St Benedict's Catholic College

My warmest congratulations, of course, must go to our Year 12 students. Finishing your Higher School Certificate examinations is a monumental achievement, marking the end of a long and demanding journey. Your resilience and dedication have been an inspiration to watch, and we simply could not be prouder. We are all looking forward to celebrating you properly at the forthcoming Year 12 Formal. It promises to be a wonderful, unforgettable night, and one you have thoroughly earned.

At the same time, our Year 11 students have returned from a highly successful and enriching retreat. Being a part of it has been wonderful, and I truly hope it was a valuable time for introspection, for connecting with each other, and for recharging. This is such an important step as you prepare to take on the mantle of leadership in the College, and I am confident this experience has fortified you for the year ahead.

I also want to congratulate our Year 10 students for their diligence during the recent exam block. It has been encouraging to see your focused approach and academic discipline. The study habits you are cementing right now are the very ones that will prove invaluable as you transition into your senior studies. Please keep up this great momentum.

And finally, to our Year 9 students, please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers as you prepare for your own exams next week. I encourage you to approach them with a calm focus, to trust in the consistent work you’ve put in all year, and to simply do your best. Remember, our entire staff is here to support you every step of the way.

I am, as always, deeply grateful to our entire St Benedict’s community. To our inspiring students, our dedicated staff, and our supportive families—thank you for making this such a vibrant and caring place to learn and grow. Let's maintain this remarkable spirit as we conclude the academic year with purpose and distinction.

Kind regards,

Michael Turner

Greetings All,

As we move ever closer to the end of the year it is important that we take the time to reflect on our achievements whilst still looking towards what is to come. It is important that students maintain their focus so that they can finish the year strongly. For our Year 11 students it is important that they start to think of this term as not term 4 but the first term of their HSC. Their assessment tasks are pivotal in not only allowing them to demonstrate their understanding of their courses but to establish their ranking - a key factor in a successful HSC. Our Year 10 students have finished their exams but need to either aim to finish their time at school in a positive manner or - for the vast majority of them - look to prepare themselves for the demands of senior study. If they down tools now it is much harder to reengage next year. This is true for all the grades. The aim of schooling is for every child to acquire a year’s worth of learning. This is inclusive of these last few weeks!

Attendance continues to matter. We want our students to have the habits and mindset required to succeed beyond school. Our long-term goal is for the school to have all students hit at least 95% attendance. At the moment our school wide attendance is around 88%. This is an improvement on previous years but with real room to improve. We need to think about how the students will be prepared for the workforce if they took twelve days in every hundred days off! If your child is struggling with attendance then please reach out to their STRIVE coach or relevant Year Coordinator.

Once again, please find below important dates coming up for the end of the year:

• Friday 14 November - Staff Development Day - NO students onsite
• Monday 1 December - Year 11 Students End of Year Celebrations - Aquatopia Water Park
• Friday 12 December - Year 7-9 Presentation of Awards & Year 10 Presentation of Awards
• Friday 12 December - Yr 10 & 11 Last day of formal classes
• Monday 15 December - Years 7 - 10 End of Year Celebrations - Austinmer Beach, Ocean Pools
• Tuesday 16 December - Years 7 - 9 Last day of formal classes

Warmest regards,
Darren Conway

Congratulations to our Ethics Olympiad Team for Term 4 who demonstrated confidence and polish! They did very well to receive an honourable mention from the judges, competing against some very experienced teams from other schools.

• Aecrid A. (Year 8)

• Carmenssa G. (Year 9)

• Reeva K. (Year 9)

• Bianca K.(Year 9)

• Sienna L. (Year 9)

Here is an article written by Sienna L. of Year 9:

On Monday, 3 November, five Year 8 and 9 students were fortunate enough to be part of the Ethics Olympiad, a competition where students discuss and analyse real-life ethical issues in a respectful, polite, reasoned, and collaborative way. Instead of debating to ‘win,’ participants work in teams to explore different perspectives, apply moral principles, and reach thoughtful conclusions. This event encourages critical thinking, empathy, and open-mindedness. What I enjoyed about this event was the room for exploration and collaboration. My teammates and I supported each other when presenting, and we were able to build off each other. The uniqueness of each case allowed us to be informed on situations that are relevant to our world that we might not have been aware of; we gained new perspectives and formed new opinions we might not have considered before. I was able to learn a tonne of new things, such as the impact of fictional situations that may seem innocent, or the importance of names and naming limitations or guidelines that should be considered. Thank you to our wonderful coach, Mrs Carnovale, for the many hours spent preparing us!

With this experience, I will definitely participate again next year. We have two junior (7-9) and two senior (10-11) teams competing in 2026, so express your interest when the opportunity arises for next year's team if you’re interested. If you have any questions, you can ask Mr Ghignone.

Kind regards,

Marc Ghignone

Information in this calendar list is correct at the time of publication but is subject to change without notice.

Term 4 2025

• Friday 14 November - Staff Development Day - No students onsite
• Monday 17 November - Year 10 TaPs Day
• Monday 17 November - Year 9 HSIE - ANZAC Memorial & Royal Botanical Gardens
• Tuesday 18 November - P&F Meeting - Library at 6pm
• Wednesday 19 November - Year 11 Modern History - The Central Synagogue
• Wednesday 19 November - Year 11 Legal Studies - Parramatta Courts
• Friday 21 November - Year 7 2026 Orientation Day
• Friday 12 December - Last day for Year 10-11 students

• Tuesday 16 December - Last day for Year 7-9 students

School Holidays 2025 - 2026

• Monday 26 January – Australia day (Public Holiday)

• Tuesday 27 January - Staff return (no students on site)

• Wednesday 28 January – Year 12 students only return

• Thursday 29 January – Year 7, 11 and new students return

• Friday 30 January – All students return

Our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh team successfully completed their qualifying hike on the 30 - 31 October. The two day hike down in the stunning Kangaroo Valley along the scenic, yet challenging Griffin's walking track. The girls embrace the wilderness, spotting plenty of wildlife and demonstrating excellent teamwork, resilience and self-sufficiency while navigating the trail and camping overnight. This challenging journey was a fantastic accomplishment for all involved.

St Benedict’s will be continuing to provide the Duke of Edinburgh program in 2026. The program is available to all students who are 13-14 years of age or above. The Duke of Edinburgh award is Australia's leading youth development program designed to build essential skills and attributes needed to succeed in future career opportunities. The award is highly respected by universities and employers as a mark of commitment and achievement. The DOE award has three progressive levels- Bronze, Silver and Gold.

The Bronze award

Students engage in and complete activities across four core sections, which demand an average commitment of one hour per week for 13 weeks (3 months).

• Volunteering- Undertaking service to individuals or the community

• Physical activity/ recreation- improvising in an area of sport or fitness

• Skills- developing practical and social skills and personal interests.

• Adventurous Journey- Planning, training and completing a 2 day/ 1 night hike and camp.

Steps to join the St Benedict’s Duke of Edinburgh Award program for 2026

• Email will be sent to all parents in Years 8-10 outlining further information and resources about the program

• Students will be sent an expression of interest google form, which they can fill out if interested in the program.

• Students who fill out the form, both parents/ students will be sent more detailed information about registration and how to begin the program.

The 2026 St Benedict’s Duke of Edinburgh program will kick off term 1 next year.

Be a part of a future focused, rewarding program.

Kind regards,
Mr Rushworth

Congratulations to the following students/groups who made it to the Catholic Educations Office Showcase titled ‘Illuminate’.

• Year 10 Drama Performance

• MISA Dance

• Sienna Lescano - Vocals

• Charissa Robertson - Visual Arts

• April Hearn - Visual Arts

The event will be held at the University of Wollongong Great Hall, with a technical rehearsal on Tuesday, 25 November and the performance on Wednesday, 26 November.

Tuesday, 25 November: Technical Rehearsal

• Performers only

Wednesday, 26 November: Performance Day

• Year 9 Music and Visual Arts students to attend
  
  

Tickets

We are pleased to offer complimentary tickets to family and friends for the evening show. Students may request tickets on behalf of their guests by using the link - https://forms.gle/aRgtqVdySwnoDofh8

• Year 10 Drama - Shakespeare Production

• Year 8 Music - Rock ‘n’ Pop Music (Performance and Listening)
• Year 9 Music - Depth Study 1 (Performance)
• Year 10 Music - Musical Theatre (Performance)
• Year 11 - HSC Assessment 1 / Elective 1 (Performance/Composition) and a VIVA VOCE (25%)

• Year 7 Visual Arts - Self Portrait (Art Making)

• Year 9 Visual Arts Year 10 Visual Arts - Anh Do (Art Making)
• Year 11 Visual Arts - HSC Assessment 1 / Body of Work Proposal and Written Examination in class (30%)

Kind regards,

Mrs Koryzma

Kind regards,
Mr Sapienza

Mariah Carey has declared ‘It’s tiiiiiiiime’! So BEARs have been making some tips for a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly Christmas. This week we share tips on sustainable alternatives to plastic trees or the fresh-cut trees that only last one season.

Kind regards,

Ms Lockhart

Take out books delivered to you.

