Principal's Update 

Celebrating Our Talented Students

Two of the final College events for 2023 have allowed us to recognise the creative and musical talents and endeavour of our students.  Music on the Lawn (which became Music in the Stadium due to Melbourne weather) allowed our community to enjoy the fruits of the College’s music curriculum in a most relaxed and fun atmosphere. In addition to vocal performances, our audience enjoyed the Jazz Band, Year 7 Training Band, Guitar Ensemble, the Drumline and a variety of classroom music students.  Congratulations to all our students and staff for their commitment to our music programme. 

The recent Vocal Showcase Event enabled our student vocalists to perform in a cabaret style setting, showcasing soloists, duets and ensembles.  Many were performing before an audience for the first time.  Thank you to Mr Downing who accompanied the students on piano. 

With more creative and performing arts, it was my pleasure to attend the recent cast announcement for our 2024 College Production of Shrek the Musical. The buzz and enthusiasm of students and staff augurs well for an outstanding production in the new year.

And last but not least, our Academic Awards Presentation Evening this Tuesday was a wonderful celebration of our students for their endeavours across the year. We had the pleasure of recognising students across Years 7 to 11 who committed themselves to aiming and achieving high performance. 

These students demonstrated the discipline and resilience to perform at a consistently high level across many aspects, including Vocational Major, Work Experience and Debating, as well as those with high marks and good grades. Each of them did the work asked of them and did it well, resulting in outstanding achievements and demonstration of excellence.

In the days preceding this evening, each year level presented subject awards at their respective assemblies. 

House Captains 2024 Announcement

It is my pleasure to announce the House Leaders at St Bede’s College for 2024. 

Benilde

Captain:               Ollie Etienne 

Vice Captains:    Julian Stewart and Sam Aughterson

Lasalle

Captain:               Christian Blanchette 

Vice Captains:    Owen Bater and Joshua Strom

McCristal

Captain:               Liam Napier

Vice Captains:   Jasper Trumble and Shane Nicholls

Solomon

Captain:               Joshua Atkins

Vice Captains:    Brandon Duong and Dante Quenette

Warmest congratulations to each of these students.  

Thanks to all students who put their hand up for the position of House Leader, the calibre of nominees was once again very high.  

Bringing 2023 to a Close

The year concludes for our students tomorrow afternoon. The End-of-Year Liturgy, with its focus on Advent and Christmas takes place Friday morning. 

We now enter the season of Christmas. At Christmas, Catholics celebrate the birth of Jesus, they give praise and thanks, they reconnect with family and friends, and think about their life and faith as Catholics.  

Christmas is a season of love, peace and progress.  It is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus was not born in a grand palace; neither was He born to very wealthy or learned parents. Jesus was born in a manger - a simple, lowly place in the corner of a stable, to humble and poor parents who had nothing to boast about, except their own spotless character and holiness.

The basic message of Christmas is therefore the announcement that God has come into the world in the human form of a person whose birth name is Jesus Christ. Christmas means joy, hope, favour and freedom.  

All these are summed up in love as seen in the Christian mantra of John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world, that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”. 

Pope John XXIII gave us a beautiful Christmas prayer.  

O sweet Child of Bethlehem,

 grant that we may share with all our hearts in this profound mystery of Christmas.  

Put into the hearts of men and women this peace for which they sometimes seek so desperately and which you alone can give to them.  

Help them to know one another better, and to live as brothers and sisters, children of the same Father.  

Reveal to them also your beauty, holiness, and purity.  

Awaken in their hearts love and gratitude for your infinite goodness. 

Join them all together in your love.  

And give us your heavenly peace.  

Amen.

It gives a warm feeling with a sense of pride to look back on the year that was and consider the many great happenings of this College year and the efforts and achievements of our students and staff.  I am very proud of their efforts and humbled by their achievements. Whilst considering the performances, achievements and progress made during 2023, the consistent, overwhelming thought that returns to me is that it is good people who make good schools.  

It is in the shared effort and caring relationships of people - the students, families and staff, where community is formed. This strong and obvious sense of community that makes St Bede’s College such a great school, and with so much potential ahead of it. 

This spirit of community enables our College to be an inclusive community that supports the wellbeing and learning of every student. The quality and breadth of the many opportunities provided for our students could not happen without the support, pride and drive of our staff, families, student leaders and the work of the College Board, Parents & Friends Association and the Old Collegians Association, with the ready presence of the Brothers. 

There is considerable educational research to demonstrate that student achievement and welfare are greatly enhanced when schools and homes enjoy a positive and meaningful partnership centred on the care and progress of every student—and that home/school partnership is quite evident in our community.

Thank you to all for the role you have played in the story of St Bede’s College 2023! 

Over these next few weeks, enjoy the holiday break, do those things that really bring you joy, keep safe and come back refreshed for the new school year. 

To each of you I wish a blessed Christmas and New Year season.

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.