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This week’s prayer is adapted from the major Mercy Education celebration held on Tuesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. The celebration recognized the commissioning of Ms Louisa Rennie as the new Chief Executive of Mercy Education Limited (MEL) and brought together leaders, staff and students from all thirteen MEL schools in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as well as a large number of invited guests. The mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Martin Ashe, Auxiliary Bishop for the Melbourne Archdiocesan Western Region, and included a large choir and ensemble of students from the Academy Mary Immaculate, St Aloysius College, North Melbourne and Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg.
Thanks to the students and staff from Sacred Heart College who contributed to the Mass and on behalf of our College community, I wish Louisa all the very best in her important ministry.
Year 9 Melbourne Experience
To date our Year 9 students have enjoyed three of the four scheduled days of this year’s Melbourne Experience with the final day’s program occurring today. Thanks to all the staff who have facilitated the program, and to the students on the fine example they have set in the city. There is an article and lots of photos further on in the Newsletter.
A reminder to all families that due to the Year 10 Alpine Camp there will be no Year 9 classes next Monday 26 August.
Correspondence to Parents
In coming weeks, there will be a number of important pieces of correspondence from the College in relation to the 2025 school year including:
- Details on the 2025 Parent Purchase Laptop Program for Year 7 & 10 students.
- Changes to bus arrangements with the State Government enforcing transport fees for a number of students and families who access government bus services.
Bereavements - Your prayers are asked for the following families who are mourning the passing of a loved one recently. The Park-Howe family on the passing of William Park, grandfather of Cooper, Year 8, and the Davies family on the passing of Matthew Gardener, relative of Declan, Year 10, and Tyler, Year 9. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
Subject Selection: 2025
Please note that the deadline for subject selections for Years 9 and 10 has now passed. The College Leadership Team and Timetabler will be working diligently over the coming weeks to create the 2025 timetable. Students will receive their subject loads later in Term 4, allowing them to confirm their final selections.
The timeline for students to apply for accelerated VCE and VET subjects has now passed. Each application will be evaluated by Heads of School, Year Level Leaders, VCE and VET Coordinators based on the student's academic performance and teacher recommendations. The final decisions will be communicated to students via PAM by Monday 2 September.
Year 10 Ski Trip
On behalf of the Senior School, I would like to wish Year 10 students and staff a fun and safe adventure as they embark on their ski trip next week.
Sacred Cup - STEM
Thursday 15 August was the next installment of the Sacred Cup. This time students competed in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition. Homerooms within each year level were set a task to complete. Year 10 built toothpick bridges to span a 40cm gap, Year 11 competed to constructed paper towers and Year 12 made paper planes for the longest flight. The graph shows the House points for each competition.
On Monday 12 August, Year 9 students started the first day of their four day Melbourne Experience. Students were excited to have the opportunity to plan their activities and interact with their friends, as well as the rest of the Year 9 cohort. We have been very lucky to have had great weather on our days out.
Over the two weeks, students had the opportunity to venture into Melbourne, participate in their planned activities, allowing them to put into practice their skills of organisation, adapting and working as teams. Students organised a cultural day on their second day and were able to visit places that enhanced their understanding of cultural values.
On Wednesday 21 August, the students attended Her Majesty’s Theatre to watch the amazing Musical Beauty and The Beast. It was very pleasing to see students getting all dressed up to arrive at the Theatre It was a very proud moment for the teachers to see so many students rise to the occasion, and we were further impressed when a staff member from the theatre congratulated us on the behaviour of our students, and the positive interaction she had had with them. Well done Year 9!
Many thanks to the staff that accompanied our students and made the Melbourne Experience possible. It was a truly wonderful experience for all.
Following our Athletics Carnival earlier this year, our winners headed to the Meadowglen Athletics Centre in Epping for the Mickleham Division Athletics Competition. Competing against schools like Kyneton Secondary, Hume and Mount Ridley’s Elite Sports Program we were able to take out plenty of wins on the day.
Congratulations to the students who competed last Friday. It is a great achievement and we wish the very best of luck to the students heading to the next round on 4 September. The students contested 116 events and across all levels they won 77 ribbons - 35 of those ribbons being first place! Well done everyone!
A huge thankyou goes towards Mr Walker, Mr Oreo, Ms Goodsall and Mr Carroll who accompanied the students and helped us out on the day, and to Mr Zanic for all of his organising for the day. We also thank the VET Sport and Recreation students who came and assisted.
Angelique Doherty
On Thursday 8 August, the Year 10 Religious Education students went on a journey to encounter several of our world religions through sacred spaces. The tour included a visit to the Sacred Heart Cathedral, The Golden Dragon Museum, along with a visit to The Great Stupa.
These sacred places provided a history and experience of several religions including Catholicism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
This term, students who are studying the school-based Year 12 Religious Education course are learning about the value of courage and the kingdom of God. From learning about these concepts, students are required to participate in a school-based project that will support those who are most in need in our local community.
To launch the start of their project, Angela from Young Mercy Links visited the students to speak about the opportunity they have to be involved with this program when they finish their time at Sacred Heart College. Young Mercy Links is a social justice volunteer group of young adults who want to continue being active in the Mercy space post high school.
After experiencing a variety of French, Japanese, PE, RE, English, Hospitality, Animal studies, Food Technology classes, and various other activities our Japanese sister school visit came to an end. The Ibaraki Nishi High School visit concluded with a farewell pizza lunch with speeches by students in English and Japanese by both schools, a joint Nutbush dance and the giving of an omiyage (souvenir) to our exchange students. The morning of Friday 9 August saw Sacred Heart College host families come in to school to say their final goodbyes. There were many a tear shed by exchange students, host students and families alike, which displayed the great connections that were made over the 10 days and we are sure that the bonds that were made will continue well into the future.
We would once again like to express our gratitude to the generous SHC host families who opened their homes to the Japanese students, and to the broader SHC community who made them feel very welcome.
We are looking forward to visiting Ibaraki Nishi High School in 2025. Expressions of Interests to attend this trip to Japan will be going out in Term 4. Students eligible to attend will be Year 10 (2025) and Year 11 (2025). Keep an eye out for that communication.
The accompanying video displays some of the highlights of the visit from Ibaraki Nishi High School, Japan.
From 12-16 August we celebrated STEM Week here at SHC. The week coincides with National Science Week and the theme for this year was ‘Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability’.
Throughout the week we had various workshops and competitions running including; a Lego bridge building competition, a terrarium workshop, a survive the egg drop contest, the AI hybrid animal competition and the ever popular guess the lolly-jar competition. This year also saw the return of the daily golden brain treasure hunt, with the daily golden tickets being highly sort after!
The week was a terrific success, with many prizes won and students and staff alike getting involved. It is always great to see the College community enjoying and celebrating STEM!
On Tuesday afternoon, the Arthurson Atrium buzzed with excitement as students from six primary schools - St Mary’s Castlemaine, St Ambrose Woodend, St Mary’s Lancefield, St Brigid’s Gisborne, Holy Cross New Gisborne, and Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton -competed in the final of the Junior Chef Competition.
The challenge was to prepare homemade fettuccine pasta with a napolitana sauce in just one hour and five minutes. After practicing at home and school, the students were eager to showcase their culinary skills. Parents and family members cheered them on, while hospitality students from Sacred Heart College, under the guidance of Janet Monaghan and Lucy Taylor from our hospitality team, provided support in the kitchen.
The judges, Mark James from Donkey Kyneton and Laura Lonergan past student from Social Foundry, had a tough decision to make but ultimately awarded the top prize - a $250 voucher sponsored by Rodilesa Nursey in Kyneton - to the Junior Chef team from Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton.
It was a wonderful afternoon filled with talent, teamwork, and delicious food!
Year 7 History classes stepped back in time to explore Ancient Rome. From the grandeur of the emperor's palace to the harsh realities of slavery, students gained a comprehensive understanding of Roman society.
They delved into the world of status symbols, learning how clothing, jewellery, hairstyles and slaves reflected one's position in the social hierarchy. The stark contrast between the opulent lives of the elite and the gruelling existence of slaves was a powerful lesson in inequality.
Students also discovered the Romans' surprising focus on hygiene, with public baths and advanced sanitation systems. However, the less glamorous side of Roman life was also revealed, including the use of communal toilets along with the function of the toilet brush.
Through interactive demonstrations and discussions, students learned about the different types of gladiators, their training, equipment, and the brutal reality of their lives. This gave each class a deeper understanding of the warriors, from their arduous drills to the brutal spectacles that captivated Roman crowds. The incursion also encouraged students to reflect on and question the morality of such spectacles.
Students were thoroughly engaged throughout the incursion and clearly enjoyed the activities. Our goal was to immerse students in ancient Rome to foster a deeper appreciation of the triumphs and challenges of this ancient culture and its enduring legacy. I believe we achieved that.
On Wednesday 21 August, our Years 7 and 8 students participated in Round One of the Debaters Association of Victoria Debating Competition held via Zoom at Sacred Heart College.
Four junior teams debated the topic “that we should ban advertisements that target children".
Our students delivered fantastic debates with minimal time to prepare. For most of our students, it was the first time they have debated. They were incredible in delivering speeches of an extremely high standard and supported each other in their teams.
We are very excited about our future round of competitions.
Equestrian
Miranda Byrne and Josephine Salanitri made the long journey to Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula to compete in an Interschool Equestrian Event. They both competed in the Secondary 60cm Combined Training (Dressage and Show Jumping).
Both girls did a great job. Miranda placed 3rd and Josephine 5th. Well done Miranda and Josephine!
All schools Netball Championships
On 15 August Junior and Senior Girls Netball Teams went to the All schools Netball Championships at the State Netball and Hockey Centre. This is a huge jump up from the level the girls play at SSV, and the girls rose to the challenge. They played absolutely brilliantly with both teams coming home with some wins and close losses. They represented the school proudly and played some outstanding netball.
Year 8 SSV – Round 2
On Monday 19 August, the Year 8 Girls Netball Team went down in the first game, but after a slow start they came back to win the second half but sadly couldn't recover from the deficit in the first half. They came back strong to win their second game confidently by a large margin. There third game was a close fought loss. The girls supported and encouraged each other and played better netball each game. Well done girls!
On Wednesday 14 August our Unit 3 and 4 students had the opportunity to attend the 2024 EduTECH Conference held in Melbourne. It is Australia’s largest conference and exhibition with a large number of technology providers. There were over 400 technology players showcasing cutting edge technology solutions and featuring the most innovative start-ups across Australia.
Students had the opportunity to talk to different technology providers and hear about the technology solutions they offer in education. It was a great day and our students didn’t mind all the freebies too!
Last Thursday the VCE Unit 4 Chemistry class headed into the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) in Strathmore. We left Sacred Heart College with samples of biodiesel that we had produced from canola oil in class.
We spent the day performing analytical tests on our biodiesel using complex processes such as gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, Infra-red and proton spectroscopy, and thermochemical analysis using calorimetry.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and they all agreed that it was an invaluable real-world learning experience, ahead of the crunch-time that is VCE exams.
Finding Communications, documents and much more
Opportunity to busk at Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival?
Do you want to share your musical or drama talents with the local community? Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival (program here) event planners are putting a call out to young performers who would like the opportunity to busk at this year’s event with the aim to keep the entertainment fresh and relevant.
This busking opportunity is ‘unplugged’ and will take place around Simpson Street on the day of the Grand Parade - Sunday 15 September. For more information, please get in touch with Chris Cregan creganchristina@gmail.com
This week’s prayer is adapted from the major Mercy Education celebration held on Tuesday at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. The celebration recognized the commissioning of Ms Louisa Rennie as the new Chief Executive of Mercy Education Limited (MEL) and brought together leaders, staff and students from all thirteen MEL schools in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia as well as a large number of invited guests. The mass was celebrated by Most Reverend Martin Ashe, Auxiliary Bishop for the Melbourne Archdiocesan Western Region, and included a large choir and ensemble of students from the Academy Mary Immaculate, St Aloysius College, North Melbourne and Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg.
Thanks to the students and staff from Sacred Heart College who contributed to the Mass and on behalf of our College community, I wish Louisa all the very best in her important ministry.
Year 9 Melbourne Experience
To date our Year 9 students have enjoyed three of the four scheduled days of this year’s Melbourne Experience with the final day’s program occurring today. Thanks to all the staff who have facilitated the program, and to the students on the fine example they have set in the city. There is an article and lots of photos further on in the Newsletter.
A reminder to all families that due to the Year 10 Alpine Camp there will be no Year 9 classes next Monday 26 August.
Correspondence to Parents
In coming weeks, there will be a number of important pieces of correspondence from the College in relation to the 2025 school year including:
- Details on the 2025 Parent Purchase Laptop Program for Year 7 & 10 students.
- Changes to bus arrangements with the State Government enforcing transport fees for a number of students and families who access government bus services.
Bereavements - Your prayers are asked for the following families who are mourning the passing of a loved one recently. The Park-Howe family on the passing of William Park, grandfather of Cooper, Year 8, and the Davies family on the passing of Matthew Gardener, relative of Declan, Year 10, and Tyler, Year 9. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
Subject Selection: 2025
Please note that the deadline for subject selections for Years 9 and 10 has now passed. The College Leadership Team and Timetabler will be working diligently over the coming weeks to create the 2025 timetable. Students will receive their subject loads later in Term 4, allowing them to confirm their final selections.
The timeline for students to apply for accelerated VCE and VET subjects has now passed. Each application will be evaluated by Heads of School, Year Level Leaders, VCE and VET Coordinators based on the student's academic performance and teacher recommendations. The final decisions will be communicated to students via PAM by Monday 2 September.
Year 10 Ski Trip
On behalf of the Senior School, I would like to wish Year 10 students and staff a fun and safe adventure as they embark on their ski trip next week.
Sacred Cup - STEM
Thursday 15 August was the next installment of the Sacred Cup. This time students competed in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition. Homerooms within each year level were set a task to complete. Year 10 built toothpick bridges to span a 40cm gap, Year 11 competed to constructed paper towers and Year 12 made paper planes for the longest flight. The graph shows the House points for each competition.
On Monday 12 August, Year 9 students started the first day of their four day Melbourne Experience. Students were excited to have the opportunity to plan their activities and interact with their friends, as well as the rest of the Year 9 cohort. We have been very lucky to have had great weather on our days out.
Over the two weeks, students had the opportunity to venture into Melbourne, participate in their planned activities, allowing them to put into practice their skills of organisation, adapting and working as teams. Students organised a cultural day on their second day and were able to visit places that enhanced their understanding of cultural values.
On Wednesday 21 August, the students attended Her Majesty’s Theatre to watch the amazing Musical Beauty and The Beast. It was very pleasing to see students getting all dressed up to arrive at the Theatre It was a very proud moment for the teachers to see so many students rise to the occasion, and we were further impressed when a staff member from the theatre congratulated us on the behaviour of our students, and the positive interaction she had had with them. Well done Year 9!
Many thanks to the staff that accompanied our students and made the Melbourne Experience possible. It was a truly wonderful experience for all.
Following our Athletics Carnival earlier this year, our winners headed to the Meadowglen Athletics Centre in Epping for the Mickleham Division Athletics Competition. Competing against schools like Kyneton Secondary, Hume and Mount Ridley’s Elite Sports Program we were able to take out plenty of wins on the day.
