Sacred Heart Primary School Mildura eNewsletter

Principal / Executive Leadership Team

Almighty God,

Creator of our world. We ask you to hear our prayers for all those affected by the devastating floodwaters along the Murray and other Australian rivers.

We pray for all threatened by floodwaters. Grant safety to the residents under evacuation orders. We pray for the sick, the injured and the homeless. In the midst of suffering, comfort men, women and children according to their needs.

Give courage and hope in the midst of despair. Through the generosity of governments and individuals, provide a future for those whose present circumstances are marked by loss and desperation.

Grant wisdom to those who assist, especially government leaders, our State Emergency Service, our Australian Defence Force, other emergency workers and aid agencies. And by your gracious hand, rebuild communities where men, women and children are nurtured with care and love.

At this time, may those without genuine peace find true hope in your Son, Jesus.

In His name we pray. AMEN.

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff & Students,

The theme for the second week of Advent is peace. Too often our understanding of the word “peace” is limited to worldly peace – the absence of war. But the word peace – as proclaimed by the angels to the shepherds at the birth of Jesus – has a much more spiritual significance. It has been a busy few weeks - let’s take the time to appreciate and enjoy the special school events that are planned for Week 10.

Class Allocation

A letter indicating your child’s classroom teacher for 2023 has been sent home with students today. Thank you to staff, particularly our Unit Leaders, who have worked to ensure that learning groups are harmonious and sensitive to the learning and social needs of students. This has taken into consideration our transition trials, professional judgement and parent input. We thank parents for the input they have given.

2023 Class Contacts

We are seeking parents to volunteer to be class contacts for our classrooms in 2023. If anyone is able to assist please contact the school. It would be great to fill these positions before the end of the school year.

2023 Staffing

Mrs Jo Finlayson has informed me that she is requesting twelve months leave from Sacred Heart to take up the Learning Diversity Leader position at OLSH Merbein. This has been a tough decision for Mrs Finlayson as she enjoys her current work at Sacred Heart. As we know already, Jo has a passion for learning diversity and this opportunity was too good to pass up.

Fortunately we have been able to replace Mrs Finlayson with Mrs Sam Lowe. It will be great to now be able to have Mrs Lowe remain at Sacred Heart. She will fit into this role really well having completed similar work this year and already knowing our community. Mrs Lowe is likely to be working very close to full time which will be great for supporting the wellbeing needs of students, staff and parents.

Whole School Transition

Tuesday 6th December sees all of the students in the school engage in an Orientation day. Our Grade 6 students attending St Joseph’s College get the opportunity to experience what High School has to offer them in 2023. All of the current students in Grades Prep to 5 will move into their class groups for 2023, which is exciting. We will also welcome back our 2023 Preps for the Orientation Day as well. As part of the Orientation Day, there will be an information session for the 2023 Prep parents which will be held in the school stadium from 9am until 10:30 am.

Unfortunately Miss Hayley Moore (Year 1 Bundaleer) and our yet to be appointed Year 4 Eumeralla teacher will not be able to work with their classes. Miss Sheridan will work with Bundaleer and Mrs Beer Eumeralla.

All students not attending Sacred Heart in 2023 will work in the Library.

Carols on the Oval

Christmas Carols on the Oval will be held for our school community this Thursday evening. Families are invited to have a picnic dinner on the oval from 5.15-6.15pm and to mingle with one another. From 6:15pm each class will then lead a Christmas Carol with a karaoke style video clip displayed on a cinema screen allowing everyone to sing along with the students. This should be a great school community event.

School Reports

School Reports will be made available to parents via PAM this Friday, 9th December. Well done to all teachers for your efforts in providing an accurate and concise summary of student achievement for Semester Two.

Before School Supervision in 2023

A new Agreement for staff in Victorian Catholic Schools is requiring schools to make improvements to teacher workloads. We don’t see these changes greatly impacting student pick up but we will need to make adjustments to ‘before school’ arrangements in 2023.

