Welcome to our Week 4 newsletter. On Tuesday last week, the whole school had the absolute privilege of hearing the speeches for the nominees for the College Captains for 2025/2026. To replicate the Australian voting process, students' names were drawn in a ballot to decide their order in presenting their speeches and appearing on the preferential voting form. The following students should be congratulated and thanked for nominating and for their outstanding speeches - Molly Smithers, Amelia Smith, Izabella Bell, Ellie Lake, Arabella Maher, Leila Ismay, Sean O’Brien, Lachlan Li and Zabir Alam. On Monday we announced the College Captains for 2026. Congratulations to:

Lachlan Li and Izabella Bell on being elected as the College Captains for 2025/2026

The next part of the leadership process is the election of House Captains, which will occur on Tuesday morning.

This week has been an exciting time for Year 10 students as they begin their subject selection process for Year 11 in 2026. There have been various meetings at school, culminating in the Subject Market and Information Session on Tuesday night. Students then had the opportunity to meet with their parents and a staff member on Wednesday to do a personalised subject interview to finalise their choices. The subject selection portal will close on Friday, Week 5. 

Just a reminder to families about attendance requirements. Students are required under the NSW Education Act to attend school until the age of 17 unless they:

• Commence an apprenticeship or traineeship (Year 10 students only)
• Commence an apprenticeship or traineeship or commence paid employment of at least 25 hours per week (Year 11 students only)

Today the students and staff joined parishioners for the Mass for the Feast of the Assumption. Students participated with reverence.  A big thank you to Mr Miller for organising the Mass and to Mrs Riordan for the beautiful music and singing  which she coordinated.

YEAR 12 HSC TRIAL EXAMS
Congratulations to our Year 12 students as they wrap up their Year 12 Trial Examinations today. Participating in the Year 12 trial exams provides students with valuable practice under exam conditions, helping them refine their time management, identify areas for improvement, gain valuable teacher feedback and build confidence ahead of the HSC. Well done Year 12 on your dedicated approach towards your exams and I would like to thank the Year 12 teachers in advance for the time and effort they will put in the feedback to allow the students to continue to grow before the HSC. 

HSC commences on 16th October and concludes on 10th November. Students will have their personalised schedules available via their Schools Online account. 

YEAR 10 SUBJECT SELECTIONS
Thank you to our Year 10 students and parents for a wonderful subject selection process. It was a pleasure to meet with you all, help develop your sons & daughters' patterns of study for Stage 6. As we proceed in the coming week, we will continue to interview the students who missed them and then subject selections will close on Friday 22nd August. This will then allow us to develop the lines for Year 11, 2026. If you require further information please do not hesitate to contact Mr Mergard or myself. 

YEAR 11 PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS
Year 11 End of Course Exams commence on Monday 15th September (Term 3, Week 9, Day 1).

WEBINARS FOR YEAR 12 STUDENTS - APPLYING FOR MEDICINE OR DENTISTRY 

16 August 2025

Medical School Application Strategy & Guidance Webinar
Covering applications to Australian, NZ, and UK university medical/dental schools.
View Details

17 August 2025

JCU Dentistry Application Advice
Special focus on Indigenous, Rural, and Tropical Health themes in JCU’s selection process.
View Details

Free Live Webinars
UCAT Preparation | Medical Interviews | Academic Insights Program

View Details

YEAR 7 ORIENTATION DAYS
On Tuesday 2nd September and Wednesday 3rd September, we are delighted to welcome our incoming Year 7 Class of 2026. Over these two days, students will take part in a variety of activities designed to showcase the daily life of a Year 7 student at Hennessy. These experiences will help them become familiar with our routines, expectations, and learning environment, ensuring they feel prepared and confident as they begin their secondary school journey.

We have had such a fruitful week at Hennessy where the Spirit has truly been at work among us. On Tuesday, we welcomed Year 5/6 students preparing for their Confirmation from both St Mary’s and local State schools, as our CSYMA students led their retreat. It is always such a privilege to witness 27 of our own students step up, share their faith journeys, and mentor younger students. Even more inspiring is watching the Holy Spirit transform a group of near-strangers into a united and joy-filled team.

Today we celebrated the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church. This feast reminds us of the hope we share in Christ’s promise of eternal life and of Mary’s special place as a model of faith and discipleship. A heartfelt thank you to Mr Miller for his work in organising this beautiful occasion. As always, our students represented the College with outstanding reverence and respect.

Tonight is the final opportunity for Year 9 and 10 students to secure their place on the Stage 5 Ski Excursion to Selwyn Snowfields. This promises to be a day of fun, skill-building, and new experiences, but numbers are limited, so please ensure you secure your spot before the cut-off.

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of working alongside parents and students as they navigated subject selections for next year. The aspirations, goals, and achievements of our students continue to inspire us, and there are too many success stories to share in one letter.

After an exciting few weeks of competition, our much-anticipated World Cup Soccer finals will take place next week. The energy, teamwork, and school spirit have been outstanding, finals week is sure to be a highlight!

I would also like to extend my congratulations to Lachlan Li and Izabella Bell, who have been elected as College Captains for the 2025/2026 school year. Thank you to all students who nominated. It takes courage and commitment to put your name forward for leadership. House Captain nominations have now closed, and interviews and speeches will take place next Monday and Tuesday.

A reminder that Hennessy has a “hands-off” policy. We are beginning to see more incidents arising from students being overly physical in ways that make others uncomfortable. This policy is in place to keep everyone safe and respected, and we ask for your support in reinforcing it.

Finally, we warmly invite all families to join us in celebrating Father’s Day with a Mass and BBQ Breakfast on Thursday, 4th September at 8.00am. This is a wonderful opportunity to honour all the special men in our lives. Please RSVP via the link below or by calling the College Office on 6382 1486.
RSVP Here

It's that time of year...the 2025 Young Show is nearly here!

This year the show will be held on Sunday 21 September.

As usual, to allow time for hanging and judging the Show Society would like your artwork at the showground by 4pm on Monday 15th. If it helps, you can deliver your artwork to the showground over the weekend before (we will be there starting to set up), or even on Friday 12th (by prior arrangement)

Please see below the junior schedule, in case there are other sections you'd like your classes to enter, along with guidelines for the artwork and bee hotels, and our waivers. Please remember, that we need proof that your parents have given permission for their children's artwork to be displayed at the show. We are happy to accept Central or similar program permissions, anything to make it easier for everyone!