History:
Sacred Heart School was established in 1901 at the request of Fr Thomas Brazil, who arranged for a wooden building in Williamstown to be transported to a site adjacent to St Joseph’s Church. Fr Brazil then made a request to Mother Mary Mackillop for a community of St Joseph Sisters to take charge of the school. The school was opened on August 19, 1901 with an enrolment of over 100 children and 8 staff. Enrolments peaked at 810 children in 1959 and the school embarked on a building program for a new two-storey building, which even included a netball court on the roof of the school. Sacred Heart School celebrated its centenary in 2001.
Description:
Our school has a rich multi-cultural heritage with 34 nationalities represented and 39% of children speaking English as their second language. The predominant cultural groups are Anglo-Celtic, Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Vietnamese and Chinese. We have 11 classes: two Prep classes, one Year 1/2, three Year 3/4 and three Year 5/6 multi-age groups.
Features:
The school offers special programs of LOTE, Drama, music and physical education. Further support is provided by a pastoral care coordinator and a Reading Recovery teacher. Each classroom has three networked computers with Internet and email facilities, as well as three networked computers in the library and two in the staff room. The school has been very successful in implementing the CLaSS model of literacy. Parents assist with literacy as classroom helpers; as well as participating in many other school educational events and activities, including fundraising, social and welcoming, and maintenance groups.