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- Chair - Katie Lyons
- Secretary - Kate Ellis
- Treasurer - Susi Pluess
- Parish Priest - Father Sijo Jose
- Fundraising - Ruby Green & volunteer needed?
- Parent Representatives - Sarah Paciorek, Emily Ryan and Kristi Morrison
- Principal - Marylou Gorham
- Assistant Principal - Amy Doszpot
We have many opportunities for parent engagement at St Bede’s. This afternoon commencing at 3:30pm, the Infants teachers will be conducting an InitiaLit parent information session for parents, commencing at 3:30pm. This is always an informative presentation and we encourage all our Infants parents to come along to the presentation. On Thursday, March 27, commencing at 5:30pm, we will be having our Meet and Greet Barbecue at the Club. This is always a great night and a wonderful opportunity to meet our Community Council members, our staff and new and existing families. To assist with catering, information will be sent home to all families next week. We hope you can come along and join in the fun!
On Friday, April 4, we will be having a working bee at school. This enables us to lop trees, tidy gardens, clear gutters, leaves and debris as we prepare for the winter months. There will also be a movie night for the children, so parents can drop their children off, spend some time at the working bee and a barbecue and refreshments will be available for the adults and children. More information will be provided in the next few weeks.
This week, our Year 3 and 5 students have been participating in NAPLAN testing. The testing will conclude on Friday. The purpose of NAPLAN is to assess the literacy and numeracy skills the children have already learnt at school. We encourage all our children to do the best they can on the day.
God Bless
Marylou Gorham
Principal
Dear St Bede’s families,
Opening School Mass
St Bede’s has been very busy in the last fortnight! We gathered as a school to open our 2025 school year on Friday 28 February. It was a wonderful celebration of our school community with the inspiring theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope’. We welcomed our new staff and students, and blessed our Year 6 Leaders who are already carrying out their roles with pride.
Lenten Journey
Last week, we began our Lenten journey at St Bede’s. We enjoyed delicious pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. A big thank you to our amazing parishioners for baking and serving our pancakes. They were delicious! We raised a total of $192.10 for Caritas’ Project Compassion – thank you to everyone for your donations! On Wednesday, we gathered with the St Bede’s Parish to celebrate Ash Wednesday with Mass. We remember, “From dust you came, and to dust you shall return”. Thank you for Fr Sijo for celebrating these Masses with us, and to families for attending. We will recognise Holy Week in Week 10. More information will be shared in the next Newsletter, but please see ‘important dates’ for save the dates for class liturgies.
Join us as we Unite Against Poverty this Lent!
For more information: https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/
Parish Mass
St Bede’s School will commence attending weekly Parish Mass on a rotating roster this week. Weekday Mass is held every Thursday at 10:15 am at St Bede’s Church. Families are welcome to join us.
Term 1 Parish Mass Roster:
Week 6 – Year 1
Week 7 – Kinder & Year 5/6
Week 8 – Year 2
Week 9 – Year 3 & 4
St Bede’s Parish Children’s Mass – SAVE THE DATE!
The St Bede’s Parish will be holding a Children’s Mass on Saturday 29 March at 5pm, followed by a BBQ. The Parish is looking for children to volunteer for altar serving, readings, offertory and music. There will be further details closer to the day. If you have any questions, please contact Ann Tracey on 0405 680 337 or Shaye Cooper at the school.
St Bede’s Parish - ‘Call to Connect’ Prayer Group
‘Call to Connect’ prayer group warmly invites all interested people from the parish and school community to join us for Lenten Prayer gathering and coffee. The Lenten Prayer gathering will be held on Friday 28 March at 10 am in the St Bede’s Church. Simple morning tea will be served at 10 am, with prayer starting at 10:15 am. The morning includes a short talk, reading from scripture followed by prayer and reflection, discussion points and lighting of candles for your intentions. For more information, contact the St Bede’s Parish.
