Breaksea House News

I hope you’re having a great Week Seven. Here are some updates on how Breaksea House has been tracking as we power through one of the busiest times of the school year. 

Over the last few weeks, it’s been great to connect with so many parents and I’ve really enjoyed the sense of teamwork and community that has developed. It’s a real honour to work with families to help guide and support their teenagers through these critical years of their education and lives. 

Winter is Here!

In Breaksea, the last few weeks have brought with them a comical amount of oodies, ugg boots and layers upon layers of jumpers and thermals. The heaters have been working extra hard and the mornings and the evenings have been becoming darker and quieter. However, the cooler weather and the rain have been an exciting change for some. Many students have said they find being snuggled up warm and cosy in their rooms, while the wind and rain holler outside, a comforting change. There is something quite special about listening to the rain on the roof. It also seems the winter has brought us a bit closer together. Awareness of the dark and cold has often prompted the extra warmth of a friendly smile and an encouraging word. We’ve all been putting in a bit more effort to care for and support each other through the cold and it’s been heart-warming to see.

Clear Rooms, Clear Minds

A significant focus of the last few weeks has been working on having a clean and tidy room. Having a well-organised room, allows for a calm and ordered space that becomes a refuge for our boarders amongst their busy weeks of study, sport, music, excursions and social commitments. After a busy day, coming back to a neatly made bed, a clear desk and a clear floor, helps create a sense of accomplishment, organisation and relief. I’ve been particularly impressed with some of the organisational systems our boarders have used, such as labelled crates, colour-coordinated desk filing and clothes folding that even Marie Kondo would be proud of! A real highlight of the week was when the cleaners left a message on our whiteboards saying that the boarder’s rooms were the cleanest and most ordered they’d been all year. This feedback brought a great sense of pride to the house. Our lovely and hard-working cleaners, vacuum and wipe down desks and surfaces daily to ensure the boarders always come home to a clean environment. 

Exams, Exams and More Exams

Huge congratulations are in order for our Year Twelve students who last week completed their first semester exams and Externally Set Tasks (ESTs). The Year Ten students are completing their exams this week and our Year Elevens commence theirs, the week after. There’s been some moments of overwhelm and anxiety for sure, as the pressure of these exams has built, but a combination of help with creating study timetables, effective routines and reassurance has been there to support our students through this time. In addition, the day school’s academic support program, alongside the tutoring support provided in boarding, have been a great help to many.  

Welcome to New Boarders & Families

Our Breaksea family has been growing these last few weeks and we’ve welcomed to the house, two new Year Eleven boarders, Zoe Keley and Holly Cole. Both of our new students have had friends in the house prior to moving into boarding, which has definitely helped with the transition, but I’ve also been proud of our Breaksea community for helping them to feel welcome. We also extend a friendly welcome to Zoe and Holly’s families who have joined our boarding community too and over the coming weeks will work to connect them to our parent support networks. 

Student in the Spotlight

We are thrilled to have one of our Year Eleven students, Faith Bin Omar, have her book published within the Our Yarning collection. Faith wrote a story about her younger cousin, Azriel, who is also in boarding. The story focuses on Azriel’s love of motorbike riding. Our Yarning is a literacy program that publishes stories written by indigenous children to empower them in their learning and the learning of others. We’re really proud of Faith and excited to celebrate this success with her. 

Amy Medway was very busy last week crocheting a birthday present for her brother Hamish in Eclipse House. Hamish got the surprise of his life when his sister Amy presented him with the gift that took her ten hours to make and he loved it.

Thank you to our Breaksea students, staff, parents and our wider boarding community for your ongoing care, support and teamwork. It’s a privilege to share this journey with you and please don’t hesitate to get in touch at any time to check-in. 

Mrs Teliah Turrill | Head of Breaksea House