Term 1 Week 8
“In All Things May God Be Glorified”
Our Lady of the
Nativity School
Monday 14th March 2016
OLN Parish Priest
Fr Paul Slyney
In the Parish of Our Lady of the Nativity
Special points of
interest in this
Newsletter
Kinder 2017 Enrolments
St Patrick’s Day Mufti
OLN Cross Country
Inside this issue:
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Calendar for the
Fortnight
School Fees 10
Weeks Notice
OLN Parish News
Sports News
RE News
School Council
News
ANZAC Day
St Columba’s Yr 7
2017 Information
Evening
Captivate
WSU Astronomy
Night
Toddlers Group
My School Lunch
Box
Uniform Shop
Book Club
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Quality Catholic
Schooling Project
2016
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Term 1 school
Fees
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End Daylight
Saving
9
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Kinder 2017
Enrolments
11
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Community News
News
12
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Maths Info
The Core Value for this term is Respect.
Dear Parents and community attending our twilight Swimming
Carnival over the last two years Mrs
members,
Parent tours of our school
It was a joy for our school last week,
during Catholic Schools Week, to
share with visitors the manner in
which OLN students are learning. On
Wednesday parents, who were able,
met with the teachers of their
children for a BBQ breakfast before
walking through the classrooms. On
Thursday professional colleagues
from the Catholic Schools in the Blue
Mountains – Penrith area had the
opportunity to take time and visit
classrooms. The learning environment
for children is so important, the
children certainly experienced many
adults taking special notice of their
efforts last week.
Maund has worked with Mrs Regan to
make the 2016 carnival a whole
school event. It is on November 30th.
To celebrate Mrs Regan has managed
to book an exciting surprise bus for
student transport on this day.
Looking forward to it already!
The influence of scripture
The parable of the Prodigal Son was
the gospel read on Sunday two weeks
ago. Over the last few weeks students
in upper primary classes have read
and shared insights of this as a story
of God’s revealed mercy. It is the
focus scripture for their class lessons
during Lent and in preparation of
Easter. There remain so many
aspects to such a story. I remember
walking home from my own school as
a 2nd grader and having a
conversation with my cousin about
Parents who could not visit last
this parable we had read to us earlier
Wednesday and would like to do so at
in the day!
a more convenient time can
My cousin and I may have been
participate in a walk through the
getting ourselves ready to ‘face the
classrooms by making an
music’ after delaying our walk home
appointment via ‘100 days, 100
via the local park, something we’d
families’. The details of booking a
been told not to do without a parent.
place for a school tour were sent
home last Friday. These same details It is amazing to think back and be
reminded of how the scriptures
can be revisited on the school’s web
inform the youngest of children about
http://
www.olnlawson.catholic.edu.au/news life’s wisdom. Every day impacts our
-details/latest-news-global/100-days- future lives. Every choice we make,
no matter how small or large has a
100-families/true and social media
consequence, impacting the future.
page https://
www.facebook.com/0LNLawson
The Lord has done great things for
us; we are filled with joy.
Extra-curricula events
Ps 33: 2 - 7
This Thursday is OLN’s Cross
Country event. It is one example of
With best regards,
the extra work staff at OLN manage to
achieve when creating opportunities
for our students to experience a
variety of sports and have opportunity
to be competitive. Additionally we are Michael Cowley
able to announce that based on the
PRINCIPAL
gradual increase of students
School Fees—Reminder of
Notice period to Parents/
Guardians
Please Note: As per the Catholic
Education
Office
Parramatta
school fee policy, a term's notice
(10 school weeks) in writing must
be given to the school before the
removal of a student or a full
term's fees will be payable.
Special circumstances that would
warrant 6 weeks' notice include
moving out of area due to
employment transfer or sale of
house.
What’s on this Fortnight!