Yours in faith,
Shaye Cooper
Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)
Lenten Prayer
God of our journey
We are all pilgrims of hope
Brought together by your love
And your wish that we may all be one.
We pray that in this Year of Jubilee,
When we are called to greater justice
And care for our common home,
That we may Unite Against Poverty.
May we work in unity for the freedom of the oppressed,
And the renewal of creation.
May our compassionate minds and generous hearts
Help bring about a world where all can live in peace.
May our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, almsgiving and prayer
Bring us closer to your loving heart.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen.
Prayer by Caritas’ Project Compassion
Photos from Opening School Mass, Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday
Braidwood Show Wrap-Up
The St Bede’s Drinks Stall at the Braidwood Show was a huge success, raising over $3,000 for our school! A massive thank you to Nadja Kelly and Richard Bunn for their incredible efforts in coordinating the stall with me. They even managed to rope their children, Mason and Scarlet, into helping out—thank you both!
We were fortunate to have so many generous volunteers who gave up their time on the day to support St Bede’s. Thank you to: Kate E, Talia F, Kate M, Kristi M, Paul T, Kristy R, Marta K, Nicole V, Kahla H, Rachel F, Leona C, Beck T, Susi P, Megan H, Sarah P, Greg P, Ashley G, Mrs Tooth, and Ms Clark. Your help made all the difference!
A special shoutout to the families and staff who baked delicious treats for us to sell—your generosity (and baking skills!) were truly appreciated. Thank you also to all the families who supported the stall on the day.
A major contributor to our stall every year is James from Café 134 who donates the coffee we sell on the day as well as helping with coffee cups when we were running low. If you're in need of a sweet treat or caffeine fix, be sure to visit James—he’ll take great care of you! And while you’re there, why not take a moment to thank him for his support of St Bede’s.
Have a wonderful end to the week!
Kind regards,
Amy Doszpot
Assistant Principal
Greetings from the School Counsellor
Important information about how to access School Counselling.
Hello lovely St. Bede’s families. My name is Faith and I have been part of the Marymead CatholicCare Student and Family Counselling team since 2019. During such time, I have worked in our regional primary and secondary schools as a student and family counsellor.
I am a social worker; I have previously worked in community services, AOD, and homelessness sectors. My passion for my role stems from an innate desire to help. I strive to assist my clients in acknowledging their strengths and realising their potential. I love working with diverse needs and have particular interest in neurodiversity.
In my school counselling work, I provide short-term client-centred support to children and their families drawing from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Strengths Based, Mindfulness and Trauma informed approaches in a developmental context. Our brief-intervention framework offers up to 5-6 sessions to students. For more complex issues or concerns requiring longer term support, I also provide referrals and information/parent consultation.
Please feel free to touch base with any questions or concerns relating to the counselling service.
How to make an appointment.
If your child/ren were seen by the school counsellor in previous years and you would like them to receive support in 2025, we require you to complete a new counselling registration form. The link can be found below. New referrals and requests can be made via the same link.
Parent consent for counselling continues to be required for all primary school students and will be sought and provided via email. Where parents are separated, we require the written consent of both parents. Once the referral has been received, I will contact parents on a Wednesday to further discuss the referral and determine whether school counselling can meet your child’s needs or if an external referral may be more appropriate.
Referrals can be submitted here
https://mccg.my.site.com/housing/s/school-referral-form
I am at St. Bede’s on Wednesdays each week.
More about School counselling/how to access school counselling at St. Bede’s.
As part of the pastoral care program for students at St. Bede’s, students have access to a Student and Family Counselling service provided by Marymead CatholicCare Canberra & Goulburn (MCCG). MCCG are contracted by the CEO to provide a counselling service to students and their families on site. There is no fee to access this service. The service offers short term counselling support (5 – 6 sessions per referral issue, totalling one term worth off support on a fortnightly basis) to children and their families – the counsellor can also provide referrals or advice for more complex issues requiring intensive or long-term therapy/support.
The role of the counsellor is to focus on the emotional, social, and educational well-being of the students. Counsellors welcome contact with students having difficulty with some part of their life, the concern does not have to be a big one. It is better to seek help sooner rather than later. Some typical concerns that counsellors work with include anger, anxiety, behavioural problems, low mood, family changes/separation, grief and loss, learning and educational challenges, parenting challenges, peer and other social relationships, school avoidance, stress and study skills. As well as individual sessions with students, counsellors consult with parents and teachers and make referrals to other services and supports.
Student and Family Counsellors subscribe to a set of professional ethics that include duty of care and respect for the individual rights to privacy and confidentiality. The counsellors’ obligation is to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and confidentiality of the student they are working with. All counsellors are mandated to report any disclosure or sign of abuse (including self-harm) or neglect to Child Protection Services. Outside of these mandated requirements, all counselling sessions are confidential, and the details will not be discussed with other parties unless consent is given by the client.
Faith Costigan – Student and Family Counsellor.
| Date | Event | Start Time | Location |
| 12 -14 March | NAPLAN Testing Year 3 & 5 | ||
| 20 March | Kinder & Yr 5/6 - Parish Mass | 10:15 am | St Bede's Church |
| 21 March | School Fees due for payment | ||
| 26 March | Book Club due | ||
| 27 March | Year 2 - Parish Mass | 10:15 am | St Bede's Church |
| 27 March | Meet & Greet BBQ | 5:30pm-7:30pm | Services Clubs |
| 28 March | Cross Country Carnival | TBA | TBA |
| 3 April | Yrs 3 & 4 - Parish Mass | 10:15 am | St Bede's Church |
| 3 April | Try it @ Trinity Day - Year 6 students only | 10 am - 2 pm | Gouburn |
| 4 April | Working Bee and Movie night | TBA | school |
| 7 April | Easter Liturgy - Palm Sunday - Yr 1 | 9 am | school |
| 8 April | Easter Liturgy - Washing of the Feet - Yr 2 & Last Supper - Yr 3 | 9 am | school |
| 9 April | Easter Liturgy - Garden of Gethsemane - Yr 4 | 9 am | School |
| 10 April | Easter Liturgy - Stations of the Cross - Yr 5/6 | 9 am | School |
| 10 April | Easter Hat parade | 11:45 am | Wallace street |
| 10 April (Thursday) | End of Term for Students | ||
| 17 April | Holy Thursday | ||
| 18 April | Good Friday | ||
| 20 April | Easter Sunday | ||
| 25 April | Anzac Day | ||
| 29 April | Students return | ||
| 30 April | Easter liturgy - Resurrection - Kinder | 9 am | School |
| 1 May | ANZAC day Liturgy | TBA | TBA |
| 2 May | NR Cross Country | TBA | Braidwood |
2025 Term Dates
- Term 1 - Tuesday 4 February - Thursday 10 April 2025
- Term 2 – Tuesday 29 April – Thursday 3 July
- Term 3 – Tuesday 22 July – Thursday 25 September
- Term 4 – Tuesday 14 October – Thursday 18 December
- Does your child have asthma? Have you updated your child's Asthma Action plan for this year and does the school have a copy? Please remember to update your child's Asthma plan regularly with your doctor. These updated plans should then be given to the school, so that we are able to give the best care possible should an attack happen.
- We have had an outbreak of head lice and parents are reminded to check their childrens hair regulary. If head lice is found please follow NSW health guildelines for treatment.
- Please be mindful of what containers you send to school with your child. Please do not send ring pull cans (like the lids on small tuna cans etc..) or glass containers as these present a cutting hazard to children. Please open the can at home and place in a plastic container.
- We would ask that soft drinks are not sent to school with your children as we do try to encourage a healthy alternative like water.
- If your child is unwell, please place their absence through the Compass Parent Portal App. There is no need to then notify the office once you have placed it into the Compass app.
- Please keep an eye on ourFaceBook page for the latest happenings around the school. StBede'sFaceBook page
School fees have been sent out to families via email and through Compass - fees are due for payment before Friday 21 March 2025.
The preferred method of payment for fees is through BPAY as it is cost effective. The BPAY reference details are in the top right and bottom left on the invoice.
Any families who are struggling to pay the fees before the due are to contact the school office to put an arrangement in place.
Services Australia staff travel with the MSCs and can help you with Medicare and Centrelink payments and services. Our MSCs also have disabled access.
Our staff can also help veterans and their families connect to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs phone line and online services. Wi-Fi is available for visitors to the MSC and staff will be able to help you create a myGov account.
myGov is a simple and secure way to access government services online.
Our staff provide you with friendly face-to-face service, information and support. From time to time, representatives from other government agencies also travel with the MSCs.
More Information
To view the latest itineraries for the MSCs, go to servicesaustralia.gov.au/mobileoffice
The stopping locations are promoted in each town and on social media before each visit.
Information and help you can access on board the MSCs, we provide information, help and support to rural and regional communities, including:
- families
- older Australians
- students
- job seekers
- people with disability
- carers
- farmers
- self-employed people.
We can assist you with:
- registering and using the agency’s online services
- new claims for Centrelink payments
- updating and confirming Medicare and Centrelink information
- information on how financial matters may impact on payments
- assistance with payment and service options
- rural payment entitlements for eligible farmers
- non-cash Medicare transactions
- enrolling for and issuing new Medicare cards
- updating and re-issuing Medicare cards
- social work support and referrals.
St Bede's is a Nut Free school
St Bede's is a nut free school - This mean that students should not bring anything containing nuts to school, this includes Nutella, Peanut Butter and any other nut butters as we have several students who are highly allergic to these items.
The sharing of any food, lollies or confectionery is not encouraged.
Library days for Term 1 are:
- Wednesdays - Kinder, Years 2, 3, 4
- Thursdays - Years 1 & 5/6
Please remember to bring your library bag and any books to be returned on these days!!!!!!
School Student Broadband Initiative (free NBN service)
The Federal Government's School Student Broadband Initiative provides a free NBN service to eligible families with school age children. For further information, please click on the link below.
- Parents are reminded to check that their child's name is on all their clothing - it is impossible to return clothes with no name.
- The school has a 2nd hand uniform pool. If you would like any uniform items please call into the office to complete an order form or alternatively email the office with your order. You will be contacted once the order has been filled. Please note that as the uniform pool relies on donations from parents, we do not have a full range of items or sizes. Any families who have uniforms that they no longer need, please consider donating these back to the school, these can be left at the office. Thank you
- Len Mutton and Co are the schools official uniform supplier. They are located in the main street or phone 0248422446 or email lenmutton@bigpond.com
At St Bede's canteen is run every 2nd Monday. The running of canteen is dependant on volunteers - we require at least 2 parent volunteers per canteen.
Please see the roster below - if you are able to help please contact Brenda, Trish or the office to have your name added.
If canteen is cancelled your child will need to bring their own lunch, as per a non canteen day.
If you have any questions about what is required to help on canteen please contact Brenda on 0438 275 032 or Trish on 0412 889507 or 02 48422027.
Please note that any parents volunteering for canteen must have a current Working With Children Check (WWCC). WWCC can be applied for through Service NSW (link) applying for a WWCC. Once you have received the clearance please send a copy of the email + your date of birth to the office as the clearances are checked.
| 17 March | Helpers wanted |
| 31 March | Helpers wanted |
Kinder |
Evelyn | Jack | Elsie |
Year 1 |
Lily | Georgia | |
Year 2 |
Renzo | Aoife | |
Year 3 |
Blaine | Aaleyah | Poppy |
Year 4 |
Willow | Sophia | Raphy F |
Year 5/6 |
Munachi | Nina |