RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

As we reach the middle of the school year and start another semester, it is timely to reflect on one of our school values, resilience. The other two being Respect and Responsibility. Resilience, or the ability to bounce back from challenges and persevere through difficulties, is a cornerstone of personal growth and academic success. It’s a trait that not only helps us navigate the ups and downs of school life but also prepares us for future challenges.

With the Olympic Games capturing our hearts and minds, we are reminded of the incredible stories of athletes who exemplify resilience. Each Olympic athlete we watch has faced countless hours of training, setbacks, and obstacles. Their journey to the podium is a testament to perseverance and grit. This spirit of overcoming adversity and striving for excellence is something we can all learn from.

Our faith provides a powerful foundation for understanding and developing resilience. The Bible offers many examples of resilience in the face of trials. One notable scripture that I have shown in my office is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This verse reminds us that with faith and divine support, we are empowered to overcome challenges and grow stronger through them.

I am continually inspired by the resilience demonstrated by our students, parents and staff at St Bede’s. It could be our students who strive hard during intervention to overcome the challenges of learning to read, those suffering injuries or illness that prevent them from participating in sport, facing setbacks in relationships and friendships, or even the heartache of grief and loss. We are blessed to be a part of a wonderful community that supports and builds each other up.

As we continue to support our students and the wider St Bede’s community, let’s remember to encourage them to face challenges with courage and a positive mindset. Whether it’s through academic challenges, sports, or personal growth, resilience is a valuable skill.

Let us continue to work together to foster resilience in our students, so they can face life's obstacles with confidence and grace, just like the Olympic athletes we admire.

Regards

Andrew

Each year St Bede's surveys our school community in search of feedback as a part of our cycle of continuous improvement. The survey window will open on Monday 5 August. The data collected is utilised to assist in setting the direction and Annual Improvement Plan of our school. Data is also shared via the Annual Report that is constructed each year. This is shared on our website.

We value the feedback from parents, students and staff. Not only are we in search of affirmation in relation to the things that we are doing well. We are actively seeking constructive feedback that informs us of what our community believe we could improve. Please be open and honest, yet constructive with your feedback.

Students - Years 4, 5 and 6

Students in Years 4, 5 and 6 will undertake the survey during class time. These surveys are anonymous and allow students to select from multiple choice questions and open ended questions.

Parents- All grades

Parents will receive a Compass message that outlines the survey and provided a link to access the survey. Only one parent is invited to complete the survey, however, more than one parent per houshold can if desired. These surveys are anonymous.

Staff- All St Bede's staff

All of our teachers and support staff have the opportunity to complete the survey. This is anonymous.

Snowsports

We have definitely hit the ground running with sporting achievements this term. Week 1 saw our St Bede’s Snowsports Team compete in the Regional NSW/ACT Snowsports Championships at Perisher. The fabulous weather made for a great time had by all. We are still awaiting official results but a huge congratulations to Eleanor who came first in her division and category for multi-class Alpine events. Louis also achieved a fabulous result, qaulifying for the National Championships in September. 

Well done to all those who competed.

K-2 AFL clinic

On Thursday last week our Kinder, Year 1 and Year 2 students participated in an AFL clinic. The students learnt some new skills and had a lot of fun!

South Weston Track and Field Championships

South Weston Track and Field Championships will be held this year on Thursday 22nd August at Woden Park. St Bede’s is hosting the event this year which is a big job but also very exciting. We will also be running the canteen. This is a great opportunity but to ensure that things run smoothly we need volunteers. If you are available to assist on the day or even the day before with canteen preparation, please contact me directly elyse.charles@cg.catholic.edu.au.

A compass message has been sent out to all students who qualified for events. Some students have been a little confused with the qualification process. This process is the same as previous years. The top two for each event qualify for the regional carnival. If there were multiple heats in particular events, it is the top two participants overall, not per heat.

Basketball

Year 5 & Year 6 have the opportunity to participate in a basketball tournament in the coming weeks. A compass note has been sent home and we need responses back as soon as possible so that we can register our teams.

Boorowa Carnival

Boorowa Carnival will be held in Week 2 Term 4. This is a great day out for all who attend. It doesn’t matter if you know how to play or not, it's about getting in there and having a go. We have had a lot of responses but if your child would like to attend and you have not accessed the Google Form, please email me. If you are able to assist on the day with coaching or umpiring/referee please let me know. My email address is elyse.charles@cg.catholic.edu.au

Touch Football

The ACT Touch Football season commences on Monday 14th October. The games will again be played at Deakin Playing Fields with Years 2/3/4 playing Thursdays at 5:10pm and Year 5/6 plays Thursdays at 6:00pm. This is not a school run event.

Consent and online boundaries: how to support your primary-aged child

Tuesday 20 August 2024

7.30pm - 8pm

We hope to you see online at our upcoming Term 3 eSafety Commissioner cybersafety talk for parents and carers.

As children begin to navigate the online world, they need to know how to make decisions around consent and boundaries. This 30-minute webinar will outline strategies for parents and carers, as well as support those hard-to-have conversations.

Please register here:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1244428795787444059

On Tuesday, Mitch Tembo visited St Bede's and sang to all of us. He sang original songs including two raps! One of the raps was ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. We also got to play a didgeridoo animal guessing game. Bertie, in Year 2, guessed the hardest noise…. It was a KOOKABURRA!

One cool thing was that Mitch Tambo took a big selfie with us all when we were dancing. Culture Club shared what we liked the most about Mitch Tambo’s visit. Here are some of our thoughts -

“I really liked the show because I guessed the sound and I got high fives.’ Bertie

“I danced like a super star and the show was really fun!” Meadow

“It was really loud but it was very nice because you could dance how ever you liked.” Clara

“My favourite song was ‘You’re the Voice’” Neve

“Mitch Tambo's song was good, but it was loud, but then I liked it. It was good!” Zoe J

Written by the Culture Club

Congratulations to our Kinder students who have reached the milestone of 100 days of school! We will celebrate this momentous occasion on Wednesday 7 August.

Students are invited to dress up as 100 years old to acknowledge this massive number! This could look like walking sticks, grey hair, braces, glasses, slippers, dressing gowns, shawls, hats, pearls and curlers! It is very open to your own interpretation.

Students are also asked to bring a collection of 100 items to help us represent and acknowledge the number! Without going to extremes, we ask that your child’s items fit into a sandwich glad bag. Ideas might include 100 pieces of pasta, beads, pegs, Lego, shells, lollies, stars, pretzels, etc. Remember to label with your child’s name.

We will also celebrate with 100 cupcakes, games and activities on the day!

On Thursday 8 August, the nurses from ACT Health will be onsite for Kindergarten Health Screening.

The screening is a free health service provided to all Kindergarten students enrolled in ACT schools and will check the students' eyesight, hearing, height, weight and their general health.

The following students received an award in Week 2:

WALK IN LOVE AND PEACE AWARDS

PRINCIPAL'S AWARD