Dear Families,

With the halfway point of Term 1 now behind us, we continue to maintain a strong focus on student learning and engagement. It has been wonderful to see the students settle so quickly into the school year. As we approach this next part of the term, I ask you to support us in ensuring students are arriving to school in their correct school uniform. When students dress in their uniform correctly, this increases their sense of belonging, pride in our school and sends a strong message to the wider community of the wonderful school we have here at Lourdes. Thank you.

School Feedback- SRIP

Our Lady of Lourdes is scheduled for a Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) quadrennial school review during Week 3 of Term 2.

The Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office has a School renewal and improvement framework in place which has as a key element of this review. In this review a panel consisting of senior staff from the Toowoomba Catholic Schools (TCS) Teaching and Learning Directorate and a peer principal from another school in the Diocese visit the school for three days.

Through a process of appreciative inquiry, panel members interview staff, parents/carers, students and community members. The questions asked are “In your opinion, what is going well at the school?” and “What could be done better?” The purpose is for the panel to report to the school community its findings and suggested improvement strategies. These inform the process of strategic plan development and the annual action plans which are also linked to the TCS Strategic Plan.

The aim is to assist schools to strategically plan to improve teaching and learning and these reviews occur in all TCS schools.

The review team would like to hear from the school community, and I encourage anyone who is interested to have their say. Your feedback is important and will help us to continue to achieve the two pillars of TCS: that all students will come to personally know Jesus and that all students will achieve academic success.

Feedback can be provided to the review panel in person or by telephone. All feedback remains confidential.

Please contact the school office if you are interested in speaking to a reviewer and a time will be allocated to you.

Following this review, I will work with our school community to create the strategic plan that will guide the education for your children over the next 4 years.

Engagement

The students at the school have already been engaged with so much this term. Thes activities and learning opportunities come about through the great work of our staff who go above and beyond every day. Thank you to all our staff for such a positive start to 2024! I encourage you all to keep reading the newsletter, Sentral messages, and the OLOL Memos page on Facebook, to ensure you are aware of what is happening at school. Engaged students are successful students!

Take care,

Bridget

Ms Bridget Trenerry
Principal

Upcoming Events

Naplan

This year, our Year 3 and Year 5 students will begin NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) in Week 8 of Term 1. 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 and compares results with other students across Australia.  

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers but can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress.

The NAPLAN test window begins on Wednesday 13 March and will be completed in the following sequence: Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar, & punctuation) and Numeracy.

Except for the Year 3 writing test, all NAPLAN tests are online and tailored to student responses, providing questions that are more or less difficult depending on their answers. A student’s overall NAPLAN result is based on both the number and complexity of questions they answer correctly. Your child should not be concerned if they find questions challenging; they may be taking a more complex test pathway.  

NAPLAN results are reported using proficiency standards: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support. This report will be sent home later in the year.

Prior to sitting the NAPLAN tests, students will complete practice tests that will have similar questions and format.

This brochure has more parent information about the purpose of NAPLAN, what it assesses, and key points for parents to know.

What you can do at home to prepare for NAPLAN:

• 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.
• This public demonstration site can be used for practice if you wish.
• Arrive to school on time on the day of NAPLAN testing.
• Ensure students have a good sleep and a full breakfast before the test.
• Check your child has their headphones at school in preparation for NAPLAN.

Kind regards

Miranda

Miranda Murray
Assistant Principal

We have had a busy time over the last two weeks!   

Thursday, 2 weeks ago, our Year 6 leaders were formally presented with their Leadership Badges and Year 6 t-shirts at a special assembly, followed by afternoon tea with parents and friends in our staff room. We were so lucky to hear from past student Maconal Grealy. Maconal finished his primary school years at OLOL in 2014. He is currently training and playing with the Queensland Reds Rugby Union Team. Maconal shared his persistence story – reminding us that to get to where you want to be, you must continually keep trying.

Remember we are in the church season of Lent. Lent is a time of change, and we can be the change to make our world a better place by remembering to serve others.  It would be great if families could spare 50c each Friday for Lent for “50c Friday”.  This will add to our Pancake Day donation and will help the Caritas organisation as they can continue helping others in need. Each class has a Caritas collection box on their prayer table.   

On Sunday 18^th February, the candidates and their families involved with Confirmation and First Eucharist Preparation for 2024, gathered for their first Preparation Workshop. The children and their parents began working through their preparation booklets.  The next Preparation Workshop is on Sunday 10^th March at 10:30 am.  If you have any questions or queries, please call the Parish office on 07 46341453 or call in between 9 am -1 pm weekdays. The Parish can be emailed using olol.parish@bigpond.com  

St Patrick’s Green Coloured Clothes Day is on Friday 15^th March – remember to wear your wackiest sun-safe green outfit and bring a Gold coin donation. We will be supporting Caritas on this day.  

Please note there will be no assembly in Week 9 because it is swimming week for Years 1 to 6. 

It’s that time of year again – take that snapshot of Mum / Grandma with her children /grandchildren ready for our Mothers Day Powerpoint which we share during our Mothers Day Mass. I need one pic per family. 

Our OLOL Mothers Day Mass is on Friday 10^th May at 10 am. Mothers Day Photos will need to be in no later than Friday, 3^rd  May. Please email your pic to Janice.Moore@twb.catholic.edu.au  

Dates for your Diary  

Thursday 29^th March – Week 6 Assembly 2 pm – led by 4L

Thursday 7^th March – Week 7 Assembly 2 pm – Led by 2D

Sunday 10^th March – 2^nd Confirmation First Eucharist Preparation Workshop 10:30 am OLOL Church 

Thursday 14^th March – Week 8 Assembly - Led by 2G

Friday 15^th March – St Patrick’s Day – wear your sun-safe green clothes – Gold coin donation for Caritas and St Vincent De Paul 

Sunday 24^th March – 3^rdConfirmation First Eucharist Preparation Workshop 10:30 am OLOL Church 

Thursday 28^th  March – Holy Week Assembly 11 am – OLOL School Hall 

Term 2 

Thursday 18^th April – Resurrection Reflection 2 pm  - OLOL  School Hall – led by Year 6

Wednesday  24^th April – OLOL Anzac Day Ceremony 2 pm – OLOL School Hall 

Sunday 28^th  April – 4^th Confirmation First Eucharist Preparation Workshop 10:30 am  

Friday 10^th May – Mothers Day Mass and Morning Tea  10 am  - OLOL School Hall

Have a great week!  

Janice

Janice Moore
Assistant Principal Religious Education (APRE)

Prep

It has been pleasing to see the children’s buckets come to school. It is wonderful to see the many ways the children are filling other’s buckets. When we fill someone’s bucket, we also fill our own. Please continue to send the buckets into class so we can celebrate.

This Friday, to celebrate the letter Pp the children are invited to wear their pyjamas to school and enjoy some popcorn.

Letter of the week, sight words and Maths concepts need to be revised each week - this will ensure the information goes from our short-term memory to our long-term memory without falling out our ear! Thank you for supporting this revision at home with your children.

Please remember, children need their hat, water bottle and satchel every day.

On March 21^st, Old MacDonald’s Farm is visiting as part of our science unit. We are learning about the observable features of animals. Please give consent for this visit via the Parent Portal. The cost is $11 and will be added to your school fee account.  

On Monday 4^th March, Parent-Teacher interview timeslots will become available. Please sign up for an interview time via the portal. Each interview time will be for 15 minutes. Interview times for each teacher vary according to availability. It is extremely important to check in with the teacher to discuss your child’s progress.

Many thanks,

Melita, Amy and Becky    

Year 1

This term is flying by, and the Year 1 students are well on their way to being great Lourdes Learners. They know the routines and expectations, and it is great to see them enthusiastically participating in their learning.

In English, we have started reading Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan. In this unit of work, the students will discuss the characters, setting and plot to build an understanding of fiction and its structure. Marcia Vaughan uses amazing adjectives and unusual verbs throughout the story. We will be searching for those words in the text as we listen to the story. Students are encouraged to use these ‘wow’ words in their writing to write like the author. 

In Maths, we are investigating two-digit numbers and through exploration the students are learning that these numbers are made up of tens and ones.  We will continue to practise writing, representing and finding two-digit numbers on number lines throughout the term.

The children have been enjoying our Wednesday work groups, where all three Year 1 classes combine to work through a variety of rotations including phonics, oral language, listening comprehension, maths, STEM, gross motor, fine motor and mindfulness. They have also really enjoyed meeting and getting to know their Year 6 buddies on Friday mornings.

A big thank you to our parent helpers for reading with students each morning! We are very grateful for your help. Please keep up the homework routines and reading with your child each night.

Laura, Jenny and Dennielle          

Year 2

Hello from Year 2!

This week in Maths, we are continuing to work with 3-digit numbers and we are also exploring the calendar – days, dates, months and seasons.

In English, we have started our literary retell unit and will be retelling some of Margaret Wild’s stories over the next few weeks. We are continuing to work on our sentence structure and using noun groups, vocabulary and conjunctions to add detail and interest to our writing.

In Religion and HASS, we continue to identify how we can be stewards of Creation and how the message of Angela Merici is evident in the OLOL community.

This term, 2D will present the assembly prayer in Week 7 (7th March) and 2G in Week 8 (14th March). We would love to see you there! 2B will be presenting next term.

Have a great week!

Sarah, Ange B and Ange B       

Year 3

What’s been happening in Year 3…

We are so proud of the Year 3 students for the detail and understanding they demonstrate in their Newsletter reflections. Please enjoy the reflections below outlining what we have been learning about in each subject area!

Maths: (Lewis and Alex, 3F) We have been learning about multiplication and time.

For our 2 times table, we double the number. For our 4 times table, we use the strategy of double-double. That is where you double the number and then double that answer again. We have been completing think boards each day to help us visualise our times tables. For our lessons, we have been reading the time to the closest 5-minute interval. It is easy to do because you just count in 5 around the clock.

English: We have continued to learn how to structure and write a narrative using a story mountain. This week, we have been focusing on the rising action which is the small problem of a story before you get to the climax, the big problem. Please enjoy some of our writing samples.

Joe and Bodhi (3C) - The boat began to rock side to side, splashing salty water all over them. Cautiously, Matt and his dad peeked over the edge of the boat to see a glimpse of a massive Blue Whale.  

Gloria, Zayne & Oliver (3C) - Matt’s rod started to pull him down towards the deep, dark, blue water. He was so excited to finally catch his first fish. However, he soon realised he had hooked a baby whale.

Indi, Michael & Issy (3C) - In the distance, Matt noticed a whale heading their way. The whale dived under the speed boat, it started to rock rapidly from side to side.

Religion: (Hollie and Llewellyn, 3F) Last week, we read the scripture called Jacob’s Dream. This story is found in the book of Genesis, chapter 28, verse 10-22. In this story, we read about Jacob who is the grandson of Abraham. Jacob dreams of a ladder reaching up to heaven, he saw angels going up and down the ladder, and God was sitting at the top.  The message from this story is that God will forgive if you believe and follow his Commandments. This week, we are learning about the Beatitudes.

Science: Ryan W, Charlotte, & Reagan (3L) – In Science, we are learning about the three types of rocks – metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary. Igneous rocks come from the hot magma of volcanoes. They can have crystals and holes from air bubbles when the magma cools. Sedimentary rocks are formed from other broken-down rocks that are stacked on top of each other. They often have fossils that get stuck between their layers. Metamorphic rocks are rocks that have changed because of heat, pressure, or chemicals. We have also learnt that crystals are made from magma that melts slowly and can be all different colours.

HASS: Grace and Issy (3C) - This week, we have been learning about celebrations and commemorations. A celebration is an exciting and happy time where people gather, like when it’s your birthday, weddings, Baptisms, and school discos. Commemorations are sad times to remember a person or event like Anzac Day, National Sorry Day, and funerals.

Health: Pager & Logan (3L) – In Health, we have been learning about emotions and feelings. There are four Zones of Regulation – Blue, Green, Red, and Yellow. Regulation means resetting to the Green Zone. We are also learning about looking at body clues to know what you and other people are feeling. To know what they are feeling, we look at people’s faces (smiling, frowning…) and body language (slouched shoulders…). If you are sad or mad, or just need to cool down, here are some tips. 1. Take slow breaths. 2. Drink water. 3. Go outside for some fresh air.

Important Information:

• 8^th March - St Patrick’s Day Free Dress – gold coin donation
• NAPLAN is coming up in Week 8 of this term. In the lead-up to NAPLAN, please:
  • Ensure your child gets plenty of sleep.
  • Ensure your child has an adequate breakfast and plenty of food in their lunch box.
  • Engage in positive conversations around NAPLAN.
  • Remind your child NAPLAN is an opportunity to show what they know and what their teacher can help them continue to grow in. Remind them that they are not expected to know everything, and some questions might challenge them – this is okay!
  • Encourage plenty of reading at home! Ask your child questions about what they are reading to get them thinking about the words/storyline/characters they have read.
  • If you wish, reviewing old NAPLAN tests may help build confidence and familiarity with the layout and style of questions. Please note, we are also doing this in the classroom, so it is not expected or required. You will find old NAPLAN tests at: NAPLAN 2012-2016 test papers (acara.edu.au)
• Please note, there will be no homework the week of NAPLAN to ensure children are able to rest well each afternoon.

Have a great week!

Kirsty, Melissa, and Demi     

Year 4

Welcome to Week 6!  We hope that everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather. It is hard to believe that we are already in the second half of this Term.   

We are working hard to be focused Lourdes Learners, striving to achieve our personal goals.

Thank you to all the students who have been working hard on their homework.  We would like to encourage all students to learn their spelling and tables every night.  We are focusing on tables and their related division facts that were taught in Year 3.  It is expected that students should be familiar with these answers and able to recall them quickly – 2, 3, 5, and 10 times tables.  If anyone doesn’t confidently know these number facts, these should be continually learned at home.   

A reminder that Cross Country training happens at 7.30 am at Newtown Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What a great way to start the day! Well done to those who have started training at home as well.  

During Lent, as Global Citizens, we can take the time to donate money to help other people throughout the world who are in need. We would encourage students to donate a coin or two each week to the Caritas Mission box that is in our classrooms. 

This week 4L is leading the prayer for assembly. All are welcome at 2.00 pm.  

There is a free dress day for St Patrick’s Day in Week 8 on the 17^th of March, so dig out those green or orange clothes to celebrate Paddy’s Day, and don’t forget the gold coin donation.  

Any queries or concerns don’t hesitate to contact us. Enjoy the rest of the week!

Suzanne, Aleisha, Jessica and Danielle

Year 5

We have enthusiastically welcomed Week 6 of term, with the students continuing to put their best efforts into their work. In Maths, the students are working hard on double-digit multiplication problems - keep practising as much as possible and have someone at home think of numbers to multiply. Remember, practice makes progress! In English, the students are working on “bumping up” their descriptive writing by using MOPS (metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, and simile).     

Buddies
The Year 5s meet up with their Prep buddies each Friday before morning tea. This gives the Year 5s an opportunity to help their Prep buddies read books, draw, and practise their letter and number writing. It’s a highlight of the week for both Year 5 and Prep, and it is wonderful to see Year 5 setting such a great example. 

Friday Sport
The students enjoyed attending the different venues and actively participated in their chosen sports last week.  The students have shown terrific sportsmanship by helping one another and offering encouragement and recognition to competitors from other participating schools. They are commended for their resilience in the hot weather, so please remember to pack plenty of water for this week's sports.

NAPLAN
In week 8 of this term, NAPLAN testing will be conducted. During the next two weeks, we will expose students to practice-style testing, to help familiarise students with the process and format so they will know what to expect during the test. This will also involve changes to our classroom environment, with desks moved into a more formal testing environment and the removal of stimulus from walls. If you have any questions or concerns about your child completing the tests, please talk to your class teacher at your earliest convenience.

Homework
A reminder that homework is issued on Tuesdays and is due the following Tuesday. Homework is beneficial as it gives the students more opportunities to consolidate their learning. Students are currently required to complete the following allocated tasks: 1 Reading Eggspress task, 1 or 2 Maths Online tasks, 1 Maths Online revision task and spelling words practise. It is also expected that students read quality texts (fiction/non-fiction) for at least 20 minutes, 5 times per week. It can sometimes be hard to find books students are interested in but keep persisting. There is something out there for everyone.

We understand that life is busy! To assist with homework commitments, please be reminded that the Year 5 classrooms are open from 8:00am on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday for students to come in and work on their homework.

Library Borrowing
All Year 5 classes borrow from our library each Thursday. Students are asked to borrow at least one novel weekly. A reminder about reading: You can find magic wherever you look. Sit back and relax, all you need is a book. – Dr. Seuss.

Parent-Teacher Interviews
We will be holding parent teacher interviews in Weeks 9 and 10 of term. Further details will be provided regarding the scheduling of meetings.  

A reminder of Important Dates for the remainder of Term 1 

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

Thank you for reading,  

Jess, Emily, Sarah and Lisa

Year 6

This term certainly is flying by. Week 6 already! Would you believe that last week was our first week without interruptions and with most of the students present? It is wonderful to see all the classrooms full of students and full of learning. Several assessments have recently been completed – HaSS and Science as well as Spelling, Maths and English. Students will complete their religion this week. As per last week, students will bring their assessment folder home at the conclusion of each cycle for you to look over, sign and return.

Thank you to families who have continued to support our homework routines – there was marked improvement in overall completion of homework tasks at the conclusion of Week Four.  Homework is handed out and/or uploaded each Friday and due back to school the following Friday.  Additional tasks will, at times, be sent home – students will need to listen for due dates for these.  Students have already been given passwords for all websites that we will regularly use – additional copies of these passwords are available at school.

Cross Country training commenced last week at Newtown Park. Training will be available Tuesday and Thursday mornings at Newtown Park at 7:30 am. Parents are requested to walk their child/ren to the middle of the park to the staff member providing training on that day. It is wonderful to see so many year 6 students attending these sessions – it sends a great message to our younger students on the importance of exercise.

A reminder that Tuesday is our allocated day for library borrowing. It is expected that the students will borrow books for both home and school.

Parent teacher interviews will occur in weeks 9 and 10. More information regarding this will come home soon.

Kylie, Shauna, and Steve

Visual Arts

Prep
Last week Preps painted with coloured ice! They drew an “invisible insect” with white oil pastel and then revealed the insect with a coloured ice painting wand. The process was a lot of fun, see photos attached. This week we will learn to draw a penguin for the letter “P”.

Year 1
Last week the Year 1’s made great progress with our “Lemonade Springs” paintings. I would like to say a big thank you to Mrs Giana Blake for volunteering to help with Year 1 Art. Once these projects are completed, we will start a picture inspired by the story “Wombat Stew”.

Year 2
In Year 2 we have commenced a picture of an animal of our choice in the style of artist “Romero Britto”. We hope to commence painting these pictures this week. Our final project of the term will be a paper mâché cat or dog in the style of “Romero Britto”. The frame of the statue will be formed with polystyrene. If you have any polystyrene, please send in. Thank you.

Year 5
Most Year 5’s have completed their picture titled, “Falling Through Space”.  I keep the art room opened at play times so that students can work on their artwork if not completed. Last week, the Year 5’s started drawing a picture using one point perspective. Students drew planning lines to create a vanishing point, they then drew a landscape of their choice using these lines as a size guide. This week they will paint their landscape.

