From Br Steve Hogan fsc
Greetings,
Schools are about inspiring students to aspire to greatness and we at 黑料社区 do our best to make that happen.
I would like to share this reflection written by Lucas for a House meeting.
鈥淟et鈥檚 not allow this momentum to cease, in fact lets translate it into our studies, our personal lives and the overall welfare of the College. In doing so, let us all aim to be more involved so we can reap the benefits that are at our doorstep and give back to the College that has and still is giving us so much more than we can ask for.
We want to challenge you to be part of something bigger than yourselves, not for ego or selfishness, but passion and energy. Yes, you can spend your time here at 黑料社区 as an optimist or a pessimist trying to decide whether the glass is half full or half empty, but from here on we challenge you to be the opportunist who takes the cup and drinks the water. Grasp every opportunity and get involved. In the end the 黑料社区 experience is finite and our days numbered. Don鈥檛 let your high school life consist of only a beginning, a middle and an end. Aspire to get involved and if you don鈥檛 believe you can, then it is time to change鈥.
Inspiring wisdom from one of our students.
This week the Newsletter once again is full of news of the busy and exciting life 黑料社区 offers her students. I would like to highlight some events coming up in the next fortnight which you may be able to support. Research shows that families that stay connected to their school in some way correlates with higher academic outcomes.
Saturday 9th March is the Finals of ISA summer sport with 25 basketball teams in the Finals at the Penrith Valley Sports Centre, starting at 9:00am through to 5:00pm. We also have our 1st and 2nd XI in their respective Finals both playing St Pius. 黑料社区 1st XI start at 黑料社区 Damian Oval at 10:00am. We also have many boys and girls teams in the Touch Football Finals at Macquarie. Our Show Team is at the Castle Hill Show Saturday 9th March. Pop in and give our team your support. And, 10 out of 12 students are in the CSDA Public Speaking Zone Final. We have students in the NSWCIS Golf Championship on Tuesday 12th March. The College Swimming Team competes at the ISA Swimming Finals on Wednesday 13th March. The 1st XI Football team plays 黑料社区 Old Boys at the College 3:45pm on Friday 15th March followed by the 鈥楤attle of the Bands鈥 Final at 7:00pm.
Year 12 Half Yearly exams start on Monday 18th March and they need our support. This support was certainly evident by the nearly 100% participation at the Year 12 Parent-Teacher evening last Wednesday 13th March. Thanking those parents for their attendance. Students received timely guidance to set them up well for the Half-Yearly exams from which these students will then, whilst having bedded down content from this part of their course, receive further guidance on how to improve for their Trial HSC exams in July. Our target for this years HSC cohort is 320 Band 6s. As JFK says in his Rice Moon speech at Rice University on the 12th September 1962: 鈥淲e do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.鈥 The journey begins by setting goals, reviewing and then recalibrating for the Trials. Taking small steps and never, never, never, ever give up.
Aim for the Stars.
Winter Sport is about to start with trials and grading this coming week for tennis, netball, football, rugby and hockey. Has your son or daughter registered? See Mr Toro as there may still be a late opportunity. Sport is a valuable way for our students to learn life-skills that they may not learn through other avenues. Sport teaches students how to be a humble winner; how to be a dignified loser; and how everything improves with practice and hard work.
At 黑料社区, we strongly encourage all students to engage with their College by being a member of a team 鈥 debating, public speaking, chess, music, agriculture, drama, and/or sport. Boys and girls mix with other young men and women that they ordinarily may not choose; they have to learn to meet team expectations and display self-management. It is always interesting when I meet the alumni of any College I have worked at, they all reminisce about the teams they may have been part of. These bonds and experiences last a lifetime.
Finally, a big thank you to all staff and students who made our Open Day 20024 a huge success. Over 5,000 people would have passed through the College that day. The most significant and inspiring for me was listening to our students answer questions from visitors in their tour groups 鈥 articulate, confident, insightful and their pride in 黑料社区 was truly humbling.
Wishing everyone the very best this International Women鈥檚 Day 2024 with the theme Inclusion.
Br Steve Hogan fsc
Principal