Dear Parents and Friends,

A very warm welcome to Term 4. I trust you enjoyed some quality time with your children during the student vacation period. Our students have settled back into the daily routines of the school day, and we look forward to a busy term ahead of us.  

Spirit on Country Catholic Schools NSW Conference

Mulaa gamili in Gamilaraay (“Welcome friends”) from Kamilaroi nation.

I am honoured to have been able to attend this conference this week in Tamworth, where, on the first day, an On Country experience visit to the Heritage listed Myall Creek Memorial site was amongst many highlights.

Myall Creek is a moving and emotional memorial to the gruesome massacre which took place on the 10th June 1838. 

“In memory of the Wirrayaraay people who were murdered on the slopes of this ridge in an unprovoked but premeditated act in the late afternoon of 10 June, 1838.

Erected on 10 June 2000 by a group of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in an act of reconciliation, and in acknowledgement of the truth of our shared history.”

Ngiyana winangay ganunga …

we remember them.               

The Myall Creek Massacre Memorial Stone

For more information, you may like to explore this link ~ Myall Creek Massacre Story

Staffing Update

After a recent round of recruitment for 2025, we have appointed Mrs Megan Brannon to a full time class teacher role, and Mr Mitch Wells to the 1 day per week Creative Arts (Dance, Drama & Music) teaching role. Kindergarten will be once again taught by Mrs Melissa McEntee. All other staffing and class teacher allocations will be communicated later in the term, just prior to the students meeting thor 2025 class teacher.

Parents & Friends Association Meeting

Parents are warmly welcome to come along to the Term 4 P&F meeting, which will take place on Tuesday 29th October, from 6pm, in our school Library.

Student Leadership Policy and Procedures update

Updates have been made to reflect more formally the various student leadership roles and opportunities we have for our Year Six students.  Please read the policy linked here. There will be an opportunity to comment or ask questions at our next P&F meeting in Week 3, before it’s implementation begins with this year’s student leadership nomination and voting processes.  Policy Link 

World Teachers Day

This Friday, 25th October we celebrate World Teachers Day around Australia. This is a day to celebrate how teachers are transforming education but also to reflect on the support they need to fully deploy their talent and vocation, and to rethink the way ahead for the profession globally. Our staff are extremely appreciative to the P&F for providing lunch in honour of World Teachers Day tomorrow. We are honoured to teach at Holy Cross and we are very aware of how fortunate we are to be a part of this community.

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

October - The Month of the Rosary

The Catholic Church designates October as the Holy Rosary Month. The term "Rosary" translates to "Crown of Roses," signifying that when individuals devoutly

recite the Rosary, they symbolically place a crown of roses on the heads of Jesus and Mary. These celestial roses, being everlasting in their beauty, will never wither or lose their charm.

October 7 was the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. The Church chose that day to honor Our Lady of the Rosary because a great victory took place on October 7. The decision to designate October as the month of the Rosary stems from the Church’s desire to extend its thanksgiving to Our Lady for victory in the Battle of Lepanto from one Sunday to a whole month

During this month the students will be praying the rosary as part of class prayer. If your child would like to bring in their own rosary beads they are welcome to.

Christmas Art Competition

A huge congratulations to Amelia Richards from Year 6 who made it through to the Wollongong Dioceses Christmas Art Competition. Amelia attended the official opening last Wednesday evening and her artwork, along with 41 others from across the diocese will be displayed at Wollongong City Art Gallery until 29 October. All are welcome to visit the gallery.

Socktober to Support the work of Catholic Mission

Today, the school donned crazy socks in a spirited support of the Socktober campaign by Catholic Mission. The students learned about the remarkable initiatives undertaken by the Catholic Mission in Mongolia.

We wish to express our appreciation for your generous contributions and applaud the commitment demonstrated by our Mini Vinnies.

In Peace,

Mrs Debbie Turton  
Religious Education Coordinator

ASSEMBLIES in TERM 4

Our fortnightly school assemblies during Term 4 will be held under the top Cola on Thursday afternoons at 2.35pm. 

• Week 4 - Thursday 7th  November, KIndergarten sharing their learning

• Week 6 - Thursday 21st November, Principal Awards

• Week 8 - Thursday 5th December

• Week 10 - Final Assembly- TBC

Save the Dates

• Swimming Carnival - This annual event will take place on Friday 6th December, at Helensburgh Swimming Pool. More information and race nominations will be sent home shortly.
• 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.
  
  

BUSHFIRE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2024-2025 

Our Emergency Planning Committee (EPC) met with our local Rural Fire Service (RFS) personnel to complete our annual review of our school’s Bushfire Management Plan, which includes our Shelter in Place Plan. Our Wardens have completed a drill, our staff and students will complete this drill in our first week back of Term 4. This information is for our parent community:

e-Safety Commissioner Free webinars 

Information and registration https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Visit from Paraolympian

CDF Public Speaking Regional Final

Welcome to Term 4 - It's Library Christmas Raffle Time!

Our students are very excited to see the return of the Library Christmas Raffle and

there are lots of Christmas-sy prizes on offer.

Students get a raffle ticket when they return and borrow their Library books on Fridays. The raffle is drawn in Week 9.

Good Luck everyone!

SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB ISSUE 7

Book Club Issue 7 catalogues have been sent home. Orders are due by 1 November 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.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR DONATIONS

Just an update that the donations from the Book Fair last term are almost done – Mrs Attenborough and myself have been working hard to get them into the system and covered. If your child has not received their donation in Library time yet, they will in the next week.

Once again, thank you so much to all the parents and grandparents who generously donated to our Library – a great selection was chosen and our students are very excited to get their hands on them!

Happy reading everyone!

Sue Murray
Library Coordinator

PARENT TIPS - FROM OUR CATHOLIC CARE COUNSELLOR 

Managing Big Emotions

Helping children manage big emotions is essential for their emotional development and well-being. When children learn to navigate and regulate their emotions effectively, they are better equipped to handle challenges, build positive relationships, and succeed academically and socially. By teaching them how to identify and express their feelings in healthy ways, parents/carers lay the groundwork for emotional intelligence, a skill that will serve them well into adulthood. Moreover, managing big emotions helps children develop resilience, enabling them to bounce back from setbacks and face life’s ups and downs with greater confidence and stability. Parents play an essential role in this process by providing a supportive and understanding environment where emotions are acknowledged and managed constructively, setting their children on a path toward emotional health and success in all aspects of life.

Here are some tips on helping your kids manage big emotions:

Recognize and Validate Feelings: Acknowledge your child's emotions without judgement. Help them label their feelings (e.g., "It sounds like you're feeling frustrated") to build emotional awareness.

Teach Relaxation Techniques: Teach simple techniques like deep breathing, counting to ten, or mindfulness exercises to help your child calm down when they are upset or overwhelmed.

Encourage Effective Communication: Teach your child to express their feelings verbally rather than through behaviours like tantrums or withdrawal. Encourage them to use "I feel" statements to express emotions.

Set Limits and Provide Structure: Consistent routines and clear expectations can help children feel more secure and reduce anxiety-triggering situations.

Model Healthy Emotion Regulation: Children learn by observing. Show them how to manage stress and frustration calmly and positively. Model healthy ways to cope with your own emotions.

Create a Safe Space for Expression: Foster an environment where your child feels safe to talk about their feelings. Listen actively and empathetically, showing understanding and support.

Problem-Solve Together: Help your child brainstorm solutions to the issues causing their emotions. This empowers them to take action and feel more in control of their situations.

Encourage Physical Activity: Physical activity can help children release built up emotions and reduce stress. Encourage regular exercise as part of their routine. Out of school activities is a great way.

Use Positive Reinforcement: Praise your child when they handle emotions well or use coping strategies effectively. Positive reinforcement reinforces positive behaviours.

Seek Professional Help if Needed: If your child consistently struggles with managing emotions or shows signs of significant distress, consider seeking guidance from a paediatrician, counsellor, or therapist.

By implementing these strategies consistently and with patience, you can help your children develop the skills they need to manage big emotions effectively and navigate life’s challenges with resilience and confidence.

Sara Ljuboja

School Counsellor

Blake, Year 2 has been selected in the Under 12B3 Sutherland Sharks Representative Basketball team for the 2025 representative season. Congratulations Blake.

What a wonderful Term 3 it was, full of exciting activities and community involvement! I'd like to acknowledge the hard work and dedication from both the school and our parish community in organising many fantastic events. Book Week was a highlight, with children absolutely loving the chance to dress up as their favorite characters. Green and Gold Mufti Day, in celebration of the Paralympics, was another success, with students showing their support and spirit for our athletes. Our younger students enjoyed their Kindergarten Excursion to Calmsley Hill Farm, while the Year 5 class had an enriching experience during their excursion to Nan Tien Temple. The Learning Expos gave families a great opportunity to witness the children's hard work, and our participation in the Athletics Zone Carnival brought pride as we were awarded the 2024 South Coast Small School Champions – congratulations to all involved! Our Grandparents were warmly welcomed during Holy Feast day and in our parish community, we had the privilege of celebrating the Confirmation Mass. Thank you to the parish team and families who made this a special occasion.

A big thank you to Lisa for coordinating the Father’s Day Stall, and to our volunteers who helped. The children loved picking out something special, and the gifts were appreciated. The Father's Day Luncheon was another memorable event, with both dads and children enjoying an extended playtime! A special shoutout to Jasmine for the incredible catering – the delicious food was a hit! This term our children enjoyed a Drumming incursion funded by a donation to the P&F by local musicians Merchant of Panic.

As we look ahead, planning has begun for our 2025 fete. A huge thank you to Jen for rounding up volunteers, and to everyone who has already stepped up to lead a stall. The fete is our biggest fundraiser, with last year's funds going towards playground upgrades, including new basketball/netball hoops and lots of fun playtime options. We already have donations rolling in and are very grateful for these. The Fete is also a great community event, and we need all hands on deck to make it a success. Please consider getting involved!

We have two upcoming uniform shop dates, the morning of the 29th October and the afternoon of the 8th November. Thankyou to our volunteers Fizz, Sarah, Jen & Kathy for running these stalls. Please note we will no longer sell Peter Pan collar girls shirts as these are being phased out. We will also be welcoming donations and accepting card payment at our next stalls.

We invite you to join us at our next P&F meeting on Tuesday, 29th October at 6:30 pm in the library. Your presence and input are highly valued, and we look forward to seeing you there!

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