Dear Families,

9 sleeps until our Fundraising Event of 2025 - Trivia Night!

It would be fabulous to see all of our parents supporting this event as the funds raised assist with the purchase of items for our students.

Some of the items purchased recently have been -

choir tops
safety padding
climbing net in our playground
basketball tops

Holy Family would not be able to have these items if it was not for the magnificent fundraising efforts of our Parents and Friends Committee. Please come along to support the hard work and organisation of some of our families. It promises to be a fun night with a touch of Christmas.

National Principals Day

I would like to thank our Holy Family community for acknowledging and celebrating National Principals Day with me last Friday.

Being a Principal is not just a role; it is a privilege and an opportunity to build connections which make a lasting impact. I feel honoured to lead and foster such a welcoming and inclusive learning environment where everyone can belong.

Our wonderful Parish Priest, staff and families make my role even easier. They contribute in visible and unseen ways to nurture your children and raise funds to support new initiatives.

I had a great day celebrating with everyone last Friday. Thank you to Miss King for organising such a meaningful gift and our parents for your beautiful words and gorgeous flowers.

St Mary MacKillop

Together with Fr Julian Tenison Woods, Mary co-founded a school in South Australia to educate poor and underprivileged children. This led to the establishment of Australia’s first religious order, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, who became affectionately known as the “Brown Joeys”. She took her vision for education, especailly for the poor, isolated and underprivileged, establishing dozens of schools throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Dedicated to serving the poor, Mary with her Josephite Sisters went wherever they were needed, living amongst the communities they served. Despite facing fierce opposition, including her excommunication, Mary’s unwavering resolve and determination never faltered.

In 1884 Mary MacKillop and her sisters moved to North Sydney. On 8 August 1909, Mary passed away in Alma Cottage (the Josephite Convent at the time), now the sacred site of Mary MacKillop Place (North Sydney, Australia). She was beatified in 1995 by Pope John Paul II after a second miracle was attributed to her and, on 17 October 2010, Mary MacKillop was canonised as a saint at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome. Her final resting place, the Tomb of Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop in the Mary MacKillop Memorial Chapel forms part of Mary MacKillop Place and a site of pilgrimage open to all.

Saint Mary of The Cross Litany

Pray for us Woman of faith and trust,

That we like you may be led in love,

O Woman of grace,

St Mary of the Cross,

pray for us.

You who lived from the heart of kindness,

You who served the very poor and needy,

You who bestowed dignity on all,

St Mary of the Cross,

pray for us.

Pray for us Woman of faith and trust,

That we like you may be led in love,

O Woman of grace,

St Mary of the Cross,

pray for us.

You who bore deep suff’ring with courage

You who taught to forgive from the heart

You who believed grace could do great things.

St Mary of the Cross,

pray for us.

Pray for us Woman of faith and trust,

That we like you may be led in love,

O Woman of grace,

St Mary of the Cross,

pray for us.

You who dared to trust in God’s way

You whose heart knew

The depths of God’s love

You who embraced God in those you met.

St Mary of the Cross, pray for us.

© 2010. MONICA BROWN, EMMAUS PRODUCTIONS.

Confirmation

Bishop Thinh joined our Confirmation candidates on Tuesday as part of their preparation to receive this sacrament. I would like to thank Bishop Thinh for taking the time to explain the sacrament with our students. We look forward to celebrating at St Patrick's Cathedral on Friday 29th August.

Psychologist/Counsellor Opportunity

I have been investigating mental health/social skills support for our students and families at Holy Family School.

Last week I met with onPsych to see how this group could support our community.

I am pleased to say that they can offer psychological and/or counselling support.

onPsych is comprised of a team of experienced, qualified, registered and accredited psychologists, mental health social workers and counsellors who specialise in child and adolescent services. OnPsych works in primary, secondary, and special education schools from both public and private sectors. They work with individuals and in group sessions with students, parents and academic staff. In most cases services are provided with no out of pocket expenses and are bulk billed to the school, student or parent. The services are generally provided on site for easy access; noting that telehealth can also be an important part of support delivery.

Please read the attached information and email me jdavid@hfmw.catholic.edu.au if you would like to access this service. We need at least 10 students to have a psychologist onsite.

Student Attendance

Every Day Counts

The importance of regular school attendance.

At Holy Family School, we prioritise regular school attendance. We will work with families to ensure students are in class with their peers and teachers and enjoying all the benefits that brings.

Attending school every day means experiencing what counts – the learning, friendship, fun and opportunities that can shape your child’s future.

