SAINTS BOARDING 

Our boarders are to be commended on the way they have settled into the new school year. Routines are well established, study is focused, and the boarding family has a settled and welcoming feel. Much of the early homesickness seems to have subsided, and the busyness of life at St Augustine’s has been embraced.

The boarding community has been busy in the past two weeks and has welcomed 45 new boarders: 28 Year 7 students and 17 from all other year levels. We have also evolved with a slightly different boarding model which now operates within a junior and senior program. It is pleasing to see our residences at near capacity and students enjoying the daily life of boarding.

Tutorial Program Kicks Off for 2023

Still uncertain about what was done in Maths today? Such a question could be put to a Saints student, and a boarder would have no problem seeking clarification from one of the many tutors available during study. We are most fortunate to have a wonderful team of teaching staff, undergraduate students and distinguished Old Boys assist boarders during study. They will have several tutors available to them in the next couple of weeks.

Sunday Night Mass

Excluding free weekends and exeat weekends, the boarding community celebrates Sunday night Mass in the chapel at 7pm. This is a compulsory event for our boarders, and, therefore, we ask that they return to the College on a Sunday night by 5:30pm. This allows them to be present for the roll call and dinner, which starts at 6:10pm.

Exeat Weekend

25-27 February is the exeat weekend for Term 1. To clarify: all boarders must leave for the weekend. Residences will be closed from 4:30pm Friday 25 February, and will not reopen again until 3pm Monday 27 February. Leave for full-time boarders for the weekend must be entered in REACH by 7pm Tuesday 22 February. Boarders are responsible for submitting leave requests and parents must approve them. 

Leave Requests

A reminder that leave requests for our normal weekends must be submitted by 7pm on Wednesday nights. The College understands and supports boarders visiting families when in town, and staff will always work with families to ensure that quality time can be had with these visits. We ask, however, that requests are not made on the Friday before the weekend, as weekend programs are organised in advance, and planning is completed by that time.

Facebook and REACH

Thank you to parents and boarders who have navigated the REACH program when applying for leave over the past two weeks. If you have any questions about access to the REACH program, please do not hesitate to call or email me or the respective head of residence. 

Also, a reminder about the St Augustine’s Boarding Facebook page. If you wish to join, please follow the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/145337315916743/

Country Visits and Dinners

We look forward to recommencing our trips to prominent places where our families reside. Our first trip will be to Weipa. As well as visiting families we'll  visit the Catholic school where we'll present and meet students from Years 5 and 6.

Week-One Outings

With perfect weather, boarders and staff enjoyed a beautiful scenic drive to Port Douglas on Australia Day – our first outing for the year. We enjoyed swimming, beach cricket, visiting the shops and grabbing a bite to eat. A couple of days later we were back on the road again, but this time to the Tablelands and a swim at Lake Eacham.

We turn our attention to something a little less vigorous this weekend, but just as enjoyable, as we look forward to a nice walk from Kewarra Beach to Palm Cove, where boarders can swim and relax.