ISSUE 13: 9th May, 2025

Principal Message

Gospel Reflection

In this Sunday’s Gospel (John 10:27–30), Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd, reminding us that He knows each of us by name and lovingly guides and protects us.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we give thanks for the many mothers, grandmothers, and mother figures who live out this same care—nurturing, guiding, and loving unconditionally. Like the Good Shepherd, they walk beside us through life’s joys and challenges.

May we honour and appreciate the incredible love and strength they bring to our families and our community.

What’s on Next Week Term 2, Week 4

Coming up in Term 2 (Week 5) 

Dear Parents, Guardians, Staff & Students,

It’s been a big and exciting week at Sacred Heart!

On Tuesday, our students put their best foot forward at the Division Cross Country, proudly representing our school across various age groups. A special congratulations to Imogen Stafford who finished 3rd in the 11 Year Old Girls race! Imogen, along with Max O’Callaghan, Jack Milton, Emmy Guthrie, Lily Colbert, Oliver Love and Ivy Loxton, have now qualified for the Regional event in St. Arnaud on May 27th—well done!

On Wednesday, we were delighted to welcome around 60 visitors for our Open Day tours, giving families a glimpse into learning life at Sacred Heart.

That same day, our Student Leadership Team attended the GRIP Leadership Conference, gaining inspiration and clarity for their roles. They’ll be meeting again soon to set a leadership goal for the rest of the year.

And finally, a big thank you to the wonderful parents who helped with our Mother’s Day Stall, especially Courtney Henderson and Erin Hurley for coordinating it all. We hope the gifts chosen will be cherished, and we wish all our amazing mums, grandmothers, and mother figures a very Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday—thank you for everything you do!

We’re so grateful for your continued support—it’s what makes our community so special.

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Sporting News

Well done to Stella Ficarra, Scarlett Pike and Evie Tucker who attended the Victorian State Primary School Basketball tryouts in Bendigo on Thursday. All students represented the school with pride. A special Congratulations to Evie Tucker who has been selected to attend the final stage of tryouts in a couple of weeks. We wish her all the best at the next try out.

Lockdown Drill

On Monday, we will conduct a 'classroom lockdown' practice drill as part of our Work, Health & Safety protocols. Your children may discuss this when they return home. As always, reassure them that there's nothing to worry about. This drill helps them learn to stay safe in various emergency situations such as storms or encounters with dangerous situations.

2026 Foundation Enrolment

Enrolments for Foundation students in 2026 has begun! If you're interested, you can inquire, apply, and schedule tours by clicking here. The deadline for enrolments is Friday, May 30th, 2025, at 4 pm. We encourage our current families to apply now through the school website link provided above. If you know any new families considering Sacred Heart for their child, please share this information about our enrolment process with them. 

School Advisory Council Meeting

Our second School Advisory Council (SAC) Meeting for 2025 will be held this Tuesday at 5:15pm, concluding by 6:30pm. We thank our 2025 parent representatives: Racheal Fyfe, Melissa Waters, Warren Henderson, Ben Tallent, Ben Chatfield, and Katie McCoy for their ongoing support.

Stephen Russell from Russell Education will join us to assist with our School Review and the development of our 2026–2030 School Improvement Strategy. Stephen is particularly interested in hearing parent perspectives on Community Engagement, and we warmly invite any interested parents to attend and contribute to this important conversation. Please gather in the staffroom.

Year Six CPR Training

This Wednesday, our Year Six students and teachers will take part in CPR training with Angela from Hands on Heart Australia. The session will run from 11:40am to 1:40pm in the Year Six classrooms and is a great opportunity for students to learn vital, life-saving skills in a hands-on and engaging way.

Scholastic Book Fair

Our school book fair is scheduled for May 20th to 23rd. A brochure was sent home,  followed by children's 'Wishlists' that will be compiled with their class next Friday. We're thrilled to host the Scholastic Book Fair at Sacred Heart and invite parents to join us with your children between 8:20am - 8:40 am and 3pm -3:30 pm each day during the Book Fair.

School Assembly (Year 4 Myalla)

Our next class led assembly will be hosted by Year 4 Myalla at 2:30pm on Friday. Following the assembly, Myalla parents are welcome to join an afternoon tea in their child's classroom, offering an opportunity to view student learning and meet other parents.

Education Support Staff Day – Thank You!

