NEWSLETTER NO. 4 - 25.3.2025

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Week 8
25.3.25       Senior Constable Rachael Joyce (Year 3 talk)
26.3.25       Annual School Photo Day (Years KM, 3M, Years 5 & 6 students)
26.3.25       Year 6 Excursion - Suzuki Farms
27.3.25       Kindergarten Excursion
28.3.25       Bathurst Diocesan Winter Trials (RL, Netball, Football, Hockey) – Bathurst

Week 9
31.3.25       Care Group Session
1.4.25         7.30pm P & F Monthly Meeting (Staffroom)
2.4.25         CPS Swimming Carnival (Homebush)
2.4.25         Stannies Musical – Years 4, 5 & 6
3.4.25         Paul Kelly Cup (Bathurst)
4.4.25         Back up date for Bathurst Dio Winter Trials
4.4.25         9.15am K-2 Cross Country
4.4.25         No K-2 Assembly
4.4.25         P & F School Disco (Hall) K-2: 6-7pm / 3-6: 7.30-8.30pm

Week 10

7-9.4.25     Annual P & T Interviews (Classrooms)
7.4.25         Care Group Session
7.4.25         Backup date for Diocesan Hockey Trials
8.4.25         Polding AFL (Newcastle)
10-11.4.25  PSSA Swimming (Homebush)
10.4.25       9.30am Year 3 Easter Liturgy (Hall)
11.4.25       Last day of lessons for Term 1

In 2025 our parents have access to the Google HFS Parent Calendar.  
Click on the link below to access the Google Calendar.

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

For many families, choosing a school is more than finding the right classrooms, playgrounds, and facilities. It’s about finding a place that feels right—a community that shares their values, a school that will walk alongside them in the years ahead.

Over the past few weeks, I have welcomed families as they take the first steps in this exciting new chapter. Through enrolment tours and interviews for 2026, I have witnessed the mix of anticipation and hope on faces. It has been wonderful to meet younger siblings ready to embark on their journey at Holy Family and new families looking for the ‘right fit’ for their child. 

As part of this process, I have had the opportunity to share with others what makes Holy Family Catholic Primary School so special. I have spoken about how we are privileged to learn on Wiradjuri land, honouring its traditional owners' past, present, and future, and that our school, founded on the Mercy Order, carries forward a rich tradition of faith, learning, and service.

Choosing a school isn’t just about where a child will learn—it’s about how they will grow, who will support them, and what kind of community will surround them. At Holy Family, we believe that education is a partnership that continues the journey families have already started at home.

As our school continues to grow and evolve, we remain deeply committed to these values. We are a school gathered in love, where learning extends beyond the classroom and becomes an integral part of the family, built on strong connections that nurture faith, knowledge, and belonging. Jesus reminds us, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20). At Holy Family, we live this truth daily, supporting one another, learning together, and walking in faith as a united community.

Mrs Alison Curtin - Acting Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Building Strong Mathematical Thinkers in K–6
With the recent curriculum reform in NSW, Holy Family is embedding the updated NSW Mathematics K–10 Syllabus, which helps students develop confidence in using mathematics in everyday life. The goal is for students to understand mathematical concepts, communicate their thinking clearly, and apply their knowledge to real-world situations.

One way we support this is through Number Talks, a strategy used in K–6 classrooms to build strong mathematical thinkers. During Number Talks, students discuss different ways to solve problems, explain their reasoning, and learn from each other. This helps them develop flexible thinking, strengthen problem-solving skills, and see how maths is a valuable part of their daily lives.

We also use Essential Assessment, an online platform that provides individualised learning strengths and goals for each student. By using this tool, we are working to foster a positive assessment culture where students understand that assessment is not just about testing but about the teacher and student "sitting beside" and "journeying with" them in their learning. Essential Assessment helps us check in with student progress, celebrate growth, and support each child in achieving their personal learning goals.

By making maths meaningful, engaging, and personalised, we are empowering students to become confident and capable learners!

