Dear Families,

I hope everyone had a safe, happy and relaxing holiday. It has been wonderful to talk with some of our students and hear about their holiday activities.

Welcome

We have welcomed four new families to our school this term -

Joshua (Prep D)
Klarissa (Year 1/2 SG)
Declan (Year 1/2 J)
Madeline (Year 5/6 PG)

I hope these families feel like they belong to our Holy Family community. Thank you to our Parents and Friends Association for contacting these new families and to our staff for supporting the students' transition.

Staff News

We look forward to welcoming Miss King back next Monday after her relaxing break. Thank you to Miss Young for supporting me while Miss King was on leave.

Mrs Curtain will be on leave next week. Mrs Standfield (Monday, Tuesday) and Mrs Davis (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday) will be teaching Year 3/4 C while Mrs Curtain is away.

Year 5/6 performing Arts Celebration

Last term our Year 5/6 students put on an incredible performance at Avila College.

Please email your child's class teacher if you would like copies of photographs taken. Unfortunately our devices were upgraded during the Term 3 break by our IT Service Provider and the video was wiped from the ipad.

I apologise for this and would like to know if any families have videos that they would be happy to share with the school and other families. Thank you for your understanding.

Israel Conflict

Please keep the people experiencing war at the moment in your thoughts and prayers and pray for peace. Below is a youtube clip with a prayer for you to use as a reflection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnAGzcth_4Q

The Voice Prayer (NATSICC)

I would like to share a prayer that was in the bulletin of my church last weekend in reference to the Referendum.

In the most recent statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) on the Voice, the bishops ‘encourage all Australians to educate themselves, including by reading the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the bishops’ annual Social Justice Statement’.

Dear Lord

We invite all Australians to join us, their Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander Brothers and Sisters in

prayer.

We pray for a bright and just shared future for all who

call Australia home.

We ask that Your grace of acceptance and compassion

will guide us.

Let the Creator Spirit lead our journey with the

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of this

land.

May we share Your Spirit more deeply and celebrate the

gifts You have given us.

Help us appreciate true harmony and peace just as

our Old People did;

Keep us strong, make us resilient and remember us in

this time.

Now is an opportunity to change our Nation's history

for the better.

Walk with us as we write a new chapter together and

may we be one in Your love.

Amen

Prep 2024 Parent Evening

We look forward to welcoming the parents of our 2024 Preps at our Information Session at 7pm on Wednesday 18th October.

2024 New Families Parent Evening (Year 1-6)

We look forward to welcoming the parents of our new Year 1-6 students at 7pm on Wednesday 25th October.

Student Achievements

At our assembly last week we proudly acknowledged some of our students for their ICAS achievements. Congratulations to each of these students for undertaking these external assessments.

Our Basketball Teams experienced success at Division Basketball yesterday.

The boys team won while our girls team were runners up.

What an amazing group of young people!

Loud Shirt Day/Socktober

Our school community is celebrating our Auslan Language by inviting everyone to wear a 'loud shirt' to school on Monday 23rd October. 'Loud Shirt Day' raises awareness of deaf children and children with hearing needs in our community.

On this day we will also be raising funds for Catholic Mission to support families in Timor-Leste facing health and wellness challenges. Catholic Mission projects on the ground help sustain and enrich the lives of vulnerable children by providing vital medicines and health support.

Students are encouraged to wear colourful, crazy socks and bring a gold coin donation on this day.

Mini Vinnies Movie Night

Our Mini Vinnies team in Year 4 have been busy preparing for their term 4 fundraising event. Holy Family is hosting a family movie night on Friday 1st December - please keep this date free with more details to follow.

Money raised from this event will go towards supporting vulnerable families in our local community.

Term 4 Events

October

Thursday 12th - Sexuality Parent Education Session (online) 7pm

Wednesday 18th - Prep 2024 Parent Information Session (7pm)

Friday 20th - Year 1/2 Camp Day

Monday 23rd - Loud Shirt Day (Deaf Awareness) and Socktober (gold coin donation)

Tuesday 24th - 2024 Prep Transition

Wednesday 25th - Parent Information Session for New Families (Years 1-6) 7pm

Thursday 26th - Transition Day (New students Years 1-6)

Tuesday 31st - 2024 Prep Transition

November

Friday 3rd - Prep Camp Day

Monday 6th - School Closure Day (Report Preparation)

Tuesday 7th - School Closure Day (Melbourne Cup)

Wednesday 8th - Transition Day (New students Years 1-6)

Wednesday 8th - SAC AGM (6pm), Parents and Friends AGM (6:30pm)

Friday 10th - SDSSA Summer Sport

Saturday 11th - Remembrance Day

Tuesday 14th - 2024 Prep Transition

Thursday 16th - Year 3/4 Performing Arts Celebration

Monday 20th - Transition Day (New students Years 1-6)

Tuesday 21st - 2024 Prep Transition

Friday 24th - School Closure Day (2024 Planning)

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

Thursday 7th - Holy Family Community Christmas Carols

Monday 11th - Year 6 Graduation Ceremony (Avila College)

Wednesday 13th - End of Year Mass 9:15am (TBC)

Wednesday 13th - Year 6 Celebration Afternoon

Friday 15th - Final 2023 Assembly (2pm)

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

March

Friday 15th - School Community Colour Run

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend,

Julie David (Principal)

Student Awards