Week 4, Term 1 2025

Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for your supportive response to our need to quickly change Car Park pick up arrangements one day last week. It was great to see families had seen the Compass message and responded as requested. This made for a smooth and safe pick up for all our students when the car park was extremely congested due to a funeral ending at the same time as pick up.

School Attendance - The importance of arriving on time

There is no safe number of days for missing school. If a student misses as little as four days each term they will have missed over a year of learning, by the end of their schooling.

Schools in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn work in partnership with parents/carers to encourage and support regular attendance of children and young people at school. Education in NSW and the ACT is compulsory for all children between the ages of six years and below the minimum school leaving age.

Arriving at school and class on time:

• ensures that students do not miss out on important learning activities scheduled early in the

day;

• helps students learn the importance of punctuality and routine;
• gives students time to greet their friends before class; and
• reduces classroom disruption.

Lateness is recorded as a partial absence and must be explained by parents/carers.

If your child is experiencing challenges with attending school, we’re here to help.

Please contact your child’s classroom teacher to discuss your concerns.

Home School Collaboration

Collaboration between family and school is crucial for student success. Early this term, we sent home a ‘Getting to Know You’ form in which we asked parents/carers to jot down what they consider to be their child/ren’s strengths and areas of challenge. It also asked for ideas from parents/carers to feed into goal setting that classroom teachers complete with their students. Thank you to those families that have already completed and returned this note. If you have not returned this note, please seek to do so this week so that student goals can be completed.

Year 6 Leadership Ceremony

On Friday we gathered together to celebrate and recognise the leadership potential of our Year 6 students and conduct a special ceremony in which students were presented with their leadership badges.

At the assembly our Year 6 teachers spoke about how leadership is not just about wearing a badge or holding a title; it is about setting a positive example, showing kindness, responsibility, and a commitment to making our school a better place. They explained that as our Year 6 students step into their important leadership roles, they take on the responsibility of guiding, inspiring, and supporting all students here at St Benedict’s. They will be role models for the younger students, demonstrating the values of respect, teamwork, and perseverance.

Our Year 6 leaders support our school through their work in a number of teams:

• Liturgical & Environmental Leaders will help guide us in our faith journey, assisting in prayer, liturgies, and special celebrations, as well as caring for our school environment by being stewards of God’s creation.
• Sports Leaders will encourage teamwork, sportsmanship, and participation in physical activities, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to be active and engaged.
• Community Leaders will promote kindness, inclusion, and school spirit, helping to organise events and support initiatives that strengthen our school family.
• Media Leaders will help share our school’s stories, capturing special moments, making announcements, and assisting with digital and creative projects.

We are very proud of our Year 6 students and look forward to supporting them on their leadership journey.

Yours in partnership,

Alana Quirk

Principal's Reminders

Privacy with Photography and Social Media

We love showcasing our wonderful school via school publications and our social media accounts. We are committed to respecting the privacy of your family in line with your documented media permissions. 

On our social media site (Facebook) we endeavour to never have a child’s name in text or photo. We have processes in place to ensure privacy is maintained. We may ask a child to step aside when a photo is being taken that will appear on social media, or we might blur or cover a face or name that forms part of a group.

We ask that:

• you only photograph school activities and events when permission has been granted.
• if you take photos with other children in them, to always have the permission for the individual parent before sharing or posting.
• you never name a child, including your own, in a comment you make on a school post.
• if ever you notice a photo or comment that is contrary to these guidelines, let us know immediately by emailing a member of staff or contacting the office.

Toys Stay Home

We've asked students to keep toys at home:

• as they can often become a distraction during important learning time. They can also easily be broken or lost resulting in very unhappy children. Teachers don't have the capacity to support children in looking after their toys at school.
• We have plenty of toys and equipment at school for students and they understand what and when they can use them.
• If children bring toys to school then they will be kept safe with the teacher until the end of the school day then sent home again.

Uniform

Recently, we are seeing a few school uniform breaches creeping into the school. We have a school uniform policy and have expectations that it be worn appropriately, instilling pride in our school and ourselves.

Just a few reminders from that policy:

• nailpolish is not to be worn to school;
• the only jewellery to be worn are small, plain stud earrings or small sleepers and a small cross on a chain; and
• hair shoulder length and longer needs to be tied back.
  

