This year marks 20 years of CETOP. To celebrate their work, CETOP are holding a celebration at Easts Rugby Club on Friday, 8 August.
This special event brings together past and present students, families, volunteers and supporters to honour the relationships and impact that have shaped CETOP’s journey across Nepal and Ladakh.
Enjoy an evening of inspiring stories, community connection and shared purpose as we celebrate all that has been achieved and look ahead to what is next. To join us and learn more about why this trip has lasting impact click here.
Prayer Morning
On Friday, 1 August there will be a community prayer morning with Mr Noble for any parents, carers or staff in our JS community. It will be held from 7:50am in Meeting Room 1 (near Junior School reception). It is an opportunity to spend time in prayer for each other and the school. We run prayer meetings the first Friday of each month during term time.
Term 3 Staff Development Day
On Monday, Cranbrook School had the great pleasure of welcoming our 9th Head of School, Dr Anne Johnstone.
Dr Johnstone opened the day with a thoughtful and inspiring address in which she shared her philosophy of education that schools should be places where students are not only stretched intellectually, but also supported emotionally, morally and spiritually. Education, she emphasised, should nurture the whole person and empower young people to flourish with purpose, resilience and joy.
She spoke candidly about how her philosophy was shaped by her own journey as an educator, particularly her drive to better understand and support students struggling with failure avoidance, perfectionism and pressure. This deepening interest led her to undertake further academic study, completing a Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a PhD in Education at the University of Melbourne. In her doctoral research, she developed the concept of an ‘Other Person Mindset’ – a transformative model of wellbeing based on the idea that by intentionally building the wellbeing of others, individuals also enhance their own capacity to flourish.
Dr Johnstone also reflected on Cranbrook’s proud history and the powerful values embedded in the School, including its motto Esse Quam Videri – to be, rather than to seem to be – which calls us to live with authenticity and integrity. She spoke of how closely these values align with her own, and how they support students to fulfil their potential.
Above all, Dr Johnstone spoke with a sense of hope, a genuine optimism for this new chapter in Cranbrook’s story, and for what we can achieve together as a community.
Her address set the tone for an uplifting Appreciative Inquiry session, which brought together staff from across our Pre-schools, Junior School and Senior School campuses. Guided by the 4D model (Discover, Dream, Design, Deliver) we reflected on Cranbrook’s core strengths, shared stories of impact, and imagined bold aspirations for the School’s future.
Staff collaborated in focus groups exploring areas such as teaching and learning, wellbeing, professional growth, co-curricular life, and community engagement. These rich discussions revealed the depth of expertise, care and commitment that characterise our community, and the collective energy to move forward with purpose.
Thank you, Dr Johnstone, for your leadership and vision. We’re excited for the journey ahead and grateful to be shaping it together.
Hannah Thomas Director of Professional Learning
Regional Snowsports Report 2025
In the last week of the School holidays, 96 boys from K-12 participated in the Sydney Interschools Championships, held in Thredbo. This impressive group of Cranbrook students took to the slopes on skis and snowboards, armed with fantastic attitudes and total commitment. While high winds made some days challenging on the side of the mountain, the majority of the week, good weather prevailed. All competitors are to be congratulated for their enthusiasm, excellent results and hard work.
Some of our students participated in the Redlands Cup or the Scots Race at the beginning of the week, as a warm up. Division 4 skiers (Sebastian Salter, Hugo Croft, Xavier Fern and Joe Robertson) and Division 5 skiers (Hugo Fern, Noah Stivala, Henry Stuart-Grant) both took home bronze team medals in Redlands Cup and Charlie Roberts, Division 3, took home an individual bronze in the Scots race.
SNOWBOARDING This year saw a record number of Snowboarders enter for Cranbrook.
Division 2 Snowboard GS saw our A Team (Ziggy Edwards, Milo Gibney and Oscar Croft) earned a silver medal, all of them coming in the top 10. Special mention to Ziggy Edwards for his individual bronze. This team also was on the podium again for the Snowboard Cross, earning a team silver, and Ziggy with another individual bronze. Thank you to Fred Humphreys and Thomas Dalgleish for their reputable finishes as well.
Division 3 Snowboard GS A Team (Seb Tucker, Charlie Roberts and Sam Spry) brought home a team bronze, and Seb Tucker earned an individual silver. This team also qualified for State with a 5th place result in Snowboard Cross, which guarantees them a spot at State. Shoutout to Alex Cao, also, for his cracking first race experience.
Cohen Salamon and his teammate Raphael Wessels earned a bronze medal in the Division 4 Snowboard GS. Cohen also qualified individually for Snowboard Cross, coming in 15th place.
ALPINE Our one and only Division 1 team was made up of our Captains Sach Edwards and Elliot Roberts, as well as Henry Dawson and Henry Jordan. Their leadership on the mountain was fantastic throughout the week. This division is notoriously the toughest on the mountain, so whilst our team did not progress to State, they can be extremely proud of their effort and times.
Division 2 Alpine put in a huge performance, with great individual efforts from all skiers on a course with very limited visibility. Shout-out to James Walker for placing 15th, and to the A Team (James Walker, Oscar Parsons, Oliver Southwell-Keely) who placed 6th overall, narrowly missing out on State qualification by less than four-tenths of a second.
In Division 3 Ski Cross, Charlie Roberts placed 6th individually on a fast-paced and technical course. The A Team (Charlie Roberts, Archer Hutchinson, Steve Haritos) skied well to finish 5th overall, guaranteeing them a place at the state event.
The Division 4 Alpine A Team (Hugo Croft, Sebastian Salter, James Cowan and Imanol Plante) won a silver medal, only a fraction off gold! Congratulations also go to Hugo Croft, Seb Salter, and James Cowan who all placed in the top 10 individually.
Division 5 Alpine A Team (Hunter Whittle, Orlando Fern, Ryan Shi and Sandy Dusseldorp) earned a silver medal and Cranbrook B Team (Wynn Au, William Britten-Jones, Oliver Czinner and James Nicholason) placed 4th, qualifying for State.
Congratulations to Hunter Whittle for his individual bronze result and Ryan Shi for placing 4th. This is our largest division this year and all of the teams brought home solid results, particularly as it was the first racing experience for many of our participants.
Finally, our youngest students in Division 6 Alpine were amazing in their first races! The A Team (Hugo Fern, Sam Cowan, Armie Salamon and Edward Darke) placed 1st overall, taking home gold!
Well done to our Division 2 participants who gave it their all on a tight and high-speed course. Shout outs go to our A Team (Oscar Parsons and James Walker), who achieved a very respectable 7th place, whilst our B Team (Oliver Southwell-Keely, Charlie Parker and Tom Daglish) also placed well at 12th.
The Division 3 Alpine A Team (Charlie Roberts, Archer Hutchinson, Steven Haritos and William Holt) placed 6th overall, with Charlie Roberts achieving a bronze medal individually. Our B Team (Jasper Lee, Sam Spry, Julian Rosza and Joe Hinchliffe) also placed well at 11th. This was a packed division with lots of talent, so well done to all who competed!
In Division 4 Ski Cross, the A Team (James Cowan, Hugo Croft, Joe Robertson) put down some seriously fast runs to place 3rd overall, a bronze! Huge shout-out to the B Team (Xavier Fern, Sebastian Salter, Imanol Plante) who finished 4th and qualified for the State championships!
At the Division 5 Ski Cross race our A Team (Hunter Whittle, Ryan Shi, Sandy Dusseldorp) won a bronze medal, and Hunter Whittle also won an individual bronze.
The Division 6 Ski Cross race saw our A Team (Hugo Fern, Sam Cowan and Edward Darke) finish with a gold medal! This was complimented by our B Team (Sam Mckelvey, Armie Salamon and Noah Stivala) who won a bronze medal! Individually, Hugo Fern also picked up a bronze medal, with Sam Cowan, Sam McKelvey, and Armie Salamon all finishing in the top 10.
Congratulations to all the boys for what was a great week of racing.
A big thank you to Mrs Whitten, Mr Scardino, the Snowsports Parent Committee, and Mrs Erickson, for coordinating and running an amazing week of Snowsports. We appreciate all the work everyone put in behind the scenes. It was also fun to have a guest appearance from Mrs Allen-Waters, who came down and supported all of her current and past students! Thanks to our Snowsports parents for making the travel down and being the best supporters the boys could ask for. Finally, thanks to all of our Cranbrook participants for constantly giving it your all and representing Cranbrook loud and proud.
Elliot Roberts and Sach Edwards 2025 Snowsports Captains
Message from the School Council
As we begin Term 3 at Cranbrook, on behalf of the School Council, I am delighted to welcome Dr Anne Johnstone as Cranbrook’s ninth Head of School.
Anne brings visionary leadership and proven commitment to academic excellence, co-curricular activities and student wellbeing, and she is fully aligned with Cranbrook’s values as we transition to coeducation from the start of next year.
Prior to joining us here at Cranbrook, Dr Johnstone was Principal at Ravenswood School For Girls, where she implemented innovative education and wellbeing programmes, achieving record enrolment demand and outstanding academic recognition. A multi-award winning leader and academic, Anne’s notable credentials include being awarded Australian School Principal of the Year (2024) and receiving the prestigious Phyllis Evans Medal (2022) from The Teachers’ Guild of NSW.
Anne is excited to be a part of our School community and, in the coming weeks, will welcome opportunities to meet with you and discuss our shared vision for the Cranbrook’s future.
We are confident that under Anne’s leadership, Cranbrook will smoothly and successfully transition into its next chapter while upholding the School’s cherished values.
Please join the School Council in extending a warm welcome to Dr Anne Johnstone.
Geoff Lovell President, Cranbrook School Council
Dr Anne Johnstone, Head of School
It’s my great honour to be writing to you in my first week as the new Head of School – Cranbrook’s ninth Head since 1918.
And what an inspiring week it has been! I had the privilege of working with our talented and dedicated staff team on Monday, and together we engaged in an Appreciative Inquiry process exploring the application of research and strategies in the areas of educational neuroscience, together with the science of wellbeing, to help create the conditions for thriving for our treasured students, and to take our school community from strength to strength.
Tuesday and Wednesday were particularly meaningful days, as we welcomed our new and returning students to Cranbrook. I have been so thrilled to meet many of the boys (and parents) as I have greeted them on the school gate both in the Senior School and Junior School, and of course around campus. I have also relished the opportunity to attend some of my first school events. Last night, the Cutler House Student-Led Chapel service offered a great insight into the cherished House System here at Cranbrook. It showcased the boys’ collegiality, sense of connection and belonging as well as their myriad talents, as they shared Bible readings, presented reflections on their different year group experiences, made us laugh with some entertaining repartee and shared some tremendous musical performances.
I was so pleased to introduce myself and share information about my background and educational philosophy to the Senior School students at an assembly on our first day of term, and I thoroughly enjoyed being interviewed by two of our senior prefects, Matt Downes, Second Prefect, and Felix Malcolm, Senior Prefect – Academic. Meanwhile, I really valued the opportunity to address our Junior School (Years 3 – 6) students before school this morning, too.
My family and I are so grateful for the warm welcome we have received from the community and look forward to the many opportunities ahead to connect. In our early meetings and during tours of each of our magnificent campuses, students have demonstrated how engaging, thoughtful, articulate they are, while staff members have been remarkably generous in sharing their insights and support.
I have a real sense of excitement and hope for the possibilities ahead for our great School. One of the questions I’ve been asked most frequently is what about my vision for our students. In essence, it is to help them be the very best they can be: to equip and empower them with strategies to help realise their potential, achieve their goals and thrive in all aspects of their lives. Importantly, it is to help them live lives of meaning and purpose. I am passionate about an integrated approach to learning and wellbeing, and to helping students identify and harness their strengths both within themselves and within each other, to develop resilience, overcome challenges and bounce forward from setbacks. Of course, none of this can be accomplished in isolation and one of the great hallmarks of our School is our sense of community.
At our Founders’ Day Service, we reflected on the ideals upon which our School was founded: a strong Christian ethos, a commitment to the “highest and best traditions in heart and spirit” and a school motto Esse Quam Videri that encourages authenticity and integrity: a willingness to be true to oneself, and in turn, celebrating and valuing others for who they are, while also letting our actions speak louder than words. In 1920, our distinguished founding Head, Rev F.T. Perkins exhorted the first Cranbrookians to prioritise character – he talked about “usefulness” being measured scholastic effort, co-curricular endeavours and something he described as “tone” meaning school spirit, good manners, demeanour and overall character. How very relevant this approach continues to be today!
The opportunity to lead this esteemed school into its next chapter is one I value profoundly. I wholeheartedly thank Geoff Lovell, our President, and the School Council for entrusting me with this distinguished role at this very significant time in Cranbrook School’s history, including as we prepare to welcome girls from next year in Year 7 and Year 11.
In the coming months, I am looking forward to attending many school events and meetings where I hope to meet you all.
Wishing you and your families all the very best, and God’s blessings, as we advance into Term 3 – a particularly important term for our Year 12 students! I look forward to partnering with you as we seek to offer all our Cranbrook students the very best education.
Dr Anne Johnstone Head of School
Message from Michele Marquet, Head of Junior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
A very warm welcome back! It has been fantastic to see our students and families at both our Pre-schools sites and the Junior School after the winter break. The buzz is palpable!
This evening, from 5 – 6pm, Year 1 families and our new families to the school (in Y2-Y6), plus any other interested families are warmly welcome to attend a parent engagement session in the Y1 Piazza, about ‘How to read your child’s reports’. If you have any questions about Semester 1 reports, please get in touch with your child’s classroom teacher.
We look forward to hosting our Founders’ Day Service next Wednesday at 12 noon in the Junior School Gym, where our new Head of School, Dr Anne Johnstone, will join us.
CETOP Week Cranbrook Explorers and Travellers Overseas Partnership (CETOP) is a not-for-profit organisation made up of staff and families associated with Cranbrook that supports communities in Ladakh, India (SS) and Nepal (JS). In Nepal, the Junior School supports work in the areas of dental health and education. Since 2011, we have conducted many trips to Nepal with Y6 students accompanied by one of their parents.
This term, we are hosting a CETOP Week across the entire school to increase awareness about CETOP, especially for our next Y6 trip to Nepal (end of Term 1 2026) and to raise some funds for the work of CETOP generally.
Junior School CETOP Pledge During this year’s CETOP Week, each year level in the Junior School has pledged something they will do without on Monday, 4 August. Students are encouraged to help around the house (photos encouraged) and donate their earnings to their class pledge. A Padlet has been set up for students to share photos of them completing their act of service, which we will share at the CETOP Assembly. Further information for each year level can be found in this linked note and in your child’s homework note next week. Please note this activity is in addition to the Sausage Sizzle fundraiser – see details below.
CETOP Sausage Sizzle On Thursday, 7 August (Y3-Y6) and Friday, 8 August (K-Y2), we are holding a sausage sizzle for our students. For $5, students will receive a sausage, bread (normal/gluten-free) and an icy block. Dietary needs will be provided for and families will receive an order form via email early next week explaining the options and how to order and pay.
Waitmate Information Session for all JS families As mentioned in a previous Link message, Jonathan Haidt’s book The Anxious Generation has garnered significant attention since its publication last year. Haidt argues that a phone-based childhood disrupts healthy development, leading to increased anxiety, depression and other issues, resulting in detrimental consequences for young people’s wellbeing. Such impacts very reasonably raise grave concerns for parents and educators alike.
To help us better understand the consequences of smartphones and social media on growing minds and to explore what we can do to reduce these risks for our own children, we are hosting a very special presentation for all our Junior School families where we will hear more on this vital topic from a child psychologist and a representative of Waitmate, an organisation that helps families work through these issues.
Haidt emphasises that addressing this mental health crisis requires collective action from all of us. This is such an important area for every family to seriously consider, so we are asking each Junior School family to send one member to attend this essential presentation. Please put these details in your diary now:
Date: Tuesday, 12 August (Week 4) Time: 8:30am – 9:30am Venue: Junior School Gym
On this day, we are also inviting our families to pop into their son’s classroom briefly after the presentation, as part of our Science Week activities.
We look forward to a week of learning and fun.
Kind wishes,
Michele Marquet Head of Junior School
Pre-schools’ Update – Week 1
Dear Pre-school Families,
We hope you had a restful and joyful break. It is wonderful to welcome everyone back for Term 3. We are looking forward to another term full of learning, discovery and growth for your children.
As we begin the term, we have a few gentle reminders to help ensure a respectful and smooth experience for everyone:
Garden Areas – A Special Space Both St Michael’s and St Mark’s Church communities have kindly asked that children do not play in the garden areas before or after school. These spaces are part of the church’s memorial gardens and we would like to show our respect by helping to preserve them. Please remind your children that these are quiet, reflective areas, not play spaces. Your support in this is greatly appreciated.
Use of Personal Devices With recent updates to child protection and safe environments for children, we kindly ask that families do not use personal devices to take photos or videos while at Pre-school. We completely understand the desire to capture special moments – especially during events like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, incursions etc but we ask for your support in prioritising the safety and privacy of all children. Our educators will continue to take photos and share them with you via Compass, so you won’t miss a thing!
Stay Connected via Compass A friendly reminder to keep an eye on your Compass notifications. This is now where you’ll receive your child’s class daybook, as we’ve moved away from printed copy at the door. Compass is also the place for important updates, event information, and reminders – so please ensure your notifications are turned on.
Thank you as always for your understanding and support. We are excited for a wonderful Term 3 together.
Kind wishes,
Abigail McFarlane Pre-schools Coordinator
Term 3 Events Overview
Please follow this link to view the Term 3 Events Overview for Junior School Parents.
Junior School Music News – Week 1
Welcome back to Term 3 in what will be another eventful and inspiring term of events in the Music Department!
What a wonderful Term 2 we had celebrating all things music, from our Music Morning Concerts, Assembly performances, Junior School Soirée, our K-2 and Y3-6 Showcases, and finally our Fundamental Gala Concert at Town Hall. Congratulations to all our performers on achieving excellence! The Music Department is thrilled to have witnessed the growth, enthusiasm and artistic sensibility of our young musicians.
The following outlines the Music calendar for Term 3. Further information can be obtained by clicking on the appropriate links, where applicable.
Performance opportunities
K- 6 Music Morning Concerts Music Morning Concerts are held on certain Fridays from 8am to 8:30am in Music Room 1. These concerts are open to students in K to Y6 who have a piece ready at performance standard, regardless of level of difficulty. 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.
If your son is learning outside the school, and he is ready to perform, please send an email to pfox@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au should you wish him to take up this opportunity.
Friday, 15 August (Week 4)
Friday, 29 August (Week 6)
Junior School Music Soireé – Thursday, 21 August: 6pm – 7pm (Week 5) On Thursday, 21 August there will be a Junior School Music Soireé held in Music Room 1 from 6pm to 7pm. This event is for more accomplished instrumentalists and vocalists in Years 3-6 who are well prepared and can perform with polish and regard to the musical style. Your son’s instrumental teacher (or Mr Fox) will send home a Soireé form should they feel this event is suitable for your son. Please note: this event is also open to students who have private instrumental lessons outside of the School. Please click herefor more information.
Spring Festival: Year 3 to 6 Junior School Music Eisteddfod – Thursday, 28 August, from 1pm (Week 6) As part of the Spring Festival, the Cranbrook Junior School Eisteddfod has been designed for boys in Year 3 to Year 6 to showcase their performance on piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, guitar and voice.
This year’s Eisteddfod will be judged by external adjudicators who will write an encouraging report on the boys’ performances, give feedback and award grades of achievement.
Entry forms (yellow) can be found in the Music Studio hallway or via the information link below. Entries need to be submitted by Monday of Week 2 to allow enough time to book piano accompanists.
Click here for further information and entry form.
A comprehensive list of all Junior School Music events for Term 3 can be found here.
Best wishes,
Peter Fox Head of Music, Junior School
Children’s Book Council of Australia – Book Week 2025
In Week 5, we will focus on this national celebration of Australian children’s literature and reading across the School. The activities and opportunities planned across the week will allow us to connect, celebrate and advocate for the value of storytelling, books and reading for everyone.
Performances Monday, 18 August 12pm & 2pm Students will attend theatrical book adaptations performed by Meerkat Productions based on the 2025 CBCA Shortlisted and Notable books – The Garden of Broken Things (YK – Y2) and Small Acts (Y3 – Y6).
K-6 Assembly Wednesday, 20 August 12pm We will come together to celebrate Book Week and witness the excitement of the Years 3-6 Spelling Bee Final.
Books at Bedtime Thursday, 21 August 5:30pm This event for Kindergarten and Year 1 returns this year on the Thursday evening (details will be emailed separately).
K-6 Book Character and Theme Parade – Book an Adventure Friday, 22 August 8.30am Students and staff are encouraged to interpret this year’s theme, ‘Book an Adventure, through costume and props.
Parents are warmly invited to this outdoor celebration of book characters and literary ideas. It’s time to start planning!
Kind regards
Ms Light and Mrs de Wit
NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge
Congratulations to the readers who have already completed the challenge. The final date to register books read this year has been extended to Friday, 19 September. A reminder that login details are in student diaries. For assistance, please contact Mrs de Wit edewit@cranbrook.nsw.ed.au
