Dear Parents

Last Sunday, 25 April, our nation commemorated ANZAC Day. I had the privilege of attending the Dawn Service at Helensburgh with our school captains who laid a wreath with great respect and reverence. Many of our students and their families attended and Father Paul led prayer. 

On Monday morning, our school community gathered for our school ANZAC Service. Once again, our students participated with great respect for the thousands of men and women who lost their lives defending our country. We were honoured to have Mr David Astill join us for this special service. Mr Astill is an ex-parent of Holy Cross and has recently retired after serving 42 years in the Navy. His presence on Monday provided greater meaning and connection for our students.

Being able to honour ANZAC traditions and teach our students about this significant part of our history and culture was truly special.

Mia Chenhall

Congratulations to Mia Chenhall who was awarded the ANZAC Award for 2021. Each year, the Helensburgh Sub-Branch asks the local schools to nominate a Year 6 student who demonstrates ANZAC Spirit. Mia received this prestigious award for demonstrating the qualities of COMPASSION, RESPONSIBILITY and SELFLESSNESS. Congratulations, Mia.

Mrs Kaylene Duffin
Principal

Staff 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 staff professional learning:

19 April - Staff Development Day - Focus - Collaborative Professionalism - Improving students’ writing

All teachers  

20 April and 26 April - Instructional Coach Professional Learning

Mrs N Baker

22 April - Teaching Reading Strategies in Years 2-6

Mr Whitehall, Miss Costello, Mrs Barbuto, Mrs N Baker

29 April - Environmental Education Planning - half day

Mrs Hennock, Mrs Rowles, Mrs Sue Murray, Rod

29 April and 30 April - Educating With A Mission Lens

Miss Costello and Mrs Duffin 

2021 Diocesan Cross Country

On Tuesday 27 April, 24 of our students represented Holy Cross at the Diocesan  Cross Country Carnival. Our school community should be very proud of these students for their determination and competitive spirit on the day. This Nowra 2km course is tough and our students ran incredibly well with everyone of them completing this gruelling course. 

We acknowledge the training these students did before this competition and thank Mrs Natalie Baker and Mr Whitehall for organising these sessions.

A very big thank you to the parents who attended the carnival on Tuesday. 

A special congratulations to Emma M who came 5th place in the U8/9s race and has now qualified to represent the Wollongong Diocese at the MacKillop Trials at Eastern Creek on 8 June. Congratulations, Emma!!

Easter Mass and Welcome Back Into School!

Last Wednesday, our school community gathered for a beautiful Easter Mass. Father Paul led this celebration and reminded us of the Easter season’s messages of joy, peace and hope. After such a beautiful celebration, officially inviting our parents and families back into our school grounds after over 12 months of restrictions, seemed the perfect way to continue the joyous Easter season. 

Our classrooms were opened and the students loved sharing their learning with our visitors. After a delicious sausage sizzle and picnic lunch we farewelled our families and continued with our learning. 

Staff Development Day

Our teachers gathered in the library on last Monday’s Staff Development Day to engage in professional learning centred around using collaborative practices to improve students’ writing achievement. We have three teams of teachers who work together regularly (8 x 45 min meetings throughout the term) and use student learning data to design units of work, assessment rubrics and collaboratively assess student writing samples in order to identify the next steps for learning. 

Communicating With Teachers

A reminder for parents to feel free to contact teachers via the school office. Please do not use Seesaw as the platform to communicate student attendance or messages to the teacher.

Lunch Time Opportunities Term 2

We appreciate the diverse preferences our students have for lunch time activities. In response to these preferences, we are providing the following activities:

Every Lunch 1: The Library is open for reading, drawing, cards and board games for students K-6

Every Lunch 2: Craft Cottage becomes the ‘Calm Space’ for drawing, lego, reading, cards, board games for students K-2

Tuesday Lunch 1: Chess Club in the Library for students in 3-6

Wednesday Lunch 1: Robotics in the Library students in 2-6

Thursday Lunch 1 & Lunch 2: Gardening for students K-6

Next Assembly

Monday, 10 May at 8.50am Principal Awards and Year 4 sharing their learning.

NAPLAN Schedule- Years 3 & 5

Although the school expectation is that all students begin wearing their Winter uniform on the week of Monday 10 May, students in Years 3&5 may continue to wear their Summer uniform if they are more comfortable

Holy Cross Facebook Page

You may have noticed a few more posts on our Official Holy Cross Facebook Page lately! We would like to encourage you to 'like/follow' our Holy Cross Facebook page to view photos and notices regarding events happening at our school and to promote open and productive dialogue. 

Just a reminder, the link is: www.facebook.com/holycross.helensburgh 

 @holycross.helensburgh

Mrs Natalie Baker, Facebook Administration

Supporting Diverse Learning in Catholic Schools 

The Supporting Diverse Learning in Catholic Schools - A Guide by Parents for Parents was developed to support and accompany families as they prepare their child for school, or for the transition from primary to secondary school. It offers practical ideas and advice from parents and carers who have 'been there and done that'. It includes areas such as 'Preparing the School for Your Child', communicating with the school, conversation starters for challenging topics, as well as practical ideas such as visuals board to help establish morning and evening routines once school has commenced.

Whilst it has a specific focus on supporting families of a child with diverse needs, many of the tips and strategies are useful for all parents and carers at the start of their school journey.

This resource can be accessed via the CCSP website here.

Headspace, Parent, Carer and Community Member Mental Health Education Sessions – Term 2

Headspace National is hosting Mental Health Education Sessions on ways to support a young person when concerned about their mental health. These sessions are available to parents, carers, and community members in the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, and South Western Sydney areas.  

The sessions aim to:

• Strengthen understanding of mental health and the warning signs for suicide and self-harm
• Strengthen understanding and skills in how to cope and where to find help
• Build awareness of local services and the various support services available
• Strengthen relationships between local area mental health services, local schools, headspace centres, and other community organisations

Click here to access the flyers, per region:

Illawarra: Mental Health Education Sessions.pdf

South West Sydney: Mental Health Education Sessions.pdf

Canteen

Gardening Club 

BEE-gone Year 4…

In Week 10 last term, Year 4 outdid themselves with their ‘Make and Build’ of a Bee Habitat! The classroom definitely became a ‘hive of activity’ with many different designs that would make any bee live happily ever-after. There was also plenty of sharing of materials as well as ideas – especially if something in a design wasn’t quite working – this was something Rod and I were particularly impressed with. And the proof was in the final product – there were a lot of very excited Year 4 students who were very proud to share their knowledge of bees and why their habitat would make any bee happy!!! Well done Year 4 – SUPER IMPRESSED!

…and Hello Term 2!

Gardening Club will be going ahead this term – this time with Stage 1! Rod and I can’t wait to work with these enthusiastic Infants students and will be having our planning session with Mrs Rowles and Mrs Hennock in Week 2. We will be working with Year 2 from Week 3-6 and Year 1 from Week 7-10. Again of course, a HUGE ‘thank you’ goes to Peabody’s Metropolitan Mine for once again supporting our Gardening Club program.

Lunchtime Gardening Club – So much work, where to start…

In Week 10 last term, we decided to give our dedicated members a ‘sampling’ session of the produce that had been the labor of all their hardwork throughout the term. Throughout the term these students had embraced Weed Attack with a passion, prepared some of the garden beds and planted seeds. They also saw the devastation that our local feral bunny population can have on new seedlings too. When it was too wet to garden, they weren’t deterred - they met and in true meeting style and watched relevant film clips (thank you Gardening Australia) on gardening topics they were interested in. Then they planned what they needed to do – of course all led by our industrious Leaders. But the highlight (as it always is), is the harvest and Week 10 was it – I had cooked the mini pumpkins they harvested in the gardens rosemary so everyone could have a sample – BTW there was none left and they ate it cold! Members also sampled French Sorrel, Basil, Cherry Tomatoes, Mint, Spearmint, ‘Spicy Plant’ (chives), ‘Licorice Plant’ (fennel) and took home geraniums and lavender.

So this term, we are hoping to grow chilli plants from seeds, get our worm farm project happening and get our winter garden ticking along. And I am expecting a lot more Weed Attack! Lunchtime Gardening Club will officially start in Week 3.

Stay tuned to see what we get up to next.

Sue Murray, Coordinator

School Term Dates - 2021 

• Term 3 – Monday 12 July - Friday 17 September
• Term 4 – Tuesday 5 October - Friday 17 December
  
  

Confirmed Pupil Free Dates - 2021

Term 3 - Friday, 17 September

Term 4 - Thursday & Friday, 16 & 17 December