Dear parents and friends,

Last week, I travelled to Fremantle, Western Australia, with a delegation from Catholic Education, Diocese of Wollongong, to attend the National School Improvement Colloquium and share our Diocesan approach to school improvement. School improvement is critical work and we were very proud to share our system’s strategic plan, Lighting the Way, Bearers of Christ’s Love and our Continuous Catholic School Inquiry Framework with colleagues from around the nation. My part in the presentation was to specifically provide a school perspective to the Continuous Catholic School Inquiry Framework. In doing so, I proudly spoke of our student achievement gains that have been sustained over the past four years making us a very high performing school, as confirmed through the School Cyclic Inquiry process. 

This process has also provided us with clear priorities for the faith, learning and wellbeing growth of our students moving forward. The Cyclic Inquiry recommendations include the school embracing:

1. A revitalisation of the Catholic Culture through building a new community developed Vision, Mission, Values and Vision for Learning.
   
2. Further develop the Learning/Wellbeing agenda through the lens of the Living Catholicity Domain and School Improvement Tool (including Elaborations). 

These recommendations have since  informed our School Strategic Improvement Plan 2024-2017 and subsequently, we have identified three Priority Areas for consideration and discussion:

• Living Our Catholic Identity: By 2027 our community will deepen their knowledge of the Catholic faith and appreciate the meaningful role it can play in our lives today.

• Student Centred Learning and Wellbeing; By 2027 students are agents of their own learning and wellbeing.

• Excellence in Teaching: By 2027 learning experiences are designed to ensure that all students are appropriately engaged, challenged and extended.

These recommendations were shared at our P&F Meeting this week and prior to finalising these, we would welcome any feedback or queries from parents through the school office. 

* * * * * * * * * 

Mrs Jennett’s Assistant Principal Appraisal was facilitated by Catholic Education Office colleagues on Monday of this week. This process occurs every fours years, and was affirming of Mrs Jennett’s leadership and the high regard in which she is held by students, staff, parents and Father Paul. Our community is very fortunate to have Mrs Jennett leading and on behalf of everyone, I thank and congratulate her on everything she has achieved and her contributions to ensuring that our community continues to thrive. 

* * * * * * * * * 

Our 2024 Kindergarten Transition to School Playgroup continued last week and will continue to do so for this week and next. Our newest members of the Holy Cross family are becoming very familiar with Mrs McEntee and our school and are already making new friends. Next week, the students will officially meet their Year 5 Buddy…exciting times!!

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.

• Christian meditation has been introduced across the school. Christian meditation is the prayer of stillness and silence including a relaxation, a short prayer and a period of silence where they say a mantra of Ma-Ra- Na- Tha meaning Come Lord, Jesus. All classrooms facilitate Christian Meditation immediately after Lunch 2, Monday - Thursday.

Scientific research shows that practising meditation offers many potential benefits to children. These include clinical improvements in mental and physical health as well as strengthening emotional and behavioural regulation, stress management and concentration.

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 in Years 1-6 administered the Place Value Assessment Tool  (PVAT) to students this week and used this data to collaborate with colleagues to analyse and identify the learning growth achieved since conducting this assessment in May this year.
• The results were significant, with all students growing in their learning. This data correlates with student perception data that continues to report increased student confidence in Mathematics.