What a remarkable week it has been as we came together to celebrate some of the most sacred and meaningful events in our school's calendar. We have been privileged to witness and participate in moments that deepen our faith, strengthen our bonds, and fill our hearts with gratitude. Let's take a moment to reflect on the events that have made this week so special.

Mass - Led by the extraordinary Mrs Stonham, Mr Mac, and the Year 1G students, the Assumption Mass on Tuesday was a beautiful display of unity and reverence. As we gathered to commemorate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into heaven, we were reminded of the importance of faith and the role of Mary as a model of unwavering devotion. The facts shared by our young students in their special presentation to Archbishop Prowse were impressive, as their love and joyfulness shone through. We also thank Mr Morwitch for playing for us and sharing his God given talents.

First Eucharist - On Wednesday evening, we were graced (once again, twice in one week!) with the awe-inspiring presence of Archbishop Christopher Prowse as we celebrated the First Eucharist. This sacramental milestone marked a pivotal moment in the faith journey of our young students. The significance of partaking in the Eucharist was beautifully emphasised through the Archbishop's guidance and profound insights. It was truly heart-warming to witness our students receive the Eucharist for the first time, their faces glowing with a mixture of reverence and joy.

We owe a heartfelt thank you to the dedicated teachers who worked tirelessly to prepare our students for this sacred occasion. Darren Roberts, Lisa Wright, and Levi Heffernan deserve special recognition for their commitment to nurturing not only the intellectual growth but also the spiritual development of our students. Their dedication shines through the confident and poised students who graced the events.

No celebration is complete without the enriching power of music. We extend our gratitude to Patrea Johnston and Adrienne Cullity for providing their angelic voices to enhance the beauty of the Mass. Their melodious tunes resonated with the hearts of all present.

As we conclude this week, let us carry forward the lessons learned and the memories made. Let the spirit of togetherness and devotion of the St Bede’s community guide us through the upcoming days. We thank our parent community who always and everyday walk with us in a partnership of respect, care and faith, reflecting our motto to Walk in Love and Peace. We really do appreciate you!

May we continue to work together as a community to nurture our students' spiritual growth, instilling in them the values of compassion, kindness, and a deep connection with their faith.

Today we celebrated National Science Week bringing to life the theme 'innovations for the future'. Students from across the school were challenged with constructing a paper plane with a twist. Participants had to incorporate a straw into the fuselage of the plane and fly their creation in one of three categories: furthest distance, longest airtime and/or coolest trick.

Congratulations to Hugo, Frankie and Elle for winning the respective categories and taking out St Bede's Champion!

Parents are invited to register and attend this free event on Tuesday 5 September 2023 at John Paul College. The session will commence at 6.00pm and conclude at 7.30pm. This session will ouline how the brain of children and teenagers grown and learn. 

What is resilience? (Raising Children Network)

Resilience is the ability to overcome a tough situation or difficult time and then get back to feeling just about as good as you felt before. It’s also the ability to adapt to difficult circumstances that you can’t change, and keep on thriving.

When you’re resilient, you are able to learn from difficult or challenging situations and be stronger in the future.

Why is resilience important? (Kids Matter/Be You website)

Helping children develop resilience and build their coping skills means they’re more likely to experience positive emotions, which supports their mental health and wellbeing now and into the future. 

Resilience is not something a person either does or does not have. It can be taught, it can be learned and it must be maintained. As we grow, we all develop particular beliefs about, who we are, what we are able to do, and who loves and supports us. If a young person has strong positive beliefs in these three areas they are more likely to be resilient in the face of adversity. Focusing on these beliefs and finding ways to develop an optimistic outlook will help build resilience in the whole family.

Some strategies to try:

• Find out what individual strengths your family members have, and notice what is working well.
• Have clear and consistent rules and boundaries for your child that they know and understand.
• Role model an optimistic outlook on life. Approach challenges and disappointments with humour and a “let’s try again” attitude (it’s good for your kids to see you persevere at something you are not good at).
• Expect your kids to do well but also support them to meet those expectations. Focus more on the effort rather than the outcome. Don’t avoid situations for fear of failure. Feeling sorry for your child is not helpful to them.
• Widen your child’s network by nurturing positive friendships and encouraging them to get involved in community activities, sports or other groups. This helps develop a sense of belonging, positive relationships and positive self-esteem.
• Allow your kids to make choices about the things they are able to. Give your kids a chance to make a meaningful contribution to the family through chores, and deeds that benefit others.
• Build a toolbox of relaxation or calming exercises that you can do as a family or time for reflection.
• Nurture your own resilience, learn what your internal beliefs are, about yourself and the world around you and decide if you need, or want, to start making changes for yourself.

For more information please visit the websites below;

Raising Children Network: http://raisingchildren.net.au/

Kids Matter/Be You: Building resilience in children - Be You

Amy Kennedy

Student and Family Counsellor

French Immersion Day will be held on Thursday 21 September.  There will be many French themed activities including a special lunch.  More details to follow!

Our wonderful Sarah's time is up in the Tuckshop at the end of 2023 so we are looking for our next parent volunteer(s) to take on the role of Tuckshop Manager!

This rewarding role plays an important part in our school community, providing lunches to students every Friday. It is a much loved service by not only the kids, but the parents! 

If you are interested in taking on this role, please email parents.stbedes@gmail.com for more information.

We are only 3 weeks away from our 60^th Anniversary Blue & Gold Gala Dinner. 

We have limited tickets available and tickets sales will close on Thursday 24^th August.

Tickets are $125 per person which includes a 3 course meal, 4 hour drink package (beer, wine, basic spirits included) a DJ and photo booth.  

There will also be a live auction, silent auction and a raffle on the night!

We look forward to seeing you there to celebrate our wonderful school community!