Senior School Link – Week 10, Term 1 2024 - 4 April 2024
Adrian Harrison, Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations
Dear Parents and Carers,
Thursday sees the commencement of the Year 12 HSC assessment block for 2024. This will run from Thursday 4 April until Friday 12 April with most examinations taking place in the gym. The students have the opportunity to sit several examinations in this space and under full HSC conditions including supervision by our HSC Presiding Officer. The students appear to be well prepared and have enjoyed two specific sessions over the past few weeks targeting this preparation.
The first involved a panel of senior HSC markers offering their insights into exactly what they are after in the marking centre, thank you to Ms Munn, Ms O’Shea, Mr Benson and Mr Henriques; the second was a deeper dive where students selected specific subjects and explored examination practices and standards settings procedures for each. A huge thank you to Mr Drivas for lending his expertise for this session. A reminder that any students who are unable to attend an assessment task on the scheduled day should follow our illness and misadventure procedures and contact Mr Metcalf. They will have the opportunity to catch up the task for feedback during the examination block.
Many thanks,
Adrian Harrison Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations
Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers
My sincere thanks to all parents that have been using the drop and kiss/car line facility over the past week. This has eased congestion and has improved safety around the School. Can I please encourage you to use this facility as it makes an enormous difference to the traffic flow around the outside of our Senior School campus.
Many of us were very saddened by the tragedy that occurred last week, where a student at another school passed away following what is believed to be an anaphylactic attack following a rowing end of season function. Below is a short message from our Head of Health Centre:
After the recent tragic event involving an anaphylactic student at another school, I would like to ask parents of anaphylactic and asthmatic sons to have a discussion with them on the importance of keeping their individual EpiPen or Ventolin with them at all times. This is especially important when they are transiting to and from school. As well, this is a timely reminder to ensure you have provided up to date Anaphylaxis and Asthma Action Plans to the School via Operoo to ensure staff have the latest information on your son’s condition so they can provide the individualised care they require if needed.
Our best wishes go to Year 9 who commence their CITF programme today. They departed this morning at 7am for what promises to be a challenging but none the less wonderful educational experience. Our thanks to Mr Jem Harding and all staff in attendance.
Our Year 12 students commenced their half yearly examinations today. These examinations run through until the end of next week and for HSC students they are of critical importance, not just for some school-based HSC marks, but also for examination practice. I wish Year 12 all the best for their revision and their exams.
Next week is the final week of term which will end at the usual time of 3.20pm on Friday 12 April. The afternoon will see some House based recreational activities and students are to wear sports uniform with House shirts for the entire day on Friday.
Best wishes for the week ahead.
Bob Meakin Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Nick Jolly, Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers,
This weekend the School has the pleasure of hosting International Baccalaureate professional learning workshops for over 100 teachers from across the Asia Pacific region. As an IB School, Cranbrook joins over 600 schools in 29 countries from the Asia Pacific that offer one of the IB’s programmes. The School in fact offers 3 of the 4 main programmes; the PYP, the MYP and the Diploma Programme, making it one of only a small number of IB Continuum Schools in the region. 12 Cranbrook staff will also be in attendance at the workshops, which will run from Saturday through to Monday morning. It will be a great weekend of collaboration and learning for our staff; I am sure our overseas visitors will enjoy our new facilities and the view from the Vicars Building.
Last week Genet Erickson-Adam (PYP Coordinator), Nick Hanrahan (IB Diploma Coordinator) and Hannah Thomas (Director of Professional Learning) represented the School at the IB’s Global Conference in Daegu, South Korea.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments regarding the School’s adoption of IB programmes.
Have a great week.
Nick Jolly Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School
Matt Grice, Director of Sport K – 12
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Cranbrook will play a full round of Winter trial fixtures this weekend. Please note that the weather doesn’t look fantastic for the coming days. We will attempt to give as much notice as possible if we have outdoor cancellations for Saturday fixtures. This will be done through our Clipboard app. Below is a quick refresher on how Clipboard works. You can find the Winter Training Schedule for the remainder of Term 1 here.
A reminder that the Cranbrook School app, deliver content specific to your child for the sport and co-curricular activities (please note that this is for Years 3-6 Sport and K-6 Music instrumentalist lessons and groups in the Junior School, and Sport in the Senior School) in which your child is participating. You can view the weekly sport fixtures and compulsory co-curricular timetables. In addition, you can access the Weekly Link Newsletters and other helpful information all in the one accessible format.
Please note that the button to log absentees is for school attendance only between Monday to Friday. You cannot log Saturday sports, music and all co-curricular absences on this app so please follow the usual process if your son is unable to attend these activities.
How to download the Cranbrook School App
The App is free to download from the Apple or Google app store to your Apple or Android device.
When signing in for the first time, the username will be the email address you currently have registered with the school.
We have plenty of options for our students to keep busy with their sporting endeavours in the upcoming Holidays. We would love to see the students join a camp, training or simply get to the gym to keep active over the break. Please see our holiday training schedule for all available activities here. Holiday Camp details can be found under Dates for your Diary.
Kind regards
Matt Grice Director of Sport
Mother’s and Carer’s Day Breakfast
Dear Cranbrook Mothers and Carers
The Cranbrook School Parents’ Association (CSPA) is pleased to invite you and your son/s to a breakfast at the Senior School, honouring mothers, and carers of our Year 7 to Year 12 students.
Join us on Wednesday 8 May 2024 from 7.15am until 8.20am (Year 7 and Year 12 parents are invited to stay longer if time permits) on the Mackay Lawn and surrounding terraces (atop the Vicars Centenary Building).
Parking is available in surrounding streets. Please contact us directly if you require special parking.
Should you wish to attend and for catering purposes, click here to RSVP.
For all enquiries, please contact the Development & Community Office on (02) 9327 9409 or via email Foundation@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
We very much look forward to seeing you there.
Samantha Roberts President Cranbrook School Parents’ Association
Articles of Interest
Please find articles of interest below compiled each week by members of the boarding staff team.
Don’t miss out on a CRU Camps for K-Y12! Choose from residential activity camps, HSC & IB study camps or daytime-only camps, all with fantastic activities like sailing, horse riding, rock climbing, archery, canoeing, abseiling, cooking, Year 12 study, plus new friends, engaging Bible talks & more! For more info or to register, visit crucamps.com.au ‘CRU Camps’ is a division of the Crusader Union of Australia which has 90 years’ experience running safe, Christian camps for kids.
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.
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
Duke of Ed Update
On Thursday 21 March, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the annual Duke of Edinburgh Gold award presentation; a prestigious ceremony attended by hundreds of students, parents, and teachers to celebrate the outstanding achievements our students.
Presided over by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, the event is a deservedly exuberant celebration of the exceptional achievements of students from across the state of NSW in gaining their Gold award.
Gold medals have been awarded since the 18th Century, usually to give an outstanding student some financial freedom. Whilst most medals are now not made of pure gold, the naming convention remains as does the universal prestige of the award. A gold award demonstrates that the recipient has many of the same traits as the gold itself, they are consistent, and they are of the highest quality and integrity.
At this event, three outstanding students were with their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. They receive a gold badge which represents the many years of effort they have committed to in sport, developing a skill and dedication to serving our community.
To achieve a gold award is the highest recognition of a student’s persistence, leadership, spirit of adventure and service to others within the Duke of Edinburgh program. This award is quite rightly difficult to earn and as such is held in high esteem both within Australia and indeed Internationally and I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Oliver Argent and Liam Wolfenden (class of 2023) and Eyad Muhmood on this outstanding achievement.
Aaron Nolan Acting Director of Service
Phil Beverley, Director of Music
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Last week we took time to reflect and celebrate the Easter story. For our community, it was a poignant moment to take stock and evaluate what we hold dear and witness our students ‘being’ rather than seeming to be.
For the students, it was another performance opportunity to share their love of music and a chance to challenge their musical capacity. In true fanfare fashion, select members of the Symphonic Winds and Concert Bands formed a brass ensemble and performed Humperdinck’s Prayer as the opening work. Our Chamber Strings, led by Mr Martyn Hentschel, filled the room with beautiful music composed by Jean Sibelius and Australian Composer Ross Edwards. Edwards’ reflective and melancholic Enyato I: Chorale Sereno and Sebelius‘ Andante Festivo set the reflective tone of the evening. Boy’s Vocal Ensemble performed Thomas Tallis’ If ye loved me and commanded the stage. A huge thank you to the outstanding soprano work of Agnes Sarkis who sung the soprano line of this work. The Senior School Choir tackled a significant work by Anton Bruckner titled Locus Iste, filling the Chapel with polyphony, and for the first time in an Easter Concert, we welcomed the Junior School Voices under the direction of Mr Peter Fox. The young voices added a powerful dimension to the sound and complimented the 90 Senior School choristers who surrounded the Audience and performed, Going up a Yonder in-the-round as the final work.
Thank you to all the hard work of our wonderful parents who support the musicians of Cranbrook by encouraging and facilitating regular practice, provide the transportation for super early starts and give their time to enjoy the fruits of their labour. You are certainly being rather than seeming to be and if last week’s performance is anything to go by, it’s worth it.
As we look forward to Term 2 we can expect lots of performances on the road to our Week 9 Town Hall Concert on Monday 24 June. Jazz Night, our Contemporary Music showcase AMPED at Marrickville Theatre, Masterclasses, Soirees, Lunchtime Concert Practices, and more to come in Term 2. I look forward to welcoming you to one of our upcoming events.
I am pleased to announce that Dr Elizabeth Scott is presenting the Term 2 Keynote which will have a special focus on practice and intonation. Something that is essential for all musicians. Dr Scott is a lecturer in conducting and the director of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Choir. She is the Associate Music Director of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and has performed and recorded with Cantillation, Pinchgut Opera and The Song Company.
A final note to parents about scheduling of lessons and arrival times for rehearsals. All sessions are now listed on Clipboard which students can access via their single sign on. Parents also have access via the Cranbrook App. If I could encourage all students to arrive 10-15 minutes prior to any rehears start time. Rooms need to be set up, and instruments need to be assembled. We know stuff happens from time to time but anything you can do to continue to support good habits is much appreciated.
