Dear Community,

Welcome back to another exciting year at Sacred Heart Primary School. I hope you had a great Christmas and holiday break. We had over 200 students start on Tuesday, including 34 new Kindergarten students and 19 new students across Years 1-6. A very special welcome to all our new families—we are thrilled to have you as part of our school community. The children have had a very happy and settled start to the year, and it’s great to see them looking so smart in their school uniforms. We look forward to a fantastic year of learning, growth, and fun together.

Staffing News
After 10 wonderful years at Sacred Heart, Mrs. Katie Imbriano will move on to new opportunities. Her last day with us will be Friday, February 21. Katie has been an outstanding teacher and leadership team member, always dedicated to her students and colleagues. Her contributions to the school community have been invaluable, and she will be deeply missed by staff, students, and families alike. We sincerely thank Katie for her incredible contribution to our school and wish her all the best for the future. Mrs. Caroline O’Mara will be taking on a full-time role for the final 7 weeks of the term, and we are currently advertising for a replacement to fill Katie’s position.

School Calendar
We are currently uploading all school events to our online calendar. In the meantime, attached is a printed Term 1 Calendar and listed below some key Term 1 dates to note:

• Welcome Breakfast & Meet the Teacher (7:45 am), Opening School Mass (9:30 am)- Friday, February 14th
• Kinder rest days: Friday 7th February, Wednesday 14^th February, Wednesday 19^th February, Wednesday 26^th February
• Parent Teacher Meetings - Monday 17^th to Wednesday 19^th February
• School Assembly (Week 3) -led by Leadership Team)-Friday, February 21st, 2:20 pm
• Year 5/6 camp - Wednesday 26^th February to Friday 28^th February-
• Ash Wednesday Mass-9:30 am- Wednesday, March 5th
• Swimming carnival- Tuesday 11^th March
• NAPLAN test period - Wednesday 12th - Friday 21st March
• School Assembly (Week 6 led by Year 6)- Friday, March 14th; 2:20 pm
• Athletics carnival- Thursday 27^th March
• School Assembly (Week 9- led by Year 1)- 2:20 pm- Friday, April 4th
• Last day of Term 1- Thursday 11th April
• Pupil Free Day- Friday 11th April

Welcome Breakfast & Meet the Teacher
Next Friday, February 14th, we invite all families to a Welcome Breakfast from 7:45 a.m. We will serve free bacon and egg rolls, fruit, tea, and coffee, with a coffee van available. This is a great chance to meet other parents and staff. Following breakfast, families are welcome to visit classrooms to meet the teachers before we meet for our Opening School Mass at 9:30 a.m. in the Church.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Changes to Assemblies in 2025
This year, we have made some changes to our school assembly schedule to maximise learning time while still ensuring regular opportunities for student recognition and celebration:

• Morning assemblies will now be held on Mondays and Fridays only.
• Monday mornings: Whole school gathering for announcements and birthdays.
• Friday mornings: Presentation of weekly awards.
• Friday afternoon assemblies will be held only three times per term (Weeks 3, 6, and 9). Each class will be rostered to showcase their learning at one of these assemblies.

These adjustments allow us to balance celebration and instructional time more effectively. I appreciate your support.

Recess Time Change

We have adjusted our recess time to support smoother transitions this year, better scheduling of teacher release times, and maximize learning opportunities in the afternoon. Recess will run from 1:15 to 1:45 PM instead of 1:45 to 2:15 PM. This change will allow for more instructional minutes in the classroom during the latter part of the day while ensuring students have a well-balanced break. 

Kindergarten Rest Day Reminder
This is a friendly reminder that our Kindergarten students will have their rest day tomorrow. This is an important part of their transition into full-time schooling and an opportunity for individual assessments. Please book in via Compass Conferences if you have not done so. We appreciate your support. 

Traffic Safety

This morning, we had a concerning near miss at the school crossing, where a student was almost hit by a car. This reminds us of the importance of following all road safety procedures to protect our children. Please be extra vigilant when driving near the school, adhere to speed limits, and always stop for pedestrians at crossings.

Transport Canberra and City Services have advised that a key focus will continue to be 'line of sight safety offences,' including parking on nature strips, verges, corners, and in 'no stopping zones.' These actions reduce motorist visibility and put students at risk. Additionally, vehicles parked in the wrong direction of travel or too close to an unbroken dividing line create hazards for all road users.

We are so excited to be back and looking forward to a fantastic year ahead! If you have any questions or concerns or just want to check in, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or me.

In faith and partnership,

David Austin

Principal