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From the Principal



Lenten Sacrifices to Welcome the Risen Christ


As we journey through the sacred season of Lent, we are invited as a College community to reflect more deeply on our relationship with God and with one another. Lent is not simply a time of “giving things up,” but a time of spiritual renewal, where our sacrifices prepare our hearts to truly welcome the Risen Christ at Easter.



This journey reaches a significant moment with Palm Sunday, when we gather to remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. On this day, Jesus was welcomed with joy and praise, yet we know this same journey leads to His Passion and ultimate sacrifice. Palm Sunday invites us to enter into Holy Week, the most sacred time in the Church’s year, where we walk with Christ through His suffering, death, and resurrection. It reminds us that true discipleship involves both celebration and sacrifice.

Throughout Lent, we focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—practices that help us grow closer to God and more aware of others. The parable of the Good Samaritan provides a powerful parallel to this journey. The Samaritan does not pass by; he stops, gives his time, and sacrifices his own resources to care for someone in need. In the same way, Jesus gives everything of Himself on the Cross, showing the depth of God’s love for humanity.

As we enter Holy Week, we are called to live this message. Our Lenten sacrifices should move beyond ourselves and become acts of love for others—showing kindness, offering support, forgiving freely, and standing for justice. In doing so, we live out our College values of Love, Justice, Mercy, Compassion, Nurture, and Service, and truly become people who ask, “How can I help?”

May this sacred season be a time where we open our hearts, walk closely with Christ, and prepare to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection with renewed faith and hope.


Prayer for Holy Week

Loving God,

As we enter this sacred time of Holy Week,we walk with Your Son, Jesus,from the joy of Palm Sunday to the sorrow of the Cross and the hope of the Resurrection.

Open our hearts to understand the depth of His love, a love that gives without counting the cost,just as the Good Samaritan stopped, cared, and gave of himself for another.

Help us to reflect on our own lives this week.Teach us to notice those in need, to offer kindness, forgiveness, and compassion, and to ask each day, “How can I help?”

May we stand with Jesus in moments of difficulty, trust in Him when the path is challenging, and never lose hope in the promise of new life.

Fill us with the courage to live our College values of love, justice, mercy, compassion, nurture, and service,so that we may truly be people of the Good Samaritan.

As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection, renew our hearts and strengthen our faith, so we may bring Your light to the world.

We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.


Remembering Sister Marjorie Carroll (Sister Marj)


Sister Marjorie Carroll

21/04/1936 - 21/03/2026


The Good Samaritan Catholic College and Good Shepherd Parish, lost a giant of our community in Sister Marjorie Carroll on Saturday 21st March 2026.  Sister Marj, as she was affectionately known at our College, was a highly respected, much loved member of our staff and College Community until her retirement in 2019.  Sister Marj served our College community in many capacities, particularly in student counselling and also most recently in Music Ministry.  Even though Sister Marj was retired she often came to visit the College and was still very much part of our community until very recently this year.


Sister Marj was part of the Australian Ursulines who are a community of Catholic Religious Sisters, committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Sr Marj along with the Ursuline sisters live out this commitment to the Gospels  in the spirit of Saint Angela Merici, their founder, one of our House Patrons. Sister Marj was also a devoted member of the Good Shepherd Hoxton Park Parish community and she will be missed by all of the parishioners. 


The College community extends its deepest condolences to Sister Marj’s family and the Ursuline Sisters community.  As a strong and confident Good Samaritan Community we will continue to celebrate Sr Marj’s life and legacy.


Her funeral was attended by many people from both her Ursuline community, the wider Catholic community, Sydney Catholic Schools, Good Shepherd parish and current and former staff and students of our College. It is said that one way to measure the true impact of a person’s life is to count the number of people who will miss them when they are gone. By this, it is evident that Sr Marj lived a rich and rewarding life. We continue to pray for the repose of Sister Marjorie Carroll’s soul and the consolation of her family and the Ursuline Sisters community.


Let us Pray

For Sister Marjorie, we pray 

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord

and let perpetual light shine upon her.

May she rest in peace. Amen

St Angela Merici … Pray for us


Outstanding Good Samaritan Students and Outstanding Good Samaritan People


Below are great examples of students demonstrating "Being the Good Samaritan" during Term 1.



Congratulations to all our HSC 2025 students on their outstanding achievements. At the recent High Achievers Assembly, we celebrated the many academic successes of this remarkable cohort. Our College Dux, Christine Doan, shared inspiring words of wisdom with the school community. We also congratulated a number of our students on their excellent NAPLAN results from last year. Well done to all our students - your hard work and dedication continue to make our College community proud!


Our College celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a wonderful initiative led by Polding House. Students and staff came together to enjoy pancakes while raising valuable funds for Project Compassion. This annual tradition not only recognises the significance of Shrove Tuesday, but also highlights our ongoing commitment to supporting those in need through compassion and charitable giving.



The College community gathered in House groups to begin the sacred season of Lent. Through prayer, Scripture and the distribution of ashes, our students were invited to reflect on the call to “turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.”

Ash Wednesday reminds us that Lent is not simply a season of sacrifice, but a journey of renewal - an opportunity to grow in compassion, hope and closeness with Christ.

Thank you to our Teacher House Leaders and staff for guiding these meaningful moments of prayer. May this Lenten season draw us deeper into faith and into care for one another.



We were honoured to welcome students from Aomori High School, Japan, to our College as part of their international research program exploring Australia’s recent social media reforms. Our Media Team engaged in thoughtful discussions, exchanging ideas and sharing insights on the impact of social media in our communities. The visit also included a wonderful cultural experience, with our guests teaching our students the art of origami. It was a privilege to be chosen for this collaboration and to host such a meaningful international exchange.


Good Samaritan Catholic College’s 2026 Open Day was a resounding success! Visitors were impressed by the outstanding teaching and learning on display, along with the warm and welcoming spirit of our College community. A sincere thank you to everyone who attended, explored our College, and to our dedicated students and staff who made the day so memorable.



Our Good Samaritan Catholic College Swimming Carnival was a fantastic day filled with exciting races, loud cheers and great displays of house spirit! Congratulations to all students who participated and demonstrated wonderful determination and sportsmanship throughout the day.


Congratulations to Eden on being selected for the NSWCCC Opens Volleyball Team! This is an outstanding achievement and reflects Eden’s dedication and talent in volleyball. Our College community is very proud.


Good Samaritan Catholic College recently celebrated Harmony Week with a wonderful concert, where students performed traditional cultural dances that showcased the rich diversity of our school community. It was a joyful reminder that everyone belongs, as students and staff came together to embrace different cultures and share in the spirit of unity and inclusion.


Mayar and Valerie of Year 11 recently attended the Parliament of NSW Secondary Schools Leadership Program, an incredible opportunity to develop their leadership skills and gain insight into the workings of government. They represented the College with pride and found the program to be a valuable experience.


Congratulations to Zoe C, Meana C, Angelina E, Clarissa E and Shantel I of Year 12 who have successfully completed the Step Up Into Teaching (SUiT) program at Australian Catholic University this year - an outstanding achievement alongside the demands of the HSC. We are especially proud to have been one of the largest groups represented, reflecting the strong passion for teaching within our community. This continued interest from both current and past students is a true testament to the incredible work of our staff each day.

Our Year 9 students had an incredible time at camp! They took part in a range of exciting and challenging activities. Highlights included the Giant Swing, Kayaking and High Ropes, which encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones. These experiences provided plenty of fun and adventure while also building teamwork, resilience and personal growth as students supported and encouraged one another.


Sony VisionScape was recently held at Good Samaritan Catholic College! It was a fantastic opportunity to dive into the world of digital media and innovation, from mastering podcasting and camera framing to exploring the fine details of macro photography. Our very own Special Events & Media Team also showcased the amazing work they do behind the scenes - from designing the College Yearbook to producing all the creative components for our popular newsfeeds. A massive thank you to all the schools that joined us and a huge shout-out to Sony Australia for providing such an amazing opportunity for the next generation of creators!


