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From the Principal...
It has been another busy and fulfilling two weeks at Holy Family. Teachers are really getting to know their students and the engagement in learning throughout the school already, is really exciting!
Swimming Carnival
Last Monday we held our annual School Swimming Carnival. I was so impressed with the have-a-go attitude and wonderful sportsmanship that our students demonstrated throughout the day. So many students stepped out of their comfort zone to challenge themselves and we all know that swimming is difficult! It was also our House Captains’ first big event!








Swimming ribbons and age champions will be given out and announced at tomorrow’s assembly.
Project Compassion Launch
Last Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending the Diocesan Project Compassion Launch with our school captains, Chidhindu and Audrey. At this launch, Bishop Brian spoke beautifully about Lent being a time to listen and act with our hearts - to allow our compassion to drive our action - to become more aware of the needs of people around us and try to do good deeds for others.
Lent is the time we strengthen our relationship with God, others and our world, and we will have many opportunities this Lenten season at Holy Family to do just that. More information about Project Compassion and how we will support it, will be communicated to you soon.
This Week’s Gospel - Mark 9: 2-10
In Mark’s Gospel this Sunday, Jesus travels up a high mountain with Peter, James and John. While in their presence, Jesus is transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared to them. The disciples were frightened by this, but then a cloud came, covering them in a shadow with a voice saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to Him.”
This Gospel passage is a reminder that Jesus is not just an ordinary person but God's own Son, who brings light and hope to the world. It also reminds us that Jesus is always there for us and how important it is to have a relationship with Him. Just like Peter, James, and John, we can trust Jesus and follow Him on our own journey of faith!
Parish Welcome Mass and Morning Tea
Father Henry and the Parish Pastoral Council want to thank everyone for being at the Welcome Mass and Morning Tea last Sunday. It was a wonderful morning celebrating the Eucharist together. I thank the many staff members who were able to be in attendance too. Please remember that everyone is welcome at all parish masses each weekend. Lent is a wonderful time to reconnect with our church. Our mass times are as follows:
P&F Meeting
A reminder that our first P&F Meeting for this year, inclusive of the AGM is to be held Friday 1st March beginning at 8:45am in the School Hall. Subsequent meetings will be rotated between morning and evening meetings.
Beginning of the Year Parent Information Sessions
A reminder that you are all invited to your child’s classroom for a 30 minute session next Monday, February 26th, where you can meet your child’s new teacher and listen to information that will provide you with an overview of the teaching and learning expectations and other important information for the new school year. There will be two repeated sessions for each grade:
Session One: 3:15 - 3:45pm Session Two: 5:00 - 5:30pm
Kindergarten Update
Our Kindergarten students are settling into school life at Holy Family. Next week we will forward you a short video update of them enjoying their first weeks of school!
Opening School Mass and First Assembly
A reminder that at 11:30am tomorrow, we will celebrate our Opening School Mass where our Year 6 Leaders and SRC will be commissioned and receive their badges.
Our first whole school assembly will also be held tomorrow at 2:10pm in the school hall.
Everyone is welcome at both events!
For all things at Holy Family, give thanks!
Mrs Amy Smith
Principal
Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
The online enrolment and registration forms and information regarding the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Sacrament of First Holy Communion are now available on the Parish website: https://www.hfi.org.au/2024/02/02/2024-sacraments-of-first-reconciliation-first-holy-communion/
All children are required to be registered by Friday 23rd February 2024.
Preparation Sessions for Reconciliation begin as follows:
Session 1 - 26 February 2024 at 6.30 pm
Session 2 - 4 March 2024 at 6.30 pm
Session 3 - 11 March 2024 at 6.30 pm
Session 4 - 18 March 2024 at 6.30 pm (This session also includes a Rehearsal)
To be eligible to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, your child must have been Baptised & must be in Year 3 or above.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated with a liturgy on Friday 22 March at 5 pm in our Church.
In Term 2, the preparation sessions for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion will commence, with the Sacrament celebrated on Sunday 2 June at 10.30 am or 12 midday.
Sacrament of Confirmation
For your information, the Sacrament of Confirmation will occur on Sunday 10 November for children in Year 6 or above.
If you have any questions about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, please contact the Parish Office on 9066 0340 or via email: ingleburn@dow.catholic.org.au.
Whole School Mass
Our whole school Mass will be held in the Church on Friday 23 February at 11.30 am. We would love for you to join us at this very special Mass.
Welcome Mass
It was lovely to see so many children at the Parish’s Welcome Mass on Sunday 18 February. It was great to see them all come up for a special blessing by Father Henry at the end of Mass.
Lent Sign
Parents and children, I hope you like our Lent sign outside the Office on the Kindergarten wall. It has the family names of our children here at Holy Family and we will pray for these families during the season of Lent.
Kathryn Hampton
Religious Education Coordinator
Catholic Schools Guide – Treasure Hunt Competition
Families have done it tough over the past couple of years. That’s why we are keen to share with you that one lucky family will win $2,000 worth of school fees! Runner-up prizes also include Roblox Robux vouchers.
Every student attending a Catholic school in Australia is invited to enter this competition to win. Happy Treasure Hunting!
To enter, visit catholicschoolsguide.
Fee Instalment
If you would like to change your existing Instalment amount and or frequency, please complete the attached Fee Instalment form. If you would like to continue with your existing arrangement there is no need for you to do anything.
2024 Consent for the use of student’s image and/or work – Consent required for every student
Each year parents are asked to give consent in relation to taking and using photographs, video, audio and other media of your child/ren and their school activities.
If you can access Compass and see the link “Insights Cycle Open” on the homepage, or depending on the device, you might need to click on More, Insights - Please select Yes or No in regards to your consent.
If you can’t see anything in this section the consent will need to be given by the other parent as only one parent will have the access to do this.
This consent is required by the end of February.
2024 Acceptable Use of Technology – Action Required by parents of students in years 4-6
If you can access Compass and see the link “Insights Cycle Open” on the homepage, or depending on the device, you might need to click on More, Insights - Please select Yes or No to confirm you have read and discussed the acceptable use of technology agreement with your child/ren.
If you can’t see anything in this section the confirmation will need to be given by the other parent as only one parent will have the access to do this.
This consent is required by the end of February.
Sporting Opportunities and Pathways in 2024
There are many sporting opportunities that students of Holy Family have the opportunity to be involved in each year. Sporting opportunities range from fun gala days to competing and progressing through the representative levels in our Diocesan and pathway sports program through to Diocesan, MacKillop, NSWPSSA and National levels. This document’s aim is to show a clear picture of what sporting opportunities are available to our students and the process for how to register, trial and participate.
Parents are encouraged to access sporting information and opportunities on the CEDoW Sport website. All primary sporting event information and dates can be found on the Sport Events - Primary website- https://www.dow.catholic.edu.au/sport/events-primary/
CEDoW have recently announced that their sport instagram is now active at cedow.sport
Please follow for up to date information and sport announcements.
Wollongong Diocese Gala Days
Gala days are fun, round-robin style days designed primarily for student enjoyment of the sport, participation and for the promotion of exercise and a positive sporting experience. Each year Holy Family students participate in the following gala days - Netball Gala Day, Soccer Gala Day and Basketball Gala Day.
Most Gala days are open to students in Yrs 3-6. Gala days are lots of fun and there are usually many students that wish to participate. In some instances, the school may require to run trials or limit the participants to allocated grades. Eg only Yr 4 and Yr 6. As this will allow students in Yr 3 and Yr 5 to participate the following year.
As we usually have large numbers of students and many teams participating in each Gala Day we require many parent volunteers to help coach and manage teams on the day.
Netball Gala Day (June 28 - Term 2)
Soccer Gala Day (Aug 23- Term 3)
Basketball Gala Day (Sep 19-20 Term 3)
Carnivals
Each year Holy Family runs a Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics carnival. These carnivals allow students to compete at a school level and serve as a selection process for Wollongong diocesan teams. Children may progress from school level, to Diocesan, to MacKillop, to NSWPSSA and ultimately national level in selected sports the representative levels. Please refer to the flowchart below for progression information for each carnival. The success of each carnival is dependent on the help of many parent volunteers.
Swimming Carnival - Monday, 12th February
Cross Country carnival- Term 1 TBC
Athletics Carnival - Monday, 18th March
Diocese of Wollongong Pathway Sport Trials
Opportunities exist within our school for students in Yr 5 and Yr 6 to access the representative sporting pathways. Students are invited to attend trials for positions in Wollongong diocese representative teams for the following summer and winter sports: AFL, Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, Touch, Softball, Football (soccer) Rugby League, Rugby Union, Hockey and Netball. These trials are held annually and link to the MacKillop selection trials.
Any student wishing to trial for a pathway sport needs to nominate and register for these events through the school Sport Coordinator at the start of Term 4 (October) for trials in the following year. These nominations will be advertised to the students of Yr 4 and Yr 5 through the Sport Coordinator and via the school newsletter. Nominations after the due date unfortunately can not be accepted.
The Diocese of Wollongong Pathway Sport trials are aimed at students that have adequate experience and training in the given sport. Representative experience is preferential. These trials are not for students wishing to give a new sport a go. There are many other sporting opportunities available for students to participate in a new sports such as the Gala Days.
Each Sport available has a set criteria for the nominees. Some sports such as netball and soccer are extremely popular, therefore proof of representative experience is needed to nominate for these trials. All nominations need to be approved by the Sport Coordinator and the School Principal before being sent to the event convenors. Nominations are then reviewed and finalised by the event convenors, who will inform the school Sport Coordinator of the successful and unsuccessful nominations. Successful nominees will be provided with the details of the Wollongong team trials.
Please refer to the flowchart below for further details on the nomination and trial process.
2024 |
|
Friday 23rd February, 2024 |
Opening School Mass - 11.30am School Assembly - 2.10pm (hall) |
Monday 26th February, 2024 |
Parent information sessions (in your childs classroom) Session One: 3:15 - 4:15pm Session Two: 5:00 - 5:30pm |
Monday 26/2, 4/3, 11/3, 18/3 2024 |
Parish Sacramental Program - Reconciliation Program sessions - 6.30pm (Parish meeting Rm) |
Wednesday 28th February, 2024 |
Year 6 & Year 3 - Mass 9am |
Friday 1st March, 2024 |
P & F General meeting - school hall 8.45am |
Wednesday 6th March, 2024 |
Year 5 & Year 1 - Mass 9am |
Friday 8th March, 2024 |
Assembly - 2.10pm (hall) |
Wednesday 13th March, 2024 |
Year 2 & Year 4 - Mass 9am Naplan testing commences |
Friday 15th March, 2024 |
Feast of St Patrick |
Monday 18th March, 2024 |
Athletics Carnival |
Wednesday 20th March, 2024 |
Year 6 & Year 3 - Mass 9am |
Thursday 21st March, 2024 |
School Photos |
Friday 22nd March, 2024 |
Assembly 2.10pm - (hall) Sacrament of First Reconciliation - 5.00pm |
Wednesday 27th March, 2024 |
Year 5 & Year 1 - Mass 9am |
Friday 29th March, 2024 |
Good Friday |
Sunday 31st March, 2024 |
Easter Sunday |
Monday 1st April |
Easter Monday |
Wednesday 3rd April, 2024 |
Year 2 & Year 4 - Mass 9am |
Friday 12th April, 2024 |
PUPIL FREE DAY LAST DAY OF TERM 1 |
Monday 29th April, 2024 |
PUPIL FREE DAY |
Tuesday 30th April, 2024 |
STUDENTS RETURN - TERM 2 |
Friday 7th June, 2024 |
PUPIL FREE DAY |
Friday 5th July, 2024 |
LAST DAY OF TERM 2 |
Monday 22nd July, 2024 |
PUPIL FREE DAY |
Tuesday 23rd July, 2024 |
STUDENTS RETURN - TERM 3 |
Friday 27th September, 2024 |
LAST DAY OF TERM 3 |
Monday 14th October, 2024 |
PUPIL FREE DAY |
Tuesday 15th October, 2024 |
STUDENTS RETURN - TERM 4 |
Thursday 19th December, 2024 |
LAST DAY OF TERM 4 |