Week 3 @ SBE

Welcome to our week 3 newsletter and what a massive 3 weeks it has been! Last night we had our first P@F meeting for the term and it was great to see some familiar and new faces there!

Thank you to everyone in our school community who wrote a shout out to our teachers. The teachers were all provided with a  copy of your responses and the word cloud of the combined reponses.

STEM MAD Nationals

I want to say thank you to Mrs Amanda Lewis for all her hard work and effort with the students competing in STEM MAD competition this year. Also, to all the students and teams who entered the compeition. This was the first year St. Benedict's entered the STEM MAD compeition so this is a very exciting beginning to some more wonderful innovations and projects in the future. 

On Friday, Mrs Bertwistle and Mr Newman, from the DIGITAL INNOVATION AND LEARNING team, came to the school for a speical assembly after lunch. At the assembly, they announced that one of our teams had been selected as the Primary winner from the Maitland/Newcastle diocese. Huge congratulations to Alexis Huntress, Marley Cochrane-Finlay, Marli Eisel, Charlie Howarth and Madison Myers-Perrett from the Next Step Academy! The girls, along with Mrs Lewis will attend the CNA STEM MAD National Showcase in Brisbane on November 19^th. 

The STEM MAD National Advisory Committee, comprised of representatives from each participating state, judge nominees based on the project criteria; specifically looking for…

• Innovative ideas

• A clear demonstration of the design process and learning journey

• Eloquent, highly competent presenters

We are so proud of you all and can't wait to hear how you go at the STEM MAD National showcase. Enjoy your well earned reward!

If you would like to find out more about the STEM MAD National link below.

Decorate your gate

Last term, schools around the diocese participated in the Decorate Your Space competition. All the votes have now been submitted and the winner of the Primary School section is….cue the DRUMROLL…

St Benedict’s PS, Edgeworth! 

Yesterday at assembly, we played the video below to the school community announcing the winner. The students reactions were priceless!! With the prize money, we are planning to create a mural as back drop for our Catholic Social Teachings mascots and get outdoor versions printed up of them to hang onto the mural.

Wishing you all an enjoyable week ahead!

Kate Wilson

LAKES REGIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING FINALS

After a short hiatus post COVID our Lakes Regional Public Speaking Competition has returned. Four of our Year 6 students including: Scarlett Rose, Josie Gloury, Zac Postovoyt and Hudson Moore.  The student's competed in two debates the first being:

Socktober Soccer Gala

Socktober Soccer Gala Day was an exciting event that brought together students, teachers, and the community for a day filled with fun, sportsmanship, and a shared goal of making a positive impact and raising money for the Caring Centre in Mongolia. It was not just about playing soccer; it was a celebration of teamwork, perseverance, and the spirit of giving back. Students from various schools come together to compete in friendly matches, showcasing their skills and passion for the sport while representing their schools with pride.

The fundraising aspect of Socktober added a meaningful dimension to the event. Participants and supporters raised funds for important causes, often focusing on providing resources and support to underprivileged communities. This year, the funds raised will go towards The Caring Centre in Mongolia, making a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. Catholic Mission’s purpose and community spirit was evident as everyone rallied together, knowing that their efforts on the field were contributing to a greater good.

The event fostered a positive environment where the values of respect, integrity, and camaraderie were celebrated. It was a day where winning was not the focus but about the friendships formed, the lessons learned, and the joy of participating in a shared experience. Thank you to all the St Benedict’s students who were amazing on the day.

Thanks to all who came and supported us!

Megan Hunt

(Acting REC)

Year 1 Excursion to the Reptile Park

On Thursday the 24th of October Year1 went on an excursion to the Reptile Park as part of their Science Unit about Living Things. Year 1 observed lots of different animals whilst there. Some of these animals that Year 1 observed included crocodiles and alligators, koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, Komoda dragons, turtles, different types of snakes, lizards and spiders. After observing the animals in the park Year 1 participated in a show where they learnt about animals such as the Blue Tongue Lizard, alligators, turtles and snakes in terms of their diet, habitat, predators these animals have and how they protect themselves against predators. Year 1 also learnt how to apply a pressure immobilisation bandage if ever bitten by a snake and some lucky students also got to hold the animals during the show. A great day was had by everyone.

Kareena Coleman, Aaron Searle and Lisa Reid

PIVOT Pilot: Student Wellbeing Survey 2024/2025

PIVOT’s Wellbeing for Learning Tool is an initiative for the Diocese and supports the mental health and wellbeing of students. This pilot was initially planned for the beginning of 2024 and after an upgrade in IT infrastructure, it is now ready to be trialled.

Our students from years 3-6 will have the opportunity to participate in a pilot of PIVOT’s Wellbeing for Learning - Student Wellbeing Survey in Term 4, 2024 and Terms 1 & 2, 2025.

What is the PIVOT Pilot?

It is a survey designed for schools to measure, track and support students across 5 wellbeing domains: General Wellbeing, Resilience, Sense of Belonging, Feelings of Safety and Protective Behaviour. It has been mapped to the CSO’s ‘Wellbeing Together’ framework which supports student learning and wellbeing across the whole school.

The tool is widely used in many Catholic schools across Australia and was designed by expert school psychologists and wellbeing researchers.

It involves several brief surveys completed by students on a laptop or tablet across school terms. Questions are tailored to the student’s age group. Teachers are provided with simple-to-use mini lessons to help explain the survey to students and reinforce why wellbeing is important for learning. These lessons will be delivered across Years 3-6 over the next 2 weeks. During this time more information will be made available to parents.

How will the PIVOT pilot benefit our school?

PIVOT will provide us with valuable data to help set goals for implementing the Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care Policy and Wellbeing Together Framework. The Pivot tool provides a simple way to gather student voice on questions aligned to the Framework such as:

· Do students have a sense of belonging & connectedness at school?

· Do students feel they have agency in their learning?

· Do students feel they have an adult at the school they can talk to if they have a problem?

PIVOT provides timely data & insights to identify, support and monitor students in need of support and provides evidence-based resources for next-day action. The data can be analysed by different student cohorts and student attributes for targeted intervention.

We really look forward to the positive impact the collection of this data will have on our ability to support the Well-Being of our students here at St. Benedicts.

God Bless,

Miss Michelle Collins

(Acting Assistant Principal)

School Office 

Phone: 4958 1858

Email:admin@edgeworth.catholic.edu.au

Admin/ Finance Officer Suzi Di-Nardo Monday to Friday

Admin - Tiare Collins-Grayson Monday, Thursday Friday

School Fees

As we head into November please be aware that school fees are due in full by the 30th November, which is only 5 weeks away. This does not apply to any families that have as payment arrangement with our Principal. If your intention is to make your payment weekly or fortnightluy please ensure this is happening as it can be hard to catchup once behind.

If you have not received your statement please check your Junk mail and contact our office. 

Special Note for year 6 parents regarding fees. As this will be the last year for year 6 students at St Benedict's fees need to be finalised & paid in full prior to November 30th 2024. Payment of school fees must be addressed to avoid being negatively impacted on their enrolment proceeding at Catholic High school. Principal's will be notified of any outstanding fees prior to the commencement of 2025.

Payments can be made via B/pay, Direct debt, EFTPOS,  over the counter at our school or over the phone. These payment can be set up through your internet banking to be paid weekly, fortnightly or monthly.  

Any families that are experiencing hardship or require assistance with extinguishing their debt please contact our school office. 

Second Hand Clothing Pool

If you are looking for any second hand uniforms please call or email our school office. Gold coin donation per item. 

We have an abundance of small sizes and lots of boys short & shirts.

We are currently in need of larger sizes especially for our girls. 

If you have anything your child has grown out of or would like to donate please drop them into our office. 

Congratulations to the following students who were recognised for their efforts in Learning, Improvement and Kindness to Others last week. 

To thank our wonderful School Volunteers for their invaluable time and support

throughout the year, I have sent your volunteers an invitation to our Christmas Morning Tea and International Volunteers week celebration.