Acting Dean of Students | Mr Damien Cuddihy

This week, our Year 12 students reached another milestone in their final day of normal classes on Tuesday. The day commenced with the annual House Breakfast and concluded with a reflective session facilitated by their House Deans. The little buddies also had an opportunity to formally say farewell during the final House Assembly throughout the day. In walking around the various assemblies, it was heartening to see the obvious strong sense of connection the boys have within their Houses. Nurturing this sense of connection is central to the effectiveness of any successful pastoral system. I thank the Seniors of each House for their contributions to this process throughout the year. We wish them well in their exams over the next week, culminating with the final College Assembly and Valedictory Dinner next Friday. 

Whilst our Seniors are in a significant period of transition, so are many other year levels at the College. Our Year 6 students are moving into high school, Year 9 into Waterford, Year 10 into a new ATAR system and the Year 11 cohort will be wearing a white shirt in 2019. It can be tempting to start thinking about the journey ahead but the boys need to keep firmly in the present for the time being. Finalising assignments and preparing for the upcoming exam period is the priority. Our message to the students is clear; business as usual for the rest of the year. High standards of personal grooming and uniform must be maintained until the final day of school. I look forward to watching our young men finish the year with conviction. 

On occasion, I am consulted by parents on the topic of drugs and alcohol use by teenagers. Boys in older grades will often use the excuse that “everyone else is doing it…”. This is far from the truth. The longer you can delay the use of alcohol by your son the better. It is concerning to hear about situations that our students find themselves in when they have been under the influence of alcohol. Research indicates that the frontal lobe of young adolescents is not developed enough to absorb these substances. The world is full of good young men who are suffering the consequences of making poor choices. Our students are not immune to this. Parenting is a hard job but having the ability to say “no” when it is in their best interest is of great importance and pays dividends in the long run.