This Friday, we celebrate Education Support Staff Day—a special opportunity to recognise the incredible contribution of our non-teaching staff, including Learning Support Officers, Admin Staff, Maintenance & Gardening Team, and our Medical Officer.

These dedicated members of our school community play a vital role in supporting students, families, and teaching staff every single day. Their care, hard work, and behind-the-scenes efforts help make Sacred Heart the wonderful place it is.

We encourage families to join us in saying thank you to these amazing individuals for all that they do!

Term 2 Pupil-Free Days – Please Note

We have a few additional pupil-free days scheduled throughout Term 2. Please take note of the dates below and add them to your calendars:

• Monday 19th May – Learnership Focus with James Anderson
• Tuesday 27th May – Diocesan Strategic Plan (2025–2035)
• Friday 6th June – School Review Preparation for 2025

Thank you for your support as our staff engage in this important professional learning.

Cold Weather Dress Code

As the weather cools, it's important for students to dress warmly to stay healthy. Please remember to wear the winter uniform on chilly days. Avoid wearing tights with summer uniform, and note that the navy blue weather-proof jacket does not substitute for a jumper. Additionally, jackets cannot be worn in classrooms, so wearing a jumper is still recommended.

God Bless!

Mr Mark Gibson

Religious Education

2025 Sacramental Dates

Sacrament of Confirmation (Year 3 & Above) 

• Celebration of Sacrament - Friday 30th & Saturday 31st May & Sunday 1st June

Sacrament of Holy Communion (Year 4 & Above)

• Parent Information Session - Wednesday, 2nd April
• Celebration of Sacrament - Friday 20th, Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd June

Sacrament of Reconciliation (Year 2 & Above)

• Parent Information Session - Wednesday, 15th October
• Celebration of Sacrament - Wednesday 26th November

Please find below the link for the March 2025 edition of “Our Diocesan Community” 

Learning & Teaching

Term 2 Overviews of Learning

We are pleased to share the Term 2 Overviews of Learning with our school community. These documents outline the key areas of study for each year level. We encourage all families to engage in conversations with their children about their learning experiences, as ongoing support at home plays an important role in student success.

Wellbeing

As part of our ongoing efforts to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of our students, we are excited to inform you that we will be implementing the Komodo Wellbeing Platform across the whole school. 

The Komodo Wellbeing Platform is an innovative tool designed to monitor and track various aspects of student wellbeing, such as mood, stress levels, and overall emotional health. By using this platform, we aim to gain valuable insights into how our students are feeling, allowing us to better support their mental wellbeing and ensure a positive learning environment. A letter outlining more information will be sent home with students next week.

A Special Report: Celebrating Mother's Day

Mother's Day originated from humble beginnings in 1908 as a simple tradition to honour all mothers, living and deceased. However, it did not take long for florists, confectioners and card companies to jump onboard and commercialise the day, much to the disappointment of its founder, Ann Jarvis.

Today, Mother's Day is an annual reminder to say thanks to our mum, or other motherly figure, who plays an important role in our lives. It is a day to express our gratitude and love towards the women who have dedicated their time, energy, and love to raise and support us. Whether it's a simple gesture like a card, a bunch of flowers, or a heartfelt message, Mother's Day is an opportunity to show our mothers how much we cherish and admire them. It's a time to reflect on the love, sacrifices, and unwavering support that our mothers provide unconditionally. 

Mothers will often put the needs of others above their own, so it is paramount to remind them to take care of themselves, especially when it comes to their mental health. Research has shown that women experience some mental health conditions more so than men and at much higher rates. There are many factors that can impact a woman's wellbeing physically and emotionally. Seeking effective treatment can enable her to engage more readily in everyday activities and fulfil the needs of her children and family.

This Special Report highlights that Mother's Day is not only a celebration, but also a reminder of the vital role mothers play in the developmental growth of her children and the impact this has on shaping our society.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this Special Report, and as always, we welcome your feedback.

If you do have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact the school for further information or seek medical or professional help.

SWPBS

Our SWPBS focus this week is “Allowing others to learn”

In every classroom, learning is a shared experience. That means each of us has a role to play—not just in our own success, but in helping others succeed too.

Allowing others to learn is about creating a respectful, focused environment where everyone feels safe to ask questions, try their best, and grow. It means:

• Listening when others are speaking
  
  
• Avoiding distractions and helping reduce noise
  
  
• Respecting different learning styles and paces
  
  
• Encouraging others instead of interrupting or laughing at mistakes

When we support each other’s learning:
  - Everyone feels more confident
-  We get more done in less time
  - We build a stronger, kinder class community
- Everyone gets a fair chance to succeed

How You Can Help

• Think before speaking—am I helping or distracting?
  
