Senior School Link – Week 5, Term 1 2025 - 27 February 2025
Adrian Harrison, Acting Director of Academics
Year 12 Parent Teacher Interviews
A reminder that our first set of Parent Teacher Interviews for the year will be held on Wednesday 5 March from 4pm.
As with previous years these will be held online via Microsoft Teams. Invitations will be forwarded to the student from their teacher.
This is a powerful way to support their learning journey and draw on the experience and expertise of our staff.
Correspondence will come via email from Edval, and should you have any issues please reach out to aandonovski@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au for assistance.
Adrian Harrison Acting Director of Academics
Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School
Dear Parents and Carers
It is hard to believe that the middle of next week sees us halfway through the first term! There is much to look forward to with the Senior School Drama Production of Durrenmatt’s The Visit next week, several more weeks of sports fixtures, Music Recitals later in the term and the CETOP Family Fun Day at Junior School on 16 March.
This term, we have been considering ways we can strengthen the way families and school can work together for the benefit of our students. One complex area where this is so important is in the area of attendance. Since the Covid years, more irregular attendance has been a feature at all schools. It raises the question is this something we should really worry about?
A day away doesn’t really matter, does it?
About ten years ago, the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER) released a study about the impact of absences on academic achievement of students in Australian schools. It was fascinating.
Even before the Covid pandemic, Australia has some of the highest absence rates in the world, particularly during the high school years. Some absence is unavoidable. Illness, health complications and compassionate leave are all reasons a student will need to be away from school. The research focused on the levels of absence for other reasons.
As parents and educators who care about our children’s learning, we need to ask when does the rate of absence begin to impact academic achievement? The research showed that even one day’s absence makes a difference. Larger levels of unauthorised absence can be tracked through achievement levels across a child’s primary school years and well into high school.
The learning area where absence had the biggest impact was writing. Reading and numeracy skills were also impacted, but not quite to the same extent. Why might writing be so impacted? Writing is a complex skill. Its development naturally lags behind the growth of reading skills, so that a child can usually comprehend more advanced texts than the standard of writing they can produce. Frequently, children practise the skill of reading at school and at home. Writing tends to be practised mostly at school and requires higher levels of teacher input to help children put together coherent, well-constructed texts. Missing writing lessons really matters and, as students move into the older years of schooling, when writing becomes one of the key ways they express their understanding in assessment-based scenarios, teacher input into how to hone the skills needed to write well in different subjects becomes absolutely vital.
Researchers could show that the pattern for school attendance and its impact began much earlier than we might expect: in Year 1. A key year for learning how to read and write, Year 1 is also the time that children learn about the importance of commitment and showing up. They come to understand that school is not optional, or something we only do when something better is not on offer. They learn about the value of going to school every day. The post-Covid era has seen a drop in the universal understanding that learning best occurs at school in person, but more recent research affirms that face-to-face remains the most effective environment to maximise learning outcomes for our students.
Why might even a day’s absence cause such an impact on a student’s learning progress? Possibly, it is because it is not only what the student misses on the day of absence but how long it takes them to feel back up to speed about what is happening in the classroom on their return. In fact, a day’s absence impacts more than just that day away. They miss things that cannot be caught up so easily and then can feel out of sync on the day they return. It may take that second day for them to feel ‘normal’ in the classroom learning environment again.
In the Independent Schools sector, the most common reason for absences outside of illness, used to be family travel. The researchers noted that although there is life experience benefit to such trips, it is important to consider the real impact on the student’s learning development if these trips take place during school term time. Post Covid, there is a higher level of school refusal across all years of schooling – students who just do not want to go to school on a given day. The reasons can be diverse, from friendship issues to a feeling that school in person might be optional, but whatever they are, they need further investigation to understand what might drive such behaviour and choices.
If you are struggling to get your child to school for any reason, please reach out early to your child’s Class Teacher in Pre-school or Junior School or speak with your son’s House Mentor or Head of House in Senior School. It is so important that School and home work together as a team to help encourage regular, consistent attendance for all students. We know that being at school is such a powerful tool to help them make the most of every learning opportunity. It really does seem that even a day away does matter.
We look forward to a wonderful week of learning.
