Dear Parents and Carers

This month is Catholic Schools month. On May 1, we commenced the enrolment period for 2025. If you have a sibling or know someone who is interested in starting school at St Bede’s next year, please encourage them to fill out an enrolment form online or contact the front office for more information. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of taking the Year 5 students to the preschool for buddy reading. They had a great time and the preschoolers loved seeing them. These visits will occur each week this term.

On Tuesday, May 14, we will be conducting open day tours from 9am to 11am and from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. We welcome prospective families to come and see our learning in action and witness firsthand what St Bede’s has to offer. If this time does not suit, please contact the front office and arrange another time. Our Catholic schools strive to be an inclusive partnership between individuals, communities and governments based on the principles of equity, social justice and religious freedom. Our schools also have strong partnerships with our parish. Catholic schools are open to all who are willing to support the philosophy, values and aims of Catholic schooling. We have a particular responsibility to welcome, accept and support those who are poor, marginalised and in most need. No child is to be denied Catholic schooling simply because of an inability, as opposed to an unwillingness, of a parent or guardian, to meet financial requirements. Please contact Marylou if you have concerns about your ability to pay fees.

Last Friday, St Bede’s hosted the NR Cross Country. We had students from all the Northern Regions Primary schools attending. We thank our amazing Community Council for organising the catering, preparing the grounds and setting up the barbeques and canteen, as well as our parents who assisted with canteen and as officials. We could not have events like this without the support of our wonderful community! A special thank you to Katie Tooth for her impeccable organisation. What a great day and a wonderful opportunity to showcase St Bede’s and our community.

Students from Kinder to Year 6 are busy working on their writing for the Braidwood Writers Competition. In addition to this, students from Kinder to Year 6 also have an option to enter the Dorothea Mackellar poetry competition. This is not compulsory but a great extension task and opportunity for our students who have a flair for writing poetry to improve their poetry writing skills and have fun. There are some great prizes to be won.

Next Wednesday, May 15, the Infants teachers will be hosting an InitiaLit workshop in the Year 2 classroom, from 3:30pm to 4:15pm for all Kinder to Year 2 parents. If you would like to find out how you can assist your child with reading, this is the workshop for you!

Last night, the Community Council held their first meeting for this term. Sarah Rose, CE Parent and Engagement Officer, attended the meeting. She worked with the Community Council to develop a Master Plan for fundraising and events for 2024. Our Community Council do an amazing job to support me in my role as Principal and support the school. They are always working behind the scenes, organising fundraising, maintenance and supporting and assisting at school events. Recently, Sarah Hickey and Clare Young submitted applications for grants for a sensory garden and flag poles. We will find out in the next few weeks whether we are successful.

We look forward to hosting our Mother’s Day breakfast tomorrow and seeing our mothers, grandmothers, special friends and families. There will be bacon and egg rolls available as well as tea and coffee. Donations of eggs would be appreciated. Following the breakfast, Kinder and Year 6 will be presenting a Mother’s Day liturgy and Kristi Morrison and members of the Community Council will be conducting the Mother’s day stall. Meanwhile, don’t forget to purchase tickets in our Winter Raffle. There are some fantastic prizes to be won! If you are interested in selling additional tickets on weekends, please contact Kristi Morrison.

To all our beautiful mothers, grandmothers and special friends-have a wonderful Mother’s Day. We hope you are spoilt and get the opportunity to put your feet up and enjoy the day with family and loved ones.

God Bless

Marylou Gorham

Principal