Message from Michele Marquet

Dear Junior and Pre-School families,

A very warm welcome to Cranbrook Junior School for the 2024 academic year! It was a delight to see so many of our students and families return last Tuesday and particularly wonderful to watch our Kindergarten boys arrive for their first longer day of school today. A very special welcome to those families who are new to the Cranbrook community, as well as our new members of staff.

Please remember that the Reception for the Junior School is overseen by Jill McPherson, our Office Manager K-6, and she can assist with all enquiries. The Junior School Reception phone number is 9327 9100. Our EA to the Executive, Gaia Tedeschi, manages the Absence Line and will often be the person in touch with families when their son is away.

K-6 PARENT INFORMATION SESSIONS – Thursday, 1 February 2024
Our 2024 Parent Information Session is being held tonight. The K-6 Parent Information Evening is the first opportunity for K-6 parents to hear about planned events and key information for 2024. Along with an opportunity to hear from your son’s teaching team, we will hear from our Coordinator of Educational Development, Mrs Heather Brodie who will help our families understand the approach we take and the model implemented at Cranbrook Junior School to differentiate our teaching to suit the broad and complex needs of our students. We ask one parent from each family to attend.

After tonight’s sessions, our families will be emailed with a document with important organisational and curriculum points for the relevant year group. We ask parents to read the document carefully and direct questions to their son’s Class Teacher.

K-6 PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS – Week 3
Our initial parent-teacher interviews will mainly take place during Week 3. This meeting will provide a personal opportunity for parents to share important information that will assist us to teach their son this year. Specific times for your son’s Class Teacher should be booked using the School Interviews email link which will be sent to families early next week. Please book in your preferred time by Friday, 9 February 2024.

Also in your son’s year level tab will be the Student Profile Parent Survey which will be sent home as a hard copy for parents to complete prior to the interview. If your copy does not make it home, please head to your son’s year level tab on Cranbrook Connect under General Information. Return this as soon as possible to your son’s Class Teacher.

Naming Uniform Clothing – especially sunhats
The embroidery company we have previously recommended for assisting with name labelling for uniform items has recently closed. Instead, for help with labelling hats and other uniform items, we suggest you please try:

Fully Promoted (Embroider Me)
Shop 1
117-123 Bronte Road
Bondi Junction NSW 2022
(02) 9386 1212

We look forward to seeing many P-Y6 parents at the Whole School Welcome Drinks next Thursday evening at the Senior School (please see link below) and we hope everyone has a wonderful week.

With thanks,

Michele Marquet

From the Deputies

K – Y6 CARLINES
Thank you to our many parents who cooperate so wonderfully to assist the carline to run as smoothly as possible. As Co-Curricular activities and training commence next week, we should start to see the carline move into a smoother rhythm.

A few reminders for our parents as we settle into these routines:

There is ONE key change to K-Y2 collection times on a Wednesday. We have moved Assembly/Chapel to the last part of the school day rather than straight after lunch, so attending parents can take their sons home at the conclusion of the Assembly/Chapel.

If you need to collect your child in the carline, please arrive at the indicated time for his year group and not before:

For Kindergarten, please arrive at 2.50pm, except on Wednesdays when you should arrive at 3.10pm.
For Y1 and Y2, please arrive after 3.00pm, as students are still in class until 3pm, except on Wednesdays when you should arrive at 3.10pm.
For Y3 and Y4, please arrive after 3.20pm.
For Y5 and Y6, please arrive at 3.30pm.

For the afternoon carline

Please go to the numbered umbrellas to collect your son – follow the staff’s direction, if not sure.
Please make sure your son can do up his own seatbelt asap. This is particularly important for our Kindergarten students.
Please display your son’s name card on entry to the internal drive.
Please display the card on the sun visor flap – placing it on the dashboard makes it very difficult to see.

For the second carline after co-curricular activities

Please follow the directions of our staff, including our security guards, when asked to move on.

K – Y6 HOW TO ORDER LUNCH FROM THE CANTEEN
Our canteen provider is Chartwells. Cranbrook is a cashless school, so all lunch orders are made through My Student Account (MSA).

There are no over the counter orders or sales. If you have not done so already, please create an account. You will then be able to order your son’s lunch online here. After you log in, select ‘Online Orders’ under ‘Online Ordering’, then select your child’s account and click the blue ‘Create New Order’ button. Then choose the relevant menu and start ordering.

K – Y6 BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE
To assist our families with work commitments or other needs and to allow staff to prepare adequately for the teaching day, TheirCare operate before and after-school care onsite for any K-Y6 Cranbrook student.

We ask all Junior School families to enrol their sons with our before and after school care provider, so that they can attend TheirCare for any early drop-offs required or in the case of an emergency after school. Enrolment takes 10-15 minutes online and costs nothing. Any student who arrives before 7:45am (and who is not enrolled in a co-curricular activity) will be taken to before-school care, so they can be safely supervised. Similarly, boys who are not collected on time in the afternoons will be required to attend TheirCare’s after school programme.

Please click here to complete the enrolment process (go to ‘Book Now’ tab and complete the form).

Dates for your diary
Please follow this link to see an overview of some of the planned events for this term. We are looking forward to catching up with many of you over the next few weeks.

Confident and Capable – Dr Judith Locke

Compulsory Parent Session for Cranbrook Junior School Kindergarten

Thursday, 8 February 8.45 for 9.00am – 10.30am

Junior School Gym

Families who are not new to the school are also welcome to join us, if they would like to hear Dr Locke.

CSPA Whole School Welcome Drinks – Thursday, 8 February

The CSPA warmly invites all Pre-School, Junior and Senior School parents to welcome in the New Year and bring the parent community together to celebrate on the Governor’s Ballroom terrace. This event provides a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new families across the school. Rest assured there will be clear signage to guide you to find other parents in your son’s year groups.

When: Thurs 8 Feb 2024 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Where: Mackay Lawn (adjacent to the Memorial Chapel, Cranbrook Senior School Campus)

RSVP: 1 February 2024

Please follow this link to book your tickets now!

Save the date: Family Fun Day for CETOP

Please save the date for a Cranbrook CETOP and CSPA Family Fun Day event on Sunday, March 17, 2024! This exciting day promises a blend of delicious food, exhilarating fun and a chance to interact with furry animals. Bring your family and friends for a day filled with joy, laughter, and community spirit as we come together to raise funds for CETOP’s initiatives in Nepal and Ladakh. Mark your calendars for this unforgettable Cranbrook event!

Health Centre News

Dear Parents & Caregivers,

Welcome to the new school year! Here are a few start of year reminders/notifications from the Junior School Health Centre.

As we have students who have highly sensitive allergies, please do not include any nuts in your child’s food for school. It is also helpful that they know food sharing is not allowed for this reason.

Throughout the school year, you may receive contact from me via email or a phone call regarding a contagious illness. If your child has something that is contagious, please let me know when you are able, as I may have to notify other students families that have been in contact with them.

Also, as per NSW Health standards we do ask that if your child has vomiting or diarrhea, they remain home for 24 hours from the last time they experience those symptoms.

If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me at JSNurse@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au or on 9327 9108.

All the best,

Nurse Jess

Pre-schools News

Dear Pre-school Families,

Welcome to Term 1 of 2024. We are delighted to have both our new and returning families join us as we embark on this exciting journey. The start of the Pre-school year has been filled with joy, and the anticipation of wonderful experiences ahead.

A friendly reminder to ensure that all your child’s belongings, including clothing, bags, lunch boxes, water bottles and bedding, are clearly labelled. We kindly request that children wear black shoes as part of their Cranbrook uniform, which is currently the summer uniform.

At Pre-school, we are committed to fostering a healthy and balanced lifestyle for our children. We kindly request your support in maintaining a nutritious diet for your child’s morning tea and lunch boxes. In an effort to promote healthy eating habits, we ask that sweet treats be reserved for outside of Pre-school hours. This year, we have a few children with allergies, and to ensure the safety and well-being of all our students, we have displayed posters around the Pre-school highlighting specific food allergies. We understand the importance of being vigilant in this matter, and we ask for your cooperation in adhering to any dietary restrictions outlined on these posters. Please speak with your classroom teachers if you are unsure.

We extend a warm invitation to all parents to join us for our upcoming Parent Information Evenings:

St. Michael’s: Wednesday, 7 February, from 6 pm to 7 pm.

St. Mark’s: Thursday, 8 February, from 5 pm to 6 pm.

These evenings provide valuable insights into the curriculum, activities and goals for the term. It’s also an excellent opportunity to meet our dedicated staff, ask any questions you may have, and connect with other parents within the Cranbrook community.

Kind regards,

Abigail

Sport

Y3-Y6 Sport – Cranbrook Parent App & Sports Teams
We kindly remind our Y3-Y6 families to please ensure that they have downloaded the Cranbrook Parent App, as this is the only way that team information and fixtures are communicated during the Summer sports season. Students will be placed in their teams by next Wednesday and this should be visible in the App at that time.

For more information about the sport your son is playing this season, please access the specific sports sheet available on Cranbrook Connect.

Please remember before and after school Summer Sports Training (Y3-Y6) sessions commence next week on Monday, 5 February.

Please also remember our first Summer sports fixture (for Y3-Y6 sports teams) is held at the end of next week on Saturday, 10 February.

Reminder re Uniforms
In Term 1, students in K-Y6 may wear their PE uniform to and from school on these days each week:

K-Y6: Any day their class has a timetabled PE lesson
All K-Y2 classes: Thursdays for Fundamental Movement lessons
Y3-Y6: on the day they have their sports team training session either before or after school (PE uniform for all; basketballers may also bring their training shirt)
Y3-Y6: Fridays for their Sports lesson after lunch

Junior School Music News – Term 1

A very warm welcome to you all, particularly new parents to the Junior School. Music in the Junior School plays a very important role in developing the whole-child and our dynamic Music Program provides a vast array of curriculum and performance opportunities to stimulate creativity, ways of thinking, enhance a sense of community and improve well-being in every child. We look forward to fostering your son’s participation and engagement over the course of the year.

Co-curricular Music and Instrumental Lessons 2024
If your son was in a music group for 2023, such as Chamber Choir, JSSO or Concert Band, we assume that he will continue in this group in 2024 unless we are otherwise advised. Please note: Co-Curricular Music ensemble rehearsals and private instrumental lessons commence in Week 2.

How do I enrol my son for private instrumental lessons?
To enrol, please go to the Operoo App and complete the “Learning an Instrument” form found in the “Form Library.” Further questions can be directed to our Music Administrator, Sandra Trew, who rosters and coordinates these lessons: strew@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

Auditions for Chamber Choir and Cranbrook Voices
All of Year 3 and all new boys to the School (in Years 4 to 6) will be auditioned for a potential place in the Chamber Choir. A letter of offer will be given to those whose audition was successful.

Boys in Year 5, whom are currently in the Chamber Choir, qualify to audition for a potential place in Cranbrook Voices. Auditions for Voices will take place in the first two weeks of Term, during class or after our first Chamber Choir rehearsal. An email will be sent to parents if their son’s audition was successful.

K-6 Music Morning Concerts
This year, in place of Lunchtime Concerts, we will hold Music Morning Concerts on certain Fridays from 8:00am to 8:30am in Music Room 1. These concerts are open to boys in K to 6 who have a piece at performance standard, regardless of level, to perform. It’s always wonderful to hear their great work and witness our students’ progress in an encouraging environment. Instrumental teachers sign up their students, as appropriate, and you will receive an email from me with an invitation to attend should you like to hear your son perform. Please click attachment for more information.

JS Music events – Term 1
Please click here to see the comprehensive list of JS music events for Term 1. More information will be provided regarding these specific events as the term progresses.

We look forward to wonderful music-making in 2024!

Warmest wishes,

Peter Fox
Head of Music, JS

Optional Co-curricular

Optional Co-curricular activities for Y1-Y6 commence next Monday, 5 February.