The Boarding Buzz

From the Heads of Boarding

Staffing

This term we welcome Mr Jacob Morgan de Laine, Ms Madison Kinsella and Mr Harry Tanner to the boarding team. 

 

Mr Harry Tanner has been appointed as a Live-In Boarding Supervisor working in both Anchorage House and Eclipse House. Harry is currently studying a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) majoring in Physical Education and minoring in Outdoor Education.

 

 

 

Mr Jacob Morgan-de Laine has been appointed Boarding Supervisor, working in both Eclipse House and Anchorage House.  Jacob is currently a freelance film and television crew member and was a Cadet Journalist with the Great Southern Weekender. Jacob holds a Bachelor of Media and Communications.

 

 

Ms Madison Kinsella has been employed as Boarding Supervisor and Academic Tutor working as a tutor with the Year Seven students in Michaelmas House once a week. Madison holds a Bachelor of Primary Education and will soon graduate with a Bachelor of Early Childhood and Primary Education. She has worked as a qualified educator in various learning centres and as an Education Assistant at St Columbus Catholic Primary and Bannister Creek Primary School. Madison and her husband have just relocated to Albany from Perth.

 

Mr Steve Button has announced his retirement in September. He has worked at GSG for more than 16 years as Boarding Supervisor and House Parent for Endeavour House and Bus Driver and will be sadly missed. We thank him for his years of service and wish Steve and his wife Lee-Anne all the best for their retirement plans.

 

We are currently looking for tutors and bus drivers, as you may have seen on MyGSG. If you know anyone that may be interested, please direct them to the school website here.

NAIDOC Week

We were super proud of Paige Narkle, Kevin Sibosado and Azriel Bin Omar who spoke heartfully at the NAIDOC assembly in Week One. This occasion, brought the school together, with local Noongar elders to express our appreciation for First Nations people and reflect on the theme, "Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up. We appreciate the courage shown by each of these young people. 

Driving Instructors

It is an exciting time in a young person’s life when they are eligible to begin driving lessons and get their official licence. We are supportive of young people learning to drive in boarding. There are a number of driving schools and instructors within Albany and we would like to indicate some preferred providers for boarding students. The safety and wellbeing of boarders is always our first priority and staff need to be assured that each instructor provides the best possible service for students. 

 

Wheels for Work

  • Suz - 0413 771 060

Learners to Licence

  • Sue - 0436 369 189 (Automatic)
  • Carole - 0473 733 262 (Manual)

Amity Driving: 

  • Pete – 0423 819 443

Each of these instructors have worked with many of our students and have provided very positive reviews. 

School Photos

We had our whole of boarding photo taken on Friday of Week One as part of Photo Day. This photo will be published in the 2022 Semaphore.  If you would like to order your own copy of this photo, you will have the opportunity later in the term.  Keep an eye out for the Anchor for more details about photo orders.

Heating

This year the Anchorage and Endeavour houses have been particularly cold in the bedroom wings. We have been working on a solution and have decided that the Daikin In-Ceiling Cassette Air conditioner placed at the T-intersection of the bedroom wings will be the most effective heating solution. The systems are about to arrive from the eastern states and are set to be installed this week. We hope this will allow the houses to be much warmer for all the students. Thank you for your patience. 

Rosters

This term staff rosters are here.  Please keep in mind that COVID and cold symptoms not only mean we send your boarders home, but also our staff. As a result, changes to the staff roster are our new normal.   

Parent Forum

Last week we held our Boarding Parent Committee and forum meetings for boarding. Principal Mr Mark Sawle presented information on numbers in boarding, the Spirit of Grammar Scholarship Program, and the recent changes to school funding. We also looked at the future of these meetings and formalising a constant agenda of discussion points for meetings in the future. 

 

At this meeting we announced that the Year Nine students will move to Senior Boarding after the Closed Weekend in Term Four, 10 November. Please find the minutes from the Boarding Forum here.

Quiz Night

The Quiz Night will be held this Sunday 7 August. If possible, we encourage you to please return your boarder by 5.30pm on Sunday, so they can join in this annual celebration of boarding and community. We look forward to sharing the photos with you in the next Buzz. 

Closed Weekend

Closed Weekend this term occurs at the end of Week Five on Friday 19 August. Boarders return on Monday 22 August from 4.00pm. Please make contact with your Head of Boarding House to alter timing, if required. 

 

Ms Vanessa Bromhead | Head of Senior Boarding

Mrs Tara Ball | Head of Middle Boarding