Filter Content
| Friday 8th August | St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day - Liturgy 2.20pm - Hall (Parents and friends are welcome to attend) |
| Western Region Athletics | |
| Nude Food Friday | |
| Monday 11th August | Bullying, No Way Week |
| Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm | |
| Tuesday 12th August | Year 6 Mass with the Bishop - Eaglevale |
| ICAS English | |
| Wednesday 13th August | Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm |
| Year 5 Canberra | |
| Thursday 14th August | Year 5 Canberra |
| Friday 15th August | Feast of the Assumption (Whole School Mass) 9.15am |
| Nude Food Friday | |
| P&F Disco - Infants, 5.00-6.30pm - Primary, 7.00-8.30pm | |
| Monday 18th August | NAIDOC Week Celebrations |
| ICAS Science | |
| Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm | |
| Tuesday 19th August | Athletic Selection Trials |
| ICAS Spelling | |
| Wednesday 20th August | Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm |
| Thursday 21st August | Book Week Parade |
| Friday 22nd August | Year 4 UOW Science Excursion |
| P&F Meeting | |
| Nude Food Friday | |
| Monday 25th August | ICAS Mathematics |
| Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm | |
| Wednesday 27th August | Year 1 and Year 5 Grade Mass, 9.00am |
| Clothing Pool, 2.15-3.15pm | |
| Thursday 28th August | Soccer Gala Day |
| Friday 29th August | Stage 1 Parent Forum |
| Nude Food Friday |
|
| Assembly, 2.10pm | |
| Monday 1st September | Clothing Pool, 2.15pm-3.15pm |
| Wednesday 3rd September | Clothing Pool, 2.15pm-3.15pm |
| Thursday 4th September | Father's Day Stall |
| Friday 5th September | Father's Day Celebrations: 1.15pm-1.45pm Liturgy, 1.45pm-2.15pm Open Classrooms, Afternoon Tea |
Reflection
This Friday is the Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint and the founder of the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Mary dedicated her life to the education of children, especially those who were poor or living in remote communities. Her famous words, "Never see a need without doing something about it." still guide us today
At our school, we honour Mary MacKillop’s example by living out her values — through our learning, our compassion for others, and our efforts to build a just and inclusive community. Like Mary, we are called to be people of faith, courage, and action.
As a Catholic school, may we continue to:
- Be attentive to the needs of others, especially those who are struggling,
- Act with kindness, humility, and determination,
- And place our trust in God, just as Mary did.
Through the spirit of Saint Mary MacKillop, may we grow as a community that truly lives the Gospel in word and deed.
Saint Mary of the Cross, pray for us.
Father Henry
Fr Henry has commenced a period of annual leave where he is travelling overseas to visit family until the middle of September. In his absence, Fr Mike Knight will be with us. He also belongs to the Divine Word Missionaries, the same order of priests that Fr Henry belongs to. I’m sure you will all ensure that Fr Mike feels welcome in our community and we thank him for his support of Fr Henry. We pray that Fr Henry enjoys his period of leave and travels safely.
School Cyclic Inquiry
As noted on the Term 3 Overview, we are engaging in School Cyclic Inquiry (SCI) in September. The SCI is a collaborative, school-led inquiry process. It generally occurs every four years.
SCI assists us to:
- Celebrate and demonstrate the effectiveness of our school’s long term strategic improvement and growth in faith, learning and wellbeing to the Bishop of Wollongong, the Director of Schools, and to our local community
- Identify a limited number of strategic improvement priorities for our next four year School Strategic Improvement Plan
SCI includes:
- A period of self-reflection where academic data, wellbeing data, staff, parent and student survey data (Tell Them From Me) are all analysed and evaluated using research-based performance characteristics found in the School Improvement Tool and Catholicity Domain
- A period of inquiry and review led by an external panel of educators that will take place on September 3rd and 10th this term. This will involve interviews, observation and collaborative discussion with the school leadership team, Fr Henry, staff, parents, students and the wider school community. This panel will also spend time in classrooms. You will be advised about an opportunity for you to be part of this valuable process in the coming weeks
To further support this process, we have devised another parent survey. We want our next School Strategic Improvement Plan to be aspirational and would like to know what attributes, values and skills you would like to see your child graduate our school with in the areas of faith, learning and wellbeing. We look forward to your responses.You can access the survey here.
Book Week 2025
We are looking forward to our upcoming Book Week Parade. Students are invited to dress up as a character or concept from any book of their choice! The parade will commence at 9am in the Hall.
Bullying, No Way 2025
Next week is Bullying, No Way week. Staff and students will be completing different learning experiences in their classes throughout the week.
100 Days of Kindergarten and the P&F Kindergarten Forum
Last Friday Kindergarten celebrated 100 days of being at school with a dress up day and lots of fun activities culminating in a parade at the assembly in the afternoon.
Parents were also welcomed into the classrooms where they could spend time with their child and help them with a learning activity. This was followed by our first ever P&F and school Parent Forum. The aim of the forum is to continue to build towards ‘Belonging in a connected community’. Our school Counsellor, Sarah Bailey, gave a presentation to the Kindergarten parents who were in attendance. The presentation was focused on early childhood development. The forum concluded with afternoon tea.
We look forward to the next forum (Friday Week 6) which is for parents of students in Years 1 and 2 with a focus on reading.
In all things at Holy Family, Give Thanks.
Mrs Smith
Please join us at two important celebrations:
Friday 8th August - St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Feast Day. The Liturgy will commence in the hall at 2.20pm.
On Friday 15th August it is the Feast of the Assumption. Please join us in the Church at 9.15am for our whole school mass.
Lost Property
The Lost Property bins are located at the student entrance in the administration block. Parents are welcome to come to Lost Property to see if they can locate their child's jacket/jumper/coat. At the moment all the clothing in the bins have no names, so cannot be returned.
Please label all items of clothing, especially those that can be easily removed eg hats, jackets, jumpers.
Lunch boxes and drink bottles are often handed in; however, if they are not labelled we keep these for one week before we dispose of them.
School Photographs
School photographs will be taken on Thursday 7th August. Full winter uniform is to be worn. If you have misplaced your ordering forms, individual and sibling photograph envelopes, are available from the school office. Envelopes maybe returned until Thursday.
Lateness to School
Please be reminded that School begins at 8.45am each day. Students that arrive after 8.45am are marked as a 'partial absence' for the day. If they arrive without an adult, it is put in as an "unjustified" lateness.
Medication Policy for Students
Annual Updates
All medical plans supplied to the school need to be updated annually - ideally at the beginning of each school year.
Asthma and AnaphylaxisIf your child suffers from asthma and/or anaphylaxis, you must provide the school with a current Action Plan signed by your GP.
Asthma Medication
- Children are allowed to carry their asthma medication (e.g., puffers) on their person.
- Additionally, an asthma puffer must be kept in the school’s first aid kit.
- No other medication is permitted to be carried by students.
Prescription Medication
For students who need to take prescription medication during school hours, a “Request for School to Administer Medication” form must be submitted to the office along with the medication.
Daily Absence Procedures
If your child is unwell or will be absent from school for a day, you can advise through 'Attendance' in the Compass App. Alternatively, you can email the school on info@hfidow.catholic.edu.au or phone the school office.
Extended Absence Procedures
For extended absences (of more than 5 school days), parents must submit the Notification of Extended Absence form online - Extended Absence Online Notification Link, along with relevant documentation. This documentation should include: Dates, locations of travel, purpose and reasons for travel outside school holidays.
Opal Card Reminder
We would like to remind students and staff of the importance of carrying and correctly tapping on their Opal cards when using public transport services.
Recent observations continue to show low compliance rates among some student passengers, which impacts our ability to accurately monitor patronage and ensure adequate service delivery. Your continued support in reinforcing the following key messages to students is appreciated:
- Students must carry their Opal card at all times when using public transport.
- Opal cards should be tapped on and off for every journey.
- Tap-on data helps assess demand and plan reliable school bus services.
We kindly ask that this reminder be communicated to students during roll call or via the school newsletter. If you would like support materials or posters to assist, we’re happy to provide them.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership.
Transit Systems NSW
Uniform Shop
The Holy Family Second-hand Uniform Shop will open on Monday and Wednesday from 2.15pm until 3.15pm during the school term
What do we do?
The Holy Family Second-hand Uniform Shop provides the school community the opportunity to purchase good quality second-hand uniforms as a means of cost savings and services to our community.
How to donate?
We gratefully accept clean, and in good condition uniforms, to resell to our school community. Drop off washed uniforms at the front office during school hours or at the Second-hand Uniform Shop on Monday or Wednesday between 2.15pm and 3.15pm.
Second-hand Uniform Shop Location
The Shop is located at the back of the school hall - access is via the security gate.
How to Purchase?
You can purchase in store at the shop. Cash payments only - no EFTPOS.
Council of Catholic School Parents
Do you know how vital sleep is to your children's health, learning and emotional wellbeing? Do you know what effects screens are having on the quantity and quality of our sleep? Don't miss this opportunity to find out strategies you can use to help your children develop healthy sleeping habits for optimal function!
Join Sleep Educator Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection for an insight into how important sleep is for your children - and you - and tips for making sure the whole family gets enough zzzzzzzz.
Wednesday 13 August
7pm - 8pm
PRESENTED BY THE SLEEP CONNECTION
Register using the link - See you online!
For parents and carers of K-12 school students
Council of Catholic School Parents
A link is provided to their Newsletter if you would like further reading on some very interesting articles: