Welcome to our final Newsletter of the term. This newsletter looks back on the term we are celebrating and forward to the term we are planning. Terms a like book ends of school life. Between the start of term and up to the last day of the same, schools are alive with the lines of learning and breathing with stories of friendship, triumphs, and challenges. Outside of those times, the shelves of school are quiet and bare as we all take a well-earned breather from the adventure of those pages. Pretty soon we will be back in amongst the next set of stories- book ended by the start and end of Term 2. For now, I wish everyone at SBE the time, the space, the quiet and the rest to re-energise over the holidays. In doing so you will find the drive to become the heroes of your own story next term. Have a great break and look after yourselves, knowing that you have achieved great things, with more ahead to be done.

Key Dates for Term 2

As you break, rest and reenergise, I would draw you attention to key dates for the start of Term 2. As always this document is a heads up of key dates and all details will be provided leading up to the event, especially clarification of start times or any immediate changes needed. I post this to assist parents with their planning. 

Please note - First date of Term 3 – Wednesday 26th April

The importance of Holy Week and Easter Season

The liturgical events of Holy Week are  the most powerful and important of our faith traditions. When I was younger, I often wondered how things could turn so badly for Jesus so quickly. Last Sunday, we celebrated Palm Sunday with Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. By Holy Thursday he will have shared his Last Supper with his friends, leaving us with the lasting lesson of serivce (washing of the feet) and remebrance (the breaking of bread and blessing of wine). He then goes on to be arrested before being placed on Trial and Crucified on Good Friday. And to think that sometimes, we think we have bad weeks?.

So many truths are at the core of these events (and people spend their lives studying them) but one that rings true for me is the commitment to mission that Jesus maintained throughout the events. Even as they ran their course for the worse, he stood strong to his core teachings at the risk of angering those who would do him harm. I am sure he could see the writing on the wall (even if he did not know God's plan as he did) but he also knew that to turn away from the mission and the course he was set upon would detract from the importance of his teachings as we have since come to understand them. What incredible courage.

WHy GOOD Friday? Well yes its because of the good news that Jesus died for us. But what does this actually mean? For me, it is the goodness of Jesus, the strength, the courage, the resilience and the love and oeace he showed us in the very act of standing true for us at a time when he could so easily have hidden. The power of this lesson modelled for us by Jesus on Good Friday speaks to the heart of my own faith. I pray I never face a cross such as the one He did but I also pray that whatever cross I do face, I have but a whisper of that courage and commitment to my true self that Jesus shows us on Good Friday. I also take time during this week to pray for so many who carry crosses everyday with that same courage and truth. I have nothing but admiration for those who do with such dignity and power, but just like Jesus, I pray that their burden is eased and better yet, taken from them.  
And then we get to the absolute joy, the power and the mystery of the Easter season. That one is almost easy compared to the stark contrast of the events of Holy Week. I will speak more about Easter in the new term. Interesting fact, the celebration of Easter continues right up to Pentacost Sunday which is late May. So, we have plenty of time to eat all those chocolates :-).  

Tied together this week in all its mystery, challenges and triumph are what makes our Christian faith so powerful 2000 years after the events. 
Have the most holy and special Easter with your families. Together, may you always find the strength and courage that Jesus showed us so powerfully during Holy Week and may you experience the joy and mystery of the Easter celebration.

Have a great two week break everybody. Thanks for an amazing term and I look forward with great confidence to Term 2. 

Jules Mulhearn 

School Office 

Phone: 4958 1858

Email: admin@edgeworth.catholic.edu.au

Admin/ Finance Officer Suzi Di-Nardo Monday to Friday

Admin Office Bronwyn Lynch Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

School Fee Accounts 

Statements are sent out at the beginning of each month. You should have received a statement this week. If you have not received this please contact our office.

Health card and Pension card discounts have now been processed along with any sibling discounts that may apply to your family.

Please arrange for a regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly Bpay, Direct Debit or an annual payment.  If you are paying by instalments we ask that your first instalment is made by 31 March and the debt extinguished by 30 November 2023.  If paying in full please ensure this payment is made by 30 June 2023.

Additional costs may apply throughout the year for representative sport and other extracurricular activities.

Payments can be also be accepted at the administration office between 8.30am-3.00pm Monday to Friday or credit card payments can be taken over the phone. 

Thank you for a wonderful first term.

Wishing all our families a lovely Easter break and a safe return to Term 2.

Holy Week

This week marks a very special time in the churches liturgical calendar. Commencing from this Thursday where the church celebrates the Last Supper through to Easter Sunday and onwards to Pentecost Sunday. This time in our churches year is a great

reminder that Christ died and rose once and for all and for each one of us. His death and resurrection can transform our lives as we endeavour to live lives that know the freedom of goodness – lives that have love for our neighbour, lives that respect all creation, lives that restore hope and mercy. An important part of this season of the churches year are the Masses and Liturgies. I encourage all of our families to take the time to participate in at least one of these. For Mass and Liturgy times throughout the Maitland - Newcastle Diocese you can downlad this app and you will have access to all of the Mass and Liturgy times for any church within the diocese. https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/mass-times-app/

Finally, I invite you to follow this link to listen to Bishop Michael Kennedy's first Easter message as our new Bishop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfj7ww5p4Qw  

In the Footsteps of Jesus at SBE 

Happy Easter or is it Happy Resurrection Day?  

I know this is a little early but not too early to be thinking about this :) As Easter Season starts this Thursday.  It got me thinking, how do people view this season of the Churches year? How do you view it? What does it mean to you? 

The celebrations of Easter will be a distant memory (except for the overload of Easter Eggs in your fridge) by the time we return to school. However, the Easter Season lasts for 50 days up until Pentecost Sunday: the birthday of our Church. 

Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy Easter. Please take the time to reflect with your family what this season really means for you. May God bless you and keep you safe these holidays. 

SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

SAVE THE DATE: A reminder if your child made their 1st Reconciliation last year (2022) they are eligible to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation next term. Lessons commence on Tuesday 23rd (Holy Cross School Glendale) or Thursday 25th (St Benedict's School Edgeworth) May at 3:30pm. You are able to attend lessons at either school. More information will come home with specific dates, times and general information in week 1 of term 2. 

Yours in faith,

Miss Michelle Collins

(Religious Education Co-Ordinator)

Term 1 achievements!

We hit the gound running with the implementation of the new K-2 English and Mathematics syllabus in all of our Infants classes. This was supported by the InialLit program to explicitly teach components of the English syllabus and the integrated maths units to consolidate concepts and make connects in Mathematics.  

Our primary classes in Year 3-6 began using the Sound Waves program in Spelling and Essential Assessment in Mathematics to assess, plan and create individual learning plans to compliment thier teaching programs. 

To ensure consistency within each grade, the teachers have been participating in 3 week data cylces focussing on a chosen Mathematical concept or skill. In these PLT (professional learning team) meetings, the teachers analyse data, celebrate individual and whole class successes and collaboratively plan for 'where to next'. These PLT meetings will continue throughout the year. The data from these meetings is displayed and updated regularly to devleop a sense of ALL children in our school belonging to EVERYONE! 

In week 4, we successfully launced our BYOD program for Years 5 and 6. Thanks to the committment, knowledge and hard work lead by Mrs Lewis.The children and teachers have taken to this like a duck to water!  

We introduced assessment rubrics in Writing and the whole school completed a 'cold write'. This writing sample was used alongside the rubrics to assess students and establish specific goals. These writing goals, along with a Maths goal, were communicated to parents in our first ever Term 1 parent/teacher meetings!

Our Learning Walks and Talks have continued and we are seeing the students gaining a great understanding and depth about their learning.

School Cross Country

Ribbons were handed out to our School Cross Country Age Placegetters, at Monday's Morning Assembly. Good luck to our students who have been selected to represent St Benedict's at the Diocesan Championships at Maitland, next Term in Week 3.

Swimming - Polding Championships

Congratulations to Kiani Miller who represented our Diocese at the Polding Championships held at Homebush Olympic Pool, last Thursday. Kiani recorded a personal best time in finishing 2nd in her heat of the U9's 50m Freestyle event. A wonderful achievement Kiani.

AFL Stars

Congratulations to Caleb Isaac who competed in the Polding AFL selection Trials at Bateau Bay on Tuesday. Caleb was selected in the Polding Team to compete in the NSW State Titles at Batemans Bay in May.

Caleb will join Hannah Gossage who will be competing at the same level in the Girls competition. It is indeed a remarkable achievement for St Benedict's to have two AFL representatives at this elite level!

BYOD Success!

As we come to end of a very busy term, I would like to take some time to reflect on the progress of our BYOD implementation. Over the past 7 weeks students and teachers in Year 5 and 6 have transitioned into their new learning platform with open minds and a can do attitude. The integration of laptops into our learning has been met with high engagement and a willingness to explore beyond the traditional methods. Students have successfully completed the introductory phase of our implementation timeline and will move into the established phase in term 2.

Students have been introduced to Microsoft Teams as their classroom home base. Students use this platform to work on and submit learning assignments, contribute and respond to class conversations and forums, complete quizzes and surveys and access a range of Microsoft tools.  Ask your child/ren to give you a tour of their class team.

Students have been busy exploring Microsoft Sway and Microsoft PowerPoint to present their learning in a range of subjects. They have used their devices for a multitude of context and subjects including Essential Assessment, Study Ladder, Typing, BTN, Research methodologies, Library/HSIE and Creative Arts.

In Year 6 have 'channels' for Science & Religion. In Science they are learning to interpret digital data. Students access websites via Teams and have been interacting with several coding websites.

Check out some of the incredible learning that has taken place this term.

The holiday break is a good opportunity to perform maintenance on your device:

• Please check and complete any updates on devices
• Please ensure that your device screen and keyboard is wiped clean with an antibacterial wipe and glasses cleaning cloth
• Check that your background is appropriate for class – G rated and ok for Mrs Mulhearn to see it
• Reset your mouse to the regular size and shape

Amanda Lewis

EASTER RAFFLE TODAY.

We had a wonderful turn out fo the Easter raffles at school today. thanlyou to hots families who donated prizes so that this annual tradition can contiue it is so wonderful to see the faces of our winners. 

DATES TO REMEMBER

• Thursday 6th of April – Easter Special delivered, Easter Raffle Drawn, 2pm at the Easter Hat Parade.
• Monday 1st of May – P&F meeting via Zoom at 7pm.
• Tuesday 9th of May – Mother’s Day Stall

MOTHERS DAY STALL

We are looking for some helpers to assist us with the Mother’s Day Stall on Tuesday the 9th of May. If you are available, please contact us via email parentsandfriends.sbcps@gmail.com. The school will be hosting the annual Mothers Day breakfaast and the details of this will be shared early in the new term.  

CANTEEN UPDATE

We are also still looking for more volunteers. If you have any spare time from 9am – 12pm on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays and are interested in volunteering in the Canteen please let the office and Canteen Supervisor Haley Fenwick know.  It can also be a one off occasion or a couple of times a year.  This will ensure the Canteen can remain open.

This week we have held two awards assemblies to finihs the term. Congratulation to the following students who recieved recongnition ofr thei learning, effort and improemvent at Monday's Award Assembly. 

PBL AWARDS 

We had an amazing number of student achieve their 50 Bennie milestone in the recent PBL cycle. What a great way to finsih the term. Congratulations to those students receiving their PBL certificate at today's final assembly. On track for great things in 2023

KR - Kyah-Jade Walker, Thea Doherty, Chloe Anderson, Raina Longdon

KB - Bonnie Novoselski, Clara Hungerford, Emily Haddad, Indi Eisel

1R -Cruz Mansley, Ivanna Bajracharya, Talia Walker, Zavier Thompson

1B - Maisie Huntriss, Oliver White, Ryder Marriott

2R - Sameer Dean, Jack Gloury, Eleanor Jewell, Juan Jerin

2B - Thomas Smith, Noah Bertwistle, Lincoln O'Brien, Harrison Cochrane, Heidi Fenwick, Eden Haynes, Dylan Judge, Lenny Heard, Charli Maddison, Marley Reid, Jack Clever inga, Hunter Marriott, Prisha Ghimire

3R - Phoebe Huntriss, Kiani Miller, Sophie Williams, Lewis McIlroy, Isaac You, Mila Manthey, Hamish Roberts, Sophie Atkins, Josiah Layburn, Taj Bennett, Lola Watts, Emily Topic

3B - Henry Bailey, Connor Fitzhenry, Hamish Platt, Scarlett Hunter, Bonnie Hungerford, Lyla Bashford, Isaac Rose, Bailey O'Malley, Finn Ryan, Vaida Johnson,

4B - Archer Guihot

5R  - Alex Curran, Bosco Thomas

5B - Scarlett Rose, Edith Watson 

6R - Caleb Issac, Kayla Williams, Beau Ryan, Matthew Cahill, Eli Guihot, Kahlani Lojszczyk & Molly Cochrane

6B-  Ava North, Nathaniel Vas, Zac Dimovski, Quinn Ferguson, Piper Fitzhenry, Kirk Gilbert, Brock Van Der Veer, Chayse Thomas, Connor Howell, Ruby Bennett

St Nicholas OOSH’s Autumn Vacation Care programs are now available – see attached.

As our Lake Macquarie families start to prepare for a couple of weeks of school holiday madness, we’d love you to share with them our latest digital edition of the FREE Lake Mac Family Life Magazine.

The Autumn edition is packed with:

• Connecting with Country
• Kids Day Out
• Lake Mac Autumn Fair
• School Holiday Programs
• Autumn Events
• School Holiday Movies
• Walking the Yuelarbah Track
• 6 x Giveaways!!!