Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to the start of Term 2. It has been pleasing to witness the positive return of our students, who have each displayed a settled tone for the term ahead. I would particularly like to commend the high standard of uniform worn by our students, and I thank you for supporting your sons in reflecting their pride in themselves and in our College.

As we commence this term, we are strongly focused on deepening individual learning, building on the skills developed in Term 1, and challenging every student to achieve their personal best.

We are also pleased to welcome three new staff members to our community: Melanie Jennison and Zak Visser, who both join us as First Nations Education Officers, and Noosha Roberts, who joins the Accounts Department. We are confident that all three will quickly become much-valued members of our team.

Next week, we will host a number of important events. Our Athletics Carnival will provide an opportunity for students to showcase their sporting skills, teamwork, and school spirit. We will also celebrate the Founders Anniversary of Blessed Edmund Rice, an important moment in our College calendar. This occasion reminds us of the values of compassion, service, and justice that underpin everything we do. We look forward to gathering as a community to honour his legacy and reaffirm our commitment to the spirit of Edmund Rice.

In addition, we are excited to host our annual Mother’s Day Event with the wonderful support of the members of our P&F organising committee. This is always a special opportunity to come together and celebrate, and we look forward to welcoming many of you to what promises to be a joyful and heartfelt occasion.

We join the global Catholic community in mourning the loss of His Holiness, Pope Francis, and celebrate his inspirational life of humble service, unwavering faith, and love for humanity. Let us keep Pope Francis in our prayers and continue to live out the values he so beautifully embodied. May he rest in eternal peace.

Dr Stephen Gough

Winter Uniform

Welcome back to Term 2! Thank you to all families who supported a smooth start by ensuring the boys returned well presented and in line with the College’s uniform and personal presentation standards. Encouraging personal responsibility and pride in appearance plays an important role in fostering a respectful school culture, a shared sense of identity, and a focused learning environment.

Year 12 Parent/ Student/ Teacher Interviews Change of Date

Year 12 reports will be released next week. Please note a change in the College Calendar regarding Year 12 Parent/Student/ Teacher interviews. These will now be held on Thursday 22nd of May, commencing at 3pm and concluding at 7pm bookings will be available from Friday 9 May.

College Gates

Please note that, in the interest of student safety, the College gates at the top of the Mount Keira Road driveway will now be closed each afternoon between 2:00pm and 2:25pm while buses are being loaded. Parents and carers requiring access to the College during this time are encouraged to arrive before 2:00pm, after 2:25pm, or seek parking in the surrounding streets. The gates will reopen once all buses have departed.

College Athletics Carnival

A reminder that this is a compulsory event. In the case of wet weather or council ground closures, an alternative plan will be put in place. Any changes will be communicated to all students and families via email by 6am on Tuesday morning.

Staff Professional Learning

Last Monday the staff participated in a differentiated Professional Learning Program for the day. We began gathering in prayer to pray for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, following this the staff engaged with the School Improvement Tool, The National School Improvement Tool (NSIT) provides a research-informed framework for schools to evaluate and enhance their effectiveness across nine interrelated domains. It promotes a culture of continuous improvement through evidence-based practices, instructional leadership, and a strong focus on student engagement, wellbeing, and achievement. Engaging with the tool assists us in identifying priorities and implementing contextually relevant strategies aligned with national educational goals and will play an important role in the development of our new strategic plan.

The second part of the day was spent with staff engaging a variety of workshops including Youth Mental Health First Aid, Reading Capabilities, Canva, Google Sheets, Student Data, Parent engagement and specialised training in the use of TAS machinery. The final session of the day was spent in faculty groups with a focus on curriculum reforms and programming, in the interests of improving student outcomes.

Mrs Hughes
Deputy Principal

Welcome back to Term 2.

Students are now in a position to reflect on their achievement and overall feelings from the first term. If there were moments that they felt or seemed overwhelmed, didn’t achieve the results that they hoped for or would simply like to continue improving now is the time to discuss this with your teachers, identifying areas or practices that can be targeted.

A further option is joining in on the study skills sessions that will occur commencing on Thursday Week 2 during homework club time. The aim of the sessions is to provide targeted support for students enhancing their ability to improve their academic achievement.

Students from all year groups are welcome to register their interest. Once we have names and numbers we will schedule sessions that are appropriate for the ages and skills of students who are in attendance. Those registered will be notified of these session by email.

Parents please discuss this opportunity with your sons and if suitable please ask them to register their interest on the following Google form: Developing study habits for improved achievement

We look forward to supporting the development of positive learning habits throughout the term.

Mr Hughes
Director of Learning & Teaching

It’s no secret that when it comes to how teenagers like to spend their leisure time, reading ranks low in the hierarchy. It’s also no surprise that in contrast, screen-based activities, particularly social media and video viewing, are distinctly more popular. A recent study into the reading habits of Australian adolescents (The Discovering a Good Read Survey) shows that this is exactly what is happening.

The survey results were shared with ERC staff as part of a presentation on Deep Reading by the University of Wollongong’s Dr. Lauren A Weber and PhD student Jake Anstey from The School of Education.

Dr. Weber and Mr. Anstey discussed why there is a lot more going on in our brains than simply reading words, as well as strategies and ideas on how to engage students with reading both in the classroom, and to a larger extent, at home in their leisure time.

Over the next term, we will share some of these strategies, and provide insights into what we’re reading for work and pleasure. Together we can help build a reading culture.

What are you reading?
Name: Barbara Guest
Title: Assistant Head of English

• The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald: Year 11 Advanced students are studying this American classic, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in April.
• By Any Other Name by Jodie Picoult – centres around two female playwrights – one modern and one living in the late 1500s who Shakespeare hires to secretly write his plays.
• Quiet by Susan Cain (non-fiction) insightful and interesting discussion on the ‘power’ of introverts,

Image credit: Photo by Anita Jankovic on Unsplash

Mrs Guest
Assistant Head of English

Year 12 Biology students attended the STEM Reactor incursion and gained first-hand experience working with biotechnology.

Students used gel electrophoresis to see DNA bands and transferred a bioluminescence gene from jellyfish into bacteria.

Miss Berry
Science Teacher

Calling all Artists in Years 7-10!

Entries are now open for The EDDIES Portrait Prize 2025. Just like they do for the Archibald Prize, students in Years 7–10 are invited to create a portrait of someone special to them — someone they know well and who plays an important role in their life. You may submit a painting or a drawing using any media. The prize will be judged by Mr Nick Galvin- Arts Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald. The prize is judged in two categories Years 7-8 and Years 9-10. First Prize and Runner Up in each category will receive a generous Art Pack from S & S Wholesale and will also receive a trophy. The top 10 entrants will be invited to an Enrichment Day where we travel on the school bus to the Art Gallery of NSW to see the Archibald Prize. These entries will also be entered into The Young Archies Competition for 2026 at the Art Gallery of NSW. Students are welcome to borrow art materials from the art teachers and are also welcome to work in J1 at lunchtimes. All entries will be exhibited!

Get creating!

Ms M Costello
Head of Creative Arts

Congratulations to the students from ERC who are members of the Wollongong Junior Brass Band. Over the Easter weekend, they travelled to Melbourne to perform in the Australian National Band Championships.

The band played extremely well and were winners of their own choice music piece (against six adult bands). They were also winners in the Champion Drum Major for open grade D and Street March. Finally they were runners up in the Junior B Grade. Their conductor Des Canning was very proud of them all.

Ms Sinclair

The Rice Bowl team took their podcast outdoors for a special video episode recorded at ERC’s Founders Fun Day on Friday, 28th March. Capturing the excitement of the day, the team interviewed staff and students about what Founders Day meant to them. The episode showcases the pride, energy, and spirit of the ERC community, giving listeners a real sense of the vibrant atmosphere. Tune in to experience the day through the voices of those who made it memorable!
LINK to the episode

Mr Bonaccorso

On April 2–3, a talented team of swimmers from Edmund Rice College proudly represented the College at the NSWCCC Swimming Championships, held at Sydney Olympic Park. Competing against the best Catholic school swimmers across the state, our students delivered exceptional performances!

Gold Medal Highlights – Edmund Rice College saw multiple first-place finishes, including standout performances in both individual and team events:

• 🥇 12–14 Years 4x50m Freestyle Relay: Callum Ardita, Beau Thompson, Darcy Stepanovski, Jake Schulze – 1:53.62
• 🥇 12–14 Years 4x50m Medley Relay: Callum Ardita, Nash Hawkins, Darcy Stepanovski, Jake Schulze – 2:07.93
• 🥇 Opens 4x50m Medley Relay: Jayden Beaumont, Tom Pogson, Jayden Washbourne, Riley Anthes – 1:59.00
• 🥇 12–13 Years 100m Backstroke: Nash Hawkins – 1:20.19
• 🥇 12–19 Years 6x50m Freestyle Relay: Oliver Johnson, Callum Ardita, Beau Thompson, Nash Hawkins, Jye Prem, Jayden Beaumont – 2:48.62

Other Podium Finishes

Silver:

• 🥈 Darcy Stepanovski – 2nd in 12–14 200m Freestyle
• 🥈 Beau Thompson – 2nd in 12–13 100m Butterfly

Bronze:

• 🥉 Jake Schulze – 3rd in 14s 100m Backstroke and 50m Backstroke
• 🥉 Beau Thompson – 3rd in 12–13 50m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly
• 🥉 Nash Hawkins – 3rd in 12–13 50m Breaststroke
• 🥉 Darcy Stepanovski – 3rd in 12–14 400m Freestyle

These achievements are a testament to the hard work and commitment of our swimmers! Congratulations to all the boys who competed — your efforts and results are a source of pride for the entire College community.

