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CAMPS REMAINING IN 2024

Just when you thought we couldn't squeeze anymore into the week...

Dear Families and Friends,

Happy World Teachers' Day! Today, we celebrated and acknowledged the incredible dedication, passion, and hard work of teachers at Sacred Heart. At Sacred Heart, we are blessed with a truly exceptional team of educators who go above and beyond every day to inspire, guide, and support our students and families.

Teaching is not just a profession; it’s a calling. It’s about nurturing young minds, building confidence, and creating a love of learning that will last a lifetime. Today, we paused, with some some special lunch treats courtesy of our generous P&F to thank our teachers and staff for their unwavering commitment to our students' growth—academically, socially, and emotionally.

To all our staff: your impact is immeasurable, and your dedication does not go unnoticed. We are deeply grateful for everything you do to shape the future. Happy World Teachers' Day Team Sacred Heart!

Year 4 Summit Camp

A huge thank you to Ms. Tench, Mrs. Collins, Miss Wood, and Mr. Brown for making this year's camp such a memorable experience for our Yr.4s. Unanimously declared the "Best camp ever," this was a phenomenal outdoor adventure at The Summit Camp, and we couldn’t have asked for a better team of teachers to guide our students through it!

The students were simply incredible—showing great resilience, teamwork, and a sense of adventure throughout the entire camp. Congratulations to both staff and students for making this such an outstanding experience. Your efforts, energy and behaviour was fautless and we are already are looking forward to next year! Well done Team 4!

How special was this greeting? When Miss Wood returned from the Year 4 camp, she was met with the most spectacular welcoming party—her excited Prep children eagerly awaiting her at the gate! A picture truly tells a thousand words: We missed you, Miss Wood!

Not surprising, after three very full days on the Yr.4 camp with little rest, Miss Wood was eager to reunite with her class and dive right back into teaching on Thursday and Friday. Her boundless energy and infectious joy in working with her students is inspiring!

Staffing News

On Friday, we bid a fond farewell to Mr. Brown. We once again extend our deepest thanks for his wonderful contributions to Sacred Heart Primary School since joining us in 2020, a time marked by the challenges of COVID-19 and remote learning. As a classroom teacher, Wellbeing Leader, and PE teacher (with a full trophy cabinet in 2024), Mr. Brown has consistently gone above and beyond to support both our students and staff.

We are truly grateful for the dedication and genuine care he has brought to his roles each day. Thank you, Mr. Brown, and we wish you every success in this next chapter as you continue championing Respectful Relationships across our school system! 

While we are saddened to see Mr. Brown move on before the close of the school year, we are sincerely grateful to the wonderful Mrs. Beresford for stepping in during our hour of need to take on the PE role for the remainder of the year. With her clear passion for sport and fitness, Mrs. Beresford has already organized an exciting rugby clinic for the coming weeks, which we know the students will love.

We are also thrilled to announce that we have secured Mr. Jaynes, another piece of our staffing puzzle, for this highly sought-after position in 2025. His passion, energy, and dedication to promoting active and healthy students truly blew us away, and we’re extremely confident that our community will be drawn to his exceptional manner and love of education. He’s a fantastic 'fit' for Sacred Heart, and we’re super excited for what’s to come! The only downside? He’s a Tigers fan!

Our thoughts and prayers are with Louise Robertson (LSO) following the sad passing of her much-loved sister this week after a long battle with cancer. We look forward to welcoming Louise back at work next week and offering her our support during this difficult time.

Once again, we extend our congratulations to Miss Bulte for being selected to represent Victoria at the recent Netball National Championships in Brisbane. A wonderful role model for our students, Miss Bulte is often seen in the playground before school, engaging in basketball with her students - they love it! We are incredibly proud of her achievement and the inspiration she brings to her Yr.3 students!

Special Melbourne Cup Tour

Crazy Hat Day

Thanks to Phil Gleeson (Jack & Will), we were absolutely thrilled to have been selected as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour—what an incredibly unique experience!

It was such a rare opportunity to witness first-hand a significant piece of Australian history: the iconic silverware, The Melbourne Cup, that truly 'stops a nation' as it travels across the country on its way to the big race. We couldn't have asked for a better history lesson, with our very special guests Des Gleeson, former leading race marshall (and proud grandfather of Sophie, Jack & Will), and Joe McGrath, who shared their deep knowledge and intimate stories of this prestigious event in our nation's history.

2024 Class Placements

In the coming weeks, we will invest significant time in finalising the classes for 2025, carefully considering the social, emotional, behavioural, and academic needs of the children. Teacher judgement, along with an intimate understanding of what is best for each child, cohort, and the most effective and balanced classroom dynamics, will guide these decisions. While friendship groups are important, our priority is to ensure the best possible learning environment for all students.

Teachers will ask students to name five friends they work well with for the following year, and students will be encouraged to consider classmates from other classes in this process. The aim is for each child to have at least one nominated friend.

