Dear Parents & Carers

Welcome once again to the beginning of a new school term. So good to see everyone back safe and sound from the Easter holiday and trust that you all enjoyed the time with family and friends.

Term 2 is traditionally a very busy and demanding period of the school year. With plenty of teaching and learning, assessment tasks and reporting to be done. It is paramount that children need to be present and engaged in the learning process. Regular absence from school only compounds problems associated with students completing all required tasks. If they are at school, students receive the necessary information and specialized assistance and this in-turn reduces stress levels for the student and in the home.

In addition to their day to day learning, other significant school related activities which occur this term include: - ANZAC Day commemorations, Cross Country carnivals, Athletics training and carnivals, Mothers’ Day celebrations, NAPLAN (Yrs. 3 & 5), School Photos, Confirmation/First Communion and ballgames carnival, just to name a few.

With the colder weather approaching parents need to be mindful of the onset of the cold and flu season which can take its toll on students, staff and parents. In this regard, I would certainly urge all parents to take the time to instill proper hygiene practices to help reduce the spread of such illnesses. I would also encourage parents to strongly consider influenza vaccinations for all family members.

When you think about it there is an enormous amount to learn when you are a kid. There are, of course, the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy, fine and gross motor skills, spatial awareness, knowledge of their place in the world, understanding of others in the world, local and national identity, maybe learning another language or a musical instrument, skill acquisition for various sports, etc. In addition to these are the social and emotional skills required to happily co-exist with their peers, siblings and important adults in their lives. It certainly is a lot to take on for anyone, let alone a primary school aged child. So, it is important to keep all this in mind as your child progresses through the year. There will be times where they will experience difficulty in one or two of these areas, this is called growing up. We all know that kids develop at different rates and to expect each and every child to be an expert in all areas, at the same time, is impossible.

We hope that throughout the year, our school will be a place where staff, students and families have opportunities to experience success and enjoyment. Within our school, we can all try to model respect of those around us and strive to be a community where all members are valued, affirmed and empowered. For this sentiment to continue throughout the year, it will require our collective wisdom and generosity of spirit to be at the forefront of all our communications.

Education today is a complex engagement because of the intensity and variety of external influences particularly through various forms of media and electronic communications. Our school has a special role in assisting every parent with the education of their children, so that all children will develop a sense of personal responsibility and learn the correct use of freedom. Throughout the term, our school will once again provide various experiences of liturgy and prayer, academic studies, cultural pursuits, sporting events and personal development enhancement to assist the intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual maturity of all our students.

The success of these experiences depends highly on the continual positive relationship between the child and their teacher and ongoing parental support of the teacher. Our role as the most important adults in children’s lives is a collective one and the power of unity should never be underestimated.

Have a great term and I look forward to the many exciting events and milestones which lay ahead in the coming months.

Cross Country

Thank you so much for your support at our cross country carnival which was held last week at Newtown Park. The number of parents in attendance was so good to see and assistance from parents was greatly appreciated. Congratulations to all students who participated and special well done to Beetson House in taking out the trophy. A big thank you as well to Mrs Salisbury for her efforts in organising a highly successful carnival and to the staff and sports captains who helped out throughout the day.

ANZAC Day

My appreciation to our Year 5 classes for organising last Friday’s ANZAC Day assembly. This was once again a very special occasion with all students paying upmost respect. Thank you to Miss Packer, Mrs McKay and Mr Franzmann for your efforts in preparing the students for the assembly.

Winter Uniform

A reminder to all families that the changeover to the winter uniform will occur after the Labour Day long weekend, Tuesday 4^th May. I do understand that there is a delay in some winter uniform items particularly the girls’ tunic and school track top. With this in mind, flexibility will be granted for the next couple of weeks or until sufficient stock has arrived at Hannas.

Once stock has arrived, please ensure that your children have all the necessary uniform items. This includes the appropriate jumpers and jackets. The school has a navy blue fleecy pullover and or woolen knitted jumper(optional) and a navy blue track top both with the school emblem. These are the only jumpers which are to be worn. For colder days or those who feel the cold, children are permitted to wear both at the same time. Scarves and gloves are also permitted but must be in school colours e.g., navy blue. We have on sale school beanies if children wish to wear one during those colder days. Alternate coloured jumpers and winter accessories are not permitted.  The school provides a clothing pool for the convenience of families in regard to the supply of second hand uniform items.

Mother's Day

We will be once again celebrating this special occasion with our traditional Mother’s Day Mass on Wednesday 5th May at 10:00 am in the Hall. Parents are most welcome to attend.

Our annual Mother’s Day Stall will be held on Friday 7^th May. To assist with the stall, we are requesting donations of suitable Mother’s Day gifts which the children can purchase for their Mums in readiness for Mother’s Day. Please forward all donated gifts to your child’s teacher.

2022 Prep Enrolments

This week I will be making a final decision on Prep placements for the 2022 school year. Once again, we have been overwhelmed by the demand for enrolment and it has been rewarding to hear that the main reason families have applied is because of the great reputation our school has in the community.

Siblings of existing students receive automatic placement into the Prep program, however we still require an application for enrolment form to be handed in. The families concerned will receive confirmation in the mail within the next two weeks. If you are unsure whether or not you have applied for enrolment for your son or daughter for Prep next year, please contact the office.

I ask for your assistance regarding your knowledge of any other families who may be thinking about enrolling their child or children here at Lourdes in any year level, to inform them to contact the school at their earliest convenience. Prior knowledge of accurate enrolment numbers for the following year greatly assists the school in providing appropriate levels of staffing and classroom resourcing. 

Parking

We have once again received complaints from the Toowoomba Regional Council about illegal parking practices (blocking driveways, ignoring no parking signs etc.) particularly parents utilizing Wallace Street. Further patrols by council and police will occur over the next few weeks.

School Fees

Term 2 school fees will be emailed home in Week 4 of this term. Please ensure you check your emails for these invoices. It is vital that all families meet their financial commitment to the school on a timely basis. Families with outstanding balances from Term 1 will be contacted shortly by the school. Remember, there are numerous ways families can pay fees and concessions are available for any family experiencing genuine financial difficultly. Without your financial support, the school is unable to continue the excellent level of resources and facilities which benefit all the students who attend. We strive to keep fees and levies as low as possible and in comparison, with other “like” schools, our fees are one of the lowest on offer. Thank you in anticipation of the timely payment of fees.

Thanks for reading…

Chris