Dear Parents/Carers

On Wednesday, families received student midyear reports through the COMPASS portal. If you have difficulty accessing reports, please contact our front Admin team for support.  Midyear reports provide a valuable snapshot of your child's progress, highlighting both achievements and areas for future focus. Not all can be captured in this report and a chance to discuss this further through parent-teacher conversations allows the opportunity to elaborate and celebrate

It is important to find an opportunity to talk with your child about their report; it can be a celebration of success, reinforce positive behaviour and build confidence in their areas to focus on, always encouraging them to give their best. Through attending a meeting with your child's teacher enables teachers to clarify any questions and provide context to the report's grades and comments, offering specific examples and strategies for improvement. By actively engaging with midyear reports, you can foster a supportive environment that encourages your child's academic and personal growth. These conversations are not just about grades but about building a foundation for lifelong learning and resilience. Please note parent/teacher conversations will be available for bookings as of COB Thursday, 27th of June, via the COMPASS App.

Last Sunday at Mass in the Gospel of Mark, we listened to the powerful story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41). The disciples, experienced fishermen, are overwhelmed by a sudden, fierce storm while crossing the Sea of Galilee. Despite their efforts to navigate through the turmoil, fear grips them as the waves threaten to capsize their boat. In their desperation, they turn to Jesus, who is asleep in the stern. Their plea, ‘Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?’ reflects a profound human experience—feeling abandoned in times of crisis. Yet, Jesus' response is both immediate and reassuring. He rises, rebukes the wind, and commands the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Instantly, the storm subsides, and a great calm envelops the sea.

This narrative reflection draws us into a deeper understanding of our faith. In our own lives, storms manifest in various forms—personal struggles, uncertainties, and global crises. Like the disciples, we may often feel helpless and overwhelmed. This story reminds us that Jesus is present with us in the boat, even when He seems silent or distant. His calming of the storm serves as a metaphor for the peace he offers us, a peace that surpasses our understanding and circumstances. Often emerging after a storm, the skies are brighter with a rainbow, and the air around us feels clear. As we navigate through our challenges, let us remember to turn to Jesus, seeking his peace and trusting in his power. He may not always calm the storm immediately, but his presence is a constant assurance that we are not alone.

I would like to take the opportunity to welcome Miss Jade van Zyl, our new Catholic Care councillor, and Mr Paul Kenny, who will be teaching Music for terms three and four while Mrs Leonie Watson Peters is on leave. I would also like to thank Miss Pip Ray for her passion and expertise in teaching drama and music to our kindergarten to year two students.

We look forward to meeting and greeting parents next Thursday evening for parent-teacher conversations.

Yours in partnership

Charlene Best

Principal

DIBELS and The Writing Revolution

Following our Insight journey, two programs that our teachers have been working hard to implement are Dibels (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) and The Writing Revolution (TWR).

DIBELS is a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of literacy skills. They are designed to be short (one-minute) fluency measures that can be used to regularly detect risk and monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills in students across primary grades.

When implemented as recommended, DIBELS results can be used to evaluate individual student development as well as provide grade-level feedback toward instructional objectives.

The Writing Revolution provides teachers with an evidence-based and proven instructional method -  the Hochman Method.

The Method has an emphasis on explicit, carefully sequenced instruction, building from sentences to compositions. The Hochman Method is not a separate writing curriculum but rather an approach designed to be adapted to and embedded in the content being taught in any subject area and at any grade level.

TWR explains that:

• Students need explicit instruction in writing, beginning in the early years.

• Sentences are the building blocks of all writing.

• When embedded in the content of the curriculum, writing instruction is a powerful teaching tool.

• The content of the curriculum drives the rigour of the writing activities.

• Grammar is best taught in the context of student writing.

• The two most important phases of the writing process are planning and revising.

Students with high academic potential need opportunities to cultivate their talents in areas of interest and strength. In response to this need, CET offers online classes in five key areas of learning. So far this year, over 150 CET students have participated in One Day School extension classes. These classes, led by specialists in gifted education, meet over Zoom for one hour each week. This format allows students to connect with like-minded peers from across the state in an engaging and supportive online classroom.

At Sacred Heart, selected students have joined classes in math, science, geography and history. These classes are specifically designed for students performing or capable of performing in the top 10% of their cohort. Here is what some of our students have
to say about their One Day School experience:

Marli Horton – I’m currently doing Number Systems. I think it’s interesting working on how people used to and still do, use different types of Number Systems around the world.

Finley Wilkinson – I’m currently doing History and I’m really enjoying it! We are currently exploring some important events that have happened in the Middle Ages. We have been creating a ChatBot to design our own land based on the information about what life was like back then. 

Well done to all students who entered a lego creation in our school Brixhibition challenge. Voting has now been finalised and winners will be announced on Monday. 

A winner will be announced for Kinder/Prep, Grade 1/2, Grade 3/4 and Grade 5/6. One of these winners will be the overall winner and Sacred Heart representative at the Ulverstone Brixhibition Event. 

Brixhibition Ulverstone 2024 Event

Saturday 13th – Sunday 14th July 2024

9:30am – 4:30pm 

Ulverstone Sports and Leisure Centre

Flora Street, Ulverstone

Grand Prize winners will be announced at 3:20pm on Sunday 14th July during Brixhibition Ulverstone 2024.

Keeping our community well:

With the cooler months upon us, please be mindful of not sending your children to school when they are unwell. We are currently experiencing staff and student absences due to sickness. 

It is also important to remember that staff and students are required to isolate at home for 48 hours when they have any gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting and/or Diarrhoea).

If your child is not attending school, please remember to mark them as absent/unwell on Compass. 

Pre-school and Primary school aged school holiday workshops.

Workshops start at 10am and children must be accompanied by an adult. Please note that the 2pm workshops are suited to ages 12+

The ticket price is $15 and each workshop has an age guide.

Workshop : Plaster Casting In Playdough

Through play, explore the material and form of found objects, working with playdough to create plaster objects!

Suitable for children ages 3+

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Workshop : Frottage - Collage

Through play, explore texture of found objects by experimenting with a technique known as frottage, combine media to create a collage.

This play based workshop engages children with textures around them, art materials, shading and composition. This is a hands on art activity, no previous experience is required.

Suitable for children ages 3+

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Workshop : Print Making With Found Objects

Experiment with stamping and pattern making using objects found around the house!

In this workshop, children will explore texture and transfer methods through printmaking using found materials easy to find at home.

Suitable for children ages 4+

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 Workshop : Kite Making

Create a masterpiece and launch it into the sky using materials easy to find around the house!

In this workshop, children will learn with their families how to create an exciting and simple kite out of common materials! An introduction to aerodynamics and wind energy, this activity is a blend of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths.

 Each child will create a kite to take home at the end of the workshop.

 Suitable for children ages 4+

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Workshop : Solar Car Racing

Assemble a solar car and race it at Hive.

In this workshop, children will assemble a solar powered car with their families. An introduction to electricity, motion and basic mechanics this activity is a mix of Science, Technology and Engineering.

Suitable for children ages 8+

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