Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to Term 3! This term is going to be very busy with many events happening and opportunities for you to engage with our school community.

Our Kindergarten enrolment period has closed and the cohort for Kinder 2026 is now a reality. If you have a sibling of a current student coming to Kinder next year they will have received their enrolment acceptance letter by now.

If you know of anyone who wishes to enrol their child they can still contact us. Although classes are officially ‘full’, there is usually some movement between the local area Catholic schools, so a position may become available later on.

PLAYGROUND UPDATE

Work began on our playground over the holidays and it’s amazing how fast things are moving. The children have responded very well to the restricted play spaces, our focus for the next 3 months while the work is undertaken is “Be patient and share the space” – so far, they have all been wonderful in this area.

Once again, I remind parents to please not park in the  school car park at any time. This is for the safety of the children. Also, if a truck pulls in and blocks the car park to unload, you could be blocked in the car park until the unloading is completed. The trucks have priority at the moment which is why we have asked all parents, including those doing OOSH drop offs and pick ups, not to park in the car park.  

PLAYGROUND SNEAK PEEK! (at the moment most of it is a big hole!) 

PBL Award assemblies

This term, PBL milestone awards will be given as part of our normal school assemblies. Parents will still be notified the week before if their child will be receiving a merit, principal, spirt of Jesus or PBL award.

I am aware that in the past a ‘running total’ of the number of Bennies given over the year has been given at assemblies. Unfortunately, the PBL app that teachers use to record Bennies was not working for the first part of the year and teachers were keeping manual records of Bennies, so the running totals on our app are inaccurate. We will have to wait to resume the running totals in 2026.

I look forward to seeing you at the many exciting events coming up this term. Please keep an eye on Compass throughout the term for updates and permission notes for various activities.

Funding Campaign

Recently there has been much public discussion around the Australian Government's model of funding schools. Catholic Schools NSW have put together some data to explain how government funding for non-government schools—such as Catholic and Independent schools— supports your right to choose the best educational environment for your child while also reducing costs for Australian taxpayers.

Using the most recent data, the report outlines how funding these schools through a mixed education model reduces pressure on public education resources, with savings of up to $6.88 billion annually. The report highlights how school choice benefits families and the broader community alike.

To read more, find the report here: Money invested, Money Saved - July 2025 - Adobe cloud storage.

Parent and Carer Information Session 

Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle has launched a webpage with links to webinars that are relevant to parents. There are many topics covered and the webinars are free. Please click the link below to explore the upcoming events.

Parent and Carer Information Sessions | Catholic Schools Maitland-Newcastle

Stay safe and God Bless,

Dani

Year 4 Pheonix Farm Excursion

Year 4 braved the weather and had an incredible time at Phoenix Farm Park. They explored the farm where we got to plant our own crops, feed the chickens and sheep, and then headed to the farm kitchen to cook up a storm. Their favourite dishes were the Beetroot Waffles and Orange Muffins. They then ended the day with a nice glass of fresh lemonade ?‍??‍?

Empowering Year 5 Through ‘Girl Wise’ and ‘Wise Guys’

As part of our Personal Development and Health curriculum, our Year 5 students have been participating in two enriching programs designed to support their social and emotional growth: ‘Girl Wise’ and ‘Wise Guys’.

These programs are delivered to the whole grade, with students grouped by gender to create safe, focused spaces for discussion and reflection. The sessions are facilitated by our dedicated Year 5 teaching team and led by Deanne March, our Pastoral Care Worker, and Elizabeth Walsh, our School Counsellor and Psychologist.

The focus of the programs is to help students explore and strengthen:

• Social and Emotional Connections – Building meaningful friendships and understanding how to support one another.
• Confidence and Emotional Intelligence – Learning to recognise, express, and manage emotions in healthy ways.
• Identity and Self-Worth – Discovering who they are and celebrating their individuality.
• Leadership Mindsets – Developing the skills and attitudes to lead with empathy, courage, and integrity.
• Healthy Role Models – Identifying positive influences and understanding the impact of role models in their lives.

These sessions have been met with enthusiasm and openness from our students, who are engaging thoughtfully with the content and each other. The program not only supports their current wellbeing but also lays the groundwork for strong, respectful relationships and confident leadership in the years ahead.

We are incredibly proud of the way our Year 5 students are embracing these opportunities to grow and connect. A big thank you to Deanne, Elizabeth, and our Year 5 teachers for their commitment to nurturing the whole child.

News from our students: STEM in Stage 3

 This term, Year 5 and 6 are working hard on our STEM projects.

In the past couple of weeks, we have been brainstorming ideas and are in the process of making our projects. We have many amazing ideas and projects in the making. Topics cover themes such as pollution, mental health and robotics.

We are looking forward to displaying our projects for you to see at the STEM fair later on in the term. We are sure your kids will come home and tell you all about it.

In the future, we will be looking for parents or carers with experience in certain areas to come and give advice and help the students on their projects. We will keep you advised in coming weeks.

See you at the STEM fair!

Kind regards,

Evie and Amelia (Year 6)

NAIDOC Week 2025 –

“The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy”
Honouring Culture, Guided by Faith

On Thursday 31^st July our school community gathered to honour and celebrate NAIDOC Week 2025 we reflected on the theme:

“The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.”

This theme invites us to recognise and honour the leadership and legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, especially the powerful role of young people in shaping a more just, inclusive, and respectful future.

As a Catholic school, we see a strong connection between this year’s NAIDOC theme
and the Gospel values that shape our lives:

• Hope and Vision – Jesus calls us to be “a light to the world” (Matthew 5:14). We encourage all students to be bearers of hope, just as many young First Nations leaders bring vision and courage to their communities.
• Justice and Reconciliation – In the spirit of Gospel justice we are reminded of our shared responsibility to seek truth, promote dignity, and stand in solidarity with our First Nations brothers and sisters.
• Legacy of Love – Jesus taught us that love is the greatest commandment (John 13:34). The legacy we build as a school community must be rooted in compassion, respect, and a commitment to healing and unity.

Students explored Indigenous history through storytelling, spirituality and art. We will pray together, learn together, and be inspired by the deep wisdom and resilience that continues to shape this nation.

May we walk gently and purposefully toward a future where the strength and legacy of First Nations Peoples are not only celebrated but carried forward by every generation.

“Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.” – 1 John 3:18

We would like to thank Mrs Parker, Miss Shankley for their organisation of the day. And, to Mrs Franks, Mrs Handsaker and Mrs Johnson for their help today to ensure the smooth running of the day.

Yours in faith,

Miss Michelle Collins 

(Religious Education Co-Ordinator)

Culture and Wellbeing Lessons At St Benedict's