During lunchtime last week, we held a Mother’s Day card-making session where students created beautiful cards and bookmarks for their mums. The atmosphere was filled with care and creativity as students took great pride in crafting beautiful keepsakes. Students were also encouraged to write personal messages of thanksgiving, and much love went into every detail! It was wonderful to see photos of mums and daughters together, proudly holding the handmade cards.

This week, Year 10 students involved in the Prophetic Voices initiative had the valuable opportunity to connect with peers from the ten other Good Samaritan Education schools across Australia. Together, they explored how young people can be prophetic in today’s world by speaking out and taking action on issues that matter. Our students did an excellent job of presenting Bennies’ work supporting Caritas this year in raising awareness and funds.  A highlight of the gathering was an insightful presentation on Access to Education for Rural, Remote, and Vulnerable Communities , with particular emphasis on supporting First Nations peoples. Students also learned about the impactful work of Marist 180, including their Daramu and Mudjin Byala programs. Informed by these discussions, our students will now work collaboratively to draft a statement to be presented at the upcoming Prophetic Voices Conference from 31 July to 2 August. This statement will contribute to a collective student response that will be shared at the Good Samaritan Education Triennial Conference later this year.

On Wednesday, the Year 12 Justice in Action class continued their exploration of social justice issues with a powerful and informative presentation from Ruth Lesmana, Client Services Manager at the House of Welcome. Ruth generously shared her time and deep insight into the complex challenges faced by asylum seekers in Australia. She explained the essential support services provided by House of Welcome and emphasised the importance of compassionate community responses. Ruth also inspired students to consider the role of advocacy, encouraging them to use their voices to influence policy and bring about meaningful change. It was an eye-opening session that deepened students’ understanding of justice, human dignity, and the power of collective action. Time is one of the most valuable gifts, and we appreciate Ruth for making the time in her busy schedule to speak with us.

On Wednesday evening, Mrs Wells, Deputy Dean of Mission and I had the privilege of accompanying four Mission Captains to the Brigidine Social Justice Forum. It was an inspiring event that brought together students from a number of schools to engage deeply with important social justice issues. Our students represented Mount St Benedict College with maturity and respect, thoughtfully engaging with each presentation. A highlight of the evening was hearing from Suzanne Hopman, the founder of Dignity , an organisation dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness. As our Duke of Edinburgh students regularly prepare meals for Dignity Dishes , it was a special moment to meet Suzanne and learn more about the incredible impact of her work. Her passion and commitment were inspiring and a powerful reminder of how we can all make a real difference.

During Term One, the College raised over $13,000 for our Community Partner – Caritas. This was a combination of fundraising from the Caritas Trek, Shrove Tuesday, Coin Trails and the Staff Talent Quest. It is a reflection of the Bennies commitment to Pax and Hospitality and walking hand in hand with those in need, reflecting solidarity with the marginalised and vulnerable.

It has certainly been a busy and inspiring few weeks at the College. It is wonderful to see our students embracing every opportunity to learn, serve, and thrive.

Subject Area - Managing Emotions

Subject Area - Academic Success

Subject Area - Social Media and the Internet

Subject Area - Consent

In addition to seeking community feedback on these points, as the College is in the process of refining some key policies and processes regarding areas such as the Student Code of Conduct and device use, we are seeking parent feedback on these policies. If you would like to be a part of the Consultative Committee assisting with this review later in the year, please email Mrs Emily Visnjic evisnjic@msb.nsw.edu.au to register your interest.

Thank you for your support of College improvement processes as we work in partnership to help our girls thrive.

Sheri Upasiri
Dean of Wellbeing

To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit: https://engage.health.nsw.gov.au/engage (For detailed steps on how to provide consent please refer to guide on how to provide consent online on the NSW Health webpage.)

Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you don’t have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.

Update or confirm your personal details in ServiceNSW as required.

Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:

Enter your child’s personal details

Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child

Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement. Translations available in 28 languages

Provide consent

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper-based consent form directly from your child’s school.

The benefits of providing consent online:

SMS notification three days before the clinic to remind you of the vaccination day

easily update your child’s details

receive SMS and/or email notifications when vaccinations are given

faster upload of vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination .

If you require information in your language, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/school_vaccination_language.aspx

In our classes, the guests shared stories about their experiences at Bennies. One of our guests was from the first class to graduate in Bennies back in 1971. She shared lots of interesting stories about how Bennies was in the past. She recalled that there were only about 65 students who used classrooms in the basement of the MSB Centre. At that time, the nuns lived in the MSB Centre, also known as the novitiate, under the guidance of Sister Christopher Burrows. Often, the nuns would even teach the students: how cool! She also shared a memory about seeing one of the nuns outside riding a skateboard! Some more interesting things that the women from the Class of 1971 shared was how there were only Four houses, Subiaco, Monte Cassino, Maredsous and Terracina.

All of the visitors shared very interesting stories about their time here at Bennies and some of them even brought old ‘artefacts’! One of our guests brought old photos from her immersion to Timor Leste, she brought in her old art diary and her Year 12 jersey! We all loved listening and talking to them about their time here, especially the graduates from 1971. All of us were so intrigued about their stories and what has changed about the College. Everything they had to say kept us hooked and it was one of the best lessons this year.

Everything that everyone did to help prepare was incredible, from the baked goods to all the decorations, we really appreciate it!

We would especially like to thank Mrs Michelle Blackman in the College Marketing Team for her superior work in organising these visits from the alumni.

By Victoria F, Emily D, Ariel C

Important Information:

Queries:

Michelle Blackman
Marketing Team

Game 1: The team opened the carnival with a competitive draw against Brigidine, setting a solid foundation for the matches ahead.

Game 2: Demonstrating cohesive teamwork and strategic play, they secured a victory over Monte.

Game 3: In a closely contested match, the team faced a narrow defeat against Stella Maris College, showcasing resilience and skill throughout.

Finals Journey:

Semi-Final: The team rebounded from the last group game loss well, achieving a commanding win against Santa Sabina College, earning their place in the grand final.

Grand Final: In a thrilling rematch against Stella Maris College, the team displayed unwavering determination. Despite their efforts, they concluded the carnival as runners-up.

Congratulations to the students who competed on the day:
Zara.A, Savannah.C, Olivia.D, Emily.D, Charlotte.G, Chelsea.G, Eleanor.H, Sienna.M, Olivia.M, Zara.O, Scarlett.R, Chloe.R, Hannah.R, Olivia.R, Emma.S

Senior Soccer CGSSSA

The MSB Open Representative Football team took part in the CGSSSA Carnival and Macquarie University fields. It was the first time the girls have worked together as a team, showcasing not only an outstanding range of talent but being able to work together as a cohesive unit across the four games played:

Game 1: A narrow 1-0 defeat to Santa Sabina.
Game 2: A 1-1 draw against Monte.
Game 3: A 3-0 victory over Brigidine.
Game 4: A 4-0 victory of OLMC.

Thank you to all the girls who played and contributed to an enjoyable day:

Jasmin S, Emily G, Emilie C, Madi M, Jess B, Chloe C, Yvette F, Ale C, Holly T, Sam W, Sophia A, Lucy VH, Sienna T, Isabella D and Tahlia M.

AFL

On Monday 12 May, the College had a Junior and Senior AFL team represent the College at the CGSSSA AFL Carnival played at Curl Curl. The day started off wet and rainy, making for a tough and muddy beginning, but the weather cleared up and finished with sunshine. Despite the challenging conditions, both teams played with great determination and spirit.

Our junior team consisted of many first time AFL players. They demonstrated amazing skill and perseverance and finished the round games with two wins and two losses. Thanks to other results going our way and losing both games narrowly, the team finished second on points difference to qualify for the final against Monte. Unfortunately, they were defeated by a very established team in the final but should be very proud of their efforts.

Congratulations to the following students who played in the Junior AFL team:

Emma B, Grace C, Madison O, Leila T, Scarlett B, Amelia B, Chloe I, Sophia K, Zoe L, Harper M, Claudia M, Harper M, Mia S, Kate C, Zara O.

The senior team played five games at the carnival. The seniors demonstrated strong teamwork and energy throughout the day, displaying great perseverance. The team had three strong wins against Brigidine, Monte, and Stella Maris College, and two losses against Loreto Kirribilli and Monte St Angelo.

Congratulations to the following students who played in the Senior AFL team and finished the day in equal second place, finishing in fourth position on a count back:

Evana B, Lucy C, Hailey M, Lily S, Shelby S, Madi G, Hannah H, Lucy H, Imogen H, Eden H, Michela I, Annabelle C, Eliza B.

College Cross Country

On Wednesday, approximately 110 students competed in the College Cross Country Carnival. Well done to all competitors and congratulations to those who finished in the top 10 in their age group and will represent MSB at next Friday’s CGSSSA Cross Country at Bicentennial Park.

Our 2025 Age Champions are:
Under 12s: Emma B
Under 13s: Sienna M
Under 14s: Olivia M
Under 15s: Sophie P
Under 16s: Alice L
17 Years+: Imogen H

Darren Nosti
Sport Academy Coordinator