Thank you to all our families for your support of the College. It is with a great sense of pride that I am Acting Principal as Mrs Kerrie Piatek is on well deserved leave for the remainder of this term.

I would like to congratulate our Year 10 students and their families on their engagement of the subject selection process, mentor interviews and the submission of the course preferences. This is an integral process as students enter Stage 6 and we ensure that the right student is in the right course of study. It has been clear that there has been considerable thought placed into this process and the excitement levels will only increase over the next two weeks as students are allocated their pattern of study. Thank you to our curriculum team, especially Mr Shelton and Mrs Isbister for the organisation of these interviews.

As mentioned in previous communication, we will be holding our Parent/Teacher interviews for Years 7 - 10 in Week 10 of this term. These interviews will be conducted via Zoom on Thursday 30 June from 3:30 pm - 8:30 pm, and Friday 8:15 am - 2:30 pm. This is an integral part of your child's academic journey and a wonderful opportunity to connect with the staff at the College. Parents will be able to book in for Parent/Teacher Meetings through the Compass Conferences booking system. Bookings open at 9:00 am on Wednesday 22 June and close on Tuesday 28 June at 2:00 pm.

Congratulations to our successful sporting teams in their MISA grand finals throughout the week. Their dedication and commitment to our College has been rewarded. I would also like to congratulate our Year 9 Debating team who were successful in their semi-final on Tuesday and we wish them luck in their grand final.

Good luck to our Year 7 students as they embark on their Year 7 Camp next week. Thank you to all staff who are giving up time with their families to support our students and Mrs Durrant for her organisation of this wonderful experience. Our Year 9 and 10 students will have the opportunity to participate in their Outdoor Education programs later in the year.

Please note that Friday 1 July is a Pupil Free Day to allow our teachers to be available for Parent/Teacher Meetings.

Please do not block essential gate access, the student crossing or park in any student drop-off or pick-up zone.

Your cooperation in keeping our College community safe is appreciated.

It is a worthwhile and positive experience to be involved with the SBCC P&F, working closely with the College Principal and Leadership team to enrich the learning opportunities of our students.

The work of our P&F helps to ensure that our students experience at St Benedict’s Catholic College is of the highest quality.

Expressions of interest are currently sought for the SBCC P&F Executive Team. If you would like to make a contribution to our college as a P&F Committee member please email your details to: pandf@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au.

Our Staff Spirituality Day was held last Friday. The theme was Benedictine wisdom for teachers in a Catholic school. Our keynote speaker was Fr Andrew Doohan who is currently on sabbatical at The Oaks from the Maitland-Newcastle diocese. He is also a Benedictine Oblate of the Jamberoo Abbey.

Fr Andrew spoke about the essence of the Rule of St Benedict and how this wisdom forms a basis for those working in a Catholic Benedictine education setting, and about being authentic and recognising God is active in our lives and through our lives. He also spoke about the importance of the Benedictine Virtues of Listening, Community, Hospitality and Humility. Fr Andrew’s wisdom, knowledge and wit were well received by Staff.

Staff also had the opportunity to engage in different workshops in the middle of day from art to weaving, drumming, guided meditation, walking and sport.

We are into our third week of the Cross Generational workshop. Our Year 9 and 10 students have had the opportunity to work with senior parishioners in sharing and helping them with their phone and laptop use. The dialogue and laughter between them have been amazing to see.

Week 8 has continued the trend of busy weeks at the College. Students in Year 7-10 have finalised their formal assessments for Semester 1 and our teachers are in the process of marking and preparing student reports. These reports will be issued through Compass on Friday 24 June.

Student Attendance

With reports soon to be released, it is timely to remind parents and carers to review their child's attendance on Compass. As has been previously communicated, a change to our Attendance Procedures was made in March bringing us in line with changes to the NSW Education Act:

“After seven days, absences will automatically be recorded as Absent – unexplained/unjustified if the school is not provided with an acceptable explanation from parents/carers. Parents wishing to provide the school with an acceptable explanation after the seven-day period will need to contact the school and the school will adjust the attendance register. Parents will no longer be able to enter the absence through the parental portal in Compass after the seven-day period.”

Our Semester Reports feature a section outlining individual students' attendance for the reporting period.

It is very important that all absences are explained within seven days, preferably on the day of the absence. After reviewing a report on unexplained/unjustified absences, I am concerned that many families may not be aware of how damaging unexplained/unjustified absences can be to students' prospects when they meet with prospective employers/training providers/and or Universities. If an employer were to see a high number of unexplained absences, they would have every right to be concerned that the applicant would be someone who would not turn up for a scheduled shift without providing advanced notice/justification, and would likely prefer other applicants.

One issue highlighted by our 2022 school attendance data is that families may not be aware of just how much time their child is missing from school. We are aware that absences due to COVID and Influenza cannot be avoided. Our concern is with those students who are regularly absent from school without any real justification. If your child falls into that category, you may be surprised by the statistics below:

Context

Social media is used in Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) to help create vibrant Catholic school communities of faith and learning. In this context, social media is any form of online presence used in valid educational contexts that facilitates inclusive relationships, contemporary communities and multi-directional interactive exchange of information, conversation or activity. Users of social media are required to manage their digital footprint by interacting responsibly and ethically, in line with our Catholic ethos, respecting the dignity of all involved.

CEDoW maintains a social media presence on various platforms, including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Users of social media should consider their rights and responsibilities for promoting the respect and dignity of all participants.

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) Social Media Standards

CEDoW encourages the use of social media for open and productive dialogue. When using social media it is expected that individuals will:

• respect the dignity of self and others in the context of their role

• not promote perspectives contrary to the Catholic faith

• not bring the school into disrepute

• not publicly criticise CEDoW, schools, staff or students

• align with the parameters of the intended purpose of the social media presence.

In order to create a positive experience and the maintenance of respectful relationships it

is expected that no material posted:

• includes any content that a reasonable person considers in any way is defamatory, discriminatory, rude, aggressive, abusive, harassing, intimidating, threatening, insulting, hurtful, hateful, offensive, obscene or indecent

• constitutes trolling

• is unlawful or where the user does not have the necessary rights, licenses and/or consents to post, including infringement of copyright or any other intellectual property rights;

• breaches or invades anyone’s privacy;

• impersonates or misrepresents any person, organisation or entity;

• consists of any proprietary, confidential, sensitive or private information;

• constitutes spam, unauthorised advertising or soliciting, or links that contain any kind of virus, spyware or malware;

• appears to contain irrelevant or excessive links or coded information;

• is off-topic, redundant or excessively long;

• encourages conduct that may, or would, constitute a criminal offence or give rise to civil liability, or that otherwise violates any local, state, national or international law or regulation.

Social Media and Privacy

CEDoW, OoD, Strategic Planning and Policy – AMC – 27032019

Click here to view the policy online at the CEDow Website:

CATHOLIC EDUCATION DIOCESE OF WOLLONGONG SOCIAL MEDIA STATEMENT

Social Media Standards Noncompliance (Parents/Carers) Procedure

This term I have had the pleasure of coaching the MISA Senior Boys football team to a championship win. All the boys from Years 10-12 were able to showcase their incredible talent, passion and team spirit through their participation and love for the beautiful game. Not only did our team make it through the season with straight wins, but we did so with an aggregate score of 26 goals for and only 2 against - Incredible!

Congratulations and thank you to the following students:

Oliver C, Ryan W, Antonio G, Matthew M, Tino M, Leandro Ca, Samuel E, Aydin M, Michael S, Dylan P, Levi K, Ivan D, Daniel C, Lucas A, Prince A & Harrison H.

And a very special thank you to our wonderful captain, Connor P.

Miss Mora

On Wednesday the Year 9 team of Rhianna V, Jada H, Samantha E and Jenna S took part in the debating semi final against John Therry's A team.

Our team won the semi final and will now proceed to the grand final in week 10 on Tuesday where they will verse St Patrick's team (which they defeated in the final round of the competition).

As the undefeated school it will be held here at St Benedict's.

Magda Mizzi

English Teacher

Last year, the CAPA department announced that Benjamin Waights had his artwork ‘This Empty Confusion’ selected for ARTEXPRESS 2022. This is the College’s first time having a student chosen to appear in this exhibition. ARTEXPRESS is an annual exhibition that displays numerous exemplary artworks from across the NSW state by visual art students for the HSC examination. Mrs Piatek, Mrs Koryzma and Mrs Castelli along with Ben and his parents had the opportunity to attend the opening night of the HSC ARTEXPRESS 2022 Virtual Gallery opening. The exhibition took place in the National Art School in Darlinghurst on Wednesday 27 May 2022. It was a wonderful way to celebrate this great achievement by Ben and to acknowledge the hard work he put into his work.

Despite the stress of the COVID lockdown in the lead up to the due date for the visual art body of work, Benjamin continued to work consistently throughout the year working at recess and lunch times, and in Term 3 over Zoom lessons and virtual practical check ins. He submitted a highly resolved Body of Work that revealed a sophisticated understanding of the practice of oil on canvas paintings and a time based form demonstrating a technical sensitivity and refinement of artistic skills.

Benjamin’s artwork “This Empty Confusion” is a work of art that explores “fear and anxiety, two emotions that one would feel when suffering from memory loss when living with Alyzheimer's disease. Throughout my body of work…, I chose to depict the internal thoughts and emotions of an individual living with this condition on a daily basis. The paintings accompanying the stop frame animation capture in time the highly emotive moments of fear and confusion with the animation allowing the paintings to come to life. The intent behind my work was to engage and connect the audience to feel what this horrible disease can do. Everything in the animation was handmade, the set, the puppets, their clothing and the props."

The CAPA Department along with the College would like to express our congratulations to Benjamin on this achievement. You have demonstrated commitment and hard work to your studies and we are very proud of this outcome.

https://www.artexpress.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/

DATE: Tuesday 21 June 2022

TICKETS: Tickets are not required.

Parents of participating students are welcome to attend the venue to watch the event.

EQUIPMENT: Students are to wear their full sports uniform.

They will need to bring their costumes with them.

LUNCH: Please ensure students have all food and drinks for the day as canteen facilities may not be available.

It is important your child brings a refillable drink bottle.

Our Year 8 Music students took part in a high energy, interactive and FUN performance by the amazing African Beat company.

Every student was given their own djembe drum to collaborate with the other students. Along with the interactive drumming the students sang in African and one group even danced in the African style. This ties in beautifully with the Year 8 Music Program of Universal Music for Term 4. The rhythms and the use of the drum to communicate will give the students a link between the classroom and the performance.

Just as African Beat advertises, the event provided the students to make music together, develop team spirit and group bonding, encourage cooperation above competition, improve communication and listening skills, promote equality amongst the students, enhance imagination and creative thinking – and best of all it was FUN!

Our Year 7 cohort have begun their new topic - steampunk. It is a style of fiction having to do with a semi-fictional world where old machinery from the Victorian 19th Century is still being used. Technologies that were new or important to the Victorians, such as steam power, clockwork or electricity, are big themes in steampunk.

Students will be making a steampunk mask and have been asked to collect various items, clogs, old computer parts, old clock parts, bottle tops, can ring tabs, wires etc.

Here is a title page by Elizabeth F - 7G

It’s not too late to sign up for the Premier’s Reading Challenge.

The challenge commenced in February but registration is still open. You can count books you have read since the last challenge ended and our lovely Library team can help you register and log your reading records and also help you find your loan history.

The challenge is to read 20 books - 15 from the PRC list and 5 personal choice books by 19th August 2022. You might be surprised to find you have already read a few.

Not only do you receive a NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge Certificate, the Library is also providing a prize pack for all those students who attempt the challenge as well as house points and merits.

NAIDOC Week 3-10 July 2022

BOOK WEEK 20-26 August 2022

Come in and see us in the Library or keep an eye on Oliver for other upcoming news and events.

Again this year, the Social Justice team are supporting local charity, We Are Community, who service the Macarthur Region. In order to do this, the team is asking for food donations as well as warm items such as blankets, hats, scarves, gloves and socks. Each STRIVE group has been allocated a food item to donate which can be brought into school every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from now until Monday Week 2, Term 3 during STRIVE lessons.

Bennies Bring a Blanket is back next term, Friday Week 2, with a few new additions. This is an afternoon and evening where students can experience being outdoors during winter with little food or equipment to keep warm. There will be permission notes sent out via Compass for attendance with all details. More information for this event is coming soon!

On Wednesday 8 June most students in the Year 12 cohort attended the University of Wollongong Discovery Day.

This involved a whole day attending various lectures and activities to experience life at a university campus. Students built a personal timetable and attended lectures as if they were a UOW student. The students experienced all that university has to offer while ensuring the wellbeing and safety of all participants. Year 12 students have confirmed that this was a great opportunity for them as they embark on a year of decision making about their career path beyond the HSC. They are to be commended for proving themselves to be excellent ambassadors of the College at UOW.

UOW Discovery days info site is available here

St Benedict’s Catholic College Year 10 students attended the Macarthur Area Careers Expo (MACE) on Thursday 9 June at Club Menangle, Racecourse Avenue Menangle Park.

Year 10 students are to be commended for the exemplary manner in which they embraced the opportunity to engage face to face with representatives from over 100 exhibitors from Universities (eg WSU, UOW, ACU, UTS, UNSW, USYD) , TAFE, employer groups (eg Westpac group, NSW Police Recruiting, Western Sydney Airport, Defence Force Recruiting), private colleges (eg Academy of Interactive Entertainment, Paramedical Services Pty Ltd) , training groups and employment agencies (eg NECA Training & Apprentices, 1300apprentice, Australian Careers Business College, My Gateway, Sarina Russo, Apprenticeships R Us) . Students also attended sessions on a wide range of Career Pathways, job application tips and scholarships.

St Benedict’s Catholic College Year 10 students who are participating in the Western Sydney University Fast Forward Program attended an excursion on Wednesday 8 June at Western Sydney University Campbelltown Campus from 9:00am – 2.00pm.

The following students:

Lucas A, Charli B, Kaitlyn B, Lara C, Aanchal B, Joseph C, Grace C, Claudia C, Cita C, Sophie D, Tahlia E, Libby I, Molly K, Nikhil K, Daniel l, Aleesha l, Anannya M, William M, Tahlia M, Mia M, Andre R, Andre S, Olivia W, Favour A.

participated in fun, informative activities to inspire their learning journeys, and get them thinking about their skills, interests, and future careers.

The theme of the day was ‘Destinations Unlimited: Flight WSU’. Students focussed on:

→ Identifying and applying students’ skills and interests to study and career pathways

→ Exploration of study and career possibilities tailored to personal strengths

→ Developing students’ awareness of, and familiarity with the university environment

Careers Adviser/TaPS

Mr Mark Mustapic

Families of current Year 5 students are invited to complete an Expression of Interest for Enrolment for Year 7, 2024.

Expression of Interest is not a formal enrolment application, but an opportunity to be included in St Benedict's College information and enrolment timelines as they become available.

Click the image above or click here to register your family's details.

Tue 21 Jun - MISA Dance Festival

Fri 24 Jun - Year 7 Catch-up - missed HPV (Human Papillomavirus)/Bootrix missed dose 1

Fri 24 Jun - Year 8 Catch-up - missed HPV (Human Papillomavirus) missed dose 2

Fri 24 Jun - Year 10 & 11 - Men W vaccinations (Meningococcal)

Mon 27 Jun - TAFE Trade Readiness Course

Tue 28 Jun - TAFE Trade Readiness Course ,

MISA Debating Grand Final

Wed 29 Jun - TAFE Trade Readiness Course

Thu 30 Jun - TAFE Trade Readiness Course,

Year 7 - 10 Parent Interviews 3:30pm - 8:30pm (Zoom) **Updated**

Fri 01 Jul - TAFE Trade Readiness Course

Year 7 - 10 Parent Interviews - 8.10am-2.30pm (Zoom) **Updated**

End of Term 2

Mon 18 Jul - Term 3 Starts

Tue 19 Jul - Stage 6 Academic Award Ceremony - College Hall

Mon 25 Jul - Stage 4 Academic Award Presentation - 8:10am, Stage 5 Academic Award Presentation - 11:00am

Mon 01 Aug - Trial HSC commences

Thu 04 Aug - 2023 Captains Interviews

Mon 08 Aug - Feast of St Mary MacKillop

Mon 15 Aug - Feast of the Assumption, Science Week

Tue 16 Aug - P&F Meeting - 6.30pm, NSWCCC Girls Netball Champs - Penrith

Fri 19 Aug - Science Week, Year 12 High Tea

Tue 23 Aug - Bishop’s Student Excellence Awards (2022 Cohort – Year 12)

Thu 25 Aug - MISA Youth of the Year (MCCC)

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

Fri 02 Sep - LIVE 2022

Mon 12 Sep - NSWCCC Athletics - Homebush

Tue 20 Sep - Year 12 Farewell Assembly

Wed 21 Sep - Year 12 Grad Mass and Awards

End of Term 3

Mon 10 Oct - Term 4 Starts

Wed 02 Nov - Senior Retreat

Tue 08 Nov - P&F Meeting at 6.30pm

Fri 11 Nov - 25th Annual CDF Sports Awards

Fri 18 Nov - Year 12 Formal TBC

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

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 Academic Awards - 7-9

Thu 15 Dec - Students Activities Day

Tue 20 Dec - Term 4 Ends

End of Term 4

RANIER has advised that there may be significant delays with the school 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 school office will be available Mondays after 2:30pm, orders placed prior to 9am Monday will qualify.

TRADING HOURS DURING SCHOOL 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