From the Principal 

“Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential.” – Liane Cardes

Believe it or not, it’s almost twelve months to the day since we were locked-down as a nation but I am delighted to report that momentum on the sports field has finally returned and we’re back to our winning ways!  Our cricketers, both boys and girls, have enjoyed great success over the past weeks and many are now preparing for their semi-finals this weekend. Please note the First XI, boys and girls, play Monivae next Sunday 13 March. Our rowers were not distracted by a crowd of over 7000 people and won two silver medals and one bronze at last weekend’s State Rowing Championships in Nagambie.  Our Senior Girls now prepare for the largest regatta in the southern hemisphere (The Head of School Girls). Basketball is back and most nights of the week you can find a myriad of College teams playing in HILAC with pride and purpose. Finally, College not only won all three shields at the Glenelg District Swimming Championships in Portland but this week won the Starr Award for the ninth consecutive year at the Independent Country Coeducational Schools Swimming Championships in Melbourne. This prestigious award is presented to the ICCES school with best ratio of points to students.  Once again, we demonstrated enormous grit and determination; ‘punching way above our weight’!  Meanwhile our table tennis and badminton players also represented College well. Tennis and Squash continues to grow in interest and ability.  I commend all student participants and thank the coaches who make these opportunities possible.  Tomorrow’s House Athletic Carnival at Pedrina Park should be a happy event and I am delighted the government have softened regulations to enable parents to attend. Laidlaw successfully defended their crown at Myrniong last Friday, can they do it again in the Senior School? 

Finally, one of our key five strategic priorities is ‘an excellent staff team’.  Sadly, Rob O’Neill our Warrnambool Bus Driver, has advised of his intention to retire at the end of Term 1.  Rob has been a wonderful asset to College and would regularly go above and beyond such as washing and drying Junior Campus students’ swimming gear which was left on the bus so it would be ready for the next day’s lessons. We wish Rob well in his retirement and thank him for his service to the College.

Dr Andrew Hirst