From the Principal

Principal - Ms Julie Di Noto

Loving God,

As we come to the end of a busy term, we thank You for the gift of our students, colleagues, and school community.

When we are tired, give us strength.

When we feel overwhelmed, give us peace.

When challenges arise, give us perseverance and hope.

Help us to continue serving with patience, kindness, and joy, knowing that our work makes a difference in the lives of those in our community.

Bless us as we finish the term well and guide us in all that we do.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Dear St Bernard’s Community, 

It is hard to believe that this is our final newsletter for Term 2. What a busy and rewarding term it has been, filled with many wonderful achievements, new learning and memorable experiences for our school community.

We have much to celebrate, including our Cultural Diversity Day festivities, the Mother’s Day Breakfast featuring our school choir’s first performance, community participation in the ANZAC day dawn service and the introduction of student learning in action sessions across the Prep to Year 2 classes. Senior students also participated in the Confirmation Sacramental Program, highlighted by an engaging excursion to the Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre and St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Throughout the term, students enthusiastically participated in National Simultaneous Storytime and the Premier’s Reading Challenge, while our senior students experienced a Year 5/6 Wellbeing Day, to further build knowledge regarding respectful relationships and strengthen resilience and positive coping strategies. Other highlights included the Grade 4 Parade College and Manchester City Soccer experience, choir excursion to see Mary Poppins, Junior community walk, Cross Country, the introduction of our PBL Gotchas and acknowledgement system, and many more enriching learning opportunities and events, with a few more still to come! 

Thank you to our students, staff, and families for making Term 2 such a successful and vibrant term.

Last week I enjoyed my first camp experience at St Bernard’s. Our Grade 3/4 students had an incredible time at Camp Weekaway in Benloch, creating wonderful memories! From soaring through the trees on the flying fox to putting their skills to the test in an action-packed laser tag challenge, students embraced every opportunity for adventure and fun. They also worked together to build huts from sticks, courageously explored the outdoors in search of wildlife during the night walk (a big thanks to Charlie C for lighting our path with his fabulous torch), and showcased their talents in a lively talent show. It was fantastic to see everyone encouraging one another, stepping outside their comfort zones, and working collaboratively throughout the camp experience. 

A huge thank you to St Bernard’s wonderful staff for the care shown towards the children and patience evident, even with minimal sleep! Together staff and students made this camp such a positive and rewarding experience. We are so proud of the resilience, cooperation, and enthusiasm shown by all our campers! 

Below is a reflection from Kesenia about the talent show and night walk. 

The talent show was very good. There were acts and dances and lots of entertainment. It was AMAZING! When all the children had finished Miss Prue, Miss Lesa and Miss Kate did a hilarious dance. It was about writing your name on your pencil so you wouldn’t lose it.

We went on a night walk through the trees, when it was dark, with our torches. At some point we found an owl in the tree. The night walk was beautifully darkened but my torch could shine all the way into the sky and it was still visible. 

Tonight I am looking forward to meeting with the School Advisory Council. A few things on the agenda are child safety, Prep 2027 enrollments, Learning and Teaching and PBL updates. If you would like something to be raised at a SAC meeting, please speak to one of our SAC members. This group is focused on providing feedback to myself as Principal, about varying school initiatives, to help improve student outcomes and strengthen the school community. I would like to thank the SAC for their ongoing support.

There is great excitement with our Carnevale disco fast approaching. I have even witnessed a few students practicing some dance moves on the playground! This will be held tomorrow evening - Thursday 18th June from 6-7.30pm. See the BPC section of this newsletter for more details. Thanks also for your support with the ‘Gnoccheria’ drive. I thoroughly enjoyed eating my fresh Gnocchi last Thursday for dinner! We raised $540 which will  go towards our school disco expenses. Next term I look forward to experiencing my first St Bernard’s Walkathon to be held on Friday 7th August from 2.30-3.30pm. More information will be provided early next term. The BPC needs some more community support. Please contact the school office if you can assist in any way; small or big! 

Next Wednesday 24th June,  you will receive your child’s Semester One, 2026 report. We are mandated by the Federal Government to report against the standards of the approved Victorian Curriculum. Progress for each child will differ. Much assessment, evaluation and moderation has been involved in the reporting process. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or bring along your questions to our 3 way collaborative learning conferences early next term. Bookings are now open for these conferences. Please see the flyer below for more information. A reminder that there will be no school for students on Thursday 16th July.

A reminder that Audiri will no longer be used from Term 3. Any absence notifications will need to be made through the new Nportal App. This syncs directly with our school roll, which makes for a more efficient system of communication. As the year progresses we will begin to roll out other features of Nportal including online permission notes and online reports. Please contact the office if there are any concerns or questions regarding the app. Thank you for your patience as we navigate this new communication app together. 

When students require short-term medication such as antibiotics to be administered at school, please ensure that a Medical Authority Form is filled out and signed by the GP. Alternatively, a letter provided by the doctor informing us of the medication and dosage can also be accepted. This only applies to medication administered for one or two days. For any medication required for a longer period, or for medications administered on an "as needed" basis (such as Ventolin), a Medical Authority Form must be completed. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Last week, my Principal’s Award recipient was Eloise from 1/2T. Eloise consistently demonstrates kindness, friendliness, and genuine care for others, demonstrating our school motto ‘Love Serves.’ She shows empathy and consideration in her daily interactions and takes pride in all aspects of her learning, as reflected in her meticulous handwriting. With her positive attitude, warm smile, and dedication, Eloise is a wonderful role model and a valued member of our school community. Congratulations, Eloise!

A reminder that school ends for Term 2 on Friday 26th June at 1pm.  I wish all the children a safe and restful holiday break and look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday 13th July. 

Warm regards

Julie Di Noto (Principal)