Building the next generation of innovators, programmers and problem-solving leaders: St Paul’s Albion Park, St Paul’s Moss Vale, and St Therese West Wollongong have given their Years 5 and 6 students the opportunity to excel in VEX robotics, participating in the first CEDoW VEX Robotics Scrimmage Day.

Hear from the students and teachers involved, and see pictures and video from the day.

Catholic Schools NSW's latest 'Teacher Feature' stars Mr Philip Barrington, principal of St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School, Ruse. St Thomas More is located in Campbelltown in the Macarthur region, with traditions enriched from the foundational charisms of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan and the Marist Brothers.

We spent #OneMinuteWith Phil to ask him about his background in Catholic education and his hopes for the children in his care at St Thomas More.

Dozens of local business and community leaders will come together on Thursday 20 June at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus for the eighth annual Wollongong Vinnies CEO Sleepout, forgoing a night of comfort to help make a tangible difference to the lives of those less fortunate.

As well as raising money for crucial Vinnies services and programs providing food, accommodation and support to people experiencing homelessness and disadvantage, the initiative is a chance for Wollongong leaders to gain a better understanding of the issue and how they can continue to make an impact through their own work.

"My Sisters and Brothers in Christ – this year will mark the first time that I have experienced an Ad Limina visit to Rome with my fellow Australian bishops. The last Ad Limina took place in 2011 and usually happens every five years. So, this visit is very overdue..."

Read more from Bishop Brian as he prepares to travel to Rome next week with Australia’s Catholic bishops for their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit.

As winter begins and times get even tougher for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our region, the St Vincent de Paul Society is calling for people to generously volunteer their time to help support our local Vinnies Van.

Read on for more information about the Vinnies Van, what our volunteers say about the experience, and everything you need to know to be a Vinnies Van volunteer and help those in need in our region this winter.

It started off as a simple excursion; a fun trip away from school to visit the kids of Jarjum College in Redfern. But by the end of the day, the students of Holy Spirit College Bellambi came away having an experience they won’t soon forget – appreciating the power of human connection and valuing the start of beautiful, lasting friendships between the students and both schools.

Alpacas, maracas and book stackers galore! Students in our CEDoW schools across the Diocese have joined over one million kids for National Simultaneous Storytime – gathering together in libraries, classrooms and homes across in Australia and New Zealand to be read aloud Australian author and illustrator, Matt Cosgrove’s book ‘Alpacas with Maracas’ at the same time.

Here’s a round up of National Simultaneous Storytime activity in our Catholic primary schools.

Catholic Schools NSW's latest 'Teacher Feature' stars Mr Stephen Lo Cascio, principal of Mount Carmel Catholic College, Varroville. Mount Carmel is a Year 7-12 co-educational Catholic college serving the parishes of Campbelltown, Eagle Vale, Ingleburn, Macquarie Fields, Ruse and Varroville in the Macarthur region.

We spent #OneMinuteWith Steve to ask him a bit about his background and aspirations in Catholic education...

St Michael’s, Nowra is making the healthy choice the easy choice for students after becoming an official ‘healthy school canteen’, meeting the NSW Government’s new Healthy School Canteen Strategy and food and drink criteria.

The St Michael’s canteen menu now includes a variety of healthy, tasty and interesting food options, providing students with the essential nutrients they need to learn, play and grow.

Illawarra carers Nathan and Deb have been carers for 11 and a half years through CatholicCare Wollongong's Permanency Support Program, Fostering Futures.

After being unable to have their own biological children, Deb and Nathan (pictured) decided to enquire about becoming carers in the hope of being able to provide a child with a permanent home.

Please find a statement from Bishop Brian Mascord regarding the court appearance of Fr Ron Peters.

Each year, over a hundred thousand people and hundreds of organisations celebrate National Families Week — Australia’s biggest celebration of families in all their diversity.

The aim of National Families Week (15–21 May) is to celebrate the vital role that families play in Australian society. The enduring theme ‘Stronger families, stronger communities’ highlights the importance of families to communities and that community wellbeing is enhanced by family wellbeing.

