Staffing 2021

At the end of this year, we will farewell Adriana DiBella our Music teacher, Mrs Lauren Horsnell one of our Foundation teachers, Julene Verkooijen- Year 3 School Officer and Jess Lemmon- Year 4 School Officer. We are very grateful for the contributions of these staff members over their time here at St Benedict’s and wish them well with their future endeavours.

Next year we welcome new teachers, David Roberts (Music), Elly Caspanello, Renee Macala, Chantel Redgen and Jamie Eggins to our team. We also welcome a new school officer, Samantha Cincotta to our team. We look forward to welcoming back Caitlin Smith, Rhylie Matthiesen (Term 2) and Tayla Bolton from maternity leave too.

Our class allocations for 2021 will be as follows

Prep Bilbies- Kirsty Aitkins and Renee Macala

Prep Platypus- Sally Woolcock

Prep Koalas- Shannon O’Dwyer

Prep Wombats- Elly Caspanello

Year 1 Echidnas- Lizzy Christie

Year 1 Possums- Anita Beauchamp

Year 1 Wallabies- Kandis Orr and Gaby Torrens

Year 2 Curlews- Pierina Massatto

Year 2 Kingfishers- Laura King

Year 2 Lorikeets- Chantel Redgen

Year 3 Brolgas- Jess Smitt

Year 3 Emus- Jamie Eggins and Rhylie Matthiesen (from T2)

Year 3 Kookaburras- Cienna Jewell

Year 4/5/6 Jellyfish- Caitlin Smith

Year 4/5/6 Dolphins- Samantha Garbutt

Year 4/5/6 Stingrays- Rebecca Curley

Year 4/5/6 Turtles- Meghan Durnford

Music- Mr David Roberts

Spanish- Mrs Gaby Torrens

PE- Mrs Stevie-Lee Rowe

Technology- Mrs Sara Pemberton

Pastoral Care Coordinator- Mrs Ros Baumann

Final round up

As this is our final newsletter for the year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our school community for your ongoing support throughout this very challenging year. Communication is always key and always an area for improvement on all of our parts but the compassion and support you have provided each other and our staff has allowed us all to be quite positive in our interactions which only continues to build the type of school community we aspire to be. 

I am very grateful to the wonderful staff we have at St Benedict’s and am so proud of their care, passion and professionalism. They are our greatest resource when it comes to making a difference in the lives of our students. 

I am also incredibly proud of our students who have handled the challenges of this year as well as they could. They have continued to learn and to grow as people and they have found joy in the friendships they have made and the relationships they have built across our school.

I am thoroughly looking forward to the events of our last week of school with our Rite of Passage for our departing Year 6 students on Monday. Most of this group of Year 6 students have been in the senior group since they started as Year 4 students in the 4/5/6 class of 2018. We have seen so many of them discover the kind of learners they are and understand how their actions affect others; which prepares them to be active, responsible citizens who are compassionate and community minded. 

Our Step Up day on Tuesday will be another highlight as we welcome all new students for 2021 to St Benedict’s and all students will find out which class group they are in, which teacher they have and which classroom they are in.

Wednesday night is my favourite night of the year where we actually get to come together as a whole school community to celebrate the season of Advent with O’Holy Night. Please remember to bring along your own picnic style dinner, blanket and/ or chairs too as we’ll be on the low oval. 

On Thursday our Year 5 / 6 seniors have their very own retreat day to celebrate the end of the primary school journey for the Year 6’s and on Friday we finish 12.00pm.

For those families that are moving on, we wish you well in your new communities. 

Best wishes to everyone over the school break. May you find some time for rest, relaxation and time with family and friends. Most of all though, I wish you all a happy, safe and holy Christmas and a fabulous New Year. See you in 2021 :)

Cheers

Penny Collins

Principal