Dear Parents and Carers

This year as part of our annual improvement plan, St Bernard’s encouraged all students in Years 2-6 to participate in the Mayors Writing Competition, organised through Eurobodalla Council. The annual Mayor’s Writing Competition aims to encourage young people who live or go to school in the Eurobodalla to get writing.

Each year, young authors between the ages of five and 18 are invited to submit an original work. Entrants can submit a short story, essay, poem, or any style of creative writing, as long as the writing adheres to the set word limits.

On Wednesday, two of our Year 2 students, James P 2B and Mikalya S 2J, both finalists in the competition, attended the Mayors Writing Competition presentation in Moruya. Mrs Hicks attended along with James and Mikayla’s parents.

There are many components to writing and this can be represented like the strands of a rope. Each strand contributes to fluent and skilled writing. Explicit instruction in writing also supports reading comprehension as writers develop the ability to develop their background knowledge about a topic.

Teachers at St Bernard’s use explicit instruction to teach writers craft or genre writing. They draw on rich literary texts to address the following skills and strategies in student writing.

• Word choice-specific vocabulary
• Awareness of the audience, purpose, and style of the text
• Literary devices-plot, setting, imagery, and alliteration

We are grateful to all our wonderful teachers that supported the students with their entries for the competition, and the amazing creativity demonstrated by our students.

On Wednesday, the Executive Staff attended Professional Learning at Carroll College as part of K-12 Pathways Pilot program on evidence-based Classroom Management. This professional learning was hosted by Dr Tim McDonald who is an expert in this field. This training will continue with all staff in 2024.

By participating in this program, teachers will:

• Practically apply the latest research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and psychology
• Create consistently productive, safe, inclusive, and calm learning environments
• Improve student wellbeing and create the classrooms they need with belonging, generosity, mastery, and independence
• Increase safety of classrooms and schools by proactively reducing disruptive behaviours
• Dramatically improve student learning outcomes through increased engagement

Year 3 will be presenting their Assembly tomorrow, commencing at 8.45am in the hall. We welcome all families to attend and celebrate the great learning happening at St Bernard’s. On Monday 30^th November, we will celebrate the Official Opening and Blessing of our Refurbished Buildings. The ceremony will commence in the hall at 11.30am followed by light refreshments. Parents are most welcome to join us for this special occasion.

Kindest Regards

Jenny Smith

Co-ordinator

Love and compassion makes all the difference

 ‘The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are the moments when we touch one another, when we are there in the most attentive and caring way.’ J Kornfield: ‘A Path with Heart’1993, pg. 14.

 If you were to look back over your life, what would be a couple of times that you remember being loving towards another? Often none of the loving actions we remember are extraordinary. Maybe, you like me, thought of simple, touching moments like telling Dad ‘I love you’ before he dies, or leaving a busy life to drive across country and care for a sister’s child while she heals from a car accident. It is important in life to never discount a simple gesture of compassion as this can impact a lifetime. Each touch of love or kindness can make a difference!  

A new beginning in someone’s life often takes place because one person reached out to another at just the right moment. The phase ‘one person at a time’ indicates the necessity and efficacy of individual, compassionate actions. One small gesture of love or compassion can make a difference. 

 Love of God and Neighbour

In the Gospel today, Matthew 22: 34-40, Jesus gives us the greatest commandment: to ‘love God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and love our neighbour as you love yourself’. He links up all the Scripture, as a moral value and guide for life with the meeting place between the love of God and the love of one’s neighbour. In saying that the second is like the first he is implying to love God means that you also love God’s people.

Here Jesus is not talking of intense emotional love. In the old testament there are many references to many kinds of love, but the love referred to here  by Jesus is the love of Deuteronomy 6:5, the love of Yahweh ...it is an active response of the faithful people to the active love of God.

To love God with all one’s heart, and soul, and mind, is to choose to respond to God even as God chooses to love us. In the New Testament the principle word used for love is ‘agape’ – a loving kindness, active compassion or mercy that is both generous and continuous. To love one’s neighbour as yourself is to make a conscious choice and act upon it. Only the action of love is commanded. In Christ, this we can do, even when we don’t feel like it.                                                                                                                   

 Marie Weatherall  

Dear Parents and Carers,

Our Mission Week was an amazing success because of your enthusiastic support. Special thanks to those parents and friends who sponsored the Socktober Penalty Shootout which raised a total of $602. The following day you continued your support for Timor-Leste by donating or baking for the variety of stalls offered by classes and individual students. The grand total raised during the Mission Markets was $1705.10. An incredible amount raised by an even more incredible community - a combined total of $2307.10! 

Begin With the Heart Awards

Congratulations to the following students who received BWTH Awards during the past two weeks. These students have been recognised for showing one of the following HEART values from our Behaviour Matrix- Honesty, Empathy, Appreciation, Respect or Tolerance

Franki S, Sietta G, Brent G, Astrid B, James P,  Nicholas E, Matilda R, Remi F, Piper B, Remi C, Elijah McG, Hayley D, Eva C, Haylee T, Alexis D, Oliver H, Abel M, Cici S, Alice Mc D, Isla B and Lachlan J.

Over the next three weeks staff will be teaching to and awarding BWTH Awards to students for showing the core value of Honesty. Our Behaviour Matrix encourages Honesty across the following domains:

At All Times

I always tell the truth

I do the right thing even when no one is watching

I tell an adult if I see something unsafe

In the Learning Environment

I am honest about where I am at with my learning

I ask for help with my learning when I need it

In the School Grounds and the Wider Community

I respect the rules set by teachers and other adults

I am truthful with teachers, other staff and members of the public

A tally of Class Hearts will be announced at our Assembly which will be led by Year 5 on Wednesday 23 November.

Happy World Teachers’ Day

On Friday 27 we will celebrate World Teachers’ Day. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the amazing teachers we have at St.Bernard’s. This prayer is offered in gratitude to them …………

Prayer for Teachers 

Almighty God, 

We come to you today and give thanks for all our teachers. 

Thank you for the way in which they give of themselves each day in the classroom, Serving and instructing the next generation of this land. We thank you for them all now. Father, please fill their hearts with courage now by your mighty Spirit. 

Fill them with your strength, so they may rise to every challenge and not grow weary. 

Fill them with your wisdom, so that they may be able to make good judgement when guiding and helping others. 

Fill them with your peace, so that when stress and anxiety comes it would not overwhelm them. 

Fill them with your joy, so that the passion they have for their subject may become an infectious passion that spreads. 

We ask all this in the wonderful name of Jesus. 

Amen. 

Thoughts for the Wain and Taylor Families

We remember Jo, Elliott, Nicholas and Georgina in our prayers today as Vin Taylor is

May perpetual light shine upon him and may he rest in peace, Amen

Blessings on your weekend

Sharon Beashel

Religious Education Coordinator

Literacy

This term Kindergarten is focussing on building our knowledge of sentence structures. We are focussing on making sure we have a Who, What doing, When and Where. Students have been expanding simple sentences to make them more interesting. We have written our first contribution for the school magazine answering the question “When I grow up I want to be…” Watch this space to see where kinder will be in the future. 

Dancing Rehearsal 

Kindergarten have thoroughly enjoyed their first few dance classes at school. They are twisting, shaking and stomping their way towards the end of term dance performance.

Andrew Chinn Concert

In week 2 St Bernard's were lucky enough to welcome Andrew Chin to the school to run music workshops and a whole school concert. Kindergarten were especially excited to sing along to many songs we sing in class. Andrew also shared that he wrote our school song, leaving many kindergarten students in awe. 

Socktober Shootout

With the help of some year 6 sports leaders Kindergarten had an absolute ball in the Socktober Shootout competition in week 2. After splitting into house teams each child had the opportunity to score goals using a real soccer ball and a sock-ball.

Mission Market Day

Again in week 2, Kindergarten had the opportunity to participate in their first Mission Market Day. Stalls of all kinds were setup, and with some money in their pockets, Kinder got amongst the action. Lollies, games and challenges, all in the name of raising funds for a worthy cause.

St Bernard’s Representative Clothing

Thank you to our amazing Parents and Friends committee who have enabled us to purchase new representative sporting attire. We have singlets and dresses, the style was chosen by our Year 6 leaders and they are very happy with the result.

 Representative Sport 2024

If your child would like to try out for a Representative sporting team in 2024 nominations are now open. Please visit https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/nominations and choose the sport you wish your child to play. AFL, Basketball, Cricket and Tennis are closing soon so please apply.

Tennis 

Congratulations to Xavier L, Quinn S, Beatrix F, Lucy B, Lucas VD, Ollie L, Evie P and Indi A from Year 3 and 4 who were runners up at the Southern NSW Finals of the Todd Woodbridge Cup held in Ulladulla last Thursday. They have been selected as one of the top eight schools to compete at the 2023 State Final in Sydney. A fantastic achievement.

On Tuesday Year 5 and 6 students also competed at the Southern Finals of the Todd Woodbridge Cup held in Batemans Bay. Students played in four different divisions against schools from around the region, they were amazing players with many other schools commenting on the great sportsmanship and cooperation shown by our students. We had teams who were successful in every division. Team 1 and 2 played the Division One Final with the team of Seb C, Hunter C, Ruby B, Bella L, Arsh K, Samuel SD, Annie F and Hailey I the Champions. These students now progress to the State Final of the Todd Woodbridge Cup Yr 5 and 6 event in Sydney as well. We are very proud of all our wonderful young players. Thank you to everyone who assisted the students it was a great day.

 Angela Holmes