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This week’s reflection is taken from the introduction to yesterday's Feast of the Sacred Heart Mass that the whole school celebrated in Quambi. Our feast day is an important occasion for the College and provides an opportunity to reflect on the theological foundations of the school and our mission of hospitality, justice and mercy.
Congratulations to everyone involved in the celebration: in the preparations beforehand, music, reading and in the liturgy processions. Special thanks to Fr Wahid as our celebrant and to Mr Weir as overall coordinator.
Prophetic Voices – Leading with Vision and Courage
Last week, alongside 70 other principals, I was privileged to spend three days at the RACV Club, Healesville, attending the annual Principals Association Victorian Catholic Secondary Schools (PAVCSS) annual conference. The conference explored the theme, “Prophetic Voices – Leading with Vision and Courage” and we were very privileged to be led by renowned scripture scholar, Dr Barbara Reid (Catholic Theological Union, Chicago).
Dr Reid explored the concept of leadership as espoused in the Gospels using the themes of lead as prophet, as bridge-builder, as co-creator and as servant. Her input was engaging and thought-provoking and provided a unique opportunity to reflect on our vocation as faith leaders in Catholic schools and how the words and witness of Jesus of Nazareth might inform our practice in the 21st century.
Instrumental Music Evening
Congratulations to the large number of students who performed as part of last Tuesday evening’s SHC Instrumental Music Night. It is always extraordinary to see the talent, effort and courage of the students performing. But also humbling to witness the support and encouragement that students receive from the College’s wonderful team of instrumental music teachers.
Mid-Year Examinations
Next week sees the commencement of mid-year examinations for students with Year 10 and 11 starting on Wednesday and Year 8 and 9 joining them the following week. These examinations are an important part of the assessment program for students, and provide a mirror on how an individual’s learning has progressed thus far in 2024. I encourage students to devote an appropriate amount of time for study and revision over coming days and to view the examination experience as important preparation for senior examinations to come.
Bereavement - Your prayers are asked for the Murray family who are mourning the loss of Ben Murray, grandfather of Patrick, Year 9. Our thoughts are with you at this sad time.
Yours in Mercy,
Dr Darren Egberts
Principal
Examination Period at Sacred Heart College
The examination period is about to begin at Sacred Heart College for students in Years 8 – 11. Letters with the timetables and information about the exams have been sent to parents through PAM. Year 7 students will experience exams in a limited number of subjects at the end of Semester Two.
Exams aren't just about the marks. These assessments offer valuable stepping stones for students. They act as a mirror, reflecting a student's understanding of the material taught throughout the Semester. This self-evaluation allows students to identify areas needing improvement and focus their studies for Semester Two accordingly.
Exams also develop crucial life skills. Preparing for them teaches valuable time management and organisation. The pressure of exams simulates real-world situations where deadlines and performance matter. By facing these challenges, students build resilience and learn to perform within time limits, preparing them for future endeavours such as tertiary studies or job interviews.
Most importantly, exams can boost confidence. Performing well according to their ability validates a student's hard work. It can develop confidence that can motivate them to tackle more difficult challenges in the future.
Classes will have exam revision and preparation leading into the exams, and there will be the opportunity for students to receive feedback in the final week of Term.
I wish all students well during the examination period as we provide a supportive environment for their completion.
It has been a busy few weeks in the Student Wellbeing space.
We held our second Student Leadership Long Lunch. This is an opportunity for student leaders and house leaders in the Junior School and Senior School to come together to plan, share and further develop the projects they are undertaking in their different portfolios. Prior to this meeting the College and Junior Cabinets also met with the Student Representative Council members from each homeroom. In this forum College and Junior Captains were able to hear the concerns and ideas that have been generated by SRC members in consultation with their homeroom. They were then tasked with bringing those concerns to the Leadership Long Lunch and we held an open discussion about how these ideas could be incorporated or adjust the direction planning in the Leadership Cabinet.
It was great to see the impact of student voice in action as the Cabinet grappled with concerns raised about issues ranging from uniform, to cleaning products, to recycling, to behavior in the classroom. We will be holding our third Long Lunch early next term as the Cabinets prepare for the upcoming subject weeks.
This week we had several events and presenters coming into the College to work with our staff, students, and parents. Michelle Sweeney from BE YOU Foundation came to present on Educator Wellbeing with all staff and facilitated an operational debrief for the wellbeing team and learning support staff. Both were an excellent opportunity for staff to come together with a focus on developing their own wellbeing strategies and on supporting students in this space as well.
Susan McLean from Cyber Safety Solutions came in on Thursday to present to students from Year 7 to 10 on topics such as Digital Reputation, Cyberbullying, Online 'friends', Sexting, and Staying Safe online. You can explore an outline of her presentation on her website by following this link. It was clear to see that students were very engaged in this presentation and Susan offered some confronting and vital information designed to help young people understand both the dangers and safe strategies when they engage in online platforms. I’d like to encourage parents/guardians to have a chat with their young people about this session. One of the takeaways I gained from Susan’s presentation is that the more we can promote dialogue and understanding between families at home, and with the school more broadly, about challenges young people face online, the safer they will be.
Finally, Award winning Author and presenter Michelle Mitchell came to the College for our second Parent Engagement Event. Michelle’s presentation centered around the challenges parents face in raising teenagers. It was an affirming and open conversation so thank you to all the parents who came and shared their experiences and thank you to Michelle for her passion and her energy in helping parents in this space.
Sacred Heart College is committed to promoting the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all children.
Further information about Child Safety at SHCK can be found on the College website.
https://www.shckyneton.catholic.edu.au/our-college/child-safe/
Feast of the Sacred Heart
This week we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart, and we mark this special time with a whole school Mass. The Feast of the Sacred Heart is an occasion when we contemplate who we are as a community, and who we are called to be. More than being the name of our school, the Sacred Heart is an image that speaks deeply to us about who Jesus is, and the nature of our relationship with him.
In many contexts, hearts are commonly used as a symbol of love. This is also the case with the image of the Sacred Heart. As a key symbol of our living faith, the Sacred Heart offers a representation of Jesus’ love for us, and his new commandment that we must love one another.
As we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart, we are reminded of our calling to love each other as Jesus loves us.
The image of the Sacred Heart is also a reminder that Jesus lived life among us in a manner that was fully human. He walked on earth, like us. He had joys, hopes, griefs and anxieties, like us. He enjoyed telling stories, and hearing about the lives of others, like us. And he experienced suffering like us, and was deeply moved by the suffering of others.
When we contemplate the Sacred Heart, we remember that Jesus lived his early life on the margins of society. That he was born into vulnerability and fragility. That his parents were internally displaced, and experienced forced migration. That, with his family, he left his homeland, fleeing persecution and violence, to live as a refugee in a foreign land. That his adult life was reliant on the hospitality of others, and that he had nowhere to lay his head. Partly for these reasons, our celebration of the Feast of the Sacred Heart is a time when we think of our brothers and sisters who flee their own homelands to seek safety on our shores. The image of the Sacred Heart reminds us that Jesus experienced life as a refugee, and that in every refugee story we encounter a reflection of the Holy Family.
As we celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart, we are all invited to contemplate what it means to believe in a God who chose to experience a life of great vulnerability, and to remember that this special day is intended to nourish our desire to serve as instruments of God’s love for those on the margins of our own society.
