St Benedict's Catholic College

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Last night students and staff attended the Camden Council's annual International Women's Day Gala and where Olympic Champion, Dr Jana Pittman was the keynote speakers. The theme for International Women's Day 2024 is Inspire Inclusion.

By inspiring others to understand and value women's inclusion, we can forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.

One of the key pillars of Inspire Inclusion is the promotion of diversity in leadership and decision-making positions. Women, especially those belonging to underrepresented groups, continue to face barriers when seeking leadership roles. By championing inclusion, organisations and communities can harness the full potential of diverse perspectives, leading to better decision-making and innovation.

Education and awareness play vital roles in fostering inclusion and empowering women. Through initiatives such as mentorship programs, educational workshops, and advocacy campaigns, individuals and organisations can create opportunities for women to thrive. By providing support and resources, women can be empowered to overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential.

By working together to break down barriers and foster diversity, we can build a more equitable and inclusive society for generations to come.

God, whose love and goodness gathers us in:

we pray for women all over the world,

especially those challenged by poverty and other injustice.

Stir us to know women’s dignity.

Quieten us to listen to women’s voices.

Awaken us to see women’s realities.

Strengthen us to stand for women’s rights.

Fill us with hope to make a better future together.

Amen.

I would like to thank and congratulate the 2024 P&F executive:

• President - Bernadette Di Filippo
• Vice President - Julie Saena
• Secretary - Linda Boulom
• Treasurer - Nichole Pace

At the Term 1 meeting the P&F approved financial support for Thredbo Mountain Bike Riding Interschool Competition and Duke of Edinburgh Equipment for 2024 Hikes. The P&F also voted to continue to support Year 12 2024 by providing financial support for the Year 12 Study program and Year 12 Graduation.

The STRIVE program assists students in developing personal responsibility by specifying goals and rewarding achievements and is underpinned by our school values and the science of positive psychology.

The STRIVE Coach provides a pivotal role in the success of the College Wellbeing intentions. They are the gatekeeper to a child's education journey which will help develop them into the whole person. They embrace this through building a meaningful relationship with a student to create connections to lifelong learning that foster wellbeing.

The STRIVE coach embodies the College motto “Be My Light”. They are to provide direction and purpose for the students in their care. The STRIVE program builds on the belief that students will achieve their best growth and learning when they are able to flourish in an environment promoting individual care.

The STRIVE coach challenges the student to maintain College and personal expectations. They are to monitor wellbeing and academic progress. The STRIVE Coach is the connection between the cohort, the Year Coordinator and the wider College community.

Teachers are faced with preparing young people for an unknown future, with the reduction of manual tasks and an increased focus on people skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking. Teachers are critical in helping students achieve, belong, and develop socially and emotionally. But how well prepared are teachers and other school staff for shifting conditions, and how satisfied and productive are they?

The College is seeking tenders to operate the College Cafe commencing 1 July 2024. Interested parties need to contact Dina Assaf at the College for further information about the tender process. Please call 4631 5300.

Kind regards,

Mrs Kerrie Piatek

St Benedict’s works collaboratively with the Catholic Education Office Student Support team to address emerging attendance issues. We will be actively involved in supporting families to manage the attendance of their children so that it does not have a functional impact on their learning at school.

Having regular consistent attendance (>95%) will have a positive impact on how students engage in their academic learning at school as well as meeting the needs of their developing social and emotional well-being.

The Education Act (1990) NSW and the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) require Parents/Carers to ensure that children of compulsory school age attend school on each day that the school is open for instruction. As such, St Benedict's will be working with students and their families to help improve attendance so that it ultimately has a positive impact on student learning.

One issue highlighted by our 2023 school attendance data is that families may not be aware just how much time their child is missing from school.

You may be surprised by the statistics below:

Being absent from school 1 or 2 Days doesn’t seem like much, it is.

Just a little bit late for school doesn't seem like much, it is.

Michael Turner

A beautiful prayer to reflect on for International Women's Day.

Lord, make me an instrument of peace:

Bless all women who daily strive to bring peace to their communities, their homes and their hearts. Give them strength to continue to turn swords into ploughshares.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love:

We pray for all women who face prejudice, inequality and gender disparities. Help us to see and to face the discrimination against women in all the many forms it may take.

Where there is injury, pardon:

Comfort all women who suffer from the pain of war, violence, and abuse. Help them to become instruments of their own reconciliation and peace.

Where there is division, unity:

Forgive all women and men who let differences breed hate and discrimination. Let your example of valuing all of creation help us to see that we are equal partners in the stewardship of your world.

Where there is darkness, light; where there is untruth, truth:

Comfort all women who struggle in the darkness of abuse, poverty, and loneliness. May we stand with them in light to acknowledge their suffering and strive to remove the burdens of shame or embarrassment.

Where there is doubt, true faith:

We pray for all women who live in fear of their husbands, fathers, and forces that control their lives. Help them to be empowered to be their true selves through your everlasting love and faith.

Where there is despair, hope:

We pray for all women who live in the despair of poverty, violence, trafficking, slavery, and abuse. May the light of your love bring them hope.

Where there is sadness, new joy:

Help us to see the strength and goodness in all women and men.

Amen

As a teacher accompanying the St. Benedict's and Unity Grammar Year 12 students on their visit to Lakemba Mosque, followed by lunch at Eighteen22 Punchbowl, and concluding with a visit to St. Mary MacKillop Church as part of the Interfaith Encounter initiative, I am privileged to witness the profound impact of this experiential learning journey on our students. This is session number 3.

The visit to Lakemba Mosque marked the beginning of a day filled with exploration, dialogue, and reflection. As we stepped into the main hall of the mosque, I observed the students' curiosity and respect for the Islamic faith. Guided by the Imam's insightful explanations of Islamic beliefs and the pillars of faith, the students engaged with sincerity and openness, embracing the opportunity to learn from a tradition different from their own. The atmosphere of hospitality and warmth extended by the members of the mosque community fostered a sense of welcome and acceptance among our students, setting the tone for meaningful interfaith dialogue.

Following the visit to Lakemba Mosque, our journey continued at Eighteen22 Punchbowl, where the students came together to share a meal and continue their conversations. Over plates of delicious food, I witnessed the barriers of unfamiliarity dissolve as the students engaged in lively discussions, exchanging stories and experiences. It was heartening to see friendships forming and bonds strengthening as the students embraced the diversity of perspectives and backgrounds present in our group.

The day culminated in a visit to St. Mary MacKillop Church in Oran Park, where the students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich traditions of the Catholic faith. Guided by Fr. David Catterall's enlightening reflections on Catholic teachings, the understanding of Eucharist, the role of Saints in the faith and the legacy of St. Mary MacKillop, the students gained a deeper understanding of the values of compassion, service, and prayer that underpin the Catholic tradition. The church provided a space for contemplation and introspection, inspiring the students to reflect on their own beliefs and values in light of the diverse religious experiences encountered throughout the day.

As a teacher, I am deeply encouraged by the students' receptiveness to new ideas and their willingness to engage in meaningful dialogue across religious boundaries. The Interfaith Encounter initiative has provided them with a transformative opportunity to cultivate empathy, respect, and understanding for people of diverse faith traditions. As they carry forward the lessons learned from today's experience, I am confident that they will become compassionate leaders and advocates for interfaith harmony in our global community.

Thank You to Mr Marc Ghignone for joining me on this wonderful day. A special thank you also to Fr David Catterall for his radical hospitality and welcome of the students and staff from Unity Grammar.

We look forward to hosting Unity Grammar in May for our next Interfaith Encounter.

CHRISTOPHER FOTI

Today was such an enjoyable and eye opening experience - as was the last interfaith encounter. Everyone is so open to each other, respectful and genuinely invested in what we had to say (more than just religion as we branched off onto our personal interests and life). It was quite beautiful as it helped to solidify the idea that at the end of the day, we are all humans that have an endless capacity to communicate and enjoy each other’s presence. It’s refreshing to communicate with people of different walks of life whilst still finding common ground and forming new relationships.

Overall, my three highlights were:

1) The relationships the Students of Unity Grammar and us - the St Benedict’s students - have developed from the start to end of the third interfaith encounter

2) Experiencing my first visit into a mosque and learning more about Islam and their specific practices, additionally helping to provide insight into Christianity and answering the many questions about Catholic faith

3) The 10/10 FEAST that we all shared where we ate some of the best excursion food imaginable, additionally holding endless and extremely enjoyable conversations between all the guys on our own lives and interests

Kind regards,

Kimberley Logue

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a point in time assessment of literacy and numeracy skills. Each year students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.

NAPLAN tests are just one part of our school learning assessment program and questions are primarily based on knowledge, understanding and skills gained from the prior year of schooling.

Students and parents can access the public demonstration site to familiarise themselves with NAPLAN and the types of questions and tools available. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended.

Please click on this link for further information. If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact your child's Strive Teacher.

Kind regards,
Wendy Fawbert

In response to student forums and a desire for more student acknowledgement and awards, a ‘Student of the Month’ award has been created by the College.. A recipient will be selected from each STRIVE class at the end of each month and presented to their year group. At the end of the year, these students will also be given a lunch to acknowledge their accomplishments. A criteria has been developed to support teachers nominating students for this award.

To be selected for Student of the Month, a student should have achieved one or more of the following within that calendar month:

• Engaged in Community Service within the College

• Participated in and been an integral contributor to pastoral discussions and lessons in STRIVE

• Have more than 90% attendance for that calendar month

• Contributed to the College through events, mass, carnivals, meetings or other activities

• Engaged highly in subject classes and not received any Learning Notes on Compass

• Shown drastic improvement as a result of the engagement with a College Wellbeing, Attendance or Whole School Support Plan

We welcome this opportunity for student acknowledgement and praise those who have already been nominated for February.

NSW Health works in partnership with schools to offer the vaccines recommended and funded for adolescents by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in a school-based vaccination program, including:

• diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (dTpa)

• human papillomavirus (HPV)

• meningococcal ACWY.

Consent for each vaccine must be provided by parents/guardians for students to receive free vaccinations at school.

From 2024 parents/guardians can provide consent online for their child’s routine school vaccinations on the online consent portal. Select login with Service NSW Account.

To provide online consent you will need:

• your Service NSW log-in details

• Medicare card details for you and your child.

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper-based consent form – available on request from the College office..

Parents can withdraw consent at any time before vaccination takes place:

• where consent has been given online, please log-in to the secure NSW Health portal and follow the prompts to withdraw consent, or

• where consent has been given on the physical consent form, please write to or call the school to advise the student's name, school grade and those vaccines the withdrawn consent applies to.

In 2024 the following will be offered at St. Benedict’s:

Year 7 (Friday 9 August):

• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (dTpa)

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Year 10 (Monday 20 May):

• Meningococcal disease

Students will be asked to wear sports uniform on the day to allow for ease of delivery.

More information can be found at NSW Health here:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/schoolvaccination.aspx

In 2024, the College will utilise the survey platform, PIVOT, to give students the avenue to determine their mental wellbeing. In Week 6, students will be asked to complete a ‘baseline’ survey and then surveyed weekly to then determine areas of need, as well as areas to celebrate.

STRIVE coaches will each have access to the responses of students to allow for open conversations for those who require additional support at school. Students will also have regular access to their STRIVE coach in this time and will be encouraged to speak openly if there are areas where they need support at school.

Kind regards,

John Wheeler

• Wednesday 13 to Monday 18 March - NAPLAN Tests for
  Years 7 & 9
• Thursday 14 March - Year 10, Geography Excursion
  - Cronulla Beach
• Thursday 14 March - Year 11, U Turn the Wheel
• Tuesday 19 March - Year 11, Food & Beverage Excursion
  - Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living
• Wednesday 20 March - Year 11, SLR Excursion - Killalea Surfing
• Thursday 21 March - Harmony Day
• Thursday 28 March - Staff Development Day (No students on site)

On Monday 4 March we had a visit from Year 5 students from St Justin's Primary School. These students are participating in a mentoring program with students from Year 9 & 10. They enjoyed a Chemistry practical lesson and met their mentors, who they will work with on an inquiry learning project throughout the year. Thank you to the student mentors and to the St Justin's staff and students for participating. We look forward to what this collaboration will bring in 2024.

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As we move into the new year, we wanted to take a moment to provide you with an update from the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) faculty.

Firstly, we would like to introduce the newest addition to the PDHPE department, Mrs. Jessica Bulger. Her background includes many years of teaching in the Wollongong Diocese, where she has demonstrated her ability to connect with students and inspire them to prioritise their health. We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Bulger and look forward to the positive impact she will undoubtedly have on our students' growth and wellbeing.

We have several exciting excursions planned for this term. On Monday 4 March, Year 9 Pass students embarked on an unforgettable journey into the treetops, immersing themselves in a world of adventure and discovery. Our students travelled to Western Sydney Parklands, Treetop Adventures. Hearts will be pounding and adrenaline coursing, students launched themselves into the air, souring between the tree canopy.

