To the St Edmund’s community,
Welcome to Term 2. I trust all of our students have had a good break and are ready to tackle Term 2 in a positive manner.
With Open Day upon us at the end of this week (Saturday 5 May), I have been reflecting on why parents choose certain schools for their children. There has been and probably will always be a great deal of debate regarding the advantages and disadvantages of single gender education. You will be able to find a range of academic research that supports one view or the other, often presenting conflicting points of view. In the end, a good school for any student is a school that is the best fit for that student, whether that school is single gender or co-educational. It is what the school offers the student and the nature of relationships and community that are of the utmost importance.
At St Edmund’s, we know our boys personally. We do not have a very large student community, which means that we have the time and the opportunities to get to know our students in a personal and individual manner. With our major intake at Year 4 and Year 7, our students can enjoy up to a nine-year school-based relationship with the College, and most go on to be a part of our strong and vibrant Old Boys community. Strong bonds are developed over these years and our vertical Pastoral Care system in the high school reinforces our concern for the continuity of care for each boy at the College, establishing not only positive relationships with tutor group teachers, but positive relationships between our younger and older students in each House.
The sense of community at St Edmund’s is indeed very strong and healthy. We have been nurturing our community for nearly 65 years. We have an enduring commitment to ensure that membership within our College community continues indefinitely for former students, families and staff members. St Edmund’s maintains these networks through groups and committees such as the ‘Old Boys and Friends’ and ‘Edmums’. I am always encouraged to hear that our new families feel that they have a place within our community quite quickly in their time here at the College.
We offer our boys an extensive choice of subjects – our curriculum continually evolves to reflect changing academic, career and trade opportunities. Our students are offered a wide variety of subject options and throughout encouraged to try new subjects to broaden their social and academic outlook. We are an inclusive comprehensive school, offering educational opportunities and support for a very broad range of the diverse learning needs of our students. As we are a specialist boys’ school, we encourage our teaching staff to study and practise the research relating specifically to educating boys.
Student Leadership is a key element to the College. Students are first and foremost leaders of themselves and their actions – we ensure the student voice is considered in many College decisions. It is in these latter areas where we find our students thriving – where they have the confidence to take up opportunities where perhaps they may be reluctant to experience in a different school setting.
We also offer a wide variety of co-curricular options, both sporting and cultural, and the opportunity to engage with the community through social justice programs. St Edmund’s values the talents of all boys. Students are encouraged to participate in College productions, musical groups, choirs and clubs that develop skills in the Arts. Students at St Edmund’s College are committed to represent their school in some form of co-curricular activity. The College offers a diverse range of both sporting and cultural co-curricular activities that encourage each student’s personal development. Our boys learn teamwork; the art of winning and losing gracefully; to understand that everything improves through practice and how to work towards achieving personal goals. It has been a great pleasure for me to speak at the more recent sporting presentation evenings (following the end of the summer season for some of our sports). My main focus for the evenings is always the same – whilst winning is a wonderful achievement, what is even more wonderful is the development of good sportsmanship. A victory without good sportsmanship is a very hollow victory. A loss with good sportsmanship is still a victory. I have seen a great number of examples of good sportsmanship and gentlemanly behaviour on our sporting fields of late to confidently state that this is an area of which we can be proud here at St Edmund’s.
At our very core, St Edmund’s is a Catholic boys’ school in the Edmund Rice tradition – this means we have an emphasis on developing positive relationships and a vibrant community. Being a part of a dynamic, faith community is an energy-giving experience. This energy derives from witnessing the growth and development of young people in their learning and life experiences, being part of a community that offers them opportunities for hope, joy and love in their own specific contexts and worlds. The Gospel reading from last Sunday encapsulates this so clearly. In speaking to his disciples, Jesus describes God as the vine grower and himself as the vine, with the disciples as the branches,
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing … If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” John 15:5-8
College Musical
A reminder that we have the performances of our musical this week. “Disco Inferno” is shaping up to be a great production, with many many hours of rehearsal time invested in ensuring that the production is of the usual outstanding St Edmund’s standard. As a child of the 70’s, I am very much looking forward to being in Saturday evening’s audience, revelling in the disco music of my youth.
Mother’s Day Mass
A reminder that we will celebrate Mother’s Day with our annual Mother’s Day Mass on Friday 11 May at 9:30 am. I look forward to celebrating this event with as many mothers, grandmothers and significant females in the lives of our young men.
Blue and White Ball
The Old Boys and Friends Association are again organising the Blue and White Ball this year. The event is being held on Saturday 26 May in the Br R J Wallace Hall commencing at 6pm. I would encourage parents to consider attending this wonderful event. You will enjoy the company of the Eddies community with good food and music. Tickets are available digitally through the Old Boys and Friends Association on their website (see the link in Community on the College website) or through the Facebook pages of either the College or the Old Boys and Friends.
Rugby Tour
I would like to thank the members of staff involved in organising and supervising our Rugby Tour to New Zealand held in the first week of the holidays. Many thanks to Mr Pat Langtry, Ms Mary Jane McLeod, Mr Tim McArthur, Mr Denzil Fox and Mr David Mead. The tour was successful in many contexts, the most important of which is the development of team spirit and good sportsmanship. Congratulations to our students for their exemplary attitude and behaviour throughout the tour.
Uniform
A reminder that students should be wearing their complete winter uniform as of the first day of Term 2 (whether this is the new uniform or the old uniform – there is to be no mixing of old and new uniform). Junior School students have their winter jackets. All students in Years 7-12 during Terms 2 and 3 must wear the College blazer to school, to tutor group, in Periods 1 and 2 and then home from school. All boys are required to wear their blazers to House meetings, Year meetings and College assemblies.
God of love,
plant us in the soil of your grace.
Nurture us with the strength of Christ,
the vine of everlasting life.
Enlighten us with the wisdom of your Spirit,
which flows through us today and all days.
Abide in us,
that we may abide in you
and live in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Blessed Edmund Rice, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our Hearts, forever.
Christus Lux Mea
Joe Zavone (Principal)