Dear Parents and Caregivers

As we reach the end of Term One, I wish to thank you for your continued support in ensuring Holy Name is a vibrant school community.  As a learning community, I am extremely proud of the diverse learning opportunities students have been exposed to.  From sports to the Arts, incursions and faith experiences, Holy Name continues to provide opportunities for all students to achieve success.  On return, you will notice the front gate has had a security upgrade. As a child-safe school, this will help ensure safe environments for staff and students. Please be patient as this process evolves.

Jesus did the impossible, the miraculous, and transformed death. He showed that suffering did not define Him but rather provided an opportunity to overcome and ultimately rise.

As we share the season of Easter with our families, we have the chance to celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection. A joy received through an act of unconditional love - Christ died for us so that we may live life to the full.

As we conclude Term One, let Christ's unconditional love inspire our learning community. May we provide joy to each other by acting with love, care, and compassion.

Ben Doyle
Principal

Wishing all of our families a wonderful and blessed Easter. I hope you get to enjoy some slow mornings and enjoy the change of seasons with your families. It has been a productive first Term at HNS and teachers will be busy planning more great learning experiences for your children for Term 2.

Goal Setting Conversations

Thanks to all families who took the time to meet with teachers for student's goal setting conversations. The goals of each individual student are discussed as well as strategies of support or extension at school and at home. Students will always fare better academically when they feel supported. 

ANZAC Day

Please see the flyer regarding the ANZAC Day march. We will meet at Services NSW by 10.15 on Friday, April 25th. We would love to have as many students as possible represent our school and remember the fallen.

ENVIRONMENTORS

During Week 10, classes had sessions with Jackie from Mid Coast Council's Environmentors program. The lessons had a focus on litter and the affect it has on our environment, particularly our waterways. The children were engaged in interactive lessons and were encouraged to think about how we can better reduce and manage litter in our community.

PB4L

Here are all our students who have received PB4L Awards in the last half of the Semester. You will soon see some new signage around the school to support some of our rules and routines.

Week 6

PB4L Class Awards – Term 1 Week 6

I Am a Good Sport

Principal's Awards

PB4L - Principal’s Awards Term 1 Week 6 

Week 8

PB4L Class Awards – Term 1 Week 8

I Wear my Uniform with Pride

Principal's Awards

PB4L - Principal’s Awards Term 1 Week 8

 Week 11

Class awards

PB4L Class Awards – Term 1 Week 11

I Move calmly and Quietly Around the School

Principal's Awards

PB4L - Principal’s Awards Term 1 Week 11

50th Birthday Celebrations

On Tuesday 8th April Mr Ben Doyle celebrated his 50th Birthday! We are so glad that we were able to celebrate with him! He is now a Newcastle Knights fan so he was gifted some merchandise for him to wear around town. Happy 50th birthday Mr Doyle!

Holy Week Liturgy

Yesterday Fr John led the Holy Week Liturgy for grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 in MacKillop Hall. Many parents joined us for the re-enactment of the events of Holy Week: Palm Sunday, Washing of the Feet on Holy Thursday, Peter Denying Jesus, Sentencing Jesus to Death by Pilot and Jesus' Death on the Cross. We listened to the Word as Yr 3 dramatised, danced and sang about these events. Congratulations to all our Yr 3 children for their hard work behind the scenes to prepare for this liturgy and to in their dedication to come to know the Holy Week story so well. 

Holy Name Staff wish all our families a most blessed and happy Easter. 

Project Compassion

Year 5 Mini Vinnies in their lunch break chose to bring alive the story of a Samoan school student called Toefuata'iga who's school has no water to offer children when they are thirsty. Our students carried buckets of water around the playground for 20 minutes to demonstrate what the Samoan teachers are forced to do to get water for their students. Money raised through Project Compassion by Caritas this Lenten period, will go to school in the Samoan region. Project Compassion boxes are in all classrooms and we are called to donate what we can to help. In the Yr 5 classroom as part of their Catholic Social Teaching learning, students are understanding the injustice suffered by children and families. The students are learning the reasons why this is occuring in Samoa and they made some choices about what they would do to act on their learning as followers of God.

Year 5 Walking for Injustice

Making Liturgy More Engaging for Holy Name Students

Liturgy is a celebration for the community where we come together to hear God's Word. Holy Name is always looking to build on our students engagement in liturgies. Children can be part of a liturgical experience, whether it be as a welcomer, dancer, singer, musician, reader, actor, writer of the Universal prayers to be read at the Liturgy or a member of the congregation. Our wish is for our students to hear God's Word, and be guided to ask themselves what does this mean for me and my parents who are with us in the Liturgy today, when we leave? How will go out and live the Gospel?

To be better, Miss Reynolds recently attended the song writer and musician Andrew Chinn's workshop at St Joseph's Taree and Mrs Williamson yesterday attended the Diocesan Teams meeting with song writer and musican Michael Mangan's for a Liturgical Forum. Both teachers have come away with many fresh ideas to bring about further student engagement in our school liturgies.

Breakfast Club

Each Monday morning at 8:30am Holy Name hosts Breakfast Club. A reminder to all children to join us at Breakfast Club as we begin again in Term 2 on Monday 29th April.

Parish News

Miss Frost Completes The Sacraments of Initiation

Less than a fortnight ago Miss Frost and her mother Mrs Wissink recieved the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist before the Forster Tuncurry Parish at 5pm mass. Many Holy Name staff were present to support her. Miss Frost took the Confirmation name Mary (Christ's mother).

Miss Frost made the committment of becoming a Catholic. Firstly she enrolled in the Sacraments of Initiation Program, and then met regularly with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) Parish Team to learn more about God's love. As part of the initiation process, when Miss Frost was first welcomed into the community she was Baptised.

Our staff and members of the RCIA Team celebrated with Miss Frost by hosting a morning tea in her honour. She was given a beautiful gift from the staff: azure blue austrain crystal rosary beads. 

As a school community we congratulate Miss Frost.

Any parent interested in becoming a catholic should contact the Parish Office on 0475242695.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation for catholic children in Yr 3-Yr 6 begins on Monday 28th April (First day of Term 2) at 3:30-5pm in the Church Hall. Mrs Williamson will walk any enrolled students from Holy Name to the church when school concludes for the day. 

If you would like register your child, please go to the parish website: www.forstertuncurrycatholic.org.au

Easter Mass Times

Term 1 Highlights from our K-6 Classes

Term One has been full of rich learning and fun in all classes within our school! We wanted to capture some of the highlights from each grade and some fun end of term photos to make you smile!

Kindergarten Term 1 Highlights

1. The Kinder students loved their first excursion to the Mid Coast Library where they were able to get their very own library card. The students also loved going in the lift and singing songs with the Librarian, Lee.
2. The students said they have also loved spending time with their big buddies, especially when they got to walk in with them at the Welcome and Investiture Mass and when they helped make the Easter Baskets before the Easter Bunny visited.

Year One Term 1 Highlights

1. The Year One students loved performing ‘An Dreoilin’ at the Harmony Day concert. They loved that the song and the dance was special to Miss Nolan who is from Ireland.
2. The students also loved their Science lessons in particular making a bird feeder which they were able to test out.
3. The most recent highlight was this week’s ‘The Great Chicken Escape’. This is when 2 of the class chicken’s escaped from the classroom and went on quite the adventure around town.

Year Two Term 1 Highlights

1. The Year Two students have loved using the laptops, especially learning to log on and playing the learning games in Dojo Island.
2. The students also enjoyed writing and editing their very own fairytale.
3. It was a unanimous vote that art lessons were a top highlight of the term with the fine line mindful Easter Bunny being the most loved art lesson.

Year Three Term 1 Highlights

1. Typing Club has been a hit in Year 3. The students have been using these skills to create texts on the laptops.
2. Art is another popular choice for highlights in Year 3 as they studied artists such as Peter Cromer, Van Gogh and Norman Rockwell and then had a go recreating famous artworks by these artists.

Year Four Term 1 Highlights

1. Year 4 have really enjoyed their daily wordle challenges.
2. Shoes off Friday and dancing out the door each day came in at a close second.
3. Science lessons were also a big highlight for Year 4 as they made ‘fossils’ out of salt dough.

 Year Five Term 1 Highlights

1. Year 5 really enjoyed their excursion to Billabong Zoo for their Science unit on Animal Adapations.
2. 5F have loved their reward time which is titled ‘Flashback Fridays’ where if they have earnt the prize, they get to watch an episode of one of Miss Frost’s favourite shows from when she was their age. ‘Big Time Rush’ is definite favourite.
3. In 5L the class have loved watching ‘My Place’ as part of their literature study.

Year Six Term 1 Highlights

1. Year 6 have all loved getting to know their Kinder buddies and spending special time with them in the Kindergarten rooms.
2. Billabong Zoo was a big term highlight in Year 6 as well as they enjoyed interacting with the animals.
3. Year 6 have also enjoyed their SRC meeting and selling the Zooper Doopers on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Easter Fun in Stage 1

Year 1 'The Great Chicken Escape'

Earlier this week the Year One students were each given a egg to look after. Each student was asked during writing time to predict what was in the egg. There were a variety of predictions including: a baby snake, a bird, a chocolate bunny and even a prediction of a baby crocodile. On Tuesday, the eggs had hatched and each child had a little chicken to name and adopt. The Year One students did this with joy and all made a special basket for their adopted chick. The next day there was a big shock... Olive and Otto's chicken went missing!! There was a big panic, so Year One decided to make missing chicken posters to try and locate Olive and Otto's chicken. Thankfully Mr Doyle saw one of the missing chicken posters which jogged his memory that he had seen 2 chickens out in the community and had put them safely in his office. Mr Doyle was so happy to return the chickens to Olive and Otto! Those chickens had quite the adventure during their escape.. check out these photos of the 'The Great Chicken Escape' fun!

Have a happy and holy Easter with your loved ones.

Mrs Suzie Monks

Primary Co-ordinator

A big few weeks of sport at Holy Name!

Congratulations to all the students who attended the Danny Buderus Legends 7s NRL Gala Day on Tuesday 25th March. Playing through pouring rain one minute and sunshine the next, Holy Name was by far the biggest school group in attendance and all the students represented their school with pride. Every team from 8s and up played earnestly and demonstrated sportsmanship, shaking hands each match and thanking the refs. A special mention to one of our 10s League Tag teams who played up an age group in the 12s and came away from each game smiling! You can be very proud of your effort.

On the same day, a number of students took part in the Diocesan Winter Sports Trials in Newcastle. Charlotte A, Makayla B, Grace R and Amelia M for Netball, Eli L and Max S for Rugby League, and Scarlett G, Brabham C, Arlo H and Felix Y for Soccer. Speaking to the students afterwards they described the day as tough competition but a great experience – what an awesome attitude! Well done to all of you for the accomplishment. Bryce Q has been accepted to trial for the Diocesan Touch Football team early next term. We wish you all the best for your trial Bryce.

Last Thursday Years 2 to 6 competed in our annual Cross Country carnival held at Pebbly Beach. If there was a prize for most stunning views from the track, we would win hands down! It was a great morning with high participation in the 2km and 3km races, not to mention lots of smiles and lots of encouragement from the sidelines. A huge thank you to the parents, friends and family members who came down to volunteer or to cheer the runners on. These events can’t run without parent volunteers, so we appreciate every offer of help. Congratulations to our Cross Country age champions:

8 / 9 Years Ist - Abbie Keegan 2nd - Lilly Rinaldi 3rd - Remi Tull 1st - Liam DeSousa 2nd - Coby Garraway 3rd - Evan Milligan

10 Years 1st - Marlowe Chapman 2nd - Hayley Whitehouse-Miotto 3rd – Sophia Clifton 1st - Tane Te-Raki-Pitfield 2nd - Dorian Doherty 3rd – Will Duffy

11 8/9Years 1st - Grace Rinaldi 2nd - Charlotte Allan 3rd –Aubrie Jimenez 1st - Brabham Cooper 2nd - Arlo Haywood 3rd – Eli Te-Raki-Pitfield

12 / 13 Years 1st - Haya Hamdy 2nd - Alessandra Devescovi 3rd – Summer Rose Dalton 1st - Eli Lea 2nd - Grayson Wood 3rd – Felix Yeates

Please note that achieving a place in the top three does not automatically mean progression to the Diocesan final. There are qualifying times a runner must come in under. Mrs Quilter has notified those students who have qualified for Dio by letter.

Some very exciting news from Infants, Miss Penny G from Year 2 represented the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese at the Polding Swimming Carnival last week, held at Sydney Olympic Park. This means not only was Penny swimming against other talented swimmers from our Diocese for her 50m race, but against swimmers from other Diocese around NSW. In what was no doubt a tough field Penny came 4th in her heat with a PB time of 48 seconds! Well done Penny!

Unfortunately, last week’s Northern NSW Football (Soccer) Gala Day had to be postponed due to the fields being unusable. We know a lot of students were excited and looking forward to this. We will let families know as soon as the new date is announced.

What an exciting end to a jam-packed term of sport. Term 1 is always our busiest term for sport with two of our three major carnivals as well as gala days and our winter Diocesan pathway sports. Looking ahead, our Primary Athletics Carnival will be held in week 2 of term 2, Thursday 8th May. For the first time this year we will hold a separate Infants Athletics Carnival the following week, Thursday 15th May, to allow for a more relaxed and fun atmosphere for our infants students. More details on that soon.

With the holidays upon us please take care of yourselves and each other.

Yours in Sport,

Michelle Quilter.

This week Year 4 & Year 5 Aboriginal boys helped tidy up the school Bush Tucker garden space. They took so much pride in making our space clean and tidy, trimming the bush Tucker plants, weeding and picking up all the leaves around the yarning circle. We are getting ready to put in some more trees and plants for shade and to make the space feel more welcoming for everyone. 

Big thank you boys! 

NAIDOC- please save the date - Term 2, Monday June 30th for our school NAIDOC day celebrations. 

Marrungbu - thank you 

Lara Went & Crystal Simon 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workers 

In Term 2, students in years 2 and 4 will participate in the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). This test evaluates students' reasoning abilities in three key areas essential for success in school:

1. Verbal Battery: Assesses students' ability to reason with words and concepts, crucial for reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, and verbal learning tasks.

2. Quantitative Battery: Measures students' ability to reason with quantitative symbols and concepts, which are vital for problem-solving in mathematics and other disciplines.

3. Nonverbal Battery: Evaluates students' ability to reason with geometric shapes and figures, requiring them to implement strategies for solving novel problems. 

These batteries provide a comprehensive view of each student's learned reasoning abilities, identifying both strengths and areas for improvement. CogAT aims to support differentiated practice in education by helping teachers adapt instruction to meet the unique needs and abilities of each student. 

It's important to note that CogAT scores are not integrated into report grades or other conventional measures of school achievement. The focus is on tailoring instruction and fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment based on each child's ability. 

If you have any concerns or questions about your child's academic progress or specific educational needs, please schedule a meeting with your child's teacher. They will discuss your child's strengths and areas for growth based on various assessments. Additionally, you can contact our Gifted Education Mentor (GEM), Gary Pomplun (gary.pomplun@mn.catholic.edu.au)  or Leader of High Potential and Gifted Education, Maree Karaka (maree.karaka@mn.catholic.edu.au), for further assistance.

 Thank you for your continued support in ensuring the best educational outcomes for our students. 

GARY POMPLUN
GIFTED EDUCATION MENTOR PROJECT OFFICER, CATHOLIC SCHOOLS OFFICE
P 4979 1200
Email gary.pomplun@mn.catholic.edu.au Visit us online http://www.mn.catholic.edu.au

HNS's "Busy Bees” have been learning the correct way to plant and care for seedlings by planting winter crops of tomatoes, carrots, lettuces, brussell sprouts, spinach, sugar snap peas, parsley, and rocket.  Most seedlings are thriving, however, there were a few strugglers.  It was interesting to observe the “Concern” shown towards these struggling plants, as the students spoke kind and encouraging words to them and nurtured them with their gentle hands. These plants have also affectionately been given special names.

HNS’s “Garden Enthusiasts” have placed newspaper and mulch onto garden beds to inhibit weed growth, together with crushed eggshells, coffee grinds and sand around the seedlings in the hope of deterring slugs, snails and other pests. They have also learned about companion planting and enjoyed planting marigold and nasturtium seeds to accompany the already growing oregano, mint, parsley, basil, chives, rosemary and lavender plants. To encourage bees into the garden, they have planted cosmos and alyssum seeds.

HNS’s “Garden Architects” have built stakes to support the thriving tomato plants and to help keep their leaves and developing fruits off the ground.

With the arrival of the cooler weather, the deciduous apricot and apple tree are starting to lose their leaves.  We’ve been enjoying the beauty and fragrance of a few small white apple blossoms which are currently blooming in the garden.

"The one who plants trees knowing that he/she will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life."

Wishing everyone a happy and holy Easter and special times of togetherness with your family and friends during these school holidays.

Mrs Jackie Amato

Holy Name Primary School, Forster