Next Wednesday, 22 May, we are looking forward to participating in the National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) event. Now in its 24th year, with over 2 million participants across 60 000 locations, it is a colourful and fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy. This year’s picture book is ‘Bowerbird Blues’ by Aura Parker. Students have enjoyed collecting blue objects for our bowerbird display in the iCentre and are encouraged to wear a sparkle, a dazzle or a sprinkling of BLUE next Wednesday for the shared reading experience.
Message from Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School
Dear Cranbrook families,
The wonderful Mother’s Day celebration so many of us enjoyed last week at the Senior School, was one of several events we held to honour the powerful impact women have in their children’s lives. Both of our Pre-schools held special morning teas and a delightful Mother’s Day event was held at the Junior School with all the usual entertaining activities on offer. Our school community is one of the most fantastic parts of Cranbrook and events such as these show the strength of the relationships our families and the School share, and demonstrate the warm and supportive culture we have come to appreciate about Cranbrook. Thank you to the CSPA, the Foundation and our school staff who ensured these events were such a joy.
As I mentioned last week, we have been undertaking a broad survey of our culture to increase our understanding of the experience of our students, staff and families, so that we reflect a welcoming environment to all, and provide the very best opportunities for our community to experience a respectful and exciting environment for learning.
Last week, I described some of the work currently underway with our students to help us better understand their experience of Cranbrook and develop effective ways we can offer the right opportunities to help them feel a genuine sense of belonging.
We have also been working with our staff to provide them with avenues to share their experiences and what they value about our School, as well as suggest areas to strengthen the culture in the years ahead. As part of the AIS Wellbeing Project the School is undertaking in 2024, the staff were surveyed about school culture. They also are participating in a larger Staff Culture Survey being conducted by an external company to delve more deeply into their experiences and we look forward to using the learnings we gain through this process to inform new initiatives in the future.
The School values feedback from all members of our community and we are also eager to hear from our parent community about their experiences and what they value about Cranbrook. Later this year, we will be conducting some research with parents to gain their perspectives. By better understanding what all members of our community value and experience as part of our school, we provide an exciting opportunity to reflect, learn and bolster Cranbrook for the years ahead.
As the year continues, we look forward to updating you on the changes that flow from this valuable project and the many other initiatives currently underway as we seek to better understand our culture and how to strengthen it for the benefit of the whole community.
Kind wishes,
Michele Marquet Acting Head of School
Message from Grant Andrews, Acting Head of Junior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
I would like to thank everyone involved for making Mother’s Day last Friday so special. We were extremely lucky with the weather. It was a heartwarming celebration that beautifully united the Cranbrook community. Special thanks to the fathers who assisted on the day. The answers to the Y6 Mother’s Day Challenge can be found here.
Rose Bay Community Garden Visit A big thank you to Mrs Paulette O’Hara who organised for our Community Service Leaders and Environmental Leaders to meet Michelle Rose from Woollahra Council during a visit to the Rose Bay Community Garden. This garden is adjacent to our School and it is home to a number of honeybee hives, as well as vegetable patches. They even have some resident chickens! Lindsay, a bee specialist, gave our students a presentation on the life cycle and political structure of the bee community. She talked about the bees and how to care for them. The Community Service Leaders have absorbed greater knowledge to share with the School on World Bee Day on 20 May. Our Y6 Leaders are now assessing the viability of having a hive or two on campus and researching the best location for the hives.
Well done to Xavier Mancuso, Henry Canning-Smith and Charlie Roberts for attending the CIS Rugby League trials earlier this week. Congratulations to Hughie White, who has been selected to join the NSWCIS representative team – an amazing achievement!
Grant Andrews Acting Head of Junior School
From the Deputies
Dear Families,
A reminder that from Monday, 20 May, all students must be in full winter uniform. Y3 – Y6 students are required to wear their blazer to and from School.
On several occasions now, we have noticed cars being parked in the designated disabled area within the Junior School Carpark. If parents and staff could please leave this spot available for families that rely on it, this would be greatly appreciated.
Pre-Schools’ News – Week 3
Dear Families,
This week, our classrooms welcomed two delightful Spiny Leaf Insects! These intriguing creatures will be at the centre of our observations and investigations as we delve deeper into our transdisciplinary theme, Sharing the Planet. We are eager to foster a sense of responsibility towards our environment whilst exploring deeper into our central idea, as our actions have an impact on the living things on our planet.
St. Michael’s Pre-school had a special visit from the Bondi Fire Department. Our children had the thrill of engaging with fire safety experts, learning valuable tips, and even getting an up-close look at a real fire truck! It was an educational and exciting experience for all.
As always, we encourage you to continue the conversation at home. Share your child’s excitement and discoveries with us, and let’s nurture their curiosity together!
Upcoming Events: Fostering Child Development through Playful Interactions – Wednesday, 22 May, 6:30pm at the Junior School
Kind regards,
Abigail McFarlane Pre-Schools’ Coordinator
Coeducation update: Language
As a school, we are acutely aware of the power of words and how the role of the common language we adopt contributes to our culture. In fact, one of the areas the School has identified in its planning towards coeducation is how we adapt our cultural language usage to ensure it is reflective of the modern era the School is operating in, inclusive to all.
What makes language? A lot is often said about the role of language in culture, how it can be seamlessly part of a community, or stand out. In the midst of constantly changing language, especially with young people adopting terms online from memes and TikTok videos, leaving me frankly in the dust wondering what on earth a ‘skibiddi’ is, it becomes easily apparent that language can create subcultures.
On the one hand, language doesn’t matter, ‘sticks and stones’ and all that. But on the other hand, language is at the heart of how we as a school community communicate. Last week in Assembly, Acting Head of School, Mrs Marquet, explained to the Senior School that the time has come to move away from the term ‘Housemasters’ towards the title ‘Heads of Houses’ across the whole school. This change is being introduced from now, and you will see changes in email signatures, signage and general use. Changes in language usage take time to become a natural part of how we speak, and that is why we are looking at the language we use across the school.
Recently, there has been a lot in the media surrounding some negative male influencers and how they are impacting schools. The most important thing a school can do when faced with language that is derogatory or sexist is to show the exact opposite. Not just to say, “That’s not ok” but, “Here is what language we should be using.” We need to use language that not only neutralises, but counteracts some of the unhelpful language young people are hearing and using, online. Ideally, our language should help build respect for others, no matter who they are.
Cranbrook is blessed with a progressive and inclusive lexicon. From the term ‘Cranbrookian’ to our School motto, there is little need to change much of the formal language we have in place. But the everyday language we use throughout the school day across the campuses, also needs to reflect the world our students will enter.
Language creates stories, it creates mythology and a connection between people, history and place. As we talk about adapting our language as we move towards coeducation, it should not be to remove the stories, or the history of our School, but to develop and deepen those stories to reflect more people, not just young women, but anyone who needs the story to live by.
The move to coeducation allows us to explore and adopt language that promotes inclusion. Frequently, we say “boys”, “guys” and even “lads” or “gents”, because for over 100 years we have been, and we still are, a boys’ school. But as we move towards coeducation, we will adjust the terms we use to be gender inclusive, or gender neutral, so incoming female students are included, as well as ensuring the stories we tell in the school, and across our community, show the contribution and leadership of women.
Welcoming and embracing changes to our language is fundamental to ensuring Cranbrook is a truly coeducational environment, encouraging young men and women to work together throughout their journey at school.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation and Academy
Becoming a Member of Cranbrook School
Cranbrook School is a public company limited by guarantee which was established to provide students with a well-rounded, liberal education based on Christian beliefs.
It is governed by the School Council in accordance with its Constitution and has a membership comprised of eligible persons who have made significant contributions to Cranbrook or who are key stakeholders in its mission.
Parent of students in Kindergarten to Year 12 attending Cranbrook are eligible to become a Member of Cranbrook School for so long as they have a child attending the School.
The Members of Cranbrook School play an important role in the governance of Cranbrook. Being a Member entitles you to attend and vote at general meetings of Cranbrook School. This includes attending and voting at the Annual General Meeting, where the matters considered include receiving the statutory financial reports and electing members of the School Council.
If you are not already a Member of Cranbrook School, and wish to become one, please indicate your willingness to do so by completing and returning the application form which can be found on Cranbrook Connect here.
Applications are subject to approval by the School Council, and will be considered at the next possible School Council meeting after receipt of your completed application.
We encourage you to apply to become a Member of Cranbrook School and to take up the opportunity to contribute to the governance of the School.
If you have any questions regarding membership of Cranbrook School, please contact Sarah Deveson, Company Secretary, by email on councilsecretary@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.
Geoff Lovell President of School Council
Little League Winter Sport Round 2
It’s been another eventful week in the world of sport at Cranbrook Junior School, despite the challenges posed by the persistent winter weather. While the rain has certainly made scheduling fixtures a bit tricky, it hasn’t dampened the spirits of our dedicated athletes.
Unfortunately, most of our fixtures had to be cancelled due to the inclement weather. However, amidst the showers, we found a silver lining as we were fortunate enough to secure access to play games on the synthetic pitch at Woollahra 1. This allowed us to proceed with the year 3 football games and the year 6 rugby match. I’m delighted to report that both teams seized the opportunity, delivering performances that truly embodied the Cranbrook Spirit.
