Weekly eNews
Ross Featherston
Headmaster, Brighton Grammar SchoolIn my final address to the Class of 2024 at their Valedictory Dinner this week, I quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson, the 19th century US philosopher who said, ‘What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.’
I asked the 165 boys of the Class of 2024 to ponder what lies within them, a question as relevant to them as it is to the Class of 1974 who we welcomed back to school last week for their 50 years on lunch.
Our Year 12s have developed a number of lasting qualities within them and will be remembered as a group that embodied our approach to positive masculinity by showing respect, authenticity, connectedness, good nature and kindness.
My advice to them was to stay true to themselves and be authentic; to be kind, gentle, humble, empathetic; not to be afraid to ask for help and to help others; to aspire to do good things with vigour, focus, enthusiasm and energy but remember rarely are good things achieved without others; and, perhaps most importantly, to be loving and not to be afraid to love, be loved and show love.
To quote another elder statesman, Winston Churchill, although the Class of 2024’s time at Brighton Grammar is now at an end, it is not the end; rather it is the end of the beginning.
The transition programs held this week in the Junior School and Urwin Centre are also important beginnings for our current and new students as they embark on the next chapters of their schooling life and consolidate their places in our community.
Meliora Sequamur.
Peter Tellefson
Deputy Headmaster, Head of Junior SchoolAll Junior School boys and staff have enjoyed participating in our Year 12 end of year celebrations.
The Beating the Bounds service on Monday was a wonderful experience to be a part of. It brings back a host of times, places, events and faces for the Year 12s and their families as they process, pray, reflect and visit the Secondary School Quadrangle, St Andrew’s Church, Wilson House, Urwin Centre, Crowther Oval, The Clock Tower and the Oak Tree.
This is a powerful and meaningful experience as en masse approximately 700 people processed to the different above-mentioned parts of the School.
It was certainly a buzz for our Early Learning Centre boys to high five the Year 12 boys as they entered the Junior School. Harry Pollock, our 2018 Wilson House School Vice-Captain, spoke fondly of his memories of Junior School days.
Congratulations to our Junior School Captain, Tom Saadie, who spoke superbly on behalf of the Junior School community. I appreciate the excellent work of our Grounds and Maintenance staff, as Wilson House looks a picture.
Last Friday’s House Athletics Carnival was most successful even under the adverse weather conditions. Whilst the weather was not good to us, we were fortunate it was not cold.
The BGS Way and Can Do attitude was evident as our boys and staff soldiered on to complete a majority of the program and events.
I appreciate Rebekah Ashcroft’s excellent organisation and the support all staff provided to ensure the success of the day. Congratulations to our boys for their level of participation, sportsmanship and active support within their House.
Our House competitions generate fantastic team spirit and connectedness and the boys enjoy the events with plenty of noise and colour. Dixon House was named House Champions and Crowther House received the House Spirit award.
Thank you to those many parents who supported throughout the day. From these events we gain a strong sense of team which in turn benefits our boys and provides them with excellent experiences whilst at school.
Wilson House Happenings & Reminders
- Last Thursday evening, our boys joined the Secondary School musicians and performed in a Chopin Showcase. The standard of performances was outstanding considering this was for many boys their first solo concert.
Congratulations to our Junior School soloists; Terrence Ji, Oliver Qiu, William Giddings, Patryk Paolacci, Dominik Janoshalmi, Ryan Qiu, Henry Kalmanovich, Arthur Wang, Nathan He, Roy Gu, Bentley Zeng, Eric Gong, Jasper Mace, Andy Chen, Oliver Zhu, Jeremy Ma, Leo Wang, Oscar Xu, Thomas Wang and Waters Zhang. Thank you to Emily Fairweather for her organisation and to all Music staff for their continued great work with our budding musicians.
- Best wishes to our Year 3 to 6 boys who are completing various instrumental AMEB exams. I appreciate the efforts of our Music staff in preparing our students.
- Please mark Friday 15 November in your diary for the Junior Parents’ Group’s Family Fun Night from 4.30 – 8.00pm. This is our major JPG fundraiser for the year and I am sure we will all enjoy this year’s event. The organising committee is working hard to ensure this year will be entertaining for all. Further details will be forwarded to parents via the BGS app.
- I have recently received a number of complaints from neighbours in Grosvenor Street as parents are not parking appropriately and obstructing driveways, particularly at pick up time at the end of the day. I have also noticed an increase in congestion on Grosvenor Street as parents are arriving as early as 2.45pm and lining up within the car park and on the street. This makes it very difficult for ELC3 parents (2.30pm finish) and ELC4 parents (2.45pm finish) to park and collect their sons. I understand that parents who have sons in the ELC will park and wait until 3.20pm to collect older siblings but I would ask Junior School parents not to arrive before 3.00pm please. Our system works effectively once the boys are dismissed at 3.20pm, and on most days the car park is clear by 3.30pm. I would ask for parent assistance to help ease the congestion by not arriving so early. All boys are supervised in the car park until 3.45pm which provides 25 minutes for pick up.
Amelia Barrow
Director of the Early Learning CentreThis week began with the wonderful BGS tradition of Beating the Bounds, one of our annual highlights as we gather as a school community to recognise this important milestone (although quite an emotional one for all involved).
As the Year 12 boys and their families revisit each section of the school on their last official day before exams, we reflect on their journey from ELC3 to Year 12.
It is also an honour to say that Mrs Coyne and I have been a part of this journey for some of the boys who we proudly waved goodbye to on Monday.
Although it only feels like yesterday when we were playing games in the playground, singing songs as we danced, and celebrating each milestone during their time in the ELC back in 2011, the picture of our current 3 year old boys standing next to them really pulled at our heart strings.
Where does the time go? And how we need to treasure this precious time with them! We wish the class of 2024 all the best in the coming weeks for their exams and hope that the next 13-14 years don’t go as fast!
Our 2025 Transition Program has commenced with our ELC3, ELC4 and Prep programs in operation. Once these have been completed, we will send out class allocations to all 2025 ELC enrolled children.
This year we will be hosting a 2025 Parent Information Night on Tuesday 12 November from 7.00 – 8.00pm where you will meet your son’s teacher and learn about the year ahead. If you have any questions, please feel free to make a time to meet with me.
Our Christmas pageant is well underway with rehearsals next week, beginning at the start of the day. Therefore, we ask that boys arrive by 9.00am as we leave the Centre at 9.15am for practice.
We are currently trialling the boys in a variety of roles over the coming weeks and will finalise these once the boys feel confident and happy. We ask that families please alert me if you are planning on not being here for the end of the year. Our pageant is on Thursday 5 December.
Parenting Tips
Understanding resilience
Building resilience is an ongoing process. It’s about nurturing a mindset, not checking off a list.
Being patient, being present, and most importantly, being the safe harbour your child needs will help him navigate life’s choppy waters. Read more below about helping your child to bounce back from hardships.
Olivia Tims
Junior School Psychologist
Effective Learner Model Webinar
We know that student outcomes are better when parents and schools work together.
With this in mind, The Crowther Centre invites all parents of Year 7 students in 2025 to an Effective Learner Model webinar on Monday, 18 November at 7.00pm.
The Effective Learner Model is based on the best-available research about how students learn and underpins all our teaching and learning programs. The webinar will provide you with key strategies to help you support your child’s learning at home.
Contact the Crowther Centre for more information.
Breakfast with Mark Finn (OB 2002)
Join us at our upcoming BGS Business Breakfast on Wednesday 20 November at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.
Mark Finn, the Co-Founder and CFO of ROLLER, a global software platform that serves leisure and attractions venues, is joining us for a fireside chat to discuss the ROLLER story and the scaling of a global technology company.
Mark founded the business with his brother Luke (OB 2004) in 2012. From humble origins, ROLLER now has approximately 2,000 venues using its technology in over 30 countries and has processed in excess of $12 billion worth of transactions. With 180 staff across Melbourne, Sydney, Austin, San Francisco and London, they have also raised in excess of $100 million from leading investors such as US based Insight Partners.
Wanted – Uniforms
The Friends of Music Second Hand Uniform Shop would be thrilled to receive donations of any unwanted uniform items.
Donations can be left at any time in the red tubs at each of the Junior School reception or at our drive and drop collection in the Junior School car park on 11 December (further details to come).
JPG News
JPG Family Fun Night
The Brighton Grammar Junior School Family Fun Night is back in 2024! Join us for a fun night of rides, food trucks and entertainment on the Red Square from 4.30 – 8.00pm on Friday 15 November 2024.
Tickets are $50 per child. The Family Fun Night wristband gives each child unlimited rides. Each child will receive a show bag when the wristband is pre-purchased via Trybooking. Rides are suitable for children three years and older. For adults and children under three, entry is free. Tickets are on sale now
Pudding and Christmas Cake Varieties
The Brighton Grammar Junior Parents Group is delighted to once again offer you a superb range of homemade Mandi’s Christmas Puddings and Christmas Cakes, just in time for Christmas!
- Traditional Christmas Pudding (round 500g, 1Kg, 1.5Kg, 2Kg; log 500g, 1kg)
- Macadamia and Brandy Pudding (log 500g, 1Kg)
- Gluten Free Pudding (round 500g, 1Kg; log 500g, 1kg) (no gluten, lactose or dairy)
- Date and Toffee Pudding (log 500g, 1Kg)
- Triple Chocolate Pudding (log 500g, 1Kg)
- Chocolate and Orange Pudding (log 500g, 1Kg)
- Chocolate Rum and Raisin Pudding (log 500g, 1Kg)
- Mango & Brandy Pudding (log 500g)
- Mandi’s Classic Christmas Cakes (600g or 1.4Kg) (The cakes come beautifully boxed)
Final orders by 5.00pm Friday 1 November – No late orders can be accepted. The puddings will be sent home with the boys before the end of Term 4.
