From the Deputy Principal (Acting)
By Mr Sean Toovey
Working together to raise Men of Action
At St Patrick's College, we place enormous value on the partnership between school and home. We know that boys thrive when the significant adults in their lives work together with a shared purpose, mutual respect, and a commitment to their growth.
As parents, it is both natural and important that you advocate for your son. You know him best, and you are his first teacher. You bring insights, experiences, and perspectives that help us understand and support him more effectively. We welcome that advocacy and the conversations that come with it.
Equally, we ask families to remain open to the expertise and professional judgement of the educators who work with boys every day. Our teachers, House Deans, counsellors and leaders are deeply committed to understanding boys and supporting their academic, social, emotional, and spiritual development. When challenges arise, we bring experience, evidence-informed practice, and a broader understanding of a student's experiences across multiple settings and interactions.
At St Patrick's College, we are unapologetic about our commitment to developing Men of Action. This framework is far more than a slogan. It reflects the values, behaviours, and character traits we hope our young men will demonstrate as members of our College community and beyond. It provides clear expectations around respect, responsibility, integrity, compassion and courage. These expectations help create a learning environment where every student can flourish.
Of course, boys are still learning. They will make mistakes. They will occasionally exercise poor judgement, fail to meet expectations or fall short of the standards we aspire to. This is not evidence of failure; it is part of the learning and formation process.
What matters most is how we respond when these moments occur.
The most powerful outcomes are achieved when home and school respond consistently. When students receive the same message from the adults around them, they are more likely to reflect, learn, take responsibility, and make better choices in the future. When expectations differ significantly between school and home, growth becomes more difficult and confusion can arise.
This does not mean that families and the College will always agree on every detail. Healthy partnerships involve questions, discussion, and at times, robust conversations. However, they are grounded in a shared belief that we are all working towards the same outcome: helping young people become the best versions of themselves.
Our commitment is to work with families respectfully, professionally and in good faith. We ask that families extend that same trust and respect to our staff and processes.
In that spirit, we were blessed to welcome registered clinical psychologist, former teacher, counsellor, and bestselling author Dr Judith Locke to speak at our Working in Partnership evening last Wednesday night. Dr Locke is the author of The Bonsai Child and The Bonsai Student, and co-author of Raising Anxiety. We were also pleased to be joined by families from St John Fisher College.
Dr Locke's presentation focused on developing the traits and behaviours that help young people become confident and capable in a world that is dynamic and challenging, including:
- Confidence and independence
- Resilience and self-regulation
- Positive engagement with school and learning
- The ability to manage challenges and setbacks
We thank Dr Locke and our families for taking the time to attend. We hope those who joined us found the session valuable and informative. For more information about Dr Locke and her work, please visit: Dr Judith Locke Clinical Psychologist.
