St Bede's Catholic College Newsletter 11 - 2 August 2024

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE – JOHN MURPHY

PRAYER  

May God the Father bless us. 
May God the Son heal us. 
May God the Holy Spirit enlighten us, 
and give us 
eyes to see with, 
ears to hear with, 
hands to do the work of God with, 
feet to walk with, 
a mouth to preach the word of salvation with, 
and the angel of peace to watch over us  
and lead us at last, 
by our Lord's gift, to the Kingdom. 
Amen. 
St Bede … Pray for us. 

START TO THE TERM 

Congratulations to our College community on the great start to the term. Having returned from my Term 2 long service leave, I was absolutely delighted in hearing firsthand of all the amazing achievements from Term 2 and the progress with the building works, despite all the wet weather. The staff and students have returned with their normal positive, welcoming, and enthusiastic attitude which has made for such an excellent start to the term. 

The achievements from last term and in the first two weeks of this term in the areas of performing arts and sport have been nothing short of stunning. Our music acts in Diosounds performances at the Newcastle Civic Centre was again first class and showcased the depth of the musical talents of our students from all year groups. Similarly, this week’s Aspire performances in the show ‘Disconnected’ at the Newcastle Civic Theatre demonstrated the gifts of our students. St Bede’s was strongly represented, with twelve of our talented students performing with such confidence and skill. Three of our students, Blake Grieve and Liam Hacker (Year 9), and Jackson O'Loughlin (Year 11), played key roles, and like our other students excelled.

Our sporting results have exceeded all expectations. Our U16’s Boys Football (Soccer) Team have made the semi-finals of the NSWCCC Knockout competition. The boys had a convincing 2 – 0 victory against Xavier Catholic College Ballina on Wednesday. To be placed in top four Catholic School Football Teams in the entire state is an incredible achievement. Our U16’s Girls Futsal team have progressed to the Australasian champion of champions competition who will compete for the title of the best school in the country. These results against some the most competitive schools in the country is a credit to our students.

LOOKING AHEAD 

Term 3 is always a busy and full term, but this term will be even busier than normal. This will include the Official Opening of the McAuley (Building 3) & Marian Buildings (Building 4) on Tuesday 4 September. Whereas events like this are important and historical celebrations, we need to and will remain focused on our key priorities. These include deepening our Catholic identity, maximising learning opportunities, promoting positive student wellbeing, representing the College with pride in sporting and other co-curricular activities. Achieving these priorities will be underpinned by all stakeholders working harmoniously and positively together. We are blessed to have a working and committed staff, supportive and caring parents/carers, and students with their own unique gifts and personalities. As we embrace opportunities and address challenges, let us continue to understand different perspectives and work together to get the absolute best outcomes for our students. 

STAFF NEWS 

Ms. Kylie Murray, our Senior School Finance Officer, is now on parental leave until the start of Term 3 next year. Ms. Murray is a highly valued member of our college community and will be missed during her absence. We wish her all the best during her period of leave and look forward to her return. During her absence, Ms. Heidi Robertson will be in this position. We are fortunate to recruit somebody of Ms. Robertson calibre who comes to us with extensive experience and expertise. 

UPCOMING EVENTS 2024

Assistant Principal Report – Emma South & Amber Carter

HSC Trial examinations  

Year 12 students will commence the HSC Trial examinations on Monday 5 August concluding on Friday 16 August. This week students were provided with specific information relating to examination rules and procedures for both the Trial and HSC examinations. Students were also reminded of the processes in place in the event of illness or misadventure.

Students are to wear their full school uniform when attending the examination and if they would like to use the Hub facilities for study. If students are remaining on site after an examination or using the Hub to study, they will need to sign in at Student Services. Students do not need to sign in if they are attending an examination. 

HSC Resources 

There are a variety of resources available to students to assist them in preparing for the HSC examinations. Some of these resources are outlined below: 

• SMH Study Guide:
  Recently the SMH published the SMH Study Guide which contains advice for preparing for different examinations, study tips and information relating to post-school pathways. 

