The unfavourable weather didn’t dampen spirits yesterday when students gathered for our annual Arts Day. Students arrived dressed in House themes, ready to take part in art activities, watch the House competitions and enjoy live bands, all while indulging in a variety of food trucks that added to the vibrant atmosphere. Highlights of the day included the dance competition, costume parade and House singing. Congratulations to Padua, the overall winner of the House competition! Siena followed in second place, Clairvaux secured third place and Loyola came fourth.
Earlier this week the Victorian Government and the Australian Education Union reached a new agreement-in-principle to increase pay by at least 28.3 per cent in government schools. In our Catholic system, teachers and support staff make an extraordinary contribution to the success of our students and school communities. Negotiations are also underway for a new enterprise agreement to recognise this work through improved wages and conditions.
The Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) has been negotiating for a new cooperative agreement on behalf of 34 Catholic education employers, including our school, since early 2025. While negotiations are ongoing, Catholic schools have committed to matching the total percentage wage increases provided by the state government in government schools. While these changes will be government-funded in state schools, Catholic schools will not receive additional funding to cover the extra costs. These expenses will need to be absorbed through our standard budget and planning processes – a significant change that will take time to manage.
We are currently planning and budgeting for 2027 to ensure we remain well-placed to support our staff, students and school community. Throughout this process, our focus remains on delivering a high-quality Catholic education for every student. We are fortunate to have an outstanding team, and we deeply value the expertise, hard work and care they bring to our school every day. We will provide further updates as negotiations progress.
You will have received the Student Progress Check on Monday 17 August. This report provides a snapshot of your daughter’s progress, focusing on study habits that support effective learning. Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on Monday 24 August, between 3.30pm and 5.30pm. If a teacher has requested a meeting, I strongly encourage you to book a seven-minute appointment – either onsite or via Google Meet – using the instructions emailed to families. To prepare for these conversations, you can review work in Canvas/Assignments, our continuous reporting platform, to view assessment results, teacher feedback and final grades.
As flagged last week, please note that tomorrow, Friday 21 August, is a student-free day.
| This Week | |
|---|---|
| Week Six | |
| Thursday 20 August | Clairvaux Feast Day |
| Friday 21 August | Student Free Day |
| Next Week | |
|---|---|
| Week Seven | |
| Monday 24 August | Parent Communication Afternoon 3.30pm to 5.30pm Onsite and Online |
| Tuesday 25 August | Arts Day Evening Showcase 6.00pm to 8.00pm McAuley Hall | Sacred Heart College |
| Wednesday 26 August | Year 8 Faith Day |
| Friday 28 August | Wear it Purple Day |
| Future Planning | |
|---|---|
| Week Eight | |
| Tuesday 1 September | VCE Music Evening 6.00pm to 7.30pm McAuley Hall | Sacred Heart College |
| Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 September | Year 9 Camp |
N34 Bus – After-school pickup location change
Students and families are advised that the after-school pickup location for the N34 bus will change next week.
From Monday 24 August, Sacred Heart students will board the bus at the first stop on the Geelong College side of Aphrasia Street, near their oval scoreboard. This bus will depart at 3.35pm.
St Joseph's College students will continue to board the bus from the stop out the front of Bambini Childcare.
Please see the updated timetable provided by McHarry's below.
| Matthew Flinders and Newtown to Armstrong Creek - N34 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Departs | Matthew Flinders, Little Myers St Interchange Southside | 3.28pm |
| Sacred Heart students ONLY - Aphrasia Street near Geelong College oval scoreboard | 3.35pm | |
| St Joseph's students ONLY - Aphrasia Street corner Claremont Avenue at Bambini | 3.36pm | |
| Unity Drive corner Sovereign Drive, Villawood | 4.03pm | |
| Warralilly Boulevard near Silky Oak Lane, Warralilly | 4.15pm | |
| Bluestone School Road Connewarre | 4.20pm | |
| Arrives | Barwon Heads Hotel | 4.35pm |
The times shown are the major points of the trip. The bus services other stops in between unless otherwise stated.
Second Term Three Uniform Audit
As part of the College's ongoing efforts to ensure consistent expectations regarding the College uniform, please note that an additional uniform audit will take place in the coming weeks.
Unlike the audit on the first day of Term Three, the date for the second audit will not be announced.
Students are asked to maintain high standards with the College uniform, which includes wearing the PE uniform only on permitted days and adhering to expectations regarding jewellery.
In advance of the audit, families are welcome to view the College's Uniform Policy by clicking the button below.
Each year, one copy of the Mercedes Yearbook is given to each family at the end of the year. If you would like to order additional copies of the 2026 Mercedes Yearbook, you can do so by clicking the link below. Extra copies are $20 each. Please order by the closing date of Friday 18 September 2026.
We look forward to sharing a look back over the year through this publication.
On Tuesday 1 September Sacred Heart students will be undertaking a survey during Mentor Group time to measure Sacred Heart's school climate as they see it. School climate represents the collective norms, values and relational experiences that dictate how safe, welcomed and respected staff, students and families feel within a school community. Extensive research demonstrates that a positive school climate, built on strong relationships, high trust and high expectations, is vital to overall school success.
To effectively foster and maintain a positive climate, schools require reliable and actionable data from key stakeholders. The NSI School Climate suite, developed through research at Curtin University, offers validated tools designed to measure these crucial climate factors. By systematically gathering perceptions from students on an ongoing basis, leadership teams can make informed, evidence-based adjustments to their practices and continuously track the effectiveness of their growth strategies.
Some points provided by NSI Partnerships, who have created the survey include:
| Event Details | |
|---|---|
| Date | Monday 7 September 2026 |
| Time | 6.00pm |
| Location | Sacred Heart College Geelong |
| Tickets | $50.00 per attendee (this includes students) |
| RSVP | Tickets close Monday 31 August |
Tickets for The Fifth Quarter Father’s Day Dinner featuring Geelong Cats legends Stevie J and Cameron Ling have been selling quickly. If you wish to attend, you still have time to book your tickets.
Whether you’re celebrating with your dad, grandfather, or a special father figure, join us for a fantastic night of great food, legendary footy stories, fun trivia and great company!
Did we mention we have a 2026 Geelong Cats guernsey signed by the ENTIRE 2026 team? Well, we do! If you wish to be the new owner of this guernsey, book your tickets to this event. Please note: only guests in attendance can win this item.
Please refer to the Compass News Feed for all year level reminders.
Compass will continue to be our primary form of communication with families, where we will share information for events, booklists, photo days, student reports, updates etc.
Students can access their timetables via Compass.
Students wishing to discuss potential changes to programs of study should contact Amanda Moody, Timetable Coordinator. Contact can be made via email at mljsubjects@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au.
It is important to remind our College community of the high expectations we have of each other. The 'SHC Way' emphasises the importance of commitment to excellence and respect, including following school expectations.
Being a part of a community involves committing to the same norms and values. Please ensure you are aware of and commit to the following:
Students and visitors can enter and exit the College grounds via the Retreat Road pedestrian gates.
A reminder to families that the George Street gate is not to be used for student drop-off or pick-up. This entry is for staff and construction contractors only as it is not a designated pedestrian entrance. In the interests of safety, please use the Retreat Road pedestrian gates.
Alternatively, students may also enter via the Court Precinct on Aphrasia Street between 8.00am and 9.00am.
Notifying Absences via Compass
Families are asked to notify the College of absences via the Compass App. This can be completed by logging in through a web browser or via the app if on a device.
After selecting the reason for absence, you may wish to add further information about the absence.
While Compass will be the preferred method for notifying absences moving forward, families are still welcome to notify the College via SMS 0419 959 693 or via email info@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au
Financial Assistance
I encourage our families who are experiencing financial hardship to please contact the College so that we may assist. Further details are available here.
College Policies
The following Mercy Education policies are available here: College Policies. They can also be accessed by clicking the links below:
Reception
For general inquiries, absences, or if you require assistance in being directed to a specific department, please contact Reception at:
Phone: (03) 5221 4211
Email: info@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au
Mentor Group Teachers
For matters related to your student's education, the Mentor Group Teacher should be the first point of contact. Please refer to your child's timetable for their Mentor Group Teacher’s email address.
House Leaders
For any inquiries regarding your student's House, please contact the respective House Leader:
Finance
For all fee-related queries, please contact the Finance Department:
Email: areceivable@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au
IT Help Desk
For IT-related assistance, please reach out to our Help Desk:
Email: helpdesk@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au
College Admissions Officer:
For all inquiries regarding student admissions, please contact:
Email: admissions@shcgeelong.catholic.edu.au
To access 2026 Semester One Principal's Updates, please click here.
Lord, please hold your artists in your care.
Remember those who mirror goodness and the resilience of the human soul through their craft.
Remember all whose voices rise in eternal melody, and those who express their inner spirit through music, both powerful and gentle.
Remember those who apply colour to canvas, sculpt wood, stone, or marble, and transform humble metals into objects of grace; those constructing from the ground toward the heavens.
Remember those who transcribe reflections via technology or ink; the searching poets, the playwrights who examine and declare, the creators of story, and all who work with the interplay of cinematic light.
Remember actors guided by the Spirit and dancers who journey through space.
Remember each of these creators whom you have woven into our community.
Amen
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