Dear Parents and Carers, 

We hope all students had a relaxing and enjoyable break over the school holidays. Term 2 is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting one, with several events and activities planned across the school. We’re looking forward to welcoming families into our community to share in these special moments and celebrations throughout the term.

Save the Date: Walk Safely to School Day – Friday 16 May 

National Walk Safely to School Day is an annual event that encourages all primary school children, along with their parents and carers, to make walking part of their 

daily routine. It’s a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy habits, road safety, and the importance of being active every day. 

Walking to school not only supports physical health, but also has positive impacts on children's social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. By building these habits early, we help set our students up for lifelong health and wellbeing.

As part of National Road Safety Week, our school will be participating in Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 16 May. We warmly invite all students and their families to join us.

Meeting Point: Corrigan's Park (near the playground)
Time: Arrive at 8:00am, departing at 8:10am sharp via Beach Road

To celebrate the walk, students will receive stickers and fun tattoos when we arrive back at school.

Let’s walk together, stay active, and promote safety in our community. We hope to see you there!

Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Program – Keeping Our Children Safe

This term, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will be taking part in the Daniel

Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum—a nationally recognised program designed to teach children how to stay safe in a range of situations.

The program focuses on three simple but powerful messages: Recognise, React, and Report. These lessons help children understand how to recognise unsafe situations, know how to respond appropriately, and feel confident reporting concerns to a trusted adult.

As part of the NSW PDHPE syllabus and with the support of Catholic Education, our school is committed to providing this important learning to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge and strategies they need to keep themselves safe.

You can find more information about the curriculum here: Daniel Morcombe Curriculum

Recognise

The first key message, Recognise, is about becoming aware of our surroundings and identifying warning signs that something might not be safe. Children learn how to use their senses—what they see, hear, smell or feel—to help detect potential danger.

For example, hearing a fire alarm, noticing smoke, or feeling uncomfortable in a particular environment can be clues that it’s time to act. These skills also help children prepare for potentially risky situations, such as choosing safe walking routes or deciding who to go to if they get lost in a crowd.

Together, we will explore practical strategies children can use—like planning a meeting spot at a busy event, identifying safe adults to approach, or carrying emergency contact information.

By helping children learn to recognise danger and think ahead, we’re giving them the confidence and tools to protect themselves and seek help when needed.

We’ll continue to share updates as we explore the next two key safety messages—React and Report—over the coming weeks.

School Uniform Update – Cooler Weather Options

As the weather starts to cool down, we’ve had a few parents ask:
“Can my child wear their winter uniform on cooler days?”
The answer is – yes!

While the official start date for the Winter Uniform is after the June long weekend, students are welcome to begin transitioning to the Winter Uniform on colder days in the lead-up.

We encourage families to use their judgement based on daily weather conditions to ensure students are comfortable and appropriately dressed for the day.

For full details on our school uniform policy, including what’s required for each season, please visit: School Uniform Policy – St Bernard's

Thank you for helping us keep our students warm, comfortable, and looking their best!

Mother’s Day Celebrations

This year, we will celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 May, a time to honour the special people in our lives who love and support us unconditionally.

A big thank you to our Community Council for once again organising our annual Mother’s Day Stall. All students will have the chance to purchase a special gift on 

Thursday 8 May. Vouchers are now available via Qkr.

We also have a Mother’s Day Raffle, with a beautiful basket of goodies up for grabs! The lucky winner will be drawn at our school assembly on Friday 10 May.

Wishing all our mums, grandmothers, and special carers a very Happy Mother’s Day – we hope you feel celebrated and appreciated!

Kind regards

Jeni McCarthy

Assistant Principal