Dear Parents and Friends,

One of our school’s Annual Improvement Goals in 2024, is to revise our school’s Vision and Mission. 

VISION & MISSION PARENT CONTRIBUTIONS- PARENT LISTENING FORUM OPPORTUNITY

We really value your contributions and ideas as parents. One way you can do this is through a survey, designed in collaboration with Gary Quinn, from our CEDoW office, (see the QR code and link Parent Survey Link).

For those who prefer the opportunity to meet together, to engage your thinking, feelings and ideas in an active way, we also invite you to a Listening Forum on Friday, 13th September, following our wonderful Holy Cross Feast Day Mass and celebrations (11:30am-12:10pm). This will be an informal, inclusive and open opportunity to share your thoughts, aspirations and ideas about who we are as a Catholic school faith, learning and wellbeing focused community, acknowledging both our wonderful past, and our shared journey into the future! Please consider joining us, and helping our school to shape our Vision and Mission. 

Celebrating Fathers and Father Figures

Father’s Day is fast approaching and we are looking forward to honouring the fathers and father figures in our school community tomorrow afternoon. We have almost 100 attending, so thank you for the RSVP given to assist us with catering for a special surprise lunch, from 1:15pm onwards, followed by an extended fun lunchtime playtime, reading and Prayer Liturgy. 

We appreciate the wonderful support of all fathers, grandfathers and father figures who are part of our Holy Cross community. We are blessed to have so many fathers and father figures visit our school to pick up their children, help out at our Fete, fund raising activities, Mothers’ day stalls, attend P&F meetings, parent-teacher meetings, sporting carnivals and days, assemblies and all school related events. 

Wishing you all a very Happy Father’s Day on Sunday.

National Child Protection Week (1-7 September)

Next week is National Child Protection Week, and the message that ‘Every child in every community needs a fair go’ will be complemented with the theme ‘Every conversation matters’.

Conversations are powerful tools to keep children and young people safe and well. Conversations can help us understand issues, craft solutions, value community knowledge, and build the brains and social connections of children and young people.  

CatholicCare are running Parent Presentations to support National Child Protection Week and you are invited to a parent workshop session here at Holy Cross. Please see the flyer for more details.

Topic: "Social Media and your child/ teen"

Date and Time ~ NEXT TUESDAY 3rd September, 6-7pm

Location ~ Holy Cross School Library

Register your attendance via this link ~ CatholicCare Parent Workshop

For more parent readings and workshops, see Parent Tips and Workshops in this newsletter.

Professional Learning

Research tells us that the quality of the teacher is the greatest in-school influence on student achievement. Therefore high quality professional learning for teachers must be a priority to ensure improved teacher practice that leads to improved student growth. Recent professional learning undertaken or other professional commitments by our staff this fortnight includes:

Every Blessing,

Milena Colussi
Principal

Tomorrow and over the weekend we celebrate Father’s Day. Let us take this opportunity to pray for all fathers and father figures in our lives. 

Lord, Heavenly Father,

You entrusted your Son Jesus,

the child of Mary,

to the care of Joseph, an earthly father.

Bless all fathers

As they care for their families.

Give them strength and wisdom,

tenderness and patience:

Support them in the work they have to do,

Protecting those who look to them,

As we look to you for love and salvation

Through Jesus Christ our rock and defender,

Amen

Holy Cross Feast Day Celebrations

Our Holy Cross Feast Day Celebrations will be held on Friday 13 September. We will begin with Mass at 9:15 in the Church. Then, our grandparents and visitors will be invited to the school grounds for a morning tea. 

Later, our students will be engaged in some activities to celebrate our Feast Day in class. We look forward to welcoming you.

