Principal News

Dear Sacred Heart School Community,

A Prayer for our Community

At my leadership conference last week, I was privileged to hear experts at the height of their field both in education and other parts of society. The speaker who left the greatest impression on me was a lady I had never heard of before as may you. I would like to share a very brief account of why I found her so inspiring and the relevance to you as parents and guardians. 

Jennifer Robinson is a human rights lawyer and barrister based in London. She is currently serving as Julian Assange's legal representative. Irrespective of your politics, this work and her other work representing people, countries and organisations  that deserve legal representation, often at no cost to them, is what allows the courts of law to do their very important work and make our world a more just place for all, no matter the wealth and station in life on the people being judged.

Jennifer comes from a small country school in southern New South Wales. Her mum is a school teacher in a nearby Catholic School. Jennifer attributes her impressive achievements including a Rhodes Scholarship and working on some of the most high profile legal cases in the world and her passion for social justice and working with some of the most oppressed people in the world, to the influence of her parents and her teachers. 

Jennifer explained how her parents modelled care and compassion and a sense of other and how the passion of her teachers inspired her studies and enthusiasm to gain knowledge about her wider world. 

As this community does so well with your care and compassion for others and the passion of our teachers to nurture our students desire to learn, I am confident that working together, we are developing a generation of students at Sacred Heart who just like Jennifer Robinson, will in their own way, be contributors to a more compassionate and just society.

Correction of Dates

Dinner Dance: Friday 4th November

School Sports Day (Parade College Preston): Friday18th November

A New Date

School Closure Day: Wednesday 31st August

Parents and Friends News  

Our next meeting the date of which is still to be determined, will be on a Monday morning to allow parents who are unable to make a Friday the opportunity to meet. Jodi has also placed a Parents and Friend's Suggestions Box in the school office area. You are warmly invited to place your suggestions and ideas for our P and F group in this box. The group is always looking for innovative ideas that can improve the connection within our school community.

Good Samaritan Award Winners

Congratulations to our students who were recognised for their care, compassion and help at yesterday's assembly with the receiving of The Good Samaritan Award.

Yash, Ahan, Ellie, Roman, 

William, Raffaele and Raffaela

Everyone has a Story

One of the characteristics of our school, is the diversity of family experiences that our students bring to our community. This diversity makes our community a rich collection of wonderful families who have an innate ability to accept each other and celebrate our differences.  In class this term our students have been sharing their rich family stories. 

A highlight for me and I am sure those lucky enough to hear, were the family stories of our students Ethan, Amy and their mum Monica. Monica's inspiring parents retold the story of their escape from Vietnam for a life of freedom. We heard Monica's mum explain the incredible and dangerous challenges she faced to get to Australia and how grateful she is to our country for the opportunities it has given her family.

We also heard from Jess our Deputy Principal's parents Michele and Mark about their story and what life was like in our schools in the 1950s and 1960s. Mark who has a much celebrated educational history was principal of a number of large Catholic schools across Australia including Marcellin College in Bulleen.

Enrolments for 2023

Whilst enrolments for Year Prep 2023 unofficially closed at the end of last term, we still have positions for Year Prep in 2023. We will therefore continue to take applications. If you know of any families who would like a tour, please encourage them to contact the school by phone or email. 

Joke Corner from the Parish Bulletin

Rising floodwaters were threatening a local town. While most people were quick to evacuate, one man was a solitary figure standing on a box at the edge of town. He yelled to other townsfolk, “I’m staying. God will save me!” The water started getting higher and a boat came by and he was urged to get in. “No” said the man, “God will save me!" As the waters kept rising the man climbed onto a nearby roof. A helicopter zoomed in and offered to rescue the man. “No,” he repeated with conviction. “God will save me.” Eventually the water was over the man’s head and he drowned. At the Pearly Gates he expressed disappointment to God. “Why didn’t you save me? My faith was strong.” God said, “For goodness sake, child! I sent a boat and a helicopter. What more did you want?”

Yours Sincerely

Mark Tierney

Principal