Newsletter 13.11.2024

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents & Carers

End of year celebrations will be here before we know it.  It is a really special occasion and it is great for us to be able to come together as a community and acknowledge the wodnerful successes that our school has had this year.

Please note that we have changed the date for our Presentation Night due to a date clash with other schools and the availability of special guests.

Presentation Night 2024 will now be held on MONDAY 9TH DECEMBER.  We will be hosting this at the Gulgong Memorial Hall.  The night will commence at 6.30pm.  We will have speeches, present our student awards for the year and announce our school leaders for the 2025 school year.

Key End of Year Dates

Key dates for end of year celebrations are:

Thursday 5th December       Year 6 Farewell Dinner in School Hall

Monday 9th December          Presentation Night at Gulgong Memorial Hall

Friday 13th December             Year 6 Day Out

Monday 16th December         End of Year Mass and Year 6 Final Assembly

Wednesday 18th December   Students Last Day

Regards

Brad

Remembrance Day

Monday 11th November was Remembrance Day.

We would like to honour those who have served in the armed forces in times of war.  It is important for the students at All Hallows to remember the sacrifices that soldiers made and the lives that have been affected by the conflict of war.

On Monday, the school gathered for a Remembrance Day liturgy, led by Year 6 in honour of all those who gave their service to ensure our country's freedom.  Year 5 represented the school, attending the RSL Remembrance Day Service at ANZAC Park.  "Lest We Forget"

Weekly Attendance Summary

Attendance is vitally important for success for our students in achieving their learning benchmarks.

Our goal is 90% attendance.  In 2024 our attendance is currently sitting at 91.52%.  Our attendance summary for Week 4, Term 4 is below.  Let's keep above 90% each week.

R.E Matters

All Hallows theme for 2024 "Walking in the Light of Christ"

This term our focus is... "Let Your Light Shine" - Never see a need without doing something about it

Lord,

Refresh my soul so that Your light shines for others to see in me.

Help me to be a beacon in the darkness. 

Fuel my lamp to shine brightly to those around me.  Amen

Day of Difference and Talent Quest

On Friday 29th November (week 7) we will be hosting our Day of Difference and Talent Quest for 2024.  Mrs Menchin is coordinating the Talent Quest and students are invited to wear mufti clothes that identify what makes them unique and special.

Staffing 2025

I'm writing to inform you of some staffing changes for the 2025 school year.

Amanda Watts will not be taking on part time employment at All Hallows in 2025.  Amanda will continue to be involved in our school in 2025 in a casual capacity.  Amanda has been a driving force in many initiatives around the school over the past 4 years.  She has been a very valuable asset to the learning support team and we look forward to seeing her around on a casual basis next year.

Camelina Leotta is taking leave in 2025 to have some more family time with Peter, her children and grandchildren and also do some well earned travel.  We will miss Carmelina's quiet and caring nature next year and wish her all the best and look forward to her returning to us in 2026.

Bridie Mulligan will complete her time at All Hallows at the end of 2024.  Over her two years with us, Bridie has become a very reliable and humorous member of staff.  Bridie will be moving to Dubbo to take up an employment opportunity utilising her Uni degree.  We wish Bridie all the best and know that she will be a major asset to ther new organisation.

At this stage I would like to thank Amanda, Carmelina and Bridie for their care, dedication and unwavering support of both the staff and students during their employment at All Hallows.  Appropriate farewells, speeches and opportunities to celebrate will be organised during our end of year festivities.

Replacement positions have been advertised on the Bathurst Catholic Education Office website and will close in two weeks.

Our staffing allocation from the Bathurst CEDB has come through.  I'm very pleased to announce that due to our growth in numbers in 2024 we will continue to have seven classes.  Our class structure in 2025 will be Kinder, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6.

Class teachers will be announced before the end of the school year.

School Sport - Swimming

Swimming for Sport started last week.

A reminder that all students must wear appropriate swimwear at school swimming events.

Girls should be in a one piece costume or two piece tankini style - no bikinis.

Boys need to wear 'speedo'type swimwear and may also wear boardshorts.  

Rash vests are advised for school sport sessions but not for Intensive Swimming lessons.

