Weekly eNews

Ross Featherston

Headmaster, Brighton Grammar School

As I outlined earlier this year, the Harmony Project is a major initiative in 2025, to help our boys reduce their overall screen usage and use technology in more healthy ways.

I asked for parent input for this project to be meaningful, and I appreciate your feedback which will help to frame the School’s approach to this issue. Our staff also provided their perspectives and concerns.

Surveys conducted among parents and teachers highlighted the shared apprehensions regarding children’s smartphone usage and engagement with social media. They also emphasised the need for evidence-based guidance and strategies to collectively support our children form healthier and more constructive relationships with technology, both at school and at home. Please view our executive summary of the survey results.

We are now developing policies and processes to help boys regulate and reduce the time they spend on screens at school, and our Crowther Centre team is preparing parent resources on monitoring and regulating social media, internet and phone use outside school.

A cohesive and collaborative community approach will serve as the most effective strategy in guiding our boys toward making informed decisions. Additional updates on this initiative will be provided throughout the year.

Peter Tellefson

Deputy Headmaster, Head of Junior School

Strong relationships, building connections and competitions are key elements of boys’ education that our House System fosters well at Wilson House. In our last week of Term 1, our House Chantology competition allowed all boys from Prep – Year 6 to present in full voice and colour and their pride, passion, creativity and spirit was most evident. 

I appreciate the support our Music staff provided and the leadership our Year 8 and Year 12 House Captains provided to our Year 6 boys as they led their House chants. From our creative pursuits to physical challenges, we enjoyed the Prep – Year 6 House Cross Country.

Monday’s House Cross Country was a character building experience for our boys. Long distance running is a challenge, particularly if you are not built for it!! I was immensely proud of our boys’ efforts to dig deep when it hurt, to persist and keep at it.

The BGS Way challenges our boys to be strong minded and determined, to keep persevering when they feel tired, their legs are hurting and they need a rest. Too often it is too easy for students to opt out, feign illness and parents can be quick to write a note to excuse their son from an event like Cross Country because their son does not want to do it; this is the easy option and we have an obligation to challenge our boys. I think all in attendance would agree with me that all boys who crossed the line were winners. 

The endeavours of our boys, their level of support and encouragement, the House cheering, the hard work of the staff, the excellent leadership from Aaron French and Luke Hayes and the support from so many parents was greatly appreciated. Dixon was House Champion and Hancock was awarded the Team Spirit Award.

For many years we have participated in cultural exchanges with schools from the Tiwi Islands and Pormpuraaw on the west coast of Cape York Peninsula. This year we are continuing our connection with the Tiwi Islands, by participating in a cultural exchange with Murrupurtiyanuwu Catholic Primary School on Bathurst Island with eight Year 6 boys travelling this week.

The Year 6 Student Exchange Program enables our boys to foster and develop relationships, communication, understanding and respect for each other’s way of life and culture. Later this term we will send eight Year 6 boys to visit our friends in Pormpuraaw.

Wilson House Happenings & Reminders

• This week we waved farewell to our Touring Party of Year 6 boys (Billy Bannister, Oscar Betts, Harvey Billings Jack Bull, Kane Corcoran, Seb Hussey, Charlie Lorback and Charlie Sanderson) and staff (James Hilditch and Brittany Richards) as they travelled to Bathurst Island.

• I will be visiting our Year 6 students in Bathurst Island from Monday to Wednesday of next week. Whilst I am off-site, Dean Bryan will be responsible for the Junior School.

• Our Year 4 boys and staff have enjoyed magnificent Autumn weather on the foreshore of Anglesea this week.

• Our boys and staff look forward to our Prep to Year 6 mothers joining us on Friday 10 May from 8.30am for our Mother’s Day Celebration. Borwick House Choir boys and their mothers and siblings go directly to St Andrew’s Church at 8.15am. For all Prep – Year 6 boys not in choir, the morning will commence in your son’s classroom.

• Prep – Year 6 Term 2 Parent/Teacher interviews will be held on Wednesday 7 May and Thursday 8 May via Microsoft Teams.  Further details will be available via BGS app

Student Achievements

Congratulations to our House Cross Country Individual Champions and Encouragement Award winners.

Friends of Art Morning Tea

On Tuesday, we had the pleasure of welcoming 30 staff members, students, and parents from our Art community to formally celebrate and congratulate our Art Leaders across both the Junior and Secondary Schools. It was a wonderful opportunity to recognise the creativity and leadership these students bring to our school’s artistic life.

We are also delighted to warmly welcome Noni Drew, a renowned local artist, as our 2025 Artist in Residence. Noni brings a wealth of experience and a passion for inspiring young artists, and we look forward to her working closely with students across the school starting this term.

If you’re interested in becoming part of the Friends of Art parent group, please get in touch via email to learn more.

Amelia Barrow

Director of the Early Learning Centre

There are so many shining moments in the ELC where we catch ourselves reflecting on what an incredible community we live in and the numerous learning opportunities afforded to our boys.

We are designing and creating our very special secret gifts for our mothers in preparation for Mother’s Day. Our boys have been under strict instructions to keep it a surprise until our very special Mother’s Day mornings where we will celebrate mothers or special guests and present them with their heartfelt gifts.

Invitations have been sent via the BGS App with our ELC4 event on Wednesday 7 May from 9.00 – 10.00am and our ELC3 event on Thursday 8 May from 9.00 – 10.00am. Both mornings will take place in your son’s classroom where mothers and sons will enjoy a variety of activities together and quality time playing. We look forward to spoiling our mums next week ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 May.

The BGS App and Schoolbox are integral communication tools for all BGS families, so you don’t miss out on any important dates, events and program information. Please ensure that you have the App on your devices so you can keep up to date with our busy calendar.

Parenting Tips

Habits of Healthy Families

There are a small handful of astonishingly powerful habits that parents practise which make their families happy. In this article, Dr Justin Coulson shares those habits by describing the principle, discussing how it works in practice, and offering a provocation to get you thinking. Read more below.

Olivia Tims
Junior School Psychologist