STRONG MINDS,
GENTLE HEARTS
News from Frazer Rigby
Deputy Principal
St Augustine's College Cairns
As the year draws to a close, I express my sincere gratitude to all parents, carers and families for your ongoing support throughout 2024. We look forward to continuing our partnership in 2025.
We uphold consistent expectations regarding student application, behaviour, uniform and grooming standards throughout the year. Resilience is built by seeing tasks through to the end, and this principle is central to our academic culture. Together, we ensure a disciplined, supportive and constructive learning environment for all student
I must also commend our students for their dedication to their studies. Their focus and drive are a testament to their commitment and enjoyment of learning at Saints. A heartfelt thank you goes to our staff too, who tirelessly support the boys, encouraging them to finish strongly and ensuring well-prepared, meaningful lessons continue right up to year's end.
Contact information
Please ensure your contact details are up to date on the Parent Portal, especially if you have changed your phone number, email address and/or residential address. Accurate contact information is essential for effective communication.
Preparation for 2025
Next year's term dates are on the Parent Portal. To help your son start the year on the right foot, please pay careful attention to grooming standards. Guidelines for haircuts are also on the portal.
Group chats
Staying connected over the holidays is important for maintaining friendships, but group chats can sometimes foster negative behaviours such as bullying or inappropriate content. Common platforms include WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Discord, Kids Messenger, and Facebook Messenger.
Parents and carers play a critical role in managing these risks at home. The following tips from Safe on Social may help ensure positive group chat experiences for your sons:
Set device boundaries: Devices should be put away before bedtime. Normalising this practice helps prevent late-night activity.
Encourage healthy exits: Teach your sons to leave harmful or negative group chats using simple, respectful phrases such as, “Sorry guys, I’m not comfortable talking about this” or “This is getting a bit nasty, I’m going.”
Reinforce kindness and respect: Remind your sons to be kind, respectful and responsible in all online interactions. Cyberbullying can have serious consequences if documented and shared publicly.
Wishing you a safe and blessed Christmas
On behalf of the College, I wish you and your families a safe and joyful Christmas. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year.