Anchorage House News

Year Nine

The four Year Nine boys transitioned to Eclipse House with the senior boys for the next stage of their boarding journey. This was completed very smoothly just before the Closed Weekend. It was very encouraging to see boys helping each other to move their belongings to their new rooms. There were some innovative methods used to move their items!

Welcoming 2023 Boarders

The Anchorage boys were very excited to welcome the new boarders who will be joining the house next year. The new boarders teamed up with an existing boarder who will be their peer support buddy and were given a guided tour of the boarding house. They were shown the layout of the house, the rec shed, how to use the Reach program on the sign-in console, entertainment options in the lounge rooms and what the bedrooms looked like. This was a fun opportunity for new connections to be made and familiarity with the boarding house developed to make the transition for new boarders at the start of next year more comfortable.

Dinner with Eclipse

On Sunday evenings, the Anchorage boys have been going to Eclipse house to share dinner with the senior boys. They enjoy building connections and utilising the different activities Eclipse has to offer.  Mr Colton and Mrs Spinks have been guiding the boys in displaying their best hosting skills to ensure the evening runs smoothly.

Gingerbread

On Wednesday this week, the Anchorage boarders spent time decorating gingerbread men.  They were enjoyed by all.  Here is a photo of their masterpieces. 

Celebrating

Anchorage had lots of fun dressing in their festive finery and singing their hearts out to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer at our Boarding Christmas Celebration. Well done to Henry Smith for receiving a prize for the effort he put into his Aussie Santa costume.  Congratulations to Craig Wiech and Jack Lange for receiving the 'Spirit of Boarding' Awards for Anchorage. Both boys consistently make boarding a positive experience for others with their kindness, calm and thoughtfulness. Thank you very much for the gift bag I received as a farewell gesture, it was filled with treats donated by parents. 

We are looking forward to a final celebration with Mr Nelson Stanborough hosting a fun afternoon of basketball, play and pizza at Eyre Park on Sunday evening.

Anchorage boarders also made the most of the favourable weather last weekend going to the skate park, playing crossnet and fishing at the Lower King bridge.  These are activities the boys always enjoy.  Jack Lange also managed to sneak in a bit of cooking.

Farewell

As my time working as part of the GSG Boarding Community draws to a close, I reflect upon the adventure that my time here has been. There are many people who I need to acknowledge for the part they have played in my boarding journey at GSG.

Thank you to boarding families for entrusting us with those most precious and dear to you, your children. Thank you to parents for remaining supportive and positive as your children have grown through the tough challenge of boarding and adolescence combined. Thank you to all the boarders who have embraced Charlie and Rolley with a sense of belonging and taken them into the fold of Anchorage House. Both Charlie and Rolley are going to miss being involved in boarding very much!

Thank you to Ms Vanessa Bromhead, Mrs Tara Ball and Mr Taylor Colton for being a supportive Head of Boarding team. Thank you to Mrs Di Franzinelli for all the administration work and behind-the-scenes organisation. Thank you to the numerous dedicated boarding supervisors who consistently put in early mornings and late nights to ensure the best possible boarding experience for those in our care. Thank you to Dining Hall and Cleaning staff for keeping us all very well-fed and Anchorage House fresh. Thank you to the dedicated bus drivers who have patiently transported boarders even if they haven’t booked! Thank you to the Facilities and Maintenance staff for dealing with the huge variety of situations that require fixing and keeping safe. Thank you to the teaching staff who have collaborated and communicated to support our boarders. In particular, Ms Penny Simpson for her tireless dedication to the academic and pastoral support of boarders.

Finally, thank you to my family, Charlie, Shefford, Cheyenne and baby Lucy for your tireless support and patience. I am looking forward to spending more time with you! 

I wish all boarding families and staff a Merry Christmas and a relaxing and enjoyable holiday time. 

Birthdays

Jack Hornby has the last of our birthdays for the year. We wish Jack a very happy 13th birthday in the school holidays.  

Ms Anne Robertson | Head of Anchorage House