From the Principal

Bonjour tout le monde

We have had a beautiful day for the Colour Run today. We will share more about this next week, but a big thank you to the PA for organising this fabulous event for the students and to the community for supporting it through fundraising and helping today.

I hope you all enjoy the long weekend and have plenty of time to clean your children, their clothes and your cars after today's fun.

Recommended Screentime for Primary Students - Finding the Balance

The world today is rich with digital experiences, and for our primary school students (aged 5-12), screens offer both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. Screen time for recreation isn't all bad or negative. Used well, with support and guidance, it can offer benefits such as:

Creativity and Learning: Engaging educational games, digital art programs or online tutorials that spark curiosity and develop skills.
Connection: Safe and supervised gaming with friends, and video calls with distant family or friends.
Relaxation: A way to wind down and enjoy age-appropriate content, like family movie night.

However, excessive, sedentary recreational screen time raises concerns (beyond 2 hours a day, excluding schoolwork, is often the recommended limit for this age group):

Physical Health: Increased risk of poor sleep, reduced physical activity and eye strain.
Social and Emotional Development: Replacing real-world play, face-to-face interaction and unstructured time, which are vital for building resilience, problem-solving and strong friendships.
Exposure to Harmful Content: The risk of encountering inappropriate material or becoming susceptible to online bullying and comparison culture.

Our children face pressures to be online to keep up with peers or to access popular games and videos. Parents also grapple with balancing busy lives and the convenience screens offer.

Here are simple strategies for managing recreational screen time at home:

Be a Role Model: Limit your own non-essential screen use, especially when spending time with your children. They learn from our example.
Set Clear, Consistent Boundaries: Establish family rules for when, where and how long recreational screens can be used. Many families find success with:
- "Tech-Free" Zones/Times: Bedrooms (especially at night), meal times and family outings are good places to start.
- Time Limits: Aiming for the recommended maximum of no more than 2 hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day.
Prioritise Unplugged Time: Actively encourage and schedule activities that build faith, friendship and physical health.
Co-Engage and Communicate: Watch or play alongside your child. Talk to them about what they see and hear, teaching them to question and discern messages about advertising, worth and reality.
Focus on Replacement, Not Just Restriction: Instead of just taking a screen away, replace that time with a desirable, real-world activity. “Okay, screen time is over. Let’s go kick a ball in the backyard!”

By guiding our children toward a balanced life that values the gifts of creation, community and active engagement, we equip them to navigate the digital world with wisdom and grace.

The following is a link to a tip sheet from the eSafety Commissioner - Screen time

Congratulations

Congratulations to our Learning Support Officer, Nancy Catania, who became a Nonna for the first time this week to beautiful baby Sophia. Sophia and her parents are all doing well and Nancy's heart is very full.

School Closure Days

Monday 3rd November (day before Cup Day) - Time in Lieu (TIL) acquittal

Monday 24th November - Religious Education/Faith Development Professional Learning

Class Groupings for 2026

In preparing for the 2026 school year, our teachers will soon begin the process of placing the children into class groupings. As you can appreciate, there are a number of considerations for classroom placement, including but not limited to the following:

• Gender balance

• Academic ability

• Social and Emotional learning needs

• Behavioural needs

• Separation of siblings / relatives

I ask you to trust the teachers’ judgement and professionalism in making a decision that is in each child’s best interest. However, if you have any relevant information regarding the placement of your child, please email me directly on principal@sbedesbn.catholic.edu.au to request a ‘Consideration for Placement of Student Form 2026’. This information will be taken into account when teachers are placing children in classes. The form needs to be submitted directly to me, not to the classroom teachers, by Friday 31st October. Any previous discussions with your child’s teacher/s, must be redirected to me via this form. No requests will be considered after this time.

Please note, requests for children to be placed together or with a specific teacher are not relevant factors and will not be considered. The students have the opportunity to request students they work with and teachers are aware of the children’s friendships. Social factors such as children not relating well together may be considered, but this reason must be submitted on the official form.

If you are not planning to return to St Bede's in 2026, please let me know as soon as possible.

Que Dieu bénisse

Kathryn