Dear Holy Cross Parents and Carers,

I am absolutely thrilled to be warmly welcoming each and every member of our Holy Cross family to the 2025 academic year at Holy Cross School. It truly has been a most joyous beginning. The students were so well-prepared for their first week of school. I am super impressed, a heartfelt applause to all our Mums and Dads! The enthusiasm and eagerness of the students in embracing change has been remarkable, and our teachers are overjoyed with their new class families. If this week is an indication of how the rest of the year will unfold, it promises to be a fantastic journey ahead.

As we embark on this exciting journey together, I wanted to share some heartfelt wisdom shared by my father whom I had the pleasure of spending Christmas with. I have two children, Edward who is 17 years old and in Year 12 at school, and Elizabeth who is 15 years old and in Year 10, and they escorted myself and my husband to England where we resided with my father in his home.

My Mum’s heath continues to decline, so my father and I spent many hours nattering in front of the fire about the past, drawing comparison between my children’s ‘teenage behaviour’ and my own at the same age (mine was considerably better of course?!). We debated for hours regarding the complexities of raising young people in the modern age – in particular the joys of the internet – and every conversation finished in the same way….

“Sarah, there is no such thing as the ‘Perfect Parent.’ Follow your heart and your instincts, and then deal with whatever life throws at you.”

Parenting is undeniably one of life's most challenging roles. While it brings immense joy and fulfillment, each child is unique, and there's no personalized instruction manual or YouTube video telling you what to do. There are moments of triumph and moments of struggle, and through each high and low, we gain insights into ourselves and learn how to navigate parenthood with more wisdom and grace. And whilst we stumble our way through uncharted waters, little eyes scrutinize our every move and action. They observe our actions, conversations, attitudes, expressions, how we handle challenges, resolve conflicts and manage desires, and they log it all and learn without us even realising it.

Families are the first school for their children, and parents serve as powerful role models. What we say and do leaves a lasting impression on them. Our children yearn to see us express genuine emotions healthily, manage anger appropriately, make positive lifestyle choices, speak positively about others, and exhibit respect in various facets of life. They absorb these behaviours and use them to shape their own lives.

Parenting is far from easy – it's a significant responsibility; however, it's also immensely rewarding. In the journey of parenting, wrinkles simply indicate where smiles have been. And as our children mature and make their own choices, we finally step back from the role of primary model, but our influence remains profound.

Here's to a fantastic year ahead filled with imperfection, growth, learning, and shared successes!

Fondest regards,

Sarah Hamilton
Principal