PRINCIPAL'S WELCOME
‘Kood in libe’
Welcome to Sacred Heart School Beagle Bay
Sacred Heart School is a Catholic co-educational primary school catering for students from Kindergarten to Year 10. The school caters for 65 students, 61 of these are Aboriginal and the school has a very close relationship with the Sacred Heart Parish. The school also facilitates Aboriginals as First Educators (AFaFE) programme and welcomes families with children from 0-3 years of age to engage in early childhood development in a fun, family-oriented approach. Beagle Bay is steeped in a rich history of Nyul Nyul people, Aboriginal culture, and the beginnings of early Missionary work.
Sacred Heart School is a school in the Catholic tradition and therefore seeks to promote and develop the Christian faith and practice of its students, families, and staff. We are committed to knowing each child in our care to provide each of them with a challenging, safe, learning environment. We aim to develop the 'whole' person through a variety of rich learning experiences that encourage our children to grow into socially adept, caring, and spiritual people. Our hope as educators is to foster a love of learning that will hold our students in good stead for the rest of their lives.
As a Catholic school, Sacred Heart School receives its charter from the Bishop and is a member of the system of 158 Catholic schools in Western Australia.
I am both privileged and thrilled to be the Principal of Sacred Heart School where I have endless opportunities to work alongside Beagle Bay students, their families and all the dedicated staff and to learn about the important culture, tradition and story of the first Kimberley mission school and the Nyul Nyul people.
When staff, children and parents work together in partnership, we create a great recipe for a positive and thriving community where each child can develop a thirst for learning and reach their full potential.
Through our school vision, we seek to offer an education enlivened by the life of Jesus Christ where the dignity of each person and two-way learning are valued.
We believe the following is vital to the development of the whole person:
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Jesus Christ as the model for daily living.
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Parents as the primary educators of their children.
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A safe, supportive, caring environment where each child’s growth leads to life-long learning.
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Respect, tolerance, and pastoral care for differences of race, gender, beliefs, and capabilities.
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Care for our common home - our beautiful, unique environment.
Sacred Heart School aims to achieve this by:
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providing a rich educational environment with opportunities for the students to develop their potential spiritually, intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally, and creatively.
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creating an atmosphere to promote respect and sensitivity towards culture.
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promoting an awareness of the need to respect and care for each person and all of creation.
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encouraging communication, opportunity and rich experiences between parents, teachers, children, Parish, and community.
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fostering an environment where a relationship between Jesus and the child can grow.
In partnership with our families, sharing a common vision, we can work together to ensure that your child will become a responsible, independent, life-long learner. As educators, we want the very best for your child. It is our aim to provide a safe, affirming, and positive environment where your child will grow. Working hand in hand, we can provide the very best for our children. We look forward to your continued support and cooperation.
May God bless you and hold you in the Palm of His Hand.
Nicola Lee
Principal
EDUCATIONAL VISION (ETHOS)
Catering for Boys and Girls from Kindergarten to Year 10
The school has 19 staff, comprising of seven full time teachers, and eight full time Aboriginal teaching assistants, an Office Administrator, and an Attendance Officer. The school also has a part time cleaning person and Grounds person. The school is very fortunate to have dedicated staff members who have a genuine love of teaching and care for the children entrusted to their keeping.
The school identifies the importance of parent involvement and seeks ways to encourage the involvement of community members in the life of the school.
The education of the children at Sacred Heart is guided by the West Australian Curriculum (SCSA) and National Quality Standards. It is a framework for educating children from Kindergarten to Year Twelve. Staff members regularly attend Professional Development courses in all Learning Areas and are therefore well-informed on current educational methodology and pedagogy.
A strong Religious Education Program flourishes in the school. Father John Bosco, our Parish Priest provides liturgical celebrations and support for the Sacramental Programmes of Penance, First Eucharist, and Confirmation. Teachers are guided by the Religious Education Units of Work, as mandated by the Bishops of Western Australia. As a school, we seek to provide the children with a wide variety of experiences in Liturgy, incorporating cultural experiences.
A school Code of Conduct has been established and Pastoral Care of children, staff and parents is a strong focus of the school.
The school has developed and implemented a Literacy and Numeracy Programme, which endeavours to cater for the needs of all children. The school’s commitment in identifying children at risk in the early years of schooling is highlighted by the regular use of data in consultation with the expertise of an Educational Psychologist provided through the Non- Government Schools Psychology Services and other agencies.
Sacred Heart School has a major focus on raising Literacy and Numeracy levels and every child in the school completes related assessments at the beginning of the year.
Running Records (Reading) are recorded throughout each term. Ongoing assessment of the children guides our teaching. Professional Learning Community Meetings and Professional Development Days are devoted to building capacity and skills to enhance teaching and learning.
We are very proud of our AFaFE 0–3-year-old centre. Our ‘Moorrool Baab’ is a government funded programme which is growing from strength to strength. If you would like to be a part of this great team of parents and bubs, or would like some more information about the group, please make contact with us.
School incursions, excursions on country and camps are an integral part of school life, as these ventures enhance a child’s learning and social development. The Year 5/6 children and Secondary students may attend camps in Broome, Perth, or Sydney.
We provide a variety of learning opportunities throughout the year such as Football and Sports clinics, Theatre Kimberley, and Sci-tech, as well as round robin sporting activities and camps with other schools on the Peninsula.
As a Catholic School and as part of the on-going Mission of the Church, Sacred Heart School sees the importance of Evangelisation and on-going renewal of the entire school community. Our Evangelisation Plan is a living, working document. We proudly celebrate the Missa Kimberley Mass, sing the Aboriginal Our Father at our Masses and assemblies, and share in the Angelus daily.
A HISTORY OF OUR SCHOOL
The First Catholic School in the Kimberley
The first Catholic school in the Kimberley was established by the Trappist Fathers at Beagle Bay in 1892. It was a bi-lingual school where instruction was given in French and Nyul Nyul, the language of the traditional owners of the land around Beagle Bay. They also learnt to speak and sing in English and were taught Latin hymns.
The Pallottine Fathers and brothers took charge of the mission in 1901. The St. John of God Sisters arrived in 1907 and taught in the school until the 1970’s. Later, Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, Infant Jesus Sisters and Our Lady of the Mission Sisters taught in Sacred Heart School. The Mission ceased to operate in the mid 1970’s and the Beagle Bay community has been self-determining since that time, governed by an elected Community Council. However, at that time, the community invited the Church to continue to provide priests and a school.. Over time there has been a transition of leadership from religious orders to that of lay leadership. Mr Martin Jones is the current Principal.
SCHOOL TODAY
Education for Outlying Communities
Over the years, Beagle Bay has provided education for students from the outlying communities of Bobeiding, Munget, Imbalgun, Ladjardarr Bay, Billard and Red Soil, Middle Lagoon as well as distant parts of the Kimberley and beyond. The school now provides education for students ranging from Kindergarten to Year 10. Current enrolment is approximately 65. We also offer a 0-3-year-old programme, AFaFE (Aboriginal Families as First Educators). In addition to the Principal, there are seven teachers and eight Aboriginal Teaching Assistants as well as Administration, Grounds, and cleaning staff.
All buildings are air conditioned and well-equipped. All classrooms are networked and have access to the internet. Each classroom has a bank of iPads for student use, and Apple TV's. A recent Capital Development Program funded by the Federal Government has seen the school greatly improved and beautified adding a new secondary classroom, AFaFE room and school hall as well as refurbished toilet blocks and reticulation to the school grounds.
The school, along with CEWA, provides strong support for Aboriginal Teacher Assistants some of whom are enrolled in study courses through the Broome campus of Notre Dame University and Deakin University in Melbourne.
The school continues to grow and flourish as a proud Catholic school in the beautiful country of the Nyul Nyul people and Beagle Bay.