Principal’s Message

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

It is so sad to watch the tragic events unfolding in Ukraine, with so many unsuspecting and innocent people being caught in the middle of another power’s assertion of authority and status. We pray for all Ukrainians that they remain safe during this time and that a sense of logic, understanding and compassion finally overcomes the violent and power hungry “bullies” who would rather have a world of aggression and destruction over peace and understanding.

Late last week I attended the first of the EREA Eastern Region Principals’ gatherings for the year, held at St Pius X College Chatswood in Sydney. It was with a pang of jealousy that I heard my colleagues from schools in NSW celebrate the fact that from last Monday, face masks are no longer to be worn in school and visitors are allowed back on school sites. As you are aware, the ACT Government has lifted many of the mask restrictions but masks remain in place in ACT schools for the time being along with restrictions on visitors.

I must be very honest and admit that I absolutely detest the wearing of masks in the classroom.  The engagement with students is stifled and limited.  As a teacher, I have trouble gauging the level of interest and engagement in the lesson, and I have trouble hearing questions and answers when offered by students.  I find that my own energy levels are quite quickly sapped in having to talk through a mask and I cannot really express my passion and interest for what I am teaching (there is only so much eye wrinkling one can do to express emotion when wearing a mask).  So as I said above, it was with much jealousy that I heard my colleagues express their delight in NSW schools going back to “normal” as of this week. Hopefully, it will be our turn very soon.

I would like to sincerely thank our parents in supporting the College through the latest covid restrictions and expectations. Your focus on testing using the RATs supplied by the ACT Government and adhering closely to the expectations for the follow up procedures when a student has tested positive has been of great assistance in allowing us to communicate clearly with our community and to monitor our numbers.

There is a phrase we sometimes use to indicate how quickly a situation can change.  The phrase is “and just like that”.  I have used that phrase often in the last few weeks.  Unfortunately my sister was given a very concerning health diagnosis a few weeks ago, resulting in many hospital visits in the coming months as well as a regime of medication and treatments. My sister is also my mother’s main carer.  As soon as I heard of my sister’s condition, I made sure that she only had herself to worry about and drove to Sydney to collect mother and bring her back to Canberra.  And just like that, things change.  I now have my 91 year old mother living with me and my wife.  The transition of being the cared for to doing the caring is an odd one indeed, but I know it is one that many of you have also experienced. Caring for an elderly parent comes with much joy, but it is also accompanied by much concern.  Whilst I am not sure what the long term situation looks like, it is lovely having my mother with us. One of my funniest experiences though is buying her first mobile phone (as we do not have a landline at home) and trying to teach her how to use her first mobile phone at 91.  That was a great test of my teaching skills and patience, and I’m still not sure whether it was a successful experience!

Open Day and 2023 Enrolments
Our enrolments for Year 7 have been growing steadily for the past few years and we look forward to continuing this growth in coming years.

Due to the covid restrictions placed on schools, we have had to reorganise our 2023 enrolment program. If you know of any families who have an interest in having their son at St Edmund’s next year, please pass on the following dates:

• Information Night for prospective enrolments: Tuesday 3 May
• Open Day: Saturday 7 May
• Further enquiries regarding enrolments for next year can be made via enrolments@stedmunds.act.edu.au

College Advisory Council News
On behalf of all of our community, I congratulate our Advisory Council Chair, Nichole Overall, on her successful candidacy in the recent Monaro by-election.  Nichole now joins the NSW Parliament and we wish her well in her new and significant position. Council member John Owens has accepted the position of Acting Advisory Council Chair with Lara Kirk as Acting Deputy Chair.  We will formalise the appointment of a substantive Advisory Council Chair once all member positions on the Council have been filled.

Next week we will advertise for two new members of the College Advisory Council.  One of these new members must have a strong financial background or understanding of budgets and must be willing to sit on the College Finance Committee (a subcommittee of the Advisory Council).  The other new member must have either a financial or legal or project management (building) background. These positions will be advertised very shortly by email amongst our College community, but the positions do not need to come from the College community.  If you are aware of anyone who meets the criteria and would like to be serve the College by being on the Advisory Council, please feel free to forward the email to them. A formal selection process will then take place.

Ash Wednesday and Lent
Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent. Ashes were distributed today during various student gatherings.   Ashes are a symbol of penance made sacramental by the blessing of the Church, and they help us develop a spirit of humility and sacrifice, a spirit that allows us to enter the Lenten season with an appropriate state of mind and state of heart. Often we talk about giving something up for Lent, but this can be quite a superficial thing to do, as it often does not accompany a change in our behaviour and thinking.  Many of us use Lent as a kick-starter for a diet or new exercise regimen – almost like a new year’s resolution.  Using Lent in this way is not appropriate and quite empty.  Lent is much more than this.  Lent is a preparation for Easter leading to the Passion of Christ, so a simple focus on giving up coffee or chocolate or whatever it may be does not prepare us appropriately for this.

Lent is a time to make real sacrifices. We need perhaps to look at giving up our biases and prejudices, or giving up our obsessions and addictions.  Or perhaps we should look at giving up our quick roads to anger or resentment, or giving up our quick judgements.  Whatever we are giving up for Lent, we do it with the aim of becoming more neighbourly, more inclusive and more embracing of those around us, and in doing this, we strengthen our relationship with God and attempt to walk the path of Jesus, in stirring one another to love and good works, as highlighted in our 2022 scriptural theme.

 Gospel Reflection – Luke 6:39-45
“Jesus told his disciples a parable, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thorn bushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.”

It occurred to me how last Sunday’s Gospel passage relates to the many problems we have today with social media.  It is as if Luke had a window to our contemporary life and saw how we are struggling with the many pitfalls and hurtful consequences of social media.  Many people today are so quick to jump on their social media sites and judge others, very often without knowing or understanding the full picture of the situation, very rarely thinking about what they would do if they were in a similar situation and how they would feel to have hurtful and damaging things said about them. Social media seems to attract adults who place themselves on the high moral ground, and try to suggest that they know best, but as Luke asks, have they removed the wooden beam in their own eye before they attempt to remove the splinter from their neighbour’s eye? The hurtful judgement given on social media is often disguised as advice or guidance, but we cannot advise or guide, and we can certainly not judge, until we have looked clearly in the mirror and judged ourselves.  If that judgement comes back perfect, then there is definitely something wrong with the mirror! I would ask our parents to continue to have serious and considered conversations with your sons about the harm that can be done with social media and to work with your sons in dealing with social media in a responsible and mature manner.

Prayer for Peace and Justice in Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
who change the hardened heart
and break the power of violence,
we entrust the people of Ukraine to You.
Protect them in this time of peril;
let them know not death but life,
not slavery but freedom.
You are Father of all,
We are sisters and brothers.
Give us the strength
to live that truth in love,
Choosing peace not war.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

Normally at this time we would be holding our annual Opening College Mass, usually held at St Christopher’s Cathedral.  This is always a highlight of the year, having the whole school community together at the Cathedral to formally acknowledge the new year as well as celebrating the induction of our new student leaders. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions on schools has meant that we could not have an Opening College Mass this year. It saddens me deeply to know that we cannot gather as a whole school group until the restrictions on schools are lifted. In lieu of the Opening Mass, we held a very special assembly on Tuesday with students in Year 11 and Year 12, inducting our senior school leaders, acknowledging our Year 11 2021 academic award winners, acknowledging our 2021 Dux Nick Odgers and, for the first time in the 68-year history of St Edmund’s College, we commissioned every student in Year 12 to their unique and special position of leadership as the oldest students in the school.

A special congratulations to Andrew McFarlane for his well-earned Year 11 202 Dux Award as well as achieving the Caltex Best All Rounder award, and congratulations also to Daniel Isherwood for his remarkable achievement is achieving the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Rather than write an article for this week’s Vortex, I would like to share with you two of the addresses given at the Assembly.  The first address is from our College Captain, Andrew McFarlane, and the second address is from our 2021 Dux, Nick Odgers. Both speeches capture the essence of the character, spirit and nature of learning here at St Edmund’s College.

College Captain’s Address, Andrew McFarlane
Good morning Mr. Zavone, staff, students and most importantly all our Year 12 leaders of this school. Today is a celebration that recognises the capacity that we possess to lead our College as well as the responsibility that accompanies such stature. Responsibility is encapsulated in leadership in which I have the utmost confidence that our Year 12 cohort will uphold and thrive.

Firstly, I would like to congratulate all those boys who received an academic award today and for those who received them at the end of last year. This is a grand achievement and is, no doubt, attributed to the aggregate of hard work every student has put into improving their learning experience. We, as a College, pride ourselves on our ability to learn and improve ourselves. Today, we celebrate the example of this commitment that has been upheld in the classroom.

The challenge to leading is finding your own way to lead. There is no correct or incorrect way to lead. You must find your own version of leadership which best represents your own personal qualities so that each of us may lead your house or school with great pride. Leadership is accompanied by various supporting attributes that build a firm foundation for us to thrive in the community.

Resilience. Our greatest successes are often a product of great leadership. However, success is not something that happens overnight. Success is the consequence of persistent resilience, in learning from our failures and progressing to betterment. Failure can be good thing. Failure is a part of learning. Failure brings resilience to the forefront and allows us to adapt and learn. Good leaders stay resilient. When they fail, they become empowered in the learning experience they gain through the tough times.

The final attribute that I would like to touch upon is teamwork. A leader benefits from the networks that they have around them. They cannot work alone. A good leader understands, and invests in, the value of teamwork. A leader operates by using all the resources available to them. This means using their team. This also means knowing how to get the best out of their team. They need to be able to communicate well with their team. The key to success is holding the progression of the team equally to your own. At this College, the key is to work cohesively and selflessly in devoting yourself to the growth that each of us experience along our individual journeys. We as a leadership team and a year 12 cohort will practice upholding resilience, excellent teamwork and selflessness to make sure we work in the greatest interest of the College’s legacy.

To all the boys who are being celebrated for their leadership today, wear your badge proudly. Being a leader at this fine College is a rare and prestigious accolade that not many get to experience. Similarly, the pride of being a Year 12 student shows great loyalty and dedication to this College and should not be discounted. I encourage you, today, to not to take the badge for granted. Yes, leadership is more than a badge, but the badge represents a great opportunity and voice in the College community. We all must accept this opportunity to ensure we leave a positive legacy for the College upon our graduation. That we leave a lasting foundation for the future years of this College. We as leaders and men are the voice of the school and must fuse the qualities of resilience, a positive mindset and teamwork to attain greatness. The roles we have been given are not ours to keep, we are custodian leaders of the school and it is our job is to leave St Edmunds College at the end of the year in the best possible place.

I would like to extend a final congratulations to all the boys who won academic awards today and to all the leaders who were inducted today. This is a great honour that requires substantial dedication, which I am certain we will uphold as a cohort in 2022.

2021 Dux Address, Nicholas Odgers
Good afternoon staff and senior Eddies Boys.  It is a real privilege to be standing here today to be able to share some advice I wish I had known when I sat in your position.

I’d like to begin my address today with a question. Does a mark of 60 constitute adequacy, and a mark of 100, perfection?

Throughout most of my schooling career, my answer to this question has been ‘yes’. Nothing can beat a 100, but a lot can beat a 60. Our education system had slowly ingrained this notion into my mind, to the point that I became so fixated on the result; on reaching the destination and not the journey. Before long, my achievement was dictated by a letter or a number on a test or assignment, and I did everything I could to maximise it. I reduced my learning to the constraints of the textbook; focusing solely on the topics that were to be examined. I would memorise formulas, quotes, and even full essays – anything I thought would help me do better. Anything to get closer to that 100 – the perfect number; the definition of success. But in chasing perfection, I learnt so much about the power that trying your best has on our learning.

Now, I want all of you to think forward to when you graduate, whether that be this year or next, and the many emotions that come with it. Graduation will be about the mountains each of you climbed along the way. It is about the feeling when you thought you had nothing more to give, but found another gear. It is about the times you fell, and the tenacity and perseverance you showed to pick yourself up and keep going. Whether you thrived or merely survived. You kept moving forward and you did it. You finished school.

But once you graduate, you no longer have the luxury of coasting through. The day you leave the walls of St Edmund’s College, you are no longer bound by a school curriculum or a daily routine, and no one is telling you what to do nor when to do it. You are governed purely by your own choices and judgement. You have entered the real world, where there are no report cards and assessments to keep track of your achievement. Without frequent tests and assignments, how then, can we measure if we are successful? Today, I offer a solution, one which saved me from the demands of perfectionism.

I shifted my mentality. I became determined to get the best out of myself, not for the validation that came with a high score, but for the intrinsic value of doing things well. I deemed ‘trying my best’ a success, to ensure I did not let myself settle for ‘good enough’. But what I learnt, is that you cannot do your best if you are worried you could do better. You must invest all your time into the present, and so I turned to the ‘how’.

How can I make sure I do the best I possibly can?

The answer I found to this troubling question was to use the resources available to me, and I want you all to do the same. Go to your teachers and show them your progress, ask questions (lots of questions), submit a draft. Your teachers are your helping hand, use them. Spend less time setting expectations for yourself and more time doing the things that will maximise your potential. Become process oriented, not outcome oriented and in time, you will find your way.

By redefining success as a process of improvement and focusing on the journey and not the destination, I could pursue excellence without the demands of perfectionism or the compromises that come with settling for good enough.

With this in mind, I challenge all of you to define your own process for success and live up to your own measures with commitment and passion. If you do so, you have succeeded. Success cannot exist without a thought behind it labelling it as one. Success is a choice. Are you holding yourself back?

Although my senior years at the College were extremely gratifying, they were hampered by a great deal of stress. I spent far too much time worrying about the future result, that I nearly missed the present. My advice for you all today is to try your absolute best and take comfort in knowing that. If you continue to try in all that you do, you will continue to learn beyond the classroom. If doing so, you are succeeding. Then, make sure you take some time to relax, unwind, and restore your energy before you try again.

So, each day I ask that you: get up, dress up, show up, but never give up. You only fail when you don’t try.

Edmund’s to the fore.

St Edmund’s College Prayer
Dear Lord,

Grant that we may live each day to the full, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Let us cast away all worries and concerns into your Divine care.
Christus Lux Mea
Give us strength to confront all challenges that we face with hope and faith.
Let our community seek truth in all that we search for.
Christus Lux Mea
Let us stand for others always giving generously without counting the cost.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

Whilst I was in our Reception area last week, I was quite surprised and disappointed at the number of students who were making a beeline to the front office to collect a face mask.  Boys were coming straight off the bus and into the office to collect the mask for the day – this was their first option for a face mask and it has been happening every day.  I remind our community that it is not the responsibility of the College to supply face masks to our students and it is unsustainable for us to supply masks every day to large numbers of our student population. This is a family responsibility.  We will supply masks in the case of loss or damage during the day at the cost of $1 each, with these funds going towards our annual fundraising for Caritas.  I would ask our families to please ensure that all students (from Years 7 – 12) are leaving home with a face mask and at least have a spare face mask with them.

