Last week the Beyond Sacred Heart program ran in a modified and COVID friendly manner. Whilst it was not without its challenges it was wonderful to see the manner in which our Year 10 students conducted themselves in preparation and during their vocational interviews. The feedback of the virtual format was very supportive and appreciative of the efforts that were made to manage the program. A huge thank you to Mr Mahon, Ms Withers, Mrs Cartwright and the bevy of professional and tradespeople who assisted in any way. Please read the more detailed account in Ms Withers report further on in the newsletter.

Even as I was typing the newsletter there were changes to the COVID protocols for end-of-year arrangements. Last night it was announced that there was some relaxing of numbers for social gatherings. We are now hopeful that this will mean that the graduation for our Year 10 students will be able to held in the auditorium of the S & C Club without dividing the guests between the auditorium and the Wattle room. At this stage we are still limiting the total numbers to allow the students, staff and two parents to attend. If there are further changes to the number we will advise asap. Please make payment to the front office as soon as soon as you are able so that we can finalise many of the details. As you can imagine all our end-of-year plans are changeable and our dedicated front office staff are trying to manage all the activities and functions that now need to be organised.

Our Awards Ceremony is also subject to change but at the moment we are planning for three separate functions to accommodate the presentation in line with the protocols which limits gatherings over 300 people. Considering that we currently have 325 students enrolled and a staff of 40 plus we are well over the restricted numbers without parents. We are planning to hold an Infants presentation at 9.30am on 9 December for Infants students and their parents. We imagine it will only take about 15-20 minutes. Then a Primary presentation at 10.30am on 9 December with Stage 2 and 3 students and their parents. This should go for 20 minutes. Finally we will host a Secondary ceremony for our senior students and their parents at the traditional 12noon. And this will hopefully not exceed 30 minutes. All parents of award winners will be contacted to encourage them to attend the relevant ceremony. We do appreciate that many parents have children in two or three of the different ceremonies and it may not be possible to attend all of the presentations. We will try and accommodate parents as much as we are able. This is not an ideal arrangement but is the best way around the limitations of a whole school function and may still change. We are also not able to have special guests to present any of the awards or perpetual trophies. However, we will publish a list of all the respective prize winners so that they are recognised by the community.

The Year 6 Thanksgiving Mass will proceed next Friday 4 December at 12noon. Again it is a COVID friendly proposition and will be only for the Primary students and the Year 6 parents. Unfortunately there is still to be no mingling before and after Mass and we will still strive to make it a memorable and enjoyable recognition of the end of primary schooling for our wonderful year 6 students. Thank you to Mrs Maxwell and the Stage 3 teachers for all their preparation for the Mass. Our Stage 3 students will also be participating in a very abbreviated excursion after all other options have been cancelled. They will be travelling to Wagga Wagga on Thursday 10 December to see a movie and go ten-pin bowling as a culmination of a huge year for all students.

Tomorrow we will hear from all of the nominated students for the Student Leadership Team for 2021. Our current Year 5 and Year 9 students enthusiastically partipated in their respective leadership Days last week, where they considered what makes a good leader and what is expected from the student leaders at Sacred Heart. They very sensibly and maturely identified the desirable qualities and nominated their peers appropriately. The speeches will be presented to the student body in the morning, after which all students will vote for the House and School Leaders. We have found the new House leader system a very positive development for the roles which our student fulfil and we look forward to building the House culture into 2021 and nurturing a pride and passion for their house and school. We will inform the new Student Leadership team on Friday afternoon. I was fortunate enough, along with the 2021 Year 10 PCA, Mrs Kylie Murray,  to interview our senior nominees and our students were impressive and wise in their understanding of what it takes to be a leader and what is required of them to fulfil the role. All nominees spoke honestly and enthusiastically about the opportunities that they have been given at Sacred Heart and expressed a desire to give back to their school community, to make it the best place that it can be for all staff and students.

Tomorrow we will host our Year 7 transition afternoon for students from other feeder schools. Ms Marsay has been very busy preparing a day filled with secondary experiences and to showcase all that Sacred Heart has to offer. If you know of any Year 6 student who may be interested to see what Sacred Heart is all about please encourage them to join us tomorrow 26 November. If they presented at the Front Office we would gladly accommodate them for the day.

Next week we will have an ex-student in the school grounds filming all things wonderful about Sacred Heart to make a short video to promote our school in the wider community. All parents have already signed a media permission form to indicate whether their child/ren can be captured in media publications. We are aware of which students cannot be filmed or photographed. If you have any concerns that differ from your original release form about your child/ren’s involvement in the promotion then please contact the school before the end of the week.

REMINDER………. ALL students are still required to bring a water bottle that can be refilled at the taps as needed. As the weather is now very hot  it is obvious that many students are coming to school without a drink bottle and require plastic cups to maintain the necessary fluid intake. Please leave a bottle in their bags so that they have the opportunity to replenish their water supplies throughout the day.

Remember “when you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world” (Harold Kushner)

So in a world where you can be anything…be kind!

Mrs Nicky Trinder

Principal