The Environment Portfolio was set up to encourage students to have their say on issues relating to the environment within the College. It is an opportunity for staff and students to meet and discuss issues that they feel important relating to the environment.  The initiatives are ideas from our students, driven by students with guidance and support from staff.  At our last meeting we had over 20 students and staff present discussing issues they thought were important. Last Friday, our College Captain and senior Prefects Rory Mackintosh, Joshua Toohey, Zachary Paterson and Tim McGill introduced an initiative at assembly to the whole school which provides students and staff with the opportunity to collect ‘Earn & Return’ items.  The items will be recycled at the College in cages that will be collected by Envirobank, with the funds being returned to the College.  Further to this, students will be given the opportunity to take home an Envirobank orange mesh bag and return it to the College filled with 10c recyclable bottles and cans (no glass) on a designated Tuesday once a month (dates will be advised through the daily notices, newsletters and student portals).  Each student will receive 2 Waterford hours and 2 Tatham points for each bag returned.  At this stage, students are working towards funds raised being donated to our sponsor child, Frederick, in Kenya to support his education. The Tatham Project is awarded at our Annual Awards Evening at the end of the year for Stewardship of the Environment.  The Award goes to a student who has demonstrated enthusiasm for environmental awareness and preservation by introducing new initiatives aimed at educating students on the need for change, as well as implementing strategies to facilitate the changes needed to preserve and heal our planet.  It was named after one of our long serving staff, Steve Tatham who’s passion for the environment has been second to none. At our most recent meeting, Year 11 Leaders and motivated Year 10 students came up with an idea to introduce a trash free Tuesday to the College in response to large amounts of plastic wrapping and packaging littering the playground at the completion of lunch and recess.  This initiative has already been introduced to a number of high schools on the Central Coast with great success.  At this stage students are seeking feedback from parents and students on this initiative with the aim of implementing it in Term 2.  If the initiative receives positive feedback from parents, carers and students, then students would start researching different options for parents and students who prepare their lunches to ensure its success.  Students also came up with the idea of senior students checking lunch boxes each Tuesday during Tutor and recording those students who have a trash free lunch.  Each student with a trash free lunch box would receive Tatham points and go in the draw to win prizes drawn out at assembly each Friday.  If you would like to provide any feedback to the students regarding this initiative or other ideas please email  mgentle@stedwards.nsw.edu.au and your feedback will be given to students at the next Environment meeting. Students are also working on new ways the Cafeteria can cut down on waste and have already met with Cafeteria staff to discuss their ideas. It is an exciting time to be at St Edward's, and to be guided by students in our Environment Portfolio.  These students will led us towards a cleaner College and help to educate our young men on how to become real custodians of our planet.   Michael Gentle and Kylie Beynon Facilitators

Parents are asked to ensure their son is making progress on the Waterford Project, which requires 15 hours service to others by the end of Term 3. Please also encourage your son to strive for Edmund Rice Honours, which is 100 hours of service to others during the year. So far in 2019, the College has offered the following opportunities for students to complete the project, it is however, the responsibility of all boys to find ways to serve others. Open Day Edmund Rice Camps Coast Shelter Kings Cross Program Hosting Japanese students Nature/environmental care Peer Mentoring Liturgy involvement Social Justice Portfolio and assembly Please contact Mr Pat Dell on 4321 6439 if you have any questions about our Waterford Project, or your son’s progress.

PDHPE have hit the ground running in 2019. All families should have received an email with the Scope and Sequence and Assessment Grid for their son’s course. Most year groups have received notification of their first assessment tasks. Your assistance in supporting your son by helping with organisational skills would be appreciated. Stage 4 Years 7 and 8 will be completing the cross-country course this Friday during Sport Activities. The Year 7 unit on challenges they face due to change is timely, with their arrival at a new school. They are also enjoying the gymnastics unit, Balance and Bounce! Year 8 began the year by completing the Thirsty? Choose Water! survey, a follow up from an initiative introduced by NSW Health last year.  Hopefully the boys have gained more knowledge and as a reward for participating in the program, a chilled water station should be installed at the end of this term. With no practical this term due to the structure of the timetable, the boys are learning about mental health issues and the impact drugs have on mental health, in particular marijuana Stage 5 Year 9 PDHPE have been getting their bodies in motion through gymnastic activities and fitness circuits. This works in well with the topics covering overall health, nutrition and physical activity. The Year 10 students have been exploring risk taking behaviours whilst developing and teaching modified games to their peers. Year 9 PASS have been investigating various controversial issues in sport while Year 10 PASS have studied the interrelationship between the body systems.   Stage 6 Year 11 PDHPE have been busy completing the online and practical Apply First Aid Certificate. The Bee Gees ‘Stayin Alive’ takes on a whole new meaning when the boys practice their CPR skills. One class has also experienced a one day outdoor recreation expedition as part of their course option. Activities include mountain bikes, navigation, intriguing hieroglyphics, rogaining (competitive treasure hunting) and kayaking. The other 2 classes are going this week and next. Year 12 have been busy exploring the factors affecting performance and will be attending the Big Day Out for PDHPE in May. This is a day to consolidate their information on the HSC course. [embed]https://youtu.be/HhMkM2F-fmc[/embed]   A great, positive start to the year in PDHPE!

Members of the St Edward's Community are invited to take part in a trip to Japan in 2019. The proposed trip will be from Friday 27 September until Sunday 6 October 2019.  Any member of the St Edward’s community, including students, staff and parents are invited to take part. An information evening will be held on Monday 18 March in the ERC Foyer at 7.00 pm. For more details, the itinerary and other relevant information please see the link below. Any enquiries should be directed to ppapeix@stedwards.nsw.edu.au 2019 Japan Trip Proposal      

On Friday, Years 7 and 8 will be participating in the College Cross Country run by the Year 11 Sport Coaching class. The Cross Country will be run during their regular rotational sport activities on the day. All Year 7 and 8 boys will be required to meet on the steps outside the music rooms (Grandstand) at the end of lunch to receive race instructions and information about their races. The Year 11 Sports Coaching students will warm-up all racers prior to the start of their race. At the finish of their race, all students will receive a bottle of water and ice block. The course is approximately 3 km in length. It will start on the school ovals, students will then run up and around the College grounds and then return, back to the ovals. They will be required to complete two laps of this course. There will be two races, one each for the U12’s/13’s starting at 1.20 pm and the U14/15’s race starting at 1.50 pm. At the completion of the races, a small presentation will be made to recognise the top 3 placegetters in each age group. The Top 10 students in each Age Group will then represent St Edward’s at the BBSSSA Cross Country at St Ives Showground on Tuesday 7 May (Week 2, Term 2) At the conclusion of the day, students will return to afternoon tutor and buses.

At 5:15 am on the 1 March, 22 students from Years 7 to 12 boarded the bus to Penrith International Regatta Centre with a buzz of excitement in anticipation for the NSW All Schools Triathlon. The College entered 4 junior, 2 intermediate and 2 senior teams in the event. For some of the Year 7 students it was the first time they had competed in such an event. On arrival we were overwhelmed by a sea of competitors and students were in awe of the stadium and the Regatta Centre itself, which was highlighted by the Olympic rings displayed at the entry. The boys who were entering the Center for the first time were trying to absorb the atmosphere and the history that was engulfing them. Our first step was to pick up the starting pack for each team which included electric race timers and labels for each of the competitors. As the boys waited in line the excited buzz started to come back as the juniors realized that they would be racing soon! As the junior swimmers lined up for the swim they had no idea of the brutality the starters whistle would bring. With 135 boys in the water all treading water the starters whistle saw all those boys jostling and fighting for position to get out into the lead. From St Edward's Joseph Bonhem came out in 5th position in the junior swim whilst Jacob Curcio came in the top ten swimmers in the seniors devision. Gabe Scott and Sean Rae were outstanding in the run whilst Logan Pugsley made up a huge amount of ground in the senior bike leg! Although none of the teams were awarded places each of the teams represented the College with passion, enthusiasm and good sportsmanship. It was a pleasure to be able to take the boys to the event and learn some of the intricate secrets of triathlon racing from teacher and school legend Tom Ristuccia. Below are some quotes from the boys which I believe some up the day… “The triathlon challenged everyone and pushed us to our limits. Everyone had a great day.” “It was a good day with all of the boys racing to their best of their ability and ultimately doing the College proud.” “We all pushed our limits and we are just proud that everyone finished.” “The College boys showed perseverance and courage. We never put our heads down and strived to do our best.” “Today was fun and challenging, we didn’t win but we didn’t loose. The Eddies teams did well with encouragement from everyone.” “Today was a very good day. We didn’t win but all that matters is we tried our best and succeeded in our own way.” [smallgallery fooid="16947"]

