In recent weeks there have been quite a number of students and staff unwell with flu and respiratory illnesses. As a result, we ask you to be vigilant and keep sick children at home. We will be sending students who present with symptoms home as needed and we are being vigilant in sanitising the school – including regular handwashing and disinfecting common surfaces.

Mother's Day Celebrations

Our Mother’s Day celebrations were a great success! It was lovely to see so many mothers, grandmothers and family members in our school to celebrate the love and care our mothers and special people give us. There was a wonderful turn out for the breakfast, our Mother’s Day stall was successful and the Mother’s Day mass was beautiful and also well attended. Thank you to everyone that came along to one or more of these events and to those parents that helped on the day, either with the stall or helping to set up morning tea for after mass.

AFL Gala Day

Last Thursday a group of Year 5/6 students had a great day out at the AFL Gala Day. It was great to see many of these students trying AFL for the first time. The encouragement students have shown to each other on the field was fantastic and it was also good to see a considerable improvement in their understanding of the game and skills as the day progressed.

Simultaneous Storytime

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, preschools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. It is a fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and liteacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the curriculum.

Yesterday we celebrated this event at St Benedict's and explored the book Bowerbird Blues, by Aura Parker.

Oh, how I love the sky….

And moving through

The marvellous BLUE

Our Year 1/2 were fortunate to have a guest speaker, Ranger Meg Doepel. Meg shared the Bowerbird story and then spoke to the children about Bowerbirds, what they do, how they live and how important it is to take care of our environment. The children were very engaged, learnt a lot and asked many questions! We are very thank you to Ranger Meg for her visit. It was a walk down memory lane for her as she attended St Benedict's as a student in the 1970s.

Our Kindergarten and Year 3-6 students worked collaboratively to investigate the story and information about the themes. They also had a great time working together on Bowerbird artworks.

Pentecost Sunday

Last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost Sunday, one of the most important feast days of the year that concludes the Easter season and celebrates the beginning of the Church.   Pentecost Sunday commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and marks the beginning of the spread of the Gospel message. It serves as a reminder of the power of the Holy Spirit and the call to live by the values of Pentecost in our daily lives.

The spirit of Pentecost invites us to be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to embrace the virtues of love, unity, and service. It reminds us of the importance of nurturing a welcoming and inclusive environment where all members of our community feel valued and supported. This is something that is of utmost importance at St Benedict’s.

Current of Grace Conference

On Monday and Tuesday this week, Ms Natalia Zarb (Religious Education Coordinator) and I, attended the Current of Grace Conference: Renewing Catholic Schools as Centres of Evangelisation. The conference attracted speakers and participants from both Australia and international (Oceania, Europe, the USA, Africa, and New Zealand).

Day one focussed on the leadership and staff of our school communities, how school leaders, teachers and others can grow stronger in the Catholic faith and be agents for wider evangelisation. The second day centred on the students and current programs for youth ministry (including ‘peer-to-peer’ ministry). We also attended breakout sessions where case studies were presented on how evangelisation and youth ministry is successfully being implemented in our schools in Australia and overseas.

A quote from Barbara Coupar, Director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, really resonated with me; “Every time we speak… those around us [should] get a glimpse of Jesus…You [school and education leaders] are the church to your children. You are the church to your staff. You are the place where they will meet Jesus.”

Enrolment Time                                                                                                   

During our enrolment period, we encourage all parents to engage actively in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues about what makes St Benedict’s special. By sharing our experiences and highlighting the unique opportunities our school offers, we can inspire others to consider joining our community. I thank those parents that have been doing this; it has been lovely to hear from so many of our new enrolments that St Benedict’s has been strongly recommended to them by current and past families.  

Lost Property

With the colder days here, there are many school jumpers, beanies and coats around the  school. Can I please ask all parents to check that the school jumpers coming home (often in school bags) are your child/ren’s as some families have lost a number of belongings. Please ensure that all student clothing and belongings are labelled clearly – this makes it much easier to direct found items to their owners!