Diocesan News

Students As Authors Writing Competition Winners!

Announcing the winners of the 2026 Students As Authors Writing Competition.

Congratulations to the winning students, who will have their stories illustrated by local author/illustrator Trish Donald and published on SORA for an audience of 250,000 Catholic school students from across Australia!

You can find previous winners and their published works on the competition website, and borrow their books from the Student Writers collection on SORA.

National Careers Week

National Careers Week provides an important opportunity for Catholic schools across NSW to strengthen student aspirations and connect learning to meaningful future pathways.

Careers education plays a vital role in supporting young people to make informed decisions about their futures. National Careers Week offers a timely opportunity for schools to highlight the breadth of pathways available and promote the value of purposeful work and lifelong learning.

Our secondary schools have participated in, or scheduled, a range of activities to celebrate National Careers Week. Some of these initiatives are highlighted below:

O'Connor Catholic College, Armidale

Students participated in the Choosing Your Uni National Virtual Expo, a free online event held during National Careers Week. Throughout the week, students and parents were able to explore live and on-demand sessions from Australian universities, government organisations and current university students. Topics included career direction, study pathways, scholarships, funding options and student life.

Year 12 students also attended the University of New England Open Day, where they engaged in a variety of tours and workshops designed to showcase the courses and opportunities available. The university also provided information sessions on entry pathways, scholarships and residential college life.

In addition, Student Ambassadors from the University of Sydney visited O’Connor Catholic College for a drop-in session. Students received valuable information regarding entry pathways, scholarships and accommodation, while also having the opportunity to ask questions relating to specific courses and university experiences.

McCarthy Catholic College, Tamworth

Year 10 students attended the Careers Expo at the TRECC, providing a valuable opportunity to engage with exhibitors including TAFE, universities and prospective employers. Prior to attending the expo, students met with the McCarthy Transitions Team and were encouraged to begin conversations with family and friends about potential pathways beyond Year 10.

St Philomena’s School, Moree

St Philomena’s School has scheduled presentations from the Country Universities Centre, providing students with information about tertiary study opportunities and how these may influence senior study patterns and future career planning.

Congratulations and thank you to all of our Transition and Pathways Leaders, including VET Coordinators, for their ongoing commitment and dedication in this important area. The opportunities they create, and the persistence they show in supporting students to explore future pathways, or simply begin those important conversations are invaluable.

This work is a crucial component of the student journey, and I sincerely thank all staff involved for the outstanding support they continue to provide to our students and families.

Photos from some of these activities are included below.

Influenza Vaccine Reimbursement 2026

As a health and safety measure for staff of the Armidale Catholic Schools System, the reimbursement of the cost of influenza vaccine has been approved once again. This offer covers the cost of the vaccine only (up to a maximum of $35) and does not include the cost of the visit to a medical practitioner.  

To claim reimbursement for vaccination: 

1. Discuss with your medical practitioner. 
2. Claim the visit to the medical practitioner through Medicare. 
3. Claim reimbursement for the cost of the vaccine from ACS via completion of the 2026 Flu Vaccination Claim Form available here  
4. Forward the receipt for the vaccine and completed claim form to Conrad Post at the Armidale Catholic Schools Office email cpost@arm.catholic.edu.au 

For more information on influenza vaccination go to the NSW Health website