On Tuesday 26 February, the College Berg shield team made their way to Raby Oval, Raby to play in the final’s competition. Our first game was against MacKillop College Port Macquarie. Tom Owen won the toss and decided to put MacKillop into bat. A great start picking up the openers and number three for less than a dozen runs. The innings lingered on and we had a few missed chances allowing MacKillop to get to 7/95 off their 20 overs with Lachie Shedden and Nick Toohey the standouts with the ball.  Lachie taking 4/14 off his 4 overs and Nick 2/27 off his four. The batting innings started off even better at the 10 over mark we were 1/62. Tom Owen scored 39, Alex Bell scored 22 and Lachie Shedden top off the player of the match performance scoring 18. From then on, the news went from bad to worse. We went from 1/62 to 6/89 in the 18th over, finally finishing 9/95 at the end of the final ball. MacKillop went through to the final as they had lost less wickets than we had in their 20 overs and we had to play in the bronze medal game. In the second game of the day things returned to normal with Tom losing the toss and De La Salle College sent us into bat. Tom Owen and Will Cohen both batted well and lead the team to a score of 4/144 on a much smaller field than the game earlier. The bowling performance was a little astray from the start and probably reflected a deflated team from the earlier loss. Alex Bell was the shinning light in this game with the ball taking 5/14 off his 14 overs.  De La Salle College were chasing hard on the back of poor catching and sloppy work in the field they needed 14 off the last over. Nick Toohey came back on in the 20th over and finished out the innings with De La Salle College being bowled out for 130. [smallgallery fooid="16973"]

Upcoming in sport: Week Event Venue Date Week 6, Term 1 BBSSSA Under 15 and Under 18 Rugby League Selection Trials Morrie Breen Oval, Kanwal Thursday 7 March Week 6, Term 1 Year 7 and 8 College Cross Country College Oval Friday 8 March Week 7, Term 1 No events this week Week 8, Term 1 BBSSSA Swimming SOPAC Homebush Monday 18 March Week 8, Term 1 Year 9 and 10 All Schools Touch Football Adcock Park, West Gosford Tuesday 19 March Week 9, Term 1 Sydney Independent CC Rugby League Selection Trials (Under 15 and Under 18) Norford Park, Chester Hill Wednesday 27 March Week 9, Term 1 BBSSSA Under 13 and Under 15 Touch Football Gala Day Adcock Park, West Gosford Thursday 28 March Week 9, Term 1 Under 14 and Under 15 Rugby League Trial Game vs Blacktown Patrician Brothers College Oval Friday 29 March Week 10, Term 1 AFL Central Coast Gala Day, Year 7/8 and Opens Teams Bateau Bay Sports Complex Thursday 4 April Week 11, Term 1 No events this week

HSC Subject KLA/Faculties CAPA - Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts JMC Academy Sydney Campus Tour or Enquiry Career opportunities in the growing areas of Animation, Film and TV, Music, Songwriting, Game Design, Entertainment Management, Audio Engineering and Digital Design or if you want a private tour of their Ultimo campus, email to: Click Here JMC Academy Open Day -  18 May Animation, Film and TV, Music, Songwriting, Game Design, Entertainment Management, Audio Engineering and Digital Design. On the day you can take a tour of our facilities, get your hands on some of our serious gear, grab a bit to eat and learn why JMC continues to lead the way in Creative Industries education. Click Here AFTT Film and Acting Open Day -  11 May, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm,  41 Holt Street, Surry Hills Experience Australia’s most exciting creative arts academy, where taking risks is expected, pushing boundaries is encouraged, and collaboration is key. If you’re searching for information about a career in Film, Acting or Stage Management then come along to our open day in May and learn how to build your creative future. Click Here Whitehouse Campus Tour for Fashion or Interior Design Our campus tours give you the opportunity to visit either our Sydney or Melbourne campuses, meet staff and students and gain in-depth information on our courses, teaching and student life. You will be able to ask questions about the course, see the studios and facilities and get a taste of the creative atmosphere at Whitehouse. Click Here Coco Republic Design School Online Courses -  24 O’Riordan Street, Alexandria Unleash your creative potential doing a short course or on-line specialising in developing your interior design and decorating skills. See the full year of options at: Click Here AIT Information Nights -  6 March 5.30 pm - 7.30 pm AIT's Info Night is perfect for those wanting to explore the endless opportunities available in the growing creative industry. This fun and interactive seminar is a great way to get further information on our curriculum, course requirements, study pathways. Our friendly staff & students will also be there to talk to and get advice from. Learn about careers and study options in film production, 3D animation, digital media, game design, mobile apps and IT Take a campus tour and learn about our $8,000 Scholarship for domestic students Click Here

Year 10 Pathway Presentations  - Talk to the experts The following presentations have been arranged to help students make informed decisions about their pathway after school. The presentations will occur during lunch time in the ERC Foyer.  Parents are welcomed to attend but must sign in and out at student reception. Monday 1 April – Newcastle University Tuesday 2 April – TAFE Wednesday 3 April – Apprenticeships Thursday 4 April – Macquarie University Friday 5 April – ADF (Australian Defence Force) Year 12 UAC Presentation – A must for all students going to University UAC will be presenting to students who are interested in going to university.  The presentations will include: University entry ATAR How to apply to university Round offers Student recommendation scheme Important dates This presentation will take place in the theatre on Thursday 7 March in period 5 - a senior study period.  Students are asked to register for this event via Mrs Dignam’s email. jdignam@stedwards.nsw.edu.au  

There are better questions than, 'How much screen time?' ‘How much time should my child be allowed in front of a screen?’ ‘What about my five-year-old?’ ‘How long should I let my 13-year-old play Fortnite?’ As a digital wellness and online safety expert, these are some of the questions I am most frequently asked. They are certainly all relevant questions as parents fumble about trying to make rules and boundaries around their child’s screen time habits. Obviously we all want to prevent the screen time obsessions we hear about in the media. We want to maintain a sense of control over our child’s screen time habits. As the digital world is far more complex and nuanced, our approach and questions need to mirror those complexities. We can certainly apply some time limits, and prescribe times when devices are not to be used. But it’s wise to ask more pertinent questions to help us make more informed choices about the rules and boundaries we set up for our kids. In particular, there are three important questions we should ask. These are: ’What is my child doing with his or her screen?’ There’s no point worrying about how long your child is on a screen if you have no idea what they are doing when they’re on it. Handing a child a device without guidance can lead to a vast range of different experiences. One child might spend the time researching the dietary habits of a green tree frog, or learning how to make the best paper plane to fly with a younger sibling. Another might watch a funny cat video, or even watch hard-core pornography. These are vastly different ways to spend their time online. ’What is the effect of the screens on my child?’ Is your child enjoying socialising online because it allows them deeper connections with their friends, provides them with support and gives them a sense of belonging? Alternatively, is he or she feeling excluded or being cyberbullied?  A child’s online experiences can help or hinder wellbeing.  If online activities lead to tantrums when transitioning to offline tasks, or even aggression then it may be a sign that online use is having a negative impact. ’What is my child missing out on?’ Children and teens benefit from involvement in a wide range activities so they can maintain optimum physical, social and emotional development.  Spending time outdoors, enjoying active sports, connecting face-to-face with friends, sharing family meals, keeping up with homework and assisting with household chores are the types of activities that most experts agree are beneficial for children and young people. If the amount of time a child spends on digital devices excludes him or her from these types of activities then it can be considered excessive. If this is the case, then it’s reasonable to expect that, with your assistance, your child begins to place some limits on their screen use. Digital devices present new challenges for parents to manage. As a result parents need to shift the focus away from simply managing a child’s time to helping him or her successfully integrate screen use into their daily life in ways that support learning, development and wellbeing.

2019 Webinar Program for Parents At Parenting Ideas, we are hosting a comprehensive program of webinars for parents in 2019. As your school has a Parenting Ideas membership, you can attend all of these webinars at no cost. If you’re unable to make the scheduled time you can simply register and access the recording later. Please see schedule below 2019 Webinar Program for Parents  

The Department of Education and Training has requested the College provide a statement of addresses, in accordance with the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth) (Regulation).   For further information please see the PDF below. Parent Information - 2019 Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection Notice