To our Sacred Heart Community
Year 9 Rite Journey Calling Ceremony
On Tuesday evening, our Year 9 students & families gathered for the Rite Journey Calling Ceremony at Wattle Reserve, Hove. The evening was filled with deep reflection as students read gratitude letters to parents and caregivers before symbolically leaving their childhood behind.
The rite of passage concluded with students throwing a shell or rock into the ocean, symbolic of their readiness to move forward and begin the journey into adulthood. A very special occasion as students left affirmed by the support of their loved ones.
Consent and Sexual Assault
In recent weeks consent and sexual assault have been major issues emanating from allegations from the national parliament and an online petition initiated by 22 year old Chanel Contos, originally from Sydney. The petition has drawn thousands of shared, confronting and disturbing accounts of young women and girls who have encountered such abhorrent behaviour. Their courage is to be admired!
The old saying – it takes a village to raise a child – is most pertinent. At the College we are reviewing our programs and have already determined we need to be doing more in this area, and earlier. It seems our conclusions match the educational authorities across the country. However, I find it ironic that a national curriculum response is being developed in Canberra? Further, the program is called ‘Respect Matters’! I’ll leave it at that for now.
To assist families, SchoolTV have provided a free-to-access video on consent and sexual assault which has been prepared for parents, featuring Dr Michael Carr-Gregg. The video, which includes tips for parents on how to initiate a conversation with their children on consent, is posted at https://schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-conversation-consent
An article posted by Curtin University Research Fellow Jacqueline Hendriks may also be helpful for parents: https://theconversation.com/not-as-simple-as-no-means-no-what-young-people-need-to-know-about-consent-155736
The ‘Sacred Heart Village’ needs to work together to not just educate our young people but to provide clarity around these issues. ‘No’ means ‘NO!’ is a good place to start?
International Women’s Day #ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021
#ChooseToChallenge focuses on calling out gender bias and inequality. We are all invited to act on this theme and at least be aware of the issues surrounding gender bias and inequality. Just yesterday I read an article based on the concept of ‘The Glass Cliff’:
The glass ceiling is an idea familiar to many. It refers to the invisible barrier that seems to exist in many fields and which prevents women from achieving senior positions.
Less well-known, but arguably a more pernicious problem, is the “glass cliff”. Originally recognised by academics Michelle Ryan and Alex Haslam back in 2005, this is the phenomenon of women making it to the boardroom but finding themselves disproportionately represented in untenable leadership positions. (Susanna Whawell, SMH https://www.smh.com.au/national/what-s-worse-than-the-glass-ceiling-the-glass-cliff-20180413-p4z9is.html)
Yet another example of why the issue of gender bias and inequality need to be highlighted by such international days!
International Women’s Day
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Collection Notice
Please click here to view the notice from the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment to advise you that they have requested that we provide a statement of addresses, in accordance with the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth).
Parents & Friends Welcome Evening (Friday 19 March)
The Parents & Friends Association warmly invites all Marcellin Campus Parents & Caregivers to attend the 2021 P & F Welcome Evening on Friday 19 March in the Brother Stephen Debourg Performing Arts Centre.
The cost of the evening is $15/person which includes drinks and nibbles. Tickets can be purchased via Trybooking (https://www.trybooking.com/BPAYN) by Monday 15 March.
“Back to the 80’s…The Totally Awesome Musical!” 2021
Tickets to the 2021″Back to the 80’s…The Totally Awesome Musical!” are now available to purchase via Trybooking (https://www.trybooking.com/BPHST).
If you love 80s music, or remember the hairstyles or brightly coloured fashions, you will love ‘Back to the 80s!’. Get in quick!
With only three weeks to Easter now would be the time for our students to be making a concerted effort to ensure their commitment to their studies is excellent. What might this look like? It begins with being organised, committed and following up with teachers when clarification is needed.
Putting the time aside assists the application of the best effort we can put into our studies. ‘Quality’ is a matter of choice and not chance.
Support from families in encouraging best efforts from their students for a ‘quality’ finish to the term would ensure we are working together to achieve the best outcomes for our students!
Steve Byrne
Principal
