From the Principal

The very essence of a successful school is its sense of community 

Boarding has always offered an opportunity for children from regional and remote areas to receive high-quality education. Boarding offers an amazing array of opportunities and facilities that would not be available to them at home. However, the benefits of a boarding school are not limited to the boarding students themselves. The positives that boarders bring to a school community are significant. 

Boarders bring the virtues of independence, participation, a sense of fun, tolerance and patience.  Boarders are also heavily involved in the school and all its activities.  Not only do they bring their skill and talent to College, but they also bring the expectation that everyone will pitch in and help. School is their life for months at a time and they decide they might as well enjoy it; they bring that atmosphere to the rest of the school. 

Boarders are great role models as they learn how to negotiate conflict and problem solve. Boarders must also be patient. Living in a community means that things don’t necessarily happen at the moment you want them to. The skills of tolerance and patience are also used in their dealings with the rest of the school community. Again, it creates a culture and it is contagious.  Boarding students bring a sense of levity and maturity that reflects their communities and lifestyle. Boarding breeds responsibility, resilience and a quiet confidence that cuts through many potential teenage problems and traps.   The very essence of a successful school is its sense of community, boarding provides the core population. They are completely immersed in school community and at the same time perpetuate it.

The College Board acknowledges the important role that our boarding program plays across the whole school.  In recent years, our junior boarding numbers have declined, and we want to change this. Last night, the Board endorsed 100% boarding bursaries for any Year 7 child intent on boarding at College for six years.  Furthermore, for families who live outside a radius of 100km from Hamilton, Year 8 boarders are entitled to receive a 100% bursary off their boarding fees.  Conditions do apply.  If you would like to learn more or have a friend in mind, please share this important news.  For more information, please contact our Registrar, Susie Holcombe at holcombes@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au.

Finally, I wish our entire community a well-deserved holiday break and I look forward to seeing smiling faces in October.  Thank you for your ongoing support.

Dr Andrew Hirst

Principal