ISSUE 8: 15th March, 2024

Principal Message

Gospel Reflection

As we approach the Fifth Sunday of Lent, we find ourselves immersed in a period of reflection, preparation, and renewal. This time of Lent invites us to journey inward, to examine our hearts, and to cultivate a spirit of repentance and transformation. Just as the seeds planted in the earth require nourishment, care, and time to grow, so too do our souls require nurturing and attention during this season. As parents, educators, and members of the Sacred Heart Primary School community, let us use this time to guide our children in deepening their understanding of faith, compassion, and service. Together, may we sow the seeds of kindness, empathy, and love, nurturing them to blossom into beautiful expressions of grace and goodwill. Let us continue to support and encourage one another on this sacred journey, as we draw closer to the promise of Easter's renewal and hope.

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff & Students,

As we approach the final two weeks of Term One, it's incredible to reflect on the progress we've made as a school community. We've collectively embarked on a strong start to the year, fostering numerous positive relationships and establishing essential routines.

Despite this being a short week, we've accomplished a great deal. Our Year 3 & 5 students have completed their Reading and Writing NAPLAN tests, with Language Conventions and Numeracy tests slated for next week. We're also grateful for the active involvement of numerous parents in our Program Support Group (PSG) meetings. Your collaboration with teachers and other stakeholders has played a pivotal role in supporting students requiring additional support academically, socially, and emotionally.

Congratulations to Johnny Guthrie for his participation in Tuesday's Loddon Mallee Region Swimming Finals in Swan Hill, where he competed admirably finishing 2nd in both freestyle and butterfly events.

On another note, I'd like to extend warm wishes to everyone for a happy St. Patrick's Day on Sunday! Today, many of our students have been immersed in learning about the patron Saint of Ireland, enriching their understanding of this cultural celebration.

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Harmony Week

Harmony Week, observed from Monday, March 18th to Sunday, March 24th, is a commemoration that embraces and celebrates our diverse community, uniting Australians from various cultural backgrounds. It emphasises inclusivity, mutual respect, and fostering a sense of belonging for all. Next week, students will engage in educational activities centred around these themes.

Medical Profiles

Don't forget to update your child/ren's medical profile on the SIMON student management platform! Keeping this information current ensures that we can provide the best possible care for your child/ren while they're at school. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Parish Mass

This week’s Mass was cancelled, therefore Illawarra will attend this week’s Parish Mass at Sacred Heart Church on Wednesday morning at 9:30 am.  

Year 5 St Joseph’s College Visit

On Tuesday, Year Five students, including Mrs Deacon and Mrs Pacher, will visit St Joseph’s College, Mercy Campus. Departure by bus is at 8:50am, returning by 2pm. Please ensure students wear their sports uniform.  Snacks, lunch, and drinks will be provided.

St Joseph’s College Open Evening

On Tuesday from 4 - 7pm, families are welcome to visit St Joseph’s College for their 2024 Open Evening, held at both the Enright and Mercy campuses. 

School Sports Victoria (SSV) Division Cricket

Best wishes to our Boys Cricket team for Thursday’s Division Cricket matches at Aerodrome Ovals!  Games commence at 9.45am.

School Sports Victoria (SSV) Division Cricket

Best wishes to our Girls Cricket team for Thursday’s District Cricket matches at Aerodrome Ovals!  Games commence at 9.45am.

Year 4 Roses Gap Camp

The Year Four Camp planned for the last week of this term (March 25th to 27th) remains on schedule. Despite recent bushfires near Roses Gap in the Grampians, the current risk level in the area is minimal, with authorities having effectively contained the fires. We will keep a close watch on the situation leading up to the camp, but as of now, we anticipate that it will proceed as planned.

Annual and Termly School Fee Payments

If you've opted for termly or annual payments through Direct Credit (transferring funds to the school account) or paying at Reception, please ensure payment is completed by the end of Term One, March 28th, 2024.

