Thursday, 26 July 2012
From the Head of Rosstrevor
Boys of Character
As I have written about on numerous occasions in this Newsletter, the capacity of our boys to rise to the occasion is always a matter of great pride to me. Last Friday saw the induction of two new School Officers, Sam Murray and Ian Tongs. Due to the Year 8 Camps, we had no alternative but to induct Sam and Ian as part of our Assembly in the Rosstrevor Hall last Friday. Not only did this occur on a Friday but it also occurred after lunch in the period immediately prior to the conclusion of the day.
Obviously having such an important service at a different location and a different time could in normal circumstances be seen as being somewhat of a risk. However, all of our boys responded with the appropriate respect for the occasion and engaged fully in the Induction Service. Such respect mirrored similar behaviours at our Founders’ Day service and Anzac Service held earlier in the year and is indicative of the capacity of our boys to recognise the significance of such occasions and to respond appropriately.
Celia Lashlie in her book “He’ll be OK – Growing Gorgeous Boys Into Good Men” itemises the Characteristics of a Good Man and amongst these characteristics are many of the traits displayed by our boys last Friday during the Induction Service of our new School Officers. Respect for others, Loyalty, Committed to belonging to something, Being part of something, Attending and Participating in Ceremonies are amongst the various qualities identified by Celia as being Characteristics of a Good Man. Here at Rosstrevor, we are very much committed to the notion of developing boys of good character with the strong core values of Respect, Integrity, Passion and Accountability. Given the events of last Friday, we are certainly very well placed in terms of growing our boys into good men.
Important Dates
July 22 - 27
Year 8 Camp 1 – 8A (half) and 8B/8E
July 29 - August 3
Year 8 Camp 2 – 8A (half) and 8C/8D
August 2
Year 7 Immunisations
Australian Mathematics Competition
August 4
Last round of Winter Sport
August 10
Rotating Subjects Cycle 2 concludes
August 11
Rosstrevor House Athletics
August 13
Year 8 (2013) Subject Information Night
August 14
Year 9 (2013) Sea Change Information Night
August 15
Debating with Firbank at BGS (2.00-3.30)
August 17
Ute Full of Food
Whole School Open Morning
Year 7 Combined Morning with Firbank at BGS
August 20
Mid-Term Holiday
August 22
Book Club with Firbank at FGS (1.25-2.25)
August 24
Year 7 Social with Firbank at FGS
August 25 - 26
Getaway Weekend (Year 8 Fathers and Sons)
August 26 - 28
Interschools’ Snow Sports Championships
August 27
Philosophy Colloquium with Firbank at BGS (2.00-3.30)
August 28
Fathers’ Day Chapel Service
August 30
School Concert Rehearsals (all day)
School Concert Melbourne Recital Centre (pm)
The Week That Was
School Officer
Congratulations to Sam Murray and Ian Tongs who were inducted as Rosstrevor School Officers at Assembly last Friday.
Year 8 Camps
It was great to hear from Mr Marshall yesterday afternoon who informed me that our boys are having a fabulous time on camp. Good luck to Mr Keane and Mr Savage who will be attending camp next week with 8C, 8A and the rest of 8A
Important Notices
A Positive Start to Semester Two
I trust by now that all families have had an opportunity to read their son’s Semester One Report and to discuss the results and comments with their son. I am encouraging each boy to start the new term with a clear set of goals for consolidating and improving upon Semester One’s efforts.
The start of the new semester is particularly important for establishing or re-establishing good routines for homework and organisation. One idea that I often suggest to parents is to have a “check-in time” once a week which is a set time for a discussion of the week’s work and tasks and preparation for upcoming assignment work. Middle School Boys can easily feel “hounded” by unexpected requests for such chats, and can respond defensively as a result. Having a set time for such a discussion means that boys can be expected to be prepared to show where they’re up to with their work, and the reward for this can be being free of having to talk about it at other times – as long as they hold up their end of the bargain and show that they are on top of things. In my view this should be a time led by the boy, who should be ready to give an update on each subject and show progress on work, not just talk about it.
If some sort of “ante” is required to make these sessions effective, then perhaps they can be linked to the permission to participate in social activities or other things the boy likes to do in his “free time”.
In coming weeks I will be writing about other strategies that can be used to help boys with their work at home. I am always happy to discuss such matters if you feel you need particular support in this area.
Year 8 2013 Subject Selection Evening
On Monday Evening 13 August, current Year 7 parents and boys are invited to attend a Subject Selection Evening for Year 8 2013. This will run from 7:30 – 8:30pm in the Rosstrevor Hall.
Brief presentations will take regarding the Language Choices available for Year 8 students in preparation for choices to be made in the weeks to come. More details of this event will follow shortly.
Scott Anderson, Coordinator of Teaching & Learning, Transition Coordinator Rosstrevor.
From the Head of Year 8
The Marshall Diaries: Part 1
Sunday 22nd July
While 54 Year 8s hit the road, I too was churning up the miles en route to Adelaide. Still high on adrenaline from our 1st XVIII's win against St Kevin's a day earlier, not only did a trip to the City of Churches allow me to be within an arm's reach of the camp come Monday morning, but also allowed me to support Jordan Matera (Year 9) representing Victoria Metro in the U15 National Carnival.
Monday 23rd July
3hrs east from Adelaide did the trip as I soon acclimatized to the South Australian terrain, arriving in the Gnarkat Conservation Park just prior to lunch and greeted by two very happy groups of young men. The engine to the Mazda 6 was still warm as I headed out with 8E, some members of 8A and Ms Counihan on their overnight activity. The boys tackled a navigational activity and walking through difficult sandy terrain before arriving at Cox's Windmill; tonight's accommodation.
Tuesday 24th July
I won't lie, sleeping in a tent during a night where the mercury plummeted to -2 degrees isn't my cup of tea; regardless I had to stir come 7:30am in order to eat, pack and head on out. While the boys headed east to their next camp spot, I headed directly 4km north to base camp in order to meet up with Mr Picken's 8B/8A conglomeration.
The day with my newfound friends was fantastic; a cooked dinner and a night exploration set the tone, with animal tracks and native vegetation dominating the landscape.
Wednesday 25th July
A warmer night last night thank goodness, I am not sure I would have lasted!! After suggesting it the night before, the Outdoor Ed staff, Mr Picken and myself stirred early in order to climb a nearby hill to watch the sunrise. What a treat. Something I won't forget in a long time. Breakfast followed.
Soon it was time to leave and once again head 4km north to base camp in order to pack and head back into Adelaide.
Reflection of the Week
As I now sit in a hotel room in Adelaide I ponder my last few days. The sun has given way to an alarm clock; fireside chat to a television and I sit here somewhat lonely. As I lay in bed 48hrs ago in sub-zero temperatures the thought of this hotel room seemed like bliss; yet now I'm here it doesn't live up to the hype. Camps are a special activity on the Year 8 program that provide the boys (and staff!) with unique opportunities to appreciate the way things are.
Coming Up:
Stay tuned next week for live reports from St Peter's College, Prince Alfred and Rostrevor College (note different spelling!) as I extend my South Australian adventure into schools. I look forward to reporting in from camp again next week...
Tim Marshall, Head of Year 8
From the Head of Year 7
“Being a good athlete never absolves you from being a good human being” Kieran Perkins
Recently we have been exposed to a smorgasboard of international sport. In our household in particular, Wimbledon and the Tour de France have been giving the digital recorder a fair workout; and with the Olympics looming the recorder might actually reach breaking point! Such events, though, bring out the best and sometimes the worst in the both the athletes and spectators. One case in question was during the Tour when, disgracefully, a spectator threw carpet tacks on the road.
Mayhem ensued with multiple punctures, and enormous risk of injury. The ability of sport to rise above such deplorably unsporting behaviour was elegantly demonstrated by Brad Wiggins, the Tour leader, who slowed down the race to allow affected riders, including main rival Cadel Evans, to rejoin the race. What a wonderful example to us all.
With the end of the Winter Sport Season just two rounds away, I thought it timely to reflect on how the theme of sportsmanship. I am very proud of the sporting reputation that the Rosstrevor boys have developed over the years. Our boys are seen as good sports who work hard, but always with respect for the opposition. This reputation should be valued highly and all boys who represent the School should work hard at maintaining that perception. There are many reasons to participate in sport including for health and fitness as well as the opportunity to socialise and meet new people with common interests. But sport also develops character, and exposes weakness of character in the heat of competition. It can be even harder situation to manage when the opposition are being unsportsmanlike.
So in the remaining two rounds of Winter Sport, I encourage all of our boys to strive hard in their chosen sport, but always remember that appropriate conduct is a key aspect of your performance. In the sage words of John Candy in Cool Runnings “If you are not enough without a gold medal, you certainly won’t be enough with it’!
Have a great week,
Peter Furey, Head of Year 7.
From the Library
Tablet Book Club
‘Valkeryn: return of the ancients’ by Australian author Greig Beck is proving a popular choice for this term’s Tablet Book Club e-book. If your son is interested in taking part in the Tablet Book Club he will need to collect a parent permission form from the Library by the end of next week.
Firbank Combined Book Club
A few copies of ‘Ironbark’ by Barry Jonsberg are still available in the Library for boys wishing to take part in this term’s Book Club with Firbank. Our meeting is at Firbank on Wednesday, August 22nd so books will have to be collected by the end of next week in order to be finished before the meeting.
