From the Principal (Friday 14 May)

To our Sacred Heart Community

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

This week, our Year 7 & 9 students participated in the NAPLAN online testing.  For many students this was the first time they had participated online and there was definitely a mixture of nerves and anticipation for the students and teachers as the first sessions began on Wednesday. 

Fortunately it was a huge success with over 600 students completing over 2350 tests – Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy over the second half of the week.  We are expecting results later this year which will be distributed to families and the data used to improve our teaching and learning at the College.

QR Code Check-In

A reminder to all parents about the obligations to COVID SAfe Check-In when entering the College.  QR code signs will be available at each campus Reception.

Assumption Kilmore Exchange 2021

Earlier this year Marist Schools Australia cancelled the 2021 Basketball, Netball and Cricket Carnivals due to the COVID pandemic risks and restrictions. The risks and restrictions continue with periodic outbreaks in various parts of the nation. 

Given this context, Kate Fogerty (Principal, Assumption College Kilmore) and I have agreed to act in accordance with Marist Schools Australia and cancel the 2021 Exchange. Given that a key feature of the Exchange is for the host College families to billett the visiting College, it is unreasonable to expect that families would take on such a responsibility during the pandemic.

We absolutely look forward to resuming the Exchange in 2022!

Strategic Plan 2022 – 2024

The past three years has seen the College continue its growth and development across the key areas of the College including: Faith Formation, Teaching and Learning, Pastoral Care and Wellbeing and Community participation, and others. The current, 2019 – 2021 Strategic Plan was developed in 2018 during the first year of the amalgamation of Marymount and Sacred Heart Colleges and the construction of the Champagnat Campus. Time has passed quickly!

In 2018, we were convening multiple parent forums as we established the ‘new’ Sacred Heart. The input from families was critical to the success we enjoy some three years later. We are now consulting on the 2022- 2024 Sacred Heart College Strategic Plan. To date, the staff have had their input and the student leaders across the College were engaged in a ‘Keep! Stop! Start!’ activity. Their input reflected the inherent wisdom of youth which too often goes unheard!

Phil Lewis, former Principal of Gleeson College and Nazareth College and current Executive Secretary of the National Catholic Principals Association has been contracted to facilitate the Strategic Plan process and invites our parents & caregivers to have their say by completing Strategic Plan 2022 – 2024 Google Form via https://forms.gle/YRk14VZuvb2WznW2A. The Google Form will remain open and accept responses until Tuesday 1 June.

Join us and have your input to the planning process for the next three years!

CESA Parent/Caregivers Workshop and Discussion Forum: Perfectionism and the Gifted Child

You are invited to attend the upcoming ‘CESA Parent/Caregivers Workshop and Discussion Forum: Perfectionism and the Gifted Child’ on Thursday 27 May from 7:00 – 8:00 pm at Christ the King School in Warradale in honour of Gifted Awareness Week Australia. To register your attendance, please click here.

Marcellin Campus Exam Invigilators

We are currently seeking expressions of interest from members of the Sacred Heart College community to join our pool of volunteer Exam Invigilators at Marcellin Campus.

Exam Invigilators assist in the supervision of students as they undertake exams. Exams are held twice-annually at our Marcellin Campus. Exam Invigilators are engaged as volunteers and receive an honorarium payment. Information regarding volunteering with Sacred Heart College can be found at www.shc.sa.edu.au/volunteers.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Lauren Young, Human Resources Manager, via hr@shc.sa.edu.au.

Entertainment Memberships

Entertainment Memberships are being sold by the College again this year to raise money for our Mission charities.

Entertainment memberships have changed. They are only available electronically now, but this also means you can start your membership any time of the year and still get a full 12 months of savings no matter when you purchase. You can activate your membership by downloading the Entertainment App from the App Store or Google Play.

Memberships start from $69.99. With thousands of offers for discounts on dining, activities, shopping and travel, the memberships soon pay for themselves.

To order, go to: www.entbook.com.au/1601s50

If you order before April 15, you can receive a bonus $10 or $20 eGift card from your choice of  JB Hi-Fi or Woolworths.

Many thanks for your support of this charity fundraiser!

It is with great sadness that I conclude this ‘Hearts News’ with the acknowledgement of the passing of one of the key people behind our very successful aboriginal program. Cultural sensitivities require that he not be named but as a father of boys who attended the College in recent years, an uncle and friend to many, his medical episode a few days ago has come as a shock. He was a member of the SA Police in Port Augusta, always had a cheeky grin – like his boys – and was most generous in his support of the College and our indigenous students and their families.

Our deepest sympathies and condolences are with the extended family of one of our dear and true friends of Sacred Heart!

Steve Byrne
Principal