Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School

Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School

Dear Cranbrook families,

The wonderful Mother’s Day celebration so many of us enjoyed last week at the Senior School, was one of several events we held to honour the powerful impact women have in their children’s lives. Both of our Pre-schools held special morning teas and a delightful Mother’s Day event was held at the Junior School with all the usual entertaining activities on offer. Our school community is one of the most fantastic parts of Cranbrook and events such as these show the strength of the relationships our families and the School share, and demonstrate the warm and supportive culture we have come to appreciate about Cranbrook. Thank you to the CSPA, the Foundation and our school staff who ensured these events were such a joy.

As I mentioned last week, we have been undertaking a broad survey of our culture to increase our understanding of the experience of our students, staff and families, so that we reflect a welcoming environment to all, and provide the very best opportunities for our community to experience a respectful and exciting environment for learning.

Last week, I described some of the work currently underway with our students to help us better understand their experience of Cranbrook and develop effective ways we can offer the right opportunities to help them feel a genuine sense of belonging.

We have also been working with our staff to provide them with avenues to share their experiences and what they value about our School, as well as suggest areas to strengthen the culture in the years ahead. As part of the AIS Wellbeing Project the School is undertaking in 2024, the staff were surveyed about school culture. They also are participating in a larger Staff Culture Survey being conducted by an external company to delve more deeply into their experiences and we look forward to using the learnings we gain through this process to inform new initiatives in the future.

The School values feedback from all members of our community and we are also eager to hear from our parent community about their experiences and what they value about Cranbrook. Later this year, we will be conducting some research with parents to gain their perspectives. By better understanding what all members of our community value and experience as part of our school, we provide an exciting opportunity to reflect, learn and bolster Cranbrook for the years ahead.

As the year continues, we look forward to updating you on the changes that flow from this valuable project and the many other initiatives currently underway as we seek to better understand our culture and how to strengthen it for the benefit of the whole community.

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet
Acting Head of School

Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Dear Parents and Carers

It was a pleasure to join Ms Marquet and Mr Grice to thank our Summer Sport Captains at lunch on Monday.  It was interesting listening to them about their successes and challenges in leadership.  But above all it was to thank them for their service and tremendous example to the Summers Sport programme. 

Staying on the theme of leadership, I did address our Year 11s during SWP on the theme of leadership.  My message to them was that no school rises above its Year 12 cohort and their example and service is essential to the positive culture of the School.  I did outline some leadership themes and different styles of leadership in the hope that this assists any student who wishes to apply for prefectship in the near future.

I would like to thank so many parents who attended the Friday Night sports events at both Easts Rugby Club and Hensley Athletic Park.  It was fantastic to see both Rugby and Football enjoy success, but it was also an opportunity to gather as a community and enjoy each others’ company.

Inter-House Theatre Sports has been alive at lunch times this week with today seeing the finals. Congratulations to the following Houses on their creative performances at a moment’s notice – 3rd place Harvey House, 2nd place Hone House and the winners…. CHELMSFORD HOUSE! Thank you to all students who participated and provided much entertainment for all.  A particular thanks to the Drama staff for hosting this wonderful competition.

Year 7–11 Parent Teacher Day is on Friday 7 June prior to the long weekend.  We are trialling this model where all interviews will take place throughout the day for all Year Groups in Years 7-11 and we will seek feedback after the event.   A separate letter regarding this day will be sent from me tomorrow. 

Finally, I have had to remind a few students about respect.  One of our co-mission statements is “To model and expect respect.”  I am aware that teenagers can find relationships with their peers and indeed their teachers challenging at times, but we do expect respectful behaviour towards one another at all times.  This ensures that the culture of the School is positive and respectful and keeps the School being the thriving and engaging place that it is.  Fortunately, these issues have been few, but I just wanted to share that we are keen to uphold this very important co-mission of the School.

I wish everyone a great week.

Bob Meakin
Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

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

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

Dear Parents.

