Matt Grice, Director of Sport K – 12

Matt Grice, Director of Sport K – 12

Dear Parents and Guardians

It was great to see all our students out and about for our trial matches over the weekend. Well done to our 1sts Cricket team for a good win in their season opener against St Aloysius. Water Polo had a great start to the summer season as they won all their trial games against Waverley.

Saturday saw the historic first game of Touch Football for Cranbrook as we took on Scots on Hordern Oval. It was great to see all students having a great time in this recently added sport. We are looking forward to seeing how our first season pans out and look forward to lots of good results.

Cranbrook Touch Football Team

Winter Team photos are now available – please visit the website to place an order prior to Friday 3 November.

www.melbastudios.com.au

Select school orders 

Password is DANGAR

We look forward to the start of the official summer season this weekend. We take on St Aloysius in Basketball, Tennis, Water Polo, and Volleyball, while Cricket starts its two-day fixture against Trinity. Friday night sees our 1sts and 2nds Basketball play St Aloysius away. We wish all teams the best of luck for the start of the season. 

Please see this weekend’s fixtures here.

Please find the co-curricular and academy timetable for this week here.

Speed and Agility starts next Friday morning, 26 October, 6.30am on Hordern. We would love to see as many students as possible at these amazing free sessions provided by Mr Hallam. The programme is designed for all skill sets and athletic abilities. We encourage everyone come down to get a little better each week for their chosen sport.

Looking forward to seeing everyone around the grounds this weekend.

Kind regards

Matt Grice
Director of Sport

Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Dear Parents & Carers

Our HSC examinations have continued for the Class of 2023 this week, and I’m sure the students and parents alike are delighted that we have reached the halfway point. Please keep our IBDP students in your thoughts as their final examinations commence on Monday with Global Politics. We wish our second cohort of IBDP students the very best.

Last Thursday, saw the launch of our cricket season at Dangar Oval; a very special thank you to Mr Aidan Tudehope for hosting the season’s commencement. It was an excellent community event with students across all Year Groups mingling and enjoying small-sided games as well as a BBQ. Tomorrow afternoon also marks the launch of our rowing season.

I would like to acknowledge the many music students who are currently rehearsing every Sunday for their December tour to Europe. This is a huge commitment on top of an already six-day week. I would also like to thank the students preparing for the Junior Drama Production of Great Expectations; this commences on Wednesday 1 November, and we wish our students the very best with their preparations.

Ms Chloe Hardwick-Jones, our Head of Languages, who is currently on maternity leave, has accepted a position at SCEGGS Darlinghurst. We thank Chloe for her leadership of languages over many years. I am delighted to announce that Mr Marc Savic, the current Acting Head of Languages has been appointed to that position permanently from the commencement of 2024. Mr Savic has acted in the position for almost two years and is highly respected in the classroom, plus contributes hugely to our football programme. Congratulations, Mr Savic!

Finally, and most importantly, I have written to staff and Ms Sanders has written to all students regarding the upsetting news from the Middle East. These types of worldwide events are often very challenging to explain in real time rather than in a historical context. It would be easy for our young people to want to take sides and even join demonstrations that are occurring in our fine city. We, as a school, are here to support our students and staff who are currently struggling or have family or friends who are finding this time particularly challenging. We hope that our community is united and is supportive of one another at this difficult time.

Have a great week.

Best wishes,

Bob Meakin
Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Philip Beverley, Director of Music

Philip Beverley, Director of Music

Music is back in the Perkins Building and the students of Cranbrook are now blessed to have a dedicated space to hone their musical craft. There will be several opportunities to see the new facilities this term as we are not short on musical events. There are still a few final touches to be made but the transformation of teaching and learning within the walls of the oldest building in the School will certainly help inspire excellence among the students who use the space.

Performance Plus: Pathways

Term 4 began with us exploring the pathways of a great Australian Musician who’s own musical journey resonated with many in the room. Nick Russoniello is a highly accomplished and dynamic saxophonist, composer, ensemble leader and educator. A graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Conservatorio di Musica “Giuseppe Verdi” di Milano, Nick has appeared as a soloist or guest musician with many of Australia’s premier arts organisations including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra, the Australian Opera & Ballet Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring, Metropolitan Orchestra and the Acacia Quartet. He has been the recipient of major awards including the ABC Symphony Australian Young Performer of the Year Award, Fine Music Kruger Scholarship and a finalist for the Australian Freedman Fellowship.

Nick spoke passionately about his journey to create a career as a musician. His musical experiences stem from all worlds of music and it was an amazing experience to have someone of Nick’s skill and creativity unpack how he builds sound worlds and draws upon these experiences.

AMEB success

Congratulations to over 60 individual students who underwent AMEB and Trinity College performance examination at the end of last term. These results are now available within each student’s portfolio. It is a wonderful sign of the strength of music making as soloists and we look forward to the next chapter in their musical development.

European Music Tour preparations

On Sunday, we welcomed over 40 students from St Catherine’s and began this semester’s preparations for the European Music tour, due to depart at the end of this term. We made full use of all the music spaces and the students are filled with excitement as they prepare music to perform in some of Europe’s finest venues, including St Nicholas Church Prague, St Lawrence, Hodonin and Lisinski Hall Zagreb.

Upcoming events

  • Tuesday 7 November – NEU! Original Music Night

Packer Theatre – 6:30 pm

  • Thursday 23 November – Soirée – Small Ensembles

Chapel – 6:30 pm

Warm regards

Phil Beverley
Director of Music

Adrian Harrison, Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

Adrian Harrison, Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

During the previous academic term, several students took part in a variety of external examinations administered by ICAS (International Competitions and Assessments for Schools). These examinations are held annually not only in Australia but also in more than 20 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, Pacific nations, and the Americas. Remarkable achievements were attained by Year 7 students Finn Dusseldorp and Ettiene Roux, as well as Year 8 students Thomas Boyd and Nicholas Long. These young individuals achieved High Distinctions in multiple subject areas, ranking them among the top 1% of candidates worldwide. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all participants, with special recognition for the following students who earned Distinctions.

Year 7Distinction
Finn DusseldorpDigital Technologies (HD), Writing (HD), English (HD), Mathematics
Ettienne RouxDigital Technologies, Science (HD), Mathematics
Grayson GerberDigital Technologies, Science, Mathematics,
Peter WangDigital Technologies, Science, Mathematics
Ethan MooreheadScience,
Cameron LuMathematics
Sam FarquarEnglish
Students who earned Distinctions
Year 8Distinction
Thomas BoydEnglish (HD), Writing (HD), Science (HD), Mathematics
Nicholas LongScience (HD), Mathematics (HD)
Riley HughesEnglish, Writing
Timati FirthMathematics, Science
Brian NguyenMathematics
Simon TesvicMathematics
Students who earned Distinctions

Congratulations also to River Kedzier-Hurst in Year 10 who received a distinction for Writing.

Students will receive their certificates through their Houses shortly. Well done.

Adrian Harrison
Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

Term 4 2023 Cranbrook Bus Services: Bookings Open

Term 4 2023 Cranbrook Bus Services: Bookings Open

Cranbrook School offers the following subsidised private bus services to students from Monday to Friday during the school term.

Please use the Humanitix links to purchase a Term 4 Bus Pass, the price is $440 for the term.

Also below are the 2023 Bus Schedules for your information.

For public transport information please refer to the Transport Information website.  

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact bus@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

Eastern Suburbs
North Shore
Inner West
Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing

Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing

This term in SWP our focus for each year group is as a follows

  • Year 7- Strengths in Me
  • Year 8- Strengths in Diversity
  • Year 9- Authentic Self
  • Year 10- Teamwork
  • Year 12- Stepping up

Our Year 7 and 10 cohorts will have the opportunity to practice these skills out in the field on CITF. The outdoor classroom is just as vital to the development of young people as they can learn how transfer skills across different situations.

I have reminded the students that those members of our school community who may be experiencing fear or pain because of world events to please ensure they reach out for support from their Housemaster, their Mentor, the school counsellors, or any member of staff they feel comfortable with. Having conversations with your children about what they may come across on social media is also important as they may not be able to think critically about what they see or read. 

Angelique Sanders
Director of Student Wellbeing

Nicholas Jolly, Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School

Nicholas Jolly, Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School

Dear Parents and Caregivers

You may have come across discussions in the media about recent changes in mobile phone regulations within NSW public schools. Commencing this term, a new policy will prohibit the use of mobile phones during class hours, recess, and lunchtime at all NSW public secondary schools. While we recognise the potential negative effects of excessive screen time on young individuals, we operate within the challenges of an era where the typical age for a young person to receive a phone is 13. From our experience, nearly all students have permission to bring their phones to school.

Regarding our policies on device use at Cranbrook, we are adopting a different stance. We understand that mobile devices can serve as powerful tools for learning. Here are some examples of instances where students are permitted to use phones in the classroom:

• Stopwatch, camera, and video camera during Science experiments.

• Camera and video camera in Design and Technology classes.

• Camera for gathering inspiration in Visual Arts.

• Video camera for choreography in Drama classes.

• Compass and camera for Geography fieldwork.

• Audio recorder for speeches in English and other humanities classes.

• Camera for capturing whiteboard content in any class.

Any student using their phones in class without explicit permission will have their device confiscated, to be collected at the end of the school day. For recess and lunch periods, we generally discourage the use of mobile phones and laptops. Students will receive a warning for inappropriate usage, and repeated violations will result in the confiscation of the device for collection at the end of the day.

We’ve chosen this approach for several reasons;

• A complete ban on phones can sometimes lead to resistance and defiance among students.

• We aim to prevent students from hiding in bathrooms or taking excessive restroom breaks to use their phones.

• Empowering students to make responsible choices is more likely to cultivate their cooperation and respect for the rules, fostering a sense of trust and mutual respect between teachers and students.

• When students have the choice, they must think critically, considering the pros and cons to make informed decisions. This teaches them self-discipline and self-regulation. Allowing students to make such choices in a controlled environment prepares them for responsible technology use as adults.

• Teaching responsible phone use, rather than banning it, equips students with the skills to use technology wisely as a tool rather than a distraction.

Regarding cyberbullying, we consistently manage incidents of misbehaviour, and all forms of bullying are treated with the utmost seriousness at Cranbrook. Our well-being program is designed to educate students about various topics, including anti-bullying, aiming to empower them to be inclusive individuals with healthy relationships.

We will continually monitor our policy pertaining to mobile phones. We greatly appreciate your support for our approach. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Nicholas Jolly
Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School