STRONG MINDS, 

GENTLE HEARTS

It’s wonderful to see our students return from the holidays focused, refreshed and ready to learn. As the term begins, we continue to remind our young men of the importance of respect – for themselves, for others and for the College. Simple acts of courtesy, such as greeting others politely and saying thank you, help build a positive and caring school community. 

Students are also reminded to wear their uniform correctly and with pride. This includes tucking in their shirts, wearing long socks approximately five centimetres below the knee, and pairing a plain black belt with black lace‑up shoes. Hairstyles should be neat and tidy – no shorter than a blade three, with fringes above the eyebrows. Artificial colouring, fades, mullets, cut-in designs, tracking or other abrupt changes in length are unacceptable under college guidelines. 

Queensland Mental Health Week

This initiative took place last week, providing an important reminder that conversations about mental health and wellbeing must continue long after the week has passed. During adolescence, boys experience significant physical, emotional and social changes as they navigate friendships, academic expectations, identity and the pressures of growing up. Many young men can find it difficult to express their feelings or ask for help, sometimes believing that they need to appear strong, independent or able to manage everything on their own. 

It is important that we continue to encourage our boys to understand that true strength is not about keeping everything to yourself; it is about recognising when you need support and having the courage to reach out. Talking openly about emotions, acknowledging challenges and seeking help are healthy and important life skills. We also need to remind our young men to look out for one another, to listen without judgement and to recognise when a friend might be struggling.

Everyone experiences difficult times, and no boy should feel that he has to face these challenges alone. Parents and carers play a vital role in creating an environment where boys feel safe to speak openly and know they will be listened to and supported. If you have any concerns about your son’s mental or emotional wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact his homeroom teacher, head of year or the College counsellor. 

By working together as a college and family community, we can help our boys develop resilience, emotional awareness and the confidence to seek support when needed. Ultimately, we want our young men to understand that looking after their mental health is just as important as looking after their physical health, and that showing care, compassion and understanding towards themselves and others is an important part of becoming strong, respectful and well-rounded individuals. 

Setting and reviewing goals 

Taking time to set and review goals is an important part of learning, personal growth and the development of self-discipline. For our boys, having clear and achievable goals provides direction, strengthens motivation and encourages them to take greater responsibility for their learning and personal development. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on their progress, recognise their strengths and identify areas for improvement. 

This term, students will revisit the goals they established in Term 3 and reflect on their progress before setting new goals for Term 4 during pastoral care lessons. This process encourages our boys to develop self-awareness, build resilience and take ownership of their ongoing growth and achievement. 

We encourage parents and carers to support this process by taking the time to discuss their son’s recent report, acknowledge his achievements and identify areas for further development. Working in partnership, we can help each boy establish meaningful goals and take practical steps towards achieving them. Further guidance on setting and reviewing goals is in the student diary.