Quotes from Year 9:

“Great Day” “Fun” “Getting away from technology” “I would do it again” “I was scared but loved it”

This year we would like to introduce you to our esteemed PDHPE department. We have a shared passion for creating opportunities to explore a variety of physical activities and develop lifelong skills such as teamwork, leadership and perseverance. Allow us to shine a spotlight on each of these remarkable individuals who play a pivotal role in our faculty. Can you guess who the first teacher will be? Here is a hint.

VET/TAS students welcomed parents/carers and students into the Hospitality rooms and kitchens. Students showcased how the industrial kitchens were operated and used. Students prepared a range of foods to showcase their cookery skills and Hospitality Food and Beverage students served cappuccinos and hot chocolate to all visitors. These students and the VET/TAS teachers who assisted must be congratulated on their hospitality skills, enthusiasm, and willingness to give up their time serving the community.

Mrs. Brown

Year 7 Digital Technology have been busy this week, building and testing straw rockets! Students were given some basic instruction, but could then refine the design to make it their own. This was reinforcing students' knowledge of the design process, as well as introducing them to some practical work. These students have come up with some creative ideas for their rockets, with no two rockets looking, or flying, the same. We even saw one rocket flying a huge 8 meters!

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The year 11 Photography students are delving into digital photography with a twist inspired by David Hockney. They're experimenting with 'joiners', a technique where multiple photos are assembled to create a single image, similar to a collage.

Using smartphones and digital cameras, the students roamed the school for interesting subjects to document. They're not just learning technical skills but also embracing creativity and working as a cohesive team. Building their skills in digital photography, problem solving, technology, and teamwork.

Works featured below are by Watima Likuwa and Annette Edeko.

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In our last newsletter, Year 7 provided you with a snapshot of the Kandinsky inspired artwork that some classes are completing. These are finished and they look amazing! Other classes are working on Jean-Michel Basquiat inspired portraits using acrylic paint, ink and oil pastel on paper. Again, these artworks are turning out wonderful. Year 7 will begin to learn about the importance of the art timeline with a focus on the Cubist art movement and artist Pablo Picasso. This theory work will assist students to prepare for their first formal assessment in Visual Art early Term 2.

Year 12 are currently preparing for their assessment task on Monday which is an extended response. The class has been learning to analyse artworks for our current case study (Performance, Environmental and Installation Art) through using the ‘Unpacking Artworks’ cards created by Sarah Fordham. These cards allow students to work in teams to become experts in certain areas in order to then join their original group to teach them about their allocated area in relation to the artwork being studied. Students then answer a short answer question using their notes they compiled together. This task encourages students to work as a team as this will help them all in the long run to achieve the best results they can in their HSC.

Year 12 will also have an incursion in Week 8 with Sarah Fordham, who will teach them how to break down and respond to the HSC Visual Art written paper. Permission notes have been shared on Compass.

The following excerpt is an analysis written by Caitlin Q, who responded to the artwork, Surrounded Islands, using the information gained from this task:

Christo and Jeanne-Claude were versatile in communicating site specificity within their conceptual art practice within their artwork “Surrounded Islands”. Christo and Jeanne-Claude sought to redefine the purpose of monuments and landscapes, by wrapping them and unwrapping these significant places. Thus allowing audiences the opportunity to gain new insights into history, human behaviour and purpose within the world around them. Additionally, Christo and Jeanne-Claude utilised the popularity and large population of Miami to reveal the unseen spaces of the city, allowing a large range of people and perspectives to engage with the artwork. Additionally, Christo and Jeanne-Claude collaborated with biologists, engineers, ornithologists and other creatives to curate vibrantly coloured fabrics and materials to cover specific sites and significant landscapes; manipulating the shape of the landscape to its most rudimentary and simplistic form. Tempting audiences to break away from their self-contained worlds. They additionally sought assistance from experts to observe how the materials they used engaged with the environment, with the artwork itself being funded by artists within the local area. Christo and Jeanne-Claude utilise colour and form to communicate opportunities for personal development within human behaviour and purpose within the world around them.

This week the year 11 music class went on an excursion to see Encore at the Opera House. There was a wide variety of exceptional musical pieces played from former students across the state. Before the show we also went to the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where we ran into an ex-Bennies student currently studying composition and we were able to gather some advice from him. All together the day was a great chance to understand what the top HSC music performances sound and look like, whilst also seeing some music related university paths.

