Principal's Post
Dear Parents,
At the beginning of the week our Year 12 students attended their Retreat. The students were broken up into smaller groups and attended one of three venues. Retreats were at the Don Bosco Camp Site at Dromana, the Don Bosco Camp Site in Lysterfield or the Lyrebird Park Camp & Conference Centre, Yellingbo. The programme focussed on relationships, manhood and included issues relating to Respectful Relationships and Consent. Presentations and discussions were challenging and the students were very positive as they immersed themselves into the spirit of the retreat. The College has been part of the Respectful Relationships initiative for a number of years now and the agenda for the retreat was established some time ago. Nonetheless, we have been inundated with resources, suggestions and materials in recent weeks because of current events in Canberra and the media coverage of Sexual Assault and Consent.
Darren Chester, who is the Federal Member for Gippsland, wrote an opinion piece in The Age which resonates with the discussions both on the Retreats for Year 12 and the Personal Development Workshop on “Pornography vs Reality” that was presented during the Year 10 Activity Week. Michael Carr-Gregg from School TV and Darren Chester encourage conversation with our young men in society so they are clear about their responsibilities in relationships today, and relationships for the future. Please find an excerpt and a link to Darren Chester’s opinion piece below.
Darren Chester: “And that’s why I believe we all need to have difficult conversations with other men and boys about what’s acceptable behaviour, understanding the meaning of consent and pushing back on the violent porn industry which gives young men a warped and contaminated perspective of respectful relationships”.
This time last year we were transitioning to Remote Learning and spending time cancelling a number of activities. While it is quite frantic at the moment ensuring our Outdoor Education and Social Justice Activities (including Mission Action Day) are occurring it is exciting that we are able to function in a much more positive way.
Last week Will Daniels (Year 11) and Ken Chau (Year 12) participated in the World’s Greatest Shave and have raised over $2500 for research into blood cancer. The boys are motivated by their friend, Kieran Rahilly’s (Year 12) current battle with leukaemia. Kieran, his Mum, Andrea, and brother, Paul were in attendance last Friday for the “shave” and are very appreciative of the community’s support. The Mothers' Association has also offered a significant donation of financial support on behalf of the community. Kieran is working with Ms Felicity Kamevaar and the Year 12 Drama students this year when he is not having treatment. Please keep Kieran and the family in your prayers as he bravely tackles this illness.
Many students have benefitted from the Tutoring Programme that has occurred during first term. In a couple of weeks we will be reviewing its delivery and widening the opportunities for students who are realising they have missed critical information during 2020 because of the Remote Learning Structures during lockdown.
The term has flown and Parent Teacher Interviews coming up will be an opportunity to discuss individual progress. For many students they need to get back on track with their study routines and extra-curricular activities. We are noticing that this is happening, and of course we have been patient as students adjust back to the demands and expectations of school. Many aspects of school do not need negotiation. Uniform regulations, punctuality, deadlines for homework are routines that keep us operating effectively and we do need to confidently challenge these details of life without push back. The majority of our parents appreciate the follow up and the work of staff challenging their sons to get back on track with their routines and their involvement with activities. Thank you for your support and partnership in this area, which is critical to our operations and routines.
Yours sincerely,
Mr Tony Coghlan
Principal