Kind wishes
Michele Marquet Acting Head of School
Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers
In yesterday’s Assembly, we heard from Mr DeBrincat, who is now working in the Foundation, about our oldest living Old Cranbrookian, Mr Frank Tebbutt, who turns 100 in August. Mr DeBrincat visit Frank and relayed some wonderful stories to the School about his time here, more than 81 years ago. He was a Boarder in Rawson, at a time when they were allowed two warm showers a week! However, he remembers his time at the School fondly and we hope to stay in touch with Frank and celebrate his 100th birthday later this year.
Also in Assembly, we heard from our students who participated in our Student Exchanges programme with Mr Tsoukatos. We heard from Angus Messiter in Year 11, who recently enjoyed a spell in South Africa at Michaelhouse School, we also heard from a student from Buenos Aires, Argentina who is being hosted by one of our Cranbrook families and several others from the same school who are being kindly hosted by other Cranbrook families here. What was clear from all speeches was the deep enrichment that these students have experienced in both hosting and visiting overseas schools.
I also address the students regarding E-Bike safety, following my separate communication to parents earlier this week. I hope this safety advice is headed as there was another accident yesterday, whilst there was not a car involved, it was still an accident and an injury.
Yesterday morning, the CAS Swimming Team were presented with their caps for the upcoming CAS Swimming meet on Thursday 13 March. We have 30 Senior School swimmers who are aiming to equal or better their impressive result of 3rd in 2024. We wish them well in their final days of training.
Tonight, the CSPA host Welcome Drinks for all parents of Cranbrook, and we are sure it will be its usual social success.
Next week, our Senior Production of The Visit opens on Wednesday at 7pm, in the Packer Theatre. We wish all of our cast and crew every success with this production.
A reminder to our Year 12 parents that the Year 12 Parent/Teacher Interviews is next Wednesday 5 March, commencing at 4pm.
With every good wish for the week ahead.
Bob Meakin Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Daisy Turnbull, Director of Coeducation
Marching forward to a great coeducational experience at Cranbrook
Before I went into teaching I worked in advertising and would often think about a customer’s ‘user journey’ on a website. As coeducation is now moving from years to months away, the thought of student experience is fundamental to ensuring a smooth transition in 2026.
In the Senior School, we are looking deeply at what the experience of the first coeducational cohorts will be, and how we can ensure the transitions are as smooth as possible. Thankfully, this is not a solo operation and across the School we have groups of people working together to ensure the transition to coeducation is a success.
One such group that I want to highlight is our Student Coeducation Committee. Led by Charlie Harris, Max Scales and James Malcolm, and initiated by Second Head Prefect Matt Downes – this group is passionate about ensuring Cranbrook students are prepared and excited by coeducation.
The group has been running activities in House Mentor time, looking at coeducational activities between students, and engaging with staff and students who have had experience at coeducational schools. This year, the Coeducational Student Committee has worked on our International Women’s Day activities that all students will be participating in as part of SWP in Week 6.
Today in Assembly, Reverend Farraway spoke about ‘Biblical Masculinity’ presented as courage, service, humility and treating everyone with respect. Shortly after, some of our exchange students spoke about how they benefited from the normality of coeducational schools in the US, and their excitement that “that’s what Cranbrook will look like in a few years.”
Every day, as we get closer to the first day of school in 2026, we become a community of courage, ready for coeducation.
A reminder that on Thursday, 6 March, we have our IWD breakfast with Isabella Nasser, Captain of the Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team. I strongly encourage parents and students in Years 10 – 12 to attend the breakfast. You can register for the breakfast here.
I also wanted to start sharing some articles and podcasts regarding teens, especially for highlighting coeducation. Here is an episode of Conversations with Danielle Miller, CEO of Enlighten Education, who talks about her experience in teaching young men and women. Furthermore, The Premier’s Reading Challenge offers great opportunities for students to read female authors and stories.
Daisy Turnbull Director of Coeducation
Year 12 Science Extension Excursion
Cranbrook Science Extension students experienced a day of data science hosted by teacher Dr. Ryan Leonard at Marist Sisters College Woolwich. Our boys and the MSCW girls had the opportunity to share their research from their individual investigations with each other. They spent the day learning how to apply the appropriate statistical analysis to a range of different data types to draw scientifically relevant conclusions. These skills will be required as the boys will spend the remainder of this term and next conducting experiments and analysis their own data using the knowledge they gained on this excursion.
Matt Grice, Director of Sport
Dear Parents and Guardians
Cranbrook is excited to host the combined Summer Sports Award Presentation, a special event bringing together the entire Cranbrook community to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the Summer season. The evening will shine a spotlight on the exceptional performances and dedication of our Summer sports teams and individual athletes.
It’s a fantastic opportunity to recognise the hard work, passion, and commitment shown by our students, both on and off the field. The night will celebrate not only the athletic excellence of our student-athletes in all teams but also the values of teamwork, perseverance, and sportspersonship that Cranbrook strongly promotes.
This event reflects Cranbrook’s commitment to nurturing a vibrant sports culture and supporting the growth and development of our student-athletes. We’re proud of what our students have achieved and look forward to sharing this special night with you.
We can’t wait to see you there and celebrate these incredible accomplishments together! Summer Sports Awards, Friday 14 March 2025 – tickets are now on sale here.
Our 1st tennis team kicked things off for us over the weekend with an impressive 6-2 victory over the second-place Trinity team. This was a fantastic result, and overall, we managed to win 71% of the games played in tennis against Trinity. I know that Mr. Higgins and Ivan have been putting in a lot of work on improving our backhand slices, and it’s truly rewarding to see all of their hard work and dedication paying off on Saturday.
In water polo, we made significant progress against a traditional powerhouse in the pool. Although we lost the 1sts, we bounced back strongly and managed to win 7 of the 9 games played against Trinity. Additionally, our 1st Touch team also had a solid performance, securing a well-earned win at Queens Park.
Cranbrook 2nds and 3rds sailing teams headed down to Canberra over the weekend to compete in the ACT teams racing championships. I’m delighted to report our 2nds won the event with the 3rds finishing a commendable 5th. Congratulations to both teams for these tremendous results.
We are getting down to pointy end of the Cricket season. The 1st XI are right in the mix as they are chasing an incredible sixth straight CAS Archer Shield premiership. It’s by far the closest competition in recent memory, with two rounds to go there are still 4 teams in contention. We wish Mr Banes and the team all the best for the next two games and hope the shield stays at Cranbrook for another year.
Ms Williams – our current Acting Head of Athletic Performance, would like to see as many students as possible at Speed and Agility for the next two Friday morning sessions :
Speed & Agility sessions are designed to make you faster, sharper, and more explosive—helping you perform at your best in competition. If you want to gain an edge over your opponents, this is where it starts!
This week, we’re aiming to break our attendance record of 310 students, and we expect our teams to step up and be a big part of that. Let’s show our commitment, put in the hard work, and push each other to improve.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take your game to the next level. See you at the next session!
The 9B Basketballers played Trinity in a heart-stopper of a match on Saturday at Dangar. The score was tight all game, with the lead swapping constantly, and both teams playing full court defence.
With 1:30 remaining, our 9Bs were down 40-43. Tritan Atkin took it up a notch, getting up and down the floor and winning the rebounds.
The match came down to the last 46 seconds; with our team down by a point: 42-43. Coach Jabbour called a timeout, and our team calmly listened as he explained the play. We then stepped onto the court and executed the plan to perfection. A bonus free throw allowed us to extend our lead to 3 points with 10.7 seconds remaining. A Trinity timeout then gave both teams another chance to catch their breath. We drew up a defensive strategy – remain strong and disciplined.
Our defence was unwavering for the final seconds. The cheers of the crowd echoed through the courts as the buzzer sounded with the scoreboard showing 46-43. Congratulations 9Bs on a thrilling come-back win. To gain 6 points while keeping Trinity to 0 is a testament to your efforts to play until the very last second.
Tennis
Saturday saw Cranbrook Tennis take on Trinity Grammar School away. The boys got off to a solid start in their doubles matches with Cranbrook leading 3-1 going into the singles games. Eric Mallam and Marc Perilli won both sets in their doubles with some sublime tennis played. Eric Mallam beat Trinity no.1 6-4 with some smart tennis, whilst Marc Perilli was the player of the day winning his singles 6-1 with some extremely disciplined tennis played. Mickey Chen was the last singles winner for the team who was also a big improver from the previous week winning 6-2. The 1st team won 6-2 overall beating the school that was sitting in 2nd place on the ladder. The 2nd team found Trinity a little tough today losing 3-5 overall but not without special mention to both Hugo Wise and Casper Cooper who gave it their all in both singles and doubles matches. The 3rd and 5th teams both won 6-0 overall with Oli Walker playing some quality tennis to help the team win convincingly. The 4th team won on count-back by 6 games and tying on sets with Liam Kelly making life tough for himself in his singles but knuckling down and managing to get the win 6-4 overall. The 6th team unfortunately lost on count-back due to Cranbrook having to forfeit a singles and doubles match due to being short a player.
The 10A team were without a few players this weekend resulting in a loss of 1-5. Special mention to Remy McKay winning his singles match. The B team won 4-2 overall with Spencer Tang and Jia Zhang putting on an impressive display in all their matches. The C and D teams carried on the winning streak with both teams getting a 5-1 win overall.
The 9A and C teams played extremely well to both win 5-1 overall. Forest Li was back to his best on the day and great to see him playing with confidence! The B team were too strong for Trinity this time winning 6-0. The D team won a very tight match on count-back after tying 3-3 on sets and winning by 5 games to separate the two teams. Thomas O’Connor was player of the team with a great example of tactical awareness in both his singles and doubles.
The Year 8 teams all lost 0-6 with a few forfeits with late withdrawal from the fixtures. Kailu Kurnadi once again was the player who showed some real willingness to win but just lost 6-7. It was not a good day for Year 8 and not a good showing of care for their own teammates pulling out late.
The Year 7 teams put things right for Cranbrook with both the A and B teams both winning 4-2 overall. Special mention to Blake Heckes and Alex Twaits who played an outstanding doubles match against a strong pair. The C team won 5-1 overall whist the D team won 6-0 overall with Oscar East getting his chance to play in the teams from Players Club and getting the win 6-0 in his singles match.
Overall, it was a good day for Cranbrook Tennis winning 71% of all matches.
Ben Higgins Head of Tennis
Cricket
The rain on Friday didn’t dampen the weekend at all, as we celebrated several positive results across the board. Most teams that chose to bowl first were able to put Trinity under pressure, setting the tone for an exciting round of matches.
1st XI The 1st XI headed to Hudson Park uncertain of what to expect, especially when Trinity won the toss and opted to bat. Early pressure from disciplined bowling on a challenging pitch slowed the game down, requiring patience from our players. A direct run-out by Jack Flintoff sent one of Trinity’s main batters back to the sheds, and tight bowling continued with Tim Molnar’s impressive figures of 1 for 11 off 10 overs. Other bowlers, including Johri, Mann, and Pelly, also performed well, each maintaining tight spells. As Trinity crawled to just 89 runs, we capitalized on the situation.
Matthew Downes then had an aggressive start, scoring 39 off 46 balls, helping us chase down the total with 4 wickets down. This solid performance sets us up nicely for the upcoming fixture against Knox on Hordern Oval.
2nd XI The 2nd XI played some entertaining cricket, managing to pull themselves out of a tough spot thanks to a solid partnership between Jago Schutzinger (39) and Ed Copping (41). Quick-fire contributions from Toby Foster (25) and Noah Teitler (18) at the end of the innings saw us finish on 193/8. Nick Tompkins claimed an early wicket, putting Trinity’s 2nd XI under pressure. Our well-managed bowling and fielding ensured they never recovered, resulting in a comfortable 70-run victory for us.
3rd XI The 3rd XI executed good bowling and fielding techniques, but unfortunately, things fell apart when it was time for our batting. With 6 ducks, including 3 golden ducks, we fell well short of the target, with Rupert Tait top-scoring with just 19 runs.
10 A The 10 A team was in fine form, with Luke Cassidy stealing the show by taking 3 wickets for just 6 runs, helping to bowl Trinity out for 60 runs. Hugo Helyar contributed another 2 wickets, as most bowlers managed to take at least one wicket. The chase was manageable, but a couple of soft dismissals prevented us from capitalizing fully on the situation.
9A The 9A team bounced back strongly after a few tough matches, knocking over Trinity for a mere 69 runs. New spinner Hugo Hill was outstanding, taking 5 wickets for just 5 runs. While most batters scored in the teens, no one truly held the innings together, but we managed to chase it down with 5 wickets to spare.
8A The 8A team found themselves in a tight contest where every run counted, managing to become the only team to win after batting first. Despite losing an early wicket, Kalan Joyce and George Andreatta held the innings together, both scoring 29 runs to help us reach a total of 100. Our bowlers needed to be on point, and Joyce was the standout with 4 wickets for 15 runs, supported by Tudehope, Jones, and Goodall, who all bowled economically.
