Secondary School
As we approach the end of the term, I wish all our Secondary School families the very best over the coming break.
It has been a typically busy couple of weeks in Secondary School, and I am sure the students need a break, almost as much as the teachers! I would like to take this moment to extend my gratitude to all our wonderful teaching staff who pour their heart into their work and thank them for their dedicated professionalism. As is the case with teaching, many of us will have a lot of marking and planning to do over the holiday break, but I encourage our staff to also ensure that they get time to unwind and rest up with family.
Boarding
I pay special tribute to Mr Ash Keatch and his wife Lisa, who will leave our boarding community at the end of term to pursue other professional and personal interests. Mr and Mrs Keatch have been involved in boarding for over 20 years, living on campus and charged with the sacred task of caring for other people’s children on a 24-hour basis whilst parents are at home. It is an incredibly complex and important job, with little downtime, and we wish Mr and Mrs Keatch all the very best as they step away and hopefully get some time to recharge their batteries and spend time with their own children, who are now grown up and living in Perth. I think, as Mr Keatch looks back and reflects on the fact that he has spent over 20 years caring for students from regional areas, he should feel very proud of his career in boarding.
Parent Teacher Interviews
I hope parents have felt happy that they have now had the opportunity to meet individually with their child’s subject teachers at the recent parent teacher interviews. It is a good chance to get a sense of the network of people that care for your child and get to know them on a personal basis, as well as motivate them to achieve their best in an academic environment. As a teacher, meeting parents and making connections is always an enjoyable time. It is something that emails often just do not achieve, so it is an important time.
Music
Recently, our music students have been very busy entertaining us with their abundant talent. Last Wednesday night, we had the VET music showcase, which was an outstanding showpiece. This week, the crew have taken it on the road, and on Tuesday night, they performed at the famous MOJOS bar in Fremantle. Mr Irving was along to support, play music in the bands, and meet many of the alumni from GSG, who also attended and played in bands. Well done to Mrs Luxton, Mr Fowler, and the music team, who work tirelessly with these students.
Cross Country
On the last day of school, our first whole school carnival is held, the Cross Country. I know the Secondary students and staff are looking forward to sharing the day with the Primary School; it should be a great celebration of school spirit. I urge parents to keep all their children at school for the carnival and help us create a great atmosphere. Some students might be nervous to run, however, we want them to see the bigger picture and as long as they try their best, that is all we ask. It should be a great way to finish the term, with plenty of cheering and celebration with friends of all ages.
Finally, a thank you to our parents, students, and staff for making my family and I feel so welcome at GSG as we have embarked on a new life down here in Albany. I can honestly say that it has been an amazing term, and we feel right at home here already. I love the school and, importantly, so do my children. They come home daily with stories of friends and their teachers whom they adore. My wife and I are slowly meeting people, many of whom are GSG parents, and we have felt very warmly welcomed. Again, we have heartfelt thanks and wish you all the best over the holiday break.
Mr Jordan Owenell | Deputy Principal ‑ Head of Secondary
MOJO Music trip
On Tuesday 8 April, our Year Twelve VET Music students travelled to Perth and performed at the iconic music bar, Mojos, in Fremantle. Our group of nine talented students played a set of ten songs interspersed by performances by some of our musical alumni who have graduated or are studying at UWA or WAAPA. Our Year Twelves were amazing and really enjoyed their experience of performing in a different venue in Perth. They had the whole rock tour experience complete with bumping in, sound checks, burgers for dinner, pulling the stage back down, and squeezing into Ubers and a mini bus full of gear.
The super supportive audience was made up of family and friends and about 30 alumni from 2024 to 2018. Mr Fowler and I were so very proud of our students, and we also really enjoyed catching up with lots of familiar faces who have been part of GSG's musical culture for many years.
Ms Emma Luxton | Director of Music