SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY (Friday 28th February)

Dear Families,

We are certainly experiencing gorgeous weather at the moment!

I hope your family has been able to make the most of our warm, fine days before the cooler days arrive.

Our weather has enabled our school community to gather for weekly assembly, P&F 'Meet and Mingle' event, Friday morning Run Club, catching up with each other in the schoolyard, ...

Let's hope the weather continues to be kind to us for our Twilight Sports on 13th March and our Colour Explosion on Friday 21st March.

Our Amazing Staff

We have incredible staff at Holy Family!

I deeply appreciate their dedication, hard work, and passion for creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment. Their commitment to building strong connections with students and establishing meaningful routines makes a lasting impact on student growth and success.

The relationships our staff nurture and the structure they provide not only foster academic achievement but also create a sense of belonging that inspires confidence and curiosity. Staff efforts do not go unnoticed, and I am truly grateful for the positive difference they make every day.

On behalf of our families and students, I would like to acknowledge and thank our staff for their unwavering dedication, patience, and the heart they put into everything they do. Our students—and our entire school community—are better because of staff.

Thank you to our parents for booking a time with your child's classroom teacher to share information related to your child. This information is crucial for our staff to build meaningful connections with your child.

Staff Learning

We are continuing to support our staff with ongoing professional learning.

This week staff have been involved in -

UFLI Training

Literacy Masterclass

Modelling by Dr Nathaniel Swain (Instructional Coach, Educator and Researcher)

In 2025, our classroom teachers will also be supported by Natalie Dib (Literacy) and Jennifer Young (Maths, Learning and Teaching) who are available to be in classrooms during the week. This is another example of the way our Leadership Team offer ongoing staff professional learning.

Whole School Mass

Everyone is welcome to join us for our first Whole School Mass for the year. At this Mass our School Captains and Vice Captains will share stories from some of our Founding Parish members at Holy Family (Maureen, Terry and Kath). These parishioners were interviewed by our students last week and we look forward to hearing their Holy Family stories at Mass tomorrow.

Mass will be held at 9:15am on Friday 14th February. Please drop by Kid's Cafe for a coffee before Mass.

Prep Family Mass

Father Justel kindly invites our Prep families to join him for Mass on Sunday 16th February at 10am.

Year 4 Sacrament Evening

Students receiving the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist in 2025 must attend this information evening with their parents as part of their preparation.

Please contact Father Justel or Natalie at the Parish if you are unable to attend.

2025 FIRE Carrier Ceremony

At our assembly on Friday 21st February our 2025 FIRE Carriers for Holy Family School will be presented with their badge. Please come along to support these students in their important work as 'Friends Igniting Reconcilaition through Education' (FIRE).

Year 6/Staff Buddy Program

Last Thursday we launched our Year 6 Student/Staff Buddy Program with afternoon tea provided by our staff. This program has been designed to provide each Year 6 student with at least one adult who can support him/her during their final year at primary school.

The staff member will celebrate birthdays, sacraments, achievements and graduation with their Year 6 Buddy. We hope our students see this as another way of building connections at Holy Family.

P&F Welcome Event (Meet & Mingle)

I would like to thank Brooke and Amelia for organising a wonderful 'Welcome Function' for our parents last week.

Thank you also to members of our staff who supported this event.

I hope everyone had a great time!

Holy Family Royalty

Congratulations to Joe Salinitri on being named one of the Moomba Monarchs for this year. We hope you have heaps of fun fulfilling your royal duties!

Parent Library

We have created a 'Parent Library' in the school foyer. This library has been set up to support you in your important role as parent or carer.

Please take time to have a look at the resources and borrow a book if you would like to. There is a notebook for you to write your name and the title of the book you have borrowed.

I am keen to enhance the library and am open to ideas for new books.

Open Days

Open Days run every Tuesday at 9:30am. Please go to our website to book in for a tour.

Our 2025 School Captains (Micah and Georgia) and Vice Captains (Xavier and Sienna) will support these tours.

Medical Action Plans

Thank you to those parents who have returned their child's new 2025 medical action plan and medication. We require these as soon as possible, so if you have not managed to sort this we ask you to at your earliest convenience.

We require the hard copy of the original action plan.

Running Club

Mrs Michelsson will continue to have 'running club' each Friday morning at 8am.

Parents/carers/toddlers are welcome to join us!

Friday Morning Coffee

Please gather at Kid's Cafe for a catch up after you have dropped off your child/ren. This commences on Friday 14th February.

Thank you to Jaclyn for supporting this parent/carer opportunity to gather.

School Car Park

Just a reminder that the school car park is reserved for staff and parish workers only. Parents need to find alternate parking across the road or in neighbouring streets, or use the 'Kiss and Drop' system. The 'Kiss and Drop' system works effectively when we can keep cars moving to the exit to Stephensons Road, especially in the afternoon. Staff needing to leave their workplace at the end of the day are having great difficulty due to the number of parents parking in the carpark. We thank you for respecting these arrangements.

It is highly recommended that parents/carers only use our designated 'Kiss and Drop' area out side the Administration building. This service is also manned by our staff to ensure the safety of each student.

Holy Family's Behaviour Curriculum Implementation

During our first school tour on Tuesday the families mentioned how calm and orderly the school was. Students were engaged in learning and moving safely around the school.

I would like to thank our staff and stduents for continually revisiting our routines to enhance learning and wellbeing.

Staff will revisit the following routines -

knock and wait before entering a classroom
line up in roll order
enter and exit learning spaces calmly
students move around the school quietly and calmly
gain student attention using cues

Soft Plastics Recycling

Thank you to those who have volunteered to help with the soft plastics recycling. Please see this terms roster below-

Kids Cafe

Kids Cafe will be opening soon. If you would like to volunteer this term please respond via the Operoo note.

2025 School Year

Term One Important Dates (refer to our Google Calendar as well)

FEBRUARY

Thur 13 District Swimming

Thur 13 Dr Nathaniel Swain at Holy Family

Fri 14 Opening of the Year School Mass (9:15am)

Wed 19 Prep Rest Day

Wed 19 District Swimming

Fri 21 Assembly to Commission our 'FIRE Carriers' (2:45pm)

Wed 26 School Advisory Meeting (5:30pm)

Wed 26 Prep Rest Day

Thur 27 Welcome Function (Parents)

Fri 28 School Closure Day (Dr Nathaniel Swain PL)

MARCH

Wed 5 Prep Rest Day

Wed 5 Prep-Year 2 Parent Night (Literacy)

Wed 5 Division Swimming

Mon 10 Labour Day Public Holiday (no school)

Thur 13 Twilight Sports

Mon 17 Catholic Education Week

Arise, shine; for your

light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon

you (Is 60: 1)

Thur 20 Athletics Trial Day

Fri 21 Catholic Education Week Mass (Cathedral)

Fri 21 Harmony Day/Family Picnic

Fri 21 EMR Swimming

Fri 21 School Fundraiser (Colour Run)

Tues 25 Parent Evening (Maria Ruberto)

Fri 28 Year 5/6 Summer Sport Gala

Mon 31 P&F Easter Raffle Drawn

APRIL

Fri 4 End of Term 1 (1pm finish)

Thurs 17 Holy Thursday

Fri 18 Good Friday

Sun 20 Easter Sunday

Mon 21 Easter Monday (Public Holiday)

Tues 22 Term 2 Commences

Fri 25 ANZAC Day (Public Holiday)

Enjoy the cooler weekend,

Julie David (Principal)

Literacy News