2025 Newsletter Term 1 Week 1
Letter from the Principal - Brad Toole
Dear Parents,
I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful summer break. Hopefully the students are relaxed and ready to start an exciting new school year. It has been a really positive start to the year and the staff welcome and value your positive energy and support in the education of your children.
On the first day I explained to the children that I wanted to see three things from them this year;
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
- Try Your Best
If we can ingrain these three qualities into our students, they will thrive as members of our school community.
I’m extremely excited to welcome 16 new kinder students to the school tomorrow. There is an air of excitement and anticipation in the hope of what a new year brings.
We have a busy start to the year with our Swimming Carnival being held next Friday. A copy of all our Term 1 events will be coming home with the newsletter today.
Let’s make 2025 a great year!
R.E. Matters
The theme for 2025 is…
All Hallows - People of Hope
2025 is a Year of Jubilee!
What is Jubilee 2025?
Every 25 years since 1300, the Catholic Church holds a special celebration called the Jubilee Year. This is a time of reset, where the land and the people rest and we focus on our relationships with others and with God.
Pope Francis has called this Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It is an invitation to renew our hope, a hope which comes from knowing that God loves each one of us.
Pope Francis has called this Jubilee Year ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. It is an invitation to renew our hope, a hope which comes from knowing that God loves each one of us.
This year we embrace being ‘People of Hope’ in our school and life. The theme fits well with our All Hallows Motto - ‘Know Love, Serve’
We are Pilgrims, following Jesus with him as our guide (Know)
With the HOPE that he gives us, living our lives trusting in Him (Love),
We want to reach out to those in need. (Serve)
Let us celebrate the year with deep faith, lively hope and active charity.
We will use this as a theme in our classes, at assemblies and through events this year. Each term will have a slightly different focus about being ‘People of Hope at All Hallows Catholic School.
“During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.”
Pope Francis
Know – Love – Serve
ALL HALLOWS CATHOLIC SCHOOL MASS
We will celebrate our ‘Beginning of the School Year’ Mass on Thursday 20th February, 2025 at 10.30am in the church.
As a school community, we will begin our year together, welcoming our new students, teachers and their families as well as inducting our All Hallows 2025 School Leaders and SRC . Please join us in this celebration.
SPORT
The All Hallows School Swimming Carnival
will be held next Friday, 14th February, 2025 ( Wk 2) from 9.45am.
All the teachers and students ( Yr 2 – Yr 6) will walk to the pool after morning lines. Students will take their recess, lunch and drink bottle to the pool. Kindergarten and Yr 1 will return to school following the completion of their novelty events.
We ask that all students wear their swimmers under their sports uniform in the morning, with their underwear in their swimming bag to change into at the end of the carnival.
Please remember to have the FIVE for SWIMMING
- 1. Swimmers/ Rashy Towel 3. Sunscreen 4.School hat. 5.Bag to carry swim gear.
The carnival involves ALL students Kinder to Year 6 with a variety of events for all swimming levels. Our school carnival is about having inclusion with 25m, 50m and 100m events that students have nominated for. Infants students who do not yet swim these distances will be involved in across the pool races (with Yr 6 / teacher helpers) and novelty games in the little pool.
Entry to the pool is free for competitors and $1 for spectators.
Please join us for this fun whole school event. If you are able to help with timekeeping could you please let Ms Statham or Mr Toole know by the end of this week. Thankyou.
Hope to see you there.
NORTHERN REGION SWIMMING CARNIVAL
From our school carnival, a team will be selected to represent All Hallows at the Northern Region Swimming Carnival to be held in Gulgong, hosted by us, All Hallows, on Tuesday 25th February, 2025 (Week 4). We will need to provide a number of officials for this carnival. A note will be sent home after our school carnival, for those students involved in Northern Region and to ask for volunteers. Thankyou.
Leadership Team for 2025
Congratulations to the following students who have been voted into leadership positions at All Hallows this year. I thoroughly look forward to working alongside you to keep the great traditions of the school alive this year and into the future.
School Captains - Caitlin Britten, Noah Warren
Liturgy Captains - Dakota Watts
House Captains and SRC will be announced next week.
School Fees
School Fee invoices will be emailed to families in early March.
Families on direct debit will find their payments resume this month. We will contact families who need to increase/decrease their payments to cover 2025 fees.
New and existing families who are not on currently on direct debit are encouraged to call the office to set up a payment plan. Many of our families find that making smaller, regular contributions helps take some financial pressure on already stretched financial budgets. Please contact the school sooner rather than later if you are experiencing financial hardship as there are options available to assist you.
Parent Information Meetings
Our Parent Information Meetings will be held on Monday 17th February. Teachers will be putting together Parent Information booklets that will be available during the meeting. It will give you an outline of what will be happening in your child’s class, routine, structures and expectations. Teachers will also outline how you might be able to be involved in your child’s education and support from home. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher via email. Times for the meetings are:
3.30 - 3.50 - Kinder
3.50 - 4.10 - Year 1 & Year 2
4.10 - 4.30 - Year 3 & Year 4
4.30 - 4.50 - Year 5 & Year 6
Communication
For matters relating to your children, whether they be academic, behavioural, sport, physical and emotional health, you are asked to contact your child’s classroom teacher as your first port of call. It is important that we create open lines of communication. The majority of these matters will be resolved by your child’s teacher. If there is a need for further discussion, we will involve the appropriate staff members. Email is the best way to reach teachers or for more urgent matters please contact the office and leave a message for the teacher to call you back.
