It is hard to believe but very welcome that we have reached the end of Term 3. It has been a huge term, and everyone is very deserving of a holiday and some rest and rejuvenation. This will also give our families time to recover from the myriad of viruses that have plagued our classrooms and homes this term. Our students and staff have been extremely busy this term, and we have seen some fabulous achievements and enormous growth. Thank you to our entire community for their effort, support and enthusiasm for all things Sacred Heart.

Today is the third instalment of the Kinder Orientation program. 51 very busy little people have experienced life at big school and are learning the routines, expectations and joys/challenges of Kindergarten. We are blessed to have the opportunity to lead these little people of their educational path and to offer them the best start to school life. A huge thank you to the parents for trusting us with their precious children and also to our dedicated Infants and support staff who have dedicated hours to ensure that this first experience is positive and a strong foundation for 2026. This includes all staff who have maintained the learning for our current Infants students in amidst the chaos and busyness of 51 new little students.

On 16^th October we are presenting a new opportunity for our 2026 Kinder parents to learn from experts about preparing their children for big school. We are lucky to have the knowledge and skills of Georgie Bradbury - OT, Georgie Butt - Speech Pathologist and our own School Counsellor Natalie Cowled to present sessions on ways parents can help support their children with the invaluable skills necessary to make a positive start and to give them every chance to learn the important skills for life-long learning.

Last week we welcomed the new Year 7 class for 2026. It was lovely to welcome all the new students and to see our incumbent Year 6 students include the new students in their cohort for the beginning of their secondary schooling. Thank you to Ms Buchanan and the secondary teachers who offered an experience of life in secondary and helped them prepare for the next stage of their learning. The next transition day will be in Week 1 Term 4.

Tomorrow is a pupil free day to allow the staff to focus on the mandatory training of Senior First Aid and Term 4 preparations. All students finish this afternoon and will return for Term 4 on Tuesday 14^th October. The Front Office will be closed tomorrow from 9.30 until 1.30 to allow the Administration staff to complete their First Aid qualifications. It will also be closed the first day of Term 4 whilst the staff complete training and professional development. Students will obviously return in summer uniform with the option of a two-week grace if the weather remains changeable. Please consult the uniform policy to ensure that you purchase the correct uniform items for the summer term. Hats are a compulsory item for all outside activities and break times in the final term.

Last Friday we debuted the new Open Day model in Infants and Primary with the Open Doors, Open Minds program. This was an enormous success. The bottom end of the school was buzzing with parents and students engaged in showcasing their learning and students instructing their guests/parents/family and friends on the skills and content that they have covered this year. Highlights were the group performances of dancing and singing, the Stage 3 Wordsworth rap and all the beautiful artwork and writing. Thank you to all who made the effort to come and view the students/ work and to the dedicated staff who spent hours preparing the presentations and displays. We have lots more ideas for next year and welcome any constructive feedback to make it the best event that it can be.

We wish Ms Erryn Marsay, Mr Peter Turner and Ms Megan Withers safe travels as they enjoy overseas sojourns at the start of Term 4. We hope they make glorious memories and thoroughly enjoy their well-deserved long service leave. In their absence we welcome Mrs Sarah Edwards to cover classes and welcome back Mr Tim Mahon and Mrs Annette Black to ensure that our students continue to learn and receive excellent instruction.

Today was our Traditions Day Mass celebration. This is an important celebration in our calendar as we recognise and remember the proud traditions on which our school was built. The charisms of the Mercy Sisters, the De la Salle Brothers and the priests who served our Parish are acknowledged and celebrated for all they gave to the strong foundations and development of our school. We especially thank Fr Lolesio, Sr Kathy and Sr Margaret for their presence and prayers for our school. Ms Wade, Ms Last and Mrs Maxwell have been very busy preparing a meaningful service with our Stage 4 students.

At our Mass we also presented the plethora of Silver Awards for the past term. This is an acknowledgement of students who have earned House Points for living out the values, expectations and being positive role models. Congratulations to all our students. We look forward to acknowledging more students next term.

Yesterday our Primary Athletes competed in the Mackillop Athletics Carnival in Sydney. Our dedicated athletes have been very enthusiastic about training and performing to their very best at the Statewide Catholic school event. Olivia Cassidy nailed a personal best in the High Jump to take out the gold medal and to progress to the All-School Carnival next term. So too our Junior girls Relay team – Zoe Last, Faith Roberts, Emmeline Last and Ella Sannazzaro took out second place and will also progress to All-Schools. This year was the biggest team that we have ever sent onto the state carnival. Other athletes were Malakai Petrovic, Abigail Booth, Angus Dickinson and Harry Schofield.  Congratulations to all our athletes for making this elite level and to Ms Wendy Van Kerk Oerle for supporting our students in Sydney as the team Manager.

On the 12 September Sacred Heart also hosted the NSW Arch Diocesan Schools Public Speaking. This is another elite level for our students to experience and to compete against the best Public Speakers in the Arch Diocese schools. Congratulations to Emmeline Last who was equal first in the Year 4 Division and to Ella Sannazzaro who was runner up in the Year 5 level. It was very special to host such talented students from across the Arch Diocese – as far away as Pambula and Lake Cargelligo and everywhere in between. Thank you to the Primary teachers for their support and guidance.

We have an action-packed start to Term 4 with all the excursions in secondary – Year 9 to Sydney in Week 2 and Year 8 to Tathra in Week 3. We also have the annual Boorowa Touch and Netball on 24 October, and we continue with our transition programs. Please ensure all monies have been paid for excursions to allow us to pay for all activities and resources for the trips to allow them to proceed.

I hope everyone has a lovely restful break and the weather is kind to us so that we get to enjoy beautiful spring days that will allow our children to spend time outside and away from screens.

Over the two weeks break I challenge our students and families to foster and promote kindness in all the little things that they do. Random acts of kindness have the power to brighten someone's day, create positive ripples in the world, and remind us of the inherent goodness within humanity. These selfless acts, no matter how small, can have a profound impact on both the giver and the receiver.

"When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world." - Harold Kushner. Our world could definitely do with more kindness.

God Bless.

Ms Nicky Trinder

Principal