Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolThe vibrant community spirit at Brighton Grammar is demonstrated by the dedication of students and staff to charitable causes.
Recently, boys from Hancock House led a Clean Up Australia Day initiative at Brighton Beach, demonstrating their commitment to the environment and tomorrow Rofe House students will be selling hot cross buns in aid of The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
As well as our ongoing support of Ute Full of Food, later this term, a group of Secondary School students and staff will come together for the World’s Greatest Shave, raising vital funds for the Leukaemia Foundation.
Our Brighton Grammar team – Issa Sheikh, Ollie Graham, Luke Shen, Fergus Ingram, Alexander Rozentoul, Josh Weber and Emily Beaton – have collectively raised over $10,000. A shout out to Emily, our Director of Community Engagement, who has raised over $8,700 for this very worthy cause and will shave her head along with the boys on Friday 28 March. You can donate to our team members here.
Emily Beaton with some of our World’s Greatest Shave participants
An engaged and supportive community is one of our School’s most valuable strengths and plays a vital role in enhancing the boys’ academic achievements and social growth, proving that the impact of education extends well beyond the classroom.
Finally, good luck to all BGS crews competing at the Heads of the River in Nagambie on Saturday.
Simon Angus
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Secondary SchoolThe excitement and buzz of The Duigan Centre continues, with the Music faculty moving in their new home on the ground floor. According to Susie Heggie, the sound quality in the rehearsal studio (The Ickeringill Centre) is excellent. We also have our Tennis fixture on the roof for the first time this Saturday.
We are at the pointy end of the season for our rowers, who competed at the Scotch Mercantile Regatta last weekend and now turn their focus to the Heads of the River on Saturday. We wish them the very best of luck and look forward to cheering from the banks.
On Monday, our Year 7s will embark on their much anticipated outdoor education journey – an exciting opportunity to bond, build friendships, and explore beyond the classroom. Heading to the Mornington Peninsula, they’ll take part in camping, hiking, cooking, and a range of hands-on activities designed to foster resilience, teamwork, and independence. This experience marks an important milestone in their transition to Secondary School, and we wish them all the best for an unforgettable adventure.
Meliora Sequamur.
Happenings & Reminders
- 20 March, 5.00pm – Year 9 Performance Evening
- 31 March, 7.00pm – Semester 1 Concert – Large Ensembles
- 2 April, 7.00pm – Positive Masculinity Parent Workshop
- 5 – 21 April – School Holidays
Staff v Student Futsal
What do you get when you cross futsal with sausages? Honestly, I’m not sure either, but last Thursday, 13 March, was our annual Student Council teacher vs student Futsal match!
The event last year had an overwhelming turnout with almost the whole Secondary School grabbing a sausage and enjoying the show down between teachers and students. This year, sales from our sausage sizzle will support a cause very close to my heart, Breast Cancer Victoria. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was in Year 8, and I know many of those in the Brighton Grammar community who also have had mums, grandmothers, aunties and loved ones affected by it.
Of course, to ensure total impartiality, the game was refereed by none other than our Student Council Futsal champ, Kenneth Yeung. The teacher team was Ms Zekirija, Mr Hayward, Mr Steed, Mr Pinto, Mr Whyte and Mr Waterhouse.
Photos: James Li (Year 12)
The student team was James Read, Harry Mcmillan (Year 7), Harry Roussos, Archie Sideridis (Year 8), Hugo Cleret, Ryan Weaver (Year 9), Liam Raftis, Jensen Mazzoni (Year 10), Daniel Piccolo, Joe Lewis (Year 11) and Max Pennington, Issac Pels (Year 12).
With a landslide victory by the students of 2-1 by the end of the game, all were championing the teachers’ efforts despite not quite making the mark, even the disputed plays! The Staff vs Student sporting games will continue throughout the year with different themes – let’s see who will win the Staff vs Student Cup!
Nicholas Michele
Year 11
Top Class
Boys from the VCE Music class enjoyed attending Top Class concerts this week, featuring both Repertoire and Contemporary stream students who achieved full marks in the 2024 examinations on a wide range of instruments.
As our Headmaster Ross Featherston states, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ and this concert series is always integral in helping boys at BGS prepare to the highest standard possible.
We also had time in the break for a quick visit to the NGV as well as a relaxing visit to the Alexandra Gardens for lunch. Congratulations to Ethan Rowe (OB 2024) who was short listed for the concert series, having achieved full marks on his performance exam last year.
Susie Heggie
Head of Music Curriculum
Year 8 Swap Day
On Friday 7 March, 54 Year 8 BGS students enjoyed a contrasting school day at Firbank Grammar School.
The boys actively participated in a Science lesson where they built a parachute to safely drop an egg from the top of a building, a Humanities lesson where they built earthquake proof buildings and a Maths lesson where they honed their skills doing a Maths team relay with worded problems.
Not only did our Year 8 students experience a different school setting, but connections were formed with their peers at Firbank Grammar School.
Emma Sallis
Maths Teacher
Flying High
We would like to acknowledge and celebrate an extraordinary achievement by Year 10 student Fraser Mak who has officially qualified as an Australian pilot on his 16th birthday!
This achievement has been a few years in the making, as Fraser has dedicated tremendous effort to studying for his Recreational Pilot’s License, which includes a series of both practical and theoretical exams.
Congratulations Fraser!
From Reverend Waterhouse
I recently had to purchase a new personal laptop. After almost eleven years of regular use, my old Macbook decided to give up on life and present a non-functioning black screen.
For the sake of convenience, I was willing to pay for its repair; however, the store assistant I spoke to used unnerving words such as “vintage” and “obsolete”, effectively declaring that my much-loved machine was as good as dead and in need of required replacement.
In Luke chapter 5, Jesus told a parable about pouring new wine into old wineskins – a foolish thing to do, as the fermenting wine would burst the old skins. He concludes by affirming, “And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, ‘The old is better.’” [verse 39].
It’s a timely reminder that even when presented with the opportunity to have something better, we can easily cling to those things that are older or redundant but more familiar.
During this current season of Lent, I wonder what “better thing” we can pursue? Perhaps we have kept Christ at a comfortable arm’s length for too long? Perhaps we are nurturing a long-held grievance? Maybe we refuse to let go of a bad habit?
Jesus wants us to drink the new wine of a new life in his name. With Christ, life’s better.