St Benedict's Primary School - Narrabundah eNewsletter

Principal's Message

It was wonderful to see students back after the school holiday break, refreshed and eager to see their friends again. Classes quickly settled back into learning and routines and we have already had a couple of important school events.

ANZAC Day Liturgy and Easter Mass

Last week we celebrated both a beautiful ANZAC Day liturgy on Wednesday and Easter Mass on Friday. It was wonderful to see families at both these events. A big thank you to our families that participated in our Anzac Day liturgy; your involvement made the prayer celebration all the more special. Thank you also to Fr Chris Eaton, Fr Samson Ezemuokwe and Deacon Don Nguyen who assisted us in this prayer celebration. Mrs Linda De Salis, our defence students, Mr Ruiz Marin, Miss Madisson Doyle and Year 1/2 Blue students were amazing in their efforts for both celebrations.

Mother’s Day

This Friday we celebrate Mother’s Day at school. We invite you to attend our Mother’s Day breakfast from 7:30am – 8:55am in the hall where we will have a coffee van and pastries on offer. At 10:00am Year 1/2 Gold will lead us in our Mother’s Day Mass and then during the day students will visit the Mother’s Day stall. Thank you to all those families that have made donations to this stall. Students are asked to bring in $5 to purchase a gift on the day.

A happy Mothers Day to all of the mums and those who play a similar role in our families. Mothers Day is a great opportunity to recognise and be thankful for all that our mothers and mother figures contribute to our lives. I hope that you all feel loved and appreciated on Sunday. I look forward to seeing many of you at our breakfast event this Friday morning.

Walk to School Day

Next Friday 16^th May we celebrate Walk to School Day. Walk Safely to School Day is held annually in May and encourages children to walk or use active transport to school. The event focuses on promoting the health, road safety, and environmental benefits of walking. It's a chance for families to walk together and discuss safe road practices. Staff will meet participating students/families at the Narrabundah shops at 8am and we will then walk to school from there, hopefully enjoying some sunshine. All are welcome!

Cross Country Carnival

Next Friday we also have our annual Cross Country Carnival which is held over the road at the Jerrabomberra Oval. After assembly, our 8-12 year olds will head over to run in their events. Our younger students will join us a little later in the morning. We predict all races will be completed by recess time at 11:00am. Students are reminded to wear their sports uniform and school hat and to bring plenty of water.

ACT Swimming Carnival – Congratulations!

Congratulations to Baxter on his representation of our school at yesterday’s state swimming carnival. This is a big achievement. We are very proud of you Baxter.

Principal's Reminders

Enrolment period is now open and once again I am seeking assistance from our families to help promote our wonderful school. I am encouraging families to share with others their experiences of St Benedict’s. Word of mouth has always had a large impact on our enrolments, with a significant proportion of our enrolments coming from recommendation.

We have already had a number of Open Days but have one more on Monday 12^th May – 9:30 – 11:00am. Alternatively, prospective families are always welcome to make an appointment for a school tour outside of these dates, any day Monday to Friday.

Additionally, I encourage existing families with children that will be starting school at St Benedict’s in 2026 to please complete and submit the enrolment application as we already have commenced receiving applications.

From the Assistant Principal

Homework

At St Benedict's, we ask that students engage in their homework activities regularly, to reinforce learning that occurs at school.

In the early years of school particular focus on spelling and reading is important and we ask that families support their students with these vital literacy skills.

Focusing on building strong spelling and reading abilities together offers numerous advantages:

improved vocabulary development
better command of grammar
increased reading and writing confidence
stronger overall communication skills

In middle to upper primary there is a mix of skill practice in English and Mathematics, as well as concept development and reinforcement in other curriculum areas.

Focusing on learning across curriculum areas offers advantages including:

supporting classwork by practising skills or gathering extra information/materials
co-ordinating across curriculum areas to integrate learning experiences
extending classwork, assignment and research tasks

Homework across all grade levels offers numerous benefits for students, including:

improving academic performance
reinforcing classroom learning
developing key life skills such as time management and responsibility
allowing parents to monitor student progress
helping students solidify their understanding of concepts
encouragement of self-learning
development of independent study habits

Please contact your child's teacher if you have any questions or concerns about your child's homework.

