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.

NAIDOC Week is an important time in our Catholic schools, where we celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Through liturgies, assemblies, presentations and learning activities, our schools have learned about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and acknowledged the significant history and presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the many regions of our Diocese.

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.

In a historic decision, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference endorsed the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) acknowledgment plaques for use in schools, parishes and organisations across Australia, making a strong statement of support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The breadth and depth of St John the Evangelist, Nowra’s Vocational Education and Training (VET) talent was on clear display at the recent Shoalhaven Excellence in Vocational Education and Training Awards, with many students receiving recognition for their efforts both in and out of school.

A special congratulations to the Excellence in Vocational Education and Training ‘Student of the Year’ award recipients from St John's: Lauren Field (Hospitality Student of the Year) and Jack Flamminio (Construction Student of the Year).

Toumanda Fohrman has faced struggles coming to terms with her cultural identity as she’s grown up. But support from her mother and her Aboriginal community have empowered her to find confidence and strength in her Aboriginality.

Today, the Year 12 student from St Joseph’s, Albion Park, has aspirations to pursue a career where she can give back to her Aboriginal community and help others like her find their own purpose and sense of belonging.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week and this year’s theme, ‘Because of her, we can!’, we spoke to Toumanda about her journey in a three-part audio interview here...

Six years ago, Kylie McElhone was juggling being a wife and mother of two teenagers, a full-time career woman and university student, all while searching for crucial answers to her family history and cultural identity. She might have had her doubts, but with a strength, determination and a passion for learning that has characterised much of her life, she made it through with flying colours. 

Today, her wealth of diverse professional and personal experience not only gives her an incredible life story, but powerful insight and empathy in her role within CEDoW’s Child Protection team.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week and this year’s theme, ‘Because of her, we can!’, we spoke to Kylie about her journey. Listen to our four-part audio interview with Kylie here...

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.