Dear Parents

This term is flying by and we have many activities occurring that were moved from previous terms when the restrictions were tighter. We continue to interview prospective families which is also exciting. This week we welcome Faith to Year 6 for just a few weeks before high school. We hope that her short time with us is memorable.

We had a fantastic Mission Day on Tuesday full of activities involving the whole school. These were re-scheduled from last Friday and thankfully weather was much kinder to us. The Year 6 led activities in the afternoon were a huge hit from the jumping castle to lolly guessing. A great time was had by all and we raised $1130.00 in total.

Today and next Thursday 12 November we welcome our Kindergarten students for 2021 who are having their orientation mornings. These mornings are chances for the new students to come and get to know the other children in their class, their teacher and beginning families to come and learn about St Bede’s. The first orientation session includes a briefing for both new and continuing families where the leadership team will discuss what St Bede’s is all about, the foci for 2021 and what the school offers their children. I am very pleased to announce that Veronica Trow will again be the Kindergarten teacher next year. Veronica has had a wonderful year in her first year at St Bede’s, loves teaching this age group and makes her students feel instantly at ease.

I attended our Archdiocesan Director Days for two days last week. At this time we are given the system’s foci for 2021 and the aims of the annual professional learning. It was also the first time that Principals met in person rather than virtually for quite some time so we were able to gauge how everyone is travelling in this very different year of schooling. Whilst I am still working out classes and teachers for next year, I can say that we will have the same class configuration as 2020 with five straight year levels from K-4 and two 5/6 multi-age group. Details of class teachers will be announced in due course.

Whilst we are planning some events for the end of the year there are others that will not happen due to Coronavirus social distancing regulations. The Kindergarten Nativity will take place on Wednesday 9 December in the school hall. Unfortunately our hall can only accommodate 75 adults (socially distanced including staff) so only Kindergarten parents will be able to attend this year. The rest of the school will see the Nativity during school time on another day.

Year 6 Graduation Mass and Dinner will be held on Thursday 10 December. The Mass will be celebrated at St Peter Chanel’s at 5pm and the dinner at Eastlake football club from 7pm.

The End of Year Mass will be held on the last day of the year in our school hall. Unfortunately we can’t hold it at the cathedral due to social distancing restrictions there and we will not be able to invite parents to this event at school due to the limits in our hall space. We are very disappointed that this is the situation as this Mass is a special event for our school traditionally each year but we also need to follow the health guidelines around gatherings. We will make arrangements for parents of award recipients to receive a photo of their child at the Mass. We hope that occasions such as this will return to relative normality in 2021.

Can I just remind families that all students need to be collected by 3.30pm in the afternoon? Cars are not to park on the red kerb or come up to the gate and call their children to the car. If all the parking spots are full, please be patient and wait for a spot to come available. Additionally, can I remind that parents are still to collect students from the car park and not come down to the black top unless you have an appointment with a staff member?

We have had a bout of tummy upsets lately. If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home so that the spread of infection is kept to a minimum.

As the end of the year fast approaches it is imperative that we are aware of any students not returning to St Bede’s next year. Thank you to all families who have already contacted me in this regard.

Have a lovely weekend,

Julie