St Benedict's Catholic College
Newsletter - 13 April 2018
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Dear Parents,
Over this past week and for the first two weeks of next term Mr Hanratty is on leave and will be travelling overseas with his family. During Mr Hanratty’s absence the school will be supported by Mr Barrington and myself. As a result I have the privilege of presenting the Principal’s message in this newsletter.
The Gospel passage last Sunday reflected on St Thomas the apostle. After being told of Christ’s resurrection Thomas asked for proof. Thomas stated
“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.'"
In other words, if Thomas could see the proof of Christ’s suffering he would believe and act to bring Christ’s message to others. Thomas was able to touch those wounds and believe. The wounds themselves carry great significance for all of us. Christ’s physical suffering was brought about by the wounds Thomas touched, through out time however, that suffering has been brought about by the sins of humanity. Christ died for, and in many ways still suffers for those sins.
Today, Christ’s suffering is still brought about by the negative actions of individuals or groups of people in society. Christ’s wounds are inflicted by a lack of willingness of people to act in a truly Christian manner. Actions such as failure to support those less fortunate than ourselves: refugees, the poor or the aged. Domestic violence, child abuse, international terrorism, lack of religious unity and failure to support those with mental health issues are all actions that are incompatible with Christianity and all cause suffering to Christ and others.
We face the same challenge as Thomas when that suffering is revealed to us. We as followers of Christ are challenged “To be beacons of hope”. Christ provided the Easter message of hope through His resurrection. That message should be lived by each of us, by providing hope to those around us. The challenge is for us to live the message by helping those around us or confronting injustice. How do we do that in our families, in our communities and in the situations that require us to be counter cultural?
The Easter message is one of hope and if we live it we too, will be “Beacons of hope”.
As we come to the end of the term, I ask the St Benedict’s community to reflect on the significant messages of Term 1. I know Mr Hanratty has spoken and written about the importance of young people taking control of their learning and life. A major factor in taking control, lies in the individual’s mind set and the way they think. Young people develop a way of thinking but can redesign their brains to their advantage. People can’t control their thoughts but can control reactions to the thoughts, this control can impact on how young people perform and live. As Mr Hanratty stated, the character of the individual is a major contributing factor to how a person’s life will turn out. A strong character requires persistence and resilience, which Mr Hanratty has encouraged.
At this point in time parents and students should consider how these character traits have developed in students throughout this term. These messages are not simply to support students to complete Term 1, 2018, they are messages that will allow students to cope with the challenges of life ahead. The young people at St Benedict’s are masters of their own destiny and I encourage each to persist in all they attempt and to recognise that a willingness to be resilient rather than defeatist will lead to success in all that is undertaken.
Regards
John Lo Cascio
FROM THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND VISION
As we enter into the second week of our Easter celebrations, we find many significant days in our calendar. Firstly, we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday, the importance of this day is that the Lord promised us all complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. So unlike the poor doubting Thomas in this weeks Gospels, we can also be apart of this significant time in the Church by being open to God and most importantly showing mercy through our actions, words and prayers - particularly to those in our community who need them the most.
Secondly, on Monday we celebrated the Annunciation of the Lord. In Luke’s Gospel we hear about the Angel Gabriel who comes to the Virgin Mary to announce that she has been chosen to be the mother of our Lord, Jesus. This puts a young Mary into a vulnerable position - she is betrothed but not married. By her acceptance and her faith in God's plans, she becomes an example for all Christians. It is through our beloved Virgin Mary, that the power of God became incarnate into this world - a very symbolic beginning of significance to our faith.
Unite Festival 2018
On Friday evening, St Benedict’s celebrated our third annual Unite Festival. The night was well attended by many students in Year 7 through to Year 12 and was a fantastic opportunity to come together and unite as a College and help raise some money for Caritas! The theme for the night was acceptance, and the night began with a range of icebreaker activities which gave everyone an opportunity to meet new people and get to know them in a relaxed and fun setting. Mr Costin gave an inspiring presentation on acceptance in our society and used some clips to help us see that we are all different, and need to be accepting and respectful to everyone in our community.
