In 2023, the College is celebrating a significant milestone in its rich history. Don’t miss out on a wonderful evening! Tickets on sale now…

Celebrate 60 Years of educational excellence in Essendon!

Come together as a community to celebrate with a Diamond Dinner.

Tickets on sale now!

The Diamond Dinner will take place on Saturday, 26 August 2023, at the Victoria Pavilion, Showgrounds. This promises to be an unforgettable evening for our alumni, parents, staff and guests from the College community. It is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends to reminisce and look back on 60 years at Essendon. The Diamond Dinner invites you to partake in a 3-course dinner, engage with a live 6-piece band; so put on your dancing shoes, and there are even great door prizes up for grabs thanks to our wonderful sponsors.

To purchase tickets or book a table (10), please click on this link Diamond Dinner or scan the QR code.

For further enquiries please contact Mr Craig Osborne (Email: cosborne@sbc.vic.edu.au / Ph: 9289 1000

Interdisciplinary Day

On Wednesday 19 July, our Year 9 students participated in the first of three Interdisciplinary Days with the Year 9s from Ave Maria College.

This new program is aimed at strengthening relationships between the two schools, providing an opportunity for the boys and the girls to work together in an educational setting. The program aims at allowing students the opportunity to unleash their creativity and develop essential skills, such as teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication, while building respectful relationships. It also provides the opportunity to break gender barriers and foster inclusivity.

On the first day, the students were provided with the prompt where they needed to create a device that would enhance the lives of someone living with a disability. The day was facilitated by Akorn Education, who run STEM incursions with schools. Students were taught about empathy, and needed to consider the perspective of the person they would be designing the product for. The task involved them working together to firstly brainstorm, then vote and design the product, before building a prototype out of recycled materials. It was great to see the boys work with the girls in a productive way to achieve the aim of the day. The best 5 products were presented at the conclusion of the day, and some will be entered into the STEM MAD competition as a joint entry, which was exciting.

We look forward to the next two days, which firstly focus on STEM again on the 24 August (specifically on Engineering), where the students will be hosted by Ryan Evans from Lego Masters, before finishing the program in Term 4 with a day entitled ‘Shark Tank’. Here, the students will be provided with a brief where they need to develop an idea that they will pitch to others, similar to the TV show.

Overall, it was a great start to the new venture with Ave Maria College, and provided the Year 9’s yet another highlight in their already very unique year in their life as a St Bernard’s student.

We want to recognise some fantastic work and accomplishments of some of our outstanding young men

Cerano Tosone - Humanities Assignment

Recently our Year 7’s completed their second unit in Geography during their Humanities lessons. In this unit the student’s studied the components of Place and Liveability, some of the topics included factors involving people’s decisions about where to live, accessibility of services and facilities and how economic, social and environmental factors affect these choices. The students were given a task to design a liveable city taking these factors into consideration.

Cerano Tosone of 7 Rice A, took a very creative design option to his assignment, showing an excellent level of detail in his new city. We congratulate him on his efforts and hope we can share with the new students in the future the level of detail that they should aspire to.

Schools Sports Vic Under 12 & Under 15 Boys Footy Teams

We are thrilled to hear of 4 students who have been selected to play as part of the Schools Sports Vic Football teams!

William Young (Year 7)

James Mastropasqua (Year 7)

Tevita Roden (Year 8)

Sam Harris (Year 10)

William and James will play in the Under 12s side with Sam & Tavita selected to play in the Under 15s side

A tremendous accomplishment for all 4 boys. Best of luck to all 4 boys - we'll be cheering them on!

St Bernard's College extends its deepest gratitude to the entire school community for their outstanding efforts during McAuley Week 2023. The collective enthusiasm and active participation showcased our commitment to fostering an inclusive and vibrant community.

Led by the dedicated Student Council team, particularly Thomas Beecham and Oliver Hester, McAuley Week provided numerous opportunities for students, staff, and families to engage in activities that celebrated our shared values and identity. The week was filled with memorable events that highlighted the unique spirit of our school.

Among the many highlights were the McAuley House Community House Mass and the Resurrection House Mass, both of which were beautifully celebrated by Fr Joe Giacobbe. These sacred gatherings brought the community together in prayer and reflection, reinforcing our faith and unity.

Sportsmanship and camaraderie were on full display during the House Basketball Round Robin, where our Year 7 students showcased their skills and team spirit. The Staff Vs Student Basketball Match, a highly anticipated annual event, once again resulted in a victorious Staff team, demonstrating their prowess on the court.

Intellectual aptitude was tested during the Library Quiz, where students exhibited their knowledge and critical thinking abilities. The Musical Performances added a touch of creativity and talent, showcasing the artistic abilities of our students.

In the spirit of service, the alms raising BBQ took place, raising awareness and funds for the worthy cause of Live for Lily. Through the generosity and support of our community, a total of $1,575.59 was raised and donated to this important organization.

Looking ahead, we encourage everyone to keep their eyes peeled for the upcoming MacKillop Week Celebrations, which will take place in Week 5 of this term. These student-led initiatives provide further opportunities for our community to come together and celebrate our shared heritage and values.

St Bernard's College extends its deepest appreciation to all those involved in making McAuley Week a resounding success. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and commitment to our inclusive community are truly commendable. Together, we continue to create an environment where every individual is valued and celebrated.

Next week, the College celebrates our annual Languages week, a fantastic celebration of Japanese and Italian cultures with various activities and food on offer.

The Year 8 Basketball Academy is going strong - lots of students getting involved!

Semester Two has well and truly started, and with that all things music are back in action.

In Term Three, there are a number of music events that are most certainly going to knock your socks off:

• 25 July – VCE Music students will be performing for the Subject Selection Evening
• 28 July – St Bernard’s College and St Columba’s College Combined Choir will perform in the college languages assembly
• 18 August – The college Liturgical ensemble debuts in their first performance for the St Bernard’s Day Mass
• 21 August – Students involved in the college concert band and symphonic band will have an ACC Music workshop
• 30 August – lunchlive performance at Essendon Campus
• 1 September – The college Guitar Ensemble will perform for the Wellbeing Week assembly
• 6 September – lunchlive performance at Resurrection House
• 7 September – Spring Concert
• 12 September - Students involved in the college rockband will have ab ACC Music workshop
• 13 September – Year 12 VCE Performance Evening
• 14 September – Year 12 VCE Performance Evening
• 15 September – The Symphonic Band will perform for the Student Investitures Assembly

The new Year Seven students this semester have already started classes and with that have chosen their instrument that they are going to learn for the rest of the semester. For some of the boys, it is going to be their first experience ever on an instrument. Good luck boys, and remember to have fun!

Signing up for Music lessons this Term has opened on Trybooking and closes on the 21^st of July. Any parent/guardian who misses the sign up date or has any questions, please email the Music Administrator, Michelle Puglisi at mpuglisi@sbc.vic.edu.au, or contact the Head of Music, Joshua Romeo at jromeo@sbc.vic.edu.au. With the students in Semester One finally completing music, signing up for lessons is a wonderful experience that allows your son to further develop their musical and academic skills.

This term, Friends of Music will be resuming. Friends of Music is an opportunity for parents and members of the St Bernard’s Community to get involved in the music program, and with that contribute to creating as many opportunities as possible for all the young men involved. Looking ahead, it is our hope to raise money for a more diverse collection of innovative instruments. If you would like to join Friends of Music, please email the Head of Music, Joshua Romeo.

The College was recently contacted by Jack Comito, who graduated last year with an update on his career journey

Off the back of an Australian Defence Force visit for a careers expo in 2022, Jack independently enlisted, completed his initial training, and has graduated a Private with the ADF, where he is currently completing his next level training at the school of infantry in Singleton NSW.

A fantastic example of the lasting impact a careers expo can have!

Well done Jack

UNIVERSITY OPEN DAYS 2023

Getting the most out of an Open Day

Most institutional Open Days are held in late July and August. However, you are more than welcome to contact an institution to arrange a visit any time.

What happens on an Open Day?

On Open Day you can visit an institution when it’s at its best. Everyone is there – academics, lecturers, current students, and information officers. More importantly, you can talk with academics, lecturers, and current students about what certain courses are actually like, and what is required to get into them.

Who should attend an Open Day?

Anyone who is considering studying at a tertiary level in the next few years should attend.

Why should you attend an Open Day?

Apart from the opportunity to obtain course information there are many other reasons why attending an Open Day is a good idea:

• You are going to feel more comfortable arriving at a university or TAFE institute on the first day of classes if you have been there before.

• What is really involved in the course or courses you are interested in?

• If you have to move away from home, where are you going to live?

• Will you be happier studying in a large metropolitan institution or a smaller, perhaps rural institution?

• What does the place ‘feel’ like? Is it a bustling environment with lots of activity or a quieter, more relaxed campus set in landscaped grounds?

• How are you going to get there? Is it close to public transport or should you start saving now for a car?

If you don’t know the answers to any of these questions, then you should attend an Open Day!

How to make the best of Open Days

To make your Open Day visits fun and informative, here are some pointers:

• Write down a list of questions you would like to ask about particular courses.

• Be there early. Crowds tend to develop as the day progresses.

• On arrival, get a map from a central point and ask for directions to the relevant faculties or schools.

• Ask questions!

• Don’t spend the day collecting printed information only. Use the opportunity to speak directly with academics before applications close.

• Introduce yourself to selection officers if you feel it is appropriate, but don’t be pushy.

• Check out the residential colleges, if available. After all, it is you that will be living there.

• Walk around the campus. Have a good look! See what sporting facilities and other services are available.

• Enjoy the visit!

OPEN DAYS 2023

Not everyone can attend every Open Day and various Institutions hold their Open Days on the same date! If you can’t attend an Open Day and you are interested in a particular institution, you may visit at other times. If you wish to speak to a particular person, it is essential to make an appointment first.

This information was correct at the time of publication. Students are encouraged to register soon for the online Open Day events so they can receive important updates.

Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 are encouraged to participate in a few Open Days

The SBC uniform shop is only a click away - now operating via appointments, Please click here to book an appointment or order via our online shop if you know your son's sizes'

Please note that the uniform shop is closed during the school holidays

For all other uniform enquiries, please email rbuhagiar@sbc.vic.edu.au or phone 9289 1176.