Thursday, 14 June 2012
From the Head of Rosstrevor
Rosstrevor Excursion Program
The Rosstrevor Excursion Program was introduced in 2007 as a part of the RAP (Rosstrevor Activities Program). Next week both the Year 7s and 8s will be out on Excursion for a day and full details of the activities being undertaken are given below. The feedback from boys, parents and staff regarding the first round of excursions in Term 1 was extremely positive and I feel sure that once more, the boys will really enjoy the opportunity to be off-campus for a day engaging in a range of Experiential Learning activities. Each of the activities undertaken has been developed to include a curriculum focus and will in most cases, include preliminary work and a debriefing at the conclusion of the activity. Each activity though also presents a wonderful opportunity for Rosstrevor staff and in particular Form Teachers, to spend quality time with boys in their Form which certainly adds to the already high level of pastoral care provided to our boys at Rosstrevor. Finally, a special thanks to our many parents who support us on the day with their supervision of groups of boys. Again this presents a further tangible sign of the strong partnership that exists at Rosstrevor between our parents, their sons and the school itself.
Year 8 Excursion - ‘Information for Year 8 My Melbourne Excursion’
Please click here to download comprehensive information about the Year 8 “My Melbourne” excursion which is taking place next Tuesday, 19 June 2012.
Year 7 Excursion
Please click here to download comprehensive information about the Year 7 excursions which are taking place next Thursday, 21 June 2012.
Important Dates
June 15
Semester 2 Commences
June 19
Year 8 Excursions (off-campus all day)
June 21
Year 7 Excursions (off-campus all day)
Year 8 Combined Morning with Firbank at FGS (am)
June 22
End of Term 2
Important Notices
Semester 2
Semester 2 commences tomorrow (Friday) at Rosstrevor. There will be minimal difference in the actual timetables of boys other than in Year 7, where boys will commence studying their two other designated LOTES.
Year 9 (2013) Parent Information Evening
A further reminder to Year 8 parents of the Parent Information Evening which is being held in the Hay Lecture Theatre in the Senior School on Monday 18 June commencing at 7.30pm. The purpose of this evening is to provide our parents with an opportunity to learn more about the various programs on offer in the Senior School and to formally meet the new Head of the Senior School, Mr Ross Featherston. Please click here to download a copy of the letter that was sent out on 29 May which has an rsvp attached to it. Could I please ask that you complete the rsvp slip and return to the Rosstrevor office as soon as possible?
Whole School Photograph
Today your son received a copy of the Whole School Photograph which was taken earlier in the term celebrate our 130th year.
The photograph has a heavy duty laminate finish with all the names of our boys and staff printed on the reverse side. This photograph has been sent home for you to decide whether or not you wish to make a purchase at a cost of $68.00 (GST inclusive). If you wish to make a purchase simply retain the photograph and its purchase price will be charged to your account.
If you decide not to make a purchase please return the photograph in its container to Rosstrevor Reception and sign the return register.
Please note that no further returned photographs will be accepted after Friday 22 June 2012.
You may prefer a mounted copy of this photograph. The laminated prints, mounted on 9mm custom wood with beveled edging and coloured to match the print, are available at a cost of $125.00 (GST inclusive). The mounted prints are available from the Development Office (278 New St, Brighton). Additional copies of the laminated photograph are also available from the Development Office. Parents interested in purchasing a mounted copy or additional copies are invited to make contact directly with Development Office.
End of Term
Next Friday, June 22, is the final day of school for Term 2. It is anticipated that boys will be dismissed at approximately 2.45pm after distribution of Semester 1 Reports and a final assembly.
Medication
If your son has to bring any form of medication to school could you please make sure that it is stored in a zip lock bag with his name clearly marked on the medication and the bag.
The week that was
Book Club with Firbank
Ms Suzy Zail, author of The Wrong Boy, was a wonderful guest speaker at our combined book club with Firbank yesterday afternoon. Suzy talked about some of her father’s experiences as a prisoner in Auschwitz and his role as the catalyst of her book.
Students responded well to Suzy’s genuine approach to chatting about her book, and asked some great questions about the characters in the book, many of the incidents and events in the book, and also about the writing process.
This was a new experience for our book club and one I’m sure everyone will remember for years to come. You might like to read The Wrong Boy while your son still has the book. While books about The Holocaust can be disturbing to read, it’s through books like The Wrong Boy that new generations can begin to learn about some of the truly horrible events in world history and also see that there’s always hope. Hanna Mendel shows us this, and through Suzy Zail’s personal stories of her father and his experiences, we’re all able to get a better understanding of this.
Tablet Book Club
Some years ago there was a successful reading program, with a cute little frog logo, promoted in many schools as RIBIT – Read In Bed It’s Terrific. After this week’s enthusiastic Tablet Book Club meeting, I think we should all take one tablet e-book at bed time. This will do two things; you’ll have a nice comfy read and take part in a great National Year of Reading activity.
The following reports are presented by members of our Tablet Book Club.
“This term in tablet book club we were able to choose between two books, The Assassin and the Pirate Lord or The Secret of the Missing Grave.
Many boys, including me, have enjoyed reading these books on our tablets. It is a lot easier not to have hundreds of hard copies lying around everywhere.
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord was a very short book. It was a bit slow at the start and could be improved in many aspects but the action soon became very intense which made up for the slow or boring start.
The tablet book club is a excellent extra activity and I hope that lots of other boys will join up and enjoy reading.”
Henry Petch
Year 7
“On Tuesday we had our Second TBC meeting, the first club of its kind that we know of. This term we could choose from two books, “The Assassin and the Pirate Lord” and “The Secret of the Missing Grave.” The most-read book was the latter, but only because you didn’t have to download Kindle Reader to read it.
“The Assassin and the Pirate Lord” was the most popular book, and having read both, I can agree. It’s a thriller, however short. The only thing needed to make it better would be to make it longer – we want more!
Both books, however, are very different from last term’s book, “The Gallow’s Curse”, which was quite “chilling.”
This club is a great new addition to Rosstrevor, and we are all looking forward to next term’s book and the food that members will bring.”
Ian Tongs
Year 8
“Over the weeks in Term 2 some boys spent hours reading the two books available for the Tablet Book Club.
We met on Tuesday to discuss the books, and had varied opinions.
The two books themselves were the Secret of the Missing Grave, which students thought was "interesting" but they also thought it lacked flair. The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, however, was full of action, but maybe a bit short.
All in all, reading on the iPads was an interesting experience. All the boys loved the book club, and we can't wait for Term Three.”
David Lawlor
Year 7
Boys wishing to take part in next semester’s Tablet Book Club should collect a parent consent and information form from the Library this week. When the consent form is returned, boys will receive either a gift card (iPads) or a gift voucher (androids) to purchase the required books for Terms 3 and 4.
Next term’s e-book is ‘Valkeryn’ by Greig Beck. It is available from Amazon for $7.47 or from iTunes for $6.99. The remaining balance will be used for the e-book or e-books for Term 4. Some of our TBC members have already purchased the book and are enjoying the action packed story of ‘an epic battle, a doomed kingdom, a prophecy, a school science excursion and the particle collider accident’. Now, who wouldn’t want to read something like this – especially when the hero is the last human alive?
From the Library
Literary Lunch
To celebrate the eighth book of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series, students have the opportunity of taking part in a literary lunch this Friday.
Application forms are available in the Library and will need to be returned asap. As well as discussing our favourite character, scene or book in the series, we’ll also have a sample read of this exciting new book.
If you’re not familiar with Artemis Fowl and his adventures, you probably should know that not all fairies are sweet, happy beings with magical wands and good deeds. Some fairies pack machine guns and ride the lava flumes from deep inside the earth to it surface so they can deal with errant humans.
Current Affairs Club
Year 8 student Ian Tongs is convening a new Current Affairs Club. Boys are asked to put their names down in the Library if they’re interested in this activity. Details will be provided about the first meeting next week at Friday’s Assembly, and boys who wish to take part should start looking for items of interest so they can ‘Bring a Headline’ (and article) to discuss at the meeting.
Parent Book Club
Our next parent book club meeting is 7:30 Tuesday night here at Rosstrevor. We’re enjoying The Wonderbox by Roman Krznaric, which is available in print and as an e-book. Interested parents are very welcome to attend so please contact me if you’d like more information.
Great Holiday Reading
The end of term Great Holiday Reading flyer will be included in next week’s newsletter – just in time for a great holiday.
Nerelie Teese
Rosstrevor Teacher Librarian
General
Come along to the next BGS Corporate Connections Breakfast
You are invited to attend our next BGS Corporate Connections Breakfast to be held on Friday, 22 June at our new home, the Royal Brighton Yacht Club. As well as hearing from a truly inspiring guest speaker, these breakfasts also provide an opportunity to meet others in our community – parents, past parents, Old Boys and School sponsors!
Our guest speaker on this occasion is Old Boy Alan Oppenheim (OB75). Managing Director of Ego Pharmaceuticals, a family owned business operating for close to 60 years, Alan’s products have provided relief to most of us – QV Cream, SunSense, Aqium, Pinetarsol and MOOV to name just a few. The company has come a long way from its early days in the 1950s operating out of the family home to now exporting to over 20 countries from its world class pharmaceutical plant in Melbourne and employing 300 staff based in 9 nations.
How has Ego Pharmaceuticals become so successful here and overseas? How has Ego afforded to keep all the production here in Melbourne? Why is investment in research and development important to success? How can a family owned business become market leader when competing against multinational, pharmaceutical mammoths?
Don’t miss this breakfast where Alan will attempt to answer these questions and more, and share with you some of the challenges he faced on the road to success.
Further details can be found on the attached flier.
We now offer three ways to book and pay for this event:
• Pay via credit card using the School’s online ticketing and events system. Click here to book.
• Email Sharon Martin at smartin@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au with your credit card details.
• Phone Sharon Martin in our Development Office on 8591 2271.
Particular thanks to BGS Corporate Connections Breakfast sponsor, Berman Homes, whose generous support of this BGS Corporate Connections Breakfast enables 100% of your attendance fee to be directed to the new Middle School Building campaign.
Sh@re Community Campus
Please click here to download Term 2 Holiday Schedule
St Andrew’s Church News
St Andrew’s Church would like to invite all in our community to attend two of their upcoming events:
1. St Andrew’s Music Foundation’s Community Concert featuring the Aston Smith Singers. Sunday, 24 June at 2.30pm. Click here for more details
2. Medieval Mid Winter Dinner – Saturday 30 June 7.00pm Click here for more details
Sponsor News
Brighton Grammar School is fortunate to have the sponsor support of many businesses - support that makes a significant difference to our School. As well as contributing to the fundraising campaign for our new Middle School, and providing significant goods in kind, many of our sponsors also offer our boys a diverse range of opportunities during the year. From time to time, our sponsors are able to offer some special deals to our parents too!
This week Lexus of Brighton would like to alert you to their End of Year Financial Event. Please support the businesses that support our School by clicking through to find out more.
School Uniform Shop
Please click here to view the Holiday Trading Hours
Lost Property
Luke Bottomley has lost his sports jacket. If found, please return to Luke, Mr Keane or Sally Sher.
Nick Buckley (7B) has lost his blazer. It is named "Buckley" and was last seen in the drama room a week or so ago. If found, please return to Nick, Ms Turek or Sally.
Found Property
BGS blue sport shorts sizes 14 and M
Sport
Please click here to view the Sport Fixture and Teams for this weekend