Goodbye But Not Farewell

School House is a wonderful place!

Joining Shore in 2017, I asked from the outset as a staff member that I be assigned a tutor group within a boarding house.  Ask and you shall receive!

SL4 became a home and the journey that these men have provided is a perfect reflection of the character, passion and mateship that is evident within School House.  I will sorely miss these young men, in every way I see them as my school family and value the energy, smiles, laughs and challenges that they provide myself as a tutor and each other on a daily basis. 

School House is unique within the boarding environment in that we have the valuable opportunity to welcome the new men of Shore each year in the Year 7 cohort. 

The experiences that these new young men bring are always rewarding.  Their journey through Year 7 is a reminder of why we attend school, to learn, grow and form lasting friendships. 

The older members of School House at times struggle to realise the eye-opening experiences that a new year 7 cohort bring each year, however, what greater proof than the speeches delivered by Year 12 at the farewell evening! All speeches have a consistent theme:

• thank you, mum and dad,
• boys please make the most of your opportunities here at school
• the boys currently sitting beside your friends for life!

As Year 7 enter School House the initial bewilderment of prep, timetables, roll calls and homework is a fast-paced journey.  Of course, it has occasional moments of homesickness and tears!

I must admit that these moments have tugged on the heartstrings a little further each year, maybe I’m getting nostalgic in my old age or maybe it’s that I am a father of three!

However, these moments of struggle are always overcome by the very glue and fabric that is School House; mateship and a genuine interest in the wellbeing of one’s peers!

The support these boys provide one another is always evident at the beginning of each School Term.  As the boys stand on the iconic School House steps like so many men before them and wave goodbye to their family there is always that moment of trepidation a teacher can see! The fleeting moment is always interrupted, as no sooner have the silhouette of the boys’ family disappeared down the drive a call can be heard from the hallways of School House…..  “welcome home!”

Thank you for the journey School House.  Saol Fada Chugat!

Dream Believe Achieve!

Dominic J Hogan SL4 2020