Boarding, October

Dear Boarding families

Welcome back to what has shaped up to be a quick year. I can’t believe we are into our final term. The houses are upbeat with the return of our boarders who are fully charged from their holidays. It is great to have them back bringing our Boarding space to life with their energy. I guess it’s on us now to keep the balance and momentum up, so they see success in their studies and school life balance.

I managed to get home and watch the AFL Grand Final with my son, Josh at Optus Stadium. I am a big fan of every state hosting this event, it was an amazing atmosphere.

Lisa and I also went nightclubbing at Metros for an evening to watch Josh compete in Battle of the Bands for the university. Okay, so I’m 49 years old but man-o-man I felt like I was old being in a nightclub with 100s of uni students rocking out to 7 different bands, performing hit after hit. 10:30pm came around and I was ready for bed. We left at 12:00am after his band finished their set only to be woken at 2:00am to be told they had won.

We celebrated our 24^th wedding anniversary for the next three days at Rottnest Island then came back to celebrate our daughter’s 21^st birthday. All up, I was very fortunate to connect with family and friends.

I have returned satisfied the family is in a good space and refreshed from having all of us together. I can see the same is true for our boarders.

Ash Keatch
Head of Boarding

It has arrived, thanks to Steve our Property Manager and his team.

We now have a new doctor in the house, Dr Coffee. Please feel free when dropping your child off to make yourself a brew!!

Daylight saving that’s what’s happening.

Wow, I like it. We don’t have that back in the Wild West. Due to sunlight, the boarders are up and about getting some oxygen into their systems after school and dinner before prep and after prep. It has been a game changer from last term’s doom and gloom weather. Spring is well and truly in the air.

Will Robertson, one of our Boarding House Assistants is ranked 11th in Australia for spike ball, and has set up the Launceston Spike Ball Association.

He is a positive influence on our boarders and had them playing during the week before prep. It involves 4 players (2 each team) and they hit the ball into a round net on the ground. It’s great fun and has all age groups involved.

It’s been great to see Victoria Monson, our Boarding captain, Sarah Curtis, Davia Johns, David Aldridge, Niall Heywood, Levi Low and Archie Burke making full use of the gymnasium during the evenings.

The pool is also open for business for boarders. It’s a great way to burn off the worries of the world or just have a break from studies.

The voting is underway for our new Boarding Captain for 2022.

The candidates have delivered their speeches and the voters have been to the polling booth. In some cases, the booth has come to them!!

The next process is to interview our candidates and then decide on who will lead our community for next year.

We are rolling the model of:

• 1 x Boarding Captain
• 2 x Vice Captains

Most of our boarders have had their first or second jab. For those who haven’t please see below.

Northern Suburbs Medical Service located in Mowbray are offering Pfizer Vaccinations for children 12 years and over.

The Northern Medical Service requires an email from parent/guardian stating that you give permission for the Pfizer Vaccination to be administered to your child.

Please add your medicare number to your response.

Please email response to AKeatch@lcgs.tas.edu.au or JConti@lcgs.tas.edu.au

I have included Communicating with Your Child section for you to look at.

It explains Mobile phones, skype, whatsapp/signal, letters and postcards and the fortnightly newsletter.

Read more here.

Thanks to all the parents who were able to share a barbecue and a chat with the Headmaster, Head of Senior Campus and and myself as we welcomed back our boarders for Term 4.

It’s such a great way to relax and enjoy each other’s company before the business part starts. I always look forward to seeing families together and hearing about adventures from the holidays.

A special shout out to Tom Doonan who stepped up and cooked the barbecue. Unfortunately, his term started with a trip back home the next day after waking up poorly visiting the nurse and being sent home via a COVID test.

We are hosting the Boarding component of Orientation day on Thursday 11 November.

Our new boarders will be welcomed into each of the houses and spending a night.

The uniform shop has arranged their times to accommodate the Boarding families with the following fit out times.

Read more here or visit the Noone online shop here

Wednesday night we had our final formal dinner night for our Grade 12s.

The night started with chapel by Rev’y G then moved into the Boarders’ Dining Hall for speeches. It was a great night where we all had a chance to celebrate our leaving Grade 12 students.

For one, the journey started in Grade 6, for others it started in Grade 11 and for Abraham, it was the culmination of 10 schools due to his parents travelling around with work.

The boarders made a great effort to dress smart and practice their etiquette skills at the table. The food was enjoyed by all, with Duncan, one of our great chefs, cooking up a feast of curries and cheese cakes to die for.

A special shout out to Toni and Scott Woods, former Launceston Grammar Boarding parents and wonderful supporters of the School.

They hosted our quiet get together on the Island, which included the Campion and Johns families. It was great to get back to their wonderful Island.

Although the Island is north, our Tassie weather headed south on us.

An interview with Hannah van der Velde

Where did you go to school?

I went to Launceston Christian School from Kinder to Grade 12.

Where you a boarder?

No, I lived locally.

Where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Launceston.

What sports did you play at school?

I mostly played netball, but also randomly joined in with cricket and footy.

Favourite sporting team?

The Western Bulldogs (We’ll get the flag next year!)

How long have you worked at Launceston Grammar Boarding?

I started at the beginning of 2019, so almost three years.

If you are studying, what are you studying and where?

I studied Psychology at university, and did further study in counselling. I’m now doing a ministry apprenticeship at my church, where my main area is youth work.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’d like to be a chaplain, possibly in a high school.

Do you have any hobbies?

I like to op-shop, sew and crochet, paint and draw, walk, run, and do yoga.

Where is your favourite holiday destination and why?

My favourite place that I’ve been to recently is the Whitsundays, particularly Hamilton Island. I liked spending time at the beach or on a boat, snorkelling, bush walking, and just getting outside in nature.

At Launceston Grammar you would have heard me say we have promoted relational over operational when it comes to getting to know your child.

We believe there are five key pointers for our Boarding staff.

Successful Boarding is about building positive relationships by having a positive relationship with those in our care and with those we work with the ‘hard bits’ of the work becomes much easier.

1. Teenagers are meant to test boundaries – they need to know where the boundaries are. Our staff’s role is to help provide the boundaries or at least let your child know where they are, to help them learn that there are always consequences for actions.
2. Calmness in most situations is a real virtue. Ensuring our staff never act in anger is a key trick of the role of being a Boarding staff member.
3. Staff presence is the key – being around, helping the boarders to make better choices because it ‘increased the risk’ just being there when they need to.
4. Ensuring staff keep themselves safe – we promote not being in one-on-one situations with your child, making sure staff never enter a room without being invited in etc.
5. Teamwork is critical – working collaboratively being consistent – as an individual, as a team, as a community are all very important for a successful Boarding programme at Launceston Grammar

At Launceston Grammar we are committed to ensuring our Boarding staff are adequately trained to look after your child whilst under our care.

This year our staff have been busy upskilling and, in some cases, refreshing their qualifications. The following courses have been taken up by staff:

• Active Duty (Term 1)
• PPV vehicle licence (Term 2)
• Youth Mental Health First Aid (Term 3)
• Duty of Care books 1 and 2 (Term 4)
• Bronze Medallion including resuscitation pool supervision (Term 4)
• First Aid HLTAID004 (Term 1 2022)

The staff have just finished an intense two day Duty of Care course. It was pleasing to see that at Launceston Grammar we have been implementing a lot of good practice from what I have observed this year and look to continue to evolve as a group to ensure best practice is part of our culture moving forward.

If you have any specific concerns regarding your child, please get in contact with either TJ or Zoe depending on which house they are in to discuss.

They will have the best day to day knowledge of your child and are more than happy to work alongside with you.  I am also happy to separately discuss any Boarding points that you think of want to have a chat about.

Head of Boarding

Ashley Keatch
M 0403 799 321
akeatch@lcgs.tas.edu.au

Senior Boarding House Assistant (Boys House)

Theunis Pieters
tpieters@lcgs.tas.edu.au

Senior Boarding House Assistant (Girls House)

Zoe Vandervelde
zvandervelde@lcgs.tas.edu.au

Wednesday 27 October – Hawkes House Grade 12 Boarder and Parents Dinner
Thursday 28 October – Valedictory Day
Friday 29 October – Boarding House Closes (5.00pm) Recreation Day Long Weekend
Monday 1 November – Boarding House Re-Opens (4.00pm) Recreation Day Public Holiday

Holiday Period Leave

Please use this leave to submit all the transport and time out and in details. This is important for us so we can work out movements of each student.

Please have your leave for the break in by end of this week.