• Stay Healthy HSC
  This is a NSW Government resource dedicated to supporting HSC students. Students and parents will find valuable information, advice, and resources to promote mental health, wellbeing, and study tips. 

• NESA HSC Student Guide
  Students and families can find information about the HSC examination timetable, examination equipment lists, rules and procedures, tips for study, study resources such as past papers at the following link: 

Stage 5 Elective Evening 

On Tuesday evening this week we welcomed Year 8 students and families to the College for the Year 9 2025 Elective Information evening. This was a wonderful interactive event that allowed students and families to speak with specialist teachers to find out about the wide range of options students have in selecting additional courses for their Stage 5 studies. This event marks the beginning of the transition to Stage 5 where students are provided, for the first time, greater advocacy over what they can select to study. Students will have until 9 August to make their selection and will be informed of their elective courses for Year 9 2025 by the end of the term. 

NAPLAN Results 

Year 7 and 9 students and families were provided with NAPLAN results on Wednesday this week. The results from NAPLAN are an important tool for the College to ensure students are receiving the support they need to develop core literacy and numeracy skills. We recognise, however, that NAPLAN is a point in time test and that there are many measures used to gauge student learning growth.  

The link below provides families with information on the Individual Student Report. 

Melinda Tankard Reist workshops 

On Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 August, St Bede’s will be hosting Melinda Tankard Reist and Dr Marshall Ballantine-Jones workshops focused on respectful relationships. These workshops come at a time where, as a school, we are supporting young people to negotiate safe use of online platforms. Further information will be provided to families closer to the date, however, we encourage all families to attend the parent evening on Wednesday 28 August – please save the date. 

Catholic Formation and Mission – Andrew Slater

Feast of St Dominic 

The College will celebrate the Feast of St Dominic on Monday 5 August. Students are invited to dress in red and make a gold coin donation to the Mission to Seafarers at the Port of Newcastle. The Mission to Seafarers is an ecumenical collaboration between the Anglican and Catholic Churches. 

The Port of Newcastle is the largest on the Australian east coast, with over 4100 ship movements per year, transporting 145 million tonnes of cargo. Thousands of seafarers pass through the Port of Newcastle each year. Seafarers spend many weeks at sea, separated from their families, under challenging and dangerous conditions. The Mission to Seafarers, based in Wickham, provides essential support to these seafarers, helping to uphold their dignity as people made in the image and likeness of God. 

More information can be found on the link below.

RCIA Enquiry Evening 

Are you interested in finding out what is involved in becoming a Catholic or know someone who is? Are you/they feeling called into a relationship with God? Perhaps married to a Catholic, have Catholic children, and would like to know more about the Catholic faith?  

Becoming a Catholic is a spiritual journey that is firstly about developing a closer relationship with Jesus Christ. This journey, referred to as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), and is highlighted by ceremonies or “rites” which help you to experience the love and support of a caring faith community.  

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Catholic and the (RCIA) process, please note there will be an Enquiry Evening on August 7 2024 commencing at 7PM, in the Therry Centre, East Maitland. 

If you are in any way interested, please register your name and contact details and advise if you plan to attend the Enquiry Evening by contacting the Parish Office on 49338918 or chisholm@mn.catholic.org.au or alternatively, a representative of the Maitland Catholic Region RCIA Team directly, either Margaret 0419 335 878 or Wayne 0448 924 771. 

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Survey 

If you are a Catholic aged over 18, but do not regularly attend Sunday Mass, please consider completing the following survey from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Regular Sunday Mass attendance is defined as three or more times per month. 

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is undertaking a research project aimed at investigating why some Catholics do not participate in regular weekly Sunday Mass (Sunday Mass includes the Saturday Vigil). The project will provide in-depth information about contemporary religious practices and beliefs of Catholics in Australia.  

