Dear families and carers,

It is hard to believe this is our last newsletter for 2024, with only tomorrow and Monday before we head into our Christmas break. This week has seen us celebrate the milestones of our Year 6 leaders finishing their education at Primary School with their Graduation Mass and celebratory lunch. What a wonderful commemoration of the journey these learners have been on at Holy Trinity. We send our Year 6 on to High School as curious, confident and flourishing learners and wish them all the best for Year 7. 

Our leaders for next year have commenced their passage to their role of leaders for 2025. Tomorrow we will celebrate the Year 5 Leadership Initiative with our school community. We look forward to watching these leaders grow and develop in 2025. 

Next Monday we will enjoy our Fun Day ELC-Year 6 at school. Please refer to the COMPASS note for details. The weather is predicted to be extremely hot, please ensure your child has a hat, water bottle and sunscreen on.

Our teaching team for 2025

Kinder- Catherine Joy & Carlee Tonkin 

Year 1- Georgia Tredgold, Tayla Hart & Sarah Skotnicki

Year 2- Camille Gerbich & Krystal Coker                       

Year 3- Michael Feerick & Heidi White

Year 4- Ben Davis /Steph Leemhuis, Candace Goffin & Liam Cashion   

Year 5- Brendan Roweth & Holly Shaw/ Michael Prosper

Year 6- Jaimi Hudson /Tom O'Rourke & Rachael McCann /Mel Punyer         

Specialist team- Kate Lategui, Kate Mertz, Antonija Rover, Michael Prosper

Classroom Support Team- Meghan Scougall, Lizzie Pratter, Kate Lategui, Miss Anastasia, Miss Faith, Miss Penny & Miss Tori

It has been an honour to lead Holy Trinity throughout 2024, made easier with the supportive and high-quality teaching and professional staff. I want to thank the staff for their commitment to our learners and to bringing the Gospel values of Faith, Hope and Love to every student in their care. I hope you all find time to reflect on the wonderful year we have had with your loved ones during the Christmas break. Thank you for trusting us with your most treasured possessions, we look forward to continuing the journey in 2025. We welcome Mrs Philippa Brearley back to Holy Trinity in 2025. 

Best wishes for a safe and happy Christmas filled with love, peace and joy.

Prue

Goodbye & Good Luck

At the end of 2024 we bid farewell to families leaving Holy Trinity to begin the next chapter in their lives; all continuing to grow in faith, hope and love. We thank God for the time they have spent at Holy Trinity and bless them as they follow their chosen path ahead.

Kinder Nativity

Our Friday morning Kinder shared the nativity story with our ELC – Year 6 students and many Kinder families. A special thank you to parents for your spectacular costumes! We thoroughly enjoyed sharing the story of Jesus’ birth with you!

Year 6 Graduation Mass & Handing Over of Leadership Ceremony

Our Graduation Mass & Handing Over of Leadership Ceremony was held on Wednesday in the Holy Trinity Church. The students of Year 6 passed on a lantern as a symbol of leadership to the Year 5 students to be the leaders of the school for 2025. Following Mass, Year 5 families generously provided lunch for our Year 6 graduates and their parents. We wish our Year 6 students and their families all the very best as leave our school for the next chapter of their lives. You will be missed! Congratulations to the graduating class of 2024!

Youth Ministry

On Friday 6 December our Youth Ministry team organised and ran 3 Kinder retreats for each of our classes. Please see below all about this special event for our Kinder students!

Please also see below the last Youth Ministry update of the year from our lovely Youth Minister, Claire Mass.

Catherine Joy

Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Learning Summaries

2024 Learning Summaries have now been sent home for our ELC children, along with their Portfolio. It is intended that the Learning Summary and Portfolio complement each other as a reflection of the children's learning and development throughout the year. They are a celebration of the children's ideas, experiences and successes.

Staff Farewells

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to express our gratitude and well wishes to our departing ELC staff members.

We thank Mae for her contributions to the ELC this year and wish her well on her next adventures. We have enjoyed Mae’s cheery character, her flexibility and the wonderfully positive way that she interacts with the children.

Lin will begin Maternity Leave at the end of Term 4 and have 12 months of precious time with her new addition. We are confident that Lin will adapt quickly to being a mother of three and will thoroughly enjoy the time away from work, to focus on her family. 

I also want to acknowledge our colleague Nat, who after a very impressive thirteen years at our school, has decided that it is the right time to explore possibilities beyond Holy Trinity. Throughout her time at the school, Nat has held roles within the ELC and primary school. She has brought enthusiasm, creativity and a sense of joy to those around her. We are grateful for her continued focus on staff wellbeing and acknowledge the powerful impact that she has had on our ELC team in the wellbeing space. I want to put on record too, my thanks to Nat for her commitment to providing a high-quality learning experience for our children and their families.

Important Dates

Monday 16 December 2024 - Last day of Term 4 (Water Fun Day)

Monday 20 January 2025 - 48 week ELC children begin (Ground Parrot and Black Cockatoo classes)

Thursday 23 January 2025 - 48 week ELC children begin (Rock Wallaby class)

Monday 27 January 2025 - Public Holiday: ELC closed.

Tuesday 4 February 2025 - 40 week ELC children begin (Ground Parrot and Black Cockatoo classes)

Thursday 6 February 2025 - 40 week ELC children begin (Rock Wallaby class) 

Please note that the ELC is closed between 16 December 2024 and 20 January 2025. To contact the ELC during this period, please email (elc.holytrinity@cg.catholic.edu.au).

Holy Trinity Open

Congratulations to the Stroud brothers on their win in the Holy Trinity Open Doubles this week, an amazing effort. A very close match against Julian B and Rafa B. Congratulations also to Zara G and Odin S who were victors in the singles with Aaliya and Leo putting up a great fight in the finals. Thanks to KidsBiz who sponsored the Championships and for the Shield, we will continue to host this event every year.

Tennis Australia Awards

This week also saw Holy Trinity receive an award at the John Newcombe Medal evening in Melbourne. Brendan Roweth and Tom O'Rourke were invited to Melbourne to represent Holy Trinity at the Australian Tennis Awards, we were very fortunate to be the winners of the Most Outstanding School in 2024. This award was a celebration of our students at Holy Trinity and their passion for tennis, a remarkable achievement! From all accounts Tom & Brendan had a fabulous evening mixing with tennis superstars. We thank them for their commitment to tennis at Holy Trinity. 

Congratulations to our teachers and students celebrating their birthday this week; Mrs Lategui, Miss Winter and Mrs Punyer. Jordan J, Audrey G, Isaac T, Hannah A, Emilia T, Francis S, Alex H and Odin M. Wishing you all a fabulous bithday.