Message from Richard Baker, Acting Head of Junior School
Dear Junior and Pre-school Families,
Simon Sinek once said, “To be innovative, we can’t look to what others have done. The whole idea of blazing a path is that there was no path there before.” At Cranbrook, one of our core values is inspiring excellence and that’s exactly what our teachers and special guests aimed to cultivate this week as we chart our own path forward.
On Tuesday, our Year 5 students participated in a variety of leadership workshops, led by Ms Sophie Boniface, Ms Casey Zhang, Mr Mark De Brun and Mr Mat Power, as well as Cranbrook’s Head Prefect, Huon Groves. These sessions provided our students with opportunities to demonstrate character, engage in critical thinking and, most importantly, practise collaboration as part of their unit of inquiry.
We were especially fortunate to have Mr Lee Germon, CEO of Cricket NSW, as our keynote speaker. Mr Germon brings a wealth of leadership experience from both his sports career and his current executive role. Formerly the captain of the New Zealand national cricket team, he is well-known for his strategic thinking, resilience, and dedication to his team. Since transitioning into executive leadership, Mr Germon has focused on building a culture of excellence, collaboration, and integrity within Cricket NSW. During his talk, he shared personal insights on what it means to be a leader, being proactive and creating habits, emphasising qualities such as accountability, empathy and vision. His journey provided an inspiring example of how leadership skills can be developed and applied in diverse fields, leaving a lasting impression on our Year 5 students.
I also had the pleasure of taking a Philosophy workshop titled Building Reflective Leadership. Throughout the day’s activities, we encouraged students to explore the skills of leadership and teamwork in a way that allows for open-ended discussion and personal reflection. In Philosophy for children, our role isn’t to direct students toward a single viewpoint but to guide them in thinking critically and reflecting deeply. Experiential learning, followed by reflection, provides an honest space for students to form their own ideas about leadership.
To extend these important discussions, here are some questions you might enjoy exploring with your son this week (these are relevant for all Cranbrook students, from Kindergarten through to Year 6):
- What is a leader?
- Do leaders always need to be chosen?
- When might it be best for someone to choose themselves as a leader?
- Does every team need a leader?
- How do you recognise someone as a leader?
- What are the “must-have” qualities of a leader?
Please take note of some other significant events in the coming weeks:
- 2025 Y1-Y6 New Parent Information Session – Wednesday, 27 November, 8:30–9:30am
- K–5 Moving Up Morning – Wednesday, 27 November, 8:15–10:30am
- Y3–Y6 Christmas Lunch – Thursday, 28 November 11am
- Y3–Y6 Swimming Carnival – Friday, 29 November (all day at AFC)
- Kindergarten to Y2 Christmas Celebration – Wednesday, 4 December
- Y6 Valedictory Service – Friday, 6 December, 1:15pm JS Gym
- Last day of classes – Tuesday, 10 December
- JS Prize Giving Ceremony – Wednesday, 11 December, 10am
Kind regards,
Richard Baker
Acting Head of Junior School