Welcome back to all our students and families and all those new to our college communities. The positive way in which our students have returned to school demonstrates the strength and resilience of our community. In particular, I would like to congratulate our Year 7 students who have made a very successful transition to St Benedict’s, impressing all with their maturity, engagement in learning and the kindness they have extended to each other.

I am confident that with the support of our highly skilled and dedicated staff and wonderful parents and families our students will continue to thrive and flourish this year.

Notwithstanding this positive start we are aware of the ongoing impact COVID is having on

our students.

• For the past two years the students who have returned, have been subjected to much disruption stress and anxiety in families, holidays cancelled, Christmas and family events interrupted;

• Students in Year 8 and 9 have not experienced a full high school year, or the culture of a full school year and all that entails at St Benedict’s, including the extended support of our STRIVE program, their classroom teacher face to face for two years;

• Face to face peer and friendship groups have been disjointed for many of our students;

• Students have had different COVID-related experiences and where one student takes disruption in their stride, we are aware that another might need more support and time to adjust.

• Sporting and extracurricular activities in the many communities have been restricted or cancelled; and,

• Contact with their Church has been interrupted, and the cultural spiritual experiences aligned to student’s relationship with God, regular prayer, visits to the church, liturgies of the word school assemblies etc, particularly face to face have been minimal.

In supporting our students we are blessed to have firstly, our rich Benedictine Catholic Ethos, and STRIVE program on which we base our approach to supporting students wellbeing and identify those students who may require additional support and intervention. Please contact your child’s STRIVE Coach or Year Coordinator at the College if we can provide further support to your child or your family.

Ms Alent Vargas, Leader of Mathematics, Mrs Amanda Newcombe Office Administration, Mrs Melissa Loudoun, Leader of PDHPE, Ms Sarina Trimarchi Leader of English, Mr Thomas Kasunic and Mr Vince Ripepi HSIE teachers, Mr Anthomy Massa Mathematics teacher, Ms Tamara Mora PDHPE and Religion teacher, Mrs Kate Smith and Mrs Ashima Sharma, Science teachers, Mr Demitrius Aravena English teacher, Mr Jayden Vella Classroom Support, Ms Erin Lockhart Science Support and Mr John Wheeler Director of Wellbeing

St Benedict’s students should be very proud of their HSC results given the challenges that they faced throughout their HSC studies. Year 12 , 2021, with the support of their teachers and support staff, worked together to bring out the very best in each other Congratulations to all students on their achievements and special acknowledgement to those students who made the Distinguished Achievers List. Our College was also excited to receive our very first "top of the state" honour in a HSC subject, since opening in 2011.

Lucrecia Carter was awarded first in the state for Design and Technology. This is an outstanding achievement. As part of her HSC study in Design and Technology, Lucrecia designed an innovative social housing concept for those authentically struggling in the Australian, Northern Territory town of Elliott. The architectural concept also aims to inspire a wave of change within the Australian housing market, creating a new perspective on sustainable homes in the future.

Well done to Lucrecia and also her teacher Mrs Lorena Ghigone. St Benedict's Catholic College is very proud of you and of your achievement.

Welcome back to the new school year. It has been great to see the return of students and staff and I especially welcome our Year 7 and new students to St Benedict’s.

I would like to congratulate all students for the way that they have embraced the return to school and thank all parents and carers for their support of the College. There has been a consistent message throughout all year meetings that we must maintain high standards and expectations in everything that we do.

Our College theme for the year centres around Belong, Challenge, Engage. Throughout this year we are placing a great emphasis on how we are able to do this through our College Motto of “Be My Light”. This core theme will encourage and support students to ensure they are feeling a sense of belonging to the College, are appropriately challenged in all aspects of schooling and are engaged in their learning. This is an excellent opportunity for parents to talk to their children about how they are participating in their learning and wellbeing goals.

Reminders

• The college has moved the STRIVE lesson from the start of the day until after recess. This means that school starts at 8:10 with Period 1.

• The uniform expectations are stated clearly on our College website. Please ensure you have familiarised yourself with these expectations.

• Mobile phones are not allowed to be used during school hours. We have seen an increase in the use of phones, especially at recess and lunch. Any student who is found to be using their mobile phone will have it confiscated and the phone placed in the front office. Repeat offenders will need a parent to collect the phone.

We continue to operate under COVID SMART restrictions. We are hopeful that these will be eased in the coming weeks and we will be able to provide further events to our students and wider community. In the meantime please be aware of the following Staff Development Days this year:

Tuesday 26th April –Term 2 Week 1

Friday 10th June – Term 2 Week 7

A warm welcome back to everyone for this new school year and a special welcome to the many new staff, students and our Year 7's joining our College. It is so wonderful to hear the chatter and laughter in the playground as school returned.

We are called to BE MY LIGHT - where We Belong, We Engage, We Challenge. St Benedict asks us to be peacemakers in our relationships and in our communities (Prologue 17), To do this, we begin with prayers, asking for the ability to become Christ’s presence in our communities, home, Church, friendships, classroom, and workplace.

SENIOR RETREAT

There is excitement and a buzz in the air amongst our Year 12 students as they prepare to go on their Senior Retreat next week. An opportunity to build and strengthen faith and relationships with each other and time to reflect and think about goals for the upcoming year. Watch this space the next newsletter will contain a summary and photos from the experience.

PRAYER

Loving God, Creator Spirit, God of the Dreaming, You who created all people in your image and likeness,

May we listen with care to all people of this land and treat all with respect.

Source of all creation and unity, bless us in our endeavours to live as one in Christ.

May you, our God of justice, give us the strength and courage to transform the world according to the vision of Jesus.

May you, our God, model of community and equality, inspire us to bring harmony and a new vision of peace and reconciliation to all.

VALENTINE’S DAY

If we look about us, LOVE is all around.

It is the love of parents for children, the love of husband and wife, the love for siblings and friends and those with whom we are affiliated by faith or interest or hobby or passion.

It may be first love, only love, sometimes lost love, love imagined or love regained.

It might be a love of music or art or words or the love of life and gifts it offers each one of us.

It is the LOVE of God for all his children - US.

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day let us give thanks for all the loves in our lives and for those whose daily, constant and enduring love makes our hearts beat with happiness and hope.

Their commitment and resilience during difficult times is to be congratulated.

A summary of the College High Achievers list can be read here

Since November 1991 the Foundation has distributed $120,320 to 316 families in need.

We extend an invitation to anyone interested in making a donation to the Foundation to contact gcharlton@optusnet.com.au or the Secretary, Therese Barrington at brotherclarencefoundation@gmail.com

Year 9 and 10 Design and Technology

Design and Technology students in Year 9 and 10 this year were given a fun design challenge to do in their first lesson.

The challenge is called the "Marshmallow Challenge" and requires students in teams of four to design and build the tallest, freestanding tower made from 20 strands of spaghetti, 1 metre of tape, 1 metre of string and 1 marshmallow.

Students had to collaborate to design the freestanding structure and only had 18 minutes to do it!

Whether the team's solution passed or failed, students learnt about problem solving, evaluating and collaborating.

Well done to the teams that answered the brief. It was a fun exercise to be a part of.

Ms. Lorena Ghignone

Design and Technology teacher

Hello, My name is Mrs Ashleigh Durrant and I am the Year 7 Coordinator for 2022.

I would first like to start by welcoming our Year 7 Students and their parents to our college community. It was fantastic to see so many happy faces walk through our gates in the new St Benedict’s uniform.

Year 7 have had an eventful start to the school year and have managed these new challenges with so much resilience. A trait in which we hope to flourish as the year unfolds. By now students have met their teachers and have started to fully engage and challenge themselves academically speaking in an array of subject areas. For some students they will be experiencing more time in subject areas than they have ever before. This is exciting as we are able to watch their talents and gifts unfold.

Year 7 have participated in our whole school sport afternoons and have been placed into house groups. We are looking forward to seeing our Year 7 students shine in our Carnivals this term.

We have developed a Year statement which aligns with our School values and School direction for 2022. For me, I place importance on the following:

Being kind to one another, challenging yourself academically to improve YOUR personal best and connecting with your faith are all important aspects for students to STRIVE for.

We have so many exciting opportunities happening this term and I can't wait to share the success with you. I encourage you to chat with your child and ask them about High school life.

Check out below what Year 7 had to say about their start to this new chapter.
Until next time… remember

“Everyone is capable of AMAZING things”

Mrs Ashleigh Durrant
Year 7 Coordinator | PDHPE/RE Teacher

Bennie's Cafe is open for online Flexischools orders only.

Click and Collect purchases only - there will be no items purchased with a card, all orders must be online. (no exceptions)

All collections will be staggered:

Students in Years 7-9

Collect from the Cafe

Year 7 - Recess: 10.27; Lunch 12.57pm

Year 8 - Recess: 10.37; 1.07pm

Year 9 - Recess: 10.32; 1.02pm

Students in Years 10 - 12

Staff members on the supervision roster will collect the lunch orders and take them to the students allocated area.

Year 10 - G-Block, Village Green (E-Block and Library Quad if it is raining)

Year 11 - B/D Block TAS Quad

Year 12 - S block Senior Area

Students should present their Compass Card to collect their order from the teacher.

Thank you for your understanding and patience while we implement COVID safe protocols.

Please refer to our College website for information regarding Flexischools registration and ordering and the cafe menu.

2022 school travel applications are now open

Students who need a School Opal card or travel pass for 2022 can apply now. A new

application will need to be submitted if they are applying for a school travel pass for

the first time, or if they are requesting an additional travel entitlement as a result of a

new shared parental responsibility situation (e.g. joint custody).

Students who change address, school, campus location, or who have repeated a year

or received an expiry notification from Transport for NSW for their school travel

entitlement should renew or update their details before the end of term 4. This will

ensure that schools can endorse applications and current entitlements are updated

and remain valid. School Opal card holders will have the changes applied to their

existing card.

If a student’s distance eligibility has changed based on their grade the system will

automatically update their entitlement if they meet the new criteria. If they do not

meet the new eligibility criteria, they will receive an expiry notification via email.

Students who have an entitlement approved under a medical condition that is due to

expire will receive a notification advising them to re-apply.

Term Bus Pass holders will receive a notification to re-apply.

Students in the Opal network applying for an Opal card (including a Term Bus Pass)

for the first time will receive their Student Opal card at their nominated postal

address. Cards will be mailed out from January 2022.

Students living in rural and regional (R&R) areas should receive their travel pass at

the start of the new school year from their nominated transport operator. It may

come via the school or be sent directly to them at home. Note: some R&R operators

do not issue travel passes. Students/parents should confirm with their nominated

operator if they do not receive a pass.

School Student Transport Scheme site change

On 1 October 2021 the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) information

and application portal was moved to transportnsw.info. This will assist families

to find all their travel information in the one place.

Travel from Term 1 2022

We ask that parents plan ahead and make sure their child knows which service/s to use

and has a valid ticket to travel; either a School Opal card or Child/Youth Opal card

(within Greater Sydney) or a School Travel Pass (outside Greater Sydney), from the start

of the school year.

Applications for the School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) open at the start of Term

4 2021 for travel in 2022, so parents/students can apply or update details early and be

ready for the start of the new school year.

Most students using the Opal network will not need a new Opal card and can continue

travelling on their existing card each year.

The start of the year is a difficult period for local bus operators, and students travelling

without a valid ticket make service planning and operations increasingly difficult.

We recognise that for some families last minute changes to school enrolments mean

they may not have a School Opal card or Travel Pass for the start of term. In the Opal

network, we strongly encourage these families to have their children travel on a

Child/Youth Opal card until they receive their valid School Opal card. If outside Greater

Sydney, parents should contact their local bus operator to discuss their travel needs.

Bus operators are flexible and understanding, particularly at the start of the school

year, and will ensure students can travel safely to and from school. But to best support

our operators we encourage all students to have a valid ticket, as early as possible, from

the start of the school year.

Please also remember that students using Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line

with the Student code of conduct and Opal terms of use.

Further information can be found at transportnsw.info/travel-info/using-public-transport/school-travel

Enquiries can be submitted at transportnsw.info/contact-us/feedback/passes-concessions-feedback