Dear Parents and Carers,

Term 3 has been a busy and engaging one. Many of you took the opportunity to meet with your child's teacher to discuss their report and review their individual learning plan. I hope you found the meeting useful. Our deputy principals, Annie Baker and Noel Gover, will be telephoning a random sample of parents to ask what you thought about the additional parent-teacher meeting.

The P&C, supported by school staff, hosted a Comedy for a Cause fundraiser at Guildford Leagues Club. Thank you to the 121 parents, family members, staff and friends who supported the fundraising evening; your gift of time and money is appreciated by our school community. It was a fun night with loads of laughs!

This week is Book Week, with a range of exciting book-related learning activities planned for your children. Of course, don't forget to join us on Friday 24 August for the Book Parade. Students, and no doubt some staff, will be dressing up as their favourite book character. Come and join the fun. There will also be a book fair where you can purchase a book for the school library.

We are hoping that by the end of the term, all the building works are completed on the new pathway to our 'sports field' and parent and community centre. We look forward to being able to share this with you.

Some dates to keep in mind for this term include:

24 August - Book Parade and Book Fair

13 September - School Concert

27 September - Primary School Sports Carnival

28 September - High School Sports Carnival

Next term there will be other opportunities to work together to support the students.

Save the date: This is too good to miss!

19 December - parent learning day with Kathryn Berkett. Kathryn works with schools and other community organisations and explains the neuroscience of things like stress, trauma, wellbeing and the impact on our lives. Although this sounds complicated, Kathryn makes this information so easy to understand and act upon.

Kathryn recently presented to NSW special education leaders at our annual conference. She was so good we booked her for you! She's coming from New Zealand just to work with you and our staff the following day.

"Kathryn is very accommodating, readily answers questions and is obviously an expert in her field. Our parents and staff are still talking about Kathryn's presentations a year after she spoke and I would love to have her back again".

And now I have a favour to ask. PLEASE complete the Tell Them From Me survey when it becomes available on Monday. We value your opinions because it helps us to make this great school even better. Last year only 13 parents completed the survey. Let's make it 100% this year! There will be help available from the P&C if you need it.

Until next time,

Anne Flint

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you to the 121 parents, staff, friends and family that attended the Comedy for a Cause night at Guildford Leagues Club on Friday 10 August. The evening was a great success, raising more than $2000 for our school. It was a lovely opportunity to mingle with fellow parents, family members and Holroyd staff. Special mention to Fine Shine Detailing and the Adamski family for their generous donations.

The Holroyd P&C is having its first Annual General Meeting in October to elect new committee members. If you are interested in joining the P&C Committee please contact me on 0438 530 531. Committee members pay a $1 joining fee and meet monthly.

We will be hosting our annual Father's Day Stall on 31 August. If you can spare some time to assist on the day, please send me an SMS (phone number above). We have sourced many wonderful gifts for our students to purchase for their fathers, grandfathers and other special loved ones.

We also look forward to seeing you all at the upcoming Book Week Parade and School Concerts.

Until next time,

Gricel Mendez

P&C President

How long have you worked at Holroyd School?

2018 is my second year.

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Sunday afternoons at Ryde Public Pools.

What was your favourite subject at school?

I have three ..... English, French and Maths. Don't make me decide.

If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be?

Five pairs of my favourite sneakers. That would give me 25 combinations to wear!

What is your favourite book?

I love The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer, and The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth.

If you could invite any three guests to a dinner party, who would they be?

My nonna (grandma), celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and Elvis. I dont think they'd get on, but hey, it's my party.

What is your favourite song to sing along to?

Bohemian Rhapsody ..... and yes, I do all the voices.

What pets did you have growing up?

The first pets we ever had were two budgies called George and Mildred.

What is your favourite day of the year?

I love Christmas Day. I get so excited seeing my family discovering what I've bought them.

What fad or trend do you hope comes back?

If it died a natural death, it was for a reason.

How long have you worked at Holroyd School?

Five and three-quarter years.

What is your favourite childhood memory?

Going to family picnics.

What was your favourite subject at school?

Sport (PDHPE).

If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be?

My phone, wallet, keys, soccer ball and car.

If you could invite any three guests to a dinner party, who would they be?

English football manager and former player, Steven Gerrard and American actors Dwayne Johnson and Harrison Ford.

What is your favourite song to sing along to?

One Kiss, by Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa.

What pets did you have growing up?

Dogs, cats, birds and a mouse.

What is your favourite day of the year?

May 1, the anniversary of my first date with my fiancee.

What fad or trend do you hope comes back?

The afro!

Holroyd School is currently holding a read-a-thon in conjunction with the Premier's Reading Challenge. During class lessons, each student will read or listen to a minimum of thirty books from the Premier's Reading Challenge book list. The read-a-thon also coincides with this week's Book Week activities.

Sponsorship cards were sent home to all families last Friday. These cards, plus any monies raised, should be returned to school by 31 August.

All students who complete the challenge will receive a certificate in late term 4. There will also be certificates awarded to both students and classes that raise the most funds and return the highest number of sponsorship cards.

Happy reading!

You're invited!

Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Zoo are offering our families sensory-friendly 'Quiet Mornings' between 8am and 10am on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 September.

RSVP by 10 September at ForceForGood@merlinentertainments.com.au with guest numbers and preferred arrival time.

Once registered on the day, families will also receive an all-day pass to visit other attractions, such as Madame Tussauds Sydney and Sydney Tower Eye.

Please see flyers below for more information.

Holroyd students were treated to an interactive show by Indigenous performer Glen Thomas on Wednesday 1 August.

Glen's educational performance incorporated traditional song and dance, a Dreamtime story and demonstrations and workshops on various Indigenous artefacts, including the Yidaki (didgeridoo).

"Glen had a didgeridoo, two boomerangs, tapping stick and a spear.

"I played the didgeridoo. I blew into it. No sound came out. Sound only came out when Glen blew into it.

"My favourite part was hitting the didgeridoo with the tapping stick. It made a noise.

"Aboriginals use the spear for hunting. Glen talked about all the animals they hunt. They hunt kangaroos, emus, fish and turtles.

"All the boys stood in a line to make a snake. Glen was at the front. I was next.

"Glen danced. He tapped his feet on the floor. He danced like a kangaroo."

Isaac, J7

Holroyd School hosted a soccer clinic run by coaches from the Western Sydney Wanderers on Monday 6 August. Students from across the school had a wonderful time practising shooting goals, being goal keepers and learning to dribble the ball. The clinic was a great success with our students eager to participate in soccer drills that were tailored to meet their ability levels.

Holroyd School has now implemented the SZapp App for iPhone and Android mobile phone users. This application will replace Skoolbag.

The SZapp App will allow Holroyd School to send free notifications straight to your phone to inform you of upcoming events and other important school information. It also offers users links to Holroyd School's website, Facebook page, newsletter archive and school calendar.

We are asking parents and carers to install the SZapp App onto their mobile phone as soon as possible. SZapp is completely free to download and use. Please see below for full installation instructions. However, if you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the school office on 9637 1219.

Thank you to Club Merrylands for its generous $8000 Community Grant donation to Holroyd School. This grant will enable us to continue to build strong partnerships with our families and communities.

Thank you to the team at Starr Partners Merrylands for its generous donation of $1415 to Holroyd School.

Its donation has enabled us to purchase innovative science and technology resources. This includes both the STEM Lego 2.0 (coding) and Sphere 2.0 (programming) resources, which inspire improvisation and discovery. These programs will be enjoyed by our students for many years to come.

J9 is well on track to receive a gold award in the 2018 Premier's Sporting Challenge, based on the 60-minutes of physical activity required each day.

The ten-week challenge encourages students to be more active, more often.

Physical activity isn't just about students keeping fit, it helps them to build resilience, improves concentration and supports their overall health and wellbeing.

Students in J9 complete an activity obstacle course, which includes gross motor movements such as jumping, crawling and hopping, every Wednesday in the mini gym. They also participate in movement activities during weekly sport and swimming sessions, at recess and playtimes, with their peer support buddies in S26, and simply while transitioning around the school grounds.

The class follows a structured gross motor 'in the zone' exercise program most mornings and is also learning yoga movements to encourage mindfulness.

Thank you to the students, parents and staff who have supported this wonderful challenge.

What has been the highlight of the year so far for S13?

Going to Reading Cinemas in Auburn with our friends in S14 and S18 to see the animated comedy Hotel Transylvania 3. It was our first excursion of the year and all the students really enjoyed it.

What unit of work is the class studying this semester?

We are learning about helpful members of the community, such as the police and ambulance service, in our unit of work titled 'Working Together'. Our ongoing term project is to create a large-scale wall mural which illustrates important members of our community. So far we have used materials such as cardboard sheets and boxes, paint and crepe paper.

What are the highlights of S13's weekly timetable?

Definitely our daily mobility program, which focuses on students' individual movement needs. They use walkers and standing frames, as well as participate in floor time. We also enjoy spending time outdoors at morning tea and lunch and during our weekly sport sessions.

Is there a message you would like to give to your students' parents?

Thank you for your ongoing communication and support. We are enjoying a productive third term!

S22 is having a great year and enjoying a wide variety of fun activities in addition to our class lessons.

We have been sailing at Rodd Point in Five Dock, ice skating at Macquarie Centre, disco dancing at Liverpool Catholic Club and ten-pin bowling at Wetherill Park.

On school grounds we have participated in Dream Cricket, gymnastics sessions with qualified instructors, a two-week swim school program, NAIDOC week activities (including a virtual reality experience) and played soccer with Josh and Eros from the Western Sydney Wanderers.

We have also partnered with our friends in S24 to learn about personal safety and to understand the feeling of 'hurt'. Students particularly enjoyed the role-play of receiving first aid to treat their particular 'hurt'.

We are currently working hard on our concert item and look forward to seeing our families enjoy our performance on 13 September.

Until next time,

Amanie, Abdulla, Kenny, Kevin, Kelly, Catherine, Tony, Maria and Joan.

In S24 we are busy each and every day striving to achieve our best in a wide range of learning programs. Despite being busy, we also ensure that we have lots of fun along the way!

Some of the highlights of our week include shopping for senior cooking lessons online and at the supermarket, peer support with J6 and swimming.

This year we have also participated in various community activities, including bowling, cooking a barbecue at Blaxland Riverside Park and catching the public bus to Westfield Parramatta. It is great to see our students becoming increasingly more confident when out in the local community.

Every Wednesday we also make sandwiches for staff, with all profits going towards our upcoming school camp. Students prepare the orders by matching the ingredients needed for the lunches and then delivering them to staff in various classrooms. This is hard work for the students but also very rewarding as we see our camp profits grow. We are all very excited!

This is what we have to say ...

"My favourite thing is swimming because I get to practise my paddling arms. I also like concert practise because I get to sign the words. S24 is fantastic!" Hanna.

"I liked going to Parramatta Westfields because I got to catch the bus and use my OPAL card. I also like to do work skills because I like doing work. S24 is fun!" Vincent

"I really like to play sports with S27. My favourite sport is soccer. S24 is good!" Amara

"I liked going to Parramatta Westfields because I got to order lunch in the food court and I like going on the bus. S24 is great." Janet

"My favourite activity this year was going to the cinemas to watch Hotel Transylvania 3. I also like going recycling because I like using the machine. S24 is awesome!" Robert

"My favourite activity is going shopping at Parramatta because I like going in the shops. I like delivering newspapers too because I get to put newspapers in the mailboxes. S24 is the best!" Anthony.

"My favourite lesson is art and craft because I like painting. I also like going recycling because I get to put the cans and bottles into the machine and get money for camp. S24 is perfect!" Jack

"My favourite thing is doing the online Coles shopping. I also like going to assembly because I get to sing the Australian National Anthem. S24 is fun and fantastic!" Jason