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Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome to Term 2! I’m sure Easter was a lovely time to be with family and friends.
WELCOME
A very warm welcome to our new staff starting this term. As you know, Belinda Coppin has been permanently appointed as our new Finance Officer. Ann-Maree Nussdorfer is taking on the role of Performing Arts Teacher, and it is wonderful to be welcoming her back. This term we also welcome Julie Keedle to the team. Julie recently moved to the area and has previously been teaching in the Wollongong Catholic diocese for 15 years. She holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary), Master of Theology and Post Graduate Certificate in Inclusive Education. During the past ten years, Julie has been teaching in a high school setting and more recently, in a Learning Support Coordinator role. Julie will be taking on some of Jeni McCarthy’s Classroom Support role. Ms McCarthy will be primarily working with Classroom Support Assistants and teachers in classrooms. Ms Keedle will be working Monday, Tuesday, and half day Wednesday. Congratulations to Mrs Coppin, Mrs Nussdorfer, and Ms Keedle on their appointments and welcome to the St Bernard’s team!
STAFF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Last Monday, all staff participated in trauma informed training. Last term all staff completed the online 3 ½ hour component of the course. The first part of the course focused on trauma and how it impacts people and what strategies we should use as a school to be trauma-responsive in our daily practice. The second part of the course that we engaged in on Monday presented a series of skills for intervening when encountering individuals in conflict or crisis situations.
Trauma is all around us. We may not see it with our eyes but the impacts of trauma are far-reaching and significant. As people working on the frontline, either in education, health or in any other social fields, we have already been with someone with trauma. The trauma-informed training provides us with an approach that has the capacity to heal and nurture. We have the power to positively impact the life of a person who has experienced trauma.
The trauma-informed approach that we have learnt as a staff, outlines key values one must practice to work therapeutically with people with trauma. These values are safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration and empowerment.
- Safety is about nurturing the person’s sense of physical and emotional wellbeing.
- Trustworthiness is building mutual trust and respect.
- Choice is recognising the person’s autonomy.
- Collaboration is working with the person alongside their goals and aspirations.
- Finally, empowerment is acknowledging and utilising the person’s resources and resilience (Rossiter & Scott, 2017)
https://www.crisisprevention.com/en-gb/Blog/Understanding-trauma-and-its-impact
I will continue to provide further information this term through our newsletter. At St Bernard’s our staff are committed to supporting and nurturing your child/ren to be the best version of themselves. Please know our door is always open.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS’ WEEK
From 1-5 May, St Bernard’s will join with Catholic schools across NSW and the ACT to celebrate the annual Catholic Schools Week (CSW). Catholic Schools Week is about forging and strengthening relationships between everyone who has a stake in our schools – students, staff, families, priests, parishioners, and members of the wider community – by showcasing our activities and actions.
During Catholic Schools’ Week, our students will be involved in the following:
- Year 6 Combined Leadership Day lead by St Bernard’s – Monday 1 May
- Kindergarten Teddy Bear's Picnic at St Mary’s – Tuesday 2 May
- Eurobodalla Netball Cup – Wednesday 3 May
- Kindergarten 2023 Open Day – Thursday 4 May
- Parent Night facilitated by Dr Lorraine Hammond @ Carroll College at 5.30pm – Thursday 4 May
- Catalyst visit – Dr Lorraine Hammond – Friday 5 May
St Bernard's welcomes all who are wishing to enrol their child for 2024. Application forms for enrolment are available at the School Office or you can enrol by completing a web-based application form found at https://stbernardsbb.nsw.edu.au/enrolment Parents wishing to enrol their child for Kinder for 2024 are encouraged to apply during the advertised period each year, 1 May - 26 May (late enrolments are accepted subject to places being available). All new families applying for enrolment are interviewed by the Principal or a member of the School Executive Team. Interviews for Kinder enrolments are conducted in Term 2 and Term 3 and parents are advised if a place is available. To be eligible for enrolment in Kindergarten a child must turn 5 on or before the 30 July in the year of admission.
Open Day for new enrolments will be held next Thursday 4 May (Week 2) starting at 9.30am. Open Day will involve many staff. Our choir have prepared some special songs to share with families on the day. We are looking forward to opening up our beautiful school for families to tour.
Thank you to our Staff, Parents and Students who were able to attend the ANZAC Day March. St Bernard’s was well represented and I was very proud to be leading with our students. ANZAC Day is a significant event, and it was wonderful to see so many of our students participating and showing their support.
Doors and Gateways make connection
Doors and gateways are a natural part of life – they open and close; providing a passage way to where we want to go. When we look back on our life we are reminded of many doors and gateways that connect to many events and happenings. In your life who were the trusted gatekeepers? Maybe it was mum, dad, your grandparents, aunt or uncle, a trusted friend, teacher or a religious sister or priest. Helen O’Connell in an article writes about a half a century old door she arranged to be sent from Ireland to England. This door resides in her current home. Why did she do this? The door carried her childhood memories: ‘I can see my mother going to turn the key when a neighbour would call to her and still with her hand on the key she would talk for ages. I can see myself running out that door to my first communion, my first job, a date, my wedding, and now my heart does a summersault when I return home from a holiday and see the door.’ Doors give us opportunity to make connection and find meaning in life.
Jesus our Door, our Gateway, Giver of Abundant Life.
In today’s Gospel John 10:1-10 Jesus says he is the gate of the sheepfold. His listener would have been aware that God in the Old Testament is present as a Shepherd especially in Psalm 22 [23] – today’s responsorial psalm. The ideal of a good, caring shepherd is even more vivid when we are told that the custom for the shepherd himself was to sleep crouched at the entrance of the sheepfold – in other words the watchful shepherd was literally the ‘gate’.
Jesus is the gate keeper who opens the door calling his flock by name; going before them and leading them out. He is the true shepherd who protects and promotes life. As stated in the Gospel today: “I have come that you may have life and have it to the full.’ [John10:10].
As St Catherine of Siena states: ‘it is as if this gentle loving word, my Son, were saying to you: “Look I have made the road and opened the gate for you with my blood. Do not fail then to follow it. Do not sit down and rest out of selfish concern for yourself, foolishly saying you do not know the way. Do not presume to choose you own way of serving instead of the one I have made for you in my own person, eternal Truth, incarnate Word the straight Way hammered out by my own blood. Get up, then, and follow him ... He is the way, the gate, through whom you must enter into me, the sea of peace. [The Dialogue] Marie Weatherall
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope that you had an enjoyable Easter Sunday, celebrating the joys of the risen Christ. Liturgically, the season of Easter lasts for fifty days. It began on Easter Sunday and continues until the feast of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes to the apostles and Mary. The colours of white (or gold) can be found on the altar space in our church, classrooms, and draped on our school cross. Easter is the season of joy and exultation!
Catholic Schools’ Week
On Monday 1 May (Feast of St Joseph the Worker), we will be hosting a Year 6 Leadership Day for our K-12 Pathway schools. Mrs McRae, Mrs Coggan, and I met over the holiday break to plan for the day. Students will be involved in a range of activities and special guests will zoom in to share their own leadership stories with the group.
Students are asked to wear their Sport’s Uniform. Lunch will be provided.
Sacramental Enrolment Evening - Confirmation
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Children baptised Catholic, and who have received the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist will be able to prepare for the sacrament of Confirmation during Term 2. |
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Please add these other key Confirmation dates to your calendar · Commitment Mass: Saturday 21 May 6.00pm or Sunday 21 May 9.00am · Confirmation Retreat: Friday 9 June Carroll College · Sacrament of Confirmation: Saturday 24 June 6.00pm Mass
Attendance and Payment can be made on Compass |
Fr Loi – Holiday Wishes
It has been three years since Fr Loi has been home to the Philippines to visit his family. We welcome Fr Renoir to the parish this week and extend our best wishes to Fr Loi for a safe, happy, and restful break.
Extended Prayers
We remember the Gordon-O’Brien (Maree), Reidy-Dunn (Jack), and De Winter (Rees) families who have lost loved ones during the school break. Please know that we hold you all in our daily thoughts and prayers.
Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Mini Vinnies
Mini Vinnies will continue to meet each Thursday during lunch time. There are exciting events to be planned by the group during Term 2. These include our Winter Appeal Mass, Pyjama Day and our first ever Winter Sleep Out!
Blessings on your weekend
Sharon Beashel
REC
Dear Parents and Carers
It was great to welcome students back to school yesterday. This term there are some changes to timetables that will impact the day that students will need to wear their sports uniform or bring their library bag. On some occasions there may need to be an additional change, and in this case, class teachers will communicate via the weekly memo.
School Uniform
Thank you to everyone who has made the effort to ensure they have returned to school wearing the correct school uniform items. Please keep in mind that full winter uniform is not required to be worn until Tuesday 13 June, following the long weekend. Please refer to our school website for detailed information about the winter school uniform. https://stbernardsbb.nsw.edu.au/parents/uniform
Chess Club
Mrs Keough has been offering Chess Club to students in Years 3-6 on Wednesdays at lunch time. The lunch time club is beginning to extend its offering, to begin holding competitions between students and some coaching from local Chess Club players from the Batemans Bay Club. If you feel that your child may like to participate in Chess Club on Wednesdays please be in contact with Mrs Keough or remind your child to attend.
Congratulations Trish
During the school holidays Trish Ellis was presented with the 'Order of Australia' medal from the Governor-General at Government House in Canberra. Trish was accommpanied on this very special occasion by members of her family, including her daughter Krystle and her grandchildren Declan and Emily who are students at Carroll College, Broulee. Congratulations Trish! We are honoured to have Trish teach language and culture at St Bernards.
Getting the most out of Gaming- Parent Webinar
The Parents Council for Catholic Parents, through the eSafety Commissioner, are offering access to a 45-minute webinar presentation, providing families with strategies for supporting children and young people to have safe, positive experiences when playing games online. The webinar is designed for parents and carers of children aged 7 to 14.
It will cover:- when gaming can be beneficial and strategies to promote better in-game experiences- how to keep children safe online – using safety and privacy settings in games and platforms- strategies to promote more balanced gaming and how to create smoother transitions from game-play to other activities- the key online risks and where to find help for things like bullying and harassment in games.
Getting the most out of gaming
Tuesday 23 May 7.30pm - 8.15pm
Colouring-in Winners
Congratulations to James P of Year 1 and Alice Mc of Year 6 who were selected as winners in the Eurobodalla District Show Society colouring-in competition.
Breakfast Club
Next Wednesday Breakfast Club recommences for the term. Everyone is welcome for the cost of a gold coin donation from 8.10am-8.30am. We thank Mrs Fitgerald and Mrs Talbot for their support and organsation of Breakfast Club in our school.
Have a restful weekend
Karen Hadley
Southern Region Cross Country
Congratulations to all our students on their amazing performance at our Cross Country. To have so many students feel confident enough to participate and complete the various courses was wonderful and the staff were so proud of all their efforts. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day so successful and to our Year 6 leaders for their care and support of our younger students. We will present the winning house, age champion and ribbons for 8-12 years next Tuesday 2 May at 2.15pm in the hall. All are welcome to attend.
On Friday this week the following students will be representing St Bernard’s at the Southern Region Cross Country. We wish them well:
Raph C, Xavier L, Levi T, Lucas V-D, Quinn S, George S-D, Toby S, Beatrix F, Eva C, Charlie M, Brooklen S, Annabelle T, Addison G, Ethan S, Harper B, Tomas C, Beau C, Reeve T, Arthur S-D, Molly M, Lilly G, Ava G, Holly L, Dusti-Rae L, Tyler McD, Brennan C, Matthew S, Hunter C, Logan P, Annie F, Mia A, Romy B, Indi T, Lawson M, Samuel S-D, Angus D, Jonah T, Rhys K, Ruby B, Isabella L, Isla B, Lavina P, Caprice F and Keira A.
