Principal
The lead up to the end of every school year is marked by a series of occasions and events. Appropriately each gathering has a different focus and tone but each in its own way is a celebration of what we have all shared over the past year here at Nudgee College.
Two such occasions include last Monday’s Inter-house Showcase and next Monday night’s Awards Ceremony. Showcase was a terrific night of fun and it is always very well supported. This was certainly the case on Monday with a huge crowd in the Conference Centre enjoying the boys’ performances and entertainment. Congratulations to Ross House on their first placing. The work of House Deans and their staff in leading the preparation and performances is greatly appreciated, particularly at this demanding time of the year.

Next Monday night’s Awards Ceremony has a very different tone and is one of the signature events of the school year. It is an opportunity to recognise the talents and achievements of many students in diverse dimensions of College life. Like Showcase, it highlights what it means to be a part of our College community and what is meaningful in our community. We look forward to the night being well supported.
It is worth noting, even at this early stage, that the timing of both these events will change in 2020. Due to the nature and timing of Year 12 final external assessment Showcase will be held in May and the Awards Evening will occur after this assessment period is concluded.
Importantly, at Thursday’s Assembly we presented the Habits of Mind (HoM) Awards to students from Years 5 to 10. The HoM form a framework that the College uses extensively to add value to our learning and teaching by focussing upon how our students think. It includes 16 thinking dispositions developed by Art Costa. At Nudgee College we have named the awards in honour of former staff and Old Boys. These include:
- Year 5 and 6: The Macrossan Award
- Year 7: The Ian Brusasco Award
- Year 8: The Patrick Donovan Award
- Year 9: The Steven Cook Award
- Year 10: The Stephen Daley Award
Congratulations to the students who will be presented these awards. The list includes some academic high achievers but also a very healthy number of quiet achievers who may not be top of the class, but who display the attitudes that are important for success and who are working consistently to be their best.
Also on Thursday, we are hosting the Junior GPS Track and Field Championships on the track at Hendry Oval. We wish these boys well as we do the Senior team who will compete at QSAC on Saturday. As always it will be a highly competitive event and our teams have been well prepared. We congratulate the team leaders for 2019: Yiddy Nethery (Captain), Finn Hearn and Mason McDonald (Vice Captains). Thanks to Mr Peter Kropp, Mr Nick Toohey and Mr Jack Dahms for their leadership of the Track and Field Program.
The week concludes with Saturday morning’s Nudgee College Old Boys’ Memorial Mass and breakfast. This Mass coincides with the Feast Days of All Saints and All Souls later this week. In the midst of a busy school term it is an opportunity to give thanks for the lives and the contribution of all those Old Boys who helped to build this community over many years. One of these was Ross La Spina from Far North Queensland. At the time of his passing earlier this year, his daughter, Dolores, contacted me with a most poignant email about her father. I quote part of that email because it epitomises the story of many of our senior Old Boys:
He was aged 95 and greatly loved his time at Nudgee College. I read 'Behind the Stripes' to him in his last week and he loved the article about Willie Gard's violin.
Papa has always been strong in his faith. He lived the Edmund Rice tradition of faith and service and was not afraid to pass from this world. He served as a Lion and Knight of the Southern Cross for over 50 years.
I will include part of his speech from his 90th birthday which verifies the high regard with which he held his beloved College.
May Ross, and all our Old Boys who have passed away this past year, rest in peace.
Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal