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.

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.

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’.

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.

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.

With only a cardboard tent held together with duct tape to call home for the night, Nicole Van Ingen, Principal of St Mary’s Star of the Sea, Milton, joined 30 CEOs from around the Illawarra to brave the cold and ‘sleep rough’ for a night in support of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

CEDoW has long been a supporter of the St Vincent de Paul Society and when the call went out inviting our school principals to be involved, Nicole did not hesitate to volunteer.

A final event to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of Magdalene Catholic High School, Narellan is fast approaching!

Principal, Matt McMahon is reaching out to all members of our CEDoW community to invite them to join in the festivities of their 'Return to Magdalene Day' this Saturday, 18th August.

For more details and to read Mr McMahon's message, read on.

Aligned with our Faith in Action guidelines, Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong is heavily promoting and encouraging individual and school community support to be provided to the St Vincent de Paul Society’s - NSW major drought appeal in a coordinated approach, providing transparency about how our funding is being spent. Further, we are staying in close contact with Vinnies to determine and monitor local need for assistance required by families in our area.

Students at St Benedict’s Catholic College, Oran Park have fundraised at their annual College Celebration Day a remarkable $8,000 for CatholicCare Wollongong, with the funds raised to be put towards the development of a program to support students and their parent/caregivers to navigate the challenges and harness the strengths of technology in their daily lives. 

It is intended that the program will be built on evidence-based research and be tested for efficacy. Once established, it is hoped that the program will make a positive impact on the well-being of students throughout the Diocese and be a legacy of the goodwill and generosity of the St Benedict's school community.

Like many young girls, 11 year old Jade loved her long hair. Last week, it went all the way down past her elbows! But the St Patrick’s, Port Kembla student has since cut all her long locks off for a very good cause - to donate it to other children who have lost their hair due to illness.  

Jade decided to get the big chop for charity and send her hair to Variety - the Children’s Charity’s ‘Hair with Heart’ program.

American mathematician, William Thurston, said: "The real satisfaction from mathematics is in learning from others and sharing with others". That’s what Year 7 and 8 students from Catholic secondary schools across the Diocese experienced at the recent Stage 4 Mathematics Enrichment Days.

Over 200 students from our systemic secondary schools attended the events - the first at the University of Wollongong (UOW) and the second at Western Sydney University (WSU).

Over 150 Year 6 students from Holy Family, Ingleburn; Mary Immaculate, Eagle Vale; and St Francis, Edmondson Park have been the first in the Diocese to participate in the Catholic Youth Ministry Wollongong team’s new ACTIVATE fire program.

Generously hosted by Holy Family, Ingleburn, in their new school hall, students from the three schools were all treated to a day-long immersive spiritual experience. A range of sessions were on offer throughout the morning and afternoon that included a mix of singing and prayer, discussion and reflection, games and workshops.

With the HSC just over 3 months away, Year 12 students are being encouraged to use the upcoming holiday break to plan effectively for their exams.

The 2018 HSC Study Guide is designed to help students in that preparation, providing useful advice for students for this year's exams and 'surviving Year 12 and beyond'. 

Read on for more information and a link to the guide.

Year 9 students at St John the Evangelist, Nowra have been given a valuable opportunity to immerse themselves in all things STEM for a day, taking on challenges designed to develop a range of useful science, technology, engineering and mathematics thinking and skills for their future.

Organised by the school, the day engaged over 160 students in four different STEM activities - each testing the students and exposing them to different STEM competencies.

Over 70 students from Catholic secondary schools across the Diocese have gathered together to participate in CEDoW’s Secondary Students Social Justice Forum.

The Year 9 and 10 students, many in social justice leadership positions at their schools, travelled to the Xavier Centre in Wollongong to discuss ideas and explore the themes around Catholic Social Teaching in contemporary society.

It’s not every day you get the opportunity to meet a princess however former John Therry Rosemeadow student, Tennille Vitagliano, did just that when she was awarded the prestigious Crown Princess Mary Scholarship from the University of Copenhagen for her research in the field of immunology.

You may have had an ultrasound or X-ray, an MRI or CAT scan...but do you know the science behind how this medical imaging equipment works? That’s what Year 12 Physics students from Corpus Christi, Oak Flats visited Wollongong Hospital to find out.

The group toured the hospital’s range of imaging facilities in order to further their understanding of how physics is used in medicine every day to detect abnormalities in the human body and save lives.

On Friday 22 June, the community of St Thomas More, Ruse gathered at their parish church for a Mass to honour the feast day of their patron saint and to celebrate the school’s significant 40th anniversary. A much anticipated event, shared with students, staff, families (past and present) and parishioners, giving thanks for the last 40 years.

If you want the most accurate, up-to-date research and information around alcohol and others drugs, Paul Dillon is your man. Holy Spirit College, Bellambi and St Joseph’s, Albion Park were fortunate to host the founder and director of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) this week as he worked with local students, parents and staff on a wide range of alcohol and other drug issues among young people.

Chloe Brown, from St Joseph’s, Albion Park, is preparing to take a once in a lifetime pilgrimage as one of 20 Year 10 and 11 students from across NSW to win a Premier's Anzac Memorial Scholarship that will see her touring the battlefields of the Western Front in Europe. 

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” - Matthew 18:20

Thousands of Year 12 students from fourteen of our systemic and congregational Catholic secondary schools across the Diocese have gathered together in this Year of Youth to share their thoughts and ideas, and get to know our newly-ordained Bishop Brian Mascord.

Bishop Brian Mascord, Director of Schools, Peter Turner, several senior CEO staff and other local dignitaries have joined the Mary Immaculate, Eagle Vale school community for the official opening and blessing of their new learning space. Comprising six classrooms, a large general learning area, several small breakout rooms and an outdoor learning area and garden, this new facility caters for twenty-first century learning and teaching in a growing school. 

The school community of Holy Family, Ingleburn has gathered to celebrate the official opening of its new parish school hall. Joining them were many distinguished guests including Director of Schools, Peter Turner and Bishop Brian Mascord, who blessed the new facilities and unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion - the first under his leadership of the Diocese.

The Stella Maris, Shellharbour school community is celebrating their 60th Anniversary with week-long plans, including the involvement of past and present students, staff, parents, and invited special guests.

“Full STEAM Ahead”, the catchy theme of the 2018 Mathematical Association of NSW (MANSW) Wollongong Cluster Biannual Conference, was held on Saturday 19 May at the University of Wollongong with over 100 educators in attendance.

Students from Ss Peter and Paul Kiama have proven themselves worthy competitors in their first year at the Australian Aeronautical Velocity Challenge (AAVC) - a competition designed to encourage STEM skills across all year levels and education sectors, by building rockets, planes and drones to complete various challenges.

For Nicole Van Ingen and her family, homelessness has a face and it’s personal. That face is the birth mother of their adopted son David, who has had to call the streets home for much of the last 10 years.

National Families Week is held from 15-21 May 2018 (coinciding with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May).