Dear parents and friends,

The Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop is celebrated each year on 8 August. On 17 October 2010 Mary was canonised as the first saint for Australia.

Like all Catholic school teachers in this country, the staff of Holy Cross have been gifted with the perfect role model in Mary to present to our students in modern day Australia. She is an ‘Aussie’, she is down to earth, she stands up to authority when required, she walks the talk and has a deep love for her God and people, especially those on the margins. She is the daughter of the Great South Land. She is ours.

We are so very fortunate that Holy Cross has been built on the strong foundations of the Sisters of St Joseph. Although the last representative of the Sisters of St Joseph, Sister Jane Ross, left our school in 1986, the charism of Mary MacKillop and her Josephite sisters is seen and felt within the school today. 

As a community, we share the same mission as Mary MacKillop and her Josephite sisters, to individually be in relationship with Jesus so that we can be where we are needed most to support others, to be inclusive and to facilitate encounters with Jesus for all.

Parents, families and friends are warmly invited to attend mass in celebration of the Feast of St Mary of The Cross MacKillop with our students, staff  and parishioners on Tuesday 8 August commencing at 9.30am. 

Mary MacKillop Prayer

Ever generous God. You inspired Saint Mary MacKillop 

To live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and constant in 

bringing hope and encouragement 

to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy. 

With confidence in your generous providence and through the 

intercession of Saint Mary MacKillop, 

We ask that our faith and hope be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit so 

that we too, like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage, trust and openness. 

Ever generous God hear our prayer. 

We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Mary MacKillop 

Amen.

Thank you for your continued support,

Kaylene Duffin
Principal

2023 ANNUAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Update

Goal 1 

Improve students’ relationship with Jesus through the values of compassion, justice, hope and integrity.

• All staff participated in a faith formation session facilitated by Father Paul. Father Paul began to break open the Bishop’s document: Bearers of Christ’s Love. He challenged staff to consider how we are individually Bearers of Christ’s Love and how we facilitate encounters with Jesus for our students, families and each other on a daily basis. At our Staff Spirituality Day (Pupil Free Day) on Friday 18 August, staff will continue to explore our individual relationship with Jesus and our role in facilitating encounters with Jesus for others.
• Uncle Kevin Butler began his time with us designing the murals that will represent our core catholic values.
• A Learning walk was conducted to evaluate the impact of classes Religious Education 'walls that teach'.

Goal 2 

By the end of 2023, all students will have increased their confidence and engagement in Mathematics so that all students achieve growth.

• Teachers analysed the student perception data collected at the end of Term 2. This data showed a slight increase across the school in students’ confidence and engagement in Maths since the beginning of the year.  
• Mrs McEntee, My Body and Mrs N Baker attended a professional learning day focussed on developing knowledge of the six Aspects of Place Value and a pedagogical practice known as Targeted Teaching. This learning was then shared with Years 3-6 teachers on Tuesday and K-2 teachers on Thursday.