Principal News
Dear Sacred Heart School Community
This morning Jodi captured this beautiful photo as she prepared for her normal crossing duty. Thank you Jodi for passing it onto me. Apart from capturing a magnificent rainbow framing our school, I think the image is symbolic of the times we find ourselves in. Amidst the turmoil, challenges and for some families tragedy inflicted both directly and indirectly by the COVID 19 virus, we see examples regularly of how magnificent and selfless humankind can be. With the changes imposed this week, the tighter restrictions and accompanied heightened challenges, our Sacred Heart Community has continued to work incredibly respectively, and supported our school as we implement practices that adhere to our Premier's directions. Thank you to all our families for making our staff's job so much easier compared to some of my colleagues and their schools, especially when you all have such challenges at the moment.
I would like to share the following prayer with the community. I think the words from Sister Cynthia are so poignant during these challenging times.
A Prayer for Uncertain Times (Sister Cynthia Serjak)
In this time of bewilderment and fear, we ask you to give us the courage to take care of one another as Jesus did. For those who are ill, especially those who are frightened and alone, for those who cannot access healthcare, for those who are homeless and lost, hear our prayer!
In the midst of our sadness and grief, we ask you to give us words to comfort one another. For those who are dying, and for those who have already died from this virus, for those who tend them and for those with no one to tend them, hear our prayer!
In the midst of our own anxiety we ask you to give us the courage to support one another as you would. For those who are unexpectedly unemployed, for employers who share what they can, for our government and financial institutions and those who lead them, hear our prayer!
In the midst of our struggle to ensure a healthy future for all who live on this planet, we ask you to give us the hope that surpasses our current understanding. For healthcare workers, spiritual leaders and our faith communities, for artists and poets, for prophets and teachers, hear our prayer!
In the midst of our growing awareness that all life on Earth is connected, we ask for the heart to respect and cherish all life. That all peoples recognize that we are all your children, hear our prayer!
We trust in you and your power working in us. Please hear and answer our prayers.
Amen!
Amen!
Student Wellbeing Resource
Lightening the Lockdown Load
A FREE WEBINAR FOR PARENTS IN VICTORIA
Wednesday 19th August 8pm
Join Dr Justin Coulson, one of Australia’s most trusted parenting specialists, as he shares 4 secrets to make it through the pain of the winter COVID-19 Victorian lockdown. By the end of this FREE webinar, you’ll:
- Feel reassured, with less stress and pressure around your kids, their schooling, and life
- Have concrete strategies you can start on immediately to make your family happier
- Know how to be on the same page as your partner
- Be able to develop habits and practices that will ensure your children – and YOU – can get your daily work done, even while everyone is stuck at home. (From Dr Justin Coulson's website)
I have registered our school so all families can access this free webinar by well known parenting specialist Dr Justin Coulson. I will give the access details for the webinar in the newsletter next week.
School Closure Day
For the parents and guardians of the small number of students who are still attending school with the new restrictions, please note, our planned school closure day for next Friday August 14th has been cancelled. For all our other students undertaking distance education, our teachers will now be available to work with you on this day.
Extend
I would like to take this opportunity to remind our families whose children use the before and after school care provided by Extend, some detailed information was emailed through last night. Extend are still offering their service during this period of "school closure" for families who meet the detailed criteria.
Quilts made for the Very Snuggly Quilt Program of the Royal Children's Hospital. Students in Year 3/4 and 5/6 made quilt blocks by drawing on material. These blocks were joined together to make the quilts for children who are chronically ill at the RCH. The quilts will be donated to the program in Term 4 (hopefully), when we are all back at school.
(Denise Esposito)
Please stay safe.
Yours sincerely
Mark Tierney
Principal