Dear Parents & Carers 

Children love seeing their parents being involved in their school life. Luckily, there are quite a few upcoming events where you will be able to demonstrate this for your child. Next week will be our first ever Loving the Arts at Lourdes. You’re invited to our Twilight Art Exhibition on Tuesday evening, 22 Aug from 5pm, with all students exhibiting art works. The evening will also consist of performances from various students and our own Music Teacher, Mrs Rosier. Additionally, Mrs Verdon’s husband, Des Verdon, an exceptional local artist and Art Teacher, will paint the portrait of our very own P&F President, Ross Haylock on the night. Check your email for an RSVP link that was sent home on Monday – this will help with catering. Free entry, nibbles provided, and drinks available to purchase.  

Next Wednesday 23 August, Loving the Arts at Lourdes continues with Prep – Year 3 performing in the morning from 9 am and Year 4- 6 performing from 11:30. We would love to see you there if you can make it. 

Don’t forget in Week 8 of this term, we have our annual Fathers’ Day Mass on Thursday 31 Aug and Chris Golightly’s farewell on Friday 8 Sept. Lourdes thrives when there are events and activities that bring people together and they certainly strengthen the fabric of our community. We look forward to you joining us. 

Next week will also be Book Week. To foster parental engagement with learning, more than any other week, you are encouraged to read with your child for enjoyment. Your child would love reading a book or two with you at home, even listening to an Audio book on the way to school. The theme for Book Week is ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’ and our wonderful Teacher Librarian and Library Aide have organised fun activities for the children to partake in at lunch times – all to inspire a love of reading.  

Building Project 

We are so close to gaining certification to enter new classrooms in Giabal building, including the Tuck Shop. I think most parents are only concerned about Tuck Shop opening! Not only do we have a revamped Tuck Shop, we have contemporary indoor and outdoor learning spaces, additional toilet facilities, new outdoor play areas, and verandas that connect all buildings together. These new spaces are wonderful for our community.  

However, it would be remiss of me to not thank all our staff, students and parents who have had to overcome many disruptions and inconveniences during the project. These have included early start times for our younger years, new drop-off and pick-up times for families, noisy building works next to learning spaces, teachers having to move classrooms many times, delayed time frames, and less play spaces.  

With patience and ongoing support of each other, we are nearing the end and I sincerely thank you all for your patience, cooperation, and support. It is tremendously appreciated. The end product is amazing and not only do we benefit from our hard work, it as a tremendous investment for future generations.  

A big thank you to those parents who came to assist us with the Working Bee last Saturday. Many hands make light work!  

Communication 

As it is in any organization, please keep in mind that problems arise from time to time.  A school community is a complex body involving the parish, the Catholic Schools Office, school administration, teachers and support staff, visiting specialists, parent groups, and students. As educators of children, we have the interests of the child at heart. We understand the concerns of parents and we ask that parents in return understand that the roles of the teacher continue to become more demanding and complex.   

The education of our students is a partnership. When an issue arises, please contact the person concerned directly at the earliest opportunity and in the least formal way, i.e. a quick chat before or after school, courteous email or phone call at a reasonable time of day. 

An important point to remember is to keep an open mind about what you hear.  We love and cherish our children; however, it is wise to remember that they can sometimes embellish the story and only tell one side. Checking ‘stories’ with your child’s teacher in a courteous manner will resolve any such problems, as they are the ones that will know different perspectives, other details and facts, and can give a clear explanation of all sides of the story.  

Please refrain from going to each other on social media to deal with problems between your children. Make time to speak directly to the teacher or someone on leadership. We will do our best to hear your concerns and deal with them in the most appropriate manner. 

Parent Teacher Interviews 

Speaking of communication, depending on teacher availability, Parent Teacher Interviews will occur in Weeks 9 & 10 of Term 3 and/ or in Week 1 of Term 4 this term. These will be managed through the Parent Portal for all classes. These interviews are vital to maintain clear communication about your child’s learning progress and provide a great opportunity for teachers and parents to clarify understandings around learning and assessment, as well as effort, attitude, and behaviour in class and around school. Teachers will be able to provide next learning steps and provide suggestions to support learning at home. Parents can share concerns or advice they think the teacher should be aware of. 

You will be able to book a convenient time to meet with your child’s teacher from next Monday 21 August. You are welcome to drop into the office to see Carla who will be able to assist with the booking process or you can send an email to lourdes@twb.catholic.edu.au to ask for assistance.  

Summer Uniform 

Officially, Monday Week 9 is the changeover date to the summer uniform. Due to swimming lessons that week for Prep - Yr 3, these students are permitted to wear their sports uniform each day to make getting changed a lot easier. 

Have a great week. 

Miranda

Ms Miranda Murray
Acting Principal

Upcoming Events