Newsletter May 15, 2025

From the Principal

Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Friends of the Our Lady of the Way Community,

Our Church has a new Pope. Pope Leo the XIV was chosen by his peers as the next Bishop of Rome and leader of the Catholic Church. He is the first Pope from America but has a deep connection with South America spending a number of years working in Peru, and with that a
Br Mark O’Conner, a Marist Brother who has covered events in the Vatican extensively over the years, shared his beliefs on what Pope Leo XIV will bring to his role and I would like to share some of what he wrote with you.
From the moment Leo XIV stepped onto St Peter’s balcony, there was a palpable sense that this pontificate would not be marked by rupture, but by a steady continuation of Pope Francis’ vision - one defined by synodality, solidarity with the poor, and a global Church that listens before it lectures.
His first words as Pope spoke volumes. He invoked peace - not as a platitude, but as a core principle for our fractured world. He emphasised the importance of dialogue and discernment, the very heart of synodality that Francis so passionately advanced. He reaffirmed the Church’s preferential option for the poor, its enduring responsibility to migrants and refugees, and its moral imperative to walk alongside those on the margins.
These were not just gestures - they were signals of a type of future that Francis would have liked. He gives me hope because he is steady, grounded, and faithful to the Gospel. In the end, that’s what matters. Whether you are a religious, a layperson, or someone simply trying to live with compassion, the real question remains the same - how do we live the message of Jesus here and now, in our own communities, our own schools, our own families?

Pope Leo XIV, our leader, will accompany us as a Pilgrim of Hope as we journey towards the Kingdom.

So let us keep Pope Leo XIV in our prayers and pray that the Holy Spirit guides him and gives him strength, wisdom and humility to serve God's people. We thank God for the gift of Pope Leo XIV.

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE WAY
There are many days in the Church’s calendar dedicated to Mary, Our Good Mother. The feast day of Our Lady of the Way is May 24th . The story behind the title ’Our Lady of the Way’ begins with the founder of the Society of Jesus, St Ignatius Loyola. St Ignatius was said to have been protected by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary during battle in his service as a soldier. On returning from battle, Ignatius would stop and pay homage to the image of his protector (the Madonna holding the baby Jesus) painted on the exterior wall of Saint Mary of the Way in Rome.
It is believed that the image was first painted on the church wall around the 5th Century AD. This Church was later given to Saint Ignatius by Pope Paul III in 1540 and became the first Church of the Jesuits. As members of Our Lady of the Way School Community we believe that like Ignatius, we too are ‘Blessed’ – we are loved by God, and that Mary is our ‘Protector’ and ‘Guide’ who invites us into a closer relationship with God and with one another. As the mother of Jesus, she was his first teacher who nurtured his understanding of his mission. May she continue to nurture us too, as we come together to celebrate faith, learning and life.

We will be celebrating the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Way on Friday 23rd May with a whole school mass beginning at 12:00pm. I encourage all parents and members of the Parish Community to join us in this celebration. There will be a chance to have a chat over a cuppa and cake after the mass. I look forward to celebrating our feast day with you.

SCHOOL REVIEW
The Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) conducts a school review process every four years, utilising the School Improvement Framework (SIF) rubric as a core tool. This process is a key component of the SIF and promotes an evidence and research-based approach to school planning. Our first any only review so far was held in 2021 and provided recommendations and goals for the school community for the years 2022 to 2025.
As we come to the conclusion of that cycle, it is time again to work on our next review. Three dates have been set aside, May 16th, June 2nd and June 4th, for our Reviewer, Ms Gaynor Robson-Garth, to visit the school, and spend time working with staff students and community members. As a staff we have been utilizing the SIF Rubric and determining where we feel we sit as a school in the spheres of Religious Education, Teaching and Learning, Student Wellbeing, School Community and Leadership and Management. Data that has been collected from the MACSIS surveys completed by students, staff and
community members, is also used to form recommendations and future directions of our school.
For context our previous review was based on a school enrolment of around 390 students and we now have over 700 students enrolled. Therefore, this will be a wonderful opportunity to pause and reset to develop directions in all spheres to guide us in our future directions.

Best wishes,
Terry Cooney

Principal

SUPERVISION TIMES
A reminder to all parents and carers that supervision of children by Our Lady of the Way staff begins from 8:30 each morning. If you need to drop your child off before this time you will need to use the services offered by the OSHC. This also applies for after school supervision which concludes at 3:30pm.

2026 ENROLMENT APPLICATIONS

Enrolments for Foundation in 2026 will be closing mid-May. We now have more applications than places available. If you have a child ready for Foundation in 2026 and you already have a child at Our Lady of the Way, a place will be made available for you. However, if an application is not submitted we will not know that a place is needed. If you have a child who is ready for school in 2026, it is imperative that you to fill out an enrolment application. Applications can be accessed through the school website.