  
• Keep side conversations for break time
  
  
• Celebrate others' progress, even if it's different from your own
  
  
• Be patient if someone needs extra time or explanation

Resilience Project

This week students will continue to explore their emotional literacy where they will explore and identify character strengths in themselves and others.

Learning Diversity

Student Attendance

Regular school attendance is a priority in all schools and ensures the best chance for children to achieve their full potential. At Sacred Heart we have enjoyed high levels of attendance over many years and this reflects the high level of support from our parent community.

Parents are reminded of the school of procedures that are to be followed when a student is late to arrive or absent from school. Attached to the newsletter is the Department of Education’s parent information pamphlet with detailed information on all aspects of student attendance.

Whole Day Absence

• If a student is absent from school for the whole day, please notify the school via SIMON.
• A verbal notification by phone or email to the school on the day of absence/or prior is also supported and will be forwarded to the class teacher.

 Partial Day Absence

• Students arriving after the bell are expected to go to the school office to be marked as late to school and the reason will be recorded. They are given a late notice and this is handed in to the teacher on arrival to class.
• Students requiring an early pickup are called to the office after the parents have notified the office staff. The reason for the absence is entered on the roll and recorded as an absence.

If you have not let the school know the reason why your child has not attended school, we will send a daily SMS to alert you. 

Please remember to send in your child's medical certificate if the absence has been longer than 3 days due to illness.

If you have any questions in relation to our procedures for monitoring student attendance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

SHEC -Sacred Heart Environmental Committee

REDUCE~REUSE~ RECYCLE

Our SHEC team has been busy this week making Mother's Day surprises. 

Over the next fortnight we have a focus on  ‘Kids Teaching Kids’ as we develop posters and activities for students to share with each class to reinforce which of our new coloured bins to use when disposing of waste.

General News

Reminder - The second hand uniform shop is open during assembly times (this can be found in the stadium next to the stage) during assembly times - eftpos and cash welcome. You can place your order in advance using the link below. You will get a text message from the school when it is ready. 

FOUND: Apple watch, at our Olive Grove entrance. Does need a code, please swing by the office if you are missing yours and try your code. 

Foundation News

This week in Foundation we have added new sounds to our sound knowledge bank (m, s, t, a, p, i, n, f, r, o, c, d) and we have continued to use these sounds to write sentences. We are focussing on making sure we write using the correct structure for a sentence: a capital letter at the start, full stop at the end and finger spaces between each word. We have been learning some tricky words in class over the last weeks - I, a, the, is, my. Remember these words cannot be directly sounded out using the sounds we have learnt to date. Remind your child of the tricky part of the word e.g. is: the s, sounds like z in this word. You can practise these ‘tricky words’ with your child in the back of their reading diary. In Mathematics, we have been learning all about 2D shapes. Please have a look at some of our activities over the week (shape hunt, shape monster etc.)

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In Integrated Studies, next Wednesday we are making ‘Sun Shelters’. If you have any small boxes, could you please send them to school for us to use.

Reminders:

• All children should have headphones at school (named)
• School starts at 8:45am each day. If you are at school after 8:45am you must sign your child in at the office. 
• Your child’s library bag needs to be at school every day - kept in their school bag.
• Sports days are Tuesday (Minga) , Thursday (Eumeralla) and Friday (both classes)- sports uniform is needed.
• Practise the sounds caterpillars and fluency chart each night.
• Read and record ‘Enhanced Comprehension’ and ‘Reader’ in the reading diary each night.

Year One News

This week the Year One students have been busy continuing to develop their reading and spelling skills, with a special focus on the phonemes /_y/ as in cry and /igh/ as in light. They’ve also been exploring adjectives, learning how describing words can bring sentences and paragraphs to life by adding detail and interest. In addition, we are continuing to reinforce previously learned phonemes, including /ea/ (weak), /ee/ (week), /ai/ (sail), /ay/ (play), /oa/ (boat), /ow/ (snow), and /ue/ (glue). It’s wonderful to see their confidence and vocabulary growing each day!

In Maths our focus has been on consolidating a range of addition strategies. Students have been practising friends of ten, friends of twenty, counting on, and doubles to strengthen their number sense and mental maths skills. Ask your child to share some of their favourite addition strategies with you—see if they can explain how they work and even show you an example!

Show and Tell for Week 4: A special female in my life - linked with Mother’s Day.

Year One Stayback - This week your child will have received a note outlining details for our Year One Stayback that is taking place on Monday the 26th May. Please check your child’s library bag for the note. 

To help with planning, please notify us of any worries, allergies or special food requirements your child may have. 

Amaroo - kgroves@shmildura.catholic.edu.au

Yongana - bgalvin@shmildura.catholic.edu.au

Reminder - As the weather begins to cool down, please make sure your child’s jumper is clearly labelled with their name. This helps us return any misplaced items quickly and ensures everyone stays warm. 

Mother’s Day - This Sunday, we celebrate all the incredible women - mothers, grandmothers, carers, and mother-figures who nurture, guide, and inspire our children every day. Your love, strength, and support make a world of difference. We hope you enjoy your beautiful Mother’s Day Gifts and we wish you a beautiful Mother’s Day filled with love, laughter, and special moments.

Have a great weekend, 

Katrina and Brieanna

Year Two News

Year 2 ASSEMBLIES: Mootwingee’s Assembly will be held this term in Week 6 on Friday 30th May.

   Nangare’s Assembly will be held in Term 3, Week 5 on Friday 22nd August.

Oral Language Assessment: Thanks to those families who have returned their “Mum’s interview sheet” in preparation for your child’s presentation to the class about their Mum. These presentations will take place commencing next week and continue until Week 6 and since it is our Semester One Oral Language assessment, we will expect ALL children to be prepared and practiced in order to present. We will video their presentation and question time and you will be able to watch this on your child’s Seesaw after Week 6.

Year 2 ADVENTURE DAY: On Friday 30th May the children will be participating in their Adventure Day. A note with further information will come home closer to the date, however the day will start at 7.30am and conclude at 9pm. 

The Resilience Project: We have been learning about the importance of ‘Naming and Taming’ our emotions. Children have participated in a variety of learning activities to develop their language in emotional literacy. This week we talked about the various emotions we might feel during the day and are practicing different strategies to help us ‘tame’ those emotions. 

Science: Our current Science Unit is Earth’s Treasure. One of our tasks was to explore our school environment and find photos of Air, Water, Living Things and Rocks, soils and minerals. We then created a PicCollage to showcase these classifications.

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We also learnt how natural resources are very important - everything we eat or drink has to have come from Living Things. We used a few of these to make ice cream in a bag - the Year 2 children were great ‘Chief Shakey Shakers” and had a wonderful time making then taste testing!

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Year Three News

Year Three has had a wonderful week! With the cooler weather approaching, please make sure your child’s jumper is clearly named. 

This week, students have enjoyed learning more about Mary in our Religion topic of Identity, expanding sentences using verbs in Literacy and adding three digit numbers using partitioning and empty number lines in Maths!

Please keep checking SeeSaw for your child’s work. We are coming to the completion of our Science topic on Living Things and next week we look forward to commencing our Humanities topic - Country and Place!

We send our heartfelt wishes to all the wonderful mothers, grandmothers, and special carers for a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. Wishing you a day filled with love, happiness, and appreciation!

Year Four News

This week we congratulate the following Year Four students who represented Sacred Heart at the inter school cross country, held on Tuesday. Harlequin-Rose Hendy, Laurene Lazo,  Ivy Loxton, Austin Fox, Olly Harding, Joey O’Bryan, Ty Willersdorf & Archie Carruthers 

A reminder that all Year Four students have library on Wednesday and should be bringing their books to and from school in a library bag. Our expectation is that in Year Four, students should be reading for 10-15 minutes per night. Students should also be consolidating their automatic recall of multiplication tables. Our current Maths focus is addition and subtraction with renaming.

Our Religion unit this term is identity. We have been looking at aspects of Mary’s life and will be focusing on ‘The Rosary’ next week.

Next week, Myalla will be preparing for their assembly next Friday 16th May.  A reminder that families and friends are most welcome to attend our afternoon tea after assembly. Please contact Mrs Rowles- crowles@shmildura.catholic.edu.au if you would like to contribute a plate to share. We look forward to sharing our learning with you. 

Finally, we would like to wish all our wonderful mothers, grandmothers, and special ladies in the lives of our students a very  Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday . We hope they help to make your day as awesome as you are!

Natalee & Cathryn

Year Five News

A big well done to all the Year 5 students who competed Tuesday at the SSV Division Cross Country. All students gave their best efforts and represented our school with pride! We have several students who qualified for the next stage at St Arnaud. These students will receive further information from Mr Burford. 

Congratulations to Imogen Stafford who came third in her age group and our 11 year old girls who were the champion school!

Please make sure students are coming to school wearing jumpers now the mornings are cold.

Today we have completed our Multiplicative Thinking unit in Numeracy. Check in with your child and ask them to explain some strategies we have been learning. 

• doubling strategy - if you know your 2 times tables you can work out the 4 times tables by doubling. Likewise, if you know your 4 times tables you can work out your 8 times tables by doubling. 

2 x 6 = 12

4 x 6 = 24

8 x 6 = 48

• partitioning numbers - to multiple  double digit numbers by single digits you can partition numbers into their place value parts to help multiply.

 5 x 43 = 5 x ( 40 + 3 )

= (5 x 40) + (5 x 3)

= 200  +  15

= 215

• partitioning numbers - We can also use partition to multiple  double digit numbers by double digits.

 70 x 36 = 70 x ( 30 + 6 )

 = (70 x 30) + (70 x 6)

= 2100  +  420

= 2520

• division - students can use their multiplication facts to help with division as division is the opposite of multiplication.

5 x 6 = 30

6 x 5 = 30

30 ➗ 5 = 6

30 ➗ 6 = 5

• remainders - sometimes when dividing numbers into equal groups there will be some left over. These are called remainders.

49 ➗9 = ?

45 ➗ 5 = 9

49 - 45 = 4 therefore 49 ➗9 = 9 and 4 remainder 

Wishing all our Mums, Grandmothers, and Special Women in our lives a very HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY for Sunday. We hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with your families. Thanks for all you do!

Year Six News

It’s been another busy and exciting week for our Year 6 students! A number of students proudly represented Sacred Heart at the Division Cross Country event – well done to all involved! Our student leaders also attended the GRIP Leadership Conference, where they participated with enthusiasm and represented our school exceptionally well.

A few important reminders for the week:

• As part of our Religion unit this term, students are asked to bring in a glass jar to use as a Gratitude Jar.
• With the cooler weather setting in, please ensure that your child’s Year 6 jumper is clearly labelled with their name so that misplaced items can be returned.
• A uniform reminder:
• Girls: Summer dress, school jumper, blue socks, and black shoes. If wearing winter uniform, girls can wear navy tights.
• Boys: Grey shorts or pants, blue school shirt, school jumper, grey socks, and fully black shoes.
• Sports uniform (boys and girls): Sports top, navy sports shorts, and white socks.
• Earrings must be small sleepers or plain studs – no glitter or dangling earrings are allowed.
• Students must not wear nail polish, bracelets, or necklaces, Religious medals may be worn on a chair or pin.
• Hair ribbons should be in school colours – pale blue or navy blue only.

Finally, we would like to wish all our wonderful mothers, grandmothers, and special carers a very Happy Mother’s Day this weekend. We hope you enjoy a day filled with love and appreciation!

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Jo and Regan

Dates to Remember:

• Friday 9th May - Mothers Day Stall
• Wednesday 14th May - CPR Training
• Monday 19th May - Pupil Free Day
• Tues 20 - Friday 23rd May - Book Fair
• Tuesday 20th May - SSV AFL 9’s and Hockey
• Tuesday 27th May - Pupil Free Day
• Thursday 29th May - SSV Netball and Soccer
• Friday 6th June - Pupil Free Day
• Monday 9th June - King's Birthday Holiday

Performing Arts

The Eisteddfod is fast approaching and boy have we been rehearsing! 

Please see below our sections, dates and approximate times they will be performing.

Student Awards and Presentations

No Awards this week

Library

It’s almost Book Fair week! On Friday all students will have the chance to view the books and write a wishlist to take home and discuss with their parents. Next week students are invited to enter a colouring competition with prizes available for each unit. 

Purchases will need to be made by an adult and via eftpos. 

Book Fair Opening Times: 

Week 5, Tuesday - Friday, 8:20-8:40 am and 3:00-3:30 pm.

As always, please contact me if you have any questions apacher@shmildura.catholic.edu.au

First Aid

A reminder to keep your child's medical profile updated to ensure that we are able to best support them whilst they are here at school.

I thought I would share these easily accessible resources that may assist families at one point or another. These 2 podcast channels are fantastic and I access them from Spotify.

The Royal Childrens Hospital episodes are great and you hear from some very educated speakers. 

Royal Childrens Hospital - Kids Health Info

The Daily Minute Podcast delivers short and sharp information with updates on all things First Aid. 

First Aid Show Australia - Daily Minute

Happy listening!
Ebony Jones - First Aid Officer

Parent Information

School Uniform

It is the responsibility of the parents to ensure, that their children come to school wearing the correct uniform. If for some reason, particular items are not available on a given day, a note should be sent with the child, to eliminate any misunderstanding. 

School Uniform Requirements

Physical Education Uniform Days

Children can wear their sports uniform on their sport and Physical Education days.

Foundation

• Eumeralla Miss Hayley Moore - Thursday & Friday
• Minga Mrs Rebecca O’Callaghan - Tuesday & Friday 

Year One

• Yongana Miss Brieanna Galvin - Tuesday & Friday
• Amaroo Mrs Katrina Groves - Wednesday & Friday                             

Year Two  

• Mootwingee Mrs Chris Carmichael - Monday & Friday 
• Nangare Mrs Wendy Collins - Wednesday & Friday

Year Three

• Narooma Mrs Sarah Beckwith - Wednesday & Friday  
• Dourim Mrs Jaimi Willersdorf - Tuesday & Friday

Year Four

• Illawarra Mrs Natalee Johnson - Tuesday & Friday              
• Myalla Mrs Cathryn Rowles - Monday & Friday

Year Five

• Barramunga Mrs Jacinda Deacon - Monday & Friday
• Waminda Mrs Rachel Slimmon/Mr Jacob Burford - Wednesday & Friday                  

Year Six

• Cooinda Mrs Jo Campbell - Wednesday & Friday
• Wahroonga Mrs Regan Zaxos - Thursday & Friday

School Hats

It is school policy that hats should be worn from September 1st until May 1st whenever the children are outside at recess or lunch.  Outside these times the wearing of a school hat is based upon the forecast UV rating.  Foundation children have a light blue hat so that they are easy to identify in the playground.

Shoes

Parents are asked to give special attention to the shoes children wear to school.  The uniform regulations specify black leather shoes.  There are many styles on the market that fit this description, however parents are urged to avoid shoes that feature coloured stripes, logos or any other coloured decoration.  Unless specifically authorised, (e.g. on Physical Education days) sneakers are not to be worn.

Socks

Specific attention is also drawn to the colour of the socks to be worn as part of the general uniform: pale blue for girls, grey for boys.  Sacred Heart sports socks or plain white sports socks (with no logos or markings) are to be worn as part of the Physical Education uniform.

School Uniform Purchase

The Uniform Shop is run independently to the school through Totally Workwear. The shop is located at 87 Lime Ave, Mildura (Ph. 03 5021 4697). 

Second Hand Uniform Shop

The Parents and Friends (P&F) operate a Second Hand Uniform shop. Opening hours are usually during our School Assembly times. All items for sale are donated and all proceeds go directly to the P&F to support our school.  An order form is placed on our website https://www.shmildura.catholic.edu.au/school-uniform .

School Bags

School bags with the school emblem printed on them are available for purchase from Totally Workwear but are not compulsory.

Library Bags

All students require a Sacred Heart Library Bag (ordered through Totally Workwear) which is used to protect books borrowed from school as well as newsletters and other correspondence.

Lost Property

Please label ALL UNIFORM ITEMS with your child’s name. Lost property can be retrieved from breezeway between the courtyard and Olive Grove and if left unclaimed, will be donated to the second hand uniform shop.

Hair, Jewellery, Nail Polish & Make-Up

Students should keep their hair neat and tidy. Long hair that may cover the eyes must be tied back in a ponytail, plait, or similar style—this applies to both boys and girls. Hair accessories should be in the school colors: pale blue or navy blue.

 Jewellery is generally not part of the school uniform, with a few exceptions:

• Earrings: Only plain studs (no glitter or dangling styles), with one stud per earlobe. No other piercings are allowed.
• Religious Medals: May be worn on a chain or pin but must be safe for play.

Nail polish and make-up are not allowed as part of the school uniform.

