“Were not our hearts burning within us while Jesus was talking on the road, while He was opening the Scriptures?” Luke 24:32

We remember the two on the road to Emmaus, 

who were welcomed by the risen Christ.

Jesus drew them close with compassion

and lifted their spirits with kindness.

As they sat at table in the breaking of the bread

their disappointed hearts began to heal. 

Dear Friends,

Our 2023 School's spiritual theme for this year described above, focuses on walking together for a shared purpose.  Pope Francis encourages us to search for Christ within Scripture, prayer and the everyday actions of our lives.  We look forward with hope to journeying together as a community this year, just as the disciples did on the road to Emmaus.

It was wonderful to begin this 2023 journey together last week celebrating our opening school Mass and presenting our Year 6 leaders to our Holy Trinity community. 

Teachers, parents, and students enjoyed a wonderful Mass celebrating the start of the year. We had each class present a prayer cloth that they made around Journeying with Jesus. There were some beautiful Prayers of the Faithful and readings. After our mass, Year 6 students were presented with their Year 6 badge that Father Greg blessed. The parents and carers of Year 6 were invited to pin their badge on their child. At the very end we concluded with the students’ favourite song, My Lighthouse. I felt that this was a lovely way to start off our Year 6 journey.

By Chloe B

Year 6 have also spent some significant time at both the MoAD and at school inquiring into the characteristics of effective leadership and formulating our Holy Trinity leadership groups for 2023. 

Year 6 went to MoAD which is the Museum of Democracy. When we arrived at the museum, we met Stephanie. She took us around the museum. The got into groups and we focused on what we saw. We watched a video of kids that have changed the world for the better. The Year 6 students worked on leadership and how to be good leaders. The Year 6 students are ready to take on the challenges of 2023.

By Tiana C

On Wednesday last week, Year 6 went over to the Parish Centre. We talked about what makes a good leader. We separated into our house groups to talk about what we think the school year could look like for 2023. We discussed what the leaders from the past years have done during their leadership time. We decided to make a new group for our leadership roles. Each group will take on board different roles. All the leadership groups will be in charge of carnivals but student voice will be an important part of one of the roles.

By Amelia R

Strategic Planning

We have also begun a new three year focussed Strategic Plan, formulate under 5 realms- these realms will also be the basis of our School Registration report.  Holy Trinity is again due for Registration in 2023 and the panel will be visiting on the 26th and 27th of July.  We will also begin a School Self Study in preparation for IB Evaluation in 2023. Our Annual Improvement Plan for 2023 is based on three strategic goals as follows: 

Our Annual Improvement Plan 2023

• Strengthen the use of the PYP Framework for all planning, teaching, and learning across the curriculum 

• Develop and strengthen students’ social and self-awareness to flourish as global citizens 

• Ensure the cycle of assessment practices are effective and inform learning and teaching

Thank you to all our families who joined us for our welcome picnic last Friday night.  Thank you also to Mark Bullock and his P and F helpers for all they did with our BBQ.  It was also wonderful last night to see so many parents here involved in both the School Board and P and F for 2023. 

NAPLAN 2023

ACT schools will participate in NAPLAN Online testing from 15^th – 27^th March 2023.
 
As a parent, you can become familiar with NAPLAN Online tests by visiting the public demonstration site, https://nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site .The purpose of the site is to familiarise students with the type of items they will see on NAPLAN Online and related functionalities. This level of familiarisation is worthwhile to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the test.

On Tuesday 21^st of February, students in Years 3 and 5 will be participating in a NAPLAN practice test.

Students are required to bring their device to school along with headphones. These headphones must be able to be plugged into the device, please no wireless Bluetooth headphones.

Please ensure your child has the NAP Locked Down Browser installed.

If they require a school device or headphones, please email Caitlin Meany caitlin.meany@cg.catholic.edu.au

If you have any questions or wish to discuss your son or daughter’s participation in this event, including withdrawal, please contact Emily Capper Emily.capper@cg.catholic.edu.au  

Thank you to all our families who joined us last Friday night for our P and F Welcome BBQ. Thank you also to Mark Bullock Lisa Bauer, our class coordinators and all our volunteers on the P and F who helped with this great occasion. Last night we also hosted at school and on MS Teams our first School Board and our first P and F Meetings.  Both groups were so well represented and I was incredibly impressed with the commitment and the enthusiasm shown by all.  In next week's newsletter, I will share with you our members on both the Board and P and F and details of some of the plans already in place for events in 2023. 

Have a wonderful weekend and a peace-filled week ahead with your beautiful families. Thank you again for a wonderful start to 2023!

Philippa 

Opening School Mass

Students from Years 1 to 6, teachers and Year 6 parents and carers attended the Opening School Mass last Friday. Students were presented their leadership badges and recited a leadership oath with Mary B leading them. Year 6 students are taking their official role as leaders of our school very seriously and are wearing their badges with great pride.

Ash Wednesday

Next week Wednesday the students will be receiving ashes on their forehead in the shape of a cross. This is symbolising that each of us belong to Jesus Christ. It is part of the Catholic practice during mass to use one’s thumb to make a sign of the cross before the reading of the Gospel during Mass. This practice will be used on the first day of Lent which we call Ash Wednesday. It is the start of a 40 day period where Catholics fast and repent leading up to Easter.

Project Compassion 

During Lent the school encourages the children to donate money to support the world’s most vulnerable people. Project Compassion boxes are placed in each classroom, and these are collected towards the end of the term. Students are encouraged to bring coins to school from an extra chore that they may have done at home to contribute to their Project Compassion box.  

Lisa Binutti-Wilson

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Holy Trinity ELC Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)

The ELC is committed to continuous improvement in all National Quality Standards. click here to see the snap shot of the QIP for 2023.

Updated Immunisation Records

If your child has had their 4 year old immunisations since enrolment period last year, can you please email the ELC the updated Medicare Immunisation History Statement. We are required to maintain up to date records of student immunisation data. 

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). Stay and Play will resume on Wednesday 1 March 2023. All families and the broader community are welcome to attend.

I hope that your children have had a great start to 2023 and are looking forward to a year full of fabulous learning and wonderful books.

Just a few things to get the year started…

• Library lessons are once a week. Please take note of your child or children’s library day and send them in with a library bag and books to return.
• The library is open most days during the 2^nd half of lunch. Please remind your children to come visit as it is a great place to read, sit, draw, talk quietly or play a game.

• Each year, I look for parent volunteers to act as “Book Coverers”. If you have a spare hour, I will send home a bag of 10 books, per volunteer, per term – with great contact and instructions. It’s not a hard job and I try to match the books to your family. If you feel up to the challenge, please email me at mertz@cg.catholic.edu.au or send a note via your child.

Happy Reading,

Kate x

As shared through Kinder and Year 1 overviews, next Tuesday, Janice McDevitt and myself will be facilitating a Literacy workshop for parents/carers of Kinder and Year 1. During this session we will present to you the following information and ideas: 

• How do our children/students become readers?- theory and strategies
• How do we teach literacy skills at school?
• What can parents/carers do at home to help support literacy learning and development?
• Ideas on effective literature
• Opportunity to ask questions etc

The session will take place in Kinder Green (Catherine Joy's classroom), 9:30am-10:30am next Tuesday 21st of February.

Holy Trinity is facilitating an inhouse program of Cool Little Kids for families of children in ELC and Kindergarten, facilitated by accredited staff.

Cool Little Kids is a prevention program designed specifically for parents of younger children aged 3-6 years who may be shy, withdrawn, or inhibited. Research has shown these factors indicate a higher than average risk for anxiety and depression in children and teens. The parenting program focuses on helping increase the confidence of young children, and to assist them in developing skills to help manage anxiety and other negative emotions as they grow. The program uses the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and is backed by scientific studies showing its effectiveness in reducing current and future fears and worries for young children.

The program will run weekly for 6 Weeks (except during school holidays), on Thursday mornings 9.15am-10.15am from Thursday 23 March. RSVP's are essential by 10 March, to enable resources to be ordered. One or both parents/carers are welcome to attend.

RSVP cushla.sheehan@cg.catholic.edu.au