26th September 2025
- Executive Principal News
- Assistant Principal News Abermain
- Assistant Principal News Kurri Kurri
- Faith Life at Holy Spirit Schools
- Athletics Fun day - Abermain
- Public Speaking Success
- Regent Honeyeater Project - Year 5
- Coffee & Chat Abermain
- St Nic's Abermain Spring Vacation Care
- Dates for Your Diary Abermain
- Dates for Your Diary Kurri Kurri
- Awards Abermain
- Awards Kurri Kurri
- Community News
Executive Principal News
“Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
St Padre Pio
Dear Families,
Term 3 has been rather hectic but hectic in the sense that so many opportunities have been provided for our students and families to enjoy. With great celebrations for Book Week, Father's day, NAIDOC Week, Child Protection Week, an Athletics Fun Afternoon and more, both schools have been proudly welcoming parents with open arms. We've had Public Speaking, Science Week (K-2), Confirmation, various sporting gala Days, Year 5 attending Great Aussie Bush Camp, an Anti-Bullying Live performance at both schools, two trips to the Cessnock Performing Arts Centre for a cultural experience of live theatre and professional learning for all teachers K-6. Phew! Every student has had lots of terrific learning experiences. School life is as much about academic learning as it is about social, emotional and spiritual learning and at Holy Spirit Schools, we sure do have it all! Thank you to our students for always aiming high! thank you to our staff who never ever give up! Thank you to our families for all of your support for our schools. Your interest and coming along to events when you can, make our schools extra special! We are thriving!
Thank you to those parents/carers who completed the survey regarding proposed school expenditure items. It is important that our leadership team consult with parents around what it is that you see as a priority for our schools. The time you've invested in providing feedback is appreciated.
Year 5 2026 BYOD School portal
The BYOD portal is now open for parents/carers of our 2026 Year 5 students to potentially purchase a suitable device for your child to use in class next year. The purpose of establishing a portal is purely for parental ease and to provide an option for a device that is built tough; has a three year warranty whereby a technician will attend the school for any repairs/battery replacement; comes pre-loaded with the correct operating system for ease of use, has a garaged pen which reduces the risk of losing it; it folds over like a tablet and has 16 gig of RAM. It meets the specifications for use in Year 7 at All Saints College. It is not compulsory, but is certainly a good idea to save parents the hassle of sourcing a suitable device.
Here is the link for parents/carers of current Year 4 students or any new student to our school needing a device:
Transition Visits Planned Kinder, Year 3 and Year 7 2026
We have planned the transition visits for our incoming 2026 Kinder students
- Tuesday 21st October 9.30-10.30am
- Thursday 30th October 9.30-10.30am
-Tuesday 11th November 9.30-10.30am
- Thursday 20th November 9.30-11am
We have planned the transition visits for our 2026 Year 3 students to Kurri and following feedback from our current Year 3 parents/carers, we will include a parent "Come and See" session this year:
- Friday 21st November 9am -11am at Kurri school, parent drop off and bus back to Abermain
- Friday 28th November 1.30-3pm bus from Abermain to Kurri and parent pick up at Kurri. This is also the Parent Information Session and Tour of Holy Spirit Kurri for parents from 2pm. All current Year 2 parents are welcome to the "Come and See" session, have a tour of the school and meet our Kurri staff.
- Thursday 4th December - Oz Tag League gala with Year 3, Sport Uniform 9-11am parent drop off at Kurri and then bus back to Abermain.
We have been notified of planned transition visit for Year 6 to Year 7 at All Saints College:
- Monday 8th December - Year 6 students to All Saints College Time to be confirmed
- Also Tuesday 28th November, Year 6 will participate in a Transition to Year 7 live webinar by Headspace arranged by our school counsellor Sharmanie. We loom forward to this virtual opportunity.
- October 27th The Principal from All Saints College, Mr Tony McCubbin will meet with Year 6 students during a school visit to Kurri. (This date is not yet confirmed at the time of publishing).
Step Up Days Term 4
At both schools we will hold a Step-Up session where the students will "Step Up" into their class for 2026 and wherever possible, meet with their future teacher in their new classroom. This process is a fun experience, and our aim is to not only reduce anxiety around what the change at the start of next year will look like, but to give teachers some time with their future class and share some of the exciting learning that lies ahead. Dates to be confirmed early next term
Lights! Camera! Action!
Well its Showcase time at Holy Spirit Kurri as our amazing students will take the audience on an adventure around the world through dance! Each class has spent the term learning and practicing their dance moves led by our very clever local dance teacher and amazing choreographer, Zoe Hayward. Sincere thanks to all our students for "having a go" and to our incredible staff who have themselves learnt every dance move! Our Support Staff have been busy decorating the hall in readiness for our 2025 Showcase and it looks fabulous! These three performances are a true testiment to the skills and dedication of every member of our school community. On Wednesday the students K-2 travelled over to be the audience and sat spellbound for the entire rehearsal! Thank you for coming along to support these key opportunites for the students to truly Shine! We are doing some fundraising for our Year 6 End of Year events so please bring your cash with you and thank you in anticipation of your support.
Staffing Update
Congratulations to Mrs Sarah Haines and her husband Mick who welcomed a beautiful little bundle of joy in the form of baby Maggie recently. Both Sarah and Maggie are doing well and her proud big sister Norah is having lots of snuggles whenever she can. We wish the Haines family all the very best as they settle into new routines.
In term 4 we have some staffing changes I would like to share with parents at Abermain. During term 4 Mrs Kreutzer will change her teaching days and teach 2W Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri each week. We welcome Ms Tara O'Brien who will teach 2W every Wednesday. Im sure 2W will make her feel very welcome.
After five and a half years it is with very mixed feelings that we say Farewell and a huge Thank you to Emily Dures our wonderful St Nic's OOSH Supervisor at Abermain. Emily is a very passionate educator and leader who has built up the service and expanded it to now cater for forty places each day. Emily has led her team with professionalism and has been a welcoming face at our school for many years now. She has always been approachable, creative and wanting the very best opportunities for the students in morning, afternoon and vacation care. Emily has been a pleasure to work with and we sincerely wish her and her family all the very best for their exciting next adventure. On behalf of our Abermain and Kurri communities, we offer our sincere thanks to Emily for her leadership and support of our families. She will finish up at the end of October so there is plenty of time for the students to say goodbye. St Nic's is currently undertaking a recruitment process for a replacement supervisor who has very big shoes to fill!
The Spring school holiday break is almost here. Wishing every family a restful and rejuvenating time for all our students. Stay safe and we look forward to hearing all about the holidays when we return on Monday 13th October.
Diane Murphy
Executive Principal
Assistant Principal News Abermain
Celebrating Excellence in Mathematics Education
We are thrilled to share that last Friday, 19th September, Mrs Kate Kreutzer was invited to present her work at the prestigious Mathematics Association of NSW Annual Conference. This honour recognises her outstanding contributions as a champion mathematics teacher at Holy Spirit Infants School, Abermain.
Mrs Kreutzer showcased her implementation of the "Launch, Explore, Summarise" pedagogy, developed through our professional learning partnership with mentor Fiona Foley. Her presentation highlighted how this approach has transformed her classroom practice—making maths lessons more engaging, hands-on, and inclusive for all learners.
Her work impressed not only fellow educators but also academic researchers, as she demonstrated how this teaching strategy allows her to assess and support a diverse range of students in meaningful and challenging ways.
We are incredibly proud of Mrs Kreutzer’s dedication, innovation, and leadership in mathematics education. Her recognition at a state-level conference is a reflection of the high-quality teaching happening right here in our school community.
Congratulations, Mrs Kreutzer!
Understanding Bullying: A Guide for Parents
It’s important to help children understand what bullying is—and what it isn’t—so they can feel safe and supported at school.
What Bullying Is (All three criteria must apply for a situation to be considered bullying):
- Repeated and intentional behaviour meant to hurt or upset
- Can be physical (hitting, pushing), verbal (name-calling, threats), social (exclusion, rumours), or online (mean messages)
- Involves a power imbalance where one child feels unable to stop it
What Bullying Is Not:
- A one-off disagreement or argument
- Accidental exclusion from a game or activity
- Teasing between friends that isn’t meant to hurt
- Someone having a bad day and saying something unkind once
How to Help Your Child:
- Talk regularly about their day and feelings
- Teach assertive responses like “Please stop, I don’t like that”
- Encourage friendships and inclusive play
- Build confidence by praising effort and strengths
- Monitor online activity and discuss respectful behaviour
- Work with the school if bullying is suspected, teachers are here to help
By understanding the difference between bullying and everyday conflict, parents can support their child in developing resilience and knowing when to seek help.
Below is a link to some valuable resources on the topic of Bullying from our SchoolTV website.
Bullying | Holy Spirit Infants School - Abermain
Why Term-Time Holidays Can Affect Your Child’s Learning
While family holidays are valuable, taking time off during the school term can have a bigger impact than many parents realise. Even a few missed days can disrupt a child’s learning rhythm, especially in subjects that build on daily progress like reading, writing, and maths.
- Missed lessons mean missed opportunities to learn key concepts and skills.
- Falling behind can affect confidence and make it harder to keep up with classmates.
- Social disruption can occur when children miss out on group activities, routines, and friendships.
Teachers work hard to support students who return from holidays, but catching up isn’t always easy—especially when learning is hands-on or collaborative. Regular attendance helps children feel connected, confident, and successful.
PB4L Focus: I Am Safe – I Am SunSmart
Next term, our first Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) focus is “I am safe – I am SunSmart.” This timely reminder encourages students to take responsibility for their own sun safety, especially as the weather warms up.
Being SunSmart means:
- Wearing a hat during outdoor play
- Applying sunscreen before school
- Seeking shade when possible
- Wearing protective clothing
- Drinking plenty of water
By building these habits early, we help children stay safe and healthy while enjoying outdoor learning and play. Thank you for supporting this important message at home—we’re proud to work together to keep our students safe!
Rebecca Kearns
Assistant Principal Abermain
Assistant Principal News Kurri Kurri
What a term Term 3 has been! So much has been achieved and experienced by our students. From academic success and growth, to public speaking success, sportsmanship and team work at soccer, touch footy and rugby league gala days, Anti bullying shows, Bookweek parades, resilience and bravery at the Year 5 Aussie Bush Camp, superstars strutting their stuff on stage at our annual Showcase, and the kindness, care and compassion that our students show on a daily basis.
The standout moments, however, are the sense of community and the support shown for members of our school community who are facing challenges in their lives.
On Friday, the 19th of September we had Jersey Day for Slater. This day was to show our support for the Kidd family and raise money for them whilst they are in Sydney supporting Slater.
Thank you to all of you for your support and generous donations. As a community, through cash and QKR donations, $1219.00 has been raised. This money will be used to buy Coles and IGA gift vouchers to make purchasing the daily necessities easier.
Students and staff loved wearing their favourite sporting gear, knowing what a great cause they were supporting. There was lots of banter and smiles through the day, especially towards a couple of staff members who bravely wore their Cessnock Goannas jerseys!
We hold the Kidd family, and all other families who are facing challenges in our thoughts and prayers.
Enjoy the holiday break. See you in Term 4.
Angela Waters
Assistant Principal
Faith Life at Holy Spirit Schools
Welcome to our final newsletter for the term!
Kindergarten RE in the spotlight!
Kindergarten have been focusing on learning about the Holy Spirit and how they can see the Holy Spirit within themselves and others. This has been explored through deep conversations; personal choice making and play opportunities.
KEY INQUIRY QUESTION:
- Where can we find the Holy Spirit today?
ESSENTIAL CATHOLIC LEARNING:
- The Holy Spirit is with us.
- The Holy Spirit is our Helper.
- The work of the Holy Spirit can be seen in people who do good things.
- The Holy Spirit is at work in the Church.
Socktober- 2025 Catholic Mission Launch
We will soon be entering the month of October which marks World Mission Month.
We celebrate Catholic missions and our actions supporting the needs of others. We are called to take steps, working together to share God’s love and resources with everyone, everywhere.
Early Term 4 we will participate in the Catholic mission initiative of Socktober. The theme is ‘Kick Goals for Good”, and the country of focus is Zambia.
On Thursday the 18th of September the School Leaders from both Abermain and Kurri Kurri attended a Mass with other school representatives across the Diocese to celebrate the launch of Socktober and Catholic Mission. It was a wonderful opportunity for the schools across the diocese to come together to promote a wonderful cause.
Last week, our school leaders from Holy Spirit Schools, Miss Spencer and Mr Redgrove attended the official launch of Socktober 2025. This is an annual school opportunity to join with Catholic Mission in making a real difference in the lives of children around the world. Socktober encourages our students to “sock it to poverty” by learning about mission, praying together, and taking action through fun activities and fundraising.
Our school leaders travelled by bus to attend the Catholic Mission Mass, presided by our Bishop and attended by every school in our diocese. We are so proud of our leaders who conducted themselves brilliantly and held conversations with our Bishop and introduced themselves to the Deputy National Director of Catholic Mission, Peter Gates.
Abermain Celebrations Date
At a school level, Holy Spirit Infants will celebrate Socktober on Thursday 16th October with our crazy socks and sports uniform. Further details for this day and how to donate will be communicated via the Abermain school Compass portals.
Kurri Kurri Celebrations Date
At a school level, Holy Spirit Primary will celebrate Socktober on Thursday 16th October with our crazy socks, sports uniform, gold coin donation and a soccer shoot out. Further details for this day and how to donate will be communicated via the Kurri school Compass portals.
Socktober- Catholic Mission- School Celebrations
Throughout October (the beginning of Term 4) our students will engage in creative challenges – from crazy sock day and sockball activities, to prayer reflections and mission workshops – all designed to build empathy and solidarity with children in developing communities.
By walking in the shoes (or socks!) of others, our students are invited to live out the Gospel message of love and service. Funds raised during Socktober will go directly to Catholic Mission projects supporting children and families most in need. Our focus this year is primarily supporting children in the country of Zambia.
Both of our schools have setup pages for direct donations if your family wishes to do this. The links are below:
Abermain Socktober Page:
https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/HSAbermain/socktober-2025
Kurri Kurri Socktober Page:
https://www.socktober.org.au/fundraisers/hskurrikurri/socktober-2025
We look forward to sharing this journey of faith, fun, and mission with our community, and we thank you for your continued support.
There will be opportunities to also donate on our official Socktober mission day which will be held across both schools on Thursday, 16th October (Week 1). Further details for this day and how to donate will be communicated via the Abermain and Kurri school Compass portals.
Sacramental News
Communion
Preparations for students to make their Sacrament of Eucharist (Holy Communion) have been well underway.
Holy Communion (also called Eucharist) is a Sacrament of Initiation in which you receive the bread and wine, representing the sacrifice Jesus made for us.
Students from both Cessnock and Kurri Kurri will be celebrating the sacrament on Sunday 28th September. We look forward to celebrating our students and their Sacrament of Eucharist at St Joseph's, Cessnock this Sunday at 10.30am.
Nicholas Redgrove and Phoebe Spencer
REC Abermain and Kurri Kurri
Athletics Fun day - Abermain
On Friday, we held an Athletics Fun Day at Abermain. The day focused on fun, participation, community and coloured accessories. We began with grade races around the field. It was lovely hearing the children cheer on their coloured house teammates as they ran. Thank you to year 2 for their creative posters. Our races concluded with a very exciting parent race and teacher race. Thank you to all who participated, our school cheered on with such enthusiasm.
