A joint statement from CEDoW Director of Schools, Peter Turner, and the Executive of the Catholic Principals’ Association of the Diocese of Wollongong, in response to today's National Apology to the Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.

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.

Bunsen burners, crazy chemical reactions, liquid nitrogen experiments and making slime… it’s all the best parts of science on offer for students in the St Joseph’s, Albion Park Science Club. A place where mistakes are all learning opportunities and all learning opportunities are fun, the fortnightly get-together is keeping students excited, engaged and educated about the wonderful world of science.

Read more about the St Joseph's Science Club and hear from students directly via video. 

mBots at the ready! School versus school, mate versus mate, it was game on for the regional rounds of CEDoW’s 2018 mBot Coding Competition. Students from Years 2 to 10 from across the Diocese have used the fun, competitive atmosphere as an opportunity to test out their coding abilities across a range of robotics challenges.

While many take for granted the Queen’s Birthday public holiday as a chance to enjoy a long weekend, a Kindergarten student from Ss Peter and Paul, Kiama certainly did not.

Young Harry McInnes was amazed that he received a whole day off from school on Monday 11 June and wanted to know more about this holiday.

Catholic primary and secondary schools across the Diocese of Wollongong have creatively and generously raised funds and donated goods to the Vinnies Winter Appeal over the past several months to help those in need in our region this winter.

Our school communities have dug deep to make a significant difference to local families struggling this winter and beyond. They’ve held collection drives, sleepouts, pyjama days, ‘winter woolies’ mufti days and walkathons to raise over $15,000 dollars for local Vinnies conferences and donate several thousand much-needed essentials, including blankets, warm clothes, toiletries, canned goods and other food items.

CEDoW Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Education Professional Officer, Karan Taylor, is a remarkable Aboriginal Catholic woman. Starting as a parent sharing her Aboriginal cultural knowledge with her children’s classes to now leading a team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education across the Diocese of Wollongong, Karan’s contribution to our Catholic education system and school communities has been immense. 

In light of this year’s NAIDOC theme, ‘Because of her, we can!’, and Karan recently receiving a prestigious NATSICC (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council) Service to Community Award, we spoke to Karan about her life and work in a four-part audio interview here…

In a formidable coming-together of a school community, Good Samaritan Fairy Meadow students from Kindergarten to Year 6, former students, parents, grandparents and teachers have worked together to put on a spectacular stage performance of ‘Kids in Camelot’.

As we come to the end of a busy, and for some schools, exceptionally challenging Term, I take this opportunity to thank each of you for your work, and to wish you a safe and enjoyable break.

This week has witnessed the graduation of our Year 12 students across the Diocese.

In early Term 3, over a thousand Year 5 and 6 students started with a blank canvas for the Christmas Story Art Competition. Now, after weeks of reflection, planning and work with a range of art materials and techniques, 50 talented young artists have had their artworks selected and celebrated at CEDoW's 2018 Christmas Story Art Exhibition.

In a wonderful gesture of kindness, Year 4 student Beau Hart from Stella Maris, Shellharbour recently donated to the Vinnies Drought Appeal his valuable ice-cream container of savings for an upcoming holiday.

John Therry Rosemeadow student, Malek Malual, may be late bloomer in basketball circles but he has wasted little time making a big impression.

In inspiring and uplifting celebrations, over 1,500 students from Year 6 classrooms around the Diocese have gathered together as communities of faith with Bishop Brian Mascord to mark their final year of primary school.

The series of Year 6 Masses with the Bishop saw students, staff, clergy and guests from 30 school communities congregate in three regional clusters across the Diocese of Wollongong.

In a room full of optimism for the promise of the rich teaching careers lying ahead of them, 77 CEDoW staff have been officially acknowledged as Proficient Teachers by Director of Schools, Peter Turner, Catholic school principals and CEDoW leaders at the annual Accreditation Recognition Ceremony.

Through a wonderful series of events, St Paul’s, Moss Vale have recently celebrated their 70th anniversary and also, 130 years since the official blessing of St Paul's Parish Catholic Church. Students have prayed, painted, sung, danced and gone ‘back in time’ on a history walk – all marking this significant milestone in the life of their community.

There’s nothing like a shuffleboard table to bring some of Macarthur’s oldest and youngest folk together. Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan hosted Carrington Aged Care residents in an inaugural inter-generational shuffleboard competition on Tuesday.

Each Book Week, our Catholic schools come alive with costumes, characters, colour and creativity to celebrate Australian children’s literature. 

At Holy Family, Ingleburn, students and staff wholeheartedly embrace the occasion of Book Week. The school uses the week in August to bring books to life in a distinctly engaging and memorable way - threading their book parade into an exciting Book Week performance that gets the whole school community involved.

As the HSC approaches and Year 12 currently complete their trials, it is hoped that many of our CEDoW students have been able to sit their Studies of Religion (SOR) exams with an enhancement of knowledge, after attending enrichment days focused on a range of SOR syllabus topics - from bioethics to Aboriginal Spirituality, presented by experienced facilitators.

Each year across Australia, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) brings children and books together to celebrate Book Week. During this time, schools, libraries, booksellers, authors, illustrators and children collectively acknowledge Australian children's literature.

Book Week, a highlight on the school calendar, runs this year from Saturday 18 August to Friday 24 August, themed "find your treasure", to inspire the celebration of Australian children’s books and reading.