Message from the 

School Principal

Dear Sacred Heart Families,

I warmly welcome you all back to the start of Term 3, which now already two weeks in as our first newsletter for the term is published. And it has been a big week this week with our 100 Days of Prep, our School Atheletics Day which Nick writes about in the Sports Updates section of our newsletter & our annual Grandparents Day celebrations! 

100 DAYS OF PREP

Firstly, I would like to congratulate our littlest Sacred Heart people on the 100 Days of Prep. Thursday was a very special day for both the children and their parents and marked many achievements over the 100 days since they began their school journey at Sacred Heart. As always, I was blown away by the effort and creativity that was put into creating the projects to mark the occasion which are now proudly on display in the corridor outside the Prep classrooms. I encourage you to pop by and take a look. We think you are awesome Preppies and we are so very proud of you! 

GRANDPARENTS DAY - FEAST OF ST ANNE & ST JOACHIM

Today, we celebrated some very important people in our lives and community - grandparents. As the grandmother (they call me Mimi!) of five very precious grandchildren, I know first hand the love of a grandparent for their grandchild. Today we welcomed the grandparents and special senior members of our families into our beautiful church and school to celebrate the contributions they make to our lives and the love they share unconditionally. It was a wonderful day, with many excited children & even more excited grandparents being together in our classrooms and sharing a little of school life together. 

A huge thank you to Cath Palmer (Deputy Principal - Faith & Pedagogy) for her tireless efforts and creativity in bringing together a special morning for us all to experience. Thank you to all of our families and grandparents as well for making the effort to join us today. 

VISION FOR ENGAGEMENT

In the last newsletter of Term 2, I shared with you news of the launch of Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic School's Vision for Engagement. This week, I would like to highlight ways in which Sacred Heart programs support and reflect the Vision for Engagement. 

At our school, we believe that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and emotionally supported. Our commitment to nurturing the whole child underpins our approach to every thing we do.  By fostering strong relationships, promoting emotional literacy and creating a calm, inclusive environment, we encourage our children to be the best they can be and to thrive at school.  This focus on wellbeing directly aligns with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) Vision for Engagement, which emphasises the importance of every student being actively engaged in learning through positive relationships, a sense of purpose and a strong sense of belonging.  The Vision for Engagement states:

“Every student is actively engaged in a learning environment that promotes wellbeing, positive relationships, and a sense of purpose.”

This year at Sacred Heart, we have thought deeply about how we can support our children to be happy and engaged at school. The introduction of programs such as UR Strong, Peaceful Kids & the Mental Health in Primary Schools programs & strategies are key in realising this vision in practical and meaningful ways.

In the Ways of Being Together section of the newsletter, Lisa writes about the UR Strong program and lessons the children will engage in. This program will become central to how we engage with children about being a good friend, resolving conflict and being empathetic and kind towards others. I strongly encourage all of our parents/carers to take the time to learn more about the program through Lisa's section of the newsletter. 

The video linked here (created by Cath Palmer & the students of Sacred Heart) captures beautifully the emphasis placed on Student Wellbeing & Engagement at Sacred Heart

MACSEYE

At the beginning of this term, Sacred Heart's Out of School Hours program transitioned from Camp Australia to MACSEYE. MACSEYE is being gradually introduced across MACS primary schools, of which Sacred Heart is one, as the preferred OSHC provider.

After a challenging start on the first day, despite our best efforts in transitioning, the program is gaining in strength and consistency. I would also like to thank the parents of children attending OSHC for their patience and understanding on Day 1 with a late start to the day. I would like to assure families that myself and Erin are supporting MACSEYE in these early days, ensuring the program meets the expected standard and consistency that we want for our children attending OSHC. 

It is wonderful to see the coordinator, Humayl, working hard to build relationships with the children. He can be often seen outside on the basketball court playing with the children & promoting fun and engagement. 

If you have any questions or concerns over coming weeks, please do not hesitate to reach out through the school office or to myself directly. We are very open and receptive to feedback to pass on to MACSEYE. 

 AFTER SCHOOL PLAYGROUND SUPERVISION

At Sacred Heart, student safety and wellbeing are our priority. In line with MACS policy, our school grounds are supervised from 8:30am before school and until 3:25pm after school.

After school (3:10–3:25pm), we ask all families to support the following expectations while students remain on-site:

• ✅ Adventure Playground may be used only under parent supervision
• ❌ No ball games
• ❌ No use of the Gaga Pit
• ❌ No running games
• ❌ No riding of bikes or scooters

After 3:25pm, no supervision is provided, and students still on-site will be directed to the school office so parents can be contacted.

We thank all families for reinforcing these expectations to ensure a safe and respectful school environment for everyone.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

Warm regards,

Kaylene Carlin

School Principal