ALL SAINTS COLLEGE BOARDING PARENTS’ AND FRIENDS’ MEETING
Saturday 11th August 2012
Library
Meeting Opened : 3.15pm
Attendance: Brian & Maree Plummer, Dr. Peter Miller, Wendy Langfield, Brad Allen, Gill McAllister, Donna Gow, Jill Kay, Carolyn Grant, Grant &Doreen Keech, Nigel & Wendy Wass
Apologies: Ian & Jane Menzies, Ian & Paula Elbourne, Greg & Lynne Woodlock, Kate Rogers, Karin Regan, Sue Grant-Frost, James & Lisa Shirlaw, Scott & Tanya Mitchell, Tamara Willcox, Jane Delandro, Hayley Bradley, Trevor Maher, Fr Paul Woodhart, John Morris, Melinda Morgan, Julie Porter
Business arising from previous minutes:
· Cancellation of netball & town leave bus on Saturdays : Dr Miller said ideally he would like the bus to run again next year but there are labour issues, start on duty at 8.30am & runs through to lunchtime. Dr Miller has checked with staff /coaches feedback has been good. Coaches check on Thursday afternoon about lifts to the netball courts and HOH checks again on Thursday night in the boarding house.
Brian Plummer said a schools transportation policy is an important consideration when deciding on schools. Further discussion on costs, levies and soccer bus. Nigel Wass requested Trevor Maher to do a costing on the netball bus. Brian to liase with Dr Miller and Trevor Maher about reintroduction for 2013.
No further business...
Motion “That the minutes from the Boarding P&F meeting dated Sunday 13thth May , 2012 be accepted and endorsed as read”
Moved: Donna Gow Seconded: Doreen Keech
Correspondence out: Boarders Bottle Stall letter & call for donations.
Correspondence in: Letter from John Morris regarding protocol for communication re: Spring Fair, as Boarding P&F is a Sub-Entity of the Whole School P&F.
SENIOR SCHOOL BOARDING PARENTS:
“You do not need sign-off from Dr Miller if you are communicating with parents within your year group via email. If you do not have a complete email list of parents in your year group one can be obtained from Belinda Thompson, Senior School Secretary, or she can email the correspondence on your behalf.
If however, you wish to send correspondence outside your year group, it must be approved by Dr Miller and if you are in contact with the wider community (seeking donations from businesses) you will need approval from the P&F President, John Morris. To obtain approval, simply send the text via email to the Executive Assistant, Felicity Challita, who will arrange sign-off.”
Thanks John Morris
President’s Report: Brian Plummer welcomed Brad Allen, Head of Boys’ Boarding. All reports are positive and activities that have been organised have been well received by students and parents alike. Hopefully we can move forward with a renewed strength in boys’ boarding.
Clarification of student’s accident insurance after concerns raised, cover was 24 hr, 365 days a year.
Thanks Wendy for organising change and a better position for All Saints in the pavilion at Nyngan Ag Expo, all reports it was a successful day.
I have failed with sheep fundraising with offer of grazing area near Bathurst no longer available. I am open to suggestions.
New fundraising direction is any sound clothing that anyone wants to donate can be sold through the uniform shop with proceeds to go to the Boarding P&F. We need further clarification to see if we can broaden the guidelines of what can be donated ie shirts, shorts etc
Watson Working Bee needs to be organised as it was postponed earlier this year.
Treasurer’s Report: Tamara Wilcox (read by Wendy Wass)
Boarding P&F Treasurers Report 31/3/12 to 29/6/12 as per statement:
31/3/12 Balance Forward $4,366.65
23/4/12 Audit Request (Debit) ($15.00)
22/6/12 Cheque 178 Payment to Audit (D& J Weekes) ($337.15)
29/6/12 Closing Balance $4,014.50
Boarding P&F Report: Kate Rogers thanked (in her absence) by Dr Miller and the P&F for her assistance with the survey and attending the whole-school P&F meetings.
Head of College Report: Dr Miller – Internal Boarding Survey Results in the form of Power Point & discussion. The results will be emailed to boarding staff & families. ‘Meet & Greets” around the region have been very successful with a renewed interest in the school noted.
v Boarding reports after General Business and emailed previously.
General Business:
· Spring Fair ‘Bottle Stall’: An update on this by Wendy Wass and a roster passed around. The response from parents for the bottle stall appears to be good. It is difficult to predict how much produce you have until the actual day? Details of Bottle Stall to go in Revelations and a roster will be emailed.
· Working Bee’s: Suggested by Nigel Wass that we have dedicated Working Bees (one a semester and the dates put on the calendar for 2013) Aim to have one on the morning of the
AGM - Sat 27th October?
· New Account System: Question from Maree Plummer regarding the complicated invoicing system and could this be looked into? There have been other complaints and Dr Miller to discuss with Trevor Maher( Business Manager)
Priorities discussed were:
o Re-cement the pathway to Watson House
o Renovate the garden beds & install a watering system outside Marsden’s Lyon Wing
o Remove the unsightly garden shed near Marsden’s main office and primary entrance to the girls’ boarding house.(Brian to walk around with Trevor & Simon to assess tasks)
Meeting Closed: 4.25pm
Watson House Report
I'd like to start by thanking all those who have been in contact in one way or another during the start of this term. The welcome and support has been greatly appreciated.
Watson house has been a great place to become a part of over the past month. The boys, 27 of them have been fantastic and helpful in creating a smooth transition during my start in the house.
Only one boy hasn’t returned to the house this term as a result of some ongoing minor medical issue for him. We are hopeful and positive about his possible return to Watson House. We also have three casual boarders booked for a minimum of a week each in the coming month.
