Term 1 - Week 4 (16th February 2024)

Student Protection Contacts

School Student Protection Contacts (SSPC) 

Our school has five School Student Protection Contacts. Mr Maher, Mrs Jackman, Mrs Horne, Mrs Barrett and Ms Campbell. These are nominated staff members to whom students, staff and parents can raise concerns related to student safety. Although School Student Protection Contacts receive additional training, all school staff receive regular training and information to enable them to respond to student protection concerns. 

Over the next couple of weeks, teachers and students will be revising the School Student Protection Contacts and who they can go to when they are not feeling safe. 

From The Principal

Dear Families, 

Working together - Our school’s vision is to ‘Nurture and empower resilient, lifelong learners so that they can contribute to a positive future in a changing world’. At Sacred Heart, we deeply value the partnership between families and teachers in supporting our learners’ progress towards success every day and, little by little, journeying together towards this broader goal every day. When we collaborate, children can achieve their learning goals and experience a sense of accomplishment. This unique partnership is integral to our work for your children, and it relies on mutual trust and commitment. 

Let’s consider an analogy I have used many times before: taking your car to the mechanic. We trust that the mechanic is skilled and capable of addressing any issues. Some of us visit the mechanic when something goes wrong, while others go for regular maintenance to prevent problems. The mechanic inspects the car, identifies issues, and makes necessary adjustments. If a part needs replacement or repair, you pay for the service, and your car is back on the road. If the problem persists, you return to the mechanic or seek another one. The car remains your responsibility, regardless of where it’s serviced. 

Unlike cars, we can’t simply drop our children off at school and expect them to be “fixed” by educators. Learning and growth are a journey, and we must embark on it together. Teachers, are trained professionals who collaborate daily to identify challenges and support your child’s success. Removing a faulty car part and replacing it with a new one is a straightforward process. But when it comes to supporting our children’s growth, it’s far more complex. Each child is unique, not a standardized model fresh off an assembly line. Unlike cars, we can’t simply rely on mechanics to “fix” them. Instead, we need the combined wisdom of parents and educators to understand the complexities of each young individual. 

In this important endeavour, educators aren’t mechanics, and parents aren’t mere customers. We are partners working toward something extraordinary—the success of your children. Trust, cooperation, and collaboration form the bedrock of this partnership. When these elements flourish, so do our children. 

2024 Meet and Greet – thank you to those of you who were able to come along to our disco and ‘Meet and Greet’ on Wednesday night. It was wonderful to see so many of our new families coming together to watch their children have some fun and to have a chat with one another. Thank you to our Parent Engagement Network (PEN) Committee and all their helpers for their assistance on the night. Whether you put your name down to help before the event or you just showed up and rolled up your sleeves, thank you! 

This year we aim to build on the successes of our previous PEN Committee by focusing on two goals – building community and engaging families in the learning of their children. The second of these goals, will specifically focus on ways that we can support our families in understanding how they can support their children in learning to read. Aligning what we already know, with the latest research in how best children gain this, is a very important skill. 

God bless, 

Mr Tyronne Maher

From The APRE

Welcome to Lent! What a week we have had… 

Last Sunday students, staff and parishioners gathered at St Patricks Cathedral for the Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion launch. We were asked to share the love of God with all people in our community, especially those that are marginalised. Leading up to Easter, we will be looking at the lives of Ronita, Leiai and Memory and how Caritas has helped them and their communities. We have gifted each class with a ‘Project Compassion Box’, if you are able to share a donation, it would be greatly appreciated. Remember that we can all be shining lights in the world like Jesus! 

On Tuesday the Year Six class sold pancakes for Shrove Tuesday to raise money for Caritas Australia. Thank you to all who donated pikelets and the Year Six cohort for running this event. The students loved ‘Pancake Day’. 

On Wednesday we had our first mass in the church with Fr Hermi to celebrate Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, when we remember the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Lent is the 40 days, not including Sundays from Ash Wednesday to the Saturday before Easter. Christians around the world recognise these six weeks as time of reflection, penitence and spiritual preparation before Easter.  

During Lent, traditionally, Christians commit themselves to fasting, prayer and good works or alms giving. In the Gospel passage that is read on Ash Wednesday, Jesus talks about how to give alms (giving to the poor), pray and fast.   

 Mrs Katie Horne

Prayer of the Week

From the Learning Support Teacher

Student Support Committee and Referral Processes 

Student Support Committees (SSCs) have been established in our Toowoomba Catholic Schools to ensure that the needs of our students are met in a just and transparent manner and that supports are put in place to enable students, who are experiencing difficulties, to access all areas of the curriculum. 

The aim of the SSC is to  

• Collaboratively discuss, plan and implement intervention programs, coordinate efforts of teachers, parents and TCS support personnel in meeting the needs of all students 
• Monitor student progress and the effectiveness of interventions. 
• Match student needs to available specialist services. 

Members of the Sacred Heart Student Support committee (Principal, LST, Guidance Counsellor and Class Teachers) meet twice a term to discuss students who have been referred due to learning and/or behavioural needs.  These referrals are made by teachers in discussion with the LST and may be informed by teacher observations, school learning and/or behavioural data as well as concerns raised by parents.  Parents will be notified of their child’s referral to these meetings. 

All students who are to access TCSO specialists, including Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy and Counselling services, need to have been referred to the SSC and a clear action plan to be followed.  

What is Autism? 

Autism is a spectrum condition which means that while all people with a diagnosis share certain difficulties, they can present in a variety of ways and to varying extents. 

Children on the autism spectrum may experience challenges in socialising and communicating with others.  They may struggle with change and prefer their routines and environments to stay the same.  They may also over-react or under-react to sounds, sights, touch, tastes or smells. Some students may have challenges with their learning.  Some may learn very quickly and appear ‘gifted’.  Whilst others may learn basic skills and understandings, but have difficulty applying these to new learning or higher level activities.   

Autism Queensland is a support network for families of autistic children.  Their website offers extensive information, including workshops and webinars for parents.  Please see the upcoming webinars at the following link 

https://autismqld.com.au/services/workshops/  

Mrs Genny McNair

From The Middle Leader/Curriculum Co-ordinator

At Sacred Heart we are into our second year of planning, teaching and assessing the Version 9 Australian Curriculum. Within this curriculum, the learning area of English highlights the critical connection between spelling, reading, and writing – a fundamental trio that forms the bedrock of literacy skills for our primary school students. 

Our curriculum is designed to seamlessly integrate these essential components, recognising the reciprocal relationship they share. Below are the 3 key reasons why emphasising spelling is not just about memorising words but is a gateway to unlocking proficient reading and expressive writing skills. 

Spelling as a Foundation for Reading:

In the early years, spelling lays the groundwork for reading fluency. As students learn to spell words, they simultaneously reinforce their ability to recognise and decode these words in written form. This version 9 curriculum takes a comprehensive approach, integrating spelling exercises that reinforce phonemic awareness, letter-sound relationships, and sight word recognition. This ensures that our students develop a robust foundation for decoding texts and progressing towards independent reading.

Reading Enhances Spelling Skills:

The curriculum places a strong emphasis on cultivating a love for reading. Engaging with a variety of texts not only broadens vocabulary but also exposes students to diverse spelling patterns and language structures. By reading extensively, students internalise correct spelling conventions and gain a deeper understanding of language nuances. This cyclical process fosters a holistic approach to language acquisition, enabling our young learners to become confident and proficient readers.

Writing Proficiency Through Spelling Mastery:

The connection between spelling and writing is undeniable. As students become adept spellers, they naturally transfer this skill to their writing endeavours. Our literacy lessons integrate spelling activities that encourage creativity and application. By mastering spelling rules and conventions, students can confidently express their thoughts in written form. Our classrooms promote a writing-rich environment, where students are encouraged to apply their spelling knowledge to construct coherent sentences, paragraphs and stories. 

Encouraging reading in any form will nurture skills and empower our students to become articulate communicators, critical thinkers and lifelong learners. 

Mrs Charlie Barrett

Sport News

Last Friday (9th February), three students represented our school at the Catholic Schools Swimming Carnival. Parker, Kimberley and Alia showed great determination and were very competitive. All students beat their times from our carnival last year and Parker came second in the Breastroke. Well done, we are so proud of you all! 

Mrs Katie Horne

Student Late Arrival / Early Departure

Please note that our sign in/out system has changed for Students arriving late or departing early.  Parents are asked to please come to the Student Services Entrance and use our electronic system.  Administration staff will assist you with this if required.  Thank you for your support.

Sentral Parent Portal Access - Downloading the App

All communication is via our Sentral Parent Portal.  Please see the instructions below to access this application.  If you are having any difficulties please contact the School Office on 4634 3436.

Sentral Parent Portal Access - Logging into the App

School Photos - Thursday, 14th March

Meal Deals for Term 1

MEAL DEALS for Term 1 

Funds raised support the 2024 Seniors and their end of year Grad Mag publication 

 Weeks 5 & 9 of Term 1 

Wednesdays: 21st February & 20th March 2024 

 $5 meal deal – sausage in bread & snow cone 

Gluten free option available 

Orders on Flexischools - See the link below to register

Lost Property

Just a reminder to name all your children's clothing and belongings as we do have many items in Lost Property.  If your child has lost an item of clothing, drink bottles, shoes etc please come and go through out Lost Property box.

2024 Fee Schedule

Term 1 School Fees have been charged to family accounts.   The School accepts payment of a Bank Transfer, Direct Debit or Centrepay.  To set up an automatic payment please complete the Direct Debit Form below.  If you need assistance please contact the School Office.

The Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop hours:
Mondays (THIS INCLUDES PUPIL FREE DAYS) & Thursdays 8.00am - 10:30am 
If Monday is a PUBLIC holiday, the Uniform Shop will open on the following Tuesday.

PLEASE NOTE: WE CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT DONATIONS OF PRE-LOVED ITEMS
Thank you for your understanding in this regard.

*We accept EFTPOS only - NO CASH OR LAYBY*  

SCHOOL BAGS: School Bags are COMPULSORY to the WHOLE SCHOOL.
Do you have the correct bag?  These are available from the Uniform Shop for $39.50 

SCHOOL PULLOVERS - This is a compulsory uniform item for Years 1 to 6.

SPRAY JACKETS are compulsory for students in Years 1-6 only.
PREP STUDENTS DO NOT REQUIRE SPRAY JACKETS!

FREE BUTTONS available for boys’ red shirt, girls’ red and white blouse & Prep red polo.

Thank you for your continued support of the school’s uniform shop.

 Mrs Fay Rhodes
Uniform Shop Convenor

Sacred Heart Parish

EMFIT Bootcamp

Tennis Coaching 2024