28th November 2024

Principal News

Dear Parents and Carers 

As you are now aware I will have a new role from 2025. I am excited and delighted to be appointed as the Executive Principal of Holy Spirit Abermain and Holy Spirit Kurri. I look forward to working with both staffs and with the students at both schools and to seeing many familiar faces once more. It is an honour for me. 

On Wednesday evening I was privileged to be asked to deliver a speech of farewell and thanks to Mr Paul O'Heir, in the presence of Bishop Michael, priests, our Diocesan leaders and colleague Principals. Paul is retiring after being the long standing Principal of Holy Spirit Primary School for seventeen years. Some of you may have attended that school as well as the Infants school during that time. Paul has given so much of his career to guiding Kurri and is always focused on the children in his care; building the community and being a part of the local community. Paul has been a supportive colleague to me and on behalf of our school community and the families our schools both share, we wish him a wonderful retirement and hope he can enjoy all the things he didn't get to do whilst serving the community as the proud principal that he is. May God bless him in his next adventure! 

Paul will be farewelled by the community on Tuesday 10th December with a mass and morning tea at 10am at Kurri church. Parents of students at Kurri are most welcome to attend. 

Uniform Update:

Parents you DO NOT need to purchase any new items. The current uniform items remain the uniform however, we have introduced new items, and as your child grows, you may consider purchasing these alternate new uniform items. Thank you to all our parents who responded to the survey. We had 68 parent responses which was great. 

Following our survey and the survey conducted at Holy Spirit Kurri, we have the following results to share with you for additional items for uniform: 

1. New School soft shell jacket (unisex) with logo - approved and available from January 2025. This does not replace the current tracksuit jacket, however as your child grows you may consider purchasing the newer style which is certainly warmer. The school jumper is still available and will be phased out over the next three years. 

2. New Sport Skorts with embroidery (girls) - approved and available from January 2025. This does not replace the current skorts but is an alternative option. The current skorts will be phased out over the next three years. 

3. New Sport shorts with embroidery (Unisex) - approved for wear by girls and boys for sport uniform and available from January 2025. This does not replace the current boys(unisex) shorts. The current shorts will be phased out over the next three years. 

4. FYI - New skirt and peter pan collared sky blue blouse (with logo) option for girls Year 3-6 only - approved ONLY for year 3-6 girls attending Kurri Primary School. (No picture here as we are K-2)

5. New shorts for girls K-6 - The survey results were very close with a four vote difference. This afternoon at the Year 2 assembly, with a captive audience (I wouldn't let them leave :) !) we sent the samples around the hall for parents to see/feel and then had a child in Year 2 model the shorts for everyone. With a show of hands, the majority of parents (more than half) indicated that the shorts in the same material as the skirt, was their preference. These would be worn with the new sky blue peter pan collared blouse, with logo, as will be worn with the skirt Yr 3-6 for the Primary school at Kurri. 

Some parents at Kurri suggested a navy blue short and a different style. The style would be the one made by Midford. Below is a sketch of the Midford styled shorts (no pleats, skinnier leg) made in the current material. In the meeting no parent was a fan of this. I also mentioned that the reasoning behind using the current uniform fabric was so that the students look similar whether wearing shorts or a skirt at Primary. It also separates us from local public schools nearby. 

There will be further consultation with the Primary School and in the last newsletter I can let you know the decision. 

Given the time these surveys take, it means that possibly the production of the shorts may not be ready for the beginning of the 2025 school year now and that arrangements will be made for the girls coming into Kinder to perhaps wear their sport uniform if they select to purchase the shorts and blouse option in preference to the tunic. I will keep you informed about that. 

Uniform Survey Results

End of Year Liturgy and Award Afternoon: 

This year we have both our End of Year Liturgy and the Awards assembly on the same afternoon which we do not usually do however for 2024 we will. The liturgy will have the Fruit of the Spirit Awards embedded and the afternoon ceremony will have the Achievement/Effort/Citizenship Awards. Parents of students who are to receive an award will be contacted prior to the day, however it may not be until the beginning of that week eg Monday 9th December, as teachers are currently undertaking report writing.  We understand that it is difficult for parents to get time off work to attend these events at school and hope that parents can understand our circumstances and time constraints. We will notify you as soon as we have finalised award recipients. Thank you for your understanding. 

Step Up days 

This week our current Kinder and Year 1 students "Stepped Up" into proposed classes for 2025. We have another Step Up opportunity next week. The children loved the opportunity which is one way we help to reduce anxiety and encourage excitement at the new beginning of the next step in their educational journey.  Our Year 2 students will "Step Up" to Year 3 next Friday afternoon. Year 2 parents are reminded that your child will be transported by bus from Abermain to Kurri, however you are asked to make arrangements for them to be collected from Kurri school please. 

