Dear parents and carers,

It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through the school year. I have had the pleasure of reading reports and it is great to acknowledge the high engagement levels of students as they strive to reach their learning goals. I also commend the commitment of our staff in creating amazing learning activities and opportunities within the school.

Over the past six months, we have had to close our middle playground in order for a significant upgrade to occur. Constant rain has resulted in this project being delayed. Work is now proceeding and progress is clearly being made. It is anticipated that the playground will be operational in early term 3. Upon completion, students will have access to an all-weather playground with a variety of interactive and accessible equipment.

Looking ahead to term 3, we will be returning to school in the middle of flu season. The current department directions for both staff and students is to stay at home if unwell, to get tested immediately for Covid-19 if you become symptomatic and to isolate until you receive a result. I would like to thank our school community in advance for continuing to follow these measures in order to keep everyone safe.

The Holroyd School Community Hub is open again. Melanie from the Community Migrant Resource Centre is available every Thursday to discuss a range of matters such as Centrelink, the NDIS, and many more. You may just need assistance to complete a complicated form or advice on how to approach a particular problem. Melanie can direct you to the most appropriate contacts to support your enquiry. You are also welcome to just drop in and have a chat to some fellow parents. Everyone is welcome.

It has been a busy semester and term 3 is fast approaching with students returning on Tuesday 19 July.

Thank you.

Noel Gover

Relieving Principal

Dear parents and carers,

The P&C is still seeking support - by way of raffle prize donation - for our school concert to be held in term three. Your generous donation of money or a gift card would be greatly appreciated. Contact me at liz.brannon@yahoo.com.au if you can help.

Raffle tickets will be sent home with students soon for you to purchase.

A reminder that our next P&C meeting will be held at 9.30am on Wednesday 3 August, in the Community Hub (onsite at Holroyd School; enter via the school office). All parents and carers are welcome and encouraged to attend. These meetings are an invaluable opportunity to discover what is happening at school and to connect with fellow parents.

On a personal note, it is with great joy and excitement that Heather (my daughter) will be leaving Holroyd this term and starting at Merrylands Public School. I will be continuing my role as P&C President, so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to send me an email.

Thanks again for all your efforts - we have made it to halfway through another year!

Enjoy the holidays.

Liz Brannon

President

On 21 June the NSW Teachers Federation directed its members to strike for 24 hours on Thursday 30 June, 2022.

As a result of this strike, our school will be non-operational on Thursday 30 June, 2022 and no student supervision will be available.

This means you will need to make alternative care arrangements tomorrow for your child. To support learning from home, resources can be accessed on the department's website at https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/learning-from-home

Our focus remains the learning and wellbeing of our students. The department is prioritising work to resolve a new Teachers Award, with dates for arbitration in the Industrial Relations Commission reserved for October.

The Holroyd School Woolworths - which officially opened on site in late May - mimics the operations of a fully operational Woolworths supermarket.

To create a fully immersive experience, the mini store features two working cash registers, baskets for fresh food, shelving for groceries, ticketing, signage and uniforms.

This initiative will provide our students with a safe and controlled environment to develop hands-on social, work and life skills.

Take a look at these great photos of S24 students familiarising themselves with the store at the launch, which was attended by representatives from Woolworths, Fujitsu, the Community Migrant Resource Centre, the Holroyd School P&C, Merrylands Public School, parents and students.

Students in the Intensive Learning Support Program meet teachers Michelle and Kylie twice a week in the library for literacy and phonics activities and guided reading groups.

Here are some photos of our students using the school's recently purchased decodable readers.

Melanie from the Community Migrant Resource Centre is at the Community Hub from 9.30 to 12 every Thursday during school terms.

Everyone is welcome!

No appointment necessary. Enter via the school office.

J9's motto this term has been Work Hard, Play Hard.

We have taken advantage of the recent sunny weather and explored different areas of our school. Our favourite places are the Area 2 play equipment and senior rope climb.

In the classroom, we have been working hard on our weekly phonics program and number activities.

Thank you parents for your continued support this semester. We cannot do what we do without you!

J16 has been exploring People, Places and the Environment in this semester's geography unit of work. The class has created artwork to represent different environments; learnt the effect weather has on the Australian landscape; watched Youtube clips of familiar places; and studied Sydney icons in more depth, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and Taronga Zoo.

All the students enjoy both our weekly swimming lesson and cooking program (preparing and eating pikelets is a class highlight!)

Music is also a favourite among the J16 students. We love to select songs on the interactive whiteboard - especially 'Despacito' and 'I like to move it'!

What unit of work is the class studying this semester?

The students in S30 are participating in a hygiene program, where they practise teeth brushing and face washing.

In addition to daily Positive Behaviour for Learning lessons in class, we also participate in role play activities every Wednesday in the hall with our friends in classes S24 and S29.

What are the highlights of S30's weekly timetable?

We love cooking in S30. Our favourites so far have been french toast, pancakes with strawberries and icecream, fairy bread and fruit smoothies.

We also enjoy swimming, playing on the liberty swing and challenging our classmates to a board game, such as Snakes and Ladders, Memory, Zingo and Pop Up Pirate.

How does the class spend time outdoors each week?

So far this year we have really enjoyed learning new skills in a range of  sports, including golf, bocce, athletics (shot put, javelin and sprints) and soccer, with our buddy class S18.

Free time is often spent riding bikes and scooters and playing on outdoor equipment in the senior bike track.

What activities has the class enjoyed so far this year?

We had a wonderful day at the Variety Inclusion Sports Day, where we tried our hand at a range of sports including wheelchair basketball, soccer and lawn bowls.

We also had fun setting up a pretend 'animal adoption centre', 'vet' and 'pet grooming station' in our classroom. We enjoyed selecting pets, taking them to the vet, bathing them, and then paying for the services.

This semester we have also participated in life skills activities, including folding tea towels, pairing socks, packing showbags, vacuuming the floor and cleaning windows.

Do you have a message for S30 parents and carers?

Thank you for being so supportive. Please stay safe, healthy and warm this winter.

Wishing all our staff, students and families a safe and happy winter holiday.

The last day for Term 2 is this Friday 1 July, 2022.

Term 3 begins on Tuesday 19 July, 2022.