OURS Week 4 Term 4 2024 - Melbourne High School

Principal’s Report

Consistency, perseverance, failure…life lessons from Domonic Bedggood

(Gold medalists Domonic Bedggood (L) and Matthew Mitcham of Australia at the medal ceremony in the Men’s Synchronised 10m Platform Final at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images).

This week the Junior School heard from Australian diver Domonic Bedggood, a gold medallist at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and Australian representative at the 2016 and 2024 Summer Olympics.

What is remarkable about Domonic’s story is that he did not begin his elite sporting career as a diver. He began as a gymnast. He turned to diving after a fall off the high bar ended his gymnastics career. At 16 he started diving with a friend, and as they say, the rest is history.

He may have changed sport, however, what has not changed is his attitude and determination. The same attitude and determination that was present in the seven-year-old that would get up before sunrise every morning, have breakfast, commute to training on public transport (in the early years with his mother), and then go to school. After school he would undertake another training session before heading home to eat, do homework, sleep and do it all over again the next day.

As I often suggest, sport is a metaphor for life. Domonic’s speech at assembly captured this through three themes – consistency, perseverance and the ability to deal with failure.

Consistency

In Domonic’s case, continuing to maintain the training regime required to remain at the top of his game.

Perseverance

Having the tenacity required to keep going no matter how tired you feel or how tough the situation may be.

Dealing with failure

Accepting that sometimes you will not succeed as hoped and rather than giving up, reflecting on the mishaps, misadventures and times we have not achieved what we had envisioned and turn these situations into opportunities for growth and new starts.

Art Show

The Melbourne High School Art Show opens on Thursday 14 November. The event showcases creative achievements of our talented students. All students and parents are invited, light refreshments will be provided.

Peer-led learning – Year 10 History

I regularly drop into classrooms to see what students are doing. It gives me immense pleasure and joy, and a welcome break from the administrative tasks on my desk! One of the classes I visited this week was Mr Sam Slocombe’s Year 10 History class.

Here we have Jerry Liu and Jonathan Chow presenting their research on the 1966 Wave Hill Walk Off, an important First Nations milestone. The students did an excellent job in capturing some of the key elements of the event and how it has helped shape the changes in attitude and Australian legislation.

Annual Old Boys’ Dinner – Special Guest James Zong (Class of 2014)

Source: https://www.monash.edu/arts/music-performance/news-and-events/articles/pre-2024/james-zong-plays-carnegie-hall

This week we celebrated the Annual Old Boys’ Dinner at the Kooyong Tennis Club. It was a wonderful night. As well as entertaining us, James spoke about his personal and professional journey as a lawyer and concert pianist. Thank you to Jo Malley and the team for organising and overseeing the event.

Minor building works

Currently there are several minor works underway around the school. These works would not have been achieved without the support of the Department of Education, alumni, and parents. Parent contributions have assisted us with renovations to the sport change rooms and toilets, and with heating and cooling in the N building; the Department of Education has assisted us with concrete and masonry work around the T building; and the Melbourne High School Foundation has provided funds which have enabled us to renovate T35. I am very grateful for this support as it ensures our learning and recreational environments continue to remain clean, comfortable, safe and inviting.