Principal News
Dear Parents and Carers,
With recent media coverage concerning Catholic education, it would be remiss of me not to address these reports directly with our school community.
Please be assured that all Catholic schools are currently undertaking planning and budgeting activities for 2027. Our top priority throughout this process is ensuring we remain well-positioned to support our staff, students, and families in the year ahead. A key component of this preparation involves managing the changes likely to flow from a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for our school personnel. Furthermore, we fully recognise the financial pressures facing many households right now and are making a conscious effort to absorb operational costs so they do not translate into significant fee increases for our families.
Alongside these system-wide preparations, I am actively engaging in direct discussions with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) to establish long-term stability in our school leadership. I am deeply involved in these conversations, and my commitment is to keep you fully informed and share updates as soon as decisions are finalised.
I am deeply appreciative of those who have reached out with messages of support recently. Please know that my priority is to ensure our school remains a place of joy, hope, and a love of learning where every child thrives. Amidst these discussions, our school life has been filled with incredible moments over the last few weeks. We have celebrated our Prep students' 100 Days of School, held a fantastic Athletics Day supported by Salesian College students, hosted the Melbourne Cup Tour and a visit from the Sacred Heart band, enjoyed engaging science incursions, participated in Year 5/6 camps, and celebrated student achievements across various sports, particularly at the Regional level. There has certainly been an abundance of joy across our campus.
A key focus for me moving forward is centering and amplifying the voices of the most important people in our school—our students. To that end, I am thrilled to announce the launch of our very own Holy Cross Podcast, powered by KidsCast! Hopefully, you have already had the chance to listen to our teaser episode. Starting next week Monday 10th August , we will be releasing new episodes each fortnight.
Podcasting gives us an exciting new way to share news, updates, and stories in a dynamic format that families can easily enjoy on the go, keeping you closely connected with daily school life. Through our podcast, we look forward to bringing you:
*Key school announcements and updates
*Highlights from major school events
*Insights into classroom learning
*Student interviews and perspectives
*Stories from across our wonderful school community
A huge thank you to our PFA whose fundraising allowed us to bring this initiative to our community. On Monday, your child will receive a flyer with the QR code directly linked to our podcast. Please listen in and get ready to be amazed by these brilliant young people at our school! Click on this link to hear the teaser.
I encourage you to continue reaching out to me directly to share your thoughts or discuss any concerns. Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership. It is through the strong relationships between our staff, students, and families that Holy Cross continues to be such a welcoming, vibrant, and successful school community. We are at our strongest when we work together.
I wish you and your family a wonderful week ahead, and pray that the Lord continues to watch over and bless our parish and school community.
Warm regards,
Jane Barlow