As the weather begins to warm and the days become longer, we enter the Spring season with a sense of optimism that there may be a sense of ‘normal’ soon. For many, the holiday period is a time when you may be working. For those fortunate enough to be able to take some holiday leave, I hope you can enjoy some quality family time together. If you are planning holidays to explore regional Australia, please drive safely. If like me, you have loved ones interstate that you can’t visit, you would be hoping for opportunities for this to occur sooner than later. If you or your family are having trouble or in a situation that requires assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or Megan Cashman.
We look forward to welcoming you back from holidays on Monday 12 October. Please remember that boys will come back dressed in their Summer uniform, hopefully with their hair meeting College standards.
New Year 5 Student Orientation Day
The College is hopeful that we can welcome the new Year 5 boys to the Orientation Day on Friday 30 October. I had the pleasure of speaking to the new parent group, albeit via ZOOM, a fortnight ago, to welcome them into the wonderfully rich, diverse and friendly Augustinian community. The College is honoured to be able to support you in the education of your son, an education focusing on ‘doing your best, not necessarily being the best’.
During the meeting, I outlined the Primary School curriculum which caters for the interests and potential of all boys. As experts in Boys’ Education, the emphasis is on doing, designing and making, collaborating and discussing. In fact, it is through dialogue and discussion that thinking is a required and an essential component of a quality education. By providing opportunities for analysis, explanation, justification and evaluation, boys see thinking as inseparable to learning and vital to inquiry. In an Augustinian contemporary education, boys are given time and opportunities to think as well as build upon previously constructed knowledge and skills.
Transition Program
We begin our transition program from Year 6 to Year 7 during Term 4. Each year we run this program with the following objectives in mind:
- Strengthen the relationship between campuses
- Further improve the transitional phase
- Provide Year 6 and Year 7 with a greater sense of identity and belonging.
Student Formation Leaders, Adam Evans and Monique Douglas, College Captain elect 2021, Josh Seward, along with the current Year 6 Teachers and some Year 7 Tutors and their Student Leaders, will all be involved in assisting the Year 6 boys’ transition into High School more confidently.
Primary School Academic Games
With eight of the events completed and four still to go, the Primary Academic games promises to be a close finish. So far, we have seen boys excel in Sizzling Story writing, Spelling, Maths times tables and Problem solving, as well as in the creative domains of the Music Talent Quest and the Humility Art competition. The Design, Make and Construction section is currently underway with Debating, Technology Challenge, and Poetry Recital the last of the events. It has been a load of fun and fully supports the Primary School’s philosophy which aims at-
“establishing conditions that will arouse and guide curiosity. He says we need more stories and less facts, for narrative develops an understanding of sequence; we need more dialogue and less transmission of knowledge, for it is through dialogue that we learn most; and we need more challenge and less instruction, since it is from challenge that one grows in body, mind and spirit” (Lipman)
Victory
I realise it is the year of Humility, however the opportunity to publish the overall champion ‘Times Tables’ winner in the Primary was too good to pass up. With a time of 7.01 seconds… drum roll please… the winner was Mr Walsh. It’s the first thing I’ve won in 37 years and to admit to winning against 11-year old boys is a little embarrassing, but in a strange way satisfying. I know both Nick and Ethan are eagerly awaiting the rematch next term. In the true spirit of the Olympics, I say ‘bring it on’ …
‘A fiver for a farmer’
Today, we celebrated the annual ‘A fiver for a farmer’ initiative, with the boys dressing in farmer and country style and bringing in Australian made food for recess. 100% Australian made beef sausages will be cooked by our Senior SRC Leaders for lunch. We would like to thank Harbord Road Butcher for supplying the sausages for this worthy cause.
Jack Berne, current Year 6 student, began this initiative three years ago and to date has raised just over $1.8 million. Through this initiative, Jack has been able to raise awareness and funds for farmers who have been impacted by serious droughts and fires. This year, Jack has changed the emphasis from a fundraiser to one encouraging all of us to buy Australian made where possible. He has been a very busy boy, with a phone call from our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, as well as being mentioned by local member, Zali Stegall, in her Parliamentary address last month. Jack was a guest on 2GB with Ben Fordham and last week appeared on Behind the News.
The College is very proud of Jack’s achievements and his ability to be of service and ‘other centred’ which is a very Augustinian character strength.
Against Bullying / Bullying - No Way!
The College has an active ‘Student Bullying and Harassment Policy’ which aims at providing a secure and safe learning environment for all students and members of the College community. The College places a great deal of emphasis on fostering positive relationships which aims at reducing the incidents of bullying.
What is Bullying?
Bullying is when a person is repeatedly exposed over time to negative actions on the part of one or more people. It involves a desire to hurt, intimidate or put down a person and causes a person to feel threatened or physically hurt. It is important that the boys and their parents realise that some behaviours are not bullying behaviours because they don’t meet the definition. There are numerous behaviours that may require staff intervention and management that are not examples of bullying.
The Primary School teachers are very familiar with all elements of the College’s Anti-Bullying Policy and actively communicate to the boys that bullying will be acted against immediately and strongly.
It is vital that all boys experience being part of a school where they can move about freely without worrying about threats, put-downs and violence. There are many more incidents of positive behaviours at the College than ones that may be defined as bullying, which in most cases are disagreements and one-off teasing and name calling.
Role Models
Of concern, seems to be the increase in comments that are not factual, but nonetheless harmful and not a true reflection of the character and reputation of that person. Reputational damage and untruths are damaging and hurtful, and as adults and role models, we have a responsibility to ensure that boys see us taking responsibility for our actions and words. The College community has a wonderfully supportive culture, one that values and respects the dignity of all members, teachers included. I would hope that if you have any constructive commentary on individuals, then you would surely direct it through the appropriate channels and with good intentions.
Merit Awards
Attollo Awards
Quote for the Week . . .
Terry Walsh
Head of Primary School