From the Principal

Principal - Ms Julie Di Noto

Dear God,

Thank you for our  St Bernard’s school community. Thank you for bringing together students, families, and staff from many different cultures, backgrounds, and traditions.

Help us to see this diversity as a gift. At St Bernard’s, may we learn from one another, celebrate what makes each of us unique, and grow in understanding and respect.

Guide us to be kind in our words and actions, so that our school is a place where everyone feels welcome, included, and valued.

Help us to follow the example of Jesus in the way we treat others, with love, patience, and care.

Bless our St Bernard’s community and all the cultures that make it so special.

Amen.

Dear St Bernard’s Community, 

Thank you to our wonderful families for supporting our Mothers day celebration. It was fantastic to see so many Mums and special female role models and their children attend, enjoying some savoury and sweet treats. Also thanks to our BPC and volunteers who helped organise the Mother’s Day stall. Seeing the children’s smiles as they proudly went shopping to find a suitable gift for their mum was heart warming. Thanks also to all the dedicated St Bernard’s staff for their support in ensuring a memorable Mothers Day celebration for all. 

Today our school choir went on an excursion to the Academy of Mary Immaculate to watch a musical performance of ‘Mary Poppins.’ These students are committed to self-improvement and consistently give up their lunch time to attend choir rehearsals. I am extremely proud of our choir for their first public performance at the Mothers Day breakfast and thank Miss Tess for her dedication and commitment to provide this opportunity for our students. Well done to our choir for letting their light shine. 

Our first two Mini Bernie’s Little Scholars Taste of School sessions have been well attended, which have included a Digital Technology coding session and an Art session. We look forward to two more sessions including Literacy and STEM. These sessions provide an opportunity for 3, 4 and 5 year olds to experience school and help support a smooth transition into school. More details can be found here. 

This week we have begun enrolment interviews. I am looking forward to meeting all the new Prep students and their families who will form part of our 2027 Prep cohort. We are seeking volunteers to do a letterbox drop of flyers advertising our school. Any small amount of help would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the office at schooladmin@stbernardscoburg.catholic.edu.au if you are able to assist.  

Last night we held a Parent Information evening for prospective or interested families. It was a wonderful opportunity to  meet our leadership team and find out about the Bernardo way including our curriculum and wellbeing programs, child safety initiatives, specialist subjects and family engagement opportunities. I would like to thank the St Bernard’s leadership team for their hard work, support and commitment to ongoing development and excellence, fostering a culture of continuous improvement for all in our school community. 

The feedback gathered from our community regarding where to allocate the $2000 grant was very insightful. I met with the SRC last week, and they decided to distribute the funds evenly across the five most popular preferences, allocating $400 to each initiative.

1 - Science resources - 84 votes

2 - Sports equipment - 75 votes

3 - Library books - 51 votes

4 - Art Supplies - 38 votes

5 - Student whiteboards - 33 votes

The SRC will provide me with feedback on what sports equipment, library books and art supplies students are hoping for. We will make some purchases in the coming weeks. 

St Bernard’s OSHC have made changes to their end of day pick up procedures. Prep to Grade 2 students will now be picked up from the classroom a few minutes before the bell and walked to the OSHC house and to ensure the grades 3-6 move to OSHC after school promptly, a list is now provided to classroom teachers of students attending for the week. A reminder to please contact the office if there are any changes. Please see OSHC school to after school car transition procedures. 

Thank you to all the families who are coming onto the school yard at the end of the day. This helps alleviate pedestrian traffic and congestion (particularly near the ramp exit for students in grades 3-6), improving line of sight for teachers, supporting the safe handover of students to parents/guardians. Last week at assembly I reminded students to walk their bikes/scooter out of the school and away from pedestrians before riding or scooting. This will help ensure the safety of all families at pick up time. 

Please note that an amended Anaphylaxis Management Policy has been updated and added to our website. It is a requirement that the school have current management plans in regards to any health condition including Asthma and Anaphylaxis as well as other medical conditions requiring administration of medication by school staff. A reminder that all medication administration requests must be accompanied by a Medical Authority Form and a Medical Management Plan or an Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan, and must be signed by an authorised AHPRA registered health/medical practitioner. I understand the challenges associated with organising the paperwork and thank you for your support. Through collaboration with families we work to take reasonable steps to reduce and manage risks to students with all medical conditions in our school environment and at school-approved activities. Please reach out if you have any questions. 

Last week I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in my first camp experience at St Bernard’s. There was great excitement amongst our Grade 1’s and 2’s as they enjoyed staying back after school, participating in fun activities, and sharing a meal together. Thank you to Mr James, Ms Leah and Ms Tess for supporting this evening and providing a memorable and fun experience for all. See below for some highlights from our students.

Rupert "It's been my favorite thing that's happened at school this year!"

Harriet "All the rotations were fun at 1/2 camp."

Daria "It was so so so so good! I loved everything.''

Louie "I loved the sport we played."

Dorothy "The arts and crafts rotation was fun."

Maddie F " I loved 1/2 camp because everyone was having such a great time."

Arlo "Everything was good, especially the ice cream."

Madi S "I loved the lasagne and the ice cream."

Heidi  "I loved doing the marching contest and kahoot."

Frankie "I liked the dinner and the ice cream and the juice."

Our Confirmation preparation is well underway. Our grade 5’s and 6’s attended a retreat day last Friday visiting Mary MacKillop’s Heritage Centre, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Fitzroy Gardens. I was thrilled to be able to join a group for the heritage centre and museum visit, providing interesting artefacts and information about the life of St Mary Mackillop, Australia’s first saint. It was wonderful to receive such positive feedback about our students' behaviour and level of engagement,  from Sister Rita who ran the session at the heritage centre - ‘I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed your group yesterday… the students were just wonderful - respectful, knowledgeable, interested.’ Students represented St Bernard’s with pride, demonstrating our expectations of being respectful, responsible and safe. 

Next Monday students will have a visit from Father James Pappady, who will preside over the Confirmation Mass as the Bishop is unable to attend. Confirmation candidates and their parents/sponsors will participate in a faith formation night tomorrow evening Thursday 21st May 6-7pm in the 5/6 hub. We look forward to a wonderful Confirmation celebration next Thursday 28th May at 5pm. Please keep the Confirmation candidates in your prayers.

During the school year, teachers collect and analyse a range of student data to accurately measure progress and inform reporting. This process draws on formative and summative assessments, classroom observations, and work samples, allowing teachers to track growth against Victorian curriculum standards. By examining trends in achievement and identifying areas of strength and need, teachers can make informed professional judgments about each student’s level of attainment. This careful analysis ensures that reports provide a fair, evidence-based reflection of learning progress while also guiding future teaching, targeted support and extension required. In Semester 1 reports will be printed and sent home on Wednesday 24th June. However in Semester 2 reports will only be available online through the Nportal app.

A reminder that 3-way collaborative learning conferences with the teacher, student and parents will be held in the first week of Term 3 on Thursday 16th July. Students will present their achievements, selected pieces of work and learning goals and teachers will share information with families regarding growth and next steps in learning. Questions relating to the report can also be discussed at this session. A booking link will be sent later this term. Please note that due to the extended conference time of 20 minutes per student, there will be no school for students on this day. I look forward to gathering feedback later in the year about changes made to our 2026 St Bernard's Reporting Student Progress and Achievement Processes.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate St Bernard’s Cultural Diversity Day. Students are encouraged to wear clothing that reflects their cultural heritage. I look forward to proudly displaying the Maltese flag. Malta is a tiny country (about the size of Phillip Island) situated in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, south of Italy and north of Libya, a place where both my parents were born. I have been lucky enough to visit Malta on a few occasions and enjoy the rich history and culture.  Families are warmly invited to join us for our parade at 9:00am in the school yard (weather permitting). We look forward to celebrating the many cultures that enrich our school community through a day filled with fun, learning, and shared experiences. A special thank you to Ms Daniela for her dedication and hard work in organising such a rich and meaningful celebration.

As you may be aware, Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) processes are currently being reviewed. We are excited to announce some changes to our acknowledgement system which have begun this week. See the Wellbeing section of this newsletter to find out more details. 

At St Bernard’s, we continually review our practices and procedures to strengthen best practice and enhance student outcomes. Our School Vision highlights our commitment to ensuring every child is known, valued, and supported as an important member of our school community, nurturing each child’s spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional wellbeing. A document highlighting St Bernard's 2030 Strategy has been created which was informed by feedback from families at the community conversation meetings late last year as well as feedback from staff and students in Term 1. This also aligns with the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools MACS 2030 Strategy, Forming Lives to Enrich the World. Four areas have been identified as key priorities for our community. We have already begun addressing several of these priorities and continue to strengthen practices across all domains and learning areas. Later this year, our school will undergo a review process conducted by an external reviewer. Based on the outcomes of this process, our strategy may be refined as we develop our new four-year School Improvement Plan. 

Congratulations Leo Amtsberg who was baptised at St Bernard’s Church on the weekend. May he always feel the love of Jesus surrounding him, filling him with peace, wisdom, and unwavering hope. 

Last week, my Principal’s Award recipient was Mila M from 5/6J. Mila lets her light shine through her positive interactions with peers, her willingness to accept feedback thoughtfully, and her strong commitment to learning. She consistently demonstrates leadership qualities through her friendly and respectful manner and her dedication to continual improvement. 

Congratulations, Mila!

Have a blessed fortnight. 

Warm regards

Julie Di Noto (Principal)

Reminders

Cross country Change of Date - Thursday 28th May

A message from Catholic School Parents Victoria - Supporting Families in Catholic Education

Catholic School Parents Victoria (CSPV) has been re-established to strengthen the voice of parents and carers in Catholic education across Victoria, recognising parents as the first educators and key partners in their child’s learning, wellbeing and faith journey. CSPV is guided by a Council of parent representatives from across the state, ensuring that the diverse perspectives of families in Catholic schools are reflected in its work and advocacy.

We invite you to explore the CSPV website at www.cspv.catholic.edu.au where you will find wealth of information and resources to support your parenting journey within Catholic education, including guidance on wellbeing, faith, learning and key issues impacting families. You can also subscribe via the website to join the CSPV community, receive the quarterly newsletter and be invited to upcoming events.You can also connect with CSPV on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook to access valuable insights, updates and practical resources. Together, we can continue to strengthen the partnership between families, schools and the wider Catholic community.