The night also had a beautiful Liturgy the students reverently entered into which helped to unite us all! Many students entertained us with their gifts and talents - a litany of beautiful singing and performing which was definitely a highlight of the evening. There was a feast available for students to purchase and all the funds raised go directly to Caritas! Students had the opportunity to purchase a sausage sandwich, slices of pizza, cheeseburgers, drinks, cakes, ice blocks and lollipops! I thank Mr Gallagher and 7.1 for organising the cheeseburger fundraiser and Miss Kelleher for overseeing the Mario Kart activity booth for students.
A night like this takes preparation and commitment from many people. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the students who helped to prepare the events, the staff who gave up their evening to be a part of this Festival, and those who helped to set up the musical equipment and lights, cook the barbecue, prepare or donate food and just spending time immersing themselves into the night. With all of this support, it shows that St Benedict’s is not just a school - but a community.
Outreach Programmes
This term we have been running our catechist programme with Leppington Public School. Every Tuesday, Mrs Newell and I take some talented Year 10 catechists who have been working with students from Kindergarten through to Year 6 to bring them the word of God. This term, I thank - Isabella Friscic, Annalise Jennings, Madelyn Manny and Mia Gibbs-White for their hard work and dedication. They have shown great patience and respect to their groups and have really helped to spread the good news to this community.
Also, this term Mrs Hatton has been leading a group of Year 11 students in an outreach programme with Carrington Nursing Home. The following students have had the opportunity to be a part of this experience: Marie Bull, Jessica Camera, Carol Halim, Lily-Rose Stead, Justin Waights and Angus White. The students have been spending time getting to know some of the residents and their life stories and have had the opportunity to play games. This time is very valuable and rewarding experience for our students and the residents as they get to show solidarity and compassion.
As we prepare to take a well-earned short break, I wish everyone a very safe, relaxing and happy holiday.
God Bless
Mrs Tarnya Grana
Acting Director of Mission
UPCOMING DATES TO NOTE
- Year 7 Applications for 2019 to be returned - Friday 13 April
- Last day of Term 1 - Friday 13 April
- First day of Term 2 - Monday 30 April - Winter Uniform to be worn
- ANZAC Ceremony - Monday 30 April
- Athletics Carnival - Tuesday 1 May
- College Photo Day - Thursday 5 May
- Year 7 Zoo Excursion - Friday 6 May
UNIFORM REMINDER
Winter Uniform
The school blazer must be worn during Term 2 and 3.
Please be aware that students are to return in Term 2 with haircuts that comply with the College's Uniform Policy (included below), with particular attention to the "Additional Hair Notes".
Hair requirements
While the school accepts the minimal use of hair products to ensure neatness, no hair sculpting using gel or hairspray, wax or mousse is permitted
Hair must be neat and tidy at all times
Hair styles should be moderate, with no extremes
Hair should be of a natural colour – no unnatural colours. A dramatic change in colour/style will not be accepted (eg: black to blonde).
No streaks or highlights permitted.
Additional hair notes for girls
Shoulder-length hair needs to be fully tied back off the face and at the back of the head
Only college hair ribbons or hair ties may be worn
No decorative hair accessories eg: coloured clips, flowers, beads, etc are allowed
Additional hair notes for boys
Hair should NOT be below the collar or covering the ears, no undercuts or spiked styles, no very short crew cuts. There should not be any noticeable change in length.
Boys should be clean shaven.
Uniform Shop
The last trading day for the uniform shop for Term 1 is Thursday 12 April.
Ranier will be open on Thursday 26 April from 1:00pm - 6:00pm. Regular trading days resume on Tuesday 1 May.
You can contact Ranier on 4647 8942. Please see flyer below for further contact details.
The P&F Clothing Pool
The P&F Clothing Pool is open Thursday mornings on a fortnightly basis from 7.45am to 8.30am in conjuction with Week A of the student diaries.
Should you have any queries, I can be contacted on 0410 486 083 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
Regards
Mel Nicholas
Donations of uniforms in good condition are greatly appreciated.
Learning and Teaching
Assessment Tasks
As we reach the end of the assessment cycle for the first term, it might be useful to consider a few important parts of the process and look forward to Term 2. There are often a range of questions students and parents ask about assessments so we will consider a few Frequently Asked Questions.
Why have assessments?
This is quite a popular question (sometimes expressed by students as they enter the exam room) but an understanding of why we have Assessments is actually essential in the whole learning process. Assessments are important because they give students the opportunity to test the skills they have learned. In assessments, students can showcase their improvements and are acknowledged for their effort and hard work. Descriptive feedback provided by teachers, allows students to see where their strengths are and how they can improve for next time. Assessments are a chance for students to crystallise their understanding. Assessments also give teachers a chance to evaluate student strengths and weaknesses so that they can adjust their teaching to ensure students are improving.
What is the process if I am away for an assessment?
The process is slightly different for the Junior years (Years 7 - 9) and the Senior years (10 - 12).
In Years 7 - 9, if a student misses an assessment through illness or misadventure, they should bring a note from their parent/caregiver that clearly explains the illness or misadventure. This note should be given to the subject teacher on their first day back at school. If you know that you will be away before the task is due, bring in a note at your earliest opportunity.
Years 10-12 processes are slightly more involved because students are completing external credentials such as the Record of School Achievement and the HSC. If a student misses a task due to illness or misadventure they will need to complete an Illness/Misadventure Appeal Form (found on the School Website). This form includes a statement that needs to be completed by a medical professional or witness. Submit the form on your first day back or as soon as you know you will miss the task. The verdict of the appeal will be emailed to relevant teachers, parents/caregivers and to the student. If the form is not submitted or is not approved, the student will receive an N-Award Warning Letter.
By sending the letter, your teacher can organise a different time for you to complete the task when they know that there is an official reason why the task was not submitted.
If a student is to be absent for an extended period of time, they should seek a Principal’s Approved Leave form from the front office.
What should I do when I receive an assessment back?
The most important thing is to use the feedback to help you improve. It would be a good idea that you spend some time making goals on how you can improve. Share these goals with your Academic Care tutor. It is also a good idea for parents to see the assessment so that they know early on how their child is progressing.
What happens if I do not submit a task or there is Malpractice?
If a student does not submit an assessment task, they will receive a Warning Letter in Years 7 - 9. If the student receives a number of these Warning Letters in a subject or across subjects, a meeting will be required with parents.
In Years 10 - 12, the student will receive an N-Award Warning Letter. After two warning letters in a course in which the issue is not addressed, the student may not be eligible to progress into the next year or may not be eligible to gain their HSC or an ATAR. N-Award Warning Letters may also be issued for incomplete coursework.
Malpractice involves plagiarism (using the intellectual material of another author), collusion (when the student’s work is the product of assistance by other people), cheating in a task, or other issues outlined in the student’s Handbook of Study
All my assessments seem to happen at around the same time. How do I manage this?
Like many other schools, our school has assessment windows when students will complete a number of tasks. This means that students can focus on learning during other times and on assessments during these assessment windows.
During their half-hour Academic Care sessions, students are learning how to manage their time to prepare for multiple tasks. A key idea is setting up a study timetable and using the College Diary to break down each task into manageable sections.
Where do I go for further information?
If you require further information on assessments, please refer to the College’s Assessment Policy located on the website.
The College Calendar has the dates of all assessments for each year group. This calendar lists the assessments for each class so, although it might look like there are many assessments happening on the same day, it is usually just the one assessment listed for each class. This way each student knows when their class will complete the assessment.
Assessments in Term 2
Weeks 3 to 6 in Term 2 are often a busy time for assessments, particularly for Year 9 and 10 students.
