A time of growth at SBC as enrolments soar

After 12 months at the helm of Central Queensland’s leading day and boarding school for boys, St Brendan’s College Principal, Robert Corboy, is not taking his foot off the pedal for 2019, with rising enrolments, significant capital upgrades and the addition of exceptional new staff setting the pace for a strong year for the College.

“SBC Boarding will welcome 226 boarders into our three residences on Monday 28 January, with our new Head of Boarding Fr Pius Jones taking the reins this year to work towards best-practice boarding in consultation with our existing residential staff,” Mr Corboy said.

“695 students will then commence school on Tuesday 29 January, a 13 per cent increase in enrolments for 2019; and this increase is supported by 19 new staff across teaching and learning, boarding, sport and administration,” he said.

“We have attracted the highest calibre teachers and professionals to St Brendan’s College for 2019 to join our existing team, and welcome academics who come to us from roles as Principal, Deputy Principal, Senior and Middle School leaders from around Australia,” Mr Corboy said.

“We have a strategic focus on growth and will work to ensure our curriculum offering is strong, focusing on upgrading our Science Labs and Resource Centre in 2019; and bringing these facilities into line with the state-of-the-art offering we have across manual arts and trade training, music and performing arts, sports and agriculture,” said Mr Corboy.

“We will also work on recommissioning our fourth boarding residence, Wallace, from a camps and visitor facility back to full-time boarding to cater for our significant growth in boarding numbers,” he said.

For new Head of Boarding, Fr Pius, his priority is to ensure that every one of the 226 boarders at the College is safe, happy and engaged and that ‘boarding life’ is a wonderful experience and one that builds and develops their character, life and social skills.

“I have visited St Brendan’s College a number of times over many years and I have always been taken with the spirit of St Brendan’s College and the Edmund Rice ethos,” said Fr Pius.

“My mandate is to ensure that recommendations from the 2018 SBC Boarding Review are implemented, and with this will be a strong focus on the pastoral care of each boy; ensuring that we cater for a wide range of needs and interests in boarding to add to the overall education and life experience the boys gain at St Brendan’s College,” Fr Pius said.

For Principal Robert Corboy the growth at the College will better enable the staff to deliver a holistic education, developing good young men of knowledge, faith and justice.  

“The College prides itself on offering a diverse academic and extra-curricular program with abundant opportunities and pathways for our students from Years 7 to 12, with the overriding emphasis on faith, justice and the Edmund Rice tradition, and I am confident our team will do this well in 2019,” Mr Corboy said.

The College community welcomes the following new staff and new appointments for 2019:

• Mr Andrew Lawrence – VET Coordinator
• Mr Nathan Doyle – Director of Rugby League
• Mrs Jackie Russell – Careers Counsellor
• Mrs Sheridan Simms – Head of Department IT
• Mrs Joanne Gardiner – Science/Math
• Miss Shani Smith – English
• Miss Alyssa Priddle – Music/Religious Education
• Mr Brian Barry – Automotive/ITD
• Mr Cameron Neyland – Science
• Mr Blair McWhinney - Religion
• Mrs Deb Condon – Counselling
• Ms Chris Gooch – Responsible Thinking Centre (RTC)
• Mrs Carina Merrifield – Responsible Thinking Centre (RTC)
• Ms Katie Minto – Teacher Aide – Learning Support
• Mr Scott Minto - Sports Administration
• Ms Elizabeth Varley – Library Assistant
• Ms Anita Rossiter – Science Aide

Boarding

• Fr Pius Jones – Assistant Principal, Residential
• Mr Trent Gorrie – Boarding Recreation Officer
• Mr Damien McLuskie – Head of Residence
• Mr David & Mrs Jan Finch – House Parents
• Mr Scott & Mrs Bindi Minto – Boarding Supervisors
• Mr Matthew Mulholland – Boarding Supervisor
• Lloyd DuToit – Boarding Supervisor (South Africa)
• Cameron Slabbard – Boarding Supervisor (South Africa)