Principal's Update 

Welcome to Term 2

A very warm welcome to Week 3 of Term 2, a term filled with many opportunities for students and parents alike to make the most of their experience and connection here at St Bede's College.  

From last night's wonderful Vocal Showcase - Hollywood, to House Swimming, ACC Debating and Public Speaking, Da Vinci Decathlon, the student-led show Beda's Got Talent, to our Mother's and Carers Morning, we get just a glimpse of the fabulous talents and strength of our community.  

I look forward to cheering our students on this Term and catching up with parents at the Parents and Friends events.

Parent Engagement in Student Learning

I am pleased to see a very good level of participation in the recent Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews. This collaboration between student, home and the College supports and builds on a strong learning culture and enhances our students’ learning outcomes.  

I trust the feedback and opportunity to improve student learning set the scene for a productive Term 2 and ahead of mid-year exams and assessments. As is our practice, summative reports will be available for Semester 1 at the end of this term.

Commencing 11 June, Year 9 to 12 students have their mid-year examinations. Our philosophy is to give students increasing opportunities to sit formal exams as they move into the higher levels of their education. With this practice, students learn to better prepare for such formal assessments and develop techniques to reduce any exam-related anxieties. 

While ‘practice’ (study and revision) may not necessarily “make perfect,” practice certainly increases the likelihood of improved outcomes. We all know that rewards tend to follow hard work and commitment.

Teaching and learning are at the core of our College, and we look to our students to set themselves high expectations and constantly strive for their “personal best.” This learning process also relies on partnership between home and school. I encourage parents to ensure your son has the time and space, rituals and routines, to ensure homework is completed and reviewed, that he is prepared for classes, and importantly, that he spends time reading. NAPLAN testing consistently shows that boys do not score highly in reading skills. This can be improved simply by increasing the frequency of reading, whether for enjoyment and for study. 

Striving for a “personal best” requires our students, particularly those in Year 11, to prepare and train for examinations NOW. For more details on this, please read here from Brenden Mair, Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning. 

Sporting Achievements

Congratulations to our history making ACC Swimming Squad and coaches, who havegiven a new Beda meaning to the term, “scooping the pool”.  

The squad claimed the 5th consecutive ACC Division 1 Swimming title for St Bede’s College, winning every age division and achieving more than 600 points to win by the highest margin ever in the long history of these championships.

The Triathlon team was also a clear winner for the second year in a row—winning both the individual and team honours. Gab I. was the individual winner, with our top 4 placing in the first 5 and the relay team of Jamie R., Riley K. and Rhett F. winning by more than six minutes!

Excellent efforts from our 35-Over and T20 Senior ACC Cricket teams who played in the recent Grand Finals. The 35 Overs final was very tight from start to finish. St Bernard’s needed one run to win off the final over, with one wicket in hand. Conceding no runs, the final wicket was taken on the 4th ball of the last over. A tie and both Colleges declared as co-premiers. 

Year 12 College Formal

What a pleasure it was to greet our students and their guests at the Year 12 College Formal. Over 500 attendees were present at the event, and they all looked and behaved magnificently well. 

It is a joy to observe the transformation of our students into confident young adults and the level of manners and behaviour from our students and their guests. Thank you to our staff who supported and supervised the event. 

Making a Difference for Mission Action Day

We are so very proud of student and community efforts for Mission Action Day activities. This annual initiative allows us to gather and work together in service of others in need across the world. Our College Captains have announced the amount raised in their article here. 

Mother's Day Morning

The early sell-out success for our annual Mothers Day Morning event indicates its importance among our College community. If families are the cornerstone of society, then mothers and mother figures in our lives are the cornerstone of our families.  

Child Education expert, Michael Grose suggests that in our very fast-paced and contemporary lifestyles, with different work patterns and changing family dynamics, it is mums that provide the real presence and security that children need in order to develop healthy attitudes and behaviours. In other words, mothers generally provide the foundation of love upon which children grow and develop. Mums are good at being mums! Fittingly, this year our Mother's Day coincides with International Nurses Day. How often are mums the nurse of the family?

The phrase ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ brings with it much more than a wish for a happy day.  Contained within these words can be found some of the many things we never say, or do not say often enough. Happy Mother’s Day means I love you and I want to thank you for all you do. It means you matter a lot to me, and that I honour you and your role as a mother. 

We wish all mums and mother-figures in our Community a wonderful Mother’s Day and trust they receive some very special treatment on that day - it will be well deserved! We appreciate all that mothers and female carers do for our students. 

Ascension and Pentecost

In the next couple of weeks, the Church’s Easter Season comes to an end as we observe the Feasts of the Ascension and then Pentecost. Following his Resurrection, Jesus spent the next 40 days preaching and preparing his disciples to perform the work of preaching and baptising all people. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles records Jesus' ascension into heaven.

The Ascension is an important Christian feast attesting and celebrating the reality of the God-Man Jesus Christ's returning to the Father, to return in the future. The Ascension is the final component of the paschal mystery, which consists also of Jesus' Passion, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Descent Among the Dead, and Resurrection.   

Along with the Resurrection, the Ascension functioned as a proof of Jesus' claim that he was the Messiah. The Ascension is also the event whereby humanity was taken into heaven. Early Christian art and iconography portrayed the Ascension frequently, showing its importance to the early Church.

The feast of Pentecost celebrates the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and energising them to set about their mission of continuing the ministry of Jesus. The gospel reading of the day is one of the post-resurrection appearances by Jesus when he breathed the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. 

For the weeks following the death of Jesus the disciples had lived in fear and confusion, not fully understanding what had happened and not really knowing what to do. When they realised that the Spirit Jesus had breathed upon them was truly present and urging them to action, they finally had the courage to begin the mission that Jesus had entrusted to them: to spread the Good News of Jesus and continue to realise his message in the world.

Deputy Principal Updates

Brenden Mair, Deputy Principal - Teaching and Learning is taking well-deserved long service leave during Term 3. We will appoint an Acting Deputy Principal for this time. 

Our Deputy Principal Roles for Students, Faith and Mission, Strategy and ICT have reached their five year term and have been advertised.

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.