Newsletter Term 3 > Week 10

This week staff had the pleasure of listening to speeches presented by our nominees for College Captain. Following a retreat that focused on leadership qualities and what it means to be a servant leader, eight Year 11 students accepted nominations by their peers and had the courage to prepare and share their vision for student leadership in 2025.

I congratulate all the students who prepared speeches and presented so articulately and confidently about the values they have learned at St Mark’s and how these are important to be effective, approachable and reliable leaders. Each year the task of voting for student leaders seems to become harder. I congratulate our new 2025 College Captains Eva Christensen-Lauder and Jake Anderson and Vice-Captains Zoe Reid and Wil Brown. I am confident that our Year 12s next year will work hard and inspire others with their pride in the College and their commitment to being great role models for all.

During the term break, the College Executive Team will be participating in a Salesian Pilgrimage to Europe to walk in the footsteps of St Don Bosco and be immersed in the charism that is a foundation of our work. I look forward to sharing news of this amazing experience, which is being supported by Catholic Education SA, next term.

As this term draws to a close, I thank you all for your ongoing support, sometimes through challenging situations. I wish the Year 12s all the best as they attend holiday workshops, complete assignments and start their revision in readiness for the final weeks of schooling next term and their exams.

Finally, this week, I’m delighted to make a significant staffing announcement.

Mr Isaac Ellis has been appointed as Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission (APRIM) commencing 20 January 2025. This appointment has been approved by Bishop Karol Kulczycki and the Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Port Pirie, Mrs Nichii Mardon.

Isaac brings to this role a deep personal faith and strong connections with the Cathedral Parish Port Pirie, in addition to his experience as a teacher and, in 2024, his experience as Leader of Catholic Identity and Mission at our Bosco campus.

Isaac is excited to take up this role and committed to working with students, teachers and families to enhance our Catholic identity, liturgical practices and faith formation experiences for all.

I congratulate Isaac and wish him all the best as he exercises religious leadership in this significant role at the College next year.

Dr Sandra Hewson, Principal

Blessing of the Fleet 
The Blessing of the Fleet is a festival that happens every year with the Feast of Our Lady of Martyrs and the local Italian community. It seeks to give a blessing, under the protection of the Virgin Mary, on the boats that fish in our local area. 

This festival was accompanied by this year's debutantes and their partners, who were presented at the Annual Debutante Ball. These, mainly Year 11 students, prepared for this presentation with many weeks of practice and dedication. 

In the lead-up to this festival was the Triduum of the Feast Day. The Triduum took the form of three evenings of devotions and Masses honouring the good works of the community in the past year. Along with the debutantes and their partners, some of our sacramental students also participated in some of these Masses. The High Mass and Benediction surrounding the activity at the wharf demonstrated the devotion of the community to the example of Mary, who followed Jesus and is a model Christian. 

Many thanks go to everyone involved in preparing and carrying out this vibrant festival on our community’s calendar, which has now celebrated its 95th Anniversary – an amazing achievement! 
 

Socktober 
It's Socktober time!  

Socktober is a Catholic Mission campaign centred around the world game of soccer. It is run every October to bring people together and support children in need worldwide.  

A group of dedicated Year 7 students are organising a soccer tournament and other activities to raise money for shelter, meals and education for kids at the Caring Centre in Mongolia. 

Click here to donate - your generous donation will help them to help others: 

Fred’s Van Cooking 
The social justice action of the Year 10s continues with another class meeting after school this week to prepare meals for Fred’s Van which takes place on Sunday nights. 

This is the third cooking session that the Year 10s have been involved with, and there is one class left to cook in the first few weeks of Term 4. 

A big thank you to the Year 10s who have participated in this initiative so far. A special thank you to Ms Fiona Clarke, who has been instrumental in organising, resourcing and facilitating these cooking sessions this term. 

Operation Christmas Child 
As we come to the conclusion of our time packing shoeboxes filled with items to support the Samaritan's Purse Australia and New Zealand 2024 drive, we would like to thank families across the College who donated money and gifts to this cause. These boxes will bring light and hope to children who experience suffering and hardship in this world. May these acts of compassion and mercy make a difference in the lives of others, especially at Christmas time. 

The Witness 
Click here for the latest edition.

Southern Cross 
Click here for the latest edition.

Ms Brodie Nugent, Mr Isaac Ellis, Ms Fiona Clarke and Mrs Megan Congdon, St Mark’s College Catholic Identity Team

Key Dates: Term 4, Week 1 and 2

• First Day of Term 4
  Monday 14 October, full summer uniform including hats to be worn (unless designated PE Days)

• Little Lions Session 8
  Monday 14 October, 8.30 – 11.30am
   
• Mini Mark’s Playgroup – Messy Play
  ​Tuesday 15 October, 9.00am – 10.30am

• Principal’s Tour, Benedict Campus
  Wednesday 16 October, 9.30 – 10.30am

• Little Lions Session 8
  Friday 18 October, 8.30 – 11.30am

• Little Lions Session 9 + Class Photo Day
  Monday 21 October, 8.30 – 11.30am
   
• R-12 Class of 2024 Farewell Mass
  Tuesday 22 October, 9.15am, St Mark’s Sports Centre

• Day for Daniel and Walk-A-Thon
  Friday 25 October

• ​Little Lions Session 9 + Class Photo Day
  Friday 25 October, 8.30 – 11.30am

Apology
I would like to extend an apology for the untimely communication students were given about wearing hair spray on Sports Day.

Clear and timely communication of decisions that impact families is crucial, and I regret that we have fallen short of your expectations.

I am sorry for any pressure this put on you and your family last week but hope it did not impact too much on your enjoyment of an otherwise successful Sports Day.

Keeping Our School Community Healthy
As we navigate through the rest of the school year together, the health and well-being of our students, staff, and families remain our top priority. With the changing seasons and the increase in common illnesses, we want to remind everyone of the importance of keeping children home when they are sick.

Why It’s Important:
When children come to school while unwell, they risk spreading illnesses to their classmates and teachers. This can lead to more widespread absences and disrupt the learning environment for everyone. By keeping your child home when they are sick, you help protect the entire school community.

Signs Your Child Should Stay Home:
Please keep your child at home if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:

• Fever (38°C or higher)
• Persistent coughing or sneezing
• Sore throat, runny or stuffy nose
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Fatigue or body aches

If Your Child Is Sick:

Notify the School: Inform the school of your child’s absence and the reason for it.

Seek Medical Advice: Consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best course of action.

Rest and Recover: Ensure your child gets plenty of rest and fluids to recover quickly.

Returning to School: Children should only return to school when they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication. This helps ensure they are fully recovered and reduces the risk of spreading illness to others.

We understand that keeping your child home can be inconvenient, but it is a crucial step in maintaining a healthy school environment. Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to the well-being of our school community.

If you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Benedict Administration Office on 8633 8802.
 

Mrs Sarah Freer, Deputy Principal, Benedict Campus

Last Friday over 400 students competed in a range of fun events at Benedict Sports Day. From the turf to the events track, students gave their best efforts for their house team! 

Congratulations to Polding who were winners on the day, with Year 6 captains Hayden and Sarah collecting the Bishop Karol Kulczycki shield.

Final scores on the day were as follows:

1. Polding- 434
2. McNally- 397
3. Gallagher- 321
4. Bosco- 307

House teams were also awarded the:

• Fatima Incentive Shield- Bosco
• Good Samaritan Team Shield- Polding
•  Salesian Running Shield- McNally

We also congratulate our students who won individual awards on the day:

• Team Spirit- Ella Z (Bosco), Madeline H (Gallagher), Amara (McNally) and Xzavier (Polding)
• Long Distance Champions- Amy S (Y5), Kingston K (Y5), Maddison (Y6) and Braxton (Y6)
• Spirit Champions- Sophie (Y5), Kingston (Y5), Della (Y6) and Xzavier (Y6) 

To see the full gallery of photos click here.

Key Dates: Term 4, Week 1 and 2

• First Day of Term 4
  Monday 14 October, full summer uniform including hats to be worn (unless designated PE Days)

• Year 12 Trial Exams
  Starting Monday 14 October
   
• Principal’s Tour, Bosco Campus
  ​Thursday 17 October, 5.00 – 6.00pm

• Salesian House End of Year Liturgy
  ​Sunday 20 October, 7.00pm

• Information Night – 2025 Philippines Immersion
  Monday 21 October, 7.00pm
  BGC or watch online
   
• R-12 Class of 2024 Farewell Mass
  ​Tuesday 22 October, 9.15am, St Mark’s Sports Centre

• Year 12 Final Day
  ​Friday 25 October

Enrolments for 2025
We are currently mapping out how 2025 will look for staff and students to best meet learning needs. We would appreciate any anticipated changes in enrolments to be communicated to the College Administration as soon as possible.

Year 12s
Our Year 12s are currently completing their external and final assessments. I encourage them to continue their work over the holiday break to enable them to achieve their best results. We look forward to supporting them through final exams and farewell rituals in Term 4.

Team Colours Day
Today we donned team colours to celebrate the end of term and to also raise some funds for a much-needed cause – the Royal Flying Doctors Service. I thank our College Captains for organising this fundraising event.

Philippines 2025
I am pleased to share with the community that the Philippines Immersion will again be offered in 2025.

This is a wonderful opportunity for learning, culture and formation for our students. Information will be shared on our social media soon and families of our current Year 9, 10 and 11 students are invited to an information night on Monday  21 October, 7.00pm in the BGC to gain more information on this outstanding opportunity.

Farewell Neive
This week we farewelled Miss Jones from our staff team at Bosco Campus. Neive started at the College in 2022 and has been a wonderful teacher to our school students. Neive was also involved in our sporting community coaching soccer teams for two seasons. We wish Neive all the best at her new school, Xavier College.    

Wishing you all a fantastic term break and see you all on Monday 14 October.

Mrs Katie Pole, Deputy Principal, Bosco Campus

I choose to apply for the AFP Forensic work experience program because of my personal interest in policing and STEM with the ambition to study these subjects in later years.

The facility provided ‘mock’ crime scenes where I had to collect and secure the evidence, and work in various area of forensic before presenting my evidence in a ‘mock’ court room scenario.

The week-long program enabled me to gain valuable hands-on experience and an insight into a forensic career. The program has provided me with an insight on what to further study so that I can pressure this career.