Dear Families and Community,

As we turn the calendar to December, we find ourselves living out what I recently heard called the "Dual Citizenship of Advent."

On one hand, we are citizens of the "End of Year." This is a land defined by movement, noise, and deadlines. It is a season of checklists and celebrations. We see this vividly across our school this week: the pride of Graduation, the excitement of appointing our new Captains and Leaders, the energy of excursions and concerts, and the joyful chaos of Christmas parties and gatherings. We are also navigating the inevitable changes of community life, managing staffing and transitions as we prepare for the new year.

On the other hand, Advent calls us to be citizens of the "Wilderness."

The scripture of the season invites us into a journey through the desert to listen to a voice crying out, "Prepare the way of the Lord." To be still, to listen, and to wait.

It can feel impossible to reconcile these two worlds. How do we embrace the imagery of the silent wilderness when our reality is a bustling shopping strip and an overloaded calendar .

The importance lies in the connection between the two. The "Dual Citizenship" of Advent teaches us that we do not have to escape the noise to find God.

Advent is not a passive waiting, but an active anticipation. We are reminded that Christ enters right into the messiness of humanity—into the census, the travel, and the lack of room at the inn.

This week, as you rush between a concert and a farewell gathering, or as you navigate the emotions of a child transitioning to a new grade, I invite you to practice a moment of micro-silence.

Let the applause at the concert remind you of the joy of community.
Let the goodbyes at graduation remind you of the sacredness of growth.
Let the busyness be a reminder of the fullness of life God has gifted us.

We can be busy and holy. We can be rushing and ready to listen. By holding this dual citizenship, we ensure that when Christmas finally arrives, we haven't just crossed off a to-do list; we have prepared a room in our hearts.

May you find moments of wilderness peace amidst the beautiful noise of this week.

Many Blessings,

Eloise Meyer

emeyer@hcnewgisborne.catholic.edu.au

In this newsletter

Holy Cross Happenings Page for all things Graduation plus our donation to Gisborne Food bank and a great game of cricket!

Important dates including Transition, Christmas Concert & End of Year Mass and Assembly.

Exciting Staffing News for 2026: Celebrating Our Team and Looking Ahead!

We want to sincerely thank you for your patience as we finalised our staffing arrangements for the upcoming 2026 school year. As you will see it has been a complex puzzle, however we are thrilled to now confirm the wonderful educators who will be guiding our students' learning journeys!

Please visit the Staffing News page for all the details.

Medication Collection

Please remember to collect all student medications from the front office before the end of term.

We also encourage you to use the upcoming holidays to renew asthma plans and check that all medications are up-to-date before the new year.

2026 Student Leadership

Last week, we were privileged to announce our 2026 Holy Cross School Captains, Ruby, Adelaide, Jack and Henry.

At the end of term assembly, we will announce the full 2026 school leadership team! Every Grade 6 child will be assigned a role. This approach moves beyond simply giving everyone a title; instead, it provides a meaningful pathway for each student to follow their passion. It is an invitation for every child to discover and enact their unique charism in service to our community. The roles that will be presented are:

House Captains
Sustainability Leaders
Faith Leaders
Social Justice Leaders
Media Leaders
Wellbeing Leaders

Car Park

We want to express our thanks to everyone for your ongoing commitment to safety in our school community! However we are noticing a few habits creeping into the car park and on the road that we’d love to work together on to ensure the safest environment for all our children.

We have recently observed drivers cutting off other vehicles, moving quite quickly, even travelling in the wrong direction. Please remember to drive slowly, with consideration and a little extra patience this time of year. Every child’s safety is worth the extra few seconds!
For safety reasons, there is no right turn allowed from Hamilton Road into the school car park. Please drive to the roundabout and approach the car park from the left lane. This is a important safety measure to prevent traffic congestion and accidents.

A Note on Chained Carpark Opening Time

We appreciate your continued commitment to student safety! To improve traffic flow and maintain a safe environment, please note the following clarifications:

The chained car park gate will remain closed until at least 3:15 PM.
The gate may open a little later if students are still outside.
Why? This delay allows us time to ensure all children are safely accounted for before vehicles begin moving onto the school grounds. We appreciate your patience as we prioritise their safety.

We are aware that some vehicles arrive early for pickup. To prevent traffic back-up, we ask that you DO NOT queue at the chained gate.

Instead, please follow this procedure:

Park in the main car park first.
Return to the area once you see the chain has been opened.
Park and walk safely to collect your child.

Thank you for you co-operation.

🎄 Christmas Concert Important Details

Our students are busily preparing their performances for the Christmas Concert! Based on rehearsals, we are looking forward to a high-energy evening filled with lots of fun for everyone.

Important information

PFA BBQ: Food and soft drinks will be available for purchase from the PFA BBQ between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Volounteers needed!
CFA Collection: We will be passing the hat around for donations for the local CFA.
Start Time: The concert will begin promptly at 6:00 PM.
Seating: Please Bring Your Own chairs or blankets for comfortable seating.
Student Dress Code: Students should arrive dressed in 'Christmassy' clothing that is appropriate for performing on an elevated stage.
Parking: Please note that the chained carpark (top carpark) will be closed for this event.
Please note this is an alcohol-free event.

Dream Builders Needed!

We are looking to for builders and tradies to help build some imaginative play cubbies similar to the ones below for bargain basement prices! We have plenty of 90x35 pine in the shed to get the project going. Can you help? Please email principal@hcnewgisborne.catholic.edu.au with your quote or offer to help.

We're also looking for people with know-how in earthworks, road construction, asphalt and drainage. Can you offer some advice? We're looking for tips, tricks, quotes and favours. Specifically around putting in some spoon drains and resurfacing quotes.

Please reach out to principal@hcnewgisborne.catholic.edu.au

Combined Parish Newsletter

In a new initiative from our Parish community, we have a new Pastoral Newsletter to share. We look forward to contributing to the newsletter and engaging more closely with our combined parishes.

We are also looking forward to St Brigid's Carols in the Hall this Sunday 8th December 2.00pm-4.00pm.

School Closure on Fire Danger Days

We would like to draw your attention to our processes for Fire Danger Days including the requirement to CLOSE the school on EXTREME and CATASTROPHIC fire danger days. Please visit 'Fire Danger Days' for more information.

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.

Happy Birthday!