Congratulations to the students who competed last Friday. It is a great achievement and we wish the very best of luck to the students heading to the next round on 4 September. The students contested 116 events and across all levels they won 77 ribbons - 35 of those ribbons being first place! Well done everyone!
A huge thankyou goes towards Mr Walker, Mr Oreo, Ms Goodsall and Mr Carroll who accompanied the students and helped us out on the day, and to Mr Zanic for all of his organising for the day. We also thank the VET Sport and Recreation students who came and assisted.
Angelique Doherty
On Thursday 8 August, the Year 10 Religious Education students went on a journey to encounter several of our world religions through sacred spaces. The tour included a visit to the Sacred Heart Cathedral, The Golden Dragon Museum, along with a visit to The Great Stupa.
These sacred places provided a history and experience of several religions including Catholicism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism.
This term, students who are studying the school-based Year 12 Religious Education course are learning about the value of courage and the kingdom of God. From learning about these concepts, students are required to participate in a school-based project that will support those who are most in need in our local community.
To launch the start of their project, Angela from Young Mercy Links visited the students to speak about the opportunity they have to be involved with this program when they finish their time at Sacred Heart College. Young Mercy Links is a social justice volunteer group of young adults who want to continue being active in the Mercy space post high school.
After experiencing a variety of French, Japanese, PE, RE, English, Hospitality, Animal studies, Food Technology classes, and various other activities our Japanese sister school visit came to an end. The Ibaraki Nishi High School visit concluded with a farewell pizza lunch with speeches by students in English and Japanese by both schools, a joint Nutbush dance and the giving of an omiyage (souvenir) to our exchange students. The morning of Friday 9 August saw Sacred Heart College host families come in to school to say their final goodbyes. There were many a tear shed by exchange students, host students and families alike, which displayed the great connections that were made over the 10 days and we are sure that the bonds that were made will continue well into the future.
We would once again like to express our gratitude to the generous SHC host families who opened their homes to the Japanese students, and to the broader SHC community who made them feel very welcome.
We are looking forward to visiting Ibaraki Nishi High School in 2025. Expressions of Interests to attend this trip to Japan will be going out in Term 4. Students eligible to attend will be Year 10 (2025) and Year 11 (2025). Keep an eye out for that communication.
The accompanying video displays some of the highlights of the visit from Ibaraki Nishi High School, Japan.
From 12-16 August we celebrated STEM Week here at SHC. The week coincides with National Science Week and the theme for this year was ‘Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability’.
Throughout the week we had various workshops and competitions running including; a Lego bridge building competition, a terrarium workshop, a survive the egg drop contest, the AI hybrid animal competition and the ever popular guess the lolly-jar competition. This year also saw the return of the daily golden brain treasure hunt, with the daily golden tickets being highly sort after!
The week was a terrific success, with many prizes won and students and staff alike getting involved. It is always great to see the College community enjoying and celebrating STEM!
On Tuesday afternoon, the Arthurson Atrium buzzed with excitement as students from six primary schools - St Mary’s Castlemaine, St Ambrose Woodend, St Mary’s Lancefield, St Brigid’s Gisborne, Holy Cross New Gisborne, and Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton -competed in the final of the Junior Chef Competition.
The challenge was to prepare homemade fettuccine pasta with a napolitana sauce in just one hour and five minutes. After practicing at home and school, the students were eager to showcase their culinary skills. Parents and family members cheered them on, while hospitality students from Sacred Heart College, under the guidance of Janet Monaghan and Lucy Taylor from our hospitality team, provided support in the kitchen.
The judges, Mark James from Donkey Kyneton and Laura Lonergan past student from Social Foundry, had a tough decision to make but ultimately awarded the top prize - a $250 voucher sponsored by Rodilesa Nursey in Kyneton - to the Junior Chef team from Our Lady of the Rosary Kyneton.
It was a wonderful afternoon filled with talent, teamwork, and delicious food!
Year 7 History classes stepped back in time to explore Ancient Rome. From the grandeur of the emperor's palace to the harsh realities of slavery, students gained a comprehensive understanding of Roman society.
They delved into the world of status symbols, learning how clothing, jewellery, hairstyles and slaves reflected one's position in the social hierarchy. The stark contrast between the opulent lives of the elite and the gruelling existence of slaves was a powerful lesson in inequality.
Students also discovered the Romans' surprising focus on hygiene, with public baths and advanced sanitation systems. However, the less glamorous side of Roman life was also revealed, including the use of communal toilets along with the function of the toilet brush.
Through interactive demonstrations and discussions, students learned about the different types of gladiators, their training, equipment, and the brutal reality of their lives. This gave each class a deeper understanding of the warriors, from their arduous drills to the brutal spectacles that captivated Roman crowds. The incursion also encouraged students to reflect on and question the morality of such spectacles.
Students were thoroughly engaged throughout the incursion and clearly enjoyed the activities. Our goal was to immerse students in ancient Rome to foster a deeper appreciation of the triumphs and challenges of this ancient culture and its enduring legacy. I believe we achieved that.
On Wednesday 21 August, our Years 7 and 8 students participated in Round One of the Debaters Association of Victoria Debating Competition held via Zoom at Sacred Heart College.
Four junior teams debated the topic “that we should ban advertisements that target children".
Our students delivered fantastic debates with minimal time to prepare. For most of our students, it was the first time they have debated. They were incredible in delivering speeches of an extremely high standard and supported each other in their teams.
We are very excited about our future round of competitions.
Equestrian
Miranda Byrne and Josephine Salanitri made the long journey to Boneo on the Mornington Peninsula to compete in an Interschool Equestrian Event. They both competed in the Secondary 60cm Combined Training (Dressage and Show Jumping).
Both girls did a great job. Miranda placed 3rd and Josephine 5th. Well done Miranda and Josephine!
All schools Netball Championships
On 15 August Junior and Senior Girls Netball Teams went to the All schools Netball Championships at the State Netball and Hockey Centre. This is a huge jump up from the level the girls play at SSV, and the girls rose to the challenge. They played absolutely brilliantly with both teams coming home with some wins and close losses. They represented the school proudly and played some outstanding netball.
Year 8 SSV – Round 2
On Monday 19 August, the Year 8 Girls Netball Team went down in the first game, but after a slow start they came back to win the second half but sadly couldn't recover from the deficit in the first half. They came back strong to win their second game confidently by a large margin. There third game was a close fought loss. The girls supported and encouraged each other and played better netball each game. Well done girls!
On Wednesday 14 August our Unit 3 and 4 students had the opportunity to attend the 2024 EduTECH Conference held in Melbourne. It is Australia’s largest conference and exhibition with a large number of technology providers. There were over 400 technology players showcasing cutting edge technology solutions and featuring the most innovative start-ups across Australia.
Students had the opportunity to talk to different technology providers and hear about the technology solutions they offer in education. It was a great day and our students didn’t mind all the freebies too!
Last Thursday the VCE Unit 4 Chemistry class headed into the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) in Strathmore. We left Sacred Heart College with samples of biodiesel that we had produced from canola oil in class.
We spent the day performing analytical tests on our biodiesel using complex processes such as gas-chromatography mass spectrometry, Infra-red and proton spectroscopy, and thermochemical analysis using calorimetry.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the day and they all agreed that it was an invaluable real-world learning experience, ahead of the crunch-time that is VCE exams.
Finding Communications, documents and much more
Opportunity to busk at Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival?
Do you want to share your musical or drama talents with the local community? Kyneton Daffodil and Arts Festival (program here) event planners are putting a call out to young performers who would like the opportunity to busk at this year’s event with the aim to keep the entertainment fresh and relevant.
This busking opportunity is ‘unplugged’ and will take place around Simpson Street on the day of the Grand Parade - Sunday 15 September. For more information, please get in touch with Chris Cregan creganchristina@gmail.com