Great things outside the classrooms
Having just returned from the final night of “Oklahoma!”, I cannot tell you how impressed I was with our students’ work! I sat next to a woman who had performed in it as a student and I suspect that her view is worth far more than mine. She was full of praise for the acting and courage of the students in immersing themselves in their roles (although she did say the boys needed some training in the fighting scenes – something I must say I wasn’t displeased with!). Parents, staff and students have been unrelenting in their praise of Oklahoma and the sell outs were testament to this. After the very significant and impressive performance of “Cabaret” last year, it would have been easy for the directors, cast and crew to feel a real sense of pressure approaching this year’s production, but if so, they have managed it with aplomb!
While Tintern and Southwood Grammar’s dramatic ‘c/v’ goes back a long time indeed (and we can be justifiably proud of our track record in our thespian achievements) for the students in our Production, each year is one of one! The challenge for them, the engagement in the drama and the growth and development as actors and young men and women are all ‘one offs’, unaffected by our history in performing arts. The number of younger students, the number of boys involved (musicals traditionally find it difficult to engage young men) and the clear effort and energy of the production spoke volumes for the commitment of the students, along with the wise, expert and supportive guidance of the staff. It was an all-around winner, without doubt!
Swimming @ Tintern is clearly a growing force under the leadership of Ms Natalie Upjohn. In recent years, we have attracted a core group of strong squad swimmers right through the age groups, who have represented the School with distinction at EISM, Schools’ Championships, States and beyond. As a result, the global bar has been raised for the entire squad, with clear benefits for all our swimmers. In this final week of term, this has meant we have had numerous participants make selection for the EISM Champions Meet in swimming – quite literally, the best of the best! To make this meet is a great honour and that we have so many, as a relatively small school, is testament to the students’ effort, persistence and commitment and the oversight and support of Mr Jurey, Ms Upjohn and the staff.
While these co-curricular areas are clearly providing wonderful opportunities for our students, we will continue to look to grow both our sporting and other co-curricular offerings in the coming years.
These are but two examples of many, where our students are truly living out our School’s motto: Factis non verbis.
To finish, can I alert you to some changes to my (semi) regular vlog on this page? Up to this point, they have been largely editorials and I think if you have watched any/some/most of them, you are probably well and truly over me!
In the future, I will utilise the “Principal’s Vlog” to interview and provide insight into our Vice-Principals and Heads of Schools, the Heads of other significant areas of the School, other staff and students from a variety of sections of the School. I anticipate that these will be semi-regular, perhaps once or twice each term. I am very much looking forward to this and I think they will be a welcome change from the ‘veditorials’ to this point!
Factis non Verbis
Please click on the Video Blog below from our Principal, Mr Brad Fry.
