Dear Parents/Guardians, Students, Staff and Friends of OLSH College,

It is with tremendous pride that I share the exciting news that Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College has been named one of The Educator’s 5-Star Best Schools for 2026.

This national recognition celebrates schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to educational excellence, student wellbeing, innovation, inclusion, and the holistic development of young people. For OLSH College, it is a significant affirmation of who we are, what we value, and the extraordinary community we have built together.

As we celebrate our 75th year, this award provides an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable journey of a College that has long been at the forefront of girls’ education. For generations, OLSH College has empowered young women to grow in confidence, courage, faith, and purpose. Grounded in the vision of our founders and inspired by the OLSH charism, we continue to nurture students who are not only academically capable, but also compassionate, resilient, and committed to making a positive difference in the world.

The Educator’s 5-Star Best Schools Award is determined through a rigorous assessment process across six key pillars: innovative extracurricular opportunities, comprehensive student support, safety and wellbeing initiatives, technology-enhanced learning, diversity and inclusion, and holistic student development. To be recognised nationally in these areas is a testament to the strength of our educational offering and the authentic care that underpins every aspect of College life.

At the heart of OLSH College is a vibrant and inclusive community where every individual is known, valued, and encouraged to flourish. Our vision, “A vibrant, inclusive, and hopeful community in which each individual is valued as we engender a passion for learning, nurture faith and challenge injustice,” is far more than a statement. It is reflected in every facet of College life, from the pursuit of learning in our classrooms and the spirit of teamwork on our sporting fields, to creativity in the arts, growth through faith experiences, and the authentic relationships that define our community.

Our culturally rich community, representing many backgrounds, traditions, and stories, provides students with opportunities to broaden their perspectives, deepen their understanding of others, strengthen their faith, and develop a genuine commitment to social justice. These experiences prepare our girls and young women not only for success beyond school, but also to become thoughtful leaders and active contributors to society.

Importantly, this recognition belongs to every member of the OLSH College community. Excellence is never achieved in isolation. It is the result of dedicated staff who inspire and care for our students each day; families who partner with us in their daughters’ education; students who embrace every opportunity with enthusiasm and determination; and the many past students, staff, and families whose contributions have shaped our College across more than seven decades.

There is a powerful truth in St Paul’s reminder that we are one body with many parts. Each member brings unique gifts, talents, and perspectives, yet it is when these gifts are united in a shared mission that something truly extraordinary emerges. This award celebrates that collective spirit. It reflects the reality that, through faith, hope, love, and a shared commitment to our mission, the whole becomes far greater than the sum of its individual parts.

This achievement is a celebration of our OLSH Pillars of Education in action: Reverence Relationships, Pursue Excellence, Touch the Hearts of Others, and Faith-Filled Living. It is these pillars that continue to guide our work and inspire our community.

We are honoured to receive this recognition from The Educator and grateful for the opportunity to continue our mission of empowering young women to learn, lead, and flourish. Together, we celebrate this achievement and look forward with confidence and hope to the future that lies ahead.

Maria Urbano
Principal

On 27 August, the OLSH family acknowledged what would have been the 189th birthday of Mother Marie Louise Hartzer, the first Congregational Leader of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

Current OLSH College families with a daughter in Year 4, 5 or 6 are reminded to ensure an Application for Admission has been submitted if you wish for your daughter to commence Year 7 in 2029, 2028 or 2027 respectively.

If you need assistance in this area, kindly email our Registrar, Mrs Benita Bailey, at [email protected]

Please note that limited places are available for Year 7, 2027 and the Transition Program is already underway. To ensure your daughter can take advantage of the remaining transition events and opportunities, we encourage families to submit their application as soon as possible.

Earlier this term, Leia Parish and I were the fortunate staff members to be selected to attend the annual immersion trip to Bathurst Island. This immersion is an incredible way to see the pillar of touching the hearts of others in action, especially the section regarding helping remote indigenous communities. To say the experience was life changing does not do justice to the time we spent on Bathurst Island. 

Leia and I, as well as our colleagues from OLSH Bentleigh and OLSH Kensington, were welcomed to Bathurst Island with open arms. From the moment we stepped off the Ferry, we were warmly welcomed by Sister Anne Gardiner. Sister Anne is truly an inspiration; from the way she cares for all people she comes across to the way she is across what is happening on Bathurst Island. It is hard to believe she is 95 years old! 

Some of the experiences we had while on Bathurst Island included: 

Starting at the beginning of Term 3, the Winter Food Drive was an initiative put in place to raise awareness of the growing issues within our wider community, particularly homelessness and food scarcity, while also taking meaningful action to help combat these issues.

Running from 20 July to 19 August, the food drive aimed to encourage the OLSH community to come together and support those who may be experiencing hardship. We initially set a goal of collecting 500 items, and I am incredibly proud to share that we surpassed this goal by collecting an amazing 1,131 items for St Vincent de Paul.

Reaching our 500-item goal also meant we were able to celebrate with a pyjama day, giving everyone an opportunity to have some fun while recognising the privilege we have and also the generosity and effort that went into making the food drive such a success. On this day, students were able to note the scale of their contributions by playing Pictionary, where the 1,131 items collected were represented visually and used to create beautiful sculptures and other art pieces.

The donations collected will provide valuable support to individuals and families within our wider community who are experiencing food insecurity and hardship. While each individual contribution may seem small, together, our donations can make a meaningful difference to those who need it most.

As Social Justice Captain, I am so proud of all the OLSHies who participated in the Winter Food Drive. Seeing our school community come together, show compassion and take action for others has been incredibly rewarding. Thank you to everyone who donated and contributed to making this initiative such a success! ❤️

Norah
Social Justice Captain

At the 2026 annual conference in August for LETASA (Legal Studies Teacher’s Association of South Australia), OLSH College’s very own Leader of Learning for Humanities and Social Sciences, Mr Brett Jenner, was recognised for his outstanding work and was presented with a Service Award.

Brett joined LETASA’s Executive Committee in 2017 and has been an EduSA Representative 2018-2020, coordinating LETASA’s involvement in the EduSA ConnectEd Conference in 2024. He’s also been the Publications and Distribution Officer since 2021 and oganiser of Just Lawful presentations to students since 2023.

In addition to all this, Brett has occupied the role of Treasurer and Vice President since 2025, has been writer and editor of Just Right (a Stage 1 student resource) as well as writer, editor, and co-formatter of Legally Speaking (a Stage 2 student resource) and of the LETASA Trial Exam since 2021.

Brett has been a teacher outside of the classroom by generously mentoring new LETASA committee members and new Legal Studies teachers and presenting at various LETASA Annual Conferences (usually in the areas of Sports and the Law and/or the Australian Constitution).

It is not a wonder, with all of these achievements, that Brett has been honoured with this well-deserved award and we are indeed lucky to have his experience and skill as a leader and teacher at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. Congratulations and well done, Brett.

Michael Roberts
Teacher

Victoria recently competed in the Coast to Coast Miss Australia Pageant, representing South Australia, and achieved an outstanding result. She was awarded the title of Grand Supreme Miss Australia in her age division, which has earned her the opportunity to represent Australia at an international competition in the USA next July.

Victoria is extremely grateful for the opportunity and is excited to continue her pageant journey, meet new people, represent Australia and make her school and community proud.

Congratulations Victoria!