Staff Professional Learning Day - Thursday 2nd April 2026


There will be no classes on Thursday 2nd April 2026 as Good Samaritan Catholic College staff will participate in a Staff Professional Day, this also includes staff of the Specialist Support Classes.  Please contact the College office If your child/ren require supervision on the day. 


For future planning for all families, Staff Professional Learning Days for the remainder of 2026 are on the following days and dates:


  • Monday 20th July

  • Monday 3rd August

  • Friday 25th September

  • Monday 12th October

  • Friday 20th November


Learning for Term 2 Resumes on Monday 20th April 2026


Term 2, commences for all students on Monday 20th April 2026.  As such our learning and behaviour expectations continue to focus on quality teaching and learning with all students engaged in classroom tasks and assessments. 

Classes for Term 2 resume on Monday 20th April 2026

All students return in the full College Winter Uniform.


College Uniform Expectations for Term 2


Our College Uniform represents our values as a Catholic community and as such we have high expectations of all students who are responsible for what they wear and how they are groomed.  


Parents/Carers and students are reminded of the College uniform and grooming policy when resuming in Term 2 with all students required to comply with the winter uniform regulations found in the College diary or on the College website.  Parents are reminded that we require all students to wear their College blazers to and from the College throughout Terms 2 and 3.  


Our staff are expected to challenge any student that is not in the correct uniform or groomed to our expectations.  Our Year Coordinators and Assistant Year Coordinators, together with Pastoral Teachers and all other leaders in the College are continually monitoring uniform and grooming.  


We make no apology for this approach, and as per the enrolment contract all parents/carers of this community agreed to uphold and support our College Uniform and Grooming rules and expectations throughout the entirety of their child's enrolment.   


Unfortunately we have recently experienced some students coming to school with the wrong uniform, in most cases in sports uniform, with a note from a parent/carer, and it is being repeated on multiple occasions.  We can understand that on a very rare occasion there may be an issue occurring at home that warrants the sport uniform to be worn as an emergency one off situation.  As such, any student coming to school in the incorrect uniform on multiple occasions will be subject to the following approaches at the discretion of the Year Coordinator/Assistant Year Coordinator:


  • providing the correct uniform from our used uniform stock for temporary use

  • sending the student home until they can rectify their uniform issue

  • a meeting with parents/carers

  • other appropriate actions/consequences

Any student that is unsuitably attired or groomed and refuses or cannot have the issue rectified, will be sent home immediately.


Please contact the College if you require supervision for your child/ren on any of these dates.

Traffic and Parking Safety

We remind all members of our community regarding the importance of maintaining road safety in and around our College at all times.


The following are important reminders for both parents/carers and students:

  • All drivers are to adhere to the sign posted speed limits within the school grounds

  • When picking up or dropping off students in the College Bus Bay, please move the car to the furthest spot to allow as many cars access the area for pick-up or drop off as possible and avoid any traffic queues at the front gate of the school and subsequently affecting traffic on Hoxton Park Road.

  • No student is to be dropped off on the median strip or middle of any road or street. This is very dangerous and places at risk the lives of students and other drivers.

  • Respecting all road and parking laws both on the roads near the school, local streets and the parking areas in local shopping centres around the vicinity of the College.

  • Respecting the local neighbouring homes and not parking in front of driveways, on the grass areas in front of homes, leaving any litter and ensuring noise is kept to a minimum.

  • Students are to respect and follow all pedestrian road rules when using all forms of crossings in and outside the College site.


The local NSW Police Force has been briefed to carry out regular checks during morning and/or afternoon peak times to ensure drivers and pedestrians are following all road and parking laws and rules.


We encourage parents/carers to speak to their children about maintaining safe behaviour when making their way to and from the College. To assist you, please find the link below, that provides a suite of educational resources.


