FEEDBACK

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.” 

Proverbs 19:20

Feedback is everywhere in today’s world. From students and teachers receiving feedback to parents and businesses- it is everywhere! With social media and email, feedback can almost be instant.

At the conclusion of Term 2 parents were given feedback about their children's learning journey at St Bede’s via student reports. This is one method of feedback from St Bede’s. Thank you to the teachers who invested so heavily in the production of the school reports. Another opportunity for feedback were the parent teacher conferences that were held in Week 9. Thank you to the parents who made appointments to discuss the learning of your children. The conferences, whilst focussing on student learning, are also an opportunity for parents to provide feedback to teachers from a unique perspective. Conferences need to be prioritised and become a part of a much larger learning conversation.  

Teachers also receive feedback. We currently have staff working with a coach as we implement Catalyst and High Impact Teaching Practices and Initilit. At St Bede’s the quality of lessons and the learning program is of a high quality. Every 5 years each school undergoes a review and receives feedback on a whole range of matters. This provides an agenda of continuous improvement. We will undertake this review in 2023.

As you are aware, families were invited to provide feedback in relation to St Bede’s Primary School via the Parent Satisfaction Survey. Many of you would have received emails inviting you for your feedback. Thank you to those who took the opportunity to provide honest, constructive feedback in relation to all the questions provided. Additionally, if you feel you would like to meet to offer any feedback, please make an appointment to come and see me. I look forward to sharing this with the community in due course.

The scripture above offers some wisdom in relation to feedback. It really simplifies the purpose of feedback. Our hearts need to be open to feedback, we need to listen to feedback so we can gain. It also indicates that feedback is future focussed. It is about continuous improvement and improving the future in some way. That being said, what is not present in the scripture message is that feedback needs to  be constructive and of good quality. In short, the better the quality of feedback the better the feedback. 

The book of Matthew gives a fantastic illustration of how and when Jesus gave feedback to His followers. A large crowd was waiting for Jesus near the foot of the mountain where He had gone with Peter, James, and John to witness the transfiguration. In the meantime, a man with a demon-possessed child pleaded for the other disciples to cast out the demon, but they could not. When Jesus descended from the peak, a crowd waited for Him, along with the child’s father. Jesus didn’t hesitate to call out the disciples and the people for lacking the faith it took to heal the boy. Then He called for the boy and cast out the demon so the crowd could see the miracle. 

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Two big things stand out here: the timing and the audience. See how Jesus’ tone changed when He was alone with his inner circle, after they left the crowd and the emotions settled? He was coaching them. He was casting vision. Nothing would be impossible, He said, if only they believed.

I pray that as we receive feedback, that we interpret the feedback accurately, and receive high quality constructive feedback that allows our school to plan for future improvement.

Have a safe holiday period and we look forward to seeing all of our wonderful students back on Tuesday 19 July 2022.

Regards

Andrew

Staffing Update for Semester 2, 2022.

Year 2 Gold: Mrs Nikki Dwyer (Monday-Wednesday) and Mrs Lyn Herden (Thursday-Friday)

We welcome Mrs Nikki Dwyer back from leave. Nikki will teach 2 Gold and will return to the Religious Education Coordinator role. She will job share with Mrs Lyn Herden.

We warmly welcome Mrs Lyn Herden to St Bede's. Mrs Herden has worked in catholic schools for many years in NSW and the ACT.

Year 2 Blue: Mrs Breen Fox (Monday-Wednesday) and Mrs Cathy Ryan (Thursday-Friday)

Mrs Fox will teach 2 Blue for 3 days per week and share with Mrs Cathy Ryan. Mrs Fox and Mrs Ryan have job shared previously and will be a terrific teaching team in 2 Blue. Mrs Ryan was previously on Year 3 for Semester 1.

Year 3

We also welcome Mrs Laura Egan-Burt to St Bede's Primary School. Laura has over 20 years of teaching experience in primary and secondary schools. She will be a terrific addition to our staff.

Year 6

Mr Macintyre will return to Year 6 for 5 days per week. He will be on leave for the birth of his baby from Weeks 5-10. During this time Mrs Julie Douglas and Mrs Raelene Pryor will share responsibilites for Year 6. Mrs Pryor will teach Monday-Wednesday and Mrs Douglas Thursday-Friday. 

STEM

Mrs Liz Mihalopoulos will teach library and STEM for Semester 2. Her teaching days will be Monday-Wednesday. Mrs Mihalopoulos will continue to support with all technology matters in Semester 2.

Classroom Support 

We welcome Maryanne Schneider to St Bede's in the role of Support Assistant. Maryanne will work across the school in a variety of classrooms K-6.

Farewells

We farewell Mrs Caroline Kontny and wish her all the very best with her future teaching engagements. We thank her for her time and commitment to Year 6 during Semester 1.

We farewell Mrs Tea Austin who will be on maternity leave. We wish Tea and her family all the very best with the arrival of their second child. Mrs Austin will finish in Week 2, Term 3.

Thank you

Mr Macintyre ends his period of acting Religious Education Coordinator. We thank Ben for all of his work in Semester 1 while being a member of the Leadership Team.

Thank you to Mrs Elliott for teaching Year 2 in the morning session for Term 2. Mrs Elliott will return to 0.9FTE for Semester 2 (4.5 days per week).  

As previously advised, St Bede's will have a pupil free day on Monday 18 July 2022.  YWCA, who are our current before and after school providers, will provide care for students enrolled at St Bede's on those days.  Parents can enrol their child/ren by contacting YWCA on 6185 2000.  

This week the Director also announced 2 additional Pupil Free Days. They are Friday 5 August and Friday 9 September. Care will be available from YWCA on these days.

If parents need to enrol students into before and after school care at St Bede's, the website is https://childrens-services.ywca-canberra.org.au/school-age-care/

A massive thank you to the dads who hgave of their time to cook the bbq for our kids on Thursday. We appreciate you coming in and assisting our school community. We also extend a sneaky thank you to the mums who organised the food and the dads to cook the bbq. A great team effort!

Thank you to everyone who entered a suggestion for the renaming of the school newsletter. There were many terrific entries! It was terrific to see the creativity of our students and their families.

After much deliberation, the new name for the St Bede's Primary School newsletter is "The Truth Bede Told". Congratulations and thank you to Tamille for the suggestion.

On Friday 22 July (Week 1) our system will come together to celebrate NAIDOC Week with a mass at St Christopher's Cathedral commencing at 9.45am. Our school will send a contingent of 10 people to represent St Bede's Primary School. Permission notes will be via Compass very early in Term3. Transport will be with Mr Casey and Mrs Trow. The wider community are invited to attend this mass and do not need to RSVP.