SCHOOL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS REMINDERS

School Website   https://www.hchdow.catholic.edu.au/

Our Holy Cross School website includes great information for families, including:

• All Newsletters, current and archived
• Key Dates via the Parent Calendar
• Save the Date: Term Masses and Liturgies
• Enrolment packages- Enrolments for Kindergarten 2025 are now open!
• Policies
• Cyber Safety information

Parent Calendar and School Dates

All school dates and events can be viewed on our School Website under the News and Events tab. We also display a few key dates every fortnight on our school display sign on the corner of McMillan and Parkes Sts.

Parent Calendar Link     https://www.hchdow.catholic.edu.au/news-and-events/

Please click on View More Upcoming Events to see further events.

To view the 2024 School Calendar, please click on View Our School Calendar under the Upcoming Events section. From here, events can be added to your own calendars.

HOLY CROSS FACEBOOK

	If you have not yet followed us, please do! We aim to post photos of student learning and events. We also post a “Next Week at Holy Cross” weekly diary of event reminders. Dates for events are also found on our parent online calendar
	https://www.facebook.com/holycross.helensburgh

NEXT PUPIL  FREE DAY - FRIDAY 5th JULY.

The last day of Term 2 for students will be Thursday 4th July. 

ASSEMBLIES - MONDAY AFTERNOONS 2:35pm

Our fortnightly school assemblies will be:

Week 2 - Monday 6 May

Week 4 - Monday 20 May (Year 6 Sharing)

Week 6 - Monday 3 June (Principal Awards)

Week 8 - Monday 17 June (Kindergarten Sharing)

Week 10 - Monday 1 July (Principal Awards)

BICYCLE / SCOOTER POLICY

It has been noticed that a small number of students have been using skateboards to get to school, or are not wearing a helmet. Please note that the school’s policy outlines clearly the expectations around:

•  the use of bicycles/scooters, which includes the wearing of a Standards Australia approved helmet. 
• A child under the age of 10 years should only ride to and from school with the written permission of a parent/caregiver accepting responsibility for the child and identifying the safest route to and from school.
• Children are to dismount before entering the school grounds and walk their bicycles/scooters whilst on site.
• Note: Skateboards and rollerblades are not permitted at Holy Cross Primary School under any circumstances, unless directed by teachers.
• Parents will be notified if students do not adhere to the School’s Bicycle/Scooter Policy and permission will be withdrawn until the issues identified have been satisfactorily addressed.
• If arriving to school before 8.20am, students must wait with their bicycle/scooter at the front gate.

Here is the full policy below.  It includes the permission note on page 2, which is required for parents to complete and return to school annually. Over the next week, these notes will be handed to students under 10 years who are currently riding their bicycle / scooter to / from school on their own. 

EARLY ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL

A reminder that morning supervision of students commences at 8:25am. If arriving at school before this, students must wait at the front gate, which is opened by staff when supervision starts. Parents who drop their children off to school should remain with their children until this time. CAMP AUSTRALIA offers before school care for families needing this service.

LIBRARY NEWS

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE (PRC)

Our PRC Champion for this fortnight is:

Year 4 – Asher

CONGRATULATIONS for completing the challenge!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB ISSUE 3

Book Club is a great way for parents to provide their children with popular literature in a variety of genres which aids in encouraging children to read. And they also make great gifts!

Book Club Issue 3 catalogues will be sent home soon. These orders are due by 20 May 2024.

How to order:

* jump online to order: https://bookclubs.scholastic.com.au/

* if your order is a gift, you can nominate it online as ‘gift’.

* once the orders arrive, all parents are given a courtesy call.

PLEASE NOTE: all orders are done online, the school does not collect cash or cheques.

NEW BOOKS NOW AVAILABLE – WHAT’S TRENDING

This newsletter I am going to highlight some of our new books which have all been selected due to our students’ latest interests.

Soccer continues to be popular amongst all of our students thanks to our Matildas team and the World Cup last year. Quite simply I cannot get these books on the shelf quick enough with many having quite a long reserve list.

New Book: The Stars Of Football

A new trend we are seeing at the moment is a resurgence of traditional crafts where our primary students have been requesting (continually!) books on crochet, sewing, origami etc (as you would have seen in a past newsletter, some of our Year 6 students started a craft club on Wednesdays Lunch 1).

New Book: Sewing School

Cooking has been popular for the last few years at Holy Cross and this is stronger than ever, especially amongst our primary students. Our budding ‘Masterchefs’ have an insatiable appetite for anything that they can get their hands on, not simply settling for kids cookbooks but are just as fascinated with the Women’s Weekly classics. They also love a themed cookbook so marrying cooking with Harry Potter will definitely be a winner with these students.

New Book: The Official Harry Potter Cookbook

Lastly, the rise and rise of the graphic novel has a very healthy interest at Holy Cross with this being the most popular collection in our Library. Of course manga features here with many of our senior primary students starting to get into the Japanese Ghibli films. I am very proud to state how fortunate we are to curate one of the best selections of graphic novels in our Diocese (as quoted by our CEO head of Libraries, Jim Gallagher).

New Book: The Ghibhliotheque Anime Movie Guide

As always, I would like to express my sincere thanks to our P&F for supporting our Library and our wonderful parents who cover the books!

Stayed tuned for more titles next newsletter…

Happy reading everyone!

Sue Murray
Library Coordinator

FROM OUR CATHOLIC CARE COUNSELLOR

Can you recognise signs that your child may need help?

Every child experience short behavioural change when they are tired at the end of a school term or worried about an important sporting match they have coming up. Parents should pay attention if their child's behaviour is significantly different from the norm over an extended period of time and they are unable to identify the cause for this behavioural change.

Signs that something may be going on emotionally for your child:

• If your child is normally very talkative and open, but they start to become quiet, not wanting to talk and withdrawn from activities they used to enjoy.

• If you child has started to show new behaviours of lashing out such as slamming doors, boundary pushing, appearing frustrated, and not able to express how they feel and explain their emotions.

• If your child may be experiencing difficulties sleeping and eating because they are feeling worried, anxious, or depressed.

• If your child has difficulties making friends or has become avoidant with their friends.

When it comes to your child, trust your instincts when it comes to their behaviour and emotions. If you feel that your child isn't acting like themselves, please reach out the school staff who can assist with your child's wellbeing at school in collaboration with the school counsellor.

Meet The School Counsellor

Hi everyone! My name is Sara, and I am the new school counsellor at Holy Cross

Primary, working through Catholic Care. I have completed a Bachelors in Social Work at the University of Wollongong and have a history of working with the NDIS – both physical and mental disabilities.

I have a strong passion in ensuring that our young people have a great experience at school. Our kids may experience academic struggles, personal issues, peer relationships or just emotions of worry and anxiety. I offer an understanding and support without judgement and help our young people uncover underlying emo?ons and identify potential solutions.

Please reach out to any of the staff members at Holy Cross for a referral form if you would like your child to receive support.

Sara Ljuboja
Catholic Care Counsellor