Week 9 Term 3

18 September 2026 

Dear Parents/Carers

Term 3 in secondary schools is the busiest term of the school year. Every cohort has assessment tasks and Year 12 in particular are nearing the end of their schooling journey with their Trial HSC and subsequent graduation from high school. The work behind the scenes to make all of the related Year 12 events (Mass, Graduation Ceremony and Formal Event) is enormous. There is a team of people working months on end to bring everything together. 

In Week 10, Term 3, we will pay tribute to the extraordinary Class of 2026 and the tireless parents who survived alongside them: you’ve almost made it.

Watching these students walk across the stage next Tuesday is a powerful reminder of what six years of growth actually looks like. To our graduates, you arrived as nervous young boys trying to find your way around the school and you will leave as resilient, capable young adults ready to take on the world. You have mastered your subjects, overcome hurdles and learned that the most valuable lessons often happen outside the classroom. 

In true Marist spirit, your achievements are personal and wrapped in humility. Whilst school graduations sometimes might feel like boastful events, it is the learning and growth which has moulded you to be the young man you are that matters most. 

To our parents and carers, this milestone belongs to you just as much as it does to your son. Thank you for the late night homework pep talks, school drop offs, the patience through every mood swing and the unconditional support that brought your boys to this finish line. You built the foundation that made graduating from high school possible. As College Principal it has been an absolute honour to partner with you throughout 2026 and watch your boys grow. Congratulations! Celebrate! Stay safe and make us proud!

To all of the boys in Year 7 to 11, I hope you pay attention to the highlights of Year 12, but don’t lose sight that they were earned, not given and all of their hard work and achievements will not show up on a certificate. Your time will come and we look forward to helping you grow to eventually shake your hand when your time comes to graduate.

Respice Finem

Mr David Sullivan
Principal 

Sport Report

Spring Sydney Championships

Eastwood had a number of teams qualify for the Term 3 Sydney Championships. All teams who had won their Conference tournament progressed to this week where they played a Sydney Semi Final and then either a Bronze or Gold medal game. 

Rugby 7s

That’s a wrap for our Senior Rugby 7s team, finishing the year as runner‑up, placing 2nd overall.

Tennis

AFL

7 A Side Football

NSWCCC Athletics:

Congratulations to our 4 competitors who represented Sydney Catholic Schools at the NSWCCC Athletics Championships on Wednesday. 

Julian Smith finished 2nd in the 17+ 1500m (narrowly missing 1st by 3 hundredths of a second) he also finished 10th in the 800m. 

Levi Palfrey finished 3rd in the Boys 17+ Shot Put. 

Jacob Butler placed 5th in the Boys 12-14 MC Shot Put and 8th in the Boys 12-14 MC Discus. 

Undoubtedly the performance of the meet for Marist College Eastwood was Oliver Brown’s gold medal in the 16 years boys 1500m. Congratulations Oliver. 

Upcoming Events:

• Week 10 Term 4 representative trials continue 

Careers – Week 9 Term 3

MCE Careers Website Link mcecareers.com

Term 3, Week 9 2026 

With just two weeks of formal schooling left for our Year 12 students, things are moving fast! This is a crucial window for finalising your university preferences, getting your early offer details sorted and making sure your post-school plans are locked in. Take a look at the upcoming university webinars and deadlines below to stay on track.

Upcoming Events & Info Sessions

UOW Spotlight on Journalism

• When: Monday, 21 September 2026
• Details: An immersive 90-minute evening session exploring storytelling and career pathways in written, audio and visual media. Includes a tour of UOW’s newsroom, video production and radio studios.

UOW Spotlight on Music and Performance

• When: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
• Details: Find out what a Bachelor of Creative Arts looks like at UOW. Features snippets of live performances by current students and insights into performance career pathways.

Discover Sport & Exercise at UTS

• When: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
• Details: Head to the UTS Moore Park campus to tour cutting-edge facilities and chat with academics about careers in sport, exercise and health science.

Macquarie Discover Lecture: Coding With Care

• When: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
• Details: A talk by Lecturer Charanya Ramakrishnan on how embedding care and empathy into introductory computing classrooms helps students thrive. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

UNSW Careers 2040: STEM Careers Reimagined

• When: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
• Details: Held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. Top scientists, engineers and industry experts will discuss how multidisciplinary thinking and postgrad study shape future STEM roles.

Moving to Canberra & Living on Campus at ANU

• When: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
• Details: An online webinar covering residential life, campus support, making friends and practical tips for relocating to Canberra.

Young Architects Workshop (Ages 12–16)

• When: Thursday, 24 September 2026
• Details: A free hands-on architecture workshop at Maitland Regional Art Gallery with architect Paul Berkemeier and artist Jen Denzin.

Spring Holiday Programs & Early October Dates

• WSU Free Online HSC Study Sessions (28 Sep–7 Oct): 22 free online HSC preparation sessions across 14 subjects, delivered by senior teachers. Includes content analysis, exam strategies and practice paper deconstructions.
• Quantum Tech Camp (29 Sep–1 Oct): A free 3-day hybrid program for Years 9–12 exploring quantum computing, coding and Python problem-solving challenges.
• AIM Music Theatre Audition Workshop (29–30 Sep): A two-day intensive at AIM’s Sydney Campus working with industry professionals to refine audition technique and repertoire.
• Discover Security: Cyber Security Day (29 Sep): A hands-on cybersecurity workshop for girls in Years 7–8 at Westpac Sydney.
• You’ve Received an ANU Early Offer — What Happens Next? (29 Sep): Webinar covering offer acceptance, changing preferences and key university setup dates.
• AIE Games & Animation Workshop Day (30 Sep): A full day of practical workshops using industry-standard 3D animation and game development tools.
• CDW Studios Digital Art Holiday Workshop (1 Oct): Full-day drawing and concept art workshop held at the Sydney campus and online.
• AIE Film Production Workshop (2 Oct): Hands-on film shoot experience for ages 16+ using virtual production LED screens and professional camera gear.
• Create for a Day at SAE Sydney (3 Oct): One-day holiday workshops in Animation, Audio, Design, Film, Games, Computer Science and Music Production.

Upcoming Key Deadlines & Opportunities

Careers Spotlight & Useful Advice

Graphic Designer vs. Illustrator: What’s the Difference?

While both are visual design fields, they solve different creative problems:

• • Graphic Designers focus on layout, typography and brand identity to communicate a clear message for a client or product.
  • Illustrators focus on creating original artwork from scratch to tell a story or set a specific mood.
  • Pathways: Graphic design is typically studied via TAFE Diplomas (1–2 years) or University Degrees in Visual Communication (3 years). Illustration pathways rely heavily on portfolio work alongside formal visual art studies.

Exam & Assessment Adjustments

If a disability, health condition, or learning difficulty impacts how your son completes assessments, reasonable adjustments are available to level the playing field:

• • At School: Adjustments (like extra time, separate rooms, or rest breaks) are arranged through classroom teachers or the Learning Support Coordinator.
  • At University: Students register directly with the university’s Disability/Equity support office to set up a Learning Access Plan before or early in the semester.

If you have any questions about university applications, UAC, or apprenticeship options, please feel free to contact the Careers Office at the College – benjamin.nguyen004@syd.catholic.edu.au 

For the full version, please see the link

Warm regards

Mr Benjamin Nguyen
Careers Adviser

The Big Give Back

Reminder – End of Term 3

11 September 2026

Dear Parents/Carers 

Reminders for End of Term 3 & Start of Term 4

With the end of Term fast approaching, we wish all the best to our Year 12 Students who will graduate on Tuesday 22 September. This will be the last day of formal classes for Year 12. 

Please note arrangements for Tuesday 22 September:

• Year 12 and their families (including siblings) will depart the College at approximately 1.30 pm after the Graduation Assembly.
•  For all other students (7-11), there will be a staggered dismissal from 1.45 pm 

Years 7-9

A reminder, as per the College Calendar, the last formal day of lessons for all students in Years 7-10 will be Thursday 24 September.   

Should your son require supervision on Friday 25 September, please complete this Google form by no later than Wednesday 23 September.

Year 10

Year 10 will be on Work Experience from Monday 21 September until Friday 25 September. 

For Year 11

On Friday 25 September, Year 11 will have a HSC Planning Day. All Year 11 students are expected to attend school on Friday. On this day, Year 11 students will continue their transition into their final year of academic high school studies and is a continuation of information that has been shared in pastoral lessons and the debunking HSC myths/HSC Information Night that will occur on Monday 14 September, at 6pm. 

During this day students will listen to a number of different speakers outlining the year ahead, engage in their first mentor meeting and may have meetings with teachers regarding major works, VET competencies, as well as Extension subject requirements and change of subject/change of pattern meetings.

Term 4 Commencement

Term 4 will commence on Tuesday 13 October 2026 and all students are reminded to return to school with appropriate haircuts and grooming in full College summer uniform. Please note that there will be no after school Homework Club on this date. 

As published on our College Calendar, Monday 12 October 2026 is a Staff Development Day.  This will be a Pupil Free Day and there will be no classes held for students on this day.  

Students have been informed and they should use this time for assessment preparation, revision of key concepts and ensuring they are up to date with the learning outcomes being covered in classes.

Should you require supervision for your son, please complete this google form by Thursday 8 October 2026. 

Kind regards

Ms Melinda Alvarez
Assistant Principal 

Reminder – Parenting Teenagers Webinar Flyer – 20 October

All Years – 2026 Term 3 – Parenting Teenagers Webinar Flyer – 20 October – from NSW Govt

Reminder – Year 11 – 2027 HSC English Book List

21 August 2026

Dear Parents/Carers

2027 HSC English Book List

For the English HSC course students are required to purchase their prescribed longform texts, which enables them to annotate them for revision and study. 

The texts required for the 2027 HSC are listed here. Note that English Standard and English Studies students are not required to purchase texts. 

If ordering through Campion Education, orders placed by Friday 18 September will be delivered in time for the beginning of Term 4. Texts can be purchased from the retailer of your choice, but students will need their texts for the commencement of the HSC course at the beginning of Term 4, Monday 13 October 2026.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about your son’s English texts – rachel.deligiorgakis@syd.catholic.edu.au 

Kind regards

Mrs Rachel Deligiorgakis
Leader of Learning – English

Reminder – Private Music Tuition

4 September 2026 

Dear Parents/Carers

Private Music Tuition

Due to updated requirements regarding the supervision of Private Tuition on school grounds, our current procedures for private lessons will need to change.

Moving forward, tuition will only be able to take place when our music teachers have a class in the appropriate rooms. 

No tuition will be able to occur before or after school or during recess and lunch. If your son currently undertakes lessons during this time, this will be amended by his tutor.

If you would like to organise private tuition for your son please view our tutor information on Compass > School Documentation > Parent Information and Forms > Music Forms

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me – claudia.howes001@syd.catholic.edu.au 

Kind Regards

Ms Claudia Howes
Leader of Learning- CAPA

Reminder – Temporary Bus Service & Bus Stop Changes – Bridge Rd Closure, North Ryde – from 7-30 September

Temporary Bus Service and Stop Changes – Bridge Road Closure, North Ryde starting Monday 7 September 2026

We are writing to advise of upcoming temporary bus service and bus stop changes resulting from the closure of Bridge Road, North Ryde, between Ellen Street and Santa Rosa Park, from Monday 7 September to Wednesday 30 September 2026 as part of Sydney Water’s Ryde to Pymble Pipeline Upgrade.

To safely accommodate these essential works, several Busways services will operate on temporary diversions, and some bus stops will be temporarily closed for the duration of the road closure. Passengers will need to go to the closest stop on the diverted service to board.

 To support customers ahead of these temporary changes, Busways is providing a dedicated webpage outlining affected routes. Bus stop notices will be placed on missed stops.

Please include the following link in your communications to parents and carers:

Latest Service Information for Bridge Road Roadworks

The webpage provides:

• affected bus routes and temporary service changes
  • temporary bus stop changes and alternative boarding and alighting locations
  • links to TfNSW travel alerts
• updates to roadwork dates and traffic arrangements

From Monday 7 September, please check Trip Planner before you travel.

These Pipeline Upgrade works will continue in stages until 2028. Construction schedules are subject to change as works progress, and customers, schools and stakeholders will receive advance notice and updated information ahead of each stage.

As roadwork dates and traffic conditions may change, customers will be encouraged to check the latest service information before travelling.

Regards

Busways Group
5 Bridge Street, Pymble NSW 2073
W busways.com.au

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Uniforms

2nd Hand Uniform Shop – Next open: 16 October (Week 1 Term 4) from 1.00pm-3.00pm and 20 November (Week 6 Term 4 – Year 7 2027 Orientation Day) from 1.00pm-3.00pm. Located at the rear of Cottage 3 – entry via Gate 4 on Hillview Road. Cash & EFTPOS accepted.

The PCG have asked for a call out for School pants and shirts if possible, they are running low.  Year 12’s your blazers would be very much appreciated after you graduate.

Donations to the Second Hand Uniform Shop can be dropped off to the College Front Reception during normal school hours.

For more information, please refer to Compass > Community tab (2 heads) > School Documentation > Parent Information and Forms > Uniform Price List & Second Hand Uniform Shop Information