Each class rotated around different activities that included an obstacle course, tunnel ball, javelin rocket throwing, sack race, egg & spoon race, and a game of builders & bulldozers. It was wonderful seeing their brothers and sisters also join in with each event.
Our day concluded with a shared picnic with families and a refreshingly cold ice block. Thank you to all parents and families who came to support our school event!
Kind regards,
Helena Richardson
Classroom Teacher
Public Speaking Success
This term at both Holy Spirit Schools we have been focused on teaching the skills of Public Speaking K-6. Following our school based finals the following students were selected to represent our school at the Lower Hunter Regional Public Speaking competition on Monday 15th September at St Aloysius Chisholm. Our representatives were early stage One- Layla Halton; Stage One - Josiah Cowling; Stage Two: Sadie Hogan and Stage 3: Sophie Patton. Each of our speakers delivered well sequenced speeches that they wrote within a specific time frame on the day. Congratulations to each of our speakers and to Layla who came first place!
This placing meant that Layla was then invited to represent the Lower Hunter Region in the Diocesan Public Speaking Competition last Monday 22nd September and this time she travelled to St Patrick's Lochinvar. Well done Layla on your terrific achievement and to all our representative speakers who were, very convincing! Congratulations to each of you!
Ms Murphy
Regent Honeyeater Project - Year 5
Year 5 Walking Excursion – Discovering the Regent Honeyeater
In Week 7, our Year 5 students took part in a memorable walking excursion to the Log of Knowledge Park, where they engaged in a hands-on learning experience centred around the endangered Regent Honeyeater.
This special program was run by the Hunter Local Lands Service in partnership with Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council, BirdLife Australia and incredible local artist, Jenny McCracken. With fewer than 300 Regent Honeyeaters left in the wild, and recent sightings in our area, the excursion offered a rare opportunity to learn about this beautiful, endangered bird.
The morning began with a walk to the park, where students rotated through three engaging activities:
- Birdwatching with Binoculars – Guided by BirdLife Australia, students explored the park, spotting birds and learning how to identify the Regent Honeyeater.
Tips for spotting a Regent Honeyeater:
- Look for its striking yellow and black plumage.
- Listen for its soft, melodic call.
- Watch for birds feeding on nectar from blossoms in mistletoe and spotted gums.
- Be patient and quiet.
Students also tested leaf moisture to assess suitability for cultural burning—a traditional land management practice that supports ecological balance.
Back at school, the learning continued this week with a follow-up art workshop led by Jenny. Students created various local birds using art pens. There will be a piece of work created using some of the students’ artworks, celebrating the Regent Honeyeater and their experience. This collaborative piece will be a lasting reminder of the importance of protecting our local environment.
The excursion was a fantastic success. Every student returned with new knowledge, a deeper appreciation for nature, and a smile on their face. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the organisations involved for making this experience so enriching.
Here’s what some of our students had to say about the excursion.
My favourite part was when we sketched the bird and tried to colour the bird, matching it perfectly. I learned a new strategy from Jenny which was doing an oval first to create the shape of the bird and add detail later.
Rino
My favourite part of the walking experience was when we got to use Canon cameras to take photos of the nature and animals. Some of the things I learnt were the oval technique to use when planning your drawing and using references.
Astrid
Year 5 and 6 Art Workshops with Jenny McCracken
Since the excursion, Year 5 and 6 have had the privilege of attending an artwork incursion with Jenny McCracken. Year 6 learnt how to sketch their own Regent Honeyeater, while Year 5 were taught how to draw several different local, native birds. A second workshop was run by Jenny, with 16 Year 5 students invited to be involved. The aim of this workshop was to commence creating artwork for a 2026 calendar featuring the life cycle of the Regent Honeyeater. The students have really enjoyed being a part of this work and we can’t wait to see the final product. Thank you to Jane from Hunter Local Land Services for inviting our school to be involved in this important local community project.
Kellie Lynch, Kerrie Korsman and Jessica Kuterovac
Coffee & Chat Abermain
St Nic's Abermain Spring Vacation Care
Dates for Your Diary Abermain
Dates for Your Diary Kurri Kurri
Awards Abermain
Awards Kurri Kurri
Kurri awards for Week 8 will be published in the Week 10 newsletter.
Community News
Help save lives, become a blood donor today
Why donate?
- Blood donations are essential for surgeries, emergencies and patients with chronic illness
- Just 1 donation can help up to three people in need
- The process is safe, quick and simple
- Donate blood at Maitland Donor center, 39 St Andrews Street, Maitland
- Walk ins are welcome or schedule an appointment by calling 13 14 95 or visit www.lifeblood.com.au
Your contribution matters - please consider donating and sharing this with family and friends.
Ted Prior, an Australian author and artist, introduced Grug as a curious creature resembling the fallen top of a Burrawang tree. Grug's adventures, depicted in a series of books published between 1979 and 2020, explore simple yet profound themes that resonate with young readers. The character's charm lies in his inquisitive nature and the creative ways he navigates the world around him.
Come say Hello and meet the creator behind one of your favourite childhood stories! See the behind the scenes of how Grug was brought to life - from original sketches and drawings to the creation of the world renowned Grug characture. From book pages to puppets this event you'll find out everything you've ever wanted to know about Grug and Ted Prior!
When - Saturday, 27 September 2025 | 12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Location - PACC | Performance Arts Culture Cessnock, 198/202 Vincent Street, Cessnock, 2325
PRIMARY
School Bowls' is a National Pathway for all primary and secondary students to learn and enjoy the sport of Lawn Bowls.
The Let’s Play Bowls (LPB) committee; a group of retired teachers, bowlers and parents initiated the concept in 2015 with a local 'ínter-school’ competition promoting the game to high school Year 7 - 11 students.
In 2018, 2019 and 2022 … LPB trialed primary school bowls, developing a modified ‘inter-school’ competition for Stage 3 - Year 5 and Year 6 students - launched in 2025.
💥 Let’s Play Bowls advertises to all schools … an age-appropriate local bowling competition.
💥 Clubs participating advertise to their respective communities - appropriate coaching and training programs.
State and Territory information regarding; flyers, game format, rules - all on the ‘drop-down’ menu.
The Primary Competition is a modified form of the game - playing ‘sets-play.’
Entries close last day Term 2 (unlimited team entries permitted.)
Entries only - via this site Primary School Entries … use “ENTER HERE’ icon.
TRIALS - Held at local participating bowling clubs during - Term 3 - July and August months.
FINAL Series - Held Sunday - Week 3 Term 4 - at selected host venues.)
School sport organisers, Stage 3 teachers and parent(s) are invited to contact their local bowling club to arrange either a weekly school sport program, a class visit or 'after-school’ coaching and training.
A maximum of 12 x teams enter the Final Series (see format & rules)
Spring Holidays at the Wetlands
Ponds Scavenger Hunt - look in, on and around our ponds as you complete our scavenger hunt. Drop your completed sheet at reception and you could be a winner $FREE with Entry.
After Dark Tours - as the sun goes down many nocturnal critters come out. Our expert guide will take us on a torchlight tour of our grounds. Tues 30 Sept & Thurs 2 Oct at 6pm. $7.50 Kids $15 Adults. Buy your tickets online. https://www.wetlands.org.au/upcoming-events
Reptile Encounter - get 'hands on' with nature and learn about our fascinating reptiles, even pat them - if you dare. Sat, Sun and Wednesdays (during school holidays) at 11am. $5pp + entry.
Wetlands Wednesdays are for Water Science as we explore how wetlands work and the cool ways water works. Experiment with water filtration, what to flush down the toilet, make a boat that floats and discover what underwater in our pond. $Free with Entry
Canoes - Spring weather means its time for families to get out and see the wetlands from the water! Canoe hire is just $30 for 2 hrs, lifejackets included. Enquire at Reception. (Kids 5yrs+ please!)
Bird Feeding- every day at 10.30am Free with entry.
More Information https://www.wetlands.org.au/upcoming-events