Category Archives: Pastoral Care

Group 6 at Colo

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Written by the Colo Staff

7.6 pic 4The boys were pumped for the orienteering session and were keen to set the new 2010 record. There were many outstanding efforts during the session with 6 out of 11 groups getting the maximum score. The record of 42 minutes was equalled by the teams of Matt Curtin (Gordon) & Cameron Fazzari (Henley) and Ben McGinley (Clontarf) & Tom Flitcroft (Epping). It was an excellent effort.

The rain decided to come down on Tuesday and it was great to see this not deter the boys from going mountain bike riding. For many of them it was more fun as they competed to see who could have the dirtiest bike. The boys, especially Matt Curtin and Will O’ Leary (Elong Elong) tired hard to wear Mr Bryant out at they wanted to just keep on riding laps of the course. Colo staff love this enthusiasm as the boys wanted to make every minute of the mountain bike session last. 

7.6 pic2The high ropes were deemed as the most challenging activity on camp.  Everyone completed the route up to the ‘Flying Fox’ and whizzed down the cable with ease.  Ashley Ursino (Erina) and Dylan Grant (Abu Dhabi) showed unstoppable determination crossing the ‘Burma Bridge’ and hurtling down the flying fox.  They were both very proud of their efforts. 

The boys that went mountain bike riding during the afternoon session showed lots of enthusiasm and ability as they manoeuvred their bikes around the single tracks and across the obstacles at the bike skills park.  There were some hotly contested challenge races at the skills park between Cameron Fazzari, Eddy King (Mosman), Ben McGinley, Dylan Grant, Ben Ticehurst (Hunters Hill), Matt Curtin, Tom Flitcroft, and Daniel Alessi (Pymble). 

7.6 pic1The day of the bush-walk was magnificent; it was warm and sunny, which made conditions ideal for swimming in the Colo River en route to the campsite at Robyn’s Flat.  The trail to the camping ground provides many interesting sights such as the wetland environment at Gosper’s Lagoon, a large Sea-Eagle nest perched high in a tree top, rocky escarpment and caves, and a small grass tree forests.  Everyone walked well and reached their destination safely.  The campsite completion, which is awarded to the group that demonstrates the best skills in pitching tents, lighting the campsite fire, cooking dinner, sensible behaviour and packing up was won by Malcolm Campbell (Carlingford), Declan Kerr (Lane Cove North), Will O’Leary, Ashley Ursino and Dylan Grant.  Although only one group won the competition, all of the groups did remarkably well and showed that they are capable of safely meeting the challenges of camping in the outdoors.

The week ended in a furocious four way tug of war with no groups able to win the competition.  This concluded the week and demonstrated the incredible teamwork that the whole group possessed.  An excellent week of fun, learning and co-operation at Colo.  Well done everybody!!

Laughter: Best Medicine

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IMG_0921Last Tuesday all boys in Years 7, 8 and 9 were fortunate enough to see a production called “The Teenage Alchemist”. This production was performed by the education team from Camp Quality and was outstanding.

Camp Quality is the children’s cancer charity and while there was certainly many cancer references in the play, the messages within the production were invaluable for the boys as they move along their path of developing into young men. Issues such as resilience, positive thinking, self-image, fear, hope and courage were all addressed. The play encouraged the boys to make positive life choices and keep things in perspective.

IMG_0927The way the story of Joshua and Xanthe was told was quite unique. It was set in cyber-space through a chat room – the place where Joshua and Xanthe first met. While they also met in real life in the play, the majority of their interaction was across the Internet. This helped ensure that the focus was on what the characters were saying with little need for props.

The production was very funny at times while at other moments incredibly emotive. There is no doubt that the experience for the boys was a roller-coaster of emotions which all culminated in a positive message for them to take away.

The two actors then spent considerable time answering questions that many of the boys had. The questions were insightful and illustrated how much the boys had taken in and learned from the production. With one in two men in Australia being diagnosed with cancer before they turn 85, there is no doubt that the production was an excellent experience for the boys who we hope can take the positive messages from it.

IMG_0929The catch cry of Camp Quality is “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. This was particularly focused on at the end of the production and ensured that the boys left with a positive approach to life and dealing with the many challenges that it throws at us.

A huge thank you to the actors Rachel and Paul. They were approachable for the boys and did a magnificent job in passing on all the wonderful messages of the play to three different year groups in one morning. It was obvious from the boys focus throughout the production and interest during question time that they had got a huge amount from the experience.

Back for One More

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LawrenceWell, we are off on running on the final leg of the year for what will be a great term I am sure. There is no doubt … it is a busy one, however with the weather warming up it is sure to be a great one!

It was wonderful to see all the boys back together this morning – you can probably imagine the noise levels in the dorms as the boys shared stories about what they had got up to over the holiday period. There was much excitement and it is always pleasing to see the boys enjoy each others company so much.

We did have a short Division Meeting to start the term off during which both Peter and I explained to the boys the importance of them working hard towards their end of year exams which are not too far away at all.

I also spoke briefly to the boys about how I would love for this term to be one of positive attitude (and that’s not to say that previous terms have not been). We can, however, during times of high stress (such as exam preparations and assignment deadlines), sometimes think that we have things tough. We are all so lucky and I am keen that during this term that when the boys face hurdles they are able to keep these challenges in perspective and see the big picture.

This is reflected in this weeks quote and something that I will be elaborating on more with the boys over the first two weeks of the term.

In the meantime … let’s get stuck into it!!!

Pictured in Photo: Lawrence Lo (Artarmon)

Welcome Liam!

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Liam 1It is wonderful to be able to pass on the fantastic news that our Year 7 Assistant Boarding Coordinator, David Hill and his wife Karen are very proud new parents. Just on two weeks ago Karen gave birth to Liam, their first child. Both Karen and Liam are going very well … and Dave too!

This is a very special time for David and Karen and it has been wonderful to see the boys take an interest in how Liam is going. I know that the boys are also excited for David.

Liam is an incredibly lucky child. Not only has he been brought in to this world in a wonderful country, he has been brought into this world by two extraordinary parents. I could not think of two more loving people to take on this important job – Liam is very fortunate to have them. 

Since Liam’s birth, David has been on leave but we very much look forward to seeing him back at work today. He is taking time off from boarding for the term in order to spend time with Karen and Liam but the boys will still see plenty of him around the College.

I would really like to wish David and Karen the best at this time. I know how much they have been looking forward to parenting and wish them all the best. We all certainly look forward to seeing Liam here on a visit to the College in the not too distant future!

What’s It All About?

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Unity 1This morning at our division meeting I took the opportunity to speak to the boys about what we all experienced at Kings on Saturday afternoon. There is no doubt that in the more recent years, Saturday would rate as one of the most memorable. Many experienced staff who were there compared the afternoon to occasions up to 30 years ago.

As I mentioned to the boys, it is easy for people to confuse what they saw on Saturday and what was important about it. To new-comers and certainly to outsiders, the events of Saturday afternoon could be mistaken for being about rugby. This, however, is not the case. Ok … I’m not totally whacky – I realise that it was a rugby match where we were, but what we saw on Saturday with the boys was not really about rugby at all – rugby was simply the vehicle on this occasion.

What we saw was Joeys Spirit. This is a phrase that I hardly ever use as I would hate for it to be a throw away line which loses significance. In this case though … there is simply no other way to describe it.

Dorms 2We saw boys who cheered together not because they were watching a rugby match but because they were watching fellow Joeys boys who they knew and could relate to. When the final whistle blew, what we saw was a genuine passion. It wasn’t a celebration that was rehearsed and it wasn’t put on – it was a real happiness that came as a result of being together as a school and rallying behind each other.

I explained to the boys that if, for one minute, moments like these become about one particular sport or other event then we are wasting our time. The Joeys culture is about supporting each other as a school and it is certainly not limited to sport. We all need to keep re-inforcing this with the boys – they must display this genuine support for others in everything that we do, whether it be in class, in relationships or in our sport.

Dorms 1The quote for this week (which is on the right of this page) I feel is a wonderful statement which in many ways relates to us here at Joeys. Many people outside of Joeys don’t understand why we insist that the boys attend certain events and one of the reasons that they don’t understand this is because they haven’t experienced what it can bring. They don’t understand … they simply don’t hear the music. Whether it be attending Family Masses once a term, the Academic Prize Giving or various sporting fixtures, these events bring the College together as one and supporting as one. This week we will see this support in the form of all boys attending the First XI Football and in only a few weeks time we again come together at the Family Mass.

