Principal's Update 

Celebrating Founder's Day

On May 15, our whole College celebrated a Mass in celebration of the life of our Founder, St John Baptist de la Salle. We celebrate this day with a sense of gratitude as we appreciate that he began an education system in France that was then adopted across the world as a way of assisting and inspiring young people. We also celebrate other Saints from the De La Salle Order of Brothers, in particular our other House patrons, Benilde, Miguel and Solomon.

Late in the 1600s, St John Baptist de La Salle began his schools after seeing a need to educate boys and young men who were the most vulnerable in their society. He understood that education was the path to freedom and responsibility. As both a brilliant educator and a pragmatist, he believed the education of minds and hearts was essential for faith, learning and life. From such beginnings, a large network of Lasallian schools formed to educate one million students worldwide today. 

St Bede’s College is part of a wonderful enterprise with Lasallian schools in more than 80 countries around the world. We are proud of our Lasallian heritage and our community. It brings us a distinct and well-articulated view of education, allowing young men to feel connected and able to make a clear difference in the world.

As a Lasallian school, St Bede’s College operates with our Guiding Principles:

• the presence of God in all that we do
• practicing respect, care and inclusivity
• being honest with each other
• being mindful of, and acting to improve the lot of, those needing assistance
• always striving to “do our best” in all areas of school life.

Feast Day of the Venerable Bede

May 25

The first Principal of St Bede’s College, Brother Benignus, chose St Bede to be the Patron Saint of our College. Our Patron Saint was regarded across England and Europe as an academic superstar of his time.  A Benedictine monk and historian, Bede was also an author, a poet, musician, a theologian and scientist, a gifted linguist and a fine teacher. 

He was the first person to date events anno domini (A.D.). His most famous work contained 800 years of the history of England, starting from the time of Caesar. Bede found study, writing and teaching to be his favourite activities. He learned Latin because that was the language of the Bible and other books in the monastery library. 

The life of St Bede invites us to be prepared to take on a wide range of interests and to develop a love of learning that will help us to develop and enjoy these interests. 

From Student to Staff

We are very fortunate as a College to have a large number of teachers and staff who are also proud to call themselves a Beda Boy.  Donald Ngo (Class of 2013) is one of our talented Science and STEM teachers talks with me about his journey. 

Tell us about your role.

I'm a VCE Chemistry, Science and STEM teacher. I love being a teacher in this field! 

If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it would have to be seeing students solving certain problems or plan out an investigation. As a teacher, I might have a certain way I would go about solving a problem or planning, but the students always surpass my expectations by thinking of innovative and effective ways to complete the same task. 

It's always so exciting to see students achieve something they've worked so hard on, whether that be a project, an investigation or even a solid test score. Honestly, I could continue forever, being a Science / STEM teacher gives me so much fulfilment.

I am fortunate enough to get to also work with our Bentleigh East Campus to lead and develop programs across both campuses. I have worked at the College for 4 years now, this year will be my fifth. I previously worked at our Bentleigh East Campus, when it was known as St James College. 

Tell us about your involvement in F1 in Schools

F1 in Schools has been an excellent experience as a teacher! Seeing what students bring to the program is truly exciting and seeing the final product is extraordinary. What I really enjoy most about this program is that students need to learn essential industrial skills such as design, marketing, management and engineering which we as teachers do not teach them at all! 

Where did your career journey take you from school to eventually working here? 

I took on a tutoring job after high school whilst studying science and I found it enjoyable so I pursued teaching. This led me to complete a teaching degree and am now working at St Bede’s College. 

 What is it like to work where you went to school?

Quite surreal to see what it is like ‘behind the scenes’ at school! As a student I only saw one side of the school. 

Tell us about your own experience as a student. 

I was in Solomon House and we have not won Athletics in a long time. For our opening parade, my tutor came out of a makeshift coffin to show that Solomon was back from the dead. Lo and behold, Solomon won that year! 

What is the biggest change here since you were a student? 

How big and exciting Mission Action Day really is. I only remembered it being a walk and an early finish (pretty sure the free lunch was not included back then!).

Handling Setbacks

Whenever we sit a test, audition for a performance, compete on the sports field, apply for a job, or seek a promotion, there is the real prospect that we might just fail.  

No matter what their field of endeavour, every successful person can give you stories of their setbacks, failures, or embarrassments along the way. We all fall short sometimes; we fall-down. But falling short or falling-down is not the problem; it is the unwillingness to get up again or to consider why or how we went wrong that can lead to despair.

Thomas Edison, one of the most prolific inventors in history, gave us the first recording of sound, the motion-picture camera and, of course, the long-lasting practical electric light globe that everyone seems to know him for. He also gave us the first workable battery.  However, Edison racked up 50,000 failed experiments in his quest to develop this battery.  “Failed results?” the inventor remarked.  “No, I just figured out 50,000 ways the thing wouldn’t work.”

Martin Luther King wrote that in the early days of leading the protests for the civil rights of African Americans, he almost gave up. One night, sitting alone in his kitchen, he felt himself “growing in fear” for his life.  “The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter,” he prayed.  At a time of feeling at the end of his powers, it seemed he heard a voice saying, “Martin Luther King, stand up for justice and truth.” This experience led Martin Luther King to at once lose his fears and feel ready to face anything. Here was perhaps an example not of really failing, but of having very lofty ambitions.

At just 17 years of age, Australian women’s tennis hero, Ash Barty - injured and disillusioned - walked away from the sport. “Everyone was expecting too much from me.”  We all know of the successes that followed her return to her chosen sport when she had determined where her problems were.

While we are not likely to have the inventiveness of an Edison, the religious beliefs of a Martin Luther King, or the sporting ability of an Ash Barty, we are just as likely to face the failures and the fears that they did.

Strength and courage are not always measured in medals, victories, or our photos in the newspaper. They can also be measured in the struggles we overcome and the lessons we learn along the way to achievement. 

Supposing you have tried and failed again and again. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling-down, but the staying down. Many successful people who have failed along reference a well-known Chinese proverb "fall seven times, but get up eight times.” 

This ancient proverb was regularly quoted by Soichiro Honda, who despite many failures, established Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and oversaw its expansion from making motorcycles motors in a wooden shack, to an immensely successful multinational car and motorcycle manufacturer. 

Deputy Principal Updates

We congratulate the continued tenure of staff for our Deputy Principal roles following a reapplication process. 

Mark Jones Deputy Principal - Students  

Ria Greene Deputy Principal - Faith and Mission

Rachael Cracknell Deputy Principal - Strategy

David Cracknell Deputy Principal - ICT 

We look forward to sharing the Interim Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning role ahead of Brenden Mair's long service leave in Term 3. 

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.