We understand that there are times when your child will need to miss school but to ensure minimal disruption to their education, please consider scheduling family holidays or medical/dental appointments outside of school time. If your child is well enough to attend but is worried about friendships, schoolwork or exams, please encourage them to come to school. Avoiding school can make these feelings worse and can create a negative pattern of behaviour.

If your child is having difficulty attending school, talk to their teacher or Mrs David/Miss King about getting support.

We know that parents and carers can be juggling challenges daily to get your children to school. If your child must miss school, notify us as soon as possible via Audiri or email so we can work together to support them.

Remember, Every Day Counts.

Grandparents/Special Friends Morning

We had a wonderful morning with our Grandparents and Special Friends last Friday. Thank you for attending this event to support your family. It was beautiful to see the smiles and excitement from all of our students.

Thank You

On behalf of our school community, I would like to wish Mrs Curtain all the best as she prepares for the arrival of her first child. We will miss you but know you will pop in to see us when you can.

Welcome

On behalf of our school community, I would like to welcome Mrs Luisa Cetrola to Holy Family. Mrs Cetrola has already spent time in Year 3C to get to know the students and has met most of the Year 3C parents at our recent Parent/Teacher Conversations.

I hope Mrs Cetrola enjoys her time with us while Mrs Curtain is on leave.

'Step Into Prep' Sessions

We are looking forward to welcoming 3 and 4 year old children to our 'Step into Prep' sessions this term.

These sessions are for all children in the City of Monash. They can come along and experience some of the wonderful opportunities Holy Family School has to offer.

Please let your local kindergartens, family and friends know about this opportunity.

2026 Class Placements

Holy Family School is fortunate to have professional and dedicated staff members. Early in Term 3 parents are invited to email 2026 class placement requests to me jdavid@hfmw.catholic.edu.au

Please be aware that not all requests will be met but we will aim to do our best for each student in Years Prep to 6.

Trivia Night School Fundraiser (Christmas Theme)

It's time to find your Christmas attire in preparation for our Annual Trivia Night! We are gathering as a community on Saturday 16th August in the Parish Hall to have fun and raise money for our students. The funds raised will go towards purchasing resources for our students and upgrading our oval.

Prep 2026 Enrolments

If you have a child ready to start school in 2026 please submit your enrolment form to the office as soon as possible. We look forward to welcoming your family to Holy Family School in 2026.

Once you have enrolled your child -

You will be invited to attend and interview with school staff and your child to discuss how to 'best' transition your child to primary school
Your child will be invited to attend 'Step Into Prep' sessions late in Term 3
Your child will attend 5 Transition Sessions in Term 4
You will be invited to attend a Prep Parent Information Session in Term 4
Your child will meet their Year 5 Buddy at their final Transition Session in Term 4

Open Days

Open Days are held every Tuesday at 9:30am. Please go to our website to book a tour.

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

Soft Plastics Recycling pick up

Thank you to all those families who have already volunteered this year to pick up our soft plastics recycling from school and drop off to the Monash Recycling Depot. Please find this term's roster for pick up.

2025 School Year Dates

Term Three Important Dates

AUGUST

Fri 8 Jump Rope for Heart

Fri 8 St Mary MacKillop Feast Day

Mon 11 Week of Action Against Bullying- wear a touch of orange every day!

Wed 13 School Advisory Council Meeting (6p

Fri 15 District Basketball

Sat 16 Holy Family Trivia Night (Adults only)

Sat 16 Confirmation Commitment Mass (5pm)

Sun 17 Confirmation Commitment Masses (8:30am or 10am)

Mon 18 Book Week (Book an Adventure)

Mon 18 Prep 100 Days Celebration

Mon 18 National Catholic Education Commission Conference (Julie)

Thur 21 Year 3/4 Concert (Avila College)

Mon 25 Book Week Dress Up Parade

Tues 26 Confirmation Reflection Day

Wed 27 Deputy Principal Conference

Fri 29 Sacrament of Confirmation (St Patrick's Cathedral) 6pm

SEPTEMBER

Mon 1 Julie on Long Service Leave

Thur 4 Father's Day Stall

Fri 5 Father's day Celebration (8:30am - 10am)

Sun 7 Happy Father's Day!

Thur 11 R U OK? Day

Fri 12 District Athletics

Fri 19 Celebrate Term 3 Mass (9:15am)

Fri 19 Final Day of Term 3 (1pm finish)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Julie David (Principal)

Parish News

Father Justel's 10th Anniversary