Sacred Heart will still provide teacher supervision from 8.15am next year. Before this time, school staff will not be available to supervise students. Currently we have many students arriving before 8:15am. We are investigating ways that we can support families who do need to have care for their children before our supervision time commences at 8:15am. A possible idea could be Before School Care. We may directly contact families who have students arrive early to seek feedback on possible solutions to be able to support them.

Another change required before school will be the time that we open classrooms for students. Currently classrooms open at 8:20am and this will need to be at 8:45am in 2023. This will change our ‘ideal drop off time’ from 8:20am-8:30am in 2022 to 8:25am-8:40am in 2023.

If parents have suggestions or queries about these likely changes please don’t hesitate to contact myself. We do want to come up with solutions that meet our expectations of staff but also suit our community.

SSV State T20 Cricket

Congratulations to our Girls T20 Cricket team who travelled to Melbourne to play in the State Finals. They won one game and lost the other two. The girls can hold their heads high and should be very proud. Thanks to Mr Burford & Mrs Thompson for looking after the girls.

SSV State Golf

Congratulations to James Clay & Cameron Beggs who have represented Sacred Heart at the SSV State Golf in Melbourne today. Both played some great golf and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of playing in a high level tournament.

End of term

Please note that classes conclude for all students on Wednesday 14th December at the normal time of 3.10pm. Staff finish on Tuesday 20th December.

School and House Captains

On Tuesday we announced to the students at school the School and House Captains for 2022. Unfortunately not all students can be successful but we do have lots of opportunities for students in Year 6 to display leadership next year. We congratulate the following students who were voted in as our 2022 Captains:

School Captains: Mali Holmes & Remi McClelland

Murray House Captain: Oliver Farnsworth & Ivy Kerr

Mallee House Captain: Nicholas Cavallo & Niamh Fush

Hattah House Captain: Ryder Alderton & Ivy Kerr

Kulkyne House Captain: Henry Guthrie & Isabella Mammone

First Day for Students 2023

The first day back at school for students in 2023 is Monday, 30th January.

Baby News

Mrs Taylor and her husband Callum welcomed beautiful little Ezra Leigh Taylor into the world on Tuesday 29th November, (Mrs Carmichael’s Birthday). We wish them endless love and happiness as they enjoy this precious time together.

Important End of Year Dates

Whole School Transition (2023 Classes) - Tuesday 6th December
Year Six Transition Day (2023 Year 7) - Tuesday 6th December
Carols on the Oval (Student Performance) - Thursday 8th December
Final School Assembly (Special Presentations) - Friday 9th December
Year One Fun Day - Friday 9th December
Middle Unit Fun Day - Friday 9th December
Graduation Dinner - Monday 12th December @ 6pm
Year Two Fun Day - Monday 12th December
Senior Unit Fun Day - Tuesday 13th December
Prep Unit Fun Day - Tuesday 13th December
End of Year/Graduation Mass - Wednesday 14th December @ 11.30am
Last Day Students School - Wednesday 14th December @ 3:10pm

2023 Dates

Staff Return - Friday 27th January
Students Return - Monday 30th January
Beginning of School Year Mass - Thursday 9th February

Have a great week everyone and God Bless!

Mark Gibson

Religious Education

Our Diocesan Community - newsletter

End of School Year & Graduation Mass

Our End of Year & Graduation Mass will be held on Wednesday, 14th December beginning at 11.30am. All are welcome to join us for this special celebration.

2023 Sacramental Dates

Confirmation

Parent Information Evening - Wednesday 29th March 2023 @ 7pm SH Church
Sacrament of Confirmation - Friday 26th to Sunday 28th May 2023

First Eucharist

Parent Information Evening - Wednesday 12th July 2023 @ 7pm SH Church
Sacrament of Confirmation - Friday 25th to Sunday 27th August 2023

Confirmation

Parent Information Evening - Wednesday 11th October 2023 7pm SH Church
Sacrament of Confirmation - Wednesday 29th November 2023 7pm SH Church

Learning Diversity News

Family Time have had multiple health practitioners from Mildura call their team about availability of therapy services, they thought it would be best to reach out to all Health and Education centres in the area. If parents are struggling to find support locally and are on long waiting lists, this organisation are pleased to inform you that they have capacity to service new clients and already do so across Australia via telehealth.

