Valedictory

On Thursday, 20 October, the boarding community came together to celebrate the Year Twelve boarding cohort of 2022. It was a beautiful evening of reflections, celebration and laughter. 

We thank Madison Smart for her wonderful contribution as Boarding Captain this year and her thoughtful reflections on their cohort's time in boarding. 

It was lovely seeing all the parents enjoying catching up together and exchanging stories. There was a reflection provided by Ms Vanessa Bromhead and Mr Mark Sawle, a funny slide show of the growing up years of each of the Year Twelve students and gifts provided for each of the students. We thank Mrs Di Franzinelli for all her work in organising the event, Mrs Teresa McAllister and the Hospitality students for their service, Mrs Julia Bairstow for her bar service and Chef James McNeil and Chef Nick Harvey for their wonderful food. 

Each year at the Boarding Valedictory Dinner, we ask a boarding parent to offer a reflection on behalf of all Year Twelve Boarding parents.  This year, Mrs Kathy Bradshaw provided a very entertaining parent response which we would like to share with you below.

Thank you for inviting me to speak on behalf of our boarding families at this very special occasion.

When I think of boarding, the first thing that comes to mind is grateful - we have so much to be grateful for at Great Southern Grammar.

It goes against every fibre of your being to leave your children at boarding for the very first time.  And as a parent who grieved for months this was one of the most difficult and emotional times in our life.  We handed over and entrusted you to take care of our children, to nurture and care for them and I think everyone will agree, you have done an exceptional job.  They have been blessed to be in such a safe and supportive environment.

Together we have seen our children blossom and mature into young adults.  It's been a long and sometimes bumpy journey.  Most notably were the challenges faced by our students due to the global pandemic.  Their resilience shone through as they overcame the dramatic changes to how we conducted our daily lives.  During this difficult and often confusing time, the support and communication from Great Southern Grammar was exceptional and we knew our kids were catered for in every aspect, for this we thank you.

We are grateful for our wonderful Year Twelve's, for their education, which could not have been achieved without all the fabulous staff at school and at boarding.  Thank you for tutoring them after hours, for having their lunches packed and ready due to COVID, for transporting them safely to wherever they needed to be.  Thank you to the catering staff, the nurses Bec and Liz, the boarding committee and the gardeners.  To Mrs Franzinelli for her continuous communication and efficiency with all thing's admin, employing numerous rec officers and juggling the activities to accommodate the various wants and needs of all of our families and finally the Heads of Boarding, Ms Bromhead and Mrs Ball.  Your combined efforts in ensuring this boarding community smoothly ticks along never goes unnoticed and we would like to express our sincere appreciation for all you have done and wish you all the best, thank you.

I would like to read you something that was sent to me by a friend.  It's called, The Cat Years.  I feel it may resonate with many of you, listen up teenagers.

I just realised that while children are like dogs, loyal and affectionate, teenagers are cats.

I'ts so easy to be a dog owner.  You feed it, train it, boss it around.  Walks into your office and gazes at you as if you were naked.  It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it.

Then, around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat.  When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you the emperor.

Instead of dogging your footsteps, it disappears.  You won't see it again until it gets hungry, then it pauses on its stalk through the boarding house long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you're serving.

When you reach out to ruffle its head, in that old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you, then gives you a blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before.

You, not realising that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it.  It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed.  It won't go on rec activities.

Since they've been under your guidance, taught it to fetch and stay and set on command, you assume that you did something wrong.  Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave.

Only, now you're dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result.

Call it, and it runs away.  Tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter.  The more you go towards it, wringing your hands, the more it moves away.

Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you need to learn to behave like a cat owner.

Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you.  But remember that a cat needs your help and your affection too.

Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm comforting office it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it.

One day, your grown-up boarder will walk into the kitchen and say "You've been on your feet all day and so busy in the classroom and taking care of us.  Let me make you a cuppa"

Then you'll realise your cat is a dog again.

So, to all the boarding staff, thank you for adjusting yourself to the varied personalities, day in and day out, for all the little and big things that have made a difference, for the mentoring that has got these young adults to where they are today.  We are grateful, thank you.

All the best Year Twelves. Time to celebrate!