ISSUE 15: 20th May, 2022
Principal / Executive Leadership Team
Dear Parents, Carers, Staff, Students and Friends,
Many students in recent times have been suffering from colds and flu. We are very appreciative to families who are keeping their unwell children home from school. Thank you!
Catholic Education Week
Next week is Catholic Education Week in the Diocese of Ballarat, and once again we look forward to celebrating Mass as a Sunraysia Catholic Education community with our fellow Catholic schools on Friday 27th May at 10.00am. Please feel welcome to come along to the St Joseph’s Secondary College Mercy Campus stadium with about 1000 students to celebrate this great occasion.
National Simultaneous Storytime
National Simultaneous storytime is being held across the nation this Wednesday, 25th May. Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places. It is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy. Please see the Library News below for more details.
Year 6 St Joseph’s College Transition Day
On Wednesday, 25th May all Year 6 students will attend a SJC Transition Day at St Joseph’s College Mercy Campus. Students should be dropped off by parents from 8:30am for an 8:50am start. Please see the poster below for further information.
Junior Unit Social
It is very exciting that our Junior Unit Social will return after a few year’s absence next Thursday, 26th May. We hope everyone enjoys the dancing and singing from students, and we would also love to see our parents up there havinga dance. Please see the Prep and Junior Unit sections for further information.
Assembly
Thank you to our Yongana for hosting today's Assembly. Mootwingee will host our next Assembly, which will be held in the Stadium at 2.30pm.
2023 Prep Enrolments Open
We still have room for a few new 2023 Prep enrolments. If you know of anyone who is interested in enrolling we encourage them to apply ASAP. To enrol: (Click here).
2023 Prep Enrolment Meetings
For those that have applied to enrol their child, an Enrolment Meeting for the prospective enrolment and at least one parent or guardian will be conducted. Parents meet with a member of staff from the Leadership Team and the prospective enrolment meets with a classroom teacher to do fun play and learning activities. Parents need to book a time to attend or can be booked on the school website: (Click Here)
These meetings will be conducted at the school on Tuesday 24th May 2022 and Tuesday 31st May. Meetings take around 40 minutes.
Prep Breakfast
Thank you to Mrs O’Callaghan and Miss Sheridan for organising the Prep Breakfast this morning. It was a very early start for the students but they enjoyed the opportunity.
Year 6 Camp
Well done to our Year Six students for their participation and positive behaviour during their camp to Melbourne last week. Huge thanks to Mrs Campbell in particular, Mrs Thompson, Mrs Rowles, Mrs Lowe, Mr O’Callaghan, Mr Dashington and Mr Burford for their supervision, coordination and preparation of the camp. Such a wonderful experience for our students.
Staff News
More exciting staff news with Mrs Kim Taylor (Kyema Year Two) and her husband Callum expecting a baby later this year. We wish Kim and Callum all the best during this special time.
Tribute - Mr Gordon Casey
We were saddened to hear news this week of Mr Gordon Casey’s passing. Gordon was a PE teacher at Sacred Heart for many years and was highly involved in local sport within our community. Our Sacred Heart Athletics shield is named after Gordon. He has certainly left a great legacy and influenced the lives of many over the years. As a school community we express our deepest sympathy, prayers and best wishes to the Casey family during this sad time.
SSV State Trials
We wish the following students all the best at next week’s Region Trials:
- Monday - Football in Bendigo: Nate Wade, Alby Woollard & Thomas O’Callaghan.
- Tuesday - Basketball in Shepparton: Charlie Spratt, Will Siale, Alice Siale & Maya DeRosa
- Thursday - Netball in Shepparton: Alice Siale & Mia Hards
COVID Cases
Over this week we have 8 COVID cases impacting the classes of Wahroonga (Prep), Cooinda (Prep), Bundaleer (Year 1), Barramunga (Year 2), Waminda (Year 2), Mootwingee (Year 4), Myalla (Year 5) & Dourim (Year 6). We encourage families to complete their twice weekly RA Tests if they have not been a positive case over the last twelve weeks. Please inform the school of positive cases.
Please refer COVID Positive Case Procedures outlined below to assist with positive cases of students or household contacts.
Have a great weekend everyone and God Bless!
Mark Gibson
COVID Update
The Victorian Government has announced some important changes to COVIDSafe measures for schools that will apply from the start of Term 2.
Face masks
From 11:59 pm Friday 22 April, face masks, while recommended, are not required in any school setting. This means students in grades 3 to 6, staff and visitors in primary schools are no longer required to wear face masks. Any student or staff member who wishes to wear a mask may do so, including those who are medically at risk.
Screening requirements
Students who have tested positive for COVID-19, and have completed their 7-day isolation period, now do not need to undertake rapid antigen test (RAT) screening for 12 weeks after their release from isolation. This was previously 8 weeks.
Household contacts
Students who are household contacts of a COVID-19 case are not required to quarantine. They may return to school as long as they undertake rapid antigen tests (RAT) 5 times during their 7-day period. They are required to notify the school that they are a household contact.
Students aged 8 years and above who are household contacts are required to wear face masks when indoors at school unless they have a valid exemption.
If a student household contact returns a positive RAT result, they must isolate for 7 days.
Vaccination requirements for visitors to schools
Parents, carers and other adult visitors (not performing work) are no longer required to show evidence of two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
RAT screening program reminder
The testing recommendations will remain the same this Term for students and staff with to test at home twice a week. RATs were sent home at the end of last term. Should you have not received yours or need additional RATs please contact our office.
Thank you for your ongoing support in keeping our school safe and open.
