Term Two Wrap Up

Dear Shore Boarding Community,

It is wonderful to be back to “almost-normal” and fantastic to see the boys around the school and in the boarding houses once again.  In saying that, there is an air of difference that surrounds everything we do, and no matter how hard we try to shake it, it won’t go away.  From “X marks the spot” in dining hall queues, to no more self-serving, signs of caution and hand sanitisers everywhere, school life is not what it used to be, no matter how many boys are on campus.

Nevertheless, we have enjoyed some great experiences since the boarders have returned on May 11, and done everything possible to make the best out of an awkward situation.  When the Year 12s arrived back first, we enjoyed pizza on the new Boarders’ Terrace with the Headmaster before being taken on an exclusive tour of the new RAI Grant Sports Centre, the first boys to do so.  Later that week, it was takeout Friday.  The boys submitted their orders and Indian, Thai and Italian dishes from local restaurants kept them satisfied at the end of their first week back in.

On the Saturday evening in Week 3, each House enjoyed a brilliant night under the stars on the Graythwaite Lawn, sitting around fire pits and telling stories long into the evening – thank you to the Westons for the great firewood! Some boys mentioned it was one of the highlights of their whole boarding experience.  Local walks around the neighbourhood have been wonderful as well, punctuated on occasions with stops for gelato or other treats.  In the absence of sport for many, the oval and local running tracks have seen our boys getting some exercise, but the government’s decision to bring back sport is welcome news – both for the boys who are itching to play some contact sport, and for boarding staff who crave for more testosterone to be burned off and quieter boarding houses! The weights room is open for senior boys during the week and Years 9-12 on Sundays, and this will expand further in the near future.

This newsletter will give you a peek into what has been happening around the boarding traps since Week 3.  Exams and assessments are back in full swing, boarding academic tutoring has returned, and the boarders have been doing a remarkable job staying on top of things.  It has been so impressive wandering around and seeing the boarders working so hard on their school work on weekends and afternoons, both individually and collaboratively.  We are almost at the half-way mark.  We all wish you the very best for a tremendous holiday with your sons.  Here’s to you having them home under more relaxed conditions this time.

Best wishes,
Brendan

Hodges Gym Sessions

The men of Hodges House have been enjoying using the new facilities.  From the new classrooms, basketball courts, gymnastics area and swimming pool.  However, the highlight of the new facilities has been the new gym and weightlifting area.  Every day, not only the men of the Boarding community, but much of the entire school have been utilising this new facility to the to the best of their abilities.  In preparation for athletics and upcoming rugby season, the Year 12 Hodges men have been using the gym every morning with assistance from Mr Kennett and his team of trainers.   It has been nothing but an enjoyable experience. 

By James Wallace

Boarding with Three family members and a cousin

Home away from home, as Mr Walker says, does not relate to boarding school.  However, having two brothers and a cousin in the house tends to bring it pretty close.  Over the past five years, Robson House has become my school family, and with the addition of George, two years ago, and Alex this year it feels even closer.  I’m sure that the other boys in the house are getting fairly sick of having three Bishops and our cousin Will Kemp in the house, but it has been great for us.

One of the great things about having brothers in the house is that we always have someone to come to if we need help with homework (if they are in a good mood), advice about school, or even just if we have a problem.  However, there is usually a price to pay for the help we get, which could include ‘borrowing’ money from one another, taking the other’s food supply or hogging all of Mum’s pre-prepared meals at the start of term.

While we are all living together, it’s also great that we aren’t always around one another.  We all have our own friend groups, and the return trips home and dinners with our parents are always filled with interesting stories that we might not have heard from the other’s perspective.  We are really grateful for Mr and Mrs Walker, Mr Stocks, Marshall and Mr Hennessey for putting up with all of us, and most of all for our parents for coughing up three lots of school fees!

Boys Will Be Boys

A few years back, a good mate of mine and fellow Educator (Teacher), sent me an article titled “Raising Resilient Kids’, the author, Michael McQueen, makes reference to a term coined by Ivy Baker Priest, an American political figure, who said “My father had always said that there are four things a child needs – plenty of love, nourishing food, regular sleep and lots of soap and water – and after those, what they need most is some intelligent neglect.”

So what is ‘Intelligent neglect’?  Let me explain in my typical, long winded way.  Some of the greatest solutions to all things ‘Global’ have been solved around a campfire.  Why Parliament house doesn’t have a giant fire pit is beyond me.  A few years back I took a couple of mates to a friend’s hut in the high country above Lake Eucumbene.  Being the end of term, it was the ideal setting to reflect, unload and ponder the term that was.  With us all being heavily involved in boarding and being teachers of no great note, every story told was one that we all could relate too.

As conversation and stories flowed, I found myself relaying an experience of a lost opportunity for a parent to help his son build resilience.  At a Friday night, 8pm mark-off, a boy came to me quite distressed and informed me that his school bag was taken by two boys.  I sent for the two boys and now the three boys are standing in front of me, all really good friends.  They had been playing a game of hiding each other’s bags and boys being boys, one forgot where he hid the bag and thus enters the ‘Wisdom of Solomon’, yours truly!

I was explicitly clear to all three boys about the possible outcomes of their actions and the solutions that would be employed depending on what tomorrow brings…..  I covered all scenarios:

• If found with contents intact, no harm done but limbs will be removed if it happens again.
• If never found, entire contents are to be replaced by those who lost it.
• If found but bits missing, missing bits will be replaced at the cost by those who lost it.

I used no big words and only language they understood.  I made the three boys repeat the scenarios and outcomes and we all agreed that we understood.  I marked them off and that was the end of it, until the next day …..  or so I thought! Within 5 minutes of the boys marking off, an email arrives demanding answers.  Written and sent by phone before pulling away from the curb.

This was a perfect time for the parent to practice ‘Intelligent Neglect’.  If I was that parent, I would have said to my boy, sort it out and get me a result that I will be happy with.  But instead that parent missed a perfect opportunity to teach his son problem solving skills which also help in building resilience.

Unfortunately, in today’s instant world, there is no waiting to be had, no time put aside to ponder and reflect.  It’s all driven by what I want now, not in five minutes and we are all at fault.  The internet was slow the other day and I got impatient.  On reflection the slowness of the internet was lightning speed compared to the internet 6 years ago but instead of instant download it took a ridiculous 3 seconds longer! ….  Where’s that NBN when you need it!

There are always going to be times when, as parents, you need to step in.  Depending on the situation, it may be earlier rather than later, but we all need to slow down and ask ourselves, is this an opportunity for little Johnny to have one of those learning experiences that may help with his ongoing development.  Is this a time to try Intelligent Neglect?

Hunter Reconciliation Week

Hunter Lawson attended St John’s Day-Care Centre, Neutral Bay as part of Reconciliation week. He did a fabulous job, and was such a wonderful representative of his culture, family and school. Well done, Hunter.  Stay tuned for upcoming events for NAIDOC Week.

Music in my life in Robson House

The first music a human ever listens to is generally the music their parents enjoy.  A very self-explanatory concept that decides a child’s taste of music before it is influenced by future factors (friends, or any other way we first discover other music).  It’s these factors that determine our taste of music as we grow up, and some can have more influence than others.  For me, my taste of music come from a mixture of the parents and the man himself, Mr Walker.  Perhaps I am the only one who listens as he talks about the glorious days of 1960s and 1970s music, but it has led to a shockingly broad taste, ranging from Mum’s ABBA, Dad’s Dire Straits and all the way to Mr Walker’s Jimi Hendrix.

My 16th birthday present, the Fender Stratocaster, was the next big thing in music for me.  This electric guitar make has been used by many talented guitarists in history – Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.  Learning songs is much easier when the guitars sound the same, so once again I was on the track (and still am) of rock in the 1970s and 1980s.

A theory strikes my mind that musical taste has nothing to do with genes or how someone was made and is not controlled by the person at all.  Instead, it is external experiences that lead to factors and changes in what people like to listen to. 

Lachlan Greig

Good Vibing in School House

Upon the return of boarders from years 7 to 9, there has been a new addition to the house.  The Smooth Squad.  Comprised of two anonymous year 12’s who disguise themselves in hoodies and sunglasses.  The Smooth Squad further protect their identity through the use of their incredibly accurate Kiwi accents.  Their radio show which goes from 6:00am to 6:00pm, 24/7, has a special segment exclusively for the bedtimes of each year group.  Beginning the year 7’s at 9:00, followed by year 8 at 9:15 and then they finish their night in the year 9 dorm at 9:30.

