Boarding Report – June 9, 2016

This will be our final contribution to the College’s newsletter for this term so it is fitting to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of our boarding community. Most recently we were all able to come together for our annual Boarding Community Reconciliation Week Mass & Dinner. This was an absolute celebration of our community-sense with an invitation extended to our day student Indigenous families. A hundred plus guests filled the Old Boys’ Pavilion to enjoy an exquisite three-course meal prepared by our Catering Manager, Sean Roscoe, and his team. This followed a beautiful Mass in our own Chapel led by Father Rupert, who we are indebted to for joining us on this special occasion. There are few more special times then when we all come together and I thank all who were able to do so on this occasion. This was not our only whole community event -“ as we hosted an intimate Mass on Mothering Sunday -“ at this same time a group of our boarders joined Ms Westwood and myself bringing a little joy to the residents at Bill Crawford Lodge. Watching the interactions of our boarders with the residents highlighted the special nature of the young men who attend this great College. I would like to take this opportunity to extend the warmest of invitations to all in our boarding community to join us in Term (3) for a Family Mass & Dinner on Friday, July 29^th.

Our boarders’ weekends have been particularly busy this term and continue to provide countless highlights. We have had boys competing in a range of sports, at all levels, for both College, local teams and representative. All term our housemasters have spoken of finding a balance -“ I must acknowledge how hard that must be for our boarders given the rich array of talents they display. I would like to thank our Weekend Housemaster team for the organisation of this term’s weekend activities that has seen our boarders enjoy some golf, go karting, ten pin bowling and watching the local basketball teams. There have also been individual house events, which goes a long way to building great comradery amongst our boarders. As a whole boarding cohort we have also attended the Dawn Service and the joint St Patrick’s College/Loreto performance of -‘Les Miserables’ as we continue to ensure we provide a full and diverse boarding experience.

I would also like to cast a spotlight on another new initiative this year, which has been an unmitigated success. We now enjoy a more formal, 3-course Monday evening meal and invite a guest speaker to join us. This term the focus was on -‘Futures’ and we have been fortunate to be joined by representatives from the local universities, trades people, the forces and, this week, by our own College Chaplain. To all our guest speakers I would like to again thank them for giving up their Monday evening to enrich our boarding experience with their own individual stories.

Academia shall continue to be the bedrock of our boarders’ time here at College and our team of Federation University pre-service teachers continue to provide critical support across the full spectrum of academic subjects. I can confidently predict that these young women and men shall go on to be wonderful teachers and our boys have gained much in their own individual academic pursuits from them all. We are also fortunate to have a seamless connection with the College’s academic staff and I thank them all for their particular support of our boarders. The needs of our boarders, different to those of our day cohort, have been so well catered for by our teaching and support staff.

At the end of this term we say farewell to our GAP Tutors, Jan Reiners and Julian Rapp, who return to Germany to pursue their own careers. We wish them all the successes they deserve and thank them for their contributions to both the boarding community and wider College community over the past twelve months. Our GAP Tutors enrich our boarding experience and we look forward to welcoming Joshua Cook and Edward Stanton in the first days of next term.

There has been so much to enjoy this past term -“ and so much to look forward to in the months ahead, however it is safe to say that at this point all deserve a rest. Whatever plans you have for the forthcoming holiday -“ may they be filled with joy and time spent with loved ones.-

Kenny Catch-up

It was brilliant to see so many of our families attend the recent Reconciliation Week Mass and Dinner, and I was so proud of the boys within Kenny that performed in front of the whole school at the assembly on Tuesday -“ what a wonderful spectacle. Speaking of wonderful things -“ the entire boarding community attended the opening performance of Les Misérables on Wednesday evening, a joint production from SPC and Loreto College. Those that attended were amazed at the work that had been put into the show and it was pleasing to see all of our boys act respectfully and appropriately throughout the performance.

It is also pleasing to see many of the year 10 and 11 boys returning from the exams, happy with the effort that they were able to give to their subjects. It can be a very stressful time, but with the right balance, I’m sure all of the boys within Kenny will experience success.

Mr Larsen and myself are busily generating a boarding report for each of the boys which will provide an indication on how the students are handling the many components that make up SPC Boarding. I look forward to being able to discuss these reports with all families.

Miss Tamara Westwood

Senior Housemaster, Kenny House

I cannot believe that only two weeks remain of the first semester, another successful term under our belts, well done to all who work so hard to ensure our boys are comfortable and achieve all they can. Our recent Reconciliation Week Family Mass / Dinner was another great highlight for the term, again it was fantastic to see the boarders’ parents that were able to attend the evening.

As the weather continues to cool down, our football / rugby players remain focused with their heads up. The sporting commitment intertwined with their scholastic endeavours is a true credit to them all.

Our boarders attended a basketball match at the weekend here in Ballarat at The Miner Dome which they enjoyed immensely. EXEAT weekend is next weekend so no activities are planned until the start of the second semester. In term three we welcome two new gap students to the college from England, they will be quite heavily involved in the running of our future weekend activities, which I feel will complement the boarders’ enjoyment even more.

A week ago our boarding staff attended the Victorian Boarding State Conference organised by Michael Silcock and Tamara Westwood, many thanks to them both for this day. It was an extremely productive exercise as I always find the ABSA events to be, we all came away refreshed and enthusiastic with even more ideas in our bag of tricks to bolster our boarders’ experience here at St Patricks College.

This will be my last update for several weeks as we all enjoy a break and refuel our oxygen supplies. Wishing everyone the best for their vacations, please take care. There will be much more information for you all in the third term.

Mr Ewen Larsen

Weekend Housemaster, Kenny House

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Introducing Max Scales:

Year Level: – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 12.- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Home Town: – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Echuca.

Interests:- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Football, fishing and skiing.

Favourite Food: – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Curry.

How long have you been a Boarder at SPC: – – – – – – 1.5 years.

What made you choose to board at SPC: – – – – – – – – – – My cousins attended St Pat’s and really enjoyed it.

Future Plans: – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – University to study Property Development.

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Phyland/Farley Catch-up

It is often with a sense of dread that I pen these letters, trying to capture the busy fortnight is always a challenge. This fortnight is no exception. With gentlemen busy in exams and the Year 12 formal looming it’s been a hive of activity in Phyland & Farley. As the term comes closer to the end it is important that as a community we finish well.

I have the honour of being St Pat’s current longest serving housemaster and each year it is wonderful to share in the lads’ excitement as they try on and test their suits and prepare for what is one of the highlights of their year. Each year before the formal I remind the gentlemen that they are exactly that -“ to treat each person at the formal with respect, most particularly their dates. This year, having watched these young men grow and develop over the last three years, for the first time ever, I don’t think that conversation is necessary.

Mr Michael Murphy

Housemaster, Phyland/Farley House

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Phyland and Farley is really two houses at the moment, the Year 12s are excited by their soon to be formal and approaching the end of year. The younger years, however, are full of nerves completing last minute preparation for their exams. Despite this house -‘divide’ the boys continue to work and live together in relative harmony. An example of this is has been the regular Sunday shopping trip, where we go out as house, usually getting whatever junk food the boys are craving or simply to escape the house before Mass. This Sunday, however, we drove around Ballarat looking for suit shops for the Year 12s, while the junior boarders simply took a break from study or continued to quiz each other in preparation. The stipulation for the Sunday trip is simple -“ all the house or none of the house. Despite the aim of the trip being for the Yr12s’ the other boys did not complain and replied when asked -they have to look good sir, it’s important to them- in complete unison. This sense of we will get their together and work together not against each other is genuinely a joy to behold. –

Mr Daniel Willey

Weekend Housemaster, Phyland/Farley House

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Look after yourselves.

Mike Silcock

Director of Boarding