EARLY EXPANSION OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

I  am pleased to notify you that we have received approval from the Minister of Education to enrol students in Years 5 and 6 next year, in addition to the previously approved K - 4.  Rather than waiting until 2018 to offer all year levels, we will now have all year levels from Pre-Kindergarten - Year 12 in 2016.  This means we are accepting enrolments for Years 5 and 6.  We have an agreement with St Helena’s CPS that we will not offer places for these year levels from students currently enrolled at St Helena’s CPS.  These students have a place in a Catholic school in the local area and the CECWA approval to add these year levels at Holy Cross at an earlier date was given on the understanding they were to create new positions.  St Helena’s CPS is a feeder school to Holy Cross College and these students have the opportunity to progress to Holy Cross College in Year 7.  It is essential that parents of St Helena’s students complete the application for enrolment a minimum of two years prior to students commencing Year 7.  I am aware that we have a number of siblings of current students who are not enrolled in a  Catholic School, if parents wish to apply for a Year 5 or 6 place for these students, they should contact the College Office as soon as possible.  Places are limited.  There will be a meeting later this term for parents of current Junior School parents to discuss the development of the Junior School, including arrangements for accommodating Years 3 - 6 student in 2016 in a designated area of existing facilities.

CONGRATULATIONS

Well done to all students who participated in the ACC cross- country carnival today. Congratulations to Cian Guest who won the gold medal in his age group with a fantastic finish.

29 May 2015

A COMMUNITY OF TRANSFORMATION

On Friday we gathered as a College to celebrate the beatification of Archbishop Oscar Romero.  This was a very special occasion as Romero is our College patron.  Blessed Oscar Romero was beatified on Saturday in San Salvador.  In his homily, Cardinal Angelo Amato said, ‘the figure of Romero is still alive and giving comfort to the marginalised of the earth’.  Romero inspires us to strive for our College Vision of ‘a community of transformation in the spirit of the risen Christ.   During the civil war in El Salvador Romero spoke out strongly for peace and justice.  During our College liturgy we reflected on Romero’s words, including, ’If they kill me I will rise again in the Salvadoran people’.  HIs spirit lives on in those who speak with courage for peace and justice today.

SLEEPING OUT …

The College LifeLink SleepOut will take place on Thursday 4 June. This is one of the key events on our social justice calendar.  It is an opportunity to raise money for LifeLink and to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness.  Thanks to staff and students who will be participating, giving up a warm bed for a cause.

CITY EXPERIENCE —SYDNEY-CANBERRA TOUR

On Monday we had our third meeting for the Year 9 Sydney-Canberra tour.  Each year our Year 9 students are immersed in a city experience during LIFE week.  They engage with a Big Question with the city as their classroom.  This year a group of students will visit Sydney and Canberra.  They will use these cities as their learning experience to complete the same project as the remainder of the Year 9 students will complete in Perth.  The students on the inter-state tour will also have the opportunity to experience snow with two days of skiing or snowboarding at Perisher in the Snowy Mountains. 

ACC CROSS-COUNTRY

Best of luck to the College Cross-country team who will compete in the Associated and Catholic Colleges Cross-country Carnival on Thursday.

LONG WEEKEND

A reminder that there will be no classes on Friday 30 May and Tuesday 2 June.

BEATIFICATION OF ARCHBISHOP OSCAR ROMERO

This Saturday is a very special day for HCC - our College Patron Oscar Romero will be beatified.  The ceremony, which moves Romero a step closer to sainthood, will take place in a Mass in Plaza Divino Salvador del Mundo.  Archbishop Romero, an advocate of social justice, was assassinated while saying Mass on 24 March, 1980.  In his life and death Romero is a witness to our College Vision as he strived to build ‘a community of transformation the spirit of the Risen Christ.’ We will celebrate the beatification of Oscar Romero in a College liturgy on Friday.

BUILDING DEVELOPMENTS

Today we had the panel visit, a key process in our application for Stage 5 of the Capital Development Plan.  Members of the College Board and College Leadership Team met with the panel of representatives from the Catholic Education Commission School Resources Committee and the Catholic EducationOffice to discuss our funding application. Stage 5 incorporates the remainder of the Junior School and Perfuming Arts learning spaces.  We will have significant building happening over the next couple of years.  Stage 4 will go to tender in the next couple of weeks.  This stage incorporates a Middle School building including learning studios and Science Laboratories,  Sports Change Rooms and the development of ovals and outdoor spaces.  The Early  Learning Centre will no longer accommodate all Junior School classes in 2016.  During 2016  the older years of Junior School will be housed in a dedicated area of existing facilities.  We have sufficient spaces to accommodate these classes comfortably in 2016 while the remainder of Junior School is being built.

REPORTS AND SENIOR SCHOOL LEARNING CONVERSATIONS

Senior School parents will be able to access Semester One Reports on Monday 25 May. Senior School Learning Conversations will take place next Wednesday, 27 May.  Students have completed exams and this is a good time to reflect on the semester and ways in which students can progress from this point.  I encourage all parents to attend, with their sons daughters, to meet with subject teachers.

LONG, LONG WEEKEND

There will be no classes on Friday 29 May and Tuesday 2 June.  29 May is a Professional Learning Day for staff. Teaching staff will be focusing on use of data, which is a key part of our Strategic Plan and Whole School Improvement Plan. The College Office will be closed on both days.  As Monday is a public holiday students will have an extended long weekend.  Senior School students will need to ensure they dedicate time to study and the days are also an opportunity for all students to complete Christian Service Learning hours for their Giving Life commitment.

JOURNEYS

It was wonderful to see, on television,  Bianca Sumich, Year 10, reading at ANZAC Service On the Gallipoli Peninsula on ANZAC Day.  As the WA winner of the Simpson Prize, Bianca travelled to Turkey and participated  in the ANZAC Centenary celebrations in Gallipoli.  Her travel itinerary included a range of wonderful opportunities.  We are looking forward to her sharing her experiences with the College community.  

LifeLink Launch

On Tuesday I attended the launch of the  2015 LifeLink by Archbishop Costelloe. The launch was attended by students and staff from Catholic school, including some of our student leaders,  Archbishop Costelloe spoke of the story of the Good Samaritan, posing the question of who is the Good Samaritan today? He also noted that we can't' always help those most in need but we can equip others to help.  In raising funds for LifelLink our students assist in resourcing Diocesan social welfare agencies. The College SleepOut this term is our big fundraiser for LifeLink and also an opportunity for students to learn about issues facing the homeless.  

EXAMS

Senior School students are in the middle of their exams. Preparation  for exams is something that student need to do on a consistent basis and during the exam period they need to ensure they are fully focused on consolidating their learning.  Senior School Reports will be available  in Week 5 and parents and students  will have an opportunity  to meet with teachers on 20 May to discuss progress. I encourage all parents to attend.  

CAMINO SALVADO

Students and staff are walking along different sections of the Camino Salvado during these first two weeks of May,  The pilgrimage trail which runs from Subiaco to New Norcia commemorates the life of Dom Rosendo Salvado.   During their time at HCC students will walk the Camino Salvado, arriving in New Norcia on foot for  their Year 12 Retreat.  Year 9 students walked from Bells Rapids to Lower Chittering on Friday, a beautiful hike through Walyinga National park.  On Thursday Year 8 students will cover the first section of the trail from Subiaco to Guidlford and on Friday, Year 9'students will continue their walk through the Chattering Valley.  We will be getting Camino passports made up so that students can have a record their walks, as they do on the Camino de Santiago in Spain.  Walking the Camino Salvado is a pilgrimage journey on which students have opportunities to encounter God, nature, others and themselves.  The day of hiking also gives them an opportunity to build resilience and perseverance, to interact without technology and to overcome challenges.