St Benedict's Catholic College

As we eagerly await the Term 2 holidays we have much to celebrate. Our talented students entertained full houses with their outstanding acting, dancing and singing in our first ever musical production “The Wiz”, which was held on 21 and 22 June. Congratulations to all the students who took part in this amazing show including our backstage crew and technical crew. A big thank you to the parents and family members who supported their children so that they could be part of this production and would also like to thank those Year 7 parents who ferried their children to perform in our College production. Your support was very much appreciated by the staff and students involved in “The Wiz".

Special thanks and my deepest gratitude to our Creative and Performing Arts staff; Jenny Koryzma, Brandon O’Donnell, Abigail Clement, Angela Cascarino and Sheena Wilbow for their dedication and passion, to Emma Pepper for the costumes, Chris Duncan for his technical expertise, Michelle Howe for bookings, and promotions, Matthew Andruschko and Students for the incredible sets Julieanne Simich, Srishti Singh who volunteered to manage the café on both nights, Dina Assaf for her financial expertise and the many staff who took on various roles to ensure the smooth running of the shows.

Term 2 has been a busy and fulfilling term, and throughout these past 10 weeks, there has been great enthusiasm and dedication from our students. Whether it was in the classrooms, on the sports field, or during house and social justice events and other extracurricular activities, their commitment to achieving the goals set through STRIVE really demonstrated their eagerness to learn and to do their personal best. Their musical talents on Feast Day and striving to reach their full potential academically.

I would also like to express my gratitude to the parents and carers for your support. Your involvement in your child's education, whether it was attending parent-teacher meetings for Year 11 and 12 students, attending our information nights or Mother’s Day Breakfast or assisting with homework, has played an important role in your child’s growth in both learning and wellbeing. We are immensely grateful for your partnership in nurturing our students' talents and guiding them towards becoming well-rounded individuals.

As I advised earlier this term, I am taking personal leave for the remainder of the year. While I am looking forward to this leave and spending time with my family, I know that I will miss this wonderful school community. I would especially like to acknowledge our hardworking P&F Executive for their ongoing support and wise stewardship of P&F contributions.

During my absence, please know that I will be keeping you in my prayers. I am certain that under the leadership of Michael Turner our College will continue to flourish.

As the holiday break approaches, I wish each and every one a restful and relaxing time with family and friends. This break is an opportunity for students to rejuvenate and recharge so to return in Term 3 with renewed enthusiasm.

I would ask that you continue to keep Year 12 students in your prayers over the holiday break as they study for their Trial Examinations and for some, complete Major Projects. I would also like to acknowledge and thank those Year 12 staff who will be meeting with Year 12 students over the holiday break to support them in their learning during this most significant period.

I look forward to rejoining you all soon and continuing our journey together.

Students in Years 7 and 9 participated in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) during Term 1. A NAPLAN individual student report will be provided for your child early in Term 3. The same report format is used for every student in Australia.

NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards. There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency:

• Exceeding: the student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
• Strong: the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
• Developing: the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
• Needs additional support: the student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes that are expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.
  
  

If your child participated in 2024 and does not receive a report by Friday 2 August, please contact the College office.

Our Staff Spirituality Day scheduled for the final day of Term 2 will see all staff members participating in a Staff Retreat in Kiama. The Staff Retreat led by Ms Pat O’Gorman “What is in a Name?” is focused around our Benedictine Values and Touchstones.

Kind regards,

Mrs Kerrie Piatek

Our Bishop of Wollongong visited the College to spend time with Year 12. Bishop Brian was accompanied by Peter Hill, Director of Schools and Joanne Kenny , Assistant Director - Catholic Life, Education and Mission.

Bishop Brian spent the morning speaking with the Year 12 Student Leaders including the Captains, Prefects, House Leaders and the Youth Ministry Leadership team. Here are some student reflections:

Today's visit by the Bishop was extremely special for Year 12, because most people do not get the opportunity to talk to the Bishop of their diocese and ask questions in an open forum. Today, however, Bishop Brian, attended the college and allowed us to ask questions. It was extremely enlightening as I found out about the personal experience and connection that Bishop Brian has with God, and all about his journey with faith. I was also able to use this opportunity to ask Bishop Brian questions that may benefit my studies within Studies of Religion, which gave me a greater insight into the actual situations that have occurred within the diocese where the Catholic Faith has been able to support our brothers and sisters from a variety of denominations and also other religions. I was also able to harness a greater understanding of the changes since Vatican II, the role of the Church in light of secularisation of society and the importance of faith in my life.

