I write this week’s newsletter sitting in a motel room in downtown Crookwell on the edge of the Highlands. It is wet, wild and windy weather that feels more like the deepest winter than early autumn. I have the privilege of being on the Registration Panel for St Mary’s Crookwell where I am a very welcome guest to wander through their school, read their polices and documents, look into their classrooms, consider how they operate and talk to their community. This is a process that each Catholic school must undergo each 5 years to be registered by the Department of Education to continue to teach and provide educational services. Many, many hours go into preparing for Registration but it is an important time for schools to consider what they do and how they do it! The process recognises what we do well and what we can improve on. Sacred Heart will undergo this process over the coming year to prepare for Registration in 2020. Sacred Heart is already an amazing school with wonderful, committed staff, a fabulous community and the very best students but there are always things that we can do better. Education is about improving; outcomes, understanding, wellbeing, our opportunities and our futures. The mission in education is always to improve the lives of our students by teaching them to embrace challenges and be life-long learners who make the world a better place.

COMMUNITY BREAKFAST and CRAZY HAIR DAY

This Wednesday 27 March is our monthly community breakfast where we would love you to join us for a light breakfast around 8am. It is also our uniform free day where this month all proceeds will go to support Leila Ismay in her fundraising efforts to provide funds for research into blood cancers. Leila will shave her head at the end of the term and we applaud her generous decision to help others. Students (and staff) are encouraged to come ‘wearing’ their best crazy hair for the day!

FETE

Don’t forget the fete is on this Friday evening. Many hours have been spent ensuring that this is a wonderful community event that will raise invaluable funds to support the resourcing of the school. The P & F are devoted in their efforts to give our students the best opportunities to learn in well-equipped classrooms. It is not too late to offer to help. Please contact your class representative. Don’t forget to return your raffle tickets and please encourage others in town to come along to share the wide range of food, entertainment and stalls from 5.30pm. Please continue to pray that the much needed rain holds off until after the Fete! A big thank you to Mrs Nancye Smith who took on the task of coordinating the fete. Along with her dedicated band of workers they have worked to provide an excellent night for everyone. There will be something for everyone to enjoy including an opportunity to buy some original artwork by our artist-in-residence Ms Erryn Marsay. See the images below. They will be up for silent auction on the night.  

CAMP HUDSON

The Year 7 excursion for 2019 will be held the 4th and 5th of April (Week 10, Term 1). The excursion is a Cultural Immersion camp, where students are encouraged to engage with Australia’s traditional people and culture through a range of activities and the interaction with Indigenous Rangers who will be providing those opportunities. It will be held at Camp Hudson (Lacmalac) in Tumut and is an overnight experience. Activities include music-making, learning about the local area, history and customs, rope making, bushwalking, stone tool making, fire making and boomerang throwing. We especially thank Mrs Aileen Maher for organising this wonderful experience for our students. Please ensure that all permission slips are returned to the school asap. The students will be accompanied by Ms Marsay, Mr Alderman and myself. I can’t wait!

RETREAT PROGRAM

Next week we also are hosting the Western Region Retreat program for Year 8 and 9. These will be held at the Cootamundra Stadium and will be facilitated by the youth ministers from around the arch diocese. They will be coordinating the ‘Catch the Wave’ Retreat for Year 9 and the launch of the ministry program. We are welcoming students and priests from Temora and Tumut as well.

We are entering the final weeks of Term One and there is so much happening every day. Please continue to check the calendar, newsletter and website to clarify any information. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the Front Office.

Don’t forget the Passion Play presentation in Week 11. Our Year 9 (and some Year 8) students are feverishly preparing the annual prayerful presentation for the Good Friday Service in the holidays and it is well worth the effort to come and be part of the celebration. Thank you to Mr O’Brien and Mrs Thompson for guiding the students in this memorable experience. More details in next week’s newsletter.

God bless

Mrs Nicky Trinder

Principal