God Bless!

Mr Mark Gibson

Religious Education

2024 Sacramental Dates

Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 3 & Above) 

Parent Information Session - Wednesday, 27th March

Celebration of Sacrament - Friday 17th, Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th May

Confirmation Registration forms have been sent home with all Year Three students.  The form needs to be completed and handed in at the Parish Office along with payment.  The Parent Information Evening is being held on Wednesday, 27th March at the church at 7pm.  Any students in Years 4-6 who haven’t received this Sacrament are welcome to register.  If you have any questions regarding this Sacrament please contact Carmel at the Parish Office or Ryan O’Callaghan at school.

Sacrament of First Eucharist (Year 4 & Above)

Parent Information Session - Wednesday, 28th August

Celebration of Sacrament - Friday 25th, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th October

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Year 2 & Above)

Parent Information Session - Wednesday, 16th October

Celebration of Sacrament - Wednesday 27th November

ALTAR SERVERS GUILD

The parish is founding an Altar Servers Guild to provide practical training and ongoing formation to Guild members. The Guild will meet weekly during school terms. If you are interested in joining the Guild and becoming an altar server visit www.sunraysiacatholic.org/altar-servers or call the parish office on 5021 2872.

Learning and Teaching

NAPLAN

Students in Year 3 & 5 commenced NAPLAN testing this week with Writing on Wednesday and Reading on Thursday. Testing will continue next week with the Language Conventions and Numeracy assessments. This will be completed on Tuesday for Year 3’s and Wednesday for Year 5’s. Well done to all these students for their persistence!

SWPBS News

Our SWPBS focus this week will be on positive behaviour at play time. 

We will be launching our new positive behaviour reward system this week called 

“Thumbs Up in the Yard”

Students who are observed by yard duty teachers demonstrating the expected behaviours in our matrix as outlined below  will receive a “Thumbs Up” token. Students will write their name on the token and place it in the barrel outside the library. Each fortnight at assembly three tokens will be drawn from the barrel and these students will receive the Ray White Positive Behaviour awards. At the end of the term 10 tokens will be chosen from the barrel and these students will be invited to attend a special afternoon tea with Leadership.

Learning Diversity

Thankyou to all families who attended PSG meetings this week and those attending next week. This is a fantastic opportunity for parents, teachers and students to work in partnerships to ensure all students are supported in their learning journey.

A copy of all updated ILP and meeting minutes will be emailed to families next week.

Foundation News

This week in Prep we have had lots of fun learning about St Patrick’s Day. We even had a visit from the Leprechaun. We have also been doing lots of blending and segmenting of CVC words in readiness for when we bring home our readers. In Math, our focus has been on counting and recognising numbers.

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We are having a focus on the correct school uniform. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday it is normal school uniform and on Thursday and Friday, it is Sports uniform. Please see the photos below as to what the correct school uniform looks like on each of these days.

The morning bell to begin class rings at 8.49am. This is the time the teachers mark the roll each day. If you arrive at school after this time, parents will need to walk their child through the office and sign them in as being late on the iPad.

On Monday, the students will begin bringing home their take-home reading books. This is the book that they will need to read to you. It will be a decodable book so the students will be able to use their sounds to read most of the words. If there are high-frequency sight (a, I, the) words in the book please tell them the word. Take-home reading books need to be read each night and returned to school the next day where the students will choose a new book. Before reading the book, complete the ‘warm up’ page with your child.

Take-home reading books also need to be recorded in your child’s reading diary each day - reading diaries are also returned to school every day. The picture below shows how you fill in the reading diary.

Some reminders:

• Each morning the students need to do their jobs before finding something to do. They need to bring into the classroom their drink bottle, lunch container, snack container, brainfood container, and diary. 
• The school library books are borrowed on Wednesday and returned the following Monday. If your child does not bring back their books or does not have their library bag on library day they will not be able to borrow new books.
• The ‘Enhanced Comprehension’ books are returned to school each Friday. 
• Students' Diaries are to be brought into school every day and put into our diaries tub. These are to be sighted by the teacher and returned to the child for their new reading each night.
• Your child’s library bag needs to be at school every day - kept in their school bag.
• Brainfood needs to be a small fruit or vegetable snack that can be eaten in 5 minutes - cut up and in a small container.
• Sports days are Thursday and Friday - sports uniform is to be worn on these days.
• Read and record ‘Enhanced Comprehension’ and ‘Reader’ in the reading diary each night.
  

Year One News

Wow! What a busy week it has been in the Year One Unit. The students have enjoyed a fabulous week of learning, including a wonderfully engaging incursion with Historian, Bob Walton. The incursion related to our History topic of Past and Present and our Key Inquiry Question - How can we show that the present is different from or similar to the past? Mr. Walton presented enriching knowledge of what life was like in the past and brought in some artefacts including old toys (some were 80 years old!), games and kitchen tools which the students absolutely loved looking at, learning about and playing with!! They also enjoyed playing some ‘olden day games’ such as What’s the Time Mr. Wolf, Follow the Leader, Hop Scotch and Jump Rope.   

This week, students have been reading and spelling words with two syllables as well as digraphs /ai/ and /ay/.  They have continued building their knowledge of compound words such as lunchbox and basketball. To support your child with this learning you could discuss compound words you encounter through conversations or that you see in library books. 

The Year One’s also celebrated St Patrick’s Day with the students learning about the Patron Saint of Ireland. We had a day full of activities that included praying, dancing, cookie decorating and crafting.

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Year Two News

This week in Year 2 we have been learning about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Students have discussed what it means to receive this Sacrament, in preparation for their own celebration later in the year. Students who are baptised Catholics will be able to participate in this. More information will be sent home closer to the date. 

Students have received a letter this week detailing our excursion to the Mildura Station Homestead on Wednesday 27th March. This is planned as a wrap up to our Local History unit. Please ensure you give approval on PAM for your child to attend this excursion.

Over the next few weeks the children will continue to post a number of work samples on Seesaw. It is always wonderful to see parents respond with a comment to their child’s work as this builds their confidence to know that a parent has seen their work and given praise. 

We celebrated Mr Whitehead’s birthday earlier this week, where the children enjoyed an icy pole as a special treat. It was lovely to see all the children share in the excitement of this day with him.  We also had lots of fun celebrating St Patrick’s day today, and we will continue our learning on St Patrick on Monday. ! Check out our little leprechauns!

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Year Three News

Congratulations to all of our Year Three students for commencing their Naplan testing this week. They should be commended for their outstanding organisation and listening skills, when listening to their teachers instructions during this time. We have all enjoyed joining as a whole Year Three unit after each Naplan test for our brain food and a game on the oval. Thank you to all of the Year Three parents for supporting your students during this time as well. Our final two Naplan tests will occur Wednesday and Thursday, next week.

This week in History, we have commenced our learning of global celebrations and commemorations. Students have really enjoyed learning about Ramadan and Ganesh. 

In Maths this week, we have been exploring the part, part, whole model for subtraction and addition, as well as the inverse operations on a number line.

Last week, we finished our self portraits. They all look fantastic! This week in Visual Arts, we will begin our sun and moon, warm and cool colours, art pieces. This links nicely to our current science topic. 

Over the coming weeks, we will continue to post your child’s work samples onto SeeSaw. Please take time to view these with your child and celebrate their achievements.

Sarah, Emma and Marie.

Year Four News

Preparation and planning for our Year Four Camp is well underway and we are getting excited!! A reminder that if you have not updated medical issues on SIMON or haven’t current medical plans, these need to be forwarded ASAP. Also, please forward to Mrs Willersdorf- jwillersdorf@shmildura.catholic.edu.au details of any medications you will be sending to camp with your child.  Please remember to include dosage, when to administer and frequency. 

If your child suffers from motion sickness please also advise us and ensure they have taken appropriate medication before we leave. Also remember to provide something for the return journey.

Year Four Liturgy- Our Term One focus in RE is ‘Choices’. Last week the Year Four Students participated in a Liturgy where they prepared prayers of sorrow for the damage that humans have done to the natural environment. In writing their prayers, they asked God for the strength and good judgement to make better choices about the way we care for the earth. 

Here are some photos of the Liturgy.

Wishing everyone a Happy St Patrick’s Day and… May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields, And, until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Year Five News

This week students in Grade Five began their NAPLAN testing, completing both the Writing & Reading NAPLAN. We are so proud of the students' commitment in completing these tests to the best of their ability. All students demonstrated great focus throughout the testing and a determination to complete them well. We have two more to go in Week Eight (Language Conventions & Mathematics) and will thoroughly enjoy celebrating the completion!

This week in Maths we have been working on elapsed time while also completing some practice NAPLAN questions in our best efforts to prepare students for the “look & feel” of this upcoming test. 

Students have been completing some wonderful art works in Visual Art. They will be consolidating these into a “Visual Art Journal” on google slides which we will then share with you on Seesaw towards the end of the term. 

Our Science Unit has concluded with students completing their final Assessment Task this week which you will soon be able to view on SeeSaw. We have moved into our new Integrated Topic, Civics & Citizenship where students are learning about Australian Democracy & the three levels of government in Australia. 

Next week on Tuesday (March 19th) the Grade Fives have their St Joseph’s College visit. 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, 

Danielle, Amilea & Jacinda

Year Six News

Year 6 students have been learning about natural disasters and how they affect the Earth’s surface. To complete the unit, students will be working in groups to create a structure that could withstand a natural disaster. Next week they will work to design and plan their project.They will then need to source recycled materials from home to help build the structure.

Library

Scholastic Book Club News:

Orders for the Scholastic Book Club Issue #2 closed on Wednesday 13th March. Within a fortnight, orders are delivered to SHPS, where I pick through the order and distribute to the students via their classroom teachers. 

Occasionally, some orders may be on backorder. If this is the case, students usually receive stickers with a note from Scholastic Australia. 

If you have questions or issues with Book Club, please do not hesitate to contact me rather than directly messaging Scholastic.

Mrs Irvin

mirvin@shmildura.catholic.edu.au

Camp Australia

A Word from our After School Care Provider - Camp Australia

Students of The Week

Note - Assemblies are now held fortnightly, Students of the week will be presented at these.

Ray White Awards

Safe - Londyn Balchin

Responsible - Will Buchanan

Respectful - Annie Kelly

Parent Information

Arriving and Leaving Safely

Kiss & Go

To help keep everyone safe during drop-off and pick-up please take note of the following rules at Kiss and Go and the School Crossing that should be followed both in the morning (8:10-8:45am) and afternoon (3pm-3:30pm):

• Stay in your vehicle unless you need to assist younger students with their seat belts.
• Aim to keep your car in the Kiss & Go area for a maximum of two minutes to allow others to use the space too.
• Access the Kiss & Go only from Olive Grove, not 12th Street.
• Please refrain from dropping off students outside of cars in Olive Grove.
• Avoid performing U-turns within the Kiss & Go area.
• For your safety, use the school crossing if you need to cross 12th Street.


Thanks for helping us keep our school safe for everyone!

Pick Up and Drop Off Points

These designated areas serve as convenient points for collecting or dropping off children at the school if you are walking in with them. Please ensure you find a suitable and permissible parking spot for your car in order to use these locations.

Riding Scooters & Bikes

Certain students walk, ride bikes, or scooters to school and are requested to use either the 12th Street entrance or the Tamarisk Grove entrance at the rear of the oval. Riding into or through the school grounds is not permitted.