Parent Book Club
Having survived the recent Melbourne earthquake, our parent book club will meet again at the end of the month. We’re currently reading local author Suzy Zail’s book, ‘The Wrong Boy’. This is the book our Firbank Book Club members read last term, and Suzy came to our meeting where she spoke about the story behind her book and had all of us enthralled. I’m enjoying reading her book again, and I’m pretty sure that our parent book club members will also enjoy it. Please contact me at school if you’d like more information about our parent book club, we’d love to have you join us.
Happy reading,
Nerelie Teese
Teacher Librarian, TIC Debating and Public Speaking
General
Debating and Public Speaking
Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award Competition
The Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award is a speech advancement programme for junior secondary students in State and Independent schools and colleges. It is aimed at enhancing oral communication and public speaking skills of 12 to 14 year-old students – a Legacy endeavour for the past twenty-two years. It also seeks to help young people appreciate the ideals of Legacy; voluntary service, caring and comradeship and the need for remembrance.
This week sees Regional Finals being held across Australia, with approximately 2000 speakers taking part.
Ian Tongs, Year 8, and Michael Gotze, Year 7, represented Rosstrevor in Wednesday’s Regional Final at Kilvington Grammar School against twelve other speakers from Mentone Grammar Girls’ School, Kilbreda College, St Leonard’s College and Kilvington Grammar School.
All speakers were to present a prepared speech of five minutes’ duration on any subject relating to the ideals of voluntary service, social justice, caring, personal effort, personal sacrifice and/or mateship. Ian spoke about ‘Social Justice in Youth Crimes’ while Michael spoke about ‘The Many Forms of Sacrifice’.
After a well earned break, all speakers presented their two minute impromptu speech on “Keeping up with the news” with just five minutes’ preparation time.
Congratulations to Ian and Michael who were declared joint winners of the Regional Final and who now both proceed to the Preliminary Final in September.
Master of Ceremonies, Legatee David Ford, advised us that while Regional Finals have had joint winners before, this is not a usual occurrence. For two speakers with different topics and different presentation styles to be declared joint winners really indicates the quality and depth of the work and preparation they’ve put into this event and while they have every reason to be satisfied with their results, I believe we, as a school community, have every reason to be proud of their achievements.
Congratulations again, Ian and Michael.
Mini-Debates
The first round of mini-debates was held at lunch time on Thursday. This activity offered debating experience to boys who missed out on nominating for the Firbank Debate (the rush to the Library to get names on the list was a little reminiscent of large department store end of financial year sales). The mini-debates also provided the opportunity for some of our DAV debaters to apply their experience to adjudicating.
The topic for Thursday’s mini-debates was ‘That AFL should be Australia’s national sport’. A report will be presented in next week’s newsletter.
DAV Debating
Rosstrevor has eight debating teams entered in the DAV Junior Debating Program which begins this Monday night, July 30, at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Parents are very welcome to stay for the training session. All debaters, unless away at the Year 8 camp, are required to attend on Monday night and should arrive at least ten minutes early.
Dates for our DAV Junior Debating rounds are:
Training night (compulsory): Monday July 30th, 2012
Round 1: Monday August 13th, 2012
Round 2: Monday August 27th, 2012
Round 3: Monday September 10th, 2012
Firbank Debates
After last term’s successful debates against Firbank, our teams will begin preparing their defence for the next round on August 15. Teams and topics will be announced at the end of the Year 8 camping program, and I anticipate that the planning and preparation will be enthusiastic and energetic. Preparation workshops will be held in the Library to support the team aspects of debating, and this is always a lot of fun for the debaters as they work on their ideas and arguments and put some of these into practice.
Nerelie Teese
Teacher Librarian, TIC Debating and Public Speaking
Archery Brothers do it again
Last weekend the 21st and the 22nd of July Ian and Rob Tongs trekked to the State and National Indoor Archery Championships in Morwell, Victoria. After a lot of waiting and a nervous build up the shooting began. After the first day Ian’s score was 511 and Robs was 490 both out of a possible 600. The following day they returned with Rob having a lead of 30 points in the nation and Ian in 3rd place for the state. After the final arrows of the whole tournament Rob had come in first for the State and First in the nation, making him Australian champion! Ian had come in 3rd in the state and a very commendable 10th in the nation. Even more pleasing was that the boys both recorded PB’s at this tournament. A big congratulations from the entire BGS community.
Photo Comp Open to all
Just to kick the term off with a bit of fun we are running a photo competition on the BGS Facebook page inviting entries of images that depict what it is to be a boy.
Entries are encouraged from mums, dads, staff, boys over 13, anyone!
Simply go to the BGS Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/BrightonGrammarSchool?ref=hl and upload your entry in the Photo Competition app on the tab bar. Entries close at close of business on 10 August.
Winners will be judged by the photo with the highest number of ‘likes’. Only fans of the BGS page can vote so click ‘like’ and become a fan while you are there.
Prizes include an Olympus digital camera and a number of Harvey Norman Gift cards.
BGS Football Dinner
This year’s Football Dinner will premiere the screening of Sam Newman’s, ‘BGS Around the Ground’ video, filmed on location at school and featuring our very own boys and Staff!
The viewing of the video will be a one-off, so book now for the end of season BGS Football Dinner being held on Saturday, 11 August at the RIVA restaurant (St Kilda Marina). Radio SEN’s, Mark Fine, will host the night with after dinner dancing provided by Top Dog’s top DJ, Jack Newman (son of Sam).
An exceptional night of fun, laughter and dancing is assured at the BGS football season’s ‘night-of-nights’ organised by the Dalziel Club. The function is the highlight of the BGS football calendar each year and is open to all parents at BGS and their friends.
Click here for more information and the booking form. Reserve your seat now to avoid disappointment (strictly only 120 seats available) by emailing Andrew Rutter on andrew.rutter@optusnet.com.au.
Richard Simon, President, Dalziel Club.
Sh@re Community Campus
Please click here to download information about Share Community Campus
Parent Seminar
Please come along with a friend or two and join us at an essential FREE parent seminar on the Cyberworld. You can’t switch off the mobiles, iPads, PCs, Macs, iPods, facebook, twitter or other mediums so make the time now to learn from youth experts and psychologists Rosie and Lucy Thomas from PROJECT ROCKIT how to embrace the Cyberworld for a better future for you and your kids.
Rosie and Lucy Thomas are two Melbourne sisters with awards for innovative youth work from a variety of news and current affairs programs. Their REAL understanding of youth online culture and their sense of humour and ability to connect with anyone will certainly help develop your skills in embracing the technology of young people and dealing with some of those nasties like grooming, sexting and cyberbullying. In the Cyberworld, knowledge is power.
Please join us 7.30 pm Monday 30 July Robert Sanderson Hall, St Andrews St, Brighton Grammar School. Kids over 10 welcome. This is a FREE parent event and all in the wider community are welcome to join us. To reserve your seat, contact swagner@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au Please click here to download a flyer.
St Andrew’s Church News
St Andrew’s Church would like to alert you to an enticing event occurring in the parish between 23 and 28 September. The Parade of Wedding Gowns will feature an extensive static display of gowns and wedding memorabilia – and lots more! Stay tuned for further details in the coming weeks!
SPECIAL REQUEST - Do you still have your Wedding Gown/Bridal Veil/Photo? Perhaps, worn at St. Andrew's? If so, would you be prepared to loan it/wear it for the Wedding Parade or for the static exhibition?
St Andrew’s Church is also looking for several 'models' to wear wedding gowns on the Opening Night and gentlemen who would be prepared to act as escorts for the brides!
If you are able to assist, please contact past BGS parent Heather Sanderson. Ph: 9592.1609 or the St Andrew’s Parish Office. Ph: 9592 1240
Sport
Sport Fixture & Teams
Please click here for this weekend's sports fixture
Sport results
Please click here for last weekend's sports results
Sport Training starting Monday 30th July
***Please note that Year 8 training is still on even though some of the teams will have fewer numbers due to camp.
Any questions please contact Brendan Savage at bsavage@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au
Hockey
Year 7 & 8
No training
Soccer
Year 8
Wednesday @ JS Oval 3.50 – 5.15pm (Please bring boots and runners)
Year 7
Tuesday @ JS oval – 3.50 to 5.15pm (Please bring boots and runners)
Football
Year 8
Wednesday @ Crowther Oval 3.50 – 5.15pm
Year 7
7A - Wednesday @ Crowther Oval 3.50 – 5.15pm
7B1 & 7B2 - Monday @ Crowther Oval – 3.50 – 5.15pm
Rugby Union
U/13
No training
U/14
Tuesday & Thursday before school @ Junior School 7.00am – 8.00am
Cross Country
Wednesday afterschool @ BGS 3.50 – 5.15pm
End of season Hockey Presentation Night
All Years 7- 12 Hockey players and parents should have received an invitation to the Hockey Presentation Evening during the week. The Presentation will be held in the Robert Sanderson Centenary Hall commencing at 6.30pm on Monday 6 August.
RSVPs can be forwarded to the Music School. RSVPs should be placed in an envelope with money enclosed. Parents are reminded that the cost is $30 per person.
We look forward to seeing you there. Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Jason Ward (music@brightongrammar.vic.edu.au).
Soccer Presentation Night
Please click here to download a flyer outlining details of the Soccer Presentation Night
News from the Football Department
Please click here to download a flyer regarding end of Football Season Presentation Evening