Principal's Desk
Dear Families
Welcome back to Semester Two!
There is always something special about the beginning of a new term. The holidays provide an opportunity to rest and recharge, and last week it was wonderful to see our classrooms and playgrounds filled with smiling faces, laughter and excitement once again.
While it is hard to believe we are already halfway through the year, there is still so much to look forward to. Term 3 promises to be another busy and rewarding term, with many opportunities for our students to learn, grow, celebrate and challenge themselves. Whether it be in the classroom, on the sporting field, through our faith celebrations or at community events, each experience plays an important role in helping our children flourish.
As a school community, I encourage us all to continue living our theme of "Make a Difference." We often think making a difference requires grand gestures, but more often it is found in the small, everyday moments; showing kindness, including others, giving our best effort and choosing to Love One Another. When each of us commits to making a positive difference, we strengthen the culture that makes Holy Trinity such a special place.
I wish everyone a wonderful Term 3 and thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership.
Welcome Ms Lisa Freeman
Last week we welcomed Ms Lisa Freeman to our school staff. Lisa has joined our wonderful teaching team and is currently teaching 5/6 Green for the first two weeks of Term 3, before continuing with the class each Friday for the remainder of the year. She has made a wonderful start, working incredibly hard to get to know both our students and staff, and has already become a valued member of our community. If you see Lisa around the school, please take a moment to introduce yourself and make her feel welcome at Holy Trinity.
Congratulations Mr O'Bryan
Congratulations to Mr Damian O’Bryan, his wife Jeanne, and their daughter Zoe on the safe arrival of their new baby, Charlotte Mary O’Bryan who was born on Thursday 2nd July. Zoe loves being a big sister and helping out. They are all home and settling into their new life as a family of four. We wish them every happiness with this bundle of joy!
Keeping Mrs Honeysett and her family in our prayers
Our Holy Trinity community extends its heartfelt sympathy to Mrs Wilma Honeysett and her family following the recent passing of her mother, Piertje (Pat) Borninkhof.
At this sad time, we ask you to keep Wilma and her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers. As a community of faith, we pray that her mother is now at peace in God's loving embrace, and that Wilma and her family find comfort, strength and hope in the love of family, friends and our Lord.
May God bless them with His peace and surround them with His love in the days and weeks ahead.
Uniform Reminder
As we settle into Term 3, we would like to remind families of our school uniform expectations. We have noticed that a few non-uniform items have started to make their way back into daily wear, particularly long-sleeved tops underneath polo shirts, as well as black or long socks.
To maintain a consistent and smart appearance across the school, we ask families to ensure students wear the correct Holy Trinity uniform each day.
A few reminders:
- Long-sleeved tops should not be worn underneath the short-sleeved polo. Students may wear the approved long-sleeved Holy Trinity polo, or a plain white singlet or T-shirt underneath for extra warmth.
- Socks should be plain white quarter crew socks only, with no logos or visible branding.
- During the colder months, students are encouraged to wear the Holy Trinity tracksuit pants and jumper to keep warm.
We’re also pleased to advise that a Fleece Lined Rain Jacket has been added to our uniform
this term. In addition, a navy sport skort featuring the Holy Trinity logo in gold on the left leg is now available.
Thank you for your continued support in helping our students wear their uniform with pride and represent Holy Trinity so well.
100 Days of School
On Friday, we will officially mark a significant milestone in the lives of our youngest students...100 days of school! It is an incredibly rewarding achievement of reaching the century - and a credit to the staff and parents of our Prep students who have helped them to settle into a new environment and routine. I’m sure you would all agree that they have achieved great things in their first 100 days, just imagine what they’ll be able to do at the end of Grade 6! Congratulations 2026 Preps!
Term 3 Punctuality & Attendance
As we begin the new term, we want to make it very clear that all students are expected to arrive at school on time. The roll is marked strictly at 9.00am, and any student who arrives after this time will be marked as LATE. Regular lateness disrupts the class and affects not only your child’s learning but also that of others. It is essential that families make every effort to ensure students are at school before the bell. Punctuality is not optional - it is a basic expectation.
Every day counts, as regular attendance helps students to develop a sense of belonging, develop and maintain friendships, be more engaged at school and help progress with their learning.
If you do the Maths, a student absent one day a week = 40 days per year = 8 school weeks (close to a term) x 7 school years = 56 weeks = more than 1 year of school missed before they reach secondary school.
NAPLAN Individual Results
We are proud to announce the release of the 2026 NAPLAN individual results for our Year 3 and 5 students, which were distributed to families last Wednesday 15th July. These results reflect the significant academic growth our students have achieved over the past five years.
Our commitment to explicit direct instruction and the science of reading has been instrumental in this progress. By focusing on evidence-based teaching strategies, we have enhanced our students' literacy and numeracy skills, leading to improved outcomes in the NAPLAN assessments.
Grandparents & Special Persons Day - Mon 27 July
Next Monday we celebrate the Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne. They were Jesus’ grandparents and the parents of Mary. They had a special role to play to raise Mary to know and love God and to be faithful to him and to help Mary and Joseph raise Jesus too. The day is also a day to reflect on the great love and care our grandparents give us. On Monday, we invite all grandparents and special friends to join us at school from 2.30pm for a prayer service and special activity together. The children are always extremely excited to show off their school and spend some special time with their grandparents.
Staff Car Park
A friendly reminder that the staff car park is reserved for staff vehicles only and is not available for parent parking or drop-off/pick-up.
This is important for two reasons. Firstly, the car park is a staff work area, and restricting access helps ensure the safety of our students, families and staff. Secondly, there are insufficient parking spaces to accommodate both staff and parent vehicles.
We understand that there may be occasions where access to the staff car park is required, for example if a parent or visitor has mobility needs, is using a wheelchair, crutches or a pram, or there are other exceptional circumstances. In these situations, prior permission must be obtained from the Principal before entering or parking in the staff car park. We are always happy to work with families to provide appropriate access where needed.
Thank you for your understanding and support in helping us keep our school safe for everyone.
Children & Youth Mass
Join us for our next Children and Youth Mass at St Jude's on Saturday 1st August at 6:00pm. Young people are encouraged to take an active role in the celebration through reading, music, singing, serving, welcoming, and other ministries. Whether participating for the first time or returning after our inaugural Youth Mass, all children and young people are welcome. Come and be part of a vibrant celebration of faith, friendship, and community as we continue to grow this special parish initiative together. We look forward to seeing you there!
Planning for 2027
Although we're only halfway through the year, planning for the 2027 school year is already well underway. This includes finalising our Prep 2027 enrolments, conducting staff annual review meetings, and beginning the process of planning class structures and staffing for next year.
To assist us with this planning, we kindly ask families to let us know as soon as possible if your child will not be returning to Holy Trinity in 2027 (excluding our Year 6 students). Having this information early is invaluable in helping us make informed decisions about class groupings and staffing allocations.
If your child will not be returning next year, please email principal@htws.catholic.edu.au at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your support and assistance with our planning for 2027.
Principal for a Day
Do you have a child with big ideas, strong leadership skills and a passion for making a difference? This term, our Year 4 and Year 5 students are invited to apply to become Holy Trinity's "Principal for a Day"!
Students will complete an application outlining why they would like the opportunity, what qualities make a great Principal, and how they would make a positive difference to our school community. One successful applicant will spend a day working alongside me, experiencing first-hand what it's like to lead a school, contribute to decision-making, meet with staff and students, and take on some of the exciting responsibilities of a Principal.
Application forms will be distributed to all Year 4 and Year 5 students this week and must be returned by Friday 31 July. The successful applicant will be announced in Week 4.
I can't wait to read the wonderful ideas our future leaders have to share!
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/
Joke of the Week
It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Mike was beginning his pre-shot routine, visualizing his upcoming shot, when a voice came over the clubhouse speaker--
"Would the gentleman on the Ladies Tee please back up to the Men's Tee!"
Mike, still deep in his routine, seemed impervious to the interruption. Again the announcement--
"Would the man on the Ladies Tee kindly back up to the Men's tee, PLEASE!"
Mike had had enough. He turned and shouted, "Would the announcer in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot!"
Final Thoughts ~ The Sunflower Effect
Sunflowers naturally turn towards the light. People are similar. We tend to grow towards whatever we focus on most. Focusing on gratitude, kindness and possibility doesn't ignore life's difficulties - it simply helps us see hope alongside them.
Kind regards,
Steve Evans
Principal