points will be presented to students in 9-12 years:

• As with Athletics and swimming, all students in grade 3 who are born in 2016 (8 years), have attended training and wish to run the competitive event, will participate in the 2015/ 9 year’s category. However, as they are not of appropriate age, they will not be eligible for age championship points, nor will they be eligible to continue to the West Zone Carnival. These students will be awarded a place ribbon and 4 participation points, regardless of finishing place. Please see me if you require further clarification on this.
• The first 6 place getters, in the 10/11/12 Years age categories, will be offered the opportunity to represent the school at the West Zone Cross Country Carnival. There are qualification times in place for this event which students must run to be eligible.  These times will be adhered to regardless of whether students finished in the top 6 at our school carnival.  9-year-olds are not eligible to compete at West Zone.
• The course will be marked with markers and marshals will be stationed around the course.
• After the races, we will have presentations and return to school by 1:00pm. This is subject to change.

 Grade 3-6 Fun Run

• This event is open to ALL grade 3-6 students, regardless of whether they have already run the Competitive Cross-Country Race.
• The event will be 1 lap around the competitive cross-country course.
• All students will be encouraged to at least walk the track.
• All students who participate will receive one (1) point for their house.

In the Morning before coming to School

• Please apply sunscreen before coming to school and remind the children to apply more throughout the morning.
• Students are also required to bring their morning tea and lunch with them. Depending on time, we will eat morning tea and possibly lunch at the park. 
• It is crucial that the children drink lots of water, so please make sure they have a water bottle.
• PUFFERS and EPI-PENS – please make sure your child has their own with them if required.
• Please make sure students have been to the toilet prior to arriving at school. While there are toilets available at the park, we would rather avoid using them where possible.
• Students will walk to Newtown Park in Class Groups.

Spectators

Spectators are welcome to attend.

Volunteers

If you are available to help set up in the morning, we will be down at the park from 7:30am.  Grade 6 students are also asked to arrive at 7:30am to assist with setting up.

Term 1 Swimming Lessons – Grade 1-6

Lesson Times:

Just as with any other classes, swimming is part of the curriculum and children are expected to participate unless a note of explanation is provided.  Participation in this program is highly recommended for the students in Grades 5 & 6, as many of the activities on camp are water-based.

We respectfully ask parents and other spectators to refrain from attending swimming lessons. It is important that the children are focused on their instructor and what they need to do in the pool. We appreciate your support.

Representative Sport—Toowoomba & Darling Downs Teams - Selections

Congratulations to the following students on their selection in representative teams:

West Zone Swimming Team: Millicent (Grade 5), Ashlee (Grade 5) & Hugh (Grade 6).

Toowoomba Netball: Delilah (Grade 6).

Toowoomba Basketball: Jonathon (Grade 6).

Toowoomba City Cricket: Peter (Grade 6).

Representative Sport—Toowoomba & Darling Downs Teams

Throughout the course of the year Toowoomba Primary School Sport and Darling Downs School Sport offer trials to eligible students for a variety of team and individual sports.  To be eligible for selection, students need to be born in 2012, 2013 or 2014. Strict nomination requirements apply, and it is at the sole discretion of the school to decide whether to nominate individual students.  

In order to gain interest levels and an idea of previous experience, an electronic representative Sport Nomination Form has been sent out.  This form outlines all relevant information regarding the trials for the whole of 2024.  Please thoroughly read all information. If your child is of a high standard in their chosen sport/s and would like to be considered for nomination, please complete the nomination form.  No student will be nominated for a trial without a completed form.

Here is the LINK to nominate a student. Please submit a new response for each individual child.

Please see below for upcoming trial dates. Please ensure that you confirm these details when the trial notice is released.

Rachel.Wigan@twb.catholic.edu.au