CGS OUTLOOK
THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNIT Y
SEMESTER ONE
2016 READY FOR THE WORLD
CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016 | i
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 1 From the Head of School
18 Feature Articles: Academic
Editor: Reece Cummings
3 Primary School Campus update
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Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad
Design & Layout: Vanessa Schimizzi
4 Meet the 2016 School Captains
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CGS’ success at the 2016 Kids’ Lit Quiz
5 NEWSbites
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da Vinci Decathlon
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Primary School Dinner raises $3,600 for CGS Sony Camp
20 Feature Articles: Community
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Maths and coding whizz competes for place on Australia’s Olympiad team
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Josh Waugh – Anglicare Pantry Appeal
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Drew Smith – Art Wars
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Ben Maliel – Sustainable CGS
EDITORIAL DETAILS
Photography: William Hall Photography, staff and students Printed by: New Millenium Print Contributions: Thank you to the many people who contributed to CGS Outlook, including the numerous teachers, students, and staff who supplied articles and photos
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CGS Outlook now available digitally
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CGS Guitar Fiesta and Better Music Guitar Award
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CGS Code Cadets awarded Scholarship to Apple Worldwide Developers Conference
On the cover: ELC Easter Hat Parade © Canberra Grammar School 2016
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? Please forward any news, information and photos to the Editor, Reece Cummings at communications@cgs.act.edu.au
DID YOU KNOW WE’RE ONLINE? Follow the official CGS Twitter account for regular updates, information, news, and community activities.
22 Feature Articles: