Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstone

Liberating Education

As an Edmund Rice Community, we are committed to providing teaching and learning experiences that are authentic, relevant, rigorous and creative.

I take great pleasure in visiting classrooms on a regular basis to experience the wonderful opportunities provided to students to assist them in their learning. Recently I spent a morning visiting a range of classes to get a sense of a day in the life of students at St Edward’s. These visits provided me with a great sense of joy and pride that we are working hard to live up to the Touchstone, Liberating Education. The teaching and learning experiences on display were providing great challenge and excitement to boys in a range of subject areas. The creativity not only of teaching and learning but of students’ ability that was on show in these visits was outstanding. It was clearly evident that skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and communication were being developed and students were highly engaged. Year 11 Multimedia students were participating in a workshop using green screens to produce videos. Year 7 students were cooking in the Food Technology rooms, Year 12 Investigating Science students were conducting experiments and a game of football was being played on the ovals in the Bill Turner Cup. I thank the teachers of St Edward’s for their dedication, creativity and passion in providing learning experiences that challenge students to be the best they can be. I also thank students for their willingness to engage in these learning opportunities to the best of their ability.

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Justice and Solidarity

As an Edmund Rice Community, we are committed to providing opportunities for involvement in immersion programs in which students and staff form relationships, work with and learn from those on the margins.

Throughout the last two weeks of the term, Year 11 students have participated in the Street Retreat. Below is a report written by Jordan Terzian on the experience.

The Year 11 Street Retreat exposed my fellow students and I to the harsh reality of life on the street for Sydney’s homeless. Many of the elements we witnessed were unfamiliar to us, allowing for the maximisation of our learning during these three days in Sydney. We visited the Wayside Chapel, the Jewish Holocaust Museum, The Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Peace, Australian Catholic Mission, St Canice Catholic Church, Kings Cross Police Station, St Mary’s Cathedral and several outreach centres for the homeless, including the surrounds of the famous Kings Cross area.  We also observed and received an explanation of the Needle Exchange and Matthew Talbot Hostel, and were exposed to the wealth and poverty plaguing the streets of Darlinghurst.

Representatives from Youth of The Streets and L’Arche came to inform us of the great work that these organisations participate in, including how we as a community can get involved with these organisations to help make a difference and change people’s outlooks on issues such as disabilities and homelessness. On behalf of Year 11, I want to thank all the staff involved in this retreat for providing us with a memorable, educational and eye opening experience, one that I am certain will be present in the hearts and minds of our year group for years to come.

Year 12 HSC Trial Examinations

Year 12 students will be sitting their Trial HSC Examinations from Monday August 5 until Monday August 19. These examinations contribute significantly to the final Higher School Certificate Assessment mark that is submitted to the NSW Education Standards Authority. All Year 12 students are encouraged to use the upcoming term break wisely to best prepare themselves for these examinations. Some students will be attending lectures conducted at universities and other organisations, and teachers in some subjects will be organising revision sessions throughout the two-week break. Students are urged to avail themselves of these different opportunities. I would like to wish all of Year 12 the very best of luck in these examinations.

Parents who would like some information on how to assist their sons in preparation for examinations are encouraged to visit the Independent Learning – Online Study Skills Handbook on: https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/curriculum-learning/independent-learning/

Semester One Reports

Students in Years 7-10 will have their semester one reports uploaded to the student portal at the end of this week. These reports will provide each student with feedback on their progress in each subject for the first two terms. Included in this report is a grade that reflects their achievement in assessment, an indication of their level of achievement of outcomes in each course, a teacher comment and feedback on their application and effort in relation to the College Code for Learning. At the start of next term, students will be provided with the opportunity to once again reflect on their application and effort and learning goals for the year based on this report. I encourage all parents to engage in a conversation with their son(s), regarding the feedback contained in this report. Parents will be provided with another opportunity to discuss their son’s progress with teachers at the Parent Teacher Night to be held on Thursday 29 August.