College Advisory Council

for me time and again, the true selflessness and vocation that belongs to this work. Our teachers and support staff have put students first and have been acutely attuned to their learning and wellbeing needs.

In education, we often speak about the primary role of parents and carers as the first educators of their children. When a student enters an Edmund Rice school, it is not only the child who is welcomed into the community, but indeed the whole family. Our partnership with parents and carers is so important to us, and the support and interest that families demonstrate in their local community never ceases to impress upon me the value that we all share in belonging; to a group that is bigger than ourselves, to an expression of a faith community, and to a shared belief in the power of an education to liberate. I offer my thanks to our parents and carers for the contributions that you each make in making your school community a vibrant place.

For those young women and men who are taking their leave from school this year, I offer you every blessing and best wishes as you navigate the post-school world. Please know that you will remain in the thoughts and prayers of the wider Edmund Rice community. Whatever it is you take with you from your experience of education in your school, my sincere hope is that you will have an appreciation of and be moved to action to use your gifts and skills to make change in the world. May the inspiration of Blessed Edmund Rice, and the living out of the Gospel move you to look out for those who are marginalised in our world, give of your time as well as your resources, and in turn, motivate others in your world to do the same.

There is much that is happening in our world right now, that can cause us to become glum, if not distressed. Yet, as a faith-filled Catholic community, we remain hope-filled. May the birth of the Christ-child bring joy, peace and happiness.

Frank Bortkevitch

Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today “ ”

My report for 2020 highlighted the emerging impact of COVID-19 on the world with particular reference to St Edward’s College. We have now had almost two years to experience this impact.

The College Council has had a fairly passive role in the College this year because of the pandemic. We continued to conduct our meetings via Zoom.

The energies, focus, skill and inventiveness of all the teaching, management, financial, IT and support staff were involved in the safe and effective delivery of the education product.

The Council is very proud of how all the staff continued the high standard of education, care and welfare of St Edward’s College. The Council would be very pleased if parents, carers and students could express their thanks to the staff of St Edward’s when next you have physical contact; expressed appreciation goes a long way.

For the rest of my report I have drawn heavily on an article published by David Saks, Kieran Bayles, Annabelle Taggart and Sue Noble titled COVID-19 and education: how Australian Schools are responding and what happens next.

COVID-19 has had, and is having, a destructive and widespread impact on our lives, and the education of our children has not been excepted.

“According to UNESCO over 1.5 billion pupils or 87 per cent of the world’s student population across 165 countries have been affected by school closures caused by COVID-19.”

The resourcefulness, skills and experience of our teachers, parents and students enabled a rapid adjustment to new modes of teaching and learning – away from the traditional model of education in a physical classroom