Principal

Beginnings and endings are both a moment in time, but also part of a process. Next week we host occasions that mark both.

One of our landmark moments in our preparations for next year is our Orientation Day for new students for 2021. This important day is the beginning of an orientation process to a large school that takes several months. There are many staff members across all dimensions of school life who are involved in this occasion, which serves to welcome and inform all those who are new to the College. In proactively managing health and hygiene in this current COVID-19 era we have had to adjust the day’s program significantly. One of these adjustments is the restrictions on crowd sizes, which means that we cannot host the Welcome Assembly with more than 250 new students and include their parents. Therefore, this year there will be an online component for new parents. Following on from last year’s initiative, our new boarders will spend an evening in the Boarding Village across the weekend to aid their transition into the Boarding life of the College. The planning for the day has been extensive and I am grateful for the leadership, organisation and level of care provided by Director of Admissions Ms Susan Shakespear and her Admissions team, as well as by Director of Students Mr Sean Toovey and the Student Formation team.

By way of contrast, our Year 12s have their final day of classes on Tuesday and the Senior Farewell on Wednesday before they commence their external exams on Monday 26 October. Both days contain formal rituals as well as casual interactions, which mark another step towards the end of formal schooling. In considering the Year 12s of 2020, it is worth noting that this cohort of students, across the state, were the year level when Prep schooling became compulsory and the first cohort in which Year 7 became a part of secondary school. Importantly now, they will be the cohort that is leading the way in the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) with the change to external exams at the conclusion of their school year. What was never envisaged was that these young people would have to contend with the interruption to their studies, and school life in general, provided by COVID-19 in Semester 1.

It is perhaps of interest to note that the majority of our Seniors attended their Orientation Days back in 2012, or 2014, while most of the boys who will attend next week’s Orientation Day will be members of either the Senior class of 2026 or 2028. Our Seniors as a body of students have been shaped and formed as Nudgee College men by all their interactions since their own Orientation Day, just as the young boys who arrive at Nudgee College next Monday will be shaped and formed as Nudgee College men of tomorrow by all that is ahead of them.

Another form of beginning and ending; on Tuesday evening I announced to our boarders and the Boarding community a significant change of the leadership of Boarding. The details of the announcement can be found here. In brief, Dean of Boarding Mr Christian Oneto has taken a promotional position at another school and he is to be replaced by Mr Sean Toovey, commencing in 2021. We congratulate both men on these appointments and we will farewell and thank Christian in the usual manner before the end of the year.

Finally, we wish our Junior and Senior Track and Field teams well for their respective GPS Championships over the coming two Fridays.

Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal

Deputy Principal

As part of our commitment to providing a relevant and engaging curriculum, we are continuing to reinvigorate the campus, balancing heritage with the demands of a modern curriculum. The College is justifiably proud of the latest addition to the building renewal program, with the Treacy Building offering a flexibility that anticipates and supports educational change by allowing future reinterpretation and reassignment of programs and functions. Most importantly, at its core, is the focus on creating a central space that places learning at the heart of the College.

The classrooms that have been created in Treacy East are designed to promote creative thinkers who embrace individualised learning through the use of space and the incorporation of technology. The rooms bring the boys back into the heritage precinct and are already breathing a new vibrancy into an area of the College that had been neglected for so many years.

Treacy South has seen the establishment of the Callan Centre for staff, providing new, exciting and innovative ways for them to work together and access information and resources. A key feature of the layout of the Callan Centre is that it promotes collaboration and professional discussion amongst the staff – teachers and non-teachers. The variety of different meeting spaces has already been eagerly sought after by many teachers for meetings and professional learning sessions.

Through ongoing building upgrades and complementary curriculum reform, the new classrooms in Treacy East and the Callan Centre in Treacy South are set to provide support for programs that offer students and staff relevant, flexible pathways in a building that is conducive to learning.

And we are only part of the way through the Treacy project. In the next few weeks, once the Year 12s have started exams, the demolition of the Gallagher Building will really take centre stage and the works on Treacy North will begin in earnest. This will see five more new learning spaces on the top floor and will centralise the College Museum and Archives on the first floor.

The Duhig Building will be reopened with a new stairwell and lift access and rooms will have had some much needed attention. The space left by Gallagher will provide a new formal green space that connects Duhig and the Chapel – in the visual sense – just the way it was intended to do so in the original design.

Finally, if you drive by the Flats, you can marvel at the state of the art cricket facilities and gaze across four newly turfed ovals. This signifies 40 per cent of the turf works, with still more to come.

We are truly blessed to be a part of a community where the College is continually striving to ensure our sons – and staff – work in an environment that is modern and supports growth, development and success.

Mr David Johnston
Deputy Principal

Identity

Year 8 Retreat

On Tuesday we were fortunate to spend a day at the beach in the company of our Year 8 students. The weather was wonderful, although a bit windy. I was impressed with the way the students gave themselves to the process and got so much from the program. The Year 10 students who accompanied them on the day were great role models and fantastic support to the staff. Thanks to the House Deans and Identity team members Ms Sian Kennedy, Mr Simon Lilley and Mr Sione Mohenoa for their leadership of the program.

Graduation Lunch for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

On Monday we celebrated with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students the completion of their secondary schooling. First Nation students from across the Archdiocese of Brisbane usually gather in early Term 4 at St Stephen’s Cathedral with the Archbishop for a liturgy and lunch to mark this achievement. This was not possible this year, so schools marked the occasion ‘at home’. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with more of our own staff and students from our program and acclaim our Nudgee College students. The boys appreciated the presence of the College Leadership Team and House Deans for the lunch and graduation ritual. Thanks to members of the Liberating Education Team who work with these young men: Ms Annie Banks, Mr Scott Gale, Mr Unngoorra Harbour and Ms Leanne Boldt. The boys were able to share this day with you, which I know was important to them.

Moving Office

The Identity team has enjoyed sharing the new facilities in the Callan Centre with the teaching staff over the last couple of weeks, but next week we are off to our new office in the renovated Edmund Rice Centre off the Spirit Tunnel on the ground floor of the southern wing of the Treacy Building. We are looking forward to sharing the space with you as you call in to visit the team in the months ahead. Everyone is most welcome.

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

Student Formation

It has been a stressful year. Many boys and families have found it tough. The College has done its best to offer practical support to assist in generating a sense of positive wellbeing. It is certainly a good time to again ask ourselves some questions which focus on our holistic wellbeing.

What are we doing to consciously look after ourselves?

The generation of positive emotions is one part of what we are trying to do here at Nudgee College with the boys (and staff and families). While we are Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition, and teach the Habits of Mind skills, we also base our approach to student wellbeing on what Dr Martin Seligman calls a ‘positive psychology’. Basically, it describes things that you deliberately do which lead to happiness. There are five elements which Dr Martin Seligman’s research has found to be essential to human wellbeing: Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment (PERMA). In working with all students we are attempting to cater for all areas of the PERMA model, giving boys an opportunity to thrive. It is worth reflecting over the year so far using some of the questions below – a wellbeing health check. If you feel your son needs some support in different areas, House Deans, Mr Sean Toovey or myself are happy to have conversations.

Positive Emotions

Gratitude – What things do I feel really feel lucky and appreciative to have? What am I really grateful for? How do I express that gratitude regularly?
Health – What am I doing each day or week to enhance my personal fitness? How often each day am I laughing/being playful? How am I connecting with nature and the natural world? Have I done two sports or activities so far in 2019? Have I visited the gym (for high school students)?
How have I helped others? Have I done any social justice work or volunteering?
How often am I laughing and having fun?
How often am I engaging with nature and in the outdoors?

Engagement

Strengths – What are things which I think I am good at? What are my personal strengths? How am I utilising those gifts practically?
My flow – What are the activities that truly engage me (things I ‘get lost’ doing)? How often do I do them? What creative thing do I do to relax (music, art, making things with my hands)? What are my favourite subjects? How do I illustrate that interest practically?

Relationships

Who do I love spending time with?
Who are the five most important people in my world? How do I show them? What have I done for those people lately?
Who are some people I’d like to get to know better? What am I doing/could do about that? What deliberate things do I do/could I do to enhance these relationships (ie how do I work on them?)
Can I engage someone who struggles to make friends – make someone a project (helping with their happiness will make me happy)?

Meaning

Spirituality – What do I do that could be described as a spiritual thing (ie taking a walk in nature and admiring the beauty, saying some simple prayers to myself, thinking about life beyond me)?
Doing things for others – What social justice activities do I do/might I do? What ‘random acts of kindness’ might I consider doing (ie helping another student at school, mowing someone’s lawn in your street, washing the car)?
How often am I out in nature?

Accomplishment

Goals – What are some goals I want to commit to school, hobbies, socially, family, etc? Want do I want to achieve this year? How might I achieve that? How have I gone against the start of semester interview goals I made with my PC tutor in Term 1?
Being busy but not stressed – What ‘nuts and bolts’ things am I doing to organise my time, my assignments, my chores at home, etc? Do I have a plan? Am I doing too many activities and struggling to cope with school?
What am I really proud that I have achieved this semester? What did I get done?

This framework is evidence-based and describes a holistic approach to feeling good about your life. If we can all ‘tick the boxes’ in the areas above we will be travelling well. This is what we are trying to provide for the students, but it takes constant effort and reflection.

Summer Uniform – Why the Khakis?

It was great to see the boys back in their khakis on Tuesday. The summer uniform has a special place in the rich fabric of our history, although the colour may be seen as somewhat ‘quirky’. As I briefly explained to the boys at Assembly on Tuesday, its colour goes back to around World War II. Back then everyone at Nudgee College was a boarder and boys rarely left the grounds, meaning uniforms weren’t necessarily a public item like they are now. Many schools didn’t have uniforms as we know currently know them. Nudgee College used Army surplus – they were cheap and accessible, especially after the war. The College also had Cadets, like most boarding schools did back then. The full khakis – shorts and shirt with no badges on them – became our uniform. In the late 1990s and early 2000s that changed slightly to the khaki shirt with a crest and the College navy shorts or trousers, which could be worn across summer and winter. It is a great historical outfit.

As I discussed with the boys however, while it is somewhat ‘built for comfort’ in comparison of wearing a tie and blazer, it does lack the inbuilt formality of our winter uniform, so it must be worn well to look smart. I encourage boys in Years 10 to 12 to wear trousers, which illustrates their age and position as senior school students. This is not compulsory, but encouraged. All boys in high school may wear trousers through summer if they choose to do so.

Volunteers for Valedictory 2020

Valedictory for our Year 12 students may seem a long way off, being on Thursday 19 November; however now that we have returned from the holidays the date is drawing closer.

Every year we have a very helpful band of parents who get together to help us prepare gift bags for our Year 12 students. If you are available to come and help pack bags and ties at the Student Office on Tuesday 10 November from 8.30am, your help would be most appreciated. Please email Ms Larissa Patti on lpatti@nudgee.qld.edu.au to express your interest.

Mr Peter Todd
Dean of Students

Week 2 Term 4 2020

In This Newsletter

Principal

Deputy Principal

Identity

Learning and Teaching

Student Formation

Community