Dean of Students | Mr Damien Cuddihy

The issue of wellbeing is not only very important to the mission of our College but to all schools. I hope this is experienced by our students and felt by our parents and other members of our community. If we strip the teaching profession back to its core, then it is the creation of an atmosphere of care that is left exposed. 

As parents, we employ a wide range of approaches in supporting our children throughout the developmental stages of childhood. The nurturing of independent and resilient children is often rightly acknowledged by experts in the field as an important character trait to develop in our young. Whilst I wholeheartedly agree with this belief, I do recognise that there is always a ‘tipping point’ where various interventions are required by the adults in the community which acts as a safety net for our students. 

I acknowledge that one of the greatest fears for your sons, and yourselves, is that a situation will become worse if the school becomes involved in resolving an issue. The particular issue could be one of many. Managing gaming, bullying, depression, anxiety, relational issues with friends and family to name a few. I would like to encourage you to reach out to the College when you have that feeling that your son is really starting to struggle in coping with a particular issue. In many cases this support person may be your son’s Pastoral Care Mentor or House Dean. 

We recognise that we are in a privileged position to hold the stories of many of your sons. In many cases, you will ask us not to action this information but rather to walk with you on this journey. I want you to know that we understand this and do it often with families at the College. 

Finally, I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Terrace Rowing community. The 2019 Head of the River was an outstanding display of the character that exists within the shed. I am always impressed with the energy that the community has for each other; the boys, the coaches and the parents. This triad came together on Saturday at Wyaralong, when the crews consistently won the tight battles all day. I believe this is only ever possible through a genuine display of teamwork on all fronts. Congratulations, not only on the day, but on all the processes in place throughout the season.