Dear Parents,

A very warm welcome back to you all and to our wonderful staff and students. I hope you all had a restful break, filled with happy moments and a chance to recharge. We're excited to kick off Term 3 and look forward to another productive and engaging learning journey together. Here's to a fantastic term ahead!

Here's to a fantastic term ahead!

We're thrilled to share some wonderful news that we've been eager to celebrate! Huge congratulations to Miss Catherine Pringle (Year 1 teacher), who got engaged last term!
We wish Miss Pringle and her fiancé, Mitch all the very best as they embark on this exciting new chapter together. What joyful news!

STAFF SPIRITUALITY DAY
On Monday we gathered with Blessed Sacrament staff for our annual Staff Spirituality Day. This was a wonderful opportunity to engage with colleagues on a number of topics to help us nourish our own personal faith. As schools within our system, we have a Faith Formation Plan which is divided into ‘Head, Heart and Hands’. This year our focus was on the ‘Head’ theme where we had the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of who Jesus Christ is, as revealed through Scripture and Tradition, the Church He established, and its teachings. We thank Father Matthew for his presentation on our Sydney Catholic Schools theme ‘May we also seek what is Good, True and Beautiful’. We engaged in numerous workshops on Pope Francis’ legacy, Pope Leo and our future and the way in which parables invite us to connect, reflect and respond. Huge thanks is extended to Miss Jackson for facilitating an incredible day for us!

SACRED HEART’S ART TRAIL
We are excited to invite you to Sacred Heart's Art Trail on Thursday 18 September from 4.30pm. Please note that there will be no food provided at this event. The format is also different to the Art Exhibition we have had in previous years but the quality of art on display will be phenomenal. I take this opportunity to thank Ms Morris for her passion and dedication to our Visual Arts program at Sacred Heart.

SNAPSHOT OF DATES- TERM 3
Please see important dates for Term 3 below.

May God bless all our families.

Mrs Leanne Meehan
Executive Principal

Welcome to another exciting term of learning.  The students have returned to school with enthusiasm to see their teacher and friends and begin to learn new topics for the term.  Teachers will share their curriculum note with you next week, which gives you an overview of the planned learning for the term.

NAPLAN
NAPLAN results have been dispatched from NESA and will be sent home to our Year 3 and Year 5 parents this week.

NAPLAN results are measured against 4 levels of proficiency:

• Exceeding
• Strong
• Developing
• Needs additional support

Our teachers analyse the results to assist with planning teaching and learning in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, grammar, punctuation and spelling. 

In 2026, the NAPLAN testing window will be from Wednesday, March 11 to Monday, March 23.

Grandparents Mass
We are looking forward to celebrating Grandparents' Mass next week. Please RSVP by Friday, for any adults joining for morning tea, so that we can finalise catering.

Library
There are no library lessons this week as our library is being used by our Inquiry and review team.

Book Week 
The exciting ‘Book Week’ is coming up in week 5.  Thank you to Mrs Jago who has organised some amazing events during August, particularly the visits from very sought after authors.  Our annual Book week parade is on Friday 22nd August after assembly so now is the time to start to organise costumes. Please see further information about Book week under library news.

Toy Cars
We have a lovely new car track marking in our infants playground and donations are needed for toys.  If you have any ‘hotwheel’ cars or small transport vehicles that you would like to donate, please send them to the office.  They will be gratefully received by our K-2 students.

Skipping
We introduce skipping this term, run by Zing Active.  Our students participate in a ten week program learning to use both individual and long ropes. We look forward to seeing what the students achieve by the end of the term. 

Good News Story 
Congratulations to Elle for representing Sacred Heart at the SCS North Sydney  Network Public Speaking Competion at the end of term 2.  Elle gave a 3 minute speech on why it's more important to be kind than honest.  We are very proud of you Elle!

Mrs Jane Taylor
Assistant Principal

Welcome to Term 3, I hope that you all had an enjoyable time over the holiday period. Please see the Religious Education updates for Term 3.

Week Two: Grandparents Day celebrations, Friday 1st August

• All Grandparents are invited to attend open classrooms from 8:45am
• Grandparents Day Mass, 9.15am at Sacred Heart Church
• Grandparents Morning Tea in the Parish Hall after Mass

I would like to invite parents and carers to send through a photograph of their child/children with their grandparent/s. If you have previously sent through a photograph from last year (for Years 1-6) & you are happy for these to be displayed at the Grandparents Day morning tea, I will include them (please advise if you would prefer not).

New families, Kinder parents/carers and parents who have not previously sent in a Grandparents Day photo, if you would like for a photo to be displayed at the Grandparent morning tea, please send through to: kristen.jackson@syd.catholic.edu.au

Whole School Masses and Liturgies for Term Three

• Grandparents Day Whole School Mass, Friday 1st August @ 9.15am
• Saint Mary of the Cross Liturgy led by Yr 2, Friday 8th August @ 9.15am in the school hall
• Feast of the Assumption Whole School Mass, Friday 15th August @ 12pm
• Father’s Day Whole School Mass, Friday 5th September @ 9.15am

We welcome all K-6 students and families back for Term 3. We trust you had a restful and are ready for the term ahead.

Our teachers have been preparing for the new term, and across all Key Learning Areas (KLAs), new units of work will begin. Within these units, teaching, learning, and assessment are strategically embedded. This approach ensures a cohesive and purposeful educational experience for our students.

In English, we maintain a focus on Understanding and Responding to Literature, which guides unit planning and aims to foster a deep understanding of core English concepts. Quality literature in various forms is utilised to develop core knowledge and support a love of reading. Students will analyse and discuss mentor texts, using these as models to create their own texts based on text ideas, features, and structures.

In Mathematics, units of work are designed to make connections within and between mathematical concepts, including making connections to real-life experiences. We will continue to highlight and reinforce the role of Working Mathematically and student reasoning, encouraging students to think critically and apply their understanding. This will involve engaging with rich mathematical tasks, resources, and opportunities for ongoing assessment and differentiation to cater to diverse learning needs.

Across all subjects, our teachers employ effective evidence-based and learning practices to develop essential knowledge and skills. Teachers are encouraged to gradually release responsibility for learning to the students, empowering them to become more independent learners.

Students will continue to focus on their individual learning goals, building on their progress made in Semester One. We encourage you to discuss your child’s learning with them throughout the term and acknowledge their efforts and achievements.

We anticipate a productive Term 3 focused on growth and learning for every student!

Kind regards,

Nerissa McCartney
Teaching and Learning

Welcome back to Term 3! We are excited to begin another great term of learning and growth.

Our work on reinforcing our school-wide Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL) expectations: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Kind will continue this term. These expectations guide how we learn, play, and care for one another each day.

We deeply value the shared partnership between home and school in supporting these expectations. When families reinforce these messages at home, it strengthens the consistency and meaning of our approach for all students.

As part of our recent token audit, we have noticed that a significant number of tokens are missing from our original set. These tokens help us celebrate and encourage positive behaviour, and we would appreciate your support in reminding students to use them appropriately and return any that may have made their way home.

Wellbeing groups will continue to run weekly this term, exploring key themes from the Grow Your Mind program. These groups run alongside whole class Health lessons delivered by classroom teachers, helping to reinforce and deepen students’ understanding of positive health and wellbeing. Some of the key themes we will explore include: friendships, resilience, emotional regulation and positive mindset. You can also explore these wellbeing themes at home by listening to the Grow Your Mind podcast, which offers engaging insights and practical strategies to support children’s mental health.

Arrowsmith parent testimonials
Arrowsmith can have a transformational impact, not just on many aspects of learning but on life, as you can see from the reflections of parents, whose children participated in the program.

Let’s hear from them:

“Reading has been a massive improvement. Before Arrowsmith, he was reading at a Kinder level at the beginning of year 3. By the end of year 5 was able to read beyond his year level. This will set him up for life.” 

“He is now able to read and understand Maths questions and so can complete them. Previously his reading comprehension held him back from even understanding what is being asked.”

“Her vocabulary has really improved, and her thoughts are now ordered so she can express what is in her head. Previously she would struggle to express himself in writing but now he is able to write down her ideas. It is wonderful to see her stories.”

“Before Arrowsmith, in the morning if I were to give him multiple instructions at once, he would quickly become overwhelmed and often break down in tears unable to function further. Now he is able to take instructions, order them in his mind and self-assess which activity he will do first, then next.”

 “I’ve noticed her mood has improved. She is a lot less frustrated and more in control of her emotions when things don’t go his way. “

 “Arrowsmith has embedded in her a willingness to try new things and also achieve. She has a growth mindset and knows things are hard to start with but will get easier.”

 “I’ve noticed more engagement in his friendship circle. I think his understanding of relationships and systems-thinking has helped him to understand that people work in group dynamics, and he has identified where best he can engage within that social group dynamic. “

We are about to embark on a virtual journey through reading! ‘Book an Adventure’ is an invitation to dive into the world of stories and discover the exciting journeys that await within the pages of a book.

Climb aboard Sacred Heart Airways and join us for Book Week.

From Tuesday 19th August, Scholastic Book Fair will be set up in the Library. Please come in and browse, there will be some fabulous books to purchase and earn rewards for our School to acquire literacy resources. The fair will be open every day from 8.10am to 8.40am each morning and from 3.00pm to 5.30pm each afternoon. Last day for the book fair is Tuesday 26th August (morning only). Students will also have an opportunity to visit during their class times and put together a wish list.

Perform Education is an incredible stage production that has been booked for Kindy to Year2. They showcase some of the books that have been shortlisted on this year’s Children’s Book Council Awards. It will be very entertaining with lots of audience participation.

Year 2 have been very lucky to also be invited to Mosman Library to hear fabulous author Yvette Poshoglian talk about her books and how she became an author. We have many of her amazing books in our Library.

Morris Gleitzman, renowned Australian author will be visiting Years 3 and 4. He is known for his energetic and engaging writing style, captivating readers and encouraging them to explore complex themes through storytelling. His books can be found on our shelves too.

Jack Heath, another fantastic Australian writer, best known for his #1 bestselling series of thrillers that spark huge interest with our students. He will be visiting Year 5 and 6. His books are so popular at our school that we stock at least 2 copies of each title!

During Book Week in the library, students will also have the opportunity to participate in activities and competitions. We encourage students to try something different. For example, borrowing a book from a different genre that they’re used, or trying a book that’s a little more challenging. Book reviews and suggestions are always welcome.

Finally, the week will end with the biggest display of adventure – our Book Week Parade! This will be held on Friday 22nd August straight after assembly. When thinking about a costume, let it be a reflection of the journey and adventures that unfold with every book. Some suggestions of characters, but not limited to, could be from the following books and stories.

Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Famous Five, Adventurers/Explorers/Aviators/Scientists, original Disney characters, traditional fairy tale characters, Pig the Pug, Hairy Maclary, Remy and Max, Ella & Olivia, Dr Seuss characters, or choose your own adventurer, where the reader themselves is the main character in Jack Heath’s Danger series.

Please source things from home, or reuse rather than outlaying for an expensive costume. Students are welcome to pop in and see us in the Library to get some ideas. Book Fair vouchers will be awarded for the most creative costumes.

Looking forward to celebrating Book Week with all our students and families.

Happy Reading!

Cecilia Jago and Josie Spano

Dear Parents and Carers,

The Australian state and federal governments provide significant financial support for the education of students in our school system based on data we provide through the Census. These census collections also provide valuable information used to plan for the future educational needs of our schools in terms of the administration of programs and provisions of resources. 

The 2025 Non-Government School Census will take place on 1st August 2025. Please see links and attachments below in regards to collection of data and privacy notice

2025_Non_government_schools_census_privacy_collection_notice_1_.pdf

FRM_StandardCollectionNotice_V2_20240603_4_.pdf