Dear Parents and Carers

I hope you have enjoyed a productive week. Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Year 5 Camp to Birrigai. The students spent three days immersed into the history of the gold rush. Students panned for gold, engaged in a simulation activity focusing on life in the gold fields and enjoyed creating a campfire and making damper. The students were amazing and certainly represented St Bernard’s beautifully. A special thank you to Mr Maynard and Mrs Coggan for their exceptional planning and organisation and to Mr Ward, Eidenne Warton and Nicole Allen for their support on camp. 

Today is the Feast of St Mary Mackillop. St Mary MacKillop, is the first Australian saint and the founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, an order dedicated to the education of poor children. Her feast day is a significant celebration, especially in Australia, where she is remembered for her contributions to education and social work. We continue to follow St Mary Mackillop’s example as her legacy continues to inspire us in Catholic education.

GRATTAN INSTITUTE
This week we have had the pleasure of hosting the Grattan Institute at St Bernard’s. The Grattan Institute is an Australian public policy think tank who dive into policy research, analysing data and identifying practical ways to inform decision/policy makers, in the best interest of Australia. The team who visited us this week do a lot of work in the Education space. Their focus was on hearing and seeing what is happening with Catalyst, specifically in the area of Mathematics, at St Bernard’s.

BOOK WEEK
We’re approaching that time again when the talk of costumes, dress ups and favourite characters are hot topic! Book Week is being celebrated in Week 5 this term. This year’s Book Week theme is Reading is Magic. This theme provides great scope to be imaginative with costumes. These can be as creative and diverse as you wish. Really any book character could feature with this theme. Let your child escape into the character of their choice! Our Book Parade will be held on Friday 23 August at 9am in the Hall.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Mrs Jennifer Ward on her nomination for the Faith in Learning Catholic Education Excellence Awards 2024. Catholic Education were extremely pleased to receive a number of high-quality nominations, and I am happy to announce that Mrs Ward has been selected as the recipient of the School Office Staff Award. Mrs Ward has received the award for her outstanding dedication and commitment to her role. Mrs Ward, Mr Ward, Mrs Hadley and Mrs Beashel will attend Mass on Thursday 8 August at 4pm at St Christopher’s Cathedral, to receive the award. Congratulations Mrs Ward, we are all very excited and appreciate everything you do.

SOUTHERN REGION PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION
Congratulations to our finalists who will compete in the annual Southern Region Public Speaking Competition. Stage 2 students competed yesterday via a video link up and the Stage 3 competition will be held tomorrow. A special congratulations to Beatrix F and Johann D who both came first in the year level. We are very proud of your achivement. 

We wish our Year 5 and 6 students all the very best of luck for tomorrow!
Year 3 Finalists: Johann D & James P
Year 4 Finalists: Eva C & Beatrix F             
Year 5 Finalists:  Charlotte F & Indianna A             
Year 6 Finalists: Annie F and Didier D

ABSENTEE NOTES
Just a reminder that when your child misses a day of school, it is important to send an email or complete the attendance note explaining their absence eg, sick or for family reasons etc. This is a government requirement, and it is attached to the class roll in Compass. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to come and see us at the Office.

PARENT EDUCATION

Invitation to 'A Bluey Perspective'
A free family event with ‘Bluey’ creator Joe Brumm will be held at Merici College on Wednesday 11 September. Presented by Catholic School Parents Canberra and Goulburn with the support of Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn, the event aims to bring families from across the Archdiocese together, to listen to Joe talk about why he thinks Bluey has been such a success and the important role parents play in their child’s learning and development. There is an option for live streaming for parents and carers who are unable to attend in person.

Wednesday 11 September from 7pm – 8pm
Join Dr Justin Coulson, Australia's leading parenting expert, as he unpacks the mental health crisis enveloping our kids. He'll cover:

• The root causes behind the deteriorating state of mental health, and who (or what) is responsible.
• The tools you need to reverse this trend for your children. 
• Science-backed, relationship-focused strategies to remedy school refusal. 
• Realistic approaches for managing screen time in a way that protects your child's wellbeing without completely alienating them from their peers. 
• Creating margin in your home and family life to protect and promote mental wellness.  

CLICK TO REGISTER: https://ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/form/61

This isn't just a workshop; it's a call to action. Join the conversation and be part of a dynamic, interactive experience where we collaborate to reshape the future of your children's mental health. Hear real stories, explore innovative solutions, and discover practical strategies to empower your kids.

Please don’t hesitate to come and see me if you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open. I am looking forward to catching up with families throughout the term.

Blessings on your family this week.

Warm regards

Johanna Wain
Principal

Dear Parents and Carers

It has been a busy start to the term, with some important events occurring over the past three weeks. The Southern Region NAIDOC Mass and Awards were held in our church on Friday in Week One. It was a very special celebration of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, with students, staff and families from our regional Catholic schools in attendance. It was wonderful to have Trish Ellis at the Mass to provide the Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country. Also thank you to Marg Croese and the Sacred Heart Parish musicians who played at the Mass, accompanied by Rodney Slockee on didgeridoo. It was a wonderful occasion.

NAIDOC Archdiocesan Awards

Following the Southern Region NAIDOC Mass, the Archdiocesan Awards Ceremony was held, recognising the achievements of individual students, staff and school bodies, across academic, arts, sports, leadership, and cultural and identity domains. Mr Dominic Braybon, Performance and Improvement Leader and Mr Rowan Dollar, Chief Information Officer from Catholic Education made the presentations. We congratulate Lebron C and Addison G who received awards. 

Addison Goucher, from St Bernard’s Primary School, Batehaven, who receives a Deadly Encouragement Award

Addison is a highly engaged learner who consistently applies herself to achieve her best in all areas of the curriculum. She is a keen sportsperson who has represented the school on a number of occasions. Addison aspires to be a student leader in the coming years, and she would like to further develop her public speaking skills to offer Acknowledgement of Country at school gatherings.

Lebron Chatfield, from St Bernard’s Primary School, Batehaven, who receives a Culture and Identity Award

Lebron is an excellent student with natural leadership ability. He has a strong sense of identity and connection to country that he has learnt from his family and proudly shares his knowledge of culture with others. He recently featured in a Reconciliation Week video reflection, speaking about what reconciliation means to him with insight and feeling. Lebron is wise beyond his years and many people look up to him.

First Aid Training

On Tuesday afternoon, all staff completed a First Aid and CPR training update through Carly's Helping Hearts organisation as part of an extended staff meeting. Staff were required to complete comprehensive training online prior to the practical training. We are very fortunate to have a defibrilator in our school and staff had the opportunity to practise using this to support CPR as well as practise other First Aid procedures in response to situations that could occur in a school environment.

Grandparent's Day

A reminder that next Friday 16 August, we will be holding Grandparents Day at school. We would like to invite all grandparents or special person, to Grandparent’s Day which will begin with an assembly led by Year 2 at 8.45am in the Hall. After assembly grandparents are invited to morning tea, followed by students inviting their grandparents to visit their classrooms, where they will do an activity together. 

Please complete the RSVP form for any adults who will be joining us for Grandparent's Day to assist with our catering by today, Thursday 8 August: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/STBBGRAN

Have a lovely weekend.

Karen Hadley

The Basics of Life!

St. Augustine comments that our most sacred things come from the kitchen - bread, wine, water, oil & of course hands. These things provide the Sacraments with their unique language and, as with any language, we need to understand it, if we are to use it effectively. Frank O’Loughlin in his book ‘New Wineskins’ 2019 writes: ‘Bread gives witness to our radical dependence on something outside of ourselves to keep us alive. We cannot give ourselves life. Each time we eat we acknowledge that we cannot maintain our own existence. We have to take something from outside ourselves into us if we are to remain alive. Without sustenance we cannot keep living. Thus we are utterly dependent for our very life on something outside of ourselves, something beyond ourselves’. [pg 14]

The reality is the food we eat keeps death at bay in a temporary way.

This dependence O’Loughlin talks about is true of us whether we are believers or non-believers. This dependence is part of each one of us; it is a reality for every human being. Something we all have in common.

I am the Bread of Life come down from Heaven

Jesus is to us, what bread is to us. In John’s Gospel today when Jesus says: ‘I am the Bread of Life come down from Heaven’, this statement points to the very significance of bread and of eating and speaks to us of who Jesus is and what he is claiming. It opens up for us the very nature of the Eucharist as our way of coming to receive the life that Christ offers us in the Eucharist.

The Mystics, such as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, often use love as a way of speaking about union with God. The Eucharist uses the sign of food as a way of speaking about our union with God – our relationship with God in Christ. He is giving himself to us as life-giving with a life that is internal to us. As O’Loughlin says: ‘This bread draws the disciples into communion with him in the life of the resurrection which he comes to through his death. In the Eucharist, we begin to share this life now’. [pg.16] Christ gathers us into the mystery of communion with him by giving to us his bread, broken, that we may all share in it. [I Cor. 10:17].

The celebration of Eucharist calls us to recognise Christ not only in the breaking of bread but in the poor and disadvantaged who are ‘broken’ by their life in this world. May we continue to be profoundly moved by Jesus to act with practical love to change our world.

Marie Weatherall

The PARISH SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM  for FIRST

 EUCHARIST will be holding an ENROLMENT &

INFORMATION EVENING on THURSDAY 15TH AUGUST @ 5PM. 

We warmly invite all parents whose child has celebrated

Reconciliation to attend the evening.  For further information please call the Parish on

4472 4153

Dear Parents and Carers,

Today is the Feast day of St Mary MacKillop. As many of you know she is Australia’s first recognised saint. Mary spent her life doing good work and trusting in the providence of God.

Our core values at St Bernard’s are based on the charisms which St Mary MacKillop modelled when teaching and supporting those most in need.

Thank you to our Year 6 students Mia A and Sienna B for leading our school in prayer this morning in honour of St Mary MacKillop.

Operation Christmas Child

Our Mini Vinnies team is supporting Operation Christmas Child during Term 3.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse. It is a hands-on way for us to bless children in need across the world by filling shoe boxes with toys, hygiene items, school supplies, and fun gifts. Each shoe box will become a Christmas Gift for a boy or girl in the age category: 2–4yrs, 5–9yrs, or 10–14yrs.

Mini Vinnies are asking for donations of the following items for their shoe boxes:socks, toothbrushes, hair brushes,combs, soap, underwear, T-Shirt, pens, pencils, textas hair accessories, note books, skipping ropes, small stuffed animals and toys.

All shoe boxes and donations will be collected by the end of the term. Mini Vinnies thanks you for your donations in advance.

More information about the project can be found at https://occ.samaritanspurse.org.au/volunteer-with-us/

FIRST EUCHARIST

A reminder for all Catholic families whose children have been baptised and received the sacrament of Reconciliation - You are invited to attend a Family Enrolment evening for Eucharist/Holy Communion next Thursday 15 August from 5.00-5.45pm in St.Bernard’s Church. 

Please check our Compass Newsfeed for more information.

Assumption of Mary

Mary’s Assumption to heaven will be celebrated with a parish mass on Thursday 15 August at 9.00am. Parents and friends are invited to join us for our first whole school mass this term.

Blessings on your weekend

Sharon Beashel

Religious Education Coordinator

We are back! Rested and ready to learn. Term 3 is poised to be another fabulous 10 weeks of learning and growth for our wonderful Year 4 students. 

Literacy/Vocabulary:

During our Literacy lessons, we have been expanding our vocabulary and using our new knowledge to create meaningful sentences. We use conjunctions to join dependent and independent clauses.

Maths:

So far this term, Year 4 has focused on fractions and decimals. Counting, representing, adding and determining equivalent fractions and decimals on number lines. Our Daily Reviews have also continued to build our quick recall!

Physical Education:

Our physical education lessons and sports will focus on striking skills and team building. Last week, Year 4 learned some activities that focused on working as a team, and how to communicate to build success! Mrs Holmes has kicked off her lessons with Tee-Ball before we are lucky enough to have some coaches coming in to teach tennis and hockey skills. 

Science:

This week in Science, we have been preparing for an experiment using a popcorn kernel. First, Year 4 had to feel, sketch and describe a corn kernel. Next week they will observe the changes to the kernel when heat is applied.

Storyline/History:

In Year 4, we started studying the period of 1700-1800 in England and Australia, specifically leading into the First Fleet and Colonisation of Australia. Last week we investigated the type of clothes that were worn during this era. Storyline is an opportunity to show our understanding of our history and intertwine this knowledge through the story of a character.

Art:

To coincide with our History and Storyline learning, Year 4 has begun drawing ships. We are sketching in pencil before outlining and shading with charcoal. Keep your eyes out for some beautifully detailed ships.

Term 3

Week 2 Class Awards

Presented: Friday 2 August 2024.

Congratulations to the following children who received a class award in Term 3, Week 2. It is great to see so many children working hard and receiving acknowledgment for their efforts.

Well done to all!