Dear Parents and Carers

I hope that everyone has had a great couple of weeks. I have observed that the students have settled very well into the routine of school. It has been excellent to see the students engaged in their learning in the classroom and participating in the swimming carnival and other sporting events that have taken place. 

Kindergarten have impressed us with the way they have settled in and have already learnt so much about life at big school. They certainly earnt their second rest day yesterday!  This Tuesday was a highlight for both Kindergarten and the very enthusiastic Year 5 students, who were so excited to meet their Kinder buddy and spend time when them in their classroom. Their leadership skills shone with this opportunity.

Year 6 Leaders

Last Wednesday, our Year 6 students were officially presented with their leadership badge for 2025. It was a very special assembly attended by many parents and family members. School Captains Rohan L and Georgina W addressed the school and all of Year 6 recited their committment to leadership this year. They are certainly an exceptional group of students who have already demonstrated their enthusiasm, care and sense of responsibility in the school. Yesterday they travelled to Canberra for an excursion to the Museum of Australian Democracy and Parliament House and received many compliments on their outstanding behaviour.

Congratulations to the following students who have been elected to the 2025 Student Representative Council (SRC), Ava G, Reeve T, Lilly G, Benjamin T, Charlotte F, Holly B and School Captains Rohan L and Georgina W.

House Captains:

Lourdes: Evie P and Taj Powell                            

MacKillop: Indiana Allen and Harper B                              

Tenison: Levi Torkington and Ethan S                     

Clairvaux: Ollie L and Evie P                              

Also congratulations to Liam C, Eva H and Nate K who were chosen as Digital Leaders in our school. We thank them for the leadership they are already exhibiting, sharing their talents in the area of digital technologies with other members of our school.

Faith in Learning- Staff Commissioning

Our school, like all others in our System, is committed to offering a Catholic education that nurtures each student's God-given potential through teaching and service. Over the past two weekends, staff from our K-12 Catholic Pathway schools attended Mass where we were commissioned in our roles for the 2025 school year. We thank parish priests, Fr Rex Curry and Fr George for their support and encouragement as we undertake this important work in our communities.

Catalyst Coaching Visit

Last week, we were fortunate to have Dean Katsiris from COG learning in our school to provide coaching, feedback and demonstration lessons for teachers. Professional learning of this nature has occurred at our school for a number of years now and has been an excellent way to improve teaching and learning. St Bernard's teachers have often been recognised for their very effective implementation of High Impact Teaching Practices aligned to evidenced-based research on how children learn best. The visit from Dean was affirming while also providing teachers with goals for moving forward. Dean will work with our staff again later in the year. 

Parent Teacher Introductory Meetings

Parent Teacher Introductory Meetings will be held over two days, on Monday 3 March and Wednesday 5 March in Week 5. The meetings are an opportunity to meet your child/children's class teacher and share information that will be important to assist your child's learning for the year ahead. Bookings for the 10 minute meetings will be accessed through the Compass portal, which will be live this afternoon from 3pm.

Save the Date: Welcome BBQ and Disco

On Thursday 13 March, we invite all St Bernard's families to a Welcome BBQ and Disco in the Lean to from 5.00pm-6.30pm. More information about this event will be communicated in the coming weeks. We hope to see you there.

Nut free school

There are a number of students in our school who have a severe allergy to nuts. We are a nut free school and ask you to please refrain from giving your child food that contains nut products.

NSW PSSA Girls Primary Cricket Championships

This week Georgina W travelled to the Central Coast to play in the NSW PSSA Girls Primary Cricket Championships, representing Mackillop. Games were played on turf wickets and full length pitches. Georgina top scored for Mackillop against a North Sydney invitational side, with 47 runs out of her team's total of 95. Mackillop have won 4 out of their 5 games and Georgina is their leading scorer! We congratulate Georgina for this wonderful achievement.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

Warm regards

Karen

The Game Plan

"We dug deep. We stuck to the game plan." Those of us who watch the football will hear a lot of such comments in the coming months. This summer there's been a lot of sporting thrills - the cricket and tennis invited the couch potato status. Attention is often given to the coaches who have an important job: developing skills, building confidence in individuals, creating teamwork, organising strategies etc - a job that has limited security these days it seems.

The modern internet I believe even offers Life Coaches. Too late for me now. And yet haven't we had a "Life Coach" to beat all life coaches since the day we were baptised - welcomed and enrolled into team Jesus, with guidance from the Holy Spirit and patronage by a whole community of saints. Now there's a support team to be grateful for!! However, to rank Jesus as a coach, or even one of our modern day 'super coaches', is to vastly undersell the God-man.

Today's gospel scene, follows on from last week: Jesus is surrounded by people from near and far, and included "a large gathering of his disciples" (not just his apostles).

Luke tells us it was these disciples he addressed in his sermon on the plain. We are these disciples. He's fixing his eyes on us, he's speaking to us. Jesus gives us a number of rules for living. We may feel comfortable with the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have others do to you." OK, fair enough Lord. But the other stuff: Love your enemies...Do good to those who hate you...Pray for those who persecute you...Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who robs you, do not ask for your property back...Be compassionate as God is compassionate...Do not judge and you will not be judged... Forgive and you will be forgiven.........Whoa Lord, whoa!

After what he did to me, I have to love him, do good to him? And I can't judge that person who lied about me? But she's so awful. In the sport analogy it's the player telling the coach, "You gotta be joking." And the coach: "It's up to you." And in the survival of the fittest world of current society - impossible.

Today's first reading tells of David sparing his enemy Saul, pre-empting what Jesus meant, showing love for his enemy. Paul to the Corinthians speaks of modelling on the "heavenly man" (Christ). So maybe not so impossible when we have the Lord with us. And Jesus is with us more than any coach can be - not just in word, but in sacraments, the Eucharist, the Spirit, and the other. We can respond to Pope Francis' Jubilee year call to be Pilgrims of Hope because Jesus is "God-with-Us", not just a coach overseeing us with a stats sheet. Close enough to have a yarn with about the game plan (and our struggles with it) that he presented to us disciples in today's liturgy.

John Mackay

TERM 1

PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Commitment Masses for this Sacrament will be held this week-end on Saturday 22^nd February 5pm or Sunday 23^rd February 9am at St Bernard’s Church.  Attendance at a commitment mass is necessary for participation in the Sacrament.

Please let either Roslynne at the Parish on 44724153 or the REC Rebecca Keough at the school know your preference, if you have not already done so.

Thank you to the families that attended the Enrolment/Information evening last week.  For those who are still considering participation in this Sacrament, could you please advise as soon as possible, and return enrolment forms and payment by Friday February 28^th.

Payment can be made by cash, eftpos or direct debit to the account below

Parish Account Name: St Bernard’s Operating

BSB: 062786

A/C No: 00012939

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:10.

Commissioning Mass: St Bernard’s Staff

Over the past two weeks, staff from St Bernards, St Mary’s and Carroll College have been commissioned into their roles in Catholic Education.

On 15 February, Father Rex Curry warmly welcomed all staff and went on to deliver a very thought provoking and relevant Homily which reflected on the Gospel of Luke and specifically on the notion of a vocation.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading, where the disciples left everything to follow Jesus, Father Curry reminded us that our work here at St Bernard’s is more than just a profession. It is a vocation we are called to undertake.

The representation of staff at this event was a clear indication of the staff’s passion and dedication to their roles in Catholic Education in serving the community at St Bernard’s Primary School.

Whole School Christian Meditation

Meditation is an important part of our prayer formation at St Bernard’s Primary School. Each week, classes have dedicated time to this intentional form of prayer in their classrooms.

In 2001, Pope Francis stated: “We all need to meditate, to reflect, to find ourselves,” he said. “Especially in the voracious Western world, people seek meditation because it represents a high barrier against the daily stress and emptiness that is everywhere.”

As part of our commitment to develop opportunities for prayer and faith formation for all of our students, commencing Week 3, our school will introduce meditation across the school. Student leaders will guide the entire school through a Christian Meditation. We hope that this provides as an opportunity for students for connection, calm and community.

This is not something that only occurs in the classroom, the St Bernard’s Primary School staff are invited each Thursday to participate in Staff Prayer.

Last week, Mrs Coulter led the staff through Christian Meditation reminding us of the importance of using the sacred word ‘maranatha’ (Aramatic: Come Lord Jesus Christ). This word is a prompt to be present, clear your mind, open your heart and be open to the Lord’s presence.

There is a great opportunity to use this as part of your child’s daily routine. Perhaps as a calming and prayerful moment as they settle into bed of an evening as an alternative to traditional prayer routines.

If you’re curious, I’d welcome any questions!

Sacramental Program - St Bernard’s Parish Church

Year 3 families gathered at St Bernard’s Church on Thursday 13 February for an information and enrolment evening for the sacrament of Reconciliation, The evening was led by Father Rex Curry who took the time to discuss the journey of the sacrament with those in attendance.

Mr Tony Ward and Mrs Vyvette Coulter spoke to the group about the program and how to support the candidates, whilst reminding everyone present that we are here to support the journey towards this important milestone in faith.

Thank you to Mrs Hadley, Ms McCarthy, and Mrs Smith for their support of the candidates and staff. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Father Rex Curry and Roslynne Trompe from the Parish for their time and support. We also express our gratitude to the families who made time to come along to the evening. We hope you found it informative.

Mini Vinnies 

We have kicked into 2025 with some VERY enthusiastic Year 5 students wanting to join Mini Vinnies. We will meet each Thursday for a working lunch.

Mini Vinnies is a voluntary program that empowers primary school students to become advocates within their school and local community by putting Vinnies Values into action. They meet regularly to learn about social justice issues, develop leadership skills and engage with the local community.

This Lent, we will participate in Caritas Australia's Project Compassion to Unite Against Poverty and take action to make a lasting difference.

The annual donation boxes will be sent home and placed around the school soon.

We will commence our fundraising on Shrove Tuesday as we lead into Lent with a Pancake Fundraiser. We will share details soon about how to get involved and order pancakes on the day.

The students will also be putting out a Forty Days - Forty Items Challenge to staff. This will encourage our staff to purposefully donate items to charity. We can’t wait to see the interesting things the staff will donate!

 Beck Keough

Religious Education Coordinator

 

 

What an amazing start to Term One it has been! We've had the pleasure of welcoming our new kindergarten families and their excited little ones into the school community. The energy and enthusiasm are truly contagious!

Sport & Library Days Reminder:

To help families stay organised, classroom teachers have finalised their timetables for sport and library days. Here’s a quick reference for each year level:

• Sport Days: All students are expected to come to school in their full sport uniform. Don't forget to bring a hat and water bottle to stay hydrated and protected while having fun!
• Library Days: Students are encouraged to bring their library bags on library days. This is a great opportunity to borrow a book that sparks their imagination and fosters a lifelong love for reading.

NAPLAN 2025

NAPLAN assessments for 2025 are just around the corner, and we want to ensure every child feels confident and supported throughout the process. Information regarding the NAPLAN assessments has already been emailed to all Year 3 and Year 5 families.

How to Help Your Child Prepare:

• Stay Positive: Encourage a calm and positive attitude towards NAPLAN. Remind your child that it’s just one way to check how they are learning, and it’s okay to do their best without feeling pressured.
• Ask Questions: If your child has any worries or questions, their classroom teacher is always available to help clarify anything or provide reassurance.

NAPLAN Testing Dates: The NAPLAN assessments will take place during Week 6 and 7, from 12-24 March. Rest assured, students will be well supported by our dedicated staff to ensure a smooth and comfortable testing experience.

We’re here to support your child every step of the way as they prepare for NAPLAN! If you have any concerns or need further information, don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Bus Safety

As we kick off the new school year, it's a great time for a reminder about bus safety to ensure a safe and smooth journey for all our students. 

St Bernard’s Swimming Carnival 2025

St Bernard’s held its annual Swimming Carnival last Friday 14 February. Firstly, a big thank you to the staff and a huge number of parents and family, for helping us run our day so smoothly. Students competed in age groups from 8 years to 13 years and it was a fantastic day full of fun, laughter and so much encouragement. All students who participated in the 50 metre races and 25 metre Novelty events received points in the House competition. Congratulations to our Year 6 leaders on their first carnival of the year we are grateful to our House Captains and all our Year 6 students.

Lourdes- Evie P and Taj P

MacKillop- Indiana A and Harper B

Clairvaux- Ollie L and Evie P

Tenison- Ethan S and Levi T

Our winning house for 2025 was Lourdes taking out the trophy narrowly from MacKillop, Clairvaux and Tenison. Congratulations to all the students who contributed to the points trophy through their amazing participation. The enthusiasm of the novelty events and the team relay truly showed the St Bernard’s spirit.

Age champion medallions were awarded to the best swimmers in each category:

Junior Champion- Annabelle T Runner up Astrid B

Junior Champion- Raph C Runner up James P

11yr Champion- Beatrix F Runner up Lucy B

11yr Champion- Harlo P Runner Up Lucas V- D S

Senior Champion- Indiana A Runner up Eva H

Senior Champion- Taj Pl Runner up Isaac R

Congratulations to the students who were selected to represent St Bernard’s at the Southern Region Carnival on Thursday 20 February:

Sally S, Lola R, Polly B, Lyla T,Hendrix P, Vander C, Elijah D, Cali Z, Ella A, Hudson A, Jacob B, Lebron C, James W, Annabelle T, Astrid B, Yana K, Winter W, Caitlyn P,

Raph C, Toby S, James P, Beatrix F, Charlie M, Remi F, Lucy B, Sarah S, Piper B, Brooklen S, Harlo P, Lucas V ,Remi C, Nicholas E, Indi A, Eva H, Evie P, Willow B,

Mia B, Charlotte F, Lilly G, Taj P, Isaac R, Ethan S, Liam C, Jace T.

MacKillop Tennis Championships

This Friday, we have four students playing for the Canberra Goulburn team at the MacKillop Tennis Championships in Sydney. Indiana A, Lucy B, Beatrix F and Xavier L will be playing against the best students from Catholic Schools in NSW. We are very proud of your achievements and wish you all the best in competition.

NSW PSSA Cricket Championships

This week Georgina W has been playing at the NSW Cricket Championships. This very talented cricketer has topped the scoring for the NSW Catholic team over a number of days. Her superb batting has helped her team to victory against NSW public and independent schools. Congratulations on such a great achievement.

If your child would like to participate in Representative Sport please check out the Canberra Goulburn sport website which outlines how to register your interest. https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/nominations

Have a wonderful week.

Angela Holmes

Term 1

Week 2 Class Awards

Presented: Wednesday 12 February 2025.

Well done to all!

Happy Birthday to all of our students that have or will celebrate their birthdays in February.

We hope you had a wonderful day.

Emerson B, Alvey A, Emilia B, Sietta G, Arwin A, Finnley F, Aarchie S-F, Indie A, Christian F, Ayla P, Bethany B, Mitchell B, Ace W, Emerson L, Rory B-S, Jakub C, Lexi B, Mali F, Scarlett W, Ivy G, Oliver C, Sienna K, Aurelia S, Vander C, Tigerlily B, Kayden G, James B, Alyssa O'B, Finn R, William B, Harlen R, Philip D-V, Luciana S, Milo D, Darcy R.

Raising Confident Kids

As children get older, gaining confidence can be just as important as any skills they learn. It’s by experiencing mastery and rebounding from failure that they develop healthy self-confidence.

Here are 12 ways from the Child Mind Institute that you can set your child up to feel capable and get the most mileage out of their skills and talents.

1. Model confidence yourself

Seeing you tackle new tasks with optimism and lots of preparation sets a good example for kids. That doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. Focus on the positive things you are doing to get ready.

2. Don’t get upset about mistakes

Help kids see that everyone makes mistakes and the important thing is to learn from them, not dwell on them. Confident people don’t let fear of failure get in their way—not because they don’t experience it, but because they know how to take setbacks in stride.

3. Encourage them to try new things

Instead of focusing all their energy on what they already excel at, it’s good for kids to diversify. Attaining new skills makes kids feel capable and confident that they can tackle whatever comes their way.

4. Allow kids to fail

It’s natural to want to protect your child from failure, but trial and error is how kids learn. Falling short on a goal helps us learn that failure is not fatal.

5. Praise perseverance

Learning not to give up at the first frustration or bail after one setback is an important life skill. Confidence and self-esteem are not about succeeding at everything all the time; they’re about persistence in the face of inevitable setbacks.

6. Help kids find their passion

Seeing their talents grow can give children a huge boost to their self-esteem.

7. Set goals

Help your child turn desires and dreams into actionable goals by encouraging them to make a list of things they’d like to accomplish. Then, practice breaking down longer-term goals into realistic “chunks.”

8. Celebrate effort

Praising kids for their accomplishments is great, but it’s also important to let them know you’re proud of their efforts regardless of the outcome. Results aren’t always immediate.

9. Expect them to pitch in

They might complain, but kids feel more connected and valued when they’re counted on to do age-appropriate jobs, from picking up toys to doing dishes to picking up younger siblings from a play date.

10. Embrace imperfection

Help kids see that whether it’s on TV, in a magazine, or on a friend’s social media feed, the idea that others are always happy, successful, and perfectly dressed is a fantasy, and a destructive one.  Instead, remind them that being less than perfect is human and totally okay.

11. Set them up for success

Challenges are good but children also need opportunities where they can be sure to find success.

12. Show your love

Let your child know you love them no matter what, win or lose the big game, good grades or bad.

Damian Gerber