Week 5

REMEMBRANCE DAY - 2013

For all who have served the cause of peace in our armed forces, we pray... 

For all who have lost loved ones due to war, we pray...

For all who continue to suffer due to war, we pray...

For all who long for Your peace, we pray...

For all who dedicate their lives to Your peace, we pray...

For all who bring Your comfort to veterans and their families, we pray... 

For all of us called to be messengers of Your peace, we pray...

On Monday we gathered in Houses to commemorate Remembrance Day. Stacie Braganza and Ross McWilllie and Mr Murphy represented the College at the Ellenbrook Community Remembrance Day Service. 

STAFFING

Next year we will take on four streams of Year 7 and our first group of Year 12 students will graduate from Holy Cross College.  We  have appointed staff to take on a number of new leadership positions in the Middle and Senior Schools.

VICE PRINCIPAL

Mr Peter Collins has been appointed to the position of Vice Principal who will play a key leadership role in this growing K - 12 College community and work closely with me in the to share in the authority and responsibility  in the overall management and leadership of the College. Peter is currently the Deputy Principal at Ursula Frayne Catholic College.

LEARNING AREA COORDINATORS

For 2014 the College has created the positions of Learning Area Coordinators who will lead a team of teachers ito develop and coordinate the Learning Area curriculum within the context of the whole educational programme offered by the College.   The following staff have been appointed:

ENGLISH

Phillip Taylor currently Dean of Teaching & Learning Technologies K - 12 and English Teacher at Lake Joondalup Baptist College, previously Head of English at St Stephen’s School, Duncraig

Science Mathew Hughes - current staff

Society & Environment Karen Taylor - current staff

Religious Education Team Leader

Danielle Hodgson (current staff)

HOUSE COORDINATORS

Frayne Christina Davini

Ozanam Kelly Bond

McCormack Carla Pastorelli from Sacred Heart College, Sorrento

Salvado Fiona Wainwright from Servite College, Tuart Hill

We have also created a Learning Innovation Team and have appointed staff who will take a lead role in modelling  innovative pedagogies  and coordinating Big Ideas. The staff are:

Laura Wallace previously from Fairfax School, Birmingham in the United Kingdom

Emilie Reynolds (current staff) and

Karen Taylor

We are also in the process of appointing staff for the Early Learning Centre.  To date the following staff have been appointed.

Head of Junior School         Melissa Croswell

Teaching staff Emma Pritchard, Orilee Ryan, Jacinta Tucker

Education  Assistants Emer Doherty, Kym Hannaford and Romain Matthews

ORIENTATION DAY FOR 2014 YEAR 7 STUDENTS

Next week we will welcome the 2014 Year 7 students and their parents to the College. The students will spend the day at the College familiarising themselves with staff, students and the environment.  Parents will join us for the afternoon information session commencing at 12.45pm.

The Uniform Shop has been very busy this week as new students have been getting kitted out with their uniforms for next year. Thank you to the parent volunteers who assisted Office staff in this busy process: Mandy Kent for her overall coordination, Shirley Edwards, Francine Kain, Julie Stenz, Lorraine Salt and Miriam Vallelonga. Their assistance was a great relief for the Office staff.

Week 4

DRAMA MONOLOGUES

Well done to the Drama students on their performance of their Drama monologues last Monday night.  Students scripted and performed their own original pieces showing off some amazing talent.  Thank you to Mr McRae for his work in preparing the students for the performances and to Mrs Brown for working with the students to assist with hospitality for the event.

SENIOR SCHOOL PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT

Thank you to parents who attended the Senior School Information Session last Thursday evening.  A key area for the evening was the need for students to stay focused if they are to achieve their goals and have choices at the end of Year 12.  In the Senior School years students should be putting a significant amount of time into homework and study.  Year 10 students should be committing at least 2 hours each evening, Year 11 students 21/2 hours  and Year 12 students 3 hours.  Students also need to be dedicating a significant  block of time to study on weekends.  Ms Walmsley  gave an example of how students can plan to complete short term tasks and meet longer term study goals.  Students need to maintain a balance of life including committing to family activities and sport/exercise.  However, students who commit long hours to part time jobs and other out of school commitments find it very difficult to put in the required study to achieve their goals.  In planning for the future students and parents are also encouraged to explore a variety of careers.  Links ot a variety of resources can be found on the Career Pathways page on the College website. http://web.holycross.wa.edu.au/enrichment/career.php

  

ANNUAL CELEBRATION EVENING

The College Annual Celebration Evening will be held on Thursday, 28 November commencing at 6.30pm in the Learning Resource Centre.  The evening will include a liturgy, presentation of awards and performances.  The 2014 Student Leadership Executive will also be announced on this night. We look forward to seeing you at this event to celebrate the achievements of the College for the year.

Ms Mandy Connor

Principal