Year 6
Year 6 have completed their portraits and have begun a painting titled “Blossom Moon”. Using acrylic paints, the students have painted a background, blending blues, purples and white to create a night sky and dark lake. This week they will begin painting details.

Italian

Students have practised questions and answers with their partners. Last week's question was, “Cos’ e’ questo?” (What is this?). This week we will be asking “Dov e’ va?” (Where are you going?).  We also had fun singing “Nella Vecchia Fattoria” (Old MacDonalds Farm) and playing, “Tombola” (bingo) with phrases describing emotions and feelings.

Growth Mindset and Reading 

A growth mindset is a powerful concept for us to understand and encourage in all children. It emphasises the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. Here are the keys to developing a Growth Mindset: 

Encourage Effort: Praise effort, not just outcomes. Teach children that challenges are opportunities for growth. 

Embrace Mistakes: Help kids see mistakes as learning experiences. Failure is a stepping stone toward improvement. 

Model Resilience: Demonstrate resilience and a positive attitude toward setbacks. 

Promote Curiosity: Encourage curiosity, exploration, and a love for learning. 

By fostering a growth mindset, parents empower their children to face challenges with confidence and adaptability. Reading with children is a great way to look at the way others overcome issues and obstacles and embrace a positive outlook. We have a wide range of titles in the Library that explore these concepts in age-appropriate ways. 

AccessIt Reminder 

Our Library has an amazing landing page at Welcome | Accessit Library Web App. Please bookmark this page and use it to help with Homework or assignment work. Students need to sign in to access the information on Britannica. Did you know that students can access Class Pages from home and reinforce Library learning and activities at home.  

Chess Lessons 

Please be aware Mr Lord will be away next Tuesday 5th March therefore there will be no Chess lessons on that day.  Mrs Leathart will supervise friendly matches for those children who come along. Chess lessons are progressing well, and all students are participating well in 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 One orders have been delivered. Please keep an eye out for Issue 2 Brochures coming home soon. Please place all orders via LOOP by 3pm on March 12th.  

Questions about Book Club? Contact: Danielle.Leathart@twb.catholic.edu.au  

Keep Reading,

Mrs Leathart & Mrs Monte

Upcoming Dates

Cross Country Training

The Our Lady of Lourdes Cross Country Carnival will be held on Wednesday 27^th of March at Newtown Park.  In preparation for this event, we will be running a cross country training program, as below:

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.

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

Choir at Our Lady of Lourdes will be starting back in Week 5 2024. In addition to me talking about choir in classroom music, students will have the opportunity to sign-on when they attend the first rehearsal. I would ask that you help your child to honour their commitment for the duration of Semester 1 should they wish to join. In semester 2, I will offer a different ensemble in place of choir and will advise of details later in the year.

Choir:  open to students in grades 3 - 6 * with extra rehearsals during school lunchtimes in lead up to special events and performances. This ensemble is weekly and held Monday 10.30 – 10.50am with Mrs. Rosier in the music room (back of the hall).

If your child can not attend a rehearsal, please email Mrs. Rosier to advise of absence.

Looking forward to another fabulous year of music at Our Lady of Lourdes!

Any questions, please contact Mrs. Rosier (Music Teacher) ebony.rosier@twb.catholic.edu.au

St Ursula's College

2025 Scholarship Applications are now OPEN

Available for girls who are:

• Entering Years 7, 8, 9 & 10 in 2025
• Entering Year 7 in 2026

Academic Scholarship Registration is open NOW

Sport and Cultural Scholarships will be offered in Term 2

Applications and all supporting documents must be received by 3:30pm, Friday 15 March 2024

Our Academic Scholarship Examination will be held on Saturday 23 March 2024 from 8:30am – 11:30am, at St Ursula’s College B Block Rome Street.

For further information, please click here  Scholarship | St Ursula's College Toowoomba (st-ursula.qld.edu.au)