Term 3 - Week 2 (19th July, 2024)

From The Principal

‘Communities of Faith, Hope and Love’ – Next week sees our school and catholic schools across Queensland celebrating ‘Catholic Education Week’. This is a special week of our year where we acknowledge the very special atmosphere we have within our catholic schools and celebrate the efforts of our communities in making this a daily reality. 

It never ceases to amaze me just how consistent the response from our new enrolling families is when asked the question: “Why Sacred Heart Primary School?”. Overwhelmingly, the responses generally reflect what they have seen or heard- that we are inclusive and welcoming. It is no surprise that this year’s ‘Catholic Education Week’ theme; ‘Communities of Faith, Hope and Love’, is so relatable for us here at
                                                 Sacred Heart. 

‘Walking every day with Jesus’ is a motto that we live here at Sacred Heart. How we welcome, include and care for everyone in our school is unapologetically modelled on the man that Jesus is. Regardless of the strength of your own faith, what we all want for our children is for them to become caring and contributing people in society. Jesus, in his time as a man with us here on Earth, challenged us to treat each person as unique and special – to love one another. Of course, to include and care for others, is not just about being nice, it takes on another level in our schools. 

To include and care in our schools, is to ensure that each child is met where they are in their academic, social, emotional and spiritual learning. It is truly exciting watching educators and families working together to advance this cause. It is this collective effort that makes Sacred Heart a school community of faith, hope and love. 

The Importance of Routines - We have had a wonderful start to our term with children and families responding to the expectations of our learning environment. From uniforms to haircuts, these routines allow our children to feel safe and focus on what is important, their learning and progress. These expectations are connected to the expectations we have of them in making good learning choices too. 

Clear expectations provide children with a roadmap, a guide that they will use to experience success each day. A big part in setting up this success, is children knowing what it looks like, or does not look like, when making positive learning choices in the classroom. 

Our schools ‘Positive Behaviour for Learning’ approach (PB4L) works alongside our school’s behaviour support plan. As part of our PB4L approach, children are rewarded for their positive behaviours with in-class reward systems and ‘hearts’. Hearts are ‘saved up’ to be used at the end of each term at the ‘Heart Shop’. ‘Gotchas’ are tickets we use in the playground (or class) that are entered into the gotcha weekly draw. Winners of each week in a term are invited to the ‘Pizza Party’ at the end of each term. These things help children identify those behaviours we want to see more of. 

When it comes to correcting poor learning or behaviour choices, like many schools, we use the language of ‘Minors’ and ‘Majors’. Communication with our families is key towards ensuring that we are working together to support our children in their learning choices. For minor behaviours, families receive a text message. Major behaviours result in a phone call to families. Both texts and phone calls to families, come after a conversation with the children about what happened and what needs to happen next. 

It is important that we continue to reinforce with our children that these are mistakes, and making mistakes is about learning. In supporting this message of growth and learning, it is helpful to share with our children when we as adults have made mistakes, and what our learning was as a result. I thank all of our families for continuing to partner with us in support of our children. 

Catholic Athletics Carnival – Thank you to our families for supporting their children last week in being able to attend the Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival. As always, the behaviour of the Sacred Heart children was exceptional, both on and off the field. This year, it was Sacred Heart’s turn to convene the carnival. Well done and thank you to Mrs Katie Horne (our Assistant Principal) for her work in bringing the day together for all of the participating Toowoomba Catholic Schools. 

God bless, 

Mr Tyronne Maher

From The APRE

Welcome back to Term 3!  I hope the students all had a lovely break and families were able to have some quality time together. I was lucky enough to head to Cairns with my family to see my brother and his family. It was a bit of a reality check when I arrived home, and the winter frosts started. On the last day of this month, the Mini Vinnies students have organised a Winter Free Dress Day.  

NAIDOC Week 

Last week was NAIDOC Week. As a school we came together to remember and celebrate the First Nations people of our land. Celebrations are held in the first week of July, to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest continuous living culture on earth. 

This year's theme was ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud!’ Celebrating the unyielding spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This year's theme represents the enduring strength of Indigenous cultures and is an unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity. 

As a school, we participated in a variety of activities from dot painting, traditional dancing, researching the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to playing traditional Indigenous games and listening to Dreamtime Stories. Staff and students had a wonderful afternoon learning from and recognising the contributions that Indigenous Australians have made to our land.   

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Catholic Education Week 

Next week we will be celebrating 175 years of Catholic Education in Queensland during Catholic Education Week. The theme for this year is Communities of 'Faith, Hope and Love'. Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all 312 Catholic schools in Queensland to celebrate and promote their distinctive mission and ethos. Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society. Please refer to the timetable below for details for what is happening around the school: 

Monday- 9am: Catholic Education Week Launching Mass in the Church 

Tuesday- 8:10am- 9:30am: Sausage sizzle breakfast and Open Classrooms 

Thursday- Catholic Schools Netball/Touch Carnival (For nominated students) 

Friday: Pupil Free Day- Staff attending Bishop's Inservice Day 

 Mrs Katie Horne

Prayer of the Week

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. 

