Dear Parents and Carers,

We are rapidly nearing the end of a term like no other. I wish to congratulate the staff and children for keeping the learning flowing during such an unsettled time.

Undoubtedly there will be further changes to our operations next term, and we will do our best to keep you informed in as timely a manner as possible. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at the school for clarification or support.

This Friday students will bring home their Semester 1 School Reports. These reports are written for and addressed to parents, not students. There are many ways that students receive feedback about their academic progress through the day/week from teachers. This report is a way of summarising student progress to date against the Australian Curriculum and in line with Australian Government expectations on reporting to parents.

Semester One Reports will look different this year due to the change in the way teaching and learning has been conducted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Catholic system has modified the format for the Student Reports from Kindergarten to Year 6 to provide parents with specific information about their child’s achievement and progress which I have detailed below:

The report covers work completed in both Term 1 and Term 2.

• Student achievement will be reported as an A-E grade for the three main core areas: Religious Education, English and Mathematics. 
• Other subjects may receive a grade if the teacher has sufficient evidence of learning. In subjects where a grade is not possible, ‘Not assessed’ will be displayed.  This means that, although the learning throughout the semester has been rigorous, it is not possible to make an overall judgement about the student’s achievement in relation to the reporting Outcomes or Achievement Standards against the Grade Descriptors.
• A new section ‘Engagement with Learning’ has been developed to replace the ‘Personal and Social Capabilities’.  The new statements are based on the Australian Curriculum: General capabilities, and target four key areas of learning engagement: Thinking, Communication, Responsibility, Collaboration. 
• The inclusion of the ‘Engagement with Learning’ statements means that the General Comment section of the report is no longer required; the statements give detailed information on your child’s approach to learning.

I encourage you to read the report before your child does and then choose to share those aspects that are relevant with them. When you look at your child’s report the first section to focus on is the Engagement with Learning. To me these are what make a person successful in life: recognises and expresses own emotions constructively with others, takes responsibility for and manages behaviour appropriately, displays self-discipline and sets goals, draw conclusions and designs course of action are all skills and attitudes that one can learn and apply to every area of life. Learnt during the childhood years these can shape one’s life far more than receiving A’s in each subject.

I suggest also talking to your child/ren about their strengths. Strengths are not always necessarily what a person is very good at with hard work. Strengths are the areas in life that one is good at and comes a little easier to them and they feel energised doing! It is good to keep telling children to keep putting their effort and love into their strengths and then find a way to use these to help them in areas that are more challenging. For example your child may be musical so may find it easier to remember their times tables in a musical way, thus making it a more enjoyable learning experience.

I encourage you to celebrate all that your child/ren have achieved in the academic and non-academic areas. Optional interviews are offered at this time. There will be a letter coming home with your child’s report on Friday if you would like to request a time to meet with your child’s teacher if there is a particular aspect of the report you wish to discuss.

Rachel Smith
Principal

School Shoes
Just a reminder that all students are to wear black school shoes with their dress uniform. Sneakers are only to be worn on sports day. Please ensure your child is wearing the correct footwear.

Winter Warmth
It’s probably not escaped your attention that Winter is here. Please help support our uniform expectations by making sure any beanies, jumpers or coats are of the appropriate colour. Please also ensure easily removable items (hats, coats, jumpers) are clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Carpark Etiquette
We ask that all parents and carers using our carpark for pick up and drop off please do so with caution. With the increased use of the carpark we must all work together to ensure the safety of all our students. Please drive slowly through the carpark and park front in into a designated carpark. When reversing please be mindful of those around you and the flow of the traffic. The carpark space is limited and not designed for cars to turn around and go against the flow of the traffic. Thank you for your help with this.

Facebook
We try to use our Face Book page to give a snapshot of what happens each day at St Benedict’s. Please follow us at @stbenedictsnarrabundah

Leaving St Benedict’s
If you anticipate that your child will leave St Benedict’s at the end of this year, could you please notify the Front Office where they are heading to. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2021. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.

Global School Partnership Day
A huge thank you to our generous school community. Over $470 was raised for our partner school Gesore Preparatory in Kenya. 100% of this will go directly to the school so that students can return to safely to school in September by having access to face masks, hand washing stations, soap and additional desks. Our students also made books filled with prayers of hope for our Kenyan friends. We had a lovely afternoon engaging in prayer and creating beautiful African inspired art. Simon Carroll (founder of GSP) also recorded a special message for our students which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5tcC1jxp-I&feature=youtube

Sacrament of First Reconciliation 27^th June 4-5pm
This Saturday some of our students will make the Sacrament of First Reconciliation. We ask that our school community keeps these students in their prayers as they take this important step in their faith journey. Thank you to the candidates and their families for your patience during this challenging time. We are looking forward to being part of this special occasion.

On this grace filled day

Of your First Reconciliation

May you discover the peace

And the amazing love of God’s forgiveness.

Conceptual Inquiry in the Primary Learning Program
All our classes have really embraced the journey of Conceptual Inquiry with a catholic lens at its foundation. Check out what has been happening in our Primary Learning Program!

In Year 3/4 we have been learning about Reconciliation and how relationships are strengthened through this. Also, how people develop right relationships. 

Reconciliation makes people feel good about themselves. Tessa 

Teamwork makes the dream work. We learnt that working together helps you feel like you belong. Alec

Friends are always there for me and this makes me feel good. Elizabeth

Having a good relationship with my friends makes me feel happy. Clancy

I am thankful for Reconciliation because it gives us a chance to forgive as well as say sorry. Claire L.

We have been learning that if you forgive your friends then that is being like Jesus. Ruby

We have learnt that you feel like someone special when you have good friends and good relationships. Isadora

And Year 5/6…

We have been learning about monotheistic religions and how they have similarities and differences. Jade

5/6 Blue have been investigating how interreligious dialogue and understanding are key to unity and acceptance of a religiously diverse world. Brigid

We have been learning about the religions of Judaism and Islam. Hamish

This amazing class has been working on religions and how we can better understand different people's beliefs. We think this is important because it helps us understand different people and different ways of being. Miya

We have been learning about different beliefs from different religions. We investigated the Nostra Aetate which told us that we need to speak to each other and learn about what each other believes. Matthew

A few important dates to note for this term are:

Hats off for June and July

26  June   Semester 1 Reports sent home
27 June    Sacrament of Reconciliation
29 June    Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
30 June    Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
3 July       End of  Term  2
20 July     Commencement  of Term  3

Morning assemblies continue till the end of Term 2 for students only.  We will let you know as soon as restrictions lift and parents and carers can attend once more.

All Friday afternoon assemblies will be cancelled until further notice. 

No notes have gone home this week.

Please remember to check the Schoolzine App (SZapp) for all the latest school information.  You are able to register via either:

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pidigi.schoolzine&hl=en_AU

School Fees

Thank you to all the families that have already paid their school fees.  School Fees are NOW OVERDUE. If you have any concerns regarding paying your fees, please contact either Ms Rachel Smith or Mrs Belinda McRae at the Front Office.

Happy birthday to the children who celebrate their special day this week:  Emily S, Tessa P, Mya R, Savannah L, Adam O, Michael R and Mia-Rose S.

Kinder:       Ava K and Duke I

Year 1/2B:  Zac H and Mackenzie C

Year 1/2G:  Thisagari R and Bryce T

Year 3/4B:  Rocky-James B, Frederick H and Maria C

Year 3/4G:  George P

Year 5/6B:  Matilda R, Himiona T and Violetta B

Year 5/6G:  Ria C and Niora P

Year 1/2B:  Pragna LA

Year 3/4B:  Claire D and Alannah C

Year 3/4G:  Claire L

Year 5/6B:  Angus C

Year 5/6G:  Rose G

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our normal school clothing pool processes are not in place. If you need uniform, please email the school office.stbenedicts@cg.catholic.edu.au or contact Mrs McRae with a list of items required.  We will endeavour to fill your order and reply to you as soon as possible.

Due to current circumstances all clothes in lost property will be emptied and clothing will be washed and returned to the clothing pool, all other items will be cleaned and donated to St Vincent de Paul.

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.

Please check your child/ren are bringing their uniform home.  If they have accidently picked up someone elses,  please return it to the front office so it can be returned to the correct child.

St Benedict's Parish
Office Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9am to 12noon
Phone: 62957879
Email: narrabundah@cg.org.au
Web:   www.cg.org.au/narrabundah

Parish Team:
Fr Dan Benedetti MGL
Fr Rembert Fernando MGL
Fr Baiju Thomas MGL
Monica Nulley-Valdes (Parish Secretary)
Anjalie Upasena  (Parish Youth Minister)

Dear St Benedict’s community,

St Benedict’s Live Stream Masses

Facebook Page: “St Benedict’s Church and Mission Centre Canberra” Sunday Mass continues to be streamed at 10am.  If you wish to attend in person, please contact Father Dan or the Parish.

All Normal Masses have recommenced.  Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9am and 6pm (Charismatic)

We ask that you use the following links for the following masses to give us an idea of numbers please.

Please see below for links for this weekend’s Masses.

Saturday 6pm booking link
https://www.trybooking.com/BKEUY

Sunday 9am booking link
https://www.trybooking.com/BKEVA

Daily Mass from the Archdiocese is available online at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/mass-online/ .

If you would like to have email updates from St Benedict’s Parish, please contact narrabundah@cg.org.au . Be assured of our prayers for the whole St Benedict’s community at this time. Please keep safe and if anyone would like to contact Father Dan, he is available through the Parish or through the school.

St Benedict, pray for us.

God Bless

Fr Dan Benedetti MGL PP
Parish Priest
St Benedict's Catholic Community Narrabundah ACT

This month is Marriage and Family Month in the Archdiocese of Canberra/Goulburn.

Because of Covid-19 restrictions we’ve planned a series of live-streamed interactive events to take place immediately after the 11am Sunday Online Mass at the Cathedral for the next three Sundays of June.

There is also an online international Catholic Marriage Summit taking place this Friday-Sunday.

We realise, of course, that many of our school families do not include the experience of an intact marriage. This is something we are all sensitive to. I’m sure you agree though, that the need to support, encourage and equip those who are married still stands.

We hope you will be happy to support these two online initiatives – one local, one international, by advertising them, with or without the graphics, in your school communications with parents this week.

Thanks for your assistance,

Lara Kirk | Manager, Family and Relationships                                 Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation  GPO Box 3089 Canberra ACT 2601| Tel: (02) 6239 9835 | 0429 192 869 lara.kirk@cg.org.au   | www.cgcatholic.org.au | facebook  | twitter

NOTICES:

Live Streamed Marriage Seminars Sundays in June

The local Archdiocese has organised a series interactive live-streamed presentations for Marriage & Family Month immediately after the 11am Online Mass at St Christopher’s Cathedral for the next three Sundays (14^th, 21^st, 28^th June).

Listeners will be able to interact online and ask questions of our impressive line-up of international, interstate and local Catholic couples speaking at 11.45am each Sunday from mid-June. See full program at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/marriage-family-month-june-2020/

 

 Free Online International Catholic Marriage Summit this week

Starting this Friday, 50+ high profile Catholic speakers & social media personalities will be appearing online with their spouses to share openly about the highs, lows and challenges of married life. 

This free International Catholic Marriage Summit is the first of its kind. The instructions to the committed Catholic speakers was to ‘keep it real’.  Talk topics include finances, grief, communication, conflict and sex. It should be a great resource for any engaged or married couple. Register for free here or at https://www.joyfuleverafter.org/

Award winning Canberra wine maker Tim Kirk and his wife Lara, a Catholic marriage educator, will be speaking on the topic: “I Can’t Make You Happy”.

All bus and light rail services, including special needs transport, are operating as normal.

Just advising that the opening hours for Savvy Tuggeranong have changed to the following. The below changes to opening times will be taking effect on 24th June 2020.

Uniform will continue to be available online via https://www.savvyschoolwear.com.au/schoolwear/school.

Savvy Tuggeranong current opening hours: 

Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am to 3pm
Sunday 10am to 2.30pm

Thanking you and stay safe,

Charlene Muraotto
ACT/NSW Account Manager
P: 0499 056 234
E: Charlenemuraotto@lowes.com
Shop 37 Homeworld, Soward Way, Tuggeranong ACT 2900