As we celebrate National Boarding Week (May 16 – 22 2021), it is an opportunity to reflect on the quality care provided to those who board in our Catholic Schools.
There are five Catholic schools in South Australia that offer boarding. They are:
Over 300 students board across the five locations.
Sacred Heart, St Joseph’s and St Mark’s are co-educational. Loreto College provides boarding for female students and Rostrevor College supports boys.
Each site provides much more than safe accommodation – they are caring communities that support students’ learning and wellbeing.
“Our boarders thrive as vibrant, resilient and multi-talented young people on their journey to being the best young people they can be,” says Steve Byrne, Principal, Sacred Heart College and member of the Board of Directors, Australian Boarding Schools’ Association.
“Our boarders are bonded by their unique and character-building experiences as young people sharing their many achievements and challenges of living away from home!”
During 2020 the Sacred Heart Boarding House was closed for the first time since opening in 1905 due to the pandemic.
“It was a tough year for our 120 Boarders! Regardless, we were able to continue our 'home away from home' care and Marist Family Spirit which provides our boarders from all regions of South Australia and beyond with the holistic education they might not otherwise have access to.
“Generations of families continue to keep our Boarding House fully enrolled. Our boarders have added a very special dimension to Sacred Heart for over a century and continue to do so!”
St Joseph’s Port Lincoln also has a rich history and has been providing its boarding students with a home from home for more than 130 years.
“Our priorities are focused on the emotional, spiritual and physical wellbeing of our students,” explains Kate Benjamin, director of boarding at St Joseph’s Port Lincoln.
“We take the time to get to know the students, help them set goals for the year and then work with them to achieve them.
“We also work closely with our school wellbeing leaders who provide different programs for our students; for example, we do yoga one night a week to help the students deal with stress and learn mindfulness techniques. We have Morning Prayer and the boarders on campus at the weekend go to mass with the local parish.”
National Boarding Week is an initiative of the Australian Boarding Schools’ Association (ABSA), the leading authority in Australia on boarding for school-aged children
ABSA promotes the interests and wellbeing of boarders, boarding staff, boarding parents and boarding institutions in Australia.
Students from Gleeson College, Golden Grove have recently taken part in a virtual reality trial that allowed students to tour the world – virtually!
Gleeson is the first school in South Australia to take part in an exciting trial with The University of Adelaide Computer Science Education Research Group (CSER), with access to cutting-edge technology helping students to experience countries around the world.
