ST BENEDICT'S CATHOLIC COLLEGE
Newsletter June1
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents and Carers
Last Sunday saw the church celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of Jesus and this will be followed this Sunday by the feast of Pentecost. These two events in the Church’s calendar are integral to what we believe as Catholics and our relationship to God. In Jesus ascending to heaven, He physically left this earth to take His place beside the Father but this was not an abandonment of humanity or His relationship with us.
Pentecost saw the explicit descending of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, who at that point, were at their lowest ebb, feeling fear, doubt and lack of direction. The Holy Spirit (the third component of the Trinity) would remain with all mankind forever as a source of strength and faith. It is this deep connection that God in His great wisdom has given to us as a gift. The gifts of the Holy Spirit that we recognise at our own confirmation; wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord would have been received by the apostles at Pentecost. In these gifts to us, Jesus has provided us with the strength and support that we need during all our trials and successes to help us truly be the best we can be. Our challenge is to accept these gifts daily and follow in the footsteps of Christ.
Our staff are currently in the process of completing marking and writing reports for Years 7 – 10 that will be distributed toward the end of this term. Of course this all occurs whilst the teachers continue to teach, and during this time, their normal duties do not decrease so they can give this valuable feedback. A number of parents have relayed to me their gratitude for the care and concern our staff give to the students and I am happy to pass this on. Please feel free to let any of the staff know directly that they are doing a good job.
At last week’s Parents and Friends meeting, I outlined a number of events that members of our community have been involved with including the Parenting Teens nights, our Staff Development Day on Literacy and our Year 12 students meeting with the Bishop. I also explained where the current building program is up to and a number of current issues with regard to school funding and the Band 8 requirement for the HSC. At this meeting, Mr Danny Rodriguez generously agreed to remain as the P&F President for the remainder of 2017 and I thank him for this. One of the decisions that occurred from the meeting, is the change of date of the next meeting to Week 6 of Term 3 (August 22). This change is to enable families to attend the Mass of the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 (a Holy Day of Obligation) during the evening. I would ask that you note this change in your own calendars. I encourage parents to attend P&F meetings to ensure you are aware of what is occurring in your child’s education but also some of the wider issues within the community.
Following the P&F meeting, there are a number of other notices in this newsletter of which I would ask you to take note. Once again thank you to all parents and students for your continued effort and support.
Steve Lo Cascio
Acting Principal
GLOW Youth Group
Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND VISION
The Gospel reading last week was from Matthew and talked about making disciples of all nations. This important task was taken on by the early disciples and continues today by members of our faith. Certainly, Pope Francis has talked about this in his encyclical Evangelii Gaudim where he states:
‘A true missionary ….. senses Jesus alive within him in the midst of the missionary enterprise. Unless we see him present at the heart of our missionary commitment, our enthusiasm soon wanes and we are no longer sure of what it is that we are handing on; we lack vigour and passion. A person who is not convinced, enthusiastic, certain and in love, will convince nobody’.
The Prayer Focus for the last five weeks has been on community and the important role that it plays in our lives, particular in a Benedictine community. We were reminded that another important focus on community is the notion of discipline and forgiveness. Discipline is important as it not only helps in protecting the individual person but also in protecting the wider community. The concept of forgiveness allows the individual to seek and give forgiveness as well as mend relationships with the community.
The prayer focus has since moved to the SVDP winter appeal. This is an important appeal that looks at people in our local area who are struggling and how we can support them.
There have been several Religious Education Assessment Tasks of late and we wish all students the best of luck as they complete these important Semester Two assessments.
The Year 12 Catholic Life and Ministry prefects have been working hard to organise a prayer group. This will provide a great opportunity for students to attend a prayer group that is organised for students, by students. Congratulations to the Year 12’s with their preparation and I look forward to seeing many of our students engaged in this initiative.
Recently our Year 12 cohort had the opportunity to attend a gathering with Bishop Peter. This was a wonderful chance for our students to meet with Bishop Peter. Liberty Chiswick and Michael Smsarian spoke well about their journey to date as a student in the Diocese of Wollongong, some students were involved in the prayer and others had an opportunity to ask the Bishop some questions.
Last Friday saw the college partake in National Sorry Day. This day gives people the chance to come together and share the steps towards healing for all those connected to the Stolen Generations, who were forcibly remove from their families and communities.
Next Friday we have our second ‘Glow’ for the year. The previous youth group meeting was very successful and I look forward to the one coming up. All interested students should ensure that they collect a note and hand it in by the due date.
Mr David Costin
Acting Assistant Principal/Director of Mission and Vision
Sorry Day Service
On Wednesday 24th May, two students from Year 7, Jack Kremer and Bailey Geale, as well as two students from Year 11, Jayde Bermingham and Thomas Haidle, accompanied Ms Lemon to Holy Trinity Church, Minto to participate in the Sorry Day Service.
National Sorry Day is the 26th May and is to commemorate and remember the mistreatment of the country's Indigenous population and to “heal the past for our future”. One reason why Sorry Day is significant to many Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people is the anniversary of the report “Bringing them home” which emphasises the conditions many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people faced during, not only the time of the stolen generation, but also in the present day. Sorry Day also represents the reconciliation and healing process of the past generations.
At the service we experienced many cultural aspects of the Indigenous Australians. Didgeridoo and clapstick players, a welcoming dance, singing and poems which were all a part of the service, in which we experienced their culture. We feel privileged that we were able to be a part of the special occasion and to experience spiritually and physically the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Jayde Bermingham and Thomas Haidle
COMMUNICATING WITH TEACHERS
One of the things often mentioned to us by members of the community is the high level of individual care, both academic and personal, given to the students, your children, by our staff. A large factor in this success is communication. Our teachers are accessible to the whole school community through phone and email, and this is a positive thing.
Teachers will strive to reply to parent emails within 24 hours. In some cases, there may be a small delay as the demands of the teaching day vary with each teacher. We would ask that you be mindful of this in your communications with the teaching staff.
In rare instances, we need to use email to voice a concern that we have with our children, or, dare I say it, make a complaint.
The following guidelines are presented as a reminder as to the College's policies and protocols.
1. Channels for communication.
If your concern is an academic one, your initial email should be with your child's classroom teacher. If the issue cannot be resolved at this level, or if the classroom teacher is not available, then you should email or phone the subject coordinator. If your concern is a pastoral one, then you should contact your child's Year Coordinator.
2. Email Etiquette
Sometimes, especially in the midst of a challenging situation, all of us can forget the basics of communication conventions. We would ask that you be mindful of these basics, such as a salutation or greeting, and a clear explanation of your concerns. Teachers will respond very positively to a reasonable and polite email, regardless of the severity of the matter you wish to discuss. This is actually a wider issue in the community, and as this newsletter goes online the Catholic Education Office, Sydney is developing protocols for parent/teacher communication.
Andy Lundy
Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator
SMART WATCHES AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Similarly, the wearing of these devices during exam or assessment conditions is not permitted.
FACULTY FOCUS: CREATIVE and PERFORMING ARTS
CAPA at St Benedict's
Our Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) Department comprises five enthusiastic artists, teaching four different creative disciplines across all stages of learning at St Benedict’s. Our faculty staff includes Miss Natasha Kovacevic and Mrs Sara-Jane Castelli, who both teach in Visual Arts across all year groups and Photography in Year 11; Mr Alexander Hayden who teaches Year 9 and 10 Drama; and Mrs Jennifer Koryzma and Mr Craig Davidson teaching Music to Year 8 to 12 students.
The practise of artistic subjects is important for all students as a means to assist with expressing their emotions and thoughts in an appropriate and educational way. The Year 7 and 8 CAPA program encourages students to find ways of expressing who they are, whilst at the same time gaining an understanding of the processes and structural forms of Visual Arts and Music.
In Year 7, students study Visual Arts through a variety of media including drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. They also explore how artists use these forms to communicate meaning to an audience. For Year 8, students move on to Music where they look at how the Concepts of Music are used to create musical works through listening to and analysing music in a variety of genres. Students also gain skills in performance on piano, keyboards and guitar. These experiences give them a taste and experience to move on to Year 9 and 10 CAPA if they are interested.
In Stage 5, St Benedict’s offers electives in Drama, Music and Visual Arts. Each of these courses encourages students to build their confidence in performing and presenting artworks for public display. In Year 9 and 10 Drama, students explore a variety of dramatic practices and practitioners, through improvisation and script work. For Music in Stage 5, students are allowed to discover eight different musical topics or eras through analysis and composition activities as well as performing on their chosen musical instrument. Our Visual Art students gain a deeper understanding of artistic styles through creating artworks and writing about art movements such as Surrealism and Dada.
In senior CAPA, students begin to work independently to develop their own creative pathway within one of the creative and performing disciplines. In each area they are encouraged to take their learning and understanding from their own experiences, both in and out of school, to produce a body of work or performance program that will showcase their own individual talent.
Along with our classroom CAPA program, there are a number of co-curricular opportunities available for students as St Benedict’s such as:
- MISA Dance – Local area dance ensemble showcase
- Music Ensemble – vocal and instrumental performances
- Art and Photography Club
- Lunchtime Concerts
- CAPA Showcase
- Carrington Nursing Home Music Performances
- Irish Music Ensemble
- Liturgical Performance Opportunities
- Musical Enrichment – private tuition during school hours
Mr. Craig Davidson
Coordinator, CAPA Department
The Power of Reading
Thoughts shared at a recent Professional Development Day run by Professor Stephen D Krashen:
Sustained silent reading is the source of literacy development. What did you read when you went to bed last night … isn’t this what counts in our lives? When was the last time you had a discussion with someone else about the book you were reading and how you couldn’t put it down. Reading is the source of grammar and spelling. We acquire language when we understand it. Grammar and vocabulary are a result of language acquisition.
Sustained silent reading, without accountability. Compelling stories gets people absorbed. The power is in the story, that’s what gets people in. When the book becomes so interesting you are not aware of the language or a sense of time, you are in the flow. Reading is currently the most often mentioned flow activity in the world. Language acquisition is not the goal, however it becomes the by-product. There are three ways to slow down the decline in executive control, ie to slow down dementia. 1. Be bilingual (learn a language) 2. Drink three cups of freshly brewed coffee a day and 3. Read fiction for pleasure.
The St Benedict’s Library is always promoting the importance of reading. Every Friday at lunch we have a laptop free Friday, with the sole purpose to support readers at our College. Book club is coming soon and we have a great selection of new books throughout the Library. Students always have access to compelling reading material.
Stop being a passive learner, get off the vortex that is YouTube and talk to Mr Gallagher. He will find you a book or order one for you. Start being an active learner. Guaranteed.
ST. BENEDICT'S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The inaugural committee (from which leaders will be elected at a later date) comprises of Year 12 students Jackson Bartulovic, Mariah Kent, Joey Lombardo, Clair Peters, Elijah Nader, Micheal Smsarian and Emily Walker.
The College congratulates these students and acknowledges the importance of this event in the history of St Benedict's.
Andy Lundy
Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator
St. Benedict's Inaugural Alumni Committee. L-R. Micheal Smsarian, Elijah Nader, Joey Lombardo, Jackson Bartulovic, Clair Peters, Mariah Kent, Emily Walker
Parenting Teens Workshop
Ms Gloria Melham has kindly agreed to repeat the program this year, if there is enough interest from parents. If you would like to take part in the workshops, please contact the office and leave your name and contact details.
Clothing Pool Contact Details
We wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank Mrs Rachael Zappia for all of her time and efforts in establishing the Clothing Pool. It is only with the generous support of our volunteers that we can continue to provide this service to our families.
If you can spare any of your time to assist with this volunteer work, could you please contact the office and we will pass on your details to the P&F.
SKOOLBAG APP
Are you using the Skoolbag App? Our new delivery method for the Newsletter has been well received. We now wish to expand on our previous use of the Skoolbag App by sending reminders, alerts etc via the app on a more regular basis. Over the next few weeks we will be experimenting with this and would appreciate any feedback you may provide.
The St Benedict's Skoolbag App is available for iPhone and Android and is available form the Apple App Store or the Google Play site for Android phones. Use the search: Skoolbag St Benedict and download.
Important Changes for 2018 University Admissions
Are you interested in hosting a Japanese student?
The organising company is seeking early expressions of interest from school families who might be interested in hosting a student during their time at St Benedict's. Last year's host families enjoyed the memorable experience and found it most rewarding.
Why not consider hosting a student in your home? Home stay hosts will be paid a tax free allowance for each student which will more than defray the costs of hosting.
Contact: Bill and Margaret Clark on 0418 215 990 or 0488 777 886 or