Religious Education
Catholic Education Week Mass
Sacrament of Confirmation
Parents are reminded that completed lessons need to be handed in at the Parish Office on the following dates:
- Books 4-5 Monday 30th May
If books are not completed and submitted then the candidate will not be able to receive this Sacrament.
2022 Sacramental Program Dates
Sacrament of Confirmation 2022 Year 3, 4 & 5 students
- 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
Learning and Teaching News
Prep Unit News
Wow wee! What an amazing day it has been today. The prep students have had so much fun celebrating their prep breakfast at ‘CAFE SHPS’. They enjoyed cereal, toast and juice all served by our Junior Unit teachers. The preps then participated in 3 activities: making fruit kebabs, Mr Squiggle art work and fruit loop pattern necklaces.
Thank you to our Prep families for the wonderful work you have been doing at home supporting your child to learn the alphabet sounds (phonemes). Next week we will send home a phoneme and high frequency word chart for continued practise (see image below). Initially students may need to sound out each phoneme within the words, with repeated practise automatic recall of these words will develop (orthographic mapping). All words are colour coded to highlight the phonic patterns. Students have been explicitly taught the ‘tricky’ aspect of the irregular high frequency words. These words cannot be directly sounded out using the sounds we have learnt to date. Remind your child of the tricky part of the word e.g. is (the s, sounds like z in the tricky words ‘is’, ‘has’).
Thank you so much to the parents who have volunteered their time to help out in our classrooms during our Literacy block. We are just after a couple more: Wahroonga, Monday or Friday 9.30-10am and Cooinda, Thursday 9.30-10am. If you are able to help out on these days please see your child’s teacher. We will begin Literacy Helpers in week 6 - Monday 30th May.
This week in class we have been learning about measuring length, practising a lot on the formation of our letters in writing (making sure they are the correct way and starting at the correct spot) and using our phonemes (sounds) to write sentences.
Looking ahead to next week, we are preparing ourselves for the Junior Unit Social on Thursday evening at 6pm! This Friday 27th May we celebrate Catholic Education Week Mass at the Mercy campus. Families are welcome to join us however, you will need to contact the office to secure your seat.
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
Next week is a SUPER exciting week for our Junior Unit students. Not only are we celebrating Catholic Education Week, we are hosting our FIRST JUNIOR UNIT SOCIAL with parents in attendance in 3 years! Teachers and students are thrilled to share this special evening with you and your Junior Unit Child/ren. Please ensure that your child/ren have their costume organised and wear these on the night of our Social- Thursday 26th May. Families are encouraged to gather prior to the Social out front of the Sacred Heart Social from 5:15-6pm for a chat, enjoy a sausage from the BBQ and catch up before the doors open at 5.45 and you can take your seats in preparation for the event. Students are encouraged to bring their drink bottles along with them and will gather with their teacher at 5:50pm. A friendly reminder that this night is your Junior Unit Child/ren’s chance to showcase their dancing for you. We ask that no siblings attend this evening unless they are a Prep or Junior Unit Student as space is limited.
On Wednesday, we look forward to Simultaneous Story day. Students will have the opportunity to visit our school library and complete a fun literacy activity around this year's book ‘Family Tree’. National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools and many other places around the country. Now in its 22nd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.
This coming Friday we celebrate Catholic Education Week and are attending a Catholic Schools Mass at the Mercy campus. Families are welcome to accompany us however, you will need to contact the school office to secure your seat.
To support the success of our Religion unit on ‘LOVE’, we encourage students to bring in a photo, drawing or magazine picture that represents love to them: (hobby, sport, pet, family, friends, toy, garden- creation/environment) which will be displayed in their classroom for the duration of this term.
Please continue to encourage your child/ren to read and spell their ‘Tricky Words’ which are located in their reading diary as well as complete some of the games to enhance their fluency, vocabulary and pronunciation.
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
Well done to Yongana presenting at our Assembly this week. Mootwingee is looking forward to presenting next week!
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
The Year 6s have enjoyed 5 fun-filled days on their camp to Melbourne. They have explored many amazing places including the Melbourne Zoo, Latitude, Science works, Old Melbourne Gaol and the Melbourne Museum. Many thanks to the staff who attended and ensured this was a wonderful experience for our Year 6 group!
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
Library
National Simultaneous Story Time
Every year our school participates in NSST. In this event, children all around Australia listen to the same story at the same time. This year, NSST is occurring on Wednesday May 25th at 11am. This corresponds with our recess time, so as an alternative, all children hear the story and complete a short activity when they attend the library during their allocated classroom library visit.
Library Times
- Monday - Mootwingee, Dourim, Yongana
- Tuesday - Narooma, Year 5, Kyema, Barramunga
- Wednesday - Eumeralla, Waminda
- Thursday - Prep, Bundaleer, Amaroo
- Friday - Minga, Karinya
Scholastic Book Club Issue #4
Book club pamphlets were sent out this week for Issue #4. These orders will need to be completed online by Thursday June 2nd. All orders go towards Scholastic Dollars which are used to add to our school library, so please consider ordering for your child. Books always make the best gifts! If you wish to view the catalogue online, please head to
We are quite fortunate to have many wonderful books both in our library and in classrooms, however we are finding that there are a number of books being damaged, perhaps being left in school bags rather than library bags and even when younger siblings are ‘helping’ with reading. We ask that children are reminded about book care and do their best to look after our wonderful bookstock, and especially ensure they are stored in library bags when not being read. If you do come across a damaged book, please let me know or return to school with a little note. Thank you!
Students of the Week and Ray White Awards