Samantha Essex

This term Year 9 Drama has been exploring the elements of drama through a variety of Improvisation workshops. Over the last few weeks, students have been building their confidence and refining their creative instincts through the performance style of improvisation. The drama classroom is a dynamic space where students use their imagination and are encouraged to embrace the unexpected twists and turns of improvisation. Each workshop students are exploring new characters, taking risks and increasing tension to create dramatic meaning for their audience.

Students attended the annual Year 12 Conference and engaged with program staff and industry leaders through a series of informative and interactive sessions focused on different career opportunities. Aimed to enhance their knowledge of career choices and areas of study, the conference allowed students to talk to staff from student inquiries, UAC, industry professionals as well as University lecturers.

With their focus on final-year studies, the Western Sydney program becomes less intensive. Their goal is to support students through their final year of high school with our HSC Study Sessions.

A summary written by Olivia Warhurst and Aanchal Binoy:

The Western Sydney Year 12 Future Engagement Conference was a great opportunity for our peers and I. It allowed us to explore various career paths and engage in workshops and presentations that enhanced our understanding of the various pathways we could undertake after secondary education. We were able to get a more in-depth idea of the course we may choose to study shortly through our academic sessions. During these sessions, we were introduced to how Western Sydney runs the specific course and what the course generally entails. We were also provided with information about scholarships and general uni life from current students at Western Sydney University. Moreover, the Conference provided us with the opportunity to meet more people from 20 other high schools across western Sydney and also gave us more insight into what our future could look like if we chose to study at Western Sydney University.We would like to thank Western Sydney University for organising this fantastic event and further expand our thanks to Ms. Brown for organising and taking us to this event.

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Over the last couple of weekS, Year 11 students have banded together to create awesome videos highlighting each house's vibe and strengths. These videos fostered a sense of school spirit, making everyone proud to be part of a house. The initiative sparked excitement among students, Strive coaches and teachers, which created a sense of unity and support. By showcasing what it truly meant to be part of a house, the students set a powerful example of collaboration and inclusivity.

Winners were the HILDEGARD house who will receive a pizza lunch as a token of appreciation for their dedication and creativity.

You continually make us proud Year 11 - YOU GOT THIS!

Mrs Teresa Holland

Year 11 Coordinator

Year 7 have been learning all about measurement and using lab equipment in Science this term. One practical activity that helps with this is using just 3 colours to create all 6 shades of the main spectrum. Students use food colouring, measuring cylinders, test tubes, and pipettes to precisely blend their colours.

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Well done to all students in the Year 10 Mackillop sport group for their participation and efforts at skating this week. We saw some outstanding skating skills on show with Rebecca Cusack winning the combined schools skating bullrush game. Special mentions to Winten Hunt and Zakariyya Halis for also demonstrating excellent skating talent!

Ms Paton

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The 2024 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge begins on Monday 26 February 2024 and ends 23 August 2024. The Library is looking forward to encouraging and supporting this fantastic opportunity for students to challenge themselves and explore a variety of books. Here are some quick facts and for any further information, please just ask the Library staff.

Keep an eye on the Oliver home page for information regarding all new resources as well as our upcoming promotion for International Women's Day, Harmony Day and other events.

Happy reading

The Library Team

Wool4School is an annual student design competition encouraging budding designers to use Merino wool for innovative thinking and creative design. First launched in Australia in 2012, Wool4School now involves over 100,000 students worldwide.

The Brief

ELEMENTS - Earth, water, fire and air.

Create a unique design made from wool, taking inspiration from the earth’s natural elements. From fashion design to architecture, visual arts, and beyond – there’s no limits to your area of design. Research the design properties of wool and investigate how these can be included in a design that embodies your interpretation of your chosen element of earth, water, fire or air.

Click on the below QR code for further information or visit: www.wool4school.com/

Today is a day that we should all celebrate women's achievements but it also provides an opportunity to reinforce the fact that everyone has a role to play in forging a more inclusive world. At recess today, all students were given a purple ribbon to wear and had the opportunity to have their photograph taken to show their support for women all over the world. Year 7 provided the College with the opportunity to write letters to the women who inspire and empower them to show their gratitude. There was an amazing atmosphere in the COLA with students participating in today’s initiative. A huge thank you to Mr Agoo and all the Year 7's who helped out and a special mention to Charlie A in Year 8, who saw me setting up the photobooth and volunteered his time to help me.

