PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Welcome to Term 1 Week 9!

Last week I had the opportunity to spend time in Year 2 for the conclusion of their design and make activity for Science. The students had designed and made their own Arcade Games and they were playing them. They were fantastic and the students were really enjoying their learning. 

On Friday I spent the morning with 5 Year 10 girls who have been involved in a girls trade program at TAFE. We visited BOSS Engineering, High Style Kitchens and Motor Mecca. Our local industries are amazing and the girls enjoyed seeing possible career paths for themselves. The girls were polite, interested and a pleasure to be with. Thanks to TAFE, Karly Brogden from Training NSW and our local businesses for supporting this program.

For the final two weeks of term I have been seconded to the Armidale Catholic Schools Office as a School Performance Leader. I will be back for the Easter Fair and for the HTS Staff Development Day on April 12. Miss Kim Bailey will be Acting Principal in my absence. 

Staff News

Congratulations to Chloe and Shayne Smith on the birth of their son Eli last Friday! Mrs Smith and baby Eli are doing well. Mr Smith will be taking some leave when they return from hospital.

Mrs Carole McNeil is retiring at the end of this term. We are extremely sad that she is leaving. Hopefully, she will miss us and come back from time to time to help us out as a casual teacher. Carole has been at HTS for over 40 years. 

Mrs Christine Zell is also retiring at the end of the term from her RFF position. This is Mrs Zell's second retirement! She has always said yes to working to help us out when needed. Chris may do the odd casual day but we do hope she has the opportunity to slow down and have a well earned break.

Both of these amazing ladies have worked tirelessly and with great dedication to our school, our students and their colleagues. We have all been lucky to work with them. We will be farewelling them at the end of term.

Congratulations to...

Our Secondary soccer teams who did well last week in the first round of the Bill Turner Cup and Trophy

Best Wishes to...

To our Secondary students trialling for the Diocesan Touch team on Wednesday in Inverell

Coming Up:

Easter Fair

Please take the time to be involved in any way with this event.  Ways to help include:

• Help on your child's class or year groups stall by sending in donations or helping on the night
• Sending in  Easter Eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt and Raffle
• Donating to the book and the cake stall
• Helping your child with their Easter Hat for the parade
• Let your family and friends know it is on Friday 5 April from 5-8pm
• Come along on the night and join in the fun!

Year 10 Family Meeting regarding Work Experience

This important meeting is coming up this Wednesday 27 March at 5:30pm in the STEM room. For more information see the Secondary News section.

Town 2 and 3 Bus Service

These services are no longer able to have extra paying passengers travelling down to the CBD. Students who are pass holders for this service are not affected. The bus is at capacity with their regular passengers. Students who go down the street after school will need to make other arrangements.

Public Holidays and Pupil Free Day

Please remember:

Good Friday 29 March and Easter Monday 1 April are public holidays. The last day of term, Friday 12 April is a Pupil Free Day. Students last day of term is Thursday 11 April. School resumes on Monday 29 April for Term 2.

Reminders:

Term 1 Fee payments

Our Term 1 fees are now overdue. Please pay promptly. Thank you to all our families who have made the shift to using our bPay system - details are located on your fee statement for payment.

Food at school - fruit, lunches, snacks, water

We would never let any of our students go hungry but over the last 4 weeks we have been providing a high number of sandwiches and pieces of fruit to our students. Please take the time to send your child with a lunchbox with some fruit, something for lunch like a sandwich or a wrap and a snack. A water bottle is also important. If you are struggling to provide this please let us know so we can help. We will be checking with families of children who regularly come to the office and say they have no lunch. We are happy to help but also don't want to be providing for students who maybe just don't like what's in their lunchbox!

Parking around the school

No Parking – This rule applies to our Kiss and Drop zone between the hours of   8:00-9:30am and 2:30-4:00pm

A driver of a vehicle must not stop on a length of road or in an area to which a No Parking sign applies unless the driver is;

1. dropping off, or picking up passengers or goods
2. does not leave the vehicle unattended (vehicle unattended means that the driver can leave the vehicle however the driver cannot be any more than 3 metres from the closest point of the vehicle)
3. completes the dropping off or picking up of passengers or goods, and drives on as soon as possible (generally in a 2 minute time frame)

Therefore, waiting at the Kiss and Drop before 3:25 could result in you being fined. Please give students time to get out of the classrooms and down to the Kiss and Drop before arriving. The traffic should flow through this zone.

Wishing you and your family a very happy and holy Easter! 

Jilly