Allow me to introduce myself… Although I have had the opportunity to meet many parents and members of the wider Somerset College community, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. It is with great pride and humility that I do so as the Deputy Headmaster of Somerset College.
I am born and bred in Adelaide but have now moved to join this magnificent College. Sharing the journey is my partner (Lani) and our two beautiful, little boys: Parker (5) and Harry (3). This is the first time that we, as a family, have lived outside of South Australia and we are incredibly excited to move to the beautiful Gold Coast.
I have been an educator for 20 years and truly love it and students are the reason why. Being able to assist students to become the best versions of themselves is what ultimately drives me. This passion for education has been enhanced and refined as I have taught at various schools and held several positions ranging from senior English, History and Business Innovation teacher, to Curriculum Coordinator in an IB school, Assistant Head of Senior School and, ultimately, to my most recent position. For the last six years I thoroughly enjoyed being the Head of Senior School at Pulteney Grammar School in Adelaide.
I note that, when coming to Somerset College in 1996, the outgoing Deputy Headmaster (Dr Michael Brohier), also moved from Pulteney Grammar. This is simply serendipity, but strangely makes me feel a little more comfortable as I reflect that he has previously undertaken the same journey I am about to embark on. Whilst mentioning Dr Brohier, I would like to take some time to formally acknowledge him. I have come to learn that he has been a dedicated servant of Somerset College and a wonderful colleague and mentor. I formally thank Dr Brohier for the exceptional work he has undertaken throughout his tenure at Somerset and assure him that I will strive to honour his legacy.
I look forward to the coming months as I become acclimated to the College, its culture and ethos. With this in mind, I am excited to work with the Headmaster, the Board and College Leadership Team, Parents and Friends Association, students and all of the wider community to identify the current and future projects which will continue Somerset College’s celebrated success.
In short: I very much look forward to working with and meeting you all and thank you so very sincerely for the welcome my family and I have already received.
“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity…”
― Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Every new school year provides opportunity for each and every one of our students. An opportunity to set new goals, new dreams, new expectations. For others, it provides an opportunity to solidify the path that they have already begun walking. It was therefore a great joy to see existing Somerset College students return in 2021 and welcome a number of new, enthusiastic – and slightly nervous – students to the College ranks.
The academic year always opens with the revered Investiture Service and the Commissioning of the Class of 2021. It was wonderful to commission the Class of 2021 and witness their pride as they walked across The Great Hall stage and into their final year of secondary schooling. We hold great hope for this cohort and have no doubt that they will honour themselves, their families and their College through dedicated action and service.
Being elected to and accepting a leadership position is always an event filled with pride for both the individual and their loved ones. It was therefore a wonderful morning when we inducted the 2021 Student Leadership Team. The following students eagerly received their leadership badges before taking the pledge of office.
Andrews House - Ryan Harraway and Jemma Clements
Franklin House - Will Barry and Pippi Harris
Laver House - Nikhil Patel and Caitlin Anderson
Starkey House - Fergus McKeon and Jinjin Wang
Veivers House - Cameron Smith and Miku Adachi
Roy Hsu and Momoe Gondo
Maito Yamaguchi and Eva Wingrove
Noah Jay and Lilliana Swainson
Kye Reynoldson and Serenity Thake
Will Roder and Kushi Tumkur
Will Toohey and Jade Bailey
Patrick Sowerby and Leigh Amores
Nicholas Tan and Hannah Kennedy
The late Lorraine Pilgrim was a founding teaching member of the College, a Head of English at Somerset and one of a small group of creators of the Somerset Celebration of Literature, now known as Somerset Storyfest. Lorraine was a feisty, highly intelligent, and passionate educator.
Each year, at the Investiture Service, it is a joy to welcome back students to the College who, in the preceding year, achieved an Australian Tertiary Admittance Rank (ATAR) of 98.85 or higher. These students are recognised by being awarded a Lorrain Pilgrim Medal. These medals symbolise commitment, dedication, endeavour, and absolute academic excellence on the part of these young adults in their studies through their two senior years.
In 2020 15 young men and women were eligible for a Pilgrim Medal. The College is very proud of these medal recipients and we wish them the very best for the future.
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