Filter Content
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today our students participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime. National Simultaneous Storytime is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Celebrating its 20th successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy.
During this time of social distancing and lockdown I had every intention of losing myself in the many books I have collecting dust on my bookshelf. I wanted to shift my focus from reading for work related purposes to reading for enjoyment. Whilst I did do some reading for enjoyment it was nowhere near what I had wanted to do. It made me realise that I had to practice what I preach and make a habit of reading regularly for enjoyment, as there are a significant number of benefits of reading every day. Here are just a few;
Here are 10 benefits of reading and reasons why we should be reading every day.
- Mental Stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of (or possibly even prevent) Alzheimer’s and Dementia, since keeping your brain active and engaged prevents it from losing power. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy, so the phrase “use it or lose it” is particularly apt when it comes to your mind.
- Stress Reduction
No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other issues faced in daily life, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. A well-written novel can transport you to other realms, while an engaging article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, letting tensions drain away and allowing you to relax.
- Knowledge
Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to tackle any challenge you’ll ever face.
- Vocabulary Expansion
The more you read, the more words you gain exposure to, and they’ll inevitably make their way into your everyday vocabulary. Being articulate and well-spoken is of great help in any profession, and knowing that you can speak to higher-ups with self-confidence can be an enormous boost to your self-esteem.
- Memory Improvement
When you read a book, you have to remember an assortment of characters, their backgrounds, ambitions, history, and nuances, as well as the various arcs and sub-plots that weave their way through every story. That’s a fair bit to remember, but brains are marvellous things and can remember these things with relative ease. Amazingly enough, every new memory you create forges new synapses (brain pathways) and strengthens existing ones, which assists in short-term memory recall as well as stabilizing moods. How cool is that?
- Stronger Analytical Thinking Skills
Have you ever read an amazing mystery novel, and solved the mystery yourself before finishing the book? If so, you were able to put critical and analytical thinking to work by taking note of all the details provided and sorting them out to determine “who dunn it”. That same ability to analyse details also comes in handy when it comes to critiquing the plot; determining whether it was a well-written piece, if the characters were properly developed, if the storyline ran smoothly, etc.
Should you ever have an opportunity to discuss the book with others, you’ll be able to state your opinions clearly, as you’ve taken the time to really consider all the aspects involved.
- Improved Focus and Concentration
In our internet-crazed world, attention is drawn in a million different directions at once as we multi-task through every day. In a single 5-minute span, the average person will divide their time between working on a task, checking email, chatting with a couple of people, keeping an eye on social media, monitoring their smartphone, and interacting with co-workers. This type of ADD-like behaviour causes stress levels to rise, and lowers our productivity. When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story—the rest of the world just falls away, and you can immerse yourself in every fine detail you’re absorbing. Try reading for 15-20 minutes before work (i.e. on your morning commute, if you take public transit), and you’ll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.
- Better Writing Skills
This goes hand-in-hand with the expansion of your vocabulary. Exposure to published, well-written work has a noted effect on one’s own writing, as observing the cadence, fluidity, and writing styles of other authors will invariably influence your own work. In the same way that musicians influence one another and painters use techniques established by previous masters, so do writers learn how to craft prose by reading the works of others.
- Tranquility
In addition to the relaxation that accompanies reading a good book, it’s possible that the subject you read about can bring about immense inner peace and tranquility. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about an immense sense of calm, while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders and mild mental illnesses.
- Free Entertainment
Though many of us like to buy books so we can annotate them and dog-ear pages for future reference, they can be quite pricey. For low-budget entertainment, you can visit your local library, as libraries have books on every subject imaginable, and since they rotate their stock and constantly get new books, you’ll never run out of reading materials.
If you happen to live in an area that doesn’t have a local library or if you can’t get to one easily, most libraries have their books available in PDF or e-format so you can read them on your e-reader, iPad, or your computer screen. There are also many sources online where you can download free e-books, so go hunting for something new to read!
So as we strive to be a community of readers lets join our kids and grab a book to read for enjoyment!
God bless.
Rachel Smith
Principal
Enrolment period
The enrolment period has been extended to this Friday 29th May. This is the time to enrol children for high school, primary school and preschool. If you would like to enrol a sibling into Kinder next year please send an email to the Front Office or complete the online enrolment form https://cg.catholic.edu.au/parents/enrolment/ .
Facebook
In an effort to find new ways to communicate we have a St Benedict's Facebook page. If you are on Facebook you may like to follow, like and share our page. Follow the link below to find us on Facebook or search for St Benedict's Narrabundah.
https://www.facebook.com/stbenedictsnarrabundah/
Rugging Up in the Cold
We encourage a lot of play outside and during winter it can be quite cold. We encourage all of our students to dress with plenty of layers. Our uniform lends itself very easily to this.
Singlets, thermals or other simple long sleeve underclothes are encouraged under the shirt to add that extra layer. Our uniform policy then outlines:
Maroon jumper: worn over the shirt and dress. As it’s harder to take off it can be used inside and outside to keep warm,
Blue polar fleece jacket: to be worn when going outside over the maroon jumper and generally taken off in the classroom while the heater is operating,
Beanies/Scarves/Mittens: are very acceptable and preferably navy blue.
Sport uniform: If an extra layer is required then a simple navy blue top underneath the polo short is acceptable.
Please note girls in Kindergarten to Year 5 who choose to wear the dress must wear the tunic. The skirt is a privilege for our Year 6 students only.
Late Arrivals and Early Collection
We ask that all students arriving at school after 9am be signed in at the Front Office by a parent or appropriate caregiver. We also ask if you collect your child before 3.00pm they need to be signed out at the Front Office by a parent or appropriate caregiver. Thank you for your support with this.
Water Bottles
Due to COVID 19 the school water bubblers are currently closed. Could you please ensure your child brings with them a water bottle each day with their name clearly marked on it.
Hats Off – June and July
In June and July, hats go away! In Canberra we have already started to witness daily UV levels decrease to what is considered “low” levels (under 3), during the morning and afternoon periods.
Cancer Council ACT does not generally recommend sun protection behaviour (i.e. hat wearing and sunscreen application) when UV levels are under 3 due to the low risk of potential UV skin damage. In Canberra UV levels drop and remain under 3, all day around the June and July period and the students are encouraged to leave their hats at home during this time. They may wear a navy beanie for warmth.
Fees
Term 2 fees invoices were sent home last week. If you will have difficulty in paying your fees this term please contact myself or Belinda McRae as a matter of urgency.
As excursions have had to be cancelled this term, we have not invoiced families for the Excursion Levy or the Dance Levy. We hope that even a small reduction in fees eases the burden a little.
Fee relief is available for eligible families. I sincerely thank parents who are able to continue to pay the fees. Any unspent levies will be credited at the end of the year.
Boys Toilet Behaviour
Unfortunately at the moment we are having to attend to a lot of issues in the boys’ toilets. We ask that if you are the parent of a male student could you please chat with them about appropriate behaviour, including reminding them about flushing the toilet and aiming for the toilet bowl. Thank you for your support with this.
St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol
During this challenging time our friends at St Vincent de Paul are trying their best to continue to provide services to the vulnerable in our community. However due to COVID-19 they have experienced a significant decline in vital winter clothing donations. St Vincent de Paul are still accepting donations and are following quarantine procedures to ensure that these items are safe for distribution. We understand that we had planned our annual St Benedict’s Winter Woollies Day for Term 3, but considering there is a current urgent need for donations we are encouraging all of our St Benedict’s families to do a clean out of their wardrobes to donate unwanted winter clothing. Of course donations of new clothing items are also welcomed. The Night Patrol Van is specifically seeking the following items in adult sizes:
- Jackets
- Gloves
- Sleeping bags
- Blankets
- Beanies
- Socks
- Scarves
These items should be donated directly to St Vincent de Paul Warehouse (32 Buckland St, Mitchell ACT) and on depositing these items you should let the volunteers know that you would like your donations to go specifically to the Night Patrol. Alternatively, you can make a financial donation online https://donate.vinnies.org.au/donation-hub
Thank you for your continued support.
Community Meals Program: HELP NEEDED! THE FREEZER IS EMPTY!
The Community Meals freezer is one way we can assist families who are experiencing hardship. Unfortunately we are currently unable to accept donations of homemade meals, but we are seeking donations of store bought frozen meals and vegetables, and non-perishable can items. All frozen and non-perishable 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.
National Sorry Day
On Tuesday our students reflected on the meaning and purpose of National Sorry Day within their classes. Classes listened to stories, accounts, interviews and documentaries which expressed a deep spiritual and cultural loss, and engaged in thoughtful discussion about the significance of the day.
Prayer
God of love and compassion.
We thank you for the survival of Indigenous cultures.
Our hope is in you because you gave your son Jesus to reconcile the world to you.
We pray for your strength and grace to forgive, accept and love one another as you love, forgive and accept us.
Give us the courage to acknowledge the realities of our history so that we may build a better future for our nation.
Teach us to respect all cultures. Teach us to care for our land and waters. Help us to share justly the resources of this land.
Help us to bring about spiritual and social change to improve the quality of life for all groups in our communities, especially the disadvantaged.
Help young people to find true dignity and self-esteem in the ways of your Spirit.
May your power and love be the foundations on which we build our families, our communities and our nation.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
A few important dates to note for this term are:
Enrolment Period - 4th - 29th May 2020
27 May Simultaneous Story Time 11.00am
1 June Reconciliation Day - Public Holiday
2 June P & F Meeting 6.30pm (All welcome)
8 June Queen's Birthday - Public Holiday
9 June School Board Meeting 6.00pm
9 June Combined School Board and P&F Meeting 6.30pm (All welcome)
26 June Semester 1 Reports sent home
29 June Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
30 June Optional Parent Teacher Interviews
2 July End of Term 2
20 July Commencement of Term 3
All Friday afternoon and morning assemblies will be cancelled until further notice.
The following note has gone home this week.
- Change to the Kindergarten Health Check in 2020 (Kindergarten only)
Kindergarten Health Check letter to parents 2020
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
National Sorry Day – Tuesday 26th May, 2020
Yesterday we acknowledged Sorry Day; a day to remember and recognise all those who were affected by the ‘Stolen Generations’, as well as the impact of Australian government policies, practices and attitudes towards the Indigenous people of Australia throughout history.
Students in all classes participated in learning and prayer activities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of this special event and its importance. Many students heard or read ‘Sorry Day’ by Coral Vass and Dub Leffler, listened to songs such as ‘They Took the Children Away’ and ‘Stand Together’ and considered the Apology Speech by former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
National Reconciliation Week
This long weekend, we celebrate Reconciliation Day (the beginning of National Reconciliation Week) and the theme of ‘In this Together’. Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The dates for National Reconciliation Week remain the same each year as they commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.
Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Next week our school will celebrate National Reconciliation Week with learning and prayer activities in all classes. As for community events, this Reconciliation Day event in Canberra will look a little different as it adopts a new format to allow adherence to public health restrictions around mass gatherings and physical distancing. A range of free and family-friendly activities designed to promote conversation and foster a deeper understanding of our national story and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, will still be on offer in Canberra. Further information about these activities can be found at http://www.events.act.gov.au/reconciliation-day.
Happy birthday to the children who celebrate their special day this week: Nayan P, Finn M, Alana W and Benjamin F.
Kinder: Zoe N and Henri R
Year 1/2B: Gordon S, Summah M, Savannah L, Nathan W and Zayn S
Year 1/2G: Andrew K, Alex H, Lucy W and Ryana O
Year 3/4B: Rafael K
Year 3/4G: Claire L
Year 5/6B: Nobel S, Lachlan H and Matthew S
Year 5/6G: Oliver J and Sarah D
The school P&F meeting has been postponed until week 6 of this term. We hope to see as many new and familiar faces in our week 6 meeting as possible. W
e hope to move forward planning a number of small events for the remainder of the year.
SAVE THE DATE: TUESDAY 2ND JUNE 2020 AT 6.30PM
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.
Due to current circumstances all clothes in lost property will be emptied and clothing will be washed and returned to the clothing pool, all other items will be cleaned and donated to St Vincent de Paul.
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD/REN'S CLOTHING IS LABELLED WITH THEIR NAME.
Please check your child/ren are bring their uniform home. If they have accidently picked up someone elses please return it to the front office so it can be returned to the correct child.
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)
Dear St Benedict’s community,
St Benedict’s Live Stream Masses
Facebook Page: “St Benedict’s Church and Mission Centre Canberra”
Tues, Wed, Thurs 5:30pm
Sat 8am
Sun 10am
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
All bus and light rail services, including special needs transport, are operating a
s normal.To keep our community safe from #COVID19, only use public transport if necessary or consider walking or riding to school for those shorter trips.
The safety of our drivers and our customers is our highest priority and in response to #COVID19 increased cleaning is taking place across all areas of public transport including at stops, stations and within the vehicles.
If you are required to use public transport to get to and from school, please be aware and remember the following:
- No cash accepted on buses - please use MyWay
- Top up (and register) your MyWay card
- Use the rear door to enter and exit on buses
- Be aware that light rail vehicles have auto doors opening at all stops
- Where possible maintain physical distancing
- No front seat access on buses
- Always practice good hygiene
For more: https://bit.ly/2Ws5mZs
Kind regards,
As the ACT Government has just announced that ACT Government Schools will go pupil free from Tuesday 24/03/2020 due to COVID-19, Bellchambers Music School has made the decision not to provide piano lessons at Schools in order to allow the classroom teachers optimum time to prepare their class without disruption from music lessons.
We have informed all affected families, and will be in touch with each of them again in the next few days to arrange for the children to have their piano lessons online with their usual teacher and at the same day and time if possible, and their postponed lesson from tomorrow made-up.
This is a time of unprecedented and fast-moving changes any many unknowns for the near future. We at Bellchambers Music School want to assure you that whatever happens, we will be here making music with your school families. Our teachers are committed to providing music lessons to your children.
Depending on the situation with the schools, we will be continuing to offer our school families lessons in Term 2 in the school if they are open, or through the online environment, if they are closed. As with all small businesses, both the admin staff and the teachers at Bellchambers Music School are deeply concerned about the future. We want to be there for you and hope that you will continue to support us as we make music with your students in these very difficult times and into the future.
Many thanks,
Bronwen and Rachel
Bellchambers Music School
62816270
www.bellchambersmusicschool.com.au
Just advising that the opening hours for Savvy Tuggeranong have changed to the following. The below changes to opening times will be taking effect
week commencing 20th May 2020.
Uniform will continue to be available online via https://www.savvyschoolwear.com.au/schoolwear/school and is the preferred method of purchase.
We are still encouraging families to purchase online but would also like to encourage families to call ahead to ensure the store is open and availability of uniform.
Savvy Tuggeranong current opening hours
Monday 11am to 4pm
Tuesday 11am to 4pm
Friday 11am to 4pm
Saturday 10am to 2pm
Sunday Closed
Thanking you and stay safe,
Justin Newcombe
ACT/NSW Account Manager
P: 0499 056 234
E: justinnewcombe@lowessavvy.com.au
Shop 37 Homeworld, Soward Way, Tuggeranong ACT 2900
