During Lent we are called to turn again and be reconciled with God the Father so that we fully embrace the hope that comes with Easter. When we have hope in the promise of the resurrection we can completely surrender to the love of God and give ourselves completely to building the community of love that is his Church:

Father,I abandon myself into your hands;do with me what you will.Whatever you may do, I thank you:I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in meand in all your creatures—I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,and with boundless confidence,for you are my Father.

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

It was wonderful to see Alex Clark returning to school on the first day of term to have him back amongst his mates and the College community. Alex is currently at school for three days, which we hope to increase as the year progresses. I would like to acknowledge the incredible behind the scenes work Mr Aaron Knott has been doing to organise Alex’s schoolwork.

This year we welcomed 36 new students from Years 5 to 11, and by all reports most have settled in well. We also welcomed Ms Belinda Drury to BA6 for the term while Ms Emel Corley was on long service leave. It was great to have Ms Maureen Toohey back with BA3 after a year travelling around Australia with her husband.

Congratulations to:

Connor Carroll, Elliott Shepherd, Kallum Russell and Tom Balkin (1st XI Cricket)
Jack Bhujel, Will Cartwright and Harry Blackmore (1st VI Volleyball)
Ben McMillan (1st VIII Rowing Head of the River Championship)
Paddy Williams (Co-captain of winning Junior GPS Swimming team)
Daniel Fuller, Oliver Kele, Dillon Watson, Jayden Spiteri, Archie Lyons, Amitoj Sidhu, Paddy Williams, Lachy McGarry, Jack Fuller, Connor Martin, Kehan Sully and James Hong (Gold Academic Medal recipients)
Harry Blackmore, Oliver Langton, Lachlan Russell, Joseph Gannon, Coby Richardson, Callum Stringfellow and Jamie Dickman (Silver Academic Medal recipients)
Christopher Hernik, Angus McLean, Will McLean, Cody Peters, Tom Balkin, Eamon Gerrard-Stace, Cody Colette, Oliver Smeaton and Andrew Cheng (Bronze Academic Medal recipients)
Gus Moloney, Elliott Shepherd, Benn Dalle Cort, Jayden Donald, Hamish Needham, Callum Stringfellow, Will McLean, Izaac Albert, Charlie Kavney, Hugo Albert, Hayden O’Sullivan, Charlie Dixon, Tom Balkin, Eamon Gerrard-Stace, Christian Pedrina, Inigo Lawrence, Daniel O’Hara, Alex Woodroffe, Paddy Moloney, Joseph Gannon, Jamie Dickman, Cody Colette, Ryan Hadden, Samuel Cassee and Kewan Busch (Academic Improvement Award recipients)
Hamish Needham (Principal’s Award recipient)
There was a great turn out for the Barrett Breakfast early in February to start the term. Thanks to Ms Heather Trethowan and her band of helpers for organising, setting up and serving. It was wonderful to see so many new families attending. Our next function will be our Christmas in July Dinner on Friday 19 July. This is a fun, family-friendly night that is always very well-attended. Please mark the date in your calendar now so you don’t miss out.

House Prefects Dane Casablanca, Harrison Van Der Meer and Alex Woodroffe have been very well organised in running House Assemblies, as well as helping out at Inter-house Swimming and the Barrett Breakfast. They have also been instrumental in the smooth running of daily affairs in the House.

Max Williams and Elliott Shepherd are doing great looking after the Year 5 and 6 boys in their role as Big Brothers.

Coming fourth in Inter-house Swimming was a good result. Well done to the Year 11 boys who showed leadership with our Year 5 and 6 boys in the morning, and then the Year 12s doing the same in the afternoon with our Year 7 boys.

Well done to all the boys who worked hard all term in their classes and at home. May you have a restful holiday and pause for a moment to acknowledge and thank your parents for giving you the opportunity to be educated at such a fine school.

May this Easter break also be one of renewal and reflection.

Mr David Kelly
Barrett House Dean

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly Term 1 passes. One day we have new students who look a little bit like ‘deer in headlights’ and the next we’re at the end of the term and it’s hard to tell the difference between those who have just finished their first term and those how have finished their 21st term! As always, this is a credit to all our lovely families for their commitment and energy into all that is Nudgee College.

The first big event of the year was the Commencement Mass where our Senior students officially became the leaders of the College. It was especially meaningful for our three Prefects Charles Hayes, Oliver Meyer and Ben Rohan. A very special mention must also go to our Big Brothers Zachary Anderson, Darcy Cluff, Reesjan Pasitoa and Nathan Walker. The Big Brothers play such an important role in the assimilation of our youngest students into Duggan and the College as a whole. To see these Senior boys playing cricket with them during their lunch breaks is testament to their commitment to this vital position. Congratulations boys! It would be remiss of me not to mention all the Senior students and their work as Big Brothers for all our new boys. Great job!

Our Year 7 boys began their foray into high school with camp in Week 4. As always this was a much anticipated event and certainly lived up to the expectations of all who attended. It is especially significant for our new students as they get the chance to really find their feet as Nudgee College—and Duggan—­­young men and start forming those friendships, which may well last a lifetime. They built rafts, rode mountain bikes, held their breath and supported their mates on the Leap of Faith, and managed to find their way back in the team orientation activity. They also hiked up Mt Tuchekoi and camped out, which was a real highlight. They came home tired, dirty and very exhilarated, full of stories to tell and with many new friends. A special thanks should go to Mr Joe Stephens for his wonderful leadership of and care for these boys. Not being able to attend the camp in its entirety myself it was comforting to know they were all in such safe hands. Thanks also to the following Year 11 boys who made the trip up there one evening to work with the boys: Ellis Mahoney, Tom Raymond, Harry Neville, Vuli Anganjuan, Elijah Newman and Jordan Ball.

House community events are always very special occasions, and I feel the House Breakfast is probably the most significant of all. It is wonderful for us to spend time with our new families and also to greet old friends. As always, these things can’t happen without the hard work of our House Mums Ms Angela Johns and Ms Bambi Silvertand. Green cupcakes have become synonymous with this event! Through our raffle we were able to raise money for our charity Edmund Rice Camps. Later in the term we had our Muffin Morning. Again, you were all so very generous with your amazing contributions, which were all very much appreciated by our hungry boys. Keep your eyes out for details of events later in the year.

Social justice, as always, plays a large part in the life of both Duggan and Nudgee College as a whole. Many Duggan students gave their time to participate in such events as Big Brekkie, Big BBQ, Scrabble and Chat, Homework Help and the Ecumenical Coffee Brigade. As I write, we are launching our Edmund Rice Camp for 2019 with 10 of our Year 11 students ‘taking a responsible risk’ and embarking on this journey of discovery about themselves and how they can help those less fortunate. This camp will happen at the end of next term.

In conjunction with Fogarty House we celebrated House Mass and my very sincere thanks should go to Fr John Gillen for presiding at this special event. I would also like to congratulate Parker Prout, Charlie McDonald, Vuli Angunjuan and Nath Levu as they take on the important roles of House Liturgical Leaders, who are integral to our House Masses.

Sport has been another focus of the term. We had the Inter-house Swimming Carnival and the House Futsal Competition. There were many boys who took part in GPS Debating, Volleyball, Cricket and Rowing. Training has begun for Football and Cross Country, rehearsals are well underway for the Musical and I’m sure I have missed many other activities, for which I apologise. However, this demonstrates how very busy Term 1 is at Nudgee College.

This is only a brief snapshot of the term; and none of this has happened in the classroom! It only goes to show what wonderful opportunities our boys have at Nudgee College and also why they are now all so very tired! I would like to thank all the boys for their passion, enthusiasm and happy smiling faces, which all make my job the best on campus. I would also like to thank our amazing tutors: Mr Mark Kraschenefski, Mr Nick Toohey, Mr Richard Dupuy, Mr Joe Stephens, Mr Paul Doneley, Mr Jamaal Sugars, Mr George Goves, Mr Armand Du Mont and Ms Lauren Nolan. They are all absolute stars and it is my great privilege to work with them on a daily basis.

Thank you for your unfailing support and I wish you all a restful and restorative break and a very happy and holy Easter.

Student Achievements

Academic

• Bronze Medal: Lachlan James, Oliver Johnston, Harry Eeles, Michael Ware, Connor De Witt McCann and Riley Craven
• Silver Medal: Lachlan Allara, Charlie Bell, Will Storey, Edward Chapamn, Kieran Pye, Janindu Edirisinge, Zachary Anderson, Oliver Meyer and Ben Rohan
• Gold Medal: Harry Neville, Luke Rohan, Nathan Levu, Matthew Johns, Tom Bayo, Riley Nixon, Christian Pye, Max Rohan, Jonathon Hawtin, Ashton Bond and Conor Holloway
• Principal’s Award: Ashton Bond

Social Justice
Janindu Edirisinge, Dylan McGraa, Xavier Corry, Marcus Smart, Charlie McDonald, Parker Prout, Zachary Anderson, Vuli Anganjuan, Ethan Williams, Yideg Nethery, Alex Pattison and Jordan Ball

1st Teams and Championship Teams

• Oliver Meyer (Debating)
• Elijah Newman and Ellis Mahoney (Volleyball)
• Jack Beaumont, Joshua Coldwell, Connor De Wit McCann, Dominic Oswald, Zachary Peach, Tom Raymond, Ben Rohan, Luke Rohan, Max Rohan and Riley Zelensky (Swimming)

Ms Sian Kennedy
Duggan House Dean

Fogarty’s House motto ‘welcome to the team’, continues to be very appropriate this term, with 34 new students and four new PC tutors. The Fogarty team was capably led by our three Prefects Jack Small, Darcy Bicknell and Benjamin Lonergan.

At risk of missing some efforts and successes of our hard working young men, I’m proud to celebrate the following:

Year 12 Investiture Mass and Senior Leaders of 2019: Congratulations to all the Year 12s who are leaders of their tutor group, in addition to our Big Brothers Samuel Mills, Daniel Page, Bryce Robson and Leyton Friedrich and Prefects Jack Small, Darcy Bicknell and Benjamin Lonergan.

Year 7 Camp: This was a wonderful adventure to kick start high school life for our Year 7s. Mr Trent Palmer joined us for this once in a lifetime experience that included the Leap of Faith, mountain biking, raft building and an evening liturgy that was very capably led by Year 11 volunteers Kade Lamont, Mason Sorby, Joshua Price, Pat Kelly and Henry Kidd. 

Fogarty House Breakfast and Muffin Bake: These two events were an extremely positive start to 2019. Thanks to the combined efforts of staff, students and parents who supported these events. They were wonderful opportunities for our new parents and families to meet other Fogarty families and connect with our wider community. Thanks to the wonderful work of our House Parents, led by Ms Marisia Woolf. Thank you as well for the many raffle prizes that were donated for boys to win. The immense generosity in this regard made it more of a lottery to ‘not win a prize’ rather than the rarity of winning. The boys are truly blessed.

Inter-house Swimming Carnival: What a way to start the highly competitive Inter-house competition in 2019, with Fogarty placing third in Swimming. This podium finish was due to the high volume of student participation as well as some outstanding individual swims. The Fogarty team carried themselves exceptionally well by supporting their peers from other age groups and challenging themselves to give their best, especially given the diverse range of swimming ability across the House. This was a very proud day to be a young Fogarty man.

House Mass: Fogarty joined with Duggan House to celebrate our faith life. We thank Fr John Gillen for presiding at this very special event, as well as our student Liturgy Leaders. 

Year 5 to 7 Futsal: In what is always a fierce and seriously fought competition, the younger members of Fogarty took to the McKennariey Centre for the annual futsal tournament. For many boys, this was their favourite event in Term 1, with an immense amount of passion displayed and energy expended. Well done to our Junior men and the Seniors who sacrificed their lunchtimes to offer support.

Social Justice Programs: Fogarty House has been actively involved in Big BBQ, Big Brekkie, Vic’s Cafe, Scrabble and Chat and Homework Club throughout the term. Every year level has been represented across these initiatives and, more recently, our focus during Lent has been Project Compassion. Well done to Joshua Price (ERA for Change); Samuel Mills (Vic’s Cafe); Mitch Graham and Jorden Wendt (Scrabble and Chat); Matthew Wendt (Homework Club); and Patrick Kelly (Big Brekkie) for volunteering their time through the term. Thank you also to all the other boys who volunteered in Week 10, for Fogarty’s designated Social Justice Week.

World’s Greatest Shave: On Tuesday 19 March, Fogarty hosted the College-wide Shave for a Cure event to support our House Charity, the Leukaemia Foundation. This initiative has grown bigger and better each year, with $11,378.37 raised in 2019. This year’s efforts were led by the Senior Leaders of Fogarty House, in particular Mitchell Flannery, who raised awareness throughout the school in the preceding weeks, spoke at Assembly, covered the school in promotional material and personally participated in fundraising and head shaving. We had a total of 26 students register to raise funds online and commit to shaving their heads to stand in solidarity with persons suffering from blood cancer. These students ranged from Years 5 to 12 and encapsulated all areas of our diverse student body. In addition, we also had more than 100 students donate a gold coin on the day and volunteer to colour their hair. The significant money raised makes a difference by giving families facing blood cancer the emotional and practical support they need. The money also funds vital research that will help more people survive blood cancers like lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma, while improving their quality of life. Finally, thank you to Ms Julie Kopittke and her wonderful hair dressing helpers for shaving on the day. It was also great to see PC tutors Mr Brent Mitchell and Ms Andrea Kewley offering their skills with the clippers for a great cause.

Academic Award Winners: We have had several individual students excel and achieve across all subject areas. Congratulations to the students who were awarded for their academic success in Semester 2, 2018:

• Gold Medal: Henry Potter, Avneesh Sidhu, Hugo Wendt, Wade Lucas, Daniel Neal, Ben McGinty, Zac McGinty, Benjamin Neal, Declan Henry, Patrick Kelly and Darcy Bicknell
• Principal’s Award: Josh Ford, Ben McGinty and Zac McGinty
• Silver Medal: Nate Scott, Ryan French, Mitchell Vivers, Jack Capes, Leo Fraser, Liam McBride, Xavier Bishop, Jack Vivers, Darcy Hardwick, Aidan Read, Ben Colebourne, Sethum Goonewardena, Cooper Bentley and Lachlan Gilbert
• Bronze Medal: Callum Beane, Mackenzie Jones, Kurt Lucas, Hayden Malone, Josh Ford, Ethan Schneider-Loos, Mikey Dechphant, Benji Bowker, Nathan Frederiksen and Joshua Price

Fogarty Team Man: Congratulations to Reinhardt Wentzel who received our Fogarty Team Man Award for Term 1. Reinhardt selflessly helped a younger student that he had never met who wanted to join a basketball game. He defused the situation and introduced the boys who were then accepting of the younger student. The young Fogarty student was extremely grateful for Reinhardt’s help. Reinhardt completely turned this boy’s day around with a small, friendly gesture. He is a true Sign of Faith.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Fogarty House community for ensuring our young men have had such as positive start to their 2019 school year, particularly our PC tutors: Mr Brent Mitchell, Mr Declan Markey-Towler, Mr James Makiol, Mr Gerard McKeown, Mr Nick Lee, Ms Elizabeth Todd, Mr Trent Palmer, Ms Andrea Kewley and Ms Maria Egan. I look forward to seeing you all again during Term 2. May God bless you and your families and may you all have a happy, safe and holy Easter.

Mr Ken Adams
Fogarty House Dean

Term 1 is always a time of great energy. We arrive at the College full of enthusiasm for a new year and all that it brings, and 2019 was no exception.

Our House Breakfast was a great way to kick off the year. There was a vibrant atmosphere that was boosted by the attendance of many parents and students. Our Prefects Jack Buckley, Patrick Glass and Mitch Lowrie have begun the year well, with Jack honing his entrepreneurial skills by hosting the auctioning of an exclusive Nudgee College watercolour painted by Ms Katherine Ellis. From all accounts, Big Brothers Jacob Duncan, Johna Luka, Cooper Tomlinson and Daniel Webb are doing an excellent job keeping the Years 5 and 6 students in check and entertained. The affection for the Big Brothers is obvious from the way the younger boys interact with their older mentors. Many thanks go to Ms Jo Smith, who is an amazing House Mum. Her energy and commitment are contagious, which is reflected in the number of parents who willingly donate their time and resources to Magee endeavours.

The Year 7 camp was again a mixture of challenge and enjoyment. The purpose of the camp is to build a sense of community and resilience amongst the boys and I feel it achieved its purpose. This camp is always enhanced by the participation of Year 11 leaders. This year Blake Keir, Tom Mills, Michael Jones, Kyle Schramm and Oscar Varricchio attended and shared stories of their own experiences with the younger boys. 

Academic Life

The following students were presented with Academic Awards in recognition of their results from Semester 2, 2018. Congratulations to:

• Gold Medal: Blake Keir, Nate Barnett, Dermot Clancy, Jackson Ho, Akira Chen, Khy Dhawan, Gabe Gerry, Max Purcell, Aidan Easton, Joseph Wesche, Lachlan Barrett, Alex Romano, Gabe Allen, Rohan Astbury, Ethan Bartley, Henry Cliff, Sam Klein, Nikhil Lalwani, Ethan Petcos, Zac Smullen, Sam Holmes, Tom Walsh, Hamish McLaughlin and Alec Watson
• Silver Medal: Elliott Mills, Heath Lillicrap, Yashodan Rayani, Ante Salinovic and Patrick McGillion
• Bronze Medal: Jack Williams, Alec Fuentes, Thomas Robertson, Jake McGrorey, Sam Woodhead, Noah Nelson, George Noble and Zida Wasiu

Congratulations to the following students who were the recipients of Principal’s Awards. These students demonstrated excellent commitment to their studies and are to be commended: Jackson Ho, Angus McLennan, Akira Chen, Christian Di Donato, Alex Mason, Titus Jeremiah and Jake McGrorey.

Sporting Life

Congratulations to the following boys for their sporting achievements this term:

• Cricket 1st XI: Ethan Bartley
• Debating
  • Senior A: Patrick Glass
  • 11.1: Blake Keir and Tom Walsh
  • 8.1: Anthony Mineo and Thomas Woodhead
• Volleyball 1st VI: Drew McBeath, Jacob Duncan, Ethan Petcos and Heath Lillicrap
• Rowing 1st VIII: Sam Green
• Swimming GPS Team: Akira Chen, Khy Dhawan, Aidan Easton, Ethan Easton, Edward Gerry, Xavier Griffiths, Jozef Harwood, Mitch Lowrie, Jonah Nelson, Noah Nelson and Alex O’Connor

Social Justice

The following students have given generously of their time to support the College’s Social Justice Program: Injarra Harbour, Tom Walsh, Christian Mills, Kyle Schramm, Michael Jones, Jacob Duncan, Daniel Maiara, Blake Keir, Xavier Mape and Lachlan Barrett.

This year we welcomed new PC tutors to Magee: Mr Patrick Ransom (Magee 5), Ms Monica See (Magee 7) and Mr Jorden Smith (Magee 8). They joined Ms Bonnie Becker, Mr Sione Mohenoa, Ms Robyn Frappell, Ms Katherine Ellis, Mr Warren Roberts and Mr Jack Dahms. I would like to thank them for their day to day care of the boys. Finally, I would like to thank you, the parents and caregivers of the boys, for all that you do to support what we achieve at Nudgee College and in Magee.

Ms Julianne Daunt
Magee House Dean

McKenna House has really had a full and rewarding term. With a number of new students the earlier weeks of the term were spent making them feel welcome. Our annual McKenna BBQ Breakfast was a great way to start the term and welcome the new McKenna families into our community.

It was great to meet a number of new families, as well as catch up with familiar faces. Term 1 was an eventful term, with a number of highlights and successes to celebrate.

I would like to formally thank our wonderful PC tutors for their work with your boys in term 1: Ms Jaimee Trembearth, Mr Gerard Alexander, Mr Peter Gledhill, Mr Kevin Ayres, Mr John Hodder,  Mr Pep Cappello, Ms Alison Kilgour, Ms Nicolette Beecham and Mr Matt Waters

Inter-house Activities

Friday 16 February saw Nudgee College’s annual Inter-house Swimming Carnival take place. For the first time in 15 years McKenna House finished in the top spot, winning the carnival by 40 points. There were a number of standout performances, but a special mention must go to Jacob Krayem, Jackson Cameron and Mitch Perkins, who led the McKenna boys so well. The participation on the day was the best McKenna House has ever had and it was pleasing for the boys to be rewarded for their efforts. 

Being involved in extra-curricular activities plays an important part in the life of a teenager and the McKenna boys are no exception. A large number of boys represented the school in a variety of sports and activities that were on offer during Term 1, 2019. These included Debating, Volleyball, Cricket, Rowing and Swimming. I strongly encourage all McKenna boys to try and engage with at least one activity per term during their Nudgee College journey. In addition, McKenna had our best futsal competition yet. We competed fiercely throughout the age groups and our Year 7 group demonstrated a lot of character to win their year level in very tight finals matches. Well done to all the boys across the age groups who got involved!

The following boys represented the school in Open 1st teams for their respective sports this term:

• Cricket: Mitchell Pascoe (Captain)
• Swimming: Jacob Krayem (Captain) and Jackson Cameron
• Volleyball: Isaac Ngauamo, Andrew Mackay and Morgan Chippendale
• Rowing: Dylan Rhodes

Camps and Retreats 

This term saw our Year 7 boys challenged both physically and mentally during their camp. The boys showed an incredible amount of persistence and resilience to participate whole-heartedly in every challenge that Mr Ben Williams, the camp instructors and I set for them. It was wonderful to get to know the boys throughout this time. We spent a few hours hiking, chatting, sharing jokes and listening to music. I was particularly impressed with how the boys tried their hardest and supported and encouraged each other during the challenging times. It was a wonderful opportunity for the boys to get to know each other and start their high school journey. During the retreat this year the boys were involved in a liturgy where they were able to explore their spiritual side through prayer and reflection. Part of this process was listening to some of the Year 11s share their spirituality and journey at Nudgee College. Thanks to Lachlan Moss, Isaac Colston, Adam Wilkie, Aidan Foster and Angus Rhodes for sharing their camp experience with us. Their presence made our camp even more enjoyable. 

Our Year 5s also began their spiritual journey at Nudgee College by attending their retreat day with their classes. The boys learnt about the Edmund Rice Tradition and were provided an opportunity for reflection. They all seem to be settling nicely in the Junior School with their PC tutors Ms Nicolette Beecham and Mr Matt Waters, and I look forward to watching them grow throughout their Nudgee College journey. 

Congratulations must go to the following Academic Medal recipients, as well as our Principal’s Award winners from academic data in Semester 2, 2018:

Principal’s Award: Jed Barron and Baxter Giorgas

• Gold Medal: Callum Turner, Luke Blackwell, Thomas Malone, Logan Azzopardi, Dylan Lawrance, Jack Moses, Rohen Ferreira, Caleb Giorgas and Benjamin Connolly
• Silver Medal: Sebastian Wright, Michael La Monaca, Mitch Moses, Thomas Williams, Mitchell Doyle, Matthew Munro, Thomas Muellegger, James Hannan, Andrew La Monaca Alex Smith, Patrick Burchard and Harrison Palethorpe
• Bronze Medal: Fergus Wright, Jed Barron, Damian Rigg, Aidan Evans, Al McEwan, Daniel O'Driscoll, Harry Shaw, Morgan Chippendale, William Cummins, Aidan Foster and Adam Wilkie

Their persistence and hard work have helped them to achieve in their studies. I look forward to seeing many more excellent results from all of our McKenna students as the year progresses. We look forward to the next grouping of award winners next semester.

All of the boys have experienced some wonderful successes in Term 1 and I am hoping they have all settled well into 2019. I would encourage them to spend some time over the holidays reflecting on Term 1 and setting some clear Term 2 goals. Whilst it is important that the boys complete this process with a positive mindset, it is also important that they make these goals realistic. This will keep them within reach throughout Term 2 and ensure they are always seeking to improve. Personal reflection is so important for the boys to grow spiritually, personally and academically and will ensure they make the most of their time at Nudgee College.  

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter break together.

Mr Paul Kehoe
McKenna House Dean

With great enthusiasm and positivity, we begin 2019 as a 170 strong community. We have been joined by 30 new students – 16 in Years 7 to 12 and 14 in Years 5 to 6. As always, they bring a wonderful diversity of talents, a collective enthusiasm, and a sense of excitement for what this new chapter in their lives may hold. We hope that they make the most of the many opportunities available to them.

We also welcomed two new Riley tutors this year. Mr Sam Proctor joined us in Riley 2 and Mr Damien Gannon in Riley 4. We are very lucky to have such amazing team of tutors in Riley House, including our returning tutors Ms Stephanie Spicer (Riley 1), Mr Tim Bird (Riley 3), Mr Simon Lilley (Riley 5), Mr Tom Hughes (Riley 6), Mr Andrew Hook (Riley 7), Ms Jai Dwyer (Riley 8) and Mr Michael Ford (Riley 9).

Our House motto for 2019 is ‘to begin, begin’! Our students wanted this motto to highlight an important message regarding the need to simply begin. To focus on the small things that help the bigger picture come to life. To begin those small tasks while always remaining focused on the end goal. We felt it was a perfect motto in a world where ‘beginning’ in sometimes distracted by the busyness of technology, sporting and extracurricular activities, and family life. This motto encompasses the simple act of just starting. If we start the rest will follow. 

Term 1 has already seen Riley boys ‘begin’ in all aspects of their Nudgee College life—academically, socially, personally and culturally—and we will continue to challenge the boys to push themselves in order to take advantage of every opportunity available to them.
Riley House has always focused on three key areas: striving for academic excellence, upholding excellent behaviour and expectations, and creating and sustaining relationships. This year is no different. Riley House is built on these strong foundations and they will remain a key focus. This year we added a new focus; family. Our Riley gentlemen are surrounded by opportunities to come together as the Riley family and this year we are focussed on encouraging as many of these opportunities as possible. We want our Riley men to feel at home and part of a wonderful community.

Already this year we have celebrated our 33 Academic Medallists from Semester 2, 2018: 18 Gold, five Silver and 10 Bronze. These are great numbers, among the strongest in the College. Congratulations to the award winners for their continued efforts. An additional congratulations to Nash Watt who received a Principal's Award for his efforts last Semester. 

Our 2019 Prefects Jim Bridger, Jye Davies and Vidur Sehgal, along with College Vice Captains Kobie Smith and Isaac Roati, have already discovered how busy a Senior year can be, yet their enthusiasm and genuineness cannot be questioned! Their high profile roles within the House are drawing on the willingness of the boys of all year levels to ‘put their hand up’, to take on extra responsibilities and to contribute to our ongoing successes. I also acknowledge the year ahead for our Year 5 and 6 Big Brothers Matthew Konilio, Joshua Nakin, Jackson Meij and Oscar Scarcia. They too are already receiving great accolades from our younger boys.

Term 1 continued to be a busy time for Riley House:

Love was in the air, with almost 200 people attending our Valentine’s Day House Breakfast in Week 3. This was a wonderful opportunity for parents to meet our tutors and other Riley families. A huge thank you to Ms Rebecca Kuskie and our many House parents for their efforts to make this function such a success, and a special thank you to Ms Alysia Bridger for the wonderful decorations. The support at this first Riley event did not go unnoticed. We are very grateful.

In addition, many House parents backed this effort up in Week 8 with our Bake Day.

Our Year 7s spent three days at Kenilworth with Ms Jaimee Trembearth and myself. This was a great experience for the boys, who rose to the challenges (including the extreme heat, gale force winds and a camping novice for a House Dean) as they developed new connections and friendships.

Despite the spirited efforts of many of the boys, we finished another shock ninth place in the Inter-house Swimming back in Week 3. This result did not match the amazing passion and commitment of the Riley boys, who stepped out of their comfort zone. Very few boys were absent on the day and only a handful did not swim. Boys got in the pool but we just didn’t touch the wall first. Our next challenge is Inter-house Cross Country early in Term 2. Let’s hope the Riley boys can prove themselves to be more land-based than water-based animals! I hope the term has seen a successful start to 2019 for your son. We hope that all boys return with new energy and aspirations to do their best in Term 2.

I would like to finally add a big thank you to all for the support of me as the House Dean. Riley House definitely has something special and I feel truly privileged to be part of this House. Prayers and best wishes to you all for a safe and holy Easter season.

Ms Lynsey Hale
Riley House Dean

The first term of 2019 has been a successful one for the young men of Ross House. Despite being a very busy term, we have managed to demonstrate some outstanding individual and team performances, both in and out of the classroom, which indicate we are going to have another exciting, positive and productive year.

As a House we welcomed 30 nervous, but excited students into the Ross House family with an opening liturgy in the first week of school. On behalf of all the new students, I would like to thank the existing Ross students, tutors and the wider Ross House community for such a warm welcome. We wish Ms Tara Townsend (Ross 4) all the best for her maternity leave and welcome back Mr CJ Massingale to Ross 4, Mr Dave Fraser to Ross 5 and Ms Sharon Williams into the House as a new tutor for Ross 9.

In the first Mass of the year, we celebrated the Senior Investiture where we inducted our Year 12s of 2019 as leaders of Ross House and Nudgee College. We were also very proud to welcome Hayden Bygott (Ross 6) as College Captain for 2019. A big congratulations must go to Will Clarke, Ethan Irvine and Campbell Lewis who were inducted as Ross House Prefects. This leadership group has a clear vision for Ross House, which is based on empowering the Senior students to engage the younger boys to increase participation in PC time in the mornings and during Inter-house competitions. I’m confident our Prefects, backed by their fellow Seniors, will lead us this year with a sense of presence, purpose and pride. 

There have been so many events already:

The Year 7 camp was a highlight, as always. For the first time in many years, Year 7 camp was held at Kenilworth Homestead, which was a fantastic location. Camp provides such an important introduction into College life for new boys, where all Year 7 Ross students work together over three days to develop relationships they will take with them on their journey through Nudgee College. A big thank you must go to Mr Damien Raciti and the Year 11 students who volunteered their time to assist me in educating the new lads on what it means to be a young Ross House man at Nudgee College.

The annual Inter-house Swimming Carnival was again staged early in the term, and there were many examples of students ‘going the extra mile’ for their House. Through great leadership from our Prefects and impressive participation from most year levels, we finished seventh in what was a very close competition. It was again made clear to me that Ross House spirit is alive and well and I know that the boys are keen to build on this good start at next term’s Cross Country and Athletics carnivals.

Our annual House Breakfast was held at the end of Week 3. It was a great Ross House community event with more than 180 Ross students and family members enjoying breakfast and the chance to meet new people or catch up with old friends. I would like to thank Ms Emma Babao and her wonderful team of helpers for organising the event, and all families who donated raffle prizes. Next term we'll hold our annual Ross House Bake and Mother’s Morning Tea.

Wall of Fame

Academic Medal winners

Congratulations to our students who earned an Academic Medal from Semester 2, 2018.

• Gold: William Duffield, Paddy Townsend, Ben Gunter, Dusty Piper, Dom Weber, Zachary Manitta, Chad Oehlman, Joseph Picone, Declan Townsend, Hayden Bygott, Mattias Dahlstedt, Will Svenson, Ben Weber, Owen Mitchell and Isaac Babao
• Silver: Jack Gunter, Joe Wilson, Ethan Lay, Dom Darbyshire-Roberts, Tony Fuimaono and Mason Nash
• Bronze: Davis Jacobs, Ryan Matthews, Joshua Eckersall, Oliver Taylor, Joshua Wee and Ben Brandt

1st Team Representatives

• Cricket: Nick Bembrick, Ben Brandt, Hayden Brough, Jet Liebke and Noah McFadyen
• GPS Rowing Head of the River Winning Crew: Darcy Carmody and Zane Kirk (congratulations also on placing third at the Australian Open Schools Rowing Championships)
• Debating: Hayden Bygott
• Volleyball: William Roostan
• GPS Championship Winning Swimming Teams: Josh Tomlinson (Senior Team Captain), Dusty Piper (Junior Team Captain), Elfie Piper, Harry Malcolm, Jake Weingarth, Zane Kirk, Luke Darbyshire-Roberts, Joe Wilson and Ethan Irvine

Special mentions:

• A huge congratulations to Noah McFadyen for representing Australia in the Under 16 Cricket team and Jet Liebke for representing Queensland in the Under 17 Cricket team
• Well done to Jamie Knight for captaining the Under 16 Queensland Polocrosse team
• Thank you to our wonderful PC tutors: Mr Peter Kropp (Ross 1), Mr Brendan McGuiness (Ross 2), Mr Karim Sedour (Ross 3), Mr CJ Massingale (Ross 4), Mr Dave Fraser (Ross 5), Ms Sue Minor (Ross 6), Mr Dave Fletcher (Ross 7), Ms Heather Hume (Ross 8) and Ms Sharon Williams (Ross 9)

Term 2 should see the boys turn up to school in their formal uniform, fresh from their break, prepared to get involved in all aspects of life at Nudgee College. Don’t forget about the parent, teacher and student interviews on Tuesday 23 April. We encourage all parents to bring their son to the interviews and be part of the conversation regarding their progress in class. 

Enjoy a safe Easter break with friends and family and I look forward to working with you in supporting the young men of Ross House be the best they can be in Term 2.

Mr Michael Byrne
Ross House Dean

January seems such a long time ago. Term 1 has been yet another exciting, action-packed term for Shaw House. This year we welcomed 41 new families to our community and stand strong with 183 students in our community. As a community we have celebrated House Breakfast and Bake Days, placed second in Inter-house Swimming, celebrated with our Senior students at the Commencement Mass, and cheered on our Volleyball players, Cricket teams, Debating teams, Rowing crews, Swimming team and futsal participants. We have congratulated Academic Medal winners and completed practice QCS sessions. The Year 7s enjoyed a warm yet memorable camp for three days at Mary Valley; thank you to Mr Mark Reiken and Ms Kate Fraikin for sharing this experience with the boys. Thank you to several Year 11 Shaw Seniors for graciously taking the time to visit us at Mary Valley, including Henry Wallis, Jazz Born, Will Jones, Hamish Parsons, Howard Yanda and Xavier Nicolaidis. Shaw students always embrace the start of the year and the challenges along the way.

We warmly welcome Mr David Sen to Shaw 1 while Mr Michael Phillips is Acting Director of Administration this year. We also welcome Ms Kate Fraikin to Shaw 7, who is co-teaching with Ms Kate McCarthy, and welcome back our fabulous PC team of Mr Mark Reiken, Mr Anthony Gibb, Ms Marie-Rose Burton, Mr Thomas Eichinski, Ms Kathleen White, Ms Susan Reid and Ms Melissa Miller.

We are very proud to have a Vice Captain from Shaw House again, and we know Xavier Bundock will be outstanding in this role. Our enthusiastic Prefects for 2019 are Sigi Beschel, Marcus Cutuli and Joe Stark. Working closely with the Prefects, but in the Junior School are Big Brothers Tom Enders, Justin Bunker, Zeph Kiwai and Eyziah Ulia. All our leaders are wonderful role models for the Shaw community through their compassionate, enthusiastic, motivating and community-building leadership.

At the St Joseph’s Day Mass, Shaw House proudly watched as three of our Year 12 students were commissioned as Eucharistic Ministers. Well done Marcus Cutuli, Joe Stark and Xavier Bundock. Congratulations also to Marcus for being named as the 2019 College Music Captain; a marvellous acknowledgement to his years of dedication to this art. Three Shaw students were also selected to play in the Queensland School State Chess Tournament. Well done Jazz Born, Jacob Martin and Eric Yang.

Our 2019 Liturgy Leaders are Charlie Coote, Oahu Davey-Phillips, Christian Setefano and Oliver Horwood. The Liturgy Group will lead the community in prayer and also run our Social Justice Program activities.

I must extend my congratulations to the following Shaw students for achieving Academic Medals (the highest of any House):

• Gold: Riley Doherty, George Gillam, Sam Kewley, Lukas Maconochie, Christian Rogers, Jacob Gillam, Degenhard Beschel, Lachlan Doherty, Tyler O’Keefe, Ian Pantaleon, Aaron Partington, Samuel Rogers, Alex Tran, Xavier Nicolaidis, Aaron Tran, Xavier Bundock and Marcus Cutuli
• Silver: Ash Taylor, Xavier Cutuli, Frank Bundock, Danny Tang and Manraj Birk
• Bronze: Oscar Keith, Max Grant, Tom Langton, Joe Stark and Christian Thomson

Four Shaw students were awarded a Principal’s Award for outstanding improvement. Well done to Jovan Singh, Lukas Maconochie, Frank Bundock and Fintan Byrne.

