VALE SISTER HELEN FOLEY HSC SUCCESS MY BENNIES

VALE SISTER ■
HELEN FOLEY
College Principal
1982-1986
MAY 2014
HSC SUCCESS ■
College ranks 63rd
in NSW – Top Catholic
School in the Hills District
MY BENNIES ■
Engaging Middle
Years Students
NATIONAL BRONZE ■
MEDALLISTS
Senior Athletics Team
Enrolments at Mount St Benedict have reached
980 this year as the College continues to expand.
There are now seven streams in each of Years 7 to 10 and
these increased numbers of students should flow on into
Years 11 and 12 over the next two years. We have been
blessed in recent years to be able to develop and grow.
The College Board is in the process of developing a
new Master Plan with a view to ongoing upgrade and
improvement of facilities.
What a thrill it was for us all to return to school to a newly
renovated Hall Courtyard. The café style umbrellas, the
green surrounds, including the walls of some of the buildings
covered in plants, and the new tiered seating, complete the
Hall precinct and give our students a much more pleasant
environment during their breaks. I am so grateful to the
Board and the Parents and Friends Association (P&F), all
of whom have contributed to this project. With the expanded
deck at the back of the Hall also now in full operation, our
girls are enjoying the beautiful bushland environs.
Term One is always very busy as we welcome new students,
staff and families to our community. Our Welcome Barbecue
so generously hosted by the P&F and Open Day have both been
great successes, taking full advantage of our new facilities.
Our Opening Mass was a highlight of the beginning of the
year, focussing on the meaning of Pax in our lives. We have
all begun to reflect on what it means for each of us to “Add
our Peace to the Bennies Puzzle”, our Year 12 theme for
2014. Students and staff were involved in ceremonies for
Ash Wednesday, with students taking the lead within their
Homerooms in running the liturgies, and throughout Lent we
will continue to focus on the work of Caritas.
2 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
Years 7, 8 and 9 participate in Camps in Term One while
Year 10 students enjoy their first overnight Retreat. These
activities form part of the total curriculum of the College.
Camps provide opportunities for students to build social
skills, develop enhanced resilience and to challenge
themselves in various ways. The Retreat program offers
the girls time to reflect on their lives away from the busy
routines of normal school days, and to consider their
responses to the deeper questions of life, with a particular
emphasis on spiritual development.
We have received the very sad news of the death of
Sr Helen Foley who was Principal of the College from
1982 – 1986. Sr Helen has continued to be involved in
Good Samaritan Education and will be sadly missed by
the Sisters and the broader Good Samaritan network
of schools. We keep Sr Helen, her family and the Good
Samaritan Sisters in our prayers at this sad time.
I hope you enjoy reading about the many and varied
activities of the College. It is wonderful to hear of the
achievements of our students and ex-students, who
seem to excel in such a wide range of pursuits.
Maria Pearson
Principal
Melissa Woolnough
was presented with
a College artwork
at a recent MSBESA
meeting in recognition
of her contribution
to the Ex-Student
Association.
It is a privilege to have been elected the 2014 Mount St Benedict
Ex- Students Association President. When I was a student
at Mount St Benedict in the 1970s I would not have anticipated
I would be involved in the College all these years later. I recall
one of my main concerns was the representative “zig zag” and
“captain ball” teams. The competition was intense when we
competed against other Good Samaritan Secondary Schools.
Clearly times change! However we did call the College
“Bennies” and the College Crest is essentially the same.
A very exciting initiative by the Association is the introduction of
a College Ring and the Crest is intrinsic to its design. A jeweller
was commissioned to create the Ring and it includes all current
elements: the shield shape, the cross of Christ, the torch of
faith, the word PAX and a path as a symbol of the journey of life.
These were the same elements in the Crest designed by the first
Principal, Sister Christopher Burrows in 1966. The class of 2014
will be the inaugural Year to be offered the opportunity to receive
this unique sterling silver College Ring.
Whilst it is important that the Association acknowledges and
celebrates its links with the past it is critical that we are a
vibrant organisation for the here and now. Beyond Bennies
is one opportunity for current students to mix with and listen
to the stories of former students. The speakers always offer
insight into the joys and challenges of their chosen career and
the journey they have taken since they left Bennies. It will be held
at the School on Tuesday 17th June commencing at 7.15am.
All ex-students are most welcome and further details will be
on Bennies Connect. This is our alumni website so if you have
not logged on yet do not delay, you will be amazed.
Finally on behalf of all the Association members I would like to take
this opportunity to thank our former President Melissa Woolnough
and her Committee for their dedicated efforts. It is through their
advocacy that the Association has flourished. Also thank you to
the current Committee for your energy and commitment.
Catherine Bray
(Anderton 1977)
President
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 3
Class of 2013
Mount St Benedict Class of 2013 returned to celebrate their success
at the Academic Assembly in February. Teachers and fellow students
warmly welcomed them back to recognise and honour their achievements.
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4 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
The Class of 2013 were delighted to learn that Mount St
Benedict was once again the top Catholic school in the Hills
District, the sixth best performing Catholic girls’ school in
NSW, eighth best performing Catholic school in the State
and the 63rd ranked school overall.
In her address to the Academic Assembly, College Principal,
Mrs Maria Pearson shared her great pride not only for the
outstanding HSC results of the Class of 2013 but also for
the different journeys that led to their success.
“Success comes from grappling with the issues, taking risks
and learning from them, struggling to improve and overcoming
personal challenges.
So as we congratulate the girls on their HSC success we
acknowledge also their involvement in diverse activities
throughout the year, they offered service and hospitality
to others, they were mindful of their responsibility as
careful stewards of our shared inheritance, they showed
leadership in their various roles and they contributed
through their acts of kindness and courtesy to making
our school a place of peace and harmony.
In total 61 students achieved
134 mentions on the
Distinguished Achievers List...
As we celebrate with you, girls, I want to remind you and
also remind each one of us, of the people who have supported
you in arriving at this point today, most notably your parents,
your families, your teachers and your friends. I think it is
important for each of us to acknowledge those that support
us in our journeys.“
Samantha Saunders achieved the top ATAR of 98.90.
Samantha’s address as College Dux was warmly received
by the College community. She spoke of personal growth,
camaraderie with her fellow students and achieving your
personal best with the support and guidance of wonderful
teachers. Samantha has chosen to study a Bachelor of
Medical Science at the University of NSW.
The College celebrated two students named in the
All-Round Achievers List. Natalie Grima and Selina Zeaiter
received NSW Premier’s Awards for all-round excellence
achieving a mark of 90 or more in ten of their HSC units,
including English.
Top achievers Gemma Morris (equal 8th in Food
Technology) and Josephine Princi (equal 9th in Hospitality)
were recognised for placing in the Top 10 in the State in
their respective courses.
In total 61 students achieved 134 mentions on the
Distinguished Achievers List, acknowledging those
students who received a Band 6 or E4 (Extension Course).
The Class of 2013 were accepted into an impressive array
of tertiary courses with a number of girls pursuing studies
in the science, health science, education, engineering and
design fields. 93% of the Class of 2013 were offered a place
at university, whilst others opted to undertake vocational
courses at private colleges and TAFE.
Class of 2013:
36% received an ATAR over 90
68% achieved an ATAR of 80 or more
87% achieved over 70 or more
John Muskovits, Dean
of Curriculum says:
“These achievements
really emphasise that our
HSC results are not a one
off occurrence, but rather
a result of consistent
performance at a high
level over a number of years. The College is
constantly looking at best teaching practice,
providing teachers with strategies to better
engage students in their learning. This is
reflected in our new curriculum design
and implementation of the Teaching For
Understanding framework, with a greater
emphasis on how students demonstrate
their understanding.”
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 5
What is the MYBennies Project?
Over the last two years, Mount St Benedict College has been
investigating ways to better engage students in the middle
years. After a year of research and collecting data from
surveys and school visits in 2012, an Implementation Team
was formed in 2013 to refine the data and develop a timeline
for implementation. The work of this team was based on the
following three recommendations:
 The use of Teaching for Understanding
as a framework for teaching and learning
 The use of the Positive Education approach
across all aspects of College life
 Adopting an integrated approach to
curriculum in years 7-9
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This year a MYBennies Innovation team has been appointed
to oversee the implementation of the three recommendations.
The team is led by Mrs Sharon McGowan and also includes
Ms Maree Henson, Ms Mairead Ennis and Ms Karin Balmer.
Underpinning these recommendations is a strong belief in
the importance of relationships between students, teachers
and parents. The project will involve making some changes
to the ways in which we build relationships within the
community, to the framework used for teaching programs
and the way in which curriculum and other programs are
delivered. Central to these changes is our belief that girls
learn at their best when they have strong connections,
when they feel valued, respected and known, and when
their learning is relevant and interesting. The MYBennies
logo represents visually the various elements that will be
addressed through these changes.  During 2012 and 2013, over 90% of teaching staff
completed professional learning in the Harvard institute
course ‘Teaching for Understanding’ in learning teams
and are now writing and delivering curriculum and
pastoral programs using this learning framework.  All staff in the College are completing Positive Education
professional learning in 2014 which will then be
implemented into teaching and pastoral programs.
 ‘Listen with the Ear of your Heart’ conversations
between homeroom mentors and Year 8 students were
implemented in 2013 and have now been extended to
include Year 9. These conversations focus on building
positive relationships and goal setting, elements which
underpin our vision.
 In Term Four of 2013, the PDHPE and Geography faculties
shared a project-based learning activity in which students
investigated a local suburb and proposed a recreational
6 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
event or facility, which promoted
lifelong physical activity, based on the
needs of that community. Students
then showcased their proposals
to staff members, their peers and
members of the wider community.
The integrated nature of the task allowed for
collaboration between faculties and students on
an authentic issue, relevant to the students’ own lives.
 With the rewriting of programs in line with the National
Curriculum and Teaching for Understanding framework,
there has been an emphasis on 21st century fluencies
such as critical thinking, creativity and global citizenship.
 In Term One of this year, the English and Religion faculties
trialled a series of integrated lessons with Year 7, aimed
at teaching interdisciplinary skills, such as letter writing,
narrative writing and research.
What’s next?
The MYBennies Innovation Team is undertaking a process
of mapping outcomes across the curriculum in order to find
possibilities for further integration. This will have consequences for
timetabling, daily routines and the infrastructure of the College.
There will be an emphasis on learning activities and assessment
tasks which stem from real world scenarios, which build skills
relevant to the 21st century. It is envisaged that a number of trials of
integrated programs or project-based learning tasks will run over
the course of 2014-2015, providing the College with the opportunity
to evaluate and refine these and any future integrated projects.
... girls learn at their best
when they have strong
connections, when they feel
valued, respected and known,
and when their learning is
relevant and interesting.
Student Perspectives on the Integrated Geography and PDHPE Project:
Brooke James
Daniella Murphy
Our group investigated the use of ‘The Waves’ facility in
Baulkham Hills. We chose this facility as it is in our local
area and we felt it was underused and didn’t cater to all
age groups. With the aim of encouraging lifelong physical
activity in the local community, we wanted to incorporate
different types of sports into the facility so that it appealed
to more people and more age groups. It was really fun
to work in a group and share the tasks. I thought it was
great that people like Mike Bartlett (Education Manager,
Sydney Olympic Park), and Dana Spence (Parks & Assets
Coordinator, Hornsby Shire Council) took the time to come
and see our exhibition. It was good to have the opportunity
to showcase the work we are doing to people, other than
our teachers.
After investigating the needs of the Hills community, our
group organised the ‘Hills Family Challenge’, a family
orientated day with different challenges such as an obstacle
course. We felt that there was a need for more fun physical
events, especially for people who don’t want to play
competitive sports. From our investigation of the area, we
were able to identify that lots of young families live in the Hills
area and so we thought an event in which all age groups could
take part would be perfect. The project was really fun to plan
and present. We even made a social media page to promote
our event, as well as brochures and display boards. Lots of
people came to visit our stand and enquire about our event.
I hope we gave the council members some ideas of what kinds
of events and facilities we would like to see in the area.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 7
During 2014 at Mount St Benedict
College particular attention will be given
to the core Benedictine value of Pax,
the Latin word for peace. The Latin is
retained to help distinguish the particular
Benedictine concept of peace from more
commonly held understandings.
In her opening year Assembly Address, College Principal,
Mrs Maria Pearson invited every member of the
community to bring their gift of peace into the College,
in particular urging the girls to consider how they use
their voices to contribute to harmonious relationships
and peace in life together. During the course of the year the College community
will be connecting with the theme of Pax in many and
varied ways through:
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Prayer and reflection
Outreach and social justice initiatives
The College pastoral program
Day to day relationships with colleagues and students
Student led initiatives
Liturgical celebrations
Classroom practice
College goals for the Year of Pax will see the community
develop a deeper understanding of Pax through
relationships, greater self-awareness and skill
development. Such opportunities for both students
and staff will include recognising the relationship
between justice and peace as well as the search for
peace as part of an approach to wellbeing. Importantly
students will focus on developing skills in conflict
resolution, the use of non-violence as a tool for
change and campaigning for peace and the elimination
of violence – particularly against women.
Above: College Captains at the Opening Mass with the Year of Pax candle.
8 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
Emma Hayman – Vice Captain Portfolio
The notion of “peace” can be interpreted in many
ways; it can mean physical quiet, a stillness of the
heart, or simply what would remain, if conflict and
hatred were taken from the world. The focus on Pax
this year is a rare opportunity for each individual to
discover what peace means to them. I hope this year
helps us find this peace in our busy lives.
Nivedita Kumar and Hannah
McKnight – Social Justice Captains
Pax allows us to look not only at our
relationships with others but more
importantly, at our relationship with
ourselves. When there is no conflict in
our minds or fear in our hearts, peace is
present. For the Social Justice Portfolio, Pax
means to bring peace to the surrounding
community and the wider world. To do this,
activities such as the Caritas Trek have
been planned. Girls are encouraged to walk
to collect water from a nearby creek and
bring it back to the school as a symbol of
walking with the women and children who
must walk for miles every day just to collect
water, all sponsorship money from this trek
will be donated to Caritas Australia.
Veronica Ward – Liturgy Captain
For me, Pax is about being at peace
with yourself and the community. Peace
is about having healthy relationships
with yourself and others as well as
contributing positively to the community.
Naomi, my fellow Liturgy Captain and
I will incorporate peace in each of our
school activities. Our Ash Wednesday
and Easter Celebrations will have a
running theme of Pax and our school
candle and grade banner incorporates
the symbols of Pax.
Jessica Smith
– College Captain
The focus this year on peace not only encompasses
the idea of inner peace, but also peace with your
peers, family and surroundings. Pax is something that
everyone has inside them, and has the capacity to let
shine in their daily lives; however it can be easy for it
to be overwhelmed by other thoughts and activities.
If I can just take a deep breath, take a few moments
out of each day to be thankful, to count my blessings
and to truly let Pax work in my daily life, I think I might
be able to make it through this rollercoaster ride they
call Year 12.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 9
The group included two students from the Class of 2013 at Mount
St Benedict College – Kate Bravo and Danielle Barnett. Instead
of taking off for the Gold Coast with their peers, the students
elected to join Sister Meg Kahler and Monica Dutton from the
Good Samaritan Mission Team to travel to the Philippines to work
in the Good Samaritan Kinder School in Bacolod for two weeks.
At the end of 2013, 13 Year 12 students
from Good Samaritan schools around
Australia opted for a very different
‘schoolies’ break.
The group saw first-hand the damage that Cyclone Yolanda
bought to the country. They visited two sister schools in Manila
which were assisting the victims of the typhoon and heard about
and saw the total destruction of the school in Tacloban city.
The group was involved in tutoring groups in a slum area in
Manila, participated in an activity day in a mountain village,
as well as taking in the sights and sounds of Manila. Most of
the time was spent in ‘The Boulevarde’ a slum beside the sea
in Bacolod with the group taking Christmas presents for the
children at the kindergarten, hosting a Christmas party and
helping in the classrooms.
Kate chose to travel with the group to experience the contrast
of lifestyles in the Philippines. Being of Filipino background
herself, she had travelled there a number of times to see
family and had really only experienced the tourist attractions
and significant sites. Although a whole step out of the world
she was familiar with, she found she learnt a lot more on this
trip to the Philippines than on previous trips.
“The enormous gap between the rich and the poor was a
surprising element of the trip. It was hard to believe we were
still in the Philippines with massive homes and a polo club just
a bridge away from some slums.”
“I celebrated my 18th birthday in Bacolod and I came away
with a huge sense of gratitude for what I have. I found it
selfish to complain when people with much less than me,
were ten times happier.”
It was for each and every girl a transformative experience,
a time when the gift of compassion was practised in a very
practical and inspirational way.
10 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
Students returned to the College in
Term One ready to enjoy some new
spaces within the College.
The redesigned Hall Courtyard provides outdoor learning
spaces and additional seating for students with a grassed
area. Complete with café style shade umbrellas, the area
provides an ideal space for the girls to socialise and relax
in small groups.
Contemporary vertical gardens now surround the Hall
Courtyard increasing green space and enriching this
key gathering area, further demonstrating the College’s
commitment to stewardship of the environment.
The rejuvenated Hall Courtyard has already played host
to some key College events including the P&F Welcome
BBQ and Open Day.
These aesthetic improvements are in addition to the
opening in late 2013 of the extended College Hall,
adjoining renovated Blue Gum deck and the shaded
awning area on the oval.
Mount St Benedict College is grateful to its Parents and
Friends’ Association for their generosity in contributing
a substantial sum towards the courtyard upgrade and
the oval awnings.
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The College Board is now working towards the
development of a new Master Plan for the College to
build on recent developments to enhance facilities. In
the near future the College community will have an
opportunity to give some input to the process ensuring
future developments reflect community needs.
Now - Hall Court Yard in 2014.
Inset: Then - Hall Courtyard in 1991.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 11
Each year during Lent the College
community focuses on the needs of
others through its partnership with
Caritas Australia. Caritas Week, the
largest social justice event on the
College calendar supports the Project
Compassion campaign to assist the
poor and vulnerable of the world.
In the course of the week there were a number
of interactive activities to support this focus:
Water Trek
A group of over 50 students and 8 teachers took
part in an early morning trek to collect water from
a local creek and bring buckets of water back to the
College. This was done in solidarity with the women
and children around the world who have to make
this kind of trek on a daily basis to bring water to
their family and village.
Interactive Ministry
Students and staff were able to experience a number of
interactive lunchtime activities led by Year 9 Ministry classes,
using Caritas video clips as a stimulus to discussion and
activities. A group looked at the provision of health services
to Aboriginal communities in remote parts of Australia,
while another group looked at a situation of upheaval and
displacement in Sri Lanka as a result of their civil war. Other
groups looked at the circumstances of people with disabilities
in South Sudan, the effect of natural disasters in island nations
such as the Solomon Islands and situations of urban poverty
and violence in Brazil and the Philippines.
The Paper Bag Game
The College community gathered to hear a guest presentation
from Caritas Australia before taking part in a guided
simulation called The Paper Bag Game. This activity gave
everyone a small insight into the struggles which face many
people in the world to sustain them and their families in
appalling conditions for the most meagre of wages.
Sleep-out
Over 50 students from Years
10-12 and a group of staff
took part in an overnight
sleep-out, highlighting the
issue of homelessness.
Photo Walk
At the end of the busy week students
were able to reflect on the key events and
themes of the week via a photo walk.
Chalk Mural
Creative students designed
a chalk mural reflecting the
Caritas theme and linked
it the Year of Pax. Students
and staff also added their
written pledge of something
they were committed to
working towards during
Lent this year.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 13
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Sr Helen Foley the fourth Principal of
Mount St Benedict College, serving
from 1982 to 1986, passed away on
Monday 17 March 2014.
Sr Helen was born in Brisbane, the
eldest daughter of four children.
After being educated firstly by the
Presentation Sisters, and then
the Sisters of Mercy, Sr Helen
had started an Arts Degree at the
University of Queensland when she
decided to enter the convent. She
journeyed south for her novitiate and
profession, to the Good Samaritans
at Pennant Hills, and later completed
degree courses in Arts, Music and
Education at the Universities of
Queensland, New England and NSW.
Sr Helen’s teaching experience has
extended to several schools in NSW,
including St Mary Star of the Sea
College, Wollongong, St Scholastica’s
College, Glebe and Stella Maris,
Manly, where she was Religious
Education Co-ordinator and Deputy
Principal before coming to Mount St
Benedict College.
Mount St Benedict College
Welcome to th
e College!
The College community warmly welcomed current
and prospective families, as well as ex-students to
the annual Open Day on Sunday 9 March.
Committed staff and students
showcased the outstanding teaching
and learning that takes place within
the College, with many students
volunteering to assist on the day.
Around 1,000 visitors were able to go on
student-led tours, visit and participate
in a range of displays, listen to the
Principal’s address and enjoy a number
of performances including the College
Band, Choir and Drama.
Mrs Maria Pearson, College Principal
is particularly pleased with the way that
the College community embraces Open
Day noting, “It has come to be a very
important annual event and one which
gives us all great reason to be proud of
our community.”
During Sr Helen’s time at Mount St
Benedict College she oversaw the
completion of the extensions of the
Library in 1985-86.
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14 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
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Tenth anniversary of German exchange partnership
The December 2013 trip marked the
10th year of the German exchange
partnership between Mount St Benedict
College and Elly-Heuss-Knapp
Gymnasium in Stuttgart.
Twenty students travelled to Stuttgart for
the second part of their exchange. There
they stayed with their German partners
who they had hosted earlier
in the year.
“The opportunity of hosting someone
from a different culture and then living
with a family in Germany has been a
rewarding, at times challenging, but
most definitely a valuable experience for
all of our students who have taken part
in the exchange programme,” says Mrs
Belinda Jack, Head of Languages.
Student Reflection
In total, we had two weeks at school with
our partners putting our German speaking
and listening skills to the test, attending
classes with our partners and taking part
in special projects with English classes
from Years 5 – 12. We spent the other
days doing excursions as a group with
our teachers and exploring the wonderful
sites and culture of Germany.
To celebrate our final time with all of the
Australian and German students, there
was a Christmas party which our host
families and teachers also attended.
On the weekends and in the two weeks
of holidays some of us were fortunate
to accompany our host families on trips
to places including France, Switzerland,
German Trip
Austria and many other parts of Germany.
Many of us were lucky to see snow in the
holidays and some of us even took to the
slopes in Austria and tried skiing.
The German Exchange was an amazing,
worthwhile and special experience,
improving our language skills, creating
a deeper understanding of the German
culture and making lifelong friendships.
- Emily-Kate Pfeiffer Year 11
Visit from Japanese Good Samaritan School, Seiwa
In early March girls in Years 7-12
hosted 23 Japanese students for
four days from our Japanese sister
Good Samaritan school, Seiwa. The
Japanese girls experienced a day in
school, enjoyed learning to play cricket
and taught origami to the Mount St
Benedict girls.
The Japanese students were accompanied
by Seiwa Principal, Mrs
Mashimo and sports
teacher, Ms Kawamoto.
The girls from Seiwa are particularly
renowned for their beautiful singing
and the College was fortunate to have
the opportunity to hear the Japanese
students sing.
These annual visits have strengthened the
connection between the two schools and
Mount St Benedict students have greatly
enjoyed the experience of hosting, gaining
the opportunity to practise their language
skills, and in return giving the Japanese
girls a taste of our Australian lifestyle.
Student Reflection
I was given the opportunity to open up
my home to a year nine student from
Seiwa Junior High school, her name was
Yuuna. Although Yuuna did not speak
much English we surprisingly had a lot
in common. We had some wonderful
experiences over the weekend such as
shopping in the city and a trip to the Blue
Mountains and having fun going up and
down the scenic railway. I was able to
learn a lot from Yuuna about culture in
Japan and I hope she learnt a lot about
culture in Australia. When the weekend
came to an end, both Yuuna and I were
very sad to see each other go but we
exchanged contact details and promised
to keep in touch. This was probably one
of the most rewarding experiences I have
ever encountered.
- Isabella Steen Year 9
Bennies students learning
the art of origami.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 15
Year 10 Drama students appointed
Griffin Theatre Ambassadors
Congratulations to Year 10 Drama students Isabella Duncan
and Georgia Gebrael, who have been accepted to be part of
the Griffin Ambassador Program at the Griffin Theatre. As an
Ambassador they will attend free performances of each Griffin
Main Season production, followed by a post-show forum with
cast and crew; meet other Ambassadors who share a passion
for theatre; and attend two workshops led by Griffin staff and
affiliates, and industry professionals. The girls are looking
forward to the opportunity and sharing their experiences with
their fellow Drama students.
Monique chosen as Youth
Member of Parliament
Year 10 student, Monique Harris has been chosen as a Youth
Member of Parliament in the YMCA NSW Youth Parliament.
The prestigious state program brings together 150 of our
state’s future leaders aged 15-18 years. Monique will take
part in two training camps in April and July and as part of
the Environment and Heritage Committee will have the
opportunity to draft a bill in this area. In July, Monique and
her fellow Youth Members of Parliament will take over the
Parliament of NSW, to present, debate, and vote on the
pieces of legislation that they have developed.
Success in speaking up
Congratulations to Mount St Benedict students who
had success in the recent CSDA public speaking
competition. Six students made it through to the
CSDA zone finals – Rebecca Koelmeyer (Year 11),
Diana Kazakov (Year 9), Khristiana Dadula (Year
8), Hannah Neylan (Year 8), Rose Leavey (Year 7)
and Chloe Withford (Year 7). The following week, Diana, Hannah and
Rose participated in the Grand Final, an
impressive achievement considering only ten
finalists from each year are selected from
schools all over Sydney. The girls delivered
clever, convincing and very entertaining speeches
on the night. All girls reported that the
competition was a great experience.
