NEWSLETTER NO. 1 - 12.2.25

SCHOOL CALENDAR

In 2025 our parents will have access to the Google HFS Parent Calendar.  We hope this assists you with your family organisation!

Upcoming Events:

UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES FOR TERM 1:

• Monday 17.2.25: 9.30am- Opening Mass and Badging Sports & Music Captains
• 20.2.25: Swimming Carnival (Years 2-6): Canteen closed due to the carnival
• Friday 21.2.25: First Assembly of the Year: New start time in 2025- 2.15pm
• Tuesday 25.2.25: Years 2 & 5 Grade Nights
• Tuesday 4.3.25: K-1 Grade Nights
• Wednesday 5.3.25: Years 3-6 Grade Nights
• Wednesday 5.3.25: Ash Wednesday Mass: 11.45am
• Wednesday 12.3.25: NAPLAN Testing begins (Years 3 & 5)
• Thursday 13.3.25: Canteen closed
• Thursday 20.3.25: Years 3-6 Cross Country: New start time in 2025- 9.15am
• Monday 24.3.25: School Photos
• Friday 4.4.25: K-2 Cross Country - New start time in 2025- 9.15am
• Monday 7.4.25-Wednesday 9.4.25: Parent/Teacher Interviews (from 3.30pm)
• Friday 11.4.25: Last day of Term 1
  

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Last week was filled with excitement as we welcomed back returning families and met many new faces. Our Kindergarten students officially began their educational journey on Thursday, following two days of BEST Start testing. This staggered start allowed each child to have a one-on-one meet and greet with their teacher, helping us understand their strengths and determine the best starting point for their learning. This process reflects our strong commitment to personalised education.

On Wednesday, staff and students gathered to revisit school expectations under our School-Wide Positive Behaviours for Learning (SPB4L) policy. During this time, we also announced our new Sports and Creative Arts Captains, welcomed new teaching staff, and practiced responses for our upcoming Opening Mass on Monday, 17th February. This special Mass, led by our new Religious Education Coordinator, Mrs Davies, will commission our school leaders and mark our first liturgical gathering as a school community in 2025. We are blessed to have our school chaplain, Fr. Thao, leading the celebration, and we warmly invite families to join us.

I am also excited to serve as your Acting Principal this year. In 2016, my husband, our three boys, and I made a tree change from Sydney to Bathurst, and since then, I have fully embraced the Holy Family community. Over the past three years, I have served as Assistant Principal, and I look forward to continuing the journey this year as we create opportunities that empower our students in their faith, learning, and well-being.

As we embark on a new year, I encourage you to get involved—whether cheering on students at carnivals, attending religious celebrations and assemblies, or volunteering with the P & F or in the canteen. Children love seeing their families engaged in school life, as it is through these moments, we bring our motto, “Gathered in Love,” to life.

To stay engaged with your child’s learning journey, please regularly check Compass and our fortnightly Newsletter for school-wide updates and Seesaw for classroom news from our teachers. We also use Facebook to celebrate student achievements and share important announcements.

We look forward to a year of personal growth, learning, and shared community experiences.

Mrs Alison Curtin - Acting Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE

Welcome back to all of our new and existing students and families for 2025. We have been busy settling into our new classrooms and are excited for the year ahead. Term 1 is full of many activities for our students.

As we begin our school year, I want to thank you all for your commitment to being safe when dropping off and picking up your children each day. We are working closely with the OSHC educators on making the car parks as safe as possible for afternoon pickups of our OSHC students. We are asking all parents picking up their child from OSHC to park in the top parent carpark until 4.30pm. This is to ensure that everyone leaves school safely and to alleviate the congestion when exiting or entering the bottom staff car park after school. Thank you for your support in this area.

To our students, this is your time to learn, grow, and accomplish amazing things. Each day brings new opportunities to challenge yourself, make new friends, and reach for your goals. As Dr. Seuss said, “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” Your journey starts now, and we believe in your ability to climb any mountain that comes your way. Embrace challenges, stay curious, and never stop pushing yourself to be your best. This is your year—go make it great!

Mrs Amanda McGinnes - Acting Assistant Principal

REC NEWS

Welcome back to all our families for the 2024 school year!
We trust that you had a wonderful Christmas and a restful holiday season.

A special and heartfelt welcome is extended to all our new staff, students, and their families who have joined our school community. We hope you quickly feel at home and become an integral part of our school and parish family.

Let’s embrace this new school year with joyful hope and anticipation for all that lies ahead. I am excited to act as REC at Holy Family and look forward to working closely with staff, students, and families in our beautiful Holy Family community.

2025 - A Jubilee Year
The Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire; that is why I have chosen as the motto of the Jubilee, Pilgrims of Hope. (Pope Francis)
A Jubilee is a special year of grace and conversion involving prayer, pilgrimage, and sacramental repentance. It is held every 25 years or during other years as the Pope has called for.

Through a series of concrete rituals, acts and commitments, the goal of a Jubilee year is to inspire and encourage holiness of life among the faithful and, therefore, to strengthen the Church’s witness to God’s mercy in and for the world.
The word “jubilee” is derived from the Hebrew word jobel, which means “ram’s horn” since it was precisely that horn used as a trumpet, whose sound indicated to everybody the beginning of the jubilee year. 

Opening School Mass 2025
Save the date! Our opening School Mass for 2025 will be held next Monday, February 17 (Week 3), in the School Hall, commencing at 9:30 a.m. We welcome Fr. Thao back to Holy Family as our School Chaplain, and all parents, friends, and Parish community members are invited to attend. Following Mass, our Year 6 students will receive their badges of leadership.

Sacraments 2025 – Parent Information Night
The 2025 Sacramental Program will begin with an Information evening for parents on Thursday, February 27, at 6:30 p.m. in the Cathedral Parish Centre. If you have a child interested in receiving the Sacrament of Penance (Year 2), First Eucharist (Year 3), and/or the Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 6), you are strongly encouraged to attend this information evening. If you have any questions, please contact me here at school.

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

“Conversations about Catholics”  is a programme that runs for an hour each week for four weeks at your school. The idea of the programme is that you will have a better understanding of the Catholic faith and what your child will be learning at school. It  is especially helpful for those who have not been brought up in the Catholic tradition or who wish to help their child navigate this new experience. Sr Alice Sullivan runs the program and has done so over many years throughout the diocese of Bathurst. If you think this might be of interest or helpful for you, please contact Sr Alice on 0428741342 for further information. The programme will run early 2025.

Multicultural Celebration - Sunday, 2 March - Please click on the link below to read about this wonderful day of celebrating our cultural diversity.  Also below is a link to a colouring-in competition - please drop off your child's artwork to the Cathedral School in George Street by Monday, 24 February.

LIBRARY NEWS - Mrs Davies & Mrs Windsor

Welcome to HFS Library 2025. Mrs Katrina Windsor will teach our Primary classes, Years Three to Six each Monday and Tuesday, and Mrs Davies will teach our Kinder, Year One and Year Two classes each Wednesday.

• Kinder and Year One are on a rotational three-way timetable, and teachers will advise when each class visits the library, lab, or has music. Year Two will visit each Wednesday morning.
• Year 3 – 6 Classes visit every week on a rotational timetable – Blue and Maroon.
• It's crucial for children to have a waterproof library bag. This simple measure protects the Books from potential damage caused by food or water bottles that may leak. (Placing a plastic shopping bag inside your child's cloth library bag will also work!)
• HFS Library works in partnership with class teachers, collaborating to ensure literacy skills and a love of reading continue to be a focus in our ever-changing, busy world. Exploring features of language and literacy during library lessons teaches children skills to support them in becoming proficient readers.

What’s Happening in 2025 in the HFS Library……..

National Simultaneous Storytime is a day to celebrate literacy and build the foundations for a lifelong love of reading with our young learners, particularly in our Kinder -  Year Two classes.  On Wednesday, May 21 at noon, National Simultaneous Storytime is when primary school students of Australia participate in what constitutes a warm hug for your ears – they have a story read to them at the same time as their peers across the country! This year, 2025's chosen book is The Truck Cat.

