Mount St Benedict College

Mount St Benedict College is an independent Roman Catholic single-sex secondary day school for girls, located in Pennant Hills, a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The College provides a religious and comprehensive education in the Good Samaritan tradition to approximately 1,000 girls from Year 7 to Year 12.

Mount St Benedict College
Location
Pennant Hills, North Shore, Sydney, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°44′27″S 151°3′33″E
Information
TypeIndependent girls' secondary day school
MottoLatin: Pax
(Peace)
Religious affiliation(s)Sisters of the Good Samaritan
DenominationRoman Catholicism
Established1 February 1966 (1966-02-01)
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
OversightDiocese of Broken Bay
PrincipalMaria Pearson
Staff113[1]
Years7-12
GenderGirls
Enrolment1028[1] (2008)
Colour(s)Grey and maroon   
NicknameBennies
Affiliations
Websitewww.msb.nsw.edu.au

Mount St Benedict College commenced on 1 February 1966 with 65 students under the guidance of Sisters Christopher Burrows and Hyacinth Roche. The College is now an incorporated body which operates as an independent Catholic Congregational school with a Board of Directors. In 2008 there were approximately 835 girls from Year 7 to Year 12.[1] Mount St Benedict is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA) and the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).

History

Established by the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict in 1966, the College is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay and run under the auspices of the Sisters through its Board of Directors and the school Principal.[1]

The Catholic view of life and the mission of Christ underpins and influences all the policies and practices of the school community. The students receive formal religious education and are also encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities which seek to broaden their understanding of, and commitment to, the faith life of the Church and its service to the broader community.[1]

In 1987, in line with other Good Samaritan Schools, Mount St Benedict College was incorporated as a Company with a Board of Directors. The first lay Principal was appointed in 1994. The current Principal is Maria Pearson.[1]

Today, Mount St Benedict College is a community of over 1000 girls and 150 staff following in the Benedictine tradition of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. Since its inception, the Benedictine values of Pax, Hospitality and Stewardship have permeated the education process, preparing our students to become women of competence, confidence and compassion.[1]

Curriculum

Mount St Benedict College offers a rigorous academic programme and a comprehensive curriculum. The curriculum caters for a diverse range of needs of students and allows for the more able students to engage in fulfilling and rewarding courses of study while also catering to the needs of students with special learning needs.

The co-curricular life of the College spans the academic, cultural and sporting interests of the girls and enriches the educational experience of the students by developing critical thinking and independent learning which assist them in their course work learning.

Mount St Benedict is known in the local area for its strong focus on technology. The Mount St Benedict Laptop Program began in 2010, providing girls in Years 9 and 11 with their own laptop. This was extended to Years 9-12 in 2011 and further extended to the whole school in 2012.

Activities

Co-curricular activities

The College offers a comprehensive program of co-curricular activities, including:[1]

  • Future Problem Solving
  • Da Vinci Decathlon
  • Tournament of Minds
  • Debating & Public Speaking
  • Mock Trial
  • Dance Ensemble
  • College Choir
  • Chamber Ensemble
  • Concert Band

Sports

Mount St Benedict College offers students the opportunity to participate in sport at a representative level as well as in co-curricular teams. In addition all students in Years 7-10 participate in a fortnightly Physical Activity program. Sport at Mount St Benedict is something that is taken very seriously and this shows in the results of all events girls participate in.

Community

Mount St Benedict College has many community avenues. Besides the Parents' and Friends', the Ex-students' Association and the partners with the Good Samaritan causes (Mater Dei School in Narellan, Kiribati, Bacalod Kinder School in the Philippines, and Railaco High School in East Timor), students are involved in many community activities:

  • Caritas Australia through work with Project Compassion during Lent[2]
  • Vinnes CEO Winter Sleepout[3]
  • Social Justice
  • Reconciliation Week[3]
  • Refugee and Asylum Seekers Week[3]
  • Make a Difference - group of students who discuss current issues, raise awareness and take action[3]

Students at Mount St Benedict College have established a partnership with a high school in East Timor as a way to learn about social justice in a meaningful way. Four students and two teachers took stationery, musical instruments and school supplies to help establish a high school in East Timor. This support has continued for three years.[4]

House system

Mount St Benedict College has eight houses, each named after Benedictine monasteries:

House nameHouse colourNaming origin
ArcadiaWhite After St Benedict's Monastery located in Arcadia, Sydney, that was founded in 1962.
MaredsousGreen After Maredsous Abbey, located in Belgium, that was founded in 1872.
StanbrookOrange After Stanbrook Abbey located in Worcestershire, England, that was founded in 1626.
New NorciaPurple After a Benedictine monastic town in Western Australia located 132 kilometres (82 mi) north of Perth, that was founded in 1846.
TerracinaYellow After a Benedictine Monastery in Italy founded by St Benedict himself.
SubiacoBlue After the site of St Benedict's monastery and the grotto he stayed in as a fourteen-year-old that is located in Italy.
Monte CassinoRed After St Benedict's first monastery located in Italy west of Cassino, that was built around 529CE and was also the sight of the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1924.
MontserratPink After the Montserrat Abbey located in the Montserrat Mountain in Spain, that was founded in the 1025.

Notable alumnae

See also

References
  1. "Mount St Benedict College, Annual Report, 2008" (PDF). Mount St Benedict College. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  2. "Mount St Benedict College, Newsletter No.42". Mount St Benedict College. Archived from the original on 11 September 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  3. "Mount St Benedict College, Community". Mount St Benedict College. Archived from the original on 10 February 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2009.
  4. "School Partnership in East Timor" (PDF). Behind the News, ABC. Retrieved 9 May 2006.
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