Valedictory Events
We have just completed this round of Valedictory events for our departing Year 12 students. I am very grateful to Deputy Headmaster/Head of Secondary School Greg Atterton, and Year 12 Coordinator Andrew MacGregor in particular for their work in planning and facilitating an enjoyable series of activities.
As we would have expected with this cohort, they embraced the spirit of celebration and gratitude that we were keen to encourage on this occasion. We had some very successful celebratory activities on the Wednesday and Thursday was reserved for the more formal occasions. Thursday morning’s Chapel Service and Guard of Honour were a good lead-in to a very enjoyable Valedictory Assembly, which parents were able to attend as well. The Year 12 leavers provided some great entertainment in the Assembly as well as delivering some heartfelt and at times quite emotional messages.
The Valedictory Day was then capped off with an excellent Valedictory Dinner held at the Adelaide Oval. The boys were all introduced on stage by the respective tutors and Valedictorian Kyan Jenkins and College Captain Mitch Searle gave fine speeches. Overall this was a highly successful series of Valedictory events to farewell what has been an outstanding cohort of young men at PAC.
Old Old Boys’ Assembly
The Wednesday of the first week of term saw our first Old Old Boys’ Assembly in two years, having missed last year because of COVID restrictions. This event could not take place at the usual time at the beginning of third term, but we were keen for it to occur, as I pointed out that this is a very important culture-building exercise. Moreover, I was concerned that we not go another year without it, depriving two years of new students at the College the experience of this very special occasion. And finally, I knew that our Old Old Boys were keen to be here for this unique event.
Because of numbers limitations, the Assembly went ahead with just Years 8 to 12 present in Stadium 1, whilst the Preparatory School and Year 7 watched on the screens in the ANZAC Hall. To qualify for the Old Old Boys’ Assembly, you must have started school at least 60 years ago. So our new Old Old Boys commenced school in 1960 and 1961 and were very excited to be included. Indeed, this is one of the few occasions when getting older provides a significant reward!
This is an occasion that everyone looks forward to, and I was proud of the students present in the way they conducted themselves in recognising our Old Old Boys. I would also like to acknowledge all the staff who contributed to this being another highly successful event.
“Blood Brothers”
The last week of third term saw the Secondary School production of the musical “Blood Brothers”. This was a major success for Director of Performing Arts, Paula Little, who directed and produced the show, and everyone involved. The quality of individual and ensemble performances was uniformly outstanding and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who attended.
Moreover, as we have come to expect, the quality of technical work on the production, together with the live music performed by our students, all contributed to a wonderful production. One of the special features of a show such as this is that it brings together a large number of students and staff in this shared venture. Well done to everyone involved.
Author, actor, playwright, director Prof Terence Crawford wrote to me after seeing this production.
…For me the night was more than the sum of its parts, and more than the impact of the piece itself. For me, as a life-long theatre professional in somewhat constant dismay at the state of our … industry in Australia, and the devaluing of art generally in our culture, this evening was one of the most heartening experiences I've had in the theatre anywhere for a long time.
This was so because I could see the spirit in which the show was being performed. These kids performed not just with momentary skill and talent, they performed as if it was important. They were inhabiting the centre of the work with their imagination and will. They performed as if theatre itself was important to them. There is no more heartening thing than that, and no more important factor in a good show. There was love on the stage... That's the one thing that can't be faked. And it doesn't just manifest out of nowhere. It is a mark of excellent leadership and the same spirit from Paula and her colleagues.
Prof Crawford's words sum up superbly the value of productions such as this. Well done again to all involved.
Staffing
Director of Performing Arts Paula Little will finish up at PAC at the end of this year, as she and her family are relocating back to Northern Ireland to be with her extended family there. I would like to acknowledge Paula's outstanding work over the last five years in the development of our Performing Arts faculty and programs, particularly in Drama. We have seen significant growth in our curricular Drama and also some marvellous co-curricular productions.
William Mercer will join us as Assistant Director of Boarding from the beginning of 2022. Will is currently employed at Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) in Brisbane, where he is Assistant Boarding House Master and teacher of English and History. An Old Scholar of Churchie, Will has a Bachelor of Arts from Griffith University, a Master of International Security Studies from Macquarie University, a Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching from the University of Southern Queensland and is currently completing a Master of Education from Queensland University of Technology. Will is also a former national representative in volleyball and is looking forward to relocating to Adelaide with his young family.
Danielle McKinnon will join us at the beginning 2022 teaching Chemistry and General Science. Danielle completed her schooling at St Mary's College in the city of Adelaide and then undertook a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Science from Flinders University. Danielle has been employed at St Francis de Sales College in Mt Barker from 2013 as a teacher of senior Chemistry and Middle School Science. Danielle currently holds the position of Learning Area Specialist for Science R-12 and has been the Key Teacher in the introduction of SEQTA at the school.
Richard Baum will join us as a teacher of Economics from the beginning of 2022. Richard has a Bachelor of Management from University of South Australia and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Adelaide as well as other studies in the Finance/Economics area. Richard has taught Economics at Glenunga International High School from 2015 and has been an IB Examiner since 2018.
Jacquie Sexton has been appointed Academic Leader for Humanities for 2022 in the first instance. This position has come about through the growth seen in this subject area, leading to the separation of the commercial subjects under George Gardner's leadership.
We have appointed Joshua Williams as ICT Customer Support Officer. Joshua has extensive experience in the ICT service industry, most recently as ICT Project Manager with TelcoCentric. Joshua holds a Certificate IV in ICT Customer Contact and has worked previously with some members of our ICT team.
Current Year 4 Teacher Nesha Sathurayar will be leaving us at the end of this year, after 12 years of excellent service in the Preparatory School. Nesha will be taking up a position in the St Peter's College Junior School and we wish her well for this next chapter in her career.
Bradley Fenner
Headmaster