Principal's Report

‘Connected community’ is one of this College’s greatest strengths!  Over the past week, I have watched football at Melville Oval and supported hockey at Pedrina Park; I have been fortunate to play in our Annual Golf Day, celebrated a most successful Rowing season, and presented to prospective families at an Information Night in Warrnambool.  On each occasion, students, staff, parents, past parents and Old Collegians alike joined together, proud to share the marvellous story that is College.  It is a story with great colour, imagination and pride and yet the final chapters are still to be written.

One important contributor will be how society grapples with the challenge of technology.  I highly recommend you listen to a podcast entitled ‘How the iPhone rewrote the teenage brain’.  Researcher, Mr David Gillespie has measured how technology impacts on the child’s brain and the new findings are frightening.  Data suggests that while addiction to alcohol and cigarettes has halved over past decade, the incidence of mental illness has doubled – the cause being attributed to the addictive impact of technology.  Every parent should listen to David’s provocative proposals. Please access: https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpodcasts.apple.com%2Fau%2Fpodcast%2Fconversations%2Fid94688506%3Fi%3D1000435024839&data=02%7C01%7C%7C361970b14ad2413cc9ae08d6cec428d6%7Cea0cd046f4c6436fb8b0f429775e4442%7C0%7C0%7C636923739265996712&sdata=iyx2LTFi%2BV3HRu2A6OmJaQ5qJyLff6sf%2Bahg32MLqCM%3D&reserved=0

Finally, I wish all our special mums a very Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday.  Gratitude remains one of our core values and I hope every student stops to reflect, thank and celebrate just how fortunate they are to have, or have had, such an incredible force for inspiration in their lives!

Dr Andrew Hirst