Spotlight on Religious Education

As we step into the sacred season of Lent, we prepare our hearts and minds for a time of reflection, prayer, and giving. Ash Wednesday falls on the 5th of March, next week, and marks the beginning of this important season in our Church’s calendar. On this day, students and staff will come together to acknowledge the start of Lent and a whole school mass at 12:30pm in which they will be receiving ashes as a sign of repentance and renewal.

What is Lent?

Lent is a 40-day journey that leads us to Easter, reminding us of Jesus’ time in the desert. It is a season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, where we focus on deepening our relationship with God and showing kindness to those in need. The liturgical colour of Lent is purple, symbolising repentance and preparation. You may notice symbols such as the cross, ashes, and the crown of thorns around the school, helping us reflect on Jesus' sacrifice and love.

Our Focus at School

Throughout Lent, our students will engage in prayer and reflection in their classrooms, learning about the meaning of this season and how they can practice kindness, generosity, and gratitude.

We will also be raising money for Project Compassion, an initiative by Caritas Australia that supports people living in poverty both in Australia and around the world. Through this project, students will learn about the importance of giving and how their contributions can help provide food, clean water, education, and essential services to those who need them most.

How Can Families Get Involved?

We encourage families to take this Lenten journey together by:

• Attending Ash Wednesday services and participating in Lenten traditions at home.
• Encouraging acts of kindness and generosity in daily life.
• Supporting Project Compassion through donations and discussions about helping others.

Lent is a time for renewal and transformation, and we look forward to sharing this meaningful season with our students. Thank you for your support in helping them grow in faith and compassion.

A Wonderful Evening of Faith Formation

Last Thursday evening children wishing to receive the sacrament of First Reconciliation and their parents participated in a Faith Formation evening. It was truly special to see parents and children come together in the spirit of reflection, learning, and faith.

Throughout the evening families participated in Visio Divina, a sacred practice of prayerfully contemplating images, alongside deep reflection, discussion, and creative activities. We also took time to break open Scripture with Father Chris and reflect on the meaning for all of us. 

It was a night filled with connection, growth, and grace, and we are grateful to all who took part. As our students prepare to receive their First Reconciliation in the coming weeks, we invite you to keep them in your prayers, that they may experience the love, mercy, and peace that this sacrament brings.

Dates to Remember

Benny's News

Out and About at Benny's

Gymnastics

Counsellor's Corner

Happy Birthday

Merit Awards

Celebrating 70 Years

Community News

ACT & SNSW Rugby Event

ACT & SNSW Rugby is excited to be hosting Classic Wallabies & Wallaroos during the week of Tuesday 11th to Friday 14th March. On Friday 14th March, we will be running a FREE Get into Rugby Session. Here at Brumbies HQ from 5-6pm for ages 4/5- & 6/7-Year Olds.

Expression of Interest - https://form.jotform.com/250507068610047

The session will involve.

- FREE Get into Rugby Session

- BBQ (Sausage Sandwich - for all participants)

- Classic Wallabies and Wallaroos visit

- Brumbies Men’s and Women’s player visit

- 1 x Complimentary ticket for all participants to the Brumbies match against the Drua at GIO Stadium @7:35pm

What is Get into Rugby - https://australia.rugby/participate/get-into-rugby

We encourage players and families from across the ACT regions to come along and meet the visiting players and check out what the Gold Blooded Tour is all about.

Part-Time Parish Secretary, North Woden

Part-time position of 19 hours per week. Applications addressing the Selection Criteria with attached resume should be addressed to Parish Priest, Fr James Antony (james.antony@cg.org.au) by Friday 28 February. Please email wodennorth@cg.org.au or phone 02-6281 3999 for duty statement and selection criteria.

50th Reunion - Class of 1975

A reunion will be held on the weekend of 18 October 2025 for students from Catholic Girls High School Braddon and Daramalan College, who finished Year 12 in 1975 (including those from that group who finished before Year 12).

Several activities are planned over the weekend, with the main event on Saturday evening 18th. To RSVP, please use one of the event channels:

Email: CGHS.Dara1975@gmail.com or Facebook: Daramalan College Alumni group; Merici College Alumni group; or Dara-Braddon 1975 group.

Spread the word to your classmates!