TERM 4 - WEEK 5

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*2024 Term Dates in Key Dates Page

EVENT	DATE
Swimming program Yr 1-6 (No Tuck Shop, No swimming Mon 20th)	14 - 24 Nov
Clash of Courts Mum's Netball Tournament	19 Nov.
School Closure - Planning 2024	27 Nov
Sacred Heart Little Touch of Christmas Assembly	8th Dec
Yr.6 Graduation	12 Dec.
Big Day Out and Last Day for Yr.6 Students	13 Dec
Last Day 2023 for Prep - Yr.5 1pm	15 Dec.

Hot of the press, Reconciliation 22nd March & First Eucharist 22nd August, 2024. Confirmation date has yet to be finalised.

Dear Families & Friends,

Despite the shortened fortnight due to the extended Melbourne Cup closures, we had another wonderful few weeks at Sacred Heart, including:

a special Remembrance Day assembly (congrats to Year 5 and Mr. Blake),
Day for Daniel (thanks Mr. Brown),
Sex Education sessions for Year 4-6 students,
a comprehensive assessment schedule P-6,
commenced our Year 1-6 swimming program, and
the highly anticipated Clash of the Courts featuring our inspiring mums this Sunday. Thanks again to Amanda Molony for championing this wonderful event.

Sacred Heart Special Little Touch of Christmas Assembly 8th December

Amidst all this, our students and staff have proudly and successfully maintained their commitment to daily literacy and maths blocks. Therefore, it's no surprise that both students and staff are feeling quite exhausted by the end of the week.

Last week marked the completion of the Prep Orientation program, and we couldn't be happier with the outcome. The new Preps, who will be part of our two classes for 2024, were exceptional throughout the program. From initial nervousness in the first session to a remarkable final session on Wednesday, the children adjusted, settled, and focused superbly over the three-day program. We extend our appreciation to the families for supporting and coaching the children during this transition, and special thanks to Miss Maloney and Miss Wood for their phenomenal efforts throughout this integral process.

With the establishment of two classes for 2024, we look forward to an exciting year ahead for our youngest students as they embark on their journey at Sacred Heart. We are extremely confident that, after these three sessions and a diligent process of engaging with kindergartens and close observations throughout this program, we have formed two well-balanced classes for 2024 - Prep M & Prep W. Based on the positive experience of the last session, we can expect a brilliant year ahead in these respective classes.

Additionally, it has been joy and we're thrilled to have welcomed new families in recent weeks, and we eagerly anticipate working alongside them in partnership to ensure the best outcomes for their children. Trusting relationships are key, and from day one, we couldn't have asked for more.

Junior All Star Champions 2023

Congratulations to our awesome Junior All Stars for winning the regional final on Wednesday. Remarkably, we now have three All-Star teams set to compete in the upcoming State Championships. We are incredibly proud of our sporty Sacred Heart stars. A big thank you goes out to our amazing volunteers and parent coaches whose efforts have made these events possible. #shbasketballinstitution

Many thanks to Mr T for making these special events possible for our passionate basketballers.

Staffing News

It is with mixed emotions that we share news of staff changes for the upcoming year. Mrs Tucker, a gifted educator, will not be returning to Sacred Heart in 2024. She has decided to take leave to prioritize time with her family, especially as her youngest son begins primary school next year. While Mrs. Tucker will no longer be at Sacred Heart, she will continue her role at Mentone Grammar and we anticipate our families may cross paths in this capacity. We extend our sincere thanks to Mrs Tucker for the outstanding work she has done over the past 6 years, and more recently in collaboration with Mrs Capron in Year 3. Her breadth of experience, energy, extensive curriculum knowledge, and dedication will be greatly missed, and we trust she will cherish this precious time with her family.

Additionally, we bid a fond farewell (for now) to Miss Healey, who will be taking time to travel and work abroad next year. Adored by her students, Miss Healey's stunning relationships with them are second to none. Often acknowledged by our families, we have observed with awe the exceptional manner in which she engages and interacts with all members of our community. Her unwavering passion for teaching, albeit in these formative years of her career, has not gone unnoticed by leadership. With much pride, we look forward to seeing her pathway unfold and flourish in the years to come, as everyone needs a Miss Healey on their journey.

Sadly, the last member of our Year 3 team, Mrs Capron, will be returning to Black Rock Primary unfortunately due to the inability to transfer leave entitlements across our systems. We feel blessed to have had Mrs Capron with us this half-year, and we sincerely hope our paths cross again in the future, given the instant impression she had on our students and team.

