Message from Caritas Australia

'Caritas Australia would like to say a big thank you to all students and staff of Holy Cross College for your generous support of Project Compassion 2015. Your generosity has made it possible for Caritas Australia to support the world's poorest people to establish sustainable food sources for life. Together, we walk with them as they free themselves from the burden of food insecurity and develop income streams for a better future.'

Catholic schools in W.A.  donated a total of $246,082.13 to Project Compassion 2015 and $34,722.14 to the Caritas Nepal Earthquake Emergency Appeal.

Thank you and God bless.

Janet Palafox ibvm
Diocesan Coordinator - Perth archdiocese

T20 Cricket Meet and Greet day this weekend in Ellenbrook

Week 2 Sparks New Learning in the Junior School

Pre-Kindergarten

Welcome back to Spring Term! It has been wonderful to see the children settle back into the routines of Pre-Kindergarten so well. We are very fortunate to have Lexi and Max join our class this term and we welcome them and their families.

The beginning of the term will see us exploring the concept that God created people and they can come from all over the world and have many similarities and differences. It would be appreciated if you could talk to your child about their cultural background, as we will be exploring things such as traditional food, dance, costumes, transport, homes, etc. from around the world. If you have any photos you would like to bring in for your child to share, there will be many opportunities for this. 

The children have already been busy learning new skills such as cutting and the beginning of name writing. The children were very excited to have a go at writing their names and we have been doing this in a number of ways, including using magnetic letters, tracing their names on laminated sheets and also practising their names on the iPads. There is no expectation that the children will be able to write their name independently by the end of the year, although we are working on name recognition as well as developing fine motor skills in preparation for writing. 

I look forward to a fantastic term shared with you all.

Mrs Fretwell

Pre-Kindergarten Teacher 

Kindergarten C

The Kindergarten children were so excited to come back from holidays to find some new outdoor equipment to play with. A big thank you must go out to Mr Smyth and the high school students who put together the new tricycles which are getting a major workout around the racing car track.

This term in Big Ideas, we are investigating 'How Things Work¹. We have been very busy pulling apart laptops, appliances, toys and stereos and are amazed at how many internal parts they are made up of. We were especially excited to use real tools such as screwdrivers and spanners and investigate how many pieces are magnetic.

There is never a dull moment in Kindergarten!

Mrs Borg

Kindergarten C Teacher

Pre-Primary

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” Dr Seuss

Spring Term has welcomed the Pre-Primary students back to class as well as a robin, which has created a nest outside the classroom doors. She has been keeping an eye on the Junior School garden, fruit trees and sunflower seeds as well as the Pre-Primary students. She even watched the students eat freshly picked lettuce leaves and a sprinkle of cheese-YUM!

The students have been consolidating their knowledge of geometric shapes and extending their phonological awareness as they learn about word families, such as ‘-ot’ and ‘-og’. They problem solved when creating a village of houses out of recycled cardboard packing boxes. Initially they planned the design, measured the rough size and constructed the boxes. After they constructed their house they decorated it with puff paint.

Miss Pritchard

Pre-Primary Teacher

Year Two

Welcome back to Spring Term. It is great to see all of the students and parents smiling and welcoming faces. 

This term we have continued our learning in Geography through the introduction of iTunesU courses as a learning tool. The students are using the tool to engage in discussions about their learning, identify something positive about their peers' learning and offer suggestions for them to think about. The more discussions they are engaging in, the deeper and more reflective their learning is becoming. It is amazing to see the independence developing in the students. 

Our topic for Big Ideas this term is 'Guess Who’s Coming to Visit!’ Without giving too much away, this topic integrates the learning areas of Technology and Enterprise, Health and English. The students will be developing the skills of investigation and persuasion throughout the term.

Our focus in Mathematics is the application of mental strategies through word problems. We discuss the vocabulary used to solve the problem, check that we have completed everything as the problem asked and explain how we solved the problem. The students are also looking at the relationship between multiplication and division.

Mrs Ryan

Year Two Teacher

Other News

The Year Three students had a busy time this week being film stars as the College farewelled the Year 12 students. They left a unique message, inspired by author Serge Bloch, for the graduates to "Reach for the Stars".

Tuesday, 27 October at 6:00pm will be the Reconciliation Meeting for Candidates and Parents. The meeting will be held in the Parish Church. All students who have enrolled for the Sacrament are required to attend with a parent or adult. 

Annual Celebration Evening is on Thursday, 29 October at 6:30pm. This is not a compulsory event; however, families are most welcome to attend. For those who are attending, students must wear their College uniform including: College polo, shorts and tracksuit top with predominantly white sneakers. 

Melissa Croswell

Head of Junior School

22 October 2015

Year Nine Team Building Day

On Monday the Year Nine students travelled to HBF Stadium to take part in a Team Building Day. The cohort undertook a series of activities that were aimed to challenge them as individuals and also as teams. There was a lot of excitement, wobbly legs and butterflies in the stomach when it came to the leap of faith. This activity involved the students climbing 10 meters and then jumping off the top of a small platform to try and grab a trapeze. It really pushed the students and had many wanting to have another go.

The smaller group activities involved getting the students to communicate, work on their leadership and interpersonal skills to be able to complete certain tasks. It made the Year Nines really look at themselves individually and take responsibility for their actions whilst trying to work with others and support them to succeed. Overall it was a great day with perfect weather and some amazing experiences.

Are We Making Healthy Food Choices?

Students are encouraged to eat healthy food choices for recess snacks and lunch meals. For students who do not bring their own meals the College Cafe provides a variety of items for purchase. Families are reminded that meals, especially fast food items, are not to be brought to the College for delivery.

The Australian Government has released information relating to healthy eating for children. Follow the link www.eatforhealth.gov.au to read the brochure.

Melissa Croswell
19 October 2015

Anti-Poverty Week in Kindergarten

Welcome back to school! It was lovely to see the children all happy to be back with their friends with lots of stories to share about exciting holiday adventures. 

This week was Anti-Poverty Week, and to acknowledge this, the Kindergarten students undertook some experiences to develop their awareness of poverty in the world. Firstly we looked at all the wonderful toys and equipment we have in our classroom and then compared them to some photos of classrooms in the Central African Republic of Chad. We certainly appreciated how lucky we are to have so many luxuries.

Next, we explored how some people have to walk a very long distance to get water, which at times is often not very clean. We compared this to how fortunate we are to have unlimited access to clean water from a tap. To develop a better understanding of what this was like, we took some empty buckets on a very long scenic walk around the College until we eventually found a water source where we could gather our own water. The Kindergarten children then had to lug the very heavy and very full buckets all the way back to the classroom! There were a few complaints about how hard it was but there was definitely an element of appreciation to put the buckets down.

Back in class, the students were told that they would not be having any recess, lunch, or any other food for the rest of the day except for a small bowl of plain rice. The children were horrified at the thought! After a prayer of thanks to God for all the wonderful things we have, the children were permitted to enjoy the remainder of their meals for the day with a greater appreciation for what they have. It was heartwarming to hear the students reflect on their learning experiences and hopefully they will continue to think twice before complaining about “first world problems”. 

Mrs Tucker

Kindergarten H Teacher

15 October 2015

Spring Term has arrived!

Hats and Suncream are back as we move into the final term of the year. Students are reminded to wear their College Summer Uniform.

The Junior School Maths Club 

Students have the opportunity to stretch their mathematical thinking through the use of game play and manipulative materials. The Junior School Maths Club will meet in Tui Da Vinci between 3:00pm-4:00pm commencing Monday 19 Oct (Week 2) and concluding in Week 8. Parent helpers are most welcome. 

Swimming Lessons

The Years 1-3 students will participate in swimming lessons during Week 5 and 6 of Spring Term. Information and consent forms will be coming home shortly. Please keep your eye out for the flyers. 

Melissa Croswell
Head of Junior School
15 October 2015

Year One

After two weeks on holidays the students are feeling refreshed and eager to start the final term of Year One. This week we have been privileged to have another student join our class. Bailey has moved from Victoria and she is enjoying making new friends in the class. We welcome Bailey and her family to Holy Cross College.

Our Physical Education focus this term will be dancing! We will be looking at rhythm and beat and will endeavour to create a dance to showcase later in the term.

During Religious Education our unit of work is focusing on creation. We have viewed a video about the seven days of creation and developed a creation wheel illustrating the things God created on each day. We have learnt a poem in the tune of ‘This Old Man’, about the days of creation too.

It’s DAY ONE and God made light.

Now there is difference in day and night.

God spoke the words and it came true.

I wonder what was made on day two?

It’s DAY TWO, what did God do?

He turned the skies and the water blue.

God spoke the words just look and see.

What will happen on day three?

It’s DAY THREE and God made land.

He created plants and the sand.

God made the grass and flowers to explore.

What will we learn about day four?

It’s DAY FOUR and God made lights,

some for the days and some for nights.

The sunshine makes the day so alive.

What will be made on day five?

It’s DAY FIVE creatures are alive!

Animals for the waters and skies.

He added creatures in the mix.

What will God make on day six?

It’s now DAY SIX, what would God fix?

Animals, mankind and even ticks.

God made them all straight from Heaven.

What will God do on day seven?

It’s been six days, now it’s DAY SEVEN!

God rested from all He created in Heaven.

He made the Earth, the stars and sun.

It was good what God had done!

Throughout Mathematics this week we have been developing our confidence with forwards and backwards counting. The students have been collecting magic beans when a particular number is called. We have also plotted numbers on number lines and looked at skip counting in twos, fives and tens.

Next week our news programme begins! Students will present an interview from a family member about the different facilities they use within our community. The news is linked to our Geography programme. 

Ms Behiels

Year One Teacher

Year Three

Spring Term is here and the Year 3 students are once again busy learning! We have an exciting term ahead with swimming lessons, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Christmas concert.

This week in Mathematics the children have been exploring length and ways we can measure using metres. We even drew pirate ships that were 10metres long, had a mast sail that was 5metres long and a plank that was 1metre long! The whole class was able to fit in as we sailed to Treasure Island.

The Year 3 children have also started a Civics and Citizenship unit where they are exploring the importance of rules and laws. Playing games where only one person knows the rules gets very confusing! We are glad that the rules at Holy Cross College are known by everyone. We have also looked at the rights and responsibilities we have here at school. We are looking forward to discovering how laws are made through democratic voting.

Miss Henderson
Year Three Teacher