During the conference we were invited to consider such experiences as "the Moses problem". Moses led his people through the desert but did not have certainty over where they were heading or how long it would take until they arrived in the promised land. More than ever we live in a world of answers- Google is at our fingertips, as in Generative AI, able to give us the information we require at any moment of the day. Deep learning can therefore feel counter intuitive, even counter cultural as it take the work of many moments, not just one, and requires us to launch into a space that we have not been as it’s in that ambiguity that we engage with ideas, are challenged in our thinking and come across concepts that we had not previously even conceived of.

In this conception, teaching becomes something of a pilgrimage. Like Moses guiding the Israelites through the wilderness, our work as educators is only partly delivering students to a final destination like the HSC, and is also about walking faithfully beside them. We guide them through complexity, doubt, growth, and grace, holding onto a deeper purpose: forming students who are reflective, discerning, and committed to justice.

Jesuit education calls this the formation of “men and women for others,” grounded in cura personalis—care for the whole person. This means nurturing not just intellectual capability, but also conscience, character, and compassion. The same spirit animates the Mary Aikenhead Ministries values of justice, compassion, human dignity, and service to the poor.
In a world that demands certainty and immediate outcomes, Catholic education dares to hold space for mystery. We believe that grace often unfolds in the unmeasurable: the quiet resilience of a student, the moment someone chooses kindness over competition, the slow-growing confidence of a learner finding their voice.

Let us continue to lead boldly, teach patiently, and trust deeply in the journey—even when we cannot yet see just what each student will become and what mark they will make in our world.

Alison Boyd-Boland

Director of Teaching and Learning

City of Sydney Online Workshop on Teaching a Learner Driver

The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday 27 August, 6pm-7:30pm

( please see attached flyer)

The session will offer practical advice about:

current driving rules and requirements for L and P platers

how learners benefit from supervised on-road driving

how you can help make learning to drive a safe and positive experience

On Sunday, August 3, 2025, a dedicated group of our boarding students volunteered at the Wests Tigers vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs NRL match held at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta. They supported the Goanna Academy by participating in the “Stick With It” campaign activation happening as part of the NRL season.

Founded by former NRL player Greg Inglis, the Goanna Academy is Australia’s first Indigenous-owned and designed mental health education provider. Its vision is to reduce youth suicide and deliver accredited mental health programs across schools, workplaces, and communities nation‑wide.

Our boarders guided footy plans to participate in the ‘Stick With It Wall’ where supporters could write messages of mental health. They also promoted the ‘Stick With It’ campaign.

The “Stick With It” campaign, launched July 1, 2025, utilises sports strapping tape as a symbol of mental resilience and visible solidarity on mental health. It aims to raise $500,000 to fund its evidence-based preventative programs and reduce stigma around suicide, especially among Indigenous and regional youth.

We were lucky enough to be invited on the field during half time to perform the guard of honour and welcome players back on the field! This was a great experience and opportunity!

Pepper Carey said:

Volunteering at the Goanna Academy during the footy game on Sunday was a fantastic experience. It was great to be part of an event that brought together the excitement of the sport with such a positive and uplifting charity. My favourite part was seeing the pure variety of inspirational messages people wrote. It was amazing to watch fans, both young and old, take a moment out of watching the game to contribute something meaningful. The wall quickly became vibrant and full of hope and encouragement, it was a powerful reminder of how a few thoughtful words can create a ripple of positivity.

Lucy Green said:

I really enjoyed volunteering because it was such a good thing to do with my time, personally I really enjoyed meeting Greg Inglis and volunteering with him, But the Guard of honour was irreplaceable. We went behind the scenes and represented the Goanna Academy at half time! I am really happy with what we were able to do and hope we can do more volunteering in the future.

We are incredibly proud of each student who gave up their Sunday to support such an important cause. Their efforts helped shine a spotlight on Goanna Academy’s mission and the broader movement to normalise mental health support. They reinforced our College values of connection, compassion, and community service.

Without smartphones in hand, students entered a rare and valuable moment of relational togetherness in nature, reminiscent of their 2024 Endeavouring in Broken Hill experience. The coastline became a living classroom that nourished not only their intellects but also their social and emotional selves. Walking along sand dunes, observing coastal features, and simply being present outdoors allowed students to reconnect — with each other, with themselves, and with the natural world.

Our observations, both from this trip and from Endeavouring: Broken Hill (2022–24), confirm what our on-campus phone policy has already suggested: removing smartphones is a powerful wellbeing intervention. As the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (2024) notes, “Smartphones can pose barriers to interactions with the natural surroundings and with their peers.”

Freed from the constant pull of notifications and social media, students became more present — more engaged with one another and the world around them. They initiated deeper conversations, noticed more in their environment, and demonstrated increased cooperation and problem-solving. In an age where teens average over seven hours of screen time daily, structured phone-free opportunities like this field trip create space for curiosity, creativity, and genuine human connection — essential foundations for both wellbeing and learning.

This coastal classroom also invited students to engage more deeply with the spirit of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home. It encouraged them to reflect on their roles as stewards of the Earth and reinforced the understanding that learning is not confined to books or desks, but comes alive through lived experience.

Ultimately, this experience served as a powerful reminder: when we prioritise wellbeing alongside academic growth, students are more likely to flourish. We witnessed learning come alive — in conversation, in curiosity, and in connection.

(See more about the Year 10 Geography field trip below.)

David Woolbank
Dean of Middle Secondary