The College Founders Day Mass was once again a special day for St Edward's. The students were reverent, respectful and prayerful throughout the ceremony. Mass was presided over by Father Vince Casey, the Parish Priest of Terrigal. Congratulations must go to all our brilliant musicians who performed at Mass.  Students in the band were thoroughly prepared by Mr Toole, Mrs Emmett and Mr Charles. Their performances added so much to the prayerful atmosphere of the mass. The tradition of recognising long serving staff continue at the conclusion of Mass with fifteen staff receiving awards for their long years of service to the College. Mr Sutton made special mention of Mr Massey, Mr Streeting and Mr Moloney for 35 years of service at the College. A big thank you to all who contributed to this wonderful community celebration. Mr Beacroft Director of Mission and Identity     [foogallery id="32105"]   [embed]https://youtu.be/8hk2esv7ux8[/embed]

Year 12 Retreats at 'Winbourne' Mulgoa The retreats of 2021 will be remembered for the great enthusiasm and involvement of all students who attended. Year 12 were given the opportunity to participate in important spiritual experiences on their three day Retreat amid the peaceful and serene environment of the Mulgoa Retreat Centre. They didn’t waste this opportunity. Thanks to the staff from our College for their dedication to the Retreat program. Many staff from the College were instrumental in leading the boys through reflection, prayer, bushwalks and discussions about ‘Relationships and Consent', ‘What it is to be a Man in the 21st Century’, ‘Goal Setting’, ‘The Importance of Communication’, and their future directions. The celebration liturgy organised by the students was very special as it is the last Retreat for this cohort. Parents and staff should be very proud of the input and maturity shown by Year 12. Our guest speakers for the retreat were Ms Connor and Mrs Abbott-Atchison. They both spoke brilliantly and the boys left with lots to think about. Their talks were informative and inspiring and were well received by the boys. I am confident that these quality experiences will have a lasting effect upon our boys in preparing them for the future. I have no doubt that in years to come, many boys will remember these few days as being very significant in their lives. I thank and congratulate all Year 12 for the quality of their involvement. The staff at Mulgoa were lavish in their praise of these fine young men from St Edward's. They could not speak highly enough of their positive attitude, friendliness, cooperation, courtesy, and willingness to enter completely into the spirit of the Retreat. A typical comment about the boys was, “I can’t get over how well rounded they are, probably because they have been exposed to a variety of social justice experiences.” This particular group is a great credit to their families and the College. A special thank you to Mr McCauley the Year 12 Pastoral Leader, and Mrs Palmer-Brown our Leader of Learning Religious Education, for all the great work they did during these important days of review and reflection. Mr A Beacroft Director of Mission and Identity     [smallgallery fooid="32194"]   [embed]https://youtu.be/ws3gcmBbH7o[/embed]     [embed]https://youtu.be/dAh07c3IBRM[/embed]  

The Year 11 student leadership group’s focus is risky behaviour, with the focal point being the topic of vaping. Based on a student survey conducted early in Term 1, the leadership group were able to identify vaping as a major issue in the College community putting students’ health and well-being at risk. They seek to raise awareness within the College Community about vaping and the effects that it has on an individual, and, with the assistance of Central Coast Health and the College Pastoral Care Leaders, have devised a strategy in combatting this issue. The first step in implementing their action plan has been the placement of posters around the College to educate students about the side-effects of vaping, both on the individual and their surrounds. They will also be sharing these posters, week by week, in the school newsletter to raise awareness in our greater College community about this issue as well. Their goal is to achieve a safer and healthier College community for all and these are the first steps towards achieving this goal.  

Youth in Performing Arts Part of Laycock Street Community Theatre's annual program, YIPA provides an opportunity for Central Coast youth with outstanding talent to perform in a professional venue, promoting and fostering their development in performing arts. Showcasing an outstanding array of talent, the Youth In Performing Arts concert series at Laycock Street Community Theatre is the culmination of a diverse range of talented youth from across the Central Coast. A huge congratulations to the talented St Edward’s Music students who were chosen from a multitude of performers (almost 1000!) who auditioned for Youth in Performing Arts (YIPA) this year. The concerts featuring our students are as follows: Thursday 20 May 2021 Cooper Boyce (Year 12) - performing vocal Ain’t That a Kick in the Head by Dean Martin. Joshua Zaia (Year 12) -  performing vocal/guitar Ain’t No Little Girl by Kasey Chambers. The Alloy Rays (Years 9 and 10):  James Nilsson (vocal/guitar), Charlie Jacobson (bass) and Daniel Herd (drums) - performing Stray Cat Strut by The Stray Cats. Friday 21 May 2021 Daniel Herd (Year 9) -  performing Drum Solo by YYZ The Dean Umpad Band (Year 12):  Zachary Knight (vocal), Dean Umpad (guitar), Angus Price-Jones (bass) and Daniel Lackner (drums) -  performing Good times, bad times' by Led Zeppelin.   You can also catch one of our ex-student’s, Riley Lovell on the Saturday evening show. Well done to all involved and those who auditioned.

Year 9 Commerce In Term 1 students in Year 9 Commerce were studying the topic, Consumer Choice an element of Promoting and Selling. Students learnt how to identify, research, and evaluate options when making decisions related to solving those problems and issues that confront consumers on a day-to-day basis. They also studied the various strategies that sellers use to promote products to maximise sales. The excursion to the Royal Easter Show provided students with the opportunity to experience businesses in action. The Royal Easter Show is a marketing venue where many businesses engage in promoting and selling their brand and logo to consumers. As part of their assessment, students completed a work booklet that involved the investigation of various businesses at the Royal Easter Show. All groups gave 100% and the results were not only informative but also entertaining. [foogallery id="32100"]   Economics News Every second Thursday before school the Economics students meet for the Paul Keating Society where an examination of current economic policy takes place. Vibrant discussion dissects the major economic and social issues of the day with different insights to the major media broadcasts. The Paul Keating Society is such a motivating way to commence the day and all economic students are welcome to meet in the Economics annex located in Room 37.

HSC Help Webinars from Monday 7 June We have once again partnered with InspirationED to deliver a free series of HSC subject specific webinars. They will be delivered by teachers and HSC Markers. Students will have the opportunity to gain advice on how to prepare for their respective subjects and ask questions. The webinars will focus on particular sections of the curriculum. The first webinar is on Monday 7 June, 7:30 pm, an introduction session 'Maximising your HSC'. We invite students and their parents to join in to the session. Date: Monday 7 June, 7:30 pm Audience: HSC students and their parents To register: Click here All sessions will be free to students, and will complement their studies at school and home. The following sessions are specific to HSC courses, and will cover specific module areas. English Advanced, Paper 1 Tuesday 8 June, 7:30 pm Mathematics Advanced, Topic 1: Functions Wednesday 9 June, 7:30 pm Biology, Module 5 Thursday 10 June, 7:30 pm Chemistry, Module 5 Monday 14 June, 7:30 pm Physics, Module 5 Tuesday 15 June, 7:30 pm Economics, Topic 1: The Global Economy Wednesday 16 June, 7:30 pm All webinars are open for registration. Please share with your students, parents and school community.

NSWCCC Representatives Basketball Congratulations to Cody Wells in Year 12, who was recently selected in the NSWCCC Basketball team after contesting the selection trials in Sydney. He will now play in the NSW All Schools selection trials at Hills Basketball Stadium on Monday 31 May.  Rugby Union Congratulations to Lulu Paea, Charlie Crimmings and Kai Wheelock in Year 12 who were recently selected in the NSWCCC Under 18’s Rugby Union team. The boys attended selection trials on Tuesday 4 May at Eastwood. They will now attend several training camps and selections trials over the coming weeks with the aim of making the NSW All Schools team. NSWCCC Sport Registrations 2021 for pathway sports opened on 1 February Registrations are via the CSNSW.sport portal. For instructions on how to register go to – Guide For Parents – Sport Registrations >> Swimming and Touch Football registrations are through the Diocesan/Association pathways. For further information, go to the CSNSW Sport website Sport pages.  

On Monday 10 May, our team of 28 runners competed in the Broken Bay Cross Country, held at St Ives Showground. A beautiful sunny day greeted the runners prior to the course walk. This year the course had been modified due to a COVID mobile testing facility and filming for a production on one of the adjacent fields. The course at times was a little confusing but most of our boys had few problems navigating it. The team was very successful, highlights included: Deakin Wright (Under 14), Keenan White (Under 15) and Luke Foster (Under 16) winning their respective age races. The Under 13’s (Eden Pearson, Asher Armstrong and Harrison Ryan), Under 14’s (Deakin Wright, Cruz McMahon and Riley Turner) and the Under 16’s (Luke Foster, Will Browning and Tom Lawton) winning their respective age division team competition. 12 boys qualified (those mentioned above as well as Calan Tucker and Koby Salter) for the Broken Bay Team to contest the NSWCCC Cross Country at Eastern Creek Raceway on Tuesday 8 June. All the boys were very supportive of each other on the day and well behaved. A big thank you to Ms Moulton and Mr Butt for assisting with the team on the day and manning a checkpoint. The team consisted of: Under 13: Eden Pearson, Asher Armstrong, Harry Ryan, Murphy Owen, Kai Tower, Riley Carmody-Smith, Eamon Thompson, Lachlan Donafee, Ronan Hope and Callum Casar Under 14: Cruz McMahon, Riley Turner, Cooper Jones, Deakin Wright, Oscar Mahoney, Eoin Cullen and Nate Vaughan Under 15: Keenan White, Ari Sullivan, Kale Puata, Thomas Hall and Tallan Burgess Under 16: Will Browning, Luke Foster, Calan Tucker, Thomas Lawton, Marley Medina, Koby Salter and Ben Blunt [foogallery id="32392"]

This Week in Sport Calendar   Week Event Venue Date Week 4 Broken Bay Cross Country St Ives Showground Monday 10 May Week 5 AFL 9's Central Coast Gala Day Bateau Bay Oval Tuesday 18 May Week 5 Under 13 Rugby League Central Coast Gala Day Berkeley Vale Oval Thursday 20 May  

Bob Jane T-Marts Erina Currently looking for someone young and enthusiastic to join their team, the successful applicant will be employed full time with uniforms supplied. What you will be doing as you develop: Removing and replacing tyres Diagnosing tyre damage and wear Diagnosing wheel balance problems and balancing wheels Performing puncture repairs conforming to relevant standards Selecting correct tyres and rim accessories for the customers application Receipting deliveries and goods Inventory management and stock taking Providing a high level of customer service in a professional environment What you need: Driver’s license preferred but not essential Excellent presentation and manner Be able to work Saturdays To be punctual and reliable Willing to undertake ongoing training and development Able to operate in a team environment After a trial period you will be put through a Cert II Underbody Automotive through the MTTA and will be qualified to work on a vehicle in any tyre retailer nationally. Bob Jane T-Marts Erina was Founded in 1994 and is one of 150 stores nationally, where they remain Australia’s leading independent tyre retailer. This will be a great opportunity for the right applicant, who can work their way through a progression program and one day have their own Bob Jane T-Marts store. See Mrs Dignam if you’re interested.  

Application now open for Charles Sturt Advantage early offer program. Applications for round one of the Charles Sturt Advantage early offer program opened on May 3 – and we have been thrilled with the quality of applications so far. In case you missed it: Firm offers will be made to successful students based on a soft skills assessment and their Year 11 results Applications can be submitted directly online through our website There will be two offer rounds in June and September Some competitive courses will have a cap on the amount of offers we make – we recommend students get in early in round 1! We will be holding a Charles Sturt Advantage information session via Zoom on 18 May from 6.45–7.30pm that will be open to students, parents and career advisers. This will be a general information session with some application tips and a Q&A. Round one applications close 31 May with offers to be made in late June. Click Here to Register   2021 Open Day We are looking forward to welcoming future students to our upcoming Open Days! From course information sessions to tours of our campuses, our Open Days will showcase what we’re all about at Charles Sturt University. Future students can explore what’s possible on each of our campuses on the following dates. Albury: Sunday 15 August Bathurst: Sunday 22 August Dubbo: Sunday 4 September Orange: Sunday 29 August Port Macquarie: Sunday 1 August Wagga Wagga: Sunday 8 August Register for more updates! Click Here to Find Out More Year 10 Subject Night Join us for our Year 10 subject night where Year 10 students will be able to get a head start on their post-high school adventure! Our interactive online event will kickstart career ideas, give tips on senior school subject selection and share the buzz on all things Charles Sturt. Plus, our experts will be ready to field any questions from students or parents. Our online event will be held on June 1 from 6.45-7.30pm. Click Here to Register Now  

Please see the link below for information regarding University Early Entry Schemes in NSW     Early Entry Programs 2021  

The following videos have been recorded to introduce the topic of suicide. The topic of suicide often comes up in conversation with our College Counsellors from parents and students. This video series is in response to those questions. Click the link below to view: [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/pastoral-care/counsellors/video-series-lets-talk-about-suicide/[/embed]

Parenting for Emotionally Healthy Kids Most people steer clear from using destructive, toxic parenting strategies for fear of raising dysfunctional, emotionally unhealthy adults. Living vicariously through your kids or using fear to gain obedience are the types of strategies most parents avoid. So, what behaviours can parents practise that will help their kids function well, relate well to others and reach emotional maturity in adulthood? These behaviours will help your lay the foundation for your child to become an emotionally healthy adult. Helping Kids Tolerate Discomfort While you don’t need to expose kids to pain just for the purpose of toughening them up, you don’t need to shield them from discomfort. Missing being picked for a team, a friend moving away and sitting a test that makes them nervous are the types of situations that reflect real adult-life. Providing children and young people with exposure to such experiences and giving them coping strategies such as positive distraction builds their resilience, which is essential for success and good mental acuity. Validating Their Feelings Telling kids to stop worrying or stop crying sends a message that emotions are bad. It teaches them to hide their emotions or fight their feelings. Similarly applying the terms 'good' or 'bad' to emotions sends a message that some emotions are not acceptable. The use of terms 'pleasant' and 'unpleasant' when discussing emotions is non-judgemental and shows your acceptance of all feelings.  Let kids know through your language and behaviour that all emotions are a natural part of life, and that they provide important information to help them navigate their world. “Ahh! I see you feel upset about this” is the type of statement kids want to hear particularly when feelings are negative. Letting Kids Live Their Own Life Parents have unrealised dreams as well as unhealed emotional scars. It can be tempting to put your own emotions onto your child or steer them away from areas of life that caused you pain. This practice places enormous pressure on children and restricts them from developing their own sense of self that comes from making your own life choices and living with the consequences. Kids require a certain amount of emotional space to develop their own interests and strengths that may be at odds with your expectations, which can be challenging when parenting small families. Being Emotionally Available One of the most difficult and time-consuming aspects of parenting is sharing a child or young person’s emotional burdens. Supporting a child who is sad, or helping a young person manage disappointment is draining emotional labour, requiring your full attention. Supporting, coaching and coaxing kids when they are down is when parents do some of their most important work. In Closing Raising children and young people to reach emotional maturity is an often (unintentionally) neglected part of parenting. By paying attention to their emotions and responding positively rather than shutting them down when their emotions get the better of them you will help lay the foundation to live healthy, balanced lives.  

Why Family Rituals Really Matter Family rituals strengthen the sense of warm connectedness in families. This makes sense, given that the number one biological need for every human is the hunger to belong, and to be accepted, valued and loved. The disruption of life in 2020 saw many families unable to go about their normal activities, and for many, family rituals reclaimed their valuable position. For some, it was simply going for walks together, riding bikes together, baking, or watching movies together complete with home-made popcorn. So how can families create and maintain small rituals that make such a difference? Turn Routines Into Rituals Bedtime routines that include such things as reading to your children, singing special bedtime songs or even just lying beside your child do far more than help them to fall asleep. When these routines are repeated, they create neural pathways which enhance loving connection. As a nanny to several precious little ones, I absolutely love being a part of their bedtime rituals. Reign in the Chaos Family rituals bring a degree of predictability and certainty into our sometimes chaotic lives. They are important for teenagers as they provide a sense of control at a time of change and challenge. Families who are struggling with any uncertainty and stress should regularly connect with a much-loved board game or family movie and dive into it with enthusiasm. Leave work and worry behind and spend a couple of hours with those you love the most. Create Greeting Rituals Greeting and goodbye rituals within families are also important. How you welcome and reconnect to children after a day away shows them that you have missed them and still love them. With little ones, some parents leave a kiss on their child’s palm. For others there are special handshakes. I can still remember my dad saying goodbye to us with the oldie but goodie “See you later alligator!” To which we naturally replied, “in a while, crocodile!” This is a ritual that happens now with my grandchildren. As an authorised celebrant, I have conducted many funerals and one of the things that brings joy to broken hearts are the shared memories of family rituals. The repeated nature of ritual helps to anchor memories deeply in our minds. I remember a beautiful funeral for a man where everyone wore a beanie and a scarf, including his youngest grandchild. This simple act was a nod to the fact that whenever this grandfather watched football on TV, he always wore a beanie and a scarf and so did anyone else who was watching with him. A simple but powerful act. Never underestimate the importance of family rituals in your home.