Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Staff,

Soon students will receive their semester one school reports. School reports shouldn’t really be too full of surprises and they certainly are not designed to cause anxiety and stress. Students receive feedback on their progress throughout the semester and research clearly shows that this teacher feedback (to students) enhances learning. Parent communication and connection with the class teacher throughout the school year can also eliminate or reduce the likelihood of any surprises in their child’s report. Upon receiving a child’s report it is important firstly to praise your child for the learning they have displayed and the progress they have made. Secondly, it is just as important to make a plan with your child around how you can support them to achieve any challenges that the report has identified.

This Friday we will come together as a Catholic school to celebrate our special day – the feast of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this Feast Day we recognise that Jesus Christ’s physical heart is the symbol for his divine love for humanity. Pope Francis, in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, calls us to “open our own hearts to the world and to be a compassionate presence so that life might flourish in its fullness for Earth and its peoples”.

At this Mass, Anthony Munro, from Sydney Catholic Schools, will present us with a copy of “The Archbishop’s Charter for Catholic Schools”. The Charter assists schools to reflect on and revitalise their understanding of the mission of the Church, and how it is lived out in schools. The presentation of this charter recognises how well Sacred Heart Catholic School has achieved this goal.

With best wishes,

Steve Conlon

Acting Principal