Message from Genét Erickson Adam, Acting Head of Junior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we come to the end of National Science Week, please join me in thanking all of our class teachers and Mr Josh Botto for designing and implementing an exciting and fun-filled week, fostering a love for science among our Cranbrook Junior School students!
One of the highlights of the week was the collaboration between Year 10 students from the Senior School and Years 3 and 4 students. Together, they engaged in a number of scientific experiments and activities, with Year 3 students even being lucky enough to travel to the Senior School to visit their labs.
Across the week, students explored scientific theory, conducted experiments, completed Kahoot quizzes and participated in lunchtime activities, igniting their curiosity. View the photo gallery here.
What do professional sport and classical music have in common? Both feature performers who train for hours so they can do what they love for their fans. As the Olympics came to a close, students enjoyed The Phoenix Collective Quartet, who performed for our students in the annual Musica Viva concert this week. They explored what it means to work together to accomplish a goal, celebrating teamwork in Music. View the photo gallery here.
Last week, we had our Music and Special Group photos. Tomorrow, students in Years 3 – 6 will have their summer and winter sports team photos taken. Please ensure you have read what your son needs to wear and bring along for these photos.
Please be reminded that students will participate in House football tomorrow afternoon and House Rugby the following Friday. There is no before or after school sports training for the next two weeks. Summer sport training begins Friday 30 August. Before and after school training begins the following week. Remember that there are no Saturday fixtures/games until Term 4.
As we continue to build towards the excitement of our upcoming Book Week, in Week 5, you are encouraged to read the iCentre News carefully, where you will find a detailed overview of the fabulous experiences Ms Megan Light has planned for Kindergarten – Year 6.
Save the date:
Father’s Day Morning – Friday, 30 August
Student-led conferences – Tuesday, 17 September (Kindy and Year 3), Wednesday, 18 September (Year 2 and Year 4) and Thursday, 19 September (Year 1 and Year 5)
Staff News Ms Catherine Stamp, class teacher for 1B, will be leaving Cranbrook due to urgent family reasons and returning home to the United Kingdom. We are pleased to announce that Ms Lynsey McDonald has accepted the role as class teacher for 1B for the remainder of 2024. Please join me in wishing Catherine all the best as she returns to the UK and in welcoming Lynsey to our Cranbrook School community.
I am delighted to let you know that Mrs Lara Fleetwood and her husband, Dan, and daughter, Elyse, have welcomed a new member to their family, Leon Frank Fleetwood. We wish them the very best as they adjust to becoming a family of four.
Kind regards,
Genét Erickson Adam Acting Head of Junior School
From the Deputies
Join Us for Walk to Cranbrook on Tuesdays and Thursdays!
Last semester, Walk to School Thursdays proved to be so popular that we have decided to introduce it on Tuesdays too!
This initiative aims to promote physical activity, increase independence, reduce traffic congestion around the school, and encourage alternative modes of transportation.
Here are some suggested ways for your son to get to school on Tuesday and Thursday:
Walk: Lace up those school shoes and enjoy a refreshing walk to school! (Maybe as a family or with a friend)
Take a bus: Use public transportation for a convenient and eco-friendly commute.
Take a ferry: If you live near the waterfront, consider taking advantage of the ferry services.
Ride a bike or scooter: We have bike racks available for secure storage outside the K-Y2 gate.
Drop off at nearby locations and then walk: For those driving, consider dropping off your 3-6 student at one of the following locations:
Rose Bay Ferry (easy access with traffic lights for you and them)
Lyne Park Carpark
A reminder if you are driving, please try to carpool with other families where possible.
Safety is our top priority, so please remind your son of the following tips:
Always use designated crosswalks and follow traffic signals.
Stay alert and aware of your surroundings, especially when walking or biking near roads.
Helmets are a must for cyclists and scooter riders.
Walk in groups or with a friend whenever possible.
If walking alone, agree with your son their walking route and planned arrival time.
We encourage you to participate in this initiative and make Walk to Cranbrook a fun and healthy routine for our Cranbrook families. Together, we can create a safer and more active community.
Thank you for your support!
Pre-schools’ News – Week 4
Dear Families,
What an exciting couple of weeks it has been at St Mark’s and St Michael’s Pre-schools! Last week, our St Mark’s Pre-school and St Michael’s 2 Day class had the incredible opportunity to host the Gumaraa Rangers for an Aboriginal Experience Incursion. The children immersed themselves in learning about bush tucker, tried their hand at boomerang throwing, and participated in a traditional Ochre Ceremony. They also explored Aboriginal tools, weapons, and archaeological artifacts, gaining insights into heritage preservation and traditions shared by living members of this ancient culture. For our 2 Day class, there was a special highlight with firsthand participation in a smoking ceremony, a truly memorable experience.
This week, both St Mark’s and St Michael’s Pre-schools celebrated Science Week with great enthusiasm! Mr. Botto from the Junior School transformed our preschoolers into scientists through various engaging experiments. The children were delighted to have Mr Botto at Pre-school!
Additionally, Miss Boniface visited to discuss CETOP and how our Pre-schools can contribute positively. Please check your child’s sign-in area for more details on the toothbrush collection initiative.
Upcoming Dates to Note:
Week 5: Book Week – Reading is Magic!
Wednesday, 21 August: Book Week Dress Up for St Michael’s 3 Day and 5 Day Group, and St Mark’s.
Friday, 23 August: Book Week Dress Up for St Michael’s 2 Day Group.
Week 6: Father’s Day Celebrations
Monday, 26 August, 8:45am-9:30am: St Michael’s 5 Day Group
Tuesday, 27 August, 8:45am-9:30am: St Michael’s 3 Day Group
Wednesday, 28 August, 8:45am-9:30am: St Mark’s
Thursday, 29 August, 8:45am-9:30am: St Michael’s 2 Day Group
A friendly reminder for all St Michael’s families: The driveway is an active road. For safety reasons, children must walk on the pathway and be supervised at all times. Driving on the driveway is only permitted with prior authorisation. Thank you for your cooperation and support in this matter.
Kind regards,
Abigail McFarlane Pre-schools’ Coordinator
Year 3 – Year 6 Sports Photos
Please read the following carefully: Tomorrow, 16 August, students in Years 3 – 6 will have their summer andwinter sports team photos taken. They will need to wear their summer team playing gear to school, pack and bring to school their winter team sports playing gear PLUS their House T-shirt (for House Football in the afternoon).
Details are below:
Students, in their respective teams, are reminded to WEAR the following uniform items to school for their first photo:
Basketball – Basketball Saturday playing uniform with trainers.
Cricket – Cricket Saturday playing uniform (whites) with trainers.
Water Polo – PE uniform with trainers.
Summer Tennis – PE uniform with trainers.
Summer Multi-sport – PE uniform with trainers.
Sailing – PE uniform with trainers.
Students, in their respective teams, should PACK the following items to bring to school so they can change into them for their second photo:
Football – Football Saturday playing uniform with trainers (NO boots).
Rugby – Rugby Saturday playing uniform with trainers (NO boots).
Winter Tennis – PE uniform with trainers.
Winter Multi-sport – PE uniform with trainers.
All Y3-Y6 students should also bring their coloured House T-shirt to School. We are holding our House Football Competition that afternoon during Sport time. Students will not be wearing football boots for this competition.
Jersey Day – Boots for All Campaign
The end of winter sports has arrived! Has your son outgrown his football boots, but they are still in good condition?
On Wednesday, 4 September (Week 7), we will be collecting used (but in good condition) football boots for our, Boots for All campaign. This initiative aims to provide sporting wear for remote, Indigenous students. Please ensure the boots are thoroughly cleaned and tie the laces together.
On this day, students are invited to wear colours or jerseys of their favourite sporting team, or they may wear a casual non-sporting jersey. In return, we kindly ask for a $1 to $5 donation. Donations will go towards supporting remote, Indigenous children.
Monetary and boot donations should be handed in to the Community Representative in each class.
National Science Week Photo Gallery
Kindergarten Bubbles
Year 2 Fizzics Incursion
Cristy Burne (Guest Speaker) K-2 Assembly
Year 10 teaching Year 3 science
Music Incursion: Musica Viva Photo Gallery
Year 4 Excursion ‘Little Murmur’ Photo Gallery
Term 3 Events Overview for Families
The full Term 3 Events Overview can be found here.
