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(03) 5421 1200
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Prayer
Heavenly Father,
as spring returns to our land, we praise You for the renewal You place before us.
In the blossoming fields of Australia, in the warming light,
and in the song of new life, we see Your hand restoring creation.
Lord Jesus, guide our hearts to awaken with the season,
turning us from coldness and weariness toward hope, charity, and joy.
Holy Spirit, breathe freshness into our spirits,
that we may grow in faith as the earth grows in beauty.
Bless our families, our communities, and all who labour to care for Your creation.
May this springtime remind us of the Resurrection, where life triumphed over darkness.
We entrust this season to the intercession of Mary, Help of Christians,
asking that she lead us ever closer to her Son.
Amen.
Our prayer celebrates the arrival of spring (this week) and the sudden appearance of the sun in our skies. Over the weekend, I had the remarkable experience of having the same conversation with two local shop assistants on consecutive days, “Isn’t it wonderful when the spring sun comes out, people are just happier!”
Upcoming Principal’s Leave
I will be on leave following surgery for the first part of Term 4 (September 28 – November 11) with Mr Sam Weir appointed as Acting Principal. Ms Peita Rocard will be Acting Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching.
2027 SHC Laptop Parent Purchase Program
Significant work is currently underway selecting preferred devices for 2027 Year 7 & 10 students. Next year will be the fourth iteration of the SHC Parent Purchase program with a number of significant changes being introduced, these include:
- A single laptop model selected for both Year 7 & 10 students. The College has determined that a more expensive device with higher specifications is not necessary for our senior students.
- This device is expected to cost $1500-$1600. To guarantee this price, parents will be expected to have ordered the device by mid-December.
- The College notes that computer prices have increased substantially in the past twelve months due to a global computer chip shortage.
- The College will allow families to have the cost of a device added to family fee accounts and be paid off during the following twelve-month period.
Full details on the Parent Purchase program including costs and access to the purchase portal will be distributed before the end of term three.
Student and Staff Activities
- The Year 9 Alpine Camps has been held at Falls Creek and Howman’s Gap over recent weeks. Although both groups of students had fantastic experiences, the earlier camp enjoyed better weather and more snow.
Year 10 Work Experience
- Recently most Year 10 students completed a week’s Work Experience locally and around the state. This opportunity is a very important one as students move formally into senior school and are giving consideration to academic and vocational pathways. As a Year 10 parent, I saw first-hand how valuable a well organised work placement can be for our young people.
Junior Chef Final
- Wednesday 26 August saw the culmination of two rounds of the annual Sacred Heart College Junior Chef competition. It was fantastic to see teams from each of the Macedon Ranges Catholic Primary Schools involved (St Mary’s Castlemaine, Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton, St Mary’s Lancefield, St Ambrose Woodend, St Brigids Gisborne and Holy Cross New Gisborne). Special congratulations to Holy Cross Primary School on their clear win overall.
Senior Cabinet Interviews
- Currently, a significant number of Year 10 & 11 students are involved in the election process for the College’s 2027 Senior Cabinet. Congratulations to each of them for having the courage to apply!
Bereavements: Your prayers are asked for the following families who are mourning the loss of a loved one recently. The Gaunt family on the passing of Brenda Palmer, grandmother of Harley Year 8, and the Zuidland family on the passing of Dr Priscillia Clarke OAM, aunty of Kai Year 7. Our thoughts are with you at this sad time.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
Father’s Day Breakfast
Last Friday, the John Arthurson Atrium was abuzz from before dawn as Sacred Heart College hosted the annual Father’s Day Breakfast. Like many parents, I shared a wonderful breakfast with my daughter and enjoyed the conversation that was had. The Atrium was packed over two sessions and had the fabulous accompaniment of a series of SHC music students and ensembles. Congratulations to everyone involved in the preparation and facilitation of a very special morning.
Academic calendar: upcoming items
Spring has arrived, and the happy splash of yellow throughout the region is a welcome source of good cheer. The new season also heralds the next stage in our academic year, as we draw closer to VCE examinations and other end of year programs. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the following key items:
Interim Reports and Student Progress Interviews
Interim Reports denoting work habits in each subject will be published on Tuesday 8 September. Families are reminded that live reporting of Assessment Tasks are added to SIMON/PAM regularly and are intended to inform the ongoing learning journey of each student.
