Dear Parents,

What a joy it was to gather last Friday morning, united in faith and gratitude, to celebrate our Grandparents' Day Mass. It was especially meaningful that we also acknowledged the Feast Day of Saints Anne and Joachim, the beloved grandparents of Jesus.

Saints Anne and Joachim, though not extensively mentioned in scripture, are revered in our tradition as exemplary figures who nurtured and guided Mary, preparing her to become the Mother of God. Their story reminds us of the profound and indispensable role that grandparents play in the life of a family and in the tapestry of faith.

As I looked out at the beautiful faces gathered in the Church, I saw that legacy continuing. To our grandparents, you are the living connection to our past, the wisdom of experience, and the gentle strength that often holds families together.

You are the storytellers who share tales of yesteryear, linking our children to their heritage. You are the comforting presence, the extra hug, the patient listener, and often, the source of unconditional love and boundless joy. You are the silent cheerleaders, celebrating every milestone, big or small. You are the quiet pillars of support, offering guidance and encouragement without expectation.

We offer our heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving for each and every one of you. We pray for your continued health, happiness, and for God’s abundant blessings upon you. May you continue to be a source of light and inspiration.

I reminded our students that these incredible men and women are a precious gift. They should take a moment, every day, to appreciate their presence, to listen to their stories, and to learn from their wisdom. Their love for their grandchildren is immense, and their influence will shape them in countless beautiful ways.

I would also like us to remember the grandparents who could not be with us, those who could not travel, those who live far away, those who are sick, and sadly those who have died and are now residing with God in heaven. They are all in our hearts and memories.

On behalf of the entire Sacred Heart community, thank you, dear grandparents, for your enduring love, your tireless support, and for being such a vital part of our lives and our school family.

100 Days of Kindergarten
Mrs Taylor and I, as well as our very proud Kindergarten Teachers, Miss Hollingsworth, Miss James, gathered with the parents to celebrate a significant milestone in their children's life-their first 100 days of school.

To the parents, your support, love, and dedication has been instrumental in making this journey possible for your little ones. From the first day they stepped into the classroom, you have been their guiding light, offering encouragement and comfort during times of uncertainty. We celebrate not only our children's accomplishments but also the parents' unwavering commitment to their education.

As we reflect on the past 100 days, we witness the incredible growth of our children. They have come so far in such a short period—learning to count, recognising letters, creating beautiful artwork, and building strong friendships. These achievements may seem small to some, but they are monumental to our little ones as they pave the way for a lifetime of learning and success.

Beyond the academic achievements, we have seen our children develop essential life skills—confidence, resilience, empathy, and a love for learning. They have learned the value of teamwork, the importance of sharing, and the beauty of diversity.

In these first 100 days, we have witnessed laughter, tears, and moments of pure joy. We have seen tiny hands raised in excitement to answer questions and eager faces anticipating the morning tea and lunch times where they can play with their friends and see their buddies. These moments are the essence of the magic that happens every day within these walls.

As we look ahead, we see a bright future filled with endless possibilities for our children. The foundation laid during these early days will continue to shape their character and pave the way for their dreams. Let us remember to cherish each moment, for time flies swiftly, and soon, these little ones will be embarking on new journeys, leaving behind their kindergarten days.

Congratulations to our shining stars on their first 100 days of school! May your light continue to shine brightly as you discover the wonders of the world and leave your mark on it.

May God bless all our families.

Mrs Leanne Meehan
Executive Principal

Dive into Discovery for National Science Week!
From Monday, August 11th to Friday, August 15th, we're celebrating National Science Week at Sacred Heart with this year's theme: Decoding the Universe - Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language.

National Science Week is a fantastic opportunity for our students to explore the wonders of science and technology. This year, our teachers have planned a fantastic lineup of fun and engaging activities that will spark curiosity and a love for learning in every student. Here's a peek at what's in store

• Galaxy of Fun with Mr Nokes! Our older students in Years 3-6 can join the  Science & Tech Club on Wednesday for a thrilling "Sphero Race around the Solar System." They'll be navigating programmable robots through a miniature solar system, visiting planets while cleverly avoiding the treacherous Asteroid Belt! Then on Friday, our K-2 students will get their turn to join the fun during second lunch.
  
  
• Getting Creative with the Gardening Club! For our youngest scientists, Mr O'Donoghue is hosting a special Gardening Club during second lunch on Wednesday, August 13th, and Friday, August 15th. The theme is "Insect Hotels," a wonderful way to learn about the tiny creatures that help our gardens grow!
  
  
• SRC Scientific Explorations! Miss Adamo and her wonderful SRC team will be leading some hands-on experiments. They'll be helping students investigate "Pattern Recognition" by exploring constellations and discovering the fascinating stories written in the stars. Students will also get to become budding botanists by creating a "My Mini Greenhouse" to learn all about how plants thrive with sunlight and water.
  
  
• Science in the Classroom! Throughout the week, teachers will be weaving science into everyday learning. Classrooms will come alive with themed "brain breaks," quizzes, and group activities designed to get students thinking about the incredible science all around us.

Kind regards,

Nerissa McCartney
Teaching and Learning

Whole School Reward System Update

Thank you for your continued support of our Positive Behaviours for Learning (PBL) framework. We would like to further clarify some key points about the recent update to this system, as communicated via Compass last week.

Moving forward, students will not be eligible for the Whole School Reward if they:

• Receive a major behaviour breach, or
  
  
• Accumulate three minor behaviour breaches within the same term

Each term will be treated as a fresh start, giving every student the opportunity to reflect, reset, and aim for improvement.

Some of the whole school rewards may include: art afternoons, sport afternoons, free choice sessions (negotiated with teacher), games afternoon, trivia and so on. 

Students who do not participate in the reward will attend a PBL reflection session designed to support them in understanding behaviour expectations and developing strategies to meet them moving forward.

We remain committed to recognising and encouraging positive behaviour through our PAWS tokens and awards, while also upholding high standards and shared expectations. It is important that our reward system reflects the values of our school community.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us maintain a respectful, safe, and engaged learning environment for all.

Welcome back to the first edition of the sporting school newsletter for Term 3. I hope you all had a great break and a wonderful holiday. It is now time to get back into the swing of things. I am excited to give you a few updates over a couple of events in the upcoming weeks.

On Monday 11th of August, we will have Eve Grover from Year 6 representing Sacred Heart in the MacKillop Netball Team. She will be making her way over to Coffs Harbour for three days of competition from the 11th of August - Wednesday 13th of August. If successful in being selected to progress, Eve will progress into the School Sports Australia State team.

 Also occurring on Monday 11th of August, 38 students will be representing Sacred Heart at the Conference 1 Athletics Championships. This will be held at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre and will be a full day of jam packed action. We wish Eve and all students attending the Athletics Championships the best of luck!

To close us off with a good news story from over the weekend, Emma Taylor in Year 4 attended the State Trial 1 Gymnastics Competition in Rooty Hill. She competed in the level 5 national gymnastics squad and received great results. Emma placed 4th overall for her floor routine and 6th overall for barsl for her age group. Emma has one more state trial coming up in two weeks time. We wish her the best of luck as she competes for a position to progress into the State Championships. Such great news to see and hear about student’s sporting achievements outside of the school.

That’s all for now for sporting news. I look forward to bringing you the results of the upcoming trials in the next edition.

Kind Regards,

Miss Austrie Calizar
Sports Co-ordinator

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

Get ready to step into the Story! To celebrate Book Week, we’re inviting all students to come dressed as their favourite book character. Our parade will be Friday 22^nd August, straight after assembly.

Whether you’re a wizard from Hogwarts, a curious explorer, or a classic fairy tale hero, we can’t wait to see our students (and teachers) creativity shine. Remember: it’s all about celebrating books, imagination and the joy of reading.

The highlight of this week is a visit from author Jack Heath for Year 5-6 on Thursday. Preparations are well underway for all our other Book Week activities occurring in week 5. Please refer to our previous newsletter for a full list of details.

We are thrilled to have had a number of students complete their Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) already. Well done to those students. The first to finish in each class will be able to select a book/s from the Scholastic Book Club to the value of $20.

Students have until Friday September 19^th to complete their personal reading challenge.

Looking forward to celebrating stories and discovering new reads with our school community.

HAPPY READING!

Cecilia Jago & 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