School News
2025 Staffing
I share with school community members the following Staffing News.
James Millane
James Millane has been appointed to the position of Deputy Principal which also includes the roles of Education in Faith and Teaching and Learning Leader at St Mary's Primary School St Kilda East commencing at the start of the 2025 school year. I am sure you will all join me in congratulating James on this new role and wish him all the very best for the future.
On behalf of past and present leadership, I sincerely thank James for all his work and contributions to our school during his 13 years here at Sacred Heart Kew. During this period James has been an engaging and dedicated classroom teacher and more recently, a faith filled and vibrant Religious Education Leader, actively bringing the faith alive to each and every member of our school community in this role.
James has been a valued member of staff and Leadership Team member, and as sad as this news is for our school, this is a wonderful opportunity for James, as he continues his leadership development in another school setting. We look forward to acknowledging and celebrating James’ time at Sacred Heart Kew later this year.
Gabbi Pigatto
With the above Classroom Teacher vacancy at our school advertised, we were most fortunate to receive a number of both quality graduate and experienced teacher applications for this position. The interview process has now taken place and I am pleased to announce that Gabbi Pigatto has been appointed to this role.
Gabbi is very familiar to our school children and school setting, as you all know, Gabbi has worked with us as a Learning Support Officer for the last 2 years whilst completing her teaching degree.
It's great that Gabbi can continue with us at Sacred Heart Kew, now in a classroom teacher position. Please congratulate Gabbi on this exciting new role when you see her next.
Learning Support Officers
We have been successful in appointing two Learning Support Officers to join our staff and team next year. This will make a team of 5 Learning Support Officers for 2025, as they partner with Alison Toomey, Kelly Story and Gemma Crivelli.
Alexia Barca and Dani McConnell will work 3 days each (across the week in 2025).
Alexia and Dani have previous experience in Learning Support roles. Dani has also worked in Early Years Education, and has taught in London, before coming to Australia.
We look forward to welcoming Alexia and Dani to our school and community next year.
Please know that we do ‘take our time’ to make sure that we successfully match our particular school and staff context to the most 'suited' candidate for each role every year.
All staff who will be employed for next year will complement our existing staff and school community needs.
We look forward to welcoming our new staff members to our team in 2025.
We will communicate further updates and any new appointments in due course. We anticipate that we will be able to share our finalised 2025 Staffing list with everyone on Monday 16 December.
Replacement Teachers at Sacred Heart Kew
As was communicated with families earlier this week...
As you know, from time to time, our school relies on emergency teachers, or critical relief teachers (CRT’s). This can occur for a number of different reasons.
CRT’s are employed when a teacher or staff member:
- is sick or on leave
- out at professional development days
- completing planning or assessments
- owed (Time in lieu) for work outside their normal working week
As a school, we understand that it is not ideal when our regular teachers and staff are absent, but unfortunately, this is just part of the teaching and school landscape, especially now that ‘Time in Lieu’ is provided to staff members. As we come to the end of the school year your child(ren) may have a number of different teachers throughout the school week, due to some of the reasons listed above.
Where we can, to maintain consistency across the school, we do our best to place our regular CRT’s (those who are well known to our children and school) first, when we are aware of a planned absence. If this is not possible, we then contact our preferred Teaching Agency (ANZUK) to provide us with a suitable replacement.
It should also be noted that at most schools, if a teacher replacement cannot be organised, children may join other classes across the school for the day. This is not our preferred option. We always try and find a suitable teaching professional if we can. This mixing of children across the school would only happen at Sacred Heart Kew, at the very last resort.
Thanks for your understanding with this matter. Your support is greatly appreciated.
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.
Outside School Hours Care Update
As previously mentioned, Camp Australia will not continue to provide OSHC to Sacred Heart Kew next year. Instead, our new OSHC provider will be MACSEYE (Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Early Years Education). MACSEYE is a newly approved provider, set up by MACS to offer a range of early childhood and school aged care programs.
MACSEYE will start operating and providing OSHC from the beginning of the 2025 school year. MACSEYE is committed to see every child and family flourish. Their programs are designed to foster a sense of identity, health and well-being. As a Catholic provider, MACSEYE will have strong links with our school and local parish, working together to build a vibrant community of support for children and families. MACSEYE is an approved registered provider, and sets a high standard of quality in line with the National Quality Standards.
We're confident that MACSEYE will provide a high quality service for our students. Families who need Outside School Hours Care will need to enrol with MACSEYE. We will share information how to enrol soon. If you have any questions, please let the school know or you can also email MACSEYE directly at contact@macseye.vic.edu.au
Further news and updates regarding MACSEYE will be provided in due course.
Religious Education News
Sacred Heart School Community Carols: Thursday 5 December 6-8pm
More details to follow but set aside the evening for a wonderful night of carols and cheer in our Church. To be followed by refreshments in the school grounds.
End of Year Thanksgiving Mass: Tuesday 17 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.
Advent Program
Please note the following dates below detailing the Whole School Advent paraliturgies which will start from Week 8.
Each year level will take a turn to lead us through this special time. Please note a change to the Prep paralitrugy.
School Fee Payments
Thank you to all families who have finalised their accounts for 2024. 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.
2025 School Fees
As was shared with families in our last school newsletter, please read the document below which outlines School Fees and Student Levies for 2025.
School Assemblies
All parents are welcome to attend our Assemblies which take place in the MPR on Fridays at 2.30pm (see below dates). Classes will be timetabled to present an item to the school community.
Term 4 Assemblies:
Week 8 - 29 November (Year 3)
Week 9 - 6 December (No Assembly-School Closure Day)
Week 10 - 13 December (No Assembly)
Week 11 - 17 December (Year 6 Final Assembly 11:30am)
2024 Term Dates
Term 4
Mon 7 October - Tue 17 December (12:45pm finish)
2024 School Closure Days
Term 4
Friday 6 December (Staff Planning for 2025 School Closure Day)
Children finish on Tuesday 17 December at 12.45pm
Wednesday 18 December (Time in lieu day for staff) *
As was communicated to families towards the end of 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. For 2024, there are opportunities to acquit TIL for the whole school on the following days:
Friday April 26 (day after ANZAC Day);
Monday November 4 (day before Cup Day);
early finishes on the last days of Terms 1, 2 and 3;
end of Term 4 from Wednesday 18 December.
Please note that no primary school students should be dismissed from schools prior to Tuesday 17 December 2024 – this is their earliest finish date