Principal's Update

Proudly Celebrating and Supporting Our Boys

Our students have recently competed in a number of prestigious educational challenges.

Eighty-eight Advanced Maths students from Years 8 and 9 took part in the international Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge, joining 2.9 million students from 60 countries. Congratulations to Year 8 student, Brandon S who achieved an outstanding perfect score of 135. 

Going beyond Maths, thirty-two students from Years 7 to 10 represented our College in the annual DaVinci Decathlon academic challenge that tests across English, Mathematics, Science, Code Breaking, Engineering, Art, Poetry, and more. Our Year 8 team placed 1st in Legacy and our Year 7 team placed equal 3rd in Legacy.  Thanks to our BEAM Coordinator, Brenda McCullagh for her ongoing support of the students. 

In Sport, we share our congratulations to the players and coaches of the 2nd XVIII Football Team on their ACC Division 3 Premiership last week. Equally successful is our Year 8&9 Soccer Team from our Bentleigh East Campus, who clinched the ACC Soccer Premiership this week. And today, our Year 7 soccer teams from both campuses will be competing in a derby for the ACC Soccer Premiership. 

Continued best wishes to the dedicated cast and crew of Treasure Island, who performed their Opening Night just yesterday. I am sure that you are reaping the rewards and satisfaction for your months of rehearsals and working together. There is still opportunity to obtain tickets for this excellent production before it closes this Saturday night. 

Term 2 concludes next Friday 4 July. The College has been alive with much activity through the term.  Whether it was honouring Anzac Day, training and competing in sport, debating and public speaking, music and vocal performances, academic competitions, examinations, reunions of Old Collegians, Founder's Day, and a range of excursions, camps, and educational guest speakers, our community has embraced their opportunity to make these moments count. 

We are proud to see these events go beyond participation; they are about growth, connection, and learning. I extend my gratitude to our dedicated staff, who give so generously of their time to make each of these experiences possible.  

Enjoy the winter break, rest-up and keep warm—ready to return to another busy term. 

We look forward to welcoming our students for Term 3 on Tuesday 22 July.

Learning From Student Academic Reports 

Whilst our ongoing reporting process enables parents to keep abreast of student progress, the mid-year reports contain important messages for both students and their parents. 

I encourage parents to put some time aside to engage with your son and genuinely analyse the ‘story within’ the Academic Reports. The Report gives a snapshot of student progress to date based on completed work, assignments and formal assessments. Based on the professional judgement of respective teachers, and guided by class performance to this stage, the Report presents a picture of a student’s performance, application, effort and general organisation.

It may be very timely for parents to sit with their son to discuss all aspects of their Report. Such a discussion can be used to celebrate those areas in which effort and achievement are positive; and likewise, to highlight those areas in which improvements need to be made. The analysis of reports should be used as the basis for meaningful discussions about establishing consistent and genuine levels of application with a view to achieving personal excellence during the second semester. 

The mid-year report is partly about achievement (marks and grades), but even more about presenting a picture about directed effort and attitude to class work with a view to forming positive and successful approach to studies. The Learning Habits Matrix that accompanies the Reports will be of great help in an honest analysis. Striving for ‘their personal best’ should be the aim of every student and fully appreciating what is required to improve in terms of work habits and application will be very helpful in this regard.

As parents, we know you share our expectations of your son. It is vitally important that an organised approach to study, a positive attitude and genuine levels of application and commitment are established as the basis for student achievement.   

These mid-year reports are an essential check-in point for parents and students to acknowledge and affirm areas of success and achievement, while challenging ways in which further improvements can be made. 

Reports will be shared with families at the end of Term 2. 

Refugee Week

Finding Freedom: Diversity in Community

Last week was Refugee Week and included World Refugee Day on June 20.  

The Refugee Council of Australia continued its three-year theme of Finding Freedom, with a focus on diversity in community to emphasise the vital role community plays in all of our lives, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, language, disability, and age. 

The journey towards freedom represents the challenging path that many refugees take, escaping oppression and uncertainty for safety in a new place. In these new spaces, community is more than just a physical place or a group of people; community is a lifeline. It offers refugees safety, belonging, and the strength to rebuild. Diverse communities bring people together, showing that our differences make us stronger, more united, and capable of facing challenges.

Community is where people find the strength to solve problems together, where voices are amplified, and where aspirations find direction and support. It’s a space where everyone can feel safe, valued, and empowered to pursue their dreams without fear or judgment. This Refugee Week, we celebrate the inclusive communities across Australia that open their arms to those seeking refuge, providing platforms for connection and a sense of belonging.

Australia has over the years embraced refugees from many countries. A previous governor of South Australia was a boat refugee, some of our Priests in the Melbourne Archdiocese were refugees, refugees are increasingly finding their way into AFL teams.  So many thousands upon thousands of refugees have contributed to Australia’s prosperity and cultural enrichment, and for this, we are forever grateful. 

Lifelong Benefits Of Attending A Catholic School

Innovative research from Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey data has found that people attending Catholic schools are likely to see lifelong benefits in their employment status, general health and life satisfaction.  

This research was undertaken by a team at the Centre for International Research on Education Systems (CIRES) at Victorian University on behalf of the Victorian Catholic Education Authority, the peak body for Catholic school education in Victoria.

The research found that on average, there are both personal and community benefits of Catholic schooling. People who attended Catholic schools are on average more likely to be employed, and to earn higher wages, than government and independent school attendees. The average wage differences range from between four to eleven percent. In addition, Catholic school attendees are more likely to work in an industry or sector that directly benefits the public and are more likely to donate to charity. 

The report also found that Catholic school attendance had a positive average impact on personal health and life satisfaction scores. These finding were statistically significant and include adjustments to the data to isolate the impact of attendance at a Catholic school from other individual and family characteristics and influences.

St Bede’s College is proud to be part of the network of Catholic schools sharing the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Gospel and equip young people with the knowledge, skills and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them. 

It is pleasing to have this data-driven affirmation that our staff, students and families, enrich our community and shape the future—cause for celebration!

The full report can be read here. 

2024 Annual Report To The Community

I am pleased to share that St Bede’s College 2024 Annual Report to the School Community is now available here.

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. The report is always provided to the Victorian Registration and Qualification Authority (VRQA) as part of our requirement to maintain school registration. Information included in the report is regularly supplied to our College Community in many ways that include our newsletters, communication to our familes and Old Collegians, our social media and our website. 

This Annual Report covers specific areas as mandated, and as such provides just a snapshot of the total picture of achievement by individuals and groups at the College. The report covers three key areas:

• Professional Engagement
• Key Student Outcomes, and; 
• Value Added

As always, the College welcomes feedback from our parents, students and staff at any time. Comments in response to this report are similarly invited.  

St Bede’s College is committed to fulfilling its Vision and Mission Statements and to striving for continuous improvement in school effectiveness.

Per vias rectas

Deb Frizza 

Principal

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, whose ancient wisdom nurtured these lands and waters for millennia. 

We pay our respects to their elders, both past and present. 

May we always walk together by right paths.