Year 3 Maths Olympics
Last Friday, our Year 3 students participated in the Maths Olympics. Groups of students represented different countries and created mascots using three-dimensional objects. The opening ceremony even included the arrival of the Olympic flame into the Undercroft, where students waited in anticipation. This exciting event saw students rotate through a number of competition stations in teams. Activities included Weightlifting (hefting and measuring the mass of objects), Water Polo (finding the capacity of a container and filling it in a relay race), Canoe Sprint (racing to find the volume of a box canoe) and Long Jump (measuring the length of their best leap). The games continued this week, with the Decathlon, where teams raced to solve 10 challenging Olympics-themed word problems. The Year 3 students are waiting with great anticipation for the presentation ceremony tomorrow. Which country will win the gold medal?
Message from Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy
With the Paris Olympics over and Australia having our most successful medal tally ever, I thought it was a good time to discuss sport in a coeducational context at Cranbrook.
The past few years have shown that the increased visibility and investment in women’s sport has had an impact not only on the medal tally (13 of 18 Australian gold medal winners were female), but at the grassroots level. This is why sport, along with our students’ involvement in the Arts and Service, is so fundamental to the balanced coeducation offering at Cranbrook.
As a founding member of the CAS, our male students will continue to compete across the sports they always have.
For our female students, we have been accepted into the Independent Sporting Association (ISA) for Saturday sporting competitions and carnivals. Initially our female students will compete in the ISA in Basketball, Tennis, and Touch Football in summer and netball and Football (soccer) for winter.
Students who wish to compete in other sports will be able to participate in some of our independent competitions including Rowing, Sailing, and Snowsports. There is opportunity for girls to compete in some of our CAS teams, but this will be considered in each instance.
We are very proud of the fact that at Cranbrook, all students participate in a sport in both seasons, and that will continue. The benefits of physical activity and sport are well known, and data continues to show that 85% of girls aged 5 – 15 years old do not achieve an adequate level of physical activities (NSW Office of Sport). For that reason, we see our mandatory Sports Programme as integral not only to students’ physical health, but their mental and academic acuity as well.
Training will be coeducational, which means all Year 7 basketballers will train together, even though the girls will compete in the ISA and boys compete in the CAS. This will give students an opportunity to learn and play together. We are excited about coeducational sport at Cranbrook and look forward to engaging in the ISA competition alongside other great coeducational schools.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation and Academy
Little Leagues Winter Report – Round 10
In our last round of winter sports, our teams put in some strong performances to finish the season on a high. I’d like to congratulate all of our students on their growth and dedication throughout the winter season. It was particularly exciting to see several of our rugby and football teams go undefeated—a testament to the hard work and determination these students have put into their sport.
A big thank you to our coaches for their tireless efforts in guiding and developing our teams, and to the parents for their continued support of their sons’ sporting journeys.
We look forward to kicking off the second half of the summer season, with training resuming on Friday, 30 August.
Yours in Sport,
James Roughan Head of Sport and PDHPE
Rugby
Year 6 A: Game 1 vs. Shore: Lost 12-24. Game 2 vs. Newington: Won 45-5. The boys played their final two games with a loss against Shore. It was their only defeat of the season, despite strong defence. The team struggled to move the ball effectively, resulting in a 12-24 loss. In contrast, the game against Newington showcased significant improvement, with Sam (our fly-half) making smart kicks and Seb scoring 5 tries, leading to a dominant 45-5 victory.
Year 6 B: Game 1 vs. St Pats: Lost 14-0. Game 2: Won 8-7. In their last fixtures, the boys fell to St Pat’s 14-0 but showed remarkable resilience in their second game. With determination, they clinched a narrow 8-7 victory on the final whistle, with standout performances from Louis C and Tomek O.
Year 5 A: Game vs. Newington: Won 50-14. Year 5A ended their season with a commanding win over Newington. Despite early challenges and a halftime deficit, strategic changes and fierce pressure in the second half turned the tide. Highlights included Jasper M’s try from Jimmy C’s crossfield kick, sealing a well-deserved victory.
Year 5 B: Game 1: Draw 5-5 vs. Newington. Game 2: Lost 3-6 vs. Grammar. The Year 5B team had a challenging day with a 5-5 draw against Newington and a 3-6 loss to Grammar. Strong defensive efforts, particularly from Jerry W, and Marcus K’s powerful carries were notable, but our students couldn’t secure a win.
Year 4 A: Game vs. Scots: Won 32-12. Year 4A completed an unbeaten season, dominating Scots. Early scores and consistent pressure highlighted their growth throughout the season. Even as the game evened out in the second half, Cranbrook’s win was never in doubt.
Year 4 B: Game 1 vs. Barker: Lost 5-6. Game 2 vs. Newington: Won 7-5. Year 4 Red finished strong despite a narrow 5-6 loss to Barker, where their improved defence in the second half stood out. In the next game, they bounced back with a 7-5 win over Newington, showcasing an expansive attacking style and defensive resilience.
Year 3 Red: Game 1 vs. Scots: Lost 1-5. Game 2 vs. Kings: Won 5-4. Year 3 Red had a tough start against Scots and rebounded in their second game against Kings. Strong defensive efforts and multiple tries from Flynn S. helped secure a narrow 5-4 victory.
Year 3 White: Game 1 vs. Newington: Won 8-0. Game 2 vs. Grammar: Won 8-5. The team ended their season on a high note with two wins. The first game saw a dominant 8-0 victory over Newington, highlighted by strong ball carrying and defence. The second game was closer with a win over Grammar, marked by excellent control of the breakdown and standout performances from Hugo B. and others.
I’d like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to all the parents for their support and to our coaches and managers for their hard work in developing each student’s rugby skills throughout the season.
Football The final round of IPSHA football saw Year 6 and 5 teams take on Shore, remaining undefeated both at home and away. Year 4 and 3 teams travelled to Cowper Park to face Grammar St Ives, securing plenty of wins with just a couple of losses. Overall, it was a fantastic way to end a successful football season. I would like to thank all the coaches and staff for their support throughout the season.
YEAR 6 The 6A team finished their Junior School career in style with a 3-0 win over Shore. Playing on an almost full-sized pitch with full-sized goals, they showcased their ball control, spatial awareness, and dominance on a larger field. The team finished on a high note, with smiles all around as they looked forward to their 11-a-side development and future in Senior School football. Alex T was outstanding at centre back, demonstrating maturity as a leader on the field and composure as a defender, both on and off the ball.
Our 6B team was thrilled to play on a big pitch against Shore and took full advantage of the extra space. Long balls down the wing to Hugo and Ashton were effective, and their high-pressure play paid off. Kieran scored a hat trick, and Bobby added another goal, capitalising on the size of the goals with a well-placed shot beyond the keeper’s reach. It was impressive to see the boys rotate through different positions, with forwards like Otto and Balthazar quickly adapting to defence.
In the 6C match, there was a sense of excitement as the boys prepared for their final primary school football game. Ryan M and Aurelius S shone early on with their quick footwork and Messi-like dribbling, scoring a combined five goals. While the forwards were busy, Michael, George and Hugo maintained a strong defensive structure, giving Danesh an easy time at the back and securing a clean sheet. The boys were gracious in victory, quickly rallying around teammate James B, who left it all on the field before being substituted with an ankle injury after halftime.
YEAR 5 The 5A team won 6-4 against Shore. After a dominant first half featuring some brilliant football, including a hat-trick from Lucas, Shore mounted a comeback. However, Hugo’s second-half goal, completing his own hat-trick, secured an undefeated season for the 5A team.
Our 5B, 5C, and 5D teams all recorded wins, showcasing some of their best football of the season. Congratulations to all the teams on a fantastic season.
5A
5B
5C
5D
YEAR 4 Year 4, while the A and D teams had a thrilling 6-5 win, the rest of the teams faced tough games against strong opposition. Shore always brings their best, and this time was no exception. It was a great way to finish the season.
YEAR 3 Our 3A team took the game to the opposition, launching attack after attack and putting constant pressure on their impressive goalkeeper. Hugo N scored crucial goals to break the deadlock, with excellent defensive play from Fredrick C-B at the back.
The 3B team once again showed their quality, outplaying other B teams with excellent ball movement, creating goal-scoring opportunities for tenacious attackers like Lachlan, Hunter, Angus, and Rory, who all had standout moments.
The 3C team suffered a 1-4 loss, while the D team secured a 5-0 win, and the E team finished with a 1-1 draw. This is a strong age group, and we look forward to seeing these students progress over the next few years.
Ben Rollison Head of Football
Tennis This week, the team was excited to have a sunny day and be able to play some matches. Throughout his matches, Marcus delivered clever shots to secure points in a challenging singles match. Well placed shots and volleys by Alexander and Edward kept the pressure on the opposition. The team consistently built pressure during the points throughout all of their matches. All of the players should be congratulated on a strong performance in the team’s success.
Ben Higgins Head of Tennis
Multi-Sport In Round 10 of Multi-Sports, the boys wrapped up their last session for the season with an exciting set of games. They teamed up with their parents to compete against other boys and their parents in Bin Ball and Hardes Ball, creating some memorable and fun-filled moments. The boys then played indoor football, showcasing impressive teamwork and a high skill level. As the season ends, we wish all the boys the best of luck as they transition back into their summer sports.
Josh Cohen Assistant Head of Sport
Y3-Y6 Sport News
General details about each sport can be found in your son’s Year Level tab on Cranbrook Connect.
Music News – Week 4
Dear Families,
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 8:00am to 8:30am in Music Room 1. These concerts are open to students 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.
Junior School Music Soireé On Thursday, 22 August (Week 5) there will be a Junior School Music Soireé held in Music Room 1 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm. 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 here for more information.
Spring Festival: Year 3 to 6 Junior School Music Eisteddfod – Thursday, 29 August, from 1:00pm (Week 6) As part of the Spring Festival, the Cranbrook Junior School Eisteddfod has been designed for students in Year 3 to 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 students’ 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.
Click here for further information and entry form.
Best wishes,
Peter Fox Head of Music, Junior School
iCentre News – Week 4
BOOK WEEK – Reading is Magic
Guest Speakers On Friday, 23 August, we will warmly welcome three creators to the Junior School. To add colour and vibrancy to the day, students and staff are encouraged to dress up as they interpret this year’s theme, ‘Reading is Magic’, through costumes and props.
Books by Susanne Gervay may be ordered post visit.
K-6 Assembly on Wednesday, 21 August 1.45pm We will come together to celebrate Book Week, Australian School Library Day, and witness the excitement of the Years 3-6 Spelling Bee Final. Parents are warmly invited to attend the assembly. Please note the dress up this year is on the Friday to coincide with our guest speaker visits. Thus, there is no formal parade this year.
The Great Book Swap – Indigenous Literacy Foundation The Community Service Committee and Library Team are hosting a Great Book Swap for all students.
If you have any books you would like to give a second home to while helping a great cause, we would love your donations:
1. Bring your books to your Community Rep by Friday, 16 August (Week 4).
2. We are looking for good quality books less than five years old, including picture books, chapter books, and non-fiction books.
3. Then, make a $note or gold coin donation to purchase a book(s) for yourself.
The Great Book Swap will run in the library on Monday, 19 August, and Tuesday, 20 August, during lunchtimes.
Books at Bedtime on Thursday, 22 August This event for Kindergarten and Year 1 returns this year and details will be emailed to families separately.
NSW PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE Congratulations to everyone who has completed the challenge this year. We are on track to have our highest numbers of participants recorded yet! The final date to register books read this year is Friday, 23 August. A reminder that login details are in student diaries and at the PRC helpdesk in the iCentre. For assistance, please contact Mrs de Wit edewit@cranbrook.nsw.ed.au
Happy reading,
Ms Light and Mrs de Wit
Optional Co-Curricular Activities
Term 3’s optional Co-Curricular activities are well underway. Please contact Annabel Boyd (jscocurricular@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au) if you have any queries.
