Principal's Update

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

The production season has now been completed with seven fun, vibrant and energetic performances, featuring many catchy songs. Twenty-four girls from Kilbreda performed alongside our boys in featured roles and in the ensemble which featured over 50 cast and crew members.

What is particularly impressive about the students involved in the production was their dedication and commitment. While we admire the performances of each participant, the quality emerges from endless hours of practice, rehearsals and individual work. Further, as our respective students, staff and parents are no doubt very aware, much of this practice and rehearsal happens very early prior to school, or at the end of a long school day or often on weekends. 

The dedication to improving performance and seeking excellence, presents some important values that we can all aspire to. Values such as commitment, teamwork, supporting others and truly appreciating and celebrating the whole while respecting the individual parts—every role matters! While our production team have certainly worked very hard, I am sure they took great satisfaction in their performance which can be viewed as just reward for their tremendous effort. I always marvel at their talent and the quality of their respective performances, and I am particularly taken by the sheer joy that our boys and girls experience in performing. 

Of course, the quality of performance that we get to enjoy as a College takes vision, direction and development. We are blessed to have some very dedicated teachers, mentors and tutors who work with, and alongside, our students to nurture their skills and to encourage a love of the Performing Arts. We sincerely thank Drew Downing, Jamie Parton, Kate Smith, Thomas Hubeek, Hamish Dun and all staff involved for their dedication and ability to inspire our boys and the Kilbreda girls.

Our Warmest Congratulations

Our Brother Quentin O'Halloran OAM on his 75th anniversary as a Brother of the Christian Schools (De La Salle). Brother Quentin has dedicated his life to the education of young people, as a teacher with a love for Literature, and as Headmaster to three Colleges, including our own from 1989 to 1998. His Order of Australia medal (OAM) acknowledges his service to education in the Catholic sector. 

The Old Collegians Association, through our alumni has raised $44,545 for the Finian Foundation, helping some of our parents to meet the educational expenses of St Bede’s College boys. The annual appeal proudly continues the 50-year legacy of Brother Finian Allman by looking out for one another and standing strong as an Old Collegians community.

To Oscar (Year 12) who is the youngest person ever to finish the Cairns Ironman, an incredible achievement after overcoming setbacks before, and during, the event. A testament to his grit, resilience and ambition!

All our students who represented the College in ACC Competitions throughout Term 2 and to their coaches and managers. Special mention to the teams who achieved premierships, runners up and finalist places. 

The MAV Maths Games Day Year 7 team which earned an excellent second place at the competition. Well done to Talon, Shivaan, Sam, Liam, Max, Joshua and Liam.  

Lenex (Year 12) representing the Victorian Schools Rugby Union State Under 18 Schoolboys team at the 2026 Australian Schools and Junior Rugby Union (ASJRU) Championships on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

Darcy (Year 11) who received Best on Ground / Lasallian Spirit Award in the ACC Australian Rules Lasallian Cup game against De La Salle. The recent game between St Bede’s/De La Salle was the first Lasallian Cup game played between the Colleges since 2019.

Connor, Jarvis, Oliver, Will and Angus who participated in the Victorian Senior Pool Lifesaving Championships, taking home over 30 medals among them when representing Mentone Life Saving Club.

Michiel (Year 9) who represented Victoria at the Royal Pool Lifesaving Championships in Perth and won 3 bronze medals, including one in CPR—an incredibly valuable life skill. Then at the Victorian State Championships representing Mordialloc Life Saving Club, Michiel's team won 10 gold medals and 4 silver medals, and the Club claimed the Overall State Championship title for the 23rd consecutive year. 

Our Monash Scholars Alexander, Jackson and Sebastian (Year 10) who have been selectedfor the program in2026-2028. This prestigious program supports high achieving students with early opportunities to enrich personal development and academic abilities. 

To Brenda McCullagh and Sarah Williams, who presented in Johannesburg, South Africa at the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC) Annual Conference. Their Beyond Achievement: Mentoring High-Ability Boys to Flourish. who shared valuable insight and experience in mentoring gifted, talented and high achieving boys.   

New Semester—Renew and Reset!

The start of a new semester gives an opportunity for students and families to reset.  Our Year 12 students are entering the final, very important, weeks of their school life. An analysis of Semester 1 Student Reports should be used as the basis for meaningful conversations about application to school, establishing a consistent approach to home studies and identifying areas for improvement in the future. Whilst we understand that all students cannot necessarily attain the highest possible performance or grades in all areas, and across all subjects; we do have clear expectations of all students to apply themselves to their work. Put simply, the College expects and encourages all students strive to achieve their personal best in all areas, and across all subjects! Personal excellence should be the aim of every student—in all endeavours!

Boys may benefit from encouragement, understanding, and guidance to help them manage their workload and prepare effectively and efficiently for their Semester 2 assessments. Discussing how to manage their schoolwork alongside other activities and whether they have a balanced, healthy schedule may lead to improvements that result in better outcomes. Furthermore, parents and carers are most welcome to contact subject teachers or Mentors if they would like to discuss their son's progress and will have this opportunity at our upcoming Parent Teacher Student Interviews (August 11, 19 and 21) which families can book on August 4. 

Such meetings allow for a showcasing of what students have learned and allow consideration of what they can achieve; allows parents to applaud their son’s hard work and success; brings students, parents and their teachers together in a positive way; gives everyone a sense of accomplishment!

Students from Years 8 to 11 are currently engaged in the selection of elective subjects for the upcoming year. It is crucial to discuss with your son their strengths, interests, and plans, revisiting the topic periodically. You can use their Semester One reports as a starting point for this conversation. For Year 10 students, the Morrisby Testing Program results will also serve as an excellent basis for discussions about your son’s senior school pathway. 

The second half of the year is filled with opportunity; and with thoughtful goal-setting and sustained effort, it can be a time of significant growth and achievement.

2025 Annual Report to the School Community

As part of the funding agreement between the Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) and the Australian Government, schools are required to report on specific categories of School Performance Information. This information is supplied to our College Community in many ways, including (but not limited to): a periodical newsletter; social media posts, an annual report; the yearly St Bede’s College Journal; and our website.

The St Bede’s College 2025 Annual Report to the School Community is available on the College website. 

A printed copy is also available upon request from the College Office. The College welcomes feedback from our parents, students, staff and Old Collegians at any time. Comments in response to this report are also invited.

Winter Appeal Donations

Thank you to everyone in our community who donated so generously to our 2026 Winter Appeal. We have delivered these much-needed goods to our St Vincent de Paul groups.  Your kind donations of food and clothing will brighten the lives of the increasing number of people who rely on charities to assist them on a regular basis. This is one visible way that we truly live out the Lasallian call for Faith, Service and Community in our daily lives.

The Way of St James 

My month of June in Spain

The Way of St James (popularly known as the Camino de Santiago) is a massive network of ancient pilgrimage routes stretching across Europe. Every path converges at a single point: the shrine of the apostle St James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. These pilgrimage routes have their origins in the 9th century, following the discovery of the relics of Saint James the Great. 

The Gospels describe James as one of the very first disciples to join Jesus. He and his brother John were preparing their fishing nets with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them. Without hesitation, they dropped everything and followed. The Way of St James became a major Christian pilgrimage from the 10th century onward and was officially recognized by Pope Alexander VI as one of the "three great pilgrimages of Christendom," alongside Jerusalem and Rome.

During the month of June, thanks to the St Bede’s College Board and to Mark Jones for stepping into my place, I joined thousands of fellow pilgrims to experience this historic path firsthand. Walking from Somport, in the French Alps (the start of the Aragonés Way) to Sahagún, just outside of León, I covered over 500 kilometres in just under three weeks.

There is something remarkably freeing about waking up each morning, packing your life into a single backpack, and simply walking to the next destination. With your clothes hanging off your pack to dry—held together by trusty baby nappy pins—the complexities of modern life melt away. During a fierce European heatwave, my daily worries were beautifully reduced to the essentials:

• Finding enough water
• Securing a bed for the night
• Finding a hot meal
• Managing the inevitable aches, pains, and blisters

While the Camino is fundamentally a religious pilgrimage, people walk it for an incredible variety of reasons. Pilgrims walk the route as an act of devotion, reflection, and self-discovery, often experiencing personal growth, healing, and transformation. The journey is seen as a metaphor for life, with its challenges and triumphs mirroring the emotional and spiritual obstacles individuals face. I joined Masses in grand, world-famous cathedrals, but also sat in a tiny church that held barely ten people, where I was blessed by an African nun.

The real magic of the Camino, however, lies in the shared human experience.  Along the way, the most common question you hear is, "Why are you doing the Camino?"  

From honouring the memory of a loved one, to finding oneself, to wrestling with faith or simply testing one’s physical fitness—there is no single reason people choose to walk.

The Camino strips away the noise of the world, leaving you with just your footsteps, your thoughts, and a global community of strangers who quickly become a family of pilgrims.  For me, the pilgrimage was a rare chance to live a simple, uncomplicated life. It was an opportunity to rest, reflect, and appreciate being constantly surrounded by the environment—what I can only describe as "God’s own artwork."

Per Vias Rectas

Deb Frizza

Principal