Dear Parents and Carers,

What an amazing Book Week we had last week! A huge thank you to the staff, especially our library team, Mrs Jago and Mrs Spano, for helping us truly ‘Book an Adventure’. Your enthusiasm brought the theme to life, from the engaging activities, author visits and the incredible parade of characters. The effort you put into every detail made this a truly immersive and fun experience for everyone. Your passion for reading and for our students shines through, and I am so grateful. Thank you to our beautiful children for the effort they put into their costumes, you all looked amazing! Huge thanks to the parents for attending our parade and for always being so supportive.

LIST OF WINNERS:

We celebrate Father’s Day this Sunday and it is an opportunity for us all to think of the strength of a father, his love, his wisdom and his guiding hand.

Fatherhood, like all parenthood, is a vocation, a call from God. It is a complex and multifaceted role. God provides an example of the very vocation of  fatherhood. He gave up his only Son, Jesus, so that we might be saved through him.                        

As a Church, we uphold St. Joseph as the model for fathers. So what can fathers learn from the person of St. Joseph? From what we know from the gospels, St Joseph faced a few major dilemmas in his life. One of his dilemmas was whether to accept Mary as his wife. Another, was to choose between remaining in Nazareth, his home/comfort or to flee to Egypt in order to protect his family. We can say that in these times of dilemma, Joseph, aware of the gravity of each situation, discerned what was just and good not only for him, but also for Mary and later for the infant Jesus as well. He was a person who listened to, and was aware of, his ‘inner calling’. We can all learn from St Joseph’s discerning attitude when dealing with our own families’ dilemmas and issues. And while dealing with those issues, if we recognise that what we choose, is in line with God’s will for us, then we can certainly trust that the outcome will bring joy and peace not only to us but to our whole family as well.

We, as a community, thank God for the gifts of our fathers, grandfathers and father figures and we pray that God may give them the wisdom to carry out their role of guiding, loving and protecting our families.

Let us also remember those who have lost their father or grandfather, always remembering that the memories of our Dads live on forever as they leave an indelible imprint on our hearts. Let those memories of the times you shared give you comfort for his life was rich because of you.

A huge thank you is extended to our P&F, particularly our Year 3 parents, Anna Allomes, Jess Lane and Bec Andrews in anticipation for our beautiful Father’s Day Breakfast this coming Friday morning. Your effort and planning is very much appreciated and I know that our Fathers and Father-figures will feel very special. Remember to join us for breakfast and handball at 8am, followed by open classrooms and mass at 9:15am.

May God bless all our families.

Mrs Leanne Meehan
Executive Principal

Uniform
Week 10 and Week 1 of next term are changeover weeks for our school uniform, a time where students may wear either summer or winter uniform depending on the weather.  All students should wear their full summer uniform from week 2 of Term 4, Monday October 20.  A reminder again that our school uniform expectations include the correct socks and school hat. 

Debating
A group of nearly thirty, Year 5 & Year 6 students, have been involved in debating this term.  Next week we start the North Sydney Debating competition where we will debate against other schools in our network - St Michael’s Lane Cove, Blessed Sacrament Clifton Gardens and Marist North Shore.  On Monday, Sacred Heart will host the competition, in Week 9 some of our students will travel to Clifton Gardens and in Week 10 to North Sydney. We wish our teams all the best as they debate their given topics.

Swimming
Next term, students in Kindergarten to Year 4 will participate in swimming lessons at Lane Cove Aquatic Center.  Our Blue classes have lessons each day in Week 4, 3rd - 7th November and our Gold classes have lessons each day in Week 5, 10th - 14th November.  Permission notes will be shared closer to the event.

Our Year 5 and Year 6 students participate in the ‘Sea Australia’ surf education program, which teaches students about safety at the beach and in the surf, including how to look for ‘rips’ and use a paddle board.  Year 5 is scheduled for Thursday 4th December and Year 6 on Friday 5th December. 

Bricks 4 Kidz
Should a parent wish to notify that their child is not attending Bricks 4 Kidz, Please contact Bradley directly on 0499 000 395 or email sydney/lns@bricks4kidz.au. We are waiting on the Term 4 flyer with Term dates.

Mrs Jane Taylor
Assistant Principal

Let’s talk about spelling! As parents, we’re always helping our children with spelling! Whether it’s sounding out words during homework or correcting tricky spellings when they’re writing a birthday card, spelling is such an important part of your child’s learning journey. So let’s take a look at how spelling is taught!

At Sacred Heart, we use a teaching approach called explicit teaching and the gradual release of responsibility model. This framework is often referred to as "I do, we do, you do". This means:

• I do: The teacher explicitly models the new skill or concept. We explain exactly what we're learning, why it's important, and how it works, often thinking aloud to show our process.
• We do: Students then practice the skill with teacher guidance and support, often in pairs or small groups. This is a crucial step where we check for understanding and provide immediate feedback.
• You do: Finally, students are given opportunities to independently apply their new knowledge in their own writing and activities.

This structured approach ensures that students have a strong foundation before being asked to work on their own, building confidence and competence.

Spelling in K-2: Building the Foundation

In the early years (Kindergarten to Year 2), our focus is on foundational literacy skills. This includes phonological awareness (the ability to hear and manipulate sounds in spoken words) and phonics (the relationship between letters and sounds).

The K-2 spelling outcomes are heavily focused on decoding and encoding words. This means:

• Decoding: Learning to sound out and read words.
• Encoding: Learning to spell words by representing sounds with letters.

Students learn about the sounds (phonemes) and the letters or letter combinations (graphemes) that represent them. We teach this in a systematic and cumulative way, starting with the simplest sounds and patterns and gradually introducing more complex ones. The goal is to build a strong mental map of how sounds and letters connect, which is essential for both reading and writing.

Here’s a simple example of phonemes (the individual sounds in a word) and graphemes (the letters or groups of letters that represent those sounds): In the word "spoon" the Phonemes are: /s/ /p/ /oo/ /n/ (four distinct sounds). The Grapheme "s" represents the /s/ sound, "p" represents the /p/ sound, "double o" represents the /oo/ sound and "n" represents the /n/ sound.  Each phoneme (sound) is represented by a grapheme (letter or letter group) in the word. There are 5 letters in the word spoon.

Spelling in 3-6: Moving Beyond the Basics

In Years 3-6, students build on their K-2 foundation and move to more complex spelling strategies. While phonics remains important, the focus shifts to a deeper understanding of the English language. The NESA syllabus organises spelling outcomes into three key content groups:

Phonological: This group focuses on the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and the letters or letter patterns (graphemes) that represent them. Students deepen their understanding of how to spell single-syllable and multisyllabic words by applying their knowledge of sound-letter correspondences. This includes learning about vowel digraphs (e.g., ai, ea) and consonant digraphs (e.g., sh, ch) as well as tricky or irregular spellings.

Orthographic: This content group is all about the visual patterns of spelling. It involves learning about silent letters, double consonants, and other visual conventions of English spelling. Students also learn about the role of punctuation, such as apostrophes for possession, in spelling. This is where students develop a "spelling eye" by noticing and remembering common and irregular letter patterns.

Morphological: This is the study of word parts. Students learn how to spell by understanding the structure of words and how they are built from smaller units of meaning (morphemes). This includes:

• Prefixes: Word parts added to the beginning of a word (e.g., un- in unhappy).
• Suffixes: Word parts added to the end of a word (e.g., -ing in running).
• Root words: The base part of a word that carries the main meaning (e.g., rupt in disrupt).

Understanding morphology helps students spell unfamiliar words by breaking them down into familiar parts and also expands their vocabulary by showing how word parts can change meaning. This knowledge is crucial for spelling more complex words.

The achievement expectations also increase. While K-2 students are expected to spell common and some irregular words, students in Years 3-6 are expected to use a wider range of strategies to spell both familiar and unfamiliar words accurately and fluently in their writing.

By progressing from foundational phonics to a more comprehensive understanding of word structure and origin, the NESA syllabus ensures that our students are not just memorising words but are truly becoming skilled and confident spellers.

Supporting Spelling at Home

Parents can play a big role in helping their children become confident spellers with a few fun, an supportive activities at home. Start simply by encouraging regular reading, having fun with word games, or even discussing new words they come across. Games like Scrabble, Boggle, or even simple crossword puzzles are fantastic family fun… and involve spelling!

There are plenty of apps and websites designed to make spelling practice engaging for children. Look for interactive spelling games or activities that reinforce phonics, word families, or tricky words for K-2 students and for 3-6 students, you can search for spelling apps or websites that include challenging word lists, vocabulary building, and more complex phonics and grammar patterns. Always enjoy the learning journey with your child!                    

Kind regards,

Nerissa McCartney
Leader of Teaching and Learning

Our stage 3 students recently took part in the Body Chats program with Sarah Alderton, a PDHPE specialist in Sydney Catholic schools. The sessions gave students a respectful, age-appropriate introduction to: 

• Puberty changes (physical, social, emotional)
• Reproduction relevant to puberty
• Consent and body boundaries
• Strategies for managing change

Students engaged with maturity and curiosity, asking thoughtful questions.

A Parent Information Evening was also held via Zoom with strong attendance and valuable discussion. Thank you to our Stage 3 families for supporting these important conversations at school and at home.

My Mind Check

Next week, students in Years 2 and 4 will take part in our termly My Mind check-ins. These short, age-appropriate surveys help us better understand student wellbeing, including how children are feeling about school, friendships, and learning.

Benefits of the check-ins:

• Gives students a voice in their wellbeing
• Helps teachers identify strengths and areas for support
• Builds a culture of care, belonging, and positive relationships
• Provides valuable data to guide wellbeing initiatives across the school

Years 2 and 4 are our pilot grades for 2025, with the aim of expanding the program more widely  in the future.

Amanda Macourt

“A man of prayer is capable of everything”
St Vincent de Paul.

With Father's Day coming up, here is a lovely spiritual retreat for men. This retreat is growing in numbers every year.
Camino of St Joseph for men 5th-6th September

The Camino of St. Joseph for men is an overnight pilgrimage in Sydney, Australia, where men walk in honor of St. Joseph, offering up a night's sleep as a sacrifice. It's a spiritual journey focused on deepening faith, strengthening the role of fathers, and fostering Catholic brotherhood. This year, the pilgrimage takes place on Friday, September 5th, 2025, and concludes on Saturday, September 6th, 2025.

Here's a more detailed look
Purpose:
The pilgrimage is a way for men to connect with St. Joseph, the ultimate earthly father, and to grow in their faith and masculinity. It's a chance to reflect on St. Joseph's example of strength, courage, and self-discipline.
Structure:
Participants walk through Sydney, visiting several churches and participating in prayer, reflection, and Adoration. The pilgrimage includes an opening and closing Mass, with stops at churches like St. Joseph's Como, St. Patrick's Sutherland, St. Catherine's Gymea, Our Lady Star of the Sea Miranda, and Our Lady of Fatima Caringbah.
Significance:
The Camino is seen as a "spiritual warm-up" for the International Eucharistic Congress in 2028 and a way to prepare for the responsibilities of fatherhood and leadership within the community. It also provides an opportunity to build brotherhood and fraternity among the participants.
Timing:
The pilgrimage aligns with Father's Day weekend, adding a layer of significance to the celebration of Catholic fatherhood.
Registration:
Men interested in participating can register through the Sydney Archdiocese website.

In the month of September and October we honour Our Blessed lady & Queen. We will be praying the Rosary after Tuesday 9:15am morning Mass. Mother Mary Our Queen, celebrates her birthday on Monday 8th September. We will  begin the rosary after mass on Tuesday 9th September, week 8.
All are welcome to join.

                                    

Free Prayer requests to Our Lady Of Lourdes

Whatever the needs are, prayer can provide Catholics with strong belief, to any situation one may be faced with. Many people find prayers to assist them in everyday life and with any difficulties they may have before them. We understand your intentions are sacred and you can be assured that they will be kept strictly confidential.

Whatever the needs are, prayer can provide Catholics with strong belief, to any situation one may be faced with. Many people find prayers to assist them in everyday life and with any difficulties they may have before them. We understand your intentions are sacred and you can be assured that they will be kept strictly confidential.

If you would like to submit a mass request, you may do so here: to Our Lady of Lourdes using the FREE online Prayer delivery service. Your petition / prayer request will be placed at the Grotto in Lourdes, as quickly as possible. Millions of pilgrims go to Lourdes each year and many place their prayers at the Grotto:
www.LourdesPrayerRequest.com

My other Family Educator Initiatives continue this term with the Playgroup every Monday morning 10am-11:30. The children are making new friends and having a great time.

Walking for Wellbeing group. We have been lucky to have the sun back so our walks have been good for the soul. Great way to start the day.

Please come along and join us.

Father’s Day prayer

God our Father, 
We give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old.
We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation;
May they find courage and perseverance to balance work,
family and faith in joy and sacrifice.
We pray for our own Fathers around the world 
whose children are lost or suffering; 
May they know that the God of compassion walks 
with them in their sorrow.
We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor
and guide us with fatherly love and advice. 
We remember fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers 
who are no longer with us but who live forever in our 
memory and nourish us with their love.
Amen

Have a blessed week

Anna Macri, 
Family & Faith Educator
anna.macri@syd.catholic.edu.au

We have officially reached our second last newsletter for this term. My, how quickly this term has gone by. Welcome to the Week 7 sporting edition at Sacred Heart, Mosman. We have had quite a few events occur in the last two weeks, so please keep reading on for all of the sporting news and updates.

On Monday 25th of August, Charlie attended a trial for the golf sporting pathways at Blackheath Golf Course. It was an amazing experience where Charlie played an 18 hole tournament. Although he did not make it into the NSWPSSA team this year, he is already training hard and has his sights set on it again for next year. We are cheering for you and your endeavours!!

On Friday 29th of August, Sacred Heart had a great number in representation at the SCS Pre to Post Athletics Championships where 11 students had attended.Out of the 11, we have a handful of students progressing through to make part of the Sydney Catholic Schools team. From here, they will attend the MacKillop Championships at SOPAC on the 24th of September. Successful students will then progress and be part of the MacKillop team. From this event, we actually had some great results with Gisele Camus placing 2nd overall in both her 800m and 1500m event. Thomas Lee also had an amazing result placing 2nd in his shot put event.

The SNR boys relay team placed 3rd overall in their event and will also be progressing into the next round. I would like to extend a special thank you to Nic Meacock who had been training them before the Championships. The team provided excellent results, shaving a whole 3.36 seconds off of their time from their previous two weeks ago.

On Monday the 1st of September, Stage 2 (Year 3 and  Year 4) attended their Interschool Sports OzTag Gala Day at Blackman Park. It was a beautiful day and the sun was out and shining. It was so nice to see our children interacting and engaging with students from other schools in a friendly game of OzTag.

Thank you so much to Sydney Catholic schools for organising such a great initiative, and to our teachers who assisted in guiding students to the correct fields and with the overall running of the day:

Mrs Curran, Miss Adamo, Mrs McCoy, Mr. O’Donoghue, Mrs. Loughland and Miss Monckton
Thank you also to our Year 6 referees who helped make the day such a great success:
Molly M, Emily B, Mia O, Lea S, Eve G, Chloe S, Jorge P, Archie M, Lachlan W, Matthew Z and Zachary M.

