GRADUATION MASS

EXCERPT FROM PRINCIPAL'S. ADDRESS AT GRADUATION MASS

....A number of you are foundation students at Holy Cross, you have helped to shaped this College and you helped to select our patrons who through their lives model values to which we aspire.  You have helped to create history here at HCC.

As you take the next steps on your journey I hope you take with you the values modelled by our College patron and the values of our House patrons, which you have printed on your sashes.  What all of these people have in common is their faith and that they knew what they stood for.  Like Malali, they stood for something beyond themselves. 

 I hope you live lives in which you are prepared to do the hard yards and to keep learning in order  to achieve your personal best; in which you connect with others,   respecting the dignity of the human person and treating people with compassion; in which you serve and are prepared to speak for justice; in which you are stewards of your own gifts and of this beautiful earth and in which you never forget the value of gratitude - to give thanks for all you have been given, including parents and teachers who have supported you to this milestone in your life.

I hope that like Oscar Romero you are prepared to be passionate about what you believe in and  never to be complacent,; that like Ursula Frayne you will make journeys to far away place; that like Irene McCormack you will find joy in the simple things of life and meet people whose lives are different to your own; that like  Frederic Ozanam you will have strong family relationships to keep you connected and grounded. Each of you have done a section of the Camino Salvado and some of you have walked part of the Camino de Santiago, how wonderful it would be if one day you could finish these journey - but regardless, i hope that like Salvado you get out and enjoy the natural wonders of this world.

I hope that you live life in all its fulness.

Ms Mandy Connor 

Principal

23 October 2014

Year 12 Final Assembly- Congratulations!

OUR FIRST YEAR 12s ARE GRADUATING

Our first group of Year 12 students have finished their final school exams and in the next two weeks will participate in a number of rituals to signify their rite of passage as they move into the world beyond school.  The Graduation Mass on Thursday evening will be an opportunity for the family of our Graduates to gather in a  celebration of friendship and growth.  It will be an opportunity to give thanks for the many gifts these students have received during their fourteen years of schooling - from parents, staff, other students and their school communities.

Our foundation students will receive their Graduation Certificates at the Annual Celebration Evening which will be held on Thursday 30 October.  All students in Middle and Senior Schools are expected to attend this event.  Details were sent home in a letter last week.

SENIOR SCHOOL TRANSITION

Our Senior School academic year begins on Wednesday.  During the past week Year 10 and 11 students have completed their exams and Year 9 students have been engaged in  transition activities.  They have participate in  subject seminars to prepare them for their Senior School courses and on Monday will take part in study skills workshops facilitated by Elevate. Year 9 students will also participate in a full  day workshop, facilitated by Loving for Life, on Christian Sexuality and Relationships.  On Friday students were challenged to complete a section of the Camino Salvado from Bells Rapids to lower Chittering.  We have got very used to relying on cars and walking is no longer such a natural part of daily life. The Camino Salvado is a pilgrimage walk, a chance to reflect, but also to build resilience, fitness and to overcome obstacles.  This section of the Camino climbs through Walyunga National,Park, with lovely views, and some students commented it was the first time they had seen kookaburras and kangaroos in the wild. Year 10' students will complete their first section of the Camino Salvado on Tuesday when they hike from Subiaco to Guildford. 

SHARING OUR LEARNING

Last Monday a group of students and staff from Holy Cross participated in a Professional Learning Day at Kolbe Catholic College.  Mrs Irene Louden, Ms Emilie Reynolds, Ms Karen Taylor and  Ms Anita Walmsley presented workshops at the Celebrating Learning Conference.  They were joined by three of the Learning Leaders - Gabriella Van Der Linde, Zoe Paluszak and Jesse Hughes - who did an outstanding job in presenting to groups of teachers from a range of schools. We received some great feedback about how articulate our students were about their learning and about how much their audiences learned from their presentations about Big Ideas and Curriculum Enrichment Week.