Message from the

Director of Boarding

Boarding is all about relationships.

The relationships you forge with your peers; the relationships you build with staff and the sense of belonging you feel alongside your fellow boarders. If this shared experience is positive and challenging, it can be immensely powerful at the same time, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

In the week just gone, I have been fortunate enough to see this first hand.

Last Sunday 25 of our boarders from Years 7 and 8 headed out to the School’s farm near Blayney, to engage in a small conservation project under the guidance of Tom Riley, the Director of TREE. The boarders got through a virtual mountain of work planting eucalyptus and acacia seedlings into wind rows and assisting local contractors in completing fencing works. The attitude and work ethic within the group was outstanding and the number of laughs and smiles on display during the day never dimmed. For their efforts, boys and girls were rewarded with a tasty BBQ lunch with a soft drink and ice block to cap off the day. Overall, it was a lovely opportunity for our boarders, it got them off site and was something different and is only the beginning of our new focus on improved weekend activities for boarders.

Last Tuesday night, the girl boarders hosted our School Council for dinner at PLC. It was a lovely affair and the girls presented themselves wonderfully well. Rhianna Simpson (Boarding Prefect) and Hunta Wilson (Vice Captain of Stuart-Douglas House) gave a speech which captured what it meant to be a boarder at KWS and this was then followed by a rendition of ‘Riptide’ led by Georgia Mudford on the ukulele and accompanied by backing singers, Kate Alderman and Sarah Faulks. At the end of the night, looking around the room, it was clear to me just how comfortable our girls are in their own skin; most girls were deep in conversation with Council members discussing and highlighting areas for improvement.

I would like to finish by including excerpts from the speech given by Rhianna and Hunta at the PLC dinner. For me, they exemplify the very best of what it means to be a boarder at KWS.

‘When I came into boarding I was a little nervous to be away from home but since I was already at the school, I knew most of the girls. Everyone made me feel so welcome as soon as I came into boarding, it really is a family environment. I remember during my first week, it snowed heavily and school was cancelled for the day. We played out in the snow and couldn’t stop laughing. Laughter really is the best medicine...especially in cases like this. Laughing, hanging out and keeping yourself entertained takes your mind off home and mum and dad, and lets you enjoy these special moments...’

‘The seniors of Stuart Douglas and New taught me to be a leader in different ways. Simply by being there and having a chat but also through their mannerisms and how they presented themselves. I became quite close with the vice-captain of New house 2 years ago and we still catch up for coffee dates to this day so not only did they teach me what they knew but friendships were created in the process’

‘My boarding experience on the first day wasn’t the best because I enrolled late…… but I was still welcomed by Stuart Douglas and all the girls who I hadn’t met before. It was such a fun filled experience and there was ALWAYS something to do whether it was going to the gelato factory, kicking a ball on the oval or seeing a movie, you couldn’t complain that you were bored. That’s something that boarding does really well, they cater for everyone and there’s always someone to do something with.’

Matt Curran

Director of Boarding