Dear Families,

We are now just over halfway through term 3. Students (and parents) can sometimes become fatigued at this stage of the term. The days are getting longer, but the cold weather remains. I encourage you to continue to ensure students maintain good attendance, arrive to school on time wearing their uniform with pride, and continue to be an engaged Lourdes Learner.

This week, I am attending the National Catholic Education Conference in Cairns, with fellow Principals from Toowoomba Catholic Schools. I am looking forward to hearing from keynote speakers and bringing back my learnings to our school.

Enrolments

Our enrolment numbers for 2026 are very positive. We currently have a waiting list for Prep. There are some vacancies in other year levels. If you know of friends or families considering an enrolment at Lourdes in 2026, please let them know to contact the school office or go to our school webpage, where an enrolment application can be lodged.

Launch of the New School Song

Earlier this year, the school commissioned our music teacher Mrs. Rosier to write a new school song to encapsulate Our Lady of Lourdes in this time and place in the 21st century. The song lyrics are firmly embedded in the Lourdes "Called to Think" of being a learner and a global citizen, as well as our school values. The song will be launched during the Loving The Arts at Lourdes Showcase on Friday 12th September. The school choir will launch the new school song by performing on this occasion.

To celebrate this song, we will be recording our students singing voices for everyone to hear!  This Friday, Mrs Rosier is setting up a small recording studio in the music room, and class groups have the opportunity throughout the day to come in and sing for the new school song recording. It will be great to have a new song, one that we can sing together, be proud of and one that captures the minds and hearts as we move forward in our world today. Please join us for this evening of art and the performing arts!

I would like to thank and acknowledge the musical talent of Mrs Rosier. Ebony has written the song and recorded the music for our students, teaching this to every student. Thanks Mrs Rosier!

Bridget

Ms Bridget Trenerry
Principal

Upcoming Events

Feast Days

Over the last two Fridays our students have celebrated two special feast days.

The Prep to Year 3 students shared a prayer to remember Saint Mary of the Cross Mackillop – our First Australian Saint. Saint Mary Mackillop was someone who valued education so much, that she started schools for poor catholic children to attend. She was supported by women who became the Sisters of St Joseph – Saint Mary and her sisters started schools across Australia and New Zealand. Just like we, at Our Lady of Lourdes are CALLed To Think like Learners and Global Citizens – Mary thought what she could do and did it! Our Catholic Schools in Australia are a testament to people like Saint Mary Mackillop, who paved the way for the opportunity for us to be educated so well.  

The Year 4–6 students shared a  Mass with Father BJ and the OLOL Parish celebrating the Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary- the Mother of Jesus. This day is one of the Holy Days of Obligation in our Church Year. Mary was a very important role model in the life of Jesus. She nurtured and guided Jesus to become the wonderful role model we all aspire to be like. The Catholic Church honours Mary the Mother of Jesus with this special day, where we remember Mary’s contribution to the life of Jesus by attending a Mass.  

Both these days are called Feast Days – What is a feast day? Why do we celebrate them?  

According to the Catholic church, a feast day is the day a particular saint is remembered and celebrated. The church has a calendar that reflects all saints' days throughout the year. It is usually an annual religious celebration where prayers and readings are said to remember a particular saint. Mostly a feast day is on the day of the saint's death as it is believed that this is the day they entered heaven. Mary MacKillop's day is the 8th of August - the day she died in North Sydney in 1909. Whereas the “Assumption of Mary – the Mother of Jesus” is celebrated on the 15^th of August because Pope Pius XII declared this to be a special day to honour Mary, the Mother of Jesus.  

Sacrament of Reconciliation

The final preparation morning for the 2024 Reconciliation Preparation is on this Sunday 24^th August at 10:45 am. The Sacrament of 1^st Reconciliation is on Tuesday 9^th September at 7.00pm. The children will have a practise of the ceremony during school time. We will have short final meeting at 3:30 pm in the church on Monday, 8^th September to check seating and final questions.  Candidates and their guests are asked to be at the church on the 9^th  by 6:40 pm. Any questions or queries please contact the OLOL Parish office. (07 4634 1453 Monday – Friday 9.00am – 1.00pm) or email  ourladyoflourdesparish@twb.catholic.org.au   

Assemblies

Year 5P will lead the Week 6 Assembly and 1T will lead the Week 7 Assembly

Father’s Day Mass and Sausage Sizzle

Our annual Father's Day Mass is on Thursday 4^th September 2025 at 10.00am in the school hall. All are welcome. We have planned a sausage sizzle for our Fathers/Grandads/Poppys/Pas, the children and staff of OLOL  after Mass. We will need some helpers to cook the sausages, and some servers to hand the sausages out. Cooking will start at 8:30 am.  If you can lend a hand, please let Mrs Moore know. All sausages will be gluten free. 

Please fill in the RSVP “Fathers Day Sausage Sizzle forms” we have sent to families – so we can gauge the approx. number of sausages and bread slices we need to purchase as well as the number of chairs we need to put out.  https://forms.office.com/r/gF85UnF8Tc

Please send in your photo of your Dad/Grandad/Poppy/Pa for the PowerPoint reflection by next Wednesday 27^th  August. (N.B One photo per family) to Janice.Moore@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Pupil Free Day

N.B. There is no assembly on Thursday 4^th August 2025 due to Fathers Day Mass and there is a Pupil Free Day on Friday 5^th September– the children will have a holiday while the staff of Our Lady of Lourdes will attend a Consistency of Teacher Judgement Day. 

Crazy Sock Day

We have our Crazy Sock Day on Thursday 18^th  September. Wear your craziest socks, with your sun-safe coloured clothes, suitable footwear, brimmed hat and bring along a gold coin for the Catholic Missions. We are also asking families to donate a new pair of socks with their gold coin – The Gold coin going to Catholic Mission and Socks to The Base Soup Kitchen. Socks can be sent in at any time. Please support both these initiatives to encourage our students to be thoughtful Global Citizens for our local and global communities.  

Our final assembly for Term 3 is on Friday 19^th  September at 12:00 noon led by 5S. 

If you have any other Mission and Identity queries or questions, please contact Mrs Moore on Janice.Moore@twb.catholic.edu.au  or contact the school office.   

Janice

Janice Moore
Assistant Principal Mission and Identity

(APMI)

Booking Parent Teacher Interviews

From Monday next week, Parent Teacher Interviews will be open to register via the Parent Portal.  If you are unsure of how to schedule a time with your child's teacher, please refer to the instruction video via the below link.

Sentral Parents App Parent Teacher Interviews

The Importance of Reading in Your Child’s Learning Journey

Reading is essential for developing confident communicators who can understand and use language creatively and critically. It forms the foundation of students’ ability to communicate, think critically, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. Reading supports the development of literacy skills that are essential across all learning areas, helping students become confident, creative, and informed global citizens. Strong reading skills are vital not only for academic success but also for active participation in society. Through reading, students learn to interpret and respond to a wide range of texts, fostering comprehension, fluency, and a lifelong love of learning.

What is Reading Fluency?

Reading fluency is more than just reading quickly, it is the ability to read accurately, at a suitable pace, and with expression. Together, these elements help children comprehend and enjoy what they read. When children read fluently, they can focus on understanding the meaning of the text rather than decoding each word.

Our teachers are using different strategies in class to support and develop our learners’ reading fluency. Our Year Six students were even treated to a special visit from Graham Healy—long-time 4GR radio announcer, beloved voice of the Downs, former Member of Parliament, and proud grandfather of Hudson and Cooper Blackburn.

Graham brought his warmth and charisma into the classroom, modelling the art of reading fluently. Students were captivated by his expressive style and learned first hand the importance of pausing, tone, phrasing, and rate when reading to an audience.

He shared his top tips for reading aloud:

• Read daily—and imagine you’re reading to an audience.
• Prepare by reading over the text beforehand.
• Project your voice so everyone can hear and feel the story.

Thank you Mr Healy for giving us your time and for sharing your expertise with our Lourdes Learners.

Why Is Fluency Important?

Fluent readers are better able to understand texts, which supports learning across all subjects. Fluency also boosts confidence and motivation to read, making reading a more enjoyable experience.

Strategies for Supporting Fluency at Home

Here are some simple, effective ways you can help your child become a more fluent reader:

1. Read Aloud Together

• Model fluent reading by reading aloud to your child.
• Use varied tone, pitch, and pacing to show how expression brings a story to life.
• Encourage your child to mimic your reading style.
• Follow Graham Healy’s tips for reading aloud – as above

2. Choral Reading

• Read a passage together at the same time.
• This builds confidence and reinforces pacing and expression.

3. Echo Reading

• You read a sentence or paragraph first, then your child repeats it.
• This helps them hear and practice fluent reading with support.

4. Repeated Reading

• Have your child read the same short passage multiple times.
• Repetition improves word recognition, speed, and confidence.

5. Use Audiobooks

• Listening to fluent reading through audiobooks can help children internalize rhythm and expression.
• Follow along with the printed book to reinforce word recognition.

6. Phrase Chunking Practice

• Help your child group words into meaningful phrases rather than reading word-by-word.
• Use punctuation as a guide to chunk text naturally.

7. Celebrate Progress

• Praise your child’s efforts and improvements.
• Make reading a positive and rewarding experience.

Fluency is a vital bridge between decoding and comprehension. By incorporating these strategies into your daily reading routine, you’re helping your child become a confident, capable reader. If you have questions or would like more resources, feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher, we’re here to support you.

Miranda

Miranda Murray
Assistant Principal

Dear Parents

I hope everyone had a great start to Term 3 and are enjoying the variety of sport and PE activities that OLOL offers. Please find below various details and information regarding the Term 3 OLOL PE & Sport Program.

As always if you any concerns or questions, always feel free to contact me (0409 069 437) for further information or to discuss your concerns.

Regards

Richard

Upcoming Dates

Term 3

Term 4

Congratulations

Congratulations to all the students who participated at the West Zone Athletics Carnival. All students displayed plenty of commitment in their events and represented OLOL with pride. Special mention to Hudson Blackburn who competed in 10 events on the day and Millie Budden who won 5 events. Other students to win events included Angus Campbell (Discus), Aida Rogers (Discus), Javanah Johnson (Discus and Tetrathlon), Carter Murray (Discus), Hayley Harch (Long Jump), Ezra Geale (High Jump), Ori Larsen (80m Sprint), Amarni Muller (Long Jump), Emma Reid (Shot Put), Mac Sinnett (800m), and Levi Turner (Long Jump), with several other students gaining second and third placings.

Congratulations to Aida Rogers on her selection in the Darling Downs School Sport Girls U12 Rugby League team. Aida will represent DDSS at the Queensland School Sport State Championships in Townsville in September.

Well done to the OLOL Girls Netball team who recently played against Glennie in the Newtown Cup Exhibition game. Although losing 9-7, the girls played extremely well and fought hard against a more experienced Glennie team.

Super effort from all teams during the first week of Inter School Sport. The school spirit again shone brightly with a special mention to the Rugby League team who defeated Glenvale in a very tough and entertaining game.

Inter School Sport Information

Term 3 Inter School Sport will continue this Friday 22 August and conclude on Friday 29 August. Draws and venues are advertised via Sentral on either the Wednesday or Thursday of each relevant week.

Approx times:

• 12:00pm – Lunchtime
• 12:15pm – Bus departure
• 12:50-1.30pm – Round 1
• 1:35-2.15pm – Round
• 2:30pm Bus departure

Sports/Requirements:

• Rugby League - Mouthguard, OLOL sports uniform shorts, water bottle, broad brimmed OLOL hat (OLOL RL jersey provided)
• Football (Soccer) - OLOL sports uniform shorts, shin pads, water bottle, broad brimmed OLOL hat
• Netball - OLOL netball uniform provided, water bottle, OLOL hat, soft brimmed visor

Catholic Schools Yr4 Touch Football Gala Day

• Participants: OLOL Yr 4 Students (students will be randomly selected into teams)
• Date: Tuesday 16 September
• Time: 8:30-1.00pm
• Venue: Kearney’s Spring
• Transport: Students will travel to and from the venue by bus.
• Uniform: OLOL Sports uniform including OLOL hat and suitable footwear.
• What to Bring: Morning tea, snacks, water bottle (No canteen available)
• Further details: To be communicated in Week 7

Term 3 Swimming – P-6

Lesson Times – Subject to Change:

Wk8 Yr3-6

Wk9 Prep-Yr2

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

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. Strict nomination requirements apply, and it is at the sole discretion of the school to decide whether to nominate individual students. OLOL will also host trials for sports which have multiple students seeking to nominate to attend the TPSS or DDSS trials. All trials will be advertised by email to parents, on assembly and in PE lessons, and posted on the Sports Board outside the Hall. The trials listed below are either yet to be advertised or have been advertised and the nomination window is still open.

Concerns and Questions

If you have any future questions or concerns, always feel free to contact me. I am very keen to ensure we maintain a high level of communication and give every possible opportunity for students to play, enjoy, and learn in a friendly, safe, positive, and inclusive environment. Please note that I do not work at OLOL on Mondays except for occasional Sporting School lessons, however I am still available to be contacted to ensure I can support and assist in any way possible

Richard Dugdale
PE Teacher

Book Week

Not long now! I hope your costumes are coming together and I cannot wait to see everyone dressed up, next Thursday August 28^th.   

Book Week Activities Overview

Dress Up Day Q&A

1. What day do we dress up?
2. Thursday 28^th August
3. Do children wear their costume all day?
4. Yes, students are encouraged to wear their costume all day.
5. What time is the Parade?
6. There is a whole school Assembly scheduled and students will be asked show off their costumes as part of this Assembly. Parents are most welcome to attend to see costumes. The Assembly begins at 2:15pm.
7. Does my child have to get dressed up?
8. No, costumes are optional and your child may prefer to come along as their favourite author because an author wears regular, everyday clothing.
9. Do you give prizes for Best Dressed?
10. No. But we run lots of other competitions during Book Week that the children can enter if they are keen to win a prize.

Book Week Colouring Competition

Spare entry forms are available at the Library.

Entries due: August 26^th at 3pm

Winners Announced at Assembly on Thursday 28^th August

Chess Lessons

Chess lessons are now FULL for Term 3! If you have any questions about chess lessons, please contact: Danielle.Leathart@twb.catholic.edu.au

Parent Borrowing

Parents are welcome to borrow up to 10 additional books from the library collection. We are open at the times below. Please be reminded that parents are unable to borrow from the home reading collection including all On My Own and Read with Me titles. These titles are in high demand for staff and students, and we do not have enough copies to loan to families from this collection.

Additional Decodable Readers

Please access extra Decodable Readers via DRA online (class teachers will have logon details) or Wheelers eBooks (student email and password to logon).

Book Club

Issue 5 orders have been delivered. Issue 6 Brochures were sent to classrooms last week. Order are due by 8pm Wednesday 27^th August 2025. Please email queries about Book Club to Danielle.Leathart@twb.catholic.edu.au

Important Links:

• AccessIt https://au.accessit.online/ORL13 (email address and password needed to logon)
• Wheelers eBooks Wheelers eBooks (email address and password needed to logon)

Library Opening Times

Happy Reading! And have a wonderful Book Week 2025.

Mrs Leathart and Mrs Kemp.

Bunnings Toowoomba West

Father's Day Family Event

Thursday 4th September 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Activities and fun for the whole family:

Community BBQ

Popcorn

Kids Fathers DIY

Bluey Scavenger Hunt

Magician

Slot Cars

Petting Zoo

Face Painting

Awareness Tables

Fire Brigade

and much, much more