From the Principal
Welcome to the Spring Term. Although it is a short term, it is filled with opportunities to celebrate the richness of College life. Throughout the term, you will see many events on the calendar to which parents are invited, particularly in the Creative Arts. I would like to draw your attention to a new evening which celebrates the depth of our talent in Public Speaking and Oratory, which will be held on Thursday, 12 November, in Week Five.
The final week of Term Four, Week Eight, will be a particularly busy and celebratory time for our College community. We will recognise the breadth of student participation and achievement at our Sports Awards Breakfast and annual Cocurricular Celebration Assembly, acknowledging the variety of experiences our students have embraced throughout the year. Our end-of-year Eucharistic Celebration will bring the community together in thanksgiving, and Presentation Day will recognise the academic achievements of students in Years 7–12 and celebrate their commitment to learning.
The Higher School Certificate examinations commenced last week and will continue until Thursday 5 November. We continue to wish our Year 12 students well and keep them in our prayers. Year 10 students are also preparing for their examinations, which begin next week.
In Week Four, examiners will visit the College to assess the HSC Visual Arts Major Works, the last of the major works to be assessed. We have already received notification that more than a dozen students have had their work shortlisted as outstanding examples and potential showcase selections across the Creative Arts (CAPA) and Technologies and Applied Studies (TAS) learning areas, following assessments conducted in Term Three. You may have seen details of these achievements, along with examples of student work, shared on the College's social media channels.
Your daughter will undoubtedly have mentioned the construction work currently underway on the new Covered Outdoor Learning Area (COLA) and associated walkways, which is impacting access around the Hildegard Roof area and parts of the Oval. No doubt there have been comments, both positive ('It's so quick to get to the MSB Centre!') and negative ('There are so many stairs!').
The COLA will provide a shaded outdoor space for students, as well as a versatile setting for Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) classes and cocurricular activities. With sound and lighting facilities, and provision for future digital projection, it will also create new opportunities for the College to gather for functions and parent events.
These temporary arrangements will remain in place until the end of the summer holidays. We anticipate that the first use of the new space will be to welcome our newest Year 7 students and their parents on their first day of high school in 2027.
Our Parents and Friends Association (P&F) has held its Annual General Meeting, with office bearers elected for 2027. Congratulations to Juliet Mearns, President; Lyndal Van Hooft, Vice-President; Candy Boey, Secretary; David Smithson, Treasurer; and Peta Kordish and Nicole McGowan, Social Convenors.
Our P&F plays an important role in representing the parent community, supporting major College events and organising many wonderful initiatives of its own. I am very grateful to this enthusiastic and hardworking group of parents who so generously give their time in service of our community.
I wish all our families a wonderful Term Four.
Welcome Back to Term Four!
Michael Hanratty
Principal
From the Dean of Mission
Last week, we were delighted to welcome our new College Leaders to a special Formation Afternoon. It was a meaningful and joyful experience, and Mrs Silva, Mrs Wells, Miss Kim and I were grateful for the opportunity to spend this time with such a thoughtful and enthusiastic group of young women.
Good Sarmatian Education is Grounded in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, the Rule of St Benedict and the enduring legacy of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. With this as our guide, our Leaders were invited to reflect on what it means to lead in a Catholic school. Together, we explored leadership as a lived expression of faith, shaped by compassion, humility and a genuine commitment to serving others.
We also spent some time reflecting on the challenge in Matthew’s Gospel,
“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14–16
From the Dean of Wellbeing
Sleep on It: Supporting Your Hippocampus During Assessment Season
As we move into an assessment period, students often focus on study schedules, revision notes, and practice exams. While these are all important, one of the most powerful tools for learning is often overlooked: sleep.
Deep within the brain sits a structure called the hippocampus, which plays a critical role in learning and memory. You can think of the hippocampus as the brain's "temporary storage system." Throughout the day it collects new information and experiences, but during sleep it works with other parts of the brain to organise, strengthen, and store those memories for later retrieval.
In simple terms, if your daughters are trying to learn new material but aren't getting enough sleep, their brains are less able to remember what they have studied. Sleep is not time away from learning, it is an essential part of learning itself.
Why Sleep Matters During Exams and Assessments
Research has consistently shown that sleep supports:
- Memory consolidation, helping information move into long-term memory.
- Concentration and attention, making it easier to focus in class and during study sessions.
- Problem-solving and creativity, which are important for many assessment tasks.
- Emotional regulation, helping students manage stress and anxiety.
- Decision-making and judgement, especially under pressure.
Curriculum News
Reflection of Refugee Week and the Year 9 Religion Excursion
Reflection of Refugee Week and the Year 9 Religion Excursion
Mikhaella shares her experience of the Religious Education Excursion and calls for students to be advocates for the refugees in our community.
On our Religion excursion, we travelled to St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta, where we were introduced to Jesuit Social Services and explored the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers, including homelessness and difficulties in accessing their legal rights within Australian society. It was terrible to learn that 117.8 million people worldwide are experiencing forced displacement, while in Australia, over 20,000 onshore applicants await decisions, and 110,889 rejected applicants remain awaiting deportation or review. We were very privileged to have Dindo to share his story with the whole grade.
Year 9 Science Incursion
Year 9 Science Incursion
As part of the current Year 9 Science topic on Sustainability, students extended and enriched their classroom learning at an incursion presented by Belinda Chellingworth from BC Consulting. Describing herself as a “garbologist”, Belinda shared her expertise in waste management, recycling and sustainability.
Students gained insights into waste collection and processing, landfill management, common recycling misconceptions, and practical strategies for reducing waste. Ms Chellingworth brought these concepts to life through familiar, real-world examples, including Aldi’s battery collection bins, Sprite’s transition from green to clear bottles and how businesses are replacing single-use plastic soy sauce fish bottles. These examples illustrated how changes in packaging and waste management can contribute to a more sustainable future.
The session explored the concept of a circular economy, highlighting how resources can be kept in use for longer through thoughtful product design, reuse, repair and recycling. Students considered how individuals and businesses can move beyond a traditional take, make and dispose approach to reduce waste and make better use of valuable resources. The incursion provided students with the opportunity to ask a waste management and sustainability specialist questions about real-world environmental issues, gaining insights beyond the classroom. By connecting these issues to concepts studied in Science, the session broadened students’ understanding of sustainability and offered an introduction to Earth and Environmental Science, a Stage 6 subject available to students in Year 11 and Year 12.
The incursion enriched students’ understanding of sustainability by connecting classroom learning with real-world practices and challenges. It encouraged students to think more critically about the products they use, how waste is managed and how everyday decisions and business practices can contribute to a more sustainable future.
Lawrence Ku
Science Faculty
Stage 4 Music Showcase
Stage 4 Music Showcase
Please join us for an afternoon of music performed by our Year 7 and Year 8 students.
Date: Thursday 29 October
Time: 4:30pm to 6:00pm
Venue: Hildegard Theatre
Cost: Free
Families and friends are warmly invited to celebrate what our students have achieved in Music this year. We look forward to seeing you!
Cocurricular News
Speech and Drama Performance
Speech and Drama Performance
We are delighted to invite families to our Speech and Drama Open Performance Evening, an exciting celebration of our students’ creativity, confidence and developing performance skills.
When: Thursday 12 November 6.00pm
Where: Hildegard Theatre
Cost: Free
Duke of Edinburgh's International Award - Year 8 registrations open soon
Duke of Edinburgh's International Award - Year 8 registrations open soon
Exciting news for all Year 8 students! The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award will soon be open for all Year 8 students to register.
The Award continues to be a popular and rewarding program within our College, with over 150 Year 9 students participating this year and more than 300 students currently completing the three levels of the Award across the College. These impressive numbers highlight the enthusiasm of our students for taking on new challenges, developing valuable life skills and achieving personal goals.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award encourages students to challenge themselves, learn new skills, get active, contribute to their community and build confidence, independence and resilience along the way.
Year 8 families are encouraged to keep an eye on their emails for important information about upcoming student information meetings, presentation recordings and instructions on how to register. These resources will provide an overview of the Award, explain what is involved and guide families through the registration process.
This is a fantastic opportunity for Year 8 students to step outside their comfort zone, discover new interests and be part of a thriving College community of Award participants.
Stay tuned for further details and get ready to take on the challenge!
Jodi Halmarick
Duke of Edinburgh Award Program Convenor
Upcoming Events
College News
Bennies Metro Shuttle
Bennies Metro Shuttle
Morning Timetable – Departing Cherrybrook Metro:
Shuttles run from 7:05 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. with departures at: 7:05, 7:15, 7:25, 7:35, 7:45, 7:55, 8:05, and 8:15 a.m.
It is a good idea for students to aim for one of the free shuttle buses departing before 8am, as the buses between 8am and 8.15am are often very full.
Afternoon Timetable – Departing Mount St Benedict College (Gate D):
Two Bennies Metro Shuttles (55 seats each) will depart from Gate D starting at 3:20 p.m. (Departing once the buses are full).
Additional afternoon shuttles are available at 3:40, 4:00, 4:45, 5:15pm and 5:45 p.m. to accommodate students finishing cocurricular activities.
Week B Bennies Time - (Monday afternoons only): An additional afternoon shuttle departs at 2.15pm. Normal after school timetable begins at 3.20pm.
Morning Alternative Travel Option: If a Bennies Metro Shuttle is full, students can wait for the next scheduled Bennies Metro service (see timetable above). Alternatively, students may use the public CDC bus service (Route 632) which stops at Mount St Benedict College. Please note that a valid Student Opal Card is required for this service. Remember it is a good idea to aim for one of the free shuttle buses departing before 8am, as the buses between 8am and 8.15am are often very full.
Afternoon Alternative Travel Option: If the Bennies Metro Shuttle is full, students may use the public CDC bus service (Route 632) to Cherrybrook Metro (also departs from Gate D). Please note that a valid Student Opal Card is required for this service.
Traffic and Construction Safety Reminders
Traffic and Construction Safety Reminders
We are excited to announce that construction has commenced on the covered walkway over the Hildegard Roof. As works continue on the College grounds, we ask all families to take extra care when dropping students off in the morning and collecting them after cocurricular activities in the afternoon. Please drive slowly, remain alert and follow all traffic directions and signage around the College.
A few important reminders:
• Pennant Hills Road (PHR) entrance: Student drop off is only allowed via PHR prior to 7.30am. No student drop off or pick up between 7.30am and 4.30pm.
• Construction vehicles: Heavy vehicles may be entering the College via Pennant Hills Road before 7.15am. Please take extra care and be mindful of these vehicles when entering or moving around the College grounds.
• Hull Road entrance: There is no access via Hull Road for parents. This entrance is for staff access only.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to keep our students, families and staff safe during the construction period.
College Shop
Year 10 2027 Senior Summer Uniform Fittings
Year 10 2027 Senior Summer Uniform Fittings
The College Shop invites Year 9 students to be fitted for the senior uniform on the day allocated to their House.
Scholastica: Tuesday 3 November
Stanbrook: Wednesday 4 November
Subiaco: Thursday 5 November
Terracina: Friday 6 November
Mrs Gina Cheng
Acting College Shop Manager
