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Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back to St Benedict’s for Term 4. I love this time of year when the sun comes out, the trees in the eating area become covered with leaves, the students don their summer uniform once more since Term 1 and we see just how much some of them have grown! At this time of year we can also see how much they have learnt and how they have become much more independent. It is a proud moment for us all!
Planning for 2021
Normally we undertake a number of processes in order to plan for the year ahead. We review our current achievements against the goals of the Annual Improvement Plan and Strategic Plan and use data from other sources to inform our priorities for next year. We would also analyse the feedback provided through the school surveys completed by students, parents and staff from the previous term and look at our NAPLAN data.
Staff would be involved at all levels of the review and analysis of data. We view this as an exciting opportunity to strengthen key improvement goals and to ensure students and student learning is central to all processes undertaken at the school. This year the planning for next year is somewhat different as Catholic Education has launched Catalyst, a professional learning program designed to strengthen our performance in Catholic schools across the Archdiocese. Catalyst is a program informed by the science of learning to help all schools realise our bold goals;
- Every student is a competent reader
- High Impact Teaching Practice is visible in every classroom
To achieve these goals, the Catalyst Program focuses on four key initiatives;
- High Impact Teaching Practice – face-to-face workshops, coaching and online units to support improvement in teaching practice,
- K-2 Literacy – professional learning in evidence-based early literacy instruction,
- Curriculum – system-wide curriculum improvement through high quality resources, and
- Instructional Leadership – professional learning to support the implementation of evidence-based instructional leadership techniques
The Catalyst program is to be completed over three years with schools identifying their priority areas and Instructional Leadership occurring every year. St Benedict’s will concentrate on the other key initiatives in the following order;
- 2021 – High Impact Teaching Practice,
- 2022 – K-2 Literacy, and
- 2023 – Curriculum.
God bless.
Rachel Smith
Principal
Summer Uniform
It is customary for our students to begin Term 4 by wearing their summer uniform. This year due to the fluctuating weather we are allowing a two week transition from winter to summer uniform. Students will be able to wear either their winter or summer uniform for week 1 and week 2 of this term. It is expected that all students will commence week 3, 26th October with the summer uniform.
Taking Other Children Home
Occasionally parents organise for their child to go home with parents of another child in the school. Please notify the front office via a written letter, an email or a phone call if this is your intention. Understandably we don’t allow people to take other children home without this expressed permission from parents.
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. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2021. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.
2021 School and Term Dates
Please be aware the term dates will be as follows for next year;
- Term One 1 February - 1 April
- Term Two 19 April - 25 June
- Term Three 12 July - 17 September
- Term Four 5 October - 17 December
Thank you
Thank you to all the families who collected toiletries for the Mini Vinnies Hygiene Donation Station. The St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol is very appreciative of our assistance in keeping the van well stocked.
Community Meals Program: HELP NEEDED!
The Community Meals Program freezer is one way we can assist families who are experiencing hardship. We are seeking donations of frozen meals (homemade or store bought), frozen food and non-perishable food donations. If making homemade meals, please ensure that they are in a disposable container clearly labelled with the date made and ingredients. All donations can be brought to the Front Office. If your family requires temporary meal assistance, you can speak in confidence to any of our staff members.
Thank so much to those who have made donations to this service. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Benefits of Experiencing Prayer Through Journaling
Journaling can help children to work through difficult emotions, develop gratitude, set goals, and attend to their emotional well-being. It also allows opportunity for them to expresses their creativity and to become reflective in their own self-discovery. Prayer journaling helps children to express their prayer intentions to God in a tangible way- through written prayers and experiences, words, images, and illustrations. Help your child engage in prayer journaling by reading their favourite scripture passage, engaging with the natural world and by talking about what it means to live with grateful heart. Sentence starters/prompts are another way to ignite their reflective thinking.
What makes me feel loved?
I can make today better by…
Happiness is…
Today, I am thankful for…
God please be with me today when I…
What am I most proud of myself for?
I will share God’s love with…
You Tube
The recommended age to use YouTube is 13+years . A lot of inappropriate content can be found on YouTube and it relies heavily on users flagging content that violates the terms and conditions of their service.
What can you do to make it safer for your children?
- Turn on Restricted mode – this mode restricts the availability of mature content.
- Sit with your child and see what they are watching.
- Ensure your child knows how to report content.
- Make sure your child understands that they can talk to you if they see anything upsetting online.
YouTube Kids is also available with the option to select the shows you prefer your child to watch, however inappropriate content has also been found on here too.
WhatsApp – Group Messaging
You must be at least 16 years old to register for and use WhatsApp. WhatsApp is a free messaging app that allows you to send messages and videos. WhatsApp has a group chat function which allows up to 256 people to be added. Groups are set up by one person (who is the admin) and everybody in the group, even if they’re not one of your child’s phone contacts will be able to see all messages sent. If your child is added to a group with someone they have previously blocked, that person can still see their messages and send them messages through the group. WhatsApp has been used in instances of online bullying, for example sending nasty messages or sharing images of other children without their permission in order to embarrass them. WhatsApp does offer the ability to block and report contacts.
We have tried to keep as many of our usual school events as possible. Please understand that in the current environment these events may be cancelled or the style in which they are held may change.
12 Oct School resumes K-6, Term 4
13 Oct School Board Meeting, 6.00pm
19 -23 Oct Book Week
20 Oct Questacon Science Circus
20 Oct Kindergarten 2021 Parent Information Evening, 6.00pm
21 Oct Book Week Dress Up and Parade
27 Oct Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
30 Oct Day for Daniel
1 Nov Feast of All Saints
2 Nov Feast of All Souls
3 Nov Melbourne Cup
4 Nov Year 5 & 6 Zoo Excursion
4 Nov Kinder Orientation 1, 9.00—11.00am
6 Nov 1/2 Blue Mass 10 Nov School Board Meeting, 6.00pm
11 Nov Remembrance Day
11 Nov Remembrance Day Liturgy, 10.30am 3/4 Blue
13 Nov DTT Session
16 –20 Nov Year 5 &6 Activities Week
17 Nov Year 5 & 6 Mini Golf Excursion
18 Nov Kinder Orientation 2, 9.00—11.00am
20 Nov Year 5 & 6 Galleries Excursion
24 Nov Parents & Friends Meeting, 6.30pm
3 Dec Learning Showcase, 2pm
4 Dec Mini Vinnies Giving Mass
4 Dec DTT Session 8 Dec School Board Meeting, 6.00pm
9 Dec Kinder & Years 3 & 4 Advent Liturgy
11 Dec Ways of Being Assembly
11 Dec Semester 2 Reports sent home
14 Dec Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
15 Dec Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
16 Dec End of Year /Graduation Mass, 10.00am
16 Dec Year 6 Graduation Dinner, 6pm
17 Dec Whole School Fun Day
17 Dec Year 6 Big Splash Day 18 Dec Christmas Concert, 12.30pm (Tentative)
18 Dec Last Day of Term 4
The following notes were sent home this week.
First Day Byte
Book Week Celebrations & Tuckshop Closed
Book Week Celebrations and No Tuckshop 15.10.20
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
School fees will go out next week. If you have any concerns regarding paying your fees, particularly due to COVID-19, please contact either Ms Rachel Smith or Mrs Belinda McRae at the Front Office.
Swimming reimbursement will be applied before you receive your fees.
BOOK WEEK CELEBRATIONS
Book Week will be celebrated on Wednesday, 21st October (Week 2). It will be a little different this year, but will still be a celebration of books and reading.
Commonwealth Student Banking is Wednesday. Please ensure your bank book and money are sent to the Front Office via the class notebag.
Outside Education Day
Toward the end of year we may be having an outside education day.
Mrs Tomadini is collecting any unused CD's and reels of fishing line.
Please send all unused CD's to school and place them in the box that is outside the K
Thank you.
Happy birthday to the following children who celebrate their special day this week: Taliyah M, Ekamjot K, Sethmi L, Isabella M, Isla M, Zack W and Hunter R.
Kinder: Lorenzo F, Nathan R, Hassam A, Oscar Q and Audrey S
Year 1/2B: Zayn S, ALex N, Pragna LA, Lydia P and Savannah L
Year 1/2G: Eva S, Mitchell S, Benjamin F and Mia- Rose S
Year 3/4B: Sophia M, Vivienne K and Trinity M
Year 3/4G: Amelia J
Year 5/6B: Matilda R and Edith Q
Year 5/6G: William C and Arthur S
Year 1/2B: Lucy L and Olivia D
Year 1/2G: Bryce T
Year 3/4B: Joe R
Year 3/4G: Annabell W
Year 5/6B: Gabriella S
Year 5/6G: Amelia C
It is not too late to order plants for our front garden if you missed the opportunity last term. Planting of the garden will begin shortly.
Summer uniform is to be worn now.
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.
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.
Please check your child/ren are bringing their uniform home. If they accidentally picked up someone elses uniform, please return it to the front office so it can be returned to the correct child.
If you require any summer uniform please email the front office. office.stbenedicts@cg.catholic.edu.au
THE TUCKSHOP IS CLOSED TOMORROW
THURSDAY 15TH OCTOBER
THERE WILL NO ORDERS ACCEPTED ON THIS DAY.
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,
See below our links for booking our Saturday 6pm Mass and Sunday 9am Mass. Please remember that 9am Mass is being streamed live and the 10am live streamed Mass has finished.
These bookings closed at 11.30am this Friday. Please feel free to come if you fail to book as these numbers just give us an indication.
Mass Saturday 17 October https://www.trybooking.com/BLZWK
Mass Sunday 18 October https://www.trybooking.com/BLZWN
Those who wish to attend the Friday Healing Mass and the Sunday 6.00pm Charismatic Mass still need to contact Carmel Henry on 0409777743 or email carmelhenry2@gmail.com
Please book for the Weekend Masses by 11:30am this Friday:
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
School Travel for 2021 
2021 school travel applications are now open
Applications for student travel in 2021 opened from Monday 12 October 2020.
Students who require a School Opal card or travel pass for 2021 can now apply online. A new application should be submitted if a student is applying for a school travel pass for the first time or requesting an additional pass as a result of a new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).
Students who have changed school/campus, changed address, repeated a year or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel entitlement should re-apply or update their details.
*Applications must be completed by the student's parent or legal guardian if the student is aged under 16 years. Students 16 years and over must complete the application form themselves.
Where there is a change of distance eligibility based on a student’s grade, the system will automatically update a student’s entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not meet the new eligibility criteria, they will receive an expiry notification via email.
Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition which is due to expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.
Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.
If a student needs to update their information or re-apply, they should go online to
https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/updateDetails
Applications need to be submitted before 31 December 2020 to ensure that current student entitlements are updated and their current entitlement/card remains valid. If their application is submitted after 31 December 2020, the system will automatically cancel an entitlement/card and a new one will need to be issued.
Students in the Opal network applying for a SSTS or Term Bus Pass entitlement for the first time will receive their card at their nominated postal address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2021.
Students residing in Rural and Regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at the commencement of the new school year from their nominated operator, this may be distributed via the school or sent direct to their address. Note: some R&R operators do not issue travel passes. Students/Parents should confirm with their nominated operator if they do not receive a pass.
New Concession Entitlement Cards
Transport for NSW will be replacing the below cards with Transport Concession Entitlement Cards (TCEC) from October 2020: Senior Secondary Student Concession Card (16 years and over) – also used by Mature Secondary Students (18 years and over), Distance Education Students and Home School Students Proof of Age card (when a student under 16 years of age looks older) Boarder Rail Pass. All previous cards will be valid until they expire. Students who require a Transport Concession Entitlement Card should speak with their school administration staff.
Enquiries regarding school student travel can be submitted to Transport for NSW at:
https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback