Just a reminder, as part of our uniform policy, black shoes are required for all days including sports days. Black joggers are the way to go as they can be worn every day. Some examples of acceptable shoes are pictured below

Some of the shoes that will not be acceptable are the following     

Please consider this when purchasing for 2020.

Wishing all of our families a very Merry Christmas and a Hapy New Year.

May you all enjoy your holidays and be renewed for another year of learning in 2020.

Get in the Spirit

Paul 

As we busily prepare for Christmas:  planning, cleaning, spending, giving, attending breakups and various events, it is important we take a moment and reflect on what it all means for us and our families.  The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Christ, our Saviour, at Christmas.  All the readings in the Mass advise us most urgently to make ourselves ready, to be on the alert, to turn aside from our errant ways, and give more time to God in our lives.  The season of Advent encourages us to reflect and prepare for the coming of Jesus who came to show us a new way of being with God, ourselves and each other. 

This week at Holy Spirit we value patience.  Patience is a person's ability to wait something out or endure something tedious, without getting riled up.  Having patience means you can remain calm, even when you've been waiting forever or dealing with something painstakingly slow or trying to teach someone how to do something and they just don't get it.  This week, as we end the school year and enter the season of Advent, we pray our students and families show patience towards others and be on the lookout to help those in need.

ST VINCENT DE PAUL HAMPER:  A BIG THANK YOU to all who have generously donated items for our annual Christmas Hamper that was given to St Vincent de Paul this morning during our liturgy.  What a wonderful way to start the Christmas season by showing care and mercy for those less fortunate in our community. 

THE ADVENT WREATH:  The Advent wreath is a traditional centrepiece of the Christmas season.  A candle is lit on each of the four Sundays preceding Christmas.  The first candle (violet) represents hope, the second (violet) peace, the third (rose) joy and the fourth (violet) love.  The central white candle is lit on Christmas Day and represents Christ.  The word ‘advent’ means ‘coming’; lighting the candles on the Advent wreath symbolises the coming of Light (Jesus) into the world.  The Advent Wreath teaches us about Christian preparation for celebrating Jesus’ birth and making our hearts truly ready to receive Him.  Making an advent wreath and praying a blessing each week with your children is a wonderful way to countdown to Christmas. 

This week I end the year again with one of my favourite reflections.  I often use this reflection as a starting point to think of all the good things that have happened both in our school and lives.  I am sure that many of you have heard it before, but it is always good to hear it again.  At times there are a number of situations/circumstances that can impact everyday life at school but with a positive attitude, anything is possible.

One of the greatest Christian figures of the 20th Century, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta, herself no stranger to "mobbing" in her prayer the Final Analysis, gives us courage in the tribulations that we face in our various social contexts, when we become the victims of lies, deceit, scheming and innuendo: "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centred; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you; be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others may destroy overnight; create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today will often be forgotten; do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it may never be enough; give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway".

                                                                                                       (Mobbing is an emotional assault)

I hope you all have an enjoyable holiday and I look forward to seeing you all next year in 2020 to start the year again.  Best of luck to our Grade 6 senior students moving into High School and future endeavours.  Your contribution to Holy Spirit Catholic School will be remembered.

Have a safe and happy holiday. 

God bless.

Caroline Fuller

School finishes at 12.00pm this Friday!

Coloured Clothes Day!

The Christmas Eve Parish Mass will be held in The Lynch Family Hall this year.  Once again, the parish is inviting our students to sing carols before the 6pm Mass.  If you would like your child to participate, please send an email  or call the office. 

Everyone is welcome to join in this celebration.

STAFF

Farewell to Mrs Eylse Walsh, Miss Erin Todd, Miss Lara Burns and Miss Tiffany McFadzean. We are grateful for their work with our students and the school community.  We wish them all the best for 2020.

Farewell to Mrs Lyn Brodnik who has served Catholic Education for more than 40 years.  Mrs Brodnik has worked with many of our students, in particular in the learning and enrichment area.  We wish her all of lifes blessings in her retirement.  Mrs Brodnik, may the road  rise to meet you and the wind be at your back, may the Lord hold you always in the hollow of His hand.  God Bless.

STUDENTS

We wish all our Year 6 students all the best for high school, thank you to their families for their support of our school community.

Tonight we will formally farewell our Year 6 students at our Awards Night.

Students are required to wear their academic uniform and be in attendance by 6.45pm.

Year 6 students are invited to bring a plate to share. 

Any Year 5 parents who can assist with the supervising of supper please contact Mrs Noye via the school office 4779 4255 or email cnoye@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au.

Students in the Holy Spirit School Orchestra (Concert Band and String Ensemble) and Grade 4 and 5 Choir are invited to perform for this special school event. 

Congratulations to all students on their magnificent behaviour and effort at the swimming carnival on Friday.  Thanks to all parents who came along to help and cheer on the swimmers.  And a special CONGRATULATIONS to Branagan Blues for taking out the Champion Trophy.

Lost Property will be cleared out over the holidays so please come in to check for anything you have lost.

The school office will be open Monday 09 December to Thursday 12 December - 9am to 3pm.

January 2020 -
The office will be open from 13^th January 2020 – 9am to 3pm.
Normal office hours resume from 28th January 2020 – 8am to 4pm.

Any enquiries can be emailed to crnbrk@tsv.catholic.edu.au

The Tuckshop will continue trading until tomorrow Thursday 5 December and will be closed for Friday 6 December, the last day of the school year.

A special thank you to all of our volunteers who have supported the tuckshop all year -  your help is very much appreciated.

Merry Christmas from Gayle and Linda   

A full calendar of events is available for viewing on the school’s website.

Holy Spirit Catholic School Calendar

Holidays are here again so please have a safe journey, if you are travelling anywhere.  Christmas and New Year blessings to everyone!

We would like to thank everyone who answered the call for donations of breakfast spreads this year.  

My dear students, parents and friends,

We have come to the close of another very eventful, grace-filled and memorable
school year at Holy Spirit Catholic School. As the curtain falls on this school
year undoubtedly we have a lot to be grateful to the Lord. This year was the
Jubilee Year for our school and we celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the
beginning of our school. Obviously it was a tremendous opportunity to thank
the Lord for all the very many blessings that He has showered upon our school
and upon thousands and thousands who were past students of this school. We
need to gratefully remember the past principals, teachers, staff, parents and
friends and all the other well-wishers who have contributed to the growth of our
school. We are what we are today because of their vision, hard work and
selfless service.

As we come to the close of this school year we are also grateful
to our teachers and staff who have very generously helped us to grow in
wisdom, knowledge and Christian values. I hope and pray that our Grade 6
students who are bidding good-bye to the Holy Spirit School will always
cherish their primary school life here and share with their new friends the
wonderful Christian values they picked up from here and more importantly how
to find strength in the Holy Spirit. I make this opportunity to wish them all the
very best in their future studies and thank them for being part of the Holy Spirit
School. To the other students I wish happy and safe holidays.

As you all know it is Christmas in a few weeks’ time and I am very happy to
inform you that this year our Christmas Eve Mass on December 24 at 6.00
pm will be held in our Holy Spirit School Lynch Hall. Please come along for
the Christmas Mass and make the holidays special and blessed. We also have a
Midnight Mass at 12.00 and Christmas Day Mass at 8.30 am, both in the Holy
Spirit Church. Wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hope to see you at the
Mass together with the other members of your family.

In His Love, Your Fr. John

To all the families leaving us this year,

thank you for your contribution to life at Holy Spirit Catholic School!

Natalie Arnel

(School Psychologist)

narnel4@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au

All uniform supplies are available at The School Locker, Domain Central (close to Bunnings).

Phone 1800 826 155

The School Locker

Uniform days for students:

Monday and Wednesday - Formal uniform
Tuesday and Thursday - Sports uniform
Friday - own choice
Senior shirts may be worn on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Parents, it is essential that you advise the office if your child is going to be absent. This can be done by emailing absent@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au or via the compass app.