At this time of year we know there will be tropical downpours, often when children are arriving or leaving school! Students may wear wet weather shoes e.g. gumboots, sandals etc., however, they will need to bring their school shoes/joggers for PE and outdoor activity.

MSP Photography have sent messages for online orders for school photos. Envelopes are also available for those families not wanting to order online. These envelopes have been sent home with students. Over the week-end, there were some glitches with the online portal at MSP's end. Please be aware that the school collects envelopes and passes this on to the photographer. We do not take payments as this is with the photographer. School photos are scheduled for March 1 and 3. Timetable will be in the newsletter next week.

All families that use the pick up zones have now been issued with their family name signs.  Could these please be displayed prominently in your vehicle so as to streamline the pick up process. 

Happy Days,

Paul Martin

Lent begins today with Ash Wednesday.  For Catholics, this day is marked

  
by fasting and the use of ashes.  The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday.  The ashes for us symbolise penance that we are sorry for our sins and we would like to change and live the Gospel values as God wants us to.  It is a time to grow and change, just as the land springs back to life after a bushfire, we too can grow back to find new life with God.  As we prepare for Easter, we reflect on the great sacrifice of Jesus who died on the cross for us.  Lent is a time we can improve our relationships with God and others through fasting, prayer and giving.

This week at Holy Spirit we value justice.  Justice, for many people, refers to fairness.  We should always be looking to discover ways in which we are called to be people for others.  We are called to:  show dignity to others; help those in need with the essentials required for a decent life (food, clothing and shelter); pay special attention to the needs of those who are poor; care for one another; care for all that God has made.  One way we can do this over the coming week’s is to put money aside for Project Compassion.  This week we pray that our students support those around them in need by giving up something for others.  

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia's annual Lenten fundraising and awareness-raising appeal.  Millions of Australians come together in solidarity with the world's poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.  Over the coming weeks, a feature story from the Caritas Australia website will be shared.

This year’s theme for Project Compassion is “Be More”.  The first week’s feature story is with Jamila from Bangladesh.  Twenty-two-year-old, Jamila, is a single mother, living in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh.  A Rohingya woman, she fled the armed conflict in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to save herself, her elderly mother and eight-month-old baby daughter.  Having been abandoned by her husband, she faced life in the camp on her own.

Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people have crossed into Bangladesh since August 2017. Over 1.3 million people remain in the densely populated camps, in desperate need of    humanitarian assistance.

Thanks to the generosity of Caritas Australia’s supporters and through our partnership with Caritas Bangladesh, Jamila had access to emergency food and shelter. Then, as her stay in the camp stretched on, Jamila joined the Women Friendly Spaces project where she received counselling and emotional support. She learnt about health and hygiene, participated in a parenting program and learnt sewing skills, to help her to earn an income.  Jamila now has a sense of community around her and feels less alone and more supported - and she is able to ‘Be More’ to her family.  “I want to offer my thankful greetings to those who are kindly thinking of us from overseas”, Jamila says. “Thank you, and thanks Caritas Australia.”

PROJECT COMPASSION BOXES:  This week, each family will receive a Project Compassion box.  We encourage our students to give up some foods they enjoy such as MacDonald’s, lollies, soft drink etc. or spend time doing jobs for family and placing the money saved into the boxes to help others in need.  Boxes can be returned to the Office at the end of Lent.  For more information about CARITAS and its work go to www.caritas.org.au 

God bless.

Caroline Fuller

We are looking forward to holding the Holy Spirit Fete on Friday, 14 May! This is the annual event which our students and the wider community love to attend. 

Please put this date into your calendar. If you can contribute to our dodger prizes (over $100) or the Cent Sale prizes (less than $100) please contact the Fete Committee fete@hsstsv.catholic.edu.au

Please find the link to order the Holy Spirit Indigenous Shirt below. 

Please note these shirts are optional.

https://blackchrome.com.au/shop/holy-spirit-catholic-school/

The Indigenous shirts can be worn on the following days for Term 1:

• Week 6 - Friday 5th March - Clean up Australia day for schools - acknowledging Indigenous people as custodians of the land.
• Week 8 - Friday 19th March - Close the Gap day.
• Week 9 - Wednesday 24th March - Harmony Day - Indigenous shirts or Orange Shirts. 

Holy Spirit Catholic School uses Flexischools ordering system.  To register, login or to place orders, please click this link:  

Flexischools

We are open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8am in the Hall.

Your support with donations of bread, spreads, vegemite, jam etc. (excluding peanut based spreads) would be appreciated.  

A big thank for the donations received, please keep them coming, expecially bread!

Well..... here we are week 4 already, Zita and I have taken an updated photo of ourselves so you can finally put our face to our names. 

Hope you all have been doing well settling into the school community, just a reminder that Zita and I are available everyday through the school office or by email.  One of us is also available before school on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as we assist with the Breakfast Program from 8am, so it would be lovely to see you come along to say hello with the children for a warm piece of toast. 

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.

If your child is going to be absent, please enter the details through Compass, as this is the most efficient way to inform the school.