Michele Marquet, Acting Head of School

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we rapidly move past the middle of Term 3, it is apparent how busy and engaged so many of our Cranbrook students are across the year groups. Pre-School and Junior School are participating in a wide range of experiences and special activities linked to Book Week; Music students from Y3-Y12 are busy preparing their Spring Festival performance items; Year 5 are madly rehearsing for their annual Drama production Stuart Little, whilst some of our Senior School students are working hard on their upcoming musical, The Little Shop of Horrors, with girls from surrounding schools showcasing their talent alongside our boys. Summer sports training is about to get underway in a few weeks’ time and the usual demands of managing class workload for our students continues unabated.

Post their recent trials, Y12 are focusing on ensuring their HSC and IB Major Works and Exhibitions are completed and performances across the Arts are being honed in readiness for their exams; some students from across the whole school are away this week at the snow, skiing at the Australian Interschools Championships, others are engaging in Debating opportunities; and the list goes on …

We see many of our students thriving in the busyness of school life but it’s also vital that we work to support our students to learn how to balance the competing demands of a busy schedule and the feelings of stress that may come as a result. Through our wellbeing programmes across Pre-School to Y12, we strive to develop and foster the skillset in our Cranbrook students that they need to help them develop into well-balanced and resilient humans. In 2024, work on refining the programme we offer continues through the AIS Wellbeing Initiative which aims to establish and strengthen our whole-school practices and processes for monitoring and developing student mental health and wellbeing. We know the importance of addressing a student’s wellbeing, but we also appreciate the complexity involved. This is why working collaboratively with families is so important in trying to get things right. Thank you for the wonderful support shown by so many of our families as the staff work with them to try and gain the best outcome for our students across our curricular and extensive co-curricular programmes, no matter what their age and stage.

On a separate note, the School Council has endorsed the Cranbrook Strategic Plan 2024-2029. The two largest areas of focus are the transition to coeducation in the Senior School and embedding the philosophy and pedagogy of the International Baccalaureate in our teaching and learning.  Other important initiatives identified in the plan include renewing our approach to experiential education, engaging authentically with an Indigenous reconciliation process, and working towards becoming a more sustainable School.  You can view a summary of the Strategic Plan 2024-2029 on our website.

Kind wishes,

Michele Marquet
Acting Head of School

Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Dear Parents and Carers,

It was a delight to welcome our Vintage OCA Members (those that graduated more than 50 years ago) to school this week. OCs ranging from 1946, with Rodney Gordon from Street House through to our youngest guest, Andrew Rankine Class of 1972, joined us for assembly and a tour of the School, followed by some lunch in the Dining Commons. So many of these Vintage OCs have remained in close contact with the School over the past 50 years and it was wonderful to hear their stories of when they were at Cranbrook. The students all stood and applauded them as they left assembly, which was a lovely touch.

A special thanks to Cameron Torrance and his staff in the Foundation Department for this special day in the calendar.

On Tuesday, we enjoyed our inter-House Athletics and House Volleyball competitions here at school for the first time in many years. This was a trial to cut out travel time to ES Marks Athletic Field and also to offer other activities such as Volleyball on the same day to occupy students more meaningfully across the whole day. There was tremendous House spirit, and I would like to congratulate Northcott on their Athletics success and the Volleyball went to Hone House.

It has also been great to welcome back our Year 12 into class following their trial and mock exams. They remain in fine spirit as the final push on their academic work is about to start.

A reminder to Year 12 parents to please book your tickets to the Valedictory Dinner; tickets can be purchased here.

Finally, I wish Year 7 the very best on their first CITF experience, buses depart at 7am on Monday morning from School. I hope they have an adventurous and fantastic week.

Have a great week.

Best wishes,

Bob Meakin
Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School

Hannah Thomas, Director of Professional Learning

“1 in 7 young people experienced a mental health disorder in the previous 12 months.”

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Supporting mental health in schools must be every teacher’s priority, as early intervention is crucial to young people accessing support tailored to their needs.

Laura Brennan from AISNSW presented to Cranbrook Senior School teachers on this important aspect of wellbeing as part of our Whole-School Wellbeing Initiative. The session outlined the prevalence and impact of mental health in young people, delving into risk factors and exploring protective factors. A point of emphasis was how important it is for educators to know their students well, as this enables teachers to notice concerning changes within an individual, inquire about whether that person is ok, and provide timely support.

Hannah Thomas
Director of Professional Learning

Learning on Country

Last week at Cranbrook Teachers Talking Teaching (CTTT), Thomas McDonnell delivered a thought-provoking presentation to Cranbrook Senior School teachers about his recent journey to Cape York with the social enterprise group, Red Earth.

Thomas’ reflections on the authentic connections made with First Nations Traditional Owners and their families in Guugu Yimidhirr, Kuku-Yalanji, Djabuganjdji and Yidinjdji Country, and the knowledge gained about these communities’ culture and history, were a powerful reminder of the importance of learning on country.

Hannah Thomas
Director of Professional Learning

Angelique Sanders, Director of Student Wellbeing

Dear parents and care givers,

This is a friendly reminder to please either accept or decline the Operoo request sent earlier this week. This request seeks your permission for your sons to participate in the Corridor Cultures questionnaire next Wednesday during our Student Wellbeing session.

This research, which began in 2022 in collaboration with Sydney University, aims to identify our strengths and areas for improvement, ensuring that Cranbrook remains a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students. Please note that Year 7 students, who will be out on CITF, will have the opportunity to complete the questionnaire upon their return.

For students not completing the questionnaire, they will have the option to read quietly in their mentor room.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Angelique Sanders
Director of Student Wellbeing

Matt Grice, Director of Sport

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone for making our House Athletic Day a tremendous success! The enthusiasm, support, and participation from our community truly brought the event to life. The Cranbrook students showcased their remarkable talents, and their passion for their Houses, combined with their ability to have fun, was undoubtedly the highlight of the day. It is this sense of community that makes our school so special.

Congratulations to Northcott House for taking home the Cup! Your hard work and dedication paid off. I would also like to express a huge thank you to Mr. Lewis, who was the organiser of the day. His vision and meticulous planning deserve commendation for ensuring everything ran smoothly. Thank you To Miss McCabe for 7 hours of data entry!

Thank you once again to everyone for your commitment and energy. We eagerly look forward to more events that celebrate our shared passion for sports and teamwork!

Friday night saw us celebrate the Winter Sports Season with an inaugural combined Award Presentation Evening.  This event recognised the student and team achievements across a season that was heavily impacted by the weather!  We would like to thank all who attended, but in particular Mr Anthony Bray, History Teacher and 2^nd XI Football Coach for his keynote speech.

A huge turnout out last Saturday for the beginning of the Athletics Season with over 180 students attend training at Dangar. Cranbrook’s Athletics team provides students an opportunity to develop and enhance their athletics skills, as well as skills related to their specific summer and winter sports. Through regular training and guidance from experienced coaches, they will improve technique, agility, and speed, ultimately becoming a better athlete. It’s also a great opportunity to train and be part of a group outside their regular summer and winter sports.

This Saturday sees the 1sts of the CAS invitations at SOPAC, please see approximate timing for events below – we recommend you arrive 45 – 1 hour prior to the start of your event.  We wish all our competitors the best of luck!

If student or parents have any questions regarding athletics, please email Miss Williams AWilliams@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au

You can find the Co-Curricular & Sport Timetable here.

Finally, we wish the best of luck to our students who are competing at the Interschools State Championships in Perisher this week.

Kind regards,

Matt Grice
Director of Sport

Phil Beverley, Director of Music

Dear Parents and Carers,

On Monday 12 August, our Senior School guitar ensembles went on excursion to Sydney Grammar School for an afternoon and evening of rehearsals and performance. The event provided an excellent opportunity for the musicians to collaborate with their peers from Ascham and Sydney Grammar, keeping alive an historic link between the three schools and the guitar programs. The afternoon was filled with focused practice sessions, allowing the students to hone their skills and perform three massed items with over 100 guitarists on stage together.

The annual collaboration was, once again, a success. The experience of playing alongside students from another school not only challenged the boys but also inspired them to elevate their performance to new heights. The hard work and dedication of Cranbrook’s guitar ensembles were evident as they delivered polished and mature performances. Their efforts did Cranbrook proud, impressing both the audience and their peers.

A huge thank you to Cranbrook’s talented staff of guitar teachers: Mr Murilo Tanouye, Mr Sam Rollings, Mr Brett Gomez and Mr Giuseppe Zangari for their hard work in preparing the students for this event, as well as a thank you to Sydney Grammar School for being wonderful hosts. The event will reoccur in 2025, to be hosted at Ascham.

Martyn Hentschel
Head of Strings

I know many of our music students are putting the finishing touches on their pieces that will be presented at this year’s Spring Festival and I would encourage each student to keep up the hard work as this date approaches. In addition to the 7 live venues, we will have Mask work by several of our talented Drama students as well as the Visual Art’s Exhibition on display in the Governor’s Ballroom. A huge thank you to the MAD committee for assisting in creating the festival vibe with drinks and snacks for sale throughout the afternoon.

Finally, our HSC and IB students start the final countdown towards their final performance examinations and Composition submissions due in September. These will be showcased in a series of concerts beginning next week

Composition Showcase – Monday 26 August: Orchestra Room 6:30 pm

Performance Showcase – Monday 2 September – Orchestra Room 6:30 pm

No tickets are required, and all are welcome to attend these events. I look forward to welcoming you.

Warm Regards,

Phil Beverley
Director of Music

Senior Photography Light Painting Workshop at Cockatoo Island

On a magical winter evening under the moonlight, Senior Photography students embarked on an adventurous ferry ride to Cockatoo Island for a light painting workshop led by the renowned Australian photographer Peter Solness. Guided by Mr. Solness, the students collaborated to create imaginative light portraits of each other, utilising coloured torches and long exposure photography. From ninja silhouettes to abstract figure sculptures, they skilfully transformed the island’s abandoned industrial spaces into canvases for their creative expression.

Julian Wrigley
Visual Arts Teacher

Chaplain’s Note

Last assembly, I reflected on the choice made 100 years ago at the 1924 Paris Olympics by Eric Liddell to not contest his favoured 100m due to the heats being held on a Sunday; a day which he dedicated to God rather than sport. The story of his choice and subsequent decision to run in the 400m instead, which he won in world record setting time, became the subject of the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. But Liddell’s life didn’t end when he crossed that finish line, he went on to continue to make principled choices in challenging situations. Those choices became the subject of another film, this time starring Joseph Fiennes, 2016’s On Eagles Wings.

After the 1924 Olympics Lidell returned to the University of Edinburgh, graduated with a Science degree and went on to study Theology for a year, after which he decided to become a missionary teacher in northern China. He taught science at the Anglo-Chinese college and later decided to become an evangelist in rural China, travelling by foot and bicycle.

Eric returned to Scotland only twice, in 1932 and again in 1939. On one occasion he was asked if he ever regretted his decision to leave behind the fame and glory of athletics.

Eric responded,

“It’s natural for a chap to think over all that sometimes, but I’m glad I’m at the work I’m engaged in now. A fellow’s life counts for far more at this than the other.”

Later, a vacancy opened at in Shandong Province, but the opportunity coincided with the arrival of the Japanese army. Shandong was in a state of chaos due to the war. Liddell spent much of his energy rescuing wounded soldiers, knowing that if caught he would be sentenced to death by the Japanese. With the outbreak of The Second World War in 1939, the danger for missionaries intensified. Eric’s wife, Florence, and their three girls travelled to safety in Canada, but Eric made the difficult choice to remain in China. In 1943 he and all his missionary colleagues were arrested and held in a Japanese internment camp at Weifang in Shandong.

For Eric Liddell, being imprisoned with more than 2,000 other foreigners (including 327 children) meant an opportunity to teach and encourage the downcast, and he threw all his energy into his activities.

One account of life in the internment camp said:

…Not only did Eric Liddell organise sports and recreation, through his time in internment camp he helped many people through teaching and tutoring. He gave special care to the older people, the weak, and the ill, to whom the conditions in camp were very trying. He was always involved in the Christian meetings which were a part of camp life. Despite the squalor of the open cesspools, rats, flies and disease in the crowded camp, life took on a very normal routine, though without the faithful and cheerful support of Eric Liddell, many people would never have been able to manage.

What was his secret? He unreservedly committed his life to Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. That friendship meant everything to him. By the flickering light of a peanut-oil lamp early each morning, he and a roommate in the men’s cramped dormitory, studied the Bible and talked with God for an hour every day.

After nearly two years of incarceration and separation from his family, Liddell’s health began to break down. The end came quickly, and on February 21, 1945, the missionary, teacher, 7-times Scotland test rugby player and Olympic champion went to be with God, just months before the end of the War.

Dr. Norman Cliff, who was imprisoned with Eric, recalled this,

Eric Liddell would say, “When you speak of me, give the glory to my master, Jesus Christ.” He would not want us to think solely of him. He would want us to see the Christ whom he served.

In 2015, a marble sculpture of the athlete turned missionary, captured in mid-stride, was unveiled in Tianjin, a rare thing in Communist China. His remains lie next to it, marked by a headstone carved from Isle of Mull granite with a simple inscription from Isaiah 40:31: “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary.”

In life and death, he exemplified the words of Hebrews 12:1-4, notice the athletic language:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Rod Farraway
Chaplain

Study Centre

A reminder that the study centre is available to all students in Years 7 – 10 Mondays to Thursdays from 3.30 – 6.30pm. Each afternoon teachers supervise and support students with their homework and assessment preparation, and students are provided with afternoon tea. Study centre costs $50 each afternoon.

Please register here.

Articles of Interest

A round up of articles to read curated by the boarding staff;

ADHD in Teenagers – Child Mind Institute

How to talk to someone you are worried about

Empowering Middle School Students: Teaching the Importance of Speaking Up

How to manage teenagers’ expectations after exams

Teenagers on the Best Thing About Being Their Age

All best,

Matt Banes

Volunteers for Examinations Needed

Are you sometimes available during the school day? Do you feel competent reading and writing English? Are you a legible writer? Please note you don’t have to be neat, just readable.

If so, we would love to hear from you as we are always keen to have more people to support our students as exam volunteers who act as a reader and/or writer for students doing exams.

Readers can read exam material and a student’s answers at the direction of the student.

Writers must write exactly what the student dictates, but they can punctuate without direction by the student.

All volunteers will require a valid WWC; this can be a volunteer or a paid WWC.

If you would like more information about acting as a reader or writer, please contact Fiona Bain on 9327 9435 or email fbain@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au.

If you are keen to begin, you can start the process by emailing compliance@cranbrook.nsw.edu.au with your name, email address, date of birth, and your WWC reference number.

Compliance will then send out an information pack and a number of documents for which you must sign and return along with a photo page of your passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Thank you!