Dear Parents and carers,

This morning Mr Brierley and Mrs Edwards ran another Volunteers session for our parents. Thank you to our many parents who already volunteer or intend to volunteer in our school. It was wonderful to be able to see our Kinders go to the Zoo this week surrounded and supported by our staff and volunteer parents. Your help in all aspects of the school make it a much richer place to be.

Over the past week we have run a P and F meeting and Sports Club meeting at the school. Thank you to the many members of both committees for the work you do. Please look out for a note and survey from the P and F.

Thank you to the many staff who supported our Year Six to enable them to have an educational excursion to Canberra last week. This is a big ask of staff to be away from their families. The children’s trip was made even more memorable by being there on the day that Queen Elizabeth passed away. Our Captains were able to sign a remembrance book on behalf of the school.

School will be closed next Thursday in accordance with the public holiday that has been called to honour the Queen. Our Book Week Pyjama Day and reading picnic in the morning will go ahead as planned on Friday the 23rd of September .

Congratulations to Oliver and Mia Bursik who were today presented with an Ipad each as they won the Scope IT “robot naming” competition. Scope IT are the company that runs our coding classes. Our children love their coding classes and were very excited for Oliver and Mia. The children named the robot Sir Codealot. ScopeIT have added this to their website.

At last week’s P and F meeting we shared the overall Naplan results for our school for 2022. Congratulations must go to all of our staff, parents and teachers for their work with our students. The percentage of students who scored in the top two bands has risen again this year. This is compared to 60 statistically similar schools (socio economically). In all measures in Years 3 and 5  bar one, the school scored well above the statistically similar schools.  In Year 3 Reading 98% of our students scored in the top two bands (statistically similar schools scored 84% in top two). In Spelling in Year 3 91% of our students scored in the top two bands while only 76% in the statistically similar schools scored in the top two bands.

When we receive our Naplan results we spend many hours analysing the results in order to formulate our future directions. We are very proud that our trend data shows that Sacred Heart students' scores in Naplan have on average been improving over the last six years. This is in direct proportion to the time, energy, budget resourcing and annual improvement plans that have been put in place over time. While we congratulate the current Year 3 and Year 5 teachers it is also appropriate to congratulate all teachers especially our Diverse Learning teacher Mrs Miller (literacy coach and data analyst) and her team, Mrs Samantha Edwards our Curriculum Co ordinator and Mrs McCartney our Literacy Co ordinator.

The two examples of the Naplan trend data below show the schools average test scores over time in Reading and Spelling (green is the school, black the statistically similar schools). This trend data shows the schools growth from 2014-2022. The Spelling trend data clearly shows that the introduction of a strong phonics program and the impact it has had on spelling over time. Similarly with Reading the introduction of an early identification - early intervention model has supported many children as well as a very focused and structured literacy block of teaching literacy each day in each class. In 2023 we will plan to move forward with an early identification - early intervention model for mathematics that is currently being trialled this year.

Congratulations to Andre de Villiers who has gained a position at Marist Catholic College, North Shore as a PDHPE Specialist Teacher.

We are currently looking for two Learning Support Officers, four days per week - one commencing in Term 4 2022 and one commencing in Term 1 2023.  If anyone in our community is interested in discussing these positions, please contact Mrs. Samantha Edwards Samantha.Edwards@syd.catholic.edu.au.

Please note the additional Staff Development Days that have been added to Term 4 - Monday 10th October and Monday the 7th November.

Sacred Heart Book Week - 23rd September

On the 23rd of September, our  last day of school this term we will be holding a  pyjama day (please note: no dress ups or parade this year).  This is a donation day for St Vincent de Paul because they support families in very difficult situations and help make their dreams of having a safe place come true. This links with the theme of Dreaming with Eyes Open. Parents are invited to the morning to assembly for a cup of coffee donated by McGrath Mosman and a reading picnic afterwards.  Please see Mrs Jago’s note for all the details.

Regards

Julie Caldwell

Catherine McAuley Founder Day acknowledgement this Friday, 16th September 

This Friday, all students in the McAuley Colour House (blue) are invited to wear a blue accessory with their Sports uniform to acknowledge Catherine McAuley. Catherine McAuley was an Irish Catholic Sister who founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831. We will commemorate all of the wonderful works of the Sisters of Mercy that was founded by Catherine McAuley, offering her service to the poor and oppressed. Please see a link with information about Catherine McAuley that you might like to share with your children.

We would normally acknowledge Catherine McAuley on Mercy Day, September 24th. However, our special Book Week pyjama day falls on Mercy Day this year. 

Accessories might include a blue ribbon, a blue hat, blue socks/shoes- No coloured hair spray please. This will be a special day for students in the McAuley Blue Colour House, where they will lead their classes in Prayer and perform acts of service for the day.

Year Three Grade Mass this Friday, 16th September at 9:30am

Year Three students will be attending their school grade Mass this coming Friday. Year Three families are most welcome to attend.

Year Six Family Mass this Sunday, 18th September at 9:00am (see Heartfelt)

Year Six students and families are asked to attend their Family Mass this coming Sunday. 

We ask that the Year Six families please bring a plate to contribute to the morning tea after Mass. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Reconciliation Program

For our Year Three students who will be making their Sacrament of Reconciliation, the enrolment period ends today. Here is the link to enroll: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScl86QymkImsKUcCmLpqcHAYKl57iVQ-IeJD3pOM3mfw5ycuA/viewform

Kristen Jackson

Religious Education Coordinator

“A book is a dream that you hold in your hands”

We will be dreaming with our eyes open next week, as we celebrate Book Week at school. What better way to end the Term! The Scholastic Book Fair will be open in the Library from Monday, to purchase books. All sales earn rewards for our school to purchase new books and literacy resources.

Students will have the opportunity to come in and browse during their Library lessons.  The Book Fair will be open to parents from 8.30am to 9.00am every morning next week and from 3.00pm to 4.00pm each afternoon (with the exception of public holiday Thursday 22^nd September). Sorry, no cash, EFTPOS only.

We have some exciting competitions running this week too - Do you know who is reading behind that book? Or, can you guess how many books we have in the Library?  Writing a short book review is also another activity. Scholastic Book Fair Vouchers will be given to our winners to use at the fair.

On the last day of Term, Friday 23^rd September, students and staff will come to school dressed in pyjamas (or similar safe attire), ready for our Reading Picnic. A donation via the QKR app will go towards our Vinnie’s appeal, helping to fulfill dreams of those in need, in our community. Later in the day, students will be zooming in with our Author, Jackie French.  We are very excited!

We warmly invite you to come and read with us commencing at 9.00am on the basketball court. Reading stations will be set up to choose a book and read together. Parents might also like to buy a coffee/tea from the coffee cart from 8.15am.

Looking forward to celebrating all that reading has to offer and promoting a lifelong love of reading, especially at bedtime, in pyjamas!

Happy Reading!

Cecilia Jago & Josie Spano

Netball 2022 Season Wrap Up

Well done to all our Sacred Heart netballers who played with great spirit and sportsmanship this season. Congratulations to SH05 who were runners-up and SH01 who were semi-finalists.

Thank you to all our fantastic parent volunteer coaches, managers, NetSetGo umpires, scorers, ground duty staff and head coach Jacqui for another great season of Sacred Heart netball. We couldn’t do it without you!

We look forward to celebrating the end of our successful netball season with the Max Doohan Good Sport award presentations at assembly next Friday.

Registrations for Year 2 - 6 Season 2023 will open in Term 1. Information about playing netball for SHM is available at: shmsportsclub.org.au

Susie Rich & Suzanne O'Neil

SHM Netball Coordinators

COMPASS: