Term 1, Week 6 2025

From the Principal

Hello Friends

This is my last newsletter before heading off on some Long Service Leave from 16 March. I am fortunate enough to be travelling through Europe over 8 Weeks and we will return to school on Monday of Wk. 3 - Term 2. The school will be in excellent hands led by Jo Livingstone. Jo is currently the Deputy Principal at St. John’ s Catholic School, Plympton. Jo visited the school on Tuesday 4 March and met students and staff. She is certainly looking forward to her time at our school. All other staffing remains consistent during this period of time. I am looking forward to some Long Service Leave after completing nearly 25 years in Catholic Education.

Sports Day

Today we celebrated this magnificent day at the Sacred Heart College Main Oval. It was fantastic to see so many of the school community there to support our students through the fun activities and sprints. The health hustle, team chants and the march past we great to watch.

Our P & F generously volunteered their time to provide a sausage sizzle, with drinks, donuts and zooper doopers throughout the morning.

St Therese (Blue) - 2025 Winning Team

St Francis (Yellow) 2025 Jim Murphy Memorial Award

School Mural

Our wonderful school mural was painted on Monday 3 March. It is located on the eastern facing wall of the Reception Room. Next time that you are on school grounds I encourage you to have a look at it as it really does transform that area of our school. I extend a sincere thank you to our Parents and Friends group for organising this mural. I also extend a sincere thank you to all community members for helping to raise the funds to make this mural happen.

After School

It is great to see parents and children in the schoolyard after school making use of our school facilities. I do however, ask that when leaving the school grounds please ensure that any equipment particularly, sandpit equipment is put away and the area left tidy. Our schoolyard gets cleaned and packed away by classes on a roster system after lunch. Thank you for your help in this area.

Labelling of School Items

Please ensure that all school items are labelled clearly with your child’s name. Particularly with our new school uniform items that are being worn to school. It is much easier to return the item, whether it is a lunchbox or drink bottle to your child if it has their name on it. Thank you for your support.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. - Helen Keller

Thanks and Blessings

Matt Perry

Principal

From the APRIM

This week, we begin the season of Lent with the Feast of Ash Wednesday. Many Christians attend an Ash Wednesday service at their church, our community gathered together for prayer and the distribution of ashes. During this service, we received ashes in the shape of a cross on our foreheads, a reminder of our commitment to walk like Jesus. The ashes are made from burning the palms from the previous year’s Palm Sunday.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians often fast. Traditionally, they are allowed one full meal and two smaller meals, though some choose to fast on just bread and water. Meat is also avoided on this day. In addition to fasting, many Christians give up something for Lent as an act of sacrifice. However, the modern church encourages us not only to give up something but to take something up. While the tradition of giving up something for the 40 days of Lent continues, the modern church believes that Jesus called us to take action, not just go without.

Some examples of things we might take up during Lent include: being more mindful of others on the road by allowing someone in line, greeting an unknown colleague with "hello" each day, or saying ‘Grace’ as a family.

PROJECT COMPASSION

During the Ash Wednesday service each family received the traditional collection box. In the past families have placed small change in the box or money that they would have used when giving items up (e.g. morning coffee, ice cream after swimming lesson). In keeping with modern times families may also donate electronically with details provided.

These boxes can be displayed prominently within the home and retuned to school during the last week of school or in the first two weeks of Term 2.

In each newsletter during Lent, I will highlight a story of those we are helping with our awareness and fundraising.

Toefuata'iga - (Toy-foo-ah-tah-ing-ah) is a 13-year-old primary school student from Samoa. Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.

Toefuata’iga’s school community struggled without reliable access to clean water, which impacted students’ education and hygiene. Teachers often had to leave the school to fetch water from nearby homes, disrupting lessons and adding strain to the community. When the water ran out at the school, students were sent home which meant they missed out on valuable learning time.

Thanks to the support of Caritas Australia in partnership with Caritas Samoa, Toefuata’iga’s school now has a 10,000 L water tank through a Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program. Teachers and students are now able to focus on education and improved hygiene.

“Now that we have the water tank, things are so much better, we can stay at school all day, and I get to spend more time learning and playing with my friends. I’m happy that we don’t have to go home early anymore.” – said Toefuata'iga.

This transformative story is just one example of how Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion creates waves of change around the world.

Watch Toefuata'iga’s story here.

Will you stand with students like Toefuata'iga this Lent?

Please donate today.
You can support Project Compassion 2025 through the donation boxes or by scanning the QR code above.
Or online at: caritas.org.au/project-compassion
Or by calling: 1800 024 413

Thank you for standing with us, as we Unite Against Poverty this Lent.

COMMUNITY MASS- FRIDAY YR6

During the year on set Friday’s we gather with the priests of our parish for mass. Due to our Sports Day being on the 7^th we were able to move our March mass to Friday 14^th March- 9am, Samaritan Hall. All are invited to join with our Yr6 class and Fr. Michael for mass.

ST JOSPEH’S CENTENARY

Our parish is 100 years old this year. The official opening of St. Joseph’s Parish Centenary celebration, will begin with a Eucharistic Mass celebrated by Archbishop

Patrick O’Regan on Sunday, 16th March 2025, at 9:30 AM. All are invited to attend mass a begin the year of celebrations.

COYYA

The Catholic Office for Youth and Young Adults is an active group working to support and engage the youth of the catholic Church. They organise a variety of activities, marches and prayer event throughout the year. Their next event is the Good Friday Night Walk- 18^th April. Please see the flier attached and flick onto nay young people who may be engaged by the event.

Teresa Pascoe

Assistant Principal, Religious Identity and Mission