Our wonderful Year 10 students are in the final weeks of their time with us. They have been excellent leaders over this past traumatic year when nothing was as it should have been. This week they have completed their final exams to conclude their Stage 5 studies. Already many of them are looking to a bright future either at Hennessy Catholic College Young, Cootamundra High, Mater Dei or Kildare, Wagga, Canberra Girls Grammar, apprenticeships or traineeships. They have embraced all the challenges that we have offered to them and they have conducted themselves with distinction. Next week they will participate in the annual Beyond Sacred Heart with its new virtual format before two weeks of Work Experience. We wish them every possible success and remind them of our mantra – “Once a Sacred Heart Kid, always a Sacred Heart Kid”. We hope the memories they made and all they learn will serve them well long after they leave our playground.

Next week our 7-9 students will sit their final exams and we encourage them to make time to revise and prepare. Our primary students are also wrapping up their assessments in preparation for the end of the year and all teachers will be busy compiling semester reports. If your child is experiencing unnecessary anxiety because of this expectation please make contact with the class teacher or PCA so that they can continue to support our students to do their very best.

Last week we welcomed our newest students for the 2021 Kindergarten class. It was delightful to watch their enthusiasm for all things to do with “Big School”. They very quickly adapted to the expectations of Ms McDonnell and Mrs Alexander and were able to make the most of the day’s activities. They will return this week in our abbreviated transition program. Our next opportunity for Year 7 2021 to familiarise themselves with the new experience of secondary education is planned for 26 November to coincide with our 2021 leadership elections. We will also be able to invite students from other feeder schools, finally, and we look forward to them joining our community. Further information will be sent out to interested and prospective enrolments.

Following on from the students’ generous donation to CanAssist Cootamundra our student body was able to raise in excess of $1300 for Socktober to help put an end to poverty. Our students are increasingly aware of the civic responsibilities they have to our global community. Thank you to the Students Leadership, Mrs Maxwell and Mr Mahon for their leadership of this initiative.

We are so excited that some of the restrictions have been relaxed and we have been able to welcome parent helpers back into our classrooms.  Please be mindful that the requirements of having a current volunteer Working With Children Check (WWCC) still apply and you need to present your certificate and details to the Front Office so that they can maintain an up-to-date file of all our generous parent helpers.

There has been no directive to relax the restriction on the use of communal bubblers however. Therefore ALL students are still required to bring a water bottle that can be refilled at the taps as needed. As the weather has been warmer 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.

Today it was my privilege to escort the Primary leaders to the S&C Club for the Remembrance Service. The students were respectful and interested in the ceremony and were very fitting ambassadors for our school. It is important that we continue to commemorate the sacrifices that our service people have made to our freedom and quality of life. Back at school our Year 9 students conducted a short commemorative service for the Primary school and to all accounts it was also a very respectful ceremony. Thank you to Mr Mahon and Year 9 for this initiative.

Mrs Nicky Trinder

Principal