Principal's Update

Congratulations

To Mitch B (Year 11), a State Finalist in the Plan Your Own Enterprise Competition in which students shared their business ideas and business plans.

To Tom J (Year 8), who defended his title representing the college at the State All Schools Athletics Championships, with victory in the U15 Shot Put. Tom will now represent Victoria at the National Championships in December.

To all the boys and their staff supporters who have been part of the Student Representative Council during 2025. 

To our two Ethics Olympiad teams - Jensen W, Thomas K, Zander E, Lucas A, Luke P, Lukas I, Kristian S, Angus P, Francesco L, Karl V - who represented the College with integrity and maturity. Both teams received Honourable Mentiones from the judges for their impressive ethical reasoning, clear communication, and collaborative thinking.

To our four teams who represented the College at the STEM Racing State Finals in October; Year 7’s Hyper Axle and RapidX, the Year 8 team Valiant and combined Year 8 and 10 team, Vitality, who were named State Champions in the Professional Senior Class!

Team Vitality - Christian B, Charlie H, Hugh J, Ren P and Aaron S - will progress to the National Finals next year with a chance to represent Australia at the 2026 World Finals.

Council of International Schools Surveys

As an accredited member of the Council of International Schools, St Bede’s College is part of a community that includes more than 1,560 schools and universities, representing 121 countries. Member schools can benchmark the quality and improvement of their educational programmes using leading international practice.  

The recently completed community surveys provide us with feedback that is crucial in shaping the future of our school community, helping us identify strengths and areas for improvement against international standards. This year’s surveys have continued the trend of very high satisfaction levels with the College’s operations.

Thank you to all who have been able to complete the 2025 surveys, that now provide us with 5 years of community feedback. A summary of responses from 2025 is below: 

*One question only related to use of student cultural diversity to enrich student learning.

**One question only related to student engagement in their learning, but many support staff are working in classrooms. 

Improvements

Parents suggest that school effectiveness could be improved by:

• Engaging with families on how best to improve their son’s language development.
• School activities offered outside of class could better match the interests of all students.
• Parents could be more involved in school activities which support their son’s learning.

Students suggest that school effectiveness could be improved by:

• Learning more about their classmates’ backgrounds and cultures.
• Being encouraged to learn more about their own background and culture.
• School premises to be cleaner and better maintained.

Teaching Staff suggest that school effectiveness could be improved by:

• The College helping teachers to learn strategies to accommodate students requiring English language support.
• Students learning how to interact effectively with people of other backgrounds and cultures.

Support Staff suggest that school effectiveness could be improved by the two matters asterisked above, and:

• Improved feedback and supervision during any evaluative performance process for support staff.
• Improved appraisal processes for support staff.

A selection of matters arising from these community surveys will be considered for inclusion in the next set of College Annual Action Plans.

Social Media Age Restrictions For Under 16s

On December 10, 2025, a new law will come into effect in Australia that prohibits children

under the age of 16 (generally our students from Years 7-10) from creating or maintaining accounts on major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and Kick. 

The ban requires companies to verify users’ ages and prevent under-16s from opening or maintaining accounts. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to $49.5 million.

Online gaming and streaming platforms such as Twitch, and Steam are still under review for exemption from the ban, however Roblox remains available. Messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Messenger Kids are expected to be exempt from the under-16 social media ban, as they’re classed as private communication tools rather than public networking platforms. Discord remains under review, with regulators considering whether its public servers and community channels make it function more like social media. Telegram and Signal are also being assessed, but are likely to remain outside the ban for now. 

The legislation, part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, is designed to protect young Australians from the growing risks associated with early exposure to social media, such as cyberbullying, misinformation, and mental health challenges. Evidence and research show that early social media exposure can increase anxiety, sleep disruption, cyberbullying, and negative social comparisons. Smith, Brown, and Li (2024) found that restricting social media use of those under 16 reduces exposure to harmful content, supporting healthier emotional and social development.

The legislation means that:

• Children under 16 will no longer be able to legally hold social media accounts.
• Social media platforms are responsible for detecting and deactivating underage accounts and preventing re-registration.  
• If underage people access social media sites after a ban, they will not face penalties; the responsibility falls entirely on the social media platforms to enforce the ban and face fines for noncompliance. 
• Parents and carers are encouraged to support the transition by discussing online habits and safety with their children.

Parents and Carers can:

• Talk to your child about the upcoming changes and why they are happening.

• Review your child’s online activity and help them transition to safer, age-appropriate

  platforms.

• Encourage face to face social interaction and offline hobbies.
• Stay informed via  eSafety.gov.au  for resources and updates.

Implementation of the legislation makes the parent or carer more important than ever in guiding your son’s online experience and helping them navigate this change in an informed manner.

Lest We Forget - Remembrance Day

On Tuesday we acknowledged Remembrance Day with a simple wreath-laying ceremony. The day reminds us of the high cost of conflict and our shared responsibility to pursue peace in our own lives and communities. This is needed at the present time in too many parts of the world. As educators, we are called not only to remember, but to teach the importance of compassion, understanding and resilience. Remembrance Day provides a meaningful opportunity to inspire students to live with gratitude and to carry forward the legacy of those who fought for a more just and peaceful world.

The poppies, which bloomed amid the devastation of World War I battlefields, became a powerful symbol of resilience, remembrance and hope. The red colour of the flowers came to represent the blood of soldiers who had given their lives. More than 60,000 Australian service personnel – about one in five of those who served overseas – died during World War I. Nowhere on earth do Australia’s war dead lie in greater numbers than in the soil of the Western Front in France and Belgium. Some of our students were able to visit these sites earlier in the year.

The momentous announcement that the fighting was over on this front, and with it the war, was met with joyful celebrations around Australia. But joy was neither universal nor unqualified. Too many had died, too many more wounded or made ill by their war service.  Everywhere communities knew the pain of losing fondly remembered men. Almost every town in Australia has a prominent monument to commemorate the dead of that district.

By understanding the sacrifices made in World War I, our students will hopefully gain a deeper appreciation of the freedoms we enjoy today and a sense of responsibility to uphold these values.

World Teachers' Day 

When the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) inaugurated World Teachers’ Day in 1994, the job of a schoolteacher, though tough, was not the profoundly complex juggling act it is today. In 2025, teachers are dealing with the complexities of AI integration, cyberbullying, navigating issues of inclusion and a youth mental health crisis that is largely driven by problematic social media and screentime habits – all while managing relentless administration issues. The modern teacher is not just an educator but a frontline counsellor, innovator and leader, holding together the fabric of schooling amid constant change.

Teachers shape the future every day and transform lives. Teachers support but also challenge. We are blessed with an incredible group of teachers at St Bede's College – from Year 7 to Year 12, from recent graduates to those who have been with us for decades. On World Teachers’ Day - October 31 - recognised in over 100 countries, we celebrated the tireless efforts of our educators who inspire, nurture and empower every St Bede’s College student to become their best selves.

Thank you for your dedication, passion and wisdom. You are the significant architects of our children’s futures. Hats off to you all!

November:  A special time to remember and pray for the departed

November is traditionally a month dedicated to the remembrance of the departed.  It is a sacred time when we honour and pray for all the holy men and women who have gone before us. 

During this month, it is our custom to remember them in our prayers and to offer Masses for them. Through our daily prayers and sacrifices, we unite with them in faith as we continue to follow their path of faith and love.

Let us pray for all our beloved departed: 

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. 

May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.” Amen

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. 

We pay our respects to their elders, both past and present. 

May we always walk together by right paths.