NEWSLETTER NO. 2 - 25.2.25

SCHOOL CALENDAR

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

Upcoming Events

PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE - Mrs Alison Curtin

At Holy Family Catholic Primary School, we are blessed to be part of a community ‘gathered in love’. This means we work together to create an environment where every child feels supported, valued, and encouraged to reach their full potential. Parents are the first educators of their children, laying the foundation for their faith, values, and approach to learning. A Catholic school builds upon this foundation by fostering an environment where faith and education unite, supporting students in their academic, social, and spiritual growth. Together, the family and the school are responsible for guiding our children to become compassionate, resilient, and faith-filled individuals. This is why it is so important that families choose schools that are like-minded in their vision and why schools look for like-minded families to join their community. 

The recently updated Catholic Education Diocese of Bathurst Community Charter (CEDB_Community_Charter.pdf), which was sent to all families via Compass last week, provides a framework for how we interact and support one another. It applies to our entire school community—including parents, carers, volunteers, and educators and reminds us of the importance of respectful and constructive communication in all spaces.

The Community Charter is a guide for how we behave and a framework that empowers us to grow together in our learning, well-being, and spirituality. By upholding the values within the Charter, we create an environment where faith and love guide us, and every member of our school family can flourish.

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are reminded that hope is found in the community, our faith, and how we uplift and support one another. The Charter calls us to hold ourselves accountable to the principles of Catholic education—nurturing faith, building resilience, and striving for excellence in learning and relationships. Challenges may arise, but when we embrace them with a spirit of partnership and a commitment to our values, we strengthen the foundation of our community.

Thank you for your continued support in making Holy Family School a place where we truly live out our motto, ‘Gathered in Love’. We look forward to a continued partnership in 2025. One where our students can be the best versions of themselves. 

Mrs Alison Curtin - Acting Principal

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE - Mrs Amanda McGinnes

Curriculum Reform
As we progress through the NSW curriculum reform, the Creative Arts, HSIE, PDHPE, and Science & Technology (CHPS) syllabuses have been released, ready for schools to begin engaging with them with full implementation to occur in 2027. At Holy Family, we are excited to share that the new NSW PDHPE curriculum is being trialed in Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 3, and Year 4. The new PDHPE syllabus takes a holistic approach to health, personal growth, and development, and supports students in developing important life skills, including making healthy choices, staying active, and building positive relationships. 

In Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4), students have also been learning about the No, Go, Tell strategy. This important tool helps children know what to do if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable, particularly in the playground. They are being encouraged to say "No" to unsafe situations, "Go" away from danger, and "Tell" a teacher or trusted adult. These lessons are equipping students with the confidence to handle challenges in a safe and responsible way. This strategy will continue to be taught throughout all year groups.

To complement our learning in Health, all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 recently had the opportunity to visit Healthy Harold. This engaging and interactive experience reinforced key health and wellbeing messages in a fun and memorable way. Students learned about making safe choices, understanding emotions, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy Harold Fun @ HFS!

Repeated Message: OSHC Pick Up
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.

Mrs Amanda McGinnes - Acting Assistant Principal

REC NEWS - Mrs Louise Davies

LENTEN PRAYER
God of our journey, we are all pilgrims of hope
brought together by your love and your wish that we may all be one.
We pray that in this Year of Jubilee when we are called to greater justice
and care for our common home that we may Unite Against Poverty.
May we work in unity for the freedom of the oppressed 
and the renewal of creation.
May our compassionate minds and generous hearts
help bring about a world where all can live in peace.
May our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, almsgiving and prayer
bring us closer to your loving heart.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen

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

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 - 6pm at Assumption
• Sat 9th August 5.00pm Cathedral
• Sun 10 th August 10.00am Cathedral

Shrove Tuesday
Our Stage 3 students in Year 5 and Year 6 are organising Pancakes to sell next Tuesday 4th March, during morning tea. Pancakes and pikelets will be sold for 50c or 3 for $1

"Shrove Tuesday" refers to seeking absolution and spiritual preparation for the Lenten fast. While religious observance has remained central for many, the festive side of the day—through parades, dances, and, of course, food—adds a joyful counterpoint to the solemnity of Lent, making it a day full of spiritual reflection and celebratory tradition.

This is a fantastic initiative from our Stage 3 students in planning, implementing and service in action for Caritas. We are all looking forward to yummy pancakes with jam and cream or maple syrup next Tuesday….Well done!

Ash Wednesday Mass 
Wednesday, March 5th, marks the beginning of Lent, as Ash Wednesday. To celebrate this Feast Day, there will be a Mass led by our Year Three classes, in the School Hall at 11:45am. All members of our community are invited to attend. Ash Wednesday is one of the most popular and important holy days in the liturgical calendar. It opens Lent, a season of fasting and prayer.

Ash is a symbol of penance and a reminder of human mortality and the need for repentance. Marking the forehead with ashes in the shape of a cross during Lent is a visible sign of one's commitment to reflect on one's life, turn away from sin, and seek renewal through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.

HFS Parish Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 15th, at 6:00pm. I hope many families can join us as we come together with the cathedral parish to celebrate with Fr. Thao, our School Chaplain.

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

Multicultural Celebration - Sunday, 2 March - Please click on the link below to read about this wonderful day of celebrating our cultural diversity.

SPORTS REPORT - Mrs Blaire Clarke

Swimming Carnival: On Thursday, 20 February we hosted the HFS swimming carnival. We were blessed with fantastic weather, outstanding swimming and huge efforts in participation. Well done to all students who competed and congratulations to the following students for winning the age champions:

Junior Girls Age Champion: Matilda Burke
Junior Girls Age Champion Runner Up: Harper Edwards
Junior Boys Age Champion: Levi Campbell
Junior Boys Age Champion Runner Up: Nixon Manvell
11 years Girls Age Champion: Kalesita Kaufusi
11 years Girls Age Champion Runner Up: Riley Hall
11 years Boys Age Champion: Patrick Gillies
11 years Boys Age Champion Runner Up:  James Swan
Senior Girls Age Champion: Riley Hall
Senior Girls Age Champion Runner Up: Isabelle Sinton
Senior Boys Age Champion: Zane Waterford
Senior Boys Age Champion Runner Up: Tyler Cafe

Champion House:  Gold House

Records Broken!
Congratulations to Zane Waterford for his efforts in breaking five HFS Swimming Records at this carnival:

• Boys 8-13 years 100m 100m Freestyle 1.11.50
• Boys 12 years 50m Freestyle 31.68
• Boys 12-13 years 50m Breaststroke 44.75
• Boys 12-13 years 50m Backstroke 40.68
• Boys 11-13 200m Senior IM 3.09.00

Thank you to all the parent volunteers who supported the school with time-keeping on the day. Your time and effort is truly appreciated.

Eastern Region Swimming Carnival:  The Eastern Region Swimming Carnival will be held on Monday 3rd March at the Manning Aquatic Centre, Bathurst. We wish our students all the best at this swim meet.  Our representatives include:  Finlay Adair, Summer Baldi, Lara Baldi, Georgie Ballinger, Lucy Ballinger, Bronte Booth, Keira Bosianek, Matilda Burke, Tyler Cafe, Levi Campbell, Logan Crofts, Rydah Cronin, Hudson Cronin, Xavier Curtin, Anna Davis, Harper Edwards, Rosie Fearnley, Sophie Fogarty, Harry Francis, Cruz Giddings, Patrick Gillies, Riley Hall, Murphy Jones, Kalesita Kaufusi, Bella Lewis, Indi Lewis, Annabel Locke, Seraphina Malfroy, Nixon Manvell, Amelia Marr, Preston McLean, Sophie Moore, Cruz Peters, Roczen Richards, Ryder Rimmer, Charlie Robinson, Joe Sharman, Isabelle Sinton, Emily Sinton, Hunter Smith, Scotty Stokes, James Swan, Zane Waterford and Austin Williams.

Winter Sports Trials: This Thursday and Friday, students in Year 5 and 6 will be trialling for the Winter Sports Trials. Students have nominated themselves for either rugby league, rugby union, hockey, netball, soccer or AFL. Please note students can trial for AFL and another sport as the selection trials are held on different dates. Could students please wear P.E uniform on Friday 28th February.  HFS Hockey trials will take place next week (date TBA).

The AFL trials have already been conducted at school and nominated students will attend the Diocesan Boys AFL trials on  Friday, 7^th March 2025, to be held at Learmonth Park, Bathurst.  Well done to the following students who have been selected to attend:  Rydah Cronin, Charlie Robinson, Jack Humphreys, Jack Strachan & Tyrell Thomas.

The Diocesan selection trials for netball, rugby league (12 years and under & 11 years and under), soccer and hockey will be held on Friday 28th March 2025 (backup date Friday 4th April).  The selection trials for rugby will be held on Friday, 16th May 2025 (back up date Friday 23rd May).

Moto Racing:  At least 17 of our young HFS students took on Mount Panorama on their motorbikes over the weekend, sharing in a fun day of motorbike riding at the Panorama Motorcycle Club's practice day.  This was a great family day to share their passion together and get in some practice for the upcoming 2025 season.  We definitely feel we have some stars in the making right here at HFS.

CLASS IN REVIEW - Class 1 Maroon, Mrs Bowman

SCHOOL FEES

School Fee statements for 2025 have been emailed to you. If you did not receive your statement, please check your junk/spam folder first, and if not there, let the school office know that it hasn't been received.  As you will see from the statement, the school fees have been divided into three instalments (Term 1, 2 & 3), with the due dates if you are paying by the term.

For parents paying by part payments, please ensure the amount you are paying weekly or fortnightly is enough to pay the full balance by 1 November 2025. If you need help calculating this, please call the school office.

For parents having genuine financial difficulty, please call the school office to arrange an appointment with our Principal.

We thank everyone for their attention to their school fee account.

School fees may be paid via:

• BPay (details on the bottom of your statement)
• Compass Pay via your Compass portal
• EFTPOS in the office, or over the phone
  
• Direct Debit - Please contact the office for forms

SCHOOL LEADERS - MONITORS

Congratulations to the following students who were badged at last week's assembly as our new Monitors for our Computer Lab, Library and Hall.  These are leadership positions are made by staff following expressions of interest from Year 6 students.

Lab: Henry Hewson, Jack Humphreys, Harlow Nelligan, Jack Strachan, Jesse Martin, Kai Sharman, Indiana Harper, Jake Rouland.
Library: Mia Moxon, Cooper Drynan, Lucy Kinlyside, Ryder Rimmer, Bella Lavelle, Zoe Gunning, Sienna Howe, Saatchi Wright.
Hall: William Clarke, Charlie Robinson, Koa Bowman, Charlie Smith, Halle Cafe, Patrick Head, Keira Bosianek, Adeline Chenhall.

Our 2025 Lab, Library & Hall Monitors - congratulations!

FREE WEBINARS FOR PARENTS & CARERS

Our head office has advised us of some fabulous free learning opportunities for families this term:

SCHOOLSPEAK 101
A free online webinar for parents and carers
Presented by Mary Ryan, Head of Professional Learning, CSNSW

DREAM BIG
A free online webinar for parents and carers of primary school-aged students
Presented by Beyond

Algorithms and Adolescents
A free online webinar for parents and carers of upper primary and secondary school-aged students
Presented by eSafety Commissioner

SCHOOL HOURS

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

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

After-school care is available from 3.15pm - 6.00pm (or part thereof) in our school hall. Centacare is our provider and you can express interest by contacting:

* 0491 147 453: This will only be answered during operating hours if staff are available. If we miss your call, please leave a message and we will call you back as soon as possible.
* Alternatively, please contact Jordan via email at oshc@centacarebathurst.com.au
* Or email at: holyfamilyoshc@centacarebathurst.com.au

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.

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).

Tunics: If your little girl needs a new tunic this year, orders at Marietta's need to be in by the first week of March. I have put all the tunics in the Pool out now for sale as most people look there before ordering new. If you have an outgrown tunic (or any other winter uniform) please bring it to the Pool this week – instructions at https://www.holyfamilykelso.catholic.edu.au/uniform-policy-sales   Other winter uniform can wait another month to buy. (Mrs Marilyn Pratley)

BOOK CLUB

Orders and money are due tomorrow - Wednesday, 26 February (unless you have ordered online through the LOOP system).  Orders are optional for our families.

PHOTO ALBUM

Opening School Mass

Swimming Carnival

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS