Message from the 

School Principal

Dear Sacred Heart families,

Today at Sacred Heart we celebrated the Feast of St Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, with a mass, shared morning tea and class activities. Sr Lorraine, a Josephite sister who worked at Sacred Heart until 2019, joined us for mass and spoke about St Mary MacKillop and how Mary continues to inspire us each and every day. Mary is a person whose life of faith, humility and service continues to inspire us all. Her words, "Never see a need without doing something about it," remind us of our shared call to live with compassion, courage and hope each day.

Happy 5oth Birthday, Fr Samuel

On behalf of the Sacred Heart school community, I would like to wish Fr Samuel a very happy 50th birthday which he will celebrate on Monday. Fr Samuel is a very important part of our Sacred Heart family and we are very grateful for his ongoing spiritual guidance as Parish Priest of St Joseph's Parish. We hope you have a wonderful birthday celebration, Fr Samuel! 

Religious Education Symposium 

As Catholic educators, we are grateful for the opportunity to continue growing in our own faith and understanding. Recently, Cath, Bree, Vivian and I attended the Religious Education Symposium, "Inspired by Faith", where Catholic educators from across Melbourne gathered to reflect on the evolving landscape of Religious Education, faith formation and the mission of our Catholic schools. The symposium provided valuable insights and practical ideas to enrich our work with students and strengthen our commitment to nurturing young people in faith, learning and service. I invited Vivian (Year 1V) to include a reflection on her experiences and key takeaways from this enriching professional learning opportunity and I am pleased to share this with you below: 

Last fortnight, I had the opportunity to attend the RE Symposium with Kaylene, Cath and Breanna. There were many incredible keynotes speakers and thought-provoking workshops over the two days. This experience provided me with many valuable insights, especially in shaping my understanding of what it means to be a young emerging leader in a Catholic school. A workshop that particularly resonated with me was on Leadership. I built an understanding that authentic leadership is about positively influencing others to achieve shared goals and that impactful leadership is grounded in the Catholic tradition. This experience has inspired me to grow as an emerging leader where I hope to share what I have learnt with colleagues, students and the school community.

Vivian Do

Sacred Heart Ladies Luncheon

What a wonderful afternoon we shared at the Sacred Heart Ladies Luncheon last Saturday at Porters (@porters3016) in Williamstown. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible organisers and volunteers whose dedication, hard work and attention to every detail made the event such a success. Your efforts created a beautiful afternoon of friendship, fun and community spirit.

Thanks to the generosity of everyone who attended, supported and donated, we are thrilled to announce that over $5,000 was raised! These funds will go towards resurfacing the school's instant turf area, which is in need of replacement, providing a safe and enjoyable space for our students for years to come.

 Together, we continue to make a real difference for our Sacred Heart community. ❤️

A very special thank you to @hustlcreative for capturing our Ladies’ Lunch so beautifully.

A Message from the Parent Organisers - Kathryn, Sarah & Vicki - to the Sponsors and supporters

Heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary kindness of the following local businesses who generously donated incredible prizes, vouchers and experiences for our raffle: 

•  Sheet Society - $500 voucher @sheetsociety 
•  Bayfit Leisure Centre - 3 Months Learn-to-Swim plus a 3-Month Membership (valued at over $1,200) @bayfitaltona 
•  Adairs - An assortment of Queen Size Bed Linen and Quilt covers (valued at $1,360) @adairs 
•  Sebastian - $200 voucher @sebastian.williamstown 
•  Zone22 - 5 Visits to the Traditional Sauna & Ice Bath (valued at $200) @zone22.recovery 

•  Crowded House - 5 Breakfast & Coffee Vouchers (valued at $185) @crowdedhousecafe 
•  Jumpside - 5 x 2-Hour Sessions including Grip Socks (valued at $150) @jumpside.au 

•  Indera Spa - Signature Facial Voucher (valued at $145) @inderaspa_ 

•  Grind Pilates - 5 Class Pass (valued at $145) @grindpilatesco 

•  Boss Hair Styling -$100 voucher @bosshairstyling 

•  Grace & Willow - $100 voucher @graceandwillow 

•  Lavayna - $100 voucher @lavanya_spa_retreat 
•  Cakes by Penny - $65 voucher 
•  The Happy Apple - $50 voucher @the_happyapple 

•  Mama Movement - $50 voucher @mamamovement_au 

• Think.Focus.Act - 15 Days Unlimited Yoga (valued at $49) @think.focus.act 

   

Special thanks to Jellis Craig @jelliscraiginnerwest and Lauren Wood @laurenwood.jelliscraig for generously donating and conducting a spectacular live auction of a luxurious 2-night Daylesford getaway. 

Also, our sincere appreciation goes to:

• Sarah McQuarrie @stompdancecompany for entertainment and her incredible support
• Kathryn Kemp @kat_kemp_pilates and Vicki Ford @vicki_dietitian for their invaluable support
•  Kellie @inthebunch for our stunning table flowers and bouquets
•  Candeece @elkwood_designs for our beautiful welcome sign
•  All of the beautiful mums and staff who attended 
•  Our amazing principal for her ongoing support

Financial Landscape for Catholic Schools 2027

Supporting our staff while planning for the future

Currently, all Catholic schools are working through planning and budgeting activities for 2027 to ensure we are well placed to support our staff, students and school communities in the coming year. This includes looking at how we can accommodate the changes likely to flow from a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) with school staff.

We recognise the significant financial pressures many households are facing, and we are making a conscious effort to ensure these costs are not passed on through significant fee increases.

We will continue to keep our parent community informed throughout this process. As always, our focus remains on maintaining strong school communities and continuing to deliver a high-quality Catholic education for every student

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. 

VCEA Letter to Parents/Carers re: Capital Funding

As we approach the 2026 state election, it is important to note that there is no ongoing commitment for capital funding for Catholic education from the Victorian government.

The Victorian Catholic Education Authority has been meeting with Premier Ben Carroll and Brad Rowswell, Shadow Minister for Education, to advocate for all parties to commit $250 million per annum in capital investment in Catholic schools over four years to:

• deliver important upgrades to existing facilities
• create additional student places in established areas, and

• support the delivery of new Catholic schools in growth areas.

   

 Principals have been asked to share the attached letter with their school communities to raise awareness of what is currently being sought for Catholic schools into the future. You are invited to read the attached letter for more information about this important topic.

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