PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Glad to be back at HTS!

After my time at the Armidale Catholic Schools office, returning to the day-to-day life of our school has been wonderful. I've thoroughly enjoyed reconnecting with students, staff, and families, and getting straight into the planning for 2026.

The future is bright at HTS, and I'm particularly excited about two key areas of transition:

• Year 11 Leadership: Mrs. Guest and I recently met with our current Year 10 students to develop their leadership theme for 2026. As our first cohort to become Year 11 leaders, their maturity and vision were impressive. They demonstrated a thoughtful commitment to guiding our school, and I know their leadership will bring exciting times for HTS.
• Kindergarten Transition (2026): It has been a pleasure to work on the transition program for our newest students. Welcoming our future Kindergarteners is always a sign of the vibrant, growing community we have here.

Last week was a fantastic snapshot of the varied opportunities available to our students. I was so impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm shown across all year levels:

• Sporting Achievements: Over 80 of our primary students demonstrated commitment at the diocesan touch football carnival in Tamworth. We also had students competing in horse sports in Tenterfield—a testament to the diversity of talent at HTS.
• Curriculum and Transition: Our Year 2 students enjoyed their focused swimming lessons, and the final Year 6 to Year 7 transition activities went smoothly, setting our students up for success in high school.

The next two weeks will be a little quieter on the calendar, with a strong focus on assessment and finalising topics and units of work before the busy end-of-year events begin. This dedicated time is crucial for both students and teachers to consolidate learning.

Thank you! I want to sincerely thank both our dedicated staff and our supportive families for their tireless work in providing such a diverse and rich array of opportunities for our students. It is this partnership that makes HTS such a special place.

Preparing for 2026

As the current school year draws to a close, it's a valuable time to review the progress made across our school community from Kindergarten to Year 10. The commitment of our staff, the effort of our students, and the support of our families have contributed to significant achievements this year. We’ve seen growth in academic outcomes, successful implementation of new curriculum initiatives, and wonderful engagement in co-curricular activities.

Our focus is now firmly on preparing for an even stronger 2026. A crucial part of this process is developing our Annual Improvement Plan (AIP). This plan is data-driven and directly aligns with the broader Armidale Catholic School Strategic Plan.

Key inputs guiding the 2026 AIP include:

• Feedback Surveys: We are currently analysing the valuable insights gathered from our recent staff, student, and family surveys. Your perspectives are vital in helping us identify strengths and areas for strategic growth.
• Student Data Analysis: We are reviewing a range of student data, including academic results, attendance, and well-being indicators, to ensure our 2026 priorities are tailored to meet the learning needs of all students.

The 2026 AIP will outline specific, measurable goals for curriculum, teaching practice, student well-being, and community engagement.

Planning for class groupings and finalising staffing levels is a complex but essential task at this time of year. We have received a number of  enrolment applications for most year groups across K-10.

We kindly ask that any family who knows their child will not be returning to our school in 2026 notifies the school office as soon as possible.

This timely information is critical as it directly impacts our ability to offer places to waitlisted families and to accurately determine our class groupings for the new school year.

We are in the final stages of finalising our 2026 staffing structure. We are committed to ensuring we have a dedicated, skilled, and stable team in place to support the learning and well-being of every student. We anticipate being able to share a preliminary class structure and key staff appointments early next term.

School Finances

The final instalment of our 2025 school fees is due on Friday 21 November. Thank you to all our families who have paid their fees regularly this year. The 10 instalment process seems to have been a successful model. If you are unable to have the fees paid by this date please contact me via Cathy in the Front Office or by email jrainger@arm.catholic.edu.au so we can make arrangements.

Attached is the ACS Bursary application for secondary families.