Head of Campus Report – 7 December 2017

A Time of Transition

The end of the school year is one which engenders a great deal of excitement and emotion. At the heart of this however, is that it is actually the cessation of the academic year for us all which brings a time of transition, part of which is goodbye.

As we approach the last days of the academic year it is a time of farewelling students as they move between campuses and for some, move to new schools. I would like to remind the boys and families departing Berwick Grammar School, that they will always be welcome back to our community. For the boys departing, I trust that they will appreciate the ethos that ‘once a Berwick Grammar Boy, always a Berwick Grammar Boy,’ is very real and part of us, including our blessings, will go with them on the next phase of their educational journey.

A time of transition always brings some farewells to staff who have served the boys and school with great loyalty and integrity. At this time of year we perhaps farewell more staff than usual but again, they depart with our very best wishes and blessings for the next stage of their career. I would like to thank the following staff members and wish them well as they head to some wonderful schools. Three of our highly valued staff will also be relocating to St Margaret’s Senior and Junior Campuses to continue teaching.

Mr Anthony Smith, Haileybury College
Mr Phill McConchie, St Margaret’s Junior School
Mrs Kate Jackson, Marist College
Mr Simon Powys, St Margaret’s Senior School
Mr Laurie McDonald, St Margaret’s Senior School
Mr Nigel Jones, Caulfield Grammar School
Ms Lingchen Zhao, Eltham College
Ms Annabelle Dominguez, Penleigh & Essendon Grammar
Mr Tyler Hess, Albert Park College
Ms Tifany Centelles, Mt Scopus College

We also wish Mr Tony Sheahan all the very best as he takes on the next phase of his life. Truly well-deserved after over 40 years of educating young people.

My own transition into life at Berwick Grammar has been smoothed by the warm welcome of the community. We are doing great work here in our distinctive and evidence based approach to grow good men. No organisation is perfect and flawless, yet I believe this should be our aspiration. To aim this high means that when we do fail to meet our goals or objects, we do so with excellence. There is much work to be done, and my six months at the school have provided me with a great insight into the changes that need to me introduced, some rapidly, some over time, to ensure that we can truly count ourselves as an outstanding school for boys. There are some exciting initiatives ahead, ones which will not only engage the energy of our boys but also change the way that we interact with our parents. More details to come in the New Year! Our world desperately needs good men, particularly men with the capacity to both lead and serve. It is indeed both an honour and enormous responsibility for us that our community entrusts their boys to us, to ensure that we provide the education of mind, body and spirit which has not only the capacity to transform lives but also the world. My thanks and blessings for the Christmas season and holiday period.

Virtute et Labore

Dr Steven Middleton
Head of Berwick Grammar School