Service

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

1 Peter 4:10

St Bede’s is fortunate to have a strong culture of service and stewardship. This value is shared by our families as they support their children and our school to be of service and to contribute to the St Bede’s community. We firmly believe in the power of service to transform, build character, and create a positive impact on the school community. 

Volunteering is a powerful vehicle for personal growth and community development. Our students actively seek out and promote diverse volunteer opportunities that align with students' interests and passions. From volunteering at school or within the community to fundraising and raising awareness, our students value the chance to contribute meaningfully to causes they care about. By engaging in these activities, students develop empathy, leadership skills, and a deep understanding of the importance of active citizenship.

Service holds significant importance throughout the Bible, as it reflects the heart of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ. What better example is there than Jesus who came to serve humanity so selflessly. In serving others, sharing our gifts and making a difference we are indeed serving Jesus Himself. Is this how we can share and let our true colours shine?

We have numerous examples of our students taking the initiative to serve our school community. Our Student Council (SRC) is one way that students can serve their class and our community. With Winter arriving, we had many volunteers raking leaves and tidying our school. Our Social Justice Action Group and our Year 6 leaders serve our community well and are examples to our students. These opportunities provide platforms for students to collaborate, plan, and execute meaningful community service activities that foster a sense of ownership and agency among students, empowering them to make a difference in their immediate surroundings.

We would like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to the exceptional students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to service. These exemplary students serve as role models for their peers, inspiring others to embrace service and create positive change in their own unique ways.

I would like to thank and acknowledge the following students for demonstrating service outside to others after school hours.

1. Maddie and Sophie (Year 4) caring for our school environment by collecting litter and gathering sports equipment on the weekend.
2. 2 weeks ago, Annabelle and Ainsley (Year 2) ran a cupcake sale to raise money for WWF to support endangered species. The girls used their own initiative to plan the event and to enlist assistance from their parents. Thank you to the families who made time on the weekend and supported this initiative.

Together, let's inspire a generation of compassionate, service oriented individuals who will shape a brighter future for all.

Regards,

Andrew

Reconciliation

This week students in Years 3 and 4 prepare to make their First Reconciliation. Reconciliation is a Sacrament of healing for the heart, it restores us. Like everything, the more we do it, the better we get at it. It is like a child who is learning to walk. We do not expect a baby to just get up and walk perfectly, with perfect balance and no supports. This is the same for reconciliation. We use the Examination of Conscience to assist us in preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and this will assist children to reflect on matters of the heart in being prepared to speak with the priest.

Often, before we experience reconciliation for the first time there will be some fear of the unknown and it takes time to learn to trust in the process. When children see their parents support this process it has a powerful influence on them. Some of the following questions will assist students to reflect on matters of the heart.

Reflection Questions:

Have I been paying attention to my responsibilities to God?

Have I prayed to God regularly?

Have I hurt my family or friends through my words or actions?

Do I hold grudges or not forgiven others?

Have I been disrespectful towards my family or friends?

Please pray for the students who are about to make their reconciliation for the first time, that they feel the comfort of God’s love and forgiveness.

Nikki Dwyer

Religious Education Coordinator

The Science of Reading – How the Brain Learns to Read

Our first parent workshop to support reading at home was a huge success! Thank you to those families who took time out of their busy week to have a conversation and gain some insight into how we use the Science of Reading at St Bede’s. Here is a small part of what we discussed last night.

The Science of Reading (SoR) is a body of research from education, linguistics, cognitive psychology, special education, and neuroscience. It is an evidence-based approach that looks at the essential cognitive processes for competent reading. At St Bede’s, we use the SoR to inform all instructional decisions regarding the teaching and learning of reading.

Dr Carolyn Strom (2022), explains that skilled readers are made, not born. Reading is a skill that must be explicitly taught like learning to swim or play a musical instrument. This is because our brains are not wired for reading and when children are learning to read, their brains are forming new neural pathways. Dr Carolyn Strom’s website is a treasure trove of easy-to-read information about how our brains learn to read. She also has excellent images to help understand the complex cognitive processes that are happening.

Here is the link to her website: https://carolynstrom.com/

You can also watch her webinar explaining how the brain learns to read and learn practical ways to support your child’s reading at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ozikJR3oY8

Haley Stonham

Curriculum Coordinator

Parent Teacher Conferences commence on Monday 19 June. This is an opportunity for parents to check in with their child's teacher to discuss learning and other aspects of school. Parents are asked to book sessions before Sunday. After this time, parents wanting to meet with teachers will need to follow the usual process of requesting appointments directly with the class teacher.

Parents are reminded of the following to assist in the smooth running of these conferences:

1. Please be punctual. Running late will almost certainly impact others.
2. Value time. Thank our teachers for their time and notify them if circumstances change and you can no longer attend.
3. Gather your thoughts prior if you would like to discuss something particular.
4. Be prepared to book another time to follow up or continue the conversation. 

Thank you to everyone for your orders for issue 4. It is amazing to see so many orders come through.  Please note that issue 4 ordering is now closed.

Remember, every order you make, St Bede’s receives 15% of the value of your order as credit. This is used to purchase more books and resources for our library.

Keep up the great work. So far, we have earned almost $600 in credit!

Keep reading,

Lisa Wright

Book Club School Coordinator

ACT Cross Country Championship

Congratulations to Georgia G for her remarkable 3rd place finish in the ACT Cross Country Carnival, 8-year-olds (1km) held yesterday at Stromlo Park. This outstanding accomplishment is truly magnificent and the St Bede's community takes immense pride in your achievement. Well done!

Darren Roberts

Sports Coordinator