All 'educational' requests from parents must be submitted in writing to the Principal (not the classroom teacher) no later than Wednesday, 6th November. Finalised class lists will be confirmed after the 'Moving Up' day in late Term 4, on Friday, 13th December.

Prep Information Evening & Orientation #1

A big congratulations and thank you to Miss Maloney and Miss Wood for delivering a fantastic and incredibly informative Prep information evening for our new and current families last Tuesday. Your hard work and dedication were on full display, with the warmth and professionalism you brought to the evening making it such a welcoming experience for all.

The effort you put into sharing valuable information, answering questions, and connecting with families goes a long way in forging strong relationships from the very beginning of this important journey. These connections are essential for creating a supportive and nurturing environment, setting the stage for a smooth transition into school life for our youngest learners.

Thank you both for helping our families feel reassured and excited about the road ahead. Your commitment to our students and community is truly second to none, and we look forward to building on these strong foundations as we prepare for a wonderful 2025 school year. Counting down the sleeps!

What a team!

Congratulations to Team Junior for an exceptional orientation for our capped 44 new Preps for 2025! It was a most successful and smooth introduction to school life for these precious students. I cannot thank the team enough for their dedication in preparing and supporting the children during these important first steps. What a fantastic day!

Beachside Athletics Carnival

Congratulations, we are so proud to acknowledge the following students have progressed to the South Metro Regional Athletics - Monday 21st October @ Casey Fields Athletics Centre: 

• Emily Hodder - 2nd - 11 Girls 1500m
• Maddi Rowe-Natoli - 1st -11 Girls High Jump
• Sienna Simunic - 2nd - 9/10 Girls Discus

Maddie broke the Beachside Athletics High Jump Record, with a new record of 1.45m - she has also been accepted into the SSV State Track & Field Team (High Jump).

Check out the brilliant results Emily and Maddie from Monday's South Metro Regional Athletics: 

• Emily Hodder - 11 year old 1500m 7th -  5:58.10
• Maddie Rowe-Natoli - 11 year old High Jump 1st - 1.45m

Maddie has incrediably progressed to the State Athletics Championships on Wednesday 6th November @ Lakeside Stadium.

Day for Daniel

Recognise, React, Report!

A BIG thank you to all our staff and Mr. Brown for their incredible work in supporting and acknowledging the significance of Day for Daniel. The effort they put into promoting this vital safety message was so greatly appreciated. By raising awareness and engaging our students in discussions about personal safety, they are helping to empower them with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe.

Their unwavering commitment to this important day highlights the strong culture of care and responsibility we continue to foster in our school community at Sacred Heart. Thank you staff and families for ensuring that such an important message is not only delivered but also understood by our children.

Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of our students reinforcing the importance of safety both at school and beyond.

❤️LITTLE HEARTS PLAYGROUP💙

 A huge thank you to our families for spreading the word—just as one parent said, "Build it, and they will come."

Next Session: 22nd November, 10am

It's also worth noting that our enrolments for 2026 are filling up quickly, with several tours already completed or scheduled, and enrolment papers coming in. Please ensure prospective families and friends are aware we anticipate a large ennrolment numbers and a likely early cut off date. 

🔨Building Update🔨

This week's progress:

Heating and Cooling 80%✅

New roofing to the corridor 70%✅✅

New external doors to playground✅✅

90% plaster completed in the classrooms✅

Window and door frames installed✅

Steps and ramp to school entry finished ex. rails✅

Electrical upgrade 90%✅

Joinery to breakout rooms✅

Paint Undercoat ✅

School Uniform Reminder

All students are required to wear black shoes (including black sneakers with no visible branding e.g. white Nike logo) as part of the school uniform. If an alternative shoe needs to be worn (e.g., while waiting for a new pair to be purchased), a letter or email must be sent to the classroom teacher explaining the situation.

ANNUAL CLASH OF THE COURTS IS BACK

Ladies of Sacred Heart - it’s time to dust off your Netball shoes as we need you!

Player Registrations open next week.

• Round Robin Netball Tournament across two different competitions: The two competitions will enable a range of netball skills to be on display, from those who are still donning a netball bib each week to those who haven’t played at all before - All welcome.  

• Family-Friendly event - would love to see a large contingent from Sacred Heart cheering on their school

• All while raising much-needed funds for TeamSports4All (https://teamsports4all.com.au)

Keep up to date via Instagram @clashofthecourts 

LITTLE GEMS💎

These stunning smiles say it all! Thank you, Rosie, Sebastian, and Toby, for sharing your amazing work with us. Keep shining!

Below is a letter written—yes, written—by these Prep boys, kindly requesting that I purchase some more shovels for the sandpit. Honestly, how could I say no to such a heartfelt and thoughtful request?

And finally...

Just when you thought we couldn't squeeze anymore into the week...

Let’s continue to embrace and enjoy this journey to the finish line in the best school in the bayside.

Simon C

Principal