Week 5 Term 3
21 August 2026
Dear Parents/Carers
Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care
Our community’s foundation rests on an unwavering commitment to student wellbeing. Today’s students navigate a world vastly different from the one their parents and teachers grew up in, facing unprecedented pressures. Consequently, traditional approaches to wellbeing must evolve to meet today’s challenges.
While expertly led by Ms Codamo and our Leaders of Wellbeing, it is often the daily interactions with classroom teachers and support staff that make the greatest impact. Teachers may see a side of your son that you might rarely witness at home.
I frequently remind our staff that our role is not to “rescue” students, but to empower them with the tools to navigate their own challenges. We work in partnership with families to build this resilience. Students are with us for a maximum of six years; if we fail to equip them with self-reliance before they walk through our gates for the last time, we have done them a disservice. Call it “tough love,” but equipping young men to stand on their own feet is a moral imperative and the highest form of care we can offer.
A Message to Year 12 and Their Families
At their recent Reflection Day, I spoke with our Year 12 cohort about making the most of their month or so of classes.
For those feeling overwhelmed by the impending pressure, please know that our teachers, Leaders of Wellbeing and School Counsellor are fully prepared to support you. Now is the time to capitalise on every learning opportunity to maximise your HSC results and broaden your post-school options.
Conversely, a small number of students have taken their foot off the pedal as the finish line approaches. To those not working to their potential and particularly those distracting their peers, please be advised that disruptive behaviour will not be tolerated. No student has the right to compromise another’s success. This equally applies to behaviour both in and outside of the classroom.
I have similarly challenged our teaching staff to maintain strong momentum and take firm command of their classroom environments. We are blessed with exceptional educators at Marist College Eastwood. While a HSC mark does not define a person’s life or worth, our duty remains clear, to push every young man to achieve his absolute best.
Congratulations
A huge congratulations to the 25 young people who undertook the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) program which culminated in a beautiful community Mass at St Kevin’s on Wednesday, 20 August. When students become a part of our community that aren’t Catholic, there is no compulsion to undertake this journey to become Catholic. But we are incredibly honoured and proud that during their time as students at MCE, they’ve felt a call to undertake this journey and be baptised and become Catholic. Marist College Eastwood had the majority of participants at the RCIA Mass, however, we were blessed to undertake this process with students from Holy Cross College, Ryde, Marist Sisters’ College, Woolwich, Santa Sabina Strathfield and a few other local schools.
Respice Finem
Mr David Sullivan
Principal
