Our Holy Name students have returned from the Winter holidays refreshed and ready to kick their term 3 learning goals. The first 3 weeks have been busy with school events and our students have done us proud with the mature and enthusiastic way they have engaged with these occasions.

Annual School Visit

Last Thursday we welcomed 30 guests from the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) for our Annual School Visit, a valuable opportunity to showcase the incredible work happening across our school community.

Jarley Went and Ruby Clarke started our day presnting our Welcome to Worimi Country video. During the morning and middle session Mr Doyle, Mrs Loring, Mrs Williamson, Mrs Monks and Mr Mackay then led a presentation on our School Improvement Plan (SIP), sharing our achievements so far and our aspirations for making HNS even better.

As part of the visit, the CSO visitors conducted learning walks throughout the school. These walks gave them the opportunity to observe classroom practices and see how our teachers are supporting students to reach their full potential.

A variety of students from different year levels were also interviewed by the CSO staff. They were asked what they enjoy about Holy Name, challenges they face and how they engage with their learning. This was a wonderful chance for our students to have their voices heard.

Overall, the visit was a great success and offered us the chance to reflect on our progress, take on board feedback, ask important questions, and continue planning for a strong future. 

Celebrating 100 Days of Kindergarten! 

Last Friday, our Kindergarten students marked a very special milestone of 100 Days of Kindergarten! Since the beginning of the year, our clever little learners have been adding a sticker to their tens frames each day, eagerly counting up to this exciting moment. Reaching 100 days of learning is a huge achievement, and we knew it deserved a celebration!

To make the day extra fun, our students came dressed as 100-year-olds, complete with walking sticks, glasses, and grey hair! Their creative costumes brought lots of giggles and smiles across the school.

The day was filled with hands-on activities all themed around the number 100. Students rotated through a variety of engaging stations, including:

• Making 100 paper chains
• Writing 100 words
• Building towers with 100 cups
• Completing 100 fitness moves
• Dot painting
• Counting and collecting items to display on our “What Does 100 Look Like?” wall

Over the past two weeks, our Kindergarten students have been working hard on their counting skills, proudly proving that each collection really did contain 100 items. It was wonderful to see their confidence and enthusiasm grow!

One of the highlights of the day was decorating one of the 100 cupcakes with their Year 6 buddies. The bond between our Kinder students and their buddies is truly special, and it was heartwarming to see them celebrate together. We also welcomed our Kinder parents for a lovely afternoon tea, making the day even more memorable.

A huge thank you to our amazing Kinder aides and the Year 5 Mini Vinnies team, who generously gave their time to help run activities and ensure the day was a great success. Your support made all the difference!

Here’s to 100 days of learning, laughter, and growing together. We’re so proud of our Kindergarten students and can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings!

Responsible Pet Ownership Presentation

Today we had Lisa from ‘Living Safely with Pets Program’ come to Holy Name to present to our K-2 students. The program educates children on what it means to be a responsible pet owner and how to live safely with dogs. The Presentations were delivered using multimedia tools, role play, songs and story-telling which really engaged our students. The educator brought along a suitably trained Border Collie named Mac, who allowed the students to practise the safe way to approach and interact with a dog that is not familiar to them. Students practised these 4 steps: 1. Walk up slowly and stop. 2. Ask the owner if you can pat their dog 3. Let the dog smell your hand with your thumb tucked in. 4. Stroke the dog gently on the back. Students also learnt the signs and behaviours to notice on a dog that might be dangerous and how to protect themselves if they encounter an aggressive dog. We are very grateful to Lisa for taking the time to visit us and educate our students on how to interact safely with pets.

Granparent's Day Liturgy

On Friday 12th September at 11:30am, Kindergarten will lead us in a celebration for our Grandparents. This will be followed by Open Classrooms and a picnic lunch. We look forward to sharing this day with our school community.

Yours in learning,

Mrs Suzie Monks

Primary Coordinator