If your child needs to return to St Nic's OOSH here at Abermain, with your written permission to their class teacher, they may catch the bus from Kurri back to Abermain however it does not drop off here until 3.40pm. No permission means we cannot put your child on the usual school bus. Thank you. My apologies as I will not be in attendance however the class teachers and LSA's and Mrs Barrass will accompany the students. We know they will be well looked after and have a terrific afternoon! 

Grade Sharing Assemblies  

My sincere thanks to our very talented teachers and amazing support staff for their efforts to prepare the students for their sharing assemblies. These assemblies, once per semester, are a way to showcase some of the learning that the students are engaged in across the semester with you and with grandparents. Thank you to each and every student for their enthusiastic participation and for the amazing skills they showcase during the assembly! I am especially proud to see how every child has grown and developed greater confidence across the year. It is often through the images shared from across the school year that pays witness to all that the children have experienced and all that they have achieved.

Our school is a very special and nurturing environment for early learners and we are truly blessed by all who are a part of our community! 

God bless you and your family, 

Diane Murphy 

Assistant Principal News

Attendance

Every School Day Matters in Your Child's Education

Even small amounts of missed time can quickly add up and significantly impact your child's education. Missing just 10 minutes each day—whether due to lateness or leaving early—might seem minor, but over time, these lost minutes accumulate. Here's how it adds up:

• 10 minutes a day (due to lateness or early departure) leads to 50 minutes lost each week.
• Over the course of a year, this adds up to 1 ½ weeks of school missed.
• Over several years, it can result in half a year of schooling lost.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure every school day counts. Regular attendance helps children stay on track, form strong learning habits, and achieve better academic results. Whether it’s arriving on time or staying for the entire day, every minute in class contributes to your child’s educational growth.

This version retains the original message while making it more concise and direct.

Positive Behaviour for Learning 

During weeks 7 and 8 of this term we will focus on the positive behaviour: “I participate in lessons” from the value “I am a learner.”

At Holy Spirit Infants, we believe that being an active participant in lessons helps us become the best learners we can be. This means:

• Listening attentively: We pay close attention to the teacher, the ideas of our classmates, and the information shared during lessons.
• Sharing ideas: We actively contribute our thoughts and ideas during discussions to help ourselves and others learn.
• Completing work to the best of our ability: We do our best with every task, ensuring that we take pride in the work we complete.

By following these practices, we demonstrate our commitment to being engaged and responsible learners.

Rebecca Kearns

Assistant Principal

Sharing our Faith

Christ the King

On Sunday we celebrated the feast of Christ the King. Thank you to Audrey, Charlotte and Piper for reading in our Family Mass. To mark this special occasion, we started Mass with a procession where we followed Father James and the Blessed Sacrament through the Church and around the car park. We were treated to a delicious afternoon tea provided by the Parish.

Our family masses are a great way to connect with our community and Parish. I encourage you to try and attend in 2025.

St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal

There is still time to contribute to our St Vincent De Paul Christmas Appeal. Some class baskets are overflowing. We are extremely grateful for your generosity.

Please see a list below of items each grade is collecting. We thank you in advance for your support.

End of Year Liturgy & Awards

Please note the change in time for our End of Year Liturgy. It will begin at 12.30pm in St Francis Xavier Church, Abermain.

Advent

As the year comes to a close, we begin looking ahead to Advent, a special four-week season of preparation. The first Sunday of Advent focuses on hope, symbolized by the "Prophet’s Candle," which reminds us of Jesus' coming and the promise of renewal and peace. The traditional colour of Advent is purple, which you'll see in our school sacred spaces and in the vestments worn by priests during this time. Purple represents a season of penance, preparation, and sacrifice as we await the arrival of the new king.

The Advent wreath is another important symbol. Its circular shape, with no beginning or end, represents God's eternal love for us. The evergreen branches stand for growth and the hope of eternal life. The four candles represent the four weeks leading up to Christmas, as well as the long wait for the Messiah.

Year 1 Leadership

On Thursday Year 1 participated in a leadership session where they reflected on what qualities a leader has and what leaders at Holy Spirit Infants school ‘do’. Students had fun engaging in some team building games and brainstorming how a leader demonstrates our PBL and Fruits of the Spirit. If your child has brought home a student leadership form, please spend some time discussing what they learnt throughout this session and why they would like to be a leader in 2025.

Vineyards Parish Mass Times

Mass Celebrating Diverse Learning

Kindergarten: Highlights of the Year

Kindergarten have had an amazing first year of school and have come so far with their learning! It is hard to believe those students who came in not being able to write their name are now writing multiple sentences - from stories to speeches. They are to be commended on the effort and enthusiasm they have put into their education.

Kindergarten have enjoyed so many events throughout the year such as our excursion to Oakvale Farm, which was for some, their first time on a bus! 100 days of Kindergarten was so much fun dressing up as old people and exploring the number 100 and I think their favourite event this year was our school showcase last term when they dressed up as dinosaurs and superheroes!

This term, our students had their final grade sharing assembly for Kinder where they shared what they have been learning in our KLA’s. They showed off their amazing writing using 5 star sentences, their thoughts on how to love God and others, their knowledge of 3D Objects and even presented a weather report to the audience. Our little “news reporters” did a great job speaking on the microphone to communicate.

Kindergarten have had a variety of different experiences that have allowed them to learn about the world around them and explore different interests that they have. Miss Pryor and Miss Laczkowski are so proud of our Kinder students and look forward to seeing them blossom next year in Year 1! 

See all the fun we got up to below:

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Year 1: Term 4 Highlights

Year 1 have had a wonderful term!

This term, we have developed our typing skills using typing tournaments throughout each week. We used technology to publish our writing with a focus on adding imagery to our writing. In Maths, we used formal measurements including centimetres, metres, and teaspoons to measure length and volume. We collected and organised data into tables and column graphs, drawing conclusions from the data.  

In Religion, year 1 have been leaning about Mary and her significance and about advent being a time to prepare for the birth of Jesus.

In science, we investigated features of living things including plants and animal and their external features. We researched different animal homes and the reasons for them, this also included designing a bird feeder.  

Within our health lessons, we learnt about making good choices with our friends. We participated in cricket lessons led by our teachers and coaches, teaching us how to bowl, bat, field, and wicketkeeper.   

It has been an incredible year and year 1 have worked extremely hard in their learning.  

Year 1 teachers, 

Mrs Elbourne and Mrs Richardson 

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Year 2 Religion: Celebrating Community Through Prayer and Worship

In Year 2, our students are exploring the importance of communal prayer and worship as a cornerstone of the Catholic faith. This term, the focus of our Religion module is on understanding the role of the Church as a community of believers who come together to worship, give thanks, and celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ, especially through the Eucharist.

Throughout this module, our students are learning about the many ways the Catholic community gathers to celebrate Mass, special liturgies, and significant feast days. They are developing an appreciation for the richness of our Catholic traditions and the significance of coming together in prayer. One of the key themes of the module is understanding the Eucharist as the central act of worship, where the Church, as a community, celebrates Jesus’ presence and offers gratitude for His sacrifice.

Students will also have the opportunity to engage in various liturgical celebrations both in the Church and at school. These hands-on experiences help them connect with the deeper meanings of the Mass and other important liturgical events. By participating in communal prayer, students will come to appreciate how these practices bring the Catholic community together, creating a space for both personal reflection and collective worship. 

We thank families of Year 2 students for providing opportunities for their students to consolidate their knowledge of these liturgical experiences by attending our Family Mass and/or School Mass and Liturgies.

Mrs. Kreutzer, Mr. Flynn and Mrs. Kearns

Kinder 2025 Starting Dates and Times

The dates and times for school starting for Kindergarten are as follows: 

Thursday 6^th February and Friday 7th February: 9.30am start - take your child to the classrooms and settle them at a play provocation.

This later time allows our Year 1 and 2 students to be settled in their classrooms before our new students begin. 

Finish at 1pm both days - parents are asked to wait at the double gates please and we will bring your treasures to you - as we practiced at their visits.  

Monday 10^th February: 8.55 am start and 2pm finish. Parents please wait at the double gates.  

Tuesday 11^th onwards - 8.55am - 2.55pm daily.  

We are looking forward to welcoming your child and your family to Holy Spirit Infants! If you have any questions, please call the office 4930 4361. 

Library News

Library books are due back Monday 2nd of December. Thank you! A stock take will begin in the coming two weeks. 

Home readers are also due back Monday 2nd of December...we need every one of them back so we have the sets ready and sorted for 2025. Thank you! 

Office News

Finalisation of 2024 School Fees

A friendly reminder to all families that school fee balances are to be finalised by 30^th November 2024 unless a fee agreement has been arranged.

Please reach out to Diane Murphy our Principal if you anticipate any difficulties with settlement and we can arrange a meeting for you.

​Thank you to those families that have finalised their fee commitments.

Kind Regards, 

Bonney Lane 

Canteen News

Friday 9th December will be the final day for canteen lunch orders.

Family Christmas Carols Celebration

Awards

AWARDS: Term 4, Week 5 & 6

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Dates for your Diary

Community News

Coming this December – the Cessnock City Library’s Summer Reading Club, celebrating the magic of reading all summer long! Registrations are open from Monday December 2^nd – register online, or drop into Cessnock or Kurri Kurri Library to register, pick up your reading challenges pack, and get started!

Complete the first page, and pick up your prize – complete all twenty challenges, and go in the running to win a big prize at the magical Summer Reading Party at the end of summer!

For more information, please contact Sandy at Cessnock Library on 49934384  Sandra.ryan@cessnock.nsw.gov.au