Week 3 Term 2 2025

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We welcome Jo Livingstone, Deputy Principal from St John the Baptist School, Plympton, who will be supporting the leadership team throughout this period whilst Julie Hancock is recovering.

She is looking forward to becoming an active member of our school community and contributing to the ongoing expression of our Heart Spirituality.

Habemus Papam We have a new Pope

Pope Leo XIV emerged from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome to signify the beginning of a new Papacy with the words “Peace be with you”.

Attached is Archbishop Patrick O’Regan announcement of Pope Leo XIV.
__files/d/18879/Archbishop_ORegans_New_Pope_Announcement.pdf

Prayer

We take this opportunity to pray for our new Pope Leo XIV and for the Universal Church.

O God, shepherd and ruler of all the faithful, look favourably on your servant Pope Leo whom you have set at the head of your Church as her shepherd;
grant, we pray, that by word and example he may be of service to those over whom he presides so that, together with the flock entrusted to his care, he may come to everlasting life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
(Collect For the Pope, RM p. 1304)

Easter Mass

We thank 3P for leading our Easter Mass on Wednesday 7^th May. Our school came together to celebrate the risen Christ. Together we walked the journey of Lent, leading us to the triumph of Easter. May the Season of Easter fill your hearts with joy and hope.

The Easter season lasts for 50 days. We then celebrate Pentecost, which is the Christian celebration of the time the Holy Spirit descended to the 12 disciples of Jesus. As Catholics, we believe that the Holy Spirit blessed the disciples with the ability to speak different languages so they could spread the word of the Lord.

We had the honour of welcoming Father Santhosh and Father Rajashekar Gundiga, CSC—recently appointed Assistant to the Parish Priest—as our celebrants.

Next Mass: Wednesday 28th May at 9am led by 5/6L - All Welcome

Project Compassion

Thank you! We thank you for your generosity in joining us  to ‘unite against poverty’. We raised $567.00 via the Project Compassion Boxes, Pancake Day and online donations. In 2026 we will continue to support Caritas Australia through online donations.

Mother’s Day Breakfast and Liturgy

We celebrated the special women in our lives with a delicious breakfast - a small gesture of gratitude for the unwavering love and support they offer us each day.

We also extend our thanks to our SRC’s for leading the Mother's Day Liturgy. Their reflections reminded us of the boundless love of Mary, our Mother, reflected in the nurturing qualities of our own mothers.

May we always show respect and reverence for all who are mothers, and for those who care for us with a mother’s heart.

Sacramental Students

On Sunday 4th May, our Sacramental students Artie, Harley, and Eva-Lee were presented at our Sacred Heart Parish. They were joined by candidates from St Joseph’s Hindmarsh, St Michael’s Primary School, and the wider Sacred Heart Parish community.

All candidates received a special blessing from Father Santhosh and Father Rajashekar Gundiga, supported by the prayers of the entire parish.

We continue to keep Artie, Harley, Eva-Lee, and Norah in our prayers as they prepare to celebrate their Reconciliation and First Holy Communion on Sunday 17th August, at Sacred Heart Church, Hindmarsh.

If your child is aged 8 or older and has received the Sacrament of Baptism, they are welcome to participate in the next cycle of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion preparation beginning in Term 3.

To register your interest, please email Jhovana Fenu jfenu@ihm.catholic.edu.au

Catholic Education Week

This week we will celebrate the Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church and mark 180 years of Catholic education in South Australia.

Our religious curriculum will focus on Stories of Hope. Our students will embrace the following provocations:

In what ways can we bring hope and light to others as followers of Christ?
What are some ways we can shine brightly as a community to bring hope to others?
How can our actions, inspired by the light of Jesus, bring hope and light to others?
How do stories of hope from history or literature inspire you?

Scripture: Genesis 1:3 NRSCVE- Let there be light

The scripture below signifies the start of creation, bringing order out of chaos, offering hope that new beginnings are possible even in the darkest of time.

And the earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Sacred Heart Parish Bulletin

__files/d/18885/Parish_Bulletin_11_May_2025.pdf

Kind regards,

Jhovana Fenu
APRIM
 

High Impact Teaching Strategies

At IHM, we are committed to ensuring that every student receives the highest quality teaching, every day. As part of this commitment, several of our staff have recently undertaken professional development in High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS).

HITS are a set of research-based instructional practices that are proven to make the biggest difference in student learning. These strategies—such as setting clear learning goals, using questioning techniques, providing timely feedback, and structuring lessons for deep understanding—support our teachers to plan and deliver lessons that are engaging, targeted, effective and aim to have each student participate fully.  

“Engagement is not simply ‘on task’ behaviour, but involves active, intentional, and meaningful interaction with the content.”
— Hattie (2009), Visible Learning

Leading this initiative are our Leaders of Learning, Sonia Bianco and Catherine Hulley, who are participating in external CESA-wide HITS professional development and bringing their learning back to share with the wider staff team. Through in-house professional learning sessions, Sonia and Catherine are equipping all teachers at IHM with practical strategies to enhance classroom practice, ensure full participation from students and boost outcomes.

This ongoing professional learning is already having a positive impact in classrooms, with teachers trialling new ways to increase student participation, provide more explicit instruction, and support every child to achieve their best. 

We are proud of our staff’s dedication to continually improving their teaching practice and thank our community for supporting a culture of learning and growth at IHM.

Sonia Bianco and Catherine Hulley
LEADERS OF LEARNING

This Friday, we are celebrating Walk to School Safely Day!
We encourage all students to walk to school – even part of the way – to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.

Every child who walks through the front or back gate will receive a special IHM Walk to School Safely mini-certificate to celebrate their efforts.

Park & Walk: If you live too far to walk the whole way, try parking a few blocks from school and walking the rest together.

Form a Walking Group: Team up with neighbours or friends and walk to school as a group—it's safer and more fun!

Walk & Talk: Use the walk as a time to chat, play “I Spy,” or spot road signs and numbers—turn it into a learning moment!

Plan a Route Together: Involve your child in planning a safe walking route. Discuss road safety tips like using crossings and looking both ways.

Celebrate the Effort: Take a photo at the gate or celebrate with a healthy breakfast before you leave home—acknowledge their achievement!

✅ Walk Safely Reminder

Please remind your child to:

• Use pedestrian crossings where available
• Walk on the footpath, not the road
• Stop, look, listen, and think before crossing
• Hold a grown-up’s hand if they’re younger than 10 years old when crossing the road.

We’re looking forward to seeing lots of smiling walkers on Friday morning!

We will be participating in National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) 2025, taking place on Wednesday, May 21st at 11:30 AM.

This beloved annual event, organised by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), brings together children across the country to read the same book at the same time, fostering a love for reading and community connection.

This year’s featured book is The Truck Cat, written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell. The story follows Tinka, a cat who travels with his human, Yacoub, as they navigate themes of immigration, identity, and the search for home. When Tinka and Yacoub are unexpectedly separated, their journey to reunite leads them to discover more than they anticipated.

The Truck Cat has been recognised for its heartfelt narrative and beautiful illustrations, making it an excellent choice to inspire kindness and compassion in young readers.

Let’s come together to celebrate the joy of reading and the power of shared stories!