Term 3, Week 6

From the Principal

2026 YEAR 12 LEADERSHIP ANNOUNCEMENT 

Yesterday, the Year 12 2026 Student Leadership Team was announced to our College community. My congratulations to each student for having the courage to lead. Being a leader requires one to have genuine care for others; be wise, compassionate and outward-looking, and be willing to inspire change by having a genuine voice for others. I am confident that the 2026 leaders will have what it takes to inspire the students of Marist Catholic College Penshurst, to set very high standards, and to hold their course with great courage and determination. Names and details of these positions can be found later in this newsletter.

Our 2026 Year 12 Leaders will have a leadership formation day later this term and they will be inducted formally into their roles on Wednesday, 24 September at the Leadership Handover Ceremony. The community can’t wait to witness the great work that these young men and women will do alongside their fellow Year 12 students. 

ARCHBISHOP’S AWARD FOR STUDENT EXCELLENCE

On Tuesday 26 August Mrs Katrib and I attended the Archbishop Awards for Student Excellence Ceremony at St Mary’s Cathedral. I have the pleasure to announce that Jayani Witzke received the award this year in recognition of her commitment to the Catholic faith and her ongoing contribution to the life of her Parish and MCCP. Below is the citation that was read to celebrate Jayani’s outstanding contributions:

"Jayani Witzke is a humble and committed Catholic who exemplifies servant leadership as a College Ministry Leader. She actively leads liturgy and social justice initiatives in both the College and her Parish. Jayani regularly attends Mass with her family at St. Joseph’s Oatley Parish, where she serves as a lector and altar server. At the College, she participates as a lector at Masses and engages in Marist Super Connect forums. Through her leadership, Jayani demonstrates Gospel values, showing strong compassion and justice in social initiatives such as Project Compassion and the Vinnies Winter and Christmas Appeals. Her dedication reflects Mary MacKillop’s motto, “Never see a need without doing something about it.” Jayani is a valued member of her Parish and the College community, she is a most deserving recipient of this prestigious award".

YEAR 12 – FINAL STAGES OF HSC PREPARATION

In the next fortnight, Year 12 students will receive their Trial Examination results. For some, these will reflect the rewards of thorough preparation; for others, the outcomes may be more mixed. Regardless of the result, the key is to focus on the learning these assessments offer. This is the moment to ask, “What’s next?” and “How can I improve from here?” An open, growth-oriented mindset will ensure that feedback from teachers becomes a valuable tool for refinement and progress. Teachers have invested significant time into providing detailed feedback – I encourage every student to work closely with them in the coming weeks to strengthen skills and target areas for improvement.

Make the most of this crucial period by revisiting key concepts, addressing challenges, and consolidating knowledge. A helpful guide for students preparing for the HSC can be accessed here:

I would also like to congratulate Year 12 on their exemplary behaviour during the Trials. Their respectful conduct toward supervisors and calm, organised approach has ensured that the process ran very smoothly.

Mrs Connie Frino - Principal

HSC Showcase '25

Parents and friends are welcome to engage with the amazing works and performances from our HSC Class in Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Music. This is a great opportunity to see first hand the outstanding talents of our 2025 HSC Class. 

HSC Showcase '25 - Tuesday 2 September - Mortdale Campus, 5pm-7pm.

Mr Brian Vane-Tempest Stewart - Head of Strategic Planning & Communication

Religious Education News

IN OUR CHURCH

Feast of St Monica - August 27 & St Augustine - August 28

St Monica and St Augustine are a powerful mother-son duo whose lives teach us about the strength of faith and the power of prayer. St Monica prayed tirelessly for her son, St Augustine, who struggled with his faith for many years. Her persistence paid off when he turned his life around, becoming one of the greatest saints and thinkers in the history of the Church. Their story reminds us of the importance of perseverance, prayer, and the impact our choices can have on our lives. As students, we can learn from St Monica to never give up on those we care about, and from St Augustine to seek truth and grow in our faith.

From the novena to St Monica and St Augustine, we pray:

St Monica, you never stopped praying for your son, and your faith was rewarded. Help us to be persistent in prayer and to trust in God's timing. St Augustine, you found your way to God after many struggles. Help us to seek truth and wisdom in our own lives. Pray for us and intercede for our needs, that we may grow in faith, hope and love. Amen.

Mary Our Good Mother…pray for us.

St Mary of the Cross MacKillop…pray for us.

St Marcellin Champagnat...pray for us and bless our school.

IN OUR COMMUNITY

Presentation of Year 12 Prayer Packs from St. Declan’s Catholic Primary School

On Thursday, 28th August, students from our local primary school networks: St. Declan’s Catholic Primary School, Penshurst, Mater Dei Primary School, Blakehurst, St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Oatley and St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Riverwood, presented Year 12 with prayer packs. These packs were kindly created to offer support and encouragement as the Year 12s prepare for their Higher School Certificate exams.

Sydney Synod 2026

His Grace, Archbishop Anthony Fisher, has convened a diocesan Synod for Sydney between 30 April and 3 May 2026. This is to address the Holy Spirit-inspired longings communicated by the People of God in Sydney after many years of consultation, as outlined in the Archbishop’s convocation letter.

Please get involved by discussing these longings within your communities and bringing your ideas on how these longings can be met to our regional consultations.

Register to attend any of the three consultations:

Holy Family, Menai

Saturday, 30 August 2025 | 9 AM – 12 PM

Register at: trybooking.com/DAVZB

St Mary’s Cathedral

Tuesday, 14 October 2025 | 6 – 9 PM

Register at: trybooking.com/DAVZE

All Saints, Liverpool

Thursday, 16 October 2025 | 6 – 9 PM

Register at: trybooking.com/DAVZF

For more information on Sydney Synod, visit https://www.sydneycatholic.org/sydney-synod/

Ms Samantha Ison - Religious Education Coordinator

Ferndale Nursing Home Mass

As part of the College’s Religious Education Curriculum, a small group of Year 10 students attended Ferndale Nursing Home and engaged in a Eucharistic celebration with some of the elderly Parishioners. The community service initiative provided the students with an opportunity to give back to the community and connect with elderly members of the community. As Catholics we are called to affirm the dignity of all members of society, especially those who are most vulnerable and this often extends to the elderly members of our community. Pope Francis reflects by saying: “The elderly are a treasure for our society. They must be respected, accompanied, cared for, loved” (Pope Francis, 2022). This opportunity enables students to engage with elderly members of our local community and respond to Pope Francis’ call. Further to this, we had 6 students attend the Ferndale Nursing Home to celebrate Father’s Day with the residents. It was wonderful to see our students engage in a range of activities and be able to enjoy and celebrate the wonderful Father’s and Father figures in our wider community. Thank you to Miss Chaaban for accompanying our students.

CWF Mufti Day - Book Week

The Charitable Works Fund supports a range of agencies which do incredibly good work for the most vulnerable in Sydney, which includes single mothers, the homeless, people struggling with mental health challenges, the deaf and hard of hearing, as well as our seminarians, catechists, and many more. As the Scriptures remind us: “Faith without works is dead”. On Friday the 23 August we held a mufti day fundraiser for all students and staff to celebrate Book Week with all donations going towards the ‘The Charitable Works Fund’, who provide ongoing support in the area of education, with a specific focus on developing the literacy skills of young people living in poverty. As a school community we raised $1144.25 which is a fantastic achievement. A very big thank you Miss Chabaan for overseeing the donations to this important fund.

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One Meal Program

Each term our staff and families at MCCP cook over 160 meals for people in our local community in Partnership with One Meal. On Monday we had over 10 students helping serve these meals to the community. Thank you to Miss Debono, Mrs Nolan, Mrs Chandler and Miss Ison for accompanying our students and a big thank you to Miss Chabaan for organising this program as well as the staff and families who provided the meals. Opportunities like these are a great way to fulfil our Catholic ministry!

Miss Daniella Chaaban - Youth Ministry Coordinator

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

Thank you to all in the MCCP community who donated a range items to support the Vinnies Australia Winter Appeal. These have now been collected by the Winnies Hurstville team where they will definitely be distributed to those in need.

Mr Brian Vane-Tempest Stewart - Head of Strategic Planning & Communication

Science Week

National Science Week brought another vibrant burst of energy to Mortdale Campus, with students diving into a wide array of lunchtime activities and plenty of prizes up for grabs. The ever-popular Periodic Table Bingo drew a lively crowd, while Science Trivia continued to gain traction among budding enthusiasts. For those who preferred a more relaxed pace, bracelet-making sessions offered a creative outlet where students used binary code to spell out their name. The Amazing Race returned in full force, sending teams of students dashing across the campus to tackle science-themed challenges and brain-teasing puzzles. It was great to see a range of students involved in each day’s activities. The grand finale was the Science Show run by the Year 12 Chemistry students, who dazzled the Mortdale campus with a spectacular showcase of chemical reactions that left the audience thoroughly entertained.

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Miss Rachel Thompson - Stage 5 & 6 Science Coordinator

Year 8 History Incursion

Last Monday, Year 8 students engaged in a Medieval Europe Incursion to reinforce their Historical study of the period. Students were shown the changing amour of knights including shield design. Students were visually able to experience the different offensive and defensive tactics of amour and weapons from famous battles during the period. Key historical battles were recounted, including the Crusades, as well as political reasons for conquering during the Medieval period. Medical treatment and how injuries were treated were explored and connections to modern methods of medicine were made. Student engagement was high as their historical studies came to life during the incursion.

Mrs Lisa Farrelly - Stage 4 English and HSIE Coordinator

STEM & Careers Excursion

QANTAS AVIATION GIRLS 

We began the day by arriving at the Qantas Head Quarters in Mascot by train and were so excited to see what the day would be like. When we walked into the building we received our name tags. Then we were taken to a conference room and did a fun ice breaker activity to meet other girls from different schools.

During the day, we toured Qantas employee restricted areas of the Sydney Domestic Terminal such as: the employee offices where we had an uninterrupted view of a plane runway and watched planes take off and land before our eyes, we even visited the cabin crew and pilot base, where they prepare for flights — asking lots of questions to all the Qantas employees we met! We were surprised to learn that pilots must be fit and healthy to do their job.

Later, we were given the opportunity to embark on a grounded Qantas link Q400 plane. Our pretend flight and boarding pass stated we were off to Broome! We even got to sit in the cockpit, which was so cool.

Our favourite part of the day was learning about all the different job opportunities at Qantas. We had a female pilot (who was originally cabin crew), an engineer and digital intern speak to us about what they do from day to day in their role at Qantas. The whole day really opened our eyes and got us thinking about what kind of jobs we might want in the future. We’re really thankful we got to be part of it!

Sienna Oiso (9-4), Chelsea Day (8-6), Olivia Liberopoulos (8-3), Grace Hellyer (8-7), Ruby Beynon (8-1)

Technology News

YEAR 8 TECHNOLOGY

The Year 8 Technology students have been busily working to create timber boxes which will house games. In preparation for this component, students were given the opportunity to experience real pinball machines in action. Each student, during a technology lesson, had the chance to play with the pinball machines whilst completing an activity focusing on the types of energy transformations present in the pinball games. This directly links to  what is currently being studied in the science physics unit. Students also learnt about the different components of the pinball machine such as the flippers, launcher and obstacles that allow for the movement of energy. We hope that students have been inspired to now design and make their own version of a game for their timber boxes.

Mrs Tina Bongailas - Technology Teacher

Gold Award Recipients

Congratulations to the following students who have received their Gold Awards. 

Congratulations to the following students who have received College Medallions:

Representative Sport

CONFERENCE 3 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On Wednesday, 20th August, our students participated in the Conference 3 Athletics Carnival. Unfortunately, due to poor weather conditions, all field events were cancelled. Despite heavy rain and multiple delays caused by water on the track, 41 students competed in track events. We are proud to share that 26 students have successfully qualified for the next level. Congratulations to Ian Lin (7-1) who broke the 200m sprint record with a time of 27.44s.

A big thank you to Mr Christodoulos and Miss Baker for attending, and we wish all our students the best of luck moving forward.

Miss Jordan Baker - Stage 4 PDHPE Coordinator

REPRESENTATIVE SPORT RESULTS

AFL Action

Skills Training Program – Term 3

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Community News