Principal's News

HOOL At last Monday's Leaders Commissioning Ceremony in Holy Rosary Church, we took time to reflect on the life and legacy of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. From an early age, Catherine showed that leadership is a lifelong commitment to growth, service and kindness. Catherine chose to use her resources to support those most in need. Recognising that many girls and women had limited access to education, she opened the House of Mercy in Dublin; a safe place where young women could learn and grow. Then together with other women who became the Mercy Sisters, she opened schools and hospitals, and expanded her mission across Ireland and beyond, arriving in Australia in 1846. Catherine was always guided by her desire to serve the poor.

Catherine’s words continue to inspire us: “Resolve to do good today, but promise to be even better tomorrow.” Her vision lives in schools like Holy Rosary. Our motto, 'Shining with Mercy Spirit' calls each of us to lead with compassion, service, courage, kindness and joy. We are incredibly proud of our Year 6 leaders and Student Representative Council. We know they will lead with strength and kindness, making a meaningful difference as they walk together with their peers and teachers and the wider Kensington community. Congratulations to our leaders!

Volunteers

At Holy Rosary, the safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. We are continually working to strengthen our practices to ensure a safe environment for all, especially our students. As part of this commitment, and in line with the Child Safe Standards, we have enhanced our induction processes for volunteers. If you are planning to volunteer in any capacity, you will be required to attend a Volunteer Child Safety Induction before volunteering. Sessions will be held at various times throughout the year and run for approximately 30 minutes. 

The session will outline our child safety expectations, codes of conduct, supervision processes, and the shared responsibility we all hold in keeping children safe.

We are grateful for your generous support and thank you for partnering with us to ensure our school remains a safe and nurturing environment for every child. A list of session dates will be provided in next week's newsletter.

Say Cheese

School photos will be taken on Thursday 19 March. Students are expected to wear their full summer academic uniform including black school shoes and navy or white socks without logos. Navy, sky blue or white hair ribbons should be worn for hair shoulder length and longer. The only jewellery permitted is small stud earrings or sleepers, and watches. Nail polish should not be worn. Students who have PE will need to bring runners to change into for their lesson.  All students will be in a class photo and an individual photo, and there will be an opportunity for children to have photos with siblings. Year 6 students will have a Graduation Photo and will wear their rugby tops.  

Why you should attend our Inform and Empower Webinar

Children are growing up in a world where the online environment is part of everyday life. Platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok and Snapchat are increasingly influencing friendships, communication and wellbeing often well before the recommended age.

We invite all parents and carers to join our upcoming Cyber Safety Webinar to better understand the digital landscape your child is navigating. This session will provide practical advice on setting healthy boundaries, recognising risks, supporting respectful online behaviour, and responding calmly when issues arise.

Online challenges can quickly spill into school life. When families and school share common expectations, children feel safer, more supported and more confident to speak up. Together, we can ensure our children grow not only as capable users of technology, but as responsible, respectful and resilient digital citizens.

We have engaged Inform and Empower to provide a cyber safety webinar on Thursday 19 March. Please register via the QR Code in Administration.

Student Free Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing a safe, supportive learning environment, our staff are engaging in professional learning in Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) this Friday. As previously advised, there is no school for students on this day. PBL is an evidence-based, whole-school approach that focuses on explicitly teaching students the behaviours we want to see. Rather than reacting to behaviour after problems arise, PBL is proactive. It helps us create clear, consistent expectations across our school so that every child understands what respectful, safe and responsible behaviour looks like.

This professional learning will help us to:

• Strengthen respectful relationships between students and staff
• Reduce low-level disruptions before they escalate
• Use data to identify patterns and respond early
• Support students who need additional guidance in a structured and compassionate way

Labour Day

Monday 9 March is a Public Holiday.

Year 5/6 Summer Gala Day Wednesday 4 March

As our Year 5/6 students will be attending the District Summer Gala this week, there will be a slight change to the specialist timetable. Please note that Year 1/2 will have PE on Wednesday, and Year 5/6 PE will take place on Thursday.  We ask that children wear their sport uniform on the appropriate days.  

May your week be filled with kindness and Mercy,

Christine