God of justice and mercy,
You have created us in your image – unique, diverse and deeply connected to one another.
Thank you for the richness of culture – for language, people, place, customs and values.
Help us treasure the things that shape who we are.

Today, we pray especially for the First Nations peoples of this land –
For healing where there is hurt,
For justice where there is truth,
And for reconciliation where there has been division.

Help us walk together,
With open hearts and listening spirits.
May we all feel "at home within" –
And work together so that others can feel that too.

Amen.

Dear Friends,

This week marks National Sorry Day (Monday the 26^th of May) and National Reconciliation Week (NRW). NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The week runs from 27 May to 3 June each year, marking two significant dates in our nation's reconciliation journey: the anniversary of the 1967 referendum (27 May) and the High Court Mabo decision (3 June 1992). These dates bookend a week that celebrates the respectful relationships shared between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.

The 2025 theme, 'Bridging Now to Next', encourages us to reflect on the progress made in reconciliation while looking forward to the work that still needs to be done. It's about building connections that span generations, cultures, and communities – creating pathways that lead from where we are today to where we aspire to be tomorrow. This theme invites us to consider how we can each play a role in bridging gaps, fostering understanding, and contributing to a more reconciled Australia.

The concept of bridging represents the ongoing journey of reconciliation – it's not a destination but a continuous process of building relationships, understanding, and respect between all Australians. In the NRW 2025 theme artwork (see above), created by Kalkadoon woman Bree Buttenshaw, native plants − known for regenerating after fire and thriving through adversity − symbolise our collective strength and the possibilities of renewal.

Over the last two weeks, we have congratulated our Year 4, Year 5 and Music Awards recipients for this term.  We have also celebrated the achievements of  those children who placed in our recent Athletics carnival.  Congratulations to all! 

Last week we also held or Community Council AGM and I am so grateful for the  wonderful support we received at this meeting.  I would like to thank and acknowledge all our Office bearers who finished there roles; in particular, I  would like to sincerely thank Cath Day.  Cath was the first Community Council Chair and has also been over the years, on our School Board and President of the P and F!!  She has made incredible contributions to our school community and I thank her sincerely for everything over the  last eight years.  Thank you Cath!  Please see below our first report and welcome from our new Community Council Chair, Stephen Carberry: 

Hi Holy Trinity families,

My name is Stephen Carberry, and I was recently elected as School Community Council Chair. Our family has been part of this wonderful community since 2017, and even with Audrey graduating Year 6 last year, we maintain our connection with the school through our other daughters, Violet (Year One) and Florence (Kindergarten).

The Council plays a vital role in linking families with our school. While we don't have governance authority, we're a crucial platform for you to share your skills and insights. This collective wisdom helps Philippa and school leaders make decisions that benefit all students and families.

I'm fortunate to be supported by a great team: Sarah Hassan (Deputy Chair), Courtney Kokic-Schmidt (Secretary), and Sarah Kendell (Communications Coordinator). We've also appointed Working Group Coordinators: Rowena Gribble (Events), Ginny Tapia (Uniform Shop), and Natasha Finnigan & Claire MacNamara (Food Bank).

 We have a few vacant roles, including Treasurer, ELC Representative, and Fundraising Coordinator. If you're interested in contributing your strengths to our school, please reach out to me at stephencarberryaus@gmail.com. I'd love to chat about how you can get involved.

 Exciting Initiatives & Upcoming Events

One of our key initiatives is re-invigorating the School Community Business Directory. This directory will connect families with local businesses within our school community, fostering networking and support. If you'd like your business included, please use https://forms.gle/j2axiJ9pnJVPqrLN7 to share your details. We're also looking for volunteers to help develop and maintain it!

To celebrate Holy Trinity Feast Day on Friday, June 13th, 2025, the Community Council will host a School Disco during school hours. The children can bust a move to the pumping sounds of DJ Feerick, and every child will receive a Zooper Dooper to keep the party vibes going all afternoon. More details will follow soon.

Our next School Community Council Meeting is at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, June 10th. We'll be planning all remaining school community events for 2025. Please join us if you'd like to help shape our community connections. Nibbles and drinks will be provided to ensure the good ideas are flowing.

 I'm always keen to hear diverse experiences and perspective from children and families in our community. Feel free to reach out via email or catch me in the Kitchen Garden during pick-up!

 Stephen Carberry

I also sincerely thank Stephen and all the new members mentioned for taking on these roles and committing to our new Community Council.  As mentioned, our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 10th of June at 6:30pm and all are welcome! 

There are a few families in our community, currently facing serious personal challenges.  Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Have a wonderful weekend and a peace-filled week ahead with your beautiful families.

Sacrament of Confirmation

Congratulations to our Year 6 Confirmation candidates who were presented to the parish this past weekend. Please see dates below for upcomimg events.

Global School Partners

Next Friday, come to school with CRAZY HAIR and a gold coin to donate to Evaland Hekima! 

Feelings can be expressed in different ways.

Our ELC classes have been exploring the concept of feelings and the varied ways that people express how they are feeling. Outcome 2 of the Early Years Learning Framework seeks to foster and develop children who have a strong sense of wellbeing. Integral to this, is the need for children to have opportunities to understand and develop their emotional wellbeing. This development becomes evident when children confidently communicate their emotional needs, share humour and happiness, take risks in their play and learning by seeking out new challenges, self-regulate and manage their emotions, as well as recognise the feelings and needs of others. Emotional development is both important and complex. 

2026 Enrolment

We are coming to the end of the enrolment period for our 2026 ELC and Kindergarten intake. For more information and application, visit the Holy Trinity school website.

Current ELC families are required to submit an enrolment for Kindergarten.

All enrolment applications must be submitted by the end of May 2025.

Leaves, Leaves, Leaves!

Stay and Play

Congratulations to students celebrating their birthday this week: Ethan D, Joseph K, Marcus M, Madeleine T, Rosie R, Jurme S, Emme M andSebastian C. Wishing you all the best on your special day.

Holy Trinity Athletics Carnival

We are thrilled to share that our annual Athletics Carnival was a huge success! The energy, enthusiasm, and school spirit on display made for a truly memorable day.

A huge congratulations to all our students for their outstanding participation. Whether sprinting down the track, leaping into the long jump pit, or cheering from the sidelines, every student demonstrated determination, sportsmanship, and fantastic support for their peers. It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces around Woden Park!

We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and throughout the event to ensure everything ran smoothly. From setting up equipment to timekeeping and encouraging our students, your efforts truly made the day a success.

A special thank you goes to our amazing parent helpers. Your willingness to assist with events and support the smooth running of activity rotations contributed enormously to the carnival's success. We greatly appreciate your time and involvement in our school community.

Bruce Cup Championships

On Friday, 16 May, Odin S. proudly represented our school at the Bruce Cup Championships trials. The Bruce Cup is a prestigious national tennis competition for Australian primary school students aged 12 and under. Established in 1938 by Henry Adam "Harry" Bruce, a former Queensland education minister, the tournament has a proud tradition of highlighting emerging talent. Past participants include tennis legends such as Rod Laver and Ash Barty.

Each year, School Sport Australia and Tennis Australia work together to coordinate the national finals, with each state and territory selecting a team of seven boys and seven girls to compete.

As part of the selection process, 20 boys participated in the ACT Bruce Cup trials on Friday. Odin performed exceptionally well throughout the day, finishing with a dominant 6–1 victory in the final to secure the overall win.

We congratulate Odin on this outstanding achievement and wish him all the best as he aims for selection in the national team!