Farewell to Fr Thang Parish Mass.

Last Sunday our parish gathered to celebrate Fr Thang with a beautiful Mass followed by lunch. Fr Thang shared his heartfelt gratitude with the community for welcoming him so warmly when he arrived four years ago… even though we were all stuck in lockdown and “welcoming” meant waving at each other through screens and masks. In just four short years, he’s managed to rack up some impressive statistics: 110 weddings, 240 baptisms and over 300 funerals — talk about a busy calendar! He also guided the merging of St Brendan’s and Holy Rosary into one united parish, proving he’s as skilled at bringing communities together as he is at delivering a good homily.

Of course, no Fr Thang Mass would be complete without the appearance of his famous “ears”, which always begin as a heart. His message is simple but powerful: to truly hear the Word of God, we must first open our hearts. And just like that, he turns ears into a theological lesson and a bit of performance. Fr Thang will officially join his new parish in Springvale in January, so there’s still time to wish him well. A big thank you to the staff and parents who joined the Mass on Sunday, your presence helped make it a wonderful celebration of faith, gratitude and community.

Class Lists

Teachers have worked hard to ensure your children are placed into classes that are appropriately balanced and they have at least one nominated child with them. Class lists have now been finalised and there will be no further changes. Students will participate in Step up day. Teacher- keep it positive

Celebrating our Students

Great news! Last week, this amazing child competed in the Boccia Victoria School Competition, representing Holy Rosary School. He made it all the way to the Grand Final , winning the silver medal in his category! A great achievement, given that he was the youngest child competing! He is very proud of himself and we are too!

Last Day of School Year

We will begin our day with a prayer service at 9:15am in the church.

At 12:45pm, we will come together in the school yard for a much loved tradition, a guard of honour to celebrate all our departing children, including our wonderful Year 6 students and those moving on from other year levels. This is followed by our whole-school sing-and-dance to Tina Turner’s Nutbush City Limits,which always ends the year on a high!

Children will be dismissed from the school yard at 1pm, ready to begin the summer break. We kindly ask that all children are collected promptly so they can start their holidays.

Beginning of the Year testing

We will be conducting Literacy testing for children in Years 1-6, during the first week of the 2026 school year. Each child will spend half an hour with their teacher. By gathering this important data early, teachers can begin the year with timely, targeted teaching tailored to the needs of their class. Parents will receive an email from School Interviews Online on Wednesday 3 December with further details about booking an appointment. Should families not be able to attend these appointments, testing will be made available in the following weeks.

Reports

Reports will be sent out via email by nForma on Friday 12 December. This is a wonderful moment to celebrate the growth, effort and achievements your children have made throughout the year. We hope you enjoy reflecting on all they have accomplished.

Graduation

We are delighted to welcome our Year 6 students and their families to a joyful Graduation Mass on Thursday 11 December at 5:30pm in the Holy Rosary Church. Each year, this celebration allows us to honour our graduating students—their leadership, their personalities, and the countless ways they have helped shape our school. Holy Rosary is richer because of them.

We also take this opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate and in some cases, farewell our Year 6 parents. Their support, involvement and generosity over the years have been invaluable.

End of Year Prayer Celebration & Carols

Parents are warmly invited to join us for a festive Carols Morning on 11 December in the school yard. Our children and teachers have been rehearsing a mix of traditional and contemporary carols. Come along at 9am for a morning filled with music, community spirit and celebration as we close out another wonderful year together. Children are invited to wear festive clothes including Santa hats and headbands, keeping in mind our sunsmart policy.

Reporting Suspected Abuse

At Holy Rosary School, the safety and wellbeing of every child is central to our mission and grounded in our commitment to the dignity of every person. In line with our Child Safe Policies, Ministerial Order 1359, and the PROTECT guidelines used across Victorian schools, we remind families that reporting concerns about a child’s safety is essential.

If you suspect that a child is experiencing abuse, is at risk, or discloses information that worries you, you must act without delay. Staff are mandatory reporters, and all concerns are taken seriously, investigated appropriately, and handled with care and confidentiality.

We follow the PROTECT Four Critical Actions, which guide how schools respond to any concern for a child:

Respond – Act immediately if a child is at risk of harm. Ensure the child is safe and supported.
Report – Report concerns to the Principal or a member of the Leadership Team. Depending on the situation, DFFH or Police will also be contacted.
Record – Keep clear and factual notes about what has been observed, disclosed, or reported.
Refer – Ensure the child and family are connected with appropriate support services.

Families are also encouraged to report any behaviour by adults; staff, volunteers, or other parents that does not align with our Child Safety Code of Conduct, including unsafe communication or interactions that make a child feel uncomfortable.

Please remember: you do not need proof to raise a concern. Reporting is an act of care, and every concern is managed with professionalism and respect.

If you have questions about our Child Safe practices or need guidance on how to report a concern, please contact me or any other member of the leadership team.

New Cafe to try

A new social enterprise café ‘Where Is My Coffee’ is coming to our neighbourhood. This café is a partnership between Unison and VMCH which aims to create meaningful employment pathways for people with disability, as well as fostering inclusion and connection.The launch coincides with International Day of People with Disability.

Where Is My Coffee? Café, Ground Floor, 56 Derby Street, Kensington

Enjoy: Sweet treats, tea, and coffee

Christine

Community