After 20 years of dedicated full and part-time service across various grade levels within our school community, Mrs Harper has recently accepted a full-time position at Katandra Primary School starting in 2024. We send our deepest gratitude for her many contributions at Sacred Heart. Throughout this extended period, she has had a significant influence on students, families, and colleagues. Mrs Harper's wealth of experience, adaptability, flexibility, and creativity have been greatly valued, and we are confident that these qualities will be welcomed in her new setting. We understand that making such a move after a lengthy period at Sacred Heart is never easy, and we sincerely wish Mrs Harper every success in this new and exciting chapter of her career.

In the coming weeks, we will provide an update on all replacement staffing for 2024. Rest assured, we are thrilled with the calibre of our new staff, and we are confident that both families and, more importantly, our students will be so impressed by their quality. All new staff will be actively involved in the 'moving up' and planning days, and we are eagerly anticipating the positive impact they will bring to Sacred Heart. In the meantime, we kindly ask our families to extend their best wishes to those staff members who will not be returning in 2024.

Additionally, please note that Miss Healey will be working as a casual relief teacher throughout Term 1 before embarking on her overseas journey to commence the European new school year. We greatly appreciate your understanding and support during this transitional period, recognising change is essential in maintaining our school's high performance.

And finally, we are thrilled to hear Miss Rafferty received a High Distinction for her final assignment in Masters in Educational Leadership studies. We are immensely proud of these achievements from our staff.

Swimming Program

This week, we commenced our annual eight-session/days swimming program, a vital component of our students' Physical Education curriculum from Year 1 to Year 6. Designed to promote safety, physical fitness, and a passion for water activities, the program offers age-appropriate and proficiency-based lessons tailored to the diverse skill levels within each grade. With RLS qualified instructors at the Danny Frawley Centre, our students are assured of building increased confidence and proficiency in the water. The swimming program not only emphasises crucial survival skills but we also hope fosters a sense of independence and discipline as students progress through various swimming levels. We are pleased to be providing this heavily subsidised and comprehensive program, contributing significantly to the well-rounded education our students receive at Sacred Heart. Whilst this is a terrific program, we can expect some VERY tired students come Friday.

Clash of the Courts

New Uniform Item in 2024

We are thrilled to see the most positive uptake from our families with the introduction of the new school fleece. The first big order has been placed for 2024, and we remind our families to check out the sample sizes in the admin area.

Little Hearts of Sandy Playgroup

Family and friends are most welcome to attend. No age limit on toddlers or pre-schoolers. Last session we had over 20 pre-schoolers (inc. 2024 & 2025 Preps) and toddlers and it has been fabulous to see lots of new faces at these sessions. Thanks again to our talented LSO and musician, Carol for entertaining the children and families throughout the morning. We love these sessions!

Only two more to go:

24th Nov. 10am
8th Dec. 10am

Before Care Program 2024 and After Care change from November onwards

After our recent survey to all current parents and Prep families joining us in 2024, we take great pleasure in advising The Village OSHC are able to offer Before Care on a Wednesday and Thursday in 2024. If demand grows, we hope to be able to offer more mornings.

This commitment by the school and The Village OSHC is based on the responses we received. It is very important for families to honour what they have indicated in the survey. The Aftercare program will reduce to Mon-Thurs, due to lack of interest on Fridays (effective from November).

LITTLE GEMS

In recent weeks, the consistent flow of Preps visiting my office, eager to display their newfound reading fluency, is such a highlight. Observing the youngest members of our school community thrive will always be a privilege in my role as principal. Although the photo below encapsulates a snippet of pride in their achievements, the genuine joy they exude while reading fluently to an audience well exceeds this image. Our students continue to fly with daily fluency exercises across all year levels. #bestpracticeinaction

It was fabulous to see William and Jack drop in for a brief visit on Friday, all the way from NZ. Treated like 'rockstars,' the boys must have felt right at home as they were warmly embraced by their friends. Wearing All Black colours, the boys clearly wasted no time adopting some notable cultural traits from their temporary home.

And finally....

It has indeed been an eventful week, particularly for our Year 1-6 students who have been actively participating in the swimming program. Unsurprisingly, our students have embraced the program effortlessly, adapting like 'fish to water'. However, it's evident that this intensive activity has also brought about fatigue, causing a shift in our usual weekly schedule. As we make necessary adjustments, we kindly request families to be mindful of the added physical energy required and consider gently limiting additional activities during the remainder of the program. This will help to prevent the likelihood of heightened emotions in the coming weeks as we look to close out the school year.

We greatly appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate our students and staff towards the finish line,

Simon Collis

Principal

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