Dear Friends,

Welcome to week 3, which has had many wonderful events happening including 3 /4 Green Assembly,  the opening of our ELC Adventure Garden, P and F and School Board meetings, and our Wine Tasting night on Saturday night, just to name a few! I I have begun our newsletter today with the a reflection focussing on UNITY-  this is the concept to be explored at our Year 6 Exhibition evening next week.  This incredible event will be shared with our Holy Trinity community in our Week 6 SHINE edition. 

A big congratulations to our Year 4 and 5 students who had a terrific time at camp last week!.  For both groups this was their first experience of camp and I know they have gained much from the activities and time together.  A HUGE thank you to the staff that gave of their own time to enable this  opportunity for the students: thank you to Brendan Roweth, Rachael McCann, Jane Foley, Caitlin Meany, Michael Feerick and Katie Smith. 

We are also coming to that time of the year, when we are planning and formulating classes for 2023.  Our class allocations for next year will be as follows: 

Kinder x 2 classes

Year 1 x 2 classes

Year 2 x 3 classes

Year 3 x 3 classes

Year 4 x 2 classes

Year 5 x 2 classes

Year 6 x 2 classes

From this, you will notice that we will not be having any multi ageing classes across the school.  We are also hopeful that our building works will finish at the end of term 1, 2023, and our Year 3 and 4 classes will move into the five new classrooms. 

When considering class compositions there is many factors to take into account. As  a PYP school, collaboration is an essential component of your child's learning, and although students are placed in home rooms with a specific teacher, there are many occasions throughout the day or week, where classes are mixed or opened for differing groupings, based on the learning occurring. If a parent has a particular concern regarding the placement of their child/ren in classes, this should be written in an email to me by Friday Week 4, 4th November, and this concern will be considered seriously. However, there are no definite guarantees regarding parent requests as there is much to consider as stated above.  Please note, teacher requests are not to be included in these emails. 

As we have done in previous years, I will not be asking teachers to have students  send home sociograms to be considered in their class for 2023.  It is an unreal expectation that school can accommodate all requests, including friendships, and teachers, as professionals, who spend the majority of the day with children, need to be trusted to make the right decisions around learning.  Even with the best designed plans in place, every year there are always students and parents who feel their child's friendships or circumstances have changed between the time of drafting class lists and the start of the school year.  Many of these changes are out of control of the family or school.  For example, the child wants to be with different students or has a falling out with friends late in the term or over the holidays, a child leaves the school and leaves them without one of the friends on the socio gram and so on. 

Be assured your child's teacher and other key staff in the school know our students well and have information and data about them which assists in placing them in the best class for 2023.  Children are more resilient than we often give them credit for and they will able to learn and enjoy school in whichever class they are placed. There is also much time given to transition for particular students, depending on their individual needs, including a transition staff meeting, where staff from 2022 will share knowledge about students to their teachers for 2023.  On Tuesday 13th December, students (including those Year 1-6 new to the school) will also be placed in their class for 2023, with their new teacher (where possible) to spend some time together in preparation for the new year.  Class lists will then be emailed to all families on the last day of the year (Thursday December 15th) and no changes will be made to the class lists after this. 

Day for Daniel - TOMORROW

This year Holy Trinity will be participating in Day for Daniel on Friday 28^th October. Day for Daniel is the Daniel Morcombe Foundation’s national day of action for child safety awareness and education.

Wear Red, Educate, Donate is the theme for Day for Daniel as we strive to take action and conduct child safety activities in our local community to help in ‘Keeping Kids Safe’. Children are educated about their personal safety to empower them to Recognise, React and Report if they ever feel unsafe, or that something is not right.

Rather than a donation we are asking students to wear a red piece of clothing (T-Shirt, socks, hair ribbon etc). However, if you wish to make a donation please head to the Day for Daniel webpage.

Emily Capper

Religious Education Coordinator

Official ELC Outdoor Learning Space Blessing and Opening

Yesterday was the offical opening of the improved ELC Outdoor Learning Space. Ngunnawal Elder Wally Bell welcomed us all with a moving Welcome to Country and Monsignor John Woods led the blessing.The guests included our preschoolers, staff and executive team, Jonny Noja representing Able Constructions, as well as representatives from Catholic Education, Holy Trinity School Board and P&F. 

Stay and Play

Stay and Play is a playgroup for pre-preschoolers and their carer each Wednesday in school term 9am-10am in the ELC Adventure Garden (weather permitting). We are very pleased to welcome our Holy Trinity families and wider community back after a long break due to Covid restrictions. 

Before and After School Care

The ELC currently has available places in the Preschool Plus/Before School Care and After School Care programs. If you would like to enrol your child please email elc.holytrinity@cg.catholic.edu.au for an enrolment pack.

PARISH DINNER

You are invited to the Parish Centre on Sat., 5 Nov., 6.30pm for 7.00pm to enjoy the company of other parishioners and to support the work of Kate Cleary at ‘The Farm’, Galong, between Yass and Harden. Kate and her supporters, including the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, are using the former aged care facility to assist women looking for a fresh start after prostitution/drug abuse/domestic violence. Tickets $40 each; cash to the parish office or via Qkr! app. Main course, dessert and tea/coffee provided, BYO. Book early as numbers are limited. An initiative of your Parish Pastoral Council.

PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL RENEWAL

You are invited to consider being a member of your Parish Pastoral Council.  Come along for 7pm, this Thurs, 27 Oct  in the Parish Centre to discern whether you might want to join and further the pastoral good of your parish.

Monsignor John Woods 

There is  a great opportunity for parents and teachers to get together at the school on Saturday, October 29. 

Grab a ticket via Qkr! today and come along to discover the great bonuses these suppliers are offering for one night only.

Entertainment is provided by musical duo Capo Creek and scrumptious food options are available to top of a wonderful social evening.

A proportion of the nights beverage sales will be donated back to the school’s Parents and Friends committee.

Hope to see you there.

P&F 

Congratulations to the following children on winning a Scholastic Book Club voucher for their efforts (at an individual level) in the 2022 Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge.

Year 5/6 - Emily H, Owen F, Adona J

Year 3/4 – Violet B, Juliette F, Sage W

ELC to Year 2 – Sam E, Alyssa P, Brooke W.

We had over 100 children complete the 30-book challenge in the 12-week time frame. Some children read over 200 books. A fantastic effort.

We are still waiting to hear from the Chief Minister to see what prizes we won at the school level.

Happy Days. 

Uniform Shop has all summer uniform components in stock should you require any additional items. We recently took delivery of a sock order and these items are also available for purchase now. 

We also have a very large number of quality second hand jumpers and these are available to purchase in person during our opening times. 

Term 4 Uniform Shop Dates