From the Principal
We had a great week at school. And a wonderful day in particular Friday, despite the rain!
One of the nice things as we enter the “home stretch” of the year is that we get the opportunity to meet next year’s Kindergarten students and their lovely families. The orientation day was Friday for half of them and the other half will come next Friday.
One of the most touching aspects of our orientation day was the extraordinary work of our “buddies.” The buddies, a group of older students who have volunteered to help our newest additions, went above and beyond to ensure that the incoming Kindergarten students felt safe, secure, and well-looked-after. The “family” feel our school has, I don’t think is better highlighted than through these wonderful year 4’s and 5’s and how they were so patient, caring and superbly supportive to our new students.
The role of these buddies goes far beyond simple mentorship; they are the guiding lights, the first friends, and the shoulders to lean on for our youngest students. Their assistance in helping the newcomers find their classrooms, sharing their experiences, and offering a friendly face in a sea of new faces made all the difference.
Moreover, the year 2024 marks a historic milestone for our school. For the first time in 44 years, our school will have two classes in the same grade. This decision was made to ensure that we avoid waiting lists and remain accessible to every family who wishes to entrust their child’s education to us. We believe that no child should miss out on a quality Christian education. I know our school will still remain a “small school” and the family feel that I just mentioned will remain strong and the amazing links between families, students and staff remains at the heart of our school.
I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the incredible work of Mrs. Stevens, who has done a superb job again in Kindergarten this year, and the wonderful performance that our Kindies (2023) produced yesterday was so great to watch. The costumes were incredible.
In the coming weeks, I will be providing a more in-depth update on several developments within our school for 2024 and beyond.
May the grace of God guide us as we nurture and educate the next generation, and may our school continue to be a beacon of hope, love, and knowledge for years to come.
My door is always open,
Joe Britton
Lunch Order!
Our Term 4 Lunch Orders! Thank you again to Georgette and her team for providing this service to our school community.
Please see below the menu and associated links for you to order lunches.
1 November : Sausage sizzle with or without a drink (Click Here)
8 November : Cheeseburger with or without a drink (Click Here)
15 November : Chicken, Lettuce and Mayo Wrap with or without a drink (Click Here)
22 November : Chicken Burger with option to remove lettuce or mayo with or without a drink (Click Here)
29 November : Sausage Sizzle with or without a drink (Click Here)
6 December : Chicken Tenders and Chips with or without a drink (Click Here)
A reminder our orders close on Tuesdays at 11am.
If you have any questions, please email or speak with Mrs Jordaan (pa@hpcs.nsw.edu.au).
2024 School Dates
Term 1
| Commences | ||
| Teaching Staff | Monday | 22 January 2024 |
| Years 1-6 | Monday | 29 January 2024 |
| Kindergarten | Wednesday | 31 January 2024 |
| Finishes | ||
| Whole school | Friday | 12 April 2024 |
| 11 weeks | ||
Australia Day Holiday: Friday 26 January
Easter Public Holidays: Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April
Anzac Day Public Holiday: Thursday 25 April (in school holidays)
Term 2
| Commences | ||
| Whole School | Monday | 29 April 2024 |
| Finishes | ||
| Whole School | Friday | 5 July 2024 |
| 10 weeks | ||
Mother’s Day: Sunday 12 May
King’s Birthday Public holiday: Monday 10 June
Term 3
| Commences | ||
| Teaching Staff | Monday | 22 July 2024 |
| Students | Monday | 29 July 2024 |
| Finishes | ||
| Whole School | Friday | 27 September 2024 |
| 9 weeks | ||
Father’s Day: Sunday 1 September
Term 4
| Commences | ||
| Whole School | Monday | 14 October 2024 |
| Finishes | ||
| Whole School | Friday | 6 December 2024 |
| 8 weeks | ||
Labour Day Public Holiday: Monday 7 October (in school holidays)
Getting ready for 2024!
HopePoint has partnered with Lendy Park Christian school in Zimbabwe. The school faces many difficulties and we will only be able to help out even with a few of those. Our main concern is to help children, whose parents cannot afford to send them to school, pay the school fees.
We will continue in Term 4 to raise funds to help ensure we are making a positive impact and supporting a family in Zimbabwe.
We will be using OZ Labels for our fundraising. OZ Labels designs and creates name stickers for children and adults. These stickers can be used to label books, clothing, pencils, bottles, lunchboxes and so much more. They offer a variety of packages to choose from.
If you would like to order please use the following link and fundraiser code:
Fundraiser Page: https://www.ozlabels.com.au/
Fundraiser Code: FRS1524
Thank you!
Kindergarten Makes a Splash at Blue Water Swim School!
On Wednesday, Kindergarten started their very first intensive swimming lesson at the Blue Water Swim School. Donning their swimwear with excitement, they hopped on the bus and made a splash at the pool.
During the 45-minute lesson, they enjoyed every moment, kicking their way through the pool and blowing bubbles like underwater explorers. This lesson was not just about fun; it also provided us with a great opportunity to assess the children’s swimming skills and water comfort. We are proud of our Kindergarteners’ enthusiasm and progress.
We look forward to continuing these swimming adventures every Wednesday as part of our Sport program. Stay tuned for more updates on their swimming adventures!
Students of the Week
Congratulations to the following students for receiving Merit Awards this week:
Kindergarten
Alice Fernandes for an outstanding effort in The Wombat Stew performance!
Hezekiah Eliu for his amazing effort and participation in Devotions!
Oscar Bennetts for consistently showing our school values!
Year 2
Naiya Abdulbaki for her desire to start and finish task at a high standard.
Henrique Marques Barrozo for writing a cohesive and convincing exposition.
Valeti Tafiti for showing patience and kindness in every context.
Erka Purevdorj for his thoughtful and insightful responses in class discussions.
Year 3
Lilia Abdulbaki for always willing to help.
Mia Crolla for being actively involved in all our learning experiences.
Boaz Kaufmann for his neat and organised approach to all learning tasks.
Year 4
Emily Hoang for her correct use of direct speech in her writing.
Yan Ferreira Cortes for his outstanding effort in spelling.
Toakase Moala for her superb effort in reading and drawing graphs.
Year 5
Hannah Khoury for persisting in her work on identifying fractions
Tyler Gatsi for his problem solving in Science
Giulio Crolla for his work on creating circuits in Science
Year 6
Anna Barnes for producing an outstanding narrative during writing!
Angelica Lupo for her mature and positive contributions to Devotions!
Benjamin Skinner for an exceptional effort playing cricket for sport!
Save the Dates: Upcoming Dates
1 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lesson
2 November: 2024 Captains Speeches
3 November: Year 2 Chapel
3 November: 2024 Kindergarten Orientation Day 2
6 November: 2024 Captains Interviews
8 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lesson
10 November: Year 1 Chapel
13 November: CSSA Junior Primary State Basketball GD
15 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lessons
16 November: Year 5 Excursion – Bola Creek
17 November: Year 5 Chapel
20 November: CSSA Year 5/ 6 Primary State Basketball GD
22 November: Kindergarten Swimming Lessons
23 November: Stage One Excursion to Warragamba
24 November: Kindergarten Graduation Chapel
7 December: Year 6 Graduation Dinner
8 December: Year 6 Presentation and Graduation Chapel
8 December: Term 4 Ends