Brighter Futures, Spring 2021

A brighter future

Enabling success in a diversity of ways

Felice, in Year 6, completed a NIDA holiday program in singing and drama and has written her own songs. NJ read 2,650 pages in a month for our Read-a-thon. Fifi grew in confidence working with a speech pathologist, and Tilly moved from a D to a B in Maths to win our Stephen Floyd Prize for Most Improved.

Danny, an aeronautical engineering student, made the Vice Chancellor's List three years running and graduated with a Weighted Average Mark of 90.10%. Sammy graduated in Veterinary Science and now works at a mixed practice in a small rural community.

Life in lockdown

Supporting our students

We made regular check-in calls with every family affected by lockdown, and funded desks, chairs, headphones and better internet so online learning could work. To get students away from screens, we ran a scavenger hunt and sent science, painting and clay kits.

Our new Student Engagement Program set a challenge each term: a Read-a-thon, the 'My Future is Bright' art challenge and 'Movement for My Health'.

Kindness from our community

A past student leaves a legacy

Nance McKenzie attended the William Thompson Masonic School from 1926 to 1936, after her father, a war veteran, died in a work accident. She became School Captain and Dux, and later a loyal supporter of A Start in Life.

When Nance passed away in May 2021 she left us a bequest, and her children have since made a donation of their own in her memory.

Student achievements

Helping students develop study habits

A visual organiser helped Al set a routine. He moved from a C to a B in English and Maths and is now doing accelerated Maths. A whiteboard helped Tiger plan her homework; she now reads up to two hours a night and has received school awards for her work at home and for literacy.