Deputy Principal

A Sense of Calmness

It has been interesting to see how the students have settled back in over the last few weeks. I have noticed a sense of calmness for the most part at Recess and Lunch as the students have new playground areas to inhabit. Having never seen the wide-open space of Smollett Place since I arrived as it was a construction site, the Year 7 students have a much nicer area which includes seating and soon they will have handball courts to play on and enjoy. 

Seating is the key to calmness. The boys having a space to sit and just talk to their mates has made such a difference. The Breen Oval seats and surrounding outdoor seating has been well used by Years 8 and 9. There is a sense of togetherness as they enjoy each other’s company. Of course, for those students who still want to run around, there are the back ovals and the new basketball courts on the ground floor of the Scientia Building. We are slowly navigating our way to get the most out of these areas to ensure that we can utilise and maximise the time each year group gets in these active spaces.

Of course, the calmness does not exist for every pocket of every year group and the teaching staff are working hard with the boys to adjust to life back at school. The three-week mid-year holiday is always a sense of relief for many of our young men who struggle to maintain a routine. However, coming back into routines after that long break can be a struggle. I would ask all parents/carers to check in daily with their son to see how they are travelling. Of course, if they are a young teenager, you may get the obligatory ‘grunt’ and that is okay. What is important is that they know that there is always an open line of communication and that when they need to talk to you, they can. By providing that open line of communication, we can gauge how all our young men are working their way towards being calm and happy which is what we ultimately want to achieve for all students at the College.

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal