Message from the 

School Principal

Dear Sacred Heart families,

I warmly welcome you all back to school for the start of Term 3. It has been a wonderful start to the term with students settling quickly back into their learning routines and connections with others. 

Today we celebrated the Feast Day of St Anne & St Joachim, the parents of Mary, Mother of Jesus. It was a beautiful day celebrating the very special relationship between grandparent and grandchild and, once again, Sacred Heart Church was overflowing with both people and love. It is testament to how loved our Sacred Heart children are by their grandparents and special grand-people in their lives, whether present today or not. Thank you for joining us today for this very special celebration whether in person or in spirit. 

On Wednesday, the students participated in our Athletics Day for Sacred Heart, with the Preps & Year 1s engaging in sports activities at school and the rest of the school at the Athletics track. We are very proud of the energy and positivity each of the child exhibited in doing their very best on the day. Thank you to our staff, especially Nick, and volunteers on the day, MSJ students & sports leaders who made sure the events ran smoothly and safely. Congratulations to all!

Image of the Child 2026

Since 2020, Sacred Heart Primary School has drawn on the philosophies and principals of Loris Malaguzzi & Reggio Emilia children, with a clearly articulated statement of how we view & enter into relationship with every child at Sacred Heart. This statement is called our 'Image of the Child.'

At the start of this year, we revisited the 2020 statement so as:

• To explore Loris Malaguzzi's concept of the "Image of the Child" and its  role in shaping us as educators at Sacred Heart
• To reflect on how Sacred Heart has evolved over the past five years, and to reaffirm an Image of the Child that is authentic to our Catholic identity, our Reggio influence, and our community in 2026

And ask the Key Questions of:

• What/where is Reggio Emilia and how has it shaped pedagogy at Sacred Heart Primary School, Newport?
• Who is Loris Malaguzzi and why does he matter?

Over the past six months, and through a process of discernment,  we identified parts of the statement that still hold true & other parts that needed to be develop further. Staff worked collaboratively to reflect on what it means to be an educator and student at our school and we are proud to share with you our 2026 statement of the "Image of the Child" below.  

School Fees & Levies 2027 - Tiered Family Fee Structure

As we begin planning for the 2027 school year, I am writing to provide you with important  information regarding Sacred Heart Primary School's school fees and levies for next year. Whilst a more detailed letter with actual figures will be provided to all families in the coming weeks, I wanted to inform you of the changes as soon as possible. 

Under the directives of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools for all Catholic schools, we will be moving to a tiered family fee structure in 2027. A tiered family fee structure is a pricing model that recognises the financial impact of having multiple children enrolled at the school at the same time. Rather than charging a fixed fee for each child, the family contribution is calculated using a sliding scale, with the overall fee reducing proportionally as additional children are enrolled. This approach helps make Catholic education more affordable for larger families while ensuring the school can continue to provide high-quality learning opportunities and support for all students. 

At Sacred Heart, we remain committed to using our resources thoughtfully and responsibly to provide the best possible learning environment and learning opportunities, whilst continuing to nurture the wellbeing and growth of every student. However, like all schools, Sacred Heart has experienced significant increases in the costs of delivering education. These include staffing and salary increases, WorkCover premiums, Child Safety compliance requirements, risk management, curriculum resources, professional learning for staff, capital works and increased system-wide operating costs, amongst others. 

We understand that any increase in school fees can place additional pressure on family budgets, particularly during a time when many households continue to experience rising living costs. Please know that this decision has not been made lightly. We also recognise that every family's circumstances are different. Once the final figures are determined and communicated, if you have any concerns regarding school fees and levies or would like to discuss a payment arrangement that best suits your family's situation, I warmly encourage you to contact me. All conversations are treated with sensitivity, respect and confidentiality, and we are committed to working alongside families wherever possible.

Thank you for your continued trust in Sacred Heart and for the partnership we share in the education and formation of your children. Your support enables us to continue nurturing a community where every child is known, valued and loved. 

Baptism Celebrations

Last weekend, two of our Sacred Heart students received the Sacrament of Baptism. We congratulate Alexa (3A) and Charlotte (1KK) on their very special day. May the love of God continue to guide and protect you both in your faith journey as you grow and may you always know that you are very much a part of our Sacred Heart school and faith community.

"The New Pet" by Priya Kaur - a published Sacred Heart student author

It was such a lovely surprise when one of our Year 2 students visited my office during the week to share with me a book she liked. I thought initially that she wanted to show me how well she was reading but, when I looked more closely at the front cover, I could see it had her name on it as author! Congratulations Priya on become a published author of a book called "The New Pet". As an avid reader myself and lover of books, I am so very excited for Priya and proud of her achievements. Well done, Priya!! Priya's book is available for purchase on Amazon. 

School Uniform

As per the News from the Office section of our newsletter, I ask that parents/carers please support the Uniform Policy by ensuring children come to school in correct school uniform. This includes wearing the correct shoes on the day that is not a sports day, wearing the correct pants, jumpers & beanies, which are items that we note are sometimes substituted for other options and/or brands. 

Our school uniform is an important part of our identity at Sacred Heart and we encourage our students to wear it with pride and respect. I thank you for your support in this aspect of school life. 

Census & Privacy Collection Information

Please click on the link below to read important information about the upcoming census period and data collection pertaining to school and your child.

Yours in faith,

Kaylene

Kaylene Carlin

SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

principal@shnewport.catholic.edu.au