PRINCIPAL'S PEN 

Welcome back to Term 2

Over the past two weeks there has been a palpable sense of welcoming energy and enthusiasm. Already we have held our Anzac Day commemoration and parent-teacher-student interviews. Sport is in full swing, and in two weeks the Years 8 and 9 camps will be underway. And for many, the highlight of the term occurs next week with the school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 

Parent-teacher-student interviews

As we begin a new term, there is a collective hope for improvement across all aspects of school life. Many authors such as Jim Rohn, Stephen Covey, James Clear and Dave Brailsford often discuss the importance of continuous improvement and the power of small steps in achieving significant progress. To paraphrase Tom Peters in his book Thrivingon Chaos, “Only in constant improvement” do small steps become a mighty leap.

Your sons would have received their mid-semester progress reports and, hopefully, have identified what they need to do to improve. 

This is re-enforced through their goal setting which can be seen in the College diary as well as through feedback from parent-teacher-student interviews. These interviews kicked off the term, and we are now well into our core business of teaching and learning. Your sons' goals for this term should be to build on the results from last term and, as Peters suggests, they should look to be constantly improving.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

We have a big week ahead with our college production Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which premiers on Tuesday and will run until Saturday. I firmly believe that involvement in a production is something everyone should aim to do at least once in their life. Under the guidance of Mrs Cherie Spannenburg and in conjunction with our sister school St Monica’s, this show is the culmination of many months of rehearsals involving close to 100 boys, girls, teachers, family members and friends. 

A production of this scale provides many learning opportunities for all involved. It is a celebration of the special gifts and talents of our students. Those singing and dancing on stage enjoy instant feedback from a live audience while those  working behind the scenes gain a great sense of achievement by contributing to a top-class show. 

Many thanks to all involved, especially those support and teaching staff, parents and carers who have given so much time to bring the show to fruition.

Parents-in-Touch - Collective Shout 

I highly recommend parents attending our Parents-in-Touch evening on Monday 13 May. This will be preceded with Collective Shout staff spending a working day with our Year 9 boys which includes a combined afternoon session with the Year 9 St Monica’s girls.

The team from Collective Shout will speak about the harms of sexualisation, objectification and pornography, and explore how harmful cultural messages contribute to distorted ideas about bodies, relationships and sexuality. The material will also focus on consent and respectful relationships.

Collective Shout’s presentations aim to help our young people reject sexual pressure, enforce personal boundaries, act in accordance with their values and aspire to relationships based on mutual respect and empathy. 

AIEF – celebrating 15 years of impact

Last week, the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) celebrated its 15th anniversary at Parliament House, Canberra with Education Minister Jason Clare and other distinguished guests. AIEF: 15 Years of Impact showcased success stories from AIEF scholarship students and alumni, emphasising the transformative power of education for Indigenous youth. Present at the event were our school's Indigenous Liaison Officer Bryan Carswell along with two current AIEF scholarship holders: Year 10 student JJ Parsgaard and Year 9 student Zeljko Warrior. Both young men enjoyed the celebrations during their first visit to the national capital.

As a school community, we express deep gratitude for AIEF's support, recognising the profound difference it makes in the lives of our Indigenous boarding students. Through the support of this foundation we can increase support to our boarders through additional tutoring, supervision and cover incidental costs for families. As we reflect on 15 years of its impact, AIEF continues to play a pivotal role in nurturing the potential of young Indigenous students and making a real difference in their lives.  

Happy Mother’s Day

May is traditionally associated with Mary, the Mother of God. Mary has a special place in the Marist charism – the very word Marist is the adjective that comes from the name Mary. As Marists, it makes perfect sense that we celebrate Mary in the same month that we celebrate Mother’s Day. 

On Thursday 9 May we will hold our annual Mother’s Day Assembly. All are welcome, especially our mothers. Three hundred mothers or mother figures attended this gathering in 2023 and we would love a similar turn out this year.