2 March 2017

Newsletter Articles

From the Principal

Dear Parents

Do you remember when Birthday Parties were simple affairs; when children ate fairy bread and homemade cupcakes, drank home-mixed cordial and left with a handful of liquorice allsorts and a couple of musk sticks? Can you recall when entertainment was about games in the back yard with a couple of close friends and the odd relative or two? “Grandma can,” someone said!

Birthdays are an important date for each of us on the calendar. It is a day filled with the celebrating our existence and proclaiming our potential to further enjoy the gift of life. We celebrate who we are and where we came from - “Thanks mum and dad!” It is important that birthdays are celebrated and gifts given in moderation, after all, Mother Earth gives us a present each year: another free trip around the sun!

So when did the focus shift? The people of Germany can take credit for initiating the celebration of children’s birthdays, through the creation of a song in 1891 entitled, Good Morning to You. This song may well have been forgotten by now if someone had not changed the words to “Happy Birthday to You”.

There was a time when Birthday Parties were simple affairs, when the focus was on the person whose birthday it was and the simple fun to be had, rather than the splendour and extravagance of the entertainment.

Of recent years, birthday parties have moved up-market and I have observed with sadness aggressive marketing directed at parents, making parents feel the need to be competitive with the parents of other children by providing a range of costly entertainment. Trying to be bigger and better can be unnecessarily expensive and take all the fun out of the experience due to the anxiety for the party to be “successful” and acclaimed to be so.

Of course, there are alternatives to the “Big Party” concept. I listened with delight to the tale of a family, in consultation with their birthday child, having a no-gift party. Special gifts from parents and family were given privately, and party guests were instead simply invited to put an anonymous donation into a brightly presented box. The anticipated cost of the hired entertainment was added and the resulting sum of money was given to a local children’s hospital. What a wonderful idea, and one which no doubt will remain in the memories of every child who had the pleasure of joining in.

You might think birthday parties an odd topic to be pondering upon, particularly at the start of Lent, however my thoughts were prompted in response to a comment made in our Harmony Room. The parent of one of our students who struggles to connect with the world in the way an average child might, stated the heartbreak she had once again had to endure when her child watched the inevitable handing out of birthday party invitations to one such “Big Party” yet again to be omitted from the guest list. Not only did her words prompt a lump in my throat, but it also made me wonder whether the journey that the mother of a child with a disability walks every day has ever been reflected upon by our wider community. Please do me the honour of reading this story and letting the words touch your heart, even if I have shared this with you before...

Maybe next time you are planning a birthday party in ‘Italy’, you might consider sending a brightly coloured, all flags waving limousine to ‘Holland’ to collect an extra special bundle. That is after all, the Holy Cross Way, entrenched in our charism and a focus for our School Annual Improvement Plan. Please, let us be inclusive to all, and open our hearts to those walking a different journey.

Wishing you God’s blessings now and always,

Sarah Hamilton
Principal

APA News

LiteracyPlanet Legends

Every child has their special legend moments. It could be on the sports field, in the classroom or as a contributor to their community. LiteracyPlanet Legends celebrates these moments and the legend in every child.

Do you have a child or know a child excelling in one of these categories? If so, Holy Cross would love to support your nomination. Use the link below to read more on each category, or ultimately, to make a nomination. Please let us know by dropping an email to mthorpe@cns.catholic.edu.au , so we can keep our fingers crossed too.

Every eligible nominee will receive a limited edition LiteracyPlanet Legends pack (while stocks last) and the winner of each category will win $10,000 worth of sports and technology supplies for their school, and a special school visit from Shane Crawford, Liz Ellis or LiteracyPlanet ambassador Georgie Gardner!

POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR FOCUS

Congratulations to Week 4 and 5 Holy Cross Heroes:

“We were caught being HOLY CROSS HEROES.”

Below are a number of key dates for Term 1 2017 to consider:

Items for Sale

The school has a number of items for sale that are no longer required. Please click on the link below for more information and photos of items.