We look forward to more success in the pool at the NSW All Schools Championships! 🏊‍♂️💪

Mr Timpano
Sports Coordinator

Edmund Rice College is incredibly proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Year 11 student Nicholas Aivaliotis at the 2025 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, held recently at North Kirra Beach, Queensland.

Over nine days, this prestigious event—known as “The Aussies”—brought together more than 7,000 competitors, 300+ clubs, and 400+ events from across the country.

Nicholas claimed the Gold Medal in the Under 17 Male Beach Sprint, officially making him a National Champion. He also secured a second Gold Medal as a member of his club’s U17 Mixed Relay Team.

We commend Nicholas on this exceptional performance and his dedication to training and competition.

Congratulations, Nick!

Edmund Rice College proudly congratulates the following students for their exceptional achievements at the 2025 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, held at North Kirra Beach, QLD.

Medal Winners

• Max Miller (Year 10): Bronze: U17 Surf Team Event; 23rd: U17 Surf Race
• Darcy Stepanovski (Year 8): Silver: U14 Surf Race; Bronze: U14 Board Race; 4th Place: 2km Ocean Swim

Finalists

• Milton Stepanovski (Year 10) – 6th: 2km Beach Run
• Jake Schulze (Year 8) – 9th: U14 Surf Race, 14th: U14 Board Race
• Callum Ardita (Year 8) – 15th: U14 Surf Race, 19th: U14 Board Race
• Taj Caldwell – 11th: 2km Ocean Swim

A huge congratulations to all competitors on these outstanding results. Your dedication and hard work in both training and competition are truly commendable.

Mr Timpano
Sports Coordinator

Congratulations to our talented Edmund Rice College students who have been selected to represent the Diocese of Wollongong in Rugby League!

U15s Representatives: Magnus Kersten, Gus Tunbridge

Opens Representatives: Creighton Meafou, Brodee Green, Flynn O’Mara, Jake Cunningham, Cooper Morrison, Maximus Van Loo, Kambell Quinn, Archie Wheeler, Ruben Mayers

The students will now compete for selection in the Southern Country Rugby League Teams early in Term 2. Good luck gents!

Mr Timpano
Sports Coordinator

We are thrilled to share some fantastic news from our Edmund Rice football team! After an impressive run of four group-stage victories, our athletes secured a thrilling 1-0 win against Holy Spirit in the final at the Diocesan Regional Gala Day. Throughout the tournament, they displayed incredible skill, resilience, and teamwork—culminating in a spectacular victory.

The journey to the final was nothing short of remarkable. Our team won all four of their group matches, conceding just one goal from a penalty. This strong defensive performance, paired with sharp offensive play, set the stage for an intense and well-deserved final win.
This victory reflects the true spirit of Edmund Rice: resilience, collaboration, and excellence.

From start to finish, our players demonstrated composure, tactical brilliance, and an unwavering commitment to success. Their hard work and determination were on full display, and the result is a testament to their dedication.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, the team is gearing up for the next stage of the competition, which will kick off in the early weeks of Term 2. We encourage all students, parents, and staff to continue supporting our athletes as they take on the next challenge.

Coach – Mr Belsito

Team Red had an outstanding showing at the U13’s Rugby League Gala Day, showcasing skill, teamwork, and determination across the entire event.

In the pool matches, Team Red faced off against Warilla High School and Corrimal High School. They came away with convincing wins in both games, impressively not conceding a single try. Zaine Beath set the tone early with a clever, quick try to catch the defence off guard, while Harry Thomson and Sean Manson did an excellent job organising the team and keeping structure. Dion Smith caused plenty of headaches for the opposition, scoring a series of fast tries out wide, while strong carries through the middle from Morrison Cocksedge and Beau Tagliapietra helped our attack.

Advancing to the Semi-Finals, Team Red came up against a strong Woonona High School side. In a tougher contest, the boys rose to the challenge, again winning without conceding any points. Special mentions go to Vila Schwenke and Quade Nelson for their excellent defensive efforts in nullifying Woonona’s two standout players.

