QUOTE: “BE LEAD BY YOUR GOALS AND NOT BY YOUR PROBLEMS!”

Dear Parents/Guardians;

The Long Weekend was certainly enjoyed by all if you go by the sounds of banter and laughter in the dorms and dining hall on Monday night/Tuesday morning. It certainly allowed the dorms to have a good airing in readiness as the boys re-grouped for the very busy final week back at the College.

It has been a huge term with the Half Yearly exams like a distant memory as all the boys are now well and truly into the second semester of work. Darren Frost and I have been pleased with the added maturity towards Senior Study found by many boys with only a few still being a little naïve about their responsibility and efforts in this important area.

The last week saw many assessments, capped off with a big effort from our boys on Friday night, doing the bulk of their packing and tidying up. Mind you, after they were finished, the excitement of the impending break, mixed with the male hormones of “Friday night before Footy” (particularly having not played for two weeks and even longer for some) made it more colourful than usual. It is entertaining, to say the least, to see how 171 sixteen or seventeen year olds amuse themselves with a wide range of activities and skills, (or lack of) on display!!.

On Wednesday morning 8^th June our Sports, Leisure and Recreation class went on a kayak excursion certainly testing out their mettle as the day served up cold, wet weather for them. Despite the conditions they got stuck into a long paddle and bush walk. The PDHPE staff  were very pleased with the boys’ efforts.

On Wednesday, Sam Clarke, Matt Hall, Tim Palmer and Gus Rae were selected to run in the NSW Combined Independent Schools Cross Country Carnival. All boys were happy with their performance in spite of the very muddy conditions at the Eastern Creek course.

Our commitment to the Matthew Talbot Hostel continued until the end of term with the following boys volunteering to serve the guests at Matt Talbot over the past two weeks: Friday, the 3^th June: Harrison Holgate, Lachlan Aston, Henry Birtwistle and Ross Davey and our last group on Friday, 17^th June seeing Clinton Slater, Andrew Raumer and Ben Chaplin. Well done, boys. Next term we will call for more volunteers from our boys to draw up the Term 3 and 4 Roster for this great experience.

A huge night of music was also held at the College on Friday night with all of our various Ensembles performing. Congratulations to all of these boys and the Music Staff for their dedicated and tireless efforts.

Saturday saw the last round of sport for the term against Scots and a host of other schools. We had some tough matches against some very good opponents which will be a good experience long term for our boys. Some of our boys were selected to represent the GPS in the representative games which take place this week. Congratulations to Sam Barclay (GPS 1sts), Josh Wilde (GPS 2nds) and Josh Kay, Tom Robertson and Tom Murphy (GPS 3^rds) whilst Josh Schwager was selected to play in the GPS U/16 side in Rugby. Matthew Alessi was selected in the GPS 2^nd X1 Football side. Good luck to all boys in your matches this week.

I would like to commend the boys for the way they were able to pack and clean up the dorms, a good effort. Good work on Friday night and then again on Saturday morning saw our boys well organized and commence leaving from 5.30pm with a huge sigh of relief from all. Of course, the odd pair of shoes, two bags, and millions of socks, have been left behind but all will be re-acquainted with them at the beginning of next term. Saturday night saw 21 boys remaining with boys departing on trains, planes and automobiles from first thing Sunday morning.

I have attached two lists of all of the locations our boys are involved in during their Ministry Week. I thought it would be interesting just to see the range of activities our boys are doing in what should be a wonderful experience for them.

We reminded our boys it is a normal but very important school week for them and any days of absence are to be phoned into the school, to my office please.

I do hope the stories your son shares with you from his experiences are enlightening for what has been a most successful experience in the past. Many thanks must go to Mrs. Mary Fogarty and Mrs. Helen Smith for their organization of this wonderful initiative. Each boy must ensure that these two forms must be handed back into the Director of Mission Office on the first day of their return next term.

There closes the end of another busy term in the lives of our boys. On their return at 8pm on Monday evening, 18^th July our boys commence their final term of their Year 11 Preliminary Course. Time certainly is flying and we keep stressing the importance of making the most of the opportunities as they come up, for they pass by ever so quickly! I would like to thank you for your support and understanding throughout the past term and wish you an enjoyable break, if you get one , with your families and I look forward to catching up with you in Term 3.

Take care

Jeremy.

QUOTE: “CONTINUOUS EFFORT – NOT STRENGTH OR INTELLIGENCE – IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING OUR POTENTIAL”.

Dear Year 11 Parents,

Week 5 has been another very busy one, with a full weekend moving straight into a week with opportunities for the boys to participate in. Darren Frost and I were very pleased as to how the Information Night went last Saturday. Darren really presented a superb analysis and explanation of the HSC in simple layman terms that all appreciated.

The Parent Teacher Interviews were a great opportunity to reward, re-focus and re-direct our boys in their studies. Feedback is a wonderful thing as it certainly ensures that all can power ahead with some needing to confront the issues at hand a little closer in order to move forward. We will certainly ensure these processes continue in the educating of your sons.

MOBILE PHONES – One issue which has raised my ire lately is the attitude of the boys to mobile phones. Quite simply if boys need to have it on them to contact you during the day, they need to ask my permission and this should only occur if you need to pick them up for an appointment. Learning is being interrupted; organization which should have occurred way earlier is being used as excuses for having and using the phones in class. Quite simply, to ensure our boys’ learning is not unnecessarily interrupted they need to follow the above procedures, which they are well aware of. I have told the boys if they are using the phone indiscrimanently they will lose it for some time.

