2017 Welcome Cocktail Party
From the Deputy Head of College, Patrick Brennan
Cocktail Party
Thanks to the many parents who made themselves known to me at last weekend’s Parents’ Association Welcome Cocktail Party. It was great to see over seven hundred people in attendance. As the Head of College reflected, these numbers demonstrate the valuable commitment our parent groups play at Waverley College. It also highlights the positivity amongst the wider community about the great things happening here at the College.
Lent
Wednesday saw the start of Lent with our Ash Wednesday service. I thank the boys who attended this service with the highest level of reverence.
“Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in order to help enrich others by our own poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty hurts: no self-denial is real without this dimension of penance.”
Pope Francis, Lent Message, 2014
Academic Year
The 2017 academic year is now into its fifth week. Your son should by now be well accustomed to his weekly routine at the College.
By now, your son should be able to tell you the following:
- Who is his Head of House?
- What are his co-curricular training days and times?
- Whether it is week A or B?
- Where is his house assembly area?
- What is his next assessment task and when is it due?
I would encourage parents to check in with their son’s Head of House or Wellbeing Mentor if they note any change in sleep patterns, diet or study. It is often the case that any behavioural changes at home are paralleled here at school.
I thank parents for supporting the College in ensuring the boys uniform is worn with pride in the morning and their haircut falls within the guidelines outlined in the diary. It’s also pleasing when a phone call has to be made home, that parents are supportive of the high behavioural expectations that we have in place. If our parents are on the same page at the College, this partnership will certainly manifest itself in positive student outcomes – remember ‘Together is Better’.
Taking Ownership of Behaviour
I congratulate a number of boys who have made the wrong choices and immediately taken ownership of their behaviour over the last week. This is not easy to do, but as our boys have discovered, the consequences are less, particularly if they can present a ‘good choice next time’, if and when they are in the same situation in the future.
Hydration
The College’s places a large emphasis on diet and nutrition as an essential part of wellbeing. Ongoing improvements in the canteen menu and removal of soft drinks have bought us closer to best practice. Over the break boys would have noticed an increased number of water filling stations across campus. It’s great to see a large number of boys utilising these new facilities. The benefits of remaining hydrated during the day cannot be underestimated. It affects our performance both physically and mentally. If your son is not drinking enough water, he is doing several things to his body that are not helping him be healthy and well. These include slowing down metabolism, drying out the largest organ, his skin and reducing his ability to concentrate in class. On the sporting field appropriate hydration is a key ingredient for high performance.
It’s important to note that thirst is a sign of the early onset of dehydration. You should be consuming water before you get thirsty. Thirst is an indication that dehydration has started to take effect. Urine colour is a great, non-invasive tracker also of your hydration levels. So take a look during the day and top up with healthy (and free) water!
Remember to drink water throughout the day. Bring a water bottle and enjoy the many benefits that come with being hydrated.