Key Dates RE dates for this term:

Week 8: Friday 13th September ~ Holy Cross Feast Day Celebrations (Grandparents) Mass 9:15 am

Week 9: Thursday 19th September,9am Parish Mass ~ Years 2,3 & 4

Week 10: Thursday 26th September,9am Parish Mass ~ Years K & 5

In Peace,
Mrs Debbie Turton
Religious Education Coordinator

Year 5 Excursion: Nan Tien Temple

K-2 Visit to Helensburgh Library

Kindergarten Writing

Kindergarten students have been learning to read and write informative texts. As a class we have been learning facts about cotton and writing factual sentences. We are learning the features of an informative text and know to include a title, an introductory sentence, interesting facts, and a labelled diagram! Soon students are going to use these skills to write their own informative text for the Living Things Expo in Week 10. 

The Holy Cross Spelling Bee 2024 is coming!

The annual Holy Cross Spelling Bee will take place on Tuesday 24th September. More information will be sent home next week. Our Spelling Bee celebrates Literacy at our school and provides an exciting way to help students learn spelling.

What is a Spelling Bee? A spelling bee is a contest in which participants are asked to spell words in a round-robin format, where each person gets a turn to spell a word that is suitable for his or her level.

Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee

Congratulations to Jenna P and Henry M who have made it through to the State finals of the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee.  They will sit the State finals next week.  Good luck!

SUMMER UNIFORM TRANSITION

Given the warmer weather predicted into September, students may wear their summer uniform on warm dates from Monday 2 September (Week 7). Parents may use their discretion as to which uniform their child/ren wear in the next few weeks, should the weather be too cold or too hot.

We do appreciate parents supporting the high expectations we have for our students’ uniform. A reminder that school shoes must be black leather, and sports shoes should be predominantly white or blue in colour. The uniform policy is to be reviewed by the end of 2024, and we value your input informally, or, at our next P&F meeting in Term 4.

ASSEMBLIES in TERM 3

Our fortnightly school assemblies during Term 3 are held on Wednesday afternoons at 2.35pm. 

• Wk 8 - Wednesday 11 September  - Yr 5 Sharing

• Wk 10 - Wednesday 25 September - Principal Awards

Feast of Holy Cross and Grandparents Day

We will celebrate the Feast of the Holy Cross and honour our Grandparents and grandparent figures, on Friday 13th September. We will join together at Mass at 9.30am and will follow with a morning tea for our grandparents.. More details will be forwarded next week.

Save the Dates

• End Of Year Mass and Yr 6 Graduation

Please note that our End of Year Mass and Year 6 Graduation Ceremony will be held in the church on Thursday 12 December at 9.30am. 

• Christmas Concert

This wonderful event will be held on Wednesday 18th December, on the playground, from 9:30am.

BOOK WEEK IS NEXT WEEK!

Our Book Week Parade will be next WEDNESDAY 5th September, from 9:15am. 

Book Week Theme “Reading is Magic” Dress up Ideas - here are some links for inspirational and creative ideas!

• Spotlight 

• 12 Easy Book Week Costumes
• 75 Easy World Book Day & Book Week Costume Ideas for 2024

Library News

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR HAS LANDED!

That’s right, we will be hosting the Scholastic Book Fair once again from 2-6 September (Week 7).

The Book Fair is a wonderful way to encourage reading with our students, not to mention stocking up on a few sneaky Birthday or Christmas pressies.

Our students, who are very excited, will get a preview of what’s on offer and complete a ‘Wish List’ to bring home on Friday.

The Book Fair will be set up in the Music Room and open at the following times:

Monday 2 September:           8.20-8.50am and 2.45-3.15pm

Tuesday 3 September:           8.20-8.50am and 2.45-3.15pm

Wednesday 4 September:      8.20-8.50am and 2.45-3.15pm

                                                After the Book Parade

Thursday 5 September:          8.20-8.50am and 2.45-3.15pm

Friday 6 September:               8.20-8.50am

NO BORROWING THIS FRIDAY (WEEK 6)

Due to our students completing their Wish Lists on Friday, there will be NO BORROWING tomorrow. Students were allowed to borrow an extra book last week to make up for this. Borrowing will resume in Week 7.

Happy reading everyone!

Sue Murray
Library Coordinator

GREEN & GOLD MUFTI DAY-  Monday 3rd September

Next Monday, we can wear Green & Gold Mufti clothes, to celebrate the commencement of the ParaOlympic Games in Paris, France. A Gold coin donation is optional, and money raised will go towards Catholic Mission Month.

The Holy Cross Parish Bulletin is emailed to our families via COMPASS, but it is easily accessible on the Parish website: https://www.helensburghcatholic.org.au/bulletins

PARENT TIPS - FROM OUR CATHOLIC CARE COUNSELLOR 

Internet Safety and Responsible Online Behaviours

Internet safety and responsible online behaviour are crucial for parents/carers to understand and teach their children in today's digital age. The internet offers endless opportunities for learning, entertainment, and social interaction, but it also presents risks such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Understanding how to navigate these risks ensures they can use the internet for learning and entertainment safely. Responsible online behaviour teaches children to respect others' privacy, avoid cyberbullying, and engage in constructive communication. It also helps them protect their personal information from identity theft and online predators. By incorporating these principles early on, children develop critical thinking skills to evaluate online content, make informed decisions, and maintain a positive digital footprint that can impact their future opportunities.

Here are some tips on helping your child be safe and responsible online:

Open Communication: Foster an open and honest communication with your child about their online activities. Encourage them to share their experiences and any concerns they may have encountered.

Set Clear Rules and Boundaries: Establish guidelines for how much time your child can spend online, which websites or apps they are allowed to use, and what type of content is appropriate.

Monitor and Supervise: Regularly check in on your child's online activities, especially for younger children. Consider using parental control software.

Teach Privacy Settings: Help your child understand the importance of privacy settings on social media platforms and other online accounts. Show them how to adjust these settings to control who can see their information.

Educate About Online Risks: Discuss potential online risks such as cyberbullying, scams, and online predators. Teach your child how to recognise and handle these situations if they encounter them.

Encourage Critical Thinking: Teach your child to think critically about the information they see online. Help them question the reliability and credibility of sources before believing or sharing information.

Promote Kindness and Respect: Emphasise the importance of treating others with kindness and respect online. Teach them about the impact of their words and actions in digital interactions.

Lead by Example: Be a positive role model for responsible online behaviour. Show your child how to use technology mindfully and respectfully.

Create a Family Agreement: Consider creating a family agreement or contract outlining online rules and expectations. Involve your child in the process to ensure they understand and agree to the guidelines.

Stay Informed and Updated: Keep yourself informed about current trends and issues in online safety. Stay updated on new apps, social media platforms, and privacy settings to better guide and protect your child.

Sara Ljuboja

School Counsellor

Catholic Care - Group Programs for Term 3 2024

Our group programs can help adults and parents become the best versions of themselves. We are available to attend your service to provide an overview of the groups we offer, speak in more detail about a particular group, or discuss other service offerings such as our individual groups or professional development sessions. Our range of groups focus on:

• strengthening relationships
• parenting
• post-separation
• supporting parents with children in care
• managing challenging emotions
• grief and loss

Group programs are held in a supportive environment online or in-person at our Nowra, Campbelltown and Wollongong offices, with others who share similar life experiences. 

Click Here to Learn More About Our Group Programs

For more information or to make a booking please contact our Intake Service on 4254 9395 or email IntakeService@catholiccare.dow.org.au

Free Parent Courses

https://aus.oltinternational.net/free-parents-courses

Blended Online Learning offers Specialised self-paced online courses that build understanding, awareness, and knowledge about students with disability. The following courses are available for parents and are focused on helping parents and the family understand ADHD and Autism

Parent Courses - ADHD & Autism 

Free Program for Separating and Divorcing Parents

Family Transitions Triple P Online, developed by the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, is an easy-to-use online resource that gives proven tips and strategies for managing the transition in a way that can boost parenting confidence and minimise the impact on children.

e-Safety Commissioner Free webinars 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars