This year’s Marist theme, ‘First Light – Reveal the Spirit’ calls us to recognise God’s spirit in the world around us as we welcome our 2024 cohort back to school, including 127 Boarders, 321 new Year 7s and 41 new staff.
To our Sacred Heart College community
Welcome to 2024!
I trust the Christmas break was restful, and that the school year has started well for all members of our community.
Last week upon the commencement of classes we welcomed:
- 321 new Year 7s commencing at Champagnat Campus, and an additional 14 new students in Years 8 and 9;
- 350 Year 10s starting at Marcellin Campus including 44 new members of the Hearts community, and an additional 17 students commencing in Years 11 and 12;
- 127 Boarders, including 48 new Boarders (23 boys and 25 girls, consisting of 31 in Year 10 and 17 across other year levels); and
- 41 new members of staff across both campuses and the Boarding House!
I offer a warm welcome to all members of the Hearts Family, whether new or returning, and wish you all a wonderful 2024 and beyond.
Our significant events commenced in earnest, including an Opening Mass at each campus, where we celebrated the Marist Schools theme for 2024, “First Light – Reveal the Spirit”.
In reflecting on the above image of Standley Chasm, God is revealed uniquely to each of us; just as the light falls on each rock in this 80 metre chasm, so too the Holy Spirit illuminates and reveals God’s presence to us – in the world and in each one of us.
The light and passageway of Standley Chasm draws you in, like a natural cathedral, but also invites you to look around the corner and explore further. The photographer, Nick Psomiadis describes the scene… “the sheer cliffs glowing in sunlight, a spectacular scene to behold as the sun passes over the chasm”.
It took Nick three days to achieve this photo because the chasm only receives light directly at a particular moment. You can notice the presence of light as the narrow vista changes colour at dawn, but the full strength of the sun is only at an appointed time of the day.
The notion of visibility and invisibility is central to Aboriginal thinking and rays of light that rouse the spirit is central to their spirituality. Standley Chasm is known traditionally as Angkerle Atwatye, meaning ‘Gap of Water’ and is a place of deep cultural significance to Western Arrernte people as a sacred site of women’s dreaming and birthing.
The chasm was later named after Ida Standley, the first school teacher in the West MacDonnell Ranges. For 15 years, Ida Standley was the only government teacher in Central Australia and helped to give Aboriginal children a basic education. Ida was highly respected and described by the press as the ‘beloved lady’.
The year commences in earnest…
Beyond our Opening Mass and the formal commencement of classes, 2024 has started with a bang…
- Our Year 7 students have continued their transition into secondary schooling and have enjoyed their Year 7 Camp during this week, across numerous venues. I am confident there will be some tired boys and girls come this weekend!
- Our Literacy Coaches have commenced, and are spending this week analysing the data available to them, before commencing in classes (starting in English classes) next week.
- A significant number of parents/caregivers have attended our welcome evenings on both campuses, getting to know both their child’s Homeroom Teacher, as well as other parents and families. I offer my thanks to the P&F who have supported these events.
- Our Celtic Soccer Academy Coaches have spent the week with us, all the way from Scotland, spending time in classes, with our soccer teams, and this coming weekend, at our player Development Camp.
- And in the weeks ahead, we will celebrate the wonderful academic achievements of the Class of 2023 at our Laureate Assembly (see Alex Daw’s report in this Newsletter for further details), our Year 8 students will head of on Camp, and our Marcellin Sports Day will be held in Week 5 (just prior our Year 12 Retreats).
Daniel Lynch
Principal
Celebrating the Class of 2023
Mohsin Iqbal
2023 College Dux (ATAR 99.85)
Ben Hyde
2023 Proxime Accessit (ATAR 99.7)
We are delighted to report that Sacred Heart College’s Class of 2023 achieved excellent results, both in the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) and with their Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) – and achieved100% SACE completion!
Congratulations to our 2023 College DUX, Mohsin Iqbal, who achieved an ATAR of 99.85, two Merits for Activating Identities and Futures (AIF) and Chemistry, and undertook two university subjects.
We also congratulate Sacred Heart’s 2023 Proxime Accessit, Ben Hyde, who achieved an ATAR of 99.7, and two Merits for Activating Identities and Futures (AIF) and Physics.
We were extremely pleased to announce that not one, but two Sacred Heart students received a Governor of South Australia Commendation Excellence Award. Congratulations to Adrian Niculescu and Tigerlily Santry, who were recognised for excellent achievements in their Year 12 studies, as well as success in developing the SACE capabilities.
Read more about our outstanding SACE results here.
We commend the graduates of 2023 on their academic success, and extend sincere thanks to the dedicated teaching staff who supported them throughout their learning.
We look forward to formally congratulating the students who achieved A+ Merits and those who achieved an ATAR in excess of 90.0 at the 2023 Laureate Assembly next Wednesday morning.
Meet our 2024 Student Leaders – 2024 College Captains
Each week, two of our portfolio Student Leaders will take part in a brief Q&A session so you can get to know them a little better. This week we meet 2024 College Captains, Piper Ackland and Thomas Dermody.
Piper Ackland
2024 College Captain
Thomas Dermody
2024 College Captain
-
Piper Ackland, 2024 College Captain
What does leadership mean to you?
Leading from behind, making a positive difference and allowing people to feel supported and heard.What does being a Marist Leader mean to you?
Representing the Catholic Church and Marists around the globe by living out and demonstrating the Marist characteristics. This gives me great pride to be an SHC leader.What Marist characteristic do you resonate with the most and why?
I resonate with the characteristic of Family Spirit as I live in the boarding house with so many other students who have become like sisters to me. I also highly value friendships and connections with others, which is driven by family spirit.What do you hope to achieve as a Leader this year?
A major priority for me is forging stronger relationships between students at Champagnat Campus and Marcellin Campus, as well as including our on-site Marist Brothers within the school more. I also hope to further create an environment at the school where both students and teachers would want to come.A teacher that I admire at SHC is:
Mrs Sampson, because she is so passionate about her area of teaching. It is amazing to have a teacher that students can bounce positivity from. She makes us LOVE the work we are doing!The best thing about attending SHC is:
Living in the boarding house with all my friends is an amazing aspect of SHC that I am so grateful for!Three words that describe my personality are:
Outgoing, perseverant, and inclusive.My favourite song is:
‘You’re Gonna Go Far’ by Noah Kahan.Someone I admire is:
My mum.In my spare time, I like to:
Play guitar and sing, hang out with friends, go to the beach, or go for a walk or run.My greatest sporting moment:
Winning our grades netball flag in 2023.My favourite book is:
The ACOTAR series.What is your most prized possession?
My great-grandma’s necklace.What is on your bucket list?
Skydiving!What skill would you most like to learn?
To learn Spanish.If you were a superhero, who would you be?
Black Widow. -
Thomas Dermody, 2024 College Captain
What does leadership mean to you?
Leading by example. As a leader I want to be the first person to volunteer and get involved in the community. I hope by setting a good example I can inspire others and build a stronger community. Sacred Heart has given me so many opportunities and by being College Captain this year, I get an opportunity to give back to the great school that I am so lucky to attend.What does being a Marist Leader mean to you?
Being a Marist is not only trying to live by the Marist characteristics, but using your own strengths to better the community.What Marist characteristic do you resonate with the most and why?
Love of work: St Marcellin Champagnat rolled up his sleeves and never shied away from hard work. Sometimes I find some of my school work difficult, especially because I have an issue with my working memory. This has taught me resilience and how hard work can help you to overcome challenges.What do you hope to achieve as a Leader this year?
My vision for 2024 is to strengthen the bonds in our community between the old scholars and current students, and the bonds between the students, and between Champagnat and Marcellin campuses. The Sacred Heart community is like no other and Family Spirit is at the heart of everything we do here at school. But I believe there is a link between the different aspects of the community that can be strengthened. We have so much to learn from the old scholars of our school, including the experiences and the history that they hold, and we have so much advice and experiences to give to the students at Champagnat Campus.A teacher that I admire at SHC is:
I admire Mr Harrison. I was lucky to go on an Immersion to Fiji last year with him and I admire his kindness, humour and care for others. He is a very interesting guy and there is so much more than meets the eye.The best thing about attending SHC is:
The Family Spirit in the community. In all of my leadership speeches, I have spoken about how there is no other community that demonstrates more Family Spirit than Sacred Heart, whether through the Sacred Heart Old Collegians Association and sporting clubs, musical or drama performances, individual achievements, or school sporting events like Intercol and the Kilmore Exchange.My favourite song is:
My favourite song is always changing but at the moment my favourite is ‘More than a woman’ by the Bees Gees.Someone I admire is:
I admire my uncle Sean. He has lived an amazing life and helped a lot of people through his work. I hope to achieve as much as him one day.In my spare time, I like to:
Hang at the beach with my friends, go to the gym, kick the footy, surf, skate and watch movies.My greatest sporting moment:
Beating Rostrevor in the First XVIII football game at Intercol.My favourite book is:
Not much of a reader but I enjoyed ‘Shoe dog’ by Phil Knight.What is your most prized possession?
Probably my Kelly Slater Firewire Surfboard.What is on your bucket list?
Travel around the world including visiting Japan, France, Italy, Fiji and Switzerland.What skill would you most like to learn?
I have always wanted to learn how to backflip. I have tried many times and failed miserably.If you were a superhero, who would you be?
Probably the Flash.
A warm welcome for our Boarding families
The 2024 school year kicked off for our boarding families with all new boarding students arriving at their new “home away from home” on Monday 29 January. This is always an emotional time for families and they were well supported by our amazing Boarding Staff who made all of our new boarders feel warmly welcomed.
Our remaining boarders returned the following day, and as a community, we celebrated our Boarders Welcome Mass together in the Br McAteer Centre, followed by a lovely Welcome Dinner in the boarders dining room.
It is a very special time of the year for our Boarding Community and it is lovely to connect with so many of our families at this time. A big thank you to Fr Matthew who celebrated Mass with our community, many of whom he knows from his time in regional South Australia.
The first week has flown by and all of our boarders have settled in well. A special shout out to our Boarding Staff and our 2024 Boarding Leaders who have been instrumental in ensuring our new boarders are well supported with their transition into our community. This was most evident as we engaged in activities together throughout our first weekend in residence, which included an outing to the beach as a whole Boarding Community on Sunday afternoon.
Year 7s enjoy their first SHC Camp
New friendships, adventure, sun and sand have been common themes for our newest members of the Hearts community with the Year 7s setting off on camp this week.
Nerves quickly dissolved into laughter with the hum of new connections blossoming across the five camps. In House groups, students and staff ventured to Wallaroo, Victor Harbor and Hindmarsh Island to enjoy getting to know each other and the beautiful surroundings. Students have enjoyed a range of activities from mountain biking and bodyboarding to team challenges and the “flying kiwi”.
Thank you to the students for the courage and boundless energy they have brought to the camps; it has been a pleasure getting to know you, and watching you get to know eachother, away from the classroom.
Beginning of Year Mass
Students and staff at both Champagnat and Marcellin Campuses celebrated the start of the new school year with a Eucharistic celebration during Week 1. This also provided an opportunity to launch the 2024 Marist theme, “First Light – Reveal the Spirit”, which calls us to recognise God’s spirit in the world around us, and to be positive and passionate people who improve the lives of others. A big thank you to Fr Michael Brennan, who led both campus Masses, and to our staff and students, who participated with such reverence and respect.
Year 7 Transition to SHC
Last Tuesday, we warmly welcomed the newest members of our Hearts community to Champagnat Campus, our Year 7 cohort. The week started with students meeting their homeroom teacher and spending the morning together. They then headed to their core classes, where they had the opportunity to meet the peers who will be their classmates for the upcoming year.
During their first week, students participated in a transition program specifically designed to help them adjust to their new school environment. The program included workshops learning the College’s digital platforms, understanding their new timetables, engaging in team building activities and navigating the layout of Champagnat Campus.
This week, Year 7 students continued to build upon this work as they embarked on their much anticipated camp (see article above) and engaged in House-based activities upon their return to school. We are delighted to have welcomed the newest members of our community and have very much enjoyed getting to know them. We look forward to continuing to build on these relationships in the coming weeks.
Governor of SA visits with Year 12 students
On Wednesday, Sacred Heart College hosted Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and Mr Rod Bunten, husband of the Governor of South Australia, for a discussion with a range of our Year 12 students. The discussion allowed our students to highlight their experiences at Sacred Heart College as both senior students and student leaders. Her Excellency provided insight into her role as the Governor of South Australia and answered questions from our students. We thank Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC and Mr Rod Bunten for making the time to meet with our Year 12 students and visit our community.
Meet Beau, our second wellbeing dog
Beau is a 2 year old Groodle (Golden Retriever/Poodle), who is very excited to be joining our Wellbeing Dog Program alongside his esteemed colleague, Banks, who we profiled in the Hearts News late last year. Beau is familiar with the College and some of our students as he has been spending time in the Boarding House since he was 4 months old.
In addition to meeting and greeting students in the morning and in break times to bring a smile to their faces, Beau and Banks will be supporting students in our wellbeing area, spending time in the Learning Enrichment Centre at each campus and will be utilised by teachers as a learning tool. Beau has started off this year with one-day a week at each campus.
Beau is hypoallergenic so is a great addition to our wellbeing dog team to ensure everyone can be involved.
Arts News
Welcome to the vibrant world of Arts at Sacred Heart College for 2024, where creativity knows no bounds! At the heart of our community, we warmly embrace families into a haven of artistic exploration and expression. Here, the Arts are not merely disciplines; they are a gateway to imagination, innovation, and personal growth. Our purpose is to cultivate a rich tapestry of skills, fostering a love for creativity that transcends the canvas, stage, and notes.
The value of the Arts at Champagnat lies in shaping well-rounded individuals, encouraging critical thinking, and celebrating the unique voices that each member brings to our artistic family. Join us on a journey where every stroke, step, and sound tells a story, and together, we weave the colorful fabric of the Arts.
Music News
We would like to introduce to the Sacred Heart College community the new Head of Music at Marcellin Campus, Mr Joel Ramirez. Joel comes to us from Cornerstone College, Mount Barker where he was a Music Teacher and Choral Director. He has had experience in leading a music faculty having been Head of Music at Oran Park Anglican College, Sydney.
In the past Music has fallen under ‘The Arts’ faculty, however, Music will now be its own learning faculty alongside ‘The Arts’, ‘Science’, ‘Maths’ and other learning areas. Joel brings enthusiasm and passion to the role and with the rest of the music team, his goal is to continue to build on the current music program and for Sacred Heart College to be known for their music throughout the community.
If you wish to find out more about Joel and Music at Marcellin, please contact him at joelramirez@shc.sa.edu.au. Welcome Joel!
From the 2024 Champagnat Arts Leaders
Welcome to Sacred Heart’s Arts community. We are the Year 9 Arts Leaders for 2024, Jacob and Lily. We are really excited to work with students and staff, and to be involved in such a creative and courageous community. Our extracurricular activities will be starting back in the coming weeks and we will begin preparing for our upcoming 90s themed Arts Night. Dancers, bands, drama students and ensembles will be given the opportunity to perform at Marcellin Campus. We look forward to a great year ahead!
– Jacob and Lily, Year 9 Arts Leaders
2024 Arts and Music dates and events
Click here to view the full College calendar of events.
Sports News
As we dive into the new school year we take this opportunity to welcome our returning students back into our summer sports program, and to those taking up a school sport for the first time at Sacred Heart, we look forward to having you involved.
The next two weeks will see summer season sports kick off in Badminton, Cricket, Girls Basketball, Swimming, Tennis, Touch Football, Volleyball and Water Polo. It has been fantastic to witness our new Year 7 students engage in their first weeks of the Hearts sports program with enthusiasm and energy, while the senior students have been warmly welcoming and supporting their new team mates.
In 2024 we welcome two new staff members, Georgia Hext (Champagnat Boys Sport Coordinator) and Laura Breeding (Marcellin Girls Sport Coordinator), to the Sacred Heart College sports team!
Celtic Soccer clinics kick off
This week Sacred Heart College welcomed Paul Mooney, Scott Sweeney and Shaun Harley from Celtic Football Club in the Scottish Premier League. The three talented coaches have spent the week working with our Stage 1 and Stage 2 Workplace Practices Soccer classes and have held training sessions after school for the Boys and Girls First and Second XI squads on Brighton Road Oval.
The boys are here for the week and their advice, guidance and professionalism have been valued by players, coaches and staff alike. We are embracing everything this special opportunity has given us and are so very excited to visit Glasgow and Celtic Park later on this year for the Player Academy Experience.
Celtic Soccer Academy Player Development Camp this weekend
This weekend, the Celtic coaches will hold open training sessions for students, families and friends aged 6-12 and 12-18. Be sure to register here.
Student Sporting Achievements
| Rachel Hayball (Year 11) | Selected as a reserve in the SA U17 State Netball team. |
| Sophie Warren (Year 11) | Selected to represent SA in the U17 State Netball team and will compete in the National Netball Championships in Frankston, Victoria later this year. |
| Rosie Akot (Year 12) | Recently competed in the U20 National Basketball Championships. |
| Chloe Evans (Year 12) | Selected as a reserve in the SA U19 State Netball team. |
Please note the images below are in order of names listed in the table above.
2024 Sports dates and events
Champagnat Campus (Term 1 2024)
| Week 3 | Tuesday 13 February – Year 7 Boys Cricket Trials Tuesday 13 February – Girls Knockout T20 Cricket at Westminster Thursday 15 February – Year 7 Swimming Trials at Marion Outdoor Pool Thursday 15 February – Year 8 Boys Cricket Trials |
| Week 4 | Tuesday 20 February – Athletics Trials and Age Champion (Day 1) Tuesday 20 February – Cycling Championships Friday 23 February – Athletics Trials and Age Champion (Day 2) |
Marcellin Campus (Term 1 2024)
| Week 3 | Monday 12 February – Open A and Year 10A Netball Trials Tuesday 13 February – Girls Knockout T20 Cricket at Westminster |
| Week 4 | Monday 19 February – Open A and Year 10A Netball Trials Tuesday 20 February – Cycling Championships Tuesday 20 February – Year 10, 11 and 12 Girls Sports Day 1500m (8.00am) Tuesday 20 February – Year 10, 11 and 12 Boys Sports Day 1500m (1.30pm) Thursday 15 February – Open Boys Knockout Baseball Championships |
Click here to view the full College calendar of events.
