From the Headmaster
I read with a measure of despondency this week the following headline in a daily newspaper, “Bendigo tops state’s youth jobless rate”. The article went on to say that regions in Victoria, NSW and Queensland have the highest rates of youth unemployment in the country, peaking at more than five times Australia’s overall unemployment rate, with Bendigo having the highest youth unemployment rate in Victoria.
The three things that the article describes as crucial for young people in obtaining employment are qualifications, skills and parental support.
When I look around this school, quite apart from a rigorous curriculum that will give our students the very best chance of obtaining a tertiary qualification, we are preparing the young people in our charge with the workplace exposure and skills that they will need to put those qualifications to use.
From our Student Futures services to Personal Development classes and visiting industry experts, our students are exposed to a range of real-world experiences that will support them in life, not just in obtaining a degree. As our most recent advertising attests, we teach traits. Our students are encouraged to empathise, see things in a unique way, have fun, speak out and to be authentic. These things, combined with making experiences real, and parental support, help our students gain the skills they will need in the workplace and in life.
Just this week the Royal Australian Air Force visited the Senior School with a Super Hornet simulator operated by personnel in a range of Air Force jobs. Last week, the Junior School enjoyed a visit from a children’s book author and retired AFLW player and next week, senior students will meet the author of a book on the English syllabus. In the coming weeks, Media Studies and Performing Arts students are in for a treat too, as far as visitors to the school are concerned.
All of these experiences help our students to understand life beyond the classroom and open their minds up to a range of career and life possibilities.
Some incredible results were achieved in the pool last week at the Sandhurst Swimming Carnival with Girton named overall School Champions in both the 13-16 years and 17-20 years age divisions. There were some stand-out individual results with Hunter Boswell (7 Jenkin) breaking three records, Sebastian Wood (12 Riley) breaking three records and the 17 years Male 4 x 50m Relay team breaking the event record. At the ICCES Swimming Carnival in Melbourne this week, five Girton students became age champions in various events, which is an outstanding achievement, placing the school second overall at the competition.
Also at ICCES inter-school sporting competitions in Melbourne this week, Girton proudly won the Table Tennis competition and came second in the Badminton competition. It is wonderful to see so many students successfully competing at this level and thriving in their passions.
A reminder to parents that the AGM of the Girton Parents and Friends’ Association will be held on Tuesday 12th March at 5.30pm in the Performing Arts Boardroom. Please come along if you would like to informally contribute to this enjoyable and important fundraising group or if you would like to nominate for a formal position on the Executive Committee.
Monday is the Labour Day public holiday so I wish all families a very enjoyable long weekend.
Matthew F. Maruff
Headmaster