Boarding Bulletin Board

News around the Boarding Precinct

What a wonderful and, somewhat normal, start to the 2021 Academic Year, here in Boarding at St Patrick’s College. We have been blessed to welcome 57 Boarders and their families to our Community, both returning and new.

Of our 57 students, 25 are new to St Patrick’s College and to Boarding. This has been exciting for students and staff alike as we continue to develop a positive culture within SPC Boarding. Our Boarders have arrived from so many diverse and widespread places, ranging from Warracknabeal and Wangaratta, Bees Creek and Bendigo, Darwin and Drysdale, Ali Curung and Alice Springs and even Narrawong and Nanjing in China.

It was with great pleasure that along with our new boarders, we welcomed two new staff members to the Boarding Team, Mr Josh Wilson-Stanton a previous St Patrick’s College Boarder, arriving from Darwin, and Eddie Sauvoa, a previous student of St Patrick’s College, joining us from Melton. Both Josh and Eddie have already developed positive relationships with our students, and we are looking forward to all of the exciting initiatives, enthusiasm and professionalism, both will bring to the Boarding Team.

Our Orientation Program looked a little different this year as we were thankful to be able to welcome our new boarders into the Precinct, a few days earlier to help them settle into the routines and expectations around Boarding. This also gave us an opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities, in and around Ballarat, including a trip to the trampoline park, Xtreme Bounce, a trip to the movies and a day trip to Geelong. Throughout the trip to Geelong, Boarders were able to swim at Eastern Beach, shop at Westfield and even roller-skate in Newtown. It was safe to say that they all had a wonderful time and were very much looking forward to an early bed that night!

Not only did we inundate our new boarders with activities around the Ballarat Community, we also held several activities around the College to help familiarise themselves with the College Campus. This included an ‘Amazing Race’ around the grounds that involved a number of tasks that required our Boarders to meet and greet many of the Staff, including a selfie with the Principal, worth ten points!

Many of our boarding students are in the midst of pre-season training sessions, vying for spots in various local football and cricket teams. The College is also announcing sign-ups for Term 1 sports and College wide activities and we encourage Boarders to make the most of these opportunities. We wish all Boarding Students the best as they strive to pursue their sporting and personal pursuits.

Up-Coming Events

On Friday, February 12, we invite all of our Boarding Families to our Welcome to Community Family Mass and Dinner. This night is to celebrate the unique diversity of our Community and is highlighted with a traditional Smoking Ceremony outside the Boarding Precinct. We are looking forward to seeing as many families and friends attend the night as we welcome new and returning families of St Patrick’s College Boarding.

Friday, February 19 is the annual Head of the Lake rowing event here at Lake Wendouree. We wish all of the boys from St Patrick’s College good luck on the day, especially current Year 12 Boarding Student, Xavier Hayter, who has been an integral member of the Rowing Program for a number of years.

Wednesday, February 24 is the annual SPC Swimming Sports. All of our boarders from Years 7 -9 and our Year 12 cohort will be involved in activities all day, while the swimming participants in Years 10 and 11 will attend for their events. This is a wonderful day of sportsmanship and colour which we strongly encourage all of the boarders to participate in.

The first Exeat weekend this year for all our boarders begins on Friday, March 5 (5pm) until Monday, March 8 (5pm). The Precinct will remain open, however, we do encourage those that can, to take advantage of the long weekend and spend time with family and friends.