Message from the 

Principal

Dear Families,

Book Week!

We have had an amazing start to Book Week with many of our senior students attending the Bendigo Writers Festival on Friday, Mystery readers in the library at every break and our beautiful Story Time last night. But we still have the main event to come with our Book Parade tomorrow.

Thank you to Laura Terry for all her organisation, energy and passion in creating an action-packed and inspiring week for our staff and students. 

School Engagement Survey

Our staff, Year 4-6 students and 80 lucky families have been sent an invitation to complete our Catholic Education Sandhurst Engagement Survey. If you are one of the lucky families who received this link: please complete, take a screenshot of your evidence of completion, and email it to principal@stkennington.catholic.edu.au, and you will go into the draw for a $50 Woolworths voucher!

Magnify

Our work and learning with Magnify continue to grow and deepen. Over the last two weeks, we have introduced new behaviour routines, including how to use our whiteboards efficiently, which allows teachers to complete checks for understanding and support learning where appropriate. We are noticing greater engagement in learning and more complex use of vocabulary in writing. Both are exciting and lead to improved student outcomes.

Spirituality Day

Pilgrims of Hope – A Day of Reflection and Inspiration

Our entire staff recently had the privilege of coming together with colleagues from across the Diocese for a special day of reflection on what it truly means to be a Pilgrim of Hope.

We were blessed to hear from Fr Jake, who shared insights into the spiritual journey of a pilgrim. His words set the tone for a day filled with inspiration, learning, and faith.

Throughout the day, we explored the lives of remarkable individuals whose personal pilgrimages led them to a deep relationship with God and a life of selfless service — saints and visionaries like St Francis of Assisi, Dorothy Day, and Mother Teresa.

Moved by their stories, our staff took time to share reflections and discern how we, too, are called to live as pilgrims of hope. Together, we committed to turning our insights into action, both in our personal lives and as a faith-filled community. 

• We will look for those—students and staff—who are hungry, not for food, but for connection, care, and presence, and we will “feed” them with compassion and attention. 
• We will shift our focus from self-improvement to serving others, asking: What can I give? Who can I lift today? 
• We will walk with others, remembering that everyone’s journey is different, and honour their path with empathy, not judgment. 
• We will practice small acts of kindness daily, knowing that even unnoticed efforts can create lasting ripples of hope. 
• We will bring the example of St Therese to our daily interactions. 
• We will help shape a culture where every person feels welcome, safe, and seen in our CESL community—every single day. 
• We will embrace the struggles and challenges of this pilgrimage, knowing that both silence and difficulty can reveal God’s presence and deepen my faith. 

Thank you for making alternative arrangements for your children on this day and allowing us the time and space to come together as a community of Catholic Educators.

Learning Conversations

Thank you to those who attended learning conversations last week. The feedback from staff and parents has been positive. If you missed this opportunity, please email your child's teacher to see if an alternative time can be arranged for a discussion. 

Special Congratulations

A very special congratulations and thank you to our senior students. They have represented our school on several occasions over the past few weeks. After every event, the staff and, in several cases, the event organisers have commented on the exemplary behaviour of our students. The comment includes the way they wear their uniform with pride, their beautiful manners, the respectful way they ask questions and respond to umpires and coaches and their general care for others. I could not be prouder of their efforts and leadership. Keep it up

Principal’s Award

This week's recipients are: 

Mabel, Willow, Sophie, Audrey and Mary

These girls are outstanding examples of what it means to be kind, inclusive and positive. Thank you for your example and leadership.

School Crossing

The campaign for upgraded safety measures on Lowndes Street continues. We met with the staff from the City of Greater Bendigo on Friday to again express our concern for our students' safety. If you have a moment, please write to the Council or our State Member to share your concerns and call for action. It is so important that they hear from you! We will continue to work with CESL on our next steps.

Jacinta Allen

Phone. (03) 5443 2144.

Email. jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au

Address. 140 Mollison Street Bendigo VIC 3550.

City of Great Bendigo - Traffic Management 

E: engineering@bendigo.vic.gov.au

T: 1300 02 642

Bendigo Mayor 

Cr Andrea Metcalf

Email:  a.metcalf@bendigo.vic.gov.au

Supervision Hours (Repeat)

Please note the schoolyard is unsupervised before 8:30 am. There are still many, many children on the grounds prior to this time. 

For the safety of your children, I am asking that they are not dropped off at school before 8:30 am.