The last word goes to Year 9 finalist, Diana, who
said “Public speaking isn’t just getting up and
saying a speech – there is so much more you get
out of it. When I actually looked back and noticed
all those little improvements I realised it was
public speaking I had to thank.”
16 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
Warming up before the CSDA
zone finals. From left: Rebecca
Koelmeyer, Diana Kazakov, Rose
Leavey, Chloe Withford, Khristiana
Dadula, Hannah Neylan.
Beyond Bennies Breakfast
Class of 2004 – 10 year reunion
When: Tuesday 17 June 2014
Where: Mount St Benedict College
- Ground Floor of D Block
Time: 7.15am
The Class of 2004 Reunion
organisers have started a
Facebook page for your reunion.
Join this group at www.facebook.
com/msb2004tenyearreunion
The ex-student / daughter photo
will be taken after this breakfast
Speakers:
Reunions in 2014
Kate Aubusson – Class of 2004
is a passionate refugee advocate,
who has used her journalist
background to capture interviews
with prominent people in locations
we would only dream of going.
If you are holding a reunion this year,
please email msbesa@msben.nsw.
edu.au. We’d love to help you promote
it using the Newsletters and Bennies
Connect. Bennies Connect can be used
for taking registrations and payments
etc to make it easier on the organisers.
MSB Golden Jubilee 2016
We are currently updating our
archival records with the History
Company in preparation for our
Golden Jubilee in 2016. As a result
of this process we have discovered
some of our publications have
been misplaced. If you are an
ex-student and you have kept
Publications such as Bennies Buzz,
Newsletters, School Diaries and
photos of significant events and
that you would be happy to share
a copy with us and/or donate it to
our Department please contact
Michelle Blackman on 9980 0401
or email archives@msben.nsw.edu.
au. We are also very keen to obtain
old uniforms and/or spare uniform
fabric for our collection.
Class of 1976 – where are you?
If you were in the Class of ’76, Ann
Jackson (nee Williams) would like to
hear from you. Ann is keen to start
discussions on your 40 Year Reunion.
This one falls in a significant year, as
it is the College’s Golden Jubilee Year.
Suzie Monks (nee Hackett) – Class
of 2000 studied BA in Tourism
Management and then changed
paths soon after graduation to
her true calling in Education, in
particular Reading Recovery for
children who struggle with literacy.
If you are interested in connecting
with your peers socially and/or
becoming involved in starting the
discussion, please email Ann
on annja5884@gmail.com.
Mentoring through Bennies Connect
MSBESA would like to encourage Alumni to
become part of the Mentoring program that
has been launched on Bennies Connect.
 W
hat is mentoring? Alumni sharing their
experiences with the current students.
This includes university / courses
undertaken and the pathway to get there.
 H
ow do the girls communicate with
mentors? Through email Expression
of Interest via the Careers Department.
It doesn’t take much, it could be as
little as emailing through feedback on
how to gain entry into the courses the
current students are interested in.
Alumni are very important to our
community they give back their
wisdom to current students and
are ambassadors for the College.
Enrolments
If you have a daughter in
primary school, please
remember to “register” her
to start at MSB sooner, rather
than later (this includes
current MSB families). This
prevents disappointment for
prospective families on the
wait list.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 17
Farewell to:
Rob Barrett
Mr Rob Barrett started at MSB
in 1997 as the HSIE Head of
Department. After 17 years, Mr
Barrett has decided to retire to a
lovely beachside suburb to work
on his surfing skills. The College
will definitely miss his presence
and his absolute commitment
to the students. Mr Barrett was the consummate
professional throughout his entire career and
has impacted on the lives of many. It is said that
“students take out of a classroom what a teacher
brings in”. Mr Barrett brought compassion,
knowledge, motivation, a sense of peace and
a caring heart – qualities that endeared him to
the students under his care year after year. It
is often said that a person who leaves can never
be replaced – and this is definitely the case
with Mr Barrett. We sincerely wish him all the
very best for a wonderful and well-deserved
retirement, and also offer him our heart-felt
thanks – for everything!
Rob and Dianne
at Staff Christm
as party
Mrs Dianne Davis
2013 saw the end of the long and distinguished
career of Di; a talented, creative and
professional teacher, who has served the
College with passion, faith and integrity since
1975. Di has specialised in teaching Geography
and Asian Studies where she instilled in her
students a love of and an appreciation for
the environment. Many excursions, both day
and overnight, were organised and led by Di, always resulting
in a fun filled and eventful educational experience. Her expert
contributions to the HSIE faculty have been welcomed and
appreciated with many ideas implemented in order to improve
overall teaching outcomes. She also spent many years as the
Year 8 Coordinator and guided students with her kind, resourceful
and generous nature. Di’s expertise in the teaching profession
has been very much appreciated by both staff and students. She
consistently made insightful contributions to the ever changing
College environment and creatively addressed the individual
needs of her students. The strong connections she developed
with the College have been maintained over the years, with Di
still in regular contact with many past staff and students. Di will
be greatly missed by the entire College community as it gives
her a huge thank you and bids a very fond farewell to everybody’s
“favourite teacher”.
18 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
A big congratulations to:
Sophie Lander and her husband
on the arrival of their 2nd daughter
Ruby Sophia Fairbrother. Born on 24
February at 1:51 pm, weighing 3.1 kg
and 49 cm long.
Natasha Lutton and her husband
on the arrival of Avaline Clare Lutton
on 11 September.
Elizabeth and Joseph Rastegorac
on their surprise arrival of Dominic George
Rastegorac who arrived at 7:54 am on
1 January 2014 weighing 3.27kg (7.3)
and 49cm long. He was the first baby born
on the Northern Beaches and had his
picture published in the Manly Daily (show
off already).
Annette and Nick Johnson who are
the proud parents of a baby boy, Zachary
James Johnson born on 19 December at
8.17pm. weighing 4.01kg and 58cm long.
Congratulations to:
Erin O’Brien and her husband Neil who
were married on Erin’s parents’ property in the
Tweed Valley on 28 September. Neil is Canadian
so it was great to have some of his family come
for the wedding. They will be travelling for the
next nine months as their honeymoon.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 19
Touch
On 25 February the Mount St Benedict U15 team
were crowned as Broken Bay Champions at the
Diocesan Championships in Umina, with our senior
team finishing a commendable third. Three team
members then went on to gain selection into the
U15 Broken Bay Team: Shannyn Bissett (Year 8),
Abi Shepherd (Year 9) and Bella Duncan (Year 10).
Kaitlyn Noble went on to gain selection into the
Broken Bay Open Team.
Swimming
The annual Mount St Benedict Swimming Carnival was held on
26 February, celebrating the achievements, sporting spirit and
house support of girls in the pool.
The Overall Champion House is calculated using all points
for events, participation and war cry. The results for 2014 are:
Overall Champion House
1st
Montserrat
2nd Arcadia
3rd Terracina
Overall School Champion
1st Brooke Mindham
– New Norcia
2nd Caitlin Walsh
– Terracina
3rd Emily Michell
– Monte Cassino
European Sports Tour
60 of our students travelled to France and England
during the April school holidays. Five netball teams
and one football team competed against international
teams across the two weeks.
20 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
The House Participation
Trophy is awarded to the
House who has the greatest
participation across all events,
regardless of results. The
results for 2014 are:
House Participation
1st Monte Cassino
2nd Montserrat
3rd Arcadia
Triathlon
Friday 7 March was a great day with Mount St Benedict
students creating history winning our first ever NSW All
Schools Triathlon Medals. Our intermediate “Super Team”,
comprised of Brooke Mindham (Y10 Swim), Georgia Quick (Y10
Cycle) and Elly Gallgher (Y9 Run) brought home NSW CCC gold
whilst our Senior Y12s Ellen Schiffler (Swim), Annabelle Doheny
(Cycle) and Natalie Tobin (Run) gave it everything in their final
year to return with NSW CCC Silver. With 96 MSB triathletes in
attendance it was a memorable day at Penrith.
Gold Medallists – Brooke Mindham,
Georgia Quick and Elly Gallagher.
Athletics
Australian Schools Knockout Championships
Eight of the College’s most talented athletes were in action over the Christmas
holidays at the Australian Schools Knockout Championships in Townsville. This is
the third consecutive year that our girls have progressed to compete in the National
Championships. The girls finished as the best senior athletics team in NSW and the
National Bronze Medallists (front cover photo).
Australian All Schools
Athletic Championships
), Maddy Bergfield
Front Row: Carla Takchi (Y11
2013), Genevieve
(Y12
(Y12 2013), Becky Clark
: Lily Vidler (Y12 2013),
Row
k
Bac
3)
201
(Y12
ie
Cow
Elly Gallagher (Y9),
Karina Takchi (Y12 2013),
(Y12)
hell
Mic
ly
Emi
Our students also brought home
individual medals from the
Australian All Schools Athletics
Championships. The College had an
amazing five students in the NSW
All Schools Team – Karina Takchi
(Y12 2013), Becky Clark (Y12 2013),
Maddy Bergfield (Y12 2013), Carla
Takchi (Y11) and Katie Devitt (Y8).
Karina (U18s) and Katie (U14s) now
have National All Schools Gold
medals as they were members of
the victorious NSW 4 x 100m teams.
Softball
In February Elizabeth Liepa (Class of
2013) received a NSW Blues Award
for her achievements in Softball
Umpiring. Liz has, for the past two
years, officiated at the NSW CCC, NSW
All Schools and School Sport Australia
Level. Liz is a delightful young woman
and it is wonderful to see students
giving back to their sports and to have
her talent recognised.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 21
Ex-Students In Sport
 Olivia Doyle – Class of 2012
Olivia was named in the NSW U19 Netball team.
 Georgia Casey – Class of 2010
Georgia has just been named in the Australian Women’s
Softball Team (Aussie Spirit) that will compete in the
World Championships in the Netherlands in August.
 Jana Pittman – Class of 2000
First Australian female Olympian to compete
in a summer and winter Games.
Marcela Ordonez – Class of 2002
In 2012 I was lucky enough to be supported through my
teaching practicum by the wonderful community at MSB. Sonia,
Nicola and Anita all guided me with infinity of encouragement
in the Visual Arts department. I went on to graduate as
Valedictorian of the Class of 2012 from The Australian Catholic
University and am now teaching at Carlingford High (just down
the road). I wish to extend my many thanks to Bennies for
education spanning 20 years, and a especially warm thank you
to Anita Howard and Sonia Barnett who were there for me in
Year 12, and again 10 years later. Though I am extremely proud
to be working in education, I must admit, it does not compare to
the happiness, and fulfilment that my wonderful family brings
to me, to whom I am also infinitely grateful for – especially my
beautiful almost 7 year old Chelsy-Lee.
Venette Lowe – Class of 1987
I remember very fondly my days at “Bennies” in the eighties. I have
a photo taken in front of the convent on my first day of high school
wearing a little light blue hat and short red gloves. I also remember
the walk with my classmates across the oval from the school to the
convent for art classes in the basement. The Principal was Sister
Helen and the Vice Principal, Sister Lorraine. I was always fascinated
with the old convent and have often dreamt about it in the years since
leaving the school. I only saw the Chapel once when I was at school
and was amazed that a place so beautiful could be hidden away
largely undiscovered. Therefore I was absolutely thrilled when
I realised that we could get married there all these years later,
My husband, Anthony Forsyth went to school at Marist Brothers
Parramatta. As you can gather from the kilt he is of proud Scottish
heritage. We were married by Deacon Peter McCulloch from St
Agatha’s on 19 October 2013. We had the bagpipes before the service
as guests arrived and had an organist on that lovely old organ and
soloist throughout the service. Sister Elizabeth was one of the loveliest
people I have ever met and actually rang the old bell for us at the
completion of the service which was another lovely touch. Many of the
guests said that it was the loveliest wedding they had attended which
of course was a lovely compliment.
22 | Bennies Buzz May 2014
Jacinta Lyons [nee Knutsen]
– Graduation Class of 1985
Jacinta passed away February 15, 2014 after battling
cervical cancer and brain tumours for more than seven
years. She was the youngest daughter of John and Kath
Knutsen, sister to Julie and Gemma [also students of
Bennies], partner to Gus, proud mother to Thomas [now
16 years old] and friend to many, many people all over
the world.
Jacinta attended St Agatha’s, Pennant Hills and she
was in Year 12 in 1985 at MSB. Jacinta left Year 12 to
take up a position in foreign exchange with a leading
Australian merchant bank and continued her HSC
by correspondence. In the final pages of her diary,
Jacinta stated the friendships she made at school were
treasured and never forgotten.
Class of 2003 – 10 Year Reunion
We had a fun-filled night at our 10 year reunion on 19 October
in the city. The night was filled with reminiscing, sharing of
news, much laughter and to be expected, lots of dancing!
Thanks to so many of the Year 12 Class of 2003 and Year
10 Class of 2001 for making such an effort to be there and
to those who sent their well-wishes from afar. Here is a
group photo with most of the attendees to share with the
MSB community.
Until 2023, Diana, Kerry-Anne and Michaela (College Captains)
She loved to travel and her training in foreign exchange
enabled her to work in stockbroking, finance and
banking in almost every corner of the world including
New York, Canada, London, Scandinavia, Europe, Asia
and the Middle East. For her, it wasn’t just about the
places; it was about all the people she met along the
way. All of whom, after just a few minutes of chat
became a friend for life.
When Jacinta returned to Australia, she was
employed by Legacy to do what she said was the most
rewarding job she had ever had. In true Jacinta style,
she raised significant proceeds for the war veterans
and their families.
In July 2011 Jacinta graduated with a Bachelor of
Laws having overcome the challenge of juggling
motherhood and study, and in the later years needing
to manage the timing of her cancer treatments around
her exams and semesters.
Her battle with cancer was tough, but even on her
darkest days, Jacinta would find something to laugh
about and that she did with her signature laugh and
giggle that many will remember her by.
Christine Ernst – Class of 2004
Christine and her husband Ben had a little girl, Eleanor
Susannah Lodewijks, born on 7 November 2013.
To add to this wonderful piece of news, Christine has been
awarded the inaugural Sir Ninian Stephen Scholarship in
International Law, awarded by the Sir Robert Menzies Foundation.
Christine is planning on using this scholarship to study a Bachelor
of Civil Law at the University of Oxford in 2014-15.
The Bennies Community would like to wish you all the best
in this new adventure for you and your new family.
May 2014 Bennies Buzz | 23
2014 Term Dates
Term 2 2014
• Term 2 commences
Tuesday 28 April
• MSBESA Ex-Students Meeting Monday 2 June 5.45 pm
• MSB Day & end of Term 2
Friday 20 June
Term 3 2014
• Term 3 commences
Tuesday 15 July
• MSBESA Monday 11 August 5.45pm
• Term 3 ends
Friday 19 September
• Term 4 commences
Tuesday 7 October
• MSBESA AGM Monday 10 November 5.45 pm
• Term 4 ends
Friday 5 December
449C Pennant Hills Rd
Pennant Hills NSW 2120
Phone: 9980 0444
Email: admin@msben.nsw.edu.au
www.msb.nsw.edu.au
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Term 4 2014