Thank you to our incredible community for a fantastic Term 3!

As we head into the holidays, remember to take some time to relax and recharge. We look forward to an action-packed Term 4 starting on Monday, 5 October. 

Have a wonderful break!

Monday, 21 September – Thursday, 24 September: Open 9.00 am - 3.00 pm

Friday, 25 September: Office Closed (Public Holiday)

Monday, 28 September – Friday, 2 October: Open 9.00 am - 3.00 pm

You’re listening to SBC Radio!

Recently our Year 7 Able & Ambitious students became real-life radio presenters thanks to Live FM. In their special program tailor-made for schools, our students learned how to use radio equipment, how to run an interview, and the industry-standard practices used in live broadcasting.

We were honoured to be joined by several distinguished old collegians as our radio guests. From financial services heavyweights to former AFL champions, it was a diverse group of enthusiastic interviewees.

St Bernard’s warmly thanks John Cachia, Simon Madden, Michael Perrett, Tony Kofkin, Ryan Legudi, Bernard Saundry and Peter Hogan for joining the program and really engaging with our Year 7s.

Based on the day’s theme of ‘belonging’, students asked our alumni insightful questions about their experiences at St Bernard’s and what it means to be an old collegian. Principal Dr Michael Davies and acting Dean of Identity Mr Leahy bookended a great program, chatting about events like the Winter Sleepout and sharing what they enjoy most about teaching.

A huge thank-you to the Live FM team for putting together an amazing day, keeping everything running smoothly and ensuring our students felt confident and capable on air.

We also extend our gratitude to Essendon BMW for sponsoring this fantastic program for our students, and to our old collegians for your enthusiastic participation.

Stay tuned for interview clips! Our Year 10 Able & Ambitious students also ran their own broadcast from the Essendon Football Club's Hangar training facility, photos and clips from that day will be available soon!

Introducing CDFpay for simple, convenient online ordering

St Bernard’s College will be using CDFpay for online canteen ordering, walk-up canteen purchases, events, and fundraising at our school from the commencement of Term 4 (Monday, 5 October 2026). Use of credit cards is still an option.

How to register for a CDFpay account

1. Download the CDFpay app on the Apple or Google store, then click ‘Sign up now’.
   No app? Register here
2. Enter and confirm your email address, then click ‘Sign up’.
3. Check your email inbox and follow the prompts to complete your account registration (check junk/spam if lost).

After you have registered and entered your child’s details, you can:

Add your child’s student card number to enable over-the-counter purchases.

Top up your parent wallet (optional, you can also pay per order) and set daily spend limits for your child. (To avoid card surcharges, top up $50 or more using a debit card or bank transfer any value.)

Order and pay in seconds! 

Have questions? Visit the CDFpay powered by Flexischools Help & Support page for detailed FAQs or chat to the Flexischools Digital Assistant. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please complete the online Contact Form and Flexischools will get back to you directly. 

You may also visit the Canteen page on mySBC for additional information and to contact our IT team.

The College is proud to continue its longstanding traditions of the SBC Winter Sleepout, held in solidarity with those experiencing homelessness and hardship, and the Vinnies Winter Appeal, our donation drive sourcing essential items for the St Vincent de Paul Society to deliver to those who need them most.

50 students across all year levels took part in the Sleepout, an opportunity for the boys to strengthen camaraderie and experience what a night living on the streets might feel like. The group were also lucky to hear a keynote address from Deidre at the Vinnies Inner City Soup Van Hub, who manages our Mackillop Service Learning Program.

Well done to all our students (and the teachers who braved it with them) for leaning in to a new experience and gaining greater understanding and sympathy for those doing it tough this winter.

The following morning saw our students and community donate in extraordinary numbers to the Winter Appeal. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to contribute another full van of donations to the Footscray Vinnies Soup Van—and this year’s Appeal was the biggest donation of single items they’ve ever received!

We extend our gratitude to our amazing Parent Social Justice Network, who provided soup for supper during the Sleepout, and assisted in the Winter Appeal drive the following morning.

Thank you to all involved in this year’s events—your solidarity with our wider community truly makes a difference.

In partnership with Phillips Coaching, our SBC Emerging Athlete Academy is back for Term 4, and we encourage interested Year 7 and 8 students to get involved!

A fusion of sports development, innovation, and high–performance coaching, these programs develop skills for on and off the field—including physical fitness, fundamental techniques, resilience, discipline, teamwork, preparation and decision-making.

Spots are available for Year 7 & 8 students in our AFL Pre-Season, Basketball and Soccer programs in Term 4. 

Starting on Tuesday 20 October, the academy will run for 6 weeks, for a total of 12 sessions.

 2 sessions per week - Tuesdays and Thursdays
7:15am - 8:15am
St Bernard's College Essendon
Total Cost: $330 (inc. GST)

Book Year 7 AFL
Book Year 8 AFL

Book Year 7 Soccer
Book Year 8 Soccer

Book Year 7 Basketball
Book Year 8 Basketball

Check out the brochure below for all the details!

It has been absolutely wonderful to see some of our Year 12 cohort making their very first blood donation. Their thoughtfulness, generosity and willingness to help others are truly inspiring. On behalf of both the recipients whose lives may be changed by a donation and our SBC Lifeblood Team, thank you. Taking that very first step is a huge achievement, and I hope it becomes the beginning of a lifelong habit of giving back to your community.

To those of you who are yet to roll up your sleeve, thank you for your patience as I continue my enthusiastic campaign to encourage you to become donors! Every donation has the potential to make a real difference, and I am grateful for your willingness to listen and consider supporting this important cause.

UPDATE: Lifeblood School Blood Drive

What an incredible effort from our SBC Lifeblood Team! Thanks to the generosity and community spirit of our donors, we are currently sitting at the top of the national leaderboard. This is a fantastic achievement and something our entire school community can be proud of.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has already donated, booked an appointment, or supported the campaign. Every donation has the potential to make a real difference, and your willingness to give is truly appreciated.

With six weeks still to go, there is plenty of time for us to continue building on this wonderful momentum. As we head into the upcoming break, we would love to see another surge in donations. If you are thinking about donating, please know that every contribution counts and helps strengthen our team's impact.

Please remember to nominate St Bernard’s College as your team when you donate so your contribution can be included in our total.

Thank you again for your kindness, generosity and support. Let's keep up the amazing work and see just how far we can go together! 🌟🩸

Continuing our House celebrations with McAuley Week! 💛

The bright yellow of McAuley House lifted our spirits this winter as students and staff got involved in a range of activities.

Staff came together for a morning tea where all brought something yellow-themed, while the pentathlon challenge once again drew a big crowd. Fittingly, the McAuley team won the pentathlon—adding to their Rice Week crown and becoming the second team to win their own house challenge.

Wonderfully led once again by Fr Bernie Lane, our Community Mass was an opportunity to reflect on the work of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. Catherine’s mission to serve and inspire still resonates with us today. The fundraiser BBQ was this time held for Holloway House Aged Care Services, going towards a new garden and special excursions for their residents.

Thank you to all our students, our Identity team and especially to McAuley House Guardian, Ms Reeves-Williams, for a fun and meaningful week.

Last but not least - Avila Week in Term 4.

Thank you to all who attended our recent Father’s Day Breakfast!

Over 100 fathers and sons packed the Michael Perrett Pavilion for some quality time together while hearing from Essendon premiership players James Hird and Steven Alessio as guest speakers.

The day was a great opportunity for our Year 10, 11 and 12 students to celebrate the important male mentors in their lives. It was great to see guests mingling and making new connections.

A huge thank you to James and Steven for sharing their time and wisdom, and to Principal Dr Michael Davies for joining us to celebrate the SBC community.

To all our dads and father figures, we hope you had a great Father’s Day!

Join us in the O’Brien Centre in Term 4 for a vibrant evening celebrating our Art & Technology students!

Explore stunning student artwork and folios from Years 7–12, enjoy finger food & drinks, experience live performances from Music, Drama and Media and discover creative projects in Food Studies, Product Design & Technology, Digital Technologies and Engineering.

Guests will also have a chance to explore the brand-new Quays facilities, including the piazza and study hall. 

📅 Wednesday, 21 October 2026
⏰ 5:00pm - 8:00pm
📍 O’Brien Hall
🎟️ Free event! Register here - https://www.trybooking.com/DPXWZ

We can’t wait to see you there!