Weekly eNews

Thursday 22 May 2025

As I often say, our greatest investment as a school is in the quality of our staff. Their ongoing development is key to ensuring the best possible outcomes for your sons’ academic and personal growth.

This week, I joined a number of senior staff at the IBSC Australasian Regional Conference, hosted by Hale School in Perth.

The theme ‘Leadership and Learning for Social-Emotional and Academic Wellbeing in Boys’ strongly aligns with our priorities at BGS including our Positive Masculinity (+M) and wellbeing programs and staff development focus.

Sessions explored strategies how to support boys’ emotional growth, academic motivation and sense of purpose, underpinned by insights from the latest IBSC global research.

It has been a valuable and affirming experience for our team, and we look forward to continuing these important conversations within our own school community.

A highlight was keynote speaker Ben Walden, who we’re very excited to welcome to BGS tonight for his presentation Creativity at BGS: Inspirational Leadership, which I strongly encourage you to attend.

 

This week I was most fortunate to spend some time attending the International Boys’ School Coalition (IBSC) Australasian conference in Perth. Teachers, leaders and advocates for boys’ education came together to explore strategies to boost boys’ resilience, self-esteem and interpersonal relationships. 

At BGS we continue to celebrate our strengths as a school that emphasises the importance of relationships, and developing positive belief in students, and enhancing social-emotional wellbeing. It is both affirming and motivating to return from this conference knowing that we are part of something very special at BGS.

Next Monday, Rupert Toomey (Year 12), Zane Li (Year 10), and Woody Aldridge (Year 12) will be representing our school at the SSAV Golf Championship, a competition for the best young golfers across all Victorian schools. This is a fantastic achievement and we wish them the very best of luck!

Finally, we extend our best wishes to the Year 9 students as they begin their examinations next Wednesday. Stay focused and give it your best!

Meliora Sequamur.

Happenings & Reminders

• 22 May – Creativity at BGS with Ben Walden
• 9 June – School Closure: King’s Birthday

High School Musical

The curtain has closed on what was a vibrant, energetic, and highly successful season of High School Musical, performed by our Years 10–12 students from Brighton Grammar and Firbank Grammar.

The production played to sold-out audiences, night after night, with each performance showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of our students.

Read full report from Michael Kent, Head of School Productions (7-12)

Annual Giving Appeal

The BGS Annual Giving Day will take place next week on Tuesday 27 May. Parents are reminded that, for the cost of a gold donation, boys may wear casual clothes to school on that day.

Visit the Enriching Minds Appeal to learn more or to donate online.

Testament to Teamwork

Congratulations to Max Reeve (Year 10), Henry Burriss (Year 10), Ethan Miller (Year 12) and Seb Brown (Year 11) who secured a third-place finish in the male U18 4x3km All Schools Cross Country Relay, hosted by Athletics Victoria.

Read full article.

Football Pride Round

From the first bounce, the intensity was high in a hard-fought, rain-soaked contest. Melbourne started strong, kicking the opening goal, but Brighton answered late in the first quarter with three unanswered majors to take the lead into the break.

The freezing wind and heavy rain only added to the physicality of the game. Brighton maintained their edge through the second quarter, heading into halftime with a slim lead. After the main break, the game swung further in Brighton’s favour. They dominated the second half, taking control and finishing 37-point winners after a strong final term.

Both teams wore their Pride jerseys and socks with pride, celebrating a cause bigger than the game itself. A huge crowd turned out to support the occasion, and spectators were treated to a mouth-watering halftime spread, generously catered by the BGS 1st XVIII parents.

Brighton also welcomed three debutants: Sayer, McMahon, and Zerna — all making impressive first appearances.

Best on Ground:

• Lambert – Outstanding around stoppages with elite clearance work.
• Ludowyke – A force up forward, booting five goals.

James Arnold
School Co-Vice Captain

BGS Business Breakfast

Our next BGS Business Breakfast on 16 June features guest speaker Joshua Ball (OB 2013), co-founder of Farmers Pick.

Joshua will outline the journey of this subscription-based service that delivers unconventional yet fresh produce directly to consumers, promoting sustainability and reducing food waste. Since inception, Farmers Pick has saved over 10 million kilograms of produce and expanded to a team of 120 employees. 

Join us at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club to hear how Joshua and Farmers Pick continues to have a positive impact on both the environment and the economy.

From Reverend Waterhouse

Last Saturday evening, I travelled to Rod Laver Arena to enjoy the Arena Spectacular production of the musical Les Misérables.

One of the reasons for the show’s ongoing popularity, I believe, is not just the memorable music, but also the attraction of the moral theme of redemption which pulsates through the production.

A favourite scene of mine is when Jean Valjean is caught trying to steal silverware from a local bishop, who had kindly provided lodgings to him. Instead of allowing Valjean to be arrested and jailed, the Bishop explains to the police that the silverware was a gift and insists that Valjean take the candleholders.

To use biblical terminology, mercy is not receiving what we do deserve, and grace is receiving what we don’t deserve. In the story, mercy is Valjean not being sent back to prison, and grace is him receiving the candleholders.

In the New Testament book of Hebrews, the writer affirms: ‘Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ [4:16].

As we continue to move through the season of Eastertide, we are reminded that in Christ, we do not receive what we do deserve (separation from God) and yet we are freely given what we don’t deserve (adoption as his children and the promise of eternal life).

That is worth singing about!

Diary Dates

• Thursday 22 May Creativity at BGS: Inspirational Leadership presentation