Boarding House Update

Welcome back to 2023!

Boarding at St Philip’s College has got off to a magnificent start this year. We welcomed two new permanent staff: Dawn Anderson and Simon Dohler. Dawn will be working alongside Julie Atkins in the Girls’ Boarding House and has joined us from Wesley College in Melbourne, Victoria. Simon has come to us from Mt Macedon Primary School, also in Victoria and will be working alongside Andrew MacDougall in the Boys’ Boarding House. We are very lucky to have them join our team. Dawn, Simon, Andrew and Julie, form a very strong and experienced pastoral team to care for your children.

On Sunday 5 February, we were fortunate to have Benedict Stephens, a local Arrernte traditional custodian of Alice Springs, welcome us to Country. He also spoke to the Boarders about the importance of finishing school and making the most of the opportunities provided at St Philip’s College. We were very grateful for his welcome. The Boarders then used their painted handprints to create a visual and permanent record of their membership of the Boarding House community of 2023; this will be displayed proudly in our dining room, alongside the handprints of future years and generations.

As usual, the Boarders have been kept busy through a range of activities and options. Last weekend saw a visit to Araluen Art Gallery and the Transport Museum; the previous weekend, the boarders travelled out to Stanley Chasm to marvel at this very special site. They are also being kept busy each night with lots of swimming in the school pool, visits to the gym, riding bikes, and countless games of dodgeball.

We have had a number of new boarders arrive this year. To all of them, we say ‘welcome’. It is good to have them here; they are all a credit to their local communities.

Finally, a note about our staff. They are committed to the wellbeing of your children, and will reach out to you (at least) twice a term to check in with you about your child, communicating to you about how they are travelling, and to get your perspective on their wellbeing. By the time you have read this, you should have already had your first point of contact with our staff either at drop off, via email or over the phone. As always, however, please feel free to speak to us as often as you like about your child’s welfare; the more we talk, the more we are able to support each other over the course of your child’s journey at St Philip’s College.