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Welcome to Term 4 – A Season of Celebration and Community
As we step into the final term of the year, there's a wonderful sense of reflection and anticipation in the air. Term 4 brings with it not only the excitement of year-end milestones, but also heartfelt transitions and festive celebrations that highlight the strength and spirit of our OLV community.
We bid a fond farewell to two cherished staff members—Samira Telford, our Pastoral Care Worker, who has taken up a new role as a Library Assistant, and Margaret Mary Spencer, our beloved Librarian and former OLV student, who will begin Long Service Leave in 2026 to embrace her role as grandmother. Their contributions have left a lasting legacy, and we celebrate their next chapters with gratitude and love.
Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to announce that Our Lady of Victories will celebrate our End of Year Mass and the first time for an Annual Awards Ceremony On Friday 12th December. A special moment to honour the achievements, growth, and contributions of our students throughout the year. It will become a new tradition that reflects the heart of our school and the values we celebrate together. Later that day will host the Wallsend Shortland Parish Christmas Carols on our school field From 5pm onwards. This joyful event will bring together our parish, St Patrick’s Wallsend, and the wider community for an evening of music, dance, and festive cheer.
Each stage will lead two carols, our dance groups will perform, and children are invited to wear a Christmas hat or shirt. It’s a beautiful way to share the spirit of giving—and support our school through fundraising for key priorities.
Term 4 promises to be a vibrant and meaningful conclusion to the year. Let’s embrace it together—with celebration, connection, and community at the heart.
Two Beautiful Journeys, One Grateful Community
Farewell to Samira & Margaret Mary
As we approach the end of the year, we want to take a moment to acknowledge two beloved members of our OLV community who are preparing to step into exciting new chapters.First, we bid a fond farewell to Samira Telford, our Pastoral Care Worker, who has accepted a new role as a Library Assistant. This move marks a significant milestone for Samira, who has long aspired to work in this space. Her unwavering support for our students and families has left a lasting legacy, and while we will miss her deeply, we celebrate this wonderful opportunity and wish her every success.
In Samira’s absence, Meg Smith has stepped into the role with her trademark warmth and professionalism. Meg’s experience as an educator and her strong work ethic have made her a fantastic fit, and we’re delighted that she will continue in the role through Term 4. The Pastoral Care Worker position is currently being advertised.
We also share that our cherished Librarian, Margaret Mary, has made the heartfelt decision to take Long Service Leave in 2026. This was not an easy choice for MM, who has thoughtfully considered how to wind down her professional commitments. Her decision reflects a beautiful shift toward embracing her treasured role as grandmother—just imagine the magical story times ahead, filled with MM’s signature warmth and storytelling flair.
Margaret Mary holds a special place in the heart of our school—not only as a beloved staff member, but also as a former student of Our Lady of Victories. Her journey has come full circle, and her presence has been a living bridge between our past and present. While she will continue in her role at Corpus Christi Waratah for the foreseeable future, her absence at OLV will be deeply felt.
The Library position at OLV is now being advertised.
Please join us in celebrating both Samira and Margaret Mary as they prepare for these exciting new phases. Their contributions have enriched our community in countless ways, and we are so grateful for the time we've shared with them.
Our Lady of Victories 2025 Awards Ceremony
Friday 12th December
A New Chapter of Recognition
We are proudly unveiled the refreshed and inspiring 2025 Awards Program earlier this year to the FACE Forum. The awards ceremony will be held on Friday 12th December in conjunction with our school End of Year Mass.
At Our Lady of Victories, we aim to recognise and honour the values, effort, and excellence of our students across all year levels.
This year, we introduce a new symbols of achievement.
Core Awards by Year Level
Each year level from Kindergarten to Year 6 will celebrate two key awards that reflect our school’s commitment to holistic development.
Consistent Effort Award
This award recognises a student who demonstrates a steady and dedicated approach to learning across all subjects. It celebrates those who consistently apply themselves, show resilience, and maintain an exemplary attitude toward their education.
Kinder – Year 6: One student per year level will be honoured for their unwavering commitment to learning.
Christian Development Award
This award is presented to a student who embodies the spirit of kindness, cooperation, and responsibility. They generously give their time to help others and live by our PB4L Domains: In truth we Love, In truth we Serve, In truth we Live.
Kinder – Year 6: One student per year level will be recognised for their Christian character and contribution to our school community.
Each of these awards will receive an engraved medallion adorned with a maroon and blue ribbon, representing unity, growth, and excellence.
Following the Class recognition we have three Major School-Wide Awards
These prestigious awards are nominated and voted on by staff and celebrate students who exemplify the highest standards of character, leadership, and achievement. Each award will be commemorated with:
- A Perpetual Shield displayed in the foyer at school, with a brass plate added each year bearing the recipient’s name and year.
- A Timber Trophy presented to the student to keep as a personal memento.
Sisters of St Joseph’s Award
Honouring a student who lives out Christian values through compassion, collaboration, and care. This student actively contributes to the faith life of our school and inspires others through their daily actions.
Integrity Award
Awarded to a student who consistently demonstrates integrity in all areas — academic, social, and leadership. They are dependable, encouraging, and a role model for younger students.
Outstanding Achievement Award
Presented to a student who excels across all Key Learning Areas. Their academic growth and results are exceptional, and they consistently support and uplift their peers.
This new award structure reflects our school’s mission to nurture well-rounded individuals who strive for excellence, live with integrity, and serve with love. We look forward to celebrating our students’ achievements in the 2025 Awards Ceremony.
We look forward to seeing you all at this special event.
Wallsend Shortland Christmas Carols – A Celebration of Community
We are delighted to announce that Our Lady of Victories will be hosting the Wallsend Shortland Christmas Carols on our school field on Friday, 12th December from 5:00pm onwards.
This joyful event brings together our wider parish family, including St Patrick’s Wallsend and members of the Wallsend Shortland Parish, for an evening of music, celebration, and togetherness. It’s a beautiful opportunity to showcase the spirit of our community and share in the true meaning of Christmas—giving, sharing, and celebrating.
What to Expect:
- Each stage will lead the singing of two carols, filling the air with festive cheer.
- Our talented school dance groups will perform to selected carols, adding sparkle and movement to the night.
- Children are encouraged to wear a Christmas hat and/or festive shirt to help spread the holiday joy.
Supporting Our School: As a bonus, this event will also serve as a fundraiser to help support our school in achieving some of its key priorities. Your presence and participation will make a meaningful difference.
This promises to be a wonderful end-of-year celebration—a true reflection of the vibrant, caring, and connected community we are proud to be part of.
We look forward to seeing you there and sharing this magical evening together!
Our Next FACE forum will be Monday 2oth October at 6:30pm.
Hope you have a great weekend
David Treloar
Welcome back to another exciting and busy term at OLV! Term 4 is always filled with wonderful opportunities and special events that bring our community together. We look forward to celebrating our students who are completing the Sacramental program, enjoying the fun of our School Colour Run, and sharing in reflection and growth during the Year 5 and Year 6 Retreat Days. Our Kindergarten 2026 Orientation Days will welcome our newest learners, while Year 6 students prepare for the next step in their journey through high school transition days. We’ll also finish the year with great energy at our swimming carnival. Please remember to check Compass notifications regularly for details and updates on these exciting events throughout the term.
Exploring the New Creative and Practical Arts Syllabus
This term, teachers at OLV are engaging in professional learning to familiarise themselves with the new Creative and Practical Arts syllabus, which will be implemented in 2026. This exciting update focuses on nurturing creativity, imagination, and self-expression through the interrelated practices of making, composing, performing, exhibiting, appreciating, and listening.
What your child will learn:
Students will explore Dance, Drama, Music, and Visual Arts, developing their creativity and imagination through hands-on, expressive experiences. They will learn to use their senses, express their ideas, work collaboratively, and appreciate how the arts communicate meaning across cultures and time.
Key skills and knowledge:
Your child will gain a deep understanding of each art form’s unique knowledge, creative processes, and ways of viewing the world.
Interrelated practices:
Learning will be connected through the six core practices — making, composing, performing, exhibiting, appreciating, and listening — helping students understand how creativity flows between different art forms.
A focus on creativity:
The syllabus encourages curiosity, creativity, and imagination, giving students opportunities to express themselves and collaborate in meaningful ways.
Cultural awareness:
A key element of the new syllabus is the recognition and appreciation of diverse creative arts practices, with a strong emphasis on the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Australia’s rich cultural landscape.
The new syllabus promises to inspire a love of the arts and empower students to think creatively, expressively, and critically about the world around them.
Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) Focus – Term Overview
This term, our PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) program will centre around two important focus areas that reflect our school’s core Pillars of LIVE and LOVE.
‘In truth we LIVE’ – We wear our uniform with pride. We stay focused on the task and work to the best of our ability.
This focus reminds students to take pride in being part of the OLV community and to demonstrate commitment and responsibility in all they do. Wearing the uniform neatly shows respect for our school, while staying on task and giving our best effort helps us to grow as learners and role models.
‘In truth we LOVE’ – We listen to our teachers and peers. We wait our turn.
Through this focus, students are encouraged to show kindness, respect, and empathy in their interactions. Listening carefully and waiting patiently demonstrates love and consideration for others, helping to build a positive, inclusive learning environment.
Across the term, students will take part in explicit PB4L lessons designed to teach and reinforce these expectations. Positive behaviour will be celebrated through our token system, recognising students who consistently show what it means to LIVE and LOVE in truth.
Together, we continue to strengthen our caring school community where every student can learn, grow, and thrive.
Debating Success
During Term 3, Mr Treloar coached the OLV debating team, helping them learn about the structure of a debate and the specific roles within a debating team. On Thursday, our OLV students represented the school proudly at the Norths Regional Debating Competition held at Corpus Christi, Waratah.
We congratulate Pippa, Kasey, and Indy from Year 6 and Sophia from Year 5 for their outstanding efforts and achievements on the day.
In their first debate against St Brigid’s, Raymond Terrace, the topic was “Video games are beneficial.” OLV argued the negative side, presenting strong points about the effects of excessive gaming on mental and physical health, and the risks young children face when gaming online. Their teamwork and well-structured rebuttals helped them secure a win in the first round!
The second debate against St Michael’s, Nelson Bay was on the topic “Fast food is dangerous.” This time, the team argued the affirmative side, presenting convincing arguments and demonstrating excellent collaboration. Although the adjudicator described it as a very close debate, OLV narrowly missed out on the win. Despite the result, the team showed impressive resilience—discussing how they could improve next time and showing true leadership and sportsmanship.
A special mention goes to Dylan (Year 6), who served as chairperson for the first round of debates. He did an excellent job introducing the teams, announcing the topics, and keeping the debates running smoothly.
Congratulations to all our debaters- it was a privilege to watch you work together, represent OLV with pride, and demonstrate such confidence, teamwork, and respect.
Welcome back everyone. This term is going to be another busy term.
Cuppa & Chat
This term Cuppa & Chat will be held on Wednesdays. I thought it might be helpful to share some games to help parents with developing Maths skills at home. Normal time would be 2:15pm except Week 3.Week 3- 29/10 Focus- combinations to 10 & Place Value (CHANGE OF TIME 9am)
Week 7- 26/11 Focus- Multiplication
Week 9 - 10/12 Focus Addition & Subtraction.
Everyone is welcome to join us.
Parish Masses
Children will participate in Parish Masses at 9am on the following days:
Week 2- 24/10 – Kinder, Year 4, Year 2
Week 4- 7/11- Year 5, Year 3, Year 1, Year 6.
Everyone is welcome to join us.
Liturgies & End of Year Mass
Week 1- 17/10- Talents- Year 3 at 2:30pm in the hall.
Week 3- 31/10- All Saints- Year 5 at 2:30pm in the hall.
Week 5- 11/11- Remembrance Day at 10:45am in the hall.
Week 5 – 14/11- Year 5 Retreat Day all day at school.
Week 7- 27/11- Advent Liturgy- Year 1 at 2:30pm in the hall.
Week 8- 5/12- Year 6 Retreat all day at school.
Week 9- 12/12- End of Year Mass at 9am in the Church.
Please come and join us at each of these events.
St Vincent de Paul
This term we will be fundraising for our local St Vincent de Paul group. They have asked for a money donation to help families during the Christmas season. So I have planned three out of uniform days throw out the term.Week 2- 24/10- Out of Uniform Day
Week 5- 14/11- Out of Uniform Day
Week 8- 5/12- Christmas Theme for Out of Uniform
Parish Sacramental Program
We have two students who are participating in our Parish Sacramental Program. This Friday the students will participate in a Retreat Day at Wallsend. Both students will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation next Tuesday 21st October at Our Lady of Victories Church at 6:15pm.
