The power of connectedness has been evident over the last month as we once again witness our Carey community engaging in the breadth of programs offered. There is a collective appreciation due to an enhanced understanding of what was missing for much of 2020.
For some, it has been the return of live theatre, including the Senior School performance of Shrek and the poetry evening with the theme ‘Everyone has a story to tell’. At both events, the face-to-face conversation at interval in the IWA foyer and the live audience’s applause at the end of the evening were welcomed as part of the experience.
For many students, it has been re-engaging the overnight program, whether that be the Outdoor Education Year 7 Toonallook camps, the commencement of the Junior School Outdoor Education programs, the Dromana holiday football camps or the weekend Autumn Music Camp with over 100 Middle School students. These trips have again become a vital part in the life of our students.
There has also been APS/AGPS sporting fixtures bringing us together, with the inaugural twilight Girls’ First Football against Wesley under lights at Albert Park on a balmy Autumnal evening, and, in keeping with weather synonymous with Melbourne, a fortnight later our Girls’ Football team were at Bulleen on a chilly Saturday morning having snowball games as their pre-match warm up (above). It was pleasing to not only have parents as spectators at these events but to have the Soccer committee running their barbeque next to Wilcox field as part of the Saturday sport fixture.
We have also again been able to present those special events that help define our culture and purpose. The commencement service on Sandell Oval earlier in the year framed the refurbished chapel as the backdrop, with the more recent Anzac Day service and secondary House Chapel services accessing this wonderful place of worship.
We’re also grateful to be able to recommence Carey Community Forum events onsite at Carey. The next of these will take place on Monday 21 June at 7.00pm, called Teenagers, alcohol and drugs: what parents need to know. Our guest presenter is Paul Dillon, who has 25 years’ experience working in drug and alcohol education. Paul will offer tips on how to reduce the risks associated with drug taking, underage drinking and vaping, and will then answer questions from the audience. You can attend online or at the Kew campus – please register your attendance for this free event.
It has been a start to the year we had all hoped would transpire. We know we are privileged to have amazing facilities, and a breadth of program, yet it is the fact that we can again come together as students, staff and parents at events, to share in student achievement, that has been the cause for genuine gratitude in 2021.
Peter Robson
Deputy Principal – Wellbeing
