Message from Michele Marquet, Head of Junior School

Dear Parents and Carers, 

This week has been an adventure, as we have celebrated Children’s Book Week. This evening, we welcome our Kindy and Year 1 students for what has become an annual tradition now, our special ‘Books at Bedtime’ event starting at 5:30pm. Tomorrow, students are invited to dress up in a costume of their choice, inspired by this year’s theme ‘Book an Adventure’. Thank you to Megan Light, our Digital Literacy Leader & Teacher-Librarian and Liz de Wit, our Library Technician, for organising a wonderful week of literary celebration. Photos of the Book Week performances, assembly and Spelling Bee can be viewed below. Due to Friday’s weather forecast, the parade will take place in the Gym. Next week, we will share a Book Week parade photo gallery.

We have had some wonderfully positive feedback to our recent Waitmate session with so many families across every year level signing pledges to hold off giving their children a smartphone. It has been very encouraging to see our community come together over this.  We know some families were unable to attend the session, but were keen to know more, so we are pleased to be able to share a link to a video of the presentation by adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Richard Baker, and Waitmate co-founder, Amy Friedlander. Please follow this link and use the password: Cr@n8rooK2023

This week’s CJS Waitmate figures:

Year 6 – 17 unlocked
Year 5 – 19 unlocked
Year 4 – 22 unlocked
Year 3 – 34 unlocked
Year 2 – 35 unlocked
Year 1 – 19 unlocked
Kindergarten – 17 unlocked

We are so grateful for your preparedness to work together on this important issue for our children and us all.

On Friday, 5 September, from 7:45am, we are looking forward to welcoming important males in our students’ lives to our Father’s Day Morning. Please join us for a variety of fun activities and light refreshments.

In Week 8, our long-awaited ‘Junior School Drama Production – James and the Giant Peach’ will be held in the Packer Theatre, with performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, 10 – 12 September. Tickets are available now to purchase.

Staff have been excited to engage in some wonderful learning conversations with our Year 6 students as they mentor them during the Exhibition process. It is always a thrill to see and hear our students grapple with complex issues and show they are deep and reflective thinkers and learners. We are looking forward to their Exhibition evening during the last week of term.

We look forward to a week of learning and fun. 

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet
Head of Junior School

From the Deputies

Dear Families,

Celebrating Learning: Student-led Conferences

At Cranbrook, we believe students should be active participants in their own learning, taking responsibility for understanding and communicating their progress.

One of the most powerful ways we bring this philosophy to life is through our Student-led Conferences, being held in the final week of this term. You should have already received an invitation to these conferences via Operoo.

Unlike a traditional parent–teacher meeting, a Student-led Conference is a conversation between the student and their parents. Your son will take the lead—reflecting on his growth, sharing evidence of his learning and setting goals for the remainder of the year. In doing so, he will develop skills in self-reflection, organisation, communication and critical thinking.

These conferences are more than a showcase of work—they are an authentic opportunity for your son to share his learning journey, celebrate achievements and take ownership of his progress. They also give you, as parents, valuable insight into how learning happens in our classrooms and specialist spaces, and a chance to be actively involved in the process.

During your visit, your son will guide you through five interactive rotations across his classroom and specialist subjects; sharing key concepts, outcomes and experiences from the year. Your role is to listen, ask questions and enjoy seeing the world of learning through his eyes.

When and Where

Please note that Year 6 will present their Exhibition in the same week, in place of a Student-led Conference.

We warmly encourage all families to attend. Student-led Conferences are overwhelmingly one of the most wonderful ways for you to gain insight into your son’s progress in his own words, with parents noting how valuable this experience is to share with their child. Your presence affirms the value of your child’s learning and reinforces the partnership between home and school. Together, we can help our students see themselves as capable, confident learners with a voice in their own education.

Kind regards,

Genét Erickson Adam
Deputy Head – Curriculum P-6, Snowsports Coordinator

Pre-schools’ Update – Week 5

Dear Pre-school Families,

We would like to begin by thanking Mr Josh Botto for the brilliant science sessions he held with our Pre-school classes across St Michael’s and St Mark’s last week. His engaging, hands-on approach has sparked curiosity and wonder in our young learners. Science in early childhood helps build foundational thinking skills, encourages questions and fosters a lifelong love of discovery – so it is a joy to see our children exploring scientific ideas so enthusiastically.

This week, we have also been celebrating Book Week and what a special time it has been! We were delighted to welcome a range of guest readers from the Junior School, including Kindergarten teachers, Mrs Genet Erikson Adam, Mr Grant Andrews and Mrs Michele Marquet. A big thank you to them for taking the time to visit and share their love of reading with our Pre-schoolers.

Dress-Up Day was a highlight, filled with imagination and excitement. Children proudly shared their favourite book characters and the stories behind them, sparking conversations, storytelling and plenty of creative play. It is always wonderful to see literature come to life through the children’s eyes.

As we have experienced some mixed weather this week, we want to thank families for helping children come prepared. We do enjoy spending time outdoors in light rain, so please continue to pack a wet weather coat and boots for your child so they can make the most of our outdoor experiences, rain or shine.

Thank you as always for your support and partnership.

Week 6

• Monday, 25 August:
  St Michael’s (3 & 5 Day Group) – Science Incursion
• Tuesday, 26 August:
  St Mark’s – Aboriginal Experience Incursion

Week 7

• Monday, 1 September:
  St Michael’s (5 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
  St Mark’s & St Michael’s – Dental Tooth Fairy Visit
• Tuesday, 2 September:
  St Michael’s (3 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
• Wednesday, 3 September:
  St Mark’s – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am
• Thursday, 4 September:
  St Michael’s (2 Day Group) – Father’s Day Morning, 8:45–9:15am

Week 9 – Bush School Excursions

• Monday, 15 September:
  St Michael’s (3 Day Group) & St Mark’s – Bush School Excursion
• Friday, 19 September:
  St Michael’s (2 Day & 5 Day Groups) – Bush School Excursion

End of Term 3: Friday, 19 September

Kind wishes,

Abigail McFarlane
Pre-schools Coordinator

Cranbrook Gala – Save The Date

Dear Parents,

As we embark on our exciting new chapter in Cranbrook’s history, we are delighted to bring together the Cranbrook Community to mark the beginning of co-education and to warmly welcome Dr Anne Johnstone, our new Head of School. We will be hosting a Gala Evening on Saturday 6^th December 2025 6pm at Cranbrook School. Please mark the date in your calendar. Further details will be announced over the next few weeks. The event is open to all parents from Pre-school to Year 12. Tickets will go on sale in September.

We look forward to celebrating this exciting new era together!

Kind regards,

Angelique Haritos
CSPA President

Year 6 Environmental Leaders Bring New Native Garden to Life

This week marked a special milestone for Cranbrook Junior School, as our Year 6 Environmental Leaders took centre stage in bringing the new Music Cottage Native Garden to life. The once bare space has been transformed into a vibrant, ecologically rich area that will provide habitat for native birds and our own native bees, and a beautiful living classroom for years to come.

Under the guidance of our landscaping partners Green by Nature, Mathew O’Brien and Bowen Verge, and following the approved garden design by native garden specialist Narelle Happ (A Garden for Life), the students enthusiastically took part in every stage of the planting process. From positioning plants according to the landscape plan, to preparing soil and carefully settling each native species in place, our Year 6 leaders showed initiative, teamwork and a genuine passion for the environment.

The project was made possible through a $3,000 Woollahra Council Environmental Grant. We extend our sincere thanks to Michelle Rose, Environmental Education Officer at Woollahra Municipal Council, for her invaluable support in both the grant application and the earlier Native Garden Consultation. Special thanks also go to Dave Rose from Sydney Wildflower Nursery, who supplied an outstanding collection of healthy, high-quality native plants.

Behind the scenes, Dan O’Brien, from our Facilities team, coordinated the logistics, ensuring that everything ran smoothly on planting day. His work, together with the expertise of our landscaping partners, provided the perfect framework for our students to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to our School grounds.

The Music Cottage Native Garden now stands as our own narrative to what can be achieved when our community comes together: Woollahra Council, staff and students; to protect and enhance our environment. It will not only enrich our campus’s biodiversity but also inspire future students to value and care for the natural world.

Richard Baker
Deputy Head – Staffing and Operations

Term 3 Events Overview

Please follow this link to view the Term 3 Events Overview for Junior School Families.

Music News – Week 5 Update

The Junior School Music Department has been a hive of activity with our staff working busily to ensure the Music Morning Concerts, JS Soiree, AMEB exams and Junior School Eisteddfod are a success. Last week’s Music Morning Concert was a wonderful exhibit of our budding musicians. We are now looking forward to the Junior School Soirée this Thursday evening, as well as our Junior School Music Eisteddfod on Thursday, 28 August and our Music Morning Concert on Friday, 29 August.

Spring Festival: Year 3 to 6 Junior School Music Eisteddfod – Thursday, 28 August

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.

External adjudicators have been engaged to write an encouraging report on the students’ performances, give feedback and award grades of achievement.

Please take note of the times each instrumental section will be held.

Parents and friends are warmly invited to attend to listen and support our young performers.

Categories, times and venues are as follows:

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

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.

Further instructions for logging in, entering student records at home and challenge rules may be found here. 

Students are supported in their weekly Library sessions to access a range of picture books and novels across all Challenge levels. 

Parents are also welcome to borrow additional books after school with their sons.

A reminder that login details are in student diaries. For assistance, please contact Mrs de Wit edewit@cranbrook.nsw.ed.au

Mrs de Wit
Library Technician