Kindergarten 2026 Packs
School Fees
VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION
In order to Volunteer at OLV you are required to complete the Volunteer Induction and be cleared by the Catholic Schools Office to Volunteer.
Please follow this link
https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/people/volunteer/
and complete the steps.
EXTERNAL PROVIDERS
If your child will be seeing a provider (e.g. speech therapist or occupational therapist) this year at school, please complete the attached application form and return to school. If you require further information, please don't hesitate to contact the office.
COMPASS
OLV uses the "Compass" App. Log in details for parents/carers have been emailed to all new parents. If you are still unable to login, or your account has been made inactive, please contact Leanne in the office to arrange a reset of your password.
- For all new families please familiarise yourself with the information booklet you received in your information pack or enrolment pack, "Parent Portal Compass User Guide" This is also attached
- Only Parents/Carers have access to Compass Parent Portal. Parents must have separate email addresses in order to both have access to compass
- New Users when logging into Compass are given the opportunity to update their details. It has been noted that some parents have updated their mobile phone number by taking out the gaps within the phone number. This is not required. The system requires phones numbers to be in this format
- REMINDER: PLEASE ONLY EXPLAIN WHOLE DAY ABSENCES - PLEASE DO NOT REPORT PARTIAL ABSENCES through the Compass App. Reporting partial absences will cause inconsistences with your child's attendance
- SMS's are sent to parents of students who are absent from 9.35am each weekday morning. You will receive a text message if your child was not present during the marking the roll process. Please logon onto compass and explain your child's absence. Do not reply to the text as compass does not accept reply texts
- Please notify the office beforehand if your child is going to arrive late; you will however still receive an SMS. The arrival time of the student will be logged as an explained absence when they present to school on their arrival
- On occasion you may be sent a text message even though your child is in attendance at school, this may be because they have arrived late and not come to the Office for sign in. If your child is late, please come into the Office with your child and sign them in via the compass kiosk.
Part of “progress” is moving towards a cashless society. To assist with the banking, ordering and handling of money, we are moving more of our payments to the Qkr system.
You will find attached instructions for the QKR App. This easy to use phone app gives you the flexibility to place orders for Canteen and fundraisers from your phone. It also reduces the need for your child to bring cash to school. Please remember to amend your child's year group on the QKR App to aid the timely collection of their order. We will be moving to a wider usage of this app as the year progresses.
- Make sure your child matches the class they are in now. You may need to go to your account settings and change their class. This will have to be completed at the beginning of every school year
- Please do not send in a paper bag as well as ordering online; this will stop any double up of ordering
- If your child is away or sick and you have ordered their lunch, you have until 8.00 am to cancel your order on QKR and receive a credit for next time
- All ordering is now closing at 8.15 am Monday morning. This allows enough time to print out the relevant reports for our volunteer ladies
- As of Term 2 all lunch orders will only be able to be ordered through QKR. Cash on the day will only be for ice blocks, lollies and chips.
We will be looking at providing this service for other quick financial transactions such as sausage sizzles, raffles, pie drives etc,
Thaks to everyone for taking up this service.
Health Care Card
All families with a valid Health Care Card can receive 50% of their tuition fee. If you have a valid Health Care Card please email it through to leanne.fry@mn.catholic.edu.au, I will then return your email with the link for you to complete.
We would like to wish the following children a Happy Birthday.
| Kindergarten | Blessing N, Grace I, Joy I, Kyle H |
| Year 1 | Samuel I, Hamish T, Remi W, Oscar M, Mojetoluwa O |
| Year 2 | Maria T, Florence C, Kai P, Aubrey B |
| Year 3 | Isabelle M, Adamma U, Milli I, Afia A, Nikita P |
| Year 4 | Malachi K |
| Year 5 | Erleen S, Levi A, Eloise A, Brian K, Chase S, Audrey S |
| Year 6 | Jesse M, Aayam P, Gabriella K, Dylan C |
Congratulations and we hope you had a happy day
You will be able to access the school newsletter here, special dates notifications and other messages from time to time.
Go to this link to download the Schoolzine App: