Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolMen’s Health Week, celebrated each June, highlights the importance of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of men and boys around the world.
To support this initiative, our students have the opportunity to take part in an early morning +M plunge at Brighton beach next Wednesday. While it will be a bracing experience for all, it is designed to provoke meaningful discussions among our boys on the importance of maintaining good health and taking on challenges.
As well, from 3.00pm today until Wednesday 25 June, complimentary heart health checks will be available to all staff, parents and the wider community at a SiSU Health Station on-site at the Annandale Pavilion.
Research consistently shows that men face a heightened risk of developing serious health conditions, with mental health concerns disproportionately impacting them.
A key focus of our work in the area of positive masculinity is to encourage our boys to prioritise their wellbeing by adopting healthy habits and engaging in open conversations.
Taking proactive measures to stay well and connect with others are aspirations that we can all strive for and serve as a reminder that these efforts are a collective responsibility.
I encourage you to explore this excellent new resource, Know Your Man Facts, released as part of Men’s Health Week.
Simon Angus
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Secondary SchoolI hope everyone enjoyed the long weekend and is feeling recharged for the final weeks of term.
Congratulations to our Year 10 and Year 11 students for the effort and commitment they demonstrated during their recent exams. Exam papers were returned yesterday, offering students a valuable opportunity to reflect not only on their results but also on the examination process itself. Thank you to our teaching staff for the time and care invested in setting, marking, and supervising these assessments.
With exams behind us, our focus now turns to Semester 2 learning – a chance to engage with fresh content and build momentum ahead of the upcoming holiday break.
Last Friday, our Year 9 students returned from the Breakthrough program, where they participated in a range of hands-on learning experiences. These included service learning, sustainability projects, and ‘on Country’ learning with First Nations peoples – experiences that offered meaningful insights beyond the classroom.
Looking ahead, Coaching Day will take place next Tuesday. This is a key moment in the academic calendar, providing students with the opportunity to reflect on their learning journey – acknowledging progress, identifying areas for growth, and setting goals for the weeks ahead.
Meliora Sequamur.
Happenings & Reminders
- 17 June – Coaching Day
- Term dates – Term 2 concludes on Friday 27 June and Term 3 commences on Wednesday 23 July
Year 9 Breakthrough
Year 9 is a vital time in the growth and development of boys, and last week Year 9 students took part in Breakthrough workshops and activities.
They included an Indigenous experience in Philip Island exploring the land, planting trees in the Strath Creek sustainability program, taking part in a 25 year carbon and biodiversity project, and volunteering at charities such as Impact for Women, Our Village (formerly St Kilda Mums), Care Net and Meals with Impact.
The program is designed to help students strengthen their empathy, respect and sense of responsibility and gain an understanding of who they are and who they want to become.
Free Heart Checks
During the month of June, we are offering free heart health checks to all staff, parents and the wider community. This initiative aims to raise awareness about heart health within the BGS community.
From Thursday 12 June (after 3.00pm) – Wednesday 25 June, BGS will host a SiSU Health Station on-site at the Annandale Pavilion, providing convenient access for everyone to monitor their heart health.
The SiSU Health Stations offer quick, non-invasive checks that include measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, and other critical indicators of cardiovascular health.
Please share this with friends and family – we want everyone in the community to be involved and part of it.
From Reverend Waterhouse
What do Neapolitan ice cream, a three-leaf clover and the different states of H20 all have in common?
They are some of the (ultimately inadequate) illustrations that people have used over the years to try and explain the Christian concept of the Trinity: the idea of one God being Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Funnily enough, the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, yet this Sunday (the first Sunday after Pentecost) in our Christian calendar is marked as Trinity Sunday, as an occasion to recall and celebrate God’s trinitarian nature.
Within the Trinity, there is a distinct order of relationship, whereby the Father sends the Son into the world to be born, to teach, to be betrayed, and ultimately to die for the sake of atoning for the sins of a broken world.
However, this same Son is also raised by the Father to new life on the third day and they now freely gift the Spirit to all those who put their trust in Jesus.
As the apostle Paul affirms: ‘When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God … joint heirs with Christ.’ [Romans 8:15-17].
We really can’t adequately comprehend the fullness of the Trinity, but it is a glorious reality worth remembering.