School News

2026 Year 6 Leadership

As you are aware Year 6 is an exciting year in which the students are privileged to undertake leadership roles within the school. The expanded leadership opportunities for students in Year 6 in 2026 include:

• School Captains 
• Sport Captains
• The Arts Captains 
• Library/IT Captains

Students have been preparing their leadership speech in class over the past week and will be presenting to the Year 3-6 students next Monday 24 November, commencing at 9:00am in the MPR. Year 6 2026 families are invited to attend these Leadership Speeches. 

We extend our congratulations to every student who will be presenting a speech. 

Swimming Program at MLC

Aquatic Education is an integral part of the Physical Education program that we value at Sacred Heart Kew. It is so important that we maintain the skill throughout the year when possible. Your child will be participating in a 5 day swimming program with qualified swim instructors at Methodist Ladies College (MLC) Swimming Centre fron Monday 8 December to Friday 12 December. If your child will be absent during the time, please email admin@shkew.catholic.edu.au to let us know. This helps with planning and logistics for our MLC Aquatics organisers and swim teachers. 

Each day, all children will walk to and from the venue with their classroom teacher. Children are to wear their sports uniform each day to school (and can wear their bathers underneath). Children will need to bring a separate bag to school with them each day with the items listed below.

Items Required

Towel

Goggles

Bathers (or change of underwear if wearing bathers to school under their uniform)

Swimcap (Optional)

Please ensure all items are clearly labelled along with their sports uniform worn on the day.

As there are other school events on during this busy period, your child’s swimming class day and time will be commmunicated to families in due course. These may vary from day to day this year, for various reasons, some reasons are out of our control. 

** Note ** Classes depart school and walk to MLC prior to start of lesson and have changing time available. Students will be in the water for 45 minutes and change after. 

We will require some parent helpers for the younger children to help get changed. Classroom teachers will arrange this with you directly. If you are free on any of the days during the week, you will need to have a current (WWWC) Working with Children Check.

Your child’s swimming classes will be held each day from:

Colour Run 

Thank you so much to our WONDERFUL Parents' Association for organising our FUN Colour Run last Friday. We had SO much fun as you can see from the photos above. Thanks also to all the parents who assisted on the day. It was AMAZING

School Fee Payments 

Thank you to all families who have finalised their accounts for 2025. There are still a number of outstanding accounts, unless prior arrangements are in place, it would be appreciated if all accounts could be finalised by the end of term. Thank you for your cooperation. 

School Fees 2026

Please read the document below which outlines School Fees and Student Levies for 2026.

Religious Education News

Next week (Week 8) marks the commencement of our whole-school Advent Program at Sacred Heart. This year, our school community will gather to reflect upon the meaning and significance of the Advent Wreath and its four candles—three purple and one pink representing Hope, Faith, Joy, and Love.  

These candles will serve as a spiritual focus for our students during class-led paraliturgies as we prepare our hearts and minds for the celebration of Christmas Day. We will be gathering on Tuesday and Fridays in the MPR over the next few weeks. This way we will have another visual reminder of the nearing Christmas when the white candle is lit on Christmas Day.

Thank you to the teachers and students who have committed to leading us in these paraliturgies over the next month. 

Week 8 (Hope) and (Faith)

Tues 25/11: Year 3 Hope Paraliturgy - 8:50AM

Fri 28/11:  Year 2 Faith Paraliturgy - 8:50AM

Week 9 No paraliturgies - Classes preparing for Christmas Carols

Week 10 (Joy) and (Love) 

Tues 9/12: Year 1 Joy Paraliturgy - 11:15AM

Fr 12/12 : Year 4 Love Paraliturgy - 8:50am

Week 11 No paraliturgies - End of Year Mass Tuesday 16 December 9:15am

Traditionally, each of the four Advent candles have a deeper meaning which is depicted in the lovely FOUR WEEKS OF THE ADVENT WREATH

• The 1st Sunday of Advent symbolizes Hope with the "Prophet’s Candle" reminding us that Jesus is coming. During the first week of Advent we remember the Old Testament prophets who foretold of Jesus’ coming with hope and anticipation. 

• The 2nd Sunday of Advent symbolizes Faith with the "Bethlehem Candle" reminding us of Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem. During this second week of Advent, we reflect on our lives and focus on becoming better-versions-of-ourselves in preparation for Jesus’ coming. We remember the journey Joseph and Mary took from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

• The 3rd Sunday of Advent symbolizes Joy with the "Shepherd’s Candle" reminding us of the Joy the world experienced at the coming birth of Jesus. "And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them." (Luke 2:20)

• The 4th Sunday of Advent symbolises Love with the "Angel’s Candle" reminding us of the message of the angels:  During this final week of Advent we rejoice in the endless love that God has for us, which is made apparent in the birth of his Son. We reflect on the good news of God's love brought to us from the angel Gabriel. 

This is the last week to prepare our hearts for the joy of Christmas. 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Christmas Giving Tree - 24 November to 12 December

Sacred Heart School Community Carols: Thursday 4 December 6-8pm 

End of Year Thanksgiving Mass: Tuesday 16 December at 9.15am

Please save the date for our end of year celebration at our beautiful Parish Church. To be immediately followed by our Light of Leadership ceremony. We will farewell our Year 6 students and all other students and families leaving Sacred Heart.

Program Support Group (PSG) Meetings Term 4

At Sacred Heart Kew we know that not every child learns at the same pace. Some children may require extra support or time to master taught skills. Our teachers differentiate and personalise the curriculum each day, catering for the individual needs of each child within their classroom. Our teachers identify and target each students’ interests and abilities across all learning areas, providing engaging and enriching experiences. Our teachers utilise students pre and post testing data, regularly monitoring and reviewing students learning progress during the year. Our students are provided extension and or support based on their individual learning needs.  

Our Learning Diversity Leader works in partnership with our classroom teachers to develop Personal Learning Plans (PLP’s) for students who require additional learning support. Personalised Learning Plans are designed to support the academic, social and emotional needs of our children. Program Support Group (PSG) meetings are facilitated throughout the course of the school year, and teachers and parents meet regularly to discuss and develop these plans. Our team of Learning Support Officers (LSO’s) also provide additional support to our teachers and students within the classroom setting. 

A Program Support Group (PSG) brings together key people involved in your child’s holistic education. It is a partnership between you and your child, school representatives and, where relevant, invited professionals. The PSG works together to guide the planning and implementation of inclusive educational practices for your child. The members of the PSG meet on a regular basis to develop plans, adjustments and interventions that reflect a common understanding of your child’s needs. 

It is fundamental to the success of the PSG that all participants adhere to the following meeting protocols:

• meetings are collaborative in decision-making 

• meetings are respectful and positive in tone 

• there is an opportunity for all voices to be heard

Thank you for your ongoing support of all that we do here at Sacred Heart Kew.

Friday Afternoon School Assemblies at 2:30pm

Term 4:

Week 8 (28 November) - Assembly

Week 9 (5 December) - School Closure Day

Week 10 (12 December) - Assembly

Week 11 (Tuesday 16 December 11:15am) - Assembly - Year 6

  2025 Term Dates

Term 1

Fri 31 January (Students begin) – Fri 4 April

Term 2

Tues 22 April – Fri 4 July 

Term 3

Mon 21 July – Fri 19 September

Term 4

Tue 7 October - Tues 16  December

2025 School Closure Days

As was communicated to families last year...

* Time in Lieu (TIL)

The new Catholic Education Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2022 (the Agreement) introduces a formal time in lieu (TIL) process for teachers. The Agreement provides that a principal may require a teacher to undertake work and attend a school activity outside the normal hours of attendance (i.e., in excess of the 38 hours or normal hours for a part-time teacher) and when this occurs, it will attract TIL. 

Principals should prepare for the accrual and acquittal of TIL through their annual planning process. The timing of the acquittal of TIL is at the discretion of the principal, having regard to the operational needs of the school and causing the least disruption to the educational program of the school.

Principals may elect to acquit TIL through designating days during the year on which all staff and students are not required to attend school. 

School Closure Days 2025

Term 2

Friday 25 April (ANZAC Day Public Holiday)

Monday 9 June (King’s Birthday Public Holiday)

Term 3

N/A

Term 4 

Monday 6 October (Move back to School Hall Classrooms) NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Thursday 16 October (TIL day for staff) 

Monday 3 November (TIL day for staff) 

Tuesday 4 November (Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday)

Friday 5 December (Staff Planning for 2025)

Children finish on Tuesday 16 December at 12.45pm (Earliest date children can finish)

Please note that no primary school students should be dismissed from schools prior to Tuesday 16 December 2025 – this is their earliest finish date.

MACSEYE - Outside School Hours Care 

Please see below for further information, including the MACSEYE Booking Link.