Beginning the Journey

At the beginning of every year there is a special group of people who experience CBC Fremantle in a way that is both exciting and, at times, a little daunting.

Our new staff.

Starting in a new community takes courage. New faces. New routines. New names to learn. New stories to understand. Even where the staffroom cutlery lives can feel like a mystery in week one.

Yet what inspires me every year is the generosity with which these women and men step forward. They bring their experience, their talent, their energy and their deep desire to make a difference in the lives of our boys. They arrive wanting to contribute, to belong and to help our students grow into fine young men.

But they also inherit something significant.

When you join CBC Fremantle, you do not simply take a job. You take your place in a story more than a century in the making.

You become part of a tradition shaped by the vision of Edmund Rice, a tradition built on presence, compassion, high standards and an unwavering belief in the potential of every boy. You join a community that values relationships and the formation of the gentlemen of tomorrow.

In many ways, their experience mirrors that of our newest families.

New families to our community arrive carrying both excitement and understandable uncertainty. They wonder whether their sons will make friends, find their classrooms and discover where they fit within this new environment. Like their boys, they look to the experts around them for reassurance. They look for signs that their sons are safe, known and supported.

Beginning at a new school is not simply a transition for a student. It is a step of trust taken by an entire family.

And just as we ask our young men to trust the school, to be open to guidance, and to lean into the opportunities before them, we ask the same of the families who have entrusted their sons to us. Partnership is strongest when it is grounded in confidence, goodwill and a shared commitment to growth, trusting in the experience of those who walk with your sons each day and in the knowledge that your family has an important place within this community.

When school and home stand together, boys thrive.

The good news for our students, our families and our newest staff - is that no one walks this path alone.

They are supported by generous colleagues, wise mentors and a community that wants them to succeed. Already in these early days I have witnessed laughter in corridors, meaningful conversations in classrooms and the beginnings of relationships that will shape the year ahead.

To our new staff: thank you for choosing CBC. We are better because you are here.

To our families: when you see new faces, please offer a smile and an introduction. Help them experience what we know so well, that this is a community built on positive relationships and partnership. Your trust enables our staff to do their very best work with your sons.

The Journey continues, enriched by those who have just begun walking it with us.

Mr Brent Butcher
Vice Principal