A prestigious event in the calendar, the Bishop's Student Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to acknowledge the religious, academic, and community-based accomplishments of a Year 12 student.

Nine outstanding leaders from secondary schools across the Diocese of Wollongong were celebrated this week at the Bishop's Student Excellence Awards. Students and their families, principals, and Catholic Education Office staff gathered with the Bishop of Wollongong, Most Rev. Brian Mascord, and the Director of Schools, Peter Hill, to recognise the excellent achievements and contributions of these young women and men.

On Friday evening, 19 August the HSC Drama students showcased their individual and group projects for parents and friends. All the performances were of the highest quality and were filled with dramatic action, movement and lots of humour. Thank you to Mrs Jenny Koryzma for coordinating the evening and Mr Alex Hayden whose passion and expertise has led the students to create these outstanding performances.

A huge thank you also to Mr Matthew Andruschko, Ms Emma Pepper and Mrs Magda Mizzi for the effort and time you gave guiding HSC students in the successful completion of HSC Industrial Technology Timber and Multimedia and English Extension 2 major projects.

On Sunday 21 August, myself, Mrs Kimberley Logue and Mission Prefects, Olivia F and Gwendolyn U represented St Benedict’s at the Annual Campbelltown Mass and Communion Lunch. The Mass was concelebrated by Bishop Mascord DD and Fr Christopher Sarkis PP at Our Lady Help of Christians Church. It was pleasing that this very special community celebration can once again take place given its cancellation over the past two years due to of COVID.

On Sunday 1 September 1822, Father John Joseph Therry celebrated the first Mass in the Macarthur area. A special Anniversary Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Brian Mascord on Sunday 28 August at 10am at St Johns Parish Campbelltown. The mass will be outside under the COLA at St Johns Primary School. All are welcome to the Mass and food and entertainment will follow. (Please bring a chair).

Mr Bulfon and Norica House Leaders led our college assembly last week and shared with us the Norcia House Prayer.

Today is a good day for a good day.

Thank you GOD for sending one my way.

Help me see the opportunities that come my way

Inspire my heart with courage.

Help me use my strengths,

So that I can help those I see,

and be the best that I can be

Today is a good day for a good day.

Thank you GOD for sending one my way.

I will not waste it.

Amen

A reminder that Monday is a pupil free day. Staff will be participating in a number of workshops run by CEO and college staff with the focus areas being:

• Behaviour Support - Development of Plans

• CEO Tiered intervention and Case Collaboration

• Supporting Children with Autism

• Positive Education

• Our Pos Ed Journey

• Supporting Children who have experienced Trauma

A reminder of the importance of notifying the college if your child is absent. There are currently a number of unexplained absences in our system and I would ask your support in fixing this. If students are unwell they need to come to the front office and staff will contact home if they need to be collected.

In each Newsletter for the remainder of Term 3, we will be exploring Study Skills. This is a common area that students of all ages can struggle with. This week, we will be looking at getting yourself organised so that you can study effectively. This is an important first step in study skills.

The information below may seem obvious to you but many students overlook the obvious and attempt to ‘jump straight in’ to study without planning and organising appropriately.

For your study time to be effective it is recommended that you find a suitable place to study. You should then make sure you have easy access to the tools and resources that you need to study.

A Place to Study

Many people study at home - often home is not conducive to effective study for a number of reasons. Take some time to understand your personal requirements in terms of location and conditions that enable you to study effectively; try to maintain a flexible and adaptable approach as your situation or circumstances may change during the course of your study.

Different people vary considerably in their circumstances and in the way in which they study most effectively.

When starting a programme of study, or when reviewing your current circumstances, it may be useful to ask yourself the following questions:

• Will you be studying mainly from home or ‘on location’ at school, a library or somewhere else?
• Do you have a choice in your study location or will your personal circumstances dictate this?
• Do you study better in a peaceful setting, one which is free from interruptions, or do you prefer to have others around you, perhaps being able to interact with family or friends?

Considering your Study Environment

When choosing a study location it is important that you make the best use of your time.

To do this you will need to find a place where you can have all your materials: notes, books, timetable, writing materials and laptop to hand.

There are other practical things to take into account when thinking about where to study.

• A good source of light, such as an adjustable lamp is important, especially if you intend studying into the evening or in an environment without much natural light.
• You should also think about distractions and annoyances that may be present and try to eliminate them as much as possible. Mobile phones and Social Media are class distractions.
• When you first start to study you may well overlook important environmental factors or tools that you need – the more you study the clearer you’ll become about what you need and where you need to be for optimum concentration.

Organising Your Materials

While thinking about your place of study, some thought should also be given to organising.

Together with digital material, there will, inevitably, be large amounts of printed material such as notes and books.

• Try to keep your materials organised, making use of a system of labelling that is clear, bold and easy to read at a glance.
• A simple filing system is often overlooked but it can help you to save a lot of time. We see plenty of worksheets falling out of lockers that students have failed to paste into books or file appropriately. An appropriate filing system also needs to be applied to digital resources.
• Be organised and file your materials - instead of sifting through piles of papers or trying to locate that one document on your laptop!

When to Study

Deciding where to study is an important first step, equally important is determining the best times to study. The following questions will help you to think about when to study:

• On a weekly basis, how many time slots will be available for you to use?
• What after school commitments will impact my time?
• Could more time be made available if necessary?
• How will you achieve a positive work/study/life balance?
• How will you manage your workload to meet the required deadlines?
• Is there a set pattern to when you study each week?
• What time of day will you study? What time of day do you find it easiest to concentrate?
• What is the optimum period of time in which you are able to maintain concentration?
• What will you do to avoid or minimise interruptions when you are studying?
• How will you deal with interruptions if (and when) they occur?
• If you are unable to study as planned how will you ‘catch up’?

Our STRIVE Coaches are available for our students each day if they would like to discuss Study Skills.

In our next Newsletter, we will explore the importance of finding time for study and how to create and use a Study Timetable.

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/study-skills.html

Today was the year 9 MISA Youth of the Year public speaking competition held at Mount Carmel Catholic College with 24 participants.

Both Cameron McC and Jada H endured an interview panel, and a prepared speech where they spoke with passion and conviction. Their topics of conversation focused on the local, national and global issues our society is facing.

I am pleased to announce that for the 5th year in a row we made placing. A huge congratulations to Jada for placing 1st! Cameron did not make placing but was close by with adjudicators making a point that he will be a future prime minister. I’m so proud of the way in which they represented our college.

Please congratulate both students for their time and dedication.

3pm - 5pm TAS and Visual Art HSC Major Project Showcase

including Industrial Technology Timber, Multi Media, Design & Technology and Visual Art

5pm - 7pm CAPA HSC Major Project Showcase

including Music

RSVP not required

Year 12 have worked tirelessly on their Multimedia Major Works which have now been marked. This included a range of short videos, animations, a website and an interactive magazine.

We congratulate the students & Miss Pepper for their work ethic, dedication and effort put into these projects.

This week 9.1 Mrs. Brown's Food Technology class has made a range of foods for toddlers and children ranging from 2-11 years of age. The design brief was to make the foods that look appetising, nutritious, and fun to eat. The class has made a fabulous job creating and presenting these foods

Chick here or on the image above to view a presentation of the student's work.

During Term 3 Year 9 PDHPE students began a ‘Healthy Lifestyle’ program that focuses on nutritional and body image concepts. In term 2, a focus group of diverse students requested that the unit of work includes practical lifelong healthy food preparation skills, that applies their understanding of the Australian Healthy Eating Guide and portion sizes. In order to better address student voice within PDHPE programming, these elements were incorporated into lessons, where students planned, budgeted, prepared and presented a healthy snack for each of their classroom members. The task was quite successful, where students thoroughly enjoyed seeing the level of culinary expertise in their classroom, in addition to enjoying a healthy treat. Students then peer evaluated snacks based upon taste, presentation style, information and design presented on their Canva poster, in addition to future improvements for their snacks. On behalf of the PDHPE Faculty, we would like to congratulate the students on their efforts with their snacks and acknowledge the support provided at home to allow this task to be a success. Thank you to the Year 9 PDHPE team, TAS Faculty and Hospitality Staff for assisting in this task.

Rebecca Sammut.

This term we have taken the opportunity to reconnect with St. Justin’s through multiple incursions.

St. Justin’s reached out and asked for our assistance with facilitating a pre-kindy playgroup. During four sessions, Year 11 EEC and Year 10 Child Studies students have played, interacted and welcomed the pre-kindy children as well as assisting the kindergarten teachers. Our students loved the chance to apply what they have learnt in class and many feel a desire to pursue a career path in early childhood education.

On Wednesday 17th August, Year 9 Child Studies met with St. Justin’s Year 1 classes. The students are currently creating their own picture book after learning about the importance of reading in early childhood. Year 9 came prepared with interview questions and their own favourite picture book. Year 1 was very cooperative and helped us greatly with character and story development. We look forward to returning when our own picture books are complete and printed.

Thank you to St. Justin’s for supporting our students . It's lovely to reconnect after the covid period.

Mrs. Louise McCorry

Last week we celebrated National Science Week at St Benedict’s.

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. The college theme this year was Glass: More than meets the eye. The purpose was to recognise the many roles that glass plays in our lives -from phone screens to optical fibre to glassware, as well as investigating glass as a part of our sustainable future.

During science lessons, students enjoyed participating in a glass-themed Escape Room Challenge in which they had to solve various puzzles around the room to unlock the clues. Year 9 had the opportunity to attend an interactive ‘Glass’ themed incursion performed by Perform Education. This was presented by professional actors who taught the students about the significance of glass and the incredible impact of some of Australia’s famous scientists who have led the way in glass research.

During lunch, students tried their hands at making kaleidoscopes and coasters using mosaic tiles.

Students in STRIVE classes participated in a Science Week Kahoot challenge. Congratulations to the following STRIVE groups who demonstrated an excellent general knowledge of scientific concepts:

STAGE 4: 8.8 (Miss Pepper's class)

Maria de Lima

Leader of Learning (Science)

This week Year 10 Science P modeled inheritance patterns by creating 'Zazzles': imaginary creatures that have certain features based on their genes. Students flipped counters to determine the genes their Zazzles inherited, then made their baby Zazzles using craft materials and marshmallows.

The Zazzles have a very fast growth rate, and so lived their entire lives in the course of a lesson (including a touching funeral and less touching autopsy).

Ms Kate Smith

Science Teacher

Last week at the college assembly, I had the pleasure of badging our President Xhandra A (12) and two secretaries, Joseph C (10) and Jada H (9). These students then had the opportunity to assist Mrs Piatek badge our newest members of the team. It was such a proud moment to see our students receive the recognition they deserve for their compassion and consistent effort to help others. Our team has grown this year to now having 53 students from Year 7 to Year 12, so if you would like to join the team, then please send me an email.

Throughout Term 3, the Social Justice team have been busy organising various activities for students to participate in. We saw the return of the staff v students in our Oztag State of Origin. Well done to staff who have won this year’s series with teachers challenging a team of Year 7s and 8s in Week 4 and a team of Year 9s and Year 10s in Week 6. Week 8 is the last game of the series where teachers will face a team of Year 11s and Year 12s.

The Social Justice team are currently organising a staff v Year 12 Soccer game as a farewell for our graduates. If you would like to join the team, then please email Mrs Castelli.

Jersey Day is back on Tuesday Week 8. All students are invited to wear their favourite team jersey in exchange for a gold coin donation. All money raised will be donated to Catholic Missions.

BBQ lunches are back towards the end of the term, so please look out for Compass updates. All money raised will go towards Catholic Missions.

Mrs Sara-Jane Castelli

Social Justice Coordinator

Applications are now open for the University of Wollongong's Summer Master Class program. Classes are open to students commencing Year 12 in Term 4, 2022, and are offered across a range of subjects.

Students who successfully pass their Summer Master Class subject will, at a minimum, be guaranteed a conditional offer or admissions interview to a degree that aligns to the Summer Master Class subject they complete (noting must meet the assumed subject knowledge criteria), and credit towards a UOW degree that could make them eligible to skip a whole subject when they study at UOW.

UOW will be running two public online information sessions via Zoom: 7.00 pm, Tuesday 30 August 2022 7.00 pm, Wednesday 7 September 2022. Students and their families can access further information or book a spot to attend an information session by visiting: https://www.uow.edu.au/engage/outreach-pathways/year-12/year-12-summer/

The Premier’s Reading Challenge has now ended. The following students are to be congratulated for the outstanding efforts in taking this challenge, earning House points and experiencing wider reading for leisure and pleasure.

Timothy C, Maddison L, Tristan L, Hana S, Kaylan S, Natasha J, Agnes J, Crystal S, Mikaylah R, Claire S, Zac V, Favour A, Lara C, Isabella M

These students will all receive a super cool prize pack from the Library next week - check Compass for a notification to come to the Library.

In addition, 9 of our amazing challengers will also receive a Certificate issued by the NSW Premier and awarded at the College Assembly in Term 4.

For more information regarding the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge for next year, please see the Library staff.

St Benedict’s students and staff have access to both a physical library and a digital library (Sora).

CEDoW has clear and consistent guidelines on text collections within our system of schools.

The St Benedict’s college library collection is balanced with print and digital resources that are diverse and informed by learning and teaching requirements. Resources purchased or made available by the college are carefully selected in consultation with college staff. College library text collections contain broad, general and specific selection criteria for education resources.

Library staff make decisions on age-appropriate resource suitability as texts are purchased by the college. This age-appropriateness is guided by author and publisher recommendations as well as bookshop and recommended website reviews. However, most importantly, library staff apply professional knowledge and experience to ensure resources are relevant and suitable, and that the collection as a whole is balanced. Junior students are sometimes unable to borrow texts in the library that are considered more suitable to older students at the College. However, a written permission note from the student’s parent or guardian giving consent to allow books catalogued as ‘suitable for Year 9+” may be submitted to the Library which will then be added to the student’s profile.

There are many fantastic opportunities available for students at our College. Unfortunately many of those experiences are not photographed due to student permission to publish forms not being submitted to the College Office.

If your student has been involved in a sporting team or extra curricular activity but their photo has not been published in the newsletter please complete the permission to publish form and lodge the form at the College Office.

The permission to publish form is available to download here

Mon 29 Aug - Staff Development Day - Wellbeing / Pupil Free Day, Wellbeing Week

Wed 31 Aug - Colour Run

Thu 1 Sep - Blessing and Opening of Hall

Fri 02 Sep - LIVE Wollongong 2022

Mon 12 Sep - Preliminary Course Examinations Commence, NSWCCC Athletics - Homebush

Thurs/Fri 15 & 16 Sep - Year 9 Outdoor Ed (Camp)

Fri 16 Sept - Year 12 Mini Carnival Day & Pastoral Day Lunch

Mon 19 Sep - Year 12 Final Day of Lessons

Tue 20 Sep - Year 12 Farewell Assembly

Wed 21 Sep - Year 12 Graduation Mass and Awards, Year 12 Reports released on Compass

Fri 23 Sep - Year 7 Vaccination Visit 2

End of Term 3

Mon 10 Oct - Term 4 Starts

Wed 12 Oct - HSC Examinations Commence

Tue 25 Oct - YML & Middle Leaders Induction Ceremony 8:10am

Fri 28 Oct - Year 7 History Incursion

Tue 01 Nov - Year 11 Report Release via Compass 2:45pm

Wed 02 Nov - Senior Retreat

Mon 7 Nov - Year 12 Sign Out, Year 11 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews 3-8pm

Tue 08 Nov - P&F Meeting at 6.30pm

Wed 09 Nov - Year 12 Formal

Fri 11 Nov - 25th Annual CDF Sports Awards

Wed 23 Nov - Yr 7 2023 Orientation evening - 6.30pm - Hall

Fri 25 Nov - Yr 7 2023 Orientation Day for Students

Tue 13 Dec - Year 9 Academic Awards - 8:50am - Hall, Year 10 Academic Awards - 12:50pm - Hall, Last Day Year 10 and 11

Wed 14 Dec - Closing Mass and Yr 7-9 Academic Awards - Hall - 8:10am, Yr 7-9 Report Distribution via Compass at 2:45pm

Thu 15 Dec - HSC Results Released, Students Activities Day

Fri 16 Dec - Term 4 Ends for Students, Yrs 7-10 Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews (all day)

Tue 20 Dec - Term 4 Ends (Staff)

End of Term 4

RANIER has advised that there may be significant delays with the college uniform. This delay is due to COVID lockdowns in China.

Orders placed for home delivery are despatched twice a week from the Uniform Shop. Orders placed for collection from college office will be available Mondays after 2:30pm, orders placed prior to 9am Monday will qualify.

TRADING HOURS DURING COLLEGE TERMS:

Monday 9am – 5pm

Tuesday 9am – 5pm

Wednesday 9am – 5pm

Thursday 9am – 5pm

Saturday 9am – 12pm

Collection from shop | Collection from College | Home Delivery

CONTACT:

Ranier Schoolwear Unit 5/6-8 Porrende Street Narellan 2567

Online purchasing and appointments visit: shop.ranier.com.au

Email: stbenedict@ranier.com.au

Phone: 02 4647 8942

Responses will be provided during opening hours

For more immediate assistance, Head Office details are

Online: ranier.com.au/contact

Email: custservice@ranier.com.au