On Friday, 6 September there will be a community prayer morning with Mr Noble for parents, carers and staff in our JS community. It will be held from 7:45am in Meeting Room 1 (alongside Junior School Reception). It is an opportunity to spend time in prayer for each other and the School. We run prayer meetings on the first Friday of each month during term time.
Dear Parents and Carers,
Last Friday evening, the Cranbrook 1sts Debating Team won their final debate against Waverley. The Packer Theatre had a very healthy audience of passionate supporters, a mix of parents and staff, but mainly students who had come to support the team as they strived to top the CAS table. It created a great atmosphere – School spirit abounded – and our team did us proud, winning the debate unanimously.
What struck me most was the way our students supported the debaters: by attending in such good numbers, by rousing applause and enthusiastic foot stamping at appropriate moments. I saw evidence of the same support offered to Junior School students at the Book Week Dress Up day last Friday. Genuinely encouraging comments and appreciation of others and their creativity could be heard from their peers as the students arrived in their outfits.
This support is something I see in abundance: Cranbrook students celebrating the broad range of interests and passions of their peers. As someone who has been at this School for more than a quarter of a century, it is also something that I know has been a hallmark of our School, and as a community, we must actively continue to encourage.
The outside world gives increasingly mixed messages about celebrating individuality. On the one hand, our society tells us to be ourselves, but throughout society, and often exposed online or through the media, there are copious examples highlighting the inability of people to disagree with someone who holds a differing view with any civility. We see examples of people who deride entire nations, religions, genders or ideas different to their own. It can be hard for those messages not to infiltrate the thinking of young people and, unchallenged, they can shape their mindsets so unhelpfully in the long term. You can start to see it in the way young people may speak to and about others. Our language can be such a powerful tool for good, but also a means of hurt and cruelty. In Chapel, we’ve heard it described like this: ‘With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.’ (James 3:10-11). This is an important message to reflect on.
Young teenagers often struggle with using their words respectfully and well. Teenage years can be the time students say things that their parents and teachers could never imagine coming out of their mouths when they were younger. These are years where our teenagers are working out who they are as people, ‘trying on’ different ways of being, and until they have worked that out it can be hard for them to accept others for who they are. Developmentally, this is the age range they are least intuitively empathetic. It is also when peer acceptance is at a premium. Often, it is only a certain group of peers from whom they seek to gain acceptance and so, in turn, they may make poor choices to try and impress someone else, thinking little about the impact of what they say on the person to whom the comment is directed. Other students who hear this type of put down and know it is wrong to speak that way, can be unsure how to respond and support others. Helping to reshape this pattern of interacting and to build the skills needed to change the behaviour can be a long and arduous process, but our School continues to be committed to working on this through our Student Wellbeing programme. A group of our Senior School students spoke powerfully at last week’s Assembly about the language of hate and its impact – but also, how simply it can be turned around by what we say to others and how we support them. As we head towards coeducation, there is continued momentum building amongst our students to help us to consistently welcome others, no matter who they might be or their perspectives.
Parents can work with us in a number of ways; one is by having conversations with their children about the language they use, particularly around the difference between banter and putdowns directed to others for the benefit of an audience. Another is to actively support the approach being taken by the School to help shift that behaviour. We are truly grateful to so many families who work with us in these difficult areas of trying to change unhelpful behaviours and habits and reinforce positive ways of engaging with others.
At Assembly, I reminded the Senior School students that to truly celebrate individuality we need to wholeheartedly listen; to genuinely acknowledge others; to celebrate others’ successes; to allow everyone to be themselves; and to think about the words we use and choose kindness. It is an ongoing challenge for every human being, and one where we will stumble along the way, but it is also one our School must continue to pursue as we seek to live out the School motto: Esse Quam Videri.
Kind wishes,
Michele Marquet
Acting Head of School
Dear Parents and Carers,
Tomorrow, on Friday, 30 August, from 7:30am, we are very much looking forward to welcoming important males in the lives of our students to our Father’s Day Morning. Please see the invitation here and remember that there is no carline and there are no optional co-curricular activities being held on Friday morning.
Our long-awaited JS Production of ‘Stuart Little’ will be held in the Packer Theatre, with performances on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, 9 – 11 September. If you are yet to purchase tickets for your family, you can do so here.
Congratulations to all 127 students who took part in the Junior School Music Eisteddfod today. It was a wonderful opportunity for students in Years 3 to 6 to showcase their performance skills on piano, strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, guitar and voice. This year’s Eisteddfod was judged by external adjudicators who wrote an encouraging report on each performance, providing feedback and awarding grades of achievement. We are extremely proud of our students’ performances.
We are looking forward to the start of Y3-Y6 summer sports training tomorrow afternoon (Friday, 30 August). There will be no morning training, due to Father’s Day activities. On Monday, 2 September before and after school training commences. Please remind your son to pack his sports kit and bring it to school on his training days.
I wish all of our families a restful weekend.
Kind regards,
Genét Erickson Adam
Acting Head of Junior School
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:
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:
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!
Dear Families,
As the sunshine graces us just in time for our Father’s Day celebrations in the garden, it was truly delightful to see dads and special persons join our Pre-schoolers for a fun-filled morning. We welcome children to wear summer uniforms as the weather warms up. However, please ensure they have jumpers and jackets handy for cooler moments.
We extend our thanks to all our families for their tremendous support and partnership over the last few terms. Your involvement in the classrooms and encouragement mean a lot to us and greatly enrich the experiences of our children.
If you have any interests or hobbies you’d like to share with your child’s class, we warmly invite you to reach out to the classroom teacher. Your contributions make our learning environment even more vibrant and engaging.
Kind regards,
Abigail McFarlane
Pre-schools’ Coordinator
St Mark’s Book Week
St Michael’s Book Week
End of winter sports has arrived! Has your son outgrown his football boots, but they are still in good condition?
We are collecting used, but in good condition, football or rugby boots for our Boots for the Bush campaign to help provide sporting wear for remote Indigenous students. Please ensure boots are cleaned thoroughly and tie the laces together.
Additionally, on Wednesday, 4 September 2024, students are invited to wear a favourite sporting jersey or non-sporting shirt to school. We are asking students to bring in a small donation of $3+ on the day. Donations will support remote Indigenous children.
Please hand in your money and boot donations to your class Community Service Representative.
Tomorrow, Friday, 30 August – 7:30am Father’s Day Activities
Monday, 9 September – Wednesday, 11 September: JS Play, Stuart Little
Tuesday, 17 September – Thursday, 19 September: K-5 Student-led Conferences
The full Term 3 Events Overview can be found here.
Y1 Excursion to Vaucluse House
On Tuesday, Year 1 travelled back in time when they paid a visit to Vaucluse House. They examined the location as a provocation into their next unit on technology: ‘exploring how and why technology evolved over time.’ As curious learners, they inquired into different technologies, such as identifying how people in the past lived their lives compared to how people live now.
Miss Zoe Brinkworth, Year Level Coordinator Y1
Y2 Arcade Incursion
Year 2 students have been involved in the planning, designing, building and, most importantly, playing of their own arcade games. In groups, they created an arcade game from recycled materials and utilised various forces. Year 2 students were thrilled to invite their parents and carers to participate in playing their arcade games. There were many cheers, laughs and big smiles from everyone.
Mrs Alissa Martire, Year Level Coordinator Y2
Although there has been no Saturday Sport for the last two weeks, we have had plenty of sporting action at Cranbrook. Below are the results from House Football and the IPSHA Athletics Carnival.
House Football
Last Friday, the students participated in House Football. It was a successful afternoon with plenty of competitive spirit and House pride displayed by all students. Potter was very strong on the afternoon and secured the top spot.
| House Football results | |
| 1st | Potter |
| 2nd | Moyes |
| 3rd | Hordern |
| 4th | Dangar & Warry |
| 6th | Ingram |
IPSHA Athletics
Yesterday, we had an excellent day in the sun at the IPSHA Athletics Carnival. Many of our students performed exceptionally well in their events. The CIS team will be officially named in the next couple of days, and we will have a strong contingent of students who will go through to compete at this event.
IPSHA Athletics Squad: Teddy A, James C, Eddie C, Santiago D, Angus D, Sebastian D, Sandy D, Freddie F, Oliver F, Joseph L, Alfie L-B, Luca M, Jasper M, Aiden P, Henry R, Charlie R, Oscar R, Archie S, Tully S, William S, Aryan S, Rory S, Jamie S, Jet S, Gabriel V, Will W, Harry W, Jerry W, Frank T.
Top 10 Finishes
| Event | Name | Place |
| Senior Relay team | William S, Jasper M, Sebastian D, Oscar R | 3rd |
| 12/13 Years 100m | Sebastian D | 3rd |
| 12/13 years 800m | Oliver F | 6th |
| 12/13 Years 200m | Sebastian D | 2nd |
| 12/13 Years Discus | Charlie R | 6th |
| 12/13 Years Shot Put | Charlie R | 9th |
| 12/13 Years High Jump | Joseph L | 2nd |
| 12/13 Long Jump | Oscar R | 5th |
| 11 Years 100m | William S | 2nd |
| 11 Years 200m | William S | 3rd |
| 11 Years 200m | Santiago D | 5th |
| 11 Years High Jump | James C | 6th |
| 11 Years Discus | Will W | 2nd |
| 8-10 Years Long Jump | Jamie S | 6th |
| 8-10 Years High Jump | Archie S | 9th |
| 8 Years 100m | Henry R | 4th |
Last week, Cranbrook’s Snowsports legends headed back to Perisher with 45 Cranbrook athletes on snow in the State Interschools competition. In a spectacular result across the divisions, the Junior School team nabbed a 1st place position in the Primary Male Cross Country result and 2nd place overall in Primary point scores. Our Senior School team achieved a 3rd place position in the Secondary Male Cross Country overall result and 5th place in the Secondary overall point score. From Day 1 on the mountain, facing challenging weather, very little snow and fierce competition, every division gave it their all, making Cranbrook proud.
Senior teams and individual qualifications were achieved across disciplines, with the top podium positions falling to:
Division 1A Cross Country Classic – Team SILVER (Dash Bouvier 4th, Charlie Mann 6th, Jai Rastogi 9th)
Division 1A Cross Country Relay – Team SILVER (Charlie Mann, Jai Rastogi, Dash Bouvier)
Senior teams and individuals also achieved qualifying finishes in:
Division 1B Cross Country Classic – Team 4th (Thomas Southwell-Keely 10th, Sam O’Neil 17th, Chester Mobbs 18th)
Division 1B Cross Country Relay – Team 5th (Sam O’Neil, Chester Mobbs, Thomas Southwell-Keely)
Division 1 Moguls – Individual 20th (Jude Middleditch)
Division 1 Ski Cross – Individual 9th (John-Maxwell Fuller)
Division 2 Cross Country Classic – Individual 7th (Sach Edwards)
Division 2 Moguls – Individual 9th (Oscar Parsons)
Division 2 Snowboard GS – Individual 14th (Ziggy Edwards)
Division 2 Snowboard Cross – Individual 18th (Ziggy Edwards)
Division 3 Cross Country Classic – Individual 6th (Oliver Southwell-Keely)
Division 3 Alpine – Individual 14th (Oli Klaas)
In our lower divisions, special congratulations go out to the podium finishes:
Division 4 Cross Country Classic – Individual SILVER (Charlie Roberts)
Division 4 XC Classic– Team SILVER (Charlie Roberts 2nd, Hugo Croft 9th, Sam Spry 14th)
Division 4 XC Relay – Team SILVER (Charlie Roberts, Sam Spry, Hugo Croft)
Division 5 XC Classic – Team GOLD (Xavier Fern 5th, Imanol Plante 6th, Sebastian Salter 8th)
Division 5 XC Relay – Team BRONZE (Xavier Fern, Imanol Plante, Sebastian Salter)
Division 5 Ski Cross – Team GOLD (Hunter Whittle 3rd, Sebastian Salter 5th, Xavier Fern 11th)
Junior teams also achieved qualifying finishes in:
Division 5 XC Classic – Individual 11th (Hunter Whittle)
Division 4 Alpine – Team 6th (Charlie Roberts 16th, James Cowan, Rhys Au, Hugo Croft)
Division 5 Alpine – Team 5th (Imanol Plante, Sebastian Salter 18th, Xavier Fern, Hunter Whittle 10th)
Division 6 Alpine – Team 6th (Wynn Au 12th, Sam Cowan, Hugo Fern, William Britten-Jones)
Division 4 Moguls – Team 6th (James Cowan 19th, Hugo Croft 23rd, Rhys Au)
Division 5 Moguls – Team 5th (Sebastian Salter 20th, Xavier Fern 19th, Hunter Whittle 12th)
Division 4 Ski Cross – Individual 9th (Charlie Roberts)
Division 6 Ski Cross – Individual 17th (Wynn Au)
Throughout the week, we also had representatives take part in the NSW Laser Biathlon.
Division 1 – Dash Bouvier 3rd, Thomas Southwell-Keely 5th, Sam O’Neil 6th
Division 3 – Oliver Southwell-Keely 4th, Ethan Rushton 9th
Division 4 – Hugo Croft 1st
Division 5 – Xavier Fern 2nd, Orlando Fern 5th
Please join us in congratulating all of our Snowsports athletes on a spectacular State Competition. Overall, Cranbrook achieved an impressive 12 Team qualifications and 34 Individual invitations to the Australian Championship event to be held at Perisher in early September.
Snowsports Captains: Jude Middleditch, Chester Mobbs
Thank you to staff, students and families for your enthusiasm and support of Book Week – Reading is Magic.
We look forward to sharing a full update of the various activities next week.
Please note we have signed copies of visiting author/illustrator Chris Kennett’s books at school available for purchase here.
Kind regards,
Ms Light and Mrs de Wit
Please contact Annabel Boyd (jscocurricular@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au) if you have any queries.