Collect Children from School Grounds

Feel free to come into school to pick up your child directly from their classroom. It's an excellent opportunity to meet other parents, have casual conversations with teachers, and ensure your child is organised at the end of the day. If you choose this option, please park appropriately and be outside the classroom by the 3.10 bell; otherwise, your child will be directed to the supervised Kiss and Go area. Students and young siblings should refrain from using the playground equipment.

School Crossings

Students walking home are advised to use the school crossings on Twelfth Street, Walnut Avenue and Eleventh Street to safely avoid heavily trafficked roads. All crossings are supervised by a School Crossing Supervisor, and it's crucial to follow their directions.  We also encourage parents to model expected behaviours by using the School Crossings also.

Buses

Several of our students catch buses home from the St. Joseph’s bus stop on 11th Street. Each day a teacher gathers these children together and accompanies them to the bus stop to supervise until they are all safely on the bus.

Drop Off Times

Preferred 'Drop Off' Time: 8.25 - 8.45 am. For safety reasons, please refrain from dropping off students before 8.19 am, as there is no supervision provided.  Our gates open at this time.

Pick Up Times

Recommended 'Pick Up' Time: 3.10 - 3.25 PM. While we understand occasional delays, if regular or extending beyond 3.30 PM, please consider enrolling your child/ren in After School Care.

Walking or Riding Home

If your children walk or ride home or to your workplace after school, please submit written permission authorising them to leave unaccompanied. They must exit through the main 12th Street gate or accompany the 11th Street bus group through Tamarisk Grove.

Alternative Pick Up Places

For safety, we strongly advise against arrangements where children wait unsupervised at public pick-up locations like Walnut Avenue or St Joseph’s College.

EATING AND DRINKING AT SCHOOL

Healthy Eating

To sustain learning and promote healthy eating we encourage students to bring to school predominantly healthy food choices.

Brainfood

Students have a brain food break during the morning to keep children’s brains fuelled for learning. We ask that families send an extra fresh fruit or vegetable snack for children to have during this time. When sending the snack, please pack it separately from your child’s lunch in a small, named container so it can be placed on their desk each morning.

Lunch Snack

The main meal of the school day; a sandwich or roll, a salad or a slice of quiche. A healthy ‘treat’ may also be appropriate here that is healthy and gives long-term energy.  Lunch is eaten usually in the classroom from 11:25am-11:40am.

Recess Snack

We encourage parents to pack fresh fruit or vegetables in your child’s recess snack box.  You may like to pack one or two other snack items for them at this time.  This snack is eaten at 1:40pm.

Packing Food

 The school has a bank of refrigerators for the storage of students’’ food. For the ease of packing and unloading the fridges, we ask that parents provide separate, small, well-labelled containers or zip-lock bags for their child’s recess snack and lunch. Insulated ‘puffy’ lunchboxes and ice-blocks are not required.

School Canteen

Our School Canteen operates on a Wednesday and Friday and provides a range of lunch options at low cost.    The current menu and prices can be accessed through and ordered via the CDFpay website https://shmildura.cdfpay.org.au

OFFICE INFORMATION

Office Hours

Office hours will run from 8:20am to 4:00pm every day. Phone calls can be made starting at 8:00 am.

Change of Personal Details

If there are any changes to your contact details (address/phone number/emergency contacts), kindly inform the office by calling 50231204, emailing office@shmildura.catholic.edu.au, or visiting the office in person.

Simon Everywhere and Parent Access Module (PAM)

Simon Everywhere is an App for smart phones that allows parents to access all information relating to their child/ren such as reports, attendance and much more. It also allows you to update medical information, give permission for excursions, access teacher emails and also receive notifications from the school.

For parents familiar with PAM, the new App works mostly the same as PAM and you can still access PAM through the web site: pam.shmildura.catholic.edu.au, however the app has additional functionality such as Push notifications and the ability to sign in without having to enter your username and password each time.

1. Go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search Simon Everywhere
2. Download and open the App and Allow Notifications
3. Enter your name and phone number and press verify, you will receive a code via SMS
4. Click on 'Add School'
5. Select Sacred Heart Primary School, Mildura - Parent Access
6. Enter your PAM username and password. If you do not know your credentials, please call the school.

7. Click on the Home icon.
   

Simon everywhere works best when notifications are turned on. You can check the notifications setting on your phone to be sure by going to the Settings – Notifications – Then find the Simon Everywhere App.

Sickness at School

Children with severe colds, flus, or other debilitating illnesses must stay at home. Do not send the child if they have:

• Fever: Children with a fever over 38 degrees should stay home.
• Prescribed antibiotics: Keep a child at home for at least 24 hours if prescribed antibiotics for an acute illness.
• Diarrhea: Children with watery stool should return only after being symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
• Vomiting: Children who are vomiting should stay home until at least 24 hours after it has stopped.

After School Care

After School Care is available for Sacred Heart students and is located on our school grounds.  Camp Australia run this program for students from Sacred Heart Primary School and St Paul's Primary School.  The program runs from the Art House building which is located on Olive Grove.

Sacred Heart families can make use of the Camp Australia After-School Care Program that is held on the grounds of Sacred Heart.  The service is available from 3:10pm through to 6pm on school days.  A healthy snack is provided to children.  Registration needs to be done through the Camp Australia website www.campaustralia.com.au .  Further information can be obtained by calling 1300 105 343.  Each day the office will print out a list of students attending Out of Hours School Care and notify the students at the end of the day via the announcements.

Marking Child’s Absence 

1. Log into the App - SimonEverywhere or login via PAM (type pam.shmildura.catholic.edu.au in your address bar).
2. You can either log by clicking on the large blue calendar section that says Parent Notified Absences or you can click on the 3 menu lines at the top right-hand side of your screen. NOTE: On your phone it will appear below your child/ren’s name.
3. You will then need to click the blue + Add Absence button circled below
4. Then select your child, and in reason

If your family is going on an extended family holiday. Please contact the school to inquire about an Student Absence Learning Plan.

School Day

• 8:19 am - Gates open & students can access Courtyard
• 8:34 am - Access Courtyard and play on Oval (classrooms opening optional for teachers)
• 8.49 am - School day begins - classroom open
• 8:55 am - School starts.
• 9.55 am - Brain Break
• 10:55 am - Lunch Play
• 11.25 am - Lunch Eat
• 1.40 pm - Recess 
• 2.10 pm - Recess Finishes
• 3.10 pm - School finishes

Sports Uniform Days

Prep:  

• Cooinda (Mrs O’Callaghan) - Thursday & Friday  
• Wahroonga (Miss Moore) - Thursday & Friday  

Year One: 

• Bundaleer (Mrs Coffey & Mrs Priestley) - Tuesday & Wednesday 
• Karinya (Mrs Groves) - Tuesday & Wednesday 

Year Two:

• Barramunga (Mrs Carmichael) - Tuesday & Friday
• Waminda (Mrs Collins) - Monday & Friday

Year Three:

• Narooma (Mrs Beckwith) - Monday & Tuesday
• Dourim (Mrs Kotsiakos & Mrs Irvin) - Monday & Thursday

Year Four:

• Illawarra (Mrs Willersdorf) - Monday & Tuesday 
• Myalla (Mrs Rowles) - Monday & Wednesday
• Kyema (Mrs Johnson) - Monday & Thursday 

Year Five:  

• Minga (Mrs Deacon) - Monday & Wednesday 
• Eumeralla (Mrs Gunn & Mrs Pacher) - Monday & Wednesday

Year Six:  

• Amaroo (Mrs Campbell) - Tuesday & Friday 
• Yongana (Mrs Zaxos) - Monday & Friday
• Mootwingee (Mrs Thompson) - Thursday & Friday

Term Dates