Term 4 Has Begun ….

Term 4 has begun well and the boys have hit the ground running.  At the time of writing, most of our Year 12s have waved goodbye and headed off into the sunset.  I would like to take this opportunity to say to those parents of 2019 Year 12 boys, how proud and thankful I am for what they have contributed this year, and in those years previous.  I honestly could not have asked for anything more from them, and it has been both a pleasure and a privilege to have watched them mature into the great men they have become.  I am indebted to them for making my role as Senior Boarding Housemaster such a fulfilling one; they have rarely put a foot wrong.  Boarding is reliant on its Year 12, and I believe that this year’s wonderfully smooth journey is largely because of the approach they have taken to all they have done.

Looking ahead, our boarding numbers for 2020 look promising.  We are presently looking at 30 Year 7 boarders next year, and we have received strong interest for new boarders into Years 8-11 as well.  Shore boarding staff, including Mrs Heather Foord and Mrs Vickii Scott, have travelled extensively across the State in 2019, visiting 13 towns and cities including boarding school expo’s in Dubbo and Tamworth and Field Days in Mudgee and Murrumbatemen.  A trip to Hong Kong also proved to be very successful.  Shore sees this as a vital opportunity to engage with our past and present rural families in their own settings, as well as providing the chance to meet with prospective families who are interested in boarding at Shore.  2020 will see this continue, with our plan being to visit other NSW areas to try to keep building our relationships with our families.

Term 4 will also see our boarders get the opportunity to engage in whole-boarding or combined Year group activities.  Unfortunately, a planned social with PLC fell through, but we are planning on two social events with Kincoppal, Rose Bay, when their Year 7-9 girls come to visit us, and our Year 10 and 11s travel over there for an afternoon of games and socialising.  Our recent Sunday Luna Park visit proved to be a hit with some of our boarders as well.

We were thrilled to hear of the recent rain to fall on many of our farms in the country.  Our rural families are never far away from our thoughts, and we continue to pray for the skies to be kind. We continue to look for ways to help those in need; if there is anything we can do, please contact me or your son’s Housemaster.

It has been pleasing to witness the boarders in Years 7-11 working so hard to prepare for their exams and assessments this term.  Our academic tutors have been busy helping prepare our boys; they continue to offer their great support and guidance for our boarders.

Lastly, at the end of Week 4, our termly Boarders’ representative meeting once again met to continue to work at improving Shore Boarding in a collaborative way.  It was decided that this meeting would be open to all boarding parents, in order for a transparent delivery of our programme and our vision, while offering the chance to enquire about the mysteries of life in a boarding house.

We wish everyone a wonderful term ahead – the end is in sight…