Enrolments for all other year levels are also open with applications available on the School Website www.ourladywallan.catholic.edu.au. There are limited places in some year levels so if you have a relative, friend or neighbour who is considering Our Lady of the Way as the school for their child, please inform them of the process required and encourage them to fill in an application as soon as possible.

SAFE PRACTICES IN AND AROUND CAR PARKS

Firstly, thank you to the large number of parents and carers who are following the safety procedures during before school drop off and after school pick up. However, I really do feel as though I am constantly repeating myself as we still have parents and carers who are ignoring the advice given in almost every newsletter.

When you are dropping your child off in the morning you can:

• park in the streets surrounding the school and allow your child to safely enter the school via one of the entrance gates, making sure they are walking along the pathways
• park in the Church car park and walk your child into the school
• drop your child off at the crossing next to the portico of the church where a staff member will ensure they walk safely along the pathways into the school

Cars should not pull up in the staff car park to let their children out. It is not a safe practice to double park in a car park and get your children to walk between parked cars. Thank you for your support in these areas, the safety of our community members is our number one priority.

LUNCH ORDERS!

All cancellations should come via the office. No contact should be made with the Cafe directly.

Students need a fruit snack and morning tea on days that lunch orders are placed. 

LABELLING UNIFORMS

Please ensure all uniform items are clearly labelled with your child’s name. We’ve been receiving uniforms in the office daily without any identifying labels, and unfortunately, these items cannot be returned to the students without proper identification. Please also check to see if your child has come home with another child's uniform item, and return it to the office if this is the case.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep track of all belongings!

SCHOOL PHOTOS

School photos are scheduled for next week. With our numbers having grown, we will have the photos taking place over 2 days.  Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21st. 

Class photos for Years Foundation to Year 2 and sibling photos will be taken on Tuesday. 

Class photos for Year 3 to Year 6 Students and sibling photos will be taken on Wednesday. 

Wednesday, May 28 will be a "photo make up" day for any students who were absent on the main photo days. 

Photos can now be ordered online.
If you would like sibling photos, please ensure you place your order before photo day. As stated on the website, sibling photo orders will close the day prior to allow time for the list to be collated—this ensures that no one is missed on the day.

Sick Bay Information

Please ensure that all medical profiles and contact details are kept up to date on PAM. If you'd like to check the expiry dates of any medications, feel free to email the admin team — we’ll also send you a reminder as the dates approach.

Church Choir

We are looking for new members to join the Our Lady of the Way Church Children's choir. If your child loves to sing and become more involved in the parish, we would love you to join. The children’s choir will learn a range of liturgical songs and perform at school and church celebrations.

Practice on Tuesdays at 5.30pm in the Church and at the end of 9.00am Mass every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the Month.

To join or get more information please call Bernadette De Vos; 0411 353 600

Wellbeing

Teaching and Learning

BOOK WEEK INFORMATION:

The 2025 theme is Book an Adventure! The feature artist for the year, Jess McGeachin, has brilliantly captured this adventurous spirit in his artwork, which features a whimsical map filled with imaginary characters.

Our Book Week dress up day and parade will be on Monday, August 18!

Our Book Week incursion will be on Friday, August 29th. 

District Cross Country

District Cross Country Trials over the next 2 weeks and the dates are as follows:

7th of May at 10am will be the 12+ Year Old Boys & Girls Trials (Born From 2013 and prior) 3KM Run

12th of May at 11:30am will be the 9/10 Year Old Boys & Girls Trials (Born either 2015 or 2016) 2KM Run

14th of May at 10am will be the 11 Year Old Boys & Girls Trials (Born in 2014) 3KM Run

Students who can't attend on that day will need a doctor's note as evidence to have a make up run or they will miss out. Teams will be communicated as soon as possible. As this will be held within school grounds and no permission slip will be needed.

CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING (after school) will run up until May 26th. Further training will be offered should we have any athletes progress to the next stages.. 

French Words

Parents and Friends

Fun Run Prizes

Once prizes are received they will be sent home with the students. 

There is a wait of approximately 4 weeks until they will be received. 

Music Lessons

Before and After School Care

Community Events

Program Details:

Day/Date: Saturday May 24

Time: 1.00pm - 2.30pm

Location: Wallan Secondary College

Open to: Boys and Girls 5-15 years of age

Cost: $50.00 per child- the children don't need to be registered to a junior club to register in the program.

More information or to register:Footy Festival with AFL Stars | Junior Footy Stars
Junior Footy Stars Contact Details:email- beau@juniorfootystars.com.aumobile- 0431530103