The 2025 theme is ‘Book an Adventure’ and what an adventure we have had! Our school was transformed into a vibrant hub of storytelling, creativity and literary adventure. We are incredibly blessed to have of our amazing team at Holy Cross, passionate educators who go above and beyond to make learning exciting, meaningful and fun for every child.

Highlights from the Week:

• Book Week Assembly: The absolute highlight of the week had to be our Book Week Assembly! After a shared prayer about the most important book in our faith, the bible and a beautiful performance from the choric group, we all got to show off our costumes and best dance moves as we boogied the morning away. Thank you to all families for your outstanding creativity and support to bring characters to life.

• Guest Readers & Storytime: Throughout the week, the library was thrilled to host guest readers at lunch time who shared their favourite stories with students, sparking laughter, curiosity and a deeper love of reading through engaging read-alouds.

• Book Club Buzz: The Scholastic Book Club was a huge hit as always. It offers families a convenient way to build personal book collections and foster a lifelong love of reading. Every purchase also supports our school with commission earned going towards extending our school library collection and book prizes for students. Orders amounting to $1872 were placed, earning the school $281 towards new book purchases.
• The Great Book Swap - a Yr 5 Community Crew initiative: Students have been bringing in pre-loved books all week along with a gold coin. This fundraising initiative not only promotes sustainable reading habits and raises awareness about literacy equity across Australia, it fosters empathy and equity through action. Children can be changemakers. The Community Crew has successfully raised $111 for the charity, Reading Out of Poverty, who are bringing the joy of reading to First Nations children. Their aim is to organise pop-up libraries in Yarrabah and support the children with stories that reflect their identity and heritage. The Community Crew will organise the actual  swapping of books next Friday, 5th September.
• Bedtime Storytime at School: One of the week’s much-loved events was our Bedtime Storytime. This year, it was held during school hours allowing all children to participate. It was a normal school day with a cosy twist. Children brought a snuggle toy to be their active learning buddy for the day. Our staff donned their PJs and read bedtime stories to students. Many classes enjoyed time with their buddies and meeting new bedtime toys. The staff raised funds for the Pyjama Foundation, who support children in foster care with learning and literacy resources.

• Imaginative Worlds with AI: During library lessons, Year 3 to 6 students have had the chance to use artificial intelligence to create imaginative worlds where the impossible is brought to life. From floating cities to flying pink dolphins, chocolate cake castles to elephants in suits, students used Adobe Express to bring their wildest ideas to life. These visual prompts will inspire rich narratives, blending storytelling and creativity with technology in exciting new ways.

Book Week is more than just costumes and fun, it’s a celebration of the power of stories to inspire, connect, discover and educate. We look forward to continuing to nurture a love of reading in every child, one story at a time.

Jo Neil
Teacher Librarian

On Saturday the 23rd of August, Holy School School's Senior Dance Troupe competed in the Dance X Regional Competition. Holy Cross was one of 12 schools to complete, entering their Eisteddfod number "Run Boy Run" in the Primary Lyrical/Contemporary Teams category. The girls were victorious walking away with 1st place in their section, as well as 'Most Memorable Performance' and 'School Spirit Award'!

"It was a great experience because we got to enjoy the other competitor's performances and it was really fun to be on the stage with friends." - Lola H 5S

DONUT FUNDRAISER

Thank you to everyone who has purchased a donut over the last 2 weeks and helped us in nearing our goal of raising $700 for the Stephanie Alexander Garden Program. As a final push for fundraising, the year 6 leaders are now selling boxes of a dozen donuts from both OMG Donuts and Krispy Kreme. These donuts are available to order through Flexischools, but will only be available for a short 2 weeks ordering period. Orders close on the the 5th September, so be sure to get in quick to snag one of these delicious holiday treats! Donuts will be available for pick up only on Friday, 19th September (last day of school) from 2:00pm - 3:30pm at the tuckshop.