Year 11 Retreat
Our Year 11s recently travelled to Rutherford Park, Blampied to participate in their overnight retreat. We were blessed with splendid late autumn sunshine for the duration of the event, which was itself good cause for gentle joy. The retreat began with a “pilgrimage walk” along the Campaspe River trail in Kyneton, with our Year 11s invited to consider the long and ongoing connection between the Taungurung and Dja Dja Wurrung peoples and the river system. A highlight from the retreat was time spent in conversation (and song!) with soul music artist Adrian Eagle. Adrian spoke with our Year 11s about the courage to seek support and to keep going during challenging times, and the wisdom that he shared became a point of conversion in the small group sessions that took place later in the program. At all times our Year 11s entered into the spirit of each element of the retreat program, and they are to be commended for their conduct in this regard.
Year 7 Jui Jitsu - Gracie Cook and Chloe Scuteri
For the past three weeks Year 7 have been participating in Jui Jitsu, within our Physical Education Classes. We have learned many skills in self defence.
We have been able to work with people that we would not usually work with, and this has pushed us out of our comfort zone.
We had an amazing time and made new friendships. Overall it was a great experience.
Reconciliation and NAIDOC Week
In the lead up to and during Reconciliation Week staff and students were given the opportunity to donate formal clothing. This formal clothing has been sent to the Epenarra Community Op shop for community to buy for the upcoming NAIDOC Ball. For more information about the Remote community please visit this website https://www.vhn.org.au/how-you-can-get-involved .
If you are interested in supporting other Remote Communities you can access this link https://www.remoteopshopproject.org/, they also have a Facebook page, where communities across Australia put up items they need.
What we collected and what we collected for!
Living Justly – Year 8 RE
Year 8 RE students are currently studying a unit called ‘Goodness in the World’ which contains the Make a Difference (MAD) project. Part of this unit, before embarking on the project is exploring the ways we can live justly.
This week Year 8D created their own class prayer service. Below is their own acknowledgement of country, and their definition of what is means to live justly.
Year 7 Girls Soccer - Charli Gauci and Renae Osmond
On Wednesday 29 May, the Year 7 girls travelled to Epping to compete in the Mickleham Division Girls Soccer. Throughout the day every girl on the field displayed amazing teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership. Everyone worked extremely well together, and all contributed to our wins. In the first game we versed Craigieburn and won 4-0, the next game was against Edgar’s Creek and we won 2-0. Following these wins the girls made it through to the final and won 1-0 against Mickleham.
Defense held up really well which did not allow any teams to score. Midfields and strikers all connected to help score goals. Our leading goal scorers for the day were: Riley Adams, Hanna Mees and Lucinda Bowen. Congratulations to all the girls and everyone involved for a great day and making it to the next round.
Year 7 Boys Soccer - Hugh Fogarty
We had a good day all round even though we didn’t win, we tried hard and played well with many great moments by everyone. Our first game did not go great with a loss of 4-1, but we got a good goal, courtesy of Mack and Joey working together.
Our second match went well with good defence and an amazing goal by Matt, finishing with a score of 1-0. Our last match didn’t go great either, but we kept going. Although we didn’t score, we had some good defence. It ended 7-0, many of us say one goal shouldn’t have counted, oh well! It was great having the girls cheering us on with our whole team doing a lot of cheering too.
In conclusion it was a fun day with good play, and it was amazing to see the girls win!
AFL Girls Football Day - Bridget Eames
On the Friday 24 May a group of over 70 students played in the AFL Girls day at Boardman Reserve in Sunbury. The Intermediate girls (Year 9-10) played a great round of games, with the coaching help of two Year 11 Sport and Recreation students, Lachie and Huon.
We played competitively against Kyneton Secondary and won 69-0. We then played Mount Ridley who were a tough side to beat. The final score was 6-9, with Mount Riddley taking the win.
We played our third and final game against Wallen Secondary. We played well and won. The Junior girls won all of their three games, and the Senior girls came away with a win and a loss.
Overall, the girls did an amazing job, and we should be very proud of ourselves. Well done girls!
Year 8 Girls Soccer - Charity Goodsall
The Year 8 girls did an amazing job when they travelled to Epping this week for the first round of Interschools Soccer, winning all three games and getting through to the finals. Special mention to Tessa and Nina who played for the boys team, as they were down on numbers and our amazing coach, Isha Kuyateh, who did an terrific job supporting the girls.
Year 8 Boys Soccer - Julius Gorzkowski
On Tuesday 4 June our Year 8 boys participated in the Interschool Soccer Competition. The weather was great, and overall conditions for play were excellent. The boys got to play two games, one against Mt Ridley Secondary College and the other against Elevation College.
The first game our boys were a little cold to start with, conceding two early goals, but they were able to score a couple of goals to end up loosing 4 – 2. In the second game they were much more competitive and drew at the final whistle 0 – 0. Unfortunately, it was not enough to progress to the next round of competition, but a good effort considering they were short players. A big thanks to Rhys Bosanko and Willem Dorhout Mees of Year 9, for coaching on the day.
Reconciliation Week is intended to be a time of celebration of our Australian Indigenous culture, and to reflect on how we as a community and individuals can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening the relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-indigenous peoples, and to provide a focus towards the end goal of having a reconciled Australia, for all our benefit. In Year 10 at Sacred Heart, To acknowledge and celebrate this week the Year 10 students each wrote what reconciliation means to them on a paper foot (either red, yellow or black for the colours of the Aboriginal flag), which are now up on our hallway walls, walking together.
Angus Smith Year 10E
This term the Year 9 Food Technology classes have been looking at multicultural foods. They were given an opportunity to select a country of their choice and research the typical food, common uses and its influences upon culture, customs, climate and location.
After they completed their research students individually selected a savoury recipe from their selected country and had an chance to complete a shopping list and cook their recipe in a practical lesson. It was remarkable to see the students use their independent cooking skills and techniques to create a variety of dishes from a variety of countries such as Vietnamese banh bao pho, Mexican burritos, Italian pasta and pizza dishes, German spatzle, Indian curries and Greek souvlakis. Well done to all, the food looked amazing.
We extend our congratulations to six students across Years 7 to 10 who recently participated in the Debaters Association of Victoria (DAV) online Public Speaking Competition. Junior students were given three topic themes on which to base their speeches, whilst Intermediate students could present a speech on a topic of their choosing.
Each speech was viewed by two adjudicators. The scoring results for the competition ranged between 50 to 90, with an average score of 70. Five of our students received average or above average scores. DAV provided our students with valuable feedback to consider for next time.
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre collection
Warm thanks are offered to all who contributed to our annual collection for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. Our pantry is now well stocked with items from this list, and we will deliver these to the ASRC in the coming weeks.
We will continue to hold Australia’s refugee and asylum seeker community in our hearts, as we prepare for Refugee Week later in the month. And while our focused campaign has now drawn to a close, please know that donations for the ASRC are welcome at any time of the year, and can be dropped off to the pantry in the College Chapel.
Last Tuesday 28 May, the sounds of guitars/voices/trumpets/clarinets/violins/drums/piano/cello/trombone/flutes/bass guitars/clarinets were heard around the College as we held our Instrumental Music Recital Evening. It was a wonderful performance opportunity for these students who showcased their musical talents and what they have learned in lessons this year. All Instrumental Music Students have a lesson once a week with their specialist teacher.
The Music Department has also been busy in preparing for the Feast of the Sacred Heart Mass. The choir and band led by Mrs Helen Duggan have had rehearsals on Tuesday 4 June. Apart from the many musical benefits of singing in a choir, it can also make students feel more confident and improve their mood. Studies have shown that choir singing can reduce the stress hormone (cortisol) and increase the comforting hormone (oxytocin).
Semester Two Subject Changes
Monday 27 May - Wednesday 26 June
Information about the process for changing a unit will be available on SIMON. Student timetables will be uploaded to SIMON for the start of Term 3.
Subject Selection: 2025
The process for Subject Selection (2025) will commence this Semester (refer to dates below, with more information relating to the specific year levels to be published in the lead-up to the selection process.
Year 11 moving into Year 12 (2025): Friday 7 June (Please note the change of date)
Year 10 moving into Year 11 (2025): Wednesday 17 July
Year 9 moving into Year 10 (2025): Tuesday 30 July
Semester One Exams
The Semester One exams commence Wednesday 12 and continue through to 20 June. Students should use the long weekend for final preparations for the exams. I wish all year 10 and 11 students all the very best with their exams.
Parents/Guardians/Carers, please note the change to student recording student attendance during the exams, by referring to the examination letter that was sent last week.
Year 11 students attended the annual Tomorrow Bound Careers Expo as part of their ongoing careers and pathways planning. This event is an education, training and careers expo which highlights the range of exciting courses, pathways, and employment opportunities available throughout the City of Greater Bendigo and beyond.
Students listened to a formal presentation on the introduction of Tertiary options, before attending the Expo, and having the opportunity to talk with employers, apprenticeship organisations and higher education providers.
We aim for the Expo to be a springboard for the start of our students’ personal journey onto further education, job opportunities and different pathway ideas, in preparation for the next stage of their career.
We are thrilled to share with our community that Art Teacher, Liz Sullivan, has had her portrait of trailblazing feminist and author Germaine Greer, selected as one of 57 to be shortlisted for the 2024 Archibald Prize. We congratulate Liz on this fantastic achievement - which follows on from being shortlisted for The Doug Moran National Portrait Prize in 2023. Liz’ achievements as a professional artist, adds to the skills, knowledge and experience she offers her students here at SHC and is a great reminder of the way many teachers live their subject beyond the classroom. Best of luck Liz!
The winner of the Archibald Prize will be announced this Friday. Use this link to view Liz' piece 'Germaine' and learn more about her thoughts behind the work.
It's been a busy last few weeks in The Arts at Sacred Heart. As well as celebrating the achievements of our students, we are so proud and excited about the Archibald Prize shortlisting of our own Art Teacher, Liz Sullivan. Information about this momentous event can be found elsewhere in the newsletter. We will provide a report and a summary of Liz’s achievement in the next newsletter, as she heads up to Sydney for the announcement late today.
Life Drawing
We are so excited again this year to be offering ‘Life Drawing’ at the college, for our senior art and visual communication design students, over four sessions, the first of which was this week.
Learning to draw the human body enriches the students learning in the Arts, as well as honing their drawing skills in preparation for their VCE portfolios.
We are very fortunate to have Mrs Anne Berend who is an experienced artist, VCE Art teacher and ‘Life Drawing' facilitator. Anne has run 'Life Drawing' classes in regional Victoria over many years, and enjoys the process of challenging students to hone their skills.
'Clue- On Stage' - Dylan Bunn (Year 11)
“Clue - On Stage” was a truly exciting (yet stressful) experience that drove each and every one of the Year 12 Theatre Studies students to extremes of creative bliss. Everyone who was involved with this play gave it their all.
As part of the 'Clue' process, I was tasked to play Professor Plum, which was a difficult but fun role to act, as his personality traits and general mannerisms were very separate to my own. The most difficult aspect of acting for me was the accent work, as I found the American accent very challenging.
I primarily worked on the set and props design areas for 'Clue', which were both very interesting to work on, as I hadn’t done either of them prior to this.
'Clue' reminded me how much I love theatre, and especially how much it brings with it, including fun acting exercises, the creation of different ideas, and the development of a truly awesome play. Of course, this whole experience wouldn’t have been nearly as good without my follow cast members by my side, who are some of the best actors and actresses I’ve ever met. It was, however, the ‘pay-off’ that made it all truly worth it. Even if the first matinee went a little rocky, all four performances showed how much work all of us put in, and what we did to make it special.
As the final production by the Year 12 Theatres Studies class of 2024, I believe 'Clue' was the perfect ending. A brilliant display of our skills as actors and designers. And I couldn’t imagine a better class to do it with.
