QUOTE: “TAKE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR OWN HANDS AND WHAT HAPPENS? A TERRIBLE THING: NO ONE TO BLAME!”
Dear Year 11 Parents and Guardians;
A huge sigh of relief was heard as our boys finished their last exam, Mathematics, this afternoon. Our boys have been totally immersed in their Final Year 11 Preliminary Exams that have dominated these last two weeks. Darren Frost and I 
have been very impressed as to how the boys have applied themselves to their Studies. Mind you, Study has been tough for some as they drag their brain exhausted bodies back to the classroom to continue their vigil. It is not easy to sit day and night studying when your next exam may be two or three days away. It was just simply hard work and our boys have certainly put in. We have changed their program that sees a Morning exam; Lunch at Midday followed by a good hour and a half break with the afternoon session beginning at 1.33pm. The boys have enjoyed playing Touch, kicking the footy around or shooting a few baskets as a way to keep things in balance and burn off some energy. Actually it has been very pleasing to see the way many of them have routined themselves, with early morning training sessions being popular to kick start their days. Night Study also saw optional sessions introduced as we moved later into the second week, with a choice of movie/World Cup Rugby that the boys really enjoyed.
The views from the exams have varied with some comments being: Geography – “Okay”; PD/H/PE – “Looong”, “Frantic”, “All okay but a lot of it”; while one of the Economics students declared, “I think I’ll be dropping that subject next term!” English received thumbs up but most were flat out in completing the 2 hour exam. Our Extension Maths students walked out of the exams with mixed responses of quiet joy and some loud declarations of “definitely only doing 2 unit next term”. I don’t know whether it was the last exam but the 2unit Maths Paper was well received by the boys with many claiming it was “Very Fair” I love their ratings or maybe their relief! Anyway, it is always hard to know how you went in exams but one thing for certain; our boys are really putting in an effort.
At yesterday’s Headmaster’s Assembly Ross challenged the boys to be young men who not only take responsibility for their actions, but also take responsibility for their decisions and their decision making. For our boys who have just
finished their exams, they need to reflect, at some stage and honestly ask themselves whether they are presently doing all they can to make the most of the education you are supplying them; and they will need to take responsibility for these actions. Ross said he found it a sad situation when boys make a decision based on the premise that they will probably get away with their actions. As Wayne Bennett told the boys a few weeks ago, true character is what you do, and who you are when no-one is watching you. Ross went onto wish the Year 12 students all the best in their final week of the term as well as the GPS athletes all the best for this coming Saturday.
Our Senior athletes were then given their competition singlets for this weekend. The following Year 11 boys will be competing on Saturday – Zac Guilfoyle, Tim Palmer, Joe Callaughan, Hugh McLean, Sam Barclay, James Harrison, James Goldie, Alex Beasley, Ben Rodgers, Tom Martin, Josh Wilde, Laurence Nelmes, Tom Cleary, Magnus Heywood, Andrew 
Hookey and Josh Schwager. I wish them all the best in their events for Saturday. Whilst on Saturday just to remind you that all boys are to be in attendance, in their Full Blues and they leave Mark St gates at 8.30am. We will be back at the College be approximately 4,30pm, when the boys will have dinner and then relax until the Rally at 6.15pm. The Rally should conclude by 7.15pm when all dayboys and students with overnights may check off with me. It should be a good day, but it will be a long and looks like hot one for the troops.
Mr Greg Thompson, Mathematics Coordinator, then handed out the awards from the Australian Mathematics Competition, which has been running since 1976 and was held on the 4th August with 600,000 students from the Pacific and S.E Asia region sitting for the Competition. The following boys were awarded a Distinction due to their efforts: – Nathan Salmon, Geoff Choy, Michael Lawler, Andrew O’Neill, Daniel Picone, Rob Sidaway, Jon Canturi, Tom Murphy and James Harrison. Congratulations to all these boys.
Our commitment to the Matthew Talbot Hostel continues with James Quinn, Conor O’Gorman, Callum Flitcroft and Alec Duffy attending on Friday, 9th September and this evening, Jesse Fenech, Morgan Thomas, Max Hall and Hamish Elliot.
ONE FOR THE DIARY: “A message from year 11 parent reps: Our next parent social function will be held on Friday 2nd December at Bayview Tavern in Gladesville. Please put the date in your diary. Details will follow next term.”
Next term the boys go on the annual Yr 11 Retreat, from Sunday 16th October. As you know, Helen Smith has asked you to write a letter for your son, I have re-attached the guidelines of this letter as a result of numerous requests. Please keep it confidential from your boys
Jeremy