Wellbeing Report – February 23, 2017

Dear Parents,

Pastoral Care

Our new Pastoral Care program has begun in Years 7-9, in regular pastoral sessions. Please have conversations with your sons about what they are discussing. We really value the partnership with our parents.

The Senior School program will begin later in the term. The recent Year 11 Seminar was the launch of the Year 11 Program.

Year 11 Men of Honour and Day of Hope Seminar Day Monday 13 February

This was a great success for all the students that attended this day with the presenter Glen Gerryn. Congratulations must go to the Year Level Coordinators, Mr Carmody and Mr Daniel, ably supported by the Pastoral Care Coordinator, Mr Murray. However, my particular congratulations to the exceptional behavior and engagement by the boys. It was a brilliant day, with many lessons learnt by the boys about how to reach and exceed their potential as young men in the making.

Off Campus and Extra-Curricular Sports Requirements

As part of our continuing efforts to provide a safe environment for all our students please consider the following expectations that we now have in place for all students who are involved in off campus activities.

• Each student needs to return a permission form for all activities to Student Services before the due date of the activity. Please make sure your son has obtained the necessary permission forms for each extra-curricular activity from the relevant teacher coordinating the activity. This is particularly important in our extensive after school sports program.

Teachers who have direct responsibility for the students will have a complete set of medical records and contact details if contact with parents is required.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Head of The Lake

This year Head of The Lake is held on Sunday 26 February. There will be a small contingent of senior leaders and teachers assisting me on the day in supervising the Spit Crew of 140 boys. It is the College expectation that students in other year levels are the responsibility of parents for the day as it is not a gazetted school day.

The Importance of Noticing All Boys

As the year has begun we have many boys who are demonstrating their natural leadership skills and are thriving at the College. We also have those boys who need additional pastoral and educational needs whose needs are well met, living out the Touchstone of Inclusiveness. However, there are many boys who go about their schooling, doing the right thing always, who at times are unnoticed.

Jesus Christ was a great noticer of all, whether it be Zacchaeus in the tree, Peter lacking faith in a storm, a woman asking for water at a well, or the doubting Thomas, after Jesus had arisen. He noticed all in his path.

We endeavour to bring the Kingdom of God to all our community. If your son has some issues, or you think he is struggling to connect with teachers or other boys I urge you to make contact with pastoral tutors, year coordinators or individual teachers. We are all here to help your sons thrive and all the boys deserve to be noticed.

Take Care

God Bless

Gerard Sullivan-

Deputy Headmaster – Wellbeing