Tuesday
15th March
(Week 8)
 Music
 Banking
 RCIA Instruction 7:30pm
Church Meeting Room
Wednesday
16th March
 St
OLN
Patrick’s Day Mufti
 OLN School Canteen Open
 Sport Stage 2 & Stage 3
Thursday
17th March

OLN Cross Country
 My School Lunch Box
 Sport—Kinder, Year 1, Year 2
Friday
18th March
Sunday
20th March
Monday
21st March
(Week 9)
 Drama
 Japanese
 Palm Sunday Walk WYD Launch
 OLN St Patrick Day Celebration
 QUALITY CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
SURVEY COMMENCES
 My School Lunch Box
 Toddlers Group 8:45-11am
 School Council Meeting 7:15pm
Tuesday
22nd March
Wednesday
23rd March
 Music
 RCIA Instruction 7:30pm
Church Meeting Room
OLN
 OLN School Canteen Open
 Sport Stage 2 & Stage 3
 St Columba's Yr 7 2017
Information Afternoon/Evening
Thursday
24th March
 My School Lunch Box
 OLN
Cross Country B/U
 Sport—Kinder, Year 1, Year 2
Friday
25th March
Monday
28th March

GOOD FRIDAY

EASTER MONDAY
(Week 10)
SEE OUR WEBSITE
www.olnlawson.catholic.edu.au
Email: [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook.
Term 1 Week 8
Tuesday
29th March
 Bulletin
4pm)
available
online
(after
OLN PARISH NEWS
Parish Priest: Fr Paul Slyney
Sick Calls please phone
Fr Paul 0418 461 316
Office: 254 Great Western Hwy,
Lawson 2783
Office Hours – Thursday/Friday
8.30am – 4.30pm
(Messages can be left on answering machine at any
other time)
Phone: 4759 1034
Email: [email protected]
IMPORTANT DATES
412YOUTH GROUP will meet next on
Friday, 5th Feb. 6.30-9.00pm in the Santa
Maria Hall. Young people from Year 7 to
12 gather in a Catholic social environment
that is safe, welcoming, and encourages
connection, growth, celebration and fun!!
The Youth Group is involved in a wide variety
of
activities, and meet on a fortnightly
basis in the school term at the Santa Maria
Centre hall.
Please call or text Damian on 0425 259 500
for further information.
WEEKEND MASSES
(Saturday Vigil 5pm & Sunday 8.30am
WEEKDAY MASS
Thursday - 9am
Monday Prayer Group—4:15-5:15pm in the
Parish Meeting Room
(Sandi Mowbray 47592397)
Wednesdays—Christian Meditation— 56pm in the Santa Maria Outside Chapel
RECONCILIATION
2nd & 4th Saturdays: 4 - 4.30pm
BAPTISMS
1st & 3rd Saturdays of the month
By appointment - one month’s notice
MARRIAGES
By appointment - six month’s notice
Josephite Associates:
Lorraine Phillips 0403 523 353
Visiting and Communion to the sick:
Please phone the Parish Office (4759 1034)
Catechist Co-ordinator:
Tony Oxman 0498 355 627
Youth Group Co-ordinator:
Damian Moore 4759 3121
Over 50’s Group Co-ordinator:
Paula Currie
0416 185 651 or 4758 9763
Dates for 2016 Sacramental Programs are as
follows:
Term 2 - Confirmation - Friday, 3rd
June
Term 3 - First Communion - Sunday,
28th August
Term 4 - First Reconciliation Friday, 18th November
2016 PARISH SACRAMENT PROGRAMS
Parents wishing for their children to
participate in this year's Confirmation and
First Eucharist programs are required to
forward to the Parish Office, the enrolment
form for each of their children as soon as
possible. Enrolment forms for many of the
children who participated in last year's
Reconciliation and First Eucharist Programs
are yet to be received. Parents of children to
be
enrolled
for
the
Sacrament
of
Reconciliation
(Year
3/4)will
receive
notification during Term 3 as they will receive
this Sacrament on Friday, 18th November,
with the 4 weekly preparation sessions
commencing
weekend
of
22nd/23rd
October. For any further information, please
contact Paula in the Parish Office (Thursdays/
Fridays) or on 4759 1034.
OLN SPORTS NEWS
OLN Cross Country
WHEN:
WHERE:
START TIME:
Thursday 17th March (Week 8)
OLN School Oval
9AM
Students will need to wear their Sports Uniform and School Hat, but are encouraged to display their
House colour (Blue, Green, Red). Students will need to bring plenty of water and their recess to the
Oval.
