Dear Parents and Guardians,

On Wednesday we held the Commissioning Service for Michael Parker, the 19^th Headmaster of Newington College. I would like to share an email I received from a colleague which I believe sums up the service: ‘The whole occasion was dignified, solemn, with gravitas but a real celebration of all that’s good at Newington. The boys played their role, too. Michael’s speech was a speech of hope and a terrific blueprint for the years ahead.’

Before I share excerpts of that speech with you, I would like to congratulate the Chamber Strings, conducted by Mr Trevor Mee. They performed at their very best and I heard an audible ‘Wow’ from one of our guests at the completion of their performance. Well done boys!

Our Headmaster, Mr Parker, shared his belief that schools everywhere should be committed to supporting their students’ sense of community and real connection in the face of galloping isolationism. He believes schools should be committed to rousing creativity and rigorous critical thinking; committed to hard work and rigour; and keep values front and centre if they are serious about making students the best versions of themselves for the future.

Headmaster finished by speaking directly to the boys. He told them he knows their adolescence right now is amazing yet tough. 12–18 is so much more extreme than, say, 42–48 or 62–68. They walk into our gates as children and 6 years later they leave as adults.

He wants the years your boys spend at Newington to be as good as possible. He wants our teachers to be not judges or gaolers, but coaches, advocates and mentors. He explained to the boys that older teachers may have seen it all before over the years, but they have never seen your son before – because they, in this place, are unique.

He encouraged the boys to make mates who will last with them throughout school and for decades as an Old Boy. Make friends, he said, with some people who are nothing like you; look forward to getting up in the morning because Newington is where your people, your passions and your purpose are.

After yesterday’s formal ceremony, today the boys are out on the grounds participating in House Competition Day 1. The boys are playing Volleyball, Four-Court Tennis and modified Softball. Will Moulton be able to hold onto the Shield or will Johnstone be able to wrestle it back? Anything is possible.

Enjoy your weekend.