Learning & Teaching

Deputy Principal Network

On Thursday 28 May, Holy Spirit had the pleasure of hosting the MACS Deputy Principal Network meeting in our school hall.

Deputy Principals from schools across the network gathered for a day of professional learning, collaboration and discussion. We were pleased to be able to provide a welcoming space for colleagues to connect, share ideas and strengthen professional relationships.

Thank you to our staff who assisted with preparations and helped ensure the day ran smoothly.

Semester One Reports and Parent-Teacher Conferences

Semester One Reports will be available to families via our nForma Portal in Week 10. We will send a notification to all families once reports have been released and are ready to view.

Reports provide an overview of your child's learning, progress and achievement throughout the first semester and are an important opportunity to celebrate growth and identify future learning goals.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place early in Term 3 on Thursday 23 July. These conferences provide an opportunity to discuss your child's report, celebrate successes and work together to support their continued learning. Further information regarding conference bookings will be shared early next term. 

Please note that students finish school at 1:00pm on this day.

Planning for Term 3

As we approach the end of Term 2, our teaching staff have been working collaboratively to plan for next term's learning. Through a half-day planning session, teachers have been unpacking curriculum expectations, reviewing student data and designing engaging learning experiences that will support continued growth and achievement for all students.

This valuable planning time ensures a smooth transition into Term 3 and allows our staff to thoughtfully prepare learning opportunities that are responsive to student needs and interests.

Next term, our whole-school key concept will be Discovery. Our Prep to Year 4 students will explore this concept through the curriculum lens of Media Arts, while our Year 5 and 6 students will investigate Discovery through Economics and Business. We are excited about the engaging learning opportunities these units will provide and look forward to sharing more details with families at the beginning of Term 3.

Victorian Parliament’s annual Parliament Prize

The Victorian Parliament’s annual Parliament Prize Competition is back for 2026!

Students are invited to create and submit a 90-second Member’s Statement video answering the question:

“What would you say to Parliament if you were an MP?”

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with democracy, public speaking and civic participation in a creative and meaningful way.

The competition is open to:

• Grades 5 and 6
• Years 7 to 9
• Years 10 to 12

There are prizes available for both students and schools.

Entries close at 5:00pm on Friday 12 June 2026.

Further information, terms and conditions, and promotional material can be found via the Victorian Parliament website.

Years 3 - 6 ICAS 2026

It is not too late to sign up for ICAS this year. ICAS is an online academic competition that is designed to assess students’ higher order thinking and problem-solving skills.

Each assessment celebrates students’ accomplishments by providing opportunities for recognition and development. We encourage you to consider entering your child into ICAS this year. 

Holy Spirit has signed up for both the English and Mathematics ICAS Assessments in 2026. These tests will be completed at school, during school hours, and are not compulsory to complete. You may enter your child in one or both of the English and Mathematics ICAS Assessments. Students must be in Years 3 - 6 to have the opportunity to sit these assessments. 

Testing Date period  

• English: 10 - 14 August 
• Mathematics: 24 – 28 August 

Actual dates for each test will be finalised closer to the date and around our school calendar and events. 

Our school has signed up for the ICAS Assessments Parent Payment System (PPS) for (English & Mathematics). Through this system parents can pay for ICAS directly online while tests will still be held at our school. 

Please use the following details to register your child/children by no later than Monday 27th July. Each test will cost $21.95 (inc. GST) per child per test. Payment is required at the time of registration.

Please note that unfortunately late payments for assessments are not available. The school cannot extend this time or sign students up later as the enrolment process is completed through the ICAS Parent Payment System website. 

To sign up

Our parent page link is: https://shop.icasassessments.com/pages/parent-payment/ARU821 

Our school access code is:  ARU821

Click on ‘Enter’

Follow the steps to register your child/children in one or both of the English & Mathematics assessments. Finalise enrolment, payment and save. The information of enrolment will then be sent to the school. Please ensure that your child’s information is accurate and current as this is what you will see on the final certificate and report documentation. 

A permission slip will be sent home to all families that enrol their child/children into an English and/or Mathematics ICAS Assessment closer to the assessment date.

We are proud to offer the ICAS Assessments, and look forward to celebrating some fantastic results later in the year.

Key Dates for Learning & Teaching for May

• Prep incursion - 15th June
• Swimming Week - 22nd - 26th June
• Last Day of Term - 26th June

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Have a fabulous fortnight!

Kayla Flindt-Petersen

Learning & Teaching Leader