Dear Parents and Carers,

Last Sunday, we celebrated The feast of Pentecost. This feast day is celebrated around 50 days after Easter (pentecostos is Greek for fiftieth). It preserves the Jewish festival of Pentecost which occurred fifty days after Passover.  

In the Gospel of John, the story of Pentecost shows how Jesus filled the disciples with the Holy Spirit and in doing so gives them the power to speak about Jesus and to sing God’s praise. The disciples, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, were fired with enthusiasm and a sense of mission to bring the good news about Jesus to as many people as possible. 

Over the last few weeks, I have met with many parents wishing to enrol their child into Kindergarten at Holy Cross in 2021. So many of them expressed the desire for their child to be a part of our Catholic school and its mission. They expressed their desire for their children to be enthusiastic, hope filled and gracious. 

At Holy Cross, we are inspired by the Holy Spirit to bring the Good News of Jesus to students. We do this as a part of the parish. We do this to support you as parents, in your role as the first educators of your children in our Catholic faith. Together, as Pentecost people, we have the privilege to work together to continue our mission to lead our students on the way to Jesus.

Regards,

Mrs Kaylene Duffin

Principal

Kindergarten 2021 Enrolments

The enrolment process for Kindergarten 2021 remains opens.  Applications can be provided from the school office or downloaded here:

Assemblies and Weekly Merit Awards

Next week we are trialing a virtual school assembly including the presentation of weekly awards. 

Morning Supervision

It is wonderful to see so many of our students so eager to arrive at school each day. We have reminded students this week that our front gate opens at 8.20am and supervision begins at 8.25am. 

Reconciliation Week

This year’s theme for National Reconciliation Week is,  In This Together. Reconciliation Week began on 27 May through to 3 June. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the 1967 Referendum acknowledging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the High Court Mabo decision, respectively. NRW is preceded by National Sorry Day on 26 May.

This year we acknowledged National Sorry Day with a liturgy shared with all of our classes via Zoom. This was a beautiful and reflective liturgy led by our Year 1 students.

On the first day of National Reconciliation Week, we acknowledged the Traditional Owners of the Land with each class participating in the National Acknowledgement of Country at 12 noon. Over the course of the week each class participated in Reconciliation activities and spent time in Yulunga Garden learning about our Ceremonial Pole.

Like many indigenous artworks, this ceremonial pole tells a story of growth and respect.

Symbols tell a story, or a journey, and this artwork by local Aboriginal artist Uncle Kevin was completed in 2016 with our Year 6 students.

The handprints represent identity and the life that awaits us all when we are all together. The flowers connect us to our earth and our country to speak of our journey in school from Kindergarten to Year 6 and beyond. The cockatoos are a symbol of taking flight into our new experiences and link that God is watching over us always.

Miss Sheridan Keane, Year 5 Teacher

World Environment Day 2020 Celebrating Biodiversity

On the 5th June we celebrated World Environment Day.

The theme for World Environment Day 2020 is, “Celebrating Biodiversity” all about nature. Biodiversity is vital to the survival of all life on earth, providing us with food, water and resources as well as services such as climate control and pollination.The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature.

World Environment Day is a day for everyone around the world to take ownership of their environment and to actively engage in the protection of our earth. It is a day that strives to raise awareness and encourage action for the environment, offering an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments and renew our resolve in overcoming the environmental challenges facing the world today.

Our students participated in World Environment Day by being immersed in a virtual tour to explore God’s beautiful creation and writing a reflective response expressing their gratitude, sense of awe and wonder or appreciation of God’s Creation.

Each class received a little pouch of seeds to plant at school or at home.

In Laudato Si, Pope Francis calls us to bring about ecological conversion, changing hearts and minds to lovingly care for creation. 

Now what will you do to thank our Creator God and raise awareness in your homes and local community to “care for our common home” and celebrate biodiversity?

Mrs Lucy Barbuto