Middle School Report – September 5, 2019

-No act of kindness is ever wasted.- Aesop

In 2020 The Middle School Community Service Program will continue as part of the Middle School timetable.

Community Service is when you work for free to the benefit of your community rather than yourself. In our modern world, we need to consider community service not only as a local opportunity but, one that has the potential to recognise and meet global needs.

The St Patrick’s College Middle School Community Service Program will have many positive effects on our students including helping them to develop their listening and communication skills, making contacts with members of the wider Ballarat community, and allowing students to support and further others in need. By engaging in community service, the Middle School Community Service Program will provide our students with the opportunity to become active members of their community and it will have a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Most notably, the Middle School Community Service Program will enable our students to acquire life skills and knowledge, as well as provide a service to those most in need.

My scenario in 2020 looks like this: I will have approximately 125 Year 9 boys, on a Wednesday afternoon once a fortnight and another 125 boys on the alternating Tuesday afternoon working between 1.45/2.00pm until 3.30. The Year 9 students are thus available as boy power to undertake Community Service placements throughout the Ballarat region. Clearly, I am not short of boy power but I do need places for the boys to do their good work. This is where I need your help. If we can be of any assistance to your organisation or contacts that you have, perhaps we could even expand or start new projects now that some -boy power- has become available I would love to hear about them and see what partnerships we can form.

Please contact Mr Michael Busscher on 5322 4429 or mbusscher@stpats.vic.edu.au

As always, I look forward too many great teaching and learning days ahead.