Director of Boarding Update
It’s hard to believe that this will be the final newsletter of 2018. How the years fly by as we get older!
Last weekend saw our New Boarders Sleepover take place for students that will start at Shore in 2019. We had a wonderful weekend with new boarders from years 7-11 attending for Saturday afternoon through to Sunday morning. This sleepover was combined with New Boys day on Monday, our boarding staff saw a real sense of excitement amongst the boys coming next year. These boys (and especially our new Year 7 students) will settle into the Shore boarding environment quickly.
Staffing Changes
We will have three staff changes in School House next year apart from Mr Blood leaving and Mr Junee becoming School Housemaster. Kyle and Anna Fifield will be leaving boarding and Shore at the end of this year. Kyle has accepted a position at a school in Tasmania as a year Coordinator and I am sure he will do a wonderful job in that role. I want to thank Kyle and his wife Anna for their work in boarding over the last few years. Kyle has been in School House and has been a wonderful mentor and assistant to the boys and families.
In addition, we farewell Eliza Bell and husband David from boarding (but remaining as a teacher at Shore) and particularly from her role as Master Assisting the Housemaster for the Year 7 boys in School House. Eliza has done a fantastic job with the Year 7 boys and I have appreciated her work in the transition that all our Year 7 boarders face as they move into a new school and new boarding surrounds. This is a crucial role in boarding which sets the boys up for their future years here at Shore. I am pleased to announce that Mr Werner Pienaar will step into this role in School House commencing next year.
Giving Day to support our Country Boarders
The school has been tremendously heartened by the recent fundraising efforts via the Shore Foundation to raise money to assist with future boarding enrolments. Many families throughout the Shore community gave generously on our giving day last Thursday 22 November. Special thanks must go to David Mason-Jones and his team in the Shore Foundation for their efforts. A little over $511,000 was raised or pledged to this fund and it will assist in providing opportunities for more full time boarders from country New South Wales to attend Shore who otherwise would not have been able to do so.
Book Shop on Line from 2019
The book shop at Shore will be closing down next year with all text book sales to go online. The link to this can be found on the Shore website under the community tab, but I have also provided it here for your convenience, sales for books are through Campion. This link also has all the details for the sale of second hand books that families can utilise.
Beginning of Term I, 2019
Tuesday 29 January is the boarders’ afternoon tea on the Chapel Lawn from 3.30pm, after Year 7 have had their Orientation Day. All boarders are expected back in their houses by 8.30pm for Housemeeting. School commences on Wednesday 30 January.
Farewell
It has been a privilege to be a part of the wider group of residential staff that have served and nurtured the boarders of Shore. Without doubt the biggest thrill has been to see our boarders growing into young men as they mature and move through the school. This is why teachers enter into their vocation and of course, in boarding this is heightened as the boys are in our care throughout the week. I will miss the wider boarding community with its parents and extended families and I certainly wish you all well for the future.
I wish all families a relaxed and enjoyable holiday time as we look forward to Christmas. Our thoughts and prayers continue to remain with our farmers in much of New South Wales as they continue to face the drought conditions.
Anthony Benn
Director of Boarding
abenn@shore.nsw.edu.au