The findings of this research project will offer a number of benefits to the Catholic community in Australia including: 

• Identifying the factors that influence a Catholic’s decision not to attend Sunday Mass
• Exploring other ways in which they engage with the Church and why
• Gaining a greater understanding of the attitudes of non-attenders towards the Eucharist
• Exploring the implications of this phenomenon for the wider Catholic community and the Church at large. 

We would like to invite you to take part in this research. The survey will run from Monday 17 June 2024 and close on Tuesday 20 August 2024.  

Please click on the link below to access information about the project, and to enter the survey itself. 

LEARNING DOMAIN

Year 11 Leader of Wellbeing & Engagement – Jasmine Simmons

Year 11 is highly focused as they hurtle towards the end of the Preliminary studies. They are keenly embracing their studies and their continued positive engagement with staff and their fellow students is inspiring. Their leadership in terms of caring for and setting a great example to our younger students has been fantastic. Despite some of the challenges they have encountered this year, as a cohort, they demonstrate persistence, dedication, and commitment to achieving their academic and personal goals. However, this pales in comparison to their capacity to build each other up and offer support and kindness in adversity.

Term 3 promises to be a busy and challenging one as students begin preparations for their end of course examinations. It will be a time to put in place the consolidation and revision strategies that they have learnt. As a cohort, preparations are underway for all Year 11 students to engage with a peer support program designed to mentor younger students as they learn how to make good choices, engage in positive relationships and manage challenging situations. We also embark upon the process of leadership nominations and selections for 2024/2025 which was launched at our Year Assembly in Week 1.  The end of Term 2 will be a time for students to reflect on the Preliminary studies and reevaluate their goals as they move into Year 12.

As we continue to journey through 2024 together, I continue to embrace working with students, parents and staff as we guide students through their senior studies and towards graduation. In doing so, however, I need to acknowledge the team of colleagues whose unwavering support is such a blessing including the Year 11 Homeroom Team – Ms. James, Mr. Stapleton, Mr. Steinbeck, Ms. O’Connor, Ms. Unicomb and Ms. Collison, Year 11 Assistant Principal – Ms. Carter, school psychologists – Bec Meldrum-Hannah and Sam Trajanovska, Learning Support – Suzie Gloster and of course, class teachers.  As their LOWE, I’m so proud of the young adults that students in Year 11 are becoming. Their mature approach to all things school related has been nothing short of brilliant and I feel honoured to be part of that journey with them.

Aboriginal Education – Karen Chapman

Parents, community and students were treated to a celebration of Aboriginal culture when the St Bede’s community gathered to observe NAIDOC Day at the end of Term 2. A rousing whole school assembly was organised by our Aboriginal Education Team, with our talented Aboriginal students proudly showcasing their culture.

Contemporary dance performances by our girls’ dance group captured and mesmerised the audience, with haunting music and the use of eucalyptus leaves. The boys’ didgeridoo group, formed this year under the guidance of local Aboriginal community man Alex Nean, conveyed their growing repertoire of playing skills with pride. Student speakers rounded off the event, sharing knowledge and information on NAIDOC Day with students and staff alike. 

The assembly was followed up with our Busking for Change fundraising initiative for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. Students ran a very successful market stall, complete with tasty treats and NAIDOC merchandise. All students were able to purchase and enjoy drinks, cakes and slices, while listening to outstanding student performances of Indigenous themed songs. These including Shordi Creek, this year’s Busking for Change song, performed with much enthusiasm by music students, partially in the Kriol language.

A fitting end to the term and a wonderful lead into NAIDOC Week, celebrated around Australia from July 7 – 14.

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Science – Rebecca Haines

Exploring New Science Experiences in Our Local Area 

Here at St Bede’s, we offer an innovative and hands-on approach to learning where students explore the world in which we live. With the integration of external experiences into education and community activities, they can further enrich learning, inspire future scientists, and cultivate a deeper appreciation for the natural world and our place in it.  