On Tuesday night we had the staging of the Career Expo held in the Brother Emilian Hall. All of our Year 11 boys attended to help them start thinking about career and future tertiary study opportunities. Congratulations must go to our Careers Counsellor, Mrs. Lorna Charters, for staging such a wonderful exhibition. Lorna received some most complimentary emails from presenters about our young men:

From a cadetship provider:

‘I was very impressed with the maturity of the students’.

From three different universities:

‘I had a strong level of interest from both students and parents.  I found the students very well-mannered and presented – a credit to the school.’

‘It was a really lovely evening and it was great that there were so many qualified, intelligent questions coming from the boys.’

‘All of the boys were polite and displayed an interest through asking varying questions.’

Last Thursday all Yr.11 were treated to a wonderful night as we went to this year’s Musical, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening and all the time given up during holiday periods as well as weekends was obviously worthwhile as adults and students greatly appreciated the production. Congratulations must go to the boys involved, and the Year 11 boys, Lawrence Nelmes, Oliver Coorey, Jason Ren (cast), Chris Spooner (who played the French Horn despite recently breaking his collarbone) and Nick Henry (musicians) and Brendon Follington and Luke Donlon (stage crew).

At our Headmaster’s Assembly today, our 1st XV Rugby and 1^st X1 Football teams were presented with their jerseys. Our guest this year was Mr John Healy who has been doing extraordinary work with our boys, voluntarily for the past 30 years. John was introduced by Mr James Grey, who has been a close friend and was with Br Anthony at Cumberland Oval back in 1978, as guests of then Parramatta club doctor, Peter Ferguson, when they were introduced to John, who was conditioning Parramatta at that time. John expressed how he would have loved to send his boys to Joeys, however due to circumstances, he could not. Two years later, circumstances changed and his youngest son, Paul was enrolled and he was closely followed by his older brother, Michael. Since 1981, John has trained our Rugby, Rowing and Athletics teams with great success. In the 30 years he has been associated with the College, the 1^st XV has been Premiers 19 times, 12 as Champions whilst the 2^nd XV has been Premiers 20 times. So highly has John been thought of by the Old Boys, he was made an Honorary Old Boy in 1987, the College Weight Room was named after him in 1992 and he was awarded the Order of Australia in 1998 for his Charitable works and his work with young men in Sporting Organisations. Br Anthony described John as more than a Conditioner, he was a teacher whose words delivered tremendous values and standards to all under his care.

John himself delivered some terrific messages to the boys. He spoke to them about having self discipline; to do what has to be done, as best as it can be done and do that always. The importance of having a winning attitude, in striving for excellence in all you do. And finally, allowing time for honest self-reflection, and honestly think about where you can improve and what areas you need to work on. He told the boys, no young men are failures; they are all a work in progress. Wise words for all our boys, as well as us teachers! The 1^st X1 Football team were presented with their shirts and the Year 11 boys representing the College in this team are Ed Dudley, Matthew Alessi, Jesse Fenech, Tom Booth and Magnus Heywood. John next presented the 1^st XV with their jerseys and the Yr 11 boys selected are Tom Robertson, Tom Murphy, Josh Schwager, Joshua Kay, Sam Barclay and Joshua Wilde. Congratulations to these boys and in fact to every boy who goes out there and plays his grand final, no matter what team he is in, every week.

Whilst on the topic of our winter sports I would like to remind you that on Saturdays during winter your son fulfils his own commitments and then he is seated with the rest of the College by 2.00pm. It is the expectation that once a boy arrives at his game he remains in the care of the College until after check off at the conclusion of the First XV match. This means that at home games he remains on College property and at away games he remains at the away venue. If there is a circumstance which requires a boy to leave our care during a Saturday, this permission must be sort from his Boarding Coordinator. I do appreciate your support in this matter.

Tonight our Fed Cup Debating team of Dom Price, Oliver Coorey Tim Palmer and Lewis Mullins will debate against Newington in the Grand Final. We wish them every success, whilst the remainder of the debating teams will be in action against Barker College.

Our commitment to Matt Talbot Hostel continues today with Harrison Holgate, Lachlan Aston, Henry Birtwistle and Ross Davey venturing across to assist the Homeless men of Sydney.

At our Division Meeting last week Mrs Di Stewart invited our boys to partake in the Marist Children Holiday Camp to be held at Joeys from the 8th – 11^th December. The boys can apply to be a Personal Companion for our special guests or a Activities Helper. A wonderful opportunity for our young men to really stretch themselves in their help of others. I am pleased to report that just over 80 of our young men have registered to be considered for this unique experience. They met with Di again last Wednesday and the next step is to complete a questionnaire on why they wish to participate in the Camp and from this final selection will take place.

A reminder about this Sunday, 5th June is the Champagnat Family Mass starting at 10am that all boys are to attend being free to leave after 11am. All boys are expected to be seated by 9.45am. The June Long Weekend sees our boys able to leave from 5.00pm on Thursday, 9th June with the boys booked on Countrylink buses leaving first thing Friday morning. Boys then return on Monday evening, 13^th June by 8pm with boys who normally return on Monday mornings, may return on Tuesday morning, 14^th June by 8am.

Please find attached the week’s Sports fixtures for your assistance. Look forward to seeing you over the weekend.

Regards

Jeremy