PARENT HELP
ON THIS DAY WILL BE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THE SAFE AND
SUCCESSFUL RUNNING OF THE EVENT. WE WILL NEED HELP WITH SUPERVISION ALONG
THE COURSE, RECORDING RESULTS AND ORGANISING EQUIPMENT. PLEASE COME ALONG
AND LEND A HAND.
KATOOMBA INDOOR SOCCER GALA TERM 2
Expressions of Interest from students for this Gala Day has now closed. Teams will
be formulated in the near future and students will be advised. Thank you for your
interest.
RE NEWS
OLN St Patrick’s Day—Mufti
Wednesday 16TH MARCH 2016
Students can dress in Irish or Green clothes to celebrate
St Patrick’s Day.
Gold coin donation (all money goes to Project Compassion)
At RECESS the Canteen will be selling the following special items:Green Cupcakes
$1.00
Green Jelly Cups
$0.50
Mrs Joanne Potts REC
OLN SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Bulbs and Easter eggs fundraisers. The bulbs will
be available in a few weeks in time to plant for when the weather is cooler (hopefully!). If you
have bought a box of Easter eggs you can start selling them to family, friends and work
colleagues now and collect the money before Easter. The final $30 profit needs to be returned to
the school by March 30th after Easter. Thank you all again for supporting our school!
Save the Date- Sunday September 11th for our Spring Fair. A call for volunteers will go out
next week. The more helpers the easier the day is for everyone so think about joining in!
Next council meeting is Monday 21st March 7.15PM. Contact [email protected]
ANZAC DAY 2016
Anzac Day March @ Lawson Monday 25th April
Anzac Day falls on Monday of Week 1, Term 2 and is a Public
Holiday. We will be continuing our tradition of attending this
very important commemorative service as a school. Therefore,
we are asking as many families as possible to join with us.
The march route requires us to muster adjacent to the church
(near Skinners’s Hardware) at 10:10am to participate in the
Lawson March.
Students must be in their full WINTER Uniform, including
school hat.
Let’s remember those Australian & New Zealand service
personnel and their families who made sacrifices to preserve the
freedoms we enjoy today.
PENRITH OBSERVATORY
SCHOOL OF COMPUTING, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS
DADS & KIDS ASTRONOMY NIGHT
The Penrith Observatory will be hosting a “Dads and Kids
Astronomy Night” on Saturday 19 March from 8.00 pm –
10.00 pm. All fathers, grandfathers, kids and grandkids
are invited to attend. This evening is for everyone and age
is no barrier to spending an evening with the family and
the stars.
Professor Miroslav Filipovic, Director of the Penrith Observatory, will make a presentation on “Aliens – Nooo!” –
What is the likelihood of aliens and are really unique?
The presentation will be followed by a 3D astronomy movie, a tour of the dome area and 0.6m telescope, and viewing of the night sky through the university’s computerised
telescopes. The Western Sydney Amateur Astronomy
Group will also be on hand to help with the viewings.
To book and pay for tickets visit the “What’s On” page
at westernsydney.edu.au/observatory
COST: $18 for adults, $12 for children/concessions or
$50 for a family
Catholic Education Office
BOOK CLUB NEWS
My School Lunch Box
[email protected]
NEW SUMMER MENU ITEMS
AVAILABLE
AVAILABLE ON
MONDAYS AND
THURSDAYS
The return date for Issue 2
Bookclub is Thursday 24th March.
All parent dollars spent on Scholastic
Bookclub earn the school valuable
resources.
Please note when ordering from
Bookclub NO cash or cheque
payments can be accepted at the
school. All payments need to be made
by using the Scholastic LOOP payment
system online (refer to Scholastic
brochure). No forms need to be
returned to the School office.
OLN TODDLERS GROUP
Join us each MONDAY from 8:45 to 11am (during
school terms) in the Care Group Room within the
School grounds.
New families with babies, toddlers and preschoolers are most welcome to join the group.
Different activities are enjoyed each week.
For further information please contact Rebecca
Canning on 0406595218.
