From the Head of Boarding

Our Sunday Sessions have been very successful this term as we patiently waited for the weather to sort itself out here in the Great Southern. It has been a meeting place for our boarding community to come back together from the weekend and reset for the school week ahead over a shared meal. It’s a touch point in our calendar for junior and senior boarders to develop healthy respectful relationships, work on their social and emotional skills and promote equality, diversity and inclusivity for all who live, work and belong to our boarding community here at Great Southern Grammar. 

Our Boarding Captains, Brianna Cunningham and Steve Wiech, with support from each of the houses have been working with (mostly) Chef James McNeil to ensure the BBQs, tables, music and lights are set up. This allows our boarding community to enjoy what is a very festive vibe to start the academic week. The students lead this event by lighting the BBQs and cooking the food prepared by our catering team. Boarders bring games and bean bags to chill out on.  They ensure the food, cutlery and side dishes are out on the tables ready to be served up. Once they've eaten, the busy team then pack away the event and all the boarders head off to prep to focus on developing their academic skills and being prepared for the week.  We see this as a unique opportunity for our boarders at Great Southern Grammar Boarding, in partnership with our maintenance department, to ensure the area is ready, with the great support and buy in from our catering department and boarders.

Sunday Sessions also allow for special events to occur and be celebrated in our boarding community. Over the term we have had a St Patrick's Day theme, which saw Steven Wiech stand up and deliver the most difficult quiz in modern history to all boarders and staff! He was smiling when he saw the staff table results of 3/11 on it. Last weekend saw our most successful event to date play out with the Master Chef competition. Each team had a mystery box of ingredients and a time limit to produce the best dish. Our panel of experts selected one winner and each of them enjoyed a pizza, garlic bread and drink as the spoils of victory.

I am looking forward to lighting the fire pit and continuing this into next term before the weather once again changes.

Mr Ashley Keatch | Head of Boarding