Principal's Report

Dear Families,

As we roll through Week 4, there is plenty happening across the school. I am currently in Harrietville with our Year 4 students, and we are having a wonderful time at camp. We’ve been giant swinging, hut building, trying our hand at archery, and tackling the low‑ropes course—just to name a few activities. The students’ behaviour has been outstanding, and their excitement is contagious. A huge thank you to Miss Stacey, Mrs Dishot, Mrs Smith, Miss Sinclair, Mrs Powell and Mrs Bourne, who are doing an amazing job supporting our campers.

At last Friday’s assembly, we announced our 2026 Year 6 Leaders. Congratulations to our (Semester 1) School Captains and House Captains:

School Captains:

• Ella Knight and Logan Sheahan

Mercy:

• Skye Strawhorn and Olive Cummins

Lourdes:

• Roley Cummins and Alex Bridgeman Aitken

Fatima:

• Harry Douglass and Stella Hicks

Loreto:

• Layla Bailey and Lewis Hargreaves

Our Year 6 students have made a fantastic start to the year—showing leadership in the classroom, on the yard, and in their support of their Prep buddies. We are grateful for the example they set for our whole school.

Ash Wednesday – Beginning of Lent

This Wednesday marks Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in our Catholic tradition. Lent is a time of reflection, prayer and preparation as we journey toward Easter. In class, students have been learning about the meaning of this season and participating respectfully in our liturgy and discussions.

Swimming Carnival – This Thursday

On Thursday we will hold our Sacred Heart Swimming Carnival. Thank you to Mr O’Dwyer for his organisation and preparation. From this event, we will select our Divisional Team to represent the school. A big thank you to our Year 3–6 students and families for supporting our two‑week swimming program. We have been blessed with great weather, and Thursday is looking promising as well.

Opening School Mass & BBQ – Tuesday 24 February

Next Tuesday we will celebrate the beginning of the school year with our Opening School Mass at 10am, followed by a free family BBQ back at school. All staff will be available to meet new families and reconnect with those who are returning. Please take this opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and continue strengthening our school–family partnership.

Parent Volunteers

A parent volunteer form has been sent home to all families. Parents wishing to volunteer at school are required to complete this form and the linked Child Safe module. The form mentions classroom helpers and excursions; while these are not currently part of our practice, we have kept this wording in place as we may expand volunteer opportunities in the future.

Early Arrivals

We continue to have students arriving too early.

• Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays: Students should not arrive before 8:30am.

• Wednesdays and Fridays: Students may arrive from 8:15am if attending our St Vinnies Breakfasts—thank you to Faye, Mittsy and their wonderful team for the breakfast they provide.

• Fridays: Students attending Running Club may arrive from 8:00am. Running Club begins this Friday, 6 February.

Early arrivals interrupt staff as they prepare for the day, which impacts learning for all students. We appreciate your support in ensuring students arrive within supervised times.

Important Dates – Term 1

Mon 16 Feb: Year 4 Camp to Harrietville (return Wed 18 Feb)
Wed 18 Feb: Ash Wednesday
Thurs 19 Feb: Sacred Heart Swimming Carnival
Tues 24 Feb: Opening School Mass & BBQ
Thurs 5 Mar: School Photos
Tues 17 & Wed 18 Mar: Learning Conversations
Mon 9 Mar: Labour Day Public Holiday
Thurs 2 Apr: Last Day of Term 1

Traffic & Safety Reminders

If you are dropping your child off in the morning, please remember that the spaces outside the front office are ‘kiss and go’ only. If you wish to walk your child into school, please park in a nearby street to avoid congestion.

We also ask families not to arrive at the Orr Street pick‑up area before 3:10pm, as early arrivals block local roads. Students not collected by 3:30pm will be followed up in line with our Child Safeguarding procedures.

Please be aware that local Police will be enforcing the No Standing areas around our school to support the safety of our students and families.

Learning Conversations – Week 8

Our Term 1 Learning Conversations will take place on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 March. More information, including booking details, will be shared shortly. These meetings are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher and work together to support their growth.

Have a wonderful week everyone. Take care and God bless.

Jarrod

Term Ahead - Term 1 - 20256
Week	Dates & Items
4	Mon 16/2-Wed 18/2 - Yr4 Harrietville Camp Tues 17/2 - Shrove Tuesday Wed 18/2 - Ash Wednesday Wed 18/2 - Prep Rest Day #3 Thurs 19/2 - Swimming Carnival
5	Tues 24/2 - Opening School Mass and BBQ Wed 25/2 - Prep Rest Day #4
6	Thurs 5/3 - School photos
7	Mon 9/3 - Labour Day public holiday
8	Tues 17/3 - St Patrick’s Day Tues 17/3 - Learning Conversations Wed 18/3 - Learning Conversations
9	Wed 25/3-Fri 27/3 - Principal Conference
10	Thurs 2/4 - Last day Term 1

Term Dates for the Year:

TERM 1: January 27 to April 2

TERM 2: April 20 to June 26

TERM 3: July 13 to September 19

TERM 4: October 5 to December 18

From the Year 4 Classroom