Library Lovers Day

Friday, February 14, is National Library Lovers' Day, a day to honour libraries, librarians, and books and the valuable role that libraries play in our lives.

This event was started by the State Library of New South Wales, in 2006 and the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) joined the campaign in 2007.

"It's a day to remember that our libraries are a place where we can get lost in an idea we are following, find an adventure we are seeking in a book, discover more about an issue we feel passionate about or get help from someone about something we want to know. These are all the reasons (and more) to celebrate the valuable roles libraries play in our lives and to re-engage with our libraries."

Australian Libraries and information Assoc. (ALIA)A wonderful way to celebrate the love for books, knowledge, and community spaces! Libraries are more than just buildings filled with books—they’re gateways to learning, imagination, and connection.

The school library is the heart of the school’s energy—a sanctuary beyond just shelves of books. It’s an escape from the daily rush of classes, social buzz, and the nonstop motion of school life.

Here, students can lose themselves in stories, fuel their curiosity, and take a breather from the ticking clock. It’s a space to relax, connect with friends, dive into deep conversations, explore creativity, or even sneak in a quick game (just don’t let the teacher catch you!).

Whether it’s a refuge from unpredictable weather or a retreat from the playground’s chaos, the library is a quiet fortress. It’s where learning and relaxation blend seamlessly, giving students a space to grow, imagine, and recharge.

We thank Miss Elvy, who was an absolute whizz at covering 62 copies of 'The Thing About Oliver' for our Year 4 students this week - you are amazing and invaluable! 

Premiers Reading Challenge is not a competition but encourages students to read, read more, and read more widely. It’s a fantastic platform to improve literacy and encourage children to read for pleasure and learning.
The Challenge opens on 24 February 2025 and needs to be completed by 29 August 2025.
K – 2 students read 30 Books, and Years 3 – 6 students read 20. Each class has a tub of excellent books from the library to assist with PRC in their classrooms so that children can read when time is available.

Book Week theme for 2025 is…….     Book an Adventure!…… 
A magical way to celebrate and encourage a love of reading and books among children from 16 – 23 August 2025. More information will follow regarding what we have planned for the day!  Book Fair, Dress Up, Competitions, Special Lunch ... The list goes on ...

Renaissance Reading Program – Years Three - Six
Renaissance grows literacy comprehension and a love of reading by engaging students in a reading practice structure proven to strengthen reading skills essential for learning in any subject. Renaissance helps to ensure all students reach their full potential. Monitoring student progress is managed with precise growth data and scientifically proven learning progressions. Students read a book, take a quiz, and receive the individual attention and quick feedback they need to meet their goals.  Books across the school have been levelled to meet the program's needs and identified with a logo. All classes will have a 5-minute quiet read following Recess and 10 minutes following Lunch each day to support this program.

What Can Parents and Children Access From Home or on any Device?

• Parents can easily access the Oliver Library System via Compass. Simply click on the star and then select Oliver Library. From there, you can search for a book by author, subject, or title that we may have in our library. A green tick indicates availability, while a red cross means the book is currently on loan.
  
• World Book can be accessed via Compass by clicking on the star at the top. The school pays a yearly subscription to this excellent platform, which allows children to read, investigate, explore, compare, and play games. The list is endless, and activities are supported during library lessons. I encourage families to visit this site as much as possible….. it is an engaging way to learn! All children in Primary know how to login.

Scholastic Book Club is issued eight times yearly and seamlessly organised by Mrs Marilyn Pratley. We work together to ensure the most updated and inspiring literature is available for all children. Each time an issue is released, I check which books HFS does not have, and we put them on our list to purchase for student borrowing. I encourage all families to utilise this wonderful platform for birthdays, gifts, or special encouragement to entice their children to read!

Other Things we Focus On During Library Lessons …

Library Term 1 Events
The below dates and events may be noted or focused on during library lessons as they occur on Blue or Maroon Class Weeks.

WELLBEING NEWS

We are excited to announce that Mrs. Kristie Price will be taking on the role of Wellbeing Officer for the first half of 2025. Mrs. Price has 14 years of teaching experience across K-6, having worked in both mainstream and support settings, as well as holding leadership roles such as Assistant Principal and Curriculum Coordinator. She has also been a key leader in implementing School-wide Positive Behaviour for Learning (SPB4L) and various wellbeing programs in previous schools.

Mrs. Price will continue teaching 1 White during the week and dedicate Fridays to her new wellbeing role. During this time, Miss Taylor will be teaching 1 White. Mrs. Price is passionate about supporting the holistic development of students and looks forward to implementing wellbeing practices across the school, fostering a positive and supportive environment for all.

SPORTS REPORT with Mrs Blaire Clarke

Welcome back to Term 1, 2025. This year I look forward to being the Sports Officer at Holy Family School. I would like to thank Mr Condon for all the work he has done in this role in 2024.

Swimming Carnival: Unfortunately our Swimming Carnival which was scheduled for yesterday, was postponed. We look forward to our carnival on the new date of Thursday 20th February.

Diocesan Summer Sports Trials: At the end of 2024, some Year 4 & 5 students were selected to attend the Diocesan Trials. At these trials, we had three students selected into a Diocesan team to compete at the 2025 Polding Basketball Trials. The students were Knox Baldi, Harry Dawson and Preston Falcke, who travelled to Tamworth last week. Well done boys on all your efforts at these trials.

CLASS IN REVIEW - 4 Maroon

In our Newsletters, we will have a focus on one of our classes. 

This week is 4 Maroon!

SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERS

SCHOOL CAPTAINS
Our School Captains were elected, badged and commissioned at the end of Term 4. Our student leaders include:
Georgie Ballinger, Sophie Davis, Knox Baldi, Fletcher McLean. Congratulations to our 2025 School Captains.

SPORTS HOUSE CAPTAINS 
Following voting last Tuesday, we are pleased to announce the following House Captains for 2025: 
Blue: Summer Baldi and Preston Falcke
Red: Penny Hewitt and Zane Waterford
Green: Autumn Botham and Branson Williams
Gold: Hayley Lawson and Harry Dawson

CREATIVE ARTS CAPTAINS
Congratulations to Seraphina Malfroy and Edward Clements.

Our Sports and Creative Arts Captains will receive their badge as part of the Opening School Mass on Monday, 17 February (9.30am).

SCHOOL MONITORS
Year 6 students were able to nominate their interest in the Monitor leadership positions. These are positions of service and are selected by a panel of teachers and the leadership team.
Lab / Library / Hall Monitors:  These students will soon be announced and badged at our first assembly in Week 3.

CLASS TEACHER ALLOCATION - 2025

Early Stage 1 / Stage 1:
K-Maroon - Mrs Alison Smith (Mon-Wed & Fri) & Mrs Katrina Windsor (Thu) (Room 6)
K-Blue - Mrs Prue Nelson (Room 4)
K-White - Miss Phoebe George (Room 5)
1-Maroon - Mrs Janelle Bowman (Room 19)
1-Blue - Miss Angela Calvert  (Room 18)
1-White - Mrs Kristie Price (Mon-Thu) & Miss Tegan Taylor (Fri) (Room 20)
2-Maroon - Mrs Leigh Clarke (Room 2)
2-Blue - Mrs Amanda McGinnes (Mon & Tue) & Mrs Carolyn Geelan (Wed-Fri) (Room 1)
2-White - Miss Tamia Martin (Room 3)

Stage 2:
3-Maroon - Mr Mitchell Hardy (Room 8)
3-Blue - Mrs Stephanie Tilburg (Room 7)
4-Maroon - Mrs Amy Munro (Mon – Wed & Fri) & Mrs Blaire Clarke (Thu) (Room 12)
4-Blue - Miss Nicole Morgan (Room 11)

Stage 3:
5-Maroon - Miss Imogen Grace (Room 10)
5-Blue - Mr Brent Dennis (Room 9)
6-Maroon - Miss Erika Dwyer (Room 17)
6-Blue - Mr Joel Hartmann (Room 16)

Our classrooms and class days probably operate very differently to what we as parents remember about primary school.  The day of being with your home class teacher all day are gone.  It is a wide team effort at HFS.  Today, each student will have multiple teachers and support staff working with them during the week.  At HFS, we have specialist Computer Lab, Library, Science/STEM and Music staff.  We operate ‘groupings’ across the Grade for literacy and numeracy lessons.  We have a robust ‘learning support team’ who work with students.  Your child will work with many staff in any given week at HFS.

SPECIALIST TEACHING
Librarian (K-2) - Mrs Louise Davies (Wed-Fri)
Library (3-6) - Mrs Katrina Windsor (Mon & Tue)
Computer Lab - Mr Mick Rossitt (Mon-Thur)
K-2 Release Teacher - Mrs Corine Cusens
K-2 Music - Miss Tegan Taylor (Wed)
Music - Miss Paula Jackson (Tue-Fri)
Sports Officer - Mrs Blaire Clarke
Wellbeing Officer - Mrs Kristie Price (Fri)

LEARNING SUPPORT TEAM
Support Teacher - Mrs Lynda Rossitt (Mon - Fri)
Teacher Assistants - Ms Jo McMahon, Ms Leisa Barnes, Mrs Tracey Brown, Miss Charlise Elvy, Miss Simone Boer, Miss Grace Davies, Mrs Michelle White, Mr Hayden Taylor, Mrs Jackie Booth, Mrs Susan Wardman (AEO)

ANCILLARY STAFF
Office Administration - Mrs Jenny Wilds, Mrs Jane Iacono, Mrs Danielle Baldi, Mrs Vanessa Cain
Counsellor - Mr Dan Organ (Mon, Tue & alternate Thur)
Canteen Co-Ordinator - Mrs Vikki Botham (Mon, Wed, Thur)
Groundsman - Mr Mark Bradbury
Cleaner - Mrs Bronwyn Carter

SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM                                                                            
Principal -  Mrs Alison Curtin
Assistant Principal -  Mrs Amanda McGinnes                                        
RE Co-Ordinator - Mrs Louise Davies                                                
Primary Co-ordinators - Mrs Amy Munro & Mrs Alison Smith                     

CHAPLAINCY
Dean of the Cathedral - Fr Paul Devitt
Chaplain -  Fr Thao

STAFF NEWS

We are excited to share some wonderful news for Miss Angela Calvert & Mrs Stephanie Tilburg!  Angela was engaged during the Christmas holidays to be married later this year.  Congratulations and best wishes to Angela and Ray on this exciting news!  Congratulations also to Mrs Stephanie Tilburg who was married during the recent holiday break!  Such exciting times ahead for you both as you enter this next chapter of your lives.

SCHOOL HOURS & ABSENCES

Lessons commence at 9.05am and conclude at 3.15pm. Our students need to be at the school and in class between  the hours of 9.05am - 3.15pm each day. This is our teaching and learning time and our students' full attendance is very important at all times.

All absences from school are recorded in the Class Roll as either ‘full’ or ‘partial’ absences This includes arriving at school after 9.05am and leaving before the end of school at 3.15pm.

Students who are either ‘Late Arrivals’ or ‘Early Departures’ must report directly to the front office and be signed in/out at our Compass Kiosk in the office foyer by their parent/carer. New regulations mean late comers/early departures be marked as a ‘partial absence’ for that day. All student absences are recorded in our computer system on the student’s digital file. FULL absences due to sickness, extended holidays, etc need to be fully explained. Communication/action can be advised via the following methods:

• Parents enter the absence details on the Compass Parent Portal for their children. Please see our website to download
the Parent’s Guide to Compass. Please note this must be within 7 days of the absence.
• Email to: holyfamilykelso@bth.catholic.edu.au
• Email your child’s teacher via the Compass Parent Portal.

SCHOOL OFFICE HOURS
Please note that the school office is available for phone calls from 8.30am until 3.45pm Monday to Friday.

"MISSED PHONE CALLS" FROM THE SCHOOL

If you have a “missed call” from the school, please listen to the message before calling the school as often a return phone call is not required. Also, if you have more than one child at the school, it helps the office to find the right staff member
for you if you do need to return the call.

2025 SCHOOL TERMS

Term 1: 31 January - 11 April (11 weeks)
Term 2: 28 April - 4 July (10 weeks)
Term 3: 21 July - 26 September (10 weeks)
Term 4: 13 October - 19 December (10 weeks)

*Please note that Pupil Free Days for Holy Family School have not yet been confirmed for the 2025 school year.

PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT

“Our Catholic Community Working Together - A Charter for Schools, Parents and Volunteers in Catholic Schools of the
Diocese of Bathurst.”  This code of conduct outlines the expectations of how we interact at our school. Please be familiar with this important document. The document is available on our website.  Click below to download a copy of the Charter.

ANNUAL SCHOOL PHOTO DAY

Our school photos will be taken on Monday, 24 March. This year orders are online via Compass. The final day for ordering your photos, including sibling photos, is Sunday, 23 March.
If you would like to order family/sibling photos that include children other than your own ie. cousins, please email MSP directly and advise them of the names of all of the siblings to be included in your sibling photo. MSP email details are on your Compass Parent Portal. (You will still need to place your sibling order on Compass). Should you have any queries regarding the ordering process, please call MSP directly on 6360 2008 or the school office.

ON-SITE AFTER SCHOOL CARE

Re-commences this term and makes use of our hall. 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.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

SCHOOL UNIFORM
The wearing of full school uniform is compulsory.  It is a condition of enrolment.  This is a good way for students to take personal pride and a good way to honour the school.  Full school summer uniform includes:

Boys: grey shorts, blue collared short-sleeved shirt, grey ankle length socks, black shoes, school hat.
Girls: pink gingham tunic, white ankle length socks, black shoes, school hat. 

SPORT:
K-2 Sports Uniform: Fridays
3-6 Sports Uniform: Thursdays

Jewellery:  Our uniform policy advises students to wear minimal jewellery to school.  A crucifix or religious medal is allowed.  Wrist watches also allowed.  Please, no bangles, rings, etc.  Ear jewellery should be studs.  Minimal jewellery is the safest option at school which includes play times, PE and sport.  Our staff reserve the right to reprimand students on non compliance of the jewellery and school uniform policy.

Hair Cuts (Girls):  Girls haircuts and styles should be neat and tidy.  Long hair should be tied back.  Maroon, white, pink gingham ribbons/scrunchies/headbands only.  We encourage our girls to be neatly presented.

Hair Cuts (Boys):  Boys haircuts should be neat & tidy.  We encourage short style haircuts. The school encourages our boys to take pride in their appearance and be neatly presented.

Notes: 

• The school reserves the right to ensure students follow these Uniform and associated policies.
• The school authorities have the final say as to the appropriateness of a hairstyle.
• Parents accept these policies and understandings when they sign the Enrolment Agreement at the school.

VISITORS

VISITORS - Procedures to ensure we know who is onsite
Visitors and volunteers at the school are required to report to the School Office at the front of the school.  We request that visitors and volunteers 'Sign In' at the school office via our Compass Kiosk at the front desk. In providing a safe and supportive environment at Holy Family School, we require all visitors to 'Sign In' and 'Sign Out'.
The school needs to know who is on site at any given time. All visitors and volunteers are expected to follow this 'sign in' and 'sign out' procedure. 

LIBRARY DAYS

Class library days are:

Monday: Year 4 & 5
Tuesday: Years 3 & 6
Wednesday: Years 1, 2 & Kindy

Students need a library bag to borrow a book.  This year we hope to increase every students’ borrowing and reading of library books.  Please consider putting a plastic bag inside your child's library bag to make it waterproof to protect our precious library books - thank you.

NEWSLETTERS

Our fortnightly newsletter is available via:

• Facebook:  Holy Family Kelso 
• Website:  www.holyfamilykelso.catholic.edu.au
• Compass Parent Portal (Email and notification on the App)

MUSIC - Private Tuition

• Drumming Group:   Recommencing Week 5.
• School Band:  Recommencing Friday mornings in Week 5.  Practice day to be confirmed.
• Private Tuition:  Currently there are NO vacancies for private tuition with Miss Paula.  There is no waiting list as Miss Paula's books are closed for 2025 until further notice which in this case please keep an eye on the newsletter if there are changes to this status.

STUDENT BIRTHDAYS

We all love to celebrate our children's special occasions but due to some of our students having severe allergies, we ask parents to be aware of the food that is permitted to be brought in on your child's birthday. 

Allowable Celebration Foods:

• Individual small, sealed treats eg. Freddo Frogs
• Ice-blocks, icy poles.

Please don't bring in the following types of food:

• Birthday cakes, muffins, donuts, etc
• Lolly bags

Thank you for your support and assistance with this important issue at HFS.  This ensures that we protect our vulnerable students from the potential of severe allergic reactions.

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 Monday 10 February due to the Swimming Carnival)
Closed: Tuesday & Friday
Future closed date: Thursday 13th February (Please note that Flexischools will be closed to ordering on closed dates)

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.

CANTEEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY!
We are currently advertising for canteen assistants for the 2025 school year.  Ideally, we are looking for two people to cover two 5-hour shifts/week.  The successful applicants would work alongside Vikki Botham (our new Canteen Manager).  Please click below to view the position and apply!

UNIFORM POOL

The key to the Uniform Pool at HFS is available from the office Monday to Friday (8.30am-4pm).   

Please remember if you want to put items in the Pool, you must fill in a form and follow its directions.  Forms are available on our website or at the office.  Please take the form and garments to Marietta’s at 233 George St (Open 9.30am-5.30pm).

Combined Catholic Uniform Pool

This Pool is available to families from all Catholic Schools in Bathurst (and to any one else who wears the same colours).  It is situated in two sites – at Holy Family School and behind Marietta’s in George St.  Both are basically self-serve. Both accept payment by bank transfer or cash – no cards.

Holy Family Section – blue shirts, grey shorts and trousers maroon shorts and all Holy Family specific items such as hats and sports uniform and jackets.  Call at school office for the key.

Marietta’s Section – all Assumption, St Phil’s and Cathedral Sports uniform, all skorts, jumpers and parkas.  All Stannies and MacKillop uniform.  In the holidays some items which are waiting to go out to Holy Family.  Open when the shop is open.  (Open 9.00am-5.30pm Monday - Friday and 9am-1pm Saturday)

They are jointly run by volunteers and clothes can be donated or sold on commission.  Proceeds are used to help those in need either through the schools or Vinnies.

To sell go via this link to Holy Family’s website and download the instructions and please follow carefully. You will need to navigate to the bottom of the page. https://www.holyfamilykelso.catholic.edu.au/uniform-policy-sales

Please do not bring clothes in during the April and October holidays – as the volunteers are very busy and don’t have room to store them. Winter uniform can be brought in late February.

BOOK CLUB

Bookclub is a way of buying economical and suitable books for your family, whilst helping raise money for your school.  It is totally voluntary to participate in Book Club.  

Order forms have been sent home soon and should be returned by Wednesday, 26 February.

There are two ways to order your books. One is online (LOOP) and the other is to send in your order forms to school:

Online:
Our school is part of the LOOP ordering system which means for those families who pay online, you can now place your order online at the same time and won't need to send order forms and receipts to school. It is incredibly simple, and, if you need it, there is an excellent short video to explain on the site. 

Book Club seems to want people to use LOOP as they offer bonus items to regular users including bags, posters and free books.  You also have the opportunity to tick a box for gift orders which we hold for parents to collect.

I'd like to ask that you put the child's surname and not just the first letter when you enter the name. (Sometimes I need to contact the family and it is very difficult if I don't have the whole name.)   Your books will still be handed out at school to each child.  If you are a late order, you will have the opportunity to still order and pay a postage charge and the books will be sent to your home.

 Forms & money via HFS:

• Write your child’s name and class (not room) and “Bookclub” on your envelope.
• 1 child – Fill in form, enclose money/cheque.
• More than one child – Fill in a form for each child  (the books will go to each child.)  Enclose money/cheque for the all the children’s orders together in one envelope.
• When filling in forms, please put total books on each form, as well as total money, for that form.  

Delivery of Order:
The books will be given to each child, unless you mark the form (not the envelope), with the words “Collect at the office”. 

Thank you, Marilyn Pratley

PHOTO ALBUM

Well done to our students who competed at the Polding Basketball Trials!

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS