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This week’s prayer reflects the focus of the school’s programs for this week as 'Wellbeing Week'. Reflecting the importance of wellbeing for young people (as well as adults), a range of activities have been held that provided different experiences for students and staff. As highlighted in the Sacred Heart College Strategic Plan (2023 – 2026), high quality learning and teaching is inextricably linked to wellbeing. Students cannot be in the best place to learn unless they are happy and safe.
Appointment of new Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching
It is with great pleasure that I can announce the appointment of Mr Sam Weir as Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching at Sacred Heart College from the beginning of the 2025 school year.
Sam is very well-known to all in the Sacred Heart College community having had two stints on staff (2013 – 2017 and 2020 – ongoing). In his time at Sacred Heart, Sam has held a number of leadership positions including Justice and Service Coordinator, RE Learning Area Leader, Year 9 Level Leader and, most recently, Director of Faith and Mission. Sam has also had a range of teaching and leadership appointments at Santa Maria College, Northcote (Deputy Principal Learning Faith) and Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg (Social Justice Coordinator).
He is a man of great faith and brings this gospel witness to both his vocation at Sacred Heart as well as his local parish of Our Lady of the Rosary in Kyneton.
Sam has modelled an ongoing commitment to learning having completed a range of postgraduate qualifications including Masters of Educational Leadership, Master of Arts (Theology) and Masters of Religious Education and is a passionate Religious Education, English and Humanities teacher.
Sacred Heart College was privileged to attract a strong field of more than a dozen applicants with five candidates short-listed for interviews and two candidates for second interviews. The field included current and past deputy principals from Victorian Catholic and Government secondary schools. The interview panels included Ms Judy Young (Mercy Education), Ms Tracey Kift (Principal – Penola College Broadmeadows), Mr Brian Turner (Principal – Catherine McAuley College Bendigo) and myself.
Personally, I would like to congratulate Sam on this appointment and look forward to welcoming him in this new role in 2025.
Students and Staff Activities
It has been a remarkably busy couple of weeks at Sacred Heart College with a series of important events and activities occurring:
Yesterday, I hosted the recently appointed Chief Executive of Mercy Education Ltd (MEL), Ms Louisa Rennie. Louisa has responsibility for the thirteen MEL schools across Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. Louisa and I spent time touring the school, meeting with the College Leadership Team as well as visiting a number of classes and talking with a range of SHC students.
Sacred Heart College has been privileged over the last ten days to host 20 students and staff from our Japanese sister school, Ibaraki Nishi High School in Osaka. The students have been hosted by local SHC families and have enjoyed a range of activities in school and beyond.
As part of this year’s visit, I was honoured to be able to co-sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr Moriwaki Masahiro, Principal of Ibaraki Nishi High School. This MOU recognises the strength of the relationship between our two schools and the opportunities it provides students from both schools educationally, socially and culturally.
On Tuesday, the College hosted Bree Gorman who spoke to our staff as well as parents and community members on the important topic of gender, inclusion and diversity. Her presentation provided a significant professional learning opportunity as part of Wellbeing Week.
Last Thursday, the whole school community gathered to celebrate our Semester One Awards. These awards recognise excellence in learning improvement, determination and capacity for independent learning – well done to all award winners. Alongside the award presentations, students and staff were privileged to listen to two performances by the Sacred Heart College Show Band.
Related to the previous item, last Tuesday night saw the Semester 2 Music Ensembles evening held in the Mary Moloney Theatre. Each time that I hear the quality of performances as part of these ensembles, I am in awe of our students’ talents as well as the quality of the instruction they receive from the College’s Instrumental Music teachers.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
