Dear Parents & Guardians,

Last week we announced our Grade 6 2025 school leaders. As mentioned in our last newsletter we were very impressed with the speeches and depth of abilities of our students. It is a pleasure to announce the following:

School Captains - Abbie Perry & Saxon Woods

School Vice Captains - Maya Hills & Daniel Bray

D’Arcy House Captains - Maddison Smith & Lachie Hutton

D’Arcy House Vice Captains - Grace Erends & Cash Tennant

Doyle House Captains - Addison Daniels & Fletcher Perry

Doyle House Vice Captains - Ebony Ashlin & Hayden Crosswell

Young House Captains - Heidi Cetkovic & Taylan Brown

Young House Vice Captains - Lexie Lovell & Noah Nomikos

Congratulations to these students - we are looking forward to working with you in 2025.

Thank you to the students who came along and participated in the Myer Hobart Christmas Pageant on the 23rd of November. They were amazing in their costumes and waving at the crowd. I think we were the only float who shared the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth. Sometimes in all the excitement of Santa, we forget the true reason we celebrate Christmas. It was very special to share this moment with all the spectators.

Our P-2 Carnival Athletics Carnival was held recently. We were blessed with beautiful sunshine, enthusiastic students and lots of cheering parents! Such joy was on the students' faces as they participated in their events.  Thank you to Mr Johnson and the staff who helped with the organisation, setting up and running the events. Well done to our amazing Grade 6 students who ably assisted throughout the day!

On Monday evening we had the joy of celebrating our Grade 6 students at their Leavers Dinner. This was a lovely opportunity to share memories, celebrate friendships and reflect on the ending of the primary school journey.

When we think of Christmas, we’re tempted to think of it as just one day, or a holiday period at the end of the year characterised by Mass, presents and family get-togethers.
But Christmas is far more than just a day, it’s a liturgical season, dedicated to the Birth of our Lord. 

Let us remember the importance of kindness, generosity, and gratitude. Let us remember the reason for the season as we celebrate God’s greatest gift to us, His only Son. May the joy of the season fill our hearts and homes, creating lasting memories with family and friends. May we take time to be grateful for all this year has offered and to reflect on our many blessings at home, in the community and here at Holy Rosary Catholic School.

As we approach the joyous celebration of Christmas, I along with all the Holy Rosary Catholic Staff extend a warm and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. In this season of love and reflection, I am reminded of the incredible community we have here at Holy Rosary Catholic School.  Together, we have shared moments of growth, learning, and camaraderie, and as we come together to celebrate the birth of Christ, I am filled with gratitude for the wonderful families that make our wonderful School Community.

Christmas is a time to embrace the spirit of giving, kindness, and love. It is a season that unites us all, transcending boundaries and fostering a sense of togetherness. As parents/guardians, your role in shaping the character and values of your children is paramount, and during this festive season, let us reflect on the profound impact our collective efforts have had on them.  

Let us remember the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. His teachings of love, compassion, and humility serve as a guiding light for us all. As you gather with your loved ones, may the joy of His presence be felt in your homes, bringing peace and harmony to your families.

This Christmas, let us also take a moment to appreciate the diversity that enriches our school community. Our unity in faith is a source of strength, and it is through understanding and respect for one another that we truly embody the teachings of Christ.

May the holidays bring you moments of joy, reflection, and connection with your loved ones. May your homes be filled with the warmth of love and the laughter of family and friends. As we embark on this festive journey, let us carry the spirit of Christmas in our hearts and share it with those around us.

Mrs Libby Piesse

“Christmas is the privileged occasion to highlight one of the most influential Christian values:  with the birth of Jesus, in the simplicity and poverty of Bethlehem, God gave back dignity to every human being’s existence. He offered to all people the possibility to participate in his same divine life. May this immeasurable gift always find hearts ready to receive it!” 

Pope John Paul 2

Wednesday was perfect excursion weather and Grades Three, Four and Five headed to the Botanical Gardens to make the most of it.  This year’s pantomime was an all-singing, all-dancing version of Alice in Wonderland.  

After the show, there was some time to enjoy recess and explore our surroundings before setting off for Cornelian Bay.  Students accepted the challenge of the 3-kilometre walk along the bike track.  After lunch it was time for the Annual Panto-Ashes cricket match, the inaugural mixed soccer cup and some playground activities.

Thank you so much to all the staff for working well together on the day, especially Mrs West who went above and beyond the call of duty supervising water bottle refills and toilet visits.

We look forward to next year.

Axl Rose once sang about the cold November Rain. Thankfully he was off the mark on the 22nd of November as the sun shone through onto God's country here at Holy Rosary. The P-2 gang rolled out onto the hallowed turf ready for a day of fun, fitness and friendships! The preps were magnificent in the field events, vortexes flew through the air with great distance and accuracy. When it came to the blue riband event of the 100m, our Grade 2s in their last appearance in the junior school carnival were simply magnificent! A big thanks to our parents who came out and enjoyed the day! (coffee van next year??) I would also like to thank our P-2 staff who battled through novelty games, field events and the heat of the sun supporting our kids throughout the day. I'd also like to thank Mr Damien Riza, Harry Van Kraanen and Lucy Shaw for giving up their time to support the carnival, helping set up and explaining 'skibidi' to me.  Look out for the splash days coming up in week 9! 

On Friday the 29th, 12 students from Holy Rosary participated in the Schools Triathlon Challenge. We are so proud of their athletic efforts!

Congratulations to all our Maths Olympiad Teams for 2024!

Holy Rosary entered 2 teams into a series of Mathematical Olympiad competitions, fantastic discussions, and deep thinking. We focused on fun, learning from each other, stretching our thinking, had fantastic discussions, deep thinking and laughing at our mistakes. “It really helps to understand the maths problem when you talk about it!” It has been wonderful to see such positive attitudes to learning. We had to use problem- solving strategies such as deductive thinking and also use logic and reasoning skills. Students were selected for these teams based on their mathematical problem-solving skills and their willingness to challenge themselves. Grades 3-4 worked in pairs to solve 5 questions in 30 minutes (Maths Explorer) and Grades 5-6 worked individually on their 5 questions for 30
minutes. (Maths Olympiad Junior Division). Special Mention goes to Anna Tram for receiving a Special Achievement Award and keyring. Also, to our top High Achievers in the Junior Division, William Bray and Poppy Roberts. They also received a Top 25% Achiever Patch and Medal.

This week (3rd-5th of December) will be our final week of Breakfast Club for the year. 

Breakfast Club will return next year and we will update families when it is back up and running.

We are so thankful to our ongoing sponsor Banjos Claremont for their generosity. 

Back to school pre-orders can be collected before the end of the year or in the new year.

If you would like to collect your order before the end of the year, please contact the office to arrange a collection time between the 2/12 - 9/12/24.

If you prefer to collect in the New Year you can do so from Tuesday the 28th January. You do not need to call us to organise a time.

The Uniform shop is now closed but we will open the uniform shop for back to school purchases on Thursday the 30th of January 9am-12pm. Limits will apply of one of each item and subsequent items can be placed on back order. We kindly ask that one family enter the shop at a time.