Flynn Wright

The visit by Bishop Brian Mascord to our school was very insightful. It was amazing listening to his beliefs and experiences that have provided him strength to where he is today and I greatly appreciated the opportunity for the grade to share our feedback in a comfortable conversational setting.

Dakota Lewis

On Wednesday of week 10, our College hosted Bishop Brian who spoke with the current year 12 cohort. This was a unique and insightful experience, with students having the opportunity to ask the Bishop a range of questions regarding his faith, life after high school, and being part of the Catholic community.

His visit to our community was a reminder that among the excitement and anxieties of completing our final months of school, we can always find comfort and direction in our faith. A number of extremely inspiring conversations were fostered; like the rest of the cohort, I am extremely grateful to have had this important opportunity.

Isabella Woods

Our Staff Spirituality took place in beautiful Kiama. The day was led and facilitated by Pat O’Gorman. We had the opportunity to reflect and revisit the Benedictine Values:

The Staff Spirituality Day on July 5, 2024, focused on Benedictine touchstones and values, offering a reflective and enriching experience for the staff. The day was structured around core Benedictine principles such as love of Christ and neighbour, prayer, stability, conversation (commitment to continuous growth and change), obedience, discipline, and humility.

The day included readings and reflections from the Rule of St. Benedict, particularly Chapter 35, which emphasised community service and mutual support. This chapter underscored the importance of helping one another, especially the weak, and fostering a sense of communal love and service​​.

Benedictine spirituality was highlighted through various values and teachings. The principles of listening, discernment, and service were central, with an emphasis on understanding human dynamics and building a supportive community​​.

Practical applications of Benedictine wisdom in modern life were discussed. This included focusing on relationships, supporting those in need, and balancing life's demands with spiritual depth. Participants were encouraged to listen to and support others, recognising the importance of community and spiritual connections​​.

Staff members were invited to reflect on their own lives and work. This involved considering where they might be restless, what God might be calling them to, and how they could stay committed to their roles and relationships. Reflective questions and journaling exercises helped staff to integrate these insights into their daily lives and work at St. Benedict's​​.

The day aimed to deepen the staff's spiritual life, enhance their sense of community, and align their professional roles with Benedictine values.

Kind regards,

Kimberley Logue

Writing will be a focus in all classes in Semester 2. Students will be writing in their notebooks rather than typing notes in their laptops. Students must have their own pencil case with pens/pencils and their notebooks for every lesson.

• The brain engages differently when we write by hand as opposed to typing. Studies have shown that writing improves memory as we retain information better when working with new ideas through handwriting instead of typing.
• Engaging the body in writing by hand helps us connect to the words we write.
• Learning by interacting with each letter in a physical way helps us imprint and retain the information for easier recall.

• Handwriting helps us slow down and engage with our thoughts.

  
  

Struggling with handwriting takes valuable brain energy away from any writing task, but when that skill is mastered, it makes all the difference to our performance.

Kind regards,

Wendy Fawbert

At Tuesday's school assembly we were able to congratulate Jye Brown who recently achieved the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to his hard work, determination, and commitment to personal growth and community service.

Earning the Bronze Award is no small feat, as it requires participants to complete a series of demanding and rewarding activities across several months. Congratulations Jye.

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School Holidays - Term 2

• Term 2 Holidays - Monday 8 July - Friday 19 July

Term 3

• Monday 22 July - Pupil Free Day / Year 7-10 Parent / Teacher Interviews (Face-to-Face) 8:30am - 3pm
• Tuesday 23 July - Term 3 Commences - All Students
• Wednesday 24 July - Year 11 Geography / Western Sydney Airport
• Thursday 25 July - Year 7-10 Parent / Teacher Interviews (Zoom) 3.30pm to 8pm
• Friday 26 July - WinterFest 3pm - 6pm
• Monday 29 July - Year 7-10 Presentation of Awards / 8.30am - 10am

Last week, 27 Year 10 students competed in the Science & Engineering Challenge hosted at Thomas Reddall High School, Ambarvale. The competition is run by the University of Newcastle and is held in various locations throughout the country. Our students competed against 8 other schools in the Macarthur region and participated in a series of STEM-based challenges. The school with the highest score at the end of the day was the winner. Even though we didn’t win, our students had an enjoyable day developing their critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills.

The following groups are to be commended on winning their sections:

Confounding Communications: Grace McGlynn, Michael Bruni, Lucas Banno, Pedro Sabino

Wind Turbine: Sharon Solomon, Crystal Sanu, Natasha Jeffriess, Olivia Benedicic

Ms Smith was the hero of the day, pushing her shirt sleeves up and fixing the broken Earthquake machine. She definitely modelled her problem-solving skills!

Congratulations to all students who participated and a special thanks to Ms Ghignone for driving the school bus to and from the venue.

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Year 7 have become participants of a school program that runs for approximately 20 minutes, one day a week - based on numeracy conventions used and how these can be applied across the school in multiple subjects. In conjunction with the STRIVE coordinator and the Numeracy Coach, these short modules have been designed in an effort to assist your children with numerical concepts that will come in year in and year out of their high school career across a multitude of subjects.

Students commenced this in Week 8 (of Term 2) and have hit the ground running. As a school, the aim is for multiple exposure - a strategy used that provides students with multiple opportunities to encounter, engage with, and elaborate on new knowledge and skills. Research demonstrates deep learning develops over time via multiple, spaced interactions with new knowledge and concepts. With house points to be awarded and multiple exposures to these conventions, the hope is that the content will be ingrained into their minds and their ability to apply these concepts to new situations across various subjects will be developed.

Students have become part of the Google Classroom page where they can access slides which go through step by step the processes for each focus area. At the end of each mini lesson is a short quiz that reiterates what is being taught, followed by a total refresh of what has been learnt and how to apply these skills to other subjects (or examples of where these questions may be seen in other subject areas).

An email was sent to all parents and caregivers outlining the delivery of these short lessons on Tuesday 11 June 2024. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out on seychells01@dow.catholic.edu.au. Ideally, we want to see this run into 2025 to continue developing in these skill areas - especially with elective choices for the following years.

Suzanne Seychell

Numeracy Instructional Coach

Thank you to everyone in our school community for their kind donations to our Winter Appeal this term. We managed to fill 18 tubs for St Vincent de Paul in Camden who collected items this week and also passed on their gratitude.

Oodie and Trackie Day was back this week and what perfect weather we had to feel cozy on our last day of the term! A number of students donated $2 to participate in the day. The money raised will join the other $1790.12 that we have raised this term for St Vincent de Paul.

WinterFest is taking place on Friday, Week 1, Term 3 from 3pm - 6pm. WinterFest is like a mini Feast Day, where House Leaders and the Social Justice Team will run many food, drink and game stalls to raise money for SVDP. The team is aiming to run the event like a Christmas in July market. There will be a $5 entry fee, payable when providing consent on Compass with students receiving a sausage sizzle. However, there will be many food and drink stalls for students to purchase from (cash only).

We are asking students to add to the fun by wearing a Christmas Jumper or festive outfit with two lucky door prizes up for grabs! We will have live music performed by students throughout the afternoon too, so why not spend a fun afternoon with your friends!

If you would like to join the team, please feel free to attend a meeting every fortnight (Wednesday Day 8) at recess in J1 or send Mrs Castelli an email.

Mrs Sara-Jane Castelli

Social Justice Coordinator

PDHPE is fortunate to offer memorable experiences. Our students have the opportunity to engage in numerous activities that we hope will be life-changing and positively impact their health.

Year 9 Child Studies had some very special visitors in class this week, Mrs Durrant and her two beautiful babies joined us for a lesson. Mrs Durrant was able to answer some great questions about newborn care and mum life for the students. This was a great learning experience to add to this term's unit of work "Newborn Care".

As part of the Sport Lifestyle and Recreation (SLR) learning experience, Stage 6 students studying the 2-unit course had the opportunity to engage in an outdoor physical experience to further their appreciation of recreational activities. On Thursday, June 27, 2024, we attended Luna Park to explore a range of rides, games, and activities. This excursion aimed to promote healthy lifestyle practices, risk-taking, teamwork, leadership skills, and confidence in movement skills. The students and staff had a great time, working together to encourage each other to step out of their comfort zones and try some challenging rides.

The Year 10 PASS class participated in the Wheelchair Sports Roadshow. This program features a fully trained presenter who lives with a disability. The twenty-minute presentation educated students on road safety, disability awareness, and the enjoyment of sport. Students also had the opportunity to participate in games involving wheelchairs, being Wheelchair Basketball. This experience is invaluable in heightening awareness and appreciating the opportunities provided by the school.

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Year 7 have continued to develop their skills in artmaking and are now putting the final touches on their work. Students will be completing this during the holidays if not completed in class. A lot of works have been turned around and students are finally seeing the fruits of their labour in finished and beautiful works.

There is evidence of learning and achievement after learning proportion and a little on anatomy. Keep it up Year 7’s you’re almost there!

Year 9 and Year 10 students held their Visual Art Exhibition on Monday in the COLA. Students displayed the artworks they have been working on throughout Semester 1.

Year 9 studied landscape with an emphasis on the school landscape and explored artists Reg Mombassa (Mambo) and Mulga the Artist. Students took a photograph of a location within our school and then created a charcoal drawing and an acrylic painting using the technique and style of each artist. Next semester we will explore digital art and paper sculptures before moving onto clay works!

Year 10 have studied portraiture throughout Semester 1. They were asked to create a portrait of a person who is significant to them. Students used the grid method to draw their work and were influenced by the practice of Anh Do and those they saw in the Archibald Prize. Moving into Semester 2, Year 10 will explore Street Art where they will create a body of work by painting a skateboard deck before choosing another medium like optical illusion chalk drawings on the concrete, lock on sculptures, posters, yarn creations amongst many others. I am very proud of the work all Stage 5 Visual Art students have produced this semester and I look forward to their return after the school holidays.

Year 12 is now entering into the HSC Trial Examination period and have a number of important dates coming up in Term 3. Our Visual Art Trial Examination is on Friday 16 August 2024 in the morning and their Body of Work is to be finalised and handed in for NESA marking on Monday 2 September at 3pm.

In order to continue working on their Body of Work, students are invited to attend school on Tuesday 9 July and Wednesday 10 July 2024 from 10am to approximately 2pm. This is the perfect opportunity for students to spend time in the art room to help finalise their works. Tuesday workshops after school will continue up until September 2 2024.

Year 12, your hard work and perseverance is inspiring. Keep going, not long to go!

In an exciting and creative workshop, our Year 8 students recently dived into the world of visual arts by crafting delightful donuts out of self-drying clay. This hands-on session was designed to refresh their skills and spark their imagination, preparing them for future subject selections in Visual Art. The variety and originality on display were truly impressive, showcasing the students' ability to manipulate the medium to achieve different textures and forms.

The purpose of this engaging workshop was to reawaken students' interest and confidence in Visual Art, equipping them with the skills and enthusiasm needed for their upcoming subject selections. Overall, the Year 8 Visual Arts workshop was a success, leaving students with a sense of accomplishment and a deeper connection to CAPA and the Visual Arts.

Last Thursday, our Year 8 music cohort had a wonderful African Drumming experience in the hall. This African drumming incursion would generally align with our “Universal Music” topic in Term 4 as we explore music from around the globe with a particular focus on music from Africa and South America.

Students were given an opportunity to play the Djembe, Dun Dunba, Sangban, Kenkeni and a range of traditional African percussion. Our students learned rhythms and beats from our instructor’s home country of Ghana, West Africa.

Our Year 12 Music class are just finishing their final assessment before they embark on their Trials in Week 1 of Term 3. Our students have been rehearsing and fine tuning their performance pieces as they prepare for the HSC in only a few months time. We are extremely proud of the diligent approach they are taking in their preparation. We wish them all the success and know that their hard work will pay off. Good luck Year 12.

St Benedict's production of The WIZ was a great success! The cast and crew should be extremely proud of what they have achieved! Rehearsals began Term 3 2023, and since then we have held rehearsals every Tuesday during sport. Over the next 11 months, the cast got to know their characters and built friendships with each other. The dedication and love for the performing arts demonstrated by the cast and crew were pivotal to the success of the show! As anticipation built for production week, the students continued to show professionalism throughout the rehearsal process. After three electric performances, the cast, even though nervous, have left their mark in history for St Benedicts. As they took their final bows, tears of joy and smiles covered the emerald city of ‘Camden’. As a school community, we are so unbelievably proud of the hard work of each cast and crew member.

A note from some of our Ozians:

Maddie (Dorothy):

“Being in the school's production of The Wiz has been an experience that I will never forget. Playing Dorothy was such an amazing opportunity, I was able to work on my skills while also getting to perform for an amazing audience, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I enjoyed collaborating with so many extremely talented and creative people, in the rehearsal process we all got extremely close and I do believe that this bond and teamwork made the show what it was. I loved this experience and I cannot wait for the next show to come around.”

Ethan (The Wiz):

“Playing a role as big as the Wiz has been the highlight of my year. Through rehearsals, I was able to learn so much from a range of professionals, learning new skills and trying things I never thought I could do. Through this experience, I also met new people and made new friends which I’ll never forget. I still remember the first rehearsal, working on characterisation and rehearsing the first scene. I watched rehearsal by rehearsal for the next 11 months as the show evolved into the best possible version, I still can remember watching the first ‘Ease on Down the road’ and rehearsing ‘So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard’ all of which amazed me in a way in which I was so proud of everyone involved. So, after all of that, it ended with three shows with an amazing audience, finishing one of my favourite schooling experiences so far.”

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• Library Display
• Resources
• Colouring Activity

• Library Display
• Flag Guessing Competition
• Games Streamed on Monitors
• Green and Gold Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi

Who wrote it first?

Calling all Swifties, Tupac, Twenty-One Pilots, Ed Sheeran, Billie Eilish and more fans. Coming soon to the Library, an epic Trivia competition testing your knowledge of famous artists v famous poets.

Watch the Library Screens and Oliver for more information and get ready for a showdown.

Still plenty of time to complete the challenge - registration still open and books read since September 2023 can count towards your tally.

Explore our range of ebooks and audiobooks via our digital platform Sora (access via Oliver homepage)

Explore our LearnPath Guides for curriculum based resources. Log in to Oliver and begin to explore - our guides are continually evolving.

Don’t forget the Library has plenty of resources to support your HSC preparation with a dedicated area of study and resources to borrow. These resources are available to borrow over the holidays!

Happy reading!

The Library Team

Parent/Carers if you receive a missed call from the College can you please listen to the voice message before you call the College back. A staff member will leave their name in the message.

Thanks for your understanding.

Game 1

Teachers - Hildegard Blues - 5

Students - Year 7 and Year 8 - 0

Game 2

Teachers - Hildegard Blues - 3

Students - Year 9 and Year 10 - 1

Therefore, our 2024 winners for the Bennie’s State of Origin Series are…......the teachers.

Studio5 has relocated to a new site in Campbelltown and is now open for students from Years 11 and 12 to study Monday - Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm and during school holidays.

To book, send an email to studio5@dow.catholic.edu.au with your name/school and the date/time you plan to attend. Cancel at any time via email.

Printing and binding facilities available.

Address: Suite 3.01, Building B, Lvl 3, 4 Hyde Parade, Campbelltown NSW 2560

Website: https://www.atstudio5.com/

Email: studio5@dow.catholic.edu.au

Contact: Natasha Hamilton 0429 193 168

For all things related to the College BYODD Program, please visit the College BYODD Site. Here you will find all information relating to the BYODD Program including device requirements, Apple Care + and how to configure your device for use at the College.

For questions relating to BYODD, please contact the College or email:

https://sites.google.com/dow.catholic.edu.au/byoddsbcc/it-support

On Wednesday, 12 June 2024, students at St Benedict's Catholic College successfully completed their White Card Course, which is recognised under the VET Quality Framework ASQA and accredited by SafeWork NSW. This essential training is mandatory for anyone wishing to work on a construction site in Australia.

The White Card Course includes Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) induction training specifically designed for the construction industry. It covers critical topics such as WHS legislation, risk management principles, and strategies to prevent injury and illness.

Coastal OHS Services Pty Ltd and Leading Safety Training delivered the course at St Benedict's Catholic College. Students were thrilled to complete this training, looking forward to the opportunity to attend work experience in the near future.

Congratulations to the following Year 11 students who applied for the SUIT program and were successful applicants. This is a huge opportunity for them and their future career paths.

• Claire Small
• Lily Tyra
• Samantha Essex

These students will be joining Dakota Lewis in Year 12 who has been part of this program for the last twelve months.

WHAT IS STEP UP INTO TEACHING?

The benefits of taking the Step Up Into Teaching (SUIT) Program

• Studying university subjects through the SUIT program is HECS free.

• Once enrolled in a teaching degree at ACU, you will receive credit (recognition of prior learning) for specified units in our early childhood, primary and secondary teaching courses.

• The students will be making an early move towards building a career through a vocational pathway, putting you ahead right from the start.

• The students will be able to experience studying at a university, taking them out of their usual school environment.

• Getting a taste of uni life will help make the transition from high school to university easier.

• Gaining an understanding of the many student services available to you as you enter university life will help to keep you and achieve your potential.

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Please find attached the school bus timetable for 2024 or you can click on the link below to see our school timetable that has been uploaded onto the transit systems website.
https://nsw.transitsystems.com.au/

P & F Uniform Pool order form - click here

The P & F preloved Uniform Pool has reopened, please complete the order form and send to the P & F by email at: uniforms@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au

Our wonderful P&F volunteer Tracey will contact you.

Items can be paid for in cash ONLY and collected from the SBCC College Office.

Donations of items in good condition can be left at the College Office.

Please note Rainier's office hours over winter:

• Narellan Shop will be closed on Fridays ONLY from 21 June – 2 August
• Narellan Shop will be closed for stocktake from the 8 July – 13 July (one week only)

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