Be The Best You Can Be. After a year without a whole school mass due to COVID-19, it was great to be able to gather again. The College Commencement Mass was once again a special day for St Edward's. The students were reverent, respectful and prayerful throughout the ceremony presided over by Father Greg the Parish Priest at St Patrick’s Parish. Congratulations must go to all our brilliant musicians who performed at Mass. Our musicians were thoroughly prepared by our music staff led by Mr Toole. Their performances added so much to the prayerful atmosphere of the mass. Father Greg spoke eloquently on this year’s theme, Be the best you can be.  Our College Principal, Mr Bonnici, also spoke about the College Aspirational statement which includes a summary of our future College goals. All who heard these speakers would understand that the men of St Edward's College are expected to put their best effort into all they do. The students were also encouraged to use their gifts and talents to involve themselves in as many activities as possible. Mr Beacroft Director of Mission and Identity     [foogallery id="29873"]  

One of the good things to come out of COVID-19 was the development of St Edward’s College Television (SECTV). Due to the restriction of not being able to gather as a College community, an innovative solution was needed for our whole school assemblies. Enter SECTV.  See the link below for the latest episode hosted by Joshua Gower and Jordan Mercado. [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/co-curriculum/st-edwards-college-television/[/embed]

On 9 February, the St Edward's College community came together to celebrate Mass. It has been a long time since we have been able to do this due to the past year's restrictions brought about by  COVID-19. Mass gave our students an opportunity to reflect and pray as a community.  Our students were very respectful and reverent. When we attend Mass, we are celebrating the life of Jesus Christ. Students were given an opportunity to receive the Eucharist or a blessing. It is in receiving the Eucharist, we are united with the living Jesus, both physically and spiritually; ‘He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.’ (John 6:56) Term 1 is also very significant and an important time in our Liturgical calendar with a Lenten period starting on 17 February with Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of lent and lasts for 40 days. The reason for Lent lasting 40 days is that 40 is the traditional number of judgement and spiritual testing in the Bible (Exodus 24:18). It bears a relationship to the 40 days Christ spent fasting in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Catholics aged 14 or older are required not to eat meat, showing spiritual discipline towards Christs triumph over sin and death.

Watch the short video below for details of the new Friday lunch time activity - Card Sharks.   [embed]https://youtu.be/cMfoanQqlPY[/embed]

The College Selection Carnival will go ahead on Tuesday 23 February at Gosford Pool. This carnival is only for the boys who have registered, remaining students are to attend school for a normal Tuesday Week A. All students who have registered for carnival events (entries now closed) will be notified by email (this week) of the carnival details and online permission note. Parents will be required to return reply to the email, to confirm their son’s attendance at the carnival. Details for the Carnival: All swimmers are to meet at the top of the College near the reception area once the morning roll call bell sounds (8.45 am) All swimmers are to come to school in their College Sports Uniform of College Summer Uniform (no casual clothes) A roll will be marked (COVID requirement) Students will walk down to Gosford Pool under staff supervision No student is to make their own way to the pool, they must attend school first Due to current CSNSW restrictions, parents are unable to attend the carnival At the Pool Students will sit in House Areas in the Grandstand. When not competing, boys will be asked to sit in the grandstand. Swimmers will be allocated their own House colour cap for the day Students are encouraged to bring their appropriate swim gear, sunscreen, water bottle and food for the day. A canteen will be operating at the pool and students will be able to access it. Events Boys who registered for an event have been allocated a heat and lane number. This will be on display around the pool/grandstand area. Students will be marshalled/called for their heat at the deep end of the pool. Format for the Carnival 9.15 to 9.30 am 9.30 am 10.10 am 10.50 am 11.30 am 12.10 pm 12.50 pm 1.30 pm 1.45 pm Students arrive.  Warm-up 200m Freestyle [12/13 – Opens] 50m Freestyle   [12/13 – Opens] 50m Butterfly [12/13 – Opens] 100m Freestyle [12/13 – Opens] 50m Backstroke [12/13 – Opens] 50m Breaststroke [12/13 – Opens] 50m Breaststroke [12/13 – Opens] Champions of Champions Race [Handicapped]   End of the Day All staff and students will return to the College for afternoon buses.

For career advice and job seeker resources please click the link below: MEGT Career Hub   The Defence Force Recruiting Trades Team are offering the opportunity to speak with you and answer any questions you might have about the recruiting process, jobs available in the Australian Defence Force and the different pathways for entry. This session will be held, Thursday 18 February online via Google Meets at 6:30pm (AEDT). To register for this session, please click on the following link and you will receive a confirmation email with the virtual login details. Click Here  

Key dates for Macquarie University 2021 Tuesday 4 May Year 12 Information Evening Wednesday 5 May Year 10 Subject Selection Evening Friday 14 May Careers Advisers and Teachers Day May 11 - June 22 Weekly Q&A Series for Years 10 -12 Tuesdays at 5pm Saturday 14 Aug Open Day December Explore Your Options Week   Click the link below for the latest Careers Newsletter [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/curriculum-learning/careers-and-vocational-education/careers-news/[/embed]    

Dear Central Coast Schools The Entrance Red Bus Services would like to advise all schools that the moratorium period for not presenting an Opal card for those students entitled to free school travel has now passed. Transport for NSW allow a period of two weeks to allow all students to receive their new Opal cards for the new school year. Under Transport for NSW guidelines any student travelling to or from school by bus is required to present and tap on and off with a current valid Opal card. Opal tap on and off numbers play an integral role in determining school bus requirements for the number of students requiring these services. For example if 5 children tap on with an Opal card and 45 students board, in reporting viewed by Transport for NSW this service is carrying only 5 students. The concerning situation is that this example of minimal Opal usage is very common on the majority of school services and with increasing numbers of children needing to catch school bus services, the government would be reluctant to allow any further services to be added as the Opal statistics are not a true reflection of bus patronage. The greater concern could be that services may be lost rather than added. We are requesting the support and assistance of the schools in assuring that all students travelling by bus to and from school have and use a valid Opal card every trip. These free school opal cards are for a student to travel to and from school during each school term and not for after hours travel or weekend usage. Visit www.opal.com.au for further information or to apply. Could you please make mention of this in your school newsletter or website. I have attached an image that may also be useful. Kind Regards The Entrance Red Bus Services   Red Bus Services Pty Limited ABN 44 000 103 524 PO Box 3186 Bateau Bay NSW Australia 2261 Tel: 02 4332 8655 Email: info@redbus.com.au Web: www.redbus.com.au  

Parenting is the ultimate long game. You are in it for the long haul. You can’t change your mind, although there are times that you’d like to refund or at least trade a child in for a more agreeable model. You have to gird your loins, put a smile on your face and cope. In the last few years there’s been a great deal of attention and resources directed toward teacher wellbeing, which is commendable. It’s not just teachers who need some TLC. Parents who spend a great part of their day looking after, caring for and worrying about kids also need to focus on their own wellbeing. Here are some essential strategies that will help you last the distance in the parenting marathon. Connect to Activities that Energise Parents give up a lot for their kids including many of the activities, hobbies and friendship groups that bring them joy and add balance to their lives. The person first, partner second scenario common to most couples is tipped on its head when the first child comes along. Suddenly you’re a parent first, partner second and person last. Two or three kids and ten years later the order is still the same in most families. It’s not until kids leave home that many parents start to regain their own lives back. The advice is simple. Retain some part of your life while you’re actively parenting that gives you joy and sustenance. Guard it zealously and, if applicable, let your partner do the same. Lead First, Manage Second The world abounds with parenting books (including my own, guilty your honour!) encouraging parents to be better managers of behaviour, solvers of kids’ problems, promoters of kids’ mental health and more, often at the expense of the leadership capacities. Leaders focus on the bigger picture, that is, the family as a whole, while managers focus on individual children. The latter is tiring, while the former is liberating.  Leaders look after themselves, delegate jobs and use modelling and teaching as core strategies. Aim for Redundancy The basic task for parents is to make themselves redundant, which starts in the early years. Teaching kids to tie shoe laces, cook meals, feed pets and the like takes time and energy. However, it pays off when children are capable of looking after themselves, allowing you to sit back, put your feet up and relax. Not exactly, as independence can bring headaches too, particularly with teenagers who frequently confuse independence with freedom. Even tackling that type of worry is preferable to getting kids off the couch because they are too dependent and fearful to leave home. Raise Your Family as if it’s Large If you’ve ever worried about the small, precise details of your child’s life then I suspect that you are raising a small family. It’s interesting how parents in larger families worry about different things than those in small families. Size creates perspective. I often ask parents with concerns about their children “Would you worry about this issue if you had six children?” Ironically, parents of families of four or more children generally find family life far easier than those raising one or two kids, as they don’t take personal responsibility for their children’s successes, failures and problems. Conserve Energy – Argue Over Issues That Matter Poor choice of clothes, wet towels left on floors and untidy bedrooms are typical of some of the minor things parents argue with kids about. Unfortunately, these minor skirmishes wear many parents out and sour goodwill. One of the best pieces of parenting advice I’ve received was to only battle with children over issues that matter such as poor treatment of a friend, mean-spirited behaviour and dishonesty. Avoid Using Children as Benchmarks The measure of your child is not another child, yet the temptation to keep an eye on another child’s progress, talents and character traits are ever present. In the short term, comparison can leave a parent feeling discouraged and dejected, especially if they have a late blooming child or one who has different strengths and talents to those in the mainstream. In the long term, comparison can be dispiriting for a child as they can easily feel that they never measure up. Each child has their own developmental clock and their unique strengths. You may have to dig deep to find them, but they will be there. Their strengths and talents may need some polish, which is part of the parenting job too. Only Three Things Matter – Relationships, Relationships, Relationships! The longer I’m involved in parenting both personally and professionally the more that I understand that building strong relationships with kids based on mutual respect, appreciation and understanding is at the heart of successful parenting.  Loving and being loved are core to be human. Nothing provides the level of human connection more than being an accepted, appreciated member of a family.

