Last week the 2025 GSE Prophetic Voices program began. Year 11 students connected with peers from the other Good Samaritan Schools in an online seminar. Prophetic Voices is a Good Samaritan Education (GSE) initiative that embodies the Benedictine principle of listening to the wisdom of the young. The Rule of St Benedict says, ‘All should be called for counsel because God often reveals to the younger what is best’ (RB 3.3). This initiative provides a forum for students to explore, listen, and discern the social justice issues that matter most to them, allowing for deeper engagement and discussion at their meetings. The program culminates with a 3-day conference, where there is time set aside for students to prepare their final position statements on the issues they have explored. These will be presented to the greater Good Samaritan Education community at the Triennial Conference in August at Mary Mackillop Place North Sydney. One of the topics chosen for deeper exploration was Mental Health: Stewarding Supportive Relationships , which was the focus of the first meeting. Mrs Jacinta Wells, Deputy Dean of Mission, has written an article below reflecting on this inspiring gathering.

Last week Year 10 students across the ten Good Samaritan Schools met online as a part of the Prophetic Voices initiative. The initiative is an opportunity for like-minded students to engage in dialogue on a range of social justice issues. Through zoom sessions students learn from each schools’ experiences regarding social justice initiatives and collaborate on current issues. This term, the focus is Mental Health: Stewarding Supportive Relationships. Students heard from Carolyn Collins, the Director of Professional Learning and Pedagogy at Stella Maris College, Manly on how supportive relationships are modelled in the Parable of the Good Samaritan and how working to promote communities based on Hospitality can contribute to positive protective factors for young people. Piper Johnson, in Year 10, reflected; 'we walked away from the seminar knowing how the Bible expresses that suffering is temporary and that hospitality creates supportive communities around us like our friends, family and other professionals'. Piper added; 'it was an extremely valuable seminar that helped us better understand our role as peacemakers and future leaders of the world'. As Philip Lawrence, OSB stated 'let peace be your quest and aim. This is the way of inner spiritual freedom'.

Mrs Jacinta Wells
Deputy Dean of Mission

In the ‘Ms Upasiri’s Challenge of the Week’ in last week’s Student Update, I encouraged students to prioritise rest as a way to support their physical and emotional wellbeing. This message, featuring some gifs of internet sensation, the pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng, coincided with World Sleep Day on 15 March.

Established in 2008, World Sleep Day is an important reminder to prioritise down time and rest as a way to increase overall wellbeing. It is recommended that children aged 5 to 13 should get 9 to 11 hours of uninterrupted rest per night and young people aged 14 to 17 years, should get 8 to 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. Sadly, children around the world, particularly in busier societies and with access to a wider range of technologies, are falling below what they need.

Sleep is integral to a young person’s development but in our busy society, it can be deprioritised amongst the hecticness of life. The rise of technology has meant that adolescents today are managing distractions the generations before them did not have to combat. Sleep is critical in supporting health and wellbeing because it plays a crucial role in supporting growth, cognitive development and learning in young people. Studies show that poor sleep habits in adolescence correlate with significant health issues into adulthood with a University of London study (Bruce et al, 2017) showing a connection between prolonged sleep issues and heart disease in adults as well as obesity, mental health and overall functioning.

So, as parents and schools, what can we do to assist our students to get enough sleep and be their best selves?

Spotlight on the Stewardship Portfolio: Nurturing Sustainable Growth

At the core of our mission is the value of Stewardship, a guiding principle that shapes our actions. As part of this commitment, the Stewardship Portfolio represents our dedication to sustainability, ethical responsibility, and long-term success. The Stewardship Portfolio is showcasing how our commitment to Stewardship is driving progress toward a more sustainable and promising future for all.

Here is a brief update from our Stewardship Captains, Emma P and Gemma Y:

Last week, Mount St Benedict College had the pleasure of hosting a group of exchange students from Seiwa College, our sister school in Japan. The visit was filled with unforgettable moments, cultural exchanges, and deep friendships that will last a lifetime.

From the moment the Seiwa students arrived, they brought warmth and enthusiasm, quickly bonding with their host families. Over five days, they immersed themselves in Australian life, experiencing everything from our beautiful natural landscapes to our vibrant city life and delicious local cuisine.

On Tuesday 11 March, Year 12 Legal Studies students visited the Downing Centre, one of the busiest courts in NSW, featuring both local and district courts.They gained insights into the operation of court processes and the legal profession through courtroom observations. During the visit, students heard from Judge Jane Culver who presides in the District Court. Her Honour spoke to the students about current issues in the law courts such as the use of AI in court cases and the role of juries. Judge Culver also spoke about how and why she became a judge in the District Court. Students then watched various court cases in the Centre and were able to apply what they have learned in their topic of Crime to a real court setting.

Students found this to be a valuable experience and are to be commended for their exemplary behaviour throughout the day.

Mrs O’Neill and Ms Maclou
HSIE Teachers

CDC NSW have advised that there will be a few minor changes to their current timetable which will commence from Monday 17 March 2025, including:

More routes, such as the 637 and 638 morning services, have been added, as there were occasional reports that route 2037 was arriving late to the College. Students now have earlier options, which have been added to the timetable below.

Route 3144 will no longer operate. This was a school bus from Beecroft Station to Mount St Benedict College which was not being used in the past year. Students can use other buses from Pennant Hills Station instead such as the 632 and 625 bus in the morning. Click here to see timetable.

