Anchorage House News

Well, well, well, we made it! What an action-packed enjoyable semester we have had in Anchorage House. It has been filled with little moments that are shaping and defining the characters in it. 

I have reflected on the quote by Mark Twain this term due to the busyness of it “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”  I am surrounded by people who enjoy and are deeply invested in supporting and mentoring your boys in our house and all of them work very hard while doing it. I am grateful in acknowledging our team who individually bring depth and mentorship to guide our young men in making good decisions and are there to check and support when they don't. This team includes: Greg Mackay, Myles Cuthbert, Sally Mellows, Lisa Keatch, Kier Perryman and Cheryl Baum.  We are also supported by Amber Freeman who helps the boys with washing and general tidiness around the house. This team is consistently demonstrating our values in boarding and are dedicated to supporting your son. Nicolas Posse, our Columbian Gap student, is leaving us after a semester. I wish him the very best as he returns home to embark on his next phase in life.

Despite the recent cooler and wet weather, it hasn't stopped our boys from doing what they do best, getting outside and enjoying time with their mates. When Mrs Franklin recently dropped into the house to have a chat with our boys, the theme that resonated from them was the ability to play and hang out with their mates in and around Anchorage House. I love this about boarding as it forges lifelong friendships built on grit through the highs and lows that friendship dynamics bring. 

Our 'Weekend Warriors' have been challenged with wet weather to find a balance between playing games inside and seizing the moments when it clears to go outside over the last few weeks. As staff, we know that finding the balance between activities and downtime is crucial for thriving in a boarding community. Those who strike this balance tend to cope better overall.

It has been very pleasing to see some of our boys choosing to finish the semester strongly by sticking to the prep routine. I caught up with Ms Diane Thomas who teaches most of the boarders in Science. We were discussing how we can improve our Library Prep sessions next term. It is wonderful having passionate academic staff who genuinely want to assist our boarding program and value-add to the boarder's academic improvement.

Overall, it's been a fantastic semester, and I am looking forward to Term Three! Please don’t hesitate to contact me to discuss your son’s progress or for any other reason.

Birthdays

Happy birthday to Harrison Woithe and Nicholas Hams who celebrated their birthdays this month.  Williams Egerton-Warburton is lucky enough to celebrate his birthday this weekend as we break for the term.

Mr Ashley Keatch | Head of Anchorage House