From the Leader of Boarding

Dear Boarding Families,

Welcome to this edition of Boarders' Buzz.

The Year 12 Boarding students have been heavily involved in the Trial HSC examinations over the past two weeks. This period of time is a real learning curve and hopefully serves to prepare them for not only the real exams coming up but also with learning how to cope with normal every day stresses of life in the future. We wish them all well.

Mount Erin Registration Audit

This week Mount Erin underwent a five year audit process led by CEDWW on behalf of NESA,  who are the accrediting body. This was an opportunity to share the many improvements that have been put into place at Mount Erin, including the renewed Parent/Boarder Handbooks and our new website.  Feedback was very positive and there were many commendations from the panel around the processes and supports in place for boarders.

Boarding House Security

It is often wrongly assumed that alarm systems and locked doors in Boarding Houses are to help keep boarding students in. Alarms and locked doors are intended primarily to keep intruders out. In emergency evacuations, there can be no locked doors from the inside - students and staff need to be able to leave the building quickly. 

Alarm systems of course serve the purpose of alerting staff if a door or window opens after hours. It is however important for all to understand, that TRUST is a very important aspect of Boarding life and one that is essential when supervising students. We trust that students do stay in their rooms at night and that they do sleep well.

Year 12 Car Driver Applications 

In the last edition of Boarders' Buzz I reminded everyone about the application to have a car in Boarding - a privilege for Year 12 students only.

When parents and students read the form, it has a number of provisos which have to be adhered to for a number of reasons including safety of the driver and Duty of care responsibilities for Mount Erin Staff.

Before  signing this form, it is essential that both parent and student driver read and understand what is required in order to allow the use of a car. Once signed it becomes a legal document. If the the provisions listed are not adhered to, the agreement becomes void.

Year 12 Liturgy and Dinner

The MEBS Year 12 Liturgy and Dinner will take place next Wednesday, 2 September at Mount Erin. As published in previous publications of Boarders' Buzz and newsletters, due to COVID-19 restrictions parents will be unable to attend and the event will be held at Mount Erin for the graduating class.

The Liturgy, presentation and farewell speeches will be live streamed to parents/carers and a link will be emailed to Year 12 families so that they can be view the ceremony. This will also be recorded for families who do not have access to stable internet.

We recognize the importance of celebrating this significant milestone for our Year 12 students and we will endeavour make the evening as special as we can.

Boarding Student End of Week Leave

Knowing where our boarding students are at all times while they are in our care is an important part of Boarding supervision. One of the strengths of the REACH Boarding student management software is provision of knowing where students are, based on data provided by parents and staff. 

Even with weekly boarding programs, where all boarders leave the Boarding House at the end of the week, it is imperative for Boarding staff to accurately know where each boarding student is going, how they are getting there and with whom they are travelling when they leave each Friday afternoon.  Information provided by parents must be up to date and accurate. 

Therefore,  an entry in  REACH for this leave must be made for the week and it must be accurate. It has been found that the re-occurring entries cover changes made without communication to staff. 

Car sharing is possible with permissions in place for adult host drivers. Year 12 students cannot carry other students except for  Term 2 and Term 3 winter months for drivers returning to Mount Erin on Sunday evenings. This provision is only for Term 2 and 3. It allows for one other student to accompany the driver for the purposes of safety and welfare during the darker winter evenings and must have approval from the Leader of Boarding. 

Please feel free to call me at any time to discuss any concerns regarding leave transport to and from Mount Erin.

Boarding Representative Council (BRC)

The feedback from the recent Food Survey is in. Overall. very positive feedback, with 86 out 103 students responding. The details, in spreadsheet form,  have been shared with our Catering Manager , Mr Dave Lugton who will attend the next BRC meeting to discuss the border feedback. 

Approved Boarder Leave To Attend Non-School Evening Social Events During the Week

Parents/carers are reminded that the Colleges and Mount Erin do not endorse independently organised and run non school evening social events during the school week. Accordingly, applications for leave for Boarders to attend any social activities during the week must be made by parents to the Leader of Boarding at least 24 hours before the event.

Students on approved leave for this purpose  will be under the care of their parents and as such will not return to boarding during that evening. Parents may also request leave for their child to be under the care of an approved adult host for the evening. Similarly, if the leave is approved the student would remain under the care of the host until they return to boarding the following day.

~Click on images to enlarge~

  Mr. John Bussenschutt

Leader of Boarding