We are now officially half way through the first term, we have begin our Lenten journey and autumn is now here. This week we welcomed our families for the first of the community breakfast to mark Shrove Tuesday with 350 pancakes and fruit. It was so nice to see the families mingling on the the secondary playground and enjoying the hospitality of the Mercy House staff. Thank you to the staff who catered and especially Ms Last who prepared the pancake mixture to help feed our community. We also celebrated the beginning of Lent with a joint parish and school Ash Wednesday Mass. Unfortunately I could not be there to share the Eucharist but I received a beautiful email from a visitor to our church that was moved by the Mass. I have attached excerpts from the email. Thank you to our community for their reverent and respectful attitude to the Mass.

I had the privilege of attending the Ash Wednesday Mass this morning with Mum at Coota and I wanted to pass on my thoughts which I hope you will pass on to your staff. The Mass itself was so prayerful and meaningful, and set the scene as a perfect way to begin the Lenten Season.

The children were so respectful and their participation in the singing and prayers was amazing! The choir should be so proud of their efforts, their beautiful singing only added to the liturgical significance of the Mass.

Finally the amazing team of helpers, who each had an important role to play, all pulled together to ensure a seamless progression through the different parts that make up an Ash Wednesday Mass.

I think it would have to be one of the most spiritually meaningful Masses that I have been to in along time!

We have our fingers crossed that the doors and windows will arrive on the 17 March so that we can complete the refurbishment of our Primary classrooms. Unfortunately the delay in completing the building has necessitated a change to the schedule of Primary assemblies because currently one of our classes has taken up residence in the Breakout space. We do not have the available performance space, with NAPLAN testing and relocation of all our classes, until we are back in the Parker st building. So the 1B assembly that was set down for Week 6 will not be able to go ahead. Staff are currently discussing the different schedule and ways to celebrate students’ learning and our award program. Stay tuned for the new iteration of Primary assemblies and when, how and where this will happen.

IMPORTANT: The NAPLAN testing period will begin next week on 12 March and will conclude on 24 March. Please refer to the testing schedule regarding the dates and times for their tests to help avoid any clashes with appointments and other commitments. Please try to avoid making any external appointments during this time. Ms Marsay has sent out expectations and details for all students regarding their iPads and testing expectations.

Next Friday evening our enthusiastic P & F will host the annual Colour Run on 14 March. The event will be held in the school playground starting at the COLA in Sutton st. It will be the same pricing as last year with $10 per person or $30 for a family of four. Food and drinks will be available for purchase as well and all money will be used to fund some furniture for the newly refurbished classrooms and breakout space in Primary.

I have had the privilege of spending the last few days with the other 55 Principals in our Archdiocese. We have enjoyed the opportunity to network and learn from each other about leading our schools. Our interim Director of Catholic Education Ms Pam Betts was an inspirational speaker whose wealth

of experience provided a positive direction for our diocese as we move to incorporation and a new Director David de Carvahlo.

REMINDER: School Photo envelopes have been sent home. Please drag them out of the bottom of bags so that you can get your order in before the day - 26 March. We would greatly appreciate that you avoid appointments on this day and that students continue to abide by the uniform policy in all aspects.

Remember it does not cost anything to be kind and it is one of the greatest gifts that you can give.

God Bless

Ms Nicky Trinder

Principal

Parish Sacramental Program

Venue: Sacred Heart School Library

Time: 3.30pm – 4.30pm

Session 6: 13th March

Twilight Retreat and First Reconciliation: 20^th March 3.30pm–7.00pm (shared supper)

Sacrament of First Eucharist Celebration: Saturday 22 March 6 pm Mass

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday Mass was a beautiful way to start our Lenten Journey for 2025. Fr Lolesio spoke about giving up something that makes a change in us for the good of everyone. A change that should continue after Lent. Below is the prayer we all say in Mass that you may like to pray with your family during this season to remind us of how we can make that change. Thank you to Stage 2 and the choir for leading the ministries of the Mass. Following Mass, the students participated in just one way that they can prepare for easter through almsgiving with Rice Day. Rice day raised over $520 for Mercy Works. Thank you for this support. Thank you also to the Student Leadership Team for their assistance with Rice Day.

Project Compassion

Ash Wednesday also marks the start of Project Compassion. Every family would have received a Project Compassion Box and letter this week. Over the next six weeks the newsletter will contain stories of those people who Project Compassion supports across the world.

Upcoming Faith Formation Events

First Eucharist and Reconciliation Sacramental Program Weeks 1-7

Year 6 Reflection Day 12th March

Year 1 Reflection Day 13^th March

First Eucharist and Reconciliation Sacramental Twilight Retreat 20^th March

First Eucharist Sacramental Mass 22^nd March

Passion of Our Lord Yr 9 Enactment (School) Thursday 10^th April 10am

Passion of Our Lord Yr 9 Enactment (Parish) Friday 18^th April 10am

Primary Sport

Triathlon 

Thankyou to everyone that came and helped/cheered on our primary triathlon. THe day was a great success. 

Swimming

Well Done to our WR swimming team. They proved us proud again in Boorowa on Monday. With our Junior boys relay and senior girls relay teams qualifying for the NSWCPS championships in Sydney. Well done also to Zoe Lake, Henry Manwaring, Fletcher Gammon, Connor Winsor and Ella Sannazzaro who qualified for their individual events.

• Zoe Lake who came runner up in the Senior Girls age division
•  2nd in the Senior girls 200 IM, 
• 3r in 12yr Girls 50m Freestyle, 
• 1st in Senior girls 50m Backstroke, 
• 2nd in Open Girls 100m Freestyle, 
• 3rd Senior Girls 50m Backstroke 
• 2nd In Senior Girls 50m Butterfly

• Fletcher Gammon 
• 1st in the 8yr  Boys 50m Freestyle, 
• Henry Manwaring
•  2nd in the 8yr Boys 50m Freestyle
• Emme Last 3rd
•  in 10yr Girls 50m Freestyle 
• Connor Winsor 
• 3rd in 8-10 Boys 50m Backstroke, 
• 2nd in 8-10 Boys 200 IM, 
• 3rd 8-10 Boys 50m Breaststroke
• Ella Sannazzaro 
• 1st in 8-10 Girls 50m Breastroke, 
• 1st in 8-10 Girls 50m Butterfly

Full results can be found at https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/results/swimming

Our MacKillop team includes;

Rugby 10s

An event has gone out on compass for this year's Rugby 10. If your child wishes to play please accept ASAP. 

C&G Sporting Representatives

This program is an opportunity for our stage 3 students to trial and represent their sport at a higher level. It is up to parents to register for these events. If you have missed the closing date, please let us know and we will contact the organisers. Please go to https://csnsw.sport/sports/nswccc to register for any of these events. Please feel free to join the Canberra Goulburn Facebook page and access their calendar by this link. 

Athletics

Our SHC Athletics carnival is again set for early term 2, therefore we will start trialling and learning how to perform some of these events from week 6 this term. These will -include, High Jump, Discus, long distance running, Long Jump and Shot Put. The top   students for High Jump and Discus will compete on the day. Students will be given the opportunity to practise and improve on these throughout the weeks.

If you have any concerns or questions please don’t hesitate to contact me via email

Kind regards

Wendy Van Kerk Oerle

Primary sports coordinator

wendy.vankerkoerle@cg.catholic.edu.au

Secondary Sport

Canberra Goulburn Swimming

Well done to all the students who represented Sacred Heart at the CG Swimming on Tuesday in Queanbeyan.

Harry Blackman, Oliver Dempsey, Ryan Dempsey, Liam Drum, Roy Dunk, Lucy Dunk, Ryan Endgland, Mackenzie Fourie, Darcy Fry, Ella Gammon, Halle Johnson, Jett Johnson, Sarah Lake, Xavier McNally, Lane Phillips, Samuel Savanah, Ameila Savanah, Maddison Schofield, Thomas Shields, Eamon Sutherland, Darcy Thompson, Lucas Walker

Thank you to the parents and family members who provided transport, assisted with time keeping and supported in many other ways.

Full Carnival Results - HERE

Age Champions - HERE

Results by all the Sacred Heart Swimmers - HERE

Congratulations to:

15 Years Girls Champion – Halle Johnson

14 Years Girls - 3rd Place - Ella Gammon

CG Advancers to NSWCCC Swimming Championships

These swimmers have progressed to represent Canberra Goulburn at the NSWCCC Swimming Championships in Homebush on the 2nd-3rd of April.

Savanah, Samuel - Male - Age: 14

#46 Boys 14 50 Breaststroke 42.71

Johnson, Halle - Female - Age: 15

#11 Girls 15 50 Free 29.63 

Secondary Triathlon

Congratulations to all who participated in the Triathlon today.

Students were in staged teams in house groups or competed as individuals.

Champion Teams

Champion teams are awarded to teams that have a traditional, 3-discipline team

Stage 4 Girls

Lucy Dunk (Swim), Bride Gartside (Bike), Ally Evans (Run) - Mercy

23:53 Record

Stage 4 Boys 

Nate Vitnell (Swim), Henry Webber (Bike), Benjamin Wilde (Run) - O’Shaughnessy

Stage 5 Girls 

Hannah Tregear (Swim), Zoe Parsons (Bike), Matilda Campbell (Run) - O’Shaughnessy

Honourable mention - Bella Jones (Swim), Willow Hall (Run), Sacha McLeod (Run)

Stage 5 Boys

Darcy Thompson (Swim), Harvey Fitzgerald (Bike), Jai Alexander (Run) - O’Shaughnessy

Champion Individuals

Stage 4 Boys

Eamon Sutherland 1st De La Salle

Harry Webber 2nd O’Shaughnessy

Connor Loiterton 3rd Mercy

Stage 5 Boys

Cash Fitzgerald 1st De La Salle - 22:50 Record

Roy Dunk 2nd Mercy

Chase Cullen 3rd O’Shaughnessy

Records

Good Luck

Best of luck to:

• The students trialing for the Opens CG Soccer Team on Friday - Ryan Dempsey, Sophie Sannazzaro
• Sophie Boxsell trialing for the U16s Western Rugby League team on Tuesday