Dean of Students | Mr Damien Fall

We started this week with a liturgy to celebrate the feast day of our Patron Saint, St Joseph.  We get so used to the name Terrace, that I think it is sometimes easy to forget that our school’s name is actually St Joseph’s College.  The scriptures do not quote a single word from Joseph, yet his role as the earthly father of Jesus was critical.  His unassuming nature and capacity to deal with what was an enormous challenge draws us to an understanding of a man who was simultaneously strong and gentle.  For the young men of Terrace, it might seem a paradox to suggest that a man can be both strong and gentle.  However, it is a great sign of character when a man can be courageous, assertive and steadfast while showing softness and concern for others.  For many young men, being gentle is associated with being weak, but this is far from the truth.  If we are to grow our boys into good men, they must learn values such as love and humility and to grow their capacity for empathy.  The testosterone spike that comes with adolescence makes young men inclined towards physicality.  While this has its place (and supports the importance of physical exercise), one challenge for schools and families is to teach young men how to be patient and to care for each other.  Our formation program, which includes role-modelling from significant adults, is an important contributor to the development of the Terrace Gentleman.

We are deep into exams now, and I would hope that academia is the primary focus in the lead-up to holidays.  In mentoring interviews with students, they often speak of the temptation of having devices such as mobile phones, gaming consoles, televisions and laptops readily accessible in their study spaces.  A weakness of many adolescents is the inability to resist such distractions when they should be concentrating on their studies.  The best advice at this time of the term is to have these devices out of sight and out of reach to take away the temptation.  This is also one reason that we ask students to leave their phone in their locker each day.  On the subject of gaming, a reminder about our ‘Gamequitters’ parent presentation at 6pm next Wednesday evening, 28 March in the Campbell Centre.  Details are in the ‘Events’ section of the College app or via College Events on the website.  So we can provide enough seats, we would appreciate it if those intending to attend could register for this event.  We look forward to a highly relevant and informative evening.

A final word of reminder that the term finishes on Thursday 29 March at 2.50pm.  The exception is Year 12 students, who will be dismissed at 12.45pm after completing QCS practice.  All other students, including Year 11, are required at school until 2.50pm on Thursday.  A nice long holiday will follow this.  All the best to our students as they complete exams in the coming days.