Some exciting AFL news this week as 4 St Bernard’s boys have been selected for the Vic Metro squad in the 2026 Under-18 National Championships!

2025 graduates Sam Harris and Nic Staropoli have been chosen for the main squad, while current students Nate Jenkins and Tevita Rodan are named in the train-on list. All 4 play for the Calder Cannons at AFL Talent League—the highest-level junior competition in Victoria.

This is a massive achievement for these boys and a reward for their effort and preparation both on and off the field. Kudos as well to our dedicated staff and coaches, who provide fantastic support to all our students pursuing AFL.

We are thrilled to launch the St Bernard’s College Music Academy in Semester 2, 2026. This initiative is designed to not only foster musical excellence but ignite creativity in boys and girls from Years 2 to 6, all before they commence secondary education.

This is an exciting and transformative opportunity for young musicians across our partnership primary schools; offering them access to high-quality vocal and instrumental ensemble experiences with highly trained music teachers.

Through our Choir, Concert Band and String Ensemble, students will develop their skills in a supportive and inspiring environment. At the end of each semester, students will perform in a collaborative concert, bringing their family, friends and our community together in a confidence-building stage performance.

If you or someone you know have a child in Years 2-6 with an interest in music, this program is tailor-made for them. We are holding a Parent Information Night on Wednesday, 10 June at the College in the Frank FitzGerald Auditorium, and encourage you to come along. You can also directly register your interest in the program here.

The future of music education starts here, and we can’t wait to see where it takes us!

Please Note: Participation in the Music Academy does not also guarantee your child's enrolment to St Bernard's College. 

Well done to Sam, Hugh and Jai who represented the College at the SSAV Golf Championships held at Lonsdale Links on Monday 25 May. The team earned their place at this prestigious event after winning the ACC competition in March.

Facing the challenging coastal conditions of Lonsdale Links, all three students displayed composure, resilience and a high level of golfing ability. Sam led the team with an impressive round of 75, highlighted by consistency and excellent course management. Jai followed with a solid 82, while Hugh contributed an 83, with both players demonstrating determination and an ability to adapt to the demanding layout and conditions.

Collectively, their efforts resulted in a commendable fourth-place finish in the team event, a strong achievement at state level.

Beyond their performances, the students represented the College with professionalism and outstanding sportsmanship throughout the day. Their preparation, commitment and positive attitude were evident at all times.

Overall, their progression from ACC champions to a top-four finish at SSAV level is an excellent achievement, and we congratulate them on their efforts!

We are proud to honour Ms Wilkinson as this year's recipient of the Spirit of Edmund Award – a recognition of her enormous contribution to our local community and unwavering commitment to the values of our school and EREA.

A tireless and passionate advocate for blood donations, Ms Wilkinson leads the St Bernard's College Lifeblood team, raising awareness in our community and encouraging all who are able to give life-saving donations of blood, plasma or platelets.

Thanks to her inspiring efforts, the St Bernard's team now stands at 169 members, made up of eligible staff, students, parents, and community members, and together we made 258 donations last year—the most of any school in Victoria by some distance!

Selfless and caring in her work, Ms Wilkinson leads with compassion and infectious enthusiasm, and it's no wonder our community has taken her message to heart. A fitting recipient who lives the Edmund Rice charism daily!

SBC Donation Stats 2025

Congratulations to Josh, Emanuel, Sam, Nicholas, and Josh for their outstanding efforts in the ACC Culinary Competition on Friday 22 May!

The team prepared Duck à l’Orange and a Lemon Myrtle–Infused Poached Pear, demonstrating great skill and creativity in both presentation and Indigenous dish execution.

We are proud to share that the team received a Silver Medal for their entry—an excellent achievement and a reflection of their dedication, effort and teamwork throughout the competition. 🥈

This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated Food Studies coaches, Ms Miclat and Mr Pieper, our wonderful Food Studies assistants, Ms Carbone and Mr Kypriotis, who dedicated additional time to support the team’s training, and our staff who assisted with transport on the day.

Congratulations all, this was an amazing team effort!

That's a wrap on Languages Week!

Throughout this week our students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich cultures of Japan and Italy, the two language subjects offered at St Bernard's College, with some fantastic activities:

Japanese Kendo Incursion: Our Year 9 Japanese students learned the basics of Kendo, a traditional martial art, with the Melbourne Budokai Kenshikan Dojo. They practised with the Shinai sword, practising discipline and control as they learned the proper technique.

Commedia Dell'arte: Also at Resurrection House, our Year 9 Italian students enjoyed a Commedia dell'arte performance, a form of theatre and sketch comedy that originated in Renaissance Italy. Donning the masks of Commedia dell'arte's archetypal characters - such as Il Capitano, Colombina and Pantalone - our talented guest performers put a modern twist on the show, taking these characters to the modern-day White House!

Taiko Drumming: Our Year 7 students watched a lively demonstration of taiko, drums and percussion instruments used in Japan for over a thousand years. Students and staff alike got involved as they practised traditional forms and rhythms with the guidance of our presenters.

Cannoli Workshop: Who better to teach how to make cannoli than our local experts at Cannoli Bar in Avondale Heights? Year 10, 11 and 12 students were treated to a professional demonstration on the traditional Italian dessert, before making their own cannoli to enjoy (we tried to tell them to bring some cannoli home for their families, but it may have fallen on deaf ears...)

Students also had the opportunity to try delicious Bento boxes at lunch on Wednesday, a tasty packed lunch that is popular in Japanese schools. 

Thank you to our incredible presenters and artists for inspiring our students and to our dedicated staff for making these amazing opportunities possible!

Grazie mille! ありがとう!

We've had some outstanding results in athletics this month, and all our students can be very proud of their efforts.

At the beginning of May we had several teams compete in the Athletics Victoria All Schools Road Relay Championships at Princes Park. The relay events required athleticism, discipline and team cohesion and our students displayed these wonderfully well. With a time of 37:42, our senior team were rewarded with a third-place finish in the U20 event, less than 20 seconds off the winners at 37:23.

Next up, our intrepid team of students and staff ventured down to Apollo Bay for the Great Ocean Road Running Festival on 16 May—a great opportunity for all to gain further running experience and continue to challenge themselves. Competing in the 6km and 14km races, the team posted some excellent results, with many finishing top 10 in their category. A huge congratulations to students Patrick, Isaac and William who came first in their age brackets! A shout-out also to teachers Ms Roberts, Mr Cox, Mr Sweeney and Ms Romanin who all placed in the top 3 in their category.

Our athletes continue to train hard and we look forward to more events, including the annual City2Surf, later in the year.