ISSUE 7: 11th March, 2022
Principal / Executive Leadership Team
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff, Students and Friends,
In many ways, it feels like we have only just started the school year. In other ways it seems like we have been back for longer than we actually have. In either case, we now find ourselves at the end of Week 7.
Labour Day Public Holiday
This Monday, 14th March is the Labour Day public holiday. We hope that everyone enjoys the long weekend and the extra day to relax, catch up with family and friends or to get away.
School Sports Victoria Division Lawn Bowls
Sacred Heart’s first ever Lawn Bowls teams are competing at the SSV Division Lawn Bowls this Wednesday, 16th March at the Mildura Lawn Bowls Club. We wish the following students all the best at this event: Layla Baird, Cameron Beggs, Nate Bresnehan, Majorca Ficarra, Sienna Gray, Ivy Hunt, Tia Mondiwa, Archie O’Brien, Tiarna O’Brien, Marly Pengelly, Chloe Rusike and Poppy Wilkes. Students will be transported via to and from this event via bus.
PSG Meetings
PSG Meetings are being held this Thursday 17th March and Friday 18th March in the Boardroom. A third day of PSG Meetings will be held on Monday, 21st March. Further details are outlined later in Learning Diversity News.
St Patrick’s Day
We are celebrating St Patrick’s Day this Thursday and encourage all students and staff to wear something green. Students are permitted to wear appropriate Casual Clothes on this day, including appropriate footwear for PE/Sport lessons.
School Sports Victoria (SSV) Swimming
Our swimmers did a great job at yesterday's SSV Division Swimming. Jesse Sinclair, Grace Brown, Evie Smythe, Alana Chatfield and Freya McClaer have qualified for next week's Region Finals in Swan Hill. Results as follows:
- Jesse Sinclair - 1st Breaststroke
- Grace Brown - 1st Freestyle
- Evie Smythe - 1st Freestyle, 1st Breaststroke
- Freya McClaer - 2nd Butterfly, 3rd backstroke
- 12 year old girls (Evie, Grace, Alana & Freya) - 1st Freestyle Relay
Class Contacts
We are seeking parents to volunteer to be class contacts for our classrooms in 2022. If anyone is able to assist or has any queries please contact Rebecca on 0427 300 878. It would be great to fill these positions soon. We are investigating ways our class contacts can assist in strengthening community as we return to more normal schooling.
Assembly
Thank you to Illawarra for hosting todays Assembly. The School Choir and Mrs Taylor will host our next Assembly, which will be held in the Stadium at 2.30pm.
Parish Mass - Narooma
We have Narooma participating in the Parish Mass at the church this Wednesday 9th March. Students will do some of the readings and jobs throughout the Mass. This celebration will begin at 9.30am and parents are welcome to attend.
Strengthening Community in 2022
Yesterday we ran two ‘Appeciative Inquiry’ sessions with Tony Dalton, a Community Engagement consultant. The sessions were attended by staff, parents and students. This was a great opportunity to brainstorm ways we can renew and strengthen school community relationships in COVID/Post COVID times. Participants came up with many fantastic ideas that we will share more in next week’s newsletter. We hope to work with parent representatives to come up with events and ideas to reconnect and strengthen our community in 2022.
COVID Cases
Over this week we have five COVID cases impacting the classes of Mootwingee (Year 3), Minga (Year 3) and Illawarra (Year 5). We encourage families to complete their twice weekly RA Tests as some cases within the school have had no symptoms but testing has indicated a positive test. Please inform the school of positive cases.
Students with any COVID-19 symptoms should be tested for COVID-19 and kept home even if they test negative on a rapid antigen test, until their symptoms subside. If students display symptoms at school they will go to the sick bay and parents will be called to collect their child.
2022 Family Footy Tipping
The Sacred Heart Family Footy Tipping competition has been set up and is ready to go for Round One which begins next Wednesday 16th March 2022.
How to Enter:
- Go to www.footytips.com.au and register by clicking on ‘Join now’.
- If you were a member in 2021 you will need to reactivate your account using the new password. (see step 5) Please ensure that you enter this year’s competition - SHPS Family Footy Tipping 2022
- Fill out login details, personal details and additional information. This takes a few minutes.
- Go to https://www.footytips.com.au/comps/SHPS_Family_Footy_Tipping_2022&p=shps2022
- Type in the password: shps2022
- Place $10 in an envelope ($10 per competitor), and clearly write on the top of the envelope ‘2022 Footy Tips’ and underneath write the full name of the competitor/s from your family and their alias they have used in the competition on the front of an envelope.
- A contact phone number would also be appreciated.
- Return to school before Wednesday 16th March.
Footy Tips can be entered by logging onto the Footy Tips website: www.footytips.com.au or by downloading the iPhone app ‘ESPN Footy Tips’. You will then need to login. Each competitor will need to login separately so remember to store your username and password so that you can login to enter your tips throughout the year.
Prizes
All money contributed will go towards prizes. 40% will go to our winner, 25% to second and 10% to third. 25% of our money collected will go to fund SHPS local social justice initiatives.
Rules
If tipsters tip all winners for a round they will receive one bonus point. If you forget to put your tips in you will not receive any points.
