From Mrs David's Desk
SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY - 2024 Planning
(Friday 24th November 2023)
Dear Families,
What a performance!
Our Year 3/4 students showcased their Performing Arts talents in front of their peers and families last Thursday night. In only 6 weeks this group of students rehearsed and memorised their scripts, songs, signs and dance moves. An incredible achievement for such a young group of students.
The script for the concert 'Journey to the Unknown' was written by our talented Performing Arts teacher Miss Rawlins. During 2023 Miss Rawlins has written scripts for our three concerts (Prep - Year 2, Years 3 & 4 and Years 5 & 6). Each of these performances were entertaining and gave all of our students the opportunity to shine.
We look forward to showcasing our Visual and Media Arts to our school community in 2024.
Christmas Joy
Christmas joy is already being shared by members of our school community. Members of our Holy Family Choir have visited some of our Parishioners at their Christmas Lunch last Friday and residents at Scotchmans Creek Nursing Home on Tuesday.
It was beautiful to see the faces of everyone involved. Our students introduced themselves with a smile and sang with confidence while their audience members sang, clapped, cried and smiled.
Staff Professional Learning
Last Friday our Year 5 students and Year 3-6 classroom teachers were given the unique opportunity to be taught and mentored by Shane Pearson.
Shane Pearson is a speech pathologist who specialises in literacy difficulties. He is passionate about effective evidence-based literacy instruction including classroom practice and intensive intervention.
He created the PhOrMeS Program (Phonology, Orthography, Morphology, Etymology and Semantics) which our teachers will implement as part of their Literacy Program in 2024.
2024 Class Composition
Our classes for next year will be -
Prep (2 classes)
Year 1/2 (3 classes)
Year 3/4 (3 classes)
Year 5/6 (4 classes)
Holy Family will be increasing by one class in 2024 with 41 Prep students joining our school.
2024 Student Leadership
We have decided to change our Year 6 Leadership Position application process this year. Our school has a number of current Year 5 students from St Mary Magdalen's joining us next year in Year 6. The Staff Leadership Team and Year 5/6 teachers thought old off some Leadership Applications until 2024 to provide our new students with the opportunity to apply.
Currently our Year 5 students are writing their School Captain and Vice Captain speeches. These positions will be appointed before the end of this year and presented at our final Mass on Wednesday 13th December at 9:15am.
Mini Vinnies
Don't forget about our final fundraising effort for families in need in our community.
Our Year 4 students are hosting their Family Movie Night on Friday 1st December starting at 4:30pm with arcade games, sausage sizzle and movie.
Bring along your picnic rug, cushion or bean bag to relax on while you watch our movie.
St Vincent de Paul Donations
During Advent our school community donates non perishable food items to support the efforts of our Holy Family St. Vincent de Paul Conference.
Students are encouraged to bring along food items and place these under our Christmas Tree in the school foyer.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and generosity.
Claymation
The Year 5/6 classes did claymation for the whole day. That means we got to make animations using clay. The way it is made is smart and fascinating. We used frame by frame stop motion animation which means we take a picture, move it slightly and take another picture and keep going to simulate movement. We play all of those images one by one 12 images per second to make it smoother.
Spending the whole day animating was fun. I think everyone enjoyed it. It was splendid. The filming, the making of the characters, the collaboration in our group. Everything was just sooo good. Modeling the clay characters was very messy, but it was much easier than we expected. The characters had a very unique style when using clay with the big feet and short body. The cameras were good quality and the keypad was simple to use. The clay bodies needed to be quite sturdy so the figure could stand up. Overall it was extremely fun and exciting. Everyone's work was very nice.
(Phoenix and Xavier)
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend,
Julie David (Principal)
Term 4 Events
November
Friday 24th - School Closure Day (2024 Planning)
Friday 24th - Parish Dinner Dance (6:30pm)
Monday 27th - Friday 8th Dec (Prep-Year 4 Swimming Program)
Tuesday 28th - 2024 Prep Transition
Wednesday 29th - Swimming Rest Day
Wednesday 29th - Transition Day (New students Years 1-6)
December
Friday 1st - Family Movie Night (4:30-7pm) Hall (BYO Picnic rug, cushions, bean bags)
Thursday 7th - Holy Family Community Christmas Carols (Quadrangle) BYO Picnic rug and food- 5-7pm
Monday 11th - Year 6 Graduation Ceremony (Avila College)- 7-8pm
Tuesday 12th - Year 6 Big Day Out
Wednesday 13th - End of Year Mass 9:15am
Wednesday 13th - Year 6 Celebration Afternoon
Friday 15th - Final 2023 Assembly (2pm) Hall (current families only)
Friday 15th - School finishes at 3:15pm
Monday 18th - Staff Planning Day
Tuesday 19th - Staff Planning Day
Wednesday 20th - Staff Time In Lieu Day
2024 School Year
Term 1
January
Monday 29th - Staff Return
Tuesday 30th - Student Testing
Wednesday 31st - Student Testing
February
Thursday 1st - All students commence
Sunday 4th - Prep 2024 Playdate
Friday 9th - Parent Welcome Event (everyone welcome)
Friday 23rd - Athletics Trial Day
Thursday 29th - Prep and New Families Dinner