With 12 years as a Grimwade House teacher under her belt, Jo Clancy says her additional role as a boarding tutor in Perry House is one more way she can enjoy helping students to grow.
“I’m taking all the positives from Grimwade’s pastoral care approach and adding that to what I do with the Perry House boarders,” Jo says. “Grimwade’s culture is all about strong relationships, and that’s so important in our boarding community as well.”
“The two roles complement each other well,” explains Jo. “My Grimwade House responsibilities occur mainly during the day while my boarding house duties mainly take place in the evening and on weekends, so neither is compromised by the other.”
A new perspective on student life
Having already worked as a boarding assistant for two years, Jo’s role as a boarding tutor now involves daily contact with Perry House Year 10 boarders.
“I try to spend as much time as I can with my tutor group. Whether it is checking they have collected their laundry, exploring Melbourne on weekend outings with them or checking they are speaking to their families regularly,” Jo explains. “I’m in contact with their teachers, too, so if there are issues with homework, daily organisation or how they will get to their APS game on a Saturday, I can help manage that.”
Jo says that getting to know an entirely new group of students has been one of the highlights of the new concurrent role. “I love the diversity of the boarding house community,” she says. “In my tutor group I have First Nations students, students from overseas, and students who’ve come from rural communities. No matter where they come from, I find working with teenagers incredibly rewarding.”
Bringing Grimwade’s care to boarding
While the role of boarding tutor is traditionally one held by Senior School teachers, Jo is enjoying finding ways to connect her work at Grimwade with her boarding house role.
“I had my Year 6 students write letters to the Perry House boarders, and they asked great questions about what they ate, how they did their homework, and where they were from,” Jo explains. “It gave the Year 6 students a window into a different world, and it brought a personal, community feeling to the Perry House students.”
Jo describes Grimwade House as an environment where staff are “constantly cheering each other on,” and says things are no different in the boarding house.
“If there’s ever a problem, Melbourne Grammar wants to try and solve it,” she says. “The new Head of Perry House, James Harrod, is supportive of all the staff in the House and highlights our strengths as tutors. We’re in constant communication to ensure the students wellbeing is priority. Our collective goal is to ensure everyone feels connected and progressing well in all aspects of their life.”
