Boarding Term 3, August

Dear Boarding Families

Welcome back to all the Launceston Grammar Boarding Families, it sounds like some of our students managed some awesome family time in over the break. It was great to see some that managed to get out of the state return safety within the expectations the state government issued, so well done. My wife made it in and back out to WA, which was great. We headed down to Bruny Island, Port Arthur and Eagle Hawk Neck for a week. Some spectacular spots down there (image featured below).

Our International students from China, James and Jerry had a great time with St Michaels Collegiate and Hutchins students to spend a week in Hobart then off to the East Coast for the other week (image featured below).

This term looks very settled in terms of student activities; it looks from an academic staff point of view that it will be a productive time to work through the course content.

Having said that, the Senior Campus Production Carry On starts next week so for Grace and Victoria this is a culmination of months of hard work and rehearsals and we know they will shine and do well. The Boarding Houses will be showing their support by attending next Thursday.

Ash Keatch
Head of Boarding

Sarah Durkin our Boarding Staff Bio, came up with a great idea to play a students v staff game of netball. It was a great atmosphere as I watched our youngest to our senior boarders play out a great game in the best spirits. It’s these events that bring the boarding group together and from a positive mindset perspective those boarders who choose to not play were able to support from the side lines. Highlights from the side included Oliver, John and Myra Tidswell who led the cheer squad dancing and choreographing moves to the music. The energy from our boarders was great to see. Always a highlight when they give it a go.

Our recreational activities are back up for this weekend and due to some snow reports, we are heading to Ben Lomond national park. If students are in on Saturday, we will head up at some point.

The girls house seems to be the place to be for both boys and girls with wii, uno and board games being a big hit at the moment.

Jenny Conti our Registered Nurse at the Medical Centre has asked that parents make contact with her about bringing in medication and prescription medication, so she can discuss the process around supporting your child with this. Parents please go online and check your child’s medical information and update where required. If you bring medication into the boarding house it will need to be with medical documentation and in a webster pack, so staff are able to administer.

Please see Our Values Poster which looks at non-negotiable behaviours within the boarding environment. We have aligned our poster to the Schools with a boarding lens.This is part of our governance and standards required in boarding and is taken from our staff boarding handbook. It is designed to visually show staff and students what agreed behaviours we want demonstrated in our boarding community.

Click here to check Our Values Poster 

Some of our boys walked back, or limped back in (Archie Burke’s case from a big air jump accident motor biking) into a fresh space with new carpet and modern furniture. This is part of revitalising spaces around the house. The other space in the boys area was splitting the big room space. I’ll send through some photos once that room has been reset with the furniture.

Mattresses are arriving in port next Tuesday and then Forty Winks will be in touch once they are ready to deliver to us. We have had a few weeks delay on the arrival from Sealy Melbourne. The great news is your child will be sleeping on a fresh new mattress within the next few weeks.

The letter around the CCTV will also be arriving in your inbox soon as we get closer to rolling them out live. The last piece to the puzzle was the signage and they are in place. I will meet with each house and go through our expectations around them. The great news is they have been installed and the boys and girls have almost forgotten they are there.

This term I am planning on spending some time around the girls house freshening up some spaces that the boarders have asked to improve, so watch this space!

I have had a screen put up in the dining hall to have a digital jpeg of where our boarders come from. The intent is to showcase where the boarders come from around the state as well as having some pictures showcasing the regions.

This has evolved from an A3 printed paper copy with drawing pins and a cotton thread line to show, into an A0 poster, to now having a digital image. Here is a copy of the image so you can see what it looks like.

A letter went out for this event during the week. Please read it if you are one of our Grade 11 or 12 parents. This is one of those events that combines boarding schools in our region, so I am keen to support it for our students.

When Friday August 20 from 6:30 pm to 10 pm
Where Mary Fox Hall, Scotch Oakburn
Dress Cocktail or an Enchanted theme

This is a School-based event and we are keen to support our boarders who are attending.

When Friday August 20 from 7 pm to 10.15 pm (arrival at 7 pm for a 7.30 pm start)
Where The Tailrace Function Centre
Dress Formal

I met with the representative from the Census for this region today and they have given me the census pack for students to do on 10 August. My plan is for all boarding students to sit in one of the classrooms during prep and complete it online with their laptops. It should take approximately 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Staff will be available to assist any student with questions.

The Census is compulsory and the information is collected under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. More information is available in the Census Privacy Statement. Please visit https://www.census.abs.gov.au/privacy

20 August (Friday) Boarders Ball combined between Scotch Oakburn/LCGS

2 September (Thursday) Boarding House closes 5 pm (Long Weekend)

5 September (Tuesday) Boarding House reopens 4 pm

24 September (Friday) Boarding House closes 5 pm

24 September to 10 October:  Term 3 Break

10 October (Sunday) Boarding House reopens 4 pm (Start of Term 4)

Where did you go to school?

Launceston Church Grammar School

Were you a boarder?

No

Where did you grow up?

Launceston, Tasmania

What sports did you play at school?

I played netball.

Favourite sporting team?

Sunshine Coast Lighting Netball Team

How long have you worked at LCGS boarding?

This is my second year in boarding.

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

Bachelor Education (Primary), University of Tasmania, Newnham Campus

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I am finishing my degree in education this year and hope to relocate to far north Queensland next year to teach in Indigenous communities.

Do you have any hobbies?

My favourite thing to do in my spare time is to read.

Where is your favourite holiday destination and why?

My favourite holiday destination is Maroochydore, Queensland because I get to see my family, enjoy the warm weather and go stand up paddle boarding.

I will be sending out another letter for your inbox explaining our staffing model for semester 2. We have had some changes to staffing and I think it is a good model which utilises the staff to their strengths and is the best outcome for your child in boarding. Feel free to always give me feedback as we roll it out this term.

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. Separately I am also happy to discuss any boarding points you would like to have a chat about.

Head of Boarding
Ashley Keatch
M 0403 799321
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