Dear Parents,

Welcome to Holy Trinity and St Mary’s for the 2026 school year. I trust that you all enjoyed a well deserved holiday break.

It has been a pleasure to catch up with many of our students and families during our two assessment days and sense the excitement for the school year ahead.

What a wonderful start to the year for our Prep children! I cannot believe how well settled they have been this week, it’s almost like they’ve been here for a whole term! This is a real testament to you, their parents, in the amazing way you have prepared them for the start of school, so thank you. Welcome Alfie, Vincent, Jack, Archie, James, Billy, Prahil, Ivaan, Priyan, Nicholas, Joseph, Yazan, Saoirse, Millie, Prushni, Luna, Mabel, Halle, Charlie, Florence, Heidi, Bianca, Diksha, and Alaya!

As well as our new prep children and families, we welcome Jackson (Yr1), Aria (Yr1) and Lillian (Yr4), and their families. We wish them and their families an enjoyable, faith-filled, community experience at Holy Trinity.

We also welcome Mrs Claudine North-Coombes to our staff this term as our 1/2 Blue teacher. She has made a wonderful start, working extremely hard to get to know all the staff & students. Claudine will be with us for Term 1 while Miss Estephania Rodrigues is on leave.

We have also welcomed back Mrs Rosa Neal from maternity leave. Rosa will be working in 5/6 Blue on Thursdays and Fridays.

2026 School Theme

Our 2026 school theme is ‘Make a Difference’. Families are everything. A group of imperfect individuals who come together in their uniqueness to accept each other unconditionally through love. Our Holy Trinity Family is no different. We come together as a school and parish community with all our quirks, troubles, differences of opinions and yet woven together as a family who always look after each other. We are enriched by the encounters we have each day and inspired always to be the best we can be.

This year our students, staff and wider community will be called to make a difference everyday. Our number one question will always be; “How have you made a difference today?”, with our scripture focus coming from Matthew: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers & sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25: 40).

Principal’s Welcome Back Cuppa & Chat

We warmly invite all parents and carers to join us for our Principal’s Welcome Back Cuppa & Chat on Friday 6th February, from 8:30am to 10:00am.

This is a lovely opportunity to connect with other families, enjoy a relaxed chat, and share a cuppa as we begin the new school year together. Complimentary barista coffee will be available, generously provided by the Holy Trinity & St Mary’s Parents Association, with The Travelling Café onsite. We look forward to welcoming you and starting the year with good company and great coffee.

Staff Communication and Availability

I would like to remind families of our staff communication practices. In an effort to support the wellbeing of all staff, we are encouraging staff not to respond to emails before 8.00 am or after 6.00 pm.

During school terms, staff will endeavour to respond to emails or phone calls within 24-48 hours. Responses are not expected during non-work days, weekends, public holidays, or school term breaks.

If a matter is urgent, please contact the school office by phone and leave a message. Teachers are unable to come to the phone during teaching time and are generally unavailable for meetings between 8.55 am and 3.35 pm. Please also note that staff attend regular meetings and professional learning on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

We appreciate your understanding and support of these practices, which help ensure a healthy work–life balance for our staff. If you have any concerns regarding these arrangements, please feel free to contact me. Naturally, in the case of an emergency, please contact me directly.

Late Arrivals & Early Departures

To ensure the safety of all students, any child arriving late or leaving early must be signed in or out via Passtab by a parent or an authorised Emergency Contact listed in SIMON/PAM.

Late arrivals: Parents must buzz at the gate and report to the office with their child. Please sign-in via Passtab and submit the required details. Office staff will issue a laminated late pass, which must be given to the classroom teacher.
Early departures: Parents are required to come to the office and sign their child out via Passtab. The office staff will either call through to the classroom or collect your child on your behalf.

These procedures support student safety and ensure accurate attendance records.

Parent Handbook

The 2026 Parent Handbook is now available for all parents. This handbook has important information regarding uniform, school programs, parent code of conduct, and many other important pieces of information. The handbook can be accessed digitally through the school website or by clicking here!

School Uniform Expectations

We kindly remind families that the phasing-in period for our new school uniform has now concluded. All students are expected to be wearing the correct Holy Trinity school uniform each day.

Please note that school dress is no longer part of the Holy Trinity uniform and should not be worn.

Students are expected to wear the approved uniform when travelling to and from school, and when attending excursions or school events. Uniforms should be neat, well maintained, and consist only of approved Holy Trinity items. Non-school jumpers, jackets or accessories are not part of the uniform and should not be worn during the school day.

As outlined in our Uniform Policy, we also ask families to note:

Plain white quarter crew socks only (no logos or branding)
Hair longer than shoulder length should be tied back, with accessories in school colours and for practical purposes only
Jewellery is limited to stud or sleeper earrings, a discreet chain and a watch
Make-up and nail polish are not permitted

From September to April, students are required to wear the Holy Trinity sunhat in line with our SunSmart expectations

We appreciate your support in ensuring students arrive each day dressed appropriately, as this helps maintain a positive, safe and consistent learning environment for all.

If there are circumstances where your child is unable to wear the correct uniform, we ask that you notify your child’s teacher in writing.

Year 6 Student Leadership – 2026

In 2026, Holy Trinity will be reintroducing School Captains and House Captains, alongside our existing Term Leader model for Year 6 students.

Our student leadership structure includes School Captains, House Captains and Term Leaders, providing both selected and shared leadership opportunities. School and House Captains play an important role in representing student voice, supporting school events and acting as positive role models within our community.

To ensure all students have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, we will also continue with our Term Leader model, where six students each term take on leadership responsibilities such as leading assemblies, attending leadership meetings and representing the school at events.

This model supports the development of key skills such as communication, teamwork, responsibility and confidence in all Year 6 students.

Swimming Program - Prep to Year 4 - begins 13th February

Our annual swimming program for students in Years Prep-4 will commence this Friday 13th February. The program will run on Fridays for 6 weeks, concluding on 27th March. Information and permission forms have been sent via SIMON. Please ensure your child’s medical information and emergency contacts are up to date in readiness for swimming and future excursions.

Assembly - Friday 2.40pm

Our fortnightly assemblies will continue on `even week’ Fridays at 2.40pm. This Friday we will conduct a special assembly to present the Year 6 students with their leadership badges and their Year 6 jackets. We will also use this opportunity to welcome our new Preps.

Assemblies this year will take place in the Gathering Space. Parents are most welcome to attend fortnightly assemblies. Please access the building via the glass doors near the library.

On most occasions, a class will be allocated to share their learning with our school community. TORCH awards will also be presented. In addition to our fortnightly assembly, our students will gather at 8.55am every Monday morning for a brief flag raising assembly near the adventure playground (weather permitting). Parents are also welcome to attend.

Beginning Year Mass - Sunday 15th February

All families are warmly invited to attend our beginning year mass on Sunday 15th February, 10.30am, at St Jude’s Scoresby. This Mass will also include Staff Commissioning for the 2026 school year and a special welcome to our Prep students and families. The Parish is planning to provide a sausage sizzle following mass. Please RSVP attendance for catering purposes by completing the Staff Commissioning & Prep Welcome Mass 2026 eform by 4pm on Thursday 12th February.

We look forward to celebrating together as a school community.

Student Medical Details & Medication

Please ensure that your child's medical information and emergency contact details are up to date in SIMON. Please see further on in the Newsletter for instructions on how to update emergnency contacts 'HT Helpful Info Page'.

Information regarding the administration of medication at school and links to various medical forms you may require are on the 'Medication at School Page'.

SunSmart!

In line with our SunSmart policy, all students are required to wear our school hat from the beginning of September until the end of April. Parents are required to supply sunscreen for their child (roll on sunscreen recommended). Staff will not apply sunscreen but will provide regular reminders for students to apply or re-apply sunscreen. When the weather exceeds 35 degrees or the UV rating is extreme, children will remain indoors.

School Closure Date - Term 1

Our first school closure date for 2026 will be Friday 6th March. Please see the calendar section of the newsletter for important dates.

Subway Lunches & Classroom Cuisine

Classroom Cuisine is available from tomorrow and Subway lunches are available from Friday 13th February. Please see the 'HT Helpful Information' page for ordering instructions.

Joke of the Week

The owner of a pharmacy walks in to find a guy leaning heavily against the wall. The owner asks the clerk, "What's with that guy over there by the wall?"

The clerk says, "Well, he came in here this morning to get something for his cough. I couldn't find the cough syrup, so I gave him an entire bottle of laxative."

The owner says, "You fool! You can't treat a cough with laxatives!"

The clerk says, "Oh yeah? Look at him, he's afraid to cough!"

Final Thoughts ~ The Ripple Effect

It’s easy to underestimate the impact of small actions. A kind word, a moment of patience, a smile in the playground, or taking time to really listen can seem insignificant in isolation. But like ripples in water, these small gestures often travel much further than we realise.

In a school community, this ripple effect is powerful. One positive interaction can lift a child’s confidence, strengthen a relationship, or set the tone for an entire day. The way we speak, respond, and model behaviour shapes not only our children, but also the culture around them.

Sometimes making a difference isn’t about doing something big — it’s about doing small things consistently, with care.

HT Facebook Page & Instagram

Remember to follow HT on Facebook & Instagram so that you can see our students learning and be kept up to date with community announcements as they are shared.

https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityPS/

https://www.instagram.com/holytrinityprimaryschool/

Kind regards,

Steve Evans

Principal

School Uniform Shop Update

Spartan School World - School Uniforms