At approximately 9:00pm each night, the Smooth Squad make their first appearance.  Whilst one holds the speaker, the other selects the tunes.  Moving up and down the corridor the Smooth Squad dance the year groups to bed.  A quick vibe check followed by consistent promotion of sleep and their radio show.  After speaking to one of the Smooth Squad members.  We asked why they do it? He replied “We just tryna keep it real and keep the good times flowin”.  A positive experience for everyone it seems, making bedtime not seem so boring. 

With the common appearances of the Smooth Squad, many boys love getting involved.  It’s great to see the boys getting up and “vibing” with the squad or just chilling out, enjoying the radio show from their bed.  Although, unfortunately for the Smooth Squad, they are in year 12 and sometimes have some work they need to do instead of “vibing” with the year 7 to 9’s.  There has been an official apology after reports saying that some boys refused to go to sleep without the Smooth Squad.  Truly a great addition to School House.  Many nights of “vibing” to look forward too.  In the words of the Smooth Squad legends.  Stay fly.  It’s been real.

Outdoor Dinner and Open Air Cinema

The Long Weekend provided one of the best culinary experiences a boarder could ever want.  As the boarding house remained open, the Barry House boys who stayed in were treated to some beautiful wagyu steaks courtesy of the Bowers Family – they were simply magnificent! The boys then prepared salads and crusty bread, before heading outside for white tablecloth service under the stars and a full moon on the Boarders’ Terrace for dinner.  Afterwards, the outdoor cinema opened, accompanied by one of the world’s best backdrops.  Couches, doonas, Anzac cookies and hot apple pies with ice cream rounded out a great day for the Long Weekend Saturday!

Take Your Mark … Set… Go!!!

During this year in athletics we have had a lot of fun.  We get on the bus every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon to Northbridge and come back on the boarders mini-bus which was driven by Rev Dudley.

This is our first term of athletics as we are in Yr 7.  What we have enjoyed about athletics is running with our friends.  Being able to get fit is also a good thing.  It’s also been a great opportunity to meet and get to know more Day boys.

School House is well represented in both Track & Field.  Our house captain Fin Hancock is competing in Shot Put and our Housemaster Mr Junee, helps out with the sprinters.   We are in the distance and sprint squads which is great but it has been challenging to try and keep up with the older boys.   But when you finish a race, the other boys will always congratulate you and encourage you.  I would defiantly encourage everybody to at least try it. 

Besides Tuesday & Thursdays we train and compete every Saturday up at Northbridge doing training and time trials.  Athletics is a lot of fun and is a good experience even though we have a bit of work to do. 

Hopefully we will make the GPS squad but I we don’t at least we are having a go and enjoying it at the same time.

Hugh Reardon & Charlie Francis

Camp Fire Stories

On Saturday night we had such a fun time outside by the campfire.  With only a few boys in the house Mr Henniker provided us with some marshmallows and chocolate, making him very popular.   We told stories of our younger years in the house, some of which we probably should have held back on.  The laughs and the deep conversations about life after school were great and I can’t wait to do something like this again.

Campbell Duff (11HS)

Reflections from Mr Marshall McGee

Now that we are at the halfway point of the year, looking back on my time in Robson so far has been a fantastic experience.  This year has probably been the strangest year of my life with what is currently going on in the world, but it has been great being a part of the boarding community through this time.  I have worked at the school since October 2016, and since then have always been blown away by the effort and commitment by the students to the current task at hand.  It was only last year that I began working as a casual in the boarding houses at the school and was exposed to the boarding community, and when I was asked if I wanted to be an Assistant Boarding Master for Robson, it was an easy decision.

This year has seen the Grant Centre open, which has had a large impact on my work here at the school, being one of the strength and conditioning coaches.  While we are not at full capacity due to COVID restrictions, it has been great to see most of the boarding community training in the new gym.  This is possibly the best school facility in Australia, so it is great to see all the boarders taking advantage of it. 

Term 2 was challenging for all of us but with Term 3 just around the corner, and things returning to normal, I am especially excited for the Year 12 boys who take on their final weeks of classes.  Their leadership and mentoring of the younger boys has been exemplary, and they have demonstrated extremely valuable characteristics to bring in through into adulthood.

Year 12 Boutique Boarding Experience

The Year 12s enjoyed a boutique boarding experience when they returned as the only Year group for a fortnight in Weeks 3 and 4.  They made the most of the opportunity, with a firepit evening on Graythwaite Lawn (mentioned elsewhere in this newsletter) and such things as local walks, to Balls Head and Kirribilli.  We are very lucky to have a great backyard to enjoy a safe and enjoyable boarding existence.  They also utilised the new Boarders’ Terrace BBQs for private meals such bacon and egg morning teas overlooking the city, and also took off one Saturday night to Betty’s Burgers.  Thai was a huge hit on Takeaway Friday at the end of Week 3 as well, most hoofing down a Pad Thai while enjoying a quiet night in front of the TV.  I am sure they will look back in years to come with great fondness when they had the House to themselves. 

Academic Tutoring is a two way street

Hi, I’m Sunny, an old boy of Shore having spent 6 yrs in School House, graduating in the Class of 2018. 

In the two years since, I’ve been academically tutoring across all the four boarding houses.

Leading up to year twelve, I spent a lot of time at the tutors getting individual help with concepts I didn’t quite get or more difficult problems; particularly because these things were often rushed over in our 45 minute classes.

Particularly in maths, the content is large and the help I got from the tutors helped me solve questions much faster and it was evident that they were able to offer techniques and advice based on their own experience studying for the HSC.

After coming out of the HSC, I thought I should give back some of my knowledge in return for all the help I got, which led me to become a boarding Academic tutor.

I find it quite interesting to see the younger students when I was in year 12, grow up and undertake the HSC themselves. 

When I was in their position, I remember seeing old boys of the house come back as academic tutors; reaffirming that the school values the contributions of its alumni.

So in a sense, things have come full circle.

I’m happy to see that academic tutoring is still an active part of boarding and I’m glad to give back to the program that helped me succeed over my time at Shore.

Regards,
Sunny 

Multi-Tasking

One of the great advantages of boarding is being able to tap into the resources exclusively available to them, such as nightly academic tutoring, Housemasters offering free tutoring sessions and peer collaborative study.  This even happens between boys in different Year groups.  Recently, on a Saturday (yes, a Saturday!) night pie evening with Ms Dowdell, several of the boys enjoyed a bit of footy, a few meat pies and Year 9s did Commerce study all rolled into one.  Jeremy Morison (Year 9) was also seen imparting his knowledge on shares to Matt Davis (Year 8).

Working From Home

Archie Jackson

I’ve been a weekly boarder since year 7, my family split their time between Freshwater and our farm in Orange.  I found the recent change of school learning initially challenging, but after the first week I felt pretty comfortable.  The home learning process gave me an opportunity to gain more independence in my learning. 

For the last few weeks since school returned I have been a day boy.   It’s been very enjoyable being at home and being around my family.   Though it is very different, the change in routine has been great. 

I am really looking forward to returning to weekly boarding in term 3.  I’ve missed the regular routine and way of life in the boarding house.  The boys and teachers in the house really brightens my boarding experience, the new gym and facilities are also a great privilege to have access to before and after school.

Julia Jackson’s perspective

Having Archie home from weekly boarding during Covid19 was a pretty special time for us as a family.  When Shore closed we moved our whole family to our farm in Orange full time.  Not often do we get a chance to all slow down out there, enjoy the simple things in life and spend some quality time with each other.   I was pleasantly surprised how Archie adapted to the change of school learning and I noticed how he unintentionally kept to some of his morning boarding routine during this home learning period ie:  the alarm was set, he was up and showered and had even made his bed (this doesn’t happen at home on the weekends)!!  I was loving it.

When Shore resumed Arch returned as a day boy for the remainder of term 2.   He’s enjoyed the opportunity to surf before school some mornings, lots of home cooked meals and being able to open the fridge a million times to grab a snack.   I’ve truly loved having him at home.

We’ll miss him when he goes back next term to weekly boarding but given some of his best mates are boarders and that he has great routine & support around homework and study during the week we’re happy.  Plus he now has access to the best gym in the world – he’s very lucky.

International Cooking Series and More

Head Chef, Anthony Ouyang, Assistant Chef, Chris Wong and Year 12 headed up the latest International Cooking Series evening earlier this term.  Chinese food night was on the menu and Anthony prepared and cooked up a magnificent satay chicken noodle and vegetable stir fry. 

Afterwards, it was Hugo Jansen’s turn to present France for dessert.  He led the charge with Year 9 serving up crepes, Nutella and ice cream.  It was a fantastic evening with the Games Room in full swing and the footy back on the tele. 

Departing from the international theme at the end of Term 2, the Barry House boys went for a walk up to C9 in Crows Nest on the last Saturday night of term for dessert (ice cream, brownies and sundaes) after dinner.  Will Hobson decided to take on the Mega Sundae challenge and failed miserably!