SAINTS BOARDING
News from Brett Toombs
Director of Boarding
St Augustine's College Cairns
Academic awards
Congratulations to our boarders who received an Academic Excellence Award at last week’s assembly. Achieving a 4.25 GPA is a testament to a student's hard work and dedication to their studies. This was a most fitting and proud moment for the following students: Robert Pezzelato (Year 8), Max Masterman, Zairius Laifoo
Harrison Thomas and Ethan Stoddart (all in Year 9), Jamie Keenan, Patrick Arnold, Bereket Linnehan (all in Year 11) and Gus Rolfe and Darcy Watt (in Year 12).
As a boarding community, we look forward to acknowledging and congratulating the students who will receive an Academic Effort and Application Award at our next boarders' meeting. These awards will be based on the effort and application grades from Semester 1 report cards.
Returning to boarding after weekends or holidays
As we approach the free weekend, which coincides with the Cairns Show holiday, I remind everyone that all students must return to boarding by 8pm on Sunday or on the designated night specified for all free and exeat weekends. If students wish to return on Monday morning, their head of residence must be advised well in advance. On other weekends all boarders are to be back in residence by 6pm in time for Sunday Mass, the cornerstone of welcoming the beginning of a new week. Therefore, I ask families not to make plans involving their children when Mass is on.
Families are expected to contact their son’s or daughter’s head of residence if there are any issues with returning on time.
Sickness in boarding
With any community living, the likelihood of students becoming unwell remains a possibility, with the flu prevalent at present. We ask families to monitor their children's health while they're at home and if unwell only return them to boarding once they are symptom-free. This will stop the spread of illness and allow staff and students to remain in optimal health.
Thursday afternoon activities
This term's activities on a Thursday afternoon will commence in a couple of weeks, for all boarders in Years 7-10. They'll be involved in a diverse range of activities, and the number on offer is commendable.
Japanese international program
At the start of term, we welcomed five Japanese students to the boarding community who'll be with us until 13 September. We are excited to host the boys and look forward to ensuring that they have a wonderful time at Saints.
Boarding outings
We spent abeautiful day at Nandroya Falls last weekend and enjoyed the stunning weather and conditions while relaxing on the Tablelands. This weekend, we look forward to spending two days away: a day at Palm Cove on Friday for the show holiday, before heading to Defy Gravity on Saturday where boarders will go rock climbing, trampolining and tackle an obstacle course.
