2025 Newsletter Term 1 Week 3

Letter from the Principal - Brad Toole

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Week 3 at All Hallows. We have a busy week this week with Parent Information Meetings being held Monday. Thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the parent meetings. 

The Parent Information Meetings gave you an outline of what will be happening in your child’s class, routine, structures and expectations. Teachers also may have outlined how you might be able to be involved in your child’s education.  If you were unable to attend or have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.

The relationship between the teacher and parent is vital to improving the learning outcomes and school experience of your children. The role of schools is to work in partnership with parents to provide an environment that encourages students to connect with each other and their community, so they can succeed and thrive. 

At All Hallows we pride ourselves on having a strong parent community that is very active at the school. Our  parents have always been very generous with their time given throughout the year. I thoroughly look forward to working alongside you at various carnivals, canteens, BBQ’s and morning teas  this year. 

If you would like to be involved in any aspect of the school community. Please let the class teacher, Office or myself know. We are very desperate for canteen helpers and also will need timekeepers/catering help for the Northern Region Carnival next Tuesday.

Canteen Helpers Needed Urgently

Our canteen is in desperate need of more helpers for this year. If you're able to help please call our school office or email Brad on b.toole2@bth.catholic.edu.au 

Helpers are required from 10.30am until about 1.30pm on a Tuesday and Thursday. 

Next Tuesday Emma is catering for the officials at Northern Region Swimming and will require two extra sets of hands to make the food and transport it to the pool on the day. If you're able to assist next  Tuesday please let Emma or Brad know. 

Money raised from the catering will go to the P & F.

R.E. Matters

The theme for 2025 is…

All Hallows - People of Hope  
2025 is a Year of Jubilee!

The theme for the Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope. We pray throughout this year that we will be filled with hope as we journey on together through 2025.

Hope is like a bright light that guides us, even on days that feel cloudy or hard. It reminds us that God is always with us, loving us and giving us strength to face any challenge.

Know Love Serve

All Hallows Catholic School Mass

Tomorrow our Opening Mass will be held at 10.30am in the church followed by morning tea in the school grounds.  As a school community we will gather to begin our year together, welcoming our new students and their families as well as inducting our All Hallows 2025 Leaders and semester one SRC.

Please join us for mass and stay for morning tea in our front playground.

Sport

All Hallows Catholic School Swimming Carnival Results

Congratulations to all students who took part in the School Swimming Carnival carnival on Friday and a HUGE thank you to all the staff and volunteers who helped to make the day so successful. Whether it was in the 50m, 25m, across the pool events or novelty games, all students competed in a spirit of sportsmanship, fun and friendship. We can be very proud of each and every child. Many students swam in events for the first time and the enthusiasm throughout the day was terrific to see. 

Well done to the parents who jumped in the Parent / student races – A fun way to end a wonderful school event. Many THANKS to the staff at the Gulgong Pool, for their help in running the carnival. Their support is appreciated. We have a wonderful community.

Congratulations to MacKillop House who won the carnival point score and also to MacKillop who  scored the most  Hensley Shield points for Sportsmanship at this event.

Congratulations to all our Age Champions. Medallions s will be presented at assembly in the coming weeks.

Northern Region Swimming Carnival

The Northern Region Swimming Carnival will be held next Tuesday 25th February,2025 in Gulgong. Congratulations to our students who will be representing All Hallows. As hosts of the carnival, we will need to provide a number of officials for this event. Please return the permission note with the $10 entry fee or complete this through your Compass App and volunteer where you can.  Our school team will represent All Hallows with successful swimmers from this carnival, then representing the Northern Region at the Diocesan Swimming Carnival in Dubbo on Tuesday 11^th March, 2025.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN will be completed from 12th March to 19th March for Years Three and Five.

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. Just a few minor issues with some inappropriate hair cuts at the moment. It would greatly be appreciated if these issues could be rectified quickly.

Headlice

A case of head lice has been reported to the school.  Please check your child's head and if lice are detected, please treat accordingly.  Once hair is treated and hat washed your child may return to school.  

Home Pickup Procedures

Reminder about parent pickup procedures:

When the bell goes, children wait on the basketball court near the gate. A teacher will open the gate. An adult must come and collect the students from inside the school grounds. It is important that the kids say goodbye to the teacher at the gate and let them know who they are leaving the school grounds with.

If crossing the roads, please use the crossing to ensure safety for all pedestrians. The roads around the school are very congested at pickup time and we need everyone to be vigilant and follow these procedures carefully. It is a school rule that students leave in their full school uniform including their hat and have their shirts tucked in. 

Parents are also invited to wait in the seating area to collect your children prior to the bell.

P&F Meeting

Our P&F AGM Meeting will be held on Monday 24th of February in the school hall at 3.30pm. We have a great committee that is very dedicated and we would love to see some fresh faces and ideas to join us.

Loreto Normanhurst Visit

During Week 5 we will be joined here at All Hallows by nine Year 10 students and two teachers from Loreto Normanhurst from Monday to Thursday. 

As a boarding school with many students from rural communities in NSW, Loreto Normanhurst is committed to fostering a sense of community between rural and metro communities. The primary aim is to do this through developing the understanding of students from all schools involved in the partnership through an exposure to differing lifestyles. Loreto Normanhurst is a Catholic school and has looked to partner with other Catholic primary schools in rural NSW as the shared faith provides a common connection between our communities. Loreto has been in partnership with Dunedoo and Coolah stretching back eleven years and we are excited to be invited into the partnership again this year for our fourth year. The Year 10 students will be helping with classes and around the schools, as well as teaching lessons in the afternoon. After school we will be providing them with some opportunities to explore rural life. We look forward to welcoming the Loreto staff and students to our community in Week 5.

Moorambilla Visit

Monday 3rd March we will be joined by the people from Moorambilla Choir. They will be at school from 2.00pm - 3.00am listening to our students sing. This is a great opportunity for our students to learn from some very talented people.

Student Representative Council

Two years ago we were delighted to announce the establishment of our Student Representative Council (SRC) at All Hallows School. The SRC is a vital platform for student leadership and engagement, providing a voice for our students in school matters and fostering a sense of community and responsibility. Our elected class representatives will have two terms as representative for their class before we elect two new representatives in Term 3 and 4. 

They will also be presented with SRC Badges at our Opening Mass tomorrow along with the rest of the school's leadership team. 

The SRC will work closely with the school executive and with our SRC teachers Mrs Kelly, Mrs Clift and Mrs Menchin to address student concerns, organise events, and contribute to the overall improvement of our school environment. Congratulations to all students who were elected for the first two terms.

Rugby League Dunedoo

The Yeo Rugby League competition will be held in Dunedoo this year on Wednesday 26th March. Notes will come home next week and training will commence in Week 5. This is always a great day. There will be a 21 seater bus available and  Mr Rogers and Mr Toole will accompany the students to Dunedoo for the day.

Support Writing at Home

Supporting early stage writing at home is an important part of a child's development, as it helps them to develop their communication skills and lays the foundation for future academic success. Here are some tips for supporting early stage writing at home:

1. Encourage scribbling: Give your child crayons, markers, and paper and encourage them to make marks and scribble. Even though it may not look like writing to you, this is an important stage in developing their writing skills.
2. Read together: Reading with your child is a great way to help them develop their language and writing skills. Encourage your child to ask questions about the story, predict what might happen next, and make connections to their own experiences.
3. Provide writing materials: Make sure your child has access to a variety of writing materials, such as pencils, pens, crayons, markers, and paper. You can also provide writing materials that are fun and engaging, such as stickers or special notebooks.
4. Model writing: Let your child see you writing, whether it's making a grocery list or writing a letter to a friend. This helps them to see the value of writing and understand that it is a part of everyday life.
5. Practice writing letters and numbers: Help your child practice writing letters and numbers by drawing them on paper or using tactile materials, such as sand or clay.
6. Play word games: Playing simple word games, such as "I Spy" or rhyming games, can help your child develop their language skills and become more comfortable with writing.
7. Praise effort, not just results: When your child shows an interest in writing, praise their effort and encourage them to keep practising. Focus on the process of writing and the effort they put into it, rather than just the end result.

Remember that every child develops at their own pace, so be patient and encourage your child to keep practising and exploring their writing skills. By providing a supportive and encouraging environment, you can help your child develop the skills they need for success in school and beyond

Merit Awards - Week 2 Term 1