Every Child Needs a Champion

A warm welcome back for the commencement of Term 4. I hope that returning families have enjoyed the opportunities to rest and recharge as we prepare for the final term of year. I also especially hope that for new families, we as a College, have made you feel welcomed. I especially pray that your young person finds great joy, in making new connections with their peers before the end of the year.

Several years ago, Rita Pierson achieved quite an amount of attention for a TED talk she gave in relation to the passion she had for working with children as an educator and advocate for those less fortunate. Within her talk she had used the words “Every child needs a champion” and became a powerful statement for her gaining not only notoriety, but also as a clear reminder to all educators (and indeed all adults) that every child needs someone in their lives who will advocate for them and be a positive influence in their lives. Sadly, Rita Pierson passed away only a few months after her famous and oft-quoted talk.

Nevertheless, her legacy remains, and I am drawn to her speech, at this time, when I consider the Peer Support training our Year 9 cohort will undertake next week. We are very fortunate to have several qualified Peer Support training facilitators, who will work with small groups of Year 9 students. The training day will develop their skills and competencies in leadership, relationship building, and peer mentoring. The outcome of which is that the Year 9 students will not only act as mentors to the 2022 Year 7 cohort, but also as their champions at school and in PCG.

Middle College Orientation

As previously mentioned in Dr Dolling’s September letter, there will be an orientation morning for all current Year 5 and 6 students at the College on Tuesday 12th October. This is an incredibly important opportunity for these students to increase their understanding of Middle College, from a pastoral and academic perspective, and the staff they will be working with into 2022. An information letter outlining specifics for the day will have been sent to families, however, please be aware that your young person should wear their sport uniform, including their sport hat, bring a water bottle, and morning tea and lunch.

Year 9 Outdoor Education

In Week 3 our Year 9 cohort leave for their Outdoor Education program at Kenilworth. This is a significant step for the cohort as they spend close to a fortnight away with their peers and supporting staff. It is the culmination of our compulsory outdoor education programs from Years 3-9. Consequently, we hope that students really engage as future leaders and change makers prior to their entry into Senior College next year. We would encourage all students to tap into the suite of skills they have developed over many years of outdoor education and equally, reflect on their learning from the Rite Journey program. I sincerely thank Ms Kim Wood, Head of Outdoor Education for her leadership, commitment, and care to the students and staff attending. We wish them a safe and positive time away.

Mr Ben Ryan, Director of Students