A reminder that the new optional winter uniform items (puffer jacket and new style beanie) are now able to be ordered online through our uniform suppliers, Ranier Schoolwear. Images of these were included in last week’s Vortex.  Our students had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the items when they were shown some samples last year, so I anticipate that the items will be very popular.  I encourage you to go online early and order these items ready for our winter uniform season (beginning Term 2).

College Advisory Council News

I would like to congratulate the Chair of the College Advisory Council, Nichole Overall, for her successful campaign in the recent Monaro by-election (NSW).  It looks like Nichole is the winning candidate and will represent Monaro on behalf of the Nationals.   There will be a formal announcement regarding this as the results are formalised.

The end of last year saw the completion of tenure for two of our long serving Advisory Council members, Christa Gordon and Steve Buckman. I sincerely thank Christa and Steve for their time as Council members and their dedication in always wanting the best for St Edmund’s and its community.

We welcome three new Advisory Council members this year and look forward to the wide array of experience, expertise, contributions and perceptions they bring to the College:

Julie Fitzgerald
Julie has more than twenty-five years’ experience in senior finance and administration leadership roles, including the last thirteen years as a business manager of a large non-government school.  She holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), is an invited member of the Golden Key Honor Society and a member of the Association of School Business Administrators.

Sarah Kelly
Sarah has been on the Committee of Karinya House since 2004, serving as Vice President and now President for the past 8 years. Sarah has vast experience, knowledge and connections of various charities and the philanthropic sector. She is also Director of My Fashion Empire (Australia) Pty Ltd as has held a number of government related positions. Sarah currently has two sons attending the College.

Craig Wagstaff
Craig is an old boy (Class of 1993) and is currently the General Manager of Canberra FM Radio. Craig has held a number of significant positions including director level, general management, leadership, financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, strategy and marketing/communications which have seen him work in Australia, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates with further project work in Indonesia, China and India.

We will be advertising within our College community very soon for a further two members to join the College Advisory Council.

Gospel Reflection

Luke 6:17, 20-26

Most of us would be very familiar with the Matthew’s account of Jesus’ sermon where he presents the beatitudes or blessings. Last Sunday’s Gospel reading gives us Luke’s version of the same sermon.  Luke’s account is much shorter and his perception is that Jesus was directing his sermon at the apostles, rather than the assembled crowd:

“How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of God is yours.  Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of man”.

Of course, Jesus here is not celebrating or advocating poverty, hunger, misery and persecution. Rather he is highlighting the focus we should have in life – if we are “poor”, then we are not focusing on the material side of life; if we are “hungry” then we are not focusing on instant gratification; if we are “weeping”, then we are not focusing on ourselves but on the plight of others; if we have people “hating” us, then we would hope that we are fighting the good cause and being countercultural in what we do and what we stand for. On another level, and a little closer to home within the context of our 2022 scriptural theme, we see Jesus almost providing a list of those for whom we should demonstrate “love and good works”.  It is clear that he is instructing us to look to those who are lacking the essentials to get through their daily lives, whether this be in a material sense (food, shelter, money, support) or a spiritual sense, and to those who are persecuted for what they do and who they are.  This was the path taken by Blessed Edmund Rice in his work for the poor and uneducated youth of Waterford, and this is the path we need to look to in fulfilling our role as good citizens and as members of a Catholic school community.

St Edmund’s College Prayer

Dear Lord,
Grant that we may live each day to the full, inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Let us cast away all worries and concerns into your Divine care.
Christus Lux Mea
Give us strength to confront all challenges that we face with hope and faith.
Let our community seek truth in all that we search for.
Christus Lux Mea
Let us stand for others always giving generously without counting the cost.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

Normally at this time we would be in the midst of excited preparations for our annual New Families Function, where families new to the College spend a lovely evening with food and drink, getting to know our staff, our senior school leaders and other new families.  Unfortunately the ACT Covid school restrictions do not permit us to have such an event at the moment, but we will invite our new families to the College as soon as we are able.

In a few weeks we will have two very special assemblies for our student leaders.  The Junior School leaders will be inducted at a special function, and the senior leaders will be inducted at a special assembly.  This of course is in place of our Opening Mass which we cannot hold this year.  Also at the senior school induction assembly, we will acknowledge our Year 11 academic award recipients from last year, as well acknowledging the Dux of the College from last year, Nick Odgers.  We will also induct all Year 12 students into their unique leadership role in the College with a badge ritual.  This will be the first time we will hold such a ritual, signifying the important leadership role that all Year 12 students have within the College through their role modelling and care of others.

I am excited to announce that the new winter uniform items are now able to be ordered online through our uniform suppliers, Ranier Schoolwear. Attached to this week’s Vortex is a brochure with an image of the new puffer jacket and the new beanie.  Our students had an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the items when they were shown some samples last year, so I anticipate that the items will be very popular.  I encourage you to go online early and order these items ready for our winter uniform season (beginning Term 2).

In place of our regular whole school assembly, last week we held separate cohort assemblies for the Junior School, students in Years 7 and 8, 9 & 10 and 11 & 12. I stressed to all students at the high school meetings that, above and beyond anything else we do, we are a learning community. What happens in the classroom is of the utmost importance, with students needing to actively participate in providing an appropriate and productive learning environment. This includes avoiding distractions and unnecessary noise, having all materials for every lesson, listening closely to explanations and instructions and engaging in all work in a meaningful manner.  All students must be active contributors to allowing all other students to learn well and all teachers to teach well.  This is a very simple but important principle.  I must stress that any deviation from this will not be tolerated, and we will be engaging closely with those students who do not adhere to these expectations.

I also stressed to all students last week that at no time are they to take or record an image of another student or staff member, whether this be on the College site during the day, or travelling to and from school.  This includes photo images, video images and sound recordings. Another student providing consent for their image to be taken makes absolutely no difference to this condition.  In a world where images are the cause of misrepresentation and hurt and are very easily spread, we need to create an environment here at the College where students and staff feel safe and secure.

I have been quite saddened for the past couple of weeks to read of two schools who have provided their parents with a contract or declaration of faith which highly discriminates against students who are questioning their sexuality or gender. The hurt that this has caused to members of the communities of these schools, and especially to those members who are in fact questioning their sexuality or gender, is profound and almost irreparable.  I hope that all members of the St Edmund’s community are very clear on our position on these issues. Edmund Rice developed a system of education aimed at liberating all young people, particularly the marginalised, where the dignity of each student was paramount. As inclusive communities, EREA schools seek to address the specific needs and wellbeing of marginalised young people, including those who are same sex attracted and gender diverse.  Schools are obliged to take all reasonable steps to prevent unlawful discrimination and harassment and have the responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for everyone.

“Live Life to the Full “is Edmund Rice Education Australia’s response to providing safe and inclusive learning environments for all students, in particular for same-sex attracted and gender diverse young people. All relevant documents can be found here: https://www.erea.edu.au/safeandinclusive/

Gospel Reflection, Luke 5:1-11
Last week’s Gospel reading has Luke retelling the story of Jesus encouraging his disciples to continue fishing after a long night of catching very little. Simon had been fishing all night with no success.  Most likely he was exhausted and looking forward to going home and getting some sleep. So it must have seemed a bit of an imposition when Jesus got into Simon’s boat and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Nevertheless, Simon did what Jesus asked.  Jesus tells Simon to put out into the deep water and let down his nets for a catch. Simon obviously believes this will be a futile exercise. We can almost hear the exasperation in his voice when he responds, “Master, we have worked all night but have caught nothing.” But then he continues; “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets”.  What happens next is miraculous.  Simon has nets so full of fish that they begin to break, boats so full of fish that they begin to sink. (adapted from https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/narrative-lectionary/great-catch-of-fish/commentary-on-luke-51-11-2)

There are many interpretations of this story.  At its most simple level, the story provides us with a very strong idea of what can be achieved when we have Christ as our light.  When we follow the life of Christ, his actions and teachings, and use these as a model for our own lives, then our lives become richer, we draw in others around us and we end up with full baskets rather than empty baskets.  Our 2022 scriptural theme, “Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works” is a clear example of the intentions of this Gospel reading. We can achieve so much more in life, and increase the value of the lives of others around us, if together we actively encourage one another to the love of others and to the provision of good works.

Loving Father,
It is during times of discouragement, bewilderment, or delay
that we find ourselves more attentive to Your presence.
It seems our hearts are more yielded
and our minds more absorbing of the truths You want to convey
when we’re no longer trying to take charge.
Like the disciples who were fishing in the usual way
expecting the usual results,
we also relate to such efforts.
But You are extraordinary and You do extraordinary work in our lives
as we yield our will to Yours and heed Your word.
Shape us into the most useful and enduring vessel
that brings glory to You and value to others.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24-25

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

I would like to express my warmest welcome to all of you for the new school year.  I hope that all of our students and families had a safe and happy break and we look forward to working closely with you all for another year.

On Monday we welcomed our new students to the College.  We were blessed with good weather for most of the day so the boys could really enjoy their first day with us and get to know the place and its people well.

We are all excited to engage with the boys once again, although there will be many changes in Term 1 to align ourselves with the continuing Covid environment.  Our Deputy Principal Mr Ian Garrity has already informed you by email of the procedures to follow should your son be diagnosed with Covid.  You have also all been notified of the distribution of the rapid antigen tests. I would ask you to please follow these procedures closely to ensure that we continue to create a safe school environment for all of us. We will also continue our safe practices here at school to ensure that all students and staff are working in a safe environment.  I would like to specifically thank Mr Garrity and our Director of Business Services, Mrs Samantha Brady, for all of the work they have done around the Covid protocols this year.

A consequence of the current Covid environment is the changes to some of our planned events for this term.  These events include the Opening College Mass, New Family Function, camps and retreats, swimming and athletics carnivals and College assemblies. We will keep you informed of these changes and hopefully we will be able to schedule some of these events later in the year.

SCRIPTURAL THEME 2022
Our scriptural theme for 2022 is “Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24-25).  We are encouraged to stir each other first of all to love – not a romantic love of course, but a love for each other; a love where we raise each other up, support each other and add value to the other rather than a selfish love where we look to increase ourselves.   I spoke to the staff last week about what this love might look like in the classroom, in the yard and in a pastoral context.  How do we as a staff stir one another to the love of our students, and how do we stir our students to the love of each other? Inherent in this love is the concept or right and respectful relationships, and a strong sense of justice and peace.  We are also encouraged to stir each other to good works – what are the actions and deeds that we can undertake that demonstrate how we love others? These can be actions on both a micro and macro level, within our own specific community or in our broader community. It is important to note that in being called to love and good works, we have two actions which force us to look outwards and increase the lives of others, and in doing so we of course increase our own lives. We are reminded here of the qualities of love as outlined by Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”.  Our aim this year is to work together, all members of the Eddies community, to stir one another to love and good works, following the path that Christ has set for us through his model of love and good works.

The scriptural theme, plus the Statement of Eddies Pride, tells us who we are, why we are here and how we act as members of the St Edmund’s community.

STATEMENT OF EDDIES PRIDE

• Striving to achieve my personal best, showing resilience and engagement.
• Investing in respectful, positive relationships with everyone in the College and the wider community.
• Contributing to a constructive learning environment and meeting College expectations.
• Honouring the College name, reputation and facilities.
• Reflecting the College motto (Christus Lux Mea, Christ is my Light) in all that I do and say.

CLASS OF 2021
In celebrating the achievements of our graduating class of 2021, we offer special congratulations to College Dux, Nick Odgers and our high ATAR achievers Baden Godfrey, Leo Blaney-Brown, Jack Hodges, Noah Ellis, Lachlan O’Neill, Riley Diwell, Shenal Rajapakse, Jack Thomson, Patrick Rees and Adam Viali. It is so heartening to see so many of our students follow the pathway of their choice, whether this be in tertiary education or an employment / vocational pathway.

 STAFF NEWS
Just as we have welcomed new students to our community, we also welcome our new staff.  The following new staff members have commenced with us this year:

• Monica Day, Assistant Principal, Student Wellbeing
• Olinto Fabbri, Languages teacher (Italian)
• Linda Goth, Head of Mathematics
• Timothy O’Brien, Leave replacements for Semester 1
• Phoebe Sewell, HASS/English teacher
• Lee Boswell, Co-Curricular Manager
• Melissa Gardiner, Support Staff
• Lachlan O’Neill, IT Support/Performing Arts Administration – Semester 1

We also offer our congratulations to the following staff members:

• Michael Monagle and his wife on the birth of their baby daughter
• Holly Ellem and her husband on the birth of their baby daughter
• Ashleigh Kerin on her marriage during the holidays
• Justin Giteau on being selected as Head Coach for the Raiders U21 squad

PRAYER
As we find ourselves at the beginning of a school new year, we also find ourselves on a new page, allowing for fresh starts and new opportunities.   I would like to end this week’s Vortex with a beautiful quotation from American poet and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, on the importance of viewing each new day as a fresh beginning.  It is very natural for us as humans to carry over our concerns, our failures, our mistakes and our worries from one day to the next, allowing these to become heavier and more burdensome.  This does us no good at all.  We need to strengthen the ability to just “let go” and allow ourselves the freedom to start again, and this is a particularly important skill to develop and refine with the boys with whom we work.  I certainly hope that we instil in our students a sense that every day is a new day, every day is an opportunity to start again, to leave the past behind and start a new path.

“Write it in your heart that everyday is the best day in the year. They are rich who own the day, and no one owns the day who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety. Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt, crept in. Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. This new day is too dear, with its hopes and invitations, to waste a moment on the yesterdays.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lord,
You are full of grace and forgiveness.
Help us to walk forward from this day.
Thank You that right now we can enter into a new dawn,
a fresh start and a new freedom.
You turn the pages of our lives and wash each day clean.
Help us to feel that we can learn from the past in Your safe arms and move on.
Thank You that we can write a new story on a fresh page.
With You we find vision and hope again.
Thank You for the price that you paid
that we always have a chance to begin again with You.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

It was a pleasure to attend our Presentation Ceremonies over the past few days.  As you are aware, our Presentation Ceremonies were in a very different form this year due to the Covid requirements of separating cohorts.  Awards were given to students in Years 9 and 10 on Monday, with Years 7 & 8 and the Junior School having their ceremonies on Tuesday.  I congratulate all of our award winners for their diligence, determination and effort in their respective academic achievements.

The end of the year always sees some members of staff move on for various personal and professional reasons.

• Many thanks to our temporary staff whose contracts finish at the end of this year: Ms Eva Lowe (PE and RE), Mr Matthew Mesham (SOSE), Ms Jessica Willoughby (SOSE) and Ms Alice Abrahams (Mathematics).
• Farewell to Mr Angus Balmaks (Co-curricular Coordinator) who is moving to Daramalan College.
• Our very special best wishes to those teachers who will be on maternity leave next year: Mrs Holly Ellems (Year 6 teacher) and Mrs Carmela Wilson (Head of RE). Mr Michael Monagle (Assistant Principal, Mission & Identity) and his wife Laura are also expecting the birth of their baby, and we convey our best wishes to them as well.
• We congratulate Mr Zach Holmes, currently the acting Head of Mathematics, who is moving into the newly created position of Assessment and Data Co-ordinator, and we acknowledge the great work of Mr Pat Langtry who is stepping down from his role of Assistant Principal, Student Wellbeing but remaining on staff here at the College.

Our scriptural theme for 2021 was “If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another”.   A theme like this reminds us of our identity, our foundations and our directions.  It reminds us that we are all members of a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice tradition; that we belong to a College community where we try to “walk in the light”, i.e. we live by the example that has been modelled to us by Jesus Christ and that we are travelling in a direction where we develop boys into young men of vibrant spirit and strong character, by building a spirit of growth, hope, belonging and service. The scriptural theme gives us a coat-hanger where we can hang what we do and what we say throughout the year.  The scriptural theme tells us that we find our strength to do things and achieve things through more than just ourselves. Christ found strength in community; through the people around him.  So for us to be able to do good works, we need to first of all source our strength from Christ’s words and actions (“the light”) and then from the fellowship of the people around us; from the members of our community. By being in fellowship with one another, we are stronger and better for ourselves and for others.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our students for another great year – their energy and enthusiasm make a bold statement about who we are.  The spirit of our students is strongly supported and enriched by our parents, and their active involvement in the life of the College.  There was no better way to end the last day of lessons on Tuesday than to hand over a great number of hampers to St Vincent de Paul. This demonstrated the wonderful spirit and energy of our students and their families in wanting to support those families in our community who are in great need this Christmas.  The fact that we ended the year in service to others makes a very bold statement about what we stand for and who we are.

It has indeed been a difficult year.  I know we were all hoping this time last year that 2021 would be an improvement on 2020 in terms of restrictions, but this was not to be the case.  Since this year’s lockdown ended, we have not been able to meet as a whole school with all students in the one venue.  One of my greatest joys is seeing all the boys in one venue and being able to speak with them as one group. Hopefully we will be able to do this from the start of 2022 and have a more visible and tangible sense of community and spirit.

I wish all of our students and their families a very happy and holy Christmas and a relaxing holiday break.  May the love of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, surround you all the times of your life.  Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

Uniform
Attached to this edition of Vortex is the schedule of opening times for the Uniform Shop during January next year, prior to the commencement of term.  I would ask that you have this handy to avoid disappointment and delays in purchasing items of summer.

Used Uniforms
Now that the school year is over, I would ask parents to consider donating any unwanted items of uniform to our second-hand uniform supply.  I thank our parents for being very generous in the past in donating pre-loved items of uniform.  These items are important for us to assist our families and students in need. Please ensure that any donated items of uniform are washed and pressed.  These can be left with our Reception staff.  Thank you for your consideration.

Dates for 2022

Induction Day for Year 4, Year 7 and new students in other years: Monday 31 January

All students commence: Tuesday 1 February

End of Year Prayer
At the end of this school year we give thanks to God:
For all the teaching and learning that has taken place in our College, both in and out of the classroom;
for the talents and gifts that have been shared and the challenges that have been faced;
for the burdens that have been lifted and the hurts that have been healed;
for the respect and care that have been given.
We give thanks for the friendships that have grown and for those that have begun.
For the faith that has been lived in our daily struggles;
for the hope that has lifted our hearts on the dark days;
and for the love that has kept us going.
We give thanks for the community that we are and we ask you Lord:
Bless our students as they commence their break: may your Spirit keep them safe;
Bless our families as they take their holidays, may their time together leave them with memories to cherish.
Pour out your love on us that we may all return renewed and refreshed next year to continue our journey together.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

Cricket First XI
It was my absolute pleasure to present members of our First XI Cricket squad with their “Baggy Blue” caps last Sunday morning before their game. I congratulated the boys for representing the College as part of the First XI, and thanked them for continuing the tradition of cricket at St Edmund’s.  The team has started in a very strong manner, winning all three of their games so far. My thanks to Jamie Haynes (old boy and current parent) for coaching the team, and to Mel Navin (current parent) for managing the team.  My thanks also to Mr David Kelly, Assistant Principal Junior School, for co-ordinating our current season of cricket.

Congratulations to the First XI squad:

• Captain: Shenal Rajapakse
• Vice-Captain: Nick Toze
• Himesh Rajapakse
• Ben Gow
• Preet Singh
• Ryan Navin
• Shaquille Willock
• Oliver Peisley
• Alex Green
• Monty Green
• Mehki Pearce-Smith
• Romeo Asbock
• William MacNamara

Presentation Ceremonies
Unfortunately due to the current covid requirements in schools to have cohorts separated, we cannot organise our annual Presentation Ceremony in the normal manner. Instead, we will have two separate presentations ceremonies in the high school for Year 7 & 8 and Year 9 & 10.  We will present current Year 11 students with their awards early next year.  The Junior School will still have its Presentation Ceremony at the normal time on Tuesday 7 December.  Parents and carers will receive specific details of these ceremonies in a separate communication.

Year 12 Graduation
Last Friday’s Year 12 Graduation events were a highlight of the year.  Although once again we had to organise our Graduation events in a modified form due to current restrictions, the three events (Mass, Assembly and Dinner) ran very smoothly and marked a significant manner in which to celebrate and farewell our Year 12 cohort. We have some very unique and special traditions which take place on Graduation Day, such as presenting each Year 12 student with a graduation stole, on which is printed the name of every student in Year 12; and of course, the presentation of the Old Boys tie during the Graduation Dinner.  Year 12 presented the school with a gift which now commences a new tradition to the College – a bell that is rung by students and staff when they commence their time at the College and when they leave the College.

Our College Captain, Baden Godfrey, presented the Graduation Bell to the College with these words,
“In Irish mythology, bells symbolise both a beginning and an ending. We, as the Graduating Class of 2021, would like to present the College with this bell, the symbol of which has a strong connection to our Irish heritage as a school and also to connects us in knowing that when something ends, another begins. For us, our time at school is formally coming to an end yet it is the beginning of the next chapter of our lives. After us, members of our community, students and staff, are invited to ring this bell to celebrate the beginning of their time here at the College and also to acknowledge the end of their time here too. So in hearing this bell, we know that even when life changes, we are always connected to the Eddies community. May this gift from the Graduating Class of 2021 ring out with shared memories and of the past, celebrations of the present and hope for the future. 

Go gcoinneoidh Dia iad siúd a chloiseann é i dtearmann a láimhe.  May God hold those who ring it in the palm of His hand.”

Graduation Address
I would like to share an extract of my address to Year 12 students from the Graduation Dinner.  In my address, I focus on the importance of relationships and purpose.

“A few months ago, I was listening to the radio as I was driving.  On came a song that I had never heard before by a musician named Michael Nelson who goes by the stage name of Banners.  When I heard the opening words of the song I became quite irritated:
I don’t wanna die or fade away
I just wanna be someone
Dive and disappear without a trace
I just wanna be someone
Well, doesn’t everyone? 

When I heard these lyrics, I thought to myself, here we go again – some young person wanting a Kardashian or an Instagram version of life.  They just want to be someone; they just want to be famous without really working for it.  I don’t really know who the Kardashians are but I know they don’t do much and are very famous. This is what I thought the song was about – some empty goal of just wanting to be well known, wanting to be someone, like those empty Instagram influencers, the type who we see on celebrity reality shows and we have absolutely no idea who they are.  But I kept on listening to the song because the tune was rather catchy.

The more I listened, the more realised I was so wrong about the song.  It turned out to be one of the best songs I’d ever heard and I downloaded it as soon as I could.  Why did I change my mind so quickly? Because the lyrics changed.  The song goes on to say:
I just wanna be somebody to someone,
I wanna be somebody to someone
I never had nobody and no road home
I wanna be somebody to someone
And if the sun starts setting, the sky goes cold
Then if the clouds get heavy and start to fall
I really need somebody to call my own
I wanna be somebody to someone
Someone to you

The song is actually saying that the most important thing in life is not just to be someone, but to be somebody to someone.  To give somebody else’s life meaning and purpose. To be someone’s companion, to be by somebody’s side, to stand up for someone; to share your life with someone.  The absolute complete opposite of what I originally thought the song was about.

 How precious is the gift of giving somebody else’s life meaning and purpose?  To reach out to someone and make them feel special. In doing that, your life takes on meaning and purpose, your life becomes special, your life becomes a gift.

 Being somebody to someone doesn’t mean you need to be in a committed relationship – it might just be a good friend. All that matters is that you are in some sort of a positive relationship with another person or a group of people and that by being around that person your life and their life becomes better and stronger.

 But you know, it even goes beyond friendships and relationships.  If you are a tradie and you are working at somebody’s house trying to fix a problem, be somebody to that person.   Make them feel that for the time you are there, you are working on the most important problem in the whole world. 

If you become a doctor or a lawyer or an accountant or a teacher, deal with the person in front of you as if they are the most important person in the world – be somebody to them.  If you see someone in the street struggling, be somebody to them.  If you walk past a wrong or an injustice, try to make it right, be somebody to the people around you.

When you are somebody to someone, in whatever context you find yourself and whoever the someone is – who becomes the better person, the stronger person, the richer person? You do.

I cannot leave you with a better message – be somebody to someone.   In finishing gentlemen, thank you for everything you have given us.  Thank you for the way you have enriched the College in your time here from your very first day to tonight.  Thank you to the parents here tonight for handing your boys over to us and working with us in raising and developing fine young men.  We hope we have done you proud. 

Boys, for me personally, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to walk alongside you for the past four years – with the highs and even with the lows.  Come back to us as old boys.  Continue to be a part of our community and continue to enrich us with your presence and contributions. 

 In Italian we say “Tanti auguri e cammina con Dio” – best wishes and walk with God.  We look forward to seeing everything you have to give the world and how you can be somebody to someone”.

Ricky Stuart, Br Matt McKeon Faith and Service Award
It was an honour and privilege to have old boy Mr Ricky Stuart as our special guest at the Year 12 Graduation Assembly last Friday. It was only two years ago that Ricky was at our graduation ceremony watching his son Jed finish his time at the College.

Earlier this year, at our Opening College Mass, we presented the Br Matt McKeon Faith and Service Awards to individuals in the College who have demonstrated a significant depth of faith and service in a number of ways to both the College community and the wider community.  The awards are presented annually to a member of staff, students and an old boy.  Ricky was not able to be with us at that event, so I am pleased that he has been able to join us last Friday to receive his award.

The phrase ‘Eddies Boy’ has been used to describe the fine men who have walked the halls of St Edmund’s College for the past 67 years. To be considered an Eddie’s Boy, a person must be loyal to his friends, faithful to his beliefs and be a person who is aware of the needs of others, actively trying to make the world a better place. Ricky Stuart is a true Eddie’s boy. He has had an illustrious career in Rugby League which has seen him achieve at the highest level as a player and a coach.  His incredible skills as a player have inspired many young fans to pull on the boots and take up playing the game of rugby league. In his role as coach both here and overseas, Ricky has been responsible for mentoring many young players to fully commit to their chosen sport be the best they can be both on and off the field. Ricky’s sense of sportsmanship is strong and genuine.

Ricky Stuart epitomises the importance of service, giving of his time to make a positive difference to those people and families in the community living with special needs.  The Ricky Stuart Foundation was set up in December 2011 to help Ricky achieve his goals in raising an awareness and an understanding of autism. The Foundation raises funds to directly support people with autism and their families.  Over the last 10 years the Foundation has developed and built $3.5 million in respite facilities, and earlier this year Ricky announced the progression yet another development. This third facility is to be built in Queanbeyan and will create a home where independence can be achieved by adults with a disability.

Ricky was recently appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for “significant service to rugby league, and to the community”.

It is with much pride and pleasure that we congratulate Mr Ricky Stuart on being the Old Boy recipient of the 2021 Br Matt McKeon Faith and Service Award.

Student Voice Forum
A few weeks ago we explored the EREA Child Safeguarding Frameworks over a few editions of Vortex.  One of the main concepts to emerge from the Frameworks is for schools to have a strong and clear focus on student voice, ensuring that student voice is not only student leader voice.

As part of the EREA family of schools, St Edmund’s College is expected to engage with students and enable student contribution to decision making frameworks and feedback implementation. Students are a school’s most important stakeholders and it is important that schools partner with children and young people with whom they work. This partnership should be extended to include working with children to make decisions together and also implement decisions together.

In 2022, we plan to have a student voice structure where the voices, perceptions, ideas and concerns of our students are heard and acted upon.  I will provide specific details of this new student forum early next year once we have completed our planning.

Uniform
Attached to this edition of Vortex is the schedule of opening times for the Uniform Shop during January next year, prior to the commencement of term.  I would ask that you have this handy to avoid disappointment and delays in purchasing items of summer.

Important Dates
I would ask all parents to please keep in mind the following important dates as we draw closer to the end of the year:

Prayer for our Year 12 Graduates
Gracious and caring God,
our source of light,
we ask for your Almighty hand to be upon our graduates as we send them forward.
With their classes and exams now complete,
may they strive toward excellence in all they do.
With the applause quieted,
may they celebrate and lift up those around them.
With the speeches concluded,
may their voices rise up to pronounce peace and justice in the world.
With the fanfare ceasing,
may they find bliss in future endeavours and adventures.
With certificates and awards in hand,
may their achievements grow and enrich their communities.
As young men of the Edmund Rice tradition,
may they discover Holiness in the midst of life’s blessings as well life’s challenges.
As their careers and further studies commence,
may they conduct their life’s work with exceptional skill and integrity
inspired to make Christ their light
from this day onward.
Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

As we enter the all-important season of Advent next week, the Gospel reading from last Sunday reminds us of the nature of the Kingdom of God.  Last Sunday was the Feast of Christ the King – The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’ (John 18:33-37)

People who are not familiar with the New Testament will hear the phrase, “Christ the King” and will automatically think of concepts of authority, power, status, privilege, wealth and all the other connotations of the word “king”.  People who are familiar with the New Testament know very well that this is furthest from the truth.  Christ is King, but he is a king whose power is very firmly founded in the first and greatest commandment of love, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind”. Jesus’ rule is further founded in the concept of loving your neighbour as you would love yourself.  There is an authority to the kingship of Jesus – the authority of love.  This is a king who acknowledges the poor in spirit, the meek and those who mourn.  This is a king who celebrates those who thirst for righteousness, those who are pure of heart and those who seek peace. This is a king who blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness.

God’s kingdom is a place of humility, charity, and love, where the transformation of the inner person leads to a virtuous life. In the last sentence of the Gospel passage, Jesus says to Pilate that those who belong to the truth listen to his voice. A truthful life and a genuine life is indeed one grounded in the words of Jesus.  It is this life of truth and authenticity that we endeavour to promote every single day here at St Edmund’s College.  As a Catholic school grounded in the spirit and tradition of Edmund Rice, our vision is to develop boys into young men of strong character, by building a spirit of growth through Liberating Education; hope through Gospel Spirituality; belonging through Inclusive Community and service through Justice and Solidarity.  Our mission is to provide a quality Catholic education in the Edmund Rice tradition by promoting the highest levels of personal achievement in education bringing the light of Christ to every student; recognising, nurturing and celebrating the God given qualities of every member of our community and promoting opportunities for service to the community and to each other. This is our vision and mission.  As we near the end of the year we hope that we have moved our students along this path, making the Kingdom of God a little stronger and clearer for all in our community.

On Tuesday of this week we held our Student Leadership Formation Day for our senior and junior school leaders.  The final activity of the day was for the various groups of leaders to formulate their own vision and mission statements for their particular groups.  I will share these student-led vision and mission statements with you in the next few weeks or early next year. As mentioned before, next year we have leaders in both the senior school and junior school who have stewardship for the four EREA Touchstones – Gospel Spirituality, Liberating Education, Justice and Solidarity and Inclusive Community.  I am genuinely excited to see how the Touchstones are animated throughout the year with the good work of our new student leaders.

Uniform Shop
Accompanying this Vortex is a flyer for Uniform Shop opening hours in 2022. I would ask all parents to familiarise themselves with these details so you can plan well for your uniform fitting and purchase for next year.

Uniform Optional Items (next winter)
We have received the sample of the College puffer jacket.  All students, parents and staff on the consulting group have been unanimous in their approval of the sample, so it looks like we will go ahead with the puffer jacket for next winter.  The puffer jacket is an optional item of uniform (not compulsory) and is intended to be worn over the College blazer and jumper during winter.

The sample of the new beanie was not met with the same enthusiasm (I must say I was disappointed when it arrived), so we are still working on a better design for this. The beanie is also an optional item of winter uniform.

Important Dates
I would ask all parents to please keep in mind the following important dates as we draw closer to the end of the year:

PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ,
You are a King who cares deeply for his people.
May we search out those in need,
so that Love and Justice will reign
as the Kingdom of God is brought forth within us.
We ask our prayer in your name and in the power of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

The last few days have been a sad and difficult time for the College community. I won’t repeat the circumstances of late last week as all members of the College community have been notified of this. I must thank the many members of our community who have taken the time to send messages of support and encouragement in the last few days. I have received a great number of supportive emails from current parents, including Year 12 parents who had sons involved in the incident; new parents to the school commencing in 2022 and from a number of old boys. This has been a great comfort during this time. Unfortunately it has become a common practice in our society to automatically tar everyone with the same brush, having the actions of a few characterise a whole community. We must remember that only a small number of students were involved in the event in question in low-level activities. The majority of Year 12 students chose not to involve themselves in the event and we must acknowledge their wise and sound decision. Now that we have identified those involved, we have commenced our discernment as to appropriate actions to take from this point.

The behaviour of a small group of boys has certainly been distressing and disappointing. What is also disappointing is the way in which the publication which published the article handled the matter. I have been recently informed that scavenger hunts have been a common end of year practice for a number of schools in Canberra. I have had at least two colleague principals inform me that they knew of similar activities in their schools this year, and scavenger hunt lists from other schools are circulating around the community. None of this was covered in the article. Of course this does not lessen the impact of the activities of our students last week. Nor does it excuse or justify their actions. We will continue to deeply examine our programs here at school to ensure that this behaviour does not happen again and we still have work to do to ensure that the message we are trying to instil in our students is fully internalised. But the fact that this was not reported does mean that highly significant context and perspective is missing from the article, and that a misleading impression was made of the College. The old saying is that the pen is mightier than the sword. The article, in solely focusing on the actions of a few students at St Edmund’s College, is good example of this.

The College does not condone the actions of last week. We still have much work to do in this space – in the process of working with students to make wise decisions and discern the underlying meaning and consequences of their actions.

College Leaders 2022
We now have finalised all of our College leaders for 2022. The list is below. We congratulate all of our students in leadership positions and we look forward to working closely with them in continuing to move forward with the College community. We are having a Leaders Formation Day on Tuesday 23 November to explore aspects of school leadership, servant leadership and developing skills in communication and working with others. The Junior School leaders will be announced by Mr David Kelly (Assistant Principal, Junior School) in his section of Vortex.

College Captain (stewardship for Inclusive Community): Andrew McFarlane

College Vice-Captain, Academic (stewardship for Liberating Education): Matthew McGrath

College Vice-Captain, Mission (stewardship for Gospel Spirituality): Joshua Hobbs

College Vice-Captain, Service (stewardship for Justice and Solidarity): Henry Alsworth

Clancy House Captain: Josh Wink; Vice-Captain: Archer Cooney

Haydon House Captain: Luca Morella; Vice-Captain: Will Grame

Mulrooney House Captain: Liam Guthrie; Vice-Captain: Himesh Rajapakse

O’Brien House Captain: Thomas Percy; Vice-Captain: Tahj Guglielmin

Rice House Captain: Liam Spence; Vice-Captain: Justin Thomas

Treacy House Captain: Andre Jugovac; Vice-Captain: Hunter Harlor

Congratulations
Congratulations to Year 10 student, Connor Mynott-Smith (Treacy House) who has been signed by the O’Connor Knights Soccer Club. The Knights announcement on their Facebook page notes that “Connor is undoubtedly one of the most exciting young and promising talents in Canberra who possesses amazing qualities. An attacking playmaker who is unpredictable and calm despite his young tender age of just 16 years. Connor is technically and tactically gifted and has attacking flair in abundance and will slot into the first team squad easily.” We are very proud of Connor and his great achievement for Connor. Well done Connor!

Uniform optional items (next winter)
We have received the sample of the College puffer jacket. All students, parents and staff on the consulting group have been unanimous in their approval of the sample, so it looks like we will go ahead with the puffer jacket for next winter. The puffer jacket is an optional item of uniform (not compulsory) and is intended to be worn over the College blazer and jumper during winter.

The sample of the new beanie was not met with the same enthusiasm (I must say I was disappointed when it arrived), so we are still working on a better design for this. The beanie is also an optional item of winter uniform.

Important dates
I would ask all parents to please keep in mind the following important dates as we draw closer to the end of the year:
• Year 11 & Year 12 Examinations Monday 15 to Friday 19 November
• Year 10 Examinations Tuesday 23 & Wednesday 24 November
• 2022 Student Leaders Formation Day
(Junior School & High School) Tuesday 23 November
• Year 12 Graduation Mass, Assembly & Dinner Friday 26 November
• Last day for Year 10 students Friday 26 November
• Last day for Year 4 – Year 9 students Tuesday 7 December
• Junior School & High School Presentation Ceremonies Tuesday 7 December
• Reception closed Thursday 23 December to Friday 10 January

PRAYER
God of Love,
When we feel lost and abandoned, your Word says that you will always guide us.
You do not leave us wandering through life
but you are with us during every moment of every day.
Help us to follow your ways when we feel weary, disappointed and frustrated,
and help us to experience joy in life.
May we be like the well-watered garden which thrives
because the roots are firmly planted in your love.
Amen.

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea

“If we walk in the light, as he is the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7

To the families and friends of St Edmund’s College,

One of my great interests in a boys educational environment is how we can restore the lost form of ritual rites of passage for our students.  A traditional rite of passage is any ceremony or event that marks a transition from one phase of life to another. These ceremonies often correlate with a significant change of status in the boy’s community.  Unfortunately over time we have lost this sense of ritualised rites of passage and have left boys to experience their development into young men on their own, leading to problematic behaviours and attitudes as boys have sought to model themselves on inappropriate images of adulthood.

Throughout history, rituals would give a community an opportunity to recognise the new status of a young man. Being witnessed in this way would hold the young man accountable for honouring his new standing and responsibilities to the group.  These ritual initiations were revered as sacred and provided young men with the opportunity to transform their consciousness. It was a mental marker for them to shift their way of thinking about themselves and how they should behave.  Dr Arne Rubinstein, an expert in adolescent behaviour, writes that “Our lack of formal rites of passage has meant young men are learning how to be a man through the media and the internet”.

Dr Rubinstein also writes that we have the ability to create contemporary rites of passage where teenage boys are challenged to think about what sort of men they are going to be and what childish behaviour they need to let go of.  I would hope that St Edmund’s College provides our young men with important rituals and rites of passage to assert their transition and development. An example of this is the Year 12 Formal which was held last Friday.  Not only is this a social occasion in which our students can let their hair down and celebrate the end of the year, but in this formal occasion there is a wonderful opportunity to mark this time as a significant time of transition.

We also have a Year 12 Farewell Rites of Passage Week where the last week of school is marked by a special event each day. The week commences with the Old Boys and Friends Association Breakfast, in which the boys are addressed by a member of the Association (an old boy) and they are formally inducted into the Association.  Tuesday is normally marked by an activities afternoon where the oldest students in the school (Year 12) and the youngest students in the school (Year 4) spend a fun afternoon together involved in a myriad of activities.  Unfortunately this year we cannot have this combined afternoon due to ACT Health regulations which prohibits different cohorts in schools mixing together.  Wednesday is normally marked by a farewell lunch with Year 12 students from St Clare’s College.  Again, COVID restrictions do not allow different school groups from mixing together, so this year the boys will have a farewell lunch with staff.  On Thursday the boys will have an affirmation liturgy in the Chapel.  This is a beautifully touching activity where the boys bring in a white shirt and have the shirt signed by their peers as a symbol of their time together over the past nine or six years.  The Farewell Rites of Passage Week ends with Friday’s House Farewells, where the boys are farewelled by their House groups, led by the head of House and tutor. There are also some significant rituals planned for the Year 12 Mass, Assembly and Graduation Dinner on 26 November (which I cannot mention here without spoiling the surprise!).

I hope that in a small way the planned rituals we have for our Year 12 students allows them to reflect on their transition away from school, entering the world before them with a greater sense of maturity and a closer sense of their own identity. Over time I would like to introduce a wider range of rituals for our boys in other year groups, appropriate to their age and development.

As already mentioned, our Year 12 Formal was held last Friday at the Arboretum.  This was a great event and perhaps one of the best formals I have attended in my 36 years of working in schools.  Our young men were perfectly behaved, beautifully dressed and looked after their guests well. Our Year 12 students introduced their guest to me as they arrived at the venue, at which point we had a brief chat before they moved into the venue itself.  The boys are reminded of appropriate etiquette prior to the event.  It was a fun and positive evening and it marked the nearing of completion of a difficult and problematic year for students in lockdown.  I congratulate our boys who certainly rose to the occasion last Friday. We look forward to a similar positive experience with their Farewell Rites of Passage Week and their graduation events.

College Expectations
As I wrote last week, it was an absolute delight to have all of our students back on campus.  Most of our boys have returned in a very positive manner, engaging well in their face to face learning and enjoying the energy of school life.  It was disappointing to see some boys poorly dressed and with extreme haircuts.  I have always said that St Edmund’s College is more flexible with its hair policy than any other Catholic school in Canberra, but we do not tolerate hairstyles which are ridiculously extreme and come nowhere near meeting the College expectations.  If we have boys coming to school with unacceptable hairstyles, we will have no hesitation in sending those boys home to rectify the hairstyle.  This should come as no surprise to any of our students or parents, as appearance is one aspect of school life that is made very clear at each and every enrolment interview and is clearly mentioned in our enrolment policy.  Having said this, I must congratulate the vast majority of our students who make a great effort each and every day to come to school in appropriate appearance, wanting to represent their school in the best way possible.

Uniform optional items (next winter)
We have received the sample of the College puffer jacket.  All students, parents and staff on the consulting group have been unanimous in their approval of the sample, so it looks like we will go ahead with the puffer jacket for next winter.  The puffer jacket is an optional item of uniform (not compulsory) and is intended to be worn over the College blazer and jumper during winter.

The sample of the new beanie was not met with the same enthusiasm (I must say I was disappointed when it arrived), so we are still working on a better design for this. The beanie is also an optional item of winter uniform.

I will provide more information about these optional items of uniform over the next few weeks.

Important dates
I would ask all parents to please keep in mind the following important dates as we draw closer to the end of the year:

EREA Child Safeguarding Standards

This week we continue exploring the Standards by looking at Standard 11 (the final Standard).

Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) and St Edmund’s College Canberra are committed to creating an environment in which the safety, wellbeing and participation of all children and young people are paramount.  We have zero tolerance of child abuse and all allegations and safety concerns are treated very seriously in line with our robust policies and procedures. EREA and St Edmund’s College have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.

EREA has responded proactively to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse by developing a set of Child Safeguarding Standards. The EREA Child Safeguarding Standards Framework is designed to further enhance a culture within St Edmund’s College and all EREA schools wherein protecting children and young people from abuse and other harm, and the promotion of child safety, participation, empowerment and wellbeing, are embedded in the everyday thinking and practice of our leaders, staff and volunteers.

The EREA Child Safeguarding Standards ensure accountability for the protection and safety of the children and young people under our care. St Edmund’s College and all EREA schools and entities are held accountable to the Child Safeguarding Standards and we will regularly report to EREA on how these standards are being addressed here.

The purpose and intent of the Standards contained in this Framework are to embed a culture of child safety and wellbeing by demonstrating values in practice, nurturing the wellbeing of all children and young people, respecting their dignity, ensuring their safety and protecting them from abuse and other harm. This we do, at all times, by acting in the best interests of children and young people under our care.  The Framework should be read alongside the EREA Child Safeguarding Policy which can be found here, and the St Edmund’s College Canberra Commitment to Child Safety which can be found here.  The entire EREA Child Safeguarding Standards Framework can be found here.

STANDARD 11: EREA PROTOCOLS AND REQUIREMENTS EREA protocols and requirements support ongoing compliance with and reporting against the EREA Child Safeguarding Standards.

EREA, through its Board, seeks assurance that EREA itself, as well as each EREA school, complies with all relevant child protection legislation and regulations, the requirements set out in the EREA Child Safeguarding Standards and relevant requirements of the Catholic Church.

Rationale: The EREA Board is the means through which EREA discharges its governance responsibilities with respect to the implementation of these Child Safeguarding Standards in each EREA school. In accordance with this authority, EREA requires regular assurance from each EREA school on the overall effectiveness of its Child Safeguarding policies and procedures and the management of child safety incidents, either current or historical. The EREA Board have a responsibility for ensuring this.

What is EREA expected to have in place to comply with Standard 11?

1. EREA models compliance with the EREA Child Safeguarding Standards at its highest level of leadership.
2. Governance arrangements facilitate implementation of EREA’s child safeguarding strategies at all levels and across all of EREA’s activities.
3. EREA monitors and oversees the effective implementation of child safeguarding policies, procedures and practices, including the Child Safeguarding Policy and related procedures and practices at all EREA schools.
4. EREA monitors child safeguarding compliance and risk management at each EREA school through annual risk assessments and attestations of compliance that are provided by each EREA school.

From now on, when an initiative or program is raised in Vortex or any other College publication or communication, we will explicitly make the connection to the relevant Child Safeguarding Standard so the whole community is aware of how we are meeting our expectations.  We will also post the ways in which we comply with each Standard on our website.

PRAYER REFLECTION

Gospel, Mark 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, “Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honour in synagogues, and places of honour at banquets.  They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.  A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.

Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, “Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.”

Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.

Joe Zavone
Principal
Christus Lux Mea