Dear Parents and Caregivers,

During Lent, we are encouraged to spend some time looking into our own lives to see the direction we are taking. One way we can focus less on ourselves and show compassion for others is through the Lenten appeal, Project Compassion. Our Year 6 leaders launched this appeal at the beginning of Lent and we encourage families to support this cause. Project Compassion brings schools, parishes and families together to raise funds for people living in the most vulnerable communities across the world. As Lent progresses, it provides a wonderful opportunity to lead our children to a better understanding of compassion and how they can promote justice and alleviate poverty in their world. There are Project Compassion boxes in each classroom and we encourage children to bring along a donation in support this appeal.

Well done to our fantastic Foundation learners who have settled so well into school routines and to their families for supporting this. It’s wonderful to see how they have adjusted and the learning that is already happening. Thank you to their teachers, Vanessa, Sonia and Lily whose patience and support has helped them all settle into school life. This week, Foundation have reached another milestone and begin school fulltime. Well done everyone!

Could I please ask parents to be mindful of the interruptions to important learning time. School attendance is vitally important to your child’s learning and those few minutes missed add up to considerable loss of learning time. Arriving on time, ensuring appointments are made outside school hours and not leaving before the end of the day allows your child to be fully engaged in the learning program. Each day at Sacred Heart, we attempt to provide a calm learning environment with minimal interruptions to everyone. Collecting children from classrooms throughout the day makes this very challenging! A reminder also that all visitors must report to the school office during school hours.

Our current fundraising is our Easter Raffle. Thank you for the donations of eggs already received and to families who have been selling lots of tickets. Please keep them coming as all funds will go towards improving our playground.

Learning Conversations will take place from 2:30-6pm on Tuesday-Wednesday March 28th and 29th. These conversations are a vital part of each child’s learning and an opportunity to establish positive relationships between school and families. Each child has an opportunity to share their learning with their families and teachers and discuss further directions. Booking will be available on PAM from Tuesday 14th March at 9am and will close on Friday 26th March at 3pm. Please make sure you book a time with your child/children’s teacher.

Thank you to the parents, grandparents and carers who attended last week’s information session for volunteers. It was very encouraging to see so many of you keen to be classroom helpers. Research tells us that there are many positive outcomes when parents/carers take an active interest in their child’s school and education. At Sacred Heart, we are blessed by a great parent community who are regularly involved in their child’s education. Thank you to Loretta Robbins for presenting this session. Loretta especially focused on helping with reading and the importance of confidentiality when working with children Please see your classroom teacher if you would like to help. You must have a WWCC and have completed the online Induction.

Last night our School Advisory Council met for the first time for 2023. Paul Bissinella, GV Deanery Principal Consultant attended the meeting and led members through the important role and purpose of the School Advisory Council. SHSAC provides a voice for the school community and importantly contributes to ongoing school improvement. It acts on behalf of all students, both present and future. We welcome new members, Kellie Hines, Katie Donaldson and Nicole Shearer. I would like to thank each of our members for their invaluable interest and time given to our school and look forward to working with them throughout 2023.

NAPLAN will take place for our students in Year 3 and 5. The assessments are taking place much earlier this year and will commence next week. NAPLAN is just one aspect of the assessments that take place and doesn’t replace ongoing assessment made by your child’s teacher. NAPLAN cannot be studied for and students are not expected to do so. The best way you can help your child prepare for NAPLAN is to let them know that it is just another routine part of their school program and encourage them, as always, to do the best they can on the day.

The shade sails in our outdoor area between rooms 5A and 7A has been completed. This was funded by the Victorian Government Shade Sail Program allowing schools to better use outside learning spaces.

GV School Photography are taking our school photos on Thursday 16th March. We ask that all children are dressed in full summer uniform. See website for correct summer uniform.

A reminder that next Monday 13th is a public holiday. I will be on LSL for the coming week and Loretta Robbins will be Acting Principal during that time.

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus continue to watch over our school community and bless us always.

Pauline Hindson

Principal

Student Achievements

Noah Reid (3/4 KR)