James Roughan Head of Sport & PDHPE
CIS Rugby League On Monday, four of our students went to the Ponds fields to trial for the CIS rugby league team. The day started with a group of 140 trialists and was reduced throughout the day. We are thrilled to announce Hughie W performed strongly and was selected to represent CIS. This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to Hughie’s dedication and talent. We wish him all the best as he prepares to proudly wear the CIS jersey.
Rugby This week, all age groups defied the rain to partake in both field training sessions, alongside the welcomed return of our morning skills session. Despite spending the past two weeks indoors, every year group diligently honed their contact skills, preparing earnestly for their upcoming weekend fixtures. Regrettably, wet weather led to the cancellation of some matches on Friday. Nevertheless, those fortunate enough to take to the pitch showed excitement, finally kicking off the season.
Year 6 commenced their weekend with a Derby against local rival Scots at the Friday night lights event. While the 6A’s started slowly, conceding three early tries, they rallied admirably and dominated the second half. Despite showing great character to come back, time proved to be their adversary, resulting in a narrow 36-29 defeat. Undeterred, the following morning saw the 6A’s return with resilience, securing a commendable victory over Redfield despite a few battle scars.
Meanwhile, the 5A’s displayed remarkable speed and control amidst the challenging weather conditions, securing victories against both Shore and St. Augustine’s. Year 3 eagerly anticipates the departure of the rain, as their training efforts have been stymied by cancellations thus far. Nonetheless, we anticipate the return of all players to training this weekend, with hopes of bolstering attendance at our Monday morning skills session.
Peter Dumbleton Cranbrook Head of Rugby
Year 6 Rugby
Football
In a weekend filled with unpredictable weather, Cranbrook Junior School Football managed to turn raindrops into highlights, showcasing their talent on the field.
Despite the wet weather leading to the cancellation of matches for the Year 5 and 4 age groups, the spotlight shifted to the Year 3’s and Year 6’s, who stepped up to the challenge. The Year 6 team faced off against Trinity and kicked things off with a bang, delivering solid performances across the board. Coach Kelton couldn’t be prouder of the boys’ progress throughout the winter season, and their determination certainly paid off on game day.
Over at Easts Synthetic, the Year 3 squad lucked out with a dry playing surface against Barker. They didn’t disappoint, putting on a football clinic that left spectators in awe.
With a total of 70+ goals scored across 8 fixtures, it’s safe to say that Cranbrook JS Football has started the season on a high note. As the season progresses, we can expect more action and standout plays from Cranbrook’s talented young Footballers. Rain or shine, they’re ready to take on any challenge and keep the momentum going. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the pitch!
Ben Rollison Head of Junior School Football
Football Year 6
Football Year 3
Junior School Music News – Week 3
This term is filled with musical performances and excitement, so the following information will help you to navigate it, as every K-6 boy is involved in at least one major concert.
There are three concerts:
K-Year 2 Junior School Showcase (every boy in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2)
Thursday, 30 May: 1.30pm – 2.30pm in Junior School Gym
Boys arrive at School as normal in the morning
Boys perform in school uniform (shirt, short, socks and black shoes)
Boys may go home from their piazzas with parent at conclusion of the concert
Parents do not need to book to attend
Year 3-6 Junior School Showcase (every boy in Year 3 to Year 6)
Thursday, 30 May: 6.30pm – 7.45pm in Junior School Gym
Boys arrive back at School and go to Piazza at 6pm
Boys wear school uniform (shirt, short, tie, socks and black shoes – no blazer)
Boys will be dismissed from specified areas
Parents do not need to book to attend
Gala Concert, Town Hall: Threads (Our JS Chamber Choir, Cranbrook Voices, JS Concert Band, JSSO, Mezzo Strings, JS Guitar Ensemble and all Year 6)
Monday, 24 June: 7pm – 9pm at Sydney Town Hall
Rehearsals at Town Hall during the day (a letter with further details and permission slip will be sent to you on Operoo. It will also detail who is required for a rehearsal on Sunday, 23rd June, at the Senior School campus)
6.15pm boys meet teachers outside in St Andrew’s Square
Boys wear school uniform (shirt, short, tie, socks and black shoes – no blazer or cap)
Boys will be collected from the stage at the conclusion of the concert
Tickets will be available soon
If you have any questions, please contact our Music Administrator, Ms Sandra Trew strew@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
Please make a note of these important dates:
Music Morning Concerts in multiple music rooms – Friday, 17 May, 8:00am (Week 3)
K-2 Junior School Music Showcase, JS Gym – Thursday, 30 May, 1:30pm (Week 5)
3-6 Junior School Music Showcase, JS Gym – Thursday, 30 May, 6:30pm (Week 5)
Junior School Soirée, Senior School’s War Memorial Chapel, Thursday, 13 June, 6:00pm (Week 7)
Gala Concert, Sydney Town Hall – Monday, 24 June, 7:00pm (Week 9)
