THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCILDepartment of Children and Families

Holy Cross R.C. Primary School Craighall Road Edinburgh EH6 4RE

Telephone: 0131 552 1972 Email: admin@holycross.edin.sch.uk Website: https://holycrossrcps.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @holycrossrcpsHead Teacher: Mr James McDevitt

M.A. (Hons.), P.G.C.E.(Primary)__________________________________________________________________________________________________

NEWSLETTER No 5, January 2019STAFFING UPDATEMrs Heron, who taught Primary 1H on Wednesdays, Thursdays and alternate Fridays, left us on Friday 18 January to begin her maternity leave. We would like to thank Mrs Heron for all her hard work with the class and wish her well as she prepares for her new arrival. Mrs Munro is now teaching P1H full-time and will do so until the end of the current session on Friday 28 June. We are extremely grateful to Mrs Munro for taking on these additional duties, which will ensure continuity for the children. Our Principal Teacher, Mrs MacPherson, was on maternity leave but recently resigned from her post here at Holy Cross and started in a new post at a school in Fife on Monday 7 January. We would like to thank her for her contribution to the school over the past five years, and wish her well in her new post. This has no impact on our current class teaching arrangements, but we will advertise the Principal Teacher post in the near future.

HOMEWORK UPDATEHomework was issued on Monday 21 January 2019 and is to be completed by Friday 29 March 2019. This information is also available on our school website, as well as an overview of the work which will be covered by each class between now and the end of term. From time to time, each class teacher will post information on the school website about work currently being done in class, so please keep a regular eye on this.

HISTORY OF HOLY CROSS ACADEMYAs many of you will know, Holy Cross RC Primary School was originally the Primary Department of Holy Cross Academy, which was founded in 1907 and closed in 1969. In 2006, the Holy Cross Academy Former Pupils’ Committee was formed to celebrate what would have been the school’s centenary in 2007, and a number of special events were held in 2007. One of these was the commissioning of a history of the school, written by Norah Carlin and entitled “Holy Cross Academy, Edinburgh: The Life and Times of a Catholic School 1907-2007”. The book will be of special interest to any former pupil of the Academy, but will also be of interest to anyone interested in the history of Catholic education in Edinburgh. The Former Pupils’ Committee has donated the few remaining copies of this book to the school and these are now for sale from the school office, for a suggested donation of £5 each. All proceeds will go towards school funds. In addition to the donation of the remaining books, the Committee has also donated £585 from its previous sales of the book, which has gone into school funds. We will advise you in due course about how we intend to spend this donation. In the meantime, we would like to thank Michael Balfour from the Committee for donating these copies to the school and for organising the financial donation.

FEBRUARY MID-TERM HOLIDAYSchool will be closed for the February Mid-Term holiday from Monday 11 February to Friday 15 February. All children should return to school on Monday 18 February at the usual time of 8.50 am. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable February break.

ASH WEDNESDAY MASSMass will be celebrated in the school hall on Wednesday 6 March at 9.15 am to mark the start of the season of Lent. All children from P1-P7 will attend and parents/carers are also welcome to join us.

PARENTS’ CONSULTATIONS P1-P7 CHILDRENThese will take place on Thursday 21 March between 6.00 pm-9.00 pm, and on Friday 22 March between1.30 pm- 4.30 pm. As previously, parents/carers will have to make appointments online through the Groupcall system. A letter reminding you how to do this will be issued separately nearer the time. The system will go live on Tuesday 5 March and will remain open to take your bookings until Tuesday 19 March. Pupils in classes P4, P5, P6 and P7 are all invited to the appointments to set and agree targets with their teacher and their parents. All appointments will be held centrally in the School Hall.

P7 SHOW- “BEAUTY AND THE BEAST”Children in Primary 7 will stage their performance of “Beauty and the Beast” on Wednesday 3 April in the school hall at 7 pm. Full details regarding ticketing arrangements will follow soon in a separate communication.

CANTICLE OF SIMEONThis beautiful prayer, also known as the Nunc Dimittis, is traditionally said as part of the Night Prayer of the Church. As Saturday 2 February will be the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, this is a particularly apt time to make this part of our daily prayers.

“At last, all-powerful Master,you give leave to your servant to go in peace, according to your promise.For my eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared for all nations, the light to enlighten the Gentilesand give glory to Israel, your people.”

(Luke 2: 29-32)

James McDevittHead Teacher31 January 2019