Principal: Brad Toole - b.toole2@bth.catholic.edu.au
Kindergarten: Mrs Alicia Menchin - a.menchin@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 1: Mrs Danielle Marsh - d.marsh@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 2: Mrs Laura Clift - l.clift1@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 3: Mrs Meg Kelly - m.kelly@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 4: Mrs Sarah Buckle - s.buckle@bth.catholic.edu.au
Ms Lucinda Stokes - l.stokes@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 5: Mr Beau Rogers - b.rogers@bth.catholic.edu.au
Year 6: Ms Kylie Statham - k.statham@bth.catholic.edu.au
Support: Mrs Rebecca Stubbs - r.stubbs@bth.catholic.edu.au
Library & RFF: Mrs Sarah Buckley - s.buckley@bth.catholic.edu.au
RFF: Amanda MacLean - a.maclean@bth.catholic.edu.au
Office: Mrs Carolyn Holland - c.holland@bth.catholic.edu.au
Mrs Bec O'Connell -b.oconnell@bth.catholic.edu.au
NAPLAN
NAPLAN will be completed from 12th March to 19th march for Years Three and Five.
Important Items for the Start of Year
General Permission: A form is available on the Compass Parent Portal and must be completed for all students. This form gives permission for students to participate in various walking excursions throughout the year including swimming for sport. There are also other permissions included in the form. Please read and complete this form before we head swimming for sport next Wednesday 12th February.
After School Arrangements: Please let the school know if there are any changes to after school arrangements for your children (change of pick-up, bus etc). Please ensure we are notified of what days your children will catch the bus, walk or ride. This helps us ensure that children get home safely. We also ask that any one-off changes to your child's normal arrangments are advised to the school office by 2.45pm.
Canteen: The school canteen is open for lunch each Tuesday and Thursday. A menu is attached and has also been sent home in paper form with your child. Reusable lunch bags are available for purchase from the school office $10.00. Or simply write your child's name, class and order on a paper lunch order bag and place in the tubs provided on the playground each Tuesday and Thursday.
Mobile Phones/Devices at School: We would like to remind all students that mobile phones, ipads etc that are brought to school MUST be handed into the school office on arrival and collected again at the end of the school day.
School Hours and Absences
Lessons commence at 9.00am and conclude at 3.20pm each day. This is our teaching and learning time and our students' full attendance is important between these times.
All absences from the roll are recorded in either ‘full’ or ‘partial’ absences. This includes students that arrive after 9am or leave before 3.20pm.
Students who are ‘late arrivals’ or ‘early departures’ must report to the office and sign in via Compass Kiosk. Regulations mean that students who are late arrivals/early departures will be marked as a partial absence for that day. All absences are recorded in our digital file.
* Please DO NOT enter partial absences into the Compass Parent Portal. This is for full day absences only.
Full absences due to sickness, extended holidays, etc need to be fully explained. Communication/ can be done via several methods.
- Enter via the Compass Parent Portal. (preferred option).
- Email class teacher or allhallowsgulgong@bth.catholic.edu.au
- Send in a written note to the class teacher.
- Phone the school office to leave a message
New families will be sent information on the Compass Parent Portal and how to register and log in this week.
Uniform Policy
The new year starting means that we need a friendly reminder on the uniform policy at All Hallows.
Boys Summer Uniform - Grey Shorts, Light Blue Shirt, Grey Socks, Black Shoes or Boots (Whole shoe must be black and no other colours), School Bucket Hat.
Girls Summer Uniform - Pink Check Dress, White Socks, Black Shoes, Maroon or White Ribbons, School Bucket Hat
Summer Uniform - School Sports Uniform, White Socks, Sports Shoes
All uniform items must be clearly labelled with full name or initials clearly marked on the clothing item.
Hair
Hair should be neat and tidy at all times. Shoulder length hair should be tied back and not in the eyes. Radical/Trendy haircuts or cuts which may cause the student to be the object of ridicule are not permitted. If in doubt the school should be contacted before the child’s hair is cut.
Jewellery
Jewellery is not part of the uniform. Students may wear stud or sleeper earrings only and there may be occasions during sport where these must be removed for safety sake. One bangle or signet ring is permitted. Costume jewellery is not appropriate for wearing at school.
Make-up and Nail Polish are not to be worn at school.
I just want to say congratulations to all our students who have been looking amazing in their uniform to start the year. I’ve had numerous conversations about how great the students are looking at the moment. Keep up the great work!
Be Connected
The school newsletter is emailed to all familes each Wednesday via Schoolzine. Family and friends are also welcome to subscribe.
You can access all the school news and events via our other digital connections.
These include:
- The School Website: www.allhallowsgulgong.catholic.edu.au
- All Hallows Facebook Page - Like and follow our page "All Hallows Catholic Primary School"
Counselor
In 2025 Gina Forster continuing her work in our team at All Hallows. Gina will be with us every Monday working with staff and students.
Nut Aware/Anaphylaxis
Please see below important information regarding students with allergies/anaphylaxis in our school.
Little Blessings Playgroup
Our Little Blessings Playgroup begins tomorrow and will continue each Thursday morning from 9.30 to 11.00am during term time.
All childen aged 0-5 years and their families are most welcome to join us in our school hall.