The new school year is full of excitement and possibility for students and parents. Regardless of how a child or young person has previously performed, this year offers a chance to set a new course. While it’s tempting as a parent to make the attainment of good academic results the main priority, this is a narrow view that may be incompatible with long-term success. It’s wiser to broaden your view and focus on helping your child or young person become the best student they can be. Here’s how. Encourage Learning The rapidly changing world and workforce that your child will enter requires that they have a willingness to continually learn and adapt. The concept of a lifelong learner, previously lauded by educators with an eye to the future, has now become a reality. Learning and continual improvement should be embedded in each child’s psyche so that school life is just a starting point to a lifetime of learning, growth and development. Help your child see themselves as successful learners who achieve results through hard work and application, and that nothing is beyond them if they apply themselves. Promote Leadership Leadership is required in all walks of life including at school, at work, in families and in the wider community. Help your child see themselves as a leader by focusing on personal leadership capacities such as planning ahead, communicating clearly, being accountable for their behaviour, developing emotional awareness and fostering good relationships with siblings and peers. Personal leadership development provides a strong foundation for the development of leadership skills in more public forums in later life. Applaud Independence The school years are critical for the development of independence, which can easily be closed down by the roadblocks of impatience, overindulgence, fear and lack of time. Alternatively, independence is promoted when we show patience, provide opportunity, display confidence and teach students how. Embed Wellbeing If there is one difference that modern schooling is making to the next generation it’s in the leadership they have shown in recent years to the maintenance of mental health and wellbeing practises. Parents can support their child’s long term wellbeing by embedding wellbeing habits including healthy eating, exercise, sleep, relaxation techniques, regular time in nature, gratitude and mindfulness. Teach Socialisation If you want your child to be liked by others, it’s essential to spend time and effort developing the skills and attitudes needed to succeed. Develop in them an awareness of how their behaviour impacts on others, instil manners and community-mindedness and develop a broad range of friendship skills that will assist them to relate well to others. Foster Resilience 2020 showed us life is unpredictable, full of ups and downs, straight balls and curve balls. It’s the unpredictability, the downs and the curve balls that develop kids’ resilience. How parents and teachers react to the hardships, frustrations and difficulties kids face either hamper or foster resilience. Spoil, overprotect or pamper and growth opportunities are wasted. Support, encourage and teach kids to cope and you’ll be helping them develop a real sense of psychological hardiness and resilience that’s essential for long term happiness and success. Make this year a memorable one by helping your child grow and develop into the best student they can be. Keep the focus broad and do all you can to ensure that your child sees themselves as a confident and continuous learner.

Collection Notice for Parents and Guardians - 2021 Student Residential Address and Other Information. The Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment (the department) would like to advise you that a request has been made for your child’s school to provide residential address and other information as required under the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth). Please click below for further information. Collection Notice for Parents