St Benedict's Catholic College
Newsletter Friday 1 May 2020
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
I hope that the recent changes made to our COVID-19 restrictions allowed you the opportunity to visit and spend time with your family last weekend for Mother’s day.
Each morning this week, as we have welcomed back students from all year groups, it has been wonderful to hear the excitement and chatter of students as they reconnected with friends and staff. The resilience demonstrated by the young people in our care over the past few weeks and on their return to school this week is a testament to the great partnership that is in place between school and home.
I would like to thank parents for the great support and preparation you provided to your children as they transitioned back to school. Our students, our staff, our parents and carers have all done their utmost during the COVID 19 school restrictions to ensure the wellbeing of each other and the success of St Benedict’s remote learning. As a new Principal at the College, I have been so impressed with the great respect that is evident between all members of the school community but in particular the respectful relationships between our staff and the students. This was a real factor to our remote learning success.
The arrangements that have been put in place regarding the days each year group attends the College will remain in place for Week 4. If you have any queries regarding these arrangements, please contact us on 4631 5300 or info@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au
A reminder also, any correspondence that has been forwarded to parents relating to changes due to COVID 19 is also located on the College’s Parent Portal, https://sites.google.com/dow.catholic.edu.au/sbccparentportal/home
Positive Education is at the heart of everything we do here at St Benedict’s. Our community is always encouraged to STRIVE to achieve their very best. Through these challenging times staff and students have explored the power of showing gratitude. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.
During this time of isolation and lockdown the power of gratitude is even more important. Today we are launching our Gratitude Email address where parents, staff and students can send a message of gratitude. The email address is gratitude@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au and we encourage our St Benedict’s community to continue to come together through the power of gratitude. Please include the name of the staff or student you would like the email to be forwarded to.
Student Congratulations
Jessy A. (Year 12) has placed equal first in the 2019 Arthur Phillip Fieldwork Competition in the category 'The Dr Susan Bliss Cross-Curricular Priority Awards' for her Year 11 Senior Geography Project. A fuller report follows in the HSIE section of the Newsletter.
Thank you to her teacher, Madelaine Joyce, for her support of Jessy and the Year 12 Geography class.
Year 7 Vaccinations
We have been advised by NSW Health that Year 7 Vaccinations will take place on 27 May at the College. A letter containing relevant information will be forwarded to Year 7 parents.
Uniform Review Update
The College and the P&F have been consulting with our uniform suppliers to review our College Uniform. Below is an update on the progress of this review.
Ranier Design Group are preparing the following samples
- Summer short samples for both male and female
- Updated trackpants and jacket style and fit. Please note, the design lines and colours to remain the same
- Updated sports shorts in the 4 way stretch. Please note that they are still waiting for fabric to arrive from overseas
- Dress fabrics options
In addition we are reviewing the opening hours and delivery services of the Narellan Uniform Shop.
Students’ Transition Back to School Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can students wear face masks to school?
Yes, students can wear face masks returning to school.
2. Will Year 12 students still have access to learning if they do not or cannot return to school in phase 1?
Yes, teachers will still be delivering remote learning through Compass and Zoom.
3. Will teachers be teaching new content to students?
Teachers will continue to follow their teaching program. New content will be introduced and made available to students whether they are at school or learning remotely.
4. Do students follow their normal timetable on the day they attend?
When students attend school, they will be following their regular timetable. New rooms have been allocated for all classes to support social distancing. Year 10 during period 5 and 6 on Tuesday will have allocated lesson to replace Sport.
5. Is it compulsory for children to return to school on their given day, or can they continue to learn and mark the roll remotely?
Students can continue to learn remotely in this transition phase.
6. Are parents being provided with MSDS sheets for cleaning products that are used in the school?
All staff have been provided with MSDS sheets for the cleaning product used in the classroom. If a parent requires the MSDS sheet, please contact the school office.
7. Will students be allocated a seat to stay in all day and stay in the same room?
When students attend school, they will follow their regular timetable and move to different rooms as required. New rooms have been allocated for all classes to support social distancing.
8. Will buses continue to run as normal and are the bus companies engaged by the College undertaking additional cleaning?
Yes, buses will continue to run as normal. We have also received advice from our bus companies that they are undertaking additional cleaning.
9. Will the students be spread out to enable social distancing?
In phase 1 all classes have been re-roomed into larger spaces.
10. Will the days of attending school increase over the coming weeks to eventually fulltime by the end of Term 3?
The College will be guided by NSW Government Health Advice and the Diocese of Wollongong Catholic Education Office about any increase in student attendance.
11. Can Year 12 leave after period 4 on Tuesday if they do not have classes?
Yes, a permission letter has been sent to Year 12 parents via Compass.
12. Is drop off and pick up at the usual time?
Yes, school starting and finishing time remains unchanged.
13. Will Year 10 attend sport on a Tuesday?
Year 10 students will not be participating in Sport on Tuesday. An interim timetable has been organised for both Week A and Week B. In Week 4 Year 10 students will be undertaking the Minimum Standards Testing.
14. Is it practical for students to maintain 1.5m distance between each other, lining up for class, within the classroom and in the playground?
We are encouraging students to maintain social distancing when lining up outside classrooms and also engaging with their peers and recess at lunchtime. Classroom furniture has been placed maintaining social distance guidelines in larger rooms as students transition back to school. The College has also mandated that only 4 students can be in the Canteen at any one time.
15. Will students be able to fill up their water bottles at school?
There are taps available at school for students to fill up their water bottles.
16. What do the students need to take for their designated day?
Students will follow their normal timetable on the day they attend and will need to take the appropriate books and equipment for these lessons.
17. When will sport and excursions resume?
All Term 2 MISA, Diocesan sport, incursions and excursions are cancelled
Hello from the P&F
Our thoughts continue to be with all Bennies families as students slowly transition to a new norm. We encourage all families to take it one day at a time, be kind to yourself, use the wonderful resources the school offers and most importantly, keep the communication channels open.
Feedback to the school – both good and bad, is vital so please reach out to the school if you have any questions or concerns. Teachers also need feedback from us as parents so that they can provide the best learning platform for students.
As a P&F we have continued to work with the College behind the scenes to ensure things keep moving with our meetings and funding initiatives.
We are excited to announce that given the restrictions upon us, we will be holding the next P&F meeting on Tuesday 26 May at 7.00pm via zoom. Zoom has the capacity for a large audience, therefore we extend an invitation for you to join us from the comfort of your home for our Term 2 meeting. Attendance is encouraged for all to participate. Please rsvp by Friday 22 May to info@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au
Other exciting news we wish to share is that P&F funds were recently allocated to purchase the new flag poles that have been recently erected on site near the prayer garden, adjacent to Hollows Drive. These posts were needed to display the College flag and other flags as and when required.
P&F Clothing Pool
Please note the interim changes regarding clothing pool purchases within this newsletter. With the seasonal change of school uniform, we welcome any donations of winter uniforms.
Stay safe and healthy and be kind to yourself.
Fiona Place
P & F President
FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
Return of Students this week:
It has been great this week to be welcoming back our students. As you would be aware, it has been a staggered approach with a year group at a time returning to the College. I must say that the large majority of students were very excited to be back. I have been asking students what they have enjoyed the most about their day and I have received a variety of answers – ranging from individual subjects, the normality of the day, and seeing friends, classmates and teachers. We are looking forward to the return of all of our students on a regular basis.
Picking up and dropping off students:
As students begin to return to school, can I remind parents that if they are dropping their child off in the morning, or collecting them in the afternoon, that you should do so in the main car park (just outside of the front office). This is important as it allows the traffic to flow more freely during these times, and importantly, helps keep your child safe.
Careers week
Can I remind students and families that next week is Careers week. Mr Mustapic has organised many organisations such as Tafe, Universities and UAC (to name a few) to meet with our students. Given the current situation, these meetings will all be conducted via zoom. I encourage all students who are thinking about their post school options to be involved in these meetings to be fully aware of what is happening in these spaces.
PTS Interviews for Year 11 and 12
It was great to be able to still go ahead with our Parent, Teacher and Student interviews this week for Year 11 and 12. Despite being ‘zoom’ interviews, families were able to get feedback about their child’s progress and how they can be supported in the coming months. I encourage families to continue working with their child’s classroom teachers to see how they can best support their child’s learning.
Year 11 subject selection interviews
Over the coming few weeks, Year 10 will be engaged in their subject selection interviews. This is a really important time for Year 10 and the normal way that the College communicates information to students and families will need to change. I would encourage all of our students and families to read the information carefully that comes out and ask any questions about the process or individual subjects. There will still be a mentoring process this year, but I would encourage students and families to ask questions before the mentoring process so that you are more informed about Year 11 and 12.
Mr David Costin
Assistant Principal
DATES TO REMEMBER
Friday 22 May - Year 9 Reflection Day to be rescheduled
Friday 22 May - RSVP due for Zoom P&F Meeting
Tuesday 26 May - P&F Zoom Meeting
Wednesday 27 May - Year 7 Vaccinations
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF MISSION AND VISION
Week 3, saw the return of Year 12 to the classroom. As much as I enjoyed the experience of teaching remotely via Zoom, creating video lessons using Screencastify and utilising the various functions of Google Classroom. I was so excited to see my Year 12 SOR2U class on Tuesday and returning to school after getting my medical clearance from my GP.
Other year groups have returned one day each this week. How exciting for so many students to see one another and reconnect. A first for the College - ZOOM parent-teacher interviews; a positive and great way to share feedback about student learning and achievements across Year 11 and 12. Transitioning back into the classroom after teaching remotely has been a challenge but also an opportunity to build and learn new skills.
Last Sunday, we celebrated Mother’s Day.
“From Mary, we learn to surrender to God’s will in all things.
From Mary, we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone.
From Mary, we learn to love Christ her Son and the Son of God.” —St Pope John Paul II
As we honour our heavenly mother, we also honour our earthly mothers and mother figures.
