Boarding News

There were a couple of lovely boarding events last week which highlighted the camaraderie of the boys and their sense of occasion. The first was held last Tuesday night, where the Year 12 boarders hosted a number of key staff members for a special dinner. It was those who had worked closely with the Year 12 boys over their years at boarding school. This function was the first of a number of key events as the Seniors get close to finishing their time as a Marist boarder. The boys put time into writing speeches to acknowledge key staff and to express their gratitude. The speeches were also light-hearted and showed the very positive relationships that have developed between the boys and the staff over the years. It was a really enjoyable occasion appreciated by all present. I would like to acknowledge Mr Ty Casey, Ms Erin Livingstone, Mrs Rachel Rainbird and our catering and services teams for all their hard work to help with this special event.

The other boarding function last week was a gathering prior to the Year 11 Social. All the Year 11 boarders and partners met in the Cyprian Pavilion to enjoy some refreshments before catching the bus to the Year 11 Social. A number of the boys’ parents and family members were able to attend to see them all dressed up for this occasion. I am grateful to Sister Bobbie Mee from our Health Centre, Ms Erin Livingstone and Mrs Rachel Rainbird who went to great lengths to decorate the venue which made it particularly lovely for photos. The Year 11 Social is an annual event on the school calendar and it was lovely to see our Year 11 boarders proudly dressing up and being great hosts for their partners. 

We also hosted the rest of our future 2026 boarders for a sleepover experience over last weekend. The boys enjoyed a wide array of activities including a night out at Urban Extreme, a day trip to Wet ‘n’ Wild, plus all the great on-campus recreation in the pool, in the gym and out on the ovals. It was lovely seeing these boys become more comfortable with boarding over the few days and witnessing them make new friends which will make the start of next year so much easier. 

The weekend ended with a massive storm which resulted in a power outage in all the boarding residences from 5:00pm Sunday through until 5:00am the next morning. No lights, no TV, no air conditioning and most phones out of charge or not picking up a signal. It made for a very different night for the boarders and the staff looking after them. It was great seeing everyone improvise with board games and cards coming out... with the help of a torch! We were very fortunate not to experience much damage as a result of the storm and it was a memorable night for us all with no electricity in boarding.