This week, Mrs Keogh and I were privileged to speak to the Middle Leaders about Leadership in Catholic Schools, as part of our Middle Leaders Professional Development Program. As part of the afternoon, we looked at Pope Leo’s Apostolic Letter ‘Drawing New Maps of Hope’, which speaks about Catholic Education. Within it, Pope Leo says, “Christian education is a collective endeavour: no one educates alone.  The education community is a 'we' where teachers, students, families, administrative and service staff, pastors and civil society converge to generate life.”  That has been so very evident over the last two weeks, where parents, staff, and those from the wider community have come together to ensure our girls’ education is a lived expression of our Wellbeing and Learning Model.

A particular highlight last week was the two Caritas Treks , which took place last week. Over the two mornings, 170 students and 29 staff set out at 6.30am to begin the journey. We are grateful to the many parents who dropped their daughters off so early to enable them to take part. As part of the experience, students trekked to the local creek to collect water, walking in solidarity with girls around the world who must complete this task every day before they can attend school. Carrying the water back helped everyone gain a deeper appreciation of the daily challenges faced by many communities. Although the first trek took place in fine conditions, the second group experienced wet weather along the way. Despite the rain, spirits remained high, and the group showed great resilience, making the shared experience even more memorable. Both mornings were wonderful and, as always, the trek proved to be a highlight of the year for those involved.  Our main focus with the Caritas Trek is to understand the plight of girls elsewhere and the important work Caritas does.  It was, therefore, an absolute delight to realise that the Caritas Trekkers had raised $1300 in the process.

Our Year 11 Geography students recently stepped beyond the classroom to investigate Earth’s natural systems in action.

Through hands-on fieldwork, students explored the dynamic interactions between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, developing a deeper understanding of how these spheres work together to shape both the physical and urban environment. Rather than simply learning about these systems in theory, students observed real-world processes as they unfolded.

At Berowra Creek, students undertook a range of fieldwork activities to collect primary evidence, including water quality testing, soil observations and biodiversity sampling. By measuring indicators such as pH and turbidity, and identifying invertebrates within the creek, students assessed ecosystem health and examined the impacts of urban catchments on the surrounding environment. Back at the College, students measured humidity, air temperature and wind speed across different locations to investigate factors contributing to urban heat islands and microclimates.

These experiences strengthened students’ geographical inquiry skills through data collection, analysis and interpretation, while reinforcing the importance of sustainably managing natural systems. It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm, teamwork and thoughtful investigation in action — a true example of Geography coming to life beyond the classroom.

Students were highly engaged and excited to explore native fauna and their local environment. The fieldwork sparked curiosity, encouraged critical questioning, and inspired ideas for their upcoming independent geographical investigations.

Colleen Burke
HSIE Teacher

Loving Boundaries: Why Saying “No” Matters for Teen Wellbeing

The heartfelt message in the image above captures a truth that many parents wrestle with: setting boundaries is an act of love. While teenagers may interpret limits as restrictive or “lame,” research consistently shows that clear, consistent boundaries are essential for healthy adolescent development.

Why Boundaries Matter

According to studies in adolescent psychology, parental monitoring and limit-setting are strongly linked to positive outcomes such as:

Boundaries provide a sense of security and predictability during a stage of life marked by rapid change. They communicate care and reinforce values, even when met with eye rolls or sighs.

The Role of Schools

At Mount St Benedict College, we partner with families to nurture resilience and wellbeing. Our programs encourage students to understand that limits are not about control, they are about love and safety. Through initiatives like Positive Education and Wellbeing activities, we help students develop self-regulation and appreciate the importance of balance in their lives. This year the College has worked with a provider named Wellio to create wellbeing content that relates to the needs of the girls based on surveying of students undertaken last year. Chat to your daughter about what she has been doing in Wellbeing and sit with her and have a look at her reflections in Wellio so we can model the same language and strategies at home and at school.

Other Practical Tips for Parents

As the message says: “I just love you so much.” Boundaries are not barriers, they are bridges to a future where our young people thrive and they are, a form of love.

Congratulations to the following students:

They will be led by our Year 12 SRC Captains Annaliese D and Hannah C.

It is hard to believe that we are in the second half of Term One. The College campus has been buzzing with many students getting involved across the range of cocurricular activities on offer. As of this week, our data shows that there has been 1150 registrations in Clipboard this year which is outstanding. It really confirms this unique participatory culture we have here at Bennies and I'd like to pass on my congratulations to the students for taking up the opportunities and to the parents for supporting them in their endeavours.

As we are currently enrolling into Term Two activities on Clipboard, I'd like to pass on a few reminders and handy tips of how best to use the system.

1. I highly encourage all users to enable push notifications on their settings. If you enable this function, it will automatically notify you if sessions are cancelled due to wet weather or other unexpected circumstances. If you don't enable, then you will need to manually login and check to see whether session information has changed on your schedule.

2. The Cocurricular Team has implemented an automated email system that notifies parents if their child has an unexplained absence from a cocurricular activity. An unexplained absence means that the Team has not been informed of the reason for your child’s non-attendance. The purpose of this communication is to ensure clear and timely contact with families regarding student whereabouts, in line with our duty of care responsibilities. Please note that attendance expectations may vary depending on the nature and classification of the activity. However, parents will still receive an email confirming non-attendance so they are aware of whether their child is onsite and under the supervision of a College staff member.

If your child will be absent for a known reason, please notify the relevant Cocurricular Coordinator or Convenor so the absence can be recorded as explained.

I look forward to seeing more students involved in the program over the next term. We are in the peak of registrations for Term Two and I encourage all students and parents to browse Clipboard to see what is on offer and to sign up before registrations close.

Parents and guardians who have not yet set up a Clipboard account should have received an invitation to their email on Friday morning. Please use the link in that email to create your account and access the portal.

Christina He
Dean of Coordinator

Congratulations to all students who participated last Friday in Round One of the Catholic Schools Debating Association Public Speaking Competition held at Marist College Eastwood. The standard of competition was exceptionally high, and our students represented Bennies with confidence, composure and maturity.

We are especially proud to announce that the following students have qualified for Round Two: Sophie P, Alexis Q, Amelia R, Ipsa S, Jessica B, Mikhaella A, Aliana E, Chloe H.

Round One was fiercely competitive, with students from across the zone delivering articulate and compelling speeches. To progress to the next round is a significant achievement and reflects the hard work, preparation and courage each of these young women demonstrated. They spoke with clarity, conviction and authenticity, engaging their audiences and adjudicators alike.

A heartfelt thank you to our Debating and Public Speaking Coordinator, Emma Hopkins, for her dedication and leadership in preparing the team. We also extend our sincere appreciation to Tricia Morrison for her expert coaching and invaluable guidance.

We wish all of our girls the very best as they compete in Round Two at Rosebank College this Friday evening. We know they will continue to represent Bennies with excellence and pride.

Go Bennies!

Nick Walker
Deputy Dean of Cocurricular

To access the schedule of events for 2026 log in to the BenniesLink (Parent Portal) Calendar 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.

Please view the College Term Dates here.

Year 7 parents and caregivers are invited to to the Year 7 Parent Welcome Event.

Come along and meet new parents and become a part of the Bennies community.

Canapes and the first drink are proudly provided by the Bennies P&F.

Date: Friday 13 March 2026

Time: 7.00pm – 9.30pm

Venue: Hotel Pennant Hills Function Room, 352 Pennant Hills Road, PENNANT HILLS

Cost: No charge to attend this event. Canapes and the first drink are proudly provided by the Bennies P&F.

RSVP: here by Monday, 9 March.

Please note:

The P&F Executive Committee

Students will change to winter uniform from the beginning of Term Two, Monday 20 April 2026.

Please check your daughter's winter uniform before the end of Term One and purchase any additional items you may require though the Flexischools website. We ask that all orders are collected by the girls, we will send an email to your daughter letting her know when the order is ready for collection.

Our last day of trading for Term One will be Wednesday 1 April 2026.

If you are new to the College in Years 8-12 and require a fitting for the Winter Uniform, visit the Uniform Shop before the end of Week 7.

Youth Ministry - Is your daughter interested in building her faith with like minded young people? She can join the "Antioch" group on Sundays after the 5pm Youth Mass at St Gerards, Carlingford. They meet in the Parish Meeting Room from 6pm - 8pm to listen to talks, play games and be part of a thriving youth community. All are welcome from the ages of 10 - 23 years old.

Another Youth Group opportunity is available for students in Years 7 - 9. It is called Cana. It is an opportunity to talk about faith, play games and make new friends. They meet on Fridays on the following dates 13/3 and 27/4 from 7:30pm - 9pm. This is held at the Parish Hall at St Gerard's Church in Carlingford.