Student Progress Interviews (SPIs) will open for booking on Wednesday 9 September, following the publication of the Interim Reports. Our SPIs will take place throughout the day on Monday 14 September (student free day) and on the evenings of Tuesday 15 September and Thursday 17 September. All families are reminded that Friday 18 September is also a student free day.
VCE Unit 3/4 practice exams:
Practice exams for all VCE Unit 3/4 students will take place at the college in the second week of the Term 3 holidays, from Monday 28 September to Thursday 1 October. This is an important step in preparing for the final VCE examinations, and attendance should be a priority for all VCE 3/4 students.
Term 4: Year 12 program
Year 12 students will continue to follow their normal timetable up until their final day of classes on Thursday 15 October. This will be followed by the Year 12 Celebration Day on Friday 16 October, after which Year 12 students will move into their study and exam preparation period. In the lead up to each VCE Unit 3/4 exam, Year 12 students are encouraged to connect with their subject teachers and submit practice exam responses for feedback. Year 11 students completing a VCE Unit 3/4 exam will have the opportunity to take a revision day on the date prior to their exam.
Term 4: Years 10-11 program
The Year 10-11 Exams will take place from Thursday 12 November to Thursday 19 November , and the exam schedule will be shared with students soon. Arrangements for Year 11 VM students during the exam period have been shared directly via a letter to families of VM students. From Friday 20 November, all current Year 10 and Year 11 students will move into their Step Up program for 2027. From this date, their 2027 timetable will begin, and each student will engage in a series of introductory lessons for their new subjects. The Senior Step Up program is an important time to establish the foundations of each course, and to set holiday homework.
Term 4: Years 7-9 program
During the Year 10-11 Exams, classes in the Junior School will continue to run as per the normal timetable, and in many cases the subjects will be moving towards final Assessment Tasks and exam revision. A new feature in our end of year program will be the introduction of a revision day for all Year 7-9 students on Friday 20 November. On this date, students in Years 7-9 will be invited to complete revision tasks for their upcoming exams, which they may undertake off-site. On this date, no timetabled classes will run for Years 7-9. Following this date, Junior School exams will run from Monday 23 November - Wednesday 25 November, after which Junior School students will move into their own Step Up program. Further details regarding the arrangements for these items will be provided closer to the date.
Child Safe - School Day Gate Closures
As part of the College's ongoing commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students, a number of campus gates will be closed between 9:30am and 3:00pm each school day.
The following gates will be closed during these hours:
- Gate 1 – Wellbeing House
- Gates 6 & 7 – Upper Car Park
- Gates 8 & 9 – Basketball Courts and Oval
The Uniform Shop can be accessed by parents and carers via Gate 5.
Year 12 students who currently use these gates during the school day will need to make alternative parking and access arrangements.
We thank families for their understanding and support as we continue to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of all members of our College community.
We celebrated the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week in style and completely embracing this year’s theme: A Symphony of Stories. It was wonderful to see students and staff getting involved across the week and celebrating books, reading and the many ways that stories entertain, inspire and bring us together.
We kicked off Book Week on Monday in a very fitting way, with a special performance from three of our VCE Music students. Massive thanks to Levi, Kai and Angus for sharing with us their love and passion for telling stories through song and music. Their performance provided the perfect launch for Symphony of Stories and was a great way to connect this year’s musical theme.
Throughout the week, students were also invited to put their own storytelling skills to the test in our Microfiction Writing Competition. The challenge was to create an engaging story between 50-100 words using provided prompts. We received some fantastic entries, and we look forward to announcing the winner and publishing the winning piece next week. The library really was alive with scavenger hunts and vibrant displays (did you judge the teacher by their cover?).
There was also plenty of friendly competition with our daily book-themed quizzes. Each day brought a new set of questions covering books, characters, authors and stories, with our daily winners announced through the student messages. Thank you to everyone who joined in and tested their literary knowledge! Winners have been announced in Daily Messages.
Of course, one of the highlights of the week was our Book Week Dress-Up Day on Thursday. It was fantastic to see so many students and staff getting into the spirit of the day and bringing some much-loved characters and stories to life. It was particularly great to see our Year 12 students embracing their final Book Week and getting involved with plenty of enthusiasm and creativity. A special shout-out to 12D, and their whole- class Rainbow Fish!
The theme for next year’s Book Week was announced today and you know that we will be making it even bigger and better in 2027!
Happy Reading! The Library Team.
Over the last few weeks, our Year 9 LINCS students have been busy building a scarecrow installation for the Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival. The project was proudly sponsored by Kyneton on Riverside, which is also where the finished display can be found.
The students showed terrific creativity and plenty of hands-on teamwork, but they also learned a great deal about time management. With both Year 9 ski camps falling in the lead-up to installation day, which pulled members of the class and myself away for chunks of time. We had to plan carefully around a genuinely tight timeline, and they rose to it.
A special thank you to Darren Paxton and Andrew Scarlett, who were extremely generous with their time and skills in creating the bus and the chapel. Another huge thank you to Jenny Baldwin, who brought the idea to us in the first place and did a great deal of behind-the-scenes string-pulling to help it all come together, and of course Steve Huntly our trusty Property Manager for support and set up.
Wednesday morning the students put the whole display in place, and they left the site feeling very chuffed with themselves, and deservedly so too.
Once again, the Sacred Heart College community came together to raise awareness, show support and make a difference.
On Tuesday 4 August, the Mercy Justice Action Team combined with the FIRE Carriers held a successful fundraising sausage sizzle for Opening the Doors Foundation which is a First Nations-led non-profit organisation that provides financial and educational support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Victorian non-government schools.
Thank you to all who helped make this sausage sizzle a success as well as to everyone who bought a sausage on the day, your donations go a long way to helping those in need. We managed to raise $581 which is a fantastic effort, everyone should be proud of this achievement.
This is another wonderful example of our Sacred Heart Community living out our values of Service, Justice, Respect, Hospitality, Courage and Compassion.
We hope to hold a second sausage sizzle fundraiser early next term when the weather is a little better.
Blake Durrant- Mercy Justice Captain
Elsa Schultz - Junior Mercy Justice Captain
Mrs Freya Egberts- Mercy Justice Coordinator
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STEM week is a time to be curious about the world we live in, to be curious and ask questions like “why is it like that?” or “what would happen if..?”. The nature of the world we live in is mysterious, beautiful and thought provoking; STEM week is about not only questioning Science and the laws that support it but also a time to marvel at the staggering awe and size of our reality.
This year's theme is; Seeds of Science: Nurturing knowledge for all. Everyone learns and is curious in vastly different ways, but everyone has an ability to learn. This year's theme is about planting that seed of knowledge into people, to make people want to learn and be curious.
To celebrate STEM week we held some activities made to touch on ideas of this year’s theme. We had a daily quiz question and code to crack, a guess how many lollies in the jar for a chance to win it and germinating your own seeds: where students could plant their own seeds and experience the reward that comes with growing your own plants. Some of the seeds have already started sprouting from this beautiful sunshine.
Winners from the week:
Guess the Lollies in the Jar: Seamus Mahoney with an exact guess of 207
| Daily Quiz:
Mon Abi Phegan 11E | Crack the Code:
Alex Price 9E Bonus Friday: Nic Needle |
Camp Reflection - Freya 9A (Group 1)
Our group attended the first ski camp, where we had a great time and made many memories. Our first adventure happened on the way to Howmans where a tree fell over the road and we got held up for an hour, but it all turned out well because as we arrived at Howmans Gap it started snowing, which only happens a few times a year. We were also lucky enough to also see snow on top of the mountain.
The girls enjoyed Mrs Barnes and Mrs V reading them wonderful bedtime stories. We also had many laughs along the way, one when Michael, Clare and Freya stacked it off the drovers ski lift, because no one lifted the bar and when Jonah took out Cillian at the bottom of the monkeybars run because he couldnt stop.
Camp Reflection - Lola 9E (Group 2)
Monday 24 August, Year 9B, D, E and G went to ski camp. The bus ride took around 4 hours to get from Quambi to the YMCA camp site.
On Tuesday, the rain was pouring and many students got soaked. The first group got their skis, ski boots and helmets and planned to go skiing, but the wind was so strong it was cancelled. On Wednesday, both groups went skiing. We had lessons on how to get the skis on and off and how to walk in them. We split into smaller groups and went with our instructors down the different ski runs. Thursday was a repeat of the day before with more time to ski with teachers as a group or with a partner. There was a dress up night for dinner on Thursday, and some people really committed to the task! Friday came and many people were so tired and ready to go home, but some wanted to ski more. It was another 4 hour trip back to school and so many people were tired, with quite a few slepping on the bus.
At the ski camp, I really enjoyed skiing with my partner. It was good friendship bonding time and even though I was really scared about the ski lifts, I really liked going on them, talking to my friends and enjoying the views.
Senior Boys Netball - State Final
On Monday 31 August the Senior Boys Netball Team travelled to Glen Waverly to compete in the state competition. Unfortunately, we arrived 10 minutes late to the first game, so we had to make a massive comeback to get the win. We managed to pull it off really well, with Sam, Ben, Peter and Will showing off their skills and helping us secure the victory.
In the second game we were up against Castlemaine Secondary where a well fought out game came to a loss with Jono, Angus, Fin all proving their abilities to give a good close game.
Lastly was the toughest matchup against Berwick College where everyone battled well taking another close loss. Massive thank you to the support of Ms Vandenham and Ms Brennan who came along, helped coach and drove the team to compete at such a high level. - Archer Cook
Senior Boys Regional Basketball
Regional basketball was heaps of fun as always! Huge thanks to School Sport Victoria for running such a great day. We fell just short of a perfect run, going 2–3 overall after a nail-biter loss to SEDA College. Super proud of the team for digging deep, especially since we only had a 6-player rotation. Thanks to everyone who supported us on the day! - Sam Haslett
Congratulations to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School New Gisborne – The Holy Cuisine Team, winners of the 2026 Junior Chef Competition! Last Wednesday night's Grand Final in the College's Arthurson Atrium saw creativity, teamwork and outstanding cooking as our talented Grade 3 and 4 teams prepared Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi for the panel of local chefs.
A huge thank you to the families, teachers and schools who supported these young chefs every step of the way and to our hospitality students and staff for sharing their skills and expertise. We're so proud of every student who took part. Until next year... keep cooking!
On Thursday 2 September, Sacred Heart College hosted its annual Media Celebration Evening, bringing together families, friends and staff to celebrate the creative achievements of our senior Media students. Serving as a crucial showcase one week prior to their final deadline, the evening provided a valuable forum for the community to view the Year 12 major School-Assessed Tasks (SAT) and offer constructive feedback to help students refine and resolve their final products.
The event commenced with a screening of two impressive efforts from Year 11 Media students, setting the stage for the main feature: five major projects created by Year 12 students, spanning four short films and one photography portfolio.
Each Year 12 creator personally introduced their work, sharing the inspiration and effort behind their projects:
- Henry-Lee presented Chrysalis, an evocative photography portfolio capturing an individual's struggle with identity.
- Jonah screened Achromatic, a sci-fi animation set on a space station where a crew races against time to stop an organism draining colour from the world.
- Kai shared Ladygirl, a poignant music video exploring the push-and-pull of forming a new connection through themes of loss, vulnerability and isolation.
- Nate showcased I Hope It's a Monster, a gripping "true"-crime investigation surrounding the torment and death of a teenage boy.
- Benjamin brought humour to the screen with On Your Shoulder, a clever parody playing on the classic angel-and-devil dynamic in decision-making.
The evening was a glowing success, capped off with rich discussion, enthusiastic questions, and warm support from all in attendance. Heartfelt thanks to Learning Area Leader for the Arts, Mr Ben Gallagher, for his guidance and dedication.
There’s been a number of fabulous activities happening in the Arts department recently.
The Year 12 Theatre Studies class went to see “MacKenzie”, the sensational play by the Bell Shakespeare Company, at the Victorian Arts Centre. Based on ‘Macbeth’, the story follows a 13-year-old child star and her ruthless ‘stage mum’, who scheme and plot their way to fame. As part of the day, the students also took, part in a ‘monologue workshop’ with experienced educator, Sam Mackie at the Malthouse Theatre. The students are hard at work on their own monologues for their exam, where they present their monologue interpretation to VCAA assessors during the first week of Term 4. Parents and friends will get to see their work on Tuesday 8 September, at 6pm, in the Drama Room.
The 12 Media class presented their final products this week. The combination of nearly two terms’ work featured a series of wonderful films, animations and photographs, which were presented last Thursday night in the Theatre and Drama Room. Thank you so much to the work of Mrs, Carla Matthews, who guided the students through this very long process. The public will get to see their work again, as part of our VCE Art Exhibition early next term, and there’ll also be a repeat screening of their films, during lunchtime at school this week.
Year 9 and 10 Media have been learning the nuances of manual photography and photographic composition and have produced some amazing work this term. The Year 10 Media class were joined by a group of our visiting Japanese students who enjoyed taking photographs as part of these lessons.
Our Year 10 Art students have been busy doing some still life painting and developing their Intricate painting skills over the last few months.
Over the next few weeks, we will be hosting a ‘Festival of the Arts’, celebrating the work of our 12 Music, Media and Theatre Studies students this year. We will also be able to enjoy an exhibition of work by our VCE Art Creative Practice and Visual Communication students’ early next term.
One of the major projects for this year's Festival of Arts is the creation of a mural near the Well-Being House. Coordinated by Arts Captains Charlotte and Emily in collaboration with the Wellbeing Captains, the mural will provide a vibrant and lasting addition to the College. Students and visitors will be able to enjoy the artwork near the Well-Being House, with installation planned for the upcoming holidays.
With only a few weeks to go until their final work is due, we asked a couple of year 12 Arts students about their work:
Throughout the year in 12 Art – Creative Practice, I’ve been experimenting with paints and different kinds of mediums and in second semester, I’ve been painting book edges as part of a series. I have been reading and exploring different ways to show ‘memories and tones’ through the use of watercolour paints. It’s been challenging, because of the time pressures and having to weigh up folio development, including the use of annotations, as well as the actual creation of the artwork. Doing these tasks at the same time, to meet an approaching deadline has certainly been stressful!
For Visual Communication and Design, I’ve been experimenting with different digital materials, as the focus is more oriented towards the creation of digital products, like what is involved product design for a client presentations. VisComm differs to Art, as we’ve been focussing on one presentation throughout the whole year, following a design brief, whereas for Art we create two final pieces, one for each semester. Our final artworks and folios are due in the second week of next term and the public can see them at the end of Week 3, at the opening of our VCE Exhibition. Jasmine Hogbin
During the length of Year 12, I have been in the process of making a 3D animated short film for my final 12 Media product. The process relied on me learning how to use the animation software “Blender”, having never used it before. The experience was extremely challenging, as learning this software was lengthy, time consuming and tedious. Over the time of the project, I have spent 150+ hours on “Blender”, alone, not including editing and pre-production. I overcame many challenges and learned how to use the software reasonably well and I have ended up with a product that I am quite happy with. Jonah Halvarsson
Our Year 10 students recently traded their school uniforms for professional attire, successfully completing their week-long Work Experience placement. This invaluable opportunity allowed our cohort to step outside the classroom and gain a genuine taste of the world of work.
Students were immersed in various industries, exploring potential careers and developing essential workplace skills. The initiative provides a vital bridge between education and adulthood, encouraging students to discover their talents and consider how they can contribute meaningfully to the wider community.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the many local businesses and organisations that generously hosted our students. Our cohort gained hands-on experience across diverse fields, including Healthcare and Veterinary Science, Trades and Construction, Education and Childcare, Professional Services and many more.
Employers highly praised our students for their punctuality, enthusiasm, and respectful conduct, beautifully reflecting our school values in the broader community. This experience has ignited fresh motivation in our Year 10s as they begin planning their next steps.
Congratulations to all students on completing this milestone and thank you to the staff and parents who supported them along the way.