From The Middle Leader/Curriculum Co-ordinator

LEARNING INTENTIONS AND SUCCESS CRITERIA 

At Sacred Heart Primary School, we are cultivating engaged lifelong learners. Our commitment to providing a holistic education goes beyond imparting knowledge; it extends to nurturing a love for learning that will accompany our students throughout their lives. 

At the core of our approach is an emphasis on students understanding learning intentions and success criteria. We believe that when students are aware of what they are learning and what success looks like, they become active participants in their own educational journey. 

By clearly communicating the learning intentions at the beginning of each lesson, our students understand the purpose and relevance of the content they are about to explore. This helps them engage with the material more deeply and make meaningful connections to their own lives and experiences. 

Furthermore, we guide our students in understanding the success criteria for each task or project. By breaking down the desired outcomes and expectations, students gain a clear understanding of what they need to achieve and how they can measure their progress. This promotes self-reflection and empowers them to take ownership of their learning. 

To support students' understanding of learning intentions and success criteria, our teachers provide regular feedback and engage in meaningful conversations about their progress. This feedback loop encourages students to reflect on their learning, make adjustments, and set new goals to further enhance their skills and understanding. 

We firmly believe that when students have a clear understanding of what they are learning and what success looks like, they become motivated, engaged, and lifelong learners. By nurturing their ability to reflect on their learning, we are preparing them for a future where they can confidently take charge of their educational journeys. 

Mrs Charlie Barrett

From the Learning Support Teacher

Ophthalmologists, Optometrists and Behavioural Optometrists – What is the difference?  

Ophthalmologists are physicians who specialise in the medical and surgical care of the eyes and in the prevention of eye disease and injury. Optometrists are healthcare professionals who provide primary vision care ranging from sight testing and correction to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of vision changes. 

Behavioural Optometrists focus on exploring the functioning of the eyes and the brain as a complete package by assessing the patient’s visual information skills, which enables them to make sense of what they see and learn. This not only assesses a child’s vision, but also their visual motor and visual perceptual skills. Focusing, eye teaming, visual information processing and eye health are all part of a comprehensive Behavioural Optometry examination.  

Does Behavioural Optometry actually work? 

Behavioural Optometry is supported by a substantial body of research spanning many decades.  Clinical evidence is substantial and rigorous.   

In the schools I have been working in, I have seen many students of whom their vision, and academic performance has improved following Behavioural Optometry intervention.  The difficulties that a number of these students had were not picked up in the Prep vision screener nor by an optometrist.  Although these screeners and assessments are valuable in early detection of vision problems, we do strongly recommend if a student is having ongoing learning difficulties, that they visit a Behavioural Optometrist to determine whether vision or a visual processing difficulty may be an underlying cause.   

A Behavioural Optometrist may recommend vision therapy, prescribe glasses, or both.  There are a number of Behavioural Optometrists in Toowoomba.  Please contact myself or see your class teacher if you would like contact details of these professionals or are concerned about your child’s vision.

Mrs Genny McNair

From the School Counsellor

Getting a good night’s sleep  

The importance of children being well rested when they attend school cannot be emphasized enough, especially in winter, when the days are cold and short. The ability to attend,  concentrate, have good peer relationships and having the ability to regulate your emotions are all affected by how tired we are.  Here are some tips from the Children’s Network to try and ensure that your child is getting a good night’s rest. 

• Set up a bedtime routine, ensuring that going to bed is a positive, predictable experience at the same time each night.
• Reading, or having a brief chat about the day and ensuring children don’t have access to digital devices is important. 
  
• Try to encourage your child to relax, this might be using meditation app, such as the ones found on smiling minds app or other types of soft quiet music that children can turn off their thoughts. Helping them think about positive things, things they enjoy or are looking forward to can also help distract them from any worries that they might have. 
• Keep regular sleep and wake times, as this helps children’s internal body clock in a regular pattern. 
• Ensuring that children don’t nap for too long during the day or trying to avoid naps altogether. 
• Make sure your child feels safe at night, try to not let them watch the news, scary movies or tv shows. Reassure them that the house is safe and secure. 
• Ensure that the children are in a quiet room that doesn’t have too much light.  
• Ensure that children aren’t watching the clock, or their clock radio doesn’t have too much light. 
• Avoiding caffeine, which is in most chocolates. 
• If your child is having continued difficulties getting to sleep or staying asleep it might be worth having a chat with your family doctor. 

Mrs Sarah Jackman

Prep Enrolment

The Arts

CHOIR:

Every Thursday afternoon 2.55-3.30pm in the Music Room.  