A reminder to families about the upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews Day from 8am-6pm on Friday June 7. Please keep an eye on your inbox for more information soon. Classes, including Year 12 classes,  will not occur on this day; students will be welcome to stay at home and engage with the interview process or to study and undertake work set by teachers. We appreciate your support of this important day.

A reminder also to families of Year 7 regarding the study skills webinar with Dr Prue Salter next Monday night from 6pm. Please see the separate email from me regarding this event. Next week we also have Curriculum Information Webinars for Year 8 and 10 occurring Wednesday 22 May at 5.30pm and 6.30pm respectively. I will send a reminder email to these families soon. Year 11 and 12 families might be interested in a free webinar hosted by Elevate Education at 6.30pm also on Wednesday May 22 on “How You Can Help Your Child Prepare For Exams”. Click here to register for this free event.

Parents might have seen a story in the SMH this week about Sydney Grammar’s adoption of a ‘no technology in class’ policy. Their position is that laptops and other technologies serve as a distraction, and take away from the development of writing skills in class. I have been asked this week why Cranbrook does not adopt a similar position.  Our view is that we seek to take a more balanced approach, blending the use of technology with the all-important work of developing other skills in our students, including a strong focus on writing.  We live in an increasing complex world where digital literacy skills are absolutely required; but we also know the benefits of continuing to foster handwriting skills. Research shows that students retain more information when they read from books compared with a screen, and that they recall information better when they handwrite notes versus typing them. It is also worth noting that IB Diploma and HSC exams are handwritten at the end of the day! We therefore require students to maintain a workbook for every subject, and we encourage our teachers to offer some handwriting activities in every lesson wherever possible.

To assist with the development of student writing skills, the School had adopted a programme called the Writer’s Toolbox. In one English lesson each fortnight, Year 7, 8 and 11 students use the online tool to complete interactive lessons about an aspect of written expression. This includes fluency, precision, or paragraph writing. Teachers across the Senior School then embed the fortnightly literacy focus into their own lessons in a way that is authentic to their subject area. In Term 1 alone, we have seen a 45% value add in terms of increased writing strength, while students have used the AI feedback tool a total of 5,430 times. Thank you to Ms Kate Kovalik, our Literacy Coordinator, for her leadership on this initiative.

If you have any questions or comments relating to these matters, please make contact with me.

All the best.

Nick Jolly
Director of Academics / Deputy Head of Senior School

Adrian Harrison, Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

Adrian Harrison, Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

Congratulations to the 32 students across Years 7-10 who represented Cranbrook this week. The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition with over 150 teams designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students. The theme for this year’s competition was ‘UTOPIA’. They competed in teams of eight across ten disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science, english, ideation, creative producers, cartography and legacy. The Decathlon competition places a particular emphasis on higher order thinking skills, problem solving and creativity. Special mention to the Year 9s who came 3rd in Engineering and the Year 10s who were 3rd in both Creative Producers and in Legacy.

Well done to all students and to Mr Adams for his support. Communications are sent out at the beginning of the year to ALL students and those interested in trying out for next years teams will be reminded in Term 1 2025.

This year students in the Senior School will have the opportunity to again participate in a range of subject specific competitions run by ICAS. ICAS is a school competition that inspires, celebrates and challenges millions of school students across Australia, New Zealand and the world. The competition questions are set in modern, real-world scenarios where school students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts, using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. The tests are in the following subject areas, Mathematics, Science, English and Digital Technologies. Each test runs for approximately 1 period and will take place in Term 3 during class time. Students can choose if they would like to sit any or all of these.

This is an optional assessment that has a fee associated. Registration and payment is made directly through the ICAS website. Login details will be provided in coming weeks.

Should you have any questions please contact me on aharrison@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au or our High Potential Coordinator Mr Adams on jadams@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.

Adrian Harrison
Director of Curriculum and Academic Operations

Advancing Pedagogical Excellence at Cranbrook

Advancing Pedagogical Excellence at Cranbrook

This term, the Teacher Inquiry Group at Cranbrook, led by Dr. Shani Hartley, is diving into an intensive phase of enhancing their research project design skills. Our educators are engaging in a variety of research initiatives that include developing empathy through targeted interventions, integrating First Nations perspectives into curriculums, and improving higher-order questioning techniques among students.

These studies are crucial as they provide a foundation for our ongoing efforts to refine evidence-informed teaching practices. By advancing these diverse educational strategies, we aim to foster a learning environment that not only challenges but also supports every student’s growth. Insights from these projects will continue to influence our teaching methodologies and contribute positively to both our educational practices at Cranbrook, and to the broader field of education.

Tara Schmidtke
Director of Digital Learning and Research

Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy

Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation and Academy

As a school, we are acutely aware of the power of words and how the role of the common language we adopt contributes to our culture. In fact, one of the areas the School has identified in its planning towards coeducation is how we adapt our cultural language usage to ensure it is reflective of the modern era the School is operating in, inclusive to all.

What makes language? A lot is often said about the role of language in culture, how it can be seamlessly part of a community, or stand out. In the midst of constantly changing language, especially with young people adopting terms online from memes and TikTok videos, leaving me frankly in the dust wondering what on earth a ‘skibiddi’ is, it becomes easily apparent that language can create subcultures. 

On the one hand, language doesn’t matter, ‘sticks and stones’ and all that. But on the other hand, language is at the heart of how we as a school community communicate. Last week in Assembly, Acting Head of School, Mrs Marquet, explained to the Senior School that the time has come to move away from the term ‘Housemasters’ towards the title ‘Heads of Houses’ across the whole school. This change is being introduced from now, and you will see changes in email signatures, signage and general use. Changes in language usage take time to become a natural part of how we speak, and that is why we are looking at the language we use across the school. 

Recently, there has been a lot in the media surrounding some negative male influencers and how they are impacting schools. The most important thing a school can do when faced with language that is derogatory or sexist is to show the exact opposite. Not just to say, “That’s not ok” but, “Here is what language we should be using.” We need to use language that not only neutralises, but counteracts some of the unhelpful language young people are hearing and using, online. Ideally, our language should help build respect for others, no matter who they are.

Cranbrook is blessed with a progressive and inclusive lexicon. From the term ‘Cranbrookian’ to our School motto, there is little need to change much of the formal language we have in place. But the everyday language we use throughout the school day across the campuses, also needs to reflect the world our students will enter. 

Language creates stories, it creates mythology and a connection between people, history and place. As we talk about adapting our language as we move towards coeducation, it should not be to remove the stories, or the history of our School, but to develop and deepen those stories to reflect more people, not just young women, but anyone who needs the story to live by.

The move to coeducation allows us to explore and adopt language that promotes inclusion. Frequently, we say “boys”, “guys” and even “lads” or “gents”,  because for over 100 years we have been, and we still are, a boys’ school. But as we move towards coeducation, we will adjust the terms we use to be gender inclusive, or gender neutral, so incoming female students are included, as well as ensuring the stories we tell in the school, and across our community, show the contribution and leadership of women.

Welcoming and embracing changes to our language is fundamental to ensuring Cranbrook is a truly coeducational environment, encouraging young men and women to work together throughout their journey at school.

Daisy Turnbull
Director of Coeducation and Academy

Matt Grice, Director of Sport

Matt Grice, Director of Sport

Dear Parents and Guardians,

What an amazing night of sport we had on Friday.  Both Rugby and Football were playing Friday Night Lights games, and the spectacle didn’t disappoint!

The night kicked off with a series of fantastic contests that left spectators on the edge of their seats. The 16As and 2nd XV Rugby had fantastic wins against St Patrick’s at Easts, while Brother Bray’s 2nd XI Football Team stayed undefeated holding Waverley to a draw. Onto the main games and we could not have asked for more. Our 1st XI Football team scoring at the death for a nail biting 2-1 win, while our 1st XV Rugby team came from behind, showing unbridled determination and passion to clinch a fantastic win in front of a huge crowd. From high-stakes competitions to jaw-dropping displays of skill, the Cranbrook students pushed the boundaries of what is possible all night, in all games. Each contest was played with great sportspersonship and kept the audience engaged, ensuring an unforgettable experience for all.

But it’s not just about the sporting contests on the field. The event goes beyond the sporting aspect to foster a strong sense of community engagement. Throughout the Easts venue, there was a strong sense of comradery with everyone in attendance. While engaging in friendly competitions, these sporting events create opportunities for our community to come together and thrive. 

A big thank you to Waverley for hosting us at the Football and to St Patrick’s for being a part of our Friday night spectacular.

Thank you to the Foundation Team for hosting the Rugby Friday Night function, our Old Boys for being well behaved, the staff who turned up to help with proceedings, and our student body, led by the Brookie Booster, for cheering all night long! We are already looking forward to next year’s events!

Unfortunately, rain cancelled the majority of fixtures on Saturday. Weather looks much better this week, so hopefully we get to complete a full round of fixtures this weekend!

Thank you to Cranbrook Football for some quick thinking in order to put on training in the AFC multi-purpose for students whose football games were cancelled.

It was great to see the 13s and Opens Rugby get on Hordern. It’s the spiritual home of Cranbrook Sport and I know the students relish the opportunity to play on the hallowed turf.

Quick shout out to our 2nd Head Prefect, Angus Malcolm, for scoring his 1st try since Year 5, during the mighty 4ths Saturday game.

Well, done to the Junior B AFL team who also played their first game for Cranbrook and came away with a hard fought win! 

The Lewis Report. 16A Rugby

A wet weekend saw many of our fixtures unfortunately cancelled. Despite the weather, Cranbrook performed brilliantly across the fields in all the games that went ahead. This week my match of the round goes to the 16A Rugby team. On a night forecast for heavy rain, they not only split the clouds but also got the ball rolling for a brilliant evening of Rugby. 

With a solid 12-0 lead at halftime, the team continued their relentless assault in the second half, showcasing exceptional teamwork and precision. Despite facing a determined opposition, Cranbrook remained unfazed, displaying unwavering defence and strong offence. The match concluded with Cranbrook emerging victorious, 28-0. The 16As will look to continue their winning streak as they come up against St Augustine’s this weekend.

Eddie Lewis, Sport operational Coordinator P-12

Please download this weekend’s fixtures here.

For Families eagerly awaiting the opportunity to access the Summer Sport Team photos – these are now available from Melba Photography.

Please visit www.melbastudios.com.au

Click on School button on the home page

Enter the password: dangar

The full Term 2 Co-Curricular and Sport Training schedule can be found here.

We look forward to seeing everyone around the grounds this weekend! Hopefully the sun stays out!

Matt Grice
Director of Sport

Running Lines

Running Lines

Running Lines: Volume 2 2024

School spirit and passion for rugby was firmly on display over the weekend highlighted by our annual Friday Night Lights game at Easts Rugby Club and a full fixture list on Saturday for the most part against St Patrick’s College Strathfield.

Our results were;

TeamOppositionResultWin/Loss
1stsSt Patrick’s29-24Win
2ndsSt Patrick’s17-7Win
3rdsSt Patrick’s29-12Win
4thsSt Patrick’s44-0Win
5thsScots 8th XV12-10Loss
6thsSt Patrick’s 5th XV40-0Win
7thsScots 10th XV29-28Win
16ASt Patrick’s28-0Win
16BSt Patrick’s29-0Win
16CSt Patrick’s5-0Win
15ASt Patrick’s32-0Loss
15BSt Patrick’s45-0Loss
15CSt Patrick’s28-15Loss
14ASt Patrick’sCancelledNA
14BSt Patrick’sCancelledNA
14CSt Patrick’sCancelledNA
13ASt Patrick’s46-0Loss
13BSt Patrick’s24-12Loss
13CSt Patrick’s29-0Loss

Player of the Day: Junior Teams (13s, 14s & 15s)- Carlo White (15As)

Player of the Day: Senior Teams (16s & Opens)-  Max Tory (2nd XV)

Rugby All Rounder of the Day (for effort/attitude on and off the field): Tom Harnett

Age Group in Focus- Opens

The weekend kicked off in fine style with a brace of wins under lights on Friday night.

The 2nd XV played out a tight tussle demonstrating resolute and tenacious defence. The backrow of Max Tory, Harry Jones and Aymeric Schmidt were a tower of strength while Baxter Torrance was highly effective at the base of the ruck.

In a seesawing battle the 1st XV stormed home with two sensational late tries. Both featured barnstorming runs from Cameron Mackenzie and Lance Tovio as they crossed for tries in front of a raucous home crowd.

Saturday saw the 5th XV and the 7th XV come up against our neighbours in two nail biting contests. Each school took a win each by slender margins. Players of note were: Tane Firth, Taj Hansen- Mackie, Harry Tennant and Will Roberts.

Both the 4th XV and the 6th XV played magnificent running rugby to record comfortable victories with Toby Foster, Christian Collier, Taj Morison, Oscar Simich, Sol Stathis and the Serfontein twins highly impressive.

The Deputy Head’s 3rd XV were again solid as rock and put in another top quality performance. Tight head and try scoring machine, Max Fogarty crashed over twice from close range twice while Nick Skamvougeras dominated the line out, Matthew Downes carried with power and Ted White contribute with aplomb out wide.

We head up to Pittwater Rugby Park this Saturday to take on St Augustine’s.

Mark DeBrincat
Master in Charge of Rugby

AMPED 2024!

AMPED 2024!

Cranbrook School’s annual electrifying contemporary showcase concert hits the Factory Theatre Marrickville on 21 May for two performances, 6pm and 7.30pm.

Over 100 Cranbrook students embark on a journey through the iconic sounds of Australian Rock, as 34 student bands take the stage to pay homage to the legendary ‘Oz Rock Icons’. From the raw energy of AC/DC to the poetic melodies of Crowded House, our performers will ignite the stage with power and with passion, promising an unforgettable evening of music that celebrates the rich legacy of Australian rock music.

Click here to book your ticket.

Get ready to be AMPED 2024!

David Russell
Senior School Music Teacher

Shakespeare Carnival

Shakespeare Carnival

It was an absolute thrill to watch eager Cranbrookians perform at the Sport for Jove Shakespeare Carnival. We arrived at Burwood Girls High School with Ms Redwin and Ms Thomas where we were greeted by schools from all around Sydney. Over the night, we would watch entries from every area of the competition, Dance, Duologue, Ensemble, Physical Theatre, Group Devised, Music, and Smartphone Short Film – all of which were fierce contest for that number one spot in their category. Amongst Cranbrook, we had entered into the Duologue, Ensemble, Group Devised, and Music categories. Both the ensemble group and the duologue pair were awarded runner up prize, and amazingly, our Group Devised entrants won in the Regional heat with their refreshing  take on what the kings of Shakespeare really thought about the works written about them. They will be making it through to the State Finals, where they will go up against the best performances from around New South Wales. 

Cormac Watt
Drama Captain

Oratory Article

Oratory Article

Last Friday’s Competition Debates

On Friday night, our Years 9 and 10 as well as Senior A debaters all opposed MLC in the first Octo Finals of the 2024 ISDA Competition. While the Year 10s unfortunately lost their debate, the 9s and Senior As won their debates and progress to the Quarter Final round of the competition! The 9s will now take on either Riverview or Abbotsleigh next Friday 24th May and the Senior As will front Newington for a shot at the Semi Finals.

See below the ISDA topics on the night:

DivisionTopic Area Make Up Round ISDA
9That businesses should be able to fire employees based on their personal social media use.
10That high profile individuals should not openly support individual politicians or political parties.
Senior AThat high profile individuals should not openly support individual politicians or political parties.

Eastside debaters had their final round of the preliminaries (minus the 9s who oppose SCEGGS this week in the make-up round) and did themselves proud on International Relations topics by taking out 4/6 divisions on the night. Well done to Years 7, 8, 9 and 11 for their wins!

See below the Eastside round topics:

DivisionTopic Area Round 7 Eastside: International Relations
7That we oppose the use of military drones.
8That we oppose the use of military drones.
9That Western states should support local rebel groups (e.g. by funding them and giving them intelligence) as opposed to direct military intervention in other states.
10That New Zealand should sign onto AUKUS.
11That New Zealand should sign onto AUKUS.
12That New Zealand should sign onto AUKUS.

See below the updated tally for Cranbrook:

Eastside DivisionRound 1 vs Sydney GrammarRound 2 vs ScotsRound 3 vs ReddamRound 4 vs Sydney BoysRound 5 vs SCEGGSRound 6 vs Sydney GirlsRound 7 vs Rose Bay Secondary
7LossLossWINWINWINLossWIN
8LossWINLossWINLossLossWIN
9WINWINLossLossTBCWINWIN
10LossLossWINWINWINLossLoss
11LossWINWINLossWINWINWIN
12WINWINWINLossLossLossLoss

Semi-finals contention looks within sight for at least several of our Eastside teams. We’ll be able to confirm this time next week – stay tuned!

Competition Debating this week

This Friday 17th May sees the following debates take place:

DetailsISDA Octos 2Eastside Debates
RoundOctos 2 for Years 7, 8 and Senior Bs (all other ISDA teams train at Cranbrook – usual times apply)Make Up Round for Year 9 and internals for all other divisions.
VenueKincoppal for Octos 2 teams and Cranbrook for all other divisionsCranbrook
AddressCnr New South Head Road &, 2 Vaucluse Rd, Vaucluse NSW 20305 Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, NSW 2023
Entry viaPlease only enter the campus from the main gate on New South Head Road and walk along the pedestrian crossing to the Main School reception. A representative from the school will meet you and walk you to the Hughes Foyer.Rose Bay Avenue pedestrian gate (for pick up only)
TransportDebaters travelling to Kincoppal must meet teachers and coaches at the away school.N/A
Years 7-9 debate / finishDebates start 6.30pm / Debates finish 7.30pmDebates start 6.15pm / Debates finish 7.15pm
Years 10-12 debate / finishDebates start 7.30pm / Debates finish 9.00pmDebates start 7.15pm / Debates finish 8.45pm
Topic areaNone advertisedNon advertised
Spectator policySpectators welcome for Years 7, 8 and Senior B debates at Kincoppal.No spectators this evening.

For internal debates this week:

  • Eastside Years 7-9 andISDA Years 9 and 10will have the following timings:
    • Training from 3.45-5.00pm
    • Prep from 5.30-6.15pm
    • Debate from 6.15-7.15pm
  • Eastside Years 10-12 and ISDA Senior As will have the following timings:
    • Training from 5.00-6.15pm
    • Prep from 6.30-7.15pm
    • Debate from 7.15-8.30pm

A reminder that all Years 7-9 debaters must be collected by a parent or guardian at the end of the night.

Update on AMEB Voice and Communication Group

Our small but keen group of AMEB Voice and Communication students have recently been delving into studies of prose fiction and how to conduct an engaging reading of chosen texts. Led by Ms Caroline Usasz from the English Department, last Friday’s session explored how energy levels affect our bodies and voices, and therefore how that then shapes our performance of texts. Students read from Jane Eyre and practiced their sight reading – skills necessary for achieving success in the external examinations that form the culminating experience of this programme.

Students will continue with prose fiction this week before moving forward into poetry and memorisation.

Upcoming oratory events

  • Model UN on lunchtimes Wednesday 15th, Thursday 16th, and Friday 17th May
  • Plain English-Speaking Competition (Sydney Girls High School) on 9.30am-12.30pm Thursday 16th May
  • Mock Trial and Social Debating 3.30-5.30pm Thursday 16th May
  • AMEB Voice and Communication 3.30-5.00pm on Friday 17th May
  • ISDA Octos 2 debates (Years 7, 8 and Senior B debates – all at Kincoppal vs various), Eastside 9s make up debate (vs SCEGGS online at Cranbrook), and internal debates (at Cranbrook) on Friday 17th May
  • Public Speaking Club on Monday 20th May

Annual House Debating Competition Begins Soon

The annual House Debating Competition begins in just under a fortnight’s time, with junior (Years 7-9) and senior (Years 10-12) divisions. Houses must field teams comprised of debaters and non-debaters, with Heads of Houses responsible for approving teams. This is an excellent way for students who want to try their hand at debating to get involved. In previous years we have seen students who participate to go on to joining our social programmes in the second half of the year.

Oratory programmes above are fully subscribed for Semester 1

There has been a lot of recent interest in participating in one or more of our oratory programmes listed above. However, close date for sign-ups have long passed and we are presently fully subscribed across all debating, public speaking, and Model UN. We are therefore unable to accept new enrolments. However, students keen to gain access to our resources and prepare themselves for Semester 2 sign-up are welcome to reach out to me (note, we only accept expressions of interest from students directly). Sign-up for Semester 2 offerings will circulate via student email in mid-June.

Contact

Should you or your son have any further questions about any of Cranbrook’s oratory programmes, you are welcome to reach out to the Head of Oratory and Student Journalism, Mr Benjamin Smith, at bsmith@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au. In the first instance, students should be making contact about getting involved.

Essential information and highlights for parents will be posted here on Cranbrook Connect as part of the Thursday Link. Students involved in oratory programmes will receive updates via their respective Canvas or TEAMS channels.

Benjamin Smith
Head of Oratory & Student Journalism

Push-Up Challenge 2024

Push-Up Challenge 2024

3,249 Push-ups, 23 days, 14 houses and one amazing cause.

This week saw Cranbrook launch our internal fundraising campaign for the 2024 Push-up Challenge to raise money for LifeLine Bondi and the incredible work that they do across our community to support those facing the many challenges that life throws our way.

Huon Groves, Tim Molnar, Rohan O’Donnell and Finn Scott-Brown are leading the charge for the School, drumming up participation and ensuring that this year’s event is as successful as possible and this morning, attended the official launch at the Woollahra Council along with Richard Shields (Woollahra Mayor).

Over 24 days between the 5th and 24th of June, students are aiming to complete 3,249 push-ups (or alternative exercises) representing the 3,249 lives lost to suicide in Australia in 2022; a tragic statistic that affects all tiers of society be it urban or rural, young or old, male or female. We are already seeing an outstanding level of engagement from our students, families, and community with 100s of students and staff already signing up to participate and the official event still hasn’t even started!

Last year we raised $44,000 for LifeLine Bondi and this year we are aiming to hit the $50,000 mark so if you would like to contribute, you can encourage your son to register using the link below, join a team yourself or, make a donation to one or more students to show your support.

Thank you to all those who have already taken the time to register and/or donate. Weekly updates will be going out to students and the community on our social media, via the Link and in assemblies during the event so stay tuned!

Aaron Nolan
Acting Director of Service

Becoming a Member of Cranbrook School

Becoming a Member of Cranbrook School

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.

We encourage you to apply to become a Member of Cranbrook School and to take up the opportunity to contribute to the governance of the School.

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