Many blessings for the week

Brad Henry
Assistant Principal - Administration

APRE News

It is great to see that this week’s classroom behaviour focus is, “Just keep trying”. Through listening to teachers talking and hearing the awards for the Students of the Week, it is clear that there are many students who are coming in ready to learn. Sometimes a new year of school can be daunting, but to show persistence and give of your best, is a great skill to have. Congratulations to all the students giving their new year level a RED HOT GO, with their HARD YAKKA PANTS on!

HOLY CROSS CHARISM

The second aspect is all about Community:

• Acting as one body and one community, getting together as one school to pray, to learn, to play and to celebrate.
• Helping those within our community as well as beyond it.

“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not have all the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” Romans 12:4-5

LITURGICAL LIFE OF THE SCHOOL

Families and friends are welcome to join us for our Ash Wednesday Liturgy on Wednesday this week. Please note it is not a Mass and Fr Neil will not be presiding as he is away at a Congress this week.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent- a time of sharing, praying and fasting, leading up to Easter. It is a time for change and renewal. We receive the ashes, which come from the burnt palms of Palm Sunday, the previous year. They are blessed and a sign of the cross is traced on our foreheads with the distributor saying a phrase such as, “Repent and follow the Gospel”. I also used the idea with the students at Monday morning prayer that Lent is about love. Jesus loved us so much that he forgives our sins and shows us how to love.

• Fasting-making space for God’s love
• Prayer-spending time with God who is love
• Giving/sharing-giving of our time and talents to show love for others

Part of the giving and sharing we do during Lent is targeted towards Project Compassion. Our Justice Squad will lead the school in some fundraising initiatives to raise awareness of, and money for Caritas. A donation box will come home for each family to use. These can be returned to school at any time up until the beginning of Term 2, which is when we will tally up the totals. Any small donation you give makes a difference, from the 50 cents a child gives in place of an icy pole they may have had, to the $5.00 Mum or Dad might put in, in place of a special coffee one day. Perhaps you might choose to put all the five cent pieces in that you find in the bottom of hand bags and pockets! For further information on caritas and the Project Compassion appeal, please go to:

Upcoming liturgies and Masses:

• Ash Wednesday Liturgy 1st March at 9:00am
• Years 2 & 4 Mass Tuesday 7th March at 9:00am
• Weekend Family Mass Years 3 & 4 Sunday 19th March at 8:30am
• ANZAC Day Liturgy Monday 24th April at 9:00am
• Years 3, 5 & 6 Mass Tuesday 28th March at 9:00am
• Mothers’ Day Liturgy Friday 5th May at 9:30am T.B.C.
• Weekend Family Mass Years 1 & 2 Sunday 28th May at 8:30am
• First Holy Communion Saturday 17th June at 6:00pm, Sunday 18th June at 8:30am (H.C.) and 5:00pm (St.A.)

PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM

Baptised students in Year Four and above are eligible to enrol for Confirmation and First Holy Communion. The first parent information night is Wednesday 15th March, at Holy Cross Church, at 6:00pm. The group sessions commence in April. The Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Thursday 15th June and First Holy Communion on the weekend of the 17th and 18th of June.

The Sacrament of First Reconciliation will occur in the Northern Beaches Parish, in September and is for students in Year Three and above. The first meeting is not until July.

REFLECTION AND PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE WEEK

From Sr Kym Harris osb…

“This week, we start the season of Lent – which here is Australia occurs in what is often the worst of our bushfire season. It is now that people appreciate the control burns done in the winter. These burns symbolise for me what we are about in Lent. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and supporting each other in prayer, we face our weaknesses and our sins so that we lower the possibility of them breaking out and causing destruction in our lives. We each have our liabilities – anger, gossiping, negative thoughts, addictions, tendency to lying. You know yours as I know mine. The purpose of this season is to bring them before God and using practices of prayer and self-control face them and lessen their power over us. Yes, it can be difficult, even a little dangerous as we may not like what we find out about ourselves but in the big picture of our lives, it leads to safety for ourselves and for those we love. We have, on our side, Jesus knew temptation and comes to help us in our weakness.

Loving God, you know my weakness, failure and sin even better than I do myself. In this Lent let me truthfully face myself and deal with what stops me from being the loving person you have made me to be. I ask this in Jesus’ name, confident that you will hear me.”

