From the Principal

Advent is Upon Us: Let us Prepare for the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

The liturgical season of Advent holds profound importance for all Catholics, marking the start of the new ecclesiastical year and inviting us to prepare our hearts for the threefold coming of Christ: His historical Incarnation at Bethlehem, His ongoing presence in the Eucharist and our souls, and His glorious return at the end of time. Through its liturgy, prayers, and symbols, Advent fosters vigilant expectation, spiritual renewal, and joyful hope amid the distractions of modern life.

What is Advent?

Beginning the Church year on the First Sunday closest to St. Andrew's feast (Nov. 30), Advent spans four Sundays. Violet vestments and Isaiah readings emphasise vigilance and renewal, making our souls ready for the Redeemer.

"Lord, raise up thy power and come."

The Threefold Coming and Symbols

Advent recalls Christ's adventus (coming): past Incarnation, present in Eucharist and grace, future parousia. Popes Benedict XVI and John Paul II urged seeing Christ in daily life, countering worldly distractions with watchful faith.

Mary exemplifies this, though popular novenas. Symbols like winter light evoke hope amid darkness.

Living Advent Today

In our busy world, Advent calls for silence, prayer, and recognising God's "words" in events—transforming waiting into joy. The Church hastens Christ's return through witness. Embrace Advent's hope and prepare for Christmas and eternity.

Prayer for the Season of Advent

O Lord our God,

stir up Your power and come to us,

that we may hasten to meet Christ Your Son

with minds purified and hearts prepared

in deeds of justice and works of mercy.

In this holy season of Advent,

awaken in us the vigilant faith of the prophets

and the joyful hope of Mary, Your Immaculate Mother.

Grant us the grace to recognize Your closeness,

to welcome You in the Eucharist and in our daily lives,

and to await Your glorious return with patient expectation.

Dispel the shadows of sin with the light of Your wisdom,

keep us alert in prayer and exultant in praise,

so that when You knock at the door of our souls,

we may open to You, the God-with-us, Emmanuel.

Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20)

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Outstanding Good Samaritan People and Students

Below are great examples of outstanding Good Samaritan People and Students from Weeks 5 to Week 9 of Term 4:

We are proud to celebrate the selection of several of our Year 11 students for the Step Up Into Teaching (SUIT) program - a wonderful initiative by Sydney Catholic Schools and ACU! This program gives students a head start on their teaching careers by completing university-level units while still at school. Congratulations to Zoe, Meana, Angelina, Clarissa and Shantel for their successful selection and commitment to this exciting journey. We can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make!

The Teachers’ Guild of NSW has honoured all teaching staff at Good Samaritan Catholic College, following a nomination submitted by our Principal, Mr Grana. From learning and wellbeing to extracurricular and community programs, our teachers contribute wholeheartedly to the life of the College. We are grateful to see their collective efforts recognised. The award was accepted on behalf of all staff by Ms Lowndes, Ms Martin and Ms Torresan. It’s a wonderful acknowledgement of the dedication our staff bring to our community every day.

A huge congratulations to Kaelyn! Her HSC artwork Antepasado (2025) has been nominated for ArtEXPRESS, one of the most prestigious exhibitions celebrating outstanding student achievements in Visual Arts across NSW. This nomination is a testament to Kaelyn’s creativity and hard work throughout her HSC journey. We’re incredibly proud to see her talent recognised at such a high level!

RSL and Schools Remember ANZAC Art Competition for 2026

We’re proud to share that Year 10 student Leanne Tran has been shortlisted for the RSL and Schools “Remember ANZAC” Art Competition for 2026. Leanne was nominated into the prize after winning the GSCC Art Club’s ANZAC Competition earlier this year. Leanne’s artwork ‘Interconnected through Honour’ beautifully captures the meaning of remembrance and the connections we hold with those who served.

Leanne will visit ANZAC Memorial in February 2026 for an ANZAC Commemoration and Exhibition Launch, as well as visiting the Art Gallery of NSW for an artists workshop. The Exhibition will run at the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park from the 26th of March until the 30th of April 2026. 

You can view all the finalists artwork entries on the RSL NSW website:

https://rslnsw.org.au/artcompetition/

Well done Leanne!

Ms Zoe Patsiokostas

Religious Studies and Visual Arts Teacher

Art and Ceramics Club

Wishing our incredible STEM Racing Team, Nitro X Racing, the very best of luck as they compete in the State Finals! Your hard work, creativity and passion have brought you this far - give it your all! Stay tuned for results. We can’t wait to celebrate your achievements!

We are proud to celebrate all our Specialist Support Class students who were recognised this year for their remarkable efforts and achievements. Your dedication and enthusiasm have been outstanding, and we commend each of you for everything you’ve accomplished!

Our new Year 7 class of 2026 recently attended their Orientation Day at Good Samaritan Catholic College, where they experienced a taste of high school life in preparation for next year. With the support of our Year 9 Peer Support Team, the Year 6 students were guided through key processes and gained a genuine insight into what awaits them as high school students.

A number of our students have recently arrived in Melbourne to take part in the Australian Catholic Youth Festival! They’ve been diving into sessions of prayer, worship, community, and connection. It’s been wonderful to see them grow in faith as they gather with young Catholics from across the country. We pray this trip enriches their hearts, deepens their friendships, and strengthens their bond with Christ and the wider Church.

SCS Conference Futsal Gala Day

The Year 7–9 Futsal Gala Day was a fantastic experience for our students. From the first whistle, the boys showed great teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship, making each game exciting to watch. They faced strong competition and rose to the challenge in every match.

After an undefeated run throughout the day, beating the likes of La Salle, Patrician Brothers and Freeman twice, the team earned their place in the Grand Final. In a nail-biting finish, they secured a 4–3 victory against Clancy, claiming the title of Conference Futsal Champions.

Congratulations to all the players and a big thank you to the staff and supporters who helped make the day such a success.

Mr Stojanovski

Our Special Events & Media Team recently featured in a special 7NEWS segment exploring the upcoming under-16 social media ban. Our students spoke with honesty, maturity and fairness, offering balanced insights into how young people navigate the online world today. Their professionalism throughout the filming; from engaging thoughtfully with the questions to representing our community with confidence and respect, was outstanding. Congratulations to our Media Team on an exceptional effort and for showcasing the voices and perspectives of young Australians so thoughtfully. A huge thank you to 7NEWS Australia and Michael Usher for providing our students with this invaluable opportunity to contribute to such an important conversation.

Our Intermediate Girls Volleyball Team won the SCS Conference Final last week. Congratulations to all of our students, we are very proud of you!

Congratulations to all our award recipients at the annual Good Samaritan Catholic College Year 7–10 Awards Ceremony. We are extremely proud of your achievements this year, which reflect the dedication, effort and commitment demonstrated by our students across all areas of school life. Well done to our students on your outstanding accomplishments. We encourage you to continue striving for excellence and embracing every opportunity that comes your way. Your hard work is truly inspiring to our entire school community.

Congratulations to all our award recipients at the recent Good Samaritan Catholic College Year 11 Awards Ceremony. We are extremely proud of your achievements, which reflect the dedication, effort and commitment you have demonstrated throughout the year. Well done to each student for your outstanding accomplishments. As you continue your senior studies, we encourage you to build on these successes, take on new challenges and strive for excellence. Your efforts and leadership are an inspiration to our school community.

Sport Coordinator Report

As the 2025 school year enters its final stages, Good Samaritan is thrilled to celebrate what has been an absolutely phenomenal year for our student-athletes in sport. The dedication, commitment, and hard work displayed across all codes have truly been inspiring.

Conference Finals Dominance

Our competitive spirit reached new heights with a remarkable 8 out of our 12 inter-school teams qualifying for the prestigious Conference Finals in Volleyball and Oz Tag! This outstanding achievement, culminating in the finals day this Thursday, December 4th, showcases the depth of talent and quality coaching across our entire program.

We wish the very best of luck to all eight teams competing for the Conference title. For those teams successful on Thursday, the journey continues: Conference winners will advance to represent the school at the highly competitive Sydney Championships in Week 9. We are incredibly proud of their efforts, regardless of the outcome, and look forward to celebrating their season-long accomplishments.

Growing Interest in New Sports

Beyond our major team sports, the interest in our specialised programs continues to soar. Student engagement for our upcoming Futsal, Mountain Biking, and Badminton gala days has been exceptional. These events provide exciting opportunities for students to pursue unique athletic passions, learn new skills, and compete in a fun, inclusive environment. This surge in participation reflects a vibrant and diverse sporting culture at Good Sam!

Thank you once again to all the students, coaches, staff, and parents who have made 2025 such a memorable and successful year in school sport.

Go Good Sam!

Mark Newman

Sports Coordinator

A Christmas Thank You from the Canteen!

To Our Wonderful Canteen Volunteers,

As the school year wraps up and we prepare for Christmas, I want to send a huge thank you for your fantastic commitment this past year. We couldn't have kept the doors open and the lunches moving smoothly without your dedication.

