Boarding Schools Expo

The NSW, ACT & VIC Boarding Schools Resource

Subscribe to our newsletter

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • 2021 Expos
    • Dubbo 14–15 May
    • Griffith (pop-up) 3 June
    • Wagga Wagga 4–5 June
    • Narrabri 23–24 July
    • About Our Expos
  • Schools
    • Directory
    • Scholarships
    • Open Days
    • School Fees
  • Choosing a School
    • Checklist
    • Video Quick Tips
    • Share your Boarding School Experience
    • Parents Share your Decision Process
  • ICPA
  • Blog
  • eNews Archive
  • Contact
  • Exhibitor Area

A community facing challenges together

June 8, 2020 By Kim Goldsmith

Scots Albury students
Photo supplied

2020 marked the beginning of a new decade but with this exciting milestone came new and old challenges for regional communities. Some familiar, such as drought and bushfire, and others new, COVID-19, remote learning and social distancing.

The Scots School Albury has been facing these adversities together with its students and their families.

Head of Boarding, Mr Neale Poole says, “Our boarding community is a place where our students feel a strong sense of belonging. Maintaining a close connection with where they come from is also something we strongly promote.”

Support is a key pillar of boarding culture

Boarding students and their families throughout Australia have been impacted by drought as well as bushfire within the past 12 months. Life events such as these have ongoing impacts in a range of different ways and support is vital for students.

Its important for the boarding environment to provide strong support onsite with specialised staff such as counsellors, psychologists and nurses. Workshops from local mental health services can also be helpful when supporting those affected.

Year 10 student Lana Martin speaks about the support she feels from the Scots boarding environment.

“The boarding staff check in with us and our family often to make sure we are all travelling okay, and they are always asking if there is anything further they can do to support us.

“They’re very aware of our individual issues. We feel like the staff and our friends in boarding are behind us whatever is going on in our lives, good or bad. It’s a great feeling”.

To thrive, students need to adapt and be agile in their thinking

New experiences and challenges present regularly inside and outside the classroom. These situations allow students to develop their skills and resilience. Students’ ability to adapt was crucial earlier this year when facing the challenges of COVID-19. Boarding students returned home to their families and commenced online learning. 

Mitchell Russell, a Year 10 student says, “Scots provided a well laid out way to continue to access schooling. With well organised and constantly adapting classes, we are able keep learning.

“No generations before have gone through what we are battling today. We will come out of this stronger and more resilient than ever”.

Clear, open communication is an important way to remain connected

Being able to speak with students, parents and teachers is important in the education and wellbeing aspects of a boarding environment. The Head of Boarding acts as a leadership figure for each boarding student and liaises with key staff members such as section leaders, learning mentors, teachers and wellbeing staff to share information and offer further support to students and their families when the need arises.

Communication between boarders is also a big part of day to day life in the Boarding House. It is encouraged that boarding students establish strong connections with one another and stay in touch with each other over school holidays and during times apart. The boarding environment often creates lifelong friendships.

Bradley Luff, Year 12, explains what it’s mean to him.

“In my experience boarding at Scots, I have learnt to take many steps towards maturity. I’ve become aware that both my teachers and friends want me to achieve academically, athletically and socially.

“Healthy communication between boarders provides an opportunity to share what you believe in and learn what others feel is right, helping to grow a better appreciation for your peers.”

Opportunity to grow and build resilience

Even though it has been a difficult start to the year for many regional communities and families, it has been an opportunity to grow and a chance to build resilience. This time has also highlighted the benefit of communities coming together to achieve common goals and the advantage of having a community surrounding you.

Book an interview with one of our schools

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Boarding Schools, Personal Development, Teens

Blog Rectangle

Blog Square

Recent Posts

  • Encouraging independence in your teen boarder
  • Boarding school vs day school
  • 8 Ways to Help Your Daughter Love Her Body (When You’re Not There to Remind Her)
  • Boarding offers a community of support
  • Embrace your time and be yourself
  • Developing character and deepening friendships
  • Building resilience in young people through boarding
  • A community facing challenges together
  • Stannies stands for ‘community’ in a time of unprecedented change
  • Embracing transition, change and uncertainty

RSS Generation Next

  • How Parents Can Build Learning Strengths
  • Connecting with others remotely: What have we learned from online learning?
  • Talk soon. Talk often. A guide for parents talking to their kids about sex
  • How to maintain a healthy biome in a COVID-19 world
  • Victoria is boosting disability support in schools by A$1.6 billion. Here are 4 ways to make the most of it

RSS Dan Haesler

  • “The Robots Are Coming!” – Chatting with Dr Jordan Nguyen
  • Chatting Coaching with Michael Bungay Stanier
  • 🎶 Tonight I’m gonna email like it’s 1999 🎶
  • A Conversation with Sir Ken Robinson
  • [SNEAK PREVIEW] Chatting with Sir Ken Robinson

RSS Justin Coulson

  • Is Growth Mindset Another Fad?
  • Should We Stop Investing In Positive Psychology?
  • Can you discipline other people’s kids?
  • What 7 Things Matter When Hiring a Speaker?
  • Jobs, Careers, and Callings; Job Crafting

Copyright © 2021 Boarding Schools Expo · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.