These students did an amazing job organising the rounds and allowing every child to have fun!

To end off, I would like to close with a good news story. Grace Paul in Year 6 has showed a stellar performance in her gymnastics outside of school. She participated in her first State Trial for State Championships this year and came:

• 1st - Floor Routine
• 3rd - Bars
• 2nd - Vault

Such great results for her very first event. It is so well deserved as she trains 11 hours per week! As a result of her placement in the Northern Regional State trials a few weeks ago, she has been selected as part of the Northern Region State Team to compete at the State Championships for Level 4 WAG on October 31-November 2. She will also be competing this weekend in Newcastle in the Level 4 WAG National team for her club, AAGI. We wish Grace the best of luck in her upcoming trials and are so proud of her results!

Well, you’re all caught up now. That’s it for sporting news this fortnight. I look forward to bringing you our students’ further achievements.

Kind Regards,

Miss Austrie Calizar
Sports Co-ordinator

Arrowsmith Teacher Testimonials
By raising cognitive capacity Arrowsmith can have a transformational impact on many aspects of learning, as you can see from some of the Sacred Heart teachers' observations of how students have benefited from the program.

Let’s hear what they have to say:

“As a teacher at Sacred Heart, I have had 9 students who have participated in the Arrowsmith program. For those students with higher IQ and/or good maturity towards striving to learn, the students’ academic performance significantly improved. One student I taught both in Year 3 when he began Arrowsmith, and again in Year 5, demonstrated significant positive change in his academic ability in reading and writing, by midway through Year 5, he was one of the most capable students in literacy.”

“We are so blessed to have the Arrowsmith program at our school. For many years I have seen students, who are bright and capable, struggle with their learning due to some block, whether it be low working memory or fluid reasoning. The Arrowsmith Program supports these students and their class teachers and makes a remarkable difference to the learning, self-esteem, confidence and skills of the students. The Arrowsmith program has achieved incredible success building neurological pathways, changing the brain and IQ of our students and helping them achieve success across the curriculum."

“The Arrowsmith Program at our school is hugely beneficial for our students' cognitive development. I've had the privilege of witnessing firsthand the remarkable support students receive, and how they are thoughtfully challenged to achieve their full potential. It's amazing to observe how the hard work and progress made within the Arrowsmith Program directly correlate to improved achievement in the classroom.”

What an incredible Book Week it has been! From thrilling stories by visiting authors, to imaginative adventures, we’ve celebrated the magic of reading together. Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun – whether you dressed up as your favourite character, shared a story, or simply delved into a good book.

Our Book Fair was a huge success, each sale earned rewards for our school to order literacy resources for the benefit of all our students and teachers. We greatly appreciated our visitors and hope that you are enjoying new books, or perhaps jotting down ideas for writing a story using new journals and pens.

Next big thing on the Library agenda is the wrap up of The Premier’s Reading Challenge. The challenge for 2025 closes to students on Friday 19^th September. All our students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and 2 have completed their challenge, such a wonderful achievement through reading books. Please email cecilia.jago@syd.cathoilic.edu.au if your child would like assistance with logging books they have read this year, or alternatively they can pop into the Library and see us.

We have some displays in the Library at the moment, including a book that was printed and bound in 1753!  It has beautiful illustrations and sketches of maps, plants, and buildings. Students can observe the typed text in the book and how the use of the English language is a little different to what we write and use today. There is also a book from the year 1943, which is possibly one of the first books on the shelves for Marist Sacred Heart Primary’s Library when the school moved to this site.

These books are treasures that we are still able read today. It shows that if we do look after books, just how long they can last for everyone to read and enjoy for many to come.

Let’s carry this love of reading with us all year long and keep turning pages to new worlds, ideas and dreams.

HAPPY READING!

Cecilia Jago & Josie Spano

The items below will be held in the school office for 2 weeks.

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