Last week we celebrated our Feast Day and Wellbeing Week. I would like to congratulate all students on their outstanding participation throughout the week. We have managed to raise money that will be donated to The Holy Child Program. This program provides an intense therapeutic day treatment program and alternative education setting for children in the Bethlehem region in the Holy Land who suffer from untreated complex mental health issues and exposure to intergenerational trauma. It is a service of the Bethlehem Holy Child Program Corporation.

This weekend we have the opportunity to thank our fathers for all that they have done for us and to reflect on what our fathers mean to us. On behalf of the students, I would like to say Thank You to all the dads, uncles, grandfathers, carers and men in the lives of the children of our College, for your contribution and your support of them.

Dear God,

Thank you for all the fathers and father-figures in this world and for the many ways you use them to lovingly guide others to Your heart. I ask that you would bless them and give them great joy and peace. May they see You and know You in new ways. Show them how much you love them and care about them. Guide their steps, use their hands, and make them a blessing to others as you continue to fulfil your special purpose for their lives.

Amen

Happy Father's Day.
Photos taken from the Father's Day Breakfast will be featured in the next edition of the newsletter.

Kind regards,
Michael Turner

This week, we had the distinct pleasure of participating in an extraordinary event at our College. From Saturday through Wednesday, the College warmly welcomed a group of 28 student visitors from Tomioka Higashi High School in Japan. Many of our Bennies families graciously opened their homes, offering a unique opportunity for our students to gain profound insights into a culture distinct from their own. This exchange fostered meaningful cultural dialogue and forged international friendships.

Accompanied by their teachers, the Japanese students immersed themselves in a variety of enriching activities, including Classroom Exchanges, Cultural Presentations, and Collaborative Projects.

On Monday, they joined our Year 9 Elective classes, where they engaged in collaborative endeavours, allowing our students to practise their Japanese language skills and experience Japanese culture firsthand. The visit culminated on Wednesday with a captivating cultural performance by our guests, featuring traditional dance and a Sumo demonstration, which was undoubtedly one of the highlights of their stay.

This experience was truly remarkable for the visiting students, as well as for our students, staff, and families. It was heartening to witness the warmth and hospitality of our community, as well as our shared eagerness to learn about each other's rich cultural traditions. We extend our heartfelt thanks for your support in making this cultural exchange an unforgettable experience for all involved.

There has been a dramatic increase in rubbish in the playground and garden areas recently. Before the wind event last week and Feast Day, the College was spoken to about this and the potential need to change playground areas if our college environment is not cared for better.

Unfortunately this has not improved and so, as a result, year groups will be assigned specific areas for recess and lunch from Week 7. They may use the space as it is intended. There are only passive games. No kicking or running games to be played.

The areas are as follows:

This will continue until we can see a marked improvement in cleanliness and we will also be able to easily identify which groups are not respecting our College.

There has been some unseasonably warm weather this week and this may continue into next week, at times. As we are still in winter uniform, students are required to adhere to the uniform guidelines. If there is a warm afternoon, students may leave in neat uniforms without blazers, however they would still be a requirement in the morning. Sports uniform is also to only be worn on Tuesdays and when a class has a practical PDHPE lesson scheduled. The College will also assess any extreme weather in the days prior and inform the community of any changes if necessary.

Kind regards,

John Wheeler

The proof is in the photo! The bounty for myself, Mrs Loudoun and Ms Hawkins to be ice bucketed reached over $600 Bennies Bucks. All money raised went to a most worthy cause - The Holy Family in Bethlehem. I dried off in no time as I had afternoon duty at the front gate of the College.

Feast Day celebrations began with each year group completing a variety of activities - Year 9 had a scavenger hunt, Year 7 combined with Year 11 to build the tallest straw tower and Year 12 had a Retreat Reconnector. An opportunity to bring the group together to reflect on the past 10 months and relive some of the retreat activities in line with their focus of Belief, Commitment and Trust.

Father’s Day is a beautiful day on which we celebrate our fathers, grandfathers, and the father figures in our lives. Though not officially a Christian celebration, Father’s Day is annually celebrated on the first Sunday in September and offers a time for reflection, expression of gratitude, and prayer for our fathers.

God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree, the warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea, the generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night, the wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle’s flight, the joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed, the patience of eternity, the depth of a family need, then God combined these qualities, when there was nothing more to add, He knew His masterpiece was complete, and so, He called it … Dad.

Author Unknown

For all fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, and fatherlike figures in our lives, may God bless them abundantly, we pray to the Lord,

For all the fathers who have passed, may we hold them in our memory and in our hearts and honour them today, we pray to the Lord,

For all those longing to become fathers, may You guide them through this hard time, we pray to the Lord,

St. Joseph, may you intercede in the lives of all fathers struggling, and may you pray for them to draw near to God the Father, we pray to the Lord,

Amen.

Kind regards,

Kimberley Logue

Year 11 is coming to the end of their HSC Preliminary Year with their final exams occurring in weeks 8 & 9. Here are some suggestions about creating an effective study timetable:

Developing and following your own personalised learning timetable can be helpful to your studies and your motivation for a number of reasons:

• A timetable adds focus, pattern and structure to your study.

  
  

• Timetabling will enable you to review each section of your studies, establishing the key tasks involved and identifying the time slots when you will engage with them.

  
  

• Creating a study timetable will help you to overcome procrastination. You will find it useful to develop some sort of personalised system for organising your study time. This will allow you to decide what needs to be done and when. Without such a structure a lot of time can be wasted procrastinating or being distracted by elements of the study process. You might find yourself starting one thing and then another and wondering whether they are getting anywhere.

The aim of planning a study timetable is to identify or create regular time slots for study, ideally when you will be at your most alert, free from distractions and able to concentrate. Think about planning your study as an integral part of your life. This train of thought can go a long way to help you to maintain a positive attitude and a healthy work/life balance.

• It is important, when planning, to realise that study needs to be organised around your other fixed commitments, like work and/or family. This may involve looking at regular activities that could be moved, done less frequently, delegated or deferred whilst you study.

• Depending on your circumstances it may help to involve other people, family and friends in the planning process to, where possible, gain their understanding, cooperation and support. When you create a study timetable that you can share with others it will help them to feel included and involved. It will also act as a reminder to them that there will be times when you should not be disturbed.

• It is important to schedule ‘free-time’ into your timetable. Such time can be used for relaxation, and social activities, things that help you achieve a balance. Having ‘free-time’ slots also means that there will be an element of flexibility built into your timetable. If a task needs extra time or there are some unexpected developments you have a built in a way of coping.

• You also need to think about how much time you need to devote to study as you plan and draw up a timetable.

Once you have considered all of the points above and thought about your own circumstances, start to prepare a timetable. It is usually easiest to think in terms of weeks when you design your timetable, although this is a purely personal exercise so use whatever suits your circumstances best. Split up each day, in a logical way to accommodate your commitments. If you work or play sport then mark out the blocks of time when you will be at work or sport.

Keep your timetable template and update your timetable each week. If you have a fairly regular routine the chances are that the timetable will not have to change much over subsequent weeks.

Kind regards,

Wendy Fawbert

Hey Bennies!

I just wanted to give a huge shout-out to all of you for making Wellbeing Week so incredible! Your energy and enthusiasm made this week unforgettable for everyone. From your participation in Crazy Sock Day, to the Teacher Ice Bucket Challenge that raised over $1,000 dollars — your participation brought the fun to life! Let’s not forget sumo wrestling and the hilarious “Bring Anything But a Bag Day”— you all went above and beyond!

A big thank you to everyone who joined in on the Indigenous Student BBQ and Yarning session on Wednesday. It was such a meaningful experience, and your openness made it special for everyone involved. Shout-out to the Year 12 students who enjoyed the High Tea—Mrs Sara Jane Castelli and her crew did an amazing job turning the library into a shabby chic café! You all deserved that special treat, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

And how about that Talent Quest? Huge thanks to the CAPA and Music Departments for making it a reality. Your performances were inspiring, and the effort you put into rehearsals really showed!

To everyone who got involved in the stalls and activities throughout the week—you made it all happen! The Year Coordinators and STRIVE teams worked behind the scenes to ensure every event was a hit, and your participation brought it all to life.

Thanks to our Year 7 and 8 House Leaders for keeping us grounded with your morning Gratitude Intentions and Morning Messages. Your leadership helped set a positive tone for the whole week.

Lastly, a massive thank you to the IT team for keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Your work with the musical bells kept us all in sync!

Our attendance this week was outstanding especially on Feast Day. This week was special because of each one of you—thank you for your positivity, energy, and for making Bennies the best place to be!

Thank you!

Last week, our Year 11 and 12 students had the privilege of hearing from Matt Purcell, an inspirational keynote speaker who left a lasting impact on all who attended. Matt is not only a leader who works with some of Australia’s biggest names, but he is also deeply passionate about helping students discover their unique strengths and build their personal brand. As an award-winning entrepreneur, Matt brings a wealth of experience in digital media and marketing, coupled with a profound understanding of mental health. He encouraged our students to stay authentic and true to themselves, even in a world that often pressures them to conform.

Through his dynamic storytelling and engaging presence, Matt guided our students on how to define who they are and grow in ways that set them apart. He emphasised the importance of investing in the things that cannot be copied—such as their ideas, experiences, and dreams. The students were captivated by Matt’s journey and inspired by the passion and commitment he brings to his work. We encourage our seniors to take his advice to heart and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives. For those who wish to stay connected, Matt Purcell can be found on Instagram, where he continues to share his insights and inspiration.

As we approach Child Protection Week, we're excited to announce a series of vital parent workshops in collaboration with Catholic Care. These workshops are designed to equip parents and carers with the tools they need to support their teens in today’s complex world.

Topics include:

• Social Media and Your Teen: Understand the impact of social media on your teen's life and learn strategies to guide them safely. (Magdalene Catholic College)
• Managing Big Emotions for Teens: Gain insights into helping your teen navigate their emotions, fostering resilience and emotional well-being. (St Benedicts Catholic College)
• How to Have Tricky Conversations and Seek Help: Learn effective communication techniques for those difficult but necessary conversations with your teen, and know where to turn for additional support. (Mount Carmel Catholic College)

We are pleased to partner with our neighbouring Catholic Colleges for these presentations, which will be held at the following locations:

• 2 September at Magdalene Catholic College
• 4 September at St Benedict's Catholic College
• 9 September at Mount Carmel Catholic College

Each session will run from 6:30pm to 7:30pm, offering valuable insights within a convenient timeframe.

We encourage all parents and carers to attend these sessions in support of Child Protection Week and the ongoing wellbeing of our teens. Your participation is key to fostering a supportive environment where our young people can thrive.

We look forward to seeing you there! Please register via the links below:

Click here to register for Social Media and your Teen.

Click here to register for Managing Big Emotions for teen.

Please click here to register for Mental Health Awareness.

Kind regards,

Teresa Holland

Term 3

• Monday 2 - Wednesday 4 September - Year 10/11 Duke of Ed (Silver) - Murramarang South Coast Walk
• Monday 2 September - Year 7 TaPs Program
• Tuesday 3 September - Year 7 Anti Bullying Awareness Program
• Wednesday 4 September - Year 9 Fast Forward Program
• Monday 9 - Friday 20 September - Year 11 Preliminary Exams
• Wednesday 11 September - Year 7 Geography Excursion (Woronora Dam and Stanwell Park Reserve)
• Thursday 12 - Friday 13 September - Year 9/10 Duke of Ed (Bronze) - Royal National Park
• Thursday 12 September - R U OK? Day

IMPORTANT DATES THIS TERM

• Thursday 26 September - Last day of Term 3 for students
• Friday 27 September - Staff Development Day (Pupil Free Day)
• Monday 14 October - Term 4 starts (Students and Staff)

As of next week, the canteen will be allowing Eftpos transactions as well as continuing with Compass cards. NO PHONES are to be used for purchases. Teachers on duty will be monitoring this. If phones are out they will be sent to the office as a confiscated item.

Yesterday marked a significant milestone for St Benedict’s, as we proudly hosted the MISA Youth of the Year Public Speaking Competition for the first time—and what a success it was! The event saw participation from 13 schools, with 25 students delivering compelling speeches on pressing societal issues.

Our very own representatives, Lauren Kataieh and Christian Barbadillo, showcased their talents exceptionally. Both students excelled in their individual interviews and stood out with their prepared speeches, capturing the audience's and judges’ attention alike.

Lauren Kataieh secured a well-deserved 3rd place, delivering a remarkable speech. Meanwhile, Christian Barbadillo's passion and persuasive skills shone through, making a lasting impact on the judges in both his speech and interview. His outstanding performance earned him the prestigious title of Youth of the Year for 2024, marking St Benedict’s fourth consecutive win in this competition!

We couldn’t be prouder of Lauren and Christian’s achievements. Their dedication, skill, and hard work reflect the spirit of excellence that St Benedict’s strives for. Please join us in congratulating these students for their outstanding effort.

A special shoutout also goes to our Year 10 YML Leaders—Bailey, Brodie, Michael, Lillian, Lilia, and Jordan—who continue to exemplify leadership and embody the very best of what it means to be part of the St Benedict’s community.

Grace Settineri

Year 8 Coordinator / English Teacher

The unit of work for Year 9 Child Studies this term is "Read All About It" where students explore the importance and benefits of reading for young children. On Friday last week, students visited St Justin's Primary Catholic School and read children's books to Year 1 students. Students had to research and practice engaging reading styles and implemented these strategies whilst reading to Year 1. Both Year 9 and Year 1 students thoroughly enjoyed this learning experience and are looking forward to doing this again when Year 9 read their own storybooks to the students later this term!

Ms Paton

Melissa Loudoun

Head of PDHPE

For the last two terms, Year 12 students in Studies in Catholic Thought have partnered with various residents in Carrington Aged Care facility. As such, they have learnt about their past lives, their families and their challenges. For the remaining few weeks of this term, students will be composing a book as a gift for those in Carrington whom they have been visiting - titled “Carrington Comfort - Crafting Community Collaboration”.

The book will contain the history of the Camden area and the Carrington facility, and passages from the students about what they learnt from each and every one of the patients visited. We hope this experience brought them joy, comfort and a social connection - something that many of them can be missing.

For this week's edition, we just wanted to share with you some photos of the groups of students who have been participating.

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• Year 12 Visual Arts Body of Works (Major works) are due on Monday 2 September

• Year 12 Music Practical Performance Date is Monday 9 September (all day)

• Year 11 Drama examination will occur on Wednesday 11 September

• Year 11 Photography assessment is due on Wednesday 4 September

Year 12 Visual Arts BOWs and Year 12 Music performances will be showcased to parents and friends on Tuesday 3 September in our school hall. All are welcome!

Students are invited to audition for Illuminate 2024 - a creative and performing arts showcase shining a light on creative excellence within the Diocese of Wollongong with a focus on secondary school Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts. This showcase is to be held at the University of Wollongong Great Hall with successful applicants needing to be available both Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 November. Auditions, both music (video recording) and visual arts (photo), are to be submitted via a google form link by Tuesday Week 7 Term 3, September 3rd (Music, Drama, Dance) and Tuesday Week 8 Term 3, September 10 (Visual Arts). Any interested students should see Mrs Koryzma for more information.

This term Year 11 drama has been experimenting with different theatrical conventions. We have been closely looking at the theatrical style of political theatre and practitioners that played a huge role in the evolution of this theatrical style. Bertolt Brecht is one practitioner who has left his mark in theatrical history, creating one of the most thought-provoking forms of theatre. Throughout the last two weeks, Year 11 has been experimenting with conventions such as breaking the fourth wall, multirole casting, and narration. Students had the opportunity to work in different production roles throughout this process. In the video below, students perform the prologue to Brecht’s iconic play “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui”.

This week, Year 10 have continued to look at the conventions required to create a successful group performance. The process of creating the play is just as important as the final product (the performance). Through these ensemble workshops, students have learnt and continued to enhance valuable life skills: working in a group, building confidence, providing and accepting feedback and responsibility. The workshop pictures students participating in the activity “circle of knots" where students have to work together to untangle the knot without letting go.

Jennifer Koryzma
Head of CAPA Department

Check out the Library’s display for Book Week.

Speaking of reading - the following students participated in the 2024 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge.

Olivia C, Alexandra C, Amelia C, Timothy C, Alicia G, Maddison L, Tristan L, Darcy R, Molly S and Max W. These students are to be congratulated on their fantastic effort and each will receive a prize pack from the Library at Recess on Wednesday 4 September (Recess Wednesday Week 7). Students who read the minimum 20 books within the required time limit will also receive a Certificate from the NSW Premier’s Office which will be awarded at the College Assembly at the end of the year.

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 for our senior students to borrow. Also just ordered and coming soon to the Library are the latest editions of Atar Notes across a range of subjects which are designed to be the perfect companion to any HSC student, fully updated and written to the current syllabus.

Happy Reading!

The Library Team

Step 1 - Register

Open your Flexischools app or use their website:

App Store - https://apps.apple.com/au/app/flexischools/id1420774608

Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?gl=US&hl=en_AU&id=com.flexischools
Website - https://user.flexischools.com.au/register

1. Submit your email to create an account

2. In your inbox, open the registration email

3. Click the link within and follow registration prompts in app

Step 2 - Setting up your child's details

Once your account is set up, log into your Flexischools app.

1. Select 'Profile' icon on the bottom right hand side of the screen

2. Under 'Students' click 'Add new'

3. Enter your child's name, school, year level, class & student card number*
* This card number is on the back of your child's Compass Card (10 digits)

Step 3 - Order and pay with ease!
Here's how to order food on Flexischools

1. Click 'Order food' top of app home screen

2. Select the student you'd like to order for

3. Choose a service (break 1 - recess) or (break 2 - lunch) and order date

4. Select any items you'd like to order

5. Once finished, click 'view order'

6. Select 'Checkout & pay' to place the order

When using the Compass App:

1. At the bottom of the screen, select the 'more' option

2. Select the 'Open in Browser' option

3. On the top right hand of the screen click the 'clog symbol'

4. A drop down menu appears and select 'CompassIdentity Card'

5. Click 'Order New Card'

5. Under 'Payment' click the 'Order Now' button

6. An $11.50 (including GST) fee applies and once paid it will take up to 7 school business days to arrive at school

7. The office will send an email to the student when it arrived and the student will need to collect from the Student Foyer.

Remember when the new Compass Card arrives, to update your 10 digit code on the back of the card with Flexischools.

This is a friendly reminder that students are not to carry medication with them on site, with the exemption of an EpiPen and/or Ventolin. If your child is required to take any medication during school hours this must be provided to the office by a parent/carer accompanied by the completed Request to Administer Medication Form attached below.

Simon Zahra
Sports Convenor

Real Numbers - a concept that covers rational numbers like positive and negative integers, fractions, and irrational numbers. In other words, any number that we can think of, except complex numbers, is a real number. This is one area we have seen a drop in for our Year 9, 2024 cohort according to NAPLAN data. So how do we improve this?

RUTAC is a process that involves reading questions, underlining key words, thinking about the question, answering it and possibly checking your answers. Does it make sense? When we look at real numbers, we often use them in the context of worded problems in multiple subject areas (not just Mathematics!)

If we can get students to think of real life applications when using real numbers, then it makes more sense to them. Where do we see fractions, decimals and percentages in real life? Can this be incorporated in our everyday conversations with each other? Perhaps the grocery bills have gone up, perhaps there are a few specials at the local store?

I challenge YOU as a family to bring the language of fractions, decimals and percentages at home. I challenge YOU to ask your children - what is RUTAC? Where are you learning about it in class? Talk about discounts (whether it is percentage based or fractions based), talk about increases.

Let’s see the language of real numbers and RUTAC used at home as well as in our classrooms in an effort to improve student understanding of real numbers in real contexts!

Kind regards

Suzanne Seychell

Numeracy Instructional Coach

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

MY PATHWAY INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME AUSTRALIA

UniPath is an alternate entry into The University of Notre Dame Australia. The 12 week course develops the skills required for university and secures you an offer into many of our undergraduate degrees*.

For further information, click on the below PDF.

Students are encouraged to apply for a USI if they are considering further studies beyond school - whether university or vocational education and training (VET) - to create their USI now. A USI is required for most applications so get your students prepared before they apply. The process is simple and can be completed in less than 5 minutes using one form of identification, such as a birth certificate or driver’s licence.

Anyone doing nationally recognised training, be it VET in schools, a First Aid course or higher education, must have a USI. They will not be able to graduate without one.

Without a USI, higher education students will not be able to access a Commonwealth Supported Place, receive Commonwealth financial assistance such as a HELP loan, or receive their statement of attainment, qualification, or award.

For those students who may already have a USI but have forgotten the details, they can find their USI by following a few simple steps.

To find out more about the USI, please visit the website.

If you have any queries please contact Mrs Brown.

Mrs Tracee Brown

Transition & Pathways (TaP's) Coordinator/ TAS Teacher

Our College's Clothing Pool is running low on uniforms, and we need your help! If you have any uniforms you no longer use, please consider donating them.

You can drop off your donations at the office Monday to Friday, from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Your generosity will make a big impact!

Thank you for your support!

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.

New girls short now available in-store or online.

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