A huge thank you to Mr McAteer, Year 9 Strive Coaches and to Year 9 students for the amazing effort in their coin trial today! It was wonderful to see so many of you actively participate in raising money for those in need.

I am so happy to inform the College community that we have reached above our goal of raising $1000 for Project Compassion! It really makes the rest of the term exciting for the Social Justice team to see how much we can raise as we still have many more initiatives to run. Students and parents/carers should keep a close eye on notifications on Compass for the followings days:

ZOOPER DOOPERS EVERY TUESDAY AT RECESS

Zooper Doopers will be sold on Tuesdays at recess.

YEAR 7 BAKE SALE FRIDAY WEEK 7

Year 7 will host a bake sale on Friday Week 7 to raise money for Project Compassion.

HARMONY WEEK (WEEK 8) - CULTURAL DAY FRIDAY WEEK 8

There will be a number of activities taking place throughout this week, in particular, Cultural day on Friday 22 March. The team would love it if all staff and students could wear some sort of clothing/costume that shares your culture with the school community, a jersey or house colours.

EASTER RAFFLES (FROM WEEK 7)

Grace C and Tahlia E have run this initiative since they were in Year 7. This is their last year!! They will be asking the school community to donate Easter eggs for this raffle. These can be brought to C3 during STRIVE on Mondays and Wednesdays ONLY. Tickets will go on sale in Week 8 with winners announced on Wednesday Week 9.

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the annual Camden Council International Women’s Day Gala Dinner held in Gledswood Homestead and Winery, along with Mrs Hempenstall, Mrs Franscicus, Mrs Howe and Ms Lorking. We also took with us 5 students, Grace C, Tahlia E, Marielle L from Year 12 and Claire S and Kirsty F from Year 11. Throughout the night, we heard from amazing women who work amongst our local Camden community helping those who need it most. Denise Pritchard was awarded Woman of the Year for 2024 to acknowledge her work in Blue Wren House, Camden. She spoke about the importance of helping those around us through respect and dignity. We also heard from Val Stewart who established Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard in Camden. The kindness and compassion that Val displayed throughout her speech was truly inspiring. Her quote, ‘If there is a job to do, you do it…find the need and fill it’ will continue to inspire me, let alone all the women in attendance.

We were also lucky enough to hear from the Keynote speaker, Jana Pittman, a woman who has demonstrated perseverance and determination throughout her life in order to achieve her dreams. Pittman spoke about her many failures but explaining that she had to think differently in order to overcome them. She spoke about how fear can hold us back so instead, we need to change our mindset and embrace the fear, you can only fail if you don’t give it a shot in the first place. For a woman who has been an Olympic Champion, written a book, who is now a doctor specialising in women’s health and who has 6 beautiful children, Pittman said that her greatest success is looking in the mirror and loving who she is. She spoke about the range of women in her life who have consistently encouraged her, her mother, Cathy Freeman and her 7 year old daughter who teaches her everyday that she can achieve and be anything she wants. Claire S, the Social Justice President has written about her experience of the evening below:

On Thursday night I was able to go to the wonderful event of the Women's Day Gala. It was such a beautiful and safe space that they created for everyone that night. The keynote speaker Dr Jana Pittman, was such an engaging and lovely person for the night. She kept us engaged with her story but always came back to the note of overcoming your fears and learning to harness them as your weapons, instead of shying away from the things you don't like. She has the message that nothing is impossible, some things just require you to find a way around it. She described FEAR as 'False Evidence Appearing Real' and FAIL as 'First Attempt In Learning'. These two keywords helped us to see that our fears and barriers can be flipped around and that you need to look on the positive side to see the light in these fearful situations. She is such an important figure in our community, an Olympic gold medalist, doctor, and mother of 6, she's done everything, but she was so inspiring to hear her view on life and how we need to not stop doing the things we love and keep pushing for those opportunities. A very important night for the women in our community and thank you to the teachers and other students, Grace, Tahlia, Marielle and Kirsty who were there with me to come together with the women in our community!

Claire S, Social Justice President

Mrs Sara-Jane Castelli

Social Justice Coordinator

Competing in maths competitions is one of many ways to demonstrate a student's intellectual capacity and commitment to the field. Through practice and preparation, students will further strengthen their maths skills, which will enhance their grades.

The Miami Speedway in Florida is a car race that takes place annually during March. It is one of the world’s most famous one-make championships with over 1,000 drivers. This is a series where the full power of Ferrari vehicles is on display — and what is most special about it is that actual Ferrari customers and enthusiasts drive these cars.

Submit your scanned entries WITH ALL WORKING OUT to Ms Seychell on the email below.

Suzanne Seychell

Numeracy Instructional Coach

seychells01@dow.catholic.edu.au

The College Swimming Carnival was held on Monday 26 February in perfect weather conditions at Camden Memorial Pools. This year the event was held for our competitive swimmers as students represented their house across a busy program of events. It was great to witness the amount of school spirit and encouragement among our students as events took place on the day.

The following students were named Swimming Age Champions in 2024:

We look forward to presenting these students with their medallions later on in the term.

Thank you to all staff who supported the running of the event and all parents and grandparents who took the time to support their child as they participated in this year’s Swimming Carnival.

The DIO Swimming Championships were held in great condition on Wednesday 6 March at Corrimal Pools. There was a lot of school spirit on display as our students showed great will and competitiveness in each of the races. On the day there were a number of outstanding individual and team performances. .

St Benedict’s had a number of students win their individual races and these students will now represent Wollongong Diocese at the NSWCCC Swimming Championships to be held later in the term. Congratulations to Georgia Betar (14 girls - 50m Freestyle), Dylan Gaspar (15 boys - Breaststroke and 50m Backstroke) and Ted Collins (Open Boys - 50m Breaststroke and 100m Breaststroke).

The swimming squad consisted of: Andrea Antunovic, Chloe Betar, Georgia Betar, Harrison Birkbeck, Mitchell Birkbeck, Mal Collins, Ted Collins, Alexis Fenning, Dylan Gaspar, Ella Koroknay, Wyome Owen, Amelia Rottenbury, Jenna Simpson and Flynn Wright.

The College Cross Country Carnival was held at Australian Botanical Gardens, Mount Annan at the Lake Lawn on Thursday 29th February. Due to the predicted hot weather, distances were adjusted to allow for the event to proceed this year.

The following students were named Cross Country Age Champions in 2024:

We look forward to presenting these students with their medallions later on in the term.

Thank you to all staff you assisted and supported the running of the 2024 College Cross Country Carnival.

On Friday 1 March, the U/13s Girls Touch team competed at the Wollongong Diocese Competition in Wollongong. The girls played 9 games in total across the day and the improvement seen from the first game to the last was outstanding. Special mentions to our try scorers on the day Emme Langdon and Isla Prodmore, along with Tahlia Bennett for some great try assists! Well done girls!

Team:

Tahlia Bennett

Chantel Binham

Sofia Corbo

Marcella Dawood

Olivia Franco

Emme Langdon

Tiana Maracic

Sienna Muscat

Isla Prodmore

Renee Rigor

Aleisha Robinson

Sofia Sullo

Coach: Ms Paton

Kind regards,

Simon Zahra

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

Every term, CatholicCare runs a series of groups and workshops for parents and individuals. This term, they are running an online group for parents related to supporting children with anxiety and building resilience.

It starts on Tuesday, 19 March 2024 and runs for 3 weeks, with a two hour session every week. It aims to teach parents about anxiety, how it affects the brain, how to face it, build resilience, some helpful strategies and how to have conversations about a child's anxiety with others. It is online and has a cost of $45.

For more information, please click the link below:

https://www.catholiccare.dow.org.au/services-and-programs/family/family-care/courses/supporting-your-child-experiencing-anxiety/

• https://www.esafety.gov.au/
  This website is great as it as resources for parents, children and educators

• https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-issues/esafety-guide
  This lists information about all the latest games, apps and social media to be aware of, that children may be using.

• https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/staying-safe-online
  
  Trauma Informed Practice
• https://professionals.childhood.org.au/centre-trauma-aware-responsive-education/
  https://www.berrystreet.org.au/ - Has great resources

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 and collected from the SBCC College Office.

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

RANIER has advised that there may be significant delays with the college uniform. This delay is due to COVID lockdowns in China.

Orders placed for home delivery are despatched twice a week from the Uniform Shop. Orders placed for collection from college office will be available Mondays after 2:30pm, orders placed prior to 9am Monday will qualify.

TRADING HOURS DURING COLLEGE TERMS:

Monday 9am – 5pm

Tuesday 9am – 5pm

Wednesday 9am – 5pm

Thursday 9am – 5pm

Saturday 9am – 12pm

Collection from shop | Collection from College | Home Delivery

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