Having a sense of belonging is one of the most important things that boys need as they grow up. We believe that having a real sense of belonging at school is crucial and that events such as last Saturday, such as Family Masses, do foster that sense of belonging during the boys’ time here.

I have no doubt that the boys will be able to experience many more wonderful times together over the coming five years – it is these moments that provide wonderful memories and build the real spirit of togetherness that exists here at Joeys. In what arena it happens in will change – that is not important. What is crucial is that it keeps happening and that we are all there together to experience it and enjoy it!

Unity 2

 

Pictured in Photo 1:  Jojo Yeboah (Mosman), Eddie Yee (Paddington) and Tom Callaughan (Yass)

Pictured in Photo 2:  Kobe Pitt (Moree), Dylan Grant (Dubai), Charlie Smith (Bellata), Jojo Yeboah (Mosman) and Travis Blair (Macksville)

Pictured in Photo 3:  Jack Biddle (Armidale), John Chow (Papua New Guinea), Jack Renshaw (Northbridge), Ibbi Warfield (Lane Cove), Nick McDonald (Burwood), Andrew Bland (Kingsford), Joey Masur (Collaroy), Sam de Courcy (Greenwich), Johnno Hookey (Alexandria), Dylan Russell (Glebe) and Irving Qin (Putney).

From the Boys’ Perspective

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A nice way to start the new term is to reflect upon Term 1 as it allows us to pick up from where we left off. However, I thought it would be more appropriate if we reflected on Term 1 from the boys’ perspective.

Pat 3As you may be aware, during Term 1, in Religious Education, the boys had an assessment where they had to create a brochure for the College. This was part of the “Church and School Communities” unit of the curriculum. Much of this unit focused on Joeys as not only a school community but also, due to our boarding structure, a church community.

Late last term, I received an email from Mr MacMaster who had attached a boy’s assignment which he had found particularly interesting.

When I read Patrick Dempsey’s (Seaforth) assignment, I found not only the content and humour particularly compelling but also it’s honesty. The assignment put a ‘real’ face on the experiences of our boys in Year 7 not only when they are here but also in their lead up to starting at Joeys.

There were two parts to the assignment. The first was the brochure, where the boys had to try and advertise the College in their own words. In a final statement in his brochure, Patrick wrote:

“Over all it’s the teachers and students at a school that truly make it a better place for your child to learn. At this school we teach discipline and good manners to all boys. We have a staff of dedicated teachers that will help your child learn and get through school, make friends and learn the true meaning of a term we use a lot hear at Joeys “it’s not a school it’s a family”.. So enroll your child for St Josephs today good luck.”

I think you would agree that for a 12 Year old boy to write a blurb like this is a great sign that he feels comfortable here at school.

In the second part of Patrick’s assignment, Patrick summarised his own story of arriving at Joeys. I have to admit that this section had me giggling in its honesty! Just for the record … the photos and pictures are the ones that Patrick had in his assignment. Enjoy!

“Hi my name is Pat Dempsey and this is my story…

PatBefore coming to this school I attended Beauty Point Public School (B.P.P.S) in Mosman. Many of my close friends were going to a local public school Mosman High but my parents had chosen to send me to a school I barely knew… St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill.

At first I refused and chose Mosman. So my parents took me to some of the opening nights. The nights would go for two hours and be a bunch of people getting up on stage and saying how this school was the best. After the speeches my parents would make me meet some of the people that spoke. I would try not to agree on anything with them and would even debate their point.

Pat 2Later that month my grandma came out from England (she doesn’t have as much patience as my mum or dad). Once telling her I would rather go to Mosman High than Joeys, she went nuts as you would image any fifty six year old Catholic British woman would. In the end my parents won and I was sent off to Joeys.

Luckily for me I knew two boys going there already but that was it. The first day went slowly and I was still annoyed. Most of the boys would say hi to me and I think I would either ignore them or snarled at them.    

Of course, later in the week I had no choice… I had to make friends and start to work harder. After a couple of weeks the school started to get better for me. The teachers were helping me and I had a great time at the Athletics Carnival coming 2nd in the long distance.

I’m now almost fished Term One and believe it or not, I now understand the meaning of “Joeys is not a school, it’s a family”. I must say at the moment everything is perfect at this school for the moment (except for the food) thank you.”

