From the Principal

Principal - Ms Julie Di Noto

Loving God,

We give thanks for all mothers and mother figures in St Bernard’s community who nurture, guide, and care with such generosity and love. We are grateful for their patience, their strength, and the many quiet sacrifices they make each day.

Bless them with joy in their hearts, peace in their minds, and rest in their busy lives. May they feel appreciated not only today, but always, for the important role they play in shaping families and communities.

We also remember those for whom this day is difficult - those who have lost their mothers, those who long to be mothers, and those who carry heavy hearts. Surround them with comfort and hope.

May we all show kindness, gratitude, and love, today and every day.

Amen.

Dear St Bernard’s Community, 

Thank you to all the families who attended the ANZAC Day dawn service at Coburg RSL. With so many students present, proudly representing St Bernard’s, there was a strong sense of community as many gathered in reverence and gratitude, honouring the courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of those who have served our nation. A special mention and thank you to Robert and Laura (Charlie J’s parents from Grade 4) for supporting St Bernard’s involvement and for organising the wreath, which was respectfully laid by our school captains, Amira and Francesca. I also extend thanks to the staff who attended and shared how meaningful it was to see our students engage so thoughtfully, deepening their understanding of remembrance, faith, and service to others.

It was wonderful to see so many families attend our Prep-Grade 2 Student Learning in Action Sessions last week. Families observed a snapshot of how reading and writing are taught to our youngest learners. It was fantastic to see the excitement and smiles on the students' faces as they showcased their learning and ability to work through challenging tasks and achieve success. We look forward to our evening sessions in Semester 2. 

One of our parents, Luisa (Mum of Jude in Prep and Leo in grade 3), nominated St Bernard’s for a Good2Give - Toyota Employee Grant. I am pleased to inform you that the application was successful and we have been awarded a $2000 grant. This grant must be used to help fund essential resources that directly enhance student learning and wellbeing. The contribution is able to be used towards things like updating sporting equipment to encourage active play, purchasing art supplies to foster creativity, creating a Lego play wellbeing space or adding new books to the library to support literacy development. I met with our SRC reps on Monday to discuss ideas. A survey will be shared with students to vote for their favourite resource to be purchased. Parents and teachers will also be invited to vote. Funding like this makes a meaningful difference by enriching our educational environment and supporting our ability to deliver diverse programs that benefit all children in the community. A huge thank you to Luisa for nominating St Bernard’s. 

Next week our camp program begins for 2026. Our grade 1/2‘s will spend an evening at school participating in fun activities and enjoying dinner together. In a few weeks our grade 3/4 students will take part in a one night camp experience at Benloch. School camp is a wonderful opportunity for students to grow, learn, and connect outside the classroom. New challenges help boost confidence and resilience, encouraging students to step outside their comfort zones and strengthen friendships. Most importantly, it creates lasting memories and a strong sense of belonging within the school community. Our Prep ‘camp’ breakfast and grade 5/6 two night camp will take place in Term 4. If you have any feedback or suggestions related to our current camp program, please contact me. 

Enrolment Interviews for 2026 will begin in the next few weeks. A reminder that if you have a child beginning Prep in 2027, please submit your enrolment form as soon as possible. The first session of Mini Bernie’s Little Scholars Taste of School will be taking place on Tuesday 12th May 9.15am to 10am, focused on Digital Technologies (Coding). A registration link can be found here. A parent information evening will also be held on Tuesday 19th May at 7pm in the school hall. This will be an opportunity for prospective parents to meet our leadership team and find out about our school. More information can be found here.

I am looking forward to seeing many families at our Mothers Day breakfast this Friday from 8am in the hall.  Please ensure you sign in using the QR code. These protocols are in place to ensure the safety of all. Thank you for your support with this.  A reminder to send some money with your child on Friday if you would like them to purchase a gift from our BPC run Mothers Day Stall. A reminder to get your raffle tickets in before winners are drawn on Friday. 

A huge thanks to the BPC (Bernie’s Parent Collective) for all their hard work in providing so many fundraising opportunities for our community and to our incredible community for supporting our fundraisers. A hot lunch will be organised for Cultural Diversity Day, the Gnoccheria drive will begin soon and the students have the annual school disco to look forward to on Thursday 18th June from 6pm-7.30pm. Our fundraising goals for 2026 include science and technology resources, new bike racks, new garden beds and wellbeing resources. As they say ‘many hands make light work,’ so if you would like to join the BPC please email schooladmin@stbernardscoburg.catholic.edu.au.

As the colder weather is now upon us, it has been wonderful to see children transitioning to their Winter uniform. Please ensure your child wears their sports uniform and runners only on their allocated sports days. Full school uniform (Summer or Winter) must be worn with appropriate black school shoes only. A reminder that from the beginning of May hats are no longer compulsory for children to wear, however they are encouraged to do so if it is a sunny day. Hats will be compulsory again at the beginning of Term 4. 

Congratulations to Zac (Grade 1/2L) and James (Grade 3/4L) who were baptised at St Bernard’s Parish over the weekend. May they always feel the light of God surrounding them, leading them with peace, wisdom, and unwavering hope. 

Congratulations to Xavier in Year 5 for being selected to participate in the Kia Football World Cup OMBC (Official Match Ball Carrier) Tournament in Los Angeles. The tournament comprised 10 countries, with a total of 63 kids from around the world. Xavier represented Australia, and the team made it to the semi-finals – losing to Brazil, finishing 4th place overall. Each country had a legend that mentored/coached them and Australia was led by Harry Kewell. In June, Xavier will be heading to Boston to walk out the Official Match Ball to a World Cup game. What an amazing experience and achievement! We wish Xavier all the best. 

Congratulations to Clementine from Prep, who was awarded the Principal’s Award at last week’s assembly. Clementine consistently shows kindness and care towards others and greets everyone (including me) with a big, warm smile. Her positive attitude and friendly nature brightens St Bernard’s school, and makes it a wonderful place to learn and grow for everyone.

Wishing all the mums and mother figures in our community a beautiful Mother’s Day filled with love, joy, and peace.

Warm regards

Julie Di Noto (Principal)

Reminders: 

Flu Vaccination - Wednesday 13th May

We have a Flu vaccination session booked for the staff on Wednesday 13th May from 1.30 - 1.45pm and can accommodate others from our community should you wish to take up the offer. The cost is $24.00 payable to the school on the day. If you wish your child to be vaccinated, you must have an adult present and stay with your child for 15 minutes after the vaccination.  For your information they do not offer the nasal spray, only the needle.

In addition to the flu vaccine they are currently also offering FREE Measles (MMR) vaccines to all Australian’s who may not be fully covered. This initiative is to help with the current measles outbreaks occurring in Victoria. More information about measles can be found at www.darebin.vic.gov.au/measles26

Please contact the office if you wish to participate 9384 8500 or schooladmin@stbernardscoburg.catholic.edu.au

Attached is the consent form which you will need to complete prior to the session & given to the nurse in order to receive the flu vaccine.