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Morning Attendance Reminders


We also remind students that once they are dropped off in the morning inside the College grounds, they are to remain on the College grounds and are not permitted to leave the College grounds to visit the local shops. If students are found to be leaving the College grounds once dropped off inside the College grounds in the morning before school, will be dealt with in accordance with consequences for truancy.


We thank all parents/carers and students in advance for ensuring the road safety of everyone in our community and ensuring that students remain on College grounds once dropped off before school.


Important Reminders Regarding Attendance and Applications for Leave Reminders


Sydney Catholic Schools (SCS) make very clear that “school attendance plays a critical role in enhancing the lives of students in schools. Every day of attendance adds to a student’s academic achievement and success at school, and conversely every absence, can impact their learning and progress.”. Studies are clear about the importance of attending school to ensure your sons and daughters progress and grow in their learning.


In NSW, all children from six years of age are legally required to attend school. After students complete Year 10, and until they turn 17 years of age, they must remain enrolled in school, be engaged full time in approved education, training, employment, or a combination of the two. This is a legal responsibility of all parents/carers.


Responsibilities of Parents/Carers with Student Attendance


As per the SCS Attendance Policy, parents/carers of students enrolled at an SCS school are required to:


  • Ensure their child attends school each day unless exempt or absent for an approved reason.

  • Explain the absence of a student as soon as possible and within seven (7) school days from the first day of absence, otherwise the school will record the absence as an unexplained absence.

  • Provide a medical certificate where a student’s frequent, recurring or long term absence is explained as being due to illness.

  • Apply in advance for planned student leave

  • Work in partnership with the school and SCS to address any issues impacting on a student’s attendance.


At Good Samaritan Catholic College, we work in partnership with parents/carers to ensure your sons and daughters attend school each day. When attendance becomes an issue, this partnership is critical to ensure that the student’s learning and wellbeing are at the forefront of the response.


We ask that parents/carers work with our College in ensuring that you support the importance of daily school attendance, especially when you may be challenged by your sons and daughters who may ask for a “day off” or a “break from school”. Allowing this will affect their learning as you can see below:


1 day absent = 5 hours of learning missed

5 days absent = 25 hours of learning missed

10 days absent = 50 hours of learning missed

20 days absent = 100 hours of learning missed

30 days absent = 150 hours of learning missed

40 days absent = 200 hours of learning missed or the equivalent of a whole two (2) years of a HSC course.


Application for Extended Leave Procedures (Five (5) Days or More)


I have noticed a high rate of applications for extended leave recently, mostly for overseas or domestic family holidays. As you would be aware, the College does not encourage student breaks during school time, but I understand that at times, this cannot be avoided in situations where there may be a legitimate family emergency or an international learning or sporting experience. As stated earlier, I must stress however, that any absence can have a negative impact on students’ performance and, in turn, can affect their academic results.


I encourage parents/carers to avoid requesting extended leave during school terms (except in cases of extreme emergencies) and instead plan/arrange these trips during school vacation periods to avoid your son/daughter missing learning time and in some cases assessment tasks/exams and risk receiving zero marks.


  • Parents/carers must complete and submit the Application for Extended Leave (A1) form together with the school based (yellow) Application for Extended Leave of 5 days or more prior to commencing leave.

  • Both forms must be submitted with a minimum of four (4) weeks in advance of the first date of the requested extended leave. If the form is submitted late, this will result in the leave request being declined.

  • Travel documentation, such as travel itinerary or e-tickets, must be attached to the application.

  • We will not accept a reason for travel during the school term if it is not in the best interest of the student, academic or otherwise.

  • It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they are accessing work missed and complete any work/assessment that has been required by teachers by the time they return to school or in some cases during their leave.

  • If the application is accepted, the code Leave (‘L’) is used. A copy of the certificate (C1) is attached to the application form (A1) and a letter is sent to parents/carers confirming the acceptance of the application.

  • If the application is declined, the code ‘A’ for unjustified absence is used. A copy of the certificate (D1) is attached to the application form (A1) and a letter is sent to parents/carers confirming the application being declined.


If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the College Office or your son/daughter’s Year Coordinator.


Inspirational Quote from Pope Leo XIV



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