From the Dorms

Junior Girls

The junior girls have continued to have a fantastic first term of 2022. I am especially impressed by how well our year 7 students have settled into Boarding life!

Here are a few photos from this week of the year 7 girls studying hard on their tutoring and a snap of Hannah’s artistic talent on the notice board.

Ainslie had an exciting win over the weekend, being awarded first for “Beef Cattle Junior Parader” at the Adelong show.

Niane and Maddie C also achieved big things this week at Mater Dei’s Cross Country Carnival, coming first and second (respectively) in their age groups!

Chelsea and Ashley have just arrived back from a massive two weeks in Darwin and proudly showcased some of their souvenirs. 

Quick throwback below to our mask-wearing days, not sure which picture is scarier!

Lara Plum I  Junior Girls Supervisor

Senior Girls

Birthdays have been celebrated by many of the girls over the past few weeks. This has meant dinner out with family and friends. At the end of each month, there will be a shared cake for that month’s birthdays.

The chance to finally have a senior girls' meeting altogether was fantastic. For the first time this year, all the senior girls were together in one room. Prior to this, there had been year group meetings only. Discussions centred around dinner attendance, weekend leave by Wednesday night, local leave, and checking out with supervisor on duty and dinner settings now we no longer have to have four sittings due to Covid. 

The most important topic was an evacuation drill set up for an unknown time on Wednesday night. The organisation of leaving and lining up to be checked was talked about. And then………Tuesday night the evacuation alarm went off when we least expected it. The girls were fantastic in their quick and quiet response both leaving the building and doing a roll to check everyone was accounted for. 

Laura Porter is putting her artistic talents to good use and painting a mural in the year10 dorm. This will add to the one already completed by Annabelle Cassidy when she was in year 10. Laura has finished one tree but hopefully, by the end of the year, there will be a forest.

Along with the usual sporting

 activities undertaken by the senior girls, Kate Bulle has been involved in a four-day Breakaway Roping course in Towong, Victoria. Kate said she had the best time and even coped with the non-use of mobile phones while involved in the course. 

Robin Bussenschutt I Senior Girls Supervisor

Junior Boys

There has been a number of boys coming and going this week as a result of being unwell either flu-like symptoms or testing positive for Covid-19.  Thanks to the parents for being so patient, we know it’s a big ask to come and collect your children when you live out of town.  I have also found myself to be amongst the casualties falling foul of a cold.

A big thank you to Michael McTaggart ("Mick") for filling in for me. Zeppie and I will be back on board next week.  

All the boys seem happy and relaxed.  The Year 7's have settled into the MEB Junior Boarding routine so quickly. After school during the summer season, we spend a lot of time down at the pool and playing basketball. The boys have also enjoyed watching movies together.  

Our Room Competition for best bedroom is proving popular with prizes being awarded each week. Study time is running smoothly with many of the boys participating in our online tutoring programme.

Naomi Barton I Junior Boys' Supervisor 

Senior Boys

First-term is almost done and the boys have been kept very busy with school work and sport. So far this term we have had both schools participate in the Hardy Shield. Ethan, Max, Darion, and Ryan have represented Mater Dei, while Eli, Joe, Jed, and Rusty have played for Kildare. Kildare won their first game against Mater Dei 36 - 0. 

Hopefully, both teams will make the final and we can witness a cracking game. Ethan Watt has had a busy few weeks. At the school cross country he finished 1st in the open boys' age group, Will English was 2nd. Ethan also won a 65km cycle road race, which is an outstanding effort considering he only took cycling back up in September last year.

Darion O’Toole won the B grade cricket grand final last weekend Darion had hurt his thumb earlier in the week at footy training, so didn’t bat.  However, he bowled and took 2 for 7.

We also have a budding Kurt Cobain in our midst, with Harvey Hines the lead singer for a band called ‘ Tolerance’, which is made up of students at Mater Dei. The band plays Grunge music and has their first gig in August.

Mount Erin Year 12 Boarder and Mater Dei student, Ethan Watt from Tumut took out the opening stage of the Tour de Riverina from Cobram's Archie Davis (lefrt) and Wagga's Hunter Behnke in his first-ever race. recently. An excellent effort - well done!

Wayne Galvin I Senior Boys Supervisor