This is my 8th year at the College and I have enjoyed getting to know the students and the entire Thomas Hassall Community over the years. I have been a teacher of Mathematics and held a variety of other roles at the College including Year Advisor, Head of Carmichael House, Head of Mathematics, Director of Middle Years Learning and Innovation and Deputy Head of Senior Years - Operations. I look forward to the challenge of ensuring that the College provides both a world class education and a clear representation of the importance of the gospel. I believe in the more excellent way mentioned in 1 Corinthians upon which our logo rests and I am committed to growing and nurturing excellence in Learning, Wisdom and Service in the coming years.
We are blessed to have a passionate group of teachers at Thomas Hassall: a group that is committed to high standards and ongoing improvement of their craft. To this aim, our teaching group has continued in learning together through reading and discussing together the work of educational leaders Fisher, Hattie and Frey. Teachers have been partnering up and visiting each other’s classrooms to determine the impact of the methodologies used. In my visits to classrooms and observations this year, it has been great to see the wide variety of learning experiences being undertaken by engaged students and the settled tone of the classrooms across the College. It has been particularly pleasing to see how well our new Year 7 students have settled into the rhythm of Senior School.
In addition to the learning that is occurring inside our classrooms, it is great to have the Talented Athlete Programs underway before and after school with Basketball, Football, Dance and Athletics now in full swing. Congratulations to the students who recently represented the College at the NASSA Swimming Championships and the NASSA Tennis Gala day. They represented our College admirably and displayed wonderful sportsmanship throughout. The College Study Centre is up and running for the year and many students are availing themselves of the free tutoring Monday through Thursday each week from some of our most talented alumni. The rehearsals for the College Musical Peter Pan are well underway and are sure to produce a fantastic show. There are so many wonderful opportunities to get involved for our students and many are doing just that.
It has been great to have some high quality excursions already take place like the Year 12 PDHPE excursion to the Trauma department in Liverpool Hospital to study injury prevention for young people and to assist them in adopting behaviours that minimise risk. CBA also came to visit our Year 9 Commerce students to offer some financial expertise and advice on navigating the years ahead sensibly.
Our Year 11 Student Mentors are commended on their presentation of the College Wellbeing Program in Year 7 PC groups recently. They have been willing to share their wisdom with the youngest members of Senior School and have been relating well from all reports. It was also very pleasing this week to receive some commendations for the behaviour of our Year 11 TAFE students who leave the College to go out and study at various institutions. A member of a local business made a point of calling the College to explain how courteous and responsible our students were in a recent interaction.
With the excitement of camps and College closures due to flooding behind us, it has been nice to experience a full week and experience a steady week of lessons. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Year 7 and 12 parent Teacher night on March 4th and commend to you the Information sessions running at 6pm on this evening on ‘Supporting your children through the HSC’ for Year 12 parents and ‘Making a Successful Start to the Secondary Years’ for Year 7 parents.