Arriving and Leaving Safely

Kiss & Go

To help keep everyone safe during drop-off and pick-up please take note of the following rules at Kiss and Go and the School Crossing that should be followed both in the morning (8:10-8:45am) and afternoon (3pm-3:30pm):

• Stay in your vehicle unless you need to assist younger students with their seat belts.
• Aim to keep your car in the Kiss & Go area for a maximum of two minutes to allow others to use the space too.
• Access the Kiss & Go only from Olive Grove, not 12th Street.
• Please refrain from dropping off students outside of cars in Olive Grove.
• Avoid performing U-turns within the Kiss & Go area.
• For your safety, use the school crossing if you need to cross 12th Street.


Thanks for helping us keep our school safe for everyone!

Pick Up and Drop Off Points

In the mornings, the Olive Grove gate will remain closed, so students and visitors can only enter through the 12th Street or Tamarisk Grove gates. After school, only the Olive Grove gate near the Art House will be open and supervised by a staff member. This change aims to enhance student and traffic safety.

Please ensure you find a suitable and permissible parking spot for your car in order to use these locations.

Riding Scooters & Bikes

Certain students walk, ride bikes, or scooters to school and are requested to use either the 12th Street entrance or the Tamarisk Grove entrance at the rear of the oval. Riding into or through the school grounds is not permitted.

Collect Children from School Grounds

Feel free to come into school to pick up your child directly from their classroom. It's an excellent opportunity to meet other parents, have casual conversations with teachers, and ensure your child is organised at the end of the day. If you choose this option, please park appropriately and be outside the classroom by the 3.10 bell; otherwise, your child will be directed to the supervised Kiss and Go area. Students and young siblings should refrain from using the playground equipment.

School Crossings

Students walking home are advised to use the school crossings on Twelfth Street, Walnut Avenue and Eleventh Street to safely avoid heavily trafficked roads. All crossings are supervised by a School Crossing Supervisor, and it's crucial to follow their directions.  We also encourage parents to model expected behaviours by using the School Crossings also.

Buses

Several of our students catch buses home from the St. Joseph’s bus stop on 11th Street. Each day a teacher gathers these children together and accompanies them to the bus stop to supervise until they are all safely on the bus.

Drop Off Times

Preferred 'Drop Off' Time: 8.25 - 8.45 am. For safety reasons, please refrain from dropping off students before 8.19 am, as there is no supervision provided.  Our gates open at this time.

Pick Up Times

Recommended 'Pick Up' Time: 3.10 - 3.25 PM. While we understand occasional delays, if regular or extending beyond 3.30 PM, please consider enrolling your child/ren in After School Care.

Walking or Riding Home

If your children walk or ride home or to your workplace after school, please submit written permission authorising them to leave unaccompanied. They must exit through the main 12th Street gate or accompany the 11th Street bus group through Tamarisk Grove.

Alternative Pick Up Places

For safety, we strongly advise against arrangements where children wait unsupervised at public pick-up locations like Walnut Avenue or St Joseph’s College.

EATING AND DRINKING AT SCHOOL

Healthy Eating

To sustain learning and promote healthy eating we encourage students to bring to school predominantly healthy food choices.

Brainfood

Students have a brain food break during the morning to keep children’s brains fuelled for learning. We ask that families send an extra fresh fruit or vegetable snack for children to have during this time. When sending the snack, please pack it separately from your child’s lunch in a small, named container so it can be placed on their desk each morning.

Lunch Snack

The main meal of the school day; a sandwich or roll, a salad or a slice of quiche. A healthy ‘treat’ may also be appropriate here that is healthy and gives long-term energy.  Lunch is eaten usually in the classroom from 11:25am-11:40am.

Recess Snack

We encourage parents to pack fresh fruit or vegetables in your child’s recess snack box.  You may like to pack one or two other snack items for them at this time.  This snack is eaten at 1:40pm.

Packing Food

 The school has a bank of refrigerators for the storage of students’’ food. For the ease of packing and unloading the fridges, we ask that parents provide separate, small, well-labelled containers or zip-lock bags for their child’s recess snack and lunch. Insulated ‘puffy’ lunchboxes and ice-blocks are not required.

School Canteen

Our School Canteen operates on a Wednesday and Friday and provides a range of lunch options at low cost.    The current menu and prices can be accessed through and ordered via the CDFpay.  This app is powered by Flexischools and  you will need to create an account.  Please download the CDF Pay App and ensure you create an account (the previous CDFPay doesn't transfer over to the app).

OFFICE INFORMATION

Office Hours

Office hours will run from 8:20am to 4:00pm every day. Phone calls can be made starting at 8:00 am.

Change of Personal Details

If there are any changes to your contact details (address/phone number/emergency contacts), kindly inform the office by calling 50231204, emailing office@shmildura.catholic.edu.au, or visiting the office in person.

Simon Everywhere and Parent Access Module (PAM)

Simon Everywhere is an App for smart phones that allows parents to access all information relating to their child/ren such as reports, attendance and much more. It also allows you to update medical information, give permission for excursions, access teacher emails and also receive notifications from the school.

For parents familiar with PAM, the new App works mostly the same as PAM and you can still access PAM through the web site: pam.shmildura.catholic.edu.au, however the app has additional functionality such as Push notifications and the ability to sign in without having to enter your username and password each time.

1. Go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search Simon Everywhere
2. Download and open the App and Allow Notifications
3. Enter your name and phone number and press verify, you will receive a code via SMS
4. Click on 'Add School'
5. Select Sacred Heart Primary School, Mildura - Parent Access
6. Enter your PAM username and password. If you do not know your credentials, please call the school.

7. Click on the Home icon.
   

Simon everywhere works best when notifications are turned on. You can check the notifications setting on your phone to be sure by going to the Settings – Notifications – Then find the Simon Everywhere App.

Sickness at School

Children with severe colds, flus, or other debilitating illnesses must stay at home. Do not send the child if they have:

• Fever: Children with a fever over 38 degrees should stay home.
• Prescribed antibiotics: Keep a child at home for at least 24 hours if prescribed antibiotics for an acute illness.
• Diarrhea: Children with watery stool should return only after being symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
• Vomiting: Children who are vomiting should stay home until at least 24 hours after it has stopped.

After School Care

After School Care is available for Sacred Heart students and is located on our school grounds.  Camp Australia run this program for students from Sacred Heart Primary School and St Paul's Primary School.  The program runs from the Art House building which is located on Olive Grove.

Sacred Heart families can make use of the Camp Australia After-School Care Program that is held on the grounds of Sacred Heart.  The service is available from 3:10pm through to 6pm on school days.  A healthy snack is provided to children.  Registration needs to be done through the Camp Australia website www.campaustralia.com.au .  Further information can be obtained by calling 1300 105 343.  Each day the office will print out a list of students attending Out of Hours School Care and notify the students at the end of the day via the announcements.

Marking Child’s Absence 

1. Log into the App - SimonEverywhere or login via PAM (type pam.shmildura.catholic.edu.au in your address bar).
2. You can either log by clicking on the large blue calendar section that says Parent Notified Absences or you can click on the 3 menu lines at the top right-hand side of your screen. NOTE: On your phone it will appear below your child/ren’s name.
3. You will then need to click the blue + Add Absence button circled below
4. Then select your child, and in reason

If your family is going on an extended family holiday. Please contact the school to inquire about an Student Absence Learning Plan.

School Day

• 8:19 am - Gates open & students can access Courtyard
• 8:34 am - Access Courtyard and play on Oval (classrooms opening optional for teachers)
• 8.49 am - School day begins - classroom open
• 8:55 am - School starts.
• 9.55 am - Brain Break
• 10:55 am - Lunch Play
• 11.25 am - Lunch Eat
• 1.40 pm - Recess 
• 2.10 pm - Recess Finishes
• 3.10 pm - School finishes

Sports Uniform Days

Foundation

• Eumeralla Miss Hayley Moore - Thursday & Friday
• Minga Mrs Rebecca O’Callaghan - Tuesday & Friday 

Year One

• Yongana Miss Brieanna Galvin - Tuesday & Friday
• Amaroo Mrs Katrina Groves - Wednesday & Friday                             

Year Two  

• Mootwingee Mrs Chris Carmichael - Monday & Friday 
• Nangare Mrs Wendy Collins - Wednesday & Friday

Year Three

• Narooma Mrs Sarah Beckwith - Wednesday & Friday  
• Dourim Mrs Jaimi Willersdorf - Tuesday & Friday

Year Four

• Illawarra Mrs Natalee Johnson - Tuesday & Friday              
• Myalla Mrs Cathryn Rowles - Monday & Friday

Year Five

• Barramunga Mrs Jacinda Deacon - Monday & Friday
• Waminda Mrs Rachel Slimmon/Mr Jacob Burford - Wednesday & Friday               

Year Six

• Cooinda Mrs Jo Campbell - Wednesday & Friday
• Wahroonga Mrs Regan Zaxos - Thursday & Friday