Administrators for this competition are Mr O’Callaghan and Mrs Fleming. Please contact the office if you have any questions.
We hope to see lots of families joining for this year’s season.
Good luck tipsters!
Have a great long weekend everyone and God Bless!
Mark Gibson
COVID Positive Case Procedures
Below is a summary of what you need to do in the event that your student or a member of your household produces a positive test result.
A student tests positive to COVID19, either through RA test or PCR test
- Isolate at home or in private accommodation for 7 days (inclusive of weekends) and do not attend school during this period.
- Inform the school that they have tested positive to COVID-19.
- Self report via https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/rapid-antigen-tests#report-a-positiveresult-on-a-rapid-antigen-test
- A negative test is not required to return to school following completion of 7 days of Isolation.
- Anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 is exempt from testing and quarantine requirements if they are re-exposed to a case within 30 days of testing positive.
- Follow the Checklist for COVID cases located at: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases
A student is a household contact to a positive COVID-19 case:
- You have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility.
- Inform the school that the student is a household contact.
- Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts. https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklistcases
- Students must quarantine for 7 days (inclusive of weekends) and must not attend school during this period.
- Contact at school is not included in this definition, unless contact has occurred in a school based residential setting, e.g. school camp or boarding school.
A student has been in contact with a case of COVID-19 at school:
- If asymptomatic, students should continue to attend school and monitor for symptoms.
- If symptomatic, all students must stay or return home, take a rapid antigen test, or get a PCR test if a rapid antigen testing kit is unavailable.
- On receipt of a negative test result, and if well enough, the student can return to school.
- If students are too unwell to attend school, usual leave/absence policies apply.
Follow the Checklist for COVID contacts. https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/checklist-cases
Religious Education
Sacrament of Reconciliation & Parent Information Session
The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be held on Wednesday, 6th April.
Please contact the Parish Office if you have any questions or Ryan O'Callaghan at school via phone or ryocallaghan@shmildura.catholic.edu.au
2022 Sacramental Program Dates
Sacrament of Reconciliation 2022 Year 3 & 4 students
Celebration of Sacrament Wednesday 6th April 7pm
Sacrament of Confirmation 2022 Year 3, 4 & 5 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 27th April 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of Sacrament Friday 3rd June, Saturday 4th June & Sunday 5th June
Sacrament of First Communion (Eucharist) 2022 Year 4 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 7th September 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of Sacrament Friday 21st Saturday 22nd Sunday 23rd October
Sacrament of Penance (Reconciliation) 2022 Year 2 students
Parents Information Night Wednesday 12th October 7pm Sacred Heart Church
Celebration of the Sacrament Wednesday 23rd November 7pm Sacred Heart Church
General News
Merbein Football Club
Merbein Football Netball Club is inviting any boys or girls to come out and have a try at AFL Football. We have room in all age groups from Auskick to Under 18’s, age groups are Under 10’s, 12’s, 13, 14’s, 16’s and 18’s. Auskick starts on Thursday 21st April and minimum age requirements to play are 5 years and older. The club has fantastic new facilities, schnitzel nights, accredited AFL Coaches and an inclusive “every gets a go attitude” to sport. Training nights are Tuesday from 4.30-5.30pm for Under 10, 12, 13, 14’s. Training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays 4.30-6pm or Under 16 and U18’s, get there as early as you can. Come out and get the kids exercising, having fun and socialising. Love to see you there, find us on facebook; Merbein Football Netball Club
Sacred Heart Tennis Club
Learning and Teaching News
This year we are taking a new approach to teaching spelling in Years 3 to 6. Staff have undergone professional learning and this week have begun teaching Soundwaves Spelling within the classrooms. Soundwaves Spelling is informed by research on the best practices for teaching spelling, the program incorporates four key areas:
- Phonemic awareness: the ability to work with phonemes.
- Synthetic phonics: phonics instruction that involves teaching phoneme–grapheme relationships.
- Morphology: knowledge of the meaningful parts of words: prefixes, suffixes, and Greek and Latin roots.
- Etymology: understanding of word origins and history.
The children found the Getting Started lesson very engaging. Each lesson will provide whole-class, small-group and independent activities to suit the diverse learning needs within our classrooms.
Learning Diversity News
Program Support Group (PSG) Meetings - Will be held on Wednesday 16th, Thursday 17th and Monday 21st of March. They will be held at school or via Zoom. We would prefer that you make time to meet in person; however, we understand that you have other commitments hence, the Zoom alternative.
A letter explaining the PSG process, with scheduled PSG meeting day/time was attached to an email to the parents of students who require an Individualised Learning Plan (ILP) and PSG meetings today. Term 1 goal/s, adjustments made and evidence of progress was attached to the email also for parents to read, review and make any changes prior to the PSG meeting. For more information regarding the PSG process please click on the link:
Prep Unit News
This week in Prep we have had lots of fun learning to blend and segment words that contain the SATPIN sounds. We have also had great discussions about the different groups we belong to, for example our family and school community. Please come and visit our new window display where the students have made themselves in their school uniform.
Next Tuesday (15th March) 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 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 is how you will now need to fill in the reading diary.
