Year 6 students from the feeder schools, St Aloysius Primary School, Chisholm, Our Lady of Lourdes, Tarro and other local schools from the area, gathered as a school community for the first time at the Corcoran Centre in Morpeth.
Students were greeted with ‘crunch and sip’ refreshments and had the opportunity to mingle with their peers and make new friends before the official proceedings began.
Students were full of energy, excitement and anticipation as the hall doors opened, knowing the College crest, motto, colours and uniform were soon to be revealed for the first time.
St Bede’s Principal, John Murphy, welcomed all 85 foundation students, special guests and teachers to the inaugural student orientation day, following a Welcome to Country and prayer.
“We want you to leave St Bede’s as confident, resilient and reflective young adults, embracing learning and searching for truth in a contemporary world,” said Mr Murphy.
After sharing the life story of St Bede and the school’s mission and vision, Mr Murphy handed over to the creator of the St Bede’s image, Katie Todd, who launched the much anticipated visual identity of the College.
“We wanted to encapsulate the spirit of St Bede and the values that he imparted to the people around him. We wanted to showcase the Catholic tradition and culture of Chisholm as a new vibrant community, ensuring it was a place of belonging and contemporary learning,” said Katie.
Katie identified that in the design process, it was vital that the visual identity reflected the key traits of the school – strength and persistence, faith and enlightenment, passion and knowledge and harmony and connection − which can be seen throughout all areas of the school’s foundation:
School motto
In creating the school motto – ‘Shine with Christ’s Glory’ – inspiration was drawn from the prayer, “Christ our morning star” by Bede the Venerable.
School colours
The school colours are a diverse colour palette of violet, lilac, gold, charcoal and silver. The main school colour of violet is perceived as a colour of humility, wisdom and creativity, while gold is used as a common feature throughout the school buildings, representing joy and happiness.
School crest
The St Bede’s school crest is a dynamic symmetrical design reflecting a combination of symbols and layering of meaning inspired by the life of St Bede. The outermost ring features bursts of light emanating from the book at the centre, exemplifying how learning and knowledge are at the heart of education, similar to Bede’s life works. The emblem sits within a more traditional shield shape that is an identifiable badge for the school
School sporting houses
These values are the inspiration for the four school houses – Benedict House is courage, Marian House is faith, Dominic House is knowledge and McAuley House is community.
School uniform
A stylish, flexible and practical school uniform has been designed that is suitable for the contemporary learning environment of a Catholic secondary school. The uniform reflects the new visual identity and colour palette of the College, encapsulating the culture of Catholic education. The comfort and diversity of the uniform caters for students of different shapes, sizes, genders and ethnicities, providing options for multiple lengths and cuts for blouses, shirts, pants and skirts.
The day concluded with students participating in friendship-building activities and the distribution of a St Bede’s tote bag for each attendee, which included a drink bottle, highlighter and jellybeans, all of which were embroidered with the new school crest.
“I was absolutely thrilled by the energy, excitement and engagement of all our enrolled students who attended our first ever Student Orientation Day,” said Mr Murphy.
“The happiness and excitement shown on the faces of all the students made all the planning and work behind the scenes worthwhile. I can hardly wait until our first day next year when they will join with me as the Foundation Class of St Bede’s.
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