Dear Parents and Carers

I hope you are having an enjoyable week. This Saturday, 19 of our Year 4 students will be receiving the Sacrament of First Eucharist. The students will participate fully in the Eucharist for the first time. Please keep these children and their families in your prayers at this special time. Blessings to all.

I feel very privileged to be part of the St Bernard’s Community. I work alongside a dedicated team of staff who are committed to providing your child/ren with the best education, helping them to reach their full potential. We care for all students and I hope that as you walk into the school each day, you feel welcomed and a valued member of the St Bernard’s Community. Please know that our door is always open. If you ever have a question or a concern arises, I encourage you to make contact with your child’s teacher. Each week the teachers prepare an email to be sent home to inform you of the focus for teaching and learning for the week and any reminders for the week ahead. This direct line of communication with the teacher is so important. Education is a partnership between home and school. Next year we hope to engage parents more in the school with greater opportunities for you to be part of your child’s learning.    

Southern Region Public Speaking Competition

Congratulations on the following students who progressed to the finals of the Southern Region Public Speaking Competition this week:

The competition was held in individual schools via video link up last Tuesday for Stage Two and Wednesday for Stage Three. The finalists were asked to deliver their speech in front of a computer screen. The students spoke beautifully and we are very proud of their efforts. Thank you to Mrs Hadley for her coordination of this event. A special congratulations to Annie F (First place for Year 3), Isla B (Runner up for Year 4) an Ellen H (Runner up for Year 6). They will now be presenting their speeches virtually in the Archdiocesan Competition next Thursday. We wish them all the very best. 

Annual Improvement Plan

With the return to school routine, our focus has moved to our Annual Improvement Plan. Last week the Leadership Team met with Tim Smith, Performance & Improvement Leader at Catholic Education. Our students are central to every decision we make. In partnership with our families, we strive to offer our students an excellent education in an environment that is both engaging and nurturing. Our focus at St Bernard’s continues to be on Explicit Teaching and improving student outcomes in Literacy and Numeracy. Our Annual Improvement Plan consists of three measurable targets that lead to our ultimate goal of improving student outcomes. Our three goals are:

1. To increase student growth in English and Maths through explicit feedback.
2. To engage students in Religious Education through conceptual inquiry and visble thinking.
3. To implement Maths Pathway in Years 5 & 6 to improve student learning outcomes

Students are currently participating in Literacy and Numeracy assessments so that we can track our growth and progress ensuring we are catering for the needs of all students.

Carroll College Year 7 Orientation
A reminder to families that our Year 6 students moving onto the College next year have their Orientation day next Friday 26 November.  This is an exciting time for our Year 6 students as they transition through to secondary education. I’m sure they will enjoy their experience next week.

Next week, our Year 5 students will be presenting SRC speeches. I wish them well as they aim for a formal student leadership position for 2022.

Blessings on the week ahead.

Johanna Wain

Principal

Feast of Christ the King

“King” as a word and as an ideal has had a  bad time of it since 1925 when the Feast of Christ the King was instituted by Pope Pius XI. Some  of you may remember the 1950s when the title King was applied liberally to almost any individual considered peerless in his field. For example, Elvis Presley  was the King of Rock ’n’ Roll!

When Jesus stood as a prisoner before Pilate, abandoned by his disciples, cast aside by his fellow citizens, He said to Pilate, “Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.” (John 18:36)

Jesus made it clear to Caesar’s representative that Rome had nothing to fear from the alleged King of the Jews. Israel’s dreams of a triumphant Messiah were fantasy.

Indeed, as St Augustine wrote, Jesus is not a king who levies tribute, marshals mighty armies, or puts his enemies to the sword;  He is a King who reigns in people’s hearts, who promises eternal goods, who will lead into the Kingdom of heaven all who believe, who hope & who love.

Pius XI may have been over optimistic when he wrote the following in his Encyclical Quas Primas (11 December 1925) instituting the Feast of Christ the King.

“Nations will be reminded by the annual celebration of this feast that not only private individuals but also rulers and princes are bound to give public honour & obedience to Christ. It will call to their minds the thought of the Last Judgment, wherein Christ who has been cast out of public life, despised, neglected & ignored. will most severely avenge these insults; for his kingly dignity demands that the State should take account of the commandments of God and of Christian principles, both in making laws and in administering justice, and also in providing for the young a sound moral education.”

His Holiness expects the world to see Jesus as a triumphant King.

Ninety -five years after His encyclical, indeed after  two millennia of Christianity, there is still much opposition to the Kingdom which Jesus came to establish. And yet there never was a King for whom so many loyal subjects sought to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the globe. Countless people have renounced all things to follow Him and to establish His Kingdom. Their name is legion - the men, women & children who have shown Him their love by dying for Him.

The Kingdom of God is both a present reality and a future promise. That present reality was initiated by Jesus Christ, True God & True Man. He founded a Church to continue His work; a work carried on with the help of the Holy Spirit. There will be periods of doubt, failure, pain, humiliation, persecution  and other tribulations - just as Jesus suffered. But we can also look forward with blessed hope (Titus 2:13) to the end times when the Risen Christ will bring the Kingdom of the Triune God to its consummation.

Lord Jesus, may the Church be truly Your collective body in the world today. May it be infused with Your Spirit - loving and serving others. As You did when You lived among us.  Come, Lord Jesus, come! We need Your help.  Amen                                                                                                                                                                                 Joe Quigley

LIVING FAITH IN THE EVERYDAY

 LOOKING BACK > LOOKING FORWARD

As we reflect on Year B certainly the pandemic and its re-emergence

is large in our minds and hearts – we didn’t expect to be battling Covid

in 2021 but then we did! However, through the challenge, anxiety and

uncertainty how are we transformed? As we have all said in many

conversations – ‘it’ll never again be life as usual’.

How have our priorities changed?

Where and with whom do we put our energy?

The Gospel of John this weekend gives us inspiration. This feast is not about the glory and power of kingship but it is about challenging our understanding about being a king – a leader, a person who has the opportunity to lead – we all have this opportunity in our everyday lives – in our families, in our parish, in our sporting clubs and for some professionally. As we reflect on Year B let us be guided by the reply of Jesus to Pilate: ‘yes I am a king…I came into the world to bear witness to the truth and all who are on the side of truth, listen to my voice’.

How will we be witnesses to the truth?

How will we work together to create a different world in which all are welcomed and respected – in small as well as bigger ways?

We pray for the courage to be witnesses to the truth in our everyday lives – to live out God’s reign in our world.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

To the 19 boys and girls

who celebrated their First Eucharist

Saturday 20th November.

May God guide and protect you always.

 

 

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE

Dear Parents and Carers,

This Sunday is the solemnity of Christ the King. It also marks the end of the liturgical year. Next week, will be the first week of Advent and we begin the new liturgical cycle.

It is also a special day for our First Eucharist candidates, because they will be receiving Jesus in communion for the very first time. They have been practicing in the church space during the week and becoming more confident in their roles for Saturday evening’s mass.

Congratulations to Lily S who made her First Eucharist last Sunday, and to Ruby B and Cici S who made their First Reconciliation last Friday. Both girls were presented with a Reconciliation certificate and Commemorative pin from the parish.

Piety Stall – First Eucharist Gifts

The church Piety store will be open before and after masses for the next two weeks. They have a wonderful selection of First Eucharist cards and gifts available.

The Power of Prayer

Mrs. Ireland who is relieving for Mrs. Metcalf in 4M shared a beautiful story with me this afternoon. After sharing the news of Mrs Metcalf’s mothers passing with the children they suggested that they should do something special for her. It was decided that they could make a class card with individual messages for her. Feeling this was not enough one student suggested that they could say a prayer for her. Mrs. Ireland thought that the children might like to offer individual silent prayers as an intention, but the students suggested that they should recite Mrs. Metcalf’s favourite prayer the Hail Mary. It’s so beautiful to know that our students can use prayer to create a sense of the sacred and to nourish their own and others spiritual needs at important times.

Hail Mary

 Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen

2021 Vinnies Christmas Appeal

For many of us Christmas is a time of happiness and celebration as we gather with our family and friends sharing meals, laughing, and chatting as we open presents. However, for people experiencing poverty and disadvantage Christmas can be a challenging time. Luckily, there are many opportunities for students, teachers and parents to get involved and make Christmas a time to renew hope.

What Can You Do to Help?

               You can purchase gifts online at simplygiving.com.au/svdpcg OR

                    Donate at shoutforgood.com/fundraisers/GivingTree 2021

to allow St. Vincent de Paul to purchase gifts and hamper items for a family doing it tough.

Term 4 Religious Education Dates

December 3: Mini Vinnies Book of Gratitude entries

December 9: Year 5 and 6 Candle Ceremony

December 10: Year 6 Graduation 9.15am

Giving Mass and Christmas Carols: 9.00am

 

Have a lovely weekend

Sharon Beashel REC

 

Dear Parents and Carers

Over the past two days, eight students from Years 3-6 participated in the virtual Southern Region Public Speaking competition.

The students should be commended on their excellent efforts to deliver a speech after the competition was post-poned for many weeks due to remote learning. The adjudicators were particularly impressed with the confident way the students spoke to engage their audience and the exceptional content of their speeches, most often with a profound social justice message. As Phil Billington mentioned in her feedback to the students, the calibre of the speakers and their content certainly made you feel proud of the education offered in Catholic schools. 

Thank you to St Patrick's School Cooma who organised the virtual competition and to adjudicators from our school and local area, Jenny Smith and Phil Billington. 

eSafety Webinar

The Council of Catholic School Parents in partnership with the eSafety Commissioner present eSafety’s parent guide to digital technologies and mental health. This Term 4 webinar will provide parents and carers with strategies to help young people and their mental health when they are online.

It is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10–18.

The free one hour webinar is designed for parents and carers of young people aged 10–18.

It will cover:

• using games, apps and social media to support mental wellbeing
• the pros and cons of digital mental health platforms
• strategies for young people to support friends online.

Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2827035028368125199

Acknowledgement Song

Students have been learning an Acknowledgement song with actions, written by Trish Ellis in recent lessons. Trish is teaching classes the Acknowledgement to be sung in dhurga language as a school ritual. We thank Trish for sharing these lyrics with us.

bagan njiinj    mirriwarr njiinj

(Here is the earth and here is the sky.)

mudjingaal njiinj ngayaga njiinj

(Here are my friends and here am I.)

mana up  mana down

(We come together hand in hand.)

We are on walbanja yuin ground

(We are on walbanja yuin land.)

I hope that you have an enjoyable weekend.

Karen Hadley

Assistant Principal

Primary classes have started golf for their PE this week. Lots of fantastic skill development has occurred while learning to play this fun but challenging sport. The challenge was to out drive Mrs Holmes and Mr Maynard.

Week 6 Class Awards

      Presented : Friday 12 November 2021.

Congratulations to the following children who received class awards this week. It is great to see so many
children working hard and receiving acknowledgment for their efforts - well done to all!

As you may already know, Marymead, in partnership with The Family Place, will soon deliver ‘Revival’ a new program in the Eurobodalla region supported by funding from COORDINARE – South Eastern NSW PHN through the Australian Government’s PHN program.

Our recent community survey relating to Revival’s deliverables told us of the importance in highlighting links back to land, water and healing. We have taken these comments on board and are seeking your help in sharing our LOGO poll - the first step in communicating the intent of this important program to our community.

Revival will address a high need from the community for social and emotional support as a result of the bushfires that adversely impacted the region in 2019-20. Revival will deliver non-clinical child and family supports, strengthening the communities (individuals and families’) resilience, whilst building cohesion, inclusion and wellbeing.

Revival will provide accessible supports within the community, as informed from community engagement, addressing the diverse needs of the community. Participants may find themselves engaging in social, cultural, recreational, psychosocial and wellbeing activities and groups.

Please see poster artwork attached for sharing or visit the link below to VOTE NOW.

https://linkto.run/p/G7MB48BI

Many thanks for being a part of this important, community-led initiative.