Current Numbers
* Year 7 – 2 Boys
* Year 8 - 4 Boys
* Year 9 - 3 Boys
* Year 10 – 6 Boys
* Year 11 – 6 Boys
* Year 12 - 6 Boys
Staff
The boys and the staff have worked well together in these first four weeks of Term 3. I do mean work together, trying to pull in the same direction rather than against each other. The staff which I have really enjoyed getting to know include;
David Hitchick - Assistant Head of House.
David started in Watson house at the beginning of Term 2. He, and his wife Meg, who works in the science department at ASC, are both ex-students of ASC. They have two children Fin and Harvey and are a lovely family to have on the campus and involved with Watson House.
Dave and I have very similar pastoral care approaches and styles with the boys, which helps to create a very consistent environment, in terms of leadership for the boys. I must say that I am lucky to have started the job with an assistant like David. He has an excellent rapport with the boys and a great understanding of their needs and how the house runs.
Andrew Schaefer - Tutor
Andrew is an Exercise Science student who is in his final year but looking to continue his study and complete an honours degree next year. We are hoping that he is successful with the endeavour and stays with us.
Adrian Chavez - Tutor
Adrian is in his third year of a four year paramedics degree.
Matt Cividin - Tutor
Matt is also completing a paramedics and nursing degree at university.
It is great to have both of these guys around as they have some very helpful and useful skills in dealing with and ensuring that the boys in the house are well. They have dealt with all situations with a calm and considerate approach since I have been here.
GAP Student’s – we have been lucky with these guys who have been recruited by the school.
Dan Waldron - Gap Student
Dan is from the UK. He is 20 years old and has studied a year at Leeds University. He has developed a friendly and mature approach with the boys in the house, particularly with his main sport being rugby.
Zac Sherwarnie - Gap Student
Zac has come straight from school at Deniston College. He is 18 years old and a talented lovely young man. Zac is already involved in hockey in Bathurst, even though he has only been here three weeks. He has played every grade for the Souths Hockey Club in Bathurst. He scored 12 goals for them last weekend.
Zac trialled for the England U21 Hockey Team before coming out to Australia. He intends to follow that career path when he returns to the UK. His father was in the London Olympic Opening Ceremony as a gold medallist with the GB men's hockey team in 1988.
Both gap students have added a new dimension to the house already. They are keen to provide the boys with activities and opportunities, including encouraging them playing indoor soccer after prep times, helping them with their prep, accompanying them to the gym on request. Zac is assisting with coaching a school hockey team, Dan accompanied a group of boys to the city v country junior rugby union matches in Bathurst on the weekend, and they support the boys generally with advice, company and laughs. They are great to have around.
I believe we have a great team of staff and I have found them very good to work with.
We also explore any applications we receive for boarding positions. I have seen a potential tutor for the future this week. We want to make sure that we keep quality staff employed in the house, and quality applicants feel wanted and kept interested for any future positions.
Watson House and Who am I?
My wife Jodie and I have a strong connection All Saints’ College and country NSW. We have both enjoyed living in various towns and communities during our childhoods and early years. We have both attended boarding schools. I completed my HSC at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in 1994 and Jodie here at ASC in 1994. We were later married here in the ASC Chapel on one of the hottest winter days ever. We have been working in Independent Schools in NSW, Western Australia, England and again back in the Central West.
With Jodie’s support I want to help to make Watson House a place that the boys want to be. Family is something can never or very rarely be replaced or replicated, but I do want to make the house a home away from home. In Watson House specifically, I want to let the boys know and have them fully understand that I am there for them, at any time. I want every boy to feel;
• Safe – All of the boys have the right to feel safe in any area of the house. They need to know that the staff and procedures are here for their safety and enjoyment. They also need to understand that they are responsible for providing, and contributing to a safe environment.
• Supported – A calm response to help them when in need in any good or bad situation they find themselves. I am here to support the boys whenever they need it.
• Valued – Each boy need to know and be told that they are doing the right thing and given positive feedback. All boys need to know that they contribute to the house but many do it in a wide range of different ways. They are all important house members.
This home away from home does have a set of normal reasonable courtesies, boundaries, structures and behaviours. These are the things that the boys can sometimes find challenging. All lot of us these days are very knowledgeable with regards to our rights these days and not so keen on fulfilling our responsibilities, - personal, community or social. It is my intention to help these guys live, develop and learn in the same way that I would want my own daughter to be treated.
We - Jodie, Immi and I have enjoyed having all of the year groups into our home this term, with the exception of Year 11 that are coming in next week, for a supper and social catch up after prep. I’m not sure if it was the company or hot finger food the boys liked best, but it has been fun.
On the subject of my family and daughter, the Watson Boys have been unbelievably welcoming to Jodie and Immi this term. The boys see Immi in the dining hall, the boarding house and around the grounds, she loves them and they are fantastic with her. The boys have also found Harvey our 12month old brown lab particularly entertaining which has been fun.
There are many of things within Watson House and the house area that we can look to improve and make tidy looking into the future. With the boys help, we (the Watson House Staff) are looking to start doing a few little projects which we can manage to make it a better and more usable environment or all. You can see evidence of this happening at the front of the house where a group of boys have removed a garden in order to tidy up the area and make it more user friendly.
In the remainder of this term we are looking forward to - The Watson House Senior Dinner, a possible trip to the Penrith White Water Stadium for Watson House, a Paint Ball day for the Seniors Farewell event with the Marsden Seniors, the Year 12 Dinner in the Kemmis Building for all boarders, and the Spring Fair. I think it is important for Watson House and Watson Boys to have an identity, responsibility and activity to run at the Spring Fair in 2012.