The 2019 federal election will be held this coming Saturday, 18 May 2019.

Throughout the election campaign, Catholic Education has highlighted the needs of Catholic schools, and the parties have responded with various election promises. Here are the facts to keep you informed about the policies that affect our Catholic school students and their families.

Catholic Schools NSW's latest 'Teacher Feature' stars Mr Michael Reardon, principal of St Paul’s Catholic Parish Primary School, Camden. The school’s origins go back to 1883, when two Josephite nuns arrived to teach in what is now the school library.

We spent #OneMinuteWith Michael to ask him a bit about his background and aspirations in Catholic education.

On Friday 17 May, children from across Australia will put their feet first, and journey towards a healthier future by participating in the 20th anniversary of National Walk Safely to School Day.

The annual event raises awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking (especially to and from school) can provide for the long term wellbeing of our children. Apart from the physical benefits, regular walking also has a favourable impact on their cognitive and academic performance.

Students with a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) at St Therese, West Wollongong are now able to engage in STEM learning in a dedicated ‘makerspace’ area, fostering creativity and inquiry-based learning.

St Therese’s once tired looking basement has been transformed into a vibrant and engaging space that incorporates the school’s Spheros, mBots and VEX robots, as well as a range of construction tools and materials for the students to use to engage in STEM-related activities both as part of in-class learning and during lunchtime workshops. 

Keep clear! Archaeological dig in progress! Cue the Indiana Jones music and grab the trowels and dusting brushes – Year 7 students at St Francis Catholic College, Edmondson Park have used their expertise to excavate and explore a unique dig site on school grounds, uncovering a number of hidden artefacts to analyse.

Read more about this practical, hands-on History task designed by the staff at St Francis – an exciting and memorable way for students to consolidate their learning and apply the theoretical skills explored in class over the past term.

Passion and culinary skills are currently on display, with students from St Clare’s, Narellan Vale now featuring in ‘Foodie School’ – a YouTube cooking series hosted by renowned chef and dad, Peter Sheppard, in partnership with the Campbelltown Catholic Club.

Launched last week, the fun and educational initiative aims to help children and families enjoy the steps involved in food preparation and encourages good eating habits by learning the source and importance of cooking with fresh, quality ingredients.

Remembering. Healing. Reconciliation.

The Appin Massacre Memorial event is held in recognition of the Aboriginal people who were killed by government troops in April 1816. Held annually for over 20 years, this memorial is an important cultural gathering for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to come together in a spirit of reconciliation and healing.

Read more for details on the 2019 Memorial and to download the event flyer.

Pope Francis has urged young people to embrace their role as the present and the future of the Catholic Church by building relationships with their community and with God. 

The Holy Father has issued the apostolic exhortation following last year’s Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment. The exhortation, Christus Vivit (Christ is Alive), takes the form of a letter to young people and, through them, to the entire People of God. 

Read more about Christus Vivit and download a copy at the link below.

A gentle sea breeze and the feeling of the sand between your toes; water lapping onto the rocks nearby. It could be mistaken as a break far away from the classroom, but this is the future for students’ Science, Maths, English and Geography lessons at Stella Maris, Shellharbour.

Stella Maris is set to incorporate outdoor learning into a typical school day for their classes – an innovative approach to teaching an integrated curriculum and, quite literally, a breath of fresh air that will benefit students academically, physically, mentally, socially and emotionally.

Leadership, collaboration and authentic teaching: these were some of the topics covered in a Diocesan first, where experts in education gathered to collaborate and share their passion.

The professional development event was six months in the making – part of a broader strategic approach to improvement – and brought together teachers and support staff from all Catholic secondary schools in the Diocese, with the experience offered as nine different events separated according to staff's positions.

An invitation is extended to the faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong to come together at the 2019 Diocesan Gathering on Saturday 30 March.

The Gathering is an opportunity for people from across the Diocese to reflect on the issues raised in the Plenary Process in our Diocese, hear the experiences of a selection of Local Animators and next steps in the process of listening and discernment.

Following media reports of the conviction of Cardinal George Pell in the County Court of Victoria, a statement has been released by the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Mark Coleridge, to the community. A copy is linked here for your information.

Please also find here, a pastoral letter from Bishop Brian Mascord on the sentencing of Cardinal Pell. 

To mark the start of Lent, 40 Catholic schools from the Diocese of Wollongong gathered at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School in Gwynneville to launch Caritas Australia's Project Compassion appeal for 2019.

This year, the annual fundraising and awareness-raising campaign shares six stories which show the power of hope and the work of Caritas Australia in communities in Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Australia, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Over 200 Year 6 students from our four Southern Illawarra primary schools, St Paul's, Albion Park; Stella Maris, Shellharbour; Nazareth, Shellharbour City; and Ss Peter and Paul, Kiama, all gathered at Nazareth Catholic Primary School to enjoy the Southern Illawarra Catholic Schools (SICS) Year 6 Leaders Day - a day jam-packed with fun experiences that engaged and supported them in ideas around leadership, identity, self-esteem, empathy, social justice and teamwork.

There was mingling, laughter and unexpected gifts, as over 190 guests gathered on 28 February at Villa D’oro Function Centre for a dinner to welcome new staff into Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW).

Each year, newly appointed staff attend the dinner together with their principals, including leadership team members, early career and experienced teachers, support staff and CEO officers.

Catholic Schools Week is here! Join our 38 systemic Catholic schools in the Diocese and Catholic school communities across NSW in celebration from 3-9 March 2019. 

View our Catholic Schools Week video here or view it within this article. 

Our Catholic schools are vibrant places of learning and faith, hope and opportunity - where every student is supported to reach their full potential and find meaning and purpose in their lives. Catholic Schools Week is a chance to raise awareness and celebrate the strengths and distinctiveness of a Catholic education and the fundamental role our CEDoW schools play within our local communities. 

Over 30 representatives from Diocesan primary, secondary and congregational schools, the Catholic Education Office, Catholic agencies and parishes gathered with Bishop Brian Mascord at the Xavier Centre in Wollongong earlier this month for the second of four of the Diocese of Wollongong’s Plenary 2020 regional listening sessions.

These regional listening sessions have been an opportunity for those in our local area to engage with each other and give feedback on the Australian Bishops’ call to reflect on the future of the Catholic Church in Australia: what are we called to do, who are we called to be, and how we need to change.

Seeking to portray the diversity and individuality within issues affecting women in modern society, John Therry Rosemeadow student, Jacinta D’Cunha, created her HSC Visual Arts body of work, ‘Dear Sisters….in Solidarity’. Its artistic quality, visual impact and timely message have seen it selected from almost 9,000 artworks across the state to not only be exhibited at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from today, but win her the exhibition’s prestigious S&S Creativity Award, too.

As a new school year commences, CEDoW schools are well placed to meet the growing demand for the engagement of casual staff through an innovative app — Tap for Teacher — seamlessly connecting schools and staff.

CEDoW students have produced colourful and deeply reflective works in the 2018 Stretching Potential through Learning in Interactive Challenging Environments (S.P.L.I.C.E.D) Program, entitled 'Transformation: Inventions, Creativity and Ingenuity that have Changed the World'.  

The joyful voices of the students of St Joseph’s, Bulli resounded around their school, as they celebrated the official blessing and opening of their new building, refurbished learning spaces and adventure playgrounds. In a beautiful pocket of the country, the students can learn and play, with all they need for a quality Catholic education. 

What types of parent education programs are important? How can parents contribute to living the faith at the school? What are important priorities for fundraising in our school? These are some of the questions addressed by St Michael’s, Thirroul parents at the school’s recent Parents and Friends Association (P&F) meeting.

More than 900 students from our eight systemic Catholic schools across the Diocese of Wollongong were up early today to receive their HSC marks. Our students’ hard work and dedication has paid off, with many achieving remarkable results - including one First in Course, three All Round Achievers and 120 Distinguished Achievers.

John Therry Rosemeadow Year 9 student, Olivia Torres, was recently announced as a winner in the OzKids 2018 Young Australian Art and Writers’ Awards competition, for a poem she composed on the theme of war. In November, Olivia and her parents were flown to Melbourne to attend the awards ceremony and dinner.

Congratulations to Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan - named by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Darren Chester, as one of this year’s Anzac Day Schools’ Award recipients for their Year 10 History elective class’ research project commemorating the service and sacrifice of our veterans.

Students recently gathered at John Therry Catholic High School, Rosemeadow for the CEDoW Secondary Students Social Justice Day, that provided an opportunity - through the creative arts - for reflection and response to the 2018-2019 Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement. 

Congratulations to St Justin’s, Oran Park student, Holly Burfitt, who has beaten out hundreds of young wordsmiths across the country to claim junior runner up in the Australian Catholics’  2018 Young Journalist Award competition.

Holly wowed the judges with her 300-word piece on local hero, Wests Tigers Community Engagement Manager, Shaun Spence. It skilfully captured the essence of Shaun’s story as someone making a real difference to the people around him.

A new 2018 Advent Calendar app is featuring CEDoW students’ Christmas Story Art Competition artworks as part of its daily delivery of visual and written inspiration for the Christmas season.

The Advent Calendar is a joint project of Xt3 and Sydney Catholic Youth, and promises to help schools, classes and individual young Catholics spiritually prepare their hearts and minds for Christmas.

View the calendar online and download the app inside.

On Saturday 1 December, five Year 10 students from Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan will be launching a high-altitude balloon into near space in Binya, in NSW’s Riverina region. This comes after two years of planning and devoted work, with the students aiming to reach for the stars!

A hundredth anniversary is always a special occasion, no more so than when the Parish of St Patrick’s, Port Kembla celebrated their centennial. It was a milestone that coincided with the opening and official blessing of the new building facilities at St Patrick’s Parish Primary School, Port Kembla.

Does music teach us good values? 'Social' media...is it? The changing face of Australia. 2018 – what would Jesus think?

These are some of the big issues tackled by Years 5 and 6 students this year for the annual CDF Diocesan Public Speaking competition.

Last week saw the culmination of school and regional rounds of the competition, where the top six students from Years 5 and 6 competed in the Diocesan grand final.

St John the Evangelist, Campbelltown student, Daniel Justin, has been recognised for his compassion, integrity and kindness with a national Fred Hollows Humanity Award.

Daniel was honoured at an award ceremony at NSW Parliament House in Sydney, after being nominated for his many good deeds in the school community and consistently treating others with kindness and respect.

After decades of conflict and internal struggles, the South-East Asian country of Myanmar is moving towards a new age of democracy. In a country where Christianity represents only 6% of the population, the Catholic Church has prioritised education as the key stepping stone to peace. As the nation moves into a more peaceful era, CEDoW has committed to raising awareness and providing financial support, to help heal and build a prosperous Myanmar.

CEDoW has recently had the outstanding distinction of celebrating a 10-year milestone of the implementation of School-wide Positive Behaviours for Learning (SPB4L), in all twenty-nine Diocesan  primary schools.

A graduating student from each of our eight Diocesan Catholic secondary schools has been recognised for exemplifying the best of Catholic education at last night’s Bishop’s Student Excellence Awards at the Campbelltown Catholic Club.

Diocese of Wollongong Vicar-General, Fr. Bernard Gordon, presented the awards to the Year 12 students at a special afternoon ceremony in front of proud family members, teachers, principals, and senior leadership from the Catholic Education Office.

Raising funds and heartbeats just got a lot more colourful at St Paul’s, Albion Park and St Michael’s, Mittagong! Screams of delight and laughter, music and bursts of coloured powder filled the air, as children, parents and staff alike had a blast at their schools’ colour fun runs - raising over $17,000 for new learning equipment in the process.

How can we, as expert members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, investigate Australia’s relationship with Asian nations so that we can inform people about our diversity and persuade them to become more globally connected through our World Expo display? That was the driving question posed to Year 6 students at Stella Maris, Shellharbour, as part of their Term 3 Project-Based Learning (PBL) initiative.