Principal's News
Dear Parents and Carers,
It continues to be a very challenging environment for our staff and students. We have 13 staff away ill today. Nevertheless, we are continuing to host Assessment Conversations and are also trying to finalise a comprehensive review of all school operations in preparation for the visit by the School Review team in mid August, amongst other things.
Please be patient, we continue to do our very best at school but I am conscious that we will also miss a few things too - e.g. me forgetting to send yesterday’s Covid-19 notifications out to parents until this morning.
Be assured though, that our staff know our first priorities are the care and education of our students.
When I spoke to our teaching staff at last night’s staff meeting I was very deliberate in acknowledging that while our students are not quite at the levels that we might expect them to be at in recent years that they will still get there. However they will not catch this all up this year. They just won’t.
And the last thing I want is to have children, who have already been through more than most, absolutely pushed and panicked and pressured into trying to reach targets that are unfair, given the amount of school that they have missed.
I’d like the children of Sacred Heart to be happy students. Students who are confident problem solvers. Children who are kind to one another and themselves. Children who are curious about the world and equipped with the skills to successfully pursue this curiosity to bring purpose and enjoyment to their lives.
I invited my staff to imagine these children at 18 - those that want to pursue further study at university, will still do this. Our future tradies will still be offered apprenticeships. Our farmers and clerks, our laborers and entrepreneurs will still emerge, possibly with greater resilience than previous generations. I would urge parents and carers to take the same long term view. These are great kids. In my experience this is the main ingredient in building great adults.
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM Last weekend children from Sacred Heart began their preparation for the First Communion and Confirmation when they were presented to the congregation at each of the 3 weekend Masses. These children will be working with their parents on this program at home for the next 6 weeks in preparation for the celebration of these Sacraments on September 2nd and 3rd. During this period our Religious Education classes will be focused on these 2 sacraments. Parents of the Sacramental children are urged to take their children to either the 6:00pm Mass on Saturday evenings or the 11:00am Mass on Sundays as part of their preparation.
EXCURSIONS Some of our students have been involved in some excellent artistic and sporting pursuits recently - Our Grade One and Two students recently enjoyed a fantastic and educational production about the prehistoric world at COPACC while Grade Foundation visited COPACC to watch a production of Edward the Emu, a picture book favourite that was a great hit with the kids. A big thank you to their teachers for organising these excellent opportunities for our students.
ASSESSMENT CONVERSATIONS continue this week. Bookings can be made via PAM.
Due to illness in both camps some of these meetings have had to be re-scheduled.
Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
CIRCUIT BREAKER Parents are reminded that our school will be closed on Friday, August 12 and Monday August 15 as part of our Diocesan response to Covid-19.
BUILDING PROGRAM Our school is looking forward to the construction of a new classroom and amenities block during the second half of this year.
This is the next stage of our School Masterplan where our School Council, way back in 2014 envisaged a school with 3 classes of each of the seven Primary grades by 2023.
Our 2 classes of Grade 6 students will graduate this year and we will be enrolling 3 class groups of Foundation students in their place meaning we will have 21 classes next year.
FACE MASKS are HIGHLY recommended. Clearly Covid-19 and the flu continue to pose a health risk in our community and, of course, none of us know where and to whom our germs may be inadvertently spread to. So care is required.
The four reasons that you must wear a mask that apply in our setting are:
1. “If you have COVID-19 or are a close contact and are leaving the premises for a permitted reason.” (such as school)
2. In a public indoor space if you are a close contact. (such as a classroom)
3. On public transport, in taxis/rideshare services and in tourism vehicles.(Such as a school bus)
4.After being tested for COVID-19 and awaiting results. (R.A.Tests will be sent home at least 3 more times during Term 3)
Following these rules will hopefully keep us all healthy and help us to keep our school open.