Producer’s Note - Ben Gallagher
As part of VCE Theatre Studies Units 3, the students in the class have been responsible for all aspects of the development of the play 'Clue', including set and costume design, lighting, sound, directing, acting and make-up. As part of the process, they were also responsible for the Dramaturgy.
What is ‘Dramaturgy’? Did I make that term up? ‘Dramaturgy’ is actually the process through which a play is researched before being staged.
The play is the culmination of months of work by the students, who are assessed on the work they have prepared in their own specialty areas of stagecraft.
‘Clue’ (what we in Australia call ‘Cluedo’) is a bit of phenomenon. Many of us have fond memories of playing ‘Cluedo’ as children (or adults), while others were introduced to Boddy Manor and its cast of suspects through the iconic 1985 film. Regardless of how you first came to investigate the ‘whodunit, it has become a part of our culture.
The 1985 film was re-staged and partially re-written as a stage production, ‘Clue: On Stage’ in 2017 and it continues to play around the world to this day.
Bendigo Senior Secondary College staged their version of the play a few weeks before ours, so it’s a very popular play!
Huge thanks to everybody who supported the students through this very demanding process. Particular thanks to all the staff members who helped out, especially Haley Galloway, who generously gave us her directorial and stage management expertise.
Thanks, also to Andrew Scarlett, Peter Ashman and Steve Huntley for their invaluable set construction assistance, to Sharon Lanteri for her generosity supplying props from Chisholm College and to all the maintenance crew, Richard, Danny and Tyrone for the help shifting furniture! We couldn't have done it without the assistance of all these wonderful people!
Thanks to all of you who came along and supported our talented students. They all really appreciated it!
Cast and Credits
We would like to acknowledge the following attached cast and other credits
Click here
Our Year 10 students recently took the first step in learning about transitioning from school to the workforce via a series of Mock Interviews, as part of their World of Work unit.
The Mock Interviews simulate a real-life job interview with students learning how to develop interview strategies, answer difficult questions, think on their feet, improve communication skills, and understand professional expectations.
The program invites external industry professionals to interview students, providing a realistic interview experience whilst enabling students to receive important and relevant industry feedback. Interviews took place online following the growing trend for remote interviews, allowing students to familiarise themselves with this experience.
The Careers Team at Sacred Heart would like to extend a warm hearted 'Thank You' to all interviewers who generously volunteered their time and expertise to help support the Year 10 students with this program.
If you would like to be involved in the program in the future, please select the link https://forms.gle/3SbeUXnPJAE1UHqR6 to register your details. Being an interviewer is a great way to help connect local businesses with students, and for parents or former graduates to ‘give back’ and support students.
CSEF Applications & Discount
If you are a current Health Care Card holder you may be eligible for the $250.00 from the Camps Sport & Excursion Fund (CSEF) per child.
Should your application be successful the college will match the $250.00. This will entitle you to a credit of $500.00 per child of your family account.
Applications close on Friday 28 June.
Say goodbye to the hassle of making dental appointments, taking time off work, and disrupting your schedule just to ensure your child receives dental care. Smile Patrol is coming to Sacred Heart College, Kyneton on Monday 5 August 2024, so your child will benefit from dental care during school hours, so easy!
Smile Patrol provides free dental health education to all students. If your child is eligible under the Childcare Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) treatments can be done for free depending on the remaining benefits. If your child is not eligible, we will send you an email with an option for a private checkup. But to do this we need your consent.
To sign up you can visit: https://smilepatrol.com.au/con...
It’s very easy and takes less than 5 mins to complete.
For more information, please read the parent information handout.
Parent information handout.pdf
Should you have any questions regarding the Smile Patrol School Dental visit, please contact Jalna Holmes, Health Centre Coordinator via email jbholmes@shckyneton.catholic.edu.au or via phone 54211 200.