Harmony Day: “Everyone Belongs”
Last Friday, 21st March, our school came together to celebrate Harmony Day, a special occasion that highlights the beauty of diversity and the importance of inclusivity. The event was marked with the students wearing orange with their uniforms and a fantastic assembly item led by 2 White, where students proudly showcased their cultural backgrounds by sharing greetings in their home languages. This beautiful display of multilingualism reflected the rich tapestry of our school community and reinforced the message that everyone belongs. Classes across our school have been exploring this key message through art, languages, history and music.  

The spirit of Harmony Day, "Everyone Belongs" aligns perfectly with our own school motto, "Gathered in Love," reminding us that love, respect, and acceptance unite us all. Throughout the day, students engaged in activities that encouraged cultural understanding and appreciation, strengthening the sense of belonging within our school. It was a truly heartwarming celebration, highlighting the values of unity and friendship that make our community so special.

Mrs Amanda McGinnes - Acting Assistant Principal

Harmony Day @ HFS

REC NEWS

Today we celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. Our fantastic Year One students prepared the liturgy, and our school community gathered this morning at 9:15am to commemorate this special occasion.

In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel, sent by God, appeared to Mary, a virgin betrothed to Joseph, in Nazareth. Gabriel told Mary that she would conceive a son, Jesus, who would be the Son of God. Initially surprised, Mary responded with faith and obedience, saying, "I am the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

This moment marks the beginning of God's plan for humanity's salvation through Jesus Christ, signifying the Incarnation, when God took on human form.

The Annunciation is an important feast day in the Catholic Church, observed on March 25th. Each day at 12 noon, our classes pause to pray the Angelus, a short prayer that helps us pause and consider the profound mystery of God's love and the Incarnation. 

Feast of the Annunication

Sacraments 2025 –
This is a reminder that all parents must register their children for penance, Eucharist, or confirmation at the Cathedral Presbytery on George St Bathurst. Please contact the presbytery at 6331 3066 and speak to the Parish Sacramental Coordinator, Mrs Cathy Brien, (Email: cathy.brien@cdob.org.au). Forms may be sent via email, and direct deposit options are available if you cannot go directly to the Presbytery.

The 2025 Sacramental Program began with an Information evening for parents on Thursday, February 27,  in the Cathedral Parish Centre, for parents of children interested in receiving the Sacrament of Penance (Year 2), First Eucharist (Year 3), and/or the Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 6). Important Information, 2025 Sacramental Program (1).pdf

Bishop McKenna has set the following dates, times and places to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for 2025.

The dates are:

• Sat 7th June 5.00pm Cathedral
• Sun 8th June (Pentecost Sunday) 10.00am Cathedral
• Sun 29th June 8.00am Assumption
• Sun 29th June 6.00pm Assumption
• Sat 9th August 5.00pm Cathedral
• Sun 10th August 10.00am Cathedral

Caritas:  End poverty. Promote justice. Uphold dignity.

Thank you, everyone, for your ongoing generosity and support of this very important cause. We are working together for justice and dignity, building together a better future for all. Our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Day and St Patrick’s Green Goodies Day have raised a combined amount of $1,264.95. Each classroom across the school has a Project Compassion money box, and the first class to fill this will receive a surprise!

Mass Times
For the latest up-to-date Mass times, please click below:  

SPORTS REPORT with Mrs Blaire Clarke

Years 3-6 Cross Country: Last Thursday we hosted the Years 3-6 Cross Country at Holy Family School. We had many students competing in the competitive and non-competitive courses. The following students completed the competitive course in the top four of their age division and will advance to the Diocesan Country Country at Coolah on May 6th. We wish these students all the best.

HFS Cross Country

Polding Swimming Carnival: All the best to our swimmers who will be competing at the upcoming Polding Championships in Homebush on 2 April: Zane Waterford, Tyler Cafe, Rydah Cronin and Patrick Gillies.

Rugby Union Gala Day:  Yesterday we had three teams representing Holy Family at the Rugby Union Gala Day. Our Waratahs team won in the final against Cathedral and will be off to Orange next term for the regional finals. Thank you to Mr Dennis, Mr Hartmann and Mr Hardy for all their work coaching these teams during their lunch breaks.

Diocesan Winter Sports Trials: This Friday we have many students in Year 5 and 6 attending the Diocesan Winter Sports trials in Netball, Soccer, Rugby League and Hockey. We wish all these students the best this Friday.

AFL: Recently Year 6 student, Kalesita Kaufusi competed in the NSW Australian Football Primary All Schools Girls in Western Sydney. Kalesita was successful and made it into the Metro West team. In June, Kalesita will play a trial to vye for selection in the N.S.W All Schools team. Go Kale! 

WHS NEWS

REPEATED MESSAGES: 

Car Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures

Morning- Car Drop Off:

• Procedure: In the morning, it is a "3 cars in, 3 cars out" system. 
• Step 1: The first three cars will pull into the drop-off zone.
• Step 2: Students will exit the vehicles promptly and safely.
• Step 3: Once all three cars have exited, the next three cars will pull in
• Safety Notes & Tips: 
•  Children should be ready to exit the car quickly to maintain traffic flow.
• The driver should remain in the car- “Kiss and Go”
• Students should exit the car, by stepping straight onto the curb (not the road)
• Do not wait in the queue alongside a bus- this is double parking and illegal
• Families using the Visitor’s Carpark-  please drive slowly and give way to buses and cars using the Car drop-off.

8.25-9.00 am: A staff member is present to welcome your child, and those arriving by bus who use the pedestrian crossing.

Afternoon- Car Pick Up:

• Procedure: In the afternoon, we use a "5 cars in, 5 cars out" system to manage the higher volume of pickups.
• Step 1: The first five cars will pull into the pick-up zone
• Step 2: Students will be directed to their respective cars using a numbered system (1-5) 
• Step 3: Once all five cars have exited, the next five cars will pull in
• Safety Notes & Tips: 
•  Please remain in your vehicle at all times. Staff will assist students as needed
• Please remind your children to stay attentive, sit together as a family, and be prepared to enter the car quickly when it arrives.
• Do not wait in the queue alongside a bus- this is double parking and illegal
• Families using the Visitor’s Carpark-  please drive slowly and give way to buses and cars using the Car Pick Up

3.15-3.30pm: Staff are present to guide and support families using Car Pick-up. Please be guided by the staff member at the Front Gate, who directs the traffic flow for Car Pick-up and vehicles exiting from the Visitor’s Car Park.

Bike Safety @ HFS
We are working together to teach our children about the importance of safe riding to and from school. Helmets must always be worn and fitted correctly to protect young heads. Encourage your child to walk their bikes across roads and intersections for added safety. Riders should stick to the left-hand side, travel at a safe speed, and stay alert to traffic and pedestrians. 

Let’s work together to ensure every child arrives at school and home safely!

Mrs McGinnes 
WHS Committee Voice

CLASS IN REVIEW - Kindergarten

MERIT AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students on receiving a 'Merit Award' at school:

1 Blue:  Eve Moore, Beau Carter, Sofia Issa, Harry Little, Oliver Ross, William Phillp, Lochlan Dungate, Skylar Manvell, Swalha Shafeeq, Harper Weal, Mason Smith, Joshua Adams, Billie Bogart, Kaihden Goodworth, Ruijika Silwal
1 Maroon:  Lincoln Beckers, Hayden Hackett, Ivy Harper, Lachlan McGuire, Hazel Schumacher, Jack Fearnley, Ava Cummings, Sophia Ivanovic, Harry Fogarty, Jenson Robinson, Charlotte Moore, Maya Healey, Max Oakley
1 White: Kairi Cunningham, Halle McClintock, Sam Stokes, Jimmy Howard, Grace Hardwick, Hallie Eves, Nate Crofts, Penelope Arrow, Isabel Sargent, Hayden Earsman, Dulcie Grives, Logan Harper
2 Blue:  Jensen Rimmer, Asher King, Emersyn Windus, Demi Grogan, Angus Smith, Hudson Cronin, Clara Davis, Remi Richards, Illah-Faith Moore
2 Maroon:  Dominik Rajkovic, Maddy Pringle, Eilish Gillespie, Quinton Marks, Lucy Bowman, Olivia Campbell
2 White: Jacob Hutton, James Ballantine, Reyan Khatri, Neha Mathew, Logan Crofts, Lucy Ballinger, Connor Fitzpatrick, Izabella Thorn, Jake Lawson, Levi Morgan, Ariah Glover, Hunter Beckers
3 Blue: Cleo Campbell, Airlie Sharp, Benji Sargent, Walker Smith, Thomas Montgomerie, Matilda Dwyer, Quinn Ross, Mikayla Coleman, Alexandra Sinton, Silas Richter, Oliver Ford
3 Maroon: Harriet Carson, Scott Stokes, Nixon Manvell, Matilda Miller, Hudson Parker, Patrick Montgomerie, Sonny Anderson, Skyla Conroy, Ethan Black, Harrison Price
4 Blue: Dominic Larkin, Alopa Nair, Murphy Jones, Sahib Kaur, Harlem Gibbons, Indigo Bell, Sophie Head, Leo Windsor, Darcy Plenderleith, Issa Peters, Howard Sanderson, Hugh Hutton
4 Maroon: Mia Nelson, Lachlan Fahey, Lily Rutherford, Karsten Myers, Anna Davis, Matilda Burke, Preston McLean, Willow Lavelle, Olivia Cummings
5 Blue: Jaxx Turner, William Ballentine, Xavier Curtin, Christian Dundas, Monnie Hartland, Patrick Gillies
5 Maroon: Emily Sinton, Mervyn Hughes, Farrah Johnson, Amelia Marr
6 Blue: Mason Ross, Cooper Issa, Zoe Gunning, Sebastian Press
6 Maroon: Preston Falcke, Seraphina Malfroy, Hayley Lawson, Cruz-Izak Peters

Renaissance Early Bird Goal Hitters - Term One 2025
3M -Hesalya Jayasinghe
4B - Sophie Moore, Ethan Pender, Margaret Pratley, Olivia Windsor, Alopa Nair, Darcy Plenderleith, Leo Windsor
4M - Hamish Adair
5B - Jack Booth, Xavier Curtin, Patrick Gillies, Maya Wilsmore-Smith, Rydah Cronin
5M - Caedan Edwards, Isaac Price, Emily Sinton, Bentley James Williams, Thor Heeley
6B - Tate Jenner, Charlie Robinson
6M - Edward Clements, Henry Hewson, Harlow Nelligan, Charlie Smith, Preston Falcke, Seraphina Malfroy, Ryder Rimmer

SRC Reps - Congratulations to the following students who are our new Student Representative Council Reps.  These students were presented with their badge at last Friday's assembly:
2W: Lucy Ballinger
2B: Emily Rehling
2M: Bronte Booth
3B: Benji Sargent
3M: Nixon Manvell
4B: Winnie Jones
4M: Hamish Adair
5B: Xavier Curtin
5M: Chase Barwick
6B: Grace Olayemi
6M: Kalesita Kaufusi
6B- Publicity Officer- Mason Ross
6M- Publicity Officer- Layla Callaghan

SCHOOL PHOTOS

Lots of wonderful smiles and great hair were in place for our annual school photos on Monday, 24 March.

This Wednesday, 26 March MSP will be returning to take class photos of KM, 3M, 5B, 5M, 6B and 6M, along with School and House Captains and Monitor students.  Sibling photos that weren't taken on Monday, will be taken on Wednesday commencing at 8.30am in the hall.

If you have any questions regarding the photography service or packages available for purchase, please contact the friendly team on 02 6360 2008 or by email centralwestnsw@msp.com

P & F NEWS: SCHOOL DISCO

COMPASS TIPS & GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING

ATTENDANCE NOTES:
Partial Day:  Please sign in/sign out at the kiosk in the office.
Full Day/s: Please enter your child's attendance note in Compass.  If they are away for multiple days, you can choose the start and end date to cover the duration of the absence.

Note:  Attendance notes need to be completed no more than 7 days after the absence.

CONTACTING YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER BY EMAIL:
If you use Compass on your computer, you will have access to "Email your child's teacher".  Unfortunately this is not available via the app on your mobile phone.

LOST PROPERTY:
We have a continual high volume of lost property at school.  Please ensure all of your child's belongings (including drink bottles and food containers) are clearly labelled.  Labels need to be renewed after time due to wear and tear.  Thank you for your attention to this issue.

PARENT & TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Our Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Week 10 this term (Mon 7, Tue 8 & Wed 9 April). Under our banner of ‘Gathered in Love’, these conferences serve as an opportunity to come together as a community and engage in conversations about our children and their educational journey at Holy Family. In 2025, conferences will be held in your child’s classroom.

Bookings are now open and need to be completed online through our Compass Parent Portal. It is essential that you have logged into Compass to create your booking/s.  We suggest one booking per family where we can work in partnership and information is transparent for all involved.  Please contact the office should your individual family situation require a second booking. 

Click here for instructions for P&T Interviews on a computer.
Click here for instructions P&T Interviews on a mobile device.

If you have misplaced your login details, please contact the school office as soon as possible so that we can re-generate your unique login details for you. 

Years:  Kindy, Year 1, 2 Maroon, Year 5
Monday, 7 April: 3.40pm - 6.00pm
Tuesday, 8 April:  3.40pm - 5.00pm
Wednesday, 9 April:  3.40pm - 5.00pm

Years:  Years 3 & 6
Monday, 7 April: 3.40pm - 6.00pm
Tuesday, 8 April:  3.00pm - 5.00pm
Wednesday, 9 April:  3.40pm - 5.00pm

Years:  Year 4
Monday, 7 April: 3.00pm - 6.00pm
Tuesday, 8 April:  3.40pm - 5.00pm
Wednesday, 9 April:  3.40pm - 5.00pm

Year:  2 Blue
Tuesday, 8 April:  3.40pm - 6.00pm
Wednesday, 9 April:  3.00pm - 6.00pm

Year:  2 White
Monday, 7 April:  3.00pm - 6.00pm
Tuesday, 8 April:  3.40pm - 6.00pm

ON-SITE AFTER SCHOOL CARE

This is a continuing service available to our families. Care is available from 3.15pm - 6.00pm (or part thereof). Centacare is our provider and you can express interest by contacting:
• Sam 0456 711 150 or 0491 147 453
• Email at: holyfamilyoshc@centacarebathurst.com.au
Sam and the team can answer any questions you may have.

CANTEEN

LUNCH ORDERS:  Download the ‘Flexischools’ app to order your child’s lunch online.  Full instructions can be found on our website and are also available via the link below.
Parents must order online for their child’s lunch order.

Open: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
Closed: Tuesday & Friday

No ice blocks or slushies to be ordered with lunch orders - thank you.  If you have any queries please phone Vikki on 0439 964 462.

PHOTO ALBUM

St Patrick's Day Fundraiser!

Harmony Day 21.3.25

HFS Cross Country Age Placegetters - off to Coolah!

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

School student travel information for parents and students

School Travel Passes
Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass but have not yet applied need to apply or update their details as soon as possible.

In the Opal network, students should travel with a Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Students living in rural and regional areas will receive their travel pass from their nominated transport operator. It may be issued via their school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some rural and regional operators do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
 

Terms of Use

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use .