Old Andreans at SACS
Friday, 12 August 2022
As part of the series where we profile an Old Andrean who now works at SACS, we caught up with Rosi Blowes (OA2007) who came back earlier this year.  
 

RH: What is your role at SACS? 

RB: I currently work as a Specialised Learning Support Assistant for Years 7 to 9.  

I go into about four different subjects, and we have kids who need a little more assistance in understanding or needing the tasks broken down or they might have dyslexia or issues which prevent them from doing work at the same speed as others.  

I tend to help those kids in the classroom.   

RH: What motivated you to come back to SACS?  

RB: Well I posted on Facebook asking if there were any jobs going and Mr Boddy – my old biology teacher - replied saying “Rosi, you should check out the School website, there are some jobs that would be perfect for you!”  

RH: Wow, that’s your Old Andrean connections helping massively!  

RB: Yeah and I think that’s testament to the type of relationship that we had with our teachers which was quite informal and approachable.  When I got the job and he saw me Mr Boddy remarked that he saw my post and thought I’d be perfect for the job.  

It was really nice.  

RH: So what was it like for you going to SACS?  

RB: One thing I can say that was very different is that we were all very touchy-feely and hugged a lot. I remember the boys at SACS being the most “in touch with their emotions” that I’d ever met in my life! I really liked that, butI don’t think it's as much of the case now.   

RH: So, would it be fair to say you enjoyed your time here?  

RB: Yes, I loved being here. I particularly learned a lot about music and had so many opportunities – girls' matins, the musicals, Les Mis was a once in a lifetime thing. I don’t think I would have had these opportunities in other schools.  

RH: So what was the naughtiest thing you did at school?  

RB: I was very good at school! I call myself a “late bloomer” and my rebellious years didn’t come until I was 27 or so!  

At school I was a pretty good kid, the only semi-scandalous thing I tell people is that in Les Mis I played a nun and a prostitute and a townsperson – although that was make believe.  

We had big classes; I was too afraid to rock the boat too much.  I had just moved back from Argentina you see, so it was a new school and a new country.  

RH: Oh wow, Argentina! Tell me about that 

RB:  So, from birth until age 15 I grew up in Argentina and I did my first nine years of schooling there. After moving back to Australia, I did year 10 at St George Christian School and then came to SACS for Year 11. 

It was a bit of a culture shock especially with social dynamics. In Argentina they were always very inclusive all the time, so if you’re going to make a plan with one person, you make sure you do it where no one else can hear you at the risk of causing offence.  

Everything you do is to make sure that the other person feels okay – more of a culture of inclusiveness. That wasn’t as much of the case in Australia and took a little bit of getting used to!  

RH: So how has being an Old Andrean affected your role here?  

RB: In all honesty, I feel like so much has changed since I was here. There are so many different buildings and people. The one thing that hasn’t changed though is the focus on empathy where people are warm and welcoming. 

RH: What else do you do when you’re not working?  

RB: I spend lots of time hanging out with friends, all over Sydney. I still love music, and I play a bit of piano and guitar. I also go to my church or go to prayer meetings. Just regular human person things!