Parish News

Northern Beaches Parish
Mass Times

Jacinta Roberts
APRE Holy Cross

Library News

Donations

We are looking to create some fun spaces in the library for our Lunch Time Launchers and need your help with some resources that your child may have grown out of. We would love donations for the following:

• Lego
• Duplo
• Hand puppets
• Matchbox cars or Hotrod cars
• Plastic farm animals, dinosaurs, jungle animals etc.

Donations can be left with Luci or Jo in the Library or at the office.

Call for volunteers

• Please take this short quiz.
• Do you love books and reading?
• Do you like organisation and order?
• Do you like covering books?
• Do you like labeling?
• Do you are creative and like making displays?
• Would you like to help the whole Holy Cross community?

If you answered yes to one or more of these, then we need you. We are putting the call out for volunteers to help in the library.

Perks of the job

• We will work around your availability Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday between 8.30 and 1.30 p.m.
• We are flexible and would be appreciative of your time, even if you can only volunteer for one day.
• Your work environment is air conditioned and usually quiet.
• You could volunteer during your child’s Library time.

Please email or chat to Jo Neil, Teacher Librarian jneil@cns.catholic.edu.au.

Administration News

2018 Prep Enrolments

If you currently have children attending Holy Cross School and wish to enrol a sibling in Prep for 2018, please collect an enrolment application package as soon as possible from the school office, or alternatively forms may be downloaded from the school website below:

2018 Prep interviews have commenced. Please contact our Enrolments Officer, Margie Thorpe on 4057 6920 or email mthorpe@cns.catholic.edu.au should you have any further questions or wish to have an application emailed.

High School Enrolments

Dear Parents, a reminder that many high schools have commenced interviews for the Year 7 intake for 2018. If you currently have a child in Year 6 and have not yet applied for them to attend a high school, it would be advised to think about doing this as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Holy Cross Uniforms

Lowes Smithfield have advised that all sizes of the school polo shirts are now back in stock.

Student Absences

When students are absent from school it is a requirement that parents contact the school to communicate the reason for absence either via email to: secretary.trinitypk@cns.catholic.edu.au, by phone 4057 6920 (message may be left if after hours) or via the School App. It is important that this information is received early on the day of absence so that students who are not at school can be accounted for.

If after the class rolls have been marked and the school has not been informed of a student absence, the child’s main contact will be alerted via text message and be prompted to contact the school to explain the absence.

Absences longer than ten days must be submitted formally in writing to our Principal, Sarah Hamilton, prior to students leaving. The information will be passed onto your child’s teacher.

Late Arrival

The bell to start class rings at 8.25 a.m. Students should arrive at school from 8.10 a.m. so that they are adequately prepared to commence learning at 8.30 a.m.

Late arrival for all students is processed through the school office. Students arriving late to school are required to come to the office with an adult who is to sign them in, giving the reason for the late arrival. A late pass will be issued to students for presentation to their classroom teacher.

Early Departure

We understand that specialist and medical appointments sometimes cannot be made outside of school hours. If a student is required to leave school during the day, a listed adult contact must present at the school office to sign the child out. The office staff will then telephone the classroom and request that the child come to the office with their belongings ready for collection. For legal and safety reasons, adults not listed as an emergency contact do not have authority to collect students. In the event of an unlisted adult needing to collect your child, written notification is required from the parent/carer clearly stating the adult’s name, and the presentation of photo ID to office staff upon collection. It is important to ensure that your emergency contacts are current.

2017 Term 1 School Fees and Levies

Term 1 School Fees

Term 1 school fee invoices were sent via email. Payment is due this Friday 3rd March 2017 unless you have a direct debit or payment plan in place.

If you currently have a direct debit arrangement in place continuing from 2016 and have not already made contact with our Finance Officer, Carolyn Mealing, to update the amount for 2017, please do so at your earliest convenience.

2017 Fee Concessions

Tuition Fee Discount Scheme for eligible Means-Tested Health Care Cards/Pension Cards

If you are a holder of an eligible Means-Tested Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card, please complete an application form and present your card to the school office for verification. If you have previously supplied the school with a copy of your card in 2016 you will still need to complete a new application form and bring your existing/new card to the school office for copying and verification. If your circumstances change throughout the year and you are no longer eligible to receive the tuition discount, it is the parent/carers responsibility to advise the school of the change in eligibility.

Unfortunately, due to system requirements we are unable to backdate concession card discounts, so all applications and cards must be presented to the school office prior to the fees being issued for the discount to apply to that term.

P and F News

Information regarding the date for the next P and F Meeting and nomination forms and committee position descriptions for the Annual General Meeting will be communicated via email this week.

Please click on the link below to view the Minutes from the previous meeting held in February.

Tuckshop

A big thankyou to those families currently utilising the Flexischools online ordering service, your support is very much appreciated! For those who may be unsure of how to set up an account, please pop into the tuckshop during opening hours and I will be happy to set up your registration for you. Flexischools can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of the School Website or directly below:

Please ensure you update your student/s year level & class in your online accounts so lunches are being distributed to the correct class basket. This can be done by logging on to your account, select “my students”, then select “change class or school” and choose current class from drop down options.

The Term 1 menu is available on the link below and hard copies may be collected from the Tuckshop if required.

I am always on the lookout for extra sets of hands willing to volunteer their time to assist in the tuckshop. Any and all offers of help would be welcomed.

Please contact Belinda Patmore on 0422 712 461, email to tuckshop.trinitypk@cns.catholic.edu.au or pop into the Tuckshop if you think you may be able to assist.

Tuckshop Roster

Sport Notices

Barron River District School Sport Trial Notices

To access Barron River trial dates and regional information for Queensland School Sports please click on the following link below: and go to District Information / Barron River to view the latest calendar of events.

Please note: For students wishing to trial for Barron River in any sport, parents are required to complete the Parent Consent Form which is found in the sport’s trial notice link for that particular sport, as well as the following Peninsula Region Paperwork and bring these with them to the trials.

AFL Trial Notice (students born 2005, 2006 & 2007)

Trial dates: Monday March 6th and Monday March 13th 2017 at Redlynch State College, Prep-Year6 side, Jungara Road, Redlynch. Time: 3.30pm-4.30pm. Click on the link below for more information and Parent Consent forms.

Boys Basketball Trial Notice (students born 2005, 2006 & 2007)

Trial dates: Friday March 3rd and Friday March 10th 2017 at Peace Lutheran College, Cowley Street, Kamerunga. Time: 4.00pm-5.00pm. Click on the link below for more information and Parent Consent forms.

Girls Basketball Trial Notice (students born 2005, 2006 & 2007)

Trial dates: Wednesday March 1st and Wednesday March 8th 2017 at Freshwater State School, Corkill Street, Freshwater. Time: 4.00pm-5.00pm. Click on the link below for more information and Parent Consent forms.

Girls Hockey Trial Notice (students born 2005, 2006 & 2007)

Trial dates: Thursday March 9th and Thursday March 16th at Cairns Hockey Association, Rutherford Street, Cairns North. Time: 4.00pm-5.00pm. Click on the link below for more information and Parent Consent forms.

Boys Hockey Trial Notice (students born 2005, 2006 & 2007)

Trial dates: Thursday March 9th and Thursday March 16th at Cairns Hockey Association, Rutherford Street, Cairns North. Time: 4.00pm-5.00pm. Click on the link below for more information and Parent Consent forms.

Marlin Coast Athletics Club

Marlin Coast Little A’s are a fun, family orientated community, who welcome children of any ability, to participate and strive to improve their personal best, every week.

A ‘Come and Try’ day is being held on Sunday 2nd April.
Sign-on from 8.45am, Smithfield High School, O’Brien Road, Smithfield.
For more information see attached flyer or contact:
Jenny on 0410 601 436 or visit the link below:

Hockey

Parents and students are invited to an info and come and try hockey session every Wednesday in March from 2.50pm-3.15pm at the Holy Cross Multipurpose Court. Please note Parents/Carers must accompany children. Contact president@stingershockey.com.au or see attached flyer for more information.

Parent Engagement

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program

Queensland parents and carers can now get free parenting support through the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program. This initiative is funded by the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services.

Depending on where they live and what practitioners are offering in their area (new sessions are added all the time), parents and carers can attend free individual or group parenting support sessions in-person or sign up for Triple P online. Families also have the option of a self-help workbook if Internet access is a problem.

Triple P is an evidence-based parenting program developed by Professor Matt Sanders at The University of Queensland more than 30 years ago. Professor Sanders is also Director of UQ’s Parenting and Family Support Centre and continues to lead Triple P’s extensive and ongoing global research program.

Triple P is proven to encourage positive behaviour in children and significantly improve parent wellbeing, which is why we’re offering all parents and carers the opportunity to access evidence-based support if and when they need it.

If you have any questions please visit below:

Relationships Australia

Relationships Australia offer free 6 week group programs to help support children following parent separation. The Poppers program is aimed at children 7 to 9 years of age and the Popstars program is aimed at children 10 to 13 years. Please click on the following flyers for more information regarding these support programs.

Community Notices

School Holiday Drama Program

TYCs Easter School Holiday Drama Activities 5yrs – 12yrs

Step into the spotlight these school holidays with TYC’s Autumn Holiday Drama Camps with special Guest Artists, Hayley Gillespie (Design) and Yasmin Lancini (Musical Theatre). Participate in our one-day boot camp program Operation Spotlight: It’s Time To Shine (3/4) and take on the role of Producer, Director AND Performer and hone your theatrical skills. Dance like no one’s watching with our 4-day program Shake, Rattle & Roar: Return To Buster’s Theatre (4/4 – 7/4) and help Buster’s Theatre survive against a new rival or grab your masks and power up for Legion of Superheroes: Master Builders Assemble (10/4 – 14/4) and join the ranks of the worlds most heroic Master Builders! So spin along to TYC for our Autumn Holiday Drama Camps (5yrs - 12yrs) these school holidays. For more information or to book today visit our website below, phone 40414066 or email admin@theyoungcompany.com.au. Book early to receive your early bird saving before Fri 25 March!

Children’s Playtime Group

Cairns Young Voices

Enrolments currently being taken for 2017. Classes offered on Thursday afternoons at Cairns Choral Society Hall, Greenslopes Street. Please see flyer for additional information.

Tanks Arts Centre Screen Play Club

The Tanks Arts Centre are inviting children up to 12 years of age to make a film and have it shown on the Big Screen at the 2017 Cairns Children’s Festival, Sunday 21st May. It’s a great opportunity for kids to share their stories with the Cairns community and have them screened to a large audience.

For more information please click on the flyer below.

Speech Plus Speech Pathology

After 12 months away, Kathy Bruno is re-opening her speech pathology practice in term 1, 2017. New for next year are small group programs targeting:

1. School readiness for children in the year before Prep.
2. Literacy development for children Prep – Year 6.

Places are limited so email or phone now for further information about individual or small group programs in 2017. Further information is also available on our website below:

E. speechplus@bigpond.com
M. 0419390668

Children’s Eyesight Screening

Let’s detect vision problems before it affects a child’s learning

Catholic Education has teamed with Optometry Queensland to promote the screening of children’s eyesight before entering school and in the early years. Smart Eye Start is an initiative of Optometry Queensland that provides comprehensive eye examinations by member optometrists, for children entering the Catholic school system.

Without early detection, eye conditions can negatively impact on a child’s social and educational development, and in some cases, increase the risk of total blindness in adulthood. This comprehensive eye examination will ensure the one in four children with significant eye conditions do not go undetected.

Parents/carers, you are encouraged to take your child to an optometrist, either listed on the form or one of your choice, and return the form to the school office when your child starts Prep. Children who have already started school without screening are also encouraged to participate in the program, as soon as possible in the Early Years.

Girl Guides

For fun, friendship and adventure, join Girl Guides. Click on the link below for more information on how to join.

St Joseph’s School Parramatta Park 90th Anniversary 2017

In 2017, St Joseph’s School, Parramatta Park will celebrate 90 years of Catholic Education in Cairns. Various events will be held to celebrate this important occasion from the 18th August to the 20th August 2017. All current and former staff, students and families are requested to save these dates in your calendar for next year’s celebrations.