Dear Families,

We want to thank our wonderful Holy Cross community, as your support throughout the year and particularly during this final term of transition has been truly appreciated. Your patience, kind words, and thoughtful cards have meant so much to us and our staff. These kind gestures remind us of the incredible community spirit of Holy Cross.

To see the children enjoying being together and celebrating their year is one of our

highlights of this season. In the past two weeks, we have seen our Year 6 children connecting with their Prep buddies, writing and illustrating the most beautiful, personalised Christmas books. Sharing them together is a memory that stays with us and one we look forward to seeing and creating each year. Many of our children still have, and cherish, the books their Year 6 buddies gave to them.

In our final school week, we farewelled our Year 6 students as they enjoyed a fun-filled celebration at the park and local pool, where their teachers and co-educators couldn’t resist joining in the fun, perhaps enjoying the hose a little too much while keeping everyone cool in the summer heat!

We also took time to honour and celebrate the children and staff who are leaving us this year. A particularly special farewell for Agnes, whose kindness and dedication have left a lasting impact on so many children, staff, and families. We are immensely grateful for the way she shared her wisdom and care with this year’s Prep class, partnering beautifully with Alice and ensuring a smooth transition as Abby and Louise prepare to teach our Prep classes next year. We wish Agnes all the very best on her next adventures and hope her plans include a well-deserved trip to Ireland to visit her family.

Thank you Aggie, we are truly blessed that you have been part of our Holy Cross family.

A Summer Safety Reminder and Gratitude for Community Spirit

Living in this beautiful part of the world also means staying vigilant over the summer months. We encourage all families to remain alert to warnings issued by emergency services, download the Vic Emergency App, and ensure you’re prepared.

Over the weekend, we prayed for the families affected by the recent fires in Bullengarook and were heartened to hear stories of our community coming together to offer support, helping to move horses and pets, providing shelter, and lending a hand wherever needed. It’s a powerful reminder of how blessed we are to belong to such a caring and supportive community. We are deeply grateful to the CFA for their tireless efforts over the last week protecting our community.

The Red Cross recently visited Holy Cross and shared a vital message with our Year 4 children: stay calm and be prepared. These words of wisdom are particularly relevant this week. Families are encouraged to watch the Red Cross video, available in the Holy Cross Happenings section of the newsletter, and discuss it together.

Parish News

Please mark your calendars for Sunday, 9th February, as we come together to celebrate 150 years of St Brigid’s Church in Gisborne. The Parish Committee has planned a wonderful day of celebration, and we warmly invite you to extend this invitation to any family or friends with a connection to St Brigid’s.

If you have memorabilia related to St Brigid’s—such as photos, stories, or memories—please contact Trish Armstrong at trishannarmstrong@gmail.com. Trish would be delighted to include your contributions as part of the celebration.

For more details and the official invitation, please refer to the Parish page in this newsletter.

Congratulations to Ellie Borg and Our VCE Graduates

We are thrilled to congratulate former Holy Cross student Ellie Borg on her incredible achievement of earning a VCE score in the top 3% of the state, making her the Dux of Assumption College.

Ellie recently returned to Holy Cross to speak at our Year 5 Leadership Day, where she, along with the school captains from Salesian and Sacred Heart, shared their journeys and the resilience it takes to navigate not only school but life.

We also extend our congratulations to all students who completed their VCE this year. This milestone reflects your hard work, perseverance, and dedication to your studies, an achievement to be truly proud of!

Pope Francis’ Christmas Message

Over the weekend, Pope Francis delivered his annual Christmas address, beginning with a heartfelt reflection on the cruelty of war and its profound impact on humanity.

This year, the Pope invited us to reflect on the importance of speaking well of others and refraining from speaking ill, a challenge that touches everyone, including himself, bishops, priests, and all members of the community. He emphasised that this practice is an expression of humility, drawing on St. Paul’s words, “Bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14), which can be understood as an encouragement to speak kindly and not to condemn.

Pope Francis urged us to embrace self-awareness and humility, reminding us to address concerns about others only with God or directly with the person involved. He highlighted the importance of saying no to individualism and yes to a spirit of community, where humility and charity help us grow together.

Below is the link to the Pope's speech.

As we approach Christmas, let us take inspiration from Pope Francis' message by fostering a humble heart and nurturing a spirit of kindness and community in our lives.

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS OF THE HOLY FATHER TO THE ROMAN CURIA FOR THE EXCHANGE OF CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

Thank you

Thank you to everyone in our Holy Cross community for your ongoing support. throughout the year.

We are very grateful to our PFA and School Advisory Council for their time, dedication, and contributions, as well as to our uniform shop volunteers, Bernie Dickson and Kathryn Caputa, who give their time each week not only to manage uniform shop hours but also to sort through lost property and return items to classrooms. Please ensure all uniform items are clearly labelled so they can be returned to their rightful owners in the new year.

We also extend our thanks to the many parents who generously volunteer their time to support excursions, Outdoor Education, Art classes, and other classroom activities. Your involvement enriches our children’s learning experiences and strengthens our school community.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge our Twilight Fair sponsors for their generosity. If you’re able, please consider supporting them over the holidays. Their details can be found in our final newsletter of the year.

We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful partnership with our families.

We wish you all a peaceful and holy Christmas,

Kellie and Kate

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.

Twilight Fair and Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors