6th May 2021

Principal News

Dear Parents and Carers,

This week across our Diocese of Maitland Newcastle we celebrate 200 years of Catholic Education in our country. These celebrations across the land began in November 2020 and continue throughout this year.

Here in Maitland Newcastle our celebrations continue from 3rd May to 9th May but in fact, we celebrate every day the many wonderful learning and life events that we share. 

As we celebrate such a significant milestone, we acknowledge that the success of Catholic education has not occurred by chance. In this time of remembrance, we extend our thanks and deep gratitude to all those who have visioned, dreamed, and believed in providing an education that embodies the Good News of Jesus Christ.

We look ahead with optimism and hope, committed to the sacred work we do each and every day. May our “faith in the future” be seen in our unwavering belief that Catholic education creates young people who serve as leaders and disciples of our world. 

Our liturgy on Wednesday morning was a very special way to acknowledge and give thanks for being a Catholic School community here in Abermain. It was terrific to see so many parents, carers and grandparents present to pray and sing with us. Our students had spent time thinking about their future and created a set of hopes which were shared. These hopes were about being kind, being a good friend, being a fire fighter or a doctor to help others and each hope was inspiring. Our students sang our school song "Holy Spirit Rock" with great enthusiasm and energy. It was a priviledge to be part of our celebration! My thanks again to our wonderful staff for their preparation for the liturgy. 

This was followed by a fantastic Athletics Fun Day where our students were so delighted to have parents and carers on site encouraging them to "have a go"; try new things and do their best! The carnival atmosphere was tangible and was enhanced by the magnificant Pipe Band Cessnock District Pipes and Drums inc who led our students in their first march past. Our students had been practicing and many parents commented on how committed the children were as they even marched at home.  We enjoyed a terrific march past and thanks to Mr Sharkey who was our official judge. This was then followed by a rotation of activities, many from the carnivals of old. We had sack races; a tug -o-war; egg and spoon races; hula hoop spinning; tunnel ball; an obstacle course; balloon volleyball and a washing line relay race! Lots and lots of fun! Special thanks to Mrs Mueller and all our staff for their efforts to make our day such a joyful and fun one! 

Due to rain our day was interrupted and we will reschedule the running races; vortex javelin; bean bag shot put and other fun events. We will plan for a Wednesday afternoon from 2pm in a couple of weeks time. We will let you know when so you may be able to join us! It was truly wonderful to see so many of our parents, carers and grandparents share the morning events with us! 

Building Works Update

We are getting closer to our building works beginning on 18th May. Staff are clearing spaces in preparation for our temporary move of the admin building across to the back of the hall. You will see we have a skip bin and an ewaste bin will arrive soon. Please see below images of the works to be undertaken -it is very exciting for our school to have the current staff areas upgraded so our staff all "fit" in the staffroom and we create some more spaces for staff to work in. The outdoor covered learning space and walkway will be a terrific addition to our playground space and I believe the children will love it! 

Building Materials and Furniture Items Available

We have some student desks that we are happy for families to take home. If you'd like one, please call the office so we can set it aside for you. 

We also have building materials - a set of kitchen cabinetry, bench tops, several windows (non opening) and a double glass sliding door -  if any family is interested in these items, please call the school so we can arrange for you to come in and have a look and arrange collection in the next two weeks. A donation would be appreciated. 

Next term when works are completed, we will likely have other office furniture inclusive of filing cabinets, bookshelves, teacher desks as these items will be built in to the new spaces. 

Kinder and Year 1 Parent Coffee Mornings

Over the past two weeks we have invited parents to come along to a coffee morning to catch up with other parents in an effort to encourage connections across our parent community. It was wonderful to spend time with the parents and carers who could join us and the coffee was pretty good too!  Our school thrives on our warm and welcoming atmosphere and I encourage you to reach out to one another and build those connections. Your children's friendships may encourage new friendships with other parents. Thanks to those who did come along! 

P&F or Parent Engagement Model- Time to Vote May 18th

Reminder we have a meeting for ALL parents at the Primary School on Tuesday evening 18th May at 6.30pm to discuss our plan for moving forward with a plan for engaging our parents at Holy Spirit Schools.  Please come along and share your thoughts. At this meeting we will vote and you must be present to have your vote count. 

This is a great opportunity and Mrs Cath Garret Jones will be our facilitator once again. Please refer to the letter sent home via Compass recently. 

New Student Year 2

We welcome Halle Moyle and her family to our Holy Spirit Community.

Mother's Day Stall Thanks

Thank you to Claire Theron, Kristie Heinrich, Jena Currington, Rebecca Balkema, Alyce Allen and Stacey Palmer for your assistance with wrapping, preparing the gifts and then distributing the gifts for the Mother's Day Stall.    The children were very excited to go shopping for their mums.

Diocesan Cross Country 

Xanthie Smith represented Holy Spirit Infants at the Diocesan Cross Country in the 8/9 year old division.   She proudly told us that she came 12th in the Diocese - a wonderful effort!

Have a great week,  God bless, Diane Murphy 

Acting REC News

Kindergarten Mass- Thank you to the families and staff members who came along to our ‘Welcome to Kindergarten Mass’, it was heart-warming to see so many smiling faces in the Church. Kindergarten enjoyed making headbands and playing on the school grounds before mass while parents had the opportunity to meet and chat with other parents. Engaging in the community life of our school and Parish is deeply valued at Holy Spirit Infants.

Catholic Schools Week- On Wednesday we commenced our Catholic Schools Week celebrations with a Liturgy based on this year’s theme ‘Faith in the Future’. Children from each class were able to share their hopes with our school community and celebrate our wonderful school through song.

Mothers Day- A reminder we are celebrating our wonderful Mums, Step Mums and Carers On Monday 10^th May at 12 noon. Beginning with a Liturgy we will then have the opportunity to “pamper” our Mums. We look forward to seeing you on Monday!

Taken from ‘A Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Australia to the leaders, staff, students and families of Catholic education in Australia, 2021.’

Two hundred years ago the first official Catholic school opened in Australia.

Since then, Catholic education has grown to the point that it now educates around 770,000 primary and secondary school students, in more than 1,750 schools, with nearly 100,000 staff. These are sponsored by dioceses and parishes, religious institutes and public juridic persons, and groups of parents. Six thousand Catholic catechists participate in the religious education of 200,000 children in government schools and parishes. Over the last few years, hundreds of Church sponsored early learning centres have been established, educating many thousands of preschoolers. Around 50,000 tertiary students are now enrolled in our two Catholic universities with their several campuses. It is an extraordinary achievement!

Catholic schools are a jewel in the crown of the Catholic Church in Australia, with few parallels in other countries. Alongside families and parishes, they are the Church’s principal meeting point with young people. They are integral to the Church’s mission of transmitting the faith to the next generation. It is there that many young people encounter Christ, intensify their knowledge and love of God, and are formed as future contributors to Australian society. We hope all our students will emerge from our schools with a deepened sense of the sacred and greater appreciation of the true, the good and the beautiful. Catholic education is steadfast in its commitment to evangelisation, catechesis, religious education and spiritual and moral formation.

Catholic schools are also a major part of Australia’s educational ecosystem. They are the equal of other schools regarding educational programs, student achievement, teacher professionalism, facilities and innovation. They have provided high quality education to generations of young Australians, now numbering in their millions. They stand as a beacon in our society, for their contribution to the common good and to the nation’s social capital. They have helped nurture a more just, tolerant and cohesive society. Catholic education is determined in its commitment to excellence and equity.

The extraordinary success of Catholic education did not occur by chance: it is fruit of the sacrifice of past generations and divine grace. We are heirs to that rich legacy, borne out of sincere belief, inspiring vision and unwavering resolve. The bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia invites us to remember the past with gratitude, be inspired by that story in the present, and look forward with faith in the future.

Parish Mass Times:

First Friday 7th May

11.30am Scripture Rosary Cessnock

12.05pm Mass Cessnock

12.45pm Simple Adoration Cessnock

Saturday 8th May

8.30am Scripture Rosary

Cessnock 9.00am Mass Cessnock

9.30am Reconciliation Cessnock

5.10pm Scripture Rosary Cessnock

6.00pm Vigil Mass Cessnock

Sunday 9th May SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

7.40am Scripture Rosary Kurri Kurri 8.30am Mass Kurri Kurri (Livestream)

9.40am Scripture Rosary Cessnock

10.30am Mass Cessnock

4.30pm Liturgy of the Word with Communion Abermain

4.30pm Mass Wollombi

Welcome to Kinder Mass - Sunday 2nd May

Catholic Schools Week

Celebrating 200 years of Catholic Education across Australia 

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Australian Early Development Census 2021

Our school will soon particpate in the Autralian Early Development Census which is a census used across Australia to gather importat data on children in their first year of schooling. Our Kinder teachers will complete the data input from 17th May.  

Office News

School Fees

As you are aware we have moved to an annual billing cycle.   School fee statements were sent out at the end of the month.  We ask that parents who have not yet returned their Payment Frequency Form please complete and return it to the office as soon as possible.
We remind you that fee payments should have commenced by now if paying by instalments and we ask that accounts are finalised by 30 November 2021.  If paying in full, please finalise prior to 30 June 2021.   Payments can be made via BPay, direct debit or credit card. 
For families experiencing financial hardship, or wishing to discuss other payment arrangements, please contact the office.

Enrolments 2022

The official enrolment period for Kindergarten 2022 is now open until the end of May 2021. Please contact Holy Spirit Infants School within this time frame for your enrolment information pack.  Office hours are  8:30am – 3:30pm Monday to Friday.   

Change of Details

If you change your address, mobile number or email address, could you please let us know so we can update your details.

Compass Access

Compass access is vital so you can stay informed of happenings at our school.   If you are having difficulty with the app, please contact the school and we will assist you.

Second Hand Uniforms

Please contact Angela on 0414 858 309 for your second-hand uniform requirements.

Ring Found

A ring was found at the athletics fun day.   If it is yours, please come to the office to claim it.

Want to volunteer at Holy Spirit Infants?

To be a volunteer in our school you MUST complete the forms in the Volunteers Handbook and hand them in at the school office. The volunteer handbook can be downloaded and completed online using the link below. Alternatively, hard copies can be collected from the office if you prefer. 
Please be aware that not all volunteers will require a Working with Children’s Check.  The Statutory Screening Selection Tool on page 26 of the Volunteer Handbook will determine this for you. However, it will indicate that a National Coordinated Criminal History Check will be required by ALL people who are completing the volunteer process. Please make yourself aware of your responsibilities by reading the Volunteers Induction Handbook carefully.
When you have completed the paperwork required from the Volunteers handbook, you can send it away to be verified by the Catholic Schools Office using the contacts provided, or you can hand it to the school office, and we will send it away for you. You will be notified within 6 weeks of sending away your application of the result.
When your documentation has been verified and given the all clear all volunteers must then complete an induction process at the school.
For further information, please see Dot or Lesley in the office.  We appreciate your understanding of the need for this process and look forward to you becoming a volunteer!

Office of Safe Guarding

A new digital edition of the CHILD SAFETY HANDBOOK is now available.  This valuable safety resource is now valuable online with updated safety content. We urge all parents and carers to download this latest edition and discuss the safety content with your children.

ANZAC DAY Wreath Laying

On ANZAC Day our school was proudly represented at the local ANZAC Day ceremony at Kurri Kurri. Our Student leaders Charlie, Xanthie, Isabelle, Henry and Kade laid a wreath on behalf of our school community at the local cenotaph. There was no ANZAC march in 2021 due to covid restrictions however we thank these students and their parents for supporting our involvement. Special thanks to Mrs Collingwood for supporting our leaders. Our students were also joined by the leaders from Holy Spirit Primary Kurri. 

Athletics Fun Day - What did our little athletes think?

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Awards Term 2

Canteen News

Term 2 Meal Deal - 25th June.   The hotdog meal deal is now available to order on the QKR app.  The deal is $5 and includes a hotdog- choice of tomato or BBQ sauce and a drink- Chill J Orange Passio or Chill J Raspberry or water and 2 x chocolate chip cookies.   

Orders close on the app on 17th June.  

Dates for your Diary

Community News