From The Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
Earlier this week, the College gathered as a community to celebrate our Opening College Mass. I would like to acknowledge and thank Bishop Brian Mascord for his guiding presence in celebrating our mass and setting our focus for the year ahead, and his ongoing commitment and spiritual support to our College. I would also like to congratulate each of our students for their reverence and respect – especially those year groups who could not assemble in the ERC Centre to participate in person but instead patiently watched via live-stream in their classrooms. Thank you to Mrs Hurley and Mrs Knowles for planning and organising this celebration for our community and Mr Sirianni and the IT team for their technical assistance.
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By the end of the fourth week of term, COVID positive case numbers have remained relatively low. I thank parents for their continued support of the Rapid Antigen Home Testing and their active communication and partnership with the College. It is so pleasing that the ERC students are increasingly able to engage in formal and co-curricular activities previously restricted. The careful planning of COVID-smart safety plans in recent weeks have allowed such activities as the Year 12 Retreat, Diocesan Tennis Championships, as well as Bell Shakespeare and Debating Workshops to return to our regular calendar. Pleasingly, we also wish our Year 10 students a fun-filled camp experience for next week.
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Earlier this week, the first Parents’ and Friends’ Committee (P&F) met for 2022. I thank those parents and carers who were able to attend in person, and we look forward with great optimism to the many P&F planned community activities for the year ahead. Year 7 parents and carers are asked to ‘save the date’ for the annual ‘Year 7 Parent Welcome Barbecue’ to be held at ERC on the afternoon of Saturday 19th March – more information to come. Thank you to Mr Sirianni and Ms Gazzola for your informative presentations to the P&F. A reminder that the TASS parent portal can be accessed here https://erc.nsw.tass.cloud/
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The annual ERC ‘Try Year 7 for a Day’ this year will be held on Tuesday 1st March. This once again promises to be an excellent way for prospective students and their parents to see our College in action. Please note that this is a pupil-free day for students who are not involved as tour group leaders for the visiting Year 5 and 6 students or for those actively involved in supporting individual subject areas. This includes those students leading the parent/carers tours later on that afternoon. Tour groups will be restricted in size and require online registration. Please note that students who participate as volunteers will receive a parent permission note to confirm their involvement.
In recent times, we have enjoyed the privilege of joining with St Mary’s Star of the Sea College to speak with students and parents from across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven about our unique educational opportunities and vibrant learning communities where our young people continue to flourish. Thank you to those many parents and carers who have already booked personal tours of the College as we commence the enrolment process for 2023 and 2024.
Best wishes,
Stephen Gough
From the Deputy Principal
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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.