The choir is available for all students in Year 3 to 6. We are currently working towards preparing new songs for Sacred Heart Idol in Week 8. 

If you would like your child to be involved in the choir, please contact Cherie Runciman, cherie.runciman@twb.catholic.edu.au  or send them along next Thursday after school.   

SACRED HEART IDOL:

This event is a fun talent competition and has been part of our school calendar for many years. The event is an ideal platform for our students to show off any special skills and talents they might like to share and is growing each year in popularity! This year our show will be on Thursday, 29th August in the school hall. Students need to be in Years 3-6 to enter this talent competition.  After the show, one student will be chosen from each category as a winner, an encouragement award and an award will also be given to an overall winner – The Sacred Heart Idol 2024.   

Auditions will be held during Week 5 at breaktime. A timetable with names for the auditions will be posted on the student's office window and The Arts window. Parents and members of the community are welcome to attend auditions and the Sacred Heart School Idol Final. 

It is the students’ responsibility to organise all props, costumes, music or any other materials they require for their performance. A student who is not prepared for their audition may not be rescheduled due to time restraints. If a student is absent on the day of audition, an alternative audition date will be given.   
Finalists for the competition will be announced after each audition day. 

All groups and individuals wishing to participate in Sacred Heart Idol must submit the below form by Friday, 2nd August. 

Please fill in the form below if you are wanting to participate in this fun event. 

DANCE CLUB:

The Senior and Junior Dance Club will be participating in Toowoomba Eisteddfod on Thursday 1st August. The session will be from 8am-11.30am approximately at the Empire Theatre. 

Students will need to arrive at the Empire Theatre by 7am in full school uniform with hair and make-up done. We will then change into our costumes in our change area. 

Please complete the form below asap for us to organise transport back to school. We had a great response, but I had forgotten to put student name and how many seats would be available for transport. 

INSTRUMENTAL PROGRAM:
Lessons will continue on Wednesday with Miss Joy for Term 3.

There are still spots available for this year. If you would like to enrol your child, please fill in the online form below or contact me directly via email. Cherie.Runciman@twb.catholic.edu.au 

Ms Cherie Runciman

Library News

BOOK WEEK: 19th – 23rd August, 2024 
Our Book Week activities will be held this year in Week 7 (Aug 19th - 23rd).
The theme for Book Week this year is “Reading is Magic”.
There will be the usual favourites:

 - Book Week Dress Up Parade – Thursday 22nd August at 8:30am in the school hall. 
Students are invited to come dressed as their  favourite book character or dress up around this year's theme.  

 - Short Listed Titles: Reading of shortlisted titles & follow up activities.  

 - Reader’s Cup Competition: Wednesday 21st until Friday 23rd August  

- Book Fair opening times:  
*Monday 19th August: CLOSED
* Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st August - 8:00am to 8:30am, 3:00pm to 3:30pm   
*Thursday 22nd August – 8:00am to 8:30am, 9:30 – 10:00am (Parents only), 3:00pm to 3.30pm 
* Friday 23rd August - 8.00am to 8.30am ONLY  

We will be holding our annual Book Warehouse Book Fair during this week. There will be a large variety of books for sale at prices to suit everyone. This is a wonderful opportunity to buy some great books and help the library gain new resources as the school receives 30% of the total sales as our Commission.  

 We are looking for volunteers to assist with the running of the book fair. Our busiest times are during the first two days. Please contact the library if you can help during Book Fair Opening times. 

Mrs Jan Watkins

Sport

Toowoomba Catholic Schools Track and Field Carnival 

Over 30 students participated in the Toowoomba Catholic Schools Track and Field Carnival last Friday at O’Quinn Street Oval. Although we had all rugged up for the cold weather (which O’Quinn Street is know for), we were presently surprised by the beautiful clear skies.  

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Congratulations to all students who attended the day. You showed great sportsmanship and determination. A special congratulations to the following students who placed in their events: 

* Seerat Jhajj - 1st - 100m Sprint

* Ben Stinson - 2nd - 200m and 800m Races

* Charli Quinlan - 2nd - 100m Sprint

* Ethan Gilbert - 3rd - High Jump

Upcoming: Western Zones Track and Field Carnival 

On Tuesday 6th August, some students will be representing Sacred Heat at the Western Zones Carnival. 

We wish them all the best.

 Mrs Katie Horne and Miss Elley Pinnuck

Classroom Awards

2024 Fee Schedule

Term 3 School Fees have been billed to family accounts and fall due on Wednesday 31st July 2024. 

The School accepts a Bank Transfer, Direct Debit or Centrepay as payment of fees.  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 a Public Holiday falls on a Uniform Shop day, the Uniform Shop will be closed.

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

Tennis Coaching 2024