Year 7 and 9 students will have NAPLAN tests in Week 3. If students miss any of the NAPLAN tests, there will be catch-up opportunities on Friday. Information about this testing has already been sent to parents and is available on the College website. Further details will be forwarded to students in Week 1.
Year 9 and 10 students will have Semester 1 Exams in Week 5. Students will receive a timetable of these exams in Week 1. This will also be available on the College Website.
In Week 6, there will be HSC Minimum Standards testing for Year 10 students who did not satisfy the requirements in Year 9.
Lunchtime Coordinator Detentions
In order to maintain clear and consistent consequences, the College is introducing Lunchtime Coordinator Detentions. These detentions will be for mid-level behaviour issues and for non-submission of poor effort in academic work.
These detentions are designed to give students time and strategies to improve their behaviour and academic work. They will occur on Monday and Thursday at Lunch. They will be supervised by the Executive team, Year Coordinators and KLA Coordinators. If a student is placed on this detention, parents/carers will be notified.
COLLEGE SPORTING WEEK
College Athletics Carnival - Tuesday 3 May
The annual College Athletics Carnival is coming up early next term. Permission notes have already been returned for this event. It is a COMPULSORY school day.
When: Tuesday 1st May (Term 2, Week1)
Where: Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Time: 8:10am - 2:30pm
Students are allowed to dress up in something representing their house colour once they are at school and must change back into their sports uniform before leaving to go home in the afternoon. No inappropriate clothing/saying/phrases are to be worn and no hair spray is permitted.
Students that have already nominated to participate in the 1500m event, are to be at school by 7.20am for a 7.30am sharp departure on the day. This event will start before the rest of the school arrives at the venue due to the timing of the event.
Lastly, if there are any parents that are able to assist on the day, your time and support will be greatly appreciated. If you could either call or email Miss Liska, it would be greatly appreciated.
Any questions, please feel free to contact Miss Liska at the College.
Congratulations to the following students who were nominated as MVPs for Week 11
UFC/NRL:
Priseas Di Mascio, Bailey McDermott
Marital Arts:
Thomas Hardy, Jeremy Potts
Netball:
Oscar Simmons, Charlotte Malvern
MILO Cricket:
Cameron Walgers, Wesley Sicat
Crossfit/Golf:
Riley Hinton
Golf/Crossfit:
Claudia Bournes, Joshua Quinn
Kickboxing/Gym:
Calista Natsia
Gym/Kickboxing:
Joel Rainbow, Emma Schloeffel
Skating/Dance:
Ngok Ring, Analia Castro
Dance/Skating:
Tara Moore
Bowling B:
Hannah Small
Yours in Sport
Miss Liska
CAREERS
In Yr 10? Get prepared for uni- UOW Subject Information Evening
It is important to start thinking about university when yo a’re in Year 10, so you can make the right subject choices for Years 11 and 12. Some UOW degrees ask for prior knowledge, or what we call ‘assumed knowledge’ so by picking the right subjects for your study area, your options will remain wide open. It is also important to choose subjects that you are good at and interested in.
University of Wollongong Information Sessions
Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
Wollongong NSW
Tuesday 1 May
6pm - 8pm
UOW Wollongong Campus
Register now for the UOW Wollongong Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
Sutherland NSW
Wednesday, 2 May
6pm - 8pm
Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club
Register now for the UOW Sutherland Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
Liverpool NSW
Wednesday, 9 May
6pm - 8pm
UOW South Western Sydney Campus, Liverpool
Register now for the UOW Liverpool Year 10 Subject Selection Evening
NOTICES
ALPHA YOUTH SERIES
Starting on Friday night, 11th May in term 2.
For young people in Yr 7 to Yr 9
This is an opportunity to come share a meal, watch an interactive film and explore life’s big questions. We believe that everyone should have the chance to ask questions and share their point of view.
SO, BE BOLD AND TRY SOMETHING NEW, GRAB A PERMISSION SLIP AT THE INFO TABLE AT THE CHURCH OR DOWNLOAD IT BELOW AND RETURN IT TO THE PARISH ASAP.