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Dear Parents and Carers
Teaching and Learning
On Monday Jenny Smith, Rebecca Brady and myself met with Brendan Lee to record a podcast focused on our journey at St Bernard’s. Brendan Lee works with schools as a consultant in refining their school improvement processes, managing change and providing professional learning. He has presented at various conferences including Sharing Best Practice (Sydney), ACHPER’s Early Career Teachers Conference and the Science of Teaching and Learning (SoTLA). Brendan’s website and link to his podcast is as follows: ‘Learning with Lee’… https://www.learnwithlee.net/about-learning-with-mr-lee-2/
We were very proud to share our St Bernard’s journey and dedication to improving student outcomes. Our teachers at St Bernard’s are committed to instructing our students using evidenced based instruction that is direct, systematic, and explicit with the goal and purpose being for all students to learn, enjoy and understand. Classroom teachers assess students using reliable evidence-based assessments and use this data to differentiate for student's needs, tailoring lessons to small groups or individuals. High Impact Teaching Strategies evident across classrooms include corrective feedback; examples and non-examples to embed concepts; connecting vocabulary to reading and writing and opportunities to retrieve information through daily and monthly reviews. Teachers are seeing student growth which is affirming for their practice.
This week, teachers have been collaborating to moderate writing samples across stages. The teachers are moderating to ensure that they can make consistent and comparable judgements of student learning and evaluate their practice. Our central focus continues to be on teaching and learning to ensure that all students are reaching their potential.
Parent Satisfaction Survey- Tell Them From Me
This week we are inviting students, teachers and parents to provide feedback on their experience of our school using an online survey. The surveys are an essential part of our whole school evaluation and planning process. We would like to invite you to complete the Tell Them From Me (TTFM) Partners in Learning survey. As we value the role of parents and carers within our school community, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. The information you provide will be used to maintain our commitment to working together in partnership to further improve student learning and well-being at St Bernard’s Primary School. The survey is anonymous and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. You can access the parent survey on your computer or mobile device by using the URL below: http://tellthemfromme.com/9v5w4
School Fees
Term 2 Fees have been generated and sent out via email. As advised in previous emails, we have moved onto a new finance system and the preferred payment method is by BPAY. Due to the new system, our Biller Code and the Family Reference Numbers have changed, so please check that you have the new numbers before making a payment using BPAY. Statements will be automatically generated every month to your email. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Bel Coppin bel.coppin@cg.catholic.edu.au
Enrolments
Enrolments for 2024 are continuing to grow. If you know of anyone wishing to enrol for next year, please encourage them to contact our office for an application form or complete the enrolment form online. Enrolment packages have been sent to all Year 6 families from Carroll College. I encourage you to submit your forms as soon as possible.
Welcome...
Over the last two weeks, we have welcomed two new families to St Bernard’s. We welcomed William B (3D) and Sienna B (5D) and Whaylen L (KL) and Kiesha L (2J) to St Bernard’s. We look forward to you being a part of our St Bernard’s community.
Blessings to you and your family.
Kind regards
Johanna Wain
Principal
God’s Presence in our Lives
The doctrine of the Trinity describes the unique ways that we experience God’s presence in our lives. It is a confusing doctrine for adults, because it seems to imply three gods who are yet one God. When we speak of the mystery of creator and creation we can only understand the mystery by analogy, poetry and symbolic language. What we describe with the doctrine of the Trinity is an experience of God.
We know about God through his creation and through his creative acts. When we make something, whether it is a piece of furniture or a special meal we are in touch with God as we shape something into a different form. The intense fulfilment of childbirth is another example of creative time. When we are creative, we feel whole and fulfilled. God is creating through us; we have a sense of being an instrument for the Divine. We call this way of experiencing God “Father’.
We know God in the sense expressed in 1 John 4:16: ‘God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.’ God is as close to us as the healing love that is shared among his people. It was Jesus who proclaimed this reality by the power of love he showed in His life, death and resurrection. Using the metaphors of biblical language, we could say that we ‘meet Christ’ in the acts of love and healing. We know God through the ‘flesh and blood’ of his presence in our lives and through the power of love that leads us into deeper life. We call this way of experiencing and knowing God “Son” since Jesus is called the Son of God.
Finally we know God through the inspiration that comes to us. Our secular use of word ‘spirit’ describes very well the experiences of God we feel through spiritedness and inspiration. As Christians we acknowledge the Holy Spirit as a lively and vigorous way of experiencing God in our lives. Thus we say we know God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. [Adapted from: Trinity Commentary, St Charles Borromeo, Cath. Church, Picayune, MS]
In the first reading Exodus 34: 4-6 our three persons in God is described as a ‘a God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger and rich in kindness and faithfulness’ Let this beautiful image of God speak to you and inspire you this week and with trust reflect on the Communion Antiphon: ‘You are sons and daughters of God, so God has given you the Spirit of his Son to form your hearts and make you cry our Abba, Father.’
Sourced by Marie Weatherall
Dear Parents and Carers,
As communicated by Mrs Wain in last week’s Newsletter positive behaviour is celebrated and recognised at St Bernard’s. One way that we currently do this is by using our Begin with the Heart awards. Over the past three weeks our focus has been linked to our five key school rules.
- Treat each other with respect
- Help each other learn
- Keep ourselves and others safe
- Wear our correct uniform properly
- Care for our school environment
The teachers are very proud to congratulate the eighty-four students who have received positive behaviour rewards over these weeks- Ben D, Seth L, Didier de C, Jayden E, Oscar J, Romy B, Campbell R, Sebastian L, Matthew S, Mia S, Dayton J, Alvey A, Hendrix P, James G, Ellena B, Daniel M, Daniel S, Isabella C, Harlo P, Gianna L, Yana K, James P, Eve P-K, Sietta G, Rory B-S, Jase W, Winter W, Ella A, Lebron C, Louis C, Jacob S, Ellie-Rose M, Hudson A, Van C, Colby S, Rolly S, Olivia R, Jasper G, Georgia N, Lucas F, Korra T, Emerson B, Olivia R, Van C, Johann D, Alexia V, Harley F, Eva C, Abby S, Beau O, Oliver C, Indie A, Mitchell B, Charli H, Emilia B, Daniel S, Bridey C, Benjamin D, Rohan M, Annie F, Alice McD, Xanthe K, Dylan M, Sally S, Ruby P, Harrison L, Daniel S, Charlotte C, Lucas V, Alexia V, Paige L, Holly L, Chelsea S, Maddie C, and Zaden F.
A special mention must go to Beau L, Jay J, Indi A, Mia B, Holly B, Harper B, Harper Br, Scarlett C, Beau C, Ava G, Eva H, Finn H, Ava J, Leila K, Ollie L, Rowan L, Molly M, Levi O'S, Taj P, Isaac R, Michael S, Jace T, Georgina W, Makenzie W, Cruze W and Scarlett W who have received 2 BWTH Awards. Thank you for your amazing efforts in following our school rules.
Thank you to Miss McRae for sharing a special photo of 1M students receiving their BWTH Awards this week.
World Environment Day June 5
The theme for World Environment Day 2023 is "#BeatPlasticPollution". The term "plastic pollution" refers to the accumulation of waste plastic products and particles that damage the Earth's ecosystems. Pope Francis in his encyclical, Laudato Si, has encouraged all Christians to care for the earth, God’s creation.
Confirmation Retreat Day
Year 6 will attend A Confirmation Retreat Day on Friday 9 June at Carroll College Broulee. Students are asked to wear their Sport’s uniform. Lunch will be provided. Permission for this excursion event can be found on Compass.
We pray for the following students and their families as they continue their preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation which will be held on Saturday 24 June at 5.00pm – Keira A, Kobi B, Ruby B, Samuel SD, Lavina P, Alice McD, Chloe JP, Xanthe K, Jonah T, Molly W, Isabella L, Caprice F, Hailey I and Lily S.
The 2023 Vinnies Winter Appeal
This week we are very happy to welcome back Fr Loi. Father has been able to enjoy some special time with his family in the Philippines. This has been the first opportunity for him to visit his family since the COVID lockdown.
Fr Loi will be celebrating our Winter Appeal Mass on Friday 16 June.
The 2023 Vinnies Winter Appeal is focusing on the issue of older women experiencing homelessness. The number of older women experiencing homelessness across Australia has grown rapidly in recent years, and continues to increase, accounting for almost double the growth rate for all people experiencing homelessness in Australia.
Our local St Vincent de Paul chapter have requested donations of warm blankets, pyjamas, gloves, scarves, and beanies for this appeal. As always, we thank you for your generosity in supporting the needs of others.
Donations of warm items can be left at the school office. All money donated will go towards purchasing blankets for the appeal. This will be presented by the children at our Winter Appeal Mass.
Blessings on your weekend
Sharon Beashel
Religious Education Coordinator
Dear Parents and Carers
This week is National Reconciliation Week and the theme is Be a Voice for Generations. On Friday students from Year 6 and sixteen Aboriginal students from Years 2-5 participated in a Bridge Walk across Bhundoo Clyde River in Batemans Bay with many other school students and community groups. The first Sorry Day Bridge Walk for reconciliation took place in Sydney in the year 2000. Since then, Bridge Walks have continued to take place throughout Australia in an emotional expression of support. Melissa Ellis, parent of Samantha from Carroll College was one of the MC's for the large gathering which followed the walk on Friday and spoke about her desire for reconciliation. Melissa went on to introduce some of the excellent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders from various schools in our community, who spoke about their hopes for the future. It was a wonderful event to be a part of.


















Bay Theatre Player Stars
Isla and Holly B are cast members of the Bay Theatre Players' production of The Sound of Music, which opens next Friday 9 June. Isla, one of our school captains, plays the role of Marta Von Trapp. Holly of Year 4 plays her sister on stage and in real life, Gretl Von Trapp. The girls have been rehearsing for 6 months to learn their lines, songs and choregraphy. Holly has commented on the very funny moments experienced back stage, while Isla has enjoyed being part of her first professional show. Isla and Holly feel that the cast have become some of their very good friends.
The girls encourage you to buy a ticket and come along to enjoy the production which runs from the 9 June- 25 June. Please see the flier in this newsletter for ticket information.
Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Lessons
React
Students in all classes have been learning to recognise if they are safe or unsafe in the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum. Our safety lessons will now be focusing on the second safety message: react.
When children recognise that they are in an unsafe situation, we encourage them to think about what they could do to be safe again. They will have opportunities to think about ways to react using real-life scenarios. Our students will also learn that breaking the rules (e.g. saying no to an adult who is behaving inappropriately) is sometimes necessary so that they can become safe again.
Please take the time to talk with your children about what they have been learning about safety and, in particular, the ways they could react if they are unsafe to make themselves safe again. Talking with your child about ways to stay safe will help them to develop life-long safety skills.
A smartphone is about much more than making phone calls. It allows your child to spend time online using their own device, rather than a shared family tablet or computer. It literally puts the online world in their hands.
For many parents and carers, giving a five year old their own smartphone may seem like it is a step too far. For others, it might offer them peace of mind and security to know they can keep in touch with their child – especially in an emergency.
The right age for your child will depend on their level of maturity and your family routine. It is worth asking yourself the following questions before handing over a digital device.
- Does my child have a good sense of responsibility?
- Are they able to stick to the rules?
- Do they show a good understanding of actions and consequences?
- Do they come to me or another trusted adult when they are distressed or if they encounter problems?
- What are the rules about when and where my child can use their smartphone? For example, will they only be able to use it while they are away from the house, and not in their bedroom at night.
For younger children it may be best to start with a mobile phone without internet access, and only introduce a smartphone when they demonstrate an appropriate level of maturity. There are a range of mobile devices available that allow you to control which tools or services your child has access to.
Some younger children might argue that they are ready for a smartphone, especially if their friends already have one. But it is worth holding out until you feel confident that your child is mature enough.
More information on this and other topics related to esafety can be found here:
I hope that you can join us for the Awards Assembly tomorrow, led by the students of Year 5.
Karen Hadley
A Snapshot of Year 1
This week Year 1 have been reading The Little Refugee by Anh Do and Suzanne Do. This highly engaging and emotive text has sparked wonderful discussions about the experiences of refugee children and the beginning of their lives here in Australia. This week, one of our writing tasks was to unscramble a 'command sentence' and write it using correct punctuation. We recently learned about ‘to be’ verbs. These verbs help us have subject and verb agreement and improve our speech and writing.
Every lesson with Trish is a treat! In Year 1 during Dhurga we have been working on our listening, preparing us for yarning circles. Trish has been teaching us the importance of listening to others as a sign of respect. We have been completing deep listening activities and following instructions carefully to complete tasks.
In Health, we have been completing the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum. In this week’s lesson we learnt about private parts of the body and the importance of knowing the names of these private parts so we can communicate about them clearly.
In Religion we have been exploring the story of Abraham and Sarah. We have learnt how God promised Abraham his family would be as big as the number of stars in the sky. Abraham was going to be the father of many nations. God kept his promise and Abraham and Sarah had a son, Isaac. Abraham and Sarah’s descendants became the nation of Israel, and we can read their family stories in the Old Testament.
We read a lot of engaging texts in English. The stories we hear are amazing and they are always supported by the work of the incredible illustrators. Over the last two weeks we read Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and we also The Speedy Sloth as part of the National Simultaneous Storytime. These amazing illustrators inspire us to create our own artworks.
At the end of last term 1C was the winner of the most heart tokens for our whole school focus. After much discussion about possible rewards, we enjoyed an afternoon of Free Play activities and wanted to share some of the different things we did. We had lots of fun!
MacKillop Soccer Championships
On Friday Annie F competed as part of the Canberra Goulburn Girls Football team at the MacKillop Championships in Goulburn. Annie thoroughly enjoyed the experience and said the hardest game was against the Sydney City team. Congratulations Annie on being chosen to compete at such a high level.
Term 2
Week 5 Class Awards
Presented : Friday 26 May 2023.
Congratulations to the following children who received class award this week. It is great to see so many children working hard and receiving acknowledgment for their efforts. Well done to all!
KB: Amelia B, Nalu G, Alexa K. |
KL: Bridey C, Hudson L. |
KT: Isla M, Hendrix P. |
1C: Ivy A, Gracie H, Harrison L, Imogen T. |
1M: Jacob B, Ellie-Rose M, Indie M, Ashton S. |
2B: Lachlan H, Toby S. |
2J: Zach C, Sebastian T. |
3D: Indie A, Sarah S, Noah S, Tully S. |
3W: Hayley D, Annalise J-P, Xavier L, Annie W. |
4C: Christopher H, Lucas V, Alexia V. |
4K: Harper B, Harper B, Taj P. |
5D: Jayden G, Joshua M, Sienna B. |
5M: Mia A, Dayton J. |
6C: Sebastian R, Molly W. |
6M: Kobi B, Caprii R, Lily S. |
Kids Winter Disco at City Church Batemans Bay
Saturday 17th June, 5-7pm.
Open to Kids of any age, 12yrs old & under.
The cost is $5 per child, this cost includes dinner.
Eftpos facilities will be available.
15a Bavarde Ave, Batemans Bay.
Call Cameron on 0410215237, for additional information.