Congratulations to all the Shaw Award recipients.

As well as academic success, Shaw students have excelled in the sporting arena. Congratulations to all of our Shaw rowers on an outstanding season, but in particular the Year 12 rowers as this was their last GPS Rowing season. The Shaw community was very proud, as Tom Enders was named Captain of Boats this year – an amazing acknowledgement of his years of dedication and hard work. Congratulations to Justin Bunker and Jackson Mills for their selection in the Nudgee College 1st XI Cricket team.

Thank you to Ms Jules Born for volunteering to be our House Mum again in 2019 and to the many parents who supported her, including Ms Anne Gray, Ms Orlantha Marargone, Ms Christina Assaf and Ms Lorna Groves. Our parents are passionate about the Shaw House community and ensuring new families feel welcomed and supported as they begin their Nudgee College experience. Of course we welcome all our mums and dads to be involved in everything ‘Shaw’. Thank you to the many parents who joined the community at our House Breakfast, where we raised $700 for the Epilepsy Foundation and stood alongside the wonderful Milne family in their quest to raise awareness for this medical condition. Thank you to all Shaw parents for sending in the fabulous treats for our Shaw boys at our first Bake Day of the year. It was simply amazing; even the boys said “wow!” It was wonderful to have our delightful and loved House Patron Ms Maggie Shaw with us for Bake Day – simply the best treat on the day. It would not be a Shaw event without Maggie.

This term has been such a rewarding start to the year and I look forward to an equally rewarding Term 2. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Shaw community for your condolences and sincere wishes on the loss of my dear mother. Thank you for your love and support. I sincerely welcome all new and returning parents to the Shaw community in 2019 and wish you all a safe and restful break over the Easter holidays.

Ms Robyn Mann
Shaw House Dean

Throughout the term our students have shared new beginnings, experiences of challenge and triumph and a start to the 2019 school year that is one to reflect upon with pride and gratitude. As always our PC tutors have been amazing and I’d like to start by thanking the following staff for ensuring PC is a time of inclusivity and engagement for our Tierney students: Mr Neil Poppleton (TI1), Ms Kelly Vowles (TI2), Mr Paul Raven (TI3), Ms Louise Nardi (TI4), Mr Mannie Navarro (TI5), Ms Lesley Gardner (TI6), Ms Candice Green (TI7), Mr Corey Braithwaite (TI8) and Mr Rowan Crossley (TI9).

Year 12 Investiture Mass and Senior Leaders of 2019: Congratulations to all the Year 12s who are leaders of their tutor group, as well as Junior School Big Brothers Cliff Nali, Henry Kennedy, Connor Chistiakoff and Zac Bousen; Prefects Ethan Ferraro, Izaac Fiorini and Charlie Radford; and College Vice Captain Patrick Long.

Tierney House Breakfast: Prefects Izaac Fiorini and Charlie Radford officially welcomed new and returning families before sharing personal stories that connected with the renewed focus on our House Charity, the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Thanks also to Tierney parents Ms Luanne Wishart, Dr Sue Vollert and the many Tierney students for their service in planning, setting up and helping out on the day.

Year 7 Camp: Kenilworth was a spectacular destination for our Year 7s to experience camp. We were blessed to be joined by Mr Brent Mitchell, who was a wonderful support to our Year 7 cohort.  Year 11 students Ryan Trout, Jack Davies, Joshua Coughlan, Patrick Cabot and Tevita Mapa were outstanding role models for our students, as they joined Ms Lesley Gardner to visit for our evening liturgy while on camp.

Inter-house Swimming: This was the first Inter-house event for the year and while Tierney didn’t come away with the win, the effort and participation was impressive. Many Tierney students went on to represent Nudgee College in both our Junior and Senior teams, who were winners of the GPS competition. Congratulations to the following students who made these teams: Ronan Rowling, Isaac Bressington, Billy Connellan, William Dallimore, John Oneto, Ben Sands, Tom Sands, Jack Weaver, Dylan Andrea, Luke Barbour, Lachlan Clarkson, Thomas Connellan and Angus Tudman.

Activities for Term 1: Tierney students wore the blue and white in every GPS competition this term. In addition to Swimming, Tierney students were active every week in Debating, Volleyball, Rowing, Cattle Club and Cricket. A highlight for me was to be present to witness Seniors Ethan Ferraro, Patrick Long and Dylan Dunne not only complete a gruelling early morning training session, but also achieve the ultimate accolade in winning Head of the River as members of our 1st VIII crew.

Social Justice Programs: Tierney House has been actively involved in swag rolling, Big BBQ, Big Brekkie, House Charity fundraising and Project Compassion this term. Students who have shown commitment to one or more of these initiatives are: Declan Cabot, Simon Vollert, Jack Davies, Alex White, Denzel Huuma, Tevita Mapa, Ryan Trout, Nick Bell, Izaac Fiorini, Luke Powell, Robert Mapa, Cooper Green, Ricky Penson, Charles Best, Tehi Nicholson, Thomas Gordon, Thomas Connellan and Jack Peart. Further to that, Nicholas Nucifora, Dylan Roost, Genjirou Sato and Douglas Swan did a brilliant job of raising more than $100 each to support the World’s Greatest Shave, which was Fogarty’s House Charity.

Academic Awards: As we strive to champion a learning culture in Tierney, I’d like to congratulate our Academic Award winners who were recognised earlier in the term:

• Gold Medal: Angus Casey, Charles Dallimore, Thomas Connellan, Andrew Tora, Nicholas Bell, Simon Vollert, Zachary Krogh,  Ethan Ferraro, Lachlan Cullum, Johnson Meraveka, Ashley Wong, Declan Cabot, Sam Schimming, Harrison Swane, Patrick Cabot, Jenry Kennedy and Ricky Penson
• Silver Medal: William Kewley, Matthew Rostron, Cooper Johnston, Jack Weaver, Tom Sands, Tom Shaw, Ciaran Casey, Shannen Gerard Solker, Harrison Smythe, Angus Phelan and Connor Chistiakoff
• Bronze Medal: Isaac Bressington, Cooper Hunter, Patrick Kennedy, Jack Barry and Fletcher Dunn

Honourable Mentions: I’d like to extend an honourable mention this term to Tom Shaw (Year 9), who was awarded the Duke of Edinburgh Bridge Award, and Ashley Wong (Year 9), who has continued to excel in track and field by being the youngest invited athlete to the Queensland Open Track Classic (competing in an Open field). This week he was crowned the Australian Champion in the Under 16 100m. 

May you and your families have a happy, safe and holy Easter. 

Ms Joanne Barrett
Tierney House Dean

‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you’. These are the wise, albeit commandeered, words of our Cotter Seniors for 2019. When given the task of developing a set of Boarding House values for Cotter, I was extremely impressed with the ideas and, more importantly, the ideals that were raised during brainstorming. However, it was the final product that really affected me. This motto so accurately reflects the experience of every boarder and will certainly guide us in our day to day lives in Cotter. Well done boys!
It is hard to believe the first term has already passed us by. So much has happened in such a short time. The Cotter men have contributed to the GPS Swimming glory, the Head of the River triumph and many successful outings on the cricket pitch and volleyball court. They have studied hard (for the most part), debated ferociously, cheered their hearts out and demonstrated reverence during special occasions. 

From a boarding perspective, our Cotter men have smoothly navigated through a period of great change: a new Head of Boarding House, a new Assistant Head of Boarding House, new supervisors and a new bunch of excitable Year 10s. The boys have embraced these changes with open arms and warmly welcomed the new members of the Cotter family into their ranks. Personally, I am very grateful for this. 

We’ve seen some wonderful traditions continue in Cotter House, including the barbecue breakfast, the Boarding Formal Dinner and the Wet‘n’Wild trip. In addition, in consultation with the Seniors, we have started some new initiatives and created new traditions. We have raised money for the Big BBQ through our Party Shirt Partnership with YP Threads, we have seen the introduction of the Cotter Chronicle (our satirical publication) and the staff were victorious in the inaugural staff versus student cricket match.
All in all, the newness of this term has presented a number of challenges. The boys have welcomed these challenges with open arms and adapted to create positive change. In this sense, collectively we have been living out our House values. For me, this summarises the success of Term 1, 2019. 

A few reminders:

• Next term the boys need to wear their formal winter uniform. All boys will need their blazer for the Anzac Ceremony on day one The first weekend of term is a ‘closed weekend’. This means all boarders are required to stay on campus for the weekend
• Please pack winter bedding for the cooler months. Each boy needs two sets of sheets
• Boys need to return to school suitably groomed (shaved, appropriate hair cut etc.)
• Week 6 includes an ‘exit weekend’ (1 to 2 June). The Boarding Houses will close from 12.00pm Saturday until 12.00pm Sunday. All boys require approved leave for these dates  

Mr Casey Brealy
Head of Cotter Boarding House

Easter

The Lenten period is a special time in the liturgical calendar. It is a time for us to reflect on the sacrifices Jesus made and the lessons he was trying to teach us. For teenage boys, these lessons aren’t always obvious and we have attempted, through classes and our own Masses during this term, to help them understand the importance of Easter and what its true meaning is. On Sunday night we had our Boarding choir and Mr Sione Mohenoa sing at Mass, which was celebrated by the Nudgee College Boarding community. We are indeed blessed to have such a beautiful College Chapel. The boys were encouraged to get involved in social justice activities and be aware of the sacrifices that others have made for them, and then to think about how they could sacrifice something during this period.

Hodda Leaders

We are also blessed to have so many leaders among this group of Year 12s. The best type of leadership is when everyone considers themselves to be a leader. I think we have that situation here in Hodda, and by the way they have conducted themselves so far, I can’t wait to see how they perform for the rest of the year. Your guidance, patience and teaching as parents has obviously had a huge impact on your sons, as I can genuinely say they are a pleasure to care for here in Hodda. Thank you for doing such a good job so far and for trusting us to work in partnership with you to continue their development. I’d particularly like to thank our Hodda Leaders Yideg Nethery and Hamish Smith for the work and enthusiasm they have shown so far.

Formal Dinners

We shared a lovely welcome dinner with the girls from Stuartholme School. It was also an opportunity for everyone to listen to a really fascinating presentation on cyber safety. It is something we take for granted sometimes, but this was an excellent chance to revisit an extremely important aspect of the lives of teenagers.
We also ran a Hodda Formal Dinner where I was able to teach boys about etiquette, having appropriate conversations and how to greet ladies to a table. The boys did really well and were quite receptive to these ideas. The concept of a formal dinner was met with positivity from the group, and a very appetising dinner always helps.

Returning

Can I please ask that you ensure your son comes back to Boarding with an appropriate haircut, proper uniforms (winter next term), labelled clothing, a blue drawstring laundry bag and all his equipment to start school like calculator, books etc. It is difficult for us to start the term by having to chase boys up who have had all holidays to get these things right. We’d rather simply be welcoming them back as opposed to talking to them about haircuts and the like. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.

As has already been communicated, the boys will need their blazers for the first week back for our Anzac Ceremony on Ross Oval.

Easter Holidays

I’d like to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable break with your sons and hope you have some quality family time. I’d like to thank all the boys in Hodda for a great term. The new boys have been welcomed into the community really well and have all settled. Indeed, they have started to make their own mark and have contributed to the overall feeling of Hodda. Well done to all boys on a great start to 2019! Have a safe holiday and I look forward to seeing you all again next term.

Mr Ken Mitchell
Head of Hodda Boarding House

Term 1 has been an action-packed, exciting, and challenging yet rewarding term. With the addition of 23 new boarders to Murphy this year it was great to see the camaraderie build within the Boarding House very early on and continuing throughout the term. The majority of boys quickly got into the routine of a new year in Boarding by involving themselves in the many co-curricular, academic and spiritual opportunities the College has to offer. Our 2019 Seniors, in particular the Murphy Leaders Eyzaiah Ulia and Samuel Roche, have ably led the Boarding House to set up what will hopefully be a very enjoyable and successful year.

Murphy Values

During the term, each dorm was to come up with a set of values that best represented the Boarding House. With the help of the House Leaders the following key values that Murphy men would like to be known for and that they would like to achieve was the acronym REBEL.

• Respect: Respectful of the community and those that live and work in it
• Leadership: Leading by example – ‘we are all leaders’
• Excellence: Striving for excellence in all aspects of what they do at the College
• Brave: Being brave to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself
• Ethos: ‘We not me’ attitude

These values are now represented in the Boarding report card to show the importance we place on these values in Murphy. Term 1 Murphy REBEL winners were George Pola (Year 10), Zida Wasiu (Year 11) and Eyzaiah Ulia (Year 12).

Term 1 Activities

A number of boys have been heavily involved in a number of term activities, including Rowing (1st VIII Head of the River Champions), Swimming (GPS Swimming Champions), Debating, Cricket and Volleyball. There have also been a number of boys involved in pre-seasons for Football, Tennis, Cross Country, Rugby, Basketball as well as the Musical (The Addams Family). The participation in these activities is great to see, but what has also been impressive is the support these boys have had from their Murphy peers. I look forward to the same amount of boys being involved in Term 2 sports and activities.

Teacher, Parent and Student Conferences

Boarders return on Tuesday 23 April, which is also the Term 2 Teacher, Parent and Student Conferences. Students are encouraged to attend with their parents and be a part of the conversation with their parents about their Term 1 progress and strategies for improvement across the rest of 2019. 

Term 2 Uniform

When we return for Term 2 we will no longer be wearing summer uniform. We will commence wearing our formal uniform (without the blazer until the cooler weather arrives in a few weeks’ time). White shirts, College ties and trousers are all available to purchase from the Locker Room. Boys in Years 10, 11 and 12 are encouraged to wear trousers every day during Terms 2 and 3. Boys are also to be reminded that for Mass they must wear long pants or trousers (not tracksuit pants) on Sunday evenings.

Grooming

I’d like to remind parents and caregivers to ensure that your son returns with an appropriate haircut. Boys should not have any colour or ‘tracks’ in their hair. Hair should not cover the ears, collar or eyebrows. Further, could parents and caregivers please ensure that boys have sufficient toiletries, including roll-on deodorant and shaving equipment, to last the whole term.

Remember that the NC Boarding Team App regularly updates photos and other information of what the boys are getting up to at the College. 

