Dear Sacred Heart Community

Covid Protocols

The Victorian Government has announced important changes to the management of COVID-19 cases and close contacts in schools and other settings as we reach the 90% double dose milestone for eligible people in the coming days.

This means that students who are exposed persons (previously identified as close contacts in education settings) from an exposure at school, no longer have to quarantine for between 7 and 14 days. They can instead return immediately to school after providing evidence of a negative result from a standard PCR test to our school

Rapid antigen tests are strongly recommended for those students who have returned a negative PCR result and return to school. Schools will no longer distribute rapid antigen testing kits as originally planned. Instead, these will be available for collection from PCR testing centres at the time a student or staff member attends for the PCR test. These testing kits will be available from testing centres from Monday 22 November.

They are a great tool for families to use to keep our school safe and ensure that positive cases are identified at the earliest possible time. You will get a pack of five tests and you should use them each day before your child attends school until you run out.

Families should also use a rapid antigen test whenever their child is visiting a high-risk location or setting during this period. This includes visiting elderly or immunocompromised relatives or friends.

Thank you for supporting this important approach, which will help keep our school safe and reduce the disruption to the entire school community.

Year Prep 2022 Transition Session One

Last Thursday we had some of our Year Prep 2022 students come to school for their first transition session with Amanda. They all arrived at the school gate with excitement, displayed great enthusiasm for all the activities during their time at our school and left with smiling faces. It appeared a great time was had by all, including Amanda who couldn't get over how responsible and cooperative all our future Year Preps were. Year Prep 2022 promises to be another great year. The second transition is today with the third and final session on Monday.

Peter Pan Concert

Tickets for our concert Peter Pan on the 9th December at the Thornbury Theatre, will be free of charge as a gesture of thanks for the way you have supported your children and our school these past two years. The staff have been so impressed with how you handled the challenges of home schooling and of how respectfully you have adhered to the ever changing Covid protocols and kept our community safe. This is a small acknowledgement of your support.

Tickets can be ordered as of now. To order tickets you will need to complete the order form and have your child return the form to their teacher. Order forms will not be received at the office.

Our students will not need a ticket. There will not be any tickets available on the night of the concert.

Please be aware of all communication in the coming weeks, both as hard copy letters, in our weekly newsletter or as a special bulletin.

Finally our students and staff are working hard to make the 9th December a night of celebration. We hope to see all our students in attendance and as many family and friends as possible.

Writing Competition Winners Announced

The winners of our writing competition were announced today at school. After two weeks of reading many creative pieces of writing, the writing competition organisers Anni and Hanna were able to make a decision about who to award as winners. A big congratulations to all those students who participated in the competition. Our winners were: Natalie (Yr1), Harper and Allie (Yr2/3), Yash (Yr3/4), Nicola, Julian and Isabelle (Yr5/6)

Vale Christine Gazzara and Sister Stella Gleeson

This week and last, our school community has lost two incredibly strong ladies who touched so many people with the way they led their lives.

On Wednesday Christine Gazzara, beloved mother of Jodi and grandmother of Nikita passed away after an incredibly brave fight against cancer. I got to know Christine well during my four years at Sacred Heart and found her an inspiring lady both before her illness as a loving mother, grandmother and guardian and during her illness with her positiveness, sense of and welcome of the challenge before her and her preparedness in her days and hours of need to still be thinking of others. Rest in peace in Christine.

I first meet Sister Stella in my time working at St Mary's Thornbury. Stella also worked at Sacred Heart for a few years in the late seventies and early eighties. A magnificent lady, with strong convictions, her work was dedicated to helping the needy and less fortunate in our lives. She was an incredible example of someone who received joy in doing God's work and helping to make the world more just for those who are marginalised. Rest in peace Stella.

Advent

The season of Advent begins this Sunday. Running for four weeks it is recognised as a season of waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus. As we enter the final weeks of the 2021 school year, all classes will have an emphasis on the recognition of the significance of this season and how they can prepare.

Coloured Clothes Day

A reminder that during this upcoming season of Advent, we have been invited to join the Ray White Reservoir Office's ,"Little Ray of Giving" initiative, to give children in our community whose parents are struggling financially, a present at Christmas. We will be having a coloured clothes day tomorrow and we ask all children to bring a gold coin donation for this great cause.

Please take care.

Yours sincerely

Mark Tierney

Principal

Deputy Principal / Religious Education News

Deputy Principal /
Religious Education News