A parent's view

We interviewed a parent who has had children at Holy Cross School. Her name is Marie and this is her story.

Our library is very important to our community as a place of learning and sharing knowledge. It is a gateway for our students, to both gather information and to learn how to access information. It is a place where students and other community members can gather and feel comfortable and inspired to meet, learn, talk, read, work and relax. It is a place where student's work can be displayed and celebrated.

Our family have used the library since 2006 (when Elena started at Holy Cross School as a 5 year old). There have been many, many library books enjoyed by the girls since that time: the Fairy series by Daisy Meadows, L.M Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea. Many of the "My Story" series and Horrible Histories. Maddie has loved the Nanny Piggins & Geronimo Stilton series. Margaret Mahy, Eva Ibbotson, Michael Morpugo, Morris Gleitzman, John Boyne & Jacqueline Wilson have also been popular authors for the girls.

Mrs Clarke has been steadily increasing and renewing and revitalising the collection. I think when we first started at Holy Cross the collection was looking a bit dated but now it is superb. Many families donate books as well - there was a system introduced around 2007 for parents/year 8 students to donate a book at their graduation.

I really like the displays of student art work and the cultural map showing where our diverse community originate from - all over the globe!

I enjoy (as I'm sure the children do) seeing the displays that Mrs Clarke has in the foyer and in the glass cabinet of the library - these are either new books or something relevant to the school inquiry topic or relevant to the time of year/celebration e.g. St. Patrick's Day.

Mrs Clarke also organises and teaches some very lucky library volunteers in year 7 and 8 to become school librarians - I encourage all of you to take this opportunity - you will learn skills that will help you in your future study and working life!

Onell, Siline and Joseph