UNIFORM SHOP
The Uniform Shop will be open on the following Thursdays in Term 1 from 08:30am :-
Week 8
Week 10
Donations of good quality uniform items are greatly appreciated and can be
left at the School Office. Please do not send in items that you would not
consider appropriate for your own child to wear.
The cost of Clothing Pool items of particularly good quality will be $5 per item.
For working parents who can’t get to the uniform shop, please send a note and money in with your child,
detailing your request and your order will be filled and returned to your child or your money returned if
we are unable to fill the order.
UP-TODATE CONTACT INFORMATION
If you change your address, home phone, mobile phones, email addresses or
emergency contact details please let the School Office staff know at your very
earliest convenience.
In case of an emergency we want to be able to contact you in the most efficient
manner.
Quality Catholic Schooling (QCS) Project 2016
All Catholic schools in the Diocese of Parramatta will once again be participating in the Quality Catholic
School (QCS) Project in 2016. QCS will provide data from students, staff and parents about our school’s
cultural behaviour, relationships and learning community and will assist us to focus our efforts for
improvement by building on our successes to date. From 21st March to 1st April all staff, all Stage 3
students (during class time) and 60 randomly selected parents will be asked to complete an online
survey. A paper copy will be sent to parents shortly, but the survey can be completed on line if preferred.
The survey is strictly confidential and no individual will be identified to the school or the Catholic
Education Office.
If you are selected to complete the survey, please consider doing so as this will help our school identify
our strengths and areas in which we can focus our improvement. If you have any questions please
contact Mrs Helen Chaloner.
School Fees Term 1 2016
The school fee statements for Term 1, 2016 have now been mailed. The due date for payment was on or
before Monday 7th March, 2016.
If you did not receive your account please contact the school office.
If you are experiencing difficulties with the payment of your school fees, please do not hesitate to contact
the office to arrange an appointment to discuss payment options. Please note that as part of this process
you may be required to complete a Statement of Financial Position to be assessed by the School Fee Liaison Unit, Catholic Education Office Parramatta. All information provided is treated with complete confidentiality.
Please be advised that unless alternative arrangements have been made regarding the payment of your account it will be assumed that full payment will be made on or before the
due date. Outstanding accounts will be forwarded to the Catholic Education Office for actioning.
School fees can be paid by Bpay, Postbillpay, cash, EFTPOS or cheque.
3 Apr 2016 - Daylight Saving Time EndsEnds
When local daylight time is about to reach
Sunday, 3 April 2016, 3:00:00 AM clocks are turned backward 1 hour
to
Sunday, 3 April 2016, 2:00:00 AM local standard time instead
KINDER 2017
ENROLMENTS
Our Enrolment process
Kindergarten 2017 has
commenced.
for
now
If your child will be ready to
begin school in 2017, please make
contact with Mrs Chaloner in the
School Office.
Your child’s name will be placed on
the list and the Enrolment
packages will be sent home in the
coming weeks.
LIBRARY NEWS
Dear Parents,
We are really enjoying our coding and the littlebits electronics kit.
In our Makerspace we have Low Tech eg drawing/paper craft etc and High Tech activities
such as electronics. The students are encouraged to be innovative and to create and make.
The infants are using the bee-bot robots in lessons and Stage 2&3 have begun working with
Scratch to learn coding. The mindset of students in these activities is just amazing! There
is a wonderful calm where students are fully engrossed in their new learning!
Library Matters
There are a number of books still outstanding from last year. Thankyou to the parents who
have paid for lost books already. I have sent home notes via students .These books are
school assets and accountable on our assets register. A loss of books means a depletion of
valuable school resources.
Are there any parents who can help with chess?
Have a wonderful week!
Maree Crawford
Teacher Librarian
THANKS FOR BEAUTIFYING OUR ENVIRONMENT
Have you seen our gardening gurus putting in
the hard yards around the school?
Our warmest thanks to Greg Hill, Rosalind
James, Kylie Ranson and Rory Hill for all your
tremendous efforts to beautify our
environment. We appreciate your time, effort
and commitment to our school.
Want to lend a hand? Just ask Greg next time
you see him.
We must also thank our Maintenance Person
Mr Stephen Crye for all the tidying up he has
been doing around the school.