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Dear parents and friends,
Last Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending Holy Spirit College’s 40th Anniversary Mass. It was a beautiful celebration and it was very special to see our past Holy Cross students in their secondary environment.
Please continue to keep our students who are currently preparing to receive the Eucharist for the very first time at Holy Communion in your prayers. This is an incredibly special time in the life of these students and their families. This sacrament will be celebrated on Sunday 18 June at 8.30am.
Over the past several weeks, we have been conducting interviews for students entering Kindergarten in 2024. I am so very proud of the welcome our students have given to these prospective new families. Saying ‘Welcome to Holy Cross’, asking the young child for a ‘fist bump’ and sharing great things about Holy Cross are commonplace. This behaviour demonstrates the value of Hope and is greatly appreciated by our visitors.
Principals in their first term of Principalship in the Diocese of Wollongong, participate in an appraisal process aimed at building their leadership capacity and supporting their individual professional growth. My Principal Appraisal will be held early in Term 3.
This process involves surveying staff, students and parents. I understand that parents have just completed the Tell Them From Me survey but I thank you in advance for your consideration to take the time to complete this survey in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your continued support,
Kaylene Duffin
Principal
2023 ANNUAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN Update
Goal 1
Improve students’ relationship with Jesus through the values of compassion, justice, hope and integrity.
A Co-Teaching Cycle was conducted in Year 3 which included Mrs Rowles and Miss Costello co-planning and co-teaching a Religious Education lesson together using varied teaching pedagogies that increased student engagement.
A Learning Walk was conducted across K-6 to determine whether students were able to explain what they were learning and why, how they are going with their learning and where they go for help. This data is used to target further teacher professional learning.
Goal 2
By the end of 2023, all students will have increased their confidence and engagement in Mathematics so that all students achieve growth.
All teachers have been teaching Place Value lessons and monitoring for student learning growth.
A Learning Walk was conducted across K-6 to determine whether students were able to explain what they were learning and why, how they are going with their learning and where they go for help. This data is used to target further teacher professional learning.
Scripture Focus
This week, the school scripture focus comes from Luke’s Gospel. In this section of the Gospel Jesus was teaching about how we should treat others. Jesus reminds us to be people of integrity doing what is right because it is right.
Luke 6:31
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Preparation for First Holy Communion
Coming up on the 18 June, many of our students will be making their First
Holy Communion. When we as Catholics receive Holy Communion we are expressing our belonging and wanting to share in our Catholic Faith. We pray for and with these students as they prepare for this special sacrament and make a commitment to their faith.
This week Father Paul visited Year Three to support the students to explore the parts of the Mass to be active participants in the celebration of Mass.
You are Invited
Every week our Parish of Holy Cross celebrates Mass at 8:30am on Sunday. You and your family are invited to join in this celebration. This Sunday children’s liturgy will be held which is an opportunity for the children present at the Mass to sit together (during the Mass) and talk about the scriptures of the day.
“I enjoy children’s liturgy because we hear the Scriptures stories in a simpler way and we talk about these with kids.” Bella Year 5
“I enjoy children’s liturgy because we get to retell the Scripture stories with figures of the characters.” Amelia Year 5
Additionally, this Sunday the Vinnies Winter appeal will be launched. We would love to see all the Mini Vinnies at Mass to support the Vinnies team to launch the winter appeal.
Eucharist – An Act of Cosmic Love!
This week we observe two significant days, World Environment Day on 5 June 2023 and the Feast of Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) on 11 June 2023.
Initially, we may think that these two celebrations are completely unrelated but if we dig a bit more deeply, many meaningful connections can be unearthed.
The Feast of Corpus Christi is a liturgical solemnity which celebrates the real presence of the Body and Blood of Jesus in the elements of the Eucharist. It is a celebration of the all-encompassing Presence of Christ in the Universe.
We read in Laudato Si’ that, “It is in the Eucharist that all that has been created finds its greatest exaltation, when God became human and gave Godself as food for God’s creatures… The Lord, in the culmination of the mystery of the Incarnation, chose to reach our intimate depths through a fragment of matter. God comes not from above, but from within, God comes that we might find God in this world of ours. LS 236
Celebrating and finding God in this world of ours is exactly what we are called to do when we mark World Environment Day. For Christians the Eucharist joins heaven and earth, embracing and penetrating all of creation and unifying us with the Creator.
This year’s theme for World Environment Day is BEAT THE PLASTIC and as we reflect soberly on the fact that each person in the world takes in more than 50,000 microplastic particles per year – each up to 5mm in diameter – from our food, the air we breathe and the water we drink, we need to consider our accountability in the continuing production and use of plastics in our daily living. The personal challenge for each of us is to make intentional choices every day to BEAT THE PLASTIC.
Every walk to the woods is a religious rite,
every bathe in the stream is a saving ordinance.
Communion service is at all hours,
and the bread and wine are from the heart and marrow of Mother Earth.
John Burrows
Have you ever considered having your child Baptised?
If your child is not Baptised and you have been considering this or you would like to find out more about the process, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the leadership team via the school office for a chat, we would love to hear from you.
Semester One Reports
On Thursday 22 June, Year 1-6 students will receive their Semester 1 academic reports which will be made available through the Compass Parent Portal. The Semester 1 Report, will demonstrate student’s academic achievement in relation to what they have learnt in Term 1 and Term 2. Parents will have the opportunity of booking a time to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss the Report in Week 10. Bookings for these meetings will become available through the Compass Parent Portal on Tuesday 20 June. Although Kindergarten students do not receive an Academic Report in Semester 1, parents are invited to attend a Parent/Teacher Interview with Mrs McEntee during Week 10. We will inform you when bookings are made live on the portal.
Year 6 Camp 2024+
Year 6 students have attended an overnight camp at The Tops Conference Centre for many years. The purpose of the camp is to build leadership and relationship skills. From next year, 2024, the Year 6 camp will be for one night rather than two nights. There are a variety of reasons for this, not all students feel comfortable staying away from home and can become anxious, the accommodation for small groups like our’s means that we need to be in separate houses, boys/girls which requires more staffing and the need for staff members to be away from their own families for two nights with little sleep and having to work the next day is a big ask. Ultimately it is a very big responsibility taking students away for two nights.
We understand that this decision may not please everyone but please know that this decision has been given much thought with the best interests of students and staff.
NAIDOC Week
This year our school community will celebrate NAIDOC Week on Wednesday 19 July. This has changed from the previous advertised date.
Assemblies
Our next school Assembly will be held on Wednesday, 14 June at 2.35pm.
Professional Learning
Recent 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 professional learning undertaken by our staff this fortnight includes:
1 June 2023 - Blended Online
Mrs Mitrevski
6 June 2023 - Learning In Leadership
Mrs Jennett
Upcoming TERM 2 Dates
Please find pertinent dates for Term 2. All pertinent dates can be found on our parent Calendar https://www.hchdow.catholic.edu.au/news-and-events/events/
14 June - School Assembly
16 June - Whole School Mass - Sacred Heart of Jesus
18 June - First Holy Communion
20 June - Netball Gala Day
23 June - School Cyclic Inquiry - Day 1
29 June - School Cyclic Inquiry - Day 2
30 June - Last Day of Term 2
Students return to school in Term 3 - Monday 17 July
19 July - NAIDOC Week celebrations
Library News
Stock take - Non Fiction Series
Each term at Holy Cross, mandatory Stock takes need to occur. Each Collection needs to go through Stock take every 3 years – this is where we need to account for every resource in a Collection. This term it was our Non Fiction Series Collection and I was able to account for all but one copy – this is a fantastic result.
There are two reasons for this fantastic outcome:
- our students are being mindful to make sure that all books are borrowed and returned – in other words none are going ‘missing in action’; and
- our Library Warriors are making sure the books are being placed in their correct Collection – they really are brilliant at sniffing out a book that doesn’t belong in the Collection they are looking after!
Well done Holy Cross and keep up the good borrowing and returning work and of course to our wonderful Library Warriors!
Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC)
Our PRC Champions for this fortnight are:
Year 3 – Eden
Year 4 – Lee
Year 5 – Evelyn K, Olivia, Emma M
Year 6 – Anthony
CONGRATULATIONS to you all for completing the challenge!
Scholastic Book Club Issue 4 - Now Open
Book Club Issue 4 catalogues were sent home last week. Orders are due by Thursday, 15 June 2023. If you are able to scan QR codes with your phone, on the front page of the catalogue a QR code is now placed in the top right hand corner which will take you to the website.
Alternatively, just jump online to order: https://bookclubs.scholastic.com.au/
New Books Now Available...
This fortnight’s new books which are now available …
‘Ella Diaries’ series - Happy Campers (Popular Fiction Series)
‘Wings Of Fire’ series - Moon Rising (Graphic Novel): student request!
Saltwater Boy (Senior Fiction)
How To Speak Dog (Non Fiction): student request!
As always, I would like to express my sincere thanks to the P&F for supporting our Library and our wonderful parents who cover the books!
Stayed tuned for more titles…
Book Covering Call!
If you enjoy covering books in contact (or find it therapeutic), we have some covering which needs to be done. If you are able to assist, please see the Office Staff who can give you a bag.
LIBRARY WARRIOR
Introducing…Ella (Year 6)
What section are you responsible for?
I don’t have a section – I am happy to work everywhere!
What is your favourite book?
My favourite books are the Conspiracy 365 series.
What do you love about being a Library Warrior?
I love putting all of the books in the right spot and putting new books up on the display shelves.
What is your favourite Library task?
Putting the books away!
Happy reading everyone!
Sue Murray
Library Coordinator
Camp Australia Term 2 Vacation Care
Camp Australia will once again be holding vacation care at the school during the Term 2 break. For more information please see the flyer attached.
Ruby’s MacKillop Touch Football team are NSW PSSA State Champions.
Congratulations to Ruby who recently represented MacKillop at the NSW PSSA State Championships. Ruby's team was undefeated after 13 rounds, and won the Grand final! Ruby and her team are now State Champions! Ruby is commended for her work ethic and sportsmanship. We are very proud of Ruby
New Equipment for Our School!
Over the past week, our students have been playing with four new pieces of equipment. The ping pong table is one of the most recent additions to the playground which is the most popular with the students. Where the sand pit used to be, a sparkly new fairy garden sits and our younger students are loving this! Next, Mr Body generously pieced together some riddles and puzzles for us to master and ‘find the odd animals’ amongst other animals. Finally, the teachers realised our old soccer goals were breaking down with every ball kicked at them. In consideration of those who play soccer during their free time, Mr Whitehall surprised the school with brand new goals in which the students and Father Paul helped to construct. But that wasn’t the whole surprise! Let’s just say the goals were…larger than expected…WAY larger than expected. That didn’t stop the students kicking those goals every lunchtime though!
THANK YOU TEACHERS! WE OWE YOU ONE!
Having fun on the bottom playground with the new table tennis set
Playing at the Bottom playground in the Fairy Garden
Written by Joseph, Bella, Oliver R
A huge thank you to everyone who has put their hands up for helping out at our upcoming events. We are still a few BBQ cooks short for our disco in two weeks and need a couple more cashiers, servers and helpers for the infants time-slot. Thank you especially to Lisa who is decorating our disco space and Estelle who will be our DJ of the night! Additionally we are seeking a coordinator for our 2024 School Fete which will be held early March. If you can assist with any of these events, please contact the P&F in person, via Facebook or by emailing holycrosshelensburghp
A few reminders:
- Please return your pie drive orders by Friday 9th June so you don’t miss out on some delicious winter dinners!
- The School Disco is on Thursday 22nd June. Entry is $10 at the door inclusive of sausage sandwich, chips & a drink. (*Years 3-6: 6:30pm – 8pm *Preschool – Year 2: 5pm- 6pm)
- Sunday Mass goes for one hour, 8:30 - 9:30am.
- We regularly gather for morning tea and a catch up afterwards.
- Every second week we have a children's liturgy which enables our kids to build some great friendships and learn about their faith.
