Monday evening’s Australian Story on the ABC recounted the impact that the Spanish Flu had on Australia 100 years ago. Black and white images of front line nurses and doctors were reminiscent of recent times. I found images from that time of everyday Australians wearing masks eerily unsettling. It made me consider what impact Spanish Flu had on Nudgee College.

Nudgee 1891 - 1991, written for our centenary year by T.P. Boland, documents that as a result of World War I no College Annual was published from 1915 until 1922. However, Boland writes the following account of the flu at Nudgee College:

By the end of 1918 strong action was taken by State and Commonwealth authorities to control its spread. When school was due to open in 1919 many parents were reluctant to send their boys back. The large contingent from NSW had to spend time in quarantine camps at the border. Numbers were down already because of a delayed start in the payment of Scholarships. The fear of the flu depressed them even further…

For a time all went well, but eventually the epidemic reached the College. Dr Harry Windsor advised treating all signs of colds as possible influenza. More than half the boys succumbed, though most with slight infection. A few cases seemed terminal but no one died. The College was isolated for a time…

Classes had to be abandoned for a week with 200 in bed. Those on their feet devoted their time to the care of the sick and the not so sick…

The College had much to be thankful for, to whomsoever it attributed its deliverance.

In my mind, there are some similarities between those events of the past and what we are experiencing today in respect to quarantines and worries about returning to school. Interestingly as well, after doing well with the virus, was the school’s experience of a subsequent outbreak of the flu at the College.

What I also take from these historical records is that 100 years ago care for others was part of the culture of this school. I would like to think that this care for others is still strong within Nudgee College in 2020 whether we are facing a pandemic together, dealing with the personal and family crises that life presents to all of us from time to time or just in the ordinariness of going about our daily lives.

Like everyone, I am delighted that restrictions are easing across the state and the country.

However, the subsequent outbreak of illness referred to by Boland is a reminder to me as a Principal that we need to remain mindful of the possibility of a confirmed case at the school, the spot closure that would follow and even the scenario of a Melbourne school that has seen a cluster form. I mention these thoughts not to concern anyone, but rather as a reminder that we need to continue to be vigilant in our hygiene and health practices.

As we officially enter winter, sick staff and students should remain at home, undertake COVID-19 testing and recover fully before returning to school. As we ease our own restrictions on sport* and activities and gather in larger numbers there is a need to also act to protect ourselves and others from infection.

Further information for parents will be provided in the week ahead about school procedures in the event of a spot closure

*Please note that the GPS sport update from Mr Anthony Connellan can be found in the sport section of this newsletter.

At this time, for a number of years, senior staff, including myself, have undertaken a road trip to promote the school in North and Far North Queensland. This tour is one dimension of our regional promotions strategy. As we are now learning to do in this COVID-19 era, we are conducting this online with current and prospective families joining us in strong numbers on Wednesday evening. As we discovered from our recent virtual events such as the lunch with the College Leadership Team, Evening on the Screen for Boarding families, and Open Day Online, technology improves our reach and accessibility. 

In reading our centenary history (referred to above) the contribution of the Christian Brothers is written on nearly every page and has consequently been woven into the fabric of the College. They are no longer present in the College in a regular way but we should always be grateful for the legacy that has been passed on to us from those who went before us. One of those was Br Vic Larkin – the last Brother who had an almost daily connection to the life of the school. It will be the second anniversary of his passing on Monday. He was a much loved man, an inspiring teacher and an iconic character. The Student Centre at the College was named in his honour several years ago. Those in the community who knew Vic well still mourn his passing. We will remember Vic in prayer on Monday in tutor groups across the College.

Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal

Last week I read an article from a publication in the United States, which started like this:

The sixth graders at Newton Bateman, a public elementary school here with a classic red brick facade, know the Google drill.

In a social-science class last year, the students each grabbed a Google-powered laptop. They opened Google Classroom, an app where teachers make assignments. Then they clicked on Google Docs, a writing program, and began composing essays.

Looking up from her laptop, Masuma Khan, then 11 years old, said her essay explored how schooling in ancient Athens differed from her own. “Back then, they had wooden tablets and they had to take all of their notes on it,” she said. “Nowadays, we can just do it in Google Docs.”

Chicago Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the United States, with about 381,000 students, is at the forefront of a profound shift in American education: the Googlification of the classroom.

Statistics reveal that Google continues to surpass Apple and Microsoft as the technology of choice in classrooms across Australia and New Zealand, cornering the local market through an expanding ecosystem of partners. Within the space of five years, the tech giant has caught up, and now surpassed, market incumbents through a renewed approach to education. 

In Australia, the New South Wales Department of Education is reaping the rewards of opening access to G Suite for Education, while also creating Google IDs for every student across the state.  The partnership provides Google with access to more than 750,000 students and over 85,000 teachers across NSW. Meanwhile, New Zealand is a number one country for Google, joining the US and Sweden as markets where Chromebooks are ranked as the leading device used in schools.

Google has a powerful combination of low-cost laptops, called Chromebooks, and free classroom apps. And much like more than half the schools in the US – more than 30 million children – Nudgee College uses many Google education apps like Gmail and Docs. 

The graph below represents Google use in US schools – trends that are being repeated the world over.

In some ways this article is my attempt to demonstrate what a success our move to Google has been over the past six years. The smooth transition to online learning in recent times is probably evidence enough. My other reason for writing the article was in reaction to a comment directed towards me recently. In a conversation someone tried to tell me how no one uses Google who is serious about education and through using Google we, as a College, are not preparing our boys for life after Nudgee College. The statistics above speak for themselves.

It remains important for us to develop Nudgee College graduates who are independent learners who can problem solve. To suggest Google doesn’t support the development of these skills could not be further from the truth. Google plays an important role in the education of our boys by enhancing efficiency and productivity of teachers and students. Its apps and services foster a higher degree of collaboration, empower the boys and level the playing field for all. The low priced and free apps and services can be afforded by all and are used widely.

Cheekily, I would suggest Google will be an important part of the Nudgee College landscape for many more years to come.

Mr David Johnston
Deputy Principal

End of Eastertide

With the celebration of the feast of Pentecost last Sunday our celebration of Eastertide has concluded for this year. We pray we may not have to mark this central element of our faith at a distance ever again and that by next Easter we can celebrate our unity in the risen Christ by being united as one in our parishes, schools and families.

The physical distancing we have had to manage as a ‘discipline’ has made this Easter feel more an extension of Lent, but it has also given pause to consider what real unity means. Just standing in the same room doesn’t necessarily connect us, mind and heart. We have had to affirm our belief that unity in Christ unites us to each other this Easter, because often it is all we have had and the experience has been made raw and immediate despite the distancing.

This Sunday we celebrate the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit as one God – and our lives joined to theirs in that relationship. Ours is a faith that is defined by that relationship and thanks be to that same God that we have had cause this year to remember how important those intimate relationships are to us, our physical and spiritual health.

We are thankful today for a God who is love, for a Father whose love begets the Son, for a Son who loves totally and completely, for a Spirit who unites them in perfect harmony. We are thankful today for the invitation to share in this life. We begin to experience the life of the Trinity through our sharing in Eucharist. We taste what it is to love totally and we begin to realise the great promise God holds before us. (Geoffrey D Dunn)

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) comes to end with Mabo Day. Our Junior School students have marked NRW by flying the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and making their own flags, which they have displayed throughout the O'Neill Building. Using cut-outs of their hands to form the flags, they brought attention to the theme of NRW – in this together.

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

Principal’s Approved Leave

Students wishing to take leave must apply to the Principal via a Principal Approval Form, which is located in the Parent Lounge.

Complete the form if you satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

1. You are applying for three or more days leave (Years 5 to 10)
2. You are applying for leave during an assessment period
3. Your son is in Year 11 or 12 – you must apply for leave for ALL absences of one day or more (not including sick leave)

The College’s expectation is that boys attend school every day as scheduled in the calendar. Sick leave or personal leave due to unforeseen circumstances or misadventure is managed by the College’s usual absence procedures:

• Years 7-12: (07) 3865 0536 | studentabsences@nudgee.qld.edu.au
• Years 5-6: (07) 3865 0527 | juniorschool@nudgee.qld.edu.au

Examples of when the Principal’s Approval Form should be completed include, but aren’t limited to, family commitments, sports or performing arts representation, boarders travelling to and from remote areas in term time and vacations.

The Principal (or delegate) will determine a fair academic response in line with our policy and respond with an email in due course. Please refer to our Assessment and Academic Policy for rules about leave.

The application is located in the Parent Lounge within the School Links tab. Please view the instruction guide if you require assistance logging in.

Mr Jason Sepetauc
Dean of Learning and Teaching

Elevate Education

This week, Year 12 students on an ATAR pathway participated in their third and final session with Elevate Education. This session, titled The Finishing Line, aimed to prepare students for their final semester of Year 12. It focussed on preparing for external exams, managing stress and practising mindfulness.

Nudgee College has been working in partnership with Elevate Education since last year. They have led sessions with both our Year 11 and Year 12 students focussed on time management, studying and exam preparation. Their sessions revolve around skill development and therefore are relevant to a variety of subject areas.

Elevate Education offers a unique program that compliments boys’ subject-based learning and is strategically aligned with the skills they need at different stages of their senior journey. Their presenters are current university students who have walked the journey of senior schooling in recent years and can therefore speak to the boys with lived experience and expertise. Nudgee College’s 2019 College Vice Captain Isaac Roati joined the Elevate team as a presenter this year, after having reaped the benefits of their program as a student last year. He is testament to the quality and credibility of their presenters.

Next week, Year 10 students will participate in their first Elevate Education session focussed on time management, with a view to preparing boys for managing their workload effectively in their senior years of high school.

Nudgee College has engaged Elevate as part of a broader academic program that is aimed at supporting boys in the development of skills they will need for lifelong learning. As part of boys learning how to manage their time, they learn to set goals, understand their priorities and develop confidence. As part of learning how to prepare for exams, boys learn how to engage in study that is purposeful and collaborative. These are skills that will improve students’ success not only while they are at Nudgee College, but also beyond. They are skills that Nudgee College aims to equip boys with every day, both inside and outside of the classroom.

 Ms Natalie Webber
Director of Learning and Teaching

The Top 10 Percenters

After confirmation of results by the QCAA of the first Internal Assessment (IA) task, we are proud to announce the names of those Nudgee College men who achieved in the top 10 per cent of the Year 12 Nudgee College cohort. The figures have been derived from those who have received average raw scores above 90 percent and/or have ranked in the top 10th percentile for four or more of their General subjects. Congratulations gentlemen – this is a wonderful achievement!

We will reassess this list after the next task (IA2 or IA3) has been completed, just before external examinations start. We may see some new names on the list! Well done to all of the Nudgee College men who consistently do their best.

• James Armitage
• Benjamin Bowker
• Declan Cabot
• Mattias Dahlstedt
• Bailey Dellapina
• Joseph Duffy
• Caleb Giorgas
• Max Grant
• Declan Henry
• James Hong
• Oliver Horwood
• James Hueppauff
• Blake Keir
• Zachary Krogh
• Hamish McLaughlin
• Owen Mitchell
• Thomas Muellegger
• Xavier Nicolaidis
• Luca Romano
• Samuel Schimming
• Kyle Schramm
• Kehan Sully
• Harrison Swane
• Cooper Tamer
• Aaron Tran
• Thomas Walsh
• Alec Watson
• Benjamin Weber 

Ms Dee Tyrrell
Director of Pathways

Student Hoodie

We are pleased to advise that we are now selling a Nudgee College hoodie, which is available from the Locker Room for $78 just in time for winter. Please note this is for Years 7 to 12 only. There are some rules about when the hoodie can be worn:

• It is not part of the official uniform and can only be worn outside of school hours
• Boys can wear this new popular piece of Nudgee College apparel to and from training and games but not to or from school as part of our formal uniform
• It may be worn at weekend sport of course, but again not as part of the formal uniform when supporting our 1st teams

Boys are excited about the new hoodie.

Honour Pockets

Students who applied for an honour pocket last term should soon be receiving a letter from the Principal. Once received, please print a copy and take it with your blazer to the Locker Room by 10.00am on Wednesday 17 June. The Locker Room will contact you at the beginning of Term 3 when your blazer is ready for collection.

As I have previously written, the striped blue and white blazer was once only worn by the 1st XI Cricket in the English tradition. Then our blazer was one in which you were awarded if you had reached the highest level of leadership, service and performance – an honour blazer. A generation ago, all Nudgee College students would have a navy suit for formal occasions and a grey College woolly jumper. Very few were awarded an honour blazer in the style we all now wear. In the late 1990s it was decided all boys would wear the blue and white blazer in our winter terms and on formal occasions. However, we still award honour pockets to students in Years 10 to 12. It recognises the very top level of leadership, performance and service. Various lines of text are stitched into the blazer and the crest on the pocket contains gold leaf.

Each term, students are invited to apply and recommendations are taken to Mr Peter Fullagar for his approval. A student’s behavioural record is taken into account when awarding an honour pocket.

Managing Stress at Exam Time

At this stressful and tiring time of term – exams on, assignments due, weather changing, days shortening, people feeling sick and sport seasons overlapping – it is again time to focus on our holistic wellbeing. What are we doing to consciously look after ourselves? It is also a good time at the end of the semester to review for the boys what they are doing to actively be conscious of their wellness.

In looking at a student’s progress at Nudgee College, we would ask that students reflect over Semester 1 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?
• 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.

Mr Peter Todd
Dean of Students

With a change last week in Queensland Health's boarding restrictions, we are now at 50 per cent capacity, and expect this will be our maximum capacity for the remainder of the term. We have 155 boys back in Boarding now and you can feel the energy and the buzz is slowly but surely returning. I’ve missed the clatter of plates and animated chatter in the dining room during the evenings. I’ve missed the “good morning sir” as I walk around the Boarding Village, and I’ve missed seeing our boys playing sports after school and on weekends.

The Premier’s announcement on Sunday 31 May has meant that club sports have been able to start returning sooner than first expected, and now the gym and pool are open again, which I’m sure the boys are happy about.

We do still need to be mindful of social distancing in the Boarding Houses and we do have to restrict leave requests for Years 5 to 10. Last weekend we were able to let our Year 11 and 12s go home for weekend leave for the first time since Term 2 started and I’m sure they would have enjoyed catching up with their families. We thank our Boarding families for your support and many, many emails and phone calls with words of encouragement as we have navigated what has been termed ‘the new normal’. Our fingers are crossed and we hope by the beginning of Term 3 all of our boys will be back in Boarding with us. We will keep you informed as soon as we have any new information.

A Heartfelt Thanks From Boarding

We’d like to take a moment to especially extend our thanks from the Boarding community to the many day families who offered to open their homes to some of our interstate boarders. We can’t thank you enough for this generosity. With the change in capacity, we have been able to accommodate all of the boarders who were able to return to boarding, but the offers are a testament to the strength of the Nudgee College family and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

End of Term Leave Arrangements

The last day of school for Term 2 is Friday 19 June at 2.55pm. Please speak to your sons about details of end of term vacation leave so that it can be entered into the Reach Program and have it approved by you and his Head of Boarding House. 

All Year 11s (including boys who are doing Work Pathways) MUST stay until the final day of school each term. This is essential as every subject will be continuing new work over that week in preparation for exams in Term 3. This is a significant change but a vital one to ensure that boys are fully prepared for the assessment under this new system.

Mr Christian Oneto
Dean of Boarding

The following letter was emailed to all parents today regarding GPS Sport:

4 June 2020

Dear parents and caregivers,

On March 17 2020 the GPS Association released a statement that cancelled the remainder of Term 1 activities which included Cricket, Volleyball and Debating and the postponement of pre-season Cross Country meets. In addition, the GPS Association put a hold on all formal and informal pre-season training and competitions for Football, Tennis, Basketball and Rugby.

All GPS sports and activities continue to be suspended and they cannot commence until further easing of restrictions from the Queensland Government, along with the endorsement from governing bodies to commence sport.

The Queensland Government has a three-stage return to sport protocol in place. On 31 May, the Premier eased restrictions by moving Queensland to Stage 2.

Stage 1 at Nudgee College (May 2020)

• No formal sport training or trials
• No indoor sport including the gym and McKennariey Centre 
• Recreational, fitness and wellbeing activity is permitted however, is restricted to groups of 10 people.

Stage 2 at Nudgee College (Current)

This week, the Sports Office will finalise and publish the plan for Stage 2, however the following guidelines will be applied:   

• Up to 20 people allowed to participate in organised, outdoor, non-contact sport 
• Up to 20 people allowed to participate in indoor sport, including the gym and McKennariey Centre
• Must maintain an average density of 4m2 per person
• We are keeping attendance records for the QLD Health department if required
• We are requesting parents/spectators do not attend training 

Stage 3 at Nudgee College (July 2020)

• Update to be provided when available

Term 3 Sport

The GPS Association has now confirmed, and is planning for, a “crossover” model to be in place for Term 3. Based on the current government restrictions:

• Basketball, Chess, Cross Country, Football, Rugby and Tennis will all compete in Term 3. Boys are able to choose one Saturday sport and also participate in either Cross Country and/or Chess (Friday evening).
• It is hoped Basketball, Chess, Football and Tennis will run as normal over nine weeks of Term 3 beginning Saturday 18 July.
• In line with Rugby Australia and GPS safety guidelines Rugby will have a delayed start with a date to be confirmed shortly.
• Cross Country will have a Championships. This date, along with venues and further details, will also be confirmed soon.

The College has developed a COVID-19 Safety Plan which is guiding our staged return to sport. This can be viewed online here. 

In addition, we have appointed two roles to manage our safe return to sport, if you require further clarification please contact:

COVID-19 Safety Coordinator
Anthony Connellan
aco@nudgee.qld.edu.au
38650430

COVID-19 Liaison Officer
Lauren Byrne
lbyrne@nudgee.qld.edu.au
38650435