From the Head of Boarding
Socialising
The focus for Term One has been to create an environment where the students feel confident to establish and nurture friendships, and feel encouraged to fully participate fully in academic, recreational and sporting activities on offer at the school.
It’s been pleasing to see interactions between students, both within their year groups and the broader boarding community. The Ride-a-Thon and Eclipse House social were just two events that saw all boarders mixing socially. Well done to the senior boarders who welcomed junior boarders to Breaksea and Eclipse Houses. These acts of kindness go a long way in establishing a caring boarding culture.
Information Technology
From time to time school policies are tested, which is why the Boarding team and I meet regularly to reflect and discuss how we are going. Recently, rules around IT came into focus. Handing in technology at night is the best way to provide the time needed for a healthy amount of sleep for adolescents. Tired children say things they may regret later, they are less likely to participate in healthy activities and their academic proficiency is significantly reduced. We have clear rules in place that give a balance of freedom and protection from overindulgence or cyberbullying.
When I first started in boarding, the conversations were around teaching students to manage their IT, but today it has changed to setting controls and routines. Please visit these articles from Raising Boys by Maggie Dent and Knowing Girls by Linda Stade, which outline current thinking on this topic. It’s reassuring to see that the practices we have in place are based on current research.
One of our challenges is to manage all devices boarding students may own. On occasion, iPads, iPods and second phones find their way into boarding houses. These all have the ability to connect to the Internet and be a source of distraction. Boarding wifi is designed to cut out by 10.00pm, but devices have been used to connect after this time using personal data. Some boarders go to great lengths to conceal these extra devices (we’ve even seen calculators handed in at night). A conversation around the healthy use of IT is always timely through the school term. I also encourage parents to discuss the necessity of allowing extra devices brought into boarding with your child's Head of House.
The wellbeing of adolescents is something that is spoken about more often these days. This topic is closely linked with IT use, as well as exercise, nutrition and sleep. We have begun to look at this topic more closely in recent times and this week we chatted to Middle School boarders about it. Outlining some tips for coping when things get busy is a first step in providing support in this area. All Year Seven to Nine boarders completed a survey designed to gauge how they are feeling and getting along with others. Looking forward, we hope the information we collect might inform some of the services and programmes we bring into boarding.
GSG School App Launch
I am delighted to announce the launch of the GSG school app.
Q: What is the GSG app?
A: The GSG app is used to ensure that the information flow between the parent and the school is simple, frequent and effective.
Q: How will the GSG app help me?
A: The app is a simple form of communication between the school and parents. It is a user-friendly interface for parents to receive regular updates from the school on your child’s journey of discovery at GSG. The GSG app ensures that the right information reaches you, at the right time. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Stay tuned for more information regarding the use of the GSG app coming your way soon!
New-Look MyGSG
We listened to your feedback on MyGSG, and through consultation and planning throughout Term One of this year, we redesigned the look, feel, and layout of the platform. MyGSG is now easier to navigate, and more consistent across all content areas of the site. It will launch in Week One of Term Two, and we welcome your continued feedback.
Guides on how to access and log in to all of the new platforms we are releasing in Term Two will be made available on our IT Support Portal at support.gsg.wa.edu.au
SEQTA App
To complete the rollout of new communications and technology initiatives, we are pleased to advise that the SEQTA Engage app will also be available for parents to download and access. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, and allows you to receive SEQTA-specific push notifications and updates on your child’s academic progress at Great Southern Grammar. The interface is also more friendly and accessible from a mobile device.
Boarding Supervisor
This term, we welcome back Mr Paul Rogers to the Boarding team. Paul worked in Anchorage House until 2017 and in the school as a Health and Physical Education teacher. Once a member of the Australian basketball team, Paul has terrific skills in running physical and outdoor activities. We will put these to good use in the running of our recreation programme. Paul will work out of Anchorage House in 2019.
Reports
By now, Term One reports will have been read and (hopefully) reflected upon by all of our boarders. Term Two often sees a renewed effort and, as each student sets new academic goals, we hope to see further improvement across the year. We understand this is not always easy, but we are always willing to help in any way we can.
Heads of House continue to have personal conversations about self-improvement and we are looking to provide more tutors to be available at prep each night. We strongly encourage all students to seek help early and use all the resources at their disposal.
Until Term Two, may I wish all boarding families a safe and happy Easter break.
Mr Brendan Goggins | Head of Boarding