We remind students they must have a valid Opal card to travel on all public transport, including school buses and must tap on and off, both morning and afternoon.

If you wish to plan a route to the College for your daughter please use the Trip Planner section on the TransportNSW website via the following link: https://transportnsw.info/

The Library's Commitment to Sustainability: A New Chapter for Our Book Collection

At the College Library, we're embracing sustainability in every aspect of our work, and we’re excited to share our new initiative that highlights our dedication to being environmentally responsible while supporting our local community. As part of our ongoing commitment to Stewardship, we now allocate a percentage of our book-buying budget each term to purchasing high-quality second-hand books from local charity shops.

This initiative not only demonstrates responsibility toward sustainable practices but also allows us to contribute to our community while saving valuable resources. By purchasing second-hand books, we support local charities, reduce waste, save money, and help extend the life cycle of books.

Please see the List of Merit award recipients this year.

To access the College calendar log in to BenniesLink (Parent Portal) Calendar.
Click here

*College Assemblies For Parents

College Assemblies are livestreamed for the MSB parent community at 9:40-10:45am on the dates specified in the schedule above. The live stream link is here.

The expression of interest email  sent to all students wishing to compete in the College Cross Country Carnival has now closed. This is a competitive event only. The event date has been pushed back to May so the application deadline has been extended. Students who missed out and would like to participate should contact Mr Nosti to be added to the list. More information will be shared with all families who registered their interest by the end of Week 9.

Lauren Martin
Cocurricular Administration Officer

Junior (Years 7-9) and Senior (Years 10-12) Representative Football

Expressions of interest closed last Sunday and all students wishing to trial have been contacted. Trials will take place next week. Best of luck to all students participating.

Representative AFL

Expressions of interest will open next week for our Representative AFL teams. Students will receive an email with a link to an EOI form. Those wishing to try out must complete the EOI form before the closing date.

Lauren Martin
Cocurricular Administration Officer

U13s

On Tuesday 11 March, three MSB Representative Teams competed at the CGSSSA Netball Championships. It was a very successful day for the U13s, with the team winning all six of their games and going through the day undefeated. What a great result!

Congratulations to all students for competing with great spirit, enthusiasm, and support for their team. The U13s team consisted of the following students:

Olivia B, Sophie D, Sienna G, Ting T, Sophia E, Bonnie H, Cecilia K, Nicola P, Elise W, Amali W

On Monday 17 March, our intermediate Rugby 7s team competed in the finals of the Barker College 7s competition. First up was a semi-final match up with Arndell who had beaten us in the previous two games this season. In the semi-final with MSB won a convincing victory to progress into the Final.

Next up was the Grand Final against Barker College. The team started strongly and took an early three try lead. In the second half Barker fought back, but the team hung on to claim the championship.

Congratulations to the following 12 squad members. Olivia C, Annie J, Poppy L, Mia S, Jessica B, Annabelle C, Sara C, Chloe H, Mackenzie M, Hailey M, Kendall N, Shelby S.

Lastly, thank you to our coaching staff, Craig, Irene and Scarlett, as well as our senior students Imogen, Eden and Madi who lent a hand at training sessions and were always there to support the team.

Lauren Martin
Cocurricular Administration Officer

Students will return to school at the beginning of Term Two in full winter uniform.

It is compulsory for all Year 10 students to purchase the senior blouse for winter. Stocks of this and other winter items will be available from March.

The winter blouses are the same fit (apart from the sleeve) as the summer blouse so please order the same size as your summer blouse, or go up or down a size as required.

All senior winter uniform items can be ordered online through Flexischools. When you receive your order, please try it on at home and return to the College Shop with the tags and packaging if an exchange is required. Please note we cannot refund or exchange tights that have been taken out of the packaging.

1. Please purchase the items your daughter requires before Tuesday 25 March, through the Flexischools website to ensure that you will receive items before the end of Term One 2025. Please click here to access the Flexischools site.

2. Please click here to obtain a copy of the current price list. All prices are also listed on the Flexischools website.

3. The College Shop will email your daughter when the order is ready to collect from the College Shop. Please disregard the collection date given to you by Flexischools when you place your order.

We have partnered with the Uniform Exchange in Pymble. They have many families looking to purchase second hand uniforms but are very low on stock. If you have any uniforms that you no longer need and would like to sell them please visit the Uniform Exchange website for more information.

www.theuniformexchange.com.au

For over 165 years the Sisters of the Good Samaritan have eased the pressure placed on vulnerable women and children by offering a safe haven, education, food security and hope.

Today is a great day to donate to the Sisters’ ministries in Australia, the Philippines, Kiribati and Timor Leste!

If you wish to support a particular program please choose your preference on the donation form.

Blessings to you Good Samaritan. Thank you for your generosity.

Click here to donate.

A two day Dance workshop will be held at the College for dancers aged 12-15 years old from 10.00am - 4.00pm on 14 and 15 April.

Level 3 – must be 12-15 years old with 2-3 years' experience

This two-day workshop will extend dancers in a range of dance styles. Explore the abstract forms of contemporary dance, the performative theatrics of theatre jazz, express yourself in lyrical choreography and find your groove in hip hop.

Fee: $215.00

To book tickets click here