Message from Mrs Meyer 

Welcome Back to Term 3

If you ask any teacher, they’ll likely tell you that Term 3 is their favourite. It’s the time when the hard work of building strong relationships and establishing routines begins to come together, learning deepens, confidence grows, and progress becomes more visible.

We’ve already seen a calm and settled start to the term, with many students returning refreshed, ready to learn, and happy to be back among friends.

Although it’s a shorter term (yes there's only eight weeks remaining), it’s definitely a very full one, with many joyful celebrations and community events. We also have some new opportunities to bring fresh energy into our school community through a variety of projects. These include maintaining and improving our grounds, getting involved in upcoming working bees, and supporting our marketing and community engagement. Whether you have time, skills, or ideas to share, there’s a way for everyone to contribute and help Holy Cross grow and flourish.  Please take a moment to check the calendar and Helping @ Holy Cross pages to stay connected with all that’s ahead.

Finally,  today is the Feast of St Anne and St Joachim, Jesus' grandparents and also the day the church celebrates the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. We encourage you to take time not only to pray for the elderly, our grandparents and those who feel like grandparents to us, but also to reach out and invite them to our Grandparents Day celebration which will be held this Friday 1st August.

Many Blessings,

Eloise Meyer

Parish Priest Changes

Last week, Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli announced some changes to the leadership of our parish, specifically reassigning our parish priest.

• Fr Vincent, currently with us in Gisborne, will be moving to Dandenong as an assistant priest. This transition is due to health considerations, and we hope this will support his well-being and healing.
• Fr John Healy, who is presently serving as parish priest in Woodend, Romsey, and Lancefield, will also assume leadership as parish priest of our Parish including Gisborne, Macedon, and Riddells Creek.
• Fr Wahid Riad, currently parish priest in Castlemaine, will relocate to the Gisborne Parish house to serve as assistant priest to Fr John.

Both Fr John and Fr Wahid are very excited about supporting our community and will be visiting from time to time. These changes have been publicly announced and will officially take effect on 19 September.

Grandparents Day and 100 Days of School

This Friday 1st August, we’re celebrating 100 Days of Prep and Grandparents Day on the same day, creating a joyful opportunity to bring our youngest and oldest community members together. 

The day will begin with our Prep students marking their first 100 days of school, an exciting milestone in their learning journey. There’ll be dress-ups (yes, as 100-year-olds!), games, and activities exploring the 100 theme. 

At 2.15pm, we’ll welcome grandparents and special friends to join all students as part of Grandparents Day celebrations. 

Pope Francis spoke often of the “charism of bridging the gap” that older people offer, reminding us of the strength and beauty found in intergenerational relationships. Celebrating both events on the same day is a powerful way to live this charism.  It is a chance for our students to recognise the value of those who have come before them, and for grandparents to see the bright hope in the future through learning, laughter, and building relationships.

Do These Sunnies Belong to You?

These sunglasses were found and kindly handed into the office.  Do they belong to you? 

If so, please drop in and collect them. 

Enrolments 

We are still welcoming enrolments for 2026. If you know a family with a child starting school in 2026, or someone considering a change, please invite them to visit Holy Cross. We’d love the opportunity to show them what makes our school such a special place to learn and grow.

Enrolments for Year 7, 2027

Sacred Heart College closed on 25th July.  If you missed the cut off, please email registrar@shckyneton.catholic.edu.au as soon as possible.

Enrolments for Salesian College will remain open until Friday 15th August. 

Conduct - Our Shared Responsibility

This week, our staff revisited the MACS Code of Conduct and child safety scenarios, focusing on our duty of care and the importance of creating a safe, kind, and respectful environment for all students.

We’d like to take this opportunity to highlight the shared responsibility we all have, in modelling respectful and kind behaviour. This means every person at Holy Cross including staff, students, parents and visitors. The way we speak to, communicate and interact with one another sets the tone for a safe and welcoming environment for all.

Concerns or questions are always welcome, and we encourage these to be raised calmly and respectfully with either the staff member involved or directly with Mrs Meyer. We are always open to listening and working together through constructive conversation, no matter how difficult the conversation may seem.

As a Catholic school, we are called to work in genuine partnership, united in our shared commitment to the wellbeing of every child.

Thank you for playing your part in nurturing the positive culture that we value so deeply at Holy Cross.

Car Park Safety Reminder

As we settle into the new term, it’s a good time to revisit our shared expectations around carpark use to help keep everyone safe.

Please remember to enter via the gate closest to Barringo Road. The far gate is for exiting only, and following this flow helps things run smoothly for everyone.

When using the asphalt area for drop-off, we ask that you keep left and follow the loop in a clockwise direction. We understand the markings have faded and are working to improve the signage. 

We also kindly ask that the area in front of the car park shed remains clear at all times, as it is not a designated parking space.

If you notice anything in the carpark that seems unsafe or concerning, please let one of our staff members know or contact Mrs Meyer directly, rather than addressing it yourself. This helps us manage situations calmly and respectfully, and avoids unnecessary confrontations.

Finally, a big thank you to all those who continue to walk children safely across the road. Your care and consistency are appreciated and help set a great example for others.

More Safety Updates

See our latest edition of the Safety at Holy Cross: Families Update.  

This edition includes information regarding 

• Yard Duty Whistles
• Sign-In Reminder
• Car Park Safety
• Lining Up Before Learning 

All students attending Holy Cross Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.