Deputy Principal

The first three weeks of term have certainly been busy with so much taking place. What has been so clearly evident is the positive manner in which our young men have returned. I would like to formally commend our gentlemen on the way they have approached the start of this year, there has been a great buzz around, with a real positive vibe throughout the campus.

The courage to ask

We pride ourselves on providing support when and where it’s needed to assist our young men through whatever challenge they may find. However, as we know with boys discovering there is an issue can sometimes not be an easy task. We strongly encourage our boys to have the courage to ask and seek help if needed. Having a chat with your PC teacher, sending a subject teacher an email, popping into the Head of House office, or speaking with myself or Mr Franzin in the quad each morning to have a chat are all strongly encouraged. For those who are tracking well, you owe it to check in with your mates to see if they are ok. No doubt there will come a time when the tables may be reversed, and you need someone to check on you. That is our pledge to support one another in all that we do.

The Learning Environment

As classes are now in full swing with assessments and class tasks coming thick and fast. It is crucial to reflect on what works best for you as a learner. Sometimes this may be making a hard call on who you are seated with. It maybe unpacking a task or concept which you know doesn’t come easy to you. There will always be elements to work that will need to be overcome, this is a fact of life. Utilising the resources, you have within your class are so significant as a lesson can be over before you know it. Having the confidence to ask when unsure, or ignore a friend and get on with the job, having the confidence to have a red-hot crack at something which you just find hard. As I stated in our first gathering this year, for those who achieved successful and positive rewards last year you have the challenge of not only picking up where you left off but finding ways of raising the bar by another 10%. If your outcomes last year were not a reflection of your ability, then something has to change. Applying the same mentality and approach will inevitably lead to the same result. 

Quality is a Habit

As we know with boys’ education, they need routine, structure and to form good habits. Far too often they are drawn to the end results in terms of trophies and accolades. Behind the silverware is a determined approach which includes strong routines, schedules, and habits. Quality (the end result) does not happen by chance but rather by persistent effort and application. Quality is a habit, and we are always looking to encourage boys to form supportive habits that will hold them in good stead for whatever comes their way. School is full of routine and structure; I encourage parents and boys to collectively design their own routines in order to form good quality habits outside of school.