Year 9

Year 9 is synonymous with significant physical and emotional change. With this in mind, at the beginning of the year we challenged our Year 9 students to aspire to reach their potential and focus on making good decisions.

Mr Andrew Osnain Head of Year 9

Our Pastoral Care Program involved a number of guest speakers and activities designed to bring the cohort closer together and reinforce the aforementioned challenges placed upon our students.

‘Armed for Life’ engaged our students with a workshop on leadership and developing healthy relationships. Sergeant Graham White from the WA Police Force addressed the pitfalls of social media and the current legal trends associated with social media and the use of portable devices. This issue was a central message reinforced several times by Mr Simon Harvey and myself at various stages throughout the course of the year. The students continued to work with Curtin University and the CSC Study on mental health and wellbeing. Our involvement in the survey will grant our College access to the resources currently being developed by leading health researchers on adolescent mental health and wellbeing.

New friendships were discovered in Term 2 when the boys participated in ballroom dancing lessons, capped off with a dancing social held at Mercedes College. Students were challenged to step outside of their comfort zone, try something new and in the process interact with Mercedes College students. Whilst we did not discover the next Fred Astaire the boys engaged in the lessons with enthusiasm and the positive TC Spirit which is a characteristic of the group. The concluding social was also something to remember, with the boys setting a new standard of smart casual dress which was well received by the Mercedes staff and students.

Through such activities students discovered new friends, new tastes and new attitudes. Our boys learned to bond through such challenges, and many were quick to learn the positive attributes of one another. As Head of Year I could not be more proud of the boys who aspired to the maxim of being Men for Others. Students engaged in new challenges with aplomb and discovered new friendships along the way.

Year 9 Student Council Back Row: Jordan Brown, Timothy Ludovico, Alexander Galante, Jeremy Hansen, Liam Martin, David Black, David Cain, Connor McDonald, Tylen Keizer Front Row: Toby Robertson, Justin Ng, Dean LawYimWan, Miss Amanda Marocchi, Mr Andrew Osnain, Kosta Paraskov, Gianluca Cottino, David Pham Absent: Lucas Starkie, Conor McCarthy-Rymer

Mr Andrew Osnain Head of Year 9

The year group was involved in the Sachham Nepal appeal, coordinated by Year 9 student William Gilbert. Mr Dustin Aylmore, Mr Anthony Lunt, Mr John Overton and I were approached to grow beards for the cause, and after raising funds, a shave off was organised on Centenary Park. The total raised by the year group was $1100. All proceeds went directly to the appeal, which provides refuge and shelter for women and children in Nepal. These funds will assist in rebuilding what was lost in the Nepal earthquake.

In the classroom and on the sporting field the students continue to aspire towards reaching their potential, receiving accolades in an array of competitions and performances in all subject areas, sports. Such accolades include outstanding achievements in the Australian Geography Competition, Catholic Performing Arts Festival and the Australian Mathematics Competition. I was blessed with the opportunity to hear the Middle School Chorale performance during the Catholic Performing Arts Festival and was so proud of our boys on stage. On the sporting field the success was just as profound, with a number of students achieving district or State selection in sports such as athletics, basketball, cricket, football, gymnastics and soccer. These achievements have previously been highlighted in the Headmaster’s report.

I would like to congratulate all students on a challenging and successful year and would also like to recognise our outstanding Year 9 Pastoral Care Group teachers. I look forward to working alongside our Pastoral Care Group staff in assisting our students aspire towards reaching their potential and setting the standard for other year groups to emulate.

On behalf of the Year 9 students and parents, I sincerely thank Miss Amanda Marocchi for her outstanding Pastoral Leadership in Term 2 as Acting Head of Year. The boys were blessed to have such an outstanding ambassador and mentor. Miss Marocchi is a role model for how to treat others with dignity, sincerity and kindness. I certainly witnessed these traits developing within the year group over the course of Term 2.

Year 9 enjoy Ballroom Dancing lessons with the students from Mercedes

Jeremy Hansen with his award from Rostrum