From the Principal
Welcome back to Semester Two. I hope the mid-semester break was a great opportunity to rest and reset for those of you who had time off with your daughters. In the period before the break, I spent time on Leave touring the Kimberley and had the opportunity to visit many remote communities and see the wonderful work being done by many indigenous groups in caring for Country and working with their local young people providing employment and educational opportunities. Amongst other things, I was particularly fortunate to spend time with a German linguist in Kununurra who has been working with the elders of the Miriwoong people to save their local language by training teachers, many of whom are only a few weeks ahead of their primary students, in delivering 45-minute language lessons in all the primary schools in Kununurra each week. What was most interesting was that the students found this their favourite lesson and were devouring the language faster than the teachers could absorb it from the elders, who are few in number. This was certainly a lesson about engagement, interest and relevance and its connection to learning!
I would like to thank Mrs Keogh who once again acted as Principal and steered the ship through all the exciting events that occurred at the end of the term, including the Musical and MSB Day activities. Although all those involved have already been acknowledged, I would add my congratulations to the staff who brought you the Musical - it is an event that requires enormous resources, time and energy from the teaching and support staff who bring it together every two years so that the girls can benefit from this rewarding community experience. MSB Day was once again a celebration of all things Benedictine, from the celebration of the Eucharist by Fr Shayne D’Cunha, with the liturgy organised by Mrs Bailey and Mrs Wells through to the afternoon activities organised by the Wellbeing team led by Ms Upasiri and Mrs Hickey.
This week there were a number of significant events at the College. We introduced our 2027 College Captains to the community in a moving ceremony in front of family, friends, staff and students. Outgoing College Captain, Imogen, spoke of “handing on the baton” as 60 years of sudent leaders have done before them, to a new generation of young women leaders. Congratulations must go to our incoming Student Executive Team.
Today we welcomed nearly 200 grandparents of our Year 7 students to the College. Blessed with beautiful weather to enjoy the campus, our grandparents visited the girls’ MYBennies classes to engage in an intergenerational interview project and enjoyed morning tea with their granddaughters and with the staff. Grandparents play a unique role in the lives of their granddaughters teaching patience, resilience and a safe space to make mistakes amongst a host of other things. They are the keepers of the traditions and the history in each and every family and enjoy a unique place in the lives of all families. It was a great gift to welcome them to the College this morning.
In important news, all families will shortly receive an invitation to respond to a survey where we are seeking feedback about your experience at Mount St Benedict College. It has been some years since we sought comprehensive feedback about every aspect of College life and is an important part of giving our families a voice as we work our way through our current strategic plan. We have engaged MMG Education to issue and process the results. You should have received the survey link last Friday 24 July. In addition, the students completed their survey last week. I strongly encourage all families to set aside a few minutes to complete the survey. When response rates are low, the views of many families can go unheard, meaning the feedback may not fully reflect the breadth of our community's experiences and perspectives. I appreciate that family life is busy, but I hope you will see completing the survey as another valuable investment in your daughter's education. Your feedback will help shape the thinking and strategic direction of both the Board and the College Leadership Team over the coming years.
With Learning Conversations in a fortnight, I know that all of us are looking forward to meeting with our parents to discuss their daughters' progress in Semester One and their learning goals for the second half of the year.
Michael Hanratty
Principal
From the Dean of Mission
As part of our MSB Day celebrations last term, every student was invited to bring an item to contribute towards snack and toiletry packs for St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies). These packs are distributed through the Vinnies Van to support members of our local community experiencing hardship. This initiative provided our students with a meaningful opportunity to build peace in our world through ensuring the dignity of others. We were truly overwhelmed by the generosity of our school community. The response from students and families allowed us to create many more packs than we had anticipated.
On Wednesday after school, Mrs Wells led the Vinnies Service Medallion students, together with Mr Muscat, Mrs O'Shea, and myself, in assembling the snack and toiletry packs. The team worked efficiently to prepare, bag, and organise the packs for transport and delivery. We are grateful to Ms Lee and her Year 7 class, who began the enormous task of sorting the donations ready for the afternoon.
We produced an incredible number of packs to go out on the Vinnies Van, along with several additional bags of supplies for Vinnies to distribute through their community Hub. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed and helped make this initiative such a meaningful expression of our Benedictine values of Hospitality and Pax.
From the Dean of Wellbeing
At Mount St Benedict College, learning extends far beyond the classroom. Over the term break, while Mr Greenwell, Ms Smith, Mrs Halmarick and Ms Burke took our Year 10 and 11 students to stay in country near Cape York, Ms Walsh, Miss Semple and I took Year 8s and 9s to Far North Queensland on an EcoVenture. Both experiences provided students with invaluable opportunities to step outside their comfort zones, embrace challenges, and discover strengths they may never have realised they possessed.
Whether navigating outdoor activities (and for us, a close encounter with a cassowary in the Daintree), working collaboratively with peers, or persevering through physical and mental challenges, learning tours such as these develop resilience, confidence and independence. The unique environment of a tour allows students to put aside familiar routines and engage fully in experiences that foster personal growth and self-discovery. As staff, it was so heartening to see the growth through these experiences and the bond created through shared memories.
One of the greatest benefits of these programs is the way they encourage students to support and learn from one another. Through teamwork, problem-solving and shared experiences, students strengthened relationships and developed a deeper sense of belonging within the College community. They learned that success is often achieved not through individual effort alone, but through collaboration, empathy and encouragement. It also brings their learning to the real world. On many occasions, whether swimming with turtles in the Lower Great Barrier Reef, or exploring Indigenous art and customs, their classroom learning came to life.
Cocurricular News
Duke of Edinburgh's Award and SES Training
Duke of Edinburgh's Award and SES Training
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is so much more than a certificate or a badge. It represents months, sometimes years, of commitment, teamwork and personal growth. Each participant pushes themselves beyond comfort zones, discovers new talents, and develops the confidence and skills that will serve them for life.
It has been a busy year to date with the Duke of Edinburgh Adventurous Journeys (AJ). I would like to congratulate the following students on their achievements with either their Adventurous Journeys or Gold Residential Projects, both of which require resilience and grit to live away from home for a short period of time.
Upcoming Events
Representative Sport
CGSSSA Basketball Championships
Junior Basketball (Year 7 and 8)
Congratulations to our Year 7 and 8 Basketball girls, who competed with real determination at Wednesday's CGSSSA Gala Day. The team won three of their four round games, finishing an impressive second in the pool and securing a spot in the final. After a hard-fought and narrow finish, the girls came away with the silver medal.
Throughout the day, the team showed excellent sportsmanship and some great skills on court and were a credit to the College.
Well done to the following girls: Mia. C, Rachel. C, Grace. D, Emilia. F, Arielle. I, Sienna. L, Lillian. M, Annabelle. P.
Coach: Miss Finegan and Mariella D.
Intermediate Basketball (Year 9 & 10)
Our Year 9 and 10 Basketball girls, competed at Wednesday's CGSSSA Gala Day . The team won four of their six round games, finishing in equal second place, and bringing home the bronze medal on a count back. The team showed incredible determination and grit, competing until the final siren in their two losses, a result that could have easily finished in our favour. They should be incredibly proud of themselves as this was a young team made up of only two Year 10 students with the remainder being Year 9 who are eligible for this division again next year.
Throughout the day, the team showed sportsmanship and represented the College with pride.
Well done to the following girls: Aagna B, Anaaya H, Anya B, Cecilia K, Kiara A, Samaira S, Savannah S, Sienna J.
Coach: Mrs He.
Darren Nosti
Sport Academy Coordinator
College News
College Feedback Project is Underway
College Feedback Project is Underway
At the end of Term Two, an email was sent to parents and caregivers about the Parent and Student Feedback Survey, which MMG Education is conducting as part of the College's continuous improvement process.
Students completed the survey during their timetabled Period One class on Friday 24 July.
Parents and caregivers received an email from MMG Education on the same day, inviting them to participate in the survey. The questionnaire is open for a two-week period, closing on 9 August.
I extend my thanks to everyone who has already completed the survey. If you have not yet had the chance to do so, I encourage you to take this opportunity to share your feedback. Your participation is greatly appreciated and will contribute to the College's ongoing improvement.
Mr Michael Hanratty
College Principal
Art Competition Years 7-10
Art Competition Years 7-10
Entries are open for the Transurban Art Prize 2026 which celebrates
The Link Between People, Place and Progress.
We’re inviting young artists from Years 7 – 10 across NSW to capture
how roads connect people and places, shape the cities we live in,
and support a more connected future.
Your Challenge
Create an artwork that reflects Transurban’s role in connecting
people and places while driving progress. Think about:
•
People:
How roads, tunnels and bridges help families, workers,
and communities connect.
•
Place:
Show the environment—urban, natural, or cultural
landscapes.
•
Progress:
Represent innovation, sustainability, or future mobility. Would you like to create an art piece and try and win a prize? Click
here
for details.
Mr Gavin Drayton
CAPA Assistant
Community Notices
Screens & Brains Parent Webinar
Screens & Brains Parent Webinar
NSW Health will be hosting the Screens & Brains webinar with internationally renowned brain scientist, Dr Mark Williams to learn practical ways to support children's healthy development in a digital world. Parents can also get their questions answered at the live Q&A session !
Parents and carers of children and young people (5–16 years) will gain practical ways to protect growing minds in a digital world and will learn how to support their child/ren's development and learning outcomes. At this webinar learn how screen use influences children and young peoples:
Brain development
Learning and academic performance.
Behaviour and regulation
Social connection, wellbeing and mental health
📅 Date: Tuesday, 11 August 2026
⏰ Time: 7:00pm – 8:30pm
💻 Location: Online via Microsoft Teams
👉 Register: here
👁 Translated closed captions in several languages available.
Brought to you by Northern Sydney Local Health District, School Years team in partnership with Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches Councils.
School Years Team
Northern Sydney Local Health District
