Boarding News

Mr Jim Noble, Head of Boarding

As we head into Week 5, the term is slipping away and yet there is so much to cram into what remains of the 2022 school year. Our Year 12 boys continue with their external examinations and are doing particularly well with this extended period of study and the pressure that comes with it. They have set a great example for the rest of the boarders all year and this has been evident again during their exam period with their consistent effort and maintenance of high standards. I know the Year 12 boys are looking forward to their graduation on 18th November and celebrating the end of their schooling with family, friends and the school community. We wish the boys well at this busy time.

 

Sean Mulqueen and Jim Noble
Sean Mulqueen and Jim Noble

Last Sunday night after Mass the boarders were fortunate to hear from a guest speaker, Mr Sean Mulqueen, a current parent of two boys in our primary school. Mr Mulqueen spoke to the boys about the Afghanistan War Memorial Garden. The memorial was designed to honour those Australians killed in action during the Afghanistan conflict and those veterans who returned home and have lost their lives to depression, post-traumatic stress and other mental health issues. Mr Mulqueen and a group of volunteers have worked tirelessly for many years to plan, build and maintain this memorial garden so that the service of so many great Australians is not forgotten. Mr Mulqueen told the boarders his story of serving in Afghanistan and why this memorial is so important to him and the families of those who served. The boys and staff present on Sunday night were moved by Mr Mulqueen’s address and we will be supporting the 7th annual 42 Hour Challenge to help raise funds to maintain the Afghanistan War Memorial Garden. We will be walking in the early hours of this coming Saturday morning with the family of an Old Boy, Ricky Milosevic (MCA Senior 1989) who was a boarder from Quilpie and was killed in the Afghanistan conflict. The event takes place at Suncorp Stadium with participants walking laps of the stadium concourse to honour the fallen. It promises to be a great event and I am sure our boys will make a valuable contribution with their presence at this event.

 

A number of boarders and parents have been asking me whether our dorms will return to the year level groupings like they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is our aim now that the health authorities have removed the mandatory quarantine period for those who test positive to COVID-19. With this change announced there will not be a need for the school to have a large quarantine area for boarders with COVID-19. We are therefore looking to return our Year 6/7 boarders, Year 8 boarders and Year 9 boarders to their own year group dormitories next year. All Year 10’s will reside in Fourviere Residence along with some of the Year 11s and Br Terence Residence will have all Year 12 boarders and the balance of the Year 11s. We are looking forward to this change in 2023.

Sunday Night Mass

Boarding Recreation