Keep an eye on Oliver - Uber Books coming soon to a classroom near you!

Happy Reading!

The Library Team.

Tuesday 28 October

Tuesday 4 November

Kind regards,

Mr Zahra

As we begin preparations for the 2026 school year, we kindly ask that any students currently in Years 7 to 11 (excluding Year 12) who will not be returning to St Benedict’s Catholic College in 2026 please notify the College office via email at your earliest convenience. Email: info@sbccdow.catholic.edu.au

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 $11.80 (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 exception 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.

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

As part of the Year 10 TaPs program “MY PATH, MY PLAN, MY FUTURE” this year at St Benedict’s, Year 10 students will be committing to their options beyond school. To assist the students prepare for their decision making, they will be undertaking a Careers Incursion day on Monday 17 November here at the College, where they will be immersed into Mock Job Interviews suited to their career preferences.

As part of the TaPs program for Year 10, this day will be providing the students with the skills and knowledge to be well prepared for job/scholarship/course interviews in their future study and career options.

As part of the TaPs program on the day the students will be applying for a USI and their Tax File

number. In order to apply they will need to have a copy of:

● Medicare Card: Medicare number and date of expiry

● Birth Certificate: Birth certificate registration number and registration date.

● Passport: Passport number and date of expiry.

This is needed for the 100 point verification.

Further information can be found on the attached document.

Students can use their VET Certificate III as a non-ATAR Pathway into ACU

A VET Certificate III can be used for entry into ACU— no ATAR needed. A Certificate III converts to a selection rank of 67, with possible adjustment factors via UAC. There’s no rush to start uni; Certificate III stays valid, even with a gap year. More information: https://www.acu.edu.au/study-at-acu/admission-pathways/choose-your-pathway-or-entry-program/vocational-education-and-training-pathway

Arrive & Thrive Webinar | Career Conversations @ Home, Helping Parents Have Positive Career Convos Arrive & Thrive is running a public webinar on 19 November at 6.30 pm (ADST) to support parents around Australia in having more positive career conversations at home. The webinar will share insights for parents to better support their young people in career decisions. Participants will receive a Career Conversation Kit.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1235322114699?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Mrs Brown

Transition & Pathways (TaP's) Coordinator

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) invites parents and carers to an information session around issues that are impacting young people in a contemporary world.

Today’s children and young people are growing up in incredibly challenging circumstances, including navigating a digital world, exposure to harmful influencers and hyper-sexualised content.

Our mission is centered on partnering with parents and carers to build a safe, respectful school community where every student can flourish and live “Life To the Full”.

To address these emerging issues, CEDoW has invited Australian youth advocate and 2025 Australian of the Year nominee, Daniel Principe, to share tools that parents can use to help young people analyse and challenge the culture around them.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

To ensure that bus passes are issued correctly for students in 2026, please read the information below carefully and take action where required.

1. Students attending a new school in 2026

You must apply for a new bus pass via Transport for NSW:

Apply for a new bus pass

2. Change of address or contact details

If your address, parent/guardian, or contact details have changed, please update them here:

Update your details

3. Continuing students

If your child is staying at the same school and there are no changes to your details, no action is required. A new bus pass will automatically be issued for 2026.

4. Students purchasing a Term Pass

Students who purchase a Term Pass directly from Picton Buslines can order their new 2026 pass via:

Order a Term Pass

(Note: 2026 Term Passes will be available for purchase from January 2026.)

Important notes

• Bus passes and updates must be completed directly through Transport for NSW — Picton Buslines cannot apply on your behalf.

• Passes are expected to be printed and posted to student home addresses in late January 2026.

• If your child hasn’t received their pass before school returns, they may still travel without it.

Moratorium period

• The four-week moratorium will end on Friday 27 February 2026.

• From this date, all students must present their 2026 bus pass to the driver on every trip.

For further information, please contact our office or visit our website:

(02) 4677 1564

info@pictonbuslines.com.au

https://www.pictonbuslines.com.au/

Please click on the PDF below to view the College bus timetables.

Please click the below link for Picton Buses:

Picton Bus Timetable

Applications are now open for 2025 School Student Transport Scheme (SSTS) travel.

Students using School Opal cards must tap on and tap off in line with the Opal terms of use.

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

Our wonderful P&F volunteers will then be in contact with you.

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

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY

No returns, refunds or exchanges on uniform items as these are donations with cash payments only.

CONTACT:

Ranier Schoolwear Shop: 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.

Trading hours:
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm

Saturday 9am - 1pm

For more immediate assistance, Head Office details are

Online: ranier.com.au/contact

Email: custservice@ranier.com.au