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Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome to Term 3 and the beginning of Semester 2. I didn't imagine last term we would be re-entering a period of increased COVID restrictions and am grateful for every day that our community remains out of a lock-down situation. Although we managed homelearning productively during 2020, the fact remains, that students, families and staff would be under increased pressure if the school had to close. It's comforting to know that our staff and families are doing everything they can to follow the guidelines in place to protect our local community from an outbreak. Please say a few extra prayers this week that we remain COVID free.
I ask that because you are reading this newsletter, that you reach out and show your concern for other families by checking in to see that they currently have access to our school Compass system. If they don't, encourage them to make contact with the school office to help them log back into the system. This will become a vital part of our communication should homelearning resume and ensure the least amount of disruption to learning for students.
New families and staff changes
As we commence Term 3, I am delighted to welcome new families and staff to our school. Last Tuesday, we had 7 new students commence at Holy Name across various grades and it was beautiful to see our students welcome and guide them through their first few days in their new school.
Mrs Quilter commenced this term in a job-sharing role with Miss Spinks on 2S and Mr Hassett in 3/4H. Mrs Quilter comes to us from Bourke and is a great assett to our teaching team. Miss Nolan and Miss Spinks worked with Mrs Quilter over the holidays so that she was able to pick up where Miss Nolan left off. We were also pleased that Miss Nolan was successful in her application to become the full-time teacher for Yr 5 following Mr Haire's retirement.
In Week 4, we farewell Mrs Maloney, who is taking leave from her roles as Primary Coordinator and Learning Support Teacher as she supports her daughter through the HSC and moves down south to join her husband and other members of her family for some new adventures. The school will celebrate Mrs Maloney in a liturgy on her final day, Monday 2nd August. Details of the liturgy will be sent home to families who may wish to join with us in farewelling Mrs Maloney. We will be guided by the COVID Guidelines of the day and provide the best options we can for this special occasion.
At this time, we will welcome Mrs Monks to the leadership team in the role of Primary Coordinator and Mr Kelso to the role of Learning Support Teacher. Mr Kelso joins our team from a Learning Support role in a Primary and High School in the Hunter Valley. Mrs Maloney and Mr Kelso will spend a couple of days together, handing over aspects of this very important role in our school. Congratulations Mrs Monks and Mr Kelso on your appointments.
Fr Greg moved to a new Parish during last term as he was called by the Bishop to take on the Warner's Bay Parish. We have since welcomed Fr Peter Street, who will use this term to visit classrooms and begin to get to know our staff and students. On Thursday 12 August at 1pm, we will hold a liturgy at school to farewell Fr Greg and would like to invite our families to join us for this special event. Again, more details will follow as we wait to see what COVID safe guidelines require at that point in time.
PUPIL FREE DAY
We have a PUPIL Free day planned for the 10th August so that staff can complete the required Child protection training. St Nicholas OOSH will offer their services on this day and you can register via this website.
BUILDINGS & FACILITIES
I was recently advised that another of the projects we requested has been actioned by our Catholic Schools Office. For two weeks, commencing in the Week of August 9, the boundary fence of the school will be replaced with a new one. I'm sure this will add to the aesthetics and safety of our school environment.
Miss Nolan and Mrs McKinnon worked tirelessly in the holidays to make improvements to the Year 4 and Yr 5 learning spaces. The students were excited to be back in their classrooms this week to benefit from the changes made by these dedicated teachers.
Best wishes,
Brooke Stephens
With many of the interviews for Yr 7 2022 underway, it is a great time to start checking out the St Clare's Newsletter to get an idea of the school and what you can expect when you enrol your child at our Catholic High School.
This Tuesday, 27th July will be our first P&F Meeting for Term 3. We are allowed to meet with COVID Safe practices in place, including wearing masks, signing in with the QR Code using the NSW Government APP and social distancing. Parents and Carers who are unwell should not attend the meeting. We provide an online invitation for parents and carers who have previously provided their email contact and are happy to add others to this list. If you are interested in attending on Tuesday, please make contact with our school office.
Holy Name Garden Project
As we started back this term, lovely falls of rain boosted our planter beds growth and soon lettuce, bok choy, spinach and tomatoes will be ready for harvest and given to the community kitchen at Holy Name Church. With the help of our student gardeners, this week we have staked the tomato and sweet pea vines and added more mulch to the beds. We need more stakes, and please ask our school families if they can donate stakes for our plants.
Positive Behaviour Learning (PBL)
Positive Behaviour for learning is a whole-school framework that promotes positive behaviours across a school and helps schools develop safe and supportive learning environments. At Holy Name, staff take a proactive approach and monitor students demonstrating competence with these skills and students are rewarded surfboard tokens. In Week 1 and 2, all students were explicitly taught the expected behaviour of “being responsible for your own property”. At assembly today names were drawn and prizes were awarded for their commitment to taking on a targeted behaviour. For the next two weeks Holy Name's behaviour focus will be on "owning your own behaviour".
Acting Assistant Principal
Genevieve Williamson
Religious Education Coordinator Report
Sacrament of Confirmation
Tuesday evening the 20 July, at 5:30pm and 7pm in the Holy Name of Jesus Church, Fr Peter celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation, an important step in the process of Christian Initiation. Congratulations to the following Holy Name students who were anointed with the Oil of Chrism and received the Holy Spirit.
Celebrating Confirmation
Oliver Cooper
Hudson Duckett
Lilah Gibson
Tara Isbel
Max Isbel
Artemisia Laurie
Nakoda Ryan
Harley Van Haren
Levi Van Haren
Grace Zarate
Jayden Bowie
Lincoln Atkinson
Chase Brooks
Airlia Coulton-Donnelly
Caleb Younani
Farewell to Mrs Maloney and Fr Greg
It is with both a joyful and sorrowful heart that we say farewell to our Learning Support Teacher and Primary Co-ordinator, Mrs Simone Maloney. Simone leaves Holy Name in Week 4 to join her family in Coolamon to begin their next new family adventure. Mrs Maloney is a highly respected, expert Learning Support Teacher and Senior Leader. She models our charism of “Concern for Others”, thinks deeply before she acts, works tirelessly among the students and with their parents, and our staff to build community. Simone’s mission of building a better Learning Community at Holy Name has been outstanding. Please join us as we celebrate her Farewell and Thanksgiving Liturgy on Monday 2nd August at 11:30am in our Mary MacKillop Hall. COVID restrictions will be in place, please wear a mask and check in with our school QR Code.
Last term Fr Greg was appointed by the Bishop, to take up a new position as Parish Priest of Boolaroo-Warners Bay and Booragul. Fr Greg will continue to be Priest Supervisor of Gloucester, Krambach, and Myall Coast.
The Forster Tuncurry Parish community would like to thank Fr Greg for his service to all parishioners and celebrate and give thanks for the gifts and good works of Fr Greg. Holy Name will be celebrating a Farewell and Thanksgiving Liturgy on Thursday 12 August at 1pm in the Mary Mackillop Hall for students and parents, teachers, and parishioners of the Forster Tuncurry Parish. Following the Liturgy there will be an afternoon tea in the hall, please feel free to bring a plate to share.
Fr Peter’s Class Visits
Fr Peter began his class visits this week to get to know the students and teachers of Holy Name. It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to also get to know their new Parish Priest. Fr Peter visited Miss Nolan and 5H.
Kind regards,
Genevieve Williamson
Learning Support Coordinator's Report
It has been my absolute pleasure to work at Holy Name Primary School since 2010, first as a classroom teacher and then as the Learning Support Teacher and member of the Leadership Team. I have had the privilege of working closely with many families and staff over the years. Daily, I am struck by the incredible commitment, expertise, and professionalism of HNS staff, and I am often in awe of the way staff manage difficult situations and heightened students. Staff prioritise developing and nurturing positive relationships with students and manage to adjust the classroom program so beautifully, to meet the individual needs of our students. I have learnt much from the families that I have worked with. Parents and carers have a unique insight into their child and the willingness to share this precious knowledge with us, makes all the difference when planning support. Thank you to the many families I have connected with professionally over this past 11 years in our extraordinary school. I’ve been involved in many conversations and the most obvious thing to me, is always the dedication and investment that our parents and carers have into their child’s success at school.
Our four children also attended Holy Name Primary School so I can confidently say that it is a very special school community where people genuinely matter, and wellbeing is valued as much as academic success. Look after each other during this difficult covid time and please feel assured that the HNS staff are working incredible hard to improve outcomes for all students.
Wishing everyone a happy, safe, and healthy year ahead,
Warm regards
Simone Maloney
Learning Support Coordinator.
Athletics Carnival photographs
Please enjoy these wonderful photos taken by one of our parents, Gordon Cooper, who always captures some great memories for our school community.
It was great to visit a training session this week with the first ever Holy Name Cheer Team. They are working hard on their routines for a competition later this year. I have dropped in on two occasions now and both times have found it such a positive vibe, combining fun with skill development, concentration and teamwork. The team train on Friday mornings before school from 8am. Go Holy Name Cheer Team!!
We love to have our parents and friends volunteer at school events. If you're interested in joining the team of volunteers that may support at school or parent run events, please use the Volunteer Handbook to guide you to be eligible to take on this important role in our school.
COVID Update - Letter from the Director to Parents
Just in case you missed it, please read Mr Mowbray's letter to parents.
The following measures are in place at Holy Name:
- Parents drop off and pick up at the gate unless there is a need to sign your child in at the office. Our staff will escort students to the gate in the afternoon and are available via phone, email or appointment if you need to make contact with them. Some exceptions may apply regarding schools for specific purposes, vulnerable students or students with a disability
- Additional cleaning of desks, laptops, handrails and door handles.
- Staff or students who are unwell must remain home and return to school when they can provide evidence of a negative COVID Test and are symptom free.
- Parents and staff are required to maintain physical distancing by avoiding gathering outside of school gates and in staff areas.
- Follow mask-wearing requirements and sign-in using the Service NSW QR code if / when entering the school for an essential visit.
Thank you for minimising your travel out of the local area during these difficult times and follwoing the procedures in place by NSW Health to keep us safe.