Deputy Principal

Last week, we held our first full College Assembly in the Gymnasium minus Year 12 who were in their assessment block. It was a chance for us all to be together as one community. We celebrated International Women’s Day and launched our Lenten Appeal. We talked a lot about community and kindness and reaching out to others through friendship. Later that day in the playground I immersed myself in a game of handball with some of our Year 11 students. While the rules have certainly changed since I was at school and handball apparently can be played with other parts of the body besides your hands these days, I really enjoyed getting to know the boys and teaching them a few of my old tricks. I think they were surprised that I could match most of their shots! 

Playing handball with the students reminded me of my first day of Year 7. While my friends and I had gone to a school similar to St Patrick’s which also started in Year 5, we turned up to the first day of Year 7 having forgotten to bring a handball. On that day there was a new student to the school who did not know anyone, however, he had a handball. We invited him to play and 30 years later he is still one of my best friends. I talked to the boys at assembly about small acts of kindness and this story of handball shows that you never know the impact that a small act of kindness can have, and that a small ripple can make a big wave in a community or possibly even a lifelong friendship. 

Kiss and Drop 

Can I please ask that all parents/carers read the College’s Kiss and Drop procedures that I have linked here. 

It is really important to note that you must enter Fraser Street by turning left into Shortland Avenue (coming from alongside Breen Oval). If you approach Fraser Street travelling east along Shortland Avenue, you should not turn right. Please continue along Shortland Avenue to Francis Street and go around the roundabout and join the line travelling west along Shortland Avenue to Francis Street. I would ask that you support the community by following these directions. 

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal