Time to reflect

When you reflect in the rear view, you appreciate achievements, learn from experience and crystallise the path forward. For us at Holy Family, it certainly has been a big year. There is so much we should be grateful for, yet aware there are opportunities ahead. It is a tension I want to embrace to ensure that our staff and students continually self reflect, but set goals for the next steps.

Big changes

In the background, I have been working with our head office and a marketing expert to ensure that we brand our school strongly in the community. It is a great school, with a wonderful staff and children who make you smile! The local community needs to know that! From next year, we will have a new school logo.

This logo is very simple, aligning with all the best marketing research, but speaks strongly of our Catholic Identity and how inclusive we are.

Along with the new logo, we have a brand new website about to go live. The website is more pictorial and features our stars doing what they do best.

We also have a new digital enrolments and enquiry platform and our Year 4 and 5 students have been involved in leadership training, giving all students the opportunity to become leaders, with some being selected to lead all school tours across open days.

Year Six Students

I would like to recognise all of our Year Six students. These soon to be graduates have inspired me to be a better teacher and leader in the short time I have known them, and been strong in their vision for the school. Congratulations to:

Tom, Jessica, Gurpreet, Cristina, Blaze, Christina, Will, Bhelissa, Frankie, Willow, Mercy, Goai, Simon, Kaylynn, Richelle, Petar, Damon, Julieanne, Lorianne.

I have also told them, they are only as good as their last day, therefore, they still have work to do!

However, they have been given the opportunity to decide how their last day will play out! Student voice is really important.

Their Graduation will be held next Thursday night.

Staff Changes:

I would like to thank the following staff and wish them all the very best for their future; Jackie Barr, Debra Evans, Lauren Kinnish and Tish Singh. I thank them for their contribution to the school.

I would also like to announce that we have employed two new Education Support Staff: Mr Thomas Howe and Mr Kaveen Webster. These two young men interviewed very well and came highly recommended by two different Catholic Principals that I really respect, so we are really looking forward to how they can support our students, and provide positive male role models.

Staff and Classes 2024

We will have five classes next year. This demonstrates our commitment to more individualised attention. Next year we are going to utilise more of the talents of our staff.

Prep / One - Marnie Lambden Grant.

Year One / Two - Serena Jordan-Munro and Mrs Simone Crist

Year Three/ Four - Julie Fedderson

Year Four/ Five - Lea Drury

Year Five/ Six - Kylie Hudson

Our education support team will be Samantha Semmens, Mary Tzatzakis, Sanny Oey, Sue Tuipea, Kaveen Webster, Thomas Howe.

As well as teaching in their classroom, some of our talented teachers will be working one day a week as specialist teachers:

Performing Arts - Marnie Lambden-Grant

STEM - Serena Jordan-Munro

Sport - Julie Feddersen

Indonesian / Art - Pak Kris, however, during the first semester, Lea Drury will be doing this role while Pak Kris takes Long Service Leave.

Connie Drossaert will be leading our Learning Diversity and Wellbeing.

Pauline Moran will be in a new role as Deputy Principal and Religious Education Leader.

Glenis Cheyne will continue as our Family and Community Engagement Leader.

Bern Blaney will continue as our Administrator.

We are also advertising for a two day teaching position, which will hopefully be filled by next week.

Your child will meet their 2024 classroom teacher next week, when we have our Bump Up session on Thursday 14 December at 10am.

I take this opportunity to thank all the families for making me feel so welcome this year, and invite you all to our Carols BBQ next Wednesday 13th December at 4pm, on the school oval. This will be an opportunity to relax and enjoy each other’s company, giving thanks for the year we have had, and most of all, celebrating the Birth of Jesus, the reason we have Catholic Schools today!

Casey Council Holiday Program