Prep Enrolments 2023

Every year the new enrolment campaign for reps seems to come around faster and faster. Please know we are now accepting enrolment applications for Prep 2023. If you have children who are due for Prep next year, please get your applications in as soon as possible. All siblings of current students will be granted a place in the first round of offers so long as we have applications for them. We also need our sibling applications so we can determine how many places we have left as we only take 100 students for the 4 classes. We will be having a Prep Open Day on Friday 18 March from 9.30am -10.30am which will mainly include school tours with our senior students. Next term we invite enrolled students for 2023 to our Under 8’s Day activities and then we offer a couple of other transition experiences towards the end of the year.

On the Open Day, you will be able to book an interview for Term 2 with a member of our leadership team. If you are unable to make the Open Day, we are also offering a couple of other dates for tours with a member of our leadership team. The office staff will contact applicants who haven’t booked an interview early in Term 2 so we can discuss everyone’s enrolment application. We look forward to welcoming another 100 Prep students in 2023.

Inter-school Swimming Carnival

Best wishes to our Swimming Team who will be competing at the Inter-school Swimming carnival on the 14 March. The team is made up students who did well in our school Swimming Carnival in Term 4 last year. If you are new to our school and your child has a particular aptitude for swimming, please let Me Christie know and he may be able to add them to our team.

Principal Leave

Next week I will be away from school for three days to attend our Diocesan Principal’s Meeting where we will all engage in professional learning about Leading Change in Learning and Teaching and where we will also look at Catholic Identity and the importance of community prayer.

From the week after this, I will be on six weeks leave as I am having some medical surgery and then my husband will be waiting on me hand and foot (I hope) for my recovery time. It is nothing serious at this point, just part of the joys of turning 50 this year I think :) In my absence, Mr Nick Christie will be Acting Principal and we have a couple of teachers providing leadership support over this time.

Have a fabulous week.

Cheers

Penny

I’m happy to say that I’m back - I look up and see it’s now the end of Week 6, the term is flying by! 

Ash Wednesday

Our Ash Wednesday liturgies this Wednesday were really beautiful.  Each class gathered with their buddy class (from a different year level), to pray and receive the Ashes.  I was fortunate enough to sit in with 4 Dragonflies and 1 Wallabies, with students from both classes helping with the liturgy - which was great to see!  Fr Clement also joined in with 3 Galahs and Prep Wombats.  Ash Wednesday of course marks the beginning of Lent, which for us is 40 days of reflection and preparation leading into the celebration of Easter.     

Project Compassion

Each Lent, our school, along with the rest of the diocese, raise funds for ‘Project Compassion’.  Project Compassion is a Lenten fundraiser by Caritas Australia.  Caritas is an organisation who show their faith through supporting those in need around the world.  Through simple actions, in this case, through the gift of giving, we can all be more for our world.  

Each class has received a donation box which will live on the prayer table, where students are welcome to place monetary donations. There has also been a box placed in the office for any donations.  In the spirit of doing things for others, children may wish to donate a week of normal pocket money, or the money they would normally spend on an icy-pole to this great organisation.  

Each week, Project Compassion has a video to show how they are supporting people and communities around the world.  Please see the link below to see one of the many projects around the world and to see where your donations might be spent.  This week's story takes us to Mozambique and is about a woman named Anatercia. 

https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/anatercia-story/

Pax,

Homework and Reading

As you know, we do not have homework at St Benedict’s. We believe in providing an environment where students can be engaged in learning and work to the best of their ability throughout the day. We believe that our students' 'work day' is complete at the conclusion of the school day and therefore, we do not assign formal or regular homework. 

You should also know though, that we expect every student at St Benedict’s to be reading every day at home - this is not considered homework, but an action that is integral to their learning. Students could be independently reading, or being read to. If you are not in the habit of reading in your household I encourage you to change habits by starting with a  21 Day Reading Challenge. Small changes can build habits and last a lifetime. “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or a duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” (Carl Sagan)

Stewardship Action Meetings - Clean Up Australia Day

As shown in our Benedictine value of ‘Stewardship’, every student at St Benedict’s is called to encourage the sustainable use of all resources and seek to protect an awareness that we are part of a larger world. Our environment has been given by God for the sake of all. 

Rather than having a specific student environmental club or committee, we encourage every student at St Benedict’s to have a voice in the directions our school takes towards a more sustainable future. We show this through the work in our eProjects, and by having termly ‘Stewardship Action Meetings.’ 

During the ‘Stewardship Action Meeting’ each class has an opportunity to suggest activities they may wish to see included in future work, highlight any

environmental issues/problems throughout the school, and collaboratively brainstorm solutions to any problems. 

The Stewardship Action Meeting for this Term will be held around Clean Up Australia Day this coming Friday. 

Parent/Teacher Interviews 

We will be holding parent/teacher interviews on Monday 21st March from 3:30pm - 8:00pm, and Tuesday 22nd March from 3:30pm - 6:30pm in the Hall. You will be able to book a 15-minute time slot to attend an interview using the ‘Compass Parent Portal’ from this Friday the 4th March, around 2pm. The Booking System will close on Friday 18th March so please make your booking by then. In the meantime, please ensure you are able to access the Parent Portal and contact the office for any assistance. Teachers are looking forward to discussing your child’ progress with you. 

Yours in Learning, 

Aleesha Rockemer 

(Learning and Teaching Adviser) 

Parent/Teacher Interviews 

We will be holding parent/teacher interviews on Monday 21st March from 3:30pm - 8:00pm, and Tuesday 22nd March from 3:30pm - 6:30pm in the Hall. You will be able to book a 15-minute time slot to attend an interview using the ‘Compass Parent Portal’ from next Friday the 4th March, around 3pm. In the meantime, please ensure you are able to access the Parent Portal and contact the office for any assistance. We look forward to discussing your child’ progress.