The great thing is that they have Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Nutritional Therapists, Counsellors and more, all under the same roof.

Families can call on 1300 175 640 to enquire on therapy services, or visit the website where they can also make enquiries:

Family Time also has an online platform called Community Time which is a place where families can chat with other like minded parents going through a similar journey and have a wealth of information instantly at their fingertips. Each and every one of the experts at Family Time are on Community Time, and there are so many tips and tricks to get families started on empowering them to become your child’s best therapist. It’s also completely covered by NDIS funding if one is in place.

Below is the link for further information on Community Time and the opportunity to get access to support instantly.

About Family Time Online

Prep Unit News

This week we have continued our learning of 2D shapes. The students created some pretty cool shape robots.

Thursday night we are so excited to share in our Christmas Carols on the oval. Both Wahroonga and Cooinda are very busy rehearsing! The Prep students can wear Christmas colours, and accessories i.e; headbands, hat socks, earrings etc.

The Prep students will be celebrating their Fun Day on Tuesday 13th December at the All Seasons Splash Park. Upon returning to school the students will enjoy chips and nuggets from Pan’s Takeaway. A note will come home on Monday outlining all the details.

All Enhanced Comprehension, Library and Reading books now need to be returned to school by Monday.

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

CONGRATULATIONS KARINYA- The first class to have returned all students library books. With your support, we (The Junior Unit) would love to be the first unit with ALL books returned.

With the festive season upon us, we take this time to slow down, give thanks and prayer for peace. In the coming week, students will be enjoying this reflective song by Andrew Chinn.

Today you will have received an envelope brought home with your child that explains their 2023 classroom and teacher. On Tuesday they will be working in their 2023 classroom.

We look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday night for our whole school Christmas Carols on the oval. Please bring a picnic dinner and join us on the oval from 5.15-6.15pm.

From 6.15- students will be expected to sit with their class (with their drink bottle) and respectfully wait for their turn to perform. This is to avoid distracting the students who are performing whilst modelling respectful and responsible behaviour.
Students are encouraged to wear ‘Christmas attire/colours’.

Year one students celebrate their Fun Day next Friday 9th December and Year two students on Monday 12th. Please ensure that you have given permission for your child/ren via SIMON.

Mrs Taylor and her husband Callum welcomed beautiful little Ezra Leigh Taylor into the world on Tuesday 29th November, (Mrs Carmichael’s Birthday). We wish them endless love and happiness as they enjoy this precious time together.

Isolation Portal

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 Jaimi Willersdorf

Middle Unit News

Fun Day - Friday 9th of December

Middle Unit Fun Day is this Friday (9th of December)! We can’t wait to head to the cinema to watch ‘Strange Worlds’ and then for a swim at the Waves. Just a few reminders:

As we are walking to and from our locations we ask that students wear their sport uniform with their runners. Bathers can be worn underneath sport uniform.
Please ensure your child has the following things in a backpack or swimming bag, and they are clearly labelled: a towel, pair of thongs, rashie top, a water bottle, hat, plastic bag to put wet clothes in, change of underwear.
The school will apply sunscreen for all children, however if your child is sensitive to sunscreen, please supply this.
Children will have their own recess at the pool. We will be providing a lunch of hot chips, if your child does not wish to have this please send along a packed lunch.

Christmas Carols - Thursday 8th December

Thursday night we are so excited to share in our Christmas Carols on the oval.

Year 3 students can wear Christmas colours, and accessories i.e; headbands, hat socks, earrings etc.

Year 4 students can wear Christmas casual. This might be a Christmas hat, shirt or Christmas Colours.

