Welcome to the Week 3 Newsletter. The weeks once again slip by in the busy-ness of life. I have spent the last few weeks and several to come, meeting with families and students of our 2025 cohort. It has been such a pleasure to share our school with families and their young people, whether that be returning families or ones first joining our community. What I have noticed as I have walked around is the focused learning across all classrooms - different but focused. What I am prouder of is the joy and the welcome shared by our students to our new families. It has been a busy but wonderful few week and I want to thank the students for their part in opening up our school to our newest members. Enrolments close on May 24th. It is critical for any families with siblings due to start to have their application in by then. We will be unable to open up further enrolments until the first round of offers are accepted and even then, only if our Kinder cohort is not already full.

A reminder of some upcoming dates. Specifically, the School Athletics Carnival to be held on 31st May. An event will be published on COMPASS today for ALL students to attend. Permission is required as students will travel by bus. Please note that there will be no supervision at school on that day. More details will follow but most immediate is the permission required for all students via COMPASS.

A Save the Date calendar for the remainder of the term will be published next week. I will also circulate some end of year dates, specifically  the Year 6 Graduation dates to parents in the coming week as well. 

Catholic Schools Week 2024 - Follow Me

Next we celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This dedicated week provides a platform for schools to not only showcase their rich and vibrant Catholic identity, but to affirm their integral role within our local communities, highlighting the multitude of learning and faith experiences that occur every day.

Our theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is 'Follow Me!' (Mt 4:19), which draws on Jesus' simple yet profound invitation to walk with Him on a journey of discipleship. This invitation is not a mere call to walk alongside Jesus but an invitation to step out of the familiar confines of our personal "boats," the routines and securities we cling to, and embrace a life marked in trust, faithfulness, and love. As our schools express their love for God, they are inspired to cultivate a compassionate awareness of the needs of those around us. 

Our school's celebrations will be next Wednesday and will begin with a Whole School Mass and followed by an open classrooms session where parents and friends can "follow" the children on their learning journey. We will cap off the morning by hosting morning tea in the school hall. All are welcome to join us on this special occasion. 

Catholic Schools Week Celebration Morning

Catholic Schools Week Celebration Morning 446.99 KB

Tell Them From Me Survey 

Parents may remember the Tell them from Me survey that is conducted in all Catholic School in our Diocese every second year.

Developed by The Learning Bar and used extensively across all schol systems in Australia, the Student, Teacher, and Parent/Caregiver surveys will enable schools within our diocese to gain insights and direction in the factors that have a direct and profound impact on well-being and student learning within our school. 

A few Alerts for Parents and Students

Our school, as are all Australian Primary schools, is a No Hat No Play School. This makes alot of sense during the hotter months but despite assumptions otherwise, it still applies regardless of the season or the weather. The sun can damage in all conditions. In our Australian climate, it is the least we can do to protect our students from sun damage every day. The impact of that damage may seem a long way off to our young people but as an adult continually wrestling with that damage, sometimes in rather scary realities, I cannot stress enough how critical this simple expectation is.

Often students will claim that they are sitting in the shade at that moment and so needn't wear one but there are several problems with this. First, they do not remain in the shade - the inevitably wander. Second, the example it sets to other students who are not in the shade, is inconsistent. On occasions, students may even argue that they don't have to wear a hat because of their type of skin which is not a fair assumption for others with other skin types, nor is it true - sun damage can happen even if there is no sun burn.

The simplest, most consistent rule is - If you are outdoors, then you wear a hat.

I ask that all parents support their children to have a hat at school. Teachers will be placing the expectation on all students during all outdoor occasions- even at morning play, no matter the weather. We need to enforce the no hat no play rule to ensure the message is clear. Students without a hat will be sitting on the green seat outside of the staff room.  We have hats for sale in the office. These are part of the school uniform just like any other item we expect.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

This Sunday we will be celebrating the glorious outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles and disciples of Jesus, a momentous occasion that ignites our hearts with faith and sets our souls ablaze with divine love.

Pentecost isn't just another Sunday on the calendar. It is a wonderful celebration of God's presence among us and His continuous guidance in our lives. This special Sunday in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church marks a very special birthday - the birthday of our Church.

As we mark Pentecost this year, let's come together as a community filled with gratitude and excitement. Let's remember that the same Holy Spirit who filled the apostles with boldness and courage is alive and active in each of us today. It's a time to reflect on how the Spirit moves within us, guiding us, comforting us, and empowering us to live out our faith.

So, let's gather in prayer, let's sing songs of praise - our hymn at Monday mornings prayer pervice is an excellent example of how the Holy Spirit can "rock our world!" Let's take a chance and open our hearts wide to receive the gifts of the Spirit this Pentecost. 

A Prayer for the Holy Spirit

Spirit, who in the beginning hovered over the waters,

you are dwelling in me now.

Make me like you.

Helper and Friend,

surround me with truth and love.

Fill me with wisdom, discernment, and faithfulness.

By your strength and guidance,

may the love of the Father be illuminated through me.

Come now, Holy Spirit. Amen.

SAVE THE DATE!

We will be celebrating Catholic Schools Week here at St Benedict's on Wednesday 22nd May starting with our School Mass in the hall at 9:30am. More details about the days events to come.

Yours in faith,

Michelle Collins 

(Religious Education Coordinator)

Maths data update

At the end of last term, the staff at SBE engaged in our third PLT (professional learning team) meeting for 2024. During this collaborative meeting, the teachers analysed their data from their last maths teaching and learning cycle, celebrating students who showed pleasing growth and identifying any students who had any specific challenges. From this, they planned for the term ahead ahead, either keeping the same specific maths goal, or setting a new one. 

Below are the maths learning goals for each grade for the current teaching and learning cycle.

Spelling and Maths Bee 2024

We are thrilled to announce the commencement of two of our most awaited academic competitions: the Spelling Bee and the Maths Bee at SBE! These contests, designed to celebrate and challenge our students' language and mathematical prowess, are well underway, and the excitement is building for the school finals coming up in the coming weeks.

The Spelling Bee, a beloved tradition here at St. Bennies , showcases the exceptional spelling abilities of our students across all grades. From mastering challenging vocabulary to understanding the nuances of language, our participants are putting their skills to the test. Each round brings forth a new set of words, leaving us in awe of the depth of talent within our student body. The stage finals of the Spelling Bee will be held in the school hall on Thursday 30th May.

Meanwhile, the Maths Bee is in full swing, engaging students in thrilling mathematical challenges. From mental math to problem-solving, our students are demonstrating their proficiency in various mathematical concepts. Watching them tackle complex equations and puzzles with confidence is truly inspiring. The stage finals of the Maths Bee will be held in the school hall on Thursday 23rd May.

These competitions not only foster academic excellence but also encourage teamwork, sportsmanship, and a passion for learning. We are incredibly proud of all our participants for their hard work and dedication.

Stay tuned for updates on the progress of the Spelling Bee and Maths Bee. The parents and carers of the children in the finals will be notified via compass in the coming weeks. Let's cheer on our students as they showcase their talents and strive for excellence!

Expected behaviour matrix at SBE

As we continue on our school's wellbeing journey for 2024, we're excited to involve students and the parent community in shaping the expected behaviours for our students both inside the classroom and on the playground. Our past focuses have been on fostering friendship and belonging, respectful relationships, and mindfulness. Now, we're turning our attention to defining the behaviours that reflect our SBE values of Speak, Be, and Empower.

We believe that by involving both students and parents in this process, we can create a shared understanding of the behaviours that contribute to a positive and supportive school environment. Your insights and perspectives are invaluable in helping us create a behaviour matrix that truly reflects the values of our community.

To gather your input, we've prepared a brief survey where you can share your thoughts on the expected behaviour at St. Benedict's. Your responses will be collated alongside those of our students to develop a comprehensive behaviour matrix. The students will be focussing on this also during the next wellbeing cycle beginning today.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey.  Your participation is crucial in helping us create a school culture where every student feels supported, respected, and empowered to thrive.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in nurturing a positive learning environment for our children.

Kate Wilson 

Diocesan Cross Country

Best of luck to the following students who have been selected to compete in the Diocesan Cross Country Championships at Maitland today.

• 8/9 Year Girls: Chelsea Hunter, Eleanor Jewell, Amelia Gulabovski
• 8/9 Year Boys: Rhys Toohey, Cruz Mansley, Lincoln O’Brien
• 10 Year Girls: Isla Hopkins, Kiani Miller, Sophie Stewart
• 10 Year Boys: Isaac Rose, Henry Bailey, Connor Fitzhenry
• 11 Year Girls: Allira Weet, Lily Cassel-Denmeade
• 11 Year Boys: Archer Guihot, Axel Ferguson
• 12 Year Girls: Alexis Huntriss
• 12 Year Boys: Miller Burgess, Joel Heesen, Brady Leighton

Congratulations to the following students who were recognised for their efforts in Learning, Improvement and Kindness to Others last week. 

The school assists local organsiation to promtote their child related services, events and activities. The school is not directly linked to these events but we are happy to support the greater edgeworth and Cameron Park community.