Principal's Update

Congratulations to all students and the House Captains for their enthusiasm and participation in the House Athletics Carnival held on days of magnificent weather, and thankyou to staff for their roles on these days. It is certainly one of the highlights of the year to see our students competing hard, supporting each other and entering into the spirit of House Competition. Well done to Benilde, who completed a third win in a row.

It was our pleasure to welcome hundreds of Year 7 families to the Welcome Picnic and to the Meet and Greet afternoon at our Bentleigh East Campus. Both these events highlighted the importance of the home and College partnership and we look forward to continuing this with you through this year and beyond.

Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews

Our Parent-Teacher-Student interviews planned for later in the month present a valuable opportunity for you to meet with your son’s teachers for this year and to obtain an early indication as to how they have settled into the new academic year and what could help in maximising academic progress. Teenagers especially do not always talk openly about what is happening for them at school. We are all on the same team and wanting the best for each student. If you can get on board and work together with your son’s teachers, the outcomes can be powerful.

To get the most out of these interviews, it helps to be prepared. Check the 2024 end-of-year report to see if there are matters that need follow-up or conveying to a different subject teacher. Ask your child if there is anything they would like you to ask about. Check with the teacher that homework is being appropriately handled at this time of year or if there is anything you might be able to help with. Do they ask and answer questions and participate in class discussions and other activities? Each of these are major learning opportunities. You do need to know how your son is behaving in class and how they are getting along/learning with their classmates as both have implications for the learning that is taking place.

Commend your son on what is being done well! 

Time is limited at these interviews, so if you or your son still have questions or concerns after the interviews, please arrange another time to talk with his teacher. 

NAPLAN

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment for all Australian students in Years 7 and 9.  NAPLAN is designed to test whether Australian students are developing the critical literacy and numeracy skills necessary for future learning and development. 

It also allows parents/carers and teachers to see how a student is progressing against the national proficiency standards.It is important to remember that NAPLAN is just one aspect of our assessment and reporting process at St Bede’s College. It does not replace other forms of ongoing assessments to inform of student performance, however it provides teachers with additional information about a student’s educational progress.

Students complete four tests:  Wednesday 12 March – Reading; Thursday 13 March – Writing; Friday 14 March – Language Conventions; Monday 17 March – Numeracy.

Results are sent to families online and show the following measures in proficiency (at the time of testing):

• Exceeding: the student’s result exceeds expectations
• Strong: the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations
• Developing: the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations
• Needs additional support: the student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes as expected. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.

You might like to look at the public demonstration site with your son to help prepare for these tests: www.acara.edu.au/assessment/naplan 

International Women’s Day

Around the world this week, International Women’s Day will be celebrated in a variety of ways, across many cultures and within very diverse communities.  As a College, we always look forward to hosting our Breakfast event and listening to various speakers to mark this significant day.  

This year, our event featured Donna Urquhart, Guiness World Record holder for the Longest Polar Run. An ultra-marathon runner and pain scientist, Donna spoke of how mental and physical strength can help us push beyond our limits and of her work in raising funds to educate and empower females in sport.

International Women’s Day is a celebration of respect, love and care towards women. It is wonderful that this special day has an increasingly important place in our own College and the wider community. 

This year, our students are involved in the innovative Common Ground: Future Fit Masculinities program which further educates and encourages healthy and respectful relationships among school aged boys. There is a focus on understanding and preventing gender-based violence, understanding the complex world our teens navigate and how gender stereotypes shape their experiences. We take on the challenge to inspire inclusion so that our graduates, and those boys who are at college now, will stand up and speak up; and will promote and expect equality, dignity, and respect.

The international theme for the day this year is Accelerate Action. According to data from the World Economic Forum, it will take until the year 2158 - which is roughly five generations from now - to reach full gender parity. Hence, focusing on the need to Accelerate Action emphasises the importance of taking swift and decisive steps to achieve gender equality.  It calls for increased momentum and urgency in addressing the barriers and biases that women face, both in personal and professional spheres. 

I take this opportunity to acknowledge all the women who work and volunteer in our College and thank them for the amazing and essential work they do in teaching, supporting, coaching, mentoring, leading and advising our young men. The education of our boys is all the richer when they see women in positions of influence as well as care; in positions of leadership as well as service, and in support of all our endeavours to be educators of knowledge, values and faith. 

Lent

Yesterday, Ash Wednesday, our students participated in a liturgy to mark the commencement of the Lenten season in our Church Calendar.

Life seems to be a constant go, go, go! We have work, school, family commitments, and endless to-do lists that can feel overwhelming. It is easy to let these things take over and to forget about the important things of life. 

One of Pope Francis’ Lenten Messages reminds us to stop and reflect on what is most important in life. 

“How many distractions and trifles distract us from the things that really count!  How often do we get caught up in our own wants and needs, lose sight of the heart of the matter, and fail to embrace the true meaning of our lives in this world!” 

Pope Francis, 2023 

Now that the season of Lent has commenced, it is important to reflect on our priorities and how we can live out the message of Jesus Christ in our daily lives. Lent is a time to pause and reflect on what truly matters in life, and to make changes that bring us closer to God and those around us.

Putting God at the centre of our lives is an important aspect of Lent. In a world that often values material possessions and success above all else, it can be easy to lose sight of what truly matters. By making time for prayer and reflection, we can deepen our relationship with God and become more grounded in our faith. 

Life is about relationships. Our connections with others are what bring meaning and purpose to our lives, and it is through these relationships that we can experience God’s love and grace. Whether it is spending quality time with family and friends or reaching out to someone who may be feeling isolated or alone, let us make a conscious effort to prioritise our relationships during this Lenten season. We can always renew relationships thanks to God and the people He puts in our lives.

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.