From The Principal

Dear Blackfriars Community,

Enrolment Contract at Blackfriars

It is my sincere hope that Blackfriars is the school of choice for boys and families and remains the school of choice unless families move interstate or to a distant suburb where transport to Blackfriars is difficult. However, if for any reason you are considering a move of school for your son during the remainder of this year or for 2020, I encourage you to contact me (or a member of my Executive Team, noted below) for a confidential discussion regarding your individual circumstances and the reasons for your consideration of a change of school. 

 

  • Mr Frank Ali, Head of Primary
  • Mr David Ruggiero, Deputy Principal (Secondary)                                   
  • Mr Gerard Leahy, the School Business Manager

 

Withdrawing Enrolment Requirements

Please be reminded of the Enrolment Contract you have signed and the agreement within the contract that when a student leaves the school, the family must provide a minimum of one term’s notice in writing addressed to the Principal.

 

Insufficient Notice Fee

In the event that a student leaves prior to the one term’s notice, a late notice fee will be applied, which is the equivalent of one term’s Tuition Fee. The reason for this notice period is necessary as Blackfriars, like any school, establishes class sizes, senior SACE subjects and electives based on the subject selection information received from students and parents during Semester 2 of the previous year. The major cost to our annual budget is the employment of staff, which we systematically align to student numbers and classes as calculated following subject selection for the following year. Hence, late decisions by families to leave our school become a major financial problem for Blackfriars as our costs are locked in for the year in advance.

 

INTERCOL 2019

My congratulations to all boys who participated in the Annual Intercol with CBC last week. From my perspective, the event was most successful, with each competition being challenged in a professional manner, displaying excellent sportsmanship by all students. Boys from both schools enjoyed representing their school with pride and passion whilst simultaneously displaying genuine respect for each other and the opposing school. The conduct of the boys and spectators, together with the excellent organisation of the events during the week was clear evidence that the revised structure and venues of the program and the student led Code of Conduct was effective in its purpose in realigning the compass and spirit of the competition.  I believe that the changes have given the Intercol event new life and hope for its continuation for next year and the years beyond. 

 

The annual Intercol Trophy is presented to the winning school determined by the number of outright victories in the Senior First’s competition. Congratulations to Senior Chess, Senior Debating and Senior Basketball teams for their success in winning their respective trophies.

 

The 2019 Intercol result was tied at 3 – 3.  As per the Intercol convention rules, when an Intercol results in a tied outcome, the previous winner retains the trophy.  Therefore, CBC as the winner of the 2018 Intercol, will retain the trophy for 2019.

 

A summary of all the Senior First’s results:

Senior Chess                              WON     5 – 0 

Senior Debating                        WON     3 – 0

Senior A Table Tennis             LOST     13 – 7 

First XI Soccer                            LOST      3 – 2

First XVIII Football                    LOST     11.13 (79) – 5.12 (42)

Senior A Basketball                 WON     45 – 39

 

My thanks to Mr Michael Parrella, Mr Nick Cheary, Mr David Ruggiero and Mr Brett Knowles for their work and guidance of all students in the conduct of an outstanding Intercol 2019. I would also like to thank the following boys for providing excellent leadership through personal example in order to begin about a new, successful era for Intercol.

 

Head Prefect:                             Declan Fitch-Woolford

Deputy Head Prefect:             Christian Jones

Captain AFL:                               Luke Hodby

Captain Basketball:                 Jackson Smith

Captain Chess:                           Alan Banh

Captain Debating:                    Frank Snelling           

Captain Soccer:                         Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio

 

Mr Simon Cobiac

Principal