Dear Parents and Carers,

This week is Refugee Week and our staff and students have been acknowledging and raising awareness about the issues affecting refugees and celebrating the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society whilst celebrating the diversity of our beautiful country.

Refugee Week is a unique opportunity for us all to experience and celebrate the rich diversity of refugee communities through theatre, music, dance, film and other events which take place all over Australia and highlight the aims of the Week which are:

• to educate the Australian public about who refugees are and why they have come to Australia;
• to help people understand the many challenges refugees face coming to Australia;
• to celebrate the contribution refugees make to our community;
• to focus on how the community can provide a safe and welcoming environment for refugees;
• for community groups and individuals to do something positive for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people, within Australia but also around the world; and
• for service providers to reflect on whether they are providing the best possible services to refugees.

Please share in this prayer that reminds us of their story and how we are all a part of God’s family.

God, no one is stranger to you 
And no one is ever far from your loving care. 
In your kindness watch over migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, 
Those separated from their loved ones, 
Those who are lost 
And those who have been exiled from their homes. 
Bring them safely to the place where they long to be, 
And help us always to show your kindness to strangers 
And those in need. 
We ask this through Christ our Lord, 
Who too was a refugee and migrant 
Who travelled to another land 
Searching for a home. 

Amen

Drop Off and Dismissal

Once again, I sincerely thank all parents for the way in which you have supported our new drop off and pick up procedures. Until further notice, we will continue these current procedures. Expectations for hygiene within the school remain for students and staff and as a result, I ask that parents not enter the school grounds except for the school office.

Manners

Time and time again, I am constantly overwhelmed by the manners of your children. They really are outstanding. You should be very proud of them. I congratulate you and thank you for this.

Assemblies and Awards

For the remainder of the term, our Year 6 leaders will be hosting weekly assemblies via Zoom and presenting weekly Merit Awards. Yesterday, we presented the Principal’s Awards that were supposed to have been presented at our assembly in March. Congratulations to:

Pippin (Kinder)

Luca (Yr 1

Elise  (Yr 2)

Darcy (Yr 3)

Ava (Yr 4)

Angus (Yr 5)

Joshua (Yr 6)

Semester 1, 2020 Reports and Teacher-Parent Conversations

Due to the disruption to traditional direct instruction as a result of remote learning, valid assessment of student learning has been challenging with less opportunities for observations, conversations and assessments. For this reason, students in Year 1-6 received an Interim Report for Semester 1, 2020. These were uploaded to Compass yesterday. 

If parents of students in K-6 would like to request a phone conversation with their child/ren’s teacher, we ask that you contact the office by Monday, 22 June 2020.

Welcome Mr Nikola Sadjovski

Yesterday, we welcomed Mr Nikola Sadjovski to our staff. Mr Sadjovski will teach Yr 1 each Thursday for the remainder of the year. This appointment provides Miss Costello with her entitled release to attend to her duties and responsibilities as Religious Education Coordinator. I would like to take this opportunity to thank both Mr Sadjovski and Miss Costello for their commitment and care of our Yr 1 students.

Measures to Support Families Experiencing Significant Financial Impact

Please download the letter below and feel free to contact the school with any financial matters you wish to discuss if in financial hardship as a result of COVID-19 https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/for-parents/school-fees/

Kindergarten 2021 Enrolments

The enrolment process for Kindergarten 2021 remains open. Applications can be provided from the school office or be downloaded here: CEDoW PRIMARY_Enrolment Form, Policies and Procedures.pdf

Regards

Mrs Kaylene Duffin
Principal

Behind The Good News and Pray School

Behind The Good News (BTGN) and Pray School are engaging multimedia resources that have been created by the Catholic Education Office. The resources support student understanding of religious doctrine, traditions and faith formation.  BTGN is aimed at students in Years 3-6 and Pray School aimed at Kinder-Year 2 students.

In the latest episode of BTNG Tom from Year Three stars explaining how he shares his fruit of the Spirit, Courage. Congratulations Tom for representing Holy Cross. You can watch Tom’s episode on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T6F8qspR8w&feature=youtu.be

You can watch the latest episode of Pray School on the following link: https://youtu.be/aLAocFajtDA

Knit4Need

Wollongong Catholic Education Office has teamed up with Vinnies to set up the initiative Knit 4 Need. They are asking for individuals to make, through knitting or crocheting, a warm garment for a someone in need. These warm items will be presented to those in need at the end of July via the Vinnies Van.  

All knitted goods can be dropped off at the school office before the end of Week One, Term Three (24 July). If you have any questions please contact Miss Costello through the school office.

Miss Costello
Religious Education Co-Ordinator

STUDENT LEAVE

If students are taken out of school for a holiday, extended sport or family leave  (apart from illness) this leave must be requested in writing to the Principal prior to the event. Leave forms are available from the school office. 

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS

Whole school photos will take place on Thursday 13 August 2020.  Flyers have been sent home today with students and all orders are to be completed on line, refer to the flyer for instructions.  If you would like your own children to have a sibling photograph, please collect a form from the school office.  Please note, sibling photographs are only for siblings who attend Holy Cross, no other 'group' photos will be permitted.

We are all very appreciative of the huge effort undertaken by our teachers and staff during isolation. Following on from some conversation on our Facebook page, the P&F executive are organising a thank you lunch for staff, to take place before the end of term. 

We're hoping to compile a home-schooling photo gallery for the end-of-term newsletter. If you have a photo you'd like to share, please send it on Messenger to Lorraine Ashley or Jenny Amadio or email it to the school and it will be forwarded on to us.

Thank you!

In-School Easter Draw 

A belated Easter draw was held this week.  All students’ names were placed in a draw and ten names were pulled out.  The ten winners are:
Indigo (Yr 1)
Luca (Yr 1)
Evie (Yr 1)
Pippin (Kinder)
May (Yr 4)
Maddy (Yr 4)
Luna (Yr 4)
Kaiden (Yr 2)
Oliver (Yr 3)
Heidi (Yr 6)

Lorraine Ashley, P&F President