Principal's Update
Welcome back to Term 2. I hope you and your family had an enjoyable time over the Easter Break.
It was wonderful to witness the children returning this week and being with their friends, teachers and staff.
To the start the new school term, I would like to inform and remind parents around school procedures. These procedures are put in place to ensure an orderly, safe learning environment for our students and staff.
Below is a link of some school operational reminders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BoHxGvPan4
Mobile Phones and Devices
Unless there is a legitimate reason that has been discussed with the class teacher and approved by school leadership, students are not permitted mobile devices or accessories linked to a mobile device e.g.smart watches, for use during the school day.
Any personal devices brought to school are to be switched off and handed in to the administration office on arrival at school and collected at the end of the school day. They should remain switched off until the student has left the school grounds.
Should the school need to contact parents or carers during the day teachers or the school office will contact you. Should parents or carers need to get a message to students then the office should be contacted to relay this message.
As always should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss.
Annual School Development Plan
St Benedict’s Catholic School strives to ensure that each student can experience the joy of learning and achieve success as a learner, guided by teachers who are inspired by Jesus Christ. This vision for Catholic schooling will build on our traditions and expertise and embrace new possibilities.
Through collaboration, co-responsibility, diversity and on-going renewal of mission and purpose, St Benedict’s implements a school development plan that is hope-filled and sustainable. Our 2024 Annual School Development Plan is a way that our school community can plan for and implement goals and strategies for our ongoing efforts towards school improvement.
Below is the link to a video from myself and our school leadership team describing our Annual School Development Plan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9utLlpQRQYE
Email Communication with classroom teachers and Right to Disconnect
The use of emails between parents and teachers is an effective communication tool. This year legislation has been passed around employees and The Right to Disconnect.
At St Benedict’s staff are not required to read or respond to emails from parents and carers outside school hours. To support the use of email communication and the Right to Disconnect, St Benedict’s email guidelines and procedures will be formulated in the coming weeks and communicated to staff and parents.
2025 Prep Enrolment Process
The school leadership team will be conducting interviews for 2025 prep places in the coming days and weeks. This is an exciting time for our new families and these young children.
A reminder to all current St Benedict’s parents. If you have a child that you wish to enrol at St Benedict’s in 2025, please ensure that you have completed your enrolment application.
Interviews with current parents and carers and sibling children will be conducted in June and July this year. The school admin will be in contact to arrange suitable meeting times in the coming weeks.
School Disco
A huge thank you to our Parents and Friends volunteers for their organisation and work at our school disco. The children had a wonderful time. Thank you to all parents for supervising their children at this family event.
Fun Run
A great time was enjoyed by all our students as they participated and competed in the school fun run yesterday. Thank you to our Physical Education Teacher, Ms Rowe, for her organisation and coordination of this fun event.
Student Free Day – Friday 26th April
A reminder that next Friday 26th April is a student free day for all Townsville Catholic Education
Schools, including St Benedict’s. On this day staff will be attending mandatory professional learning
sessions.
Finally, on behalf of the staff, we are looking forward to another great term. Thank you to all parents
and carers for your continued support of your children and St Benedict’s.
Patrick Dempsey
Principal