Your friendly manners and patience with the students are truly a gift. You help make the canteen a positive and welcoming place every day, and that supportive environment deeply cherished by our school community.

Your volunteering reflects the spirit of Christian charity that is central to our school. Thank you for this precious service to our community.

Please enjoy a restful and blessed Christmas break. Have a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year, and we look forward to seeing you all in 2026!

Warmly in Christ,

Tania Golubic

Canteen Manager

Update on Scheduled Building Works

Phase 2 of the Specialist Support Classes Building Expansion Has Begun

On Saturday 13th December works began will be completed over the Christmas Holidays. This will involve major building work to create the third classroom (Stage 6 Senior) that will involve the removal and expansion of the existing Seminar room to be converted into a classroom.  The works will also include the building of a staff study room as well.

St Joseph Senior Toilets Upgrade

The St Joseph Senior toilets (both male and female) will receive a refurbishment to its cubicle setup and main entrances. These will hopefully be completed over the Christmas break.

Preparing for the 2026 Academic Year

Start Dates for Term 1 2026

Students will begin classes on the following dates:

Years 7 Classes for Term 1 2026 begin on Thursday 29th January 

Years 8-12 Classes for Term 1 2026 begin on Friday 30th January

All students return in the Full College Summer Uniform during Week 1 (No Sports Uniform) 

College Uniform Expectations for Term 1 2026

Parents/Carers and students are reminded of the College uniform and grooming policy when resuming in Term 1 2026 with all students required to comply with the summer uniform regulations found in the College diary or on the College website. We appreciate your support throughout this term in respect to student uniform and grooming. To avoid any issues on the first day back, parents/carers and students are asked to also adhere to our grooming regulations and expectations regarding haircuts, shaving, jewellery and nails. In particular, we would like to remind everyone that chewing gum, eyebrow slits and undershirts are not permitted. Any student found breaching this policy will be issued with a uniform infringement.

We would like to remind parents/carers that all students should be wearing black leather low heel lace up school shoes. Below are the acceptable type of leather lace up shoes that are permitted to be worn for both boys and girls:

As per the images below, black canvas shoes, sneaker type shoes (notably Nike Air Force 1s), and Mary Jane school shoes are not permitted.

Additionally, all female students should be wearing their College skirt "to the knee” as per the image from our College Website below:

We understand some students may need to purchase a new pair of school shoes, or have their skirts amended or a purchase of a new one may be required. We are giving all students until the first day back of Term 1 2026 to have these matters rectified. 

We also remind parents/carers regarding male haircuts. Extreme haircuts (in particular mullets, rats tails and burst fades) are Not Permitted. (Please refer to the images below of examples of inappropriate male haircuts.)

In regards to female hairstyles, a reminder that it is to be in one natural hair colour (no balayage, ombre or other styles that have more than one colour, including highlights)

Any student that is unsuitably attired or groomed on the first day back of Term 1 2026 will be sent home until the matter is rectified. This applies to all uniform and grooming matters.

Should you have any questions regarding uniform and/or grooming or if you would like to discuss this further, please contact your son's/daughter's Year Coordinator.  Please also refer to the College Uniform/Grooming Policy on our College website.

College Photo Day - Wednesday 4th February 2026

The purpose of the Photo Day is for the College to record the appropriate identification photo for each student.  It is not a day for students to take photos for leisure or social purposes.  

The College Photo day will be on Wednesday 4th February 2026.  All students in Years 7 to 11 will be in full College Summer Uniform and appropriately groomed as per the College Uniform Policy.  If students are not in the correct uniform or appropriately groomed, their photo will not be taken and the matter recorded in Compass.

For our Year 12 students, they will need to be in the full College Uniform including the blazer.   If students are not in the correct uniform or appropriately groomed, their photo will not be taken and an existing photo will be used as their official Year 12 photo.   

Online Safety During the Christmas and New Year School Holidays

A reminder that as of the 10th December 2025 the Australian Government Social Media Age Restriction Law comes into effect.  We advise parents/carers to refer to the eSafety Commissioners website that provides support in making your final preparations.

We ask parents/carers to keep a close eye on their sons/daughters to ensure they are safely using the internet.  We also encourage all students to communicate any unsafe or threatening online behaviour to their parents/carers immediately.  Parents/Carers are then advised to contact NSW Police and/or the eSafety Commissioner if there are any serious concerns regarding online behaviour. For more information, please visit the eSafety Commissioners Website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

A Happy and Holy Christmas

May all families have a happy and Holy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy new year.  We hope that our students have a safe, enjoyable and restful break and look forward to their return in 2026.

Inspirational Quote from Pope Leo XIV