In the Grand Final, Team Red faced Dapto High School and saved their best performance for last. They dominated both sides of the ball, claiming victory once again without allowing a single try against them, rounding off a perfect day.

Congratulations to all players for a fantastic effort, the team now moves onto the South Coast Country Cup Final Series in June.

Coach: Mr McBriarty

The Edmund Rice College Under 16’s team had a successful outing at the 2025 Illawarra Under 16’s Dean Young Shield at Croome Road Sporting Complex on Tuesday, 8th April. Despite captain Jeremy Packer being sidelined due to injury, he remarkably stepped up into the coaching role and guided the team with outstanding leadership and strategy.

ERC comfortably won both of their pool games against Holy Spirit College and Bulli High School, showcasing teamwork and determination. The final match against Woonona High School was unexpectedly delayed due to an injury in the preceding game. Consequently, both teams engaged in a friendly match and advanced together to the finals round, with the date yet to be confirmed.

Team List:

Coach: Mr Sunderland

Gabriel Arbelias, Finn Ardita, Matthew Austin, Riley Bennett, Ayden Celebi, Callum Cooney, Fletcher Couchman, Leon Ennor, Brodee Green, Finley Henricson, Bear Holland, Magnus Kersten, Cale Parr, Sterling McEwan, Jett Micevski, William Morrison, Hami Miller, Jarvis Potter, Aston Schott, Austin Skarpona, Nathan Washbourne.

Mr Timpano
Sports Coordinator

The following information has been shared with ERC students regarding the upcoming Inter-schools Snow Championships. Interested students are to complete the expression of interest form by the start of Week 2 Term 2. This form has been shared will all students and posted on the daily notices.

This nomination of interest form is for students who are talented skiers or snowboarders and who want to enter the 2025 Inter-Schools Snow Sports Competition held at Perisher during Week 1 Term 3 July.

Only students can access the following form.

Wednesday July 23: Moguls qualifiers – Div 1/2/3; Snowboard Cross – Div 3; Snowboard GS – Div 1/2/3

Thursday July 24: Alpine – Div 1; Ski Cross – Div 3; Snowboard Cross – Div 1/2

Friday July 25: Alpine – Div 2/3; Ski Cross – Div 1/2

Entries will open in May , there will be more information regarding the competition once you have shown interest in entering.

Students will have to be accompanied by a parent at all times. Students will have to purchase lift tickets and organise their own accommodation.

Key Events:

• Alpine GS – Skiers are timed on a modified giant slalom course.
• Ski Cross – Skiers are timed individually on a course including jumps and high-banked turns.
• Moguls – Skiers are scored on a bumps/jumps course.
• Snowboard GS – Snowboarders are timed on a modified giant slalom course.
• Snowboard Cross – Snowboarders are timed individually on a course including jumps and high-banked turns.
• Slopestyle Ski & Board – Slopestyle is a judged park event that features two jumps, a rail, and a box.

Key Divisions:

• Division 1: Year 11 / 12
• Division 2: Year 10 / 9
• Division 3: Year 8 / 7

Cost per event:

• All Regional Qualifying Events: $62.00
• All Regional Moguls Qualifiers: $45.00

If you have any questions regarding the Inter-Schools Ski Competition please see me or get your parents to contact me at the College.

Mr Timpano
Sports Coordinator

The Young Athlete Development Program is designed for school-aged athletes (12–15 years old) of all skill levels. This comprehensive program focuses on strength & conditioning, injury prevention, agility, holistic health, and nutrition, providing young athletes with the tools to excel in sport and life. Participants will also receive athlete pathway support (including the US College Pathways), helping them navigate their sporting journey, and develop a growth mindset to achieve long-term success on and off the field. This program introduces athlete training, open to all young people who are eager to enhance their skills and unlock their full potential, regardless of their background, experience level, or sport. The Young Athlete Development Program offers similar content for younger age groups, serving as an introduction to our high-performance program.

There will also be 6 weeks free at the UniActive gym for parents who have their children participating in the 6-week program.

Each component of the program is delivered by expert coaches:

• Claire Rayner – Athlete Wellbeing Specialist
• Sam Burford – Lifting Technique Specialist
• Charlotte Flynn – Personal Trainer

Program Details:

• Start Date: May 21st ( Wednesday for boys), May 22nd (Thursday for girls) – the program runs for 6 consecutive weeks.
• Finish Date (Last Sessions): June 25th (Wednesday for boys), June 26th (Thursday for girls)
• Location: UniActive Wollongong Campus (Sports Hub)
  Schedule:
• Wednesdays for boys 4:30pm – 6pm
• Thursdays for girls 4:30pm – 6pm

Registration & More Info: The Young Athlete Development Program

Give your child the opportunity to develop key life and sporting skills with expert guidance!

