Parent Handbook

The Orana crest is circular, indicating wholeness. It incorporates the shape of a dove, symbolising the Holy Spirit who guides us in the fulfillment of our goals and leads us in the attainment of peace.

Orana is an Aboriginal word meaning welcome. The cross in the centre of the crest reminds us that we are the followers of Christ. The symbol of children with joined hands at the base of the cross shows that we support each other in our life journey.

To Give is to Receive

O God, guide our school in the way of truth and goodness.
Help us to live in such a way as to bring honour to ourselves, our family and our school.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for us.

Orana Catholic Primary School is a vibrant learning community, within the Saints John and Paul Parish in Willetton. We are child-focused and value the partnerships between home and school in the education of the whole child to nurture life-long learners. We believe in a just and inclusive community, where the dignity and goodness of each person is respected and are led by our values, that celebrate diversity and inclusion.

At our school, each person is an integral part of a vibrant learning culture where everyone gives generously, shows respect and practices excellence. We take responsibility for contributing to a just and harmonious community by living the values of Generosity, Respect and Excellence.

GENEROSITY: We value an attitude of freely sharing our ideas and talents and giving of our time generously. Generosity is evident when we are welcoming, inclusive and promote a sense of belonging.

RESPECT: We value an attitude of caring deeply about people and treating them with dignity. We care about ourselves and the world around us. Respect is evident when we bring honour to ourselves, our families and our school.

EXCELLENCE: We value an attitude of giving persistent energy and effort to our relationships and our learning. Excellence is evident when we do our best to develop our talents and share them with others.

Each day we are challenged to make meaningful connections and become engaged with our learning.

CONNECT: The Connect principle fosters positive and supportive relationships that value diversity, recognize uniqueness and sustain authentic learning.

ENGAGE: The Engage principle empowers learners to actively participate in safe and stimulating learning environments that provide multiple and diverse opportunities for success.

CHALLENGE: The Challenge principle inspires learners to question their own thinking, extend their capabilities and deepen their passion for learning.

There are four Houses in the school (Pre-Primary to Year 6). House names and colours are as follows:

FRANCIS: Gold
WARD: Green
SALVADO: Red
MACKILLOP: Blue

More information regarding the House Names can be found in the Faith section of the website. Your child will be allocated one of these factions and he/she will be expected to wear the specific coloured school sports shirt on the sports days designated to his/her class. Siblings will be in the same faction.

FIRST VERSE

As we stand together, through each and every day
We seek the Spirit’s guidance in all we do and say.
As we give we shall receive the blessings of God’s love.
For teachers, family and our friends,
We thank God above.

CHORUS

Welcome to Orana. Welcome to Orana.
Oh Lord we turn and pray,
Guide us through each day.
Bless our efforts Lord
In the classroom and at play,
At Orana.

SECOND VERSE

Into our lives come many things
That beckon us to grow.
And as we learn here in our school
God wants us all to know,
In what we do and what we say
He wants us all to care,
As we build our road of learning
Through the things we give and share.

Years 1 to 6

8.50am – First Bell and classes commence
10.40am – Morning recess
11.00am – Classes resume
12.40pm – Lunch – play to 1.10pm
1.10pm – Students eat
1.20pm – Classes resume
3.10pm – Classes finish

Pre-Primary

8.50am – Classes commence
3.10pm – Classes finish

Kindergarten

(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
9.00am – Classes commence
2.45pm – Classes finish

Pre-Kindergarten

(Friday)
9.00am – Classes commence
2.45pm – Classes finish

The school office is open from 8.30am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday.

Assemblies are held in the school hall on a Friday afternoon commencing at 2:30pm. Please refer to the online calendar to view whether it is a junior or senior assembly.

A staff meeting takes place weekly on Tuesday afternoons from 3.30pm. Please refrain from delaying staff members at this time.

SCHOOL STAFF CANNOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILDREN BEFORE 8.35AM OR AFTER 3.25PM.

OSHC is available before and after these hours.

During the year, classes will attend excursions that support the classroom educational programme.

Swimming lessons for Years 1–6 are held each year. The dates for these lessons will vary, and parents/carers will be notified as soon as the dates become available from the pool centre.

Orana CPS Assessment and Reporting Procedures

The purpose of Orana’s whole school policy is to provide a supportive approach to educating students in positive behaviours. The aim is to empower members of the school community by creating a safe, caring and respectful environment.

The purpose of the Code of Conduct is to describe minimum standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making to ensure the safety and well-being of students.

Orana Catholic Primary School Code of Conduct Breach Report

The Executive Directive: Code of Conduct states that all members of the Catholic school community must notify the principal or their delegate of any behaviour that is a possible concern in a breach of the Code of Conduct as soon as possible. This form can be used to report an observed breach of the Code.

Form Link

Orana CPS Communication Guidelines

Orana CPS Digital User Agreements

The Orana Catholic Primary School Dispute and Complaint Resolution Guideline allows the school to effectively capture, manage and report on complaints.

Orana CPS Dispute and Complaint Resolution Procedures

The purpose of Homework Procedures and Guidelines is to describe expectations and procedures to support your child's educational journey.

Orana CPS Homework Procedures and Guidelines

Uniform and Dress Guidelines 2024

Absentee Procedure for Parents and Carers

Non-Attendance has a variety of effects on students both academically and socially. Absenteeism can increase social isolation and lack of engagement with the school community and peers. Attendance is an important contributor to a student’s academic achievement – all school days matter.

Attendance is recorded twice per day.

Parents of children that are going to be absent from school on any given day, must advise the school before 9am via:

• Email: admin@orana.wa.edu.au
• Use the attendance form on the school website

The attendance will then be recorded on the computer system and the child’s absence will be considered as an explained absence. A reasonable explanation for a school absence can include:

• Medical or dental appointments
• Bereavement or attendance at a funeral
• Illnesses and accidents
• Unforeseen and unexplained circumstances

Parents and Carers who do not let the school know that their child is absent will receive a computer SMS to the nominated mobile phone number stating that their child has been marked as absent. If there has been an error made and parents are sure that their child is at school, they are asked to contact the school office on 9376 8300 for confirmation. If there is no response to the SMS, the school office will call the parent to follow up and request the parent send an email about the absence. If no return email is received by the end of that school week, parents of children with unexplained absences will be emailed the Absentee Follow-up letter. Parents and Carers are required to respond in writing either via email, written note or returning the signed absentee follow-up letter with information regarding the absence. It is a legal requirement that all absences are explained.

Late Arrivals

Any child arriving at school after 9am (9.15am for Pre-Kindy and Kindy) must be signed in through the office (PassTab) by an adult so that their attendance is recorded. Any child sent straight to the classroom will be sent to the office to sign in.

Early Pick Up

Any child needing to be picked up prior to the end of the school day must be signed out (PassTab) through the office, so that the time of their departure can be recorded. The office will call the classroom and teacher is to send the child over. If the child is returning to school after an appointment, they will need to be signed back in at the office. Students are not permitted to leave the school without adult supervision.

Leave of Absence

If a child is absent for a period due to a holiday, permission is required from the principal via the Leave of Absence Form.

Regular Non-Attendance

These procedures will be followed for students if non-attendance becomes a concern:

1. If attendance falls below 90 percent, the student’s teacher will follow up with a phone call.
2. If attendance falls below 80 percent, the school will arrange an attendance meeting to establish strategies to increase attendance rate.
3. Further support will be arranged through the school social worker and Catholic Education WA if the non-attendance concern is unresolved.

Absentee Form

You can use the form below to submit your absentee email to school.

The school office is closed during school holiday time unless otherwise stated in the newsletter.

Extended absences during term for reasons other than illness are discouraged. Non-Attendance has a variety of effects on students both academically and socially. We acknowledge that this is not a decision for parents/carers to take lightly and ask that you consider the position of your child/ren’s education and the school when arranging holidays during term time.

The Education Act (1999) places the onus on parents/carers to ensure that their children attend school or engage in school-based activities during term. If students experience an extended absence, the following can occur:

• Students will miss out on important learning programmes. The school cannot accept responsibility for learning that is missed during extended leave taken.
• Students can find it difficult to re-adapt to school routines and continue to develop social groups when extended leave is taken.
• If important assessments are missed, then some areas of your child’s report may be incomplete.
• Extended absences cause extra-organisational concerns for in-class and co-curricula activities. Your child’s involvement in these activities cannot be guaranteed if essential preparation has not been undertaken or they are absent when activities are planned.
• Absences for some reasons may not be approved.
• Although every effort is made to set a school calendar of events, due to exceptional circumstances, these dates may need to be changed during a school year.

If you choose to disrupt your child/ren’s education, please fill in and submit the form that can be obtained via the Forms Tab under Practical Matters. Contact your class teacher/s to access an overview of classwork 2 weeks prior to the leave period.

At Orana, we see homework as having many functions. Some of these are:

• Reviewing the concepts already taught, e.g. Tables, Spelling processes, etc.
• Extension work
• Remediation
• Reading for pleasure
• Developing Reading/Writing skills
• Developing private study skills – children learning to manage their own time to become independent learners
• Parents and children spending time together by engaging in activities, e.g. Mathematics, games, reading, etc.

Children in Years 1 and 2 are required to share a reading activity with their parents each evening, Monday to Thursday inclusive. These activities may include oral reading, word study, phonics and spelling.

• Year 3: 15 minutes
• Year 4: 20 minutes
• Year 5: 30 minutes
• Year 6: 30 minutes

Children should spend the suggested allocated time engaged in one or more of the above functions. They should be encouraged to organise their own time as part of the process of becoming independent learners.

Homework folders should be purchased from the school uniform shop.

Orana Catholic Primary School has a stringent process for allocating students to classes. Considerations are taken to ensure an appropriate balance based on several criteria.

The criteria may include, but are not limited to:

• Academic needs
• Special needs
• Gender balance
• Pastoral care and welfare needs
• Social and emotional concerns and relationships

Professional judgements, regarding student allocations, are made with the students’ needs and best interests in mind. This is at the forefront of all decisions. The new class lists are then reviewed by the school Principal and Assistant Principals before final approval. Please note, that students are never allocated to a “teacher” but always to a class. Our teaching staff is highly trained and take part in ongoing professional development to ensure we deliver high quality teaching and learning programs throughout the school.

Early in the fourth term each year, the class teachers, after consultation with the Principal, will decide upon the placement of each child in class groups for the following year. Teachers will consider individual differences, friendship groups and generally try to discern the best placement for each child. Individual requests are considered via a Microsoft Form that is sent out in Term 4 through the school newsletter.

Valid requests:

• Separating or keeping twins together
• Providing insights into your own child’s personality or learning needs/style
• Respectfully providing the school with insight into relationship issues a child may have with another student

The following requests will not be considered:

a) Requests for a particular teacher will not be considered as staffing is not finalised.

b) Requests for a child to be in a class with a particular student will not be considered.

Occasionally (usually to raise funds for Missions and the like) a free dress day is held. The following guidelines are intended to assist students and parents to make appropriate choices on these days. All clothing must be suitable for normal class and playground activities.

• Shoes/sandals with flat heels must be worn (suitable for safe play)
• Skirts/shorts must be of a modest length
• Midriffs must be covered completely (no gaps)
• T-shirts/singlet tops must cover the shoulders and back
• Clothing should not present inappropriate logos, images, words, etc.
• Earrings must be sleepers or studs. One earring in each ear
• Hair must be tied up
• No make-up or nail polish is to be worn
• Wherever possible, the day will have a special theme

These guidelines reinforce the values of our school community and ensure that no unnecessary attention is drawn to a student.

Students are not permitted to have a mobile phone at school. If a parent has a valid reason for their child to have a phone, they must speak with the classroom teacher to confirm its validity. Written permission is then required. The mobile phone must be handed into the school office when the student arrives at school and picked up at the end of the day. Phones are not permitted to be used in a pick up area.

Dogs are not permitted on the Orana school grounds at any time of the day, unless permission has been granted by the Principal. Reasons for this decision are based on student safety, hygiene, allergies and possible disturbance and distraction to student learning.

Your assistance and understanding with regards to the above message is greatly appreciated.

All visitors to the school, during the day, are required to sign in at administration using PassTab and stick a visitor’s pass in a visible position to your person. The visitor is required to sign out before they leave.

All children should be immunised against measles, mumps, rubella, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus, according to the National Health and Medical Research Council recommended schedule before entry into a day-care centre, kindergarten, pre-school or school.

Children are required to remain at home for the following time periods:

The school is serviced by the Dental Clinic at Riverton Primary School, 255 Corinthian Road, Riverton. The telephone number is 9457 5262.

The School Nurse visits the school regularly. The Nurse is available to assist parents if required. Contact phone number: 9258 8053.

It is compulsory to wear approved safety helmets. Bikes should be parked in the bicycle racks provided and are to be walked in and out of the school grounds through the pedestrian gates.

Please refer to the Orana CPS Uniform and Dress Guidelines document for full details on the school uniform requirements.

Correspondence is sent home with the children, through Seesaw and SEQTA. If you have a note for the office, please send it with your child in the morning so that they may place it in the class note bag.

It is important for parents/carers to advise the school office of any changed home addresses, telephone numbers or email addresses as this information is necessary in case of emergencies.

Orana Catholic Primary School has been selected as an Apple Distinguished School since 2013 for its innovation and creativity with Digital Technologies.

The school has a 1:1 iPad program for learners in Year 3 to 6 and a shared model of iPads in the junior grades for use in their daily work. All classrooms are fitted with Apple TVs to AirPlay iPads.

Our library has a well-stocked collection of fiction and non-fiction resources. The Library is also the ICT hub for staff and students. Students are provided with a stimulating learning environment with access to up-to-date resources in a variety of formats to meet their academic and creative needs. Resource-based learning and reading for pleasure are promoted during weekly class visits together with a Specialist Digital Technology lesson.

The school has an active P & F Association that elects its office bearers annually at the Annual General Meeting. The committee comprises:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Class Representatives

This committee meets once per term and meetings are open to all parents/carers. Class representatives should adhere to the aims and objectives of the Orana P & F Association. Representatives should attend the termly meetings and take part in the management and decision making of the Association. They work with other committee members, forming sub-committees to provide additional resources for the children. At the teacher’s request, representatives can assist with class functions or outings especially those requiring parental involvement e.g. morning teas, suppers, meetings, etc. The P & F has a minimum of two revenue-raising functions a year, plus an annual family levy (as seen on the school fees account).

Saints John & Paul Church is the parish church for our school.

Contact Details

Parish Website: willettoncatholicparish.org.au
Location: Pinetree Gully Road, Willetton
Willetton Parish: 9332 5992
Parish Priest: Fr John Daly john.daly@willettoncatholicparish.org.au
Parish Secretary: admin@willettoncatholicparish.org.au

Mass Times

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Saturday 9.30–10.00am and by appointment.

Orana implements the Religious Education Curriculum from the Archdiocese of Perth. Students attend whole school masses which are held once a term in the school hall or at Saints John and Paul Church. Throughout the year, each class will take part in leading a class Liturgy or Mass. Prior notification is given of any celebration and parents/carers are encouraged to attend.

The Sacramental Programmes occur in Year Three – Reconciliation, Year Four – Eucharist and Year Six – Confirmation. Parent/Carer meetings are held for each Sacrament to inform parents about the sacrament, important dates for the programme, retreat information and how parents are able to assist. The Sacraments are celebrated as part of the parish community liturgies. Parents/Carers are required to enrol their children directly with the Parish for Sacraments.

The School Advisory Council is responsible for the financial management of the school. Members are:

• The Parish Priest (ex-officio)
• The School Principal (ex-officio)
• The President of the School P & F Association, or nominated committee member
• A representative of the Parish Council
• Four to six parents from the school community

The parents are elected for a two-year term with the maximum tenure 6 years. Elections are held at the Annual General Meeting, which takes place each year usually during the month of November. School Advisory Council Meetings are held once per term.

Resuming in 2026

WHEN: Thursday Morning
WHERE: Orana CPS – Out of School Hours Care Facility
TIME: 9.15–10.30am
BRING: A snack, water bottle, hat and nappy bag.

Orana Playgroup will run on Monday mornings during the school term, for children from birth to 3 years of age. At playgroup, you can have fun playing with your child; meet other parents and familiarise your child with the school environment ready for future school years.

The Out of School Hours Care Programme operates at Orana from 6.45am to 8.30am for Years 1–6; to 8.45am for Pre-Primary and until 9.00am for Kindergarten. In the afternoons the centre operates from 3pm to 6pm for Pre-Primary to Year 6 students and from 2.45pm to 6pm for Kindergarten students. Days of operation are Monday to Friday during the school term and from 7.30am to 6pm during school holidays and pupil free days.

To contact the OSHC Centre please phone 0429 193 283 or 9376 8329.

Children should be enrolled at the Catholic Secondary School of your choice as early as possible. There is no automatic entry into a Catholic Secondary School.

Honour awards are distributed to students at assemblies in accordance with the way school values are demonstrated in class and in the playground.