Message from Michele Marquet

Dear Parents and Carers,

It was such a delight to see so many of you at last Sunday’s Family Fun Day. It was wonderful to gather together as a community, support the work of our school in Nepal through CETOP and celebrate the things we love about Cranbrook. I was so beautifully reminded of the strength, commitment and positivity of our Cranbrook family. Thank you to Sophie Boniface, Megan Light, Elinor Hewitt, Amelia Laumberg, Bree Parker and other staff and parent volunteers who organised the event and ran the various stalls on the day. These events involve an enormous amount of preparation, but they provide a wonderful way to celebrate the strength and unity of our Cranbrook community. It certainly filled my heart!

Although many of us are still processing and trying to make sense of the events of recent weeks, as a staff, we are now seeking to refocus our attention on ensuring our students are cared for, engaged and learning effectively. Although I am in the role of Acting Head, I would like to reassure you that I am in daily contact with different members of the Junior School Leadership Team (JSLT) allowing me to remain across the detail of all that is happening on the Junior School campus. Thanks to the tremendous collaborative efforts of the Deputies and the JSLT, Junior School is running like clockwork. I would like to thank all our staff for their ongoing dedication and care for our students, families and each other. They really are an amazing group of people and it is an honour to lead them.

I understand that, particularly for our newer families, this period may have been unsettling and there might be questions or concerns that you would like to share with us. If you would like to speak with a member of the Senior Leadership Team at the Junior School, please call Reception (9327 9100) to request an appointment (either in-person or via phone call). We welcome your conversations and are happy to support you.

At this time, I would like to extend my personal thanks to the collective staff and families at the Junior School, for your continued messages of support for both myself and for our School. It means a great deal. We are committed to doing everything we can to address any concerns or issues, and to continue to build on our kind and caring culture in the Junior School.

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet

From the Deputies

Please find below, some important reminders about upcoming events at the Junior School:

Easter Service
This year’s JS Easter Service will be held in the Junior School Gym on Wednesday, 27 March at 2.15pm. Parents are very welcome to join us.

Grandparents’ Day
We look forward to welcoming our students’ grandparents to Grandparents’ Day on Wednesday, 3 April.

Information about the day can be found by following this link. We will let our families know if parking on the field is available on Tuesday, 2 April, dependent on the weather.

Join Us for Walk to Cranbrook Thursdays!

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 Thursday:

1. Walk: Lace up those school shoes and enjoy a refreshing walk to school! (Maybe as a family or with a friend)
2. Take a bus: Use public transportation for a convenient and eco-friendly commute.
3. Take a ferry: If you live near the waterfront, consider taking advantage of the ferry services.
4. Ride a bike or scooter: We have bike racks available for secure storage outside the K-Y2 gate. 
5. 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 Thursday 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 8

We are delighted to share that St. Michael’s and St. Mark’s Pre-schools have had a fantastic time celebrating Harmony Week. It’s been wonderful to see some of the children wearing orange attire or their cultural outfits to commemorate this special occasion. Below are some reminders for the upcoming weeks.

Easter Church Visits:

Tuesday, 26 March:

• St. Michael’s 5 Day Group will visit the church at 9:30am
• St Michael’s 3 Day Group will visit the church at 10:00am

Wednesday, 27 March:

• St Mark’s Pre-school will visit the church at 10:00am

Thursday, 28 March:

• St Michael’s 2 Day Group will visit the church at 9:30am

Holiday Closure:

Please note that the Pre-school will be closed on Good Friday, 29 March, and Easter Monday, 1 April.

Additionally, we kindly request your attention to the following matters:

Church Ground Safety: We would like to remind everyone that children should not be playing on the church grounds before or after school hours. It’s imperative that children are always supervised by parents.

Road Safety at St Michael’s Pre-school: The driveway at St Michael’s is an active road, and it’s crucial that children do not run on or near it. We urge your cooperation in supporting your child to walk respectfully to and from school using the footpath, ensuring their safety at all times.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and cooperation.

Kind Regards,

Abigail

Y3-Y6 2024 ICAS

Some Y3-Y6 families may be interested in their sons sitting ICAS assessments. These assessments are suitable for students wishing to extend themselves academically and take up the personal challenge of competing in an international assessment. ICAS papers are competitions, not standardised assessments. Please take the time to consider seriously your son’s suitability to participate in such challenging competitions. If you would like to learn more about ICAS, please follow this link.

Families can enrol their sons to sit for these competitions which will be held at an external venue. The closest venue for most families is Janison Exam Management Testing Centre which is located in Ultimo. This centre usually runs the assessments on Saturdays during mid to late August. Bookings should open shortly. To book into the external venue, please click on this link.

Little League Summer Sport Reports Round 6

I am delighted to report on the progress of our students in Round 6 of the summer sports season. As we reflect on the first half of this season, it is evident that our students have shown improvement in their sportsmanship and skills across various disciplines. Throughout the course of the season, our students have experienced both highs and lows, providing them with success and personal growth. Challenges have been met with resilience, and setbacks have served as learning experiences, fostering a spirit of perseverance among our students.

In Round 6, this spirit was evident across all sports. In cricket, we witnessed mixed results, highlighted by an outstanding performance from the 3C team against Sydney Grammar St Ives. Meanwhile, Year 6A cricket faced a formidable opponent in Kings A, offering them valuable lessons to carry forward. Tennis continued to exhibit consistent development, as evidenced by two impressive wins in the B’s and C’s categories, alongside a dedicated development session. The commitment and progress shown by our tennis players throughout the season are commendable. Multisports demonstrated exceptional engagement and focus, showcasing improved skills and strategic thinking during their roller ball session on Saturday. Their development in communication and teamwork has been evident and is a testament to their focus. In basketball, we celebrated some excellent wins, particularly away against Shore. Across all teams, there has been a noticeable improvement in skill levels, reflecting the hard work and dedication of both players and coaches.

As we approach the conclusion of the first half of the summer season, I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents, coaches, and managers for their unwavering support and dedication. Your efforts have provided our students with a platform to grow and thrive through sport. Looking ahead to the winter season, there is a sense of enthusiasm among our students. Their keenness and hunger for all things sport and physical activity bode well for the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead over winter.

Once again, thank you for your continued support, and let us continue to encourage and empower our students to reach new heights both on and off the field.

Yours in sport,

Mr James Roughan
Head of Sport & PDHPE

Basketball

Basketball Year 5/6 As – Ds

Basketball Year 5/6 Es

Basketball Year 5/6 Fs

Basketball Year 5/6 Gs

Basketball Year 5/6 Hs

Basketball Year 3/4 As

Basketball Year 3/4 Bs

Basketball Year 3/4 Cs

Basketball Year 3/4 Ds

Basketball Year 3/4 Blue 1

Basketball Year 3/4 Blue 2

Cricket

Cricket Year 5

Cricket Year 4

Cricket Year 3 As

Cricket Year 3 Bs

Multi Sports

Multi Sports Year 3-6

Y3–Y6 Sport News

IMPORTANT: START OF WINTER SPORT SEASON

On Friday, 22 March, Y3-Y6 students should wear their winter sports team training gear to school for their afternoon sports sessions. Before and after school winter sports team training will then commence the week after that, starting Monday, 25 March.

Calling all keen cricketers!

The Team at Pro Performance Cricket are excited to announce their upcoming Holiday Cricket Camps. They offer intensive individual and group skill development for players across all facets of the game. With an excellent coach to player ratio, and a focus on a positive and fun environment it’s a perfect opportunity for the kids to enhance and develop their games while having heaps of fun, making new friends and taking their game to a new level.

Book the Holiday Cricket Camps here.

Junior School Music News

Music events in the Junior School are in full swing! We have twelve music events scheduled between now and the end of Term 1 where every student in the Junior School will be involved in one or more performances. What a dynamic programme we offer!

JS Music events – Term 1
Please click here to see the comprehensive list of JS music events for Term 1. More information will be provided regarding these specific events as the term progresses.

Our Music Morning Concerts are now full, and we look forward to hearing our solo instrumentalists and vocalists over the next few weeks.

Junior School Music Soireé
Tonight 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.

AMEB Instrumental Music Examinations 2024
Cranbrook School will host examiners for in-person AMEB examinations at the Senior School Music Department in September this year. As preparation for these examinations takes multiple terms of work, those wishing to enrol must advise their Instrumental Music Tutor of their interest in the next fortnight. The Music Department will follow up expressions of interests with a confirmation of enrolment via Operoo later in Term 1. Candidates for AMEB are expected to use Morning Concerts, Soirées and the Spring Festival (JS Eisteddfod) as performance practice.

We look forward to seeing you soon at one of our many music events!

Warmest wishes,

Peter Fox
Head of Music, Junior School