The Year 10 retreat was conducted at the College this year because North Avoca Surf Club had structural problems to address. Fortunately, it was discovered that there were many benefits from having this important event at the College. Students were engaged in different discussion groups throughout the day which included topics such as self-awareness, values and what it means to be a good man. The day concluded with a short liturgy that included student involvement. All the teachers that attended were thoroughly impressed by the student’s behaviour and attention. Congratulations to all who were involved in this wonderful spiritual day. Mr Beacroft Director of Mission and Identity   [foogallery id="35644"]

Waterford Project - Years 8 to 11 All boys are required to complete our traditional service-learning program, the Waterford Project,  by the end of Term 3 Apart from the numerous community-based choices your son has eg surf clubs, sports clubs, parish, etc, the College offers the chance to complete this program in some of the following ways: Open Day assistance (5 hours) Homeless Sleepout (29 April, Term 2) Clean Up Australia Day (any day of choice) Edmund Rice International - walk, run, cycle, swim, surf, skate.  This program is to raise money for local organisations of your choice St John’s Ambulance First Aid course Portfolio Involvement Peer Mentoring - assisting other students by helping them with learning or sports etc Salvo’s Appeal Please ask your son to see me, or his Religious Education teacher, if he would like more information on the above opportunities. There are many other examples of opportunities your son has to complete the program, of 15 hours Service for others, by the end of Term 3. Edmund Rice Honours is a special award for those boys who achieve more than 100 hours in a year. Normally, the College awards 80-85 students per year. A wonderful achievement of service and giving by these boys. Mr Pat Dell Leader of Learning Social Justice  

Founder's Day Celebrations - 9 September 2022 This special event is held every two years at the College. The aim of the day is to: Develop Community and Belonging - reflecting on our touchstones Justice and Solidarity, and Inclusive Community. Donate over $20 000 to the Christian Brothers Mission in Kenya. More information about the Kenya Program will be shared in later editions of Touchstones and for the boys at College assemblies. The College requires a $20 donation, to be paid by the boys at front office between now and September for the Founder’s Day celebration which is a fun day, with rides, stalls, games, raffles, and many choices of activities for the boys to relax and enjoy, students will also receive a BBQ lunch on the day. Donations From Our Parent Community We are seeking donations of items for raffles for the students, if you have or know a small business who can donate goods as prizes, please contact me on 4321 6439. Mr Pat Dell Leader of Learning Social Justice  

Click the YouTube link below for the latest edition of SECTV hosted by Michael Holmes, College Captain and Owen Bradstreet, College Vice Captain.   [embed]https://youtu.be/h8-c2-oD1v8[/embed]

2022 is shaping up to be a very busy and exciting year in the French department! In Week 4 we said “au revoir et bon courage” to Madame Whitford, wishing her well for her maternity leave, we can’t wait to meet her new baby! We have also said a big “bienvenue” to welcome Monsieur Heffernan, who is teaching Madame Whitford’s classes during her absence. From March 12-20 we celebrated the international Semaine de la Francophonie here at St Edward’s, where students learnt about the 300 million speakers of French across 5 continents and over 29 different countries and cultures around the world. Some of our fabulous French students in Years 12, 10 and 8 made an entertaining video to advertise the events of the week, and it was pleasing to see so many boys getting into the spirit! We enjoyed croissants in the canteen all week; French-inspired games; and a special lunchtime screening of the film Ratatouille. In the classroom, Year 8 students have been busy learning how to greet people in French, and answer questions relating to their name, age, and birthday. They have enjoyed practicing their new vocabulary in a variety of games and interactive activities. One such activity was the creation of a storyboard cartoon, where they designed the characters, setting, and wrote the script in French. Year 9 students kicked off the year learning how to introduce themselves and talk about their families in French. Over the years, St Edward’s College has participated in an exchange program with a school in Montauban, in the south-west of France. The boys enthusiastically drew on their imagination and creativity to create and perform a role-play in which they imagined they were in Montauban on exchange, having a conversation with a local French student they had just met. In celebration of International Francophonie Day, boys in Year 8 and 9 classes learnt about the broader French-speaking world, researched a French-speaking country of their choice, and proudly presented their work for their peers. They are becoming true global citizens. Along the same vein of international travel, Year 10 have spent Term 1 learning about various famous landmarks around France and how to speak in French about leisure activities and holiday plans. They are currently writing a blog post about an imagined future holiday to Paris accompanied with their own itinerary of the places they would like to visit. Throughout the first half of this term, Year 12 French Continuers have learnt how to discuss and present opinions in French about issues surrounding the media and new technologies, and how modern technology might influence the world in the future. With the HSC looming on the increasingly not-too-distant horizon, the boys have started a new unit in which they are examining the experiences of French students in their final year of high school, drawing parallels with their own experiences studying for the HSC in Australia and using French to discuss their plans for their future after graduation. This is designed to prepare students for the next unit on the world of work, where students will learn how to create a CV and participate in a job interview entirely in French – a very useful skill for future career possibilities in the modern world!   [foogallery id="35700"]   [embed]https://youtu.be/E435_JMkvh8[/embed]

Legal Studies Mock Trial A team of six students competed as the Defence Team in a criminal matter against a team from Henry Kendall High School. Our team was successful in defending the case, raising reasonable doubt that our client had committed the offence. In the final point score, it was a close call, with St Edward's one less point than the Prosecution Team. The team conducted themselves well throughout, showing particular strength in their objections and closing statement. This learning experience will be useful as they begin preparations for Round 2.  

Yesterday the reigning NRL Premiers, the Penrith Panthers visited the College. Club CEO, Matt Cameron, spoke about the importance of setting goals, being respectful and the management of the salary cap. Recruitment Officer, Jim Jones, spoke about the important personal qualities he looks for in a potential player outside of their ability on the field. The Panthers’ Wellbeing Officer, Joe Nulaveau (Premiership winner 2003) spoke about this important aspect for every person’s life for their growth and development. Former players Sam Jones and Lee Hopkins then took our players onto the field and put them through some drills. Finally, the Premiership trophy was placed on display for students to get a photo with and many of our students took this opportunity. The representatives from Penrith were highly impressed with our students and were amazed by the memory of Brendan Escott from Year 11 who can recall the scores from every game since 2016. On behalf of St Edward’s, I would like to sincerely thank the Penrith Panthers Club for taking the time to educate and inspire our students who love the game of Rugby League. Mr Beacroft Director of Mission and Identity [foogallery id="35749"]

The College Swimming Team headed down to SOPAC, Homebush to contest the Broken Bay Carnival.   The day was a tremendous success with the Eddies team achieving some fantastic individual and team results. Highlights for the day included: St Edward’s being crowned Junior (12-14), Intermediate (15-16) and Senior (17+) Division Champions Ashton Walters (Under 16) and Daniel McLoughlin (17+) named Age Champions Winning the Junior Medley, Intermediate Freestyle and Medley; and the Senior Freestyle and Medley Relays. The Senior 4x50m Freestyle Relay team of Ryan Green, Taine Beavis, Nick Green and Daniel McLoughlin breaking their record from last year and setting a new Broken Bay Record of 1.42.48 seconds. The Senior 4x 50m Medley Relay Team of Ryan Green (Backstroke), Jayden Redfern (Breaststroke), Daniel McLoughlin (Butterfly) and Taine Beavis (Freestyle) setting a new Broken Bay record of 1.56.51 seconds. Daniel McLoughlin setting a new Broken Bay record in the 17+ years 50m Butterfly race. As a result of these wonderful performances, 17 students from the team will progress to the NSWCCC carnival on Wednesday 6 April at SOPAC, Homebush.   The team consisted of: Tam Johnson, Tom Barry, Shaylan Bennett, Julian Tagaoi, Tasman Holliday,  Eden Pearson, Tahj Regatteri, Taj Probert, Ronnie Jordan, Lachlan Bunney, Cooper Jones, Archie Carpenter, Sam Logan, Nicholas Kearney,  Ashton Walters, Daniel McLoughlin, Ryan Green, Taine Beavis, Nick Green, Jayden Redfern, Cashar Darwin, Nathan Irvine.

Congratulations NSWCCC Waterpolo On Monday at the NSWCCC Waterpolo selection trials at Ryde Pool, Bryn O’Grady-Cousins and Sandor Torok gained selection in the Open Boys team. The boys now head to the NSW All Schools Exchange as a part of the NSWCCC team. Sydney Metro Under 18’s Rugby League Selection Trials On Monday 14 March the following boys were selected in the Sydney Metro Team: Charlie Cartwright, Tommo Peters, Emmet Nicholls and Malachi Smith. The boys now head to the NSWCCC Rugby League Championships in May at St Mary’s. Broken Bay (BBSSSA) Under 15 Rugby League Team On Wednesday 16 March at Morry Breen Oval, the following boys were selected in the BBSSSA team: Luke Shereb, Cooper Jones, Sam Flakus, Archie Mesritz, Kieran Dafter, Max Taylor, Darcy Smith, Kieran White and Blade Marquart. The boys will now head to the Sydney Metro Selection Trials at Blacktown on Wednesday 23 March. Cross Country Due to the ongoing issues with wet weather and the sodden state of the ovals, we will be holding off on the running of the selection races for the Under 13, Under 14 and Under 15 Age Groups. These will now be run on the first Friday (Week 1, Term 2 – Friday 29 May) back next term during Friday Afternoon Activities. The Broken Bay Cross Country will be held in Week 3 on Monday 9 May at St Ives Showground. Representative Postponements The NSW All Schools Team Triathlon (Wednesday 16 March) and the Broken Bay (BBSSSA) Under 13 Touch Football Gala Day (Tuesday 29 March) have both been postponed. Currently no new dates have been set for either event. Coming up in Sport Week Event Venue Date Week 8 Broken Bay BBSSSA Swimming Carnival SOPAC Monday 21 March Week 8 Sydney Metro Under 15's Rugby League Blacktown Wednesday 23 March Week 9 Broken Bay BBSSSA Under 13 Touch Football Gala Day North Manly Postponed Week 9 Annual Under 14 and Under 15 Rugby League vs Blacktown Patrician Brothers Trial Game Blacktown Patrician Brothers Friday 1 April Week 10 NSWCCC Swimming Carnival SOPAC Wednesday 6 April    

Please see the links below to apprenticeships, traineeships and opportunities available:   ZBR Zibara are seeking an enthusiastic Office Trainee and All-rounder to assist the team in our day-to-day administrative duties. A well-established local teamwear and uniform manufacturer located in Erina, we employ more than 30 locals and are currently looking for someone proactive, punctual and with a willingness to learn. This is the ideal opportunity for a school leaver who has a can-do attitude and is not afraid to learn quickly as well as ask for assistance. As an employer of choice, we are offering the right candidate opportunity to complete a Certificate III in Business as an on the job full time traineeship. About the Role You will be working alongside our team undertaking the following tasks: Answering phones General office administration duties: data entry, filing, scanning and organising Use of Microsoft Office Suites Stationery and office supply orders Helping our team in anything they need assistance with Back up for customer service in our showroom when required Assistance to Sales Managers Key Personal Attributes Willingness to take direction, be flexible and adaptable with a variety of tasks Positive attitude Basic use of Microsoft Office Suites (Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) Excellent written and verbal communicator Strong work ethic Prioritisation skill Always punctual and organised High attention to detail Excellent interpersonal skills, both verbally and written Great sense of humour as there is a lot Banter with a great team to work with. What we will provide A close knit friendly and supportive environment that will allow you to develop a specialised skill set very quickly An attractive salary will be negotiated based on experience The opportunity to grow within the role and take on more responsibility Comprehensive training to ensure you are comfortable in your new role Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted Job Type: Full-time, Permanent Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Benefits: Employee discount All interested applicants to send Cover letter and Resume to tanya@zibara.com.au     We are seeking young workers (age16 to 25) on the Central Coast of NSW to fill Manufacturing Trainee roles with our company Jubilee Spring Co Pty Ltd. Kindly find the attached advertisement detailing the requirements. 16 and 17 years old are more than welcome to apply if they are suitable as well. Candidates should email us at mark@jubilee-springs.com.au if they are interested or have any questions. Please attach an ID photo your email response. Please do not hesitate to contact us about this or any other matter. Production Workers - Information             Pilot Career Seminar,  learn all about aviation career paths, entry-level jobs, salaries, qualifications, courses, industry insights and more. Parents are also encouraged to attend Date: Monday, March 14th, 2022 Location: 628/23-25 Airport Avenue, Bankstown Aerodrome, NSW, 2198 Time: 6 pm Free registration via: //www.basair.edu.au/Events With 100’s of alumni flying for major airlines worldwide and over 90% employment rate within a year of graduation, Basair is the number one choice for aviation studies. Course Brochure 2022   Can I be a Pilot   BAC    

Please see the link below to view the latest Positions Vacant at St Edward's College.   [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/our-college/employment/positions-vacant/[/embed]

Parenting Style for the Ages There’s been a great deal of conversation lately about the most appropriate parenting style to raise kids effectively. How do you get cooperation from your child without nagging, yelling or using other less pleasant, coercive means? How do you build a strong connection with your child or young person, so that they you can build a lasting and respectful relationship? The solution to these dilemmas is easier than you may think. It lies in your ability to assess two different communication styles when you interact with your child. These two styles indicate credibility and approachability. The credible or 'cat' style, as many of the behaviours are cat-like, is the style to use when managing or disciplining children. The approachable style, known as a 'dog' style as many of the behaviours come from the canine world, is used when building positive, healthy relationships. Let’s explore a little further and find out how to access each side or style. Find Your Inner Cat to Guide and Manage The ‘cat’ refers to the credible or authoritative side that we all have but may find difficulty accessing. This cat or credible side is expressed through non-verbal communication – your tone of voice, your posture and your head position. Speaking with a flat, even voice shows credibility. Keep your head still and body upright when you talk, and your credibility increases dramatically. The quickest way to access your inner cat or credible side is to speak with your palms facing the ground. Most people find that when they do so they naturally speak with a clipped voice, still head and body and a serious expression on your face. When you speak from your cat or credible side people will usually believe what you have to say. Cat body language gives you authority. Guide like a cat by speaking calmly, quietly and staying still when you speak. ‘Cats’ will also withdraw eye contact rather than stand and argue, so look away or respectfully move away rather than become involved in a pointless argument with a child. ‘Cats’ also look for ways to manage visually (with such things as rosters or charts) or by moving close and whispering, rather than repeating themselves. If ‘cats’ repeat themselves, they are more likely to lower their voice than raise it to get attention. These cat behaviours work well when guiding and managing children and teenagers. Use Your Inner Dog to Nurture and Build Relationships We also have a ‘dog’ side to our nature. This is the approachable, conversational, relationship-building side. When you access this side, you generally speak with lots of inflection in your voice. Your head will bob up and down. You’ll probably lean forward as you speak, and you’ll smile a lot. The quickest way to access your dog side or approachable side is to speak with your palms up. Many of us feel more comfortable with the dog or approachable side than with the cat side of our nature. If you are in a management position at work, you probably spend more time accessing your cat or credible side than your dog or approachable side. Highly effective managers, like highly effective parents will move seamlessly between the two, accessing their dog when networking and relationship-building, then finding their cat for negotiations or when making decisions. Bring Your Cat and Dog to Your Parenting As a parent you can make subtle adjustments to your communication to increase your effectiveness. Consciously alter your style to suit different situations rather than let your moods dictate your communication style. It takes effort and practice to move between the two styles. Do it often and you’ll find switching from cat to dog and back again becomes an ingrained parenting pattern. Get your cat and dog wrong and you’ll be ineffective. Manage or discipline like a dog and you’ll do one of three things – whine to get cooperation, become frustrated if children or teenagers ignore you, or do nothing because you don’t want to offend your children. Build relationships like a cat and you’ll be seen as distant, stiff and unapproachable. Get the mix right and you’ll be able to give your children exactly what they need. That is, the leadership and safety that cats provide and the nurturance and encouragement that comes naturally to dogs. In Closing The cat-dog approach spans many different parenting styles and importantly, accommodates for the emotional needs of children and teenagers. It also provides tools for parents who view parenting as an individual endeavour and for those who see parenting as a group leadership task. The cat-dog approach offers parents the flexibility needed to parent effectively in our current times.  

The pandemic has delivered change and upheaval to families on an enormous scale. However upheaval is not new for some children, particularly those who’ve experienced illness, a loss of a loved one or who’ve moved home and changed schools. Each change requires acceptance, adjustment and an attitude realignment to help them fit the new circumstances. Every change is an opportunity for a child to grow and develop, if they are supported, and they’re not overwhelmed by the experience. The Twists and Turns of Development A child’s pathway to adulthood, and the accompanying journey of their parents, is generally viewed as linear. Growing up is seen as a straightforward march from infancy, early childhood, childhood, adolescence, post-adolescence to adulthood. If COVID has taught us anything it’s that a child’s journey is full of twists and turns. While your child has a developmental clock that keeps ticking over, it’s their experiences that determine their maturity and their ability to reach fully-fledged adulthood with the resilience, grit and adaptability needed to thrive. These experiences that develop maturity and coping capacities fit into two broad areas – challenging experiences and positive experiences. Challenging Experiences The challenging experiences that a child encounters enable them to build their coping capacities and develop their emotional resources that contribute to their maturity. These challenges include: Conflict Disagreements, arguments and rivalry is part of growing up. Whether it’s a dispute with siblings or a fallout with a friend, negotiating conflict is a developmental task. Rejection Rejection by a friend or group is hurtful and feels horrible, but it also builds a level of social smarts and judgement necessary for navigating relationships in later life. Loss This takes many forms including a friend moving away, the death of a pet or the passing of a family member. Loss is the cause of sadness, grief and heartbreak that can feel overwhelming. However, with time and support kids learn to cope and get on with their lives. Disappointment Losing a game, not being picked for a team, not receiving a gift they wanted are unpleasant but character-building experiences that help kids develop perhaps the most treasured resilience capability of them all – acceptance. Failure Mistakes are seen in three ways. They are activities to be avoided, signs of failure, or opportunities for further learning. Resilient learners know that mistakes, even initial failures, are part of every learning process so the risk of failure doesn’t hold them back. Children and young people grow from these experiences as coping and recovery generally build character, confidence and resilience. Positive Experiences Though children and young people will inevitably experience challenging experiences, positive experiences help to balance the experience ledger by building a child’s identity, wellbeing and emotional collateral. Love Knowing that a child is loved and loveable is at the core of their self-worth. Self-esteem and identity built in adolescence needs a solid foundation of self-worth. Friendship Making and keeping friends is an essential life task linked to many aspects of happiness and wellbeing. Contribution The ability to belong to groups through contribution fulfils a basic need. It allows children to experience real gratitude and feel needed, which builds self-esteem. Excitement Fun, joy, excitement! Any activity that shifts a child's emotion from unpleasant, low energy to pleasant and high energy is a good thing. Play Involvement in enjoyable activities such as hobbies, interests, sports, music, games, creative and performance arts are central to healthy wellbeing. Activities that are fun, freely chosen and create flow (the ability to lose track of time) fit the criteria of play. In Closing A child’s age and related milestones is a recognised marker of their development. However, their life experiences, as much as the number of birthdays they’ve had, contribute to their maturity, resilience and readiness for the wider world.  

Please see below correspondence emailed home in Term 1 2022, regarding COVID information and STUDENT POSITIVE RESULT reporting link. Please notify the College of a positive student test result via the following link: CLICK HERE     Year 7 Information Evening Presentation - Sent 31 March 2022 Year 7 Setting Up Flexischools Account - Sent 16 March 2022 Year 7 Information Evening - Sent 15 March 2022 RAHT Third Round Distribution - Sent 15 March 2022 Year 9 RAHT Third Round Distribution - Sent 15 March 2022 Years 7 and 9 NAPLAN Letter - Sent 15 March 2022 Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN Information - Sent 15 March 2022 Year 10 Parent Webinar - Post School Options - Sent 14 March 2022) Year 7 Mother's Day Liturgy Invitation Year 9 Camp Information and Consent Form - Sent  3 March 2022 Year 10 - 2022 Parents Talking Careers Webinar - Sent 1 March 2022 2022 Collection Notice for Parents - Sent 18 February 2022 COVID-19 Communication -  Sent 18 February 2022 Year 7 Day Camp Information and Consent Form - Sent 16 February 2022  COVID-19 Communication - Sent 11 February 2022 RAHT Distribution Weeks 3-4 - Sent 9 February 2022 Year 7 Diagnostic Testing Information - Sent 9 February 2022 Year 7 Parent Information Letter - Sent 7 February 2022 COVID-19 COVID Update -  Sent  4 February 2022 Rapid Antigen Home Test Kit Collection - Sent  2 February 2022 2022 Sport and Representative Opportunities - Sent  31 January 2022 Year 7 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022 Year 8 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022 Year 9 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022 Year 10 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022 Year 11 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022 Year 12 2022 Commencement - Sent  24 January 2022