Boarding News Week 1 Term 4 | Year 11 News @ Joeys

QUOTE: Successful people learn to weed out the constructive criticism from the kind that is negative and damaging. They believe in themselves, work hard and stay away from negative influences!”

Dear Year 11 Parents and Carers, The new Term sees 179 Year 11 boys commence their HSC. We welcome Abram Dunworth from Dubbo, Oliver Pocock from Naremburn and Jesse Slok from Lilyfield. A very warm welcome to the boys and their families and do hope they enjoy being part of the Joeys Family.

The boys have begun brilliantly returning in most positive spirits and earnest to really work hard, aiming to improve and build upon on their Year 11 results, with a genuine desire and commitment to do their best. It has been fantastic to hear the boys speak with such conviction. They have certainly matured over this year and are ready to take on the HSC.

Darren Frost has been very busy this week talking with our boys and organizing their new timetables as they commence their Year 12 classes. The boys’ timetables have remained the same as last term for the first week. This has allowed time for the important decision of what subject to drop, what extension class to pick up and so on to take place. This will ensure that correct decisions and not hasty ones are made for the best interest of all our boys. Darren issued the boys with their new timetables today. Darren then spoke with our boys this week about his expectations and explained to them about the basic requirements and guidelines required of them. Nothing really new but needed to re-stated with them.

The holidays that now seem a distant past, with so much going on in our busy lives at Joeys, also saw busy holidays for some of our boys. Quite a few boys were involved in trips to Japan or now being Senior Rowers, Cricketers and Basketballers and were in Camp in preparation for their respective seasons.

On Wednesday I spoke at length with our boys about, what makes a good Leader. I shared with them recent definitions, highlighting characteristics and traits associated with better leaders. Our boys have certainly embraced already the responsibilities that come with being the Seniors and Leaders of their College. Record numbers of nominations for the varying positions has been outstanding and is a credit to our boys’ commitment. Already, 153 of our boys are a part of the Peer Support Program with Year 7; 14 boys will soon commence as Dorm Seniors; thirty-five are Acolytes; 46 are involved in preparing for the Marist Holiday Children Camp: our cheer leaders who led their College to send off Year 12 and soon Darren and I will be organizing thirty-six of our boys to be the Swimming Captains and Year Group Leaders for our coming Swimming Carnival. On top of this are the roles in leadership our boys have already begun in their Summer Sports. It is a truly great aspect of Joeys that all of our Seniors embrace the responsibility of leadership. Their support for each other in identifying and embracing the ethos of their College and the example they set for their junior forms are true attributes of better leaders.

Today at our Headmaster’s Assembly the 1st V Basketball side were presented with their singlets and congratulations go to the following boys selected Harrison Goodrick (Captain), Eddie Browne, Max Chippendale, Joshua Commins, Andrew Hookey, Joshua Kay, Hugh McLean and Charlton Wilson. Congratulations also to Chris Belsey who was selected in the 2nd V. We wish both teams good luck in their first competition match against Riverview this Saturday.

This weekend we go on Retreat and the boys are to be at SJC by 12.30pm on Sunday for a 1.00pm departure. The Senior Retreat provides an opportunity for all students to take time out from our ‘normal’ school routine to reflect on their relationships with others, their personal spiritual journey and their goals for 2012. This is an excellent opportunity to do some serious thinking about what is important in life as the HSC year commences.

Attached below are the venues and contacts should you need them for the respective Retreat venues. I trust your son has told you by now where he is heading too.

Church Missionary Society Conference Centre Katoomba

2 Violet Street Katoomba NSW 2780

Site Managers:Stephen Holland & Paul Nettelbeck

(02) 4782 1167

katoomba@cms.com

www.staycms.com

Benedict XVI Retreat Centre Grose Vale

347 Grose Wold Road Grose Vale NSW 2753

Site Managers: Mel Legasbi:0415 976 009

Rey Legasbi: 0401 254 913

John Sweeting (Manager– not on site)

Tel: 9390 5316 (direct)