Special Forever

In the Middle Unit we have some students’ whose work has been selected to go on display at the Special Forever Exhibition at the Mildura Art Gallery. Special Forever: Voices of the Children Exhibition is a regional display of writing and artwork from local primary schools. The project was launched in 2011 by our own Mrs Rosemarie Zalec because she wanted to be able to continue to give students the chance to have an audience “listen” to their “voices” through their writing and/or artwork. Rosemarie continues to promote and coordinate this project which was originally a partnership between The Murray Darling Basin Authority and The Primary English Teaching Association focused on environmental themes. For over 20 years, artwork and writing from hundreds of children from across the Murray Darling Basin were presented in a special anthology. Unfortunately, the funding for this project ran out and this valuable way of children presenting their learning through writing and art work was almost lost. Luckily, through the efforts of Rosemarie Zalec and the support of the Mildura Art Gallery, a platform for our local children to publish and present their writing and art work continues with the Exhibition as it is held each year at our local gallery. This Exhibition enables students to write and /or produce works of art, on any number of themes and topics. Finally this Exhibition provides the audience with a chance to “listen” to the young “voices” that produced the writing and / or art works. The exhibition is being held at The Mildura Art Gallery from Thursday 8th December 2022 until Sunday 29th January 2023. Well done to the students selected, this is a wonderful achievement!

Plastic/ Shopping Bags

Just a reminder to please bring a plastic or shopping bag along to school so that items can begin being sent home.

Year 3 Isolation Portal

Year 4 Isolation Portal

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

Transition Day

On Tuesday 6th December, all students enrolled at St Joseph’s College for 2023 will attend a Transition Day. Students have received an email from SJC detailing requirements for the day, drop off and pick up times and general information. We wish our Year 6 students a wonderful orientation day.

Fun Day

This week permissions for our End of Year Fun Day were made available on PAM. Please ensure you have responded to this event. Details of this event can be found on PAM.

Graduation

The Year 6 Graduation Dinner will be held at Willow and Ivie on Monday December the 12th. You can access the menu options for your child and pay for their meal using CDF Pay.

Parents will be required to sign their child/ren in at the beginning of the dinner and out on departure. There will be the opportunity for parents to have a photo taken with their child/ren at the beginning of the evening.

So that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the evening, we ask that nothing is planned by parents that will exclude any child.

Year 5 St Joseph’s College Visit

On Tuesday, the Year 5s had an early recess, we walked down to St Joseph's College at the Enright Campus.

When we arrived we were split into two groups, one for Myalla and for Illawara.

We were taken to separate rooms to look at year 7 STEM projects.

We saw a working tesla coil, an air gun that shot out packing peanuts, magnetic slime and tea bags that flew up using fire.

We moved throughout the different rooms to see other projects, after we saw the many outstanding projects we were taken out to a sausage sizzle for lunch.

By Romeo Plany and Jackson Evans.

Our Christmas Carol evening is not far away. We encourage all Year 5 and 6 students to wear something festive.

We ask that all students bring a plastic bag to school next week so they can start bringing their supplies home.

Year 5 Isolation Portal

Year 6 Isolation Portal

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 Danielle Gunn (Monday-Wednesday) & Mrs Emma Kotsiakos (Wednesday-Friday)
Illawarra (Year 5): Miss Belinda Zappia
Narooma (Year 6): Mrs Jo Campbell
Dourim (Year 6): Mrs Maria Beer

Library

Thank you to the many children who have returned their library books! Unfortunately, we still have over 200 books yet to be returned! These do need to be accounted for - children should have a loan slip which will state all the books they currently have. Please have a good look at home, in the car, under the bed, at Nanna’s place for any Sacred Heart books. If you have searched high and low and are still unable to find these books, please email your child’s teacher or myself on wcollins@shmildura.catholic.edu.au asap. This might be a good reminder for children to ensure they keep their books in their library bag and bring that to school every day!