School Ties

Everyone has a path. Mine took me back to Mercedes College.

When you graduate from school, there are infinite possibilities to find your place in the world. Sometimes, these things unexpectedly bring you back to where it all began.

I started at Mercedes College in 1984 and according to my parents, it was an excellent school. It still is. That’s why we’ve decided to send our boys there from Year 7. It’s hard to appreciate a good school as a child or a teenager and I definitely took it for granted. But as parents, it’s something we tend to agonise over. We weigh up each child’s interests, how they respond to different learning environments, who their friends will be and how a school will suit their individual personalities. Are we overthinking it? No. School is an investment in their future and as parents, we’ll always put pressure on ourselves to get it right.

My 20-year reunion tour and an Orientation Walk a couple of years later, cemented our decision. It felt like we had found our school. Hayley didn’t attend Mercedes as a student, but she immediately felt a connection to it. While parking the car, the first person we saw was one of my teachers — Miss Spinelli. I was literally greeted with open arms! It showed Hayley the personal detail and level of care for each student well after graduating. What impressed me even more was seeing someone genuinely enjoying their work after 30 years. Her passion for the job is a testament to the school and the values ingrained along the way. This wasn’t a unique case. There are a handful of my teachers still working at Mercedes College. Even my first PE teacher — who instantly became a favourite — is still a critical part of the sporting curriculum’s success to this day.

Then, there are former students who have returned in professional capacities. One of my 1984 classmates, Kellie Osborn, enjoys her significant role as Head of Junior School. “Our learning environments are designed to stimulate and develop knowledgeable, caring and compassionate young people,” says Kellie.

And it’s not just the teachers. It’s the administrators, consultants and professional support staff helping the school and its students to flourish. I think this says a lot about Mercedes.

I have seen former students go on to become doctors, nurses, architects, politicians, business leaders, e-commerce success stories, famous entertainers, social justice experts and world-class athletes. I have no doubt that Mercedes College helped to provide the foundations for these well-rounded individuals, ready to take on the world!