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This week is Harmony Week. Harmony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. It is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging. It is something that we at St Bede’s, staff, parents and students, strive for every day.
To be completely honest, over the past few weeks, it has been a challenge to be both a Catholic and an Australian. Reflecting on the events surrounding Cardinal Pell and the recent tragic events facing our New Zealand friends, we could be left wondering where God is in all this. How does this impact my faith? At the same time here at St Bede’s we are reminded every day by the generous and beautiful spirit of the children in our care, that we are so lucky to be a part of this wonderful community, feeling protected, respected, safe and happy.
We are not immune to the emotional turmoil that comes with these tragic events in New Zealand and it is important for us to acknowledge that these events can have profound effects on people. Perhaps all we can do right now is to remember all of those who are on the margins both within our society and around the world today and pray that all people, regardless of their differences, can strive to create cultures of acceptance and love to all.
Jesus was a great example of tolerance, acceptance and love. The Parable of the Good Samaritan was a story that speaks of exactly this type of love.
Below is a very appropriate prayer, given the current climate, that our staff shared this week you may also like to read.
Project Compassion
We have now launched our ‘Project Compassion Giving Tree’ and the first of the donation cranes were put on the tree today. Last week the Social Justice committee visited classrooms to view a video and to share with the children information about the work done to help those in countries who are in great need of clean, fresh water.
A big thank you to those families who have already donated.
Class Reconciliation
Years 3 and 4 will participate in a class Reconciliation next Wednesday afternoon. If you would like to have Reconciliation, you are welcome to attend and go to confession after the children.
Nikki Dwyer
Religious Education Coordinator
nikki.dwyer@cg.catholic.edu.au
Prayers of the People
(inspired by Luke 10: 25-37)
God of love, give us a deep love for you,
so that we can see the world as you see it,
feel the compassion you feel,
and be a people whose lives mediate your love to others.
So open our eyes that we might see what the Good Samaritan saw.
Grant us the insight to see the need in others,
the wisdom to know what to do, and the will to do it.
And so we pray for all those, who in many and various ways,
have been stripped, beaten and left for dead.
We pray for children who must grow up
in the most awful of circumstances,
especially for those starved of love, or food, or shelter or security.
May they receive the future you have planned for them.
We pray for those we might cross the road to avoid.
Who have been excluded socially because of their race,
their financial status, or their history.
May the dignity that is theirs be restored to them.
We pray for those whose need we would rather not face up to,
because it requires action of us,
those who suffer atrocities because of war, unjust trade rules,
or oppressive governments.
May the world receive a true picture of their suffering
and the factors that cause it, that justice may be done.
Open our eyes, that we might not cross the road from human need.
Give us a deep love for you,
that we might see your love at work in this world,
and that we might Go and do likewise.
South Weston Regional Cross Country Carnival
Congratulations to all those who participated in the South Weston Regional Cross Country Carnival on Monday, 3 June at Stromlo Park. St Bede’s had 28 students who participated which, for a small school, is a wonderful representation. As you know, St Bede’s also organised this event and, thanks to a wonderful band of volunteers from the St Bede’s P&F, a BBQ and canteen was supplied for the day. I personally would like to thank all involved as the day ran like clockwork and the refreshments were a great success.
Winter School Holidays Tennis Clinic at Red Hill Tennis Club, 8 - 12 July, Mon - Thurs, 8.00am -1.00pm (half day) or 8.00am - 5.30pm (full day). All standards - Kindergarten - 17 years, full stroke development – first timers will be serving over-arm by end of clinic! Enrolment forms at the Front Office or phone Matt McDonald, Professionally Qualified Level 2 Tennis Coach, on 0412 565 137.
IMPORTANT - If your child is interested in any representative sport, ACT School Sport requires that ALL nominations be lodged by parents. Trial information, etc is on their website and the link is School Sport ACT
Have a lovely weekend
Julie Douglas
Sports Co-ordinator
Join us for the Walkathon which will be held on Friday, 10 May, at 10.00am. All families are invited to walk too and make the day a great success. Sponsorship cards were sent home yesterday.
The sausage sizzle lunch is back! Thank you to Year 4 Class Contacts and parents. Please place your lunch order via Flexischools. The Snack Shack will not be open at recess.
Don't forget to bring in your donations for the P&F Easter raffle. Donations may be dropped into the front foyer by Thursday, 2 April, please.
The raffle draw will take place on Wednesday, 8 April.
Whole school event – P&F Easter Egg Hunt on this Sunday, 7 April from 10am - 11:30am at Old Parliament House Gardens on the Senate side. If you’re facing the entrance of Old Parliament House, find us in the gardens that are on the right hand side of OPH – just past the tennis courts. All welcome! Please remind children to bring their own basket.
REMINDER - If you have a last minute donation for the P&F Easter raffle, would you please drop into the front foyer by tomorrow at the latest to enable the prizes to be wrapped ready for the draw next Tuesday.
Sold raffle tickets are also due in tomorrow please.
HIGH SCHOOL ENROLMENT INFORMATION
This year is flying by and high school enrolment time will be here before you know it!
Just a reminder that you will need copies of documentation such as birth and baptismal certificates and reports including NAPLAN, etc.
The following students received an award in Week 3:
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Kinder Gold | Eddie M, Archie, Chloe |
Kinder Blue | Eddie D, Fox, Adam |
Year 1 | Zoe K, Xavier |
Year 2 | Felicity, Chloe L, Anastasia, William |
Year 3 | Hunter, Sophie K, Charlie |
Year 3/4 | Patrick, Elsie, Hugo, Liam |
Year 5 | Edward, Tom, Zalia |
Year 6 | Ruby H, Mikail, Tamille |
WALK IN LOVE AND PEACE AWARDS
Kinder Gold | Noah S |
Kinder Blue | George B |
Year 1 | Henry |
Year 2 | Mateo |
Year 3 | Mattes |
Year 3/4 | Sophie D |
Year 5 | Charlotte |
Year 6 | Abigail |
LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Principal's Award | Iggy |
There are better questions than ‘How much screen time?’
by Martine Oglethorpe
‘How much time should my child be allowed in front of a screen?’ ‘What about my five-year-old?’ ‘How long should I let my 13-year-old play Fortnite?’ As a digital wellness and online safety expert, these are some of the questions I am most frequently asked.
They are certainly all relevant questions as parents fumble about trying to make rules and boundaries around their child’s screen time habits. Obviously we all want to prevent the screen time obsessions we hear about in the media. We want to maintain a sense of control over our child’s screen time habits.
As the digital world is far more complex and nuanced, our approach and questions need to mirror those complexities. We can certainly apply some time limits, and prescribe times when devices are not to be used. But it’s wise to ask more pertinent questions to help us make more informed choices about the rules and boundaries we set up for our kids.
In particular, there are three important questions we should ask. These are:
1.’What is my child doing with his or her screen?’
There’s no point worrying about how long your child is on a screen if you have no idea what they are doing when they’re on it. Handing a child a device without guidance can lead to a vast range of different experiences. One child might spend the time researching the dietary habits of a green tree frog, or learning how to make the best paper plane to fly with a younger sibling. Another might watch a funny cat video, or even watch hard-core pornography. These are vastly different ways to spend their time online.
2.’What is the effect of the screens on my child?’
Is your child enjoying socialising online because it allows them deeper connections with their friends, provides them with support and gives them a sense of belonging? Alternatively, is he or she feeling excluded or being cyberbullied? A child’s online experiences can help or hinder wellbeing. If online activities lead to tantrums when transitioning to offline tasks, or even aggression then it may be a sign that online use is having a negative impact.
3.’What is my child missing out on?’
Children and teens benefit from involvement in a wide range activities so they can maintain optimum physical, social and emotional development. Spending time outdoors, enjoying active sports, connecting face-to-face with friends, sharing family meals, keeping up with homework and assisting with household chores are the types of activities that most experts agree are beneficial for children and young people. If the amount of time a child spends on digital devices excludes him or her from these types of activities then it can be considered excessive. If this is the case, then it’s reasonable to expect that, with your assistance, your child begins to place some limits on their screen use.
Digital devices present new challenges for parents to manage. As a result parents need to shift the focus away from simply managing a child’s time to helping him or her successfully integrate screen use into their daily life in ways that support learning, development and wellbeing.