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I would like to start my message today by congratulating Year Four and their teachers on the beautiful Focus Assembly with the theme on our mums. It was prayerful, vibrant and fun!
St Bede’s Day
Next week we celebrate our Saint’s Day on Wednesday, 22 May. The children may bring some money to school to spend at the mini fete that is run by the Year 5/6 students. The funds raised will go to a charity that is decided by the senior students as a part of their Confirmation preparation. It is always a fabulous day that we look forward to so bring along some change. There will be fun activity stalls with prices ranging from $1 - $5. The fete will be after recess and the Mass will be led by Year Two and begins at 2pm in our school hall.
Focus Assembly – Reconciliation
There is a lot happening around the school in the religious space right now. On Tuesday, 28 May, there will be a Focus Assembly with the theme of ‘Reconciliation’ being led by Year One. Don’t forget that National Reconciliation Week is coming up and there are many fabulous events happening in our community that you may like to be a part of.
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/nrw-events/
Confirmation
Family Sessions will be held at 3.30pm on Wednesday, 29 May, and at 4.30pm on Thursday, 30 June, in the Library. Children participating in this Sacrament and a parent/s will need to attend just one of these sessions in preparation for the big day. Year 5/6 will also have Reconciliation and take part in a retreat day on Friday, 31 May. In the afternoon, they will be visited by the Vicar General, Fr Tony Percy, who will talk to the children about this special event in their lives.
The Confirmation practice will be at 6pm on 3 June and Confirmation itself will be on the 5 June.
Have a great weekend!
South Weston Regional Cross Country Carnival
The students who will represent St Bede’s at the South Weston Cross Country Carnival were given their notes yesterday. These notes need to be returned to school by next Wednesday, 22 May. The day at Stromlo Park begins at 9.30 so those children in the first events need to be at the venue by 9.15. Please allow plenty of time to reach Stromlo Park as the parking can fill up very quickly. The schedule of events is listed below but please remember these are only approximate times.
Program
9.30am BOYS 8 years 1000m
9.45am GIRLS 8 years 1000m
10.00am BOYS 9 years 1500m
10.15am GIRLS 9 years 1500m
10.30am BOYS 10 years 2000m
10.45am GIRLS 10 years 2000m
11.00am BOYS 11 years 3000m
11.15am GIRLS 11 years 3000m
11.30am BOYS 12 years 3000m
11.45am GIRLS 12 years 3000m
St Bede’s is also organising this event so I will be looking for volunteers to help us to run a canteen on the day. Please mark the date of Monday, 3 June, in your diary! More details will be forwarded shortly.
Have a lovely weekend
Julie Douglas
Sports Co-ordinator
Walk Safely To School Day
Join us and walk to school TOMORROW.
We’ll start at Flinders Park carpark, Cnr Flinders Way and Monaro Crescent at 8.15am sharp.
School photos will be taken next Thursday, 6 June. Children are required to wear full winter uniform please.
Order envelopes may be brought on the day if they have not already been returned to school.
If you would like a family photo of siblings attending St Bede’s, please see Linda in the front office. The cost is $15.00 and is payable to St Bede’s. Please do not include in The Portrait Gallery envelope. Please note these are special orders and photos of siblings will not be taken unless requested.
A reminder to all families that school commences at 9.00am.
It is most important that children arrive at school on time. When children arrive late, they often miss vital instructions that set up the day and may find it difficult to 'slot into' the lesson. Late arrivals can also be very disruptive to other students.
Construction of our yarning circle and totems will commence tomorrow, a bit ahead of schedule which is fantastic.
Would you please be extra vigilant if you have little ones as there will be machinery in the playground area. We will keep you up to date as the project takes shape.
Redgum Book Club brochures have been sent home. Simply order online, by email, fax or phone direct to the book club.
Orders are due by next Monday, 20 May and your books will be delivered to St Bede’s for distribution.
More details on titles and products may be found online at www.redgumbookclub.com.au
Please subscribe to the newsletter and the Principal’s Message via the website https://sbpsredhill.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe
St Bede’s also utilises an alert app - SZapp. This app can be downloaded for iphone, iPad and Android mobile devices. It allows the school to push instant messages and reminders to families. Instructions to load the alert app may be found at https://www.stbedes.act.edu.au/szapp
We love volunteers at St Bede's and volunteers and helpers play a vital part in the daily life of our school. However, ACT legislation states that people must be registered and have a current Working With Vulnerable People card if they are going to work or volunteer with vulnerable people in a regulated activity (such as education) on a regular basis. Exemptions do apply in some cases. The card must be carried with you when you are helping at school and a photocopy of your current card must also be kept in the front office.
If you have received a new WWVP card or have recently renewed your card, would you please call into the front office and Linda will photocopy and record your details.
Would you please note your child’s reports and NAPLAN results are important documents and should be retained in a safe place to enable reference at a later date or if requested by, say, education or medical professionals. This especially applies to students applying for high school.
It should be rare to approach the Front Office for duplicate copies of documentation such as birth and baptismal certificates, school reports and NAPLAN results. We have had numerous requests recently to provide copies of documents which have already been provided.
Do you have a worrier in your family? Do you have a child who worries or over-thinks things? If so, it’s worth remember that rumination is the ruination of a peaceful mind.
If you’ve ever spent a sleepless night worrying then you’ll know how problems always seem bigger when you keep tossing them around in your head.
It can seem like everything is stacked against you. When this happens you’ve got to find the off switch so you can get away from your worries for a while.
The same principle holds for children and teenagers when they worry. Their problems just seem to get bigger and they need to turn them off or tone them down so they can ease their anxiety.
Broaden their vision
Kids get tunnel vision when they worry. They often can’t see the bigger picture. For instance, a young person may fret over minor work matters such getting the exact font match for an assignment they are working on, and neglect to get the sleep necessary for good learning the next day. Sometimes it takes a wise adult to remind children and young people about what really is important to them.
Put their attention elsewhere
Placing attention away from worries is an age old technique for parents and teachers. Commonly known as distraction, the act of focusing attention on something other than what causes them distress is vital for good mental health. Examples of distractions include – going outside, playing a game, shooting some basketball hoops or listening to music.
Give the worry a name
Somehow giving a worry a name makes it feel less scary and more manageable. A wonderful picture storybook for toddlers called ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof‘ by Hazel Edwards personifies fear of the dark as a friendly hippo. Much more friendly and easier to boss around if you’re a child.
Put their worries in a jar
Wouldn’t it be great to put all your worries into a safe and throw away the key? As an adult you may do this when you take time out to watch your favourite TV show; or lose yourself wandering for hours online. Children need something a little more practical. They can write their worries on some paper and lock them in away in a jar by the side of the bed at the end of the day. It’s good to know that their worries can’t get out because they are locked up tight.
Limit talking time
It’s good if kids can talk about what’s on their mind but talking needs to be contained to prevent their worries from dominating their lives. Set aside ten minutes a day to talk about their worries and then put worry time aside until tomorrow. This is not about shutting kids down but teaching them they can change tack in their thinking rather than go over the same old thoughts again and again.
Normalise rather than lionise their anxiety
Anxious kids are very sensitive to their parents concerns and worries. One way we build their concerns is by continually reassuring them that things will be fine. One reassurance should be sufficient most of the time followed by “I’ve already talked to you about that.” Continually going over old ground can allow worries to linger longer than necessary.
Give them the tools to relax
Some people can relax in front of the TV, and it is enough for them to take their mind off their worries. Some people need a bigger set of tools including mindfulness and exercise to help them neutralise our worries. Talk with your kids about how they relax; share what works for you and help them explore relaxation techniques that will fit their interests, age and lifestyles.
Move baby move
Get kids moving. Physical exercise is not only a great distraction but it release feel-good endorphins that help children and young people feel better and more optimistic about the future.
Let their subconscious minds solve their problems
A wonderful strategy is the notion of allowing the sub-conscious mind to solve problems. There’s a good body of research that points to the power of the sub-conscious mind solving problems when we are asleep. If you’ve ever woken at four o’clock in the morning with an ‘aha!’ moment, where everything seems clear, then you’ll have experienced the sub-conscious mind at work. Talk about the sub-conscious mind with your kids and let them know that they can give their sub-conscious permission to go to work. “Okay, I’m not going to think about this any more. My sub-conscious can solve this now.”
Michael Grose