Headmaster’s Message – June 22, 2018

Dear Parents, Carers, Friends, Staff and Students of St Patrick’s College,

One of the things I enjoy in my role as Headmaster is to meet with past students of the College at our annual reunions. The reason for this is two-fold: firstly, I enjoy seeing the reconnection of friendships that have stood the test of time. This reminds me of the lasting relationship that students have with St Patrick’s College throughout their lives, something unique to our school.

Secondly, it gives me great joy to see the reactions of past students to the new facilities constantly being constructed. They often remark that they wish they had access to such new facilities when they attended the College!

The truth is, of course, that every generation of alumni would say exactly the same thing as they walked through the corridors of St Patrick’s College. A school can never stand still because our entire reason for being is to provide ever-increasing opportunities for the boys in our care. They are, and remain, at the core of our decision making.

The history of St Patrick’s College is marked with buildings, projects, initiatives and opportunities that were conceived from this important premise: that it will be of benefit to our students.

Throughout the past 125 years of educating boys in the Charism of Edmund Rice, many thousands of people have walked through the front gates to place their mark on the College: students, parents, staff, deputy headmasters and headmasters. Their contributions, though varied in nature, have given rise to the St Patrick’s College we see today.

Traditions are so important to our current vision -Raising fine Boys to The Status of Great men-. Why? Because in recognising who we have been, we provide the stories, relationships and connections to allow us to thrive today. In other words, we stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us and gain our inspiration from the examples they have set.

Recently, when working with a group of students in the preparation of our new Strategic Plan, this exact point was emphasised: that our community is immeasurably enriched by the heritage of our great traditions. Or, as some students explained to me: we learn who we are by listening to those who have been before us.

This is a profound statement and deep observation from our students.

As we continue to celebrate our 125^th year as a school in the Edmund Rice tradition, we are reminded of the toil of past members of our community. Those who may not have ever seen the fruits of their hard work, but in whom we owe an enormous debt of gratitude for their vision and foresight.

Recently, one of our longest serving staff members, Tony Liston, indicated his intention to take up a position at Midlands Golf Course. Tony has worked at St Patrick’s College for the past 15 years as our Property and Maintenance Manager. Throughout this time, he has seen many positive changes at the school and has always worked hard to ensure our facilities are kept in pristine condition for the boys in our care. Tony is a wonderful person and a great role model to our students. He will be sadly missed by all. He is a great example of someone who has toiled for the College selflessly. On behalf of the entire community of SPC we wish Tony well and look forward to continuing his association with the College both as a parent and as a member of our Buildings Committee.

I would like to wish all of our students a very safe and happy holiday. Term 2 has been busy indeed and our boys are ready for a deserved break. However, it is important for our senior students, in particular our students studying Units 3 and 4, to stay on task throughout this time and to ensure they return in Semester 2 well organised and having completed the necessary work set by their teachers over the holidays. Consistency and good organisation is the key to success and reaching your potential.

As a community we offer the following prayer for our senior students:

God of infinite love,

Bless our students with the gift of perseverance, encouragement and courage.

Give them the strength to find their path and reach their potential.

Grant them the wisdom to see the journey ahead and respond to its challenges and its rewards

Be with them along their journey

Amen

Have a wonderful break

John Crowley

HEADMASDTER