Weekend one of the term will also be a compulsory weekend in, with a number of activities already organised including Saturday movies and a trip to the beach on Sunday. This is an important weekend to create a sense of community, not only within Murphy, but the whole Boarding community. Your support of this is appreciated.

I hope all our boys and their parents have a safe and happy Easter and I look forward to seeing the boys all back here in Term 2. 

Mr Ben Ralston
Head of Murphy Boarding House

The young men of O’Brien Boarding House have made an excellent start to the year by involving themselves in many activities. 2019 saw O’Brien welcome 28 new boarders to our community, creating a House of 60 fine young men. We also welcomed new staff members Mr Declan Markey-Towler (Senior Supervisor), and Mr Fletcher Nugent, Mr Zed Kiwai and Mr Martin Pascoe (Junior Supervisors) to the team. Housing boys from Years 6 to 9 presents challenges; Year 9 boys having to take charge and through their actions demonstrate to the younger boys their vision and hopes for the House, the Year 7 and 8s beginning their high school journey and all new boys settling into new surroundings. The boys have to be commended on their efforts in their new roles and the way in which they have carried themselves and communicated with staff.

O’Brien Boarding Values

Through a values meeting at the start of the term, groups of Year 9 students helped formulate a number of  values which they felt all young men in O’Brien needed to adhere to in order to become positive members of the Nudgee College community. With the help their two House Leaders Isaiah Harrop and Luke O’Sullivan, the House motto of ‘the little things matter’ was formulated. Staff and students felt that this motto summed up exactly what it meant to be an O’Brien man.

The boys summed up the ‘little things’ as:

• Are you honest; can your word be trusted? Are you where you are supposed to be?
• Are you respectful of others, their belongings, privacy, space, background and culture? Do you treat the residence in a manner that creates a pleasant home for all?
• Do you understand what it means to behave at all times, on and off campus, in a manner befitting a member of the Nudgee College Boarding community?
• Are you taking pride in the work you do, and do you seek to excel at every opportunity?
• Are you ‘on time’? (This is one of the most vital habits to take forward in life. Here it permeates all aspects of College life, from daily routines, through to the meeting of academic deadlines).

Inspiration for this motto came from a motivational speech entitled ‘Make Your Bed’, delivered by Admiral William H.McRaven at the commencement address to the graduates of the University of Texas on 17 May 2014. We show a short clip of this to the boys each year. I encourage you to view this video on Youtube if you are yet to see it.

Activities Involvement

The O’Brien boarders have been involved in several academic, cultural, spiritual and sporting activities over the course of the term. Most of the boys adhered to the motto that ‘a busy boarder is a happy boarder’ and involved themselves in activities as often as possible. Some of the activities included:

• Social Justice Program activities such as Scrabble and Chat and Homework Help Club at Zillmere State School
• Term 1 GPS Swimming, Rowing, Volleyball, Debating and Cricket, and pre-season Football, Tennis and Cross Country
• Inter-dorm level competition including touch football, ping pong and chess
• Cattle Club

Boarder of the Week

The hotly contested Boarder of the Week rewards those boys in the Boarding House trying their best to show all aspects of the values of the O’Brien ‘the little things matter’ motto. The following boys have been awarded Boarder of the Week throughout the term:

Week 1:Thomas Hansson

Week 2: Hiram George

Week 3: Finnigan O’Rielley

Week 4: Isaiah Harrop

Week 5: Matthew Blums

Week 6: Byron Cason

Week 7: Wil O’Rielley

Week 8: Myles Armstrong

Week 9: Ben Mills 

 

Boarder of the Term

Congratulations to Thomas Hansson on winning Boarder of the Term. Thomas has consistently demonstrated all aspects of what it means to be an O’Brien man. He has been a great role model for his peers in the House.

I’d like to remind parents and caregivers to ensure that your son returns with an appropriate haircut. Boys should not have any colour or ‘tracks’ in their hair. Hair should not cover the ears, collar or eyebrows and the use of clippers on the side must not be less than blade three and blended. Further, could parents and caregivers please ensure that boys have sufficient toiletries, including roll-on deodorant, to last the whole term.

Please ensure your son returns with the appropriate uniforms, including blazer for day one of Term 2 as we will have our Anzac Ceremony on that day. Long dress pants will also be needed for Mass on Sunday nights when this uniform change occurs.

I hope all our boys and their parents have a safe and happy Easter and I look forward to seeing the boys all back here in Term 2.

Mr Jeff Campbell
Head of O’Brien Boarding House

Congratulations to Sam Schimming who has successfully auditioned for a place the National Youth Wind Ensemble of Scotland (NYWES). This is a once a year event where auditioned musicians from Scotland and around the world come together. His acceptance is a result of his selection for Australian Honours Ensemble Program last year and his involvement with the Young Conservatorium in Brisbane. This event takes place in the upcoming June Holidays.

The following boys have been selected to take part in this year’s Middle School State Honours Ensemble Program. Congratulations to the boys selected:

• Dakota Stelling-Burton (Euphonium), Year 7
• Michael Beirne (Voice), Year 6
• Wade Lucas (Tuba), Year 7

Three of our chamber music groups (small groups) made their 2019 performance debuts in the last week of Term 1. The Flute Ensemble and Clarinet Ensemble provided music for the Art Soiree on Wednesday 3 April. This soiree celebrated the donation of some major art works to the College.

The Flute Ensemble and Clarinet Ensemble joined the Brass Ensemble to provide wonderful music for the start of the Ladies’ Auxiliary Easter Morning Tea on Thursday 4 April.

The 2019 Music Performance Calendar has been published to the College website. This document is a live document and is regularly updated as we gather information or requests for performances come in, o please visit it regularly for updates. 

The event takes place in late May and the boys will perform in a major concert on Sunday 2 June at the Conservatorium Theatre.

Mr Brett Foster
Music Director

We are counting down for opening night of the College Production of The Addams Family in Term 2. Term 1 has seen the cast and staff work exceptionally hard in getting the show into full swing. The entire production has been blocked and is ready to be polished during the first five weeks of Term 2. During the last two weeks our leads have worked with the orchestra and have really enjoyed being able to practise with the live music. Tickets will go on sale in Term 2, so stay tuned!

Performance Dates:

• Thursday 30 May (Opening Night)
• Friday 31 May
• Saturday 1 June (Matinee)
• Saturday 1 June (Closing Night)

Ms Alison Kilgour
Musical Director

On Friday 29 March we held a Theatresports Camp for all boys who train for the annual competition. Boys from Years 7 to 12 participated in the camp, which focussed on developing the collaborative and ensemble skills of all teams and continue to strengthen their improvisation skills. The boys were in different groups and they rotated around to different workshops for the afternoon. These workshops were led by Nudgee College Old Boys Xannel Mangahas (who also organised the camp and is the current coach of the Year 9s), George Williams (current coach of Year 7 and 8 teams), Angus Shaw (current coach of Year 7 and 8 teams), Gus Babao and Jayd Kofoa. Thank you to Mr John Hodder, who also ran a workshop. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon of workshops and finished the camp off with a mini competition to showcase their talents to the parents. In Term 2 the heats will commence for the upcoming Queensland Youth Theatresports Competition. Nudgee College are hosting the first heat on Monday 20 May in Tierney Auditorium. 

Ms Alison Kilgour
Theatresports Director

Edmund Rice Foundation Australia has recently released their 2018 Impact Report, which can be viewed here.