Principal

When interviewing or taking prospective families around the College, I will often speak about the benefits that come with being in a smaller school. These include that boarding and academic staff really do know and closely monitor each student’s progress and wellbeing, and that we can address any issues swiftly and in a coordinated way. 

Another is that students have the opportunity to get to know and to learn from students in other year levels. We saw that on display at Saturday night’s highly successful Year 10-12 Dinner Dance. The night of the year featured arrivals in a New Holland, a Ferrari, and a Rolls Royce, the traditional Tower steps photo for Year 12, and a dance floor heaving to Old Collegian Ned Walker’s tunes. 

The highlight for me, though, was the way in which the Year 12 hosts spoke to and welcomed the Year 10s to their first Dinner Dance. It was a genuine and warm induction into one of the social rituals of the College. Younger students watch and learn from older ones, and I was very pleased to see the Year 12s get the tone right in their gentle roasting of each other and of some of their teachers. They can only safely joke about their teachers when they know them and are known by them. Jake and Humboldt showed this, and the rest of the students involved in organising and leading the night got the vibe just right. My thanks to the organising committee, and to Head of Year 12, Helen Reiher, for all of her coordination and prompting. It was a fabulous night.   

My thanks also to Sally and Mark Jarvis and Rosie and David Merrin for coordinating the parallel parent function, which took place while students were enjoying the Dinner Dance. It was a pleasant and warm community event, and very well attended. This function is starting to assert its place on the social calendar almost as much as the Dinner Dance itself.

It is easy to stop noticing or to take for granted the connections that are shared within the student body and within the broader College community. But they are special and unusual, and are the unique benefits of a deeply embedded, small, and caring school. It’s worth reminding ourselves of this when we see it in action, as we did on Saturday night. Well done to all involved.