Welcome Back to Term 2!

A warm welcome back to all students as we begin Term 2! It was fantastic to see everyone return looking smart in their full winter uniform. For families still waiting on uniform orders, please contact the office to arrange an appointment with the Uniform Shop during its operating hours.

Empowering Adolescents in the Digital Age

The Netflix drama ‘Adolescence’ has sparked important conversations about the potential for online harm to impact young people. If you found the portrayal of social media’s influence on young men and boys disturbing, the eSafety Commissioner offers practical support. Their free resources provide parents and caregivers with valuable insights and strategies to help adolescents navigate the online world safely and build resilience against harmful content.

Discovering Strengths with My Futures Program

Our Year 11 students had an engaging introduction to the My Futures program at the end of last term. During these sessions, each student received their top five strengths, identified through a personality assessment focused on their key skills and traits. It was wonderful to witness the positive energy as students discovered their inherent talents, which will undoubtedly enhance their learning journey.

This year’s Year 11 cohort demonstrates significant strengths in areas such as Practicality, Hard Work, Visionary thinking, Responsibility, and Loyalty. We are confident that these qualities will serve them well as they continue to grow academically and personally.

We encourage our Year 11 students to share their identified strengths with their families and to embrace their natural abilities to achieve their full potential. For further reading on the positive impact of self-confidence, please see HERE.

We are also pleased to remind our Edmund Rice College families that our partnership with My Strengths and Futures provides access to valuable My Strengths Parenting Courses. Simply click on this link, find ‘Edmund Rice College’ under the ‘Find My School Subscription’ option, register your details, and enjoy these resources at no cost.

Annual Wellbeing Survey Week Three

In Week Three, all students will participate in our Annual Wellbeing Survey. This survey explores various aspects of student well-being, including their physical, mental, and emotional health. We look forward to analysing the results and sharing key strengths and areas for growth in future newsletters.

Upcoming Pastoral Care Activities

Our Pastoral Care lessons this term will be filled with valuable opportunities. We have presentations planned by the Youth Engagement Officers from Wollongong Police Command, informative sessions from our College Counselling Team, and career workshops led by our College Careers Advisor. We also extend our best wishes to Mrs Russell, Mr Griffiths, and the staff accompanying students to Moreton National Park in Week 3 for the Outdoor Camp, which includes the Duke of Edinburgh Program for some of our students.

We look forward to a positive and productive Term 2!

Mr Bates
Acting Director of Pastoral Care & Wellbeing

Please access the Careers Website: which provides the latest information to help students make decisions about their future careers and life beyond school.

• Go to erccareers.com
• Then to important information
• Click on to School Careers newsletter

Mr Cajar
Careers Advisor

EDMUND RICE COLLEGE CALENDAR 2025

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TERM DATES 2025

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PROCEDURES FOR PARENTS / CARERS

Parent Appointments

As a College we respectfully request that any parent wishing to discuss a matter of concern with a member of staff contacts the relevant staff member via email or via telephone through the College Office and requests an appointment. Staff members will get back to you at their earliest convenience. Parents presenting at the College Office may be asked to make an appointment and return at a mutually convenient time. For specific information about who to contact please refer to your son’s diary on pages 6, 7, 30 and 31.

Collecting your son from school

A reminder to all families that should a circumstance arise where you need to collect your son from school before the end of the school day we require you to come to the College Office. Students will not be permitted to walk to the carpark or the street to be collected. If they leave to attend a pre-arranged appointment we request that this is communicated to the College Office in writing via note or email. If you wish to have someone collect your son that is not currently listed on TASS then you will be required to communicate this clearly in writing, you will also receive a call to verify that you did in fact authorise this arrangement. All students arriving late or departing early are required to sign in and out through the Student Office.

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Change in Student/Family Circumstances/Contact Information/Medical Conditions

If any change has occurred/occurs in your family – separation, divorce, serious illness, the College should be notified as soon as possible. The College seeks to be supportive of families in such circumstances and such events always have a bearing on a child’s education. Likewise, a change of address, email or phone number (work, home or mobile) or emergency contact should be advised immediately.

If your son suffers from a medical condition it is vital that you inform the office of his condition and what treatment is required in an emergency. An emergency management plan must be developed for any students with serious conditions.

Please verify all information via the TASS Parent Lounge.