At the foot of the cross, her heart broke for Jesus, yet she accepted God’s will, not only for her Son but for herself in her new role as mother to us all (cf. John 19:25–27). As we honour our earthly mothers and mother figures—including stepmothers, relatives, guardians, close family friends and those who would be mothers—let us honour our heavenly mother as well. Those devoted to her are always led to her Son. For her wise counsel tells us, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5).
And so, we invite you to pray:
Lord Jesus Christ, You chose to put yourself—tiny, needy and helpless—into the nurturing and watchful hands of a human mother. Since then, every act of mothering, both physical and spiritual, in every time and every corner of the world recollects Mary’s. Inspired by this example, we, too, honour our mothers and mother figures today. Bless these women, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers and nurturers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, honour them always with a spirit of profound respect.
We ask this in your holy name. Amen.
I have also included below the Mother’s Day written by Olivia D. our College Captain.
Lord, thank you for all mothers.
For the new ones, who endure sleepless nights with babies in their arms.
For the busy ones, who juggle the pressures of home and family life.
For the steadfast ones, who nurture and care for their special vulnerable children.
For the patient ones, who always seek to forgive and engage with their children.
For the persistent ones, who cleverly find new ways to connect with their adult children.
For the mother aunts, who step in to care for nieces and nephews and love them as their own.
For all grandmas, who love and support their precious grandchildren.
For the foster mums who are called to gather and cover the fragile ones.
For the Sunday mums who care for children and lead them in faith.
For the mums who give far beyond their own resources, who overcome disability to cherish and love.
Thank you, Lord, for all our beautiful mothers.
Help us to support them and keep them in our prayers.
May you bless them now on this their special day. Amen.
I also shared via Compass with the College for Mother’s Day - Be Not Afraid by Catholic Artists from Home. If you have not watched or listened to it, I invite you to do so. It is beautiful and features many Catholic artists including Fr. Robert Galea.
LAUDATO SI
It is five years since Pope Francis released his groundbreaking environmental encyclical, Laudato Si' On Care For Our Common Home. To mark this milestone, Catholics worldwide are engaging in ecological celebrations and sustainability actions that demonstrate a commitment to making our world a better place.
Laudato Si' Week is officially from 16th - 24th May
PRAYER FOR OUR COMMON HOME
God of all,
Creator and ruler of the universe,
You entrusted your world to us as a gift.
Help us to care for it and all people,
that we may live in right relationship--
with You,
with ourselves,
with one another,
and with creation.
Christ our Lord,
both divine and human,
You lived among us and died to raise up humanity.
Help us to imitate your love for the human family
by recognizing that we are all connected—
to our brothers and sisters around the world,
to those in poverty impacted by environmental devastation,
and to future generations.
Holy Spirit,
giver of wisdom and love,
You breathe life in us and guide us.
Help us to live according to your vision,
stirring to action the hearts of all—
individuals and families,
communities of faith,
and civil and political leaders.
Triune God, help us to hear the cry of those in poverty, and the cry of
the earth, so that we may together care for our common home.
Amen.
Grateful for the gift of all creation and concern for the challenges we face as a community, we offer each other a sign of peace and support (either virtually or by a distanced gesture) as we listen to or join with the song ‘The Prayer’ from the Global Citizen event of world-wide support during the Covid-19 Pandemic. (‘The Prayer’ by Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Lady Gaga, John Legend and Lang Lang. Performed during ‘One World: Together At Home’ on April 18 2020).
I hope and pray that all our community transition back to ‘normality’ (if you can call it that) - safely and in a healthy manner.
HSIE NEWS
Senior Geography News - 2019 Arthur Phillip Fieldwork Competition
The HSIE Faculty are extremely proud to share the following news.
Jessy A. (Year 12) has placed equal first in the 2019 Arthur Phillip Fieldwork Competition in the category 'The Dr Susan Bliss Cross-Curricular Priority Awards' for her Year 11 Senior Geography Project. Her topic was: How does crop rotation help regenerate the soil structure in Theresa Park?
Jessy presented an extensive and professional report showcasing her primary fieldwork skills, and she is extremely excited to be acknowledged for her efforts. On behalf of the St Benedict’s community, I would like to congratulate Jessy on her outstanding performance in Senior Geography.
Miss Madelaine Joyce
Senior Geography Teacher
CAPA NEWS
Submitted by Jacob M.
It has been a real pleasure seeing our CAPA students over the course of this week. Seeing them still with such enthusiasm and passion for the arts subjects is very pleasing for us.
We applaud our Year 12 students in both Drama and Music for continuing to move forward with their HSC Major works. Using technology as a tool for communication and sharing work samples has definitely enabled our students to progress.
We have begun handing out visual arts equipment to some of our Year 7 students who attended on Wednesday whilst those at home can still partake in the lessons with what equipment they have at home.
We are also busily preparing for subject selection with all of the CAPA staff ready to answer questions about our subjects. This is an exciting process for the CAPA staff and we look forward to many classes in the arts in 2021.
Jenny Koryzma
CAPA Coordinator
P & F CLOTHING POOL
Please contact the P&F via pandf@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au with a list of your requirements and a contact telephone number and Tracey will contact you with availability.