The past week has been cold, hectic and challenging. The weather played havoc with our new roofing installation and the students endured bitter conditions in the playground. However, we have enjoyed the new reverse cycle units that have keep the rooms lovely and warm and made learning more sustainable. The sunshine today has been a welcome sight and many classes have made the most of the clear sunny skies and taken learning outside. We remind all students and staff that it is very early in the term and we need to always be kind in our words and actions towards all we meet. The past week has seen some challenging behaviour and some unkind interactions. We will always strive to investigate what is happening and the triggers for these behaviours. There is never a reason to be unkind and it is an expectation that we live out each day.

Thank you to the parents who registered for Parent/teacher Interviews and were available for the phone calls from teachers in lieu of the face-to-face interview. It is important to stay informed about the successes and challenges that impact on your child’s progress. There will be another session next Tuesday afternoon. If you still need to book an appointment, then they will be opened briefly and closed on Tuesday morning. All bookings are through the COMPASS portal.

COVID continues to impact on our school. We have managed to staff all classes and keep learning as a priority. However, with an increase in staff and student cases and other staff on pre-planned leave we are finding it necessary to collapse some classes and operate differently to normal. Hopefully, this will not hit the heights that they are predicting because we are striving to manage COVID safe practices to keep staff and students well. If your child exhibits any symptoms, please test and keep them home if you suspect they may have covid. Close contacts MUST test every day before attending school (for 5 days) and secondary students who have been close contacts must wear a mask. We will be sending home additional tests next week when the final instalment arrives but if you need them urgently, please contact the school. We must continue to limit the access of parents/carers on site. This will mean that parents are not permitted to attend school activities for the meantime, which includes assemblies.

COVID has definitely played havoc with student attendance at school. There are legitimate reasons for students to stay at home but it is all the more challenging if they do not catch up on work that is missed in their absence (particularly secondary students). We appreciate that students and staff get sick but we need to have students consistently in the classroom at all other times to ensure learning can happen. Please contact the class teacher or the PCA if attending school is proving to be an issue.

The BOOK FAIR information will go ahead next week and we are very excited that we have been given permission to hold it.  We cannot conduct the Fair in the usual manner but have been given permission for parents to accompany their student/s before or after school in perusing and purchasing books from the Fair. The Fair will be open to parents on Tuesday 2^nd, Wednesday 3^rd and Thursday 4^th August.

Already we are in the throes of planning for next year. Our enrolments are holding steady as we begin our transition programs towards the end of the term. Please contact me at the school if you have plans for 2023 that impact on our enrolments. Also please encourage anyone you know who is considering Sacred Heart to make an appointment to meet with me at their earliest convenience.

Thank you to our hard-working P & F who are putting the finishing touches to the tickets and planning for the 10 Grand in the hand raffle. Tickets will be sent home very soon and we hope that people will sell to a range of people so that we do not continue to ask the same people for money to financially support the school. If you can sell them to extended family and friends, then it will be an excellent fundraiser for new iPads in Infants and additional representative sports uniforms for Primary and Secondary. The prize of $10,000 will be drawn at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the year. What a wonderful Christmas present that would make.

Have a fabulous weekend and enjoy the sunshine. Go gently and remember to be kind… always

Blessings

Ms Nicky Trinder