From the Deputy Principal, Secondary

From the Deputy Principal

Year 8 Camp

This week the first of our Year 8 camp groups departed for Kangaroo Island. Camps provide boys with an opportunity to build resilience, develop collaboration and teamwork skills and give parents a few days break.

 

Great memories are forged on camps and as the cohort is galvanised through shared stories and experiences.

 

Thanks to our staff who give of their time to attend camps. Special thanks to Mr Knowles, Mr Ng’eno, Mr Meus, Mr Starrs, Ms Graziano, Mr Parrella and Ms Blackmore for their attendance on the Year 8 Camps.

 

 

 

Positive Choices and Parenting in a Modern Time

The world our young people live in has vastly changed from the world of our youth. Social media, mobile phones and the busyness of families are three of the most significant changes to family life and the teenage years. At school we use several resources to address the challenges faced by students and parents. These include our Wellbeing Journals, mental health seminars and workshops, visiting guest speakers, drug and alcohol seminars, responsible driving, positive psychology and our extensive retreat program that focuses on truth and living the Four Pillars of Dominican Life: Prayer, Study, Community and Service.

 

As parents, we need to keep abreast of the world of our young people. Lamenting the past days when we were young makes us sound like our own parents! There are brilliant resources available online and I encourage parents to attend our school-based sessions when they occur.

 

On 4 March we have a compulsory Year 12 parent evening that will focus on the abovementioned issues facing our Year 12s.

 

Two excellent websites are Positive Choices and Head Space. Please spend some time reading through the parent advice sections…despite our busy lives.

 

https://positivechoices.org.au/

https://headspace.org.au/

 

Laureate Assembly

The Laureate Assembly, held on Monday 18 February, was an auspicious celebration of the Four Pillars at Blackfriars Priory School.  The assembly recognised the 2018 graduates who achieved an ATAR of 90 or above and culminated in the awarding of the Magnus Medal and Nicholas Altman Book Prize to Duy Minh Vu Tran, who achieved an outstanding ATAR of 99.45. Duy will be studying a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Science at Adelaide University.

 

Secondary Swimming Carnival

On Friday 15 February, the 50th Annual Secondary Swimming Carnival was held at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre. All Houses were dressed up and ready for a day of action! The novelty thong race was a big hit as always. 

 

In one of the closest contests on record, Denifle/Jarrett Houses were crowned champions...again!

 

Congratulations to all our swimmers but especially to our record breaker, Noah Caton (Burke) who continued to break records.

 

Well done to all students for their exemplary behaviour. The day was yet another great example of school spirit with much fun had by all!

 

Below are the final placings:

  1. Denifle/Jarrett
  2. Burke/Lacordaire
  3. De Vitoria/Lagrange
  4. Aquinas/Horten

 

 

Blessings.

 

Mr David Ruggiero

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL, SECONDARY