The Civic Theatre is presenting “Orangutans-A Conservation Legacy” which is open to the public, is a fundraising event for the conservation and awareness of threatened species in both Borneo and Australia. Dr Galdikas will be joined by the ABC’s Dr Ann Jones for a personal discussion about the natural history and ecology of orangutans, their conservation challenges and the future of their work with these magnificent creatures. Dr Galdikas has devoted her life to studying orangutans and is the longest reigning single scientist to study a single species. 

For details on this event, please click on the link below.

Sport – Belinda Watts  

NSW All Schools Cross Country

Coen Morgan, Lachlan Jones and Zac Thomson represented NSWCCC at the All-Schools Cross Country Carnival at Sydney International Equestrian Centre, Horsely Park on Wednesday 24 July.  Congratulations on achieving the following results:

• U15s Zachary Thomson 20^th and Lachlan Jones 24^th out of a field of 96.
• U17s Coen Morgan 16^th out of 99.

Zach and Coen have already qualified for the Cross-Country Nationals and will now compete in Tasmania at the end of August. We wish them all the best.

Katrina Fanning Cup (U16s Girls Rugby League)

On Tuesday 23 July SBCC competed in the Katrina Fanning Cup at Raymond Terrace. This is only the second year we have competed in Rugby League and the improvement throughout the day was impressive. The girls finished the day with 1 win, 1 draw and 2 losses against some experienced teams and players. Every student demonstrated perseverance, resilience and determination in all games. The Player's player was awarded to Bella Punch, congratulations.

Bill Turner Cup (Boys Round 4)

On Tuesday 23 July our boys Bill Turner Cup Team played Rutherford HS at Fieldsend Oval, Maitland. The boys showed excellent persistence to beat a resilient Rutherford team 1-0. The team will now host Berkeley Vale HS in the round 5 for a playoff spot to make the final 32 and a chance to travel to Coffs Harbour for the round 6 and quarter finals.

Touch Football

On Wednesday 24 July our year 7/8 representative boys and girls teams contested the Hunter all schools touch carnival. Our girls showed great improvement throughout the day, learning many complex skills on the fly. Congratulations to our Players Player Annie Lidbury. The boys had a strong day finishing equal second in their pool missing out on finals by points difference. It was great to see some great improvement and connections within the team. Well done to Sam Burey and Axle Haggath who showed great leadership and effort.

On Thursday 25^th July, it was the year 9/10 intermediate teams turn. The girls team started strong with a win in their first game. Whilst their competition was challenging, the girls persevered throughout the day demonstrating some excellent skill, communication and sportsmanship led apply by Eve Power, Emmison Mate and Ava White. They should be extremely proud of their efforts. The boys played some excellent touch and finished second with 4 wins and 1 loss qualifying them for the quarterfinals. In a tight match we were beaten by St Catherine's Singelton after a strong showing throughout the day. Congratulations to Players Player, Harry Lidbury and Charlie Burey.

Thank you also to Ava White for her leadership and coaching with the junior teams and to Eve Power and Braith Punton who assisted with refereeing.

Upcoming Events:

SERVICE & GOVERNANCE DOMAIN

School Fees – Heidi Robertson    

Please be advised that School Fee Statements have been emailed this week. 

For families that have nominated to pay school fees in a lump sum, this payment is now considered overdue. For those families that are making regular payments towards fees, this commitment is appreciated.  

If you have a Centrelink issued HCC, and have not supplied a copy for 2024, please complete this link and attach a copy of your card front and back.  

For any families experiencing genuine financial hardship, we encourage you to contact your School Finance Officer to discuss and develop a payment plan. 

Other News

Canteen

Volunteer Registration Link

School Student Travel

Williamson International – Uniform Queries

All uniform queries are to be directed to Williamson International.

Williamson International Contact Details:
Phone: 1800 815 571
Email: greg@williamson.com.au
Online Uniform Orders: https://shop-williamson.com.au/