All students are reminded to pack and bring the following the school each Wednesday for the rest of the term:

5 for Swimming

1. Swimmers
2. Towel
3. Sunscreen
4. Hat
5. Bag to carry it all in.
   

Swimsafe: Intensive Swimming Program

Our Swimsafe Intensive Swimming Program will be held in Week 8 and Week 9 this term (2nd - 12th December).

The All Hallows Swimsafe program aims to improve the standard of swimming in all students Kinder to Year 6.

Students are graded in ability with instruction given in small groups at each level.  The students will have a swimmig lesson each day for two weeks and this has proven to improve swimming skills, confidence and water safety.  Please return your child's blue swimming information notes this week if you haven't already done so.

Summer Sports Trials

We wish Elsie, Ivy, Rory and Braxton all the best at the Diocesan Summer Trials being held tomorrow in Dubbo.

School Fees Due

A reminder that School Fees for 2024 are due by FRIDAY 22nd NOVEMBER for all families not on a payment plan.  Please contact us immediately if you are experiencing difficulty and will not be able to finalise your account by this date.

The Fee Schedule for 2025 is attached.  There has been a slight increase in line with the CPI. Sibling discounts will contine to be applied.

Payment of fees by Direct Debit is highly encouraged.  It allows families to make small regular contributions throughout the year and avoid heavy bills at the end of the school year.  Please contact the school office for more information.  Families already on direct debit will be contacted in the new year if an increase to payments is necessary. 

Payment may also be made via the Compass portal and by BPay.  Details are on your invoice that was emailed out recently.

Asian Cultural Classroom

This semester, Year 6 have been studying "Global Connections" in Geography and specifically Australia's links with Asia.

As part of this unit, each student has researched an Asian country.  In the presentation of their knowledge we will be hosting an "Asian Cultural Classroom" and you are all invited!

Date:  Tuesday 19th November 2024

Where:  School Hall

Time:  11.00am - 12.30pm

Please join us

Canteen Meal Deals

In the coming weeks we will have 2 special "Meal Deal" days.  ** Please note there will be no regular canteen menu on these days.

Tuesday 19th November    $5.00  Sausage Sandwich, Popper & Zooper Dooper (extra sandwich $2.00)

Thursday 5th December     $5.00   Hot Dog, Popper & Zooper Dooper (extra hot dog $2.00)

P & F News

A sincere thank you to everyone who came together to ensure the success of our school bazaar last week. It was a fantastic night for our school community and all the hard work is worth it when you see how much fun the kids had!!

I would like to thank (in no particular order): Post Office Hotel, Step Up Dance Academy, Pooka the Clown, Jackson's Equipment Hire, Gudgeons Slushie Machines, Ella Clift, Lions Club Mudgee, Keevils Auto Electricians, Shiralee Archer Florist, Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, Giant Mudgee, The Vault Gulgong and Thai to You Gulgong.

I would also like to thank our hard-working P&F, all the parents who cooked, donated, set up, packed up and any other jobs.  Also to our staff who always go above and beyond for the kids in our school.  Thank you for your assistance.

We would love any feedback and suggestions to make nest year even bigger and better.  We are also on the lookout for any more helpers to join our P & F and keep these amazing community events running.

Congratulations to our raffle winners:

1st     Tammy Reeves

2nd   Michael Grimma

3rd     Neil Ryan

4th     Reuban Wallis

5th     Maisy & Olivia Seis

6th     Jodie Raynor, Kassie Kosij, Dakota Watts, Jayce O'Neill

Little Blessings Playgroup

We are very pleased to announce that "Little Blessings" Playgroup will continue into 2025.  Due to the great response of parents it will continue from 9.30am 0 11.30am on Thursday mornings next year.  Alex Toole will continue to run the playgroup.

Kindergarten 2025

We are now taking enrolments for our 2025 Kinder class.  We also have some limited availability in some of the other classes.  If you know anyone that is interested in enrolling their child for next year, please share this information with them and ask them to email: b.toole2@bth.catholic.edu.au or call into the office to collect an enrolment pack.

Merit Awards - Week 4