St Benedict's Catholic College
Newsletter 1 February 2019
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to 2019 and an especially warm welcome to families who are joining the St Benedict’s community for the first time. We have now reached an enrolment of 940 students and this year our largest group of students, 150, begin their journey towards the HSC in Year 11. Our growth has meant many new teaching staff have joined us and we welcome:
Mrs Kimberley Logue
Director of Mission
Mrs Magda Mizzi
English
Mr Maky Tsomis
HSIE
Mr Jason Smith
TAS
Mrs Patricia Hickman
Science
Mrs Anna Tait
Science/Maths
Mr Mark Mustapic
Careers and Pathways Coordinator
Mrs Christine Keramea
McKillop Gold class
Mrs Suzanne Seychell
McKillop Gold class
In addition to these additional staff we have a number of full time relieving staff in 2019. Mr Josh Agoo (HSIE), Mr Dylan Reyes (RE) and Mrs Ligia Learmonth (Science). Mrs Laura Lal will be relieving as Curriculum secretary. In an historic moment, Isabelle Taylor, will be our first former student joining the staff as a Support Officer.
This year we are opening our McKillop Gold class for Year 7 students with multicategory disabilities and an especially warm welcome to those families joining us.
Make sure as parents you have our College Calendar at hand as there is always something going on of interest. In this first fortnight, the College Opening Mass is being celebrated next Friday on site and then the following Tuesday (12th) we will be hosting our annual celebration of the High Achievers from the 2018 Higher School Certificate. With over 7% of our candidates receiving a Band 6 last year we were amongst the best performing schools in the entire Macarthur, be they State, Private or Catholic systemic and this, in only our third year of presenting students for the HSC. Certainly something to be proud of and a just reward to the families who backed us when we were just a few demountables in a field without even town water when we came to the site in 2012. It is a great base on which to build future results.
For our Year 7 parents we will be having our rebadged “Parent Ls (Laptops) and Ps (Parenting)” Evening in Week 3. We have combined our laptop night with our “What to Expect in the early High School Years”. Whether this is your first child at 12 or your third, it is important information about the College and some great tips about “what works” as a parent in the increasingly complex world of raising teens. We will also be discussing our Positive Education programme which will be launched this year.
There are many new and exciting things happening around the College which your children will bring home to you in these first few weeks. Not the least will be the new set of Creative and Performing Arts buildings which will gradually come on line this term and a new and improved House System, more of which will be detailed in the next newsletter.
I very much look forward to once again walking with you on our educational journey together this year.
Welcome back.
Michael Hanratty
Principal
YEAR 7, 2020 INFORMATION EVENING
St Benedict's Catholic College will be holding their Information evening for Year 7, 2020, on Wednesday 27 February in Camden Civic Centre, Oxley Street, Camden at 7:00pm. Application forms will be available on the night and from the College Office the next day.
A reminder to parents with students already at the College that sibling interviews will be held before end of Term 1. Interview times can be booked once the completed application form has been lodged. Further information can be obtained from the office on 4631 5300, during school hours.
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY
DATES TO REMEMBER
Monday 4 February - UOW Discovery Day excursion for Year 12
Thursday 7 February - Art Express excursion for Year 12
Friday 8 February - Opening School Mass
Wednesday 13 February - L & P evening for year 7
Thursday 14 - Friday 15 February - Year 7 Bootcamp
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND VISION
A warm welcome to all Staff, Students and Parents to the 2019 Academic Year. It is my great privilege to be commencing as the Director of Mission and Vision at the College. I am very humbled and grateful for the warm welcome I have received from both Staff and Students. I look forward to leading the College’s Religious life but most importantly working with the fantastic staff and students at St Benedict’s. The continued growth of the College has also seen many new Staff join this wonderful community and news roles created. Tarnya Grana has been appointed the Assistant REC and our Youth Ministry Coordinator is Tabitha Brown.
Our College Staff began the new year with a combined Mass with Catechists and Staff from St Justin’s Catholic Primary School at Mary MacKillop Parish. A beautiful Mass celebrated by Parish Priest, Fr. David Catterall. Reflecting on the UN Year of Indigenous Languages in his homily, Fr. David spoke about the year being an opportunity to reclaim an important language we as followers of Jesus are called to speak, through WORD and ACTION. A cornerstone was ‘EMBRACE, SERVE, NOURISH, RESPOND’. In the words of St Benedict, “may we listen with the ear of our heart”.
I have included an excerpt from Pope Francis’ closing address at the Final Mass in WYD Panama: You, dear young people, are not the future but the now of God. Definitely some words of wisdom for St Benedict's students - you are the NOW of God.
May 2019 be a year for all us as a community to let the light of Christ Shine through and to BE THE LIGHT.
Blessings and Joy to all,
Kimberley Logue
Director of Mission and Vision
COLLEGE SPORTING WEEK
Sports Update
Welcome back to 2019 and what should be a great year for the sporting life of the College. A few things to note:
Sport Google Classroom
This year I will be trialing the use of Google Classroom with the students to post information/announcements and any sporting information to all students. All students have been asked to join this group, so they are kept up to do with what is happening at the College in regards to sport.
If you could please ensure your child has joined this group that would greatly appreciated. The students need to log onto Google Classroom and enter the below code, thanks in advance for your support on this.
Code: byeoav
College Swimming Carnival
The College Swimming Carnival is fast approaching. This is not a compulsory event, therefore students will need to go to the Office and ask the Office Staff for a permission note. The permission note needs to be handed back to Miss Liska or the office by Monday 11th Feb (Week 3). No late permission notes will be accepted.
Please note that students who wish to attend, must enter into at least three (3) events on the day to be able to attend, and must be able to swim 50m with ease.
Any questions please feel free to contact me at the College.
Swimming Carnival Info
Please note that this is a normal school day for those who do not participate in the carnival.
When: Wednesday 20th Feb (Week 4)
Where: Camden War Memorial Pool
Yours In Sport,
Miss Liska
Sport Coordinator
A flyer below provides information regarding road signs to be found on the site. NSW road rules apply to all areas on the site and all fines and penalties will be applied if these are being abused. Police will be doing random visits during the term to monitor these.
Please telephone the school office to notify daily absences. If a student has a planned absence of more than 2 days please notify the office by email with the dates and explanation of absence. For absences of 10 days or more, an Application for Extended Leave must be completed and are available from the College Website. If your child is ill, please keep them at home and notify the school.