PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

The Importance of School Attendance

At Holy Trinity, we believe that every student deserves the opportunity to flourish. In alignment with the Armidale Catholic Schools commitment to excellence, we are continuing our focus on the importance of consistent school attendance.

Our mission is to ensure every student can "Live life to the full," and being present in the classroom is the first step toward that goal.

Why Attendance Matters

While it might seem like "just one day," every day at school serves a vital purpose in your child's development:

• Academic Growth: Consistent attendance supports strong learning outcomes and prevents gaps in knowledge.
• Social Connection: Being present daily helps students develop and maintain meaningful friendships.
• Character Building: Navigating the school day inspires resilience and a sense of routine.
• Accessing Opportunity: From sports to the arts and leadership, students can only take advantage of what they are present for.

We have set a clear target for our school community: A 90% attendance rate, which is the number of days attended as a percentage of the total number of days. We would also like the level of attendance, that is the proportion of students whose attendance rate is equal to or greater than 90%.

Looking back at last year, our rates were 

Primary 90 %

Our level was 61% of students attending 90% of the time

Secondary 86%

Our level was 4% of students attending 90% of the time

While we celebrate the dedication of many, we know we can work together to see this number grow.

A Note on Illness: We understand that health comes first. If your child is genuinely sick, they should stay home to rest and recover.

Partnering with Our Families

We are legally required to have all school absences explained within 7 days. We sincerely appreciate our families who proactively provide these explanations. To support this, our office staff follow up daily via Compass, email, and phone calls to ensure our records are accurate.

To the families who have met with us to discuss attendance hurdles: Thank you. We value your honesty and the opportunity to work together. We are always looking for ways to support our students and families to overcome barriers to being at school.

Let’s encourage the message with our children that every day counts. Thank you for your continued support of our school’s ethos.

The Gift of Community

One of the most frequent and heartening pieces of feedback I receive about our school is the sense of family and community that defines us. It is a spirit we cultivate daily, but it truly shines during our large-scale celebrations.

Events like our Easter Fair are more than just dates on a calendar; they are a rich tradition built through the hard work of our families for over 40 years. These moments create lifelong memories for our students and reinforce the bonds that make our school a home.

We Need Your Help: Our Easter Fair

While the excitement is building, an event of this scale cannot happen without your support. Last week, we sent home a note calling for volunteers for Friday, 27 March. To be candid, the response so far has been a little underwhelming.

To continue this positive tradition and ensure the night is a success, we need our community to step forward. Whether you have an hour to spare or a specific skill to share, every bit of help counts.

How you can contribute:

• Time: Volunteer for a short shift on a stall during the night (even just one hour!).
• Donations: We are seeking donations of Easter eggs and other required items.
• Creativity: Help your child make an Easter Hat for our traditional parade.
• Presence: Simply coming along on the night with family and friends to enjoy the festivities.

Why Volunteer?

When you give your time, your children see firsthand the value of service and community. This is a wonderful way to meet other parents, support our school's growth, and "live life to the full" alongside our students. Your children benefit, our community strengthens, and you may find the experience incredibly rewarding too!

Information to support Catholic School families

Recently at the Principal's Meeting in Armidale we had a presentation by the leaders of the Council of Catholic Schools Parents NSW. It was extremely informative and it has many great resouces for families. I have attached some here. 

Their website is: