STRONG MINDS, 

GENTLE HEARTS

It is great to see our students return, focused and ready to begin work, following the holidays. At this early point in the term, I want to reinforce with them the importance the College places on respect for one another. Politeness and good manners are a suitable starting place as is the expression, thank you.  

Students are reminded to wear the uniform correctly too, which includes shirt tucked in, long socks five centimetres below the knee, an ordinary black belt and lace-up black shoes. St Augustine’s also expects students to come to school with the correct haircut: hair no shorter than a blade-three comb with fringe not below the eyebrow. Artificial colouring, tracking, cut-in designs, fades, mullets or any other abrupt changes in length are not acceptable. 

There is Never a Wrong Time to do the Right Thing 

It’s about making good decisions all the time. Doing the right thing then, no matter the circumstances, becomes second nature and an essential part of our students’ moral compasses. For boys who are growing into men and experiencing so many strong influences in their lives, it can be challenging. It’s why we try to support our boys and their behaviour, as straight forwardly as possible at Saints. The way we support them in making good decisions is purposefully very clear. We have clear behaviour management guidelines that are written in plain language. Our teachers enforce high standards and expectations, not just in the classroom, but in every aspect of Saints life. When our boys do get it wrong, which isn’t often, we try to get them back on track with a minimum of fuss.  Sometimes, that means consequences that are unpleasant. The good news is that our boys generally respond positively to them. 

Perhaps, most importantly though, is the support we get from parents and caregivers around standards and expectations. It’s crucial for ingraining in our boys those good decision-making skills. A combined effort from school and home means that we can guide the boys into doing the right thing more often than not. A united front means a consistent message, be it about haircuts, respect, bullying or driving safely. A consistent, united response from the school and parents means that our boys have a better chance of doing the right thing all the time. 

While there’s never a wrong time to do the right thing, for our boys, it’s just as important to remember there’s also never a wrong time to start trying either. Encouraging their best involves a collaborative approach from their biggest supporters – us.