7A The 7A team opted to bat on a tricky deck and faced a solid Trinity outfit that had recently been bowling teams out for under 50 runs. A gutsy innings from Oscar Rouse (53*) allowed us to battle to a respectable 110/7 before Trinity chased it down with several overs to spare, winning by 7 wickets.
7B The 7B team also encountered a strong opponent and were beaten convincingly, although Tom Clark managed to score 24 runs in a challenging match.
As we approach the last two weeks of the season, we are witnessing an exciting conclusion to the 1st XI Competition, with four teams still in the mix for the Arthur Shield and the 2nd XI chasing an unbeaten season. We eagerly welcome Knox to Hordern next weekend, which promises to be a great challenge across the board.
Lastly, we still have a couple of tickets available for the Cricket Lunch happening on 7th March at the Royal Yacht Club. The Parent Support Group is doing an amazing job organizing guest speakers and prizes, so please use this link provided if you’re interested in attending.
Looking forward to more great cricket ahead!
Ben Staunton Head of Cricket
Touch Football
1s Report Cranbrook’s 1st side started with incredible energy, dominating from the outset. Matt O’Neil was the star, scoring four tries that gave us a strong early lead. The larger field allowed us to use the available space effectively, and the team worked together to maximize every opportunity. The boys gave their all in the first half, pushing hard both in attack and defence. As the second half began, Trinity made their move and scored first, but our boys remained resilient. They quickly regrouped and tightened up defensively, holding strong against any further threats. Through solid teamwork and determination, Cranbrook managed to seal a hard-earned 5-1 victory.
2s Report The 2nd team touch footy boys started strong against a sluggish Trinity side. By halftime, the score was 5-0 in favour of Cranbrook, thanks to their impressive defence. The team’s organization and communication were key, with players making solid decisions throughout the game. Zack Golovsky was a standout, scoring a couple of breakaway tries and making crucial touches on the defensive line. Despite facing a more aggressive and confrontational Trinity team, the Cranbrook boys maintained their composure. The team’s solid teamwork and strategic play led them to a well-deserved 8-3 victory.
3s Report The game was a tough one for the 3’s, as they struggled in the first half. It took them some time to really switch on and find their rhythm. Their play lacked intensity, and they seemed to be playing catch-up for most of it.
However, things started to improve in the second half. The team came out with a renewed focus, particularly on their drives and defence. They showed more aggression and determination, making key plays on both ends of the field. The drives became more effective, breaking through the defence and creating better scoring opportunities. Defensively, they were more solid, shutting down their opponent’s attempts and creating turnovers. While they couldn’t quite recover fully from the first half, the improvements in the second half showed potential.
Peter Dumbleton Head of Touch Football
Basketball
Round 8 Cranbrook Basketball were scheduled against Trinity in Round 8 of the CAS season. Cranbrook and Trinity have had a long history of Basketball battles and where instrumental in the introduction of Friday night games 23 years ago; the 1sts & 2nds played on Friday night at Trinity.
1sts Friday at Trinity and the 1sts were enthusiastic to continue their development this Term. It was tough, Trinity had a strong team both physically and skill. Cranbrook got into a hole early but were able to fight back in the second quart training by 14 points at half time. In the second half Trinity got away from Cranbrook and were able to finish the game comfortably. The Brookie Ballers gave everything they had and there were plenty of highlights. Again, Cranbrook played hard all the way to the end, and although the scoreline was significant, Trinity had to earn every point.
Cranbrook 1sts 68 – Trinity 102
2nds Cranbrook 2nds started slow against Trinity and were able to hold Trinity’s offensive pressure early in the game but were unable to score. At half time it was 12-30 and although Cranbrook matched Trinity for the rest of the game, Trinity finished clear victors.
Cranbrook 2nds 25 – St Aloysius 51
10As & Bs The 10Bs had a fantastic 11-point win over Trinity. Final score 37-26. Much improved effort from their last match against Trinity which finished in a draw. Well done! The 10As had a fight on their hands against Trinity’s slick basketball machine. Cranbrook gained some momentum in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win. Loss by four points. Final score 32-36.
School Swimming News
House Swimming Carnival
The Swimming Carnival was a day full of energy, with Years 7, 8, and 9 diving in first. The new Year 7s had their first chance to showcase their skills down at the AFC, competing in fiercely contested races and giving it their all for their houses. Year 7 dominated the pool, breaking records in each 50m event. Thomas Penny (Yr 7 Thomas) broke 3 records in the 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke and 50m Freestyle and Aodhan Taylor (Yr 7 Cutler) broke the 50m Butterfly. Year 9 Cutler were also successful in breaking the 4 x 50m Freestyle house relay record.
The competition continued throughout the day, with the seniors taking over the pool in the afternoon. As the intensity increased, each house fought for first place, hoping to secure the coveted title of swimming carnival champions. The house spirit was incredible, with every house getting into the day—whether it was Chelmsford with their questionable inflatable marshmallow mascots or the large groups of students proudly decked out in their house colours. The fun continued with the Year 12 inflatable race, where many of the boys abandoned the competition altogether, opting instead to jump onto other houses’ floats in an attempt to “sabotage” them. The atmosphere reached its peak for the final event of the day, the senior relays, as each house battled for crucial points to climb the final leaderboard. There were outstanding swims all around, with a special congratulations to Tate Sirianni (Yr 12 Northcott) who broke the 50m Backstroke record. Overall, it was a fantastic day by the pool with Hone narrowly winning the point score by 40 points.
Matthew Alexiou Swim Team Captain
CAS invitational
The CAS Invitational was a fantastic night of racing. Following school on Wednesday, February 19th, the CAS squad made their way by bus to Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre, eager for their final chance to improve their times before the CAS team selection. With a packed two-hour program, many swimmers had over six races, pushing themselves to the limit. Despite the demanding schedule, everyone gave it their all in the pool, delivering strong performances. Overall, it was a successful night.
Matthew Alexiou Swim Team Captain
IPSHA & CAS Cap Presentation
Following the House Carnival and CAS invitational, 30 swimmers have been selected to compete for Cranbrook in the CAS championship at SOPAC on Thursday 13 March. The team were presented with their cap, goggles and towel by Ms Marquet and members of the senior executive at the cap presentation this week. Captain Matthew Alexiou and Vice-Captain Tate Sirianni will lead the team at the championship. Congratulations to all team members:
Senior School
Matthew Alexiou – Captain
Tate Sirianni – Vice Captain
Luke Cassidy
Jack Charles
Ziggy Day
Cooper Falzon
Charles Gassman
Robert Ingham
Prestan Irawan
Noah Kemp
Max Khan
James Lee
Maximus Mason
Carter McGee
Ollie McGee
Hugo Mertens
Oliver Minning
Harry Moylan
Ethan Negrin
Aidan Park
Thomas Penny
Mason Pun
Lachlan Randall-White
Charlie Roberts
Oscar Stewart
Vincent Tagg
Aodhan Taylor
Jack Wilkinson
Takuma Yamada
Aidan Yick
Best of luck at the upcoming championship. We look forward to seeing their hard training executed and hearing the school support in the stands.
Rebecca Wheatley Head Coach Swimming
Cranbrook Swim Club News
The NSW Metropolitan Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park last weekend and brought together 49 Cranbrook Swim Club swimmers competing in 175 events against 71 other clubs. Over the 3 day competition Cranbrook achieved an impressive 40 Medals: 19 Gold, 13 Silver, 8 Bronze as well as 55 top 10 places.
Noah Kemp (Year 9 Rawson) led the medal tally as the clubs highest points scorer. Preston Irawan (Year 9 Cutler) was Cranbrook’s swimmer of the meet for his performances in his boys 14 years 100m (Silver medal) & 200m Breaststroke (Bronze medal).
The clubs overall performance saw CASC finish 5th on the senior points score and 4th in the combined senior and junior points score. An increase of 5 places from 2024. Tate Sirianni (Year 12 Northcott), Aidan Park (Year 9 Northcott), Matt Alexiou (Year 12 Northcott), Jack Charles (Year 10 Northcott), Max Moylan (Alumni 2024), Gladys Turner (AFC Staff), Jacob Whitton, Kade Zavetsanos, Yuna Nagai, Frankie Somerville, Raff Toohey, Kate Dear, Isabelle Hanger and Ollie Moclair were all medal winners, each contributing heavily to the clubs success.
The competition highlights the growing dominance of CASC in NSW Swimming.
Thomas Penny (Year 7 Thomas) also achieved outstanding results at the NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships winning 7 gold medals from 7 events and breaking NSW records in the 12 years olds 50m Backstroke and 100m Butterfly.
The NSW Metropolitan Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park last weekend. The combine senior and junior championships saw 69 swimmers compete for Cranbrook Aquatic Swimming Club. Combine, Cranbrook achieved 57 medals; 26 Gold, 20 Silver and 11 Bronze, as well as 71 top 10 places. Overall, the junior and senior teams finished 4th on the point score tally, an increase in 5 places from 2024. Aodhan Taylor (Year 7 Cutler), Ollie McGee (Year 6 Ingram) and Jemima McGee were amongst the junior medal winners, each contributing heavily to the club’s success. These competitions highlight the growing dominance of CASC in NSW Swimming.
This week we say good-bye to two, much loved members of the Music team. Mr David Russell has been “instrumental” in the growth and development of the contemporary Music programme as well as his extraordinary contribution to the building links between. This space and our curriculum programme. He has accepted a promotion to head up a department much closer to home and we wish him all the very best as he moves onto a new chapter. Mr Matthew Ellison is also moving on. Not just a talented Mathematician and Science Teacher, he is also an exceptional Vocalist and worked extensively with our Boys’ Vocal and Senior School Choir, conducting and preparing the students in several of our key events, including Carols, and the Town Hall concert “Threads”. You will both be missed and we wish you both every success for the future.
Upcoming events for Music students:
6.30pm Tuesday 4 March Solo Soirée – Orchestra Room
6.30pm Tuesday 11 March Scholar’s Recital – Orchestra Room
Thursday 13 March AMEB Sign up final due date
3.30-5pm Monday 17 March Performance Plus Masterclass for all instruments – Perkins Building
6.30pm Monday 24 March Easter Concert – Vicars Centenary Hall (VCH)
Warm Regards
Phil Beverley Director of Music
NESA’s Encore showcase
On February 24, elective music students from Years 11 and 12 attended NESA’s Encore showcase at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall . The event featured a selection of outstanding HSC compositions and performances, nominated by markers from across the state to be performed before a full-house audience.
From intricate student-composed jazz fusion to exhilarating, sonorous Celtic bagpipes. Performances ranged from solo acts to duets and full-stage ensembles, demonstrating the breadth of musical talent on display.
While the level of skill and artistry presented can be daunting, Encore’s overwhelming impression serves as inspiration for all of Cranbrook’s senior musicians, setting an aspirational standard to reach and valuable insight into the professionalism required for the successful execution of repertoire.”
Tribute Dash bouvier and D’Arcy Richardson Co – Heads of Music
Homework, revision, organisation – every Monday to Thursday Cranbrook offers study centre for students in Years 7 – 10 to complete their assignments with expert teachers supervising and assisting. Whether its English to Elective History, Maths to managing time, our staff are able to assist students in a collaborative and safe environment.
Run from 3.30pm – 6pm each afternoon, and including afternoon tea, students can develop consistent study habits throughout the term.
This is a final reminder to parents that the deadline for the trip to Tahiti is quickly approaching. The deposit is due by Friday 7 March, so please make sure to submit it by then to secure your spot.
Three Islands Classic
The Old Cranbrookians’ Association is proudly supporting the Three Islands Classic (3IC), to be conducted as usual on Sydney Harbour. It’s open to all who are owners or skippers and can beg, borrow or by other means produce a keelboat for the day!
The event will be held on Sunday 30 March 2025 and will commence at 11am with most yachts sailing for approximately one and a half hours. Arrival at Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA) will then be around 1pm for an award ceremony at about 2pm.
Cost: $70 to cover the cost of running the 3IC, the use of the venue at RANSA for the post-race raft, TryBooking fees and trophy regeneration.
For all enquiries or if you’re just keen to be part of a crew, please contact Rebecca Curran in the Development Office on +61 2 9327 9409 or email alumni@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au
CRU Holiday and Study Camps
Every holidays a number of Cranbrook students take the opportunity to join a CRU Activity or Study Camp. CRU Holiday Camps is Australia’s leading provider of HSC & IB Study Camps with over 50 years’ experience in helping students achieve the results they need to succeed!
CRU Study Camps provide the ideal study environment free from the distractions students face while studying at home alone. Their experienced Christian leadership teams help students combat low productivity and procrastination, supporting them as they face the challenges of HSC/IB study. Details can be found at https://crucamps.com.au/cru/camps-2/study-camps/