Spotlight on Religious Education

First Holy Communion Information and Prayer Evening

We warmly invite parents and guardians of Year 4 students to attend our First Holy Communion Information and Prayer Evening on Wednesday, 21st May at 6:00 PM in the Greg Collins Wing.

This special evening is for families whose child has been Baptised and has already made their First Reconciliation, and who are now interested in preparing to receive the Sacrament of First Holy Communion.

The session will provide an opportunity to:

Explore the deep meaning and significance of this sacred sacrament
Join in prayer and reflection
Walk the journey of faith together as adult and child

The evening will be a meaningful and prayerful time of preparation, helping families understand the importance of the Eucharist as one of the most sacred rituals in our Catholic faith.

An email with a link to sign up will be sent to families via Compass. We encourage all eligible families to attend.

We look forward to sharing this special journey with you and your child.

Last Friday, our school community gathered to celebrate the joyful season of Easter. Year 1/2 Blue, alongside Miss Doyle, led us in a beautifully reflective Mass honouring the Resurrection of Jesus.

Father Chris shared a powerful message about the sacred ritual Jesus left us, the sharing of a meal and the breaking of bread, as a lasting sign of His love and presence among us.

A heartfelt thank you to Father Chris, Miss Doyle, and the wonderful students of 1/2 Blue for their thoughtful preparation and reverent leadership in this special celebration.

Mini Vinnies

On Thursday 8th May, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will come together for our first Mini Vinnies session of the year.

During this session, we will explore:

What Mini Vinnies is all about
The important work the Saint Vincent de Paul Society does in our community
How we can be a part of its mission to serve others

Together, we’ll begin developing a plan for how we can be social justice activists in our school, raising awareness and taking action to support those in need.

We are excited to start this journey of compassion, leadership, and faith with our Mini Vinnies team in 2025.

Dates to Remember

Benny's News

Entertainment Fundraising

Out and About at Benny's

In the ANZAC Spirit

Our school commemorated ANZAC Day, last Wednesday, with a Liturgy led by Fr. Samson and Deacon Joseph MGLs. It was very much a family affair with Brock (Yr. 5/6) and his sister Savannah (Yr. 5/6) commencing the liturgy with an Acknowledgement of Country; Emersyn (Yr. 5/6) and her mum, Lucy (Yr. 1/2) and her mum, Evelyn (K) and her dad, and Minnie (K) and her grandma setting our sacred space. Noah (Yr. 3/4) and his Nana read from the Book of Samuel about the Lord being our guide and protector, He listens to us and helps us in times of trouble. Deacon Don Nguyen and his wife, William (Yr. 1/2), his sister Ella (K), together with Hunter (Yr. 5/6), his sister Georgia (Yr. 3/4) and their parents laid wreaths for the Australian and New Zealand fallen. Mr. Greg Kennett and Nate (Yr. 5/6) recited the Ode of Remembrance in memory of all those who lost their lives in wartime sacrifices. Musician and teacher Mr. Luis Ruiz Marin played a solemn, accomplished rendition of the Last Post and Rouse and the Brooks family gave us a meaningful address on the spirit of the ANZACs with examples of ways in which students of St. Benedict’s school are able to demonstrate this spirit by their actions each school day as Charlotte eloquently expressed: “by being kind, being loyal to your friends, helping others, looking after each other, and never giving up.”

Lest We Forget!

Mrs. Linda De Salis

Classroom Teacher

Defence School Mentor

Contact Teacher for Aboriginal Education

Easter Mass

Numeracy Enrichment

Today our Year 5/6 Numeracy Enrichment students participated in their first 'Maths Games Junior' contest, facilitated by the Australasian Problem-Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) organisation. This challenge consists of four different contest papers spaced over the next few months, with each paper focusing on two distinct problem-solving strategies. This first paper focused on 'finding a pattern' and 'building a table' to solve problems grounded in real-world applications.

Students have been working hard practicing these strategies in their enrichment sessions late last term and are to be congratulated for their wonderful efforts today in completing their first contest challenge.

'Maths Games Junior Contest 2' will be held on Wednesday 11 June.

Mrs Anne White

Numeracy Enrichment / Classroom Teacher

Happy Birthday

Merit Awards

Team Kids

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