St Bernadette’s, Dundas Valley
School Newsletter
4 February, 2010
Term 1, Week 2
Dear Parents, Friends, Staff, Children,
It is so lovely to be back with you all after the Christmas break. I hope you all had a most restful, happy holiday
and that 2010 will be a particularly successful year for all of you.
The year has started very smoothly and the children look extra smart in their new uniforms. Those few changes to
our uniform have made the world of difference.
I realise most of you know your child’s class teacher which makes things so much easier at the beginning of the
year. However, there will be a Parent Information evening on Monday 15th February where you will be able to
learn the requirements for your child in 2010 and get to know the teacher a little more, especially those parents who
are new to our school.
On the next page is a list of staff for 2010 which will be handy for parents, especially on our Information evening.
Remember, that the rooms had to be changed because of the building project. Years 5 & 6 are now in the
Kindergarten room; Kinder is in the second Infants classroom; Year 1 is in the first Infants classroom and Years 3
and 4 are in the Creative Arts room. We have made two extra learning spaces for the teachers to use when
necessary – area outside the old Year 6 classroom and the library.
Thank you to all the teachers for adapting to this arrangement so well. We expect the building to be complete by
the middle of the year if all goes well.
We welcome our new children and their families to St Bernadette’s.
Taylor Savea (Yr 5)
Nicola Elias (Yr 5)
Jarod Elias (Yr 1)
Miguel Pupualii (Yr 1)
Martin Chong (Yr 4)
Shay Jeffery (Yr 2)
It is always hard changing schools but these children have settled in really well and their peers have looked after
them extremely well.
May you always have a sunbeam to warm you,
A sheltering angel so nothing can harm you.
Laughter to cheer you,
Faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear you (An Irish blessing)
Best Wishes for a wonderful year at St Bernadette’s!
Jan Hawes
Principal
Staffing for 2010
Principal
Assistant Principal
Religious Education Co-ordinator
Co-ordinator (Primary) (Sport)
Co-ordinator (Infants)
Mrs Jan Hawes
Mrs Elly Benkovich
Miss Barbara
Mr Samson
Mrs Zammit (Miss Aye)
Kindergarten
Year One
Year Two
Year Three
Year Four
Year Five
Year Six
Miss Maria
Miss Julie (4 days) Miss Catherine (1)
Miss Lauren (5 days)
Mrs Zammit (Miss Aye)
Mr Samson (4) Miss Leanne (1)
Miss Barbara (4) Miss Leanne (1)
Mr Kensell
Miss Kerrie
Literacy Support
Librarian
Learning Support
English Second Language
Italian
LTST (Technology support)
Mrs Benkovich
Mrs Levenets
Mrs Mary Hines
Mrs Benkovich
Mr Ian Galbraith
Mrs Zammit (Miss Aye)
Teachers Aides
Mrs Kaye Onorato, Mrs Liz Friend,
Mrs Carol Hanna
Secretaries
Mrs Mary Kyneur, Mrs Margaret Watson
Mrs Suzy Vera
Maintenance
Mr Tim Watson
Student Representative Council 2010
Maddison Rennie
Hannah Lyons-Uhl
Leon Cheng
Julien Dheurle
Adam Durkin
Mary Arabit
Kira Moriarty
Angelo Zafiratos
Joshua Phillips
Tania Otoya
Jessica Shepardson
Olivia Burke
The facts about funding to Catholic schools
Dear families,
The Australian Education Union (AEU) recently published a report claiming that non-government
schools, including Catholic schools, receive the majority share of federal school funding. Such claims are
not new and continually misrepresent the facts about government funding of schools.
The reality is that state governments are the primary source of recurrent funding for schools and provide
approximately 93 percent of public school costs but only about 17 percent of non-government schools
costs. Accordingly, the federal government provides top up assistance of approximately 7 percent to
public schools and about 53 percent to non-government schools resulting in the need for non-government
schools to charge school fees to address the gap.*
In real terms, Catholic schools on average receive $7,685 per student in government funding (both state
and federal) per year. This is more than 30 percent less than the $11,874 per student funding allocated to
public schools by state and federal governments.**
The collection of school fees by non-government schools is commonly used as an argument
against government funding.
In Catholic systemic schools, school fees are kept as low as possible to ensure Catholic education is
affordable for our families, and as such, only partly contribute to the funding gap.
Tuition fees for 2010 range from $1,110 per year for primary schooling to $1986 per year for upper
secondary schooling. Catholic school families contribute to the building levy to assist with capital works
and major refurbishment projects. School-based fees may also be charged for additional resources and
school supplies.
Catholic schools offer substantial discounts for siblings attending Catholic schools. A 25 percent discount
is offered for the second child attending; a 50 percent discount for the third child attending; and no fees
are payable for the fourth or subsequent children attending.
Catholic schools rely heavily on government funding. Without the state and federal government’s
financial support, Catholic schools would simply not exist.
We are grateful for the support of both the Australian and New South Wales governments for their
continuing support of Catholic schools, which is vital if we are to continue to serve the church’s mission
to provide quality Catholic education to our families, now and in the future.
Greg Whitby
Executive Director of Schools
Diocese of Parramatta
*Source: Dowling, A (2007) Australia's School Funding System, Camberwell: Australian Council for Educational
Research.
** Source: Productivity Commission figures (2009)
Happy Birthday to:
Liturgy
Weekend Altar Servers
Saturday 6/2 – 6.00pm
Samuel Khalil
Sunday 8/2 – 8.00am
Simon Redolfi, Jacob Redolfi & Diana
Doumit
Charlotte Gillies 2/1, Julien Dheurle 5/1,
Angelina Ghalloub 9/1, Melissa Zhang 10/1,
Alexa Butcherine 12/1, Reuben D’Souza
13/1, Jay De Courcy 15/1, Noah Beck 15/1,
Connor Monroe 19/1, Sophia Jensen 19/1,
Angelique Zorbalas 24/1, Joseph Hanna 4/2,
Megan Stoneham 4/2.
Sunday 8/2 – 9.30am
Fergus Ward
Barbara Cadogan
Religious Education Co-ordinator
Social Skill
for next week
Accept the Consequences
for your behaviour
Each week all the children will be focussing
on a particular social skill. They will talk
about it in class and practise using the skill in
their every day lives. We ask that you support
the school by talking with your children about
what it means for them.
Next week we will be revisiting our Student
Management procedures with the children if
they break school rules. Ask them to talk
about the process and reinforce with them that
when we break a rule there are consequences.
School Fees
School Fees accounts have been sent out
tomorrow from the Catholic Education
Office, Parramatta. These fees are due and
payable by Friday, 5 March. If you have any
enquiries about the fees, please do not
hesitate to contact the school office.
Commonwealth School Banking
If you are interested in your child
participating in school banking, application
forms are available from the school office.
School Banking is on every Tuesday. This is
a good way of encouraging your child to learn
how to save at a young age.
Notes Sent Home
1. Chess – Years 2-6
2. Classroom information – Year 1
Peanut Butter
Please avoid sending your child to school
with peanut butter sandwiches. This is for the
benefit of all concerned.
P&F Committee 2010
President
Maria Rennie (Maddison Yr6, Ethan Yr 3 &
Cooper K).
Vice President
Cathy Moriarty (Kira Yr 6, Isaac Yr 4, Abbie
Yr 2)
Treasurer
Mary-Jane Perez (Jerick Yr 6, Jackie Yr 4)
Book Club
Secretary
Julie Nipperess (Andrew & Laura Yr 4)
Please return all orders for book club to the
office by Friday 12 February.
Maintenance
Jim Shepardson (Jessica Yr 5)