The boys here at Joeys come from such a wide variety of backgrounds, not only in regards to where they live but also how they ended up going to school here in the first place. There is no doubt that many boys are nervous and apprehensive before starting at Joeys … this is very natural, especially when so many of the boys live some distance from the school and know very few other boys before starting. It is wonderful to read the work of a boy who was not sold on the idea of Joeys before he started here but is clearly very happy with his experiences during first term.

Here’s to another great term!

Action at Jamberoo

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Jamberoo 1It has been a long standing tradition at Joeys for the boys to have a special celebration day for our Patron Saint, St Joseph. While the feast day is actually March 19th, we often celebrate the day on another day of the week.

Today, for the first time in over 15 years, our Year 7 boys headed down to Jamberoo Action Park for a feast of fun on the wide variety of activities available to them. Accompanied by several staff who volunteered to spend a full day with them, the boys headed off in coaches just after 8am. Lady Luck was on our side with the trip taking not much longer than two hours. Mother Nature followed suit with ensuring that the weather was perfect.

Jamberoo 2Once we were there, it didn’t take long for the boys to get stuck into the action. While many headed to Jamberoo’s famous “Bobsled” straight away, others couldn’t resist the temptation of the water. Jumping from “The Rock” was many of the boys’ first adrenalin rush for the day.

The activities were numerous with traditional water-slides, Go-karts, the Wave Pool, Mini Golf, Surf Hill and the Rapid River. The park’s most recent addition, the Taipan was a favourite … for the boys at least… as they sped down the chutes, often in pitch black darkness with the loudest squealing possibly coming from unsuspecting staff who had somehow been convinced that it was an easy going and enjoyable slide!

The atmosphere at Jamberoo was just awesome. Apart from 300 Joeys boys, the park was very quiet and this allowed the boys to roam freely around and get on almost all the rides/slides with no waiting time at all.

Jamberoo 3Lunch came and went and the boys really seemed to have a ball. Seeing the boys run up the hills and slide down them again, repeating this pattern literally hundreds of times was fantastic … a boy’s heaven!

The boys should be commended on their behaviour at the park – as I was leaving, one of the staff asked me about the school and boys – she was particularly impressed with their manners and ability to do what they were asked to do.

We arrived back at Joeys not long after 5pm where the pool and touch footy were the popular activities, followed by pizza and Coke for dinner!

All in all …  a great day which I hope that the boys greatly enjoyed!

Pictured in Photo 1:  Aymon Bertah (Caringbah)

Pictured in Photo 2:  Kieran Hayward (Cremorne)

Pictured in Photo 3:  Dom Vickery-Nies (Annandale)

Buddying Up

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Buddies Meeting 08An important part of transitioning into high school for the boys is having contact with older boys who have already experienced many of the things that our Year 7s are likely to experience in the coming years.

Our Buddy Programme is run with Year 7 and Year 11 boys. We choose Year 11 as it allows the boys to have two years at the College together. On Wednesday, we took a period out of the school day in order for the boys to meet their allocated buddy. The boys met, sat down and had a chat and then the older boys assisted the Year 7 boys in writing a letter home to their parents. Hopefully this has arrived!

It was just wonderful to see the boys interact. It is not an easy experience for a Year 7 boy to meet his buddy – it is a little nerve-racking and I would like to pay particular tribute to the Year 11 boys who made the Year 7s feel very welcome and far less anxious. For those of us who observed the boys meet and talk, it was fantastic to hear the boys chatting about similar interests, about Joeys and many other things.

Buddies Meeting 24In the coming terms, the boys will get together formally a few times, however, it is often the in-formal meetings which are the most valuable for the boys. I heard a fantastic story from one Year 7 boy who had been invited to lunch leave with his Year 11 buddy. He was telling me how it was strange sitting at a lunch leave with lots of older boys who he didn’t know. I asked him if he enjoyed it and he replied “Yeah! It was awesome!”

I am not sure if the Year 11 boys realise the influence that they have on the younger boys simply in their actions. The Year 7 boys do genuinely look up to the older boys and I have no doubt that in their own time, our Year 7 boys will similarly be great role models for younger boys to come.

Pictured in Photo 1:  Declan Carroll (Balmoral) and Mitch Daly (Mosman)

Pictured in Photo 2:  Nelson Willesee (North Sydney) and Ryan Lyne (Roseville)