Learning and Teaching News

Be Digitally Wise Week

Last week, we recognised Be Digitally Wise Week (19–23 October), an opportunity to highlight the importance of helping children navigate the digital world safely, responsibly and thoughtfully.

At Sacred Heart, digital safety education is not a one-off event but an ongoing part of our learning throughout the year. Through our partnership with Inform & Empower, students participate in regular cyber safety lessons that equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed and responsible choices online.

This term, our Year 5 and 6 students have been exploring important topics including Artificial Intelligence (AI), influencers and our values, and navigating unsafe online interactions. These lessons encourage students to think critically about what they encounter online, recognise potential risks and understand how their values can guide their decisions and behaviour in digital spaces.

Our Prep students also participated in a special Inform & Empower session, exploring how to use the internet safely, the importance of identifying trusted adults, balancing screen time with outdoor play (green time), and developing healthy digital habits, including switching off devices at least an hour before bedtime.

We encourage families to also have these important conversations at home. 

Often our educators will share information sheet provides helpful conversation starters to support discussions with your child about their online experiences.  This is an example of What Katrina and Thérèse shared with their families last week:

Together, we can help our children become safe, respectful and responsible digital citizens.

Year 3 Reconciliation

Yesterday, our Year 3 students celebrated the Sacrament of First Reconciliation in a beautiful and reverent celebration. It was a special moment in their faith journey as they experienced God's love, mercy and forgiveness through this sacrament.

A sincere thank you to our Year 3 educators, Isabella and Ava,  for their thoughtful preparation and guidance of the students, and to our families for their support, encouragement and partnership in preparing their children for this important step in their faith journey.

We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Fr Samuel for his gentle and welcoming presence, and for guiding our students through this special experience with such warmth and care.

Congratulations to all our Year 3 students on this special occasion!

Religious Education 

Mary Helps Us to Pray and Talk to God

As part of their Religious Education unit, Mary Helps Us to Pray and Talk to God, our Year 2 students have been exploring the special place Mary holds in the Catholic faith and how the Rosary helps us pray and grow closer to Jesus.

The students began by closely observing Rosary beads, wondering about their meaning, the arrangement of the beads and how they are used in prayer. They discovered that the Rosary is a sacred prayer aid that helps Catholics reflect on important moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary.

Students explored the words and meaning of the Hail Mary prayer and learned how to prepare their hearts and minds for quiet, reflective prayer. 

Staff Prayer:

Over recent weeks, staff have been introduced to different representations of Mary through our weekly staff prayer. We have explored the many titles given to Mary throughout the Catholic tradition, including Our Lady of Lourdes and Our Lady of Fátima.

• Our Lady of Lourdes: This title refers to Mary appearing to a young girl named Bernadette in Lourdes, France, in 1858, and is associated with prayer, healing and hope.

• Our Lady of Fátima: This title refers to Mary appearing to three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal, in 1917, encouraging people to pray the Rosary and work towards peace in the world.

 Through these reflections, staff have deepened their understanding that these titles do not represent different Marys, but rather different ways in which Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been honoured and understood across cultures and throughout history. These prayer experiences invite staff to reflect on Mary's enduring significance as a woman of faith, trust and discipleship.

Learning and Teaching Team:

Sue Burke

English Leader

sburke@shnewport.catholic.edu.au

Kim Dalmau

Mathematics Leader

kdalmau@shnewport.catholic.edu.au

Cath Palmer

Deputy Principal

Catholic Identity & Pedagogy

cpalmer@shnewport.catholic.edu.au