Next Thursday (March 17th) is ST PATRICK'S DAY and we are encouraging ALL Prep Unit students to wear Green or Irish colours to celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland.
Some friendly reminders:
- All children should have headphones at school (named)
- Please cover your child’s reading diary in clear contact.
- Students need to be at school on time each day (beginning of school is (8.38am). This allows them to settle into the morning routines and avoids disruption to learning. If you are arriving later than this time you need to come through the office and sign in.
- Show and tell needs to be small enough to fit into the small container (if you need to know how big these are please ask) and into school bags!
Prep Unit Team Contact Details
- Unit Leader: Mrs Rebecca O'Callaghan
- Cooinda (Year Prep): Mrs Rebecca O'Callaghan
- Wahroonga (Year Prep): Miss Courtney Sheridan
Junior Unit News
This week we have been enhancing our knowledge of Lent, solving number problems and building on our social skills through hands-on materials, games, music and fun. We are extremely appreciative for the additional time that you are giving to our students at home. We can see the gains they are making through their daily reading and tricky word practice.
Next Thursday (March 17th) is ST PATRICK'S DAY and we are encouraging ALL Junior Unit students to wear Green or Irish colours to celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland.
We have a day of learning and laughter planned for Thursday.
Junior Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Mrs Katrina Groves
- Karinya (Year 1): Mrs Katrina Groves (Monday-Thursday) & Mrs Amilea Pacher (Friday)
- Bundaleer (Year 1): Mrs Maree Irvin (Tuesday-Friday) & Mrs Amilea Pacher (Monday)
- Barramunga (Year 2): Miss Georgina Hewitt
- Waminda (Year 2): Mrs Chris Carmichael
- Kyema (Year 2): Mrs Kim Taylor
Middle Unit News
Next Thursday (March 17th) is ST PATRICK'S DAY and we are encouraging ALL Middle Unit students to wear Green or Irish colours to celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland.
Next week Year 4 students will meet to discuss our upcoming Year 4 Camp to Roses Gap. They will receive a note with the final details of our camp (including a packing list). Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions
Middle Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Miss Sophie Price
- Minga (Year 3): Mrs Cathryn Rowles
- Eumeralla (Year 3): Mrs Sarah Beckwith
- Amaroo (Year 4): Mrs Natalee Johnson
- Yongana (Year 4): Mr Corey Barbary
- Mootwingee (Year 4): Miss Sophie Price
Senior Unit News
This week during Maths we have had a focus on problem solving. Students in the years 5 and 6 will be involved in either the Junior Maths Olympiad or Junior Maths Games. These programs provides an opportunity for all students to learn valuable problem solving skills and exposes them to the application of mathematical problem solving strategies and techniques. Students participating in Maths Olympiad have recieved a note with more information, the first competition day is Thursday 24th March.
Next Thursday (March 17th) is ST PATRICK'S DAY and we are encouraging the Senior Unit students to wear Green or Irish colours to celebrate the patron Saint of Ireland.
Senior Unit Team Contact Details
Click on the teacher's name if you wish to email them.
- Unit Leader: Mrs Jo Campbell
- Myalla (Year 5): Mrs Kerryn Weaver (Monday-Wednesday) & Mrs Emma Kotsiakos (Wednesday-Friday)
- Illawarra (Year 5): Miss Belinda Zappia
- Narooma (Year 6): Mrs Jo Campbell
- Dourim (Year 6): Mrs Xana Priestley
Performing Arts
Just a reminder for all solo choir audition videos to be sent ASAP to ctaylor@shmildura.catholic.edu.au
Italian News
Last week the students at Sacred Heart celebrated Shrove Tuesday & Ash Wednesday. During our Italian classes the students celebrated Carnevale, Shrove Tuesday. In some places in Italy Carnevale goes on for weeks leading up to Lent. Carnevale is that time of the year when you should expect to be the victim of jokes. The students at Sacred Heart learnt the saying “Oggi e`Carnevale. Ogni scherzo vale.” (Today is Carnevale. Any joke goes.)
Library
Why is my child bringing home the same book?
There’s a reason your child wants to read the same book over and over again…
We often hear about the benefits of reading storybooks at bedtime for promoting vocabulary, early literacy skills, and a good relationship with your child. But the experts haven’t been in your home, and your child requests the same book every single night, sometimes multiple times a night. You both know all the words off by heart.
Given activities occurring just before sleep are particularly well-remembered by young children, you might wonder if all this repetition is beneficial. The answer is yes. Your child is showing they enjoy this story, but also that they are still learning from the pictures, words, and the interactions you have as you read this book together.
For more information, head to
Scholastic Book Club
Issue #2 has been sent off to Scholastic. Hopefully the orders will arrive within the next 2 weeks to be distributed to students. All orders made by families result in ‘Scholastic Dollars’ which we can use to purchase resources for the school.
Timetable
Monday - Public Holiday
Tuesday - Yr 5, Kyema, Barramunga
Wednesday - Eumeralla, Waminda, Mootwingee
Thursday - Preps, Amaroo
Friday Minga, Karinya, Bundaleer
Students of the Week & Ray White Awards
