It has been a busy start to the term, with plenty of learning and exciting events keeping us on our toes! A big thank you to HSPA for organising a fantastic disco on 16th October. The evening was filled with dancing and lots of smiling faces. Students have already shared their feedback, with many hoping the disco becomes an annual event. It was wonderful to see our school community come together for such a fun night!

Chess Tournament: Holy Spirit Primary School is excited to be hosting an Interschool Chessmates Tournament on Friday 11th December! Open to primary schools across Melbourne, we are looking forward to welcoming students from a range of schools for this exciting event. Our own Holy Spirit students are also invited to register and participate. Please see the flyer for further details!

You can register via the QR code on the flyer or the following link:

https://portal.iclasspro.com/chessmatesvic/locations?next=https:%2F%2Fportal.iclasspro.com%2Fchessmatesvic%2Fevent-details%2F17

eSafety Resources: Gaming

The eSafety Commissioner’s website helps parents better understand their children’s gaming experiences, including the benefits of gaming, potential risks when playing online with others, in-game purchases and interactions with strangers. It provides practical strategies to help parents set appropriate boundaries, support safe gaming habits and ensure gaming remains a positive and enjoyable experience for their children.

Teeth on Wheels: This is a friendly reminder that Teeth On Wheels will be returning on November 27th 2026. If your child has already participated in the program this year, there’s no need to complete the form again unless your contact details or your child’s medical history has changed. To secure your child’s place, simply complete the E-form by the November 20th 2026. CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE YOUR FORM!

If eligible under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), your child may receive FREE dental care. If your child is not eligible, Teeth On Wheels offers a great value $125 package, which includes a full check-up, clean, fluoride treatment, and any required x-rays (claimable through private health insurance). If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Teeth On Wheels team at (03) 9338 1191.

Late Arrivals: Just a friendly reminder about student arrival times at school. Students can arrive from 8:35am, with the bell ringing at 8:45am. While the gate remains open until 8:55am, we encourage families to have students at school by 8:45am where possible. Arriving at this time allows children to settle into their morning routine, organise their belongings and prepare for the day, ensuring they are ready to begin their learning promptly.

We also encourage students to enter the school building independently, with families dropping them off at the school gates or external doors. This helps foster confidence, independence and responsibility as they begin their school day. Unless a transition support plan is in place or a teacher has specifically requested support to walk a student to class, we ask families to encourage this growing independence.

Final note: MACS are in the process of finalising Before and After School Procedures for schools that will not be continuing with MACSeye next year. We were recently told this will still take some extra time, with a final decision hopefully by mid-November. I understand that these arrangements can create challenges for families when planning around work commitments and family responsibilities. I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we hope to have the best outcome for our school community.

Also reminder fees were due end of Term 3. The office will be in contact with you if there are any outstanding fees or levies.

Belinda Cheong

Principal

What's coming up in the next two weeks of Term 4....

- 2nd November, School Closure

- 3rd November, School Closure - Melbourne Cup

- 6th November, HSPA Meeting, 9am

- 9th November, Prep Orientation 9:30-11:00am

- 12th November, Junior Z Mass, 9:15am

- 12th November, Assembly, 2:30pm

Extra-Curricular Activities (must be registered):

Strike Soccer – Tuesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week

Chess Mates – Wednesdays, 3:30pm–4:30pm, every week

Coffee Van from 3:15pm on Thursdays

Please check out upcoming events on our Parent Calendar via our website. https://www.hsthornburyeast.catholic.edu.au/news-events/calendar/

Holy Spirit Primary School Newsletter

Issue 7 · 29 Oct 2026

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