The options available for ordering are:

OMG Donuts for $35/dozen

1. OMG! Cinnamon Pack (12 x Classic Cinnamon)
2. Berry Pack (3 x Raspberry and Toasted Coconut, 3 x Strawberry and Vanilla, 3 x Raspberry, Cacao, Chilli and Sea Salt, 3 x Classic Cinnamon)
3. Citrus Pack (3 x Lemon and Poppy Seed, 3 x Orange and Cinnamon, 3 x Pineapple and Lime, 3 x Classic Cinnamon)
4. Popular Pack ( 4 x Classic Cinnamon, 2 x Pineapple and Lime, 2 x Cacao and Sea Salt, 2 x Raspberry and Toasted Coconut, 2 x Strawberry and Vanilla)

Krispy Kreme for $26/dozen

1. Original Glaze (12 x Original Glaze)

Be sure to ask friends and family if they would like some as there is no limit to how may boxes per family/student. Please be sure when ordering, that you will also be available to pick up your order on the last day of school from the tuckshop. If you have any queries on this please email Mr Shinn: rshinn@cns.catholic.edu.au

Rob Shinn
Teacher 6C

UPCYCLING OLD SCHOOL UNIFORMS - (UPPAREL)

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

As part of the stewardship charism that we practice at Holy Cross, the year 6 leadersare looking to upcycle old school uniforms. We have teamed up with the recycling company Upparel to help us repurpose and reuse our old school uniforms. Upparel is a company who supports schools with less opportunity to have uniforms. By collecting all these uniforms, we’ll be sustainable and working as a community to reuse, repurpose and recycle. Upparel reuse clothes for Australian charities and not-for-profits, they also breakdown old materials to create new fibre used in packaging, homewares and more. The year 6 leaders are hosting this donation and we urge you to gather any old uniforms and drop them off to the school office for collection.

Position vacant
Casual School Crossing Supervisor

A position exists for a Casual School Crossing Supervisor at Holy Cross School.

• A School Crossing Supervisor must be able to work in all-weather conditions.
• Morning and afternoon shifts (on a rostered basis).
• Relief opportunities on your rostered days off.
• Pay Rate $37.10 per hour.

Commencement of employment for the successful applicant is dependent on:

• The favourable outcome of a health assessment.
• A Positive Notice Blue Card (you do not need to have a blue card to apply for the position).

Please call Kim at Transport and Main Roads for an application package on 0428 964 745.

2025

TERM 1	Wednesday 29 January - Friday 4 April (10 weeks)
TERM 2	Tuesday 22 April - Friday 27 June (10 weeks)
TERM 3	Monday 14 July - Friday 19 September (10 weeks)
TERM 4	Tuesday 7 October - Friday 5 December (9 weeks)

TERM 3

AUG 29 - OSHC Re-enrolments close (existing families + siblings)

SEP 1 - OSHC Enrolments open (New families 2026)

SEP 1-4 - Year 6 Camp - Tinaroo Environmental Education Centre

SEP 3 - Prep Excursion - Centenary Lakes Nature Park, Edge Hill

SEP 4 - Chess - 2025 Far North Queensland Inter-School Competition

SEP 5 - Dad's Day Out

SEP 8-11 - Year 3 to Year 6 Swimming

SEP 12 - Holy Cross Day Mass - 9.00am

SEP 15-18 - Year 3 to Year 6 Swimming

SEP 19 - Mary Mills Cup Netball Carnival

SEP 19 - Last Day Term 3

TERM 4

OCT 6 - PUBLIC HOLIDAY - King's Birthday

Book Week

“Book an Adventure”

If you looked at my life from the outside, I’d forgive you for thinking that it was boring.  But when I take the opportunity to tell its stories, that’s a different matter.  I’m still baffled by the confused, crazy, good and challenging life that God has dished up for me and the best way I have found to understand something of this ride is by retelling the events of my life.  Simply put, stories are nearly always the best way we can come to understand ourselves and others.

Jesus understood the power of story.  He didn’t leave a rule book for us to live by but rather commissioned a group of disciples to go out to the world and tell his story.  And he made his mark as a preacher by the stories he told.  Not that his listeners understood them.  The parables baffled the people of his time as much as they baffle us.  They are stories that only reveal their meaning when we try to live by them.

Telling our stories is one of the most powerful ways we can influence our children.  Telling our stories lets them come to know and understand what it means for them to be members of a family, of a community and indeed of a nation.  But we need to take care.  My Mum had a shocker of a childhood and I think she recounted those stories too early for me.  On the other hand, Dad loved his mother dearly and I wish I knew more about what inspired such a passion in him.

As your children celebrate Book Week with its motto, “Book an Adventure”, this could be a good time for you to celebrate the adventure of your life with them.

Loving Father, open our minds and hearts to the power and wonder of story-telling.  Inspired by Jesus’ stories may we tell our own to our children and lead them into the deep bonds that make community. We ask this in his name, confident that you will hear us.  

Sr Kym Harris osb