Principals Report

Principal's Report

And just like that – we are into November!

 We are at the ‘unofficial halfway point’ of Term 4 and hopefully families were able to relax over the weekend, ready for a busy run to Christmas! And hopefully you had better luck backing a winner on Tuesday than I did.

On Sunday, Fr Michael spoke about the two significant feasts that the church celebrates this time every year – All Saints’ Day (1st Nov) and All Souls Day (2nd Nov). AllSaints Day is dedicated to honouring the saints in heaven and gives us the opportunityto think about those ‘saints who walk among us.’ St Teresa of Calcutta puts thechallenge to us: “If you are a saint, thank God: if you are a sinner, don’t remain one.” AllSouls Day, celebrated a day later, is set aside for us to pray for our loved ones who arein heaven. It can be a difficult time as we try to come to terms with the mystery of our faith and what happens to the souls of our faithful departed. As Catholics, we believe our prayers, sacrifices and masses are offered on this day to assist these souls in their journey towards the fullness of God’s presence.

We have a few big school events on the horizon, including Yr5 Leadership Day(yesterday), Yr6 Melbourne Camp (next week), 2026 Prep Transitions and Info Night and APSA rehearsals and school concert ... and that’s all before December!

Next year our Senior Student Leadership structure will change slightly. We will continue to have two Sports Captains for each of our four House Teams. Instead of Mercy Values Captains we will have two School Captains for Semester 1 (Term 1 and 2)and two School Captains for Semester 2 (Terms 3 and 4). Our Semester 1 Captains will be selected later this year. Our Semester 2 Captains will be selected in Term 2 2026. All our 2026 Yr6 students will align with one of our six Mercy Values (Respect, Compassion, Justice, Courage, Service, Hospitality), however there will be no captain for each value. The role of our School Captains will include representing our school at community events (ANZAC Day march, NAIDOC Week Bridge Walk etc.), leading school events and liturgies, sharing student voice with staff and students and will develop as time progresses. In 2026 we are committed to placing a greater emphasis on incorporating the Mercy values into actions that our students lead to ensure our Catholic Identity. 

From the beginning of 2026 we hope to have a vibrant Parents and Friends Committee eat Sacred Heart. I see the P&F as playing a vital role in fostering community spirit and supporting the educational experience within our school. The committee will help organise events, fundraisers, and initiatives that enhance student learning and wellbeing, while also promoting a welcoming and inclusive environment. If you aresomeone who would be willing to contribute ideas, volunteer time, and advocate for theneeds of the school community, please email me your expression of interest –

jmullavey@shyarrawonga.catholic.edu.au . I would like to have a formation meeting this year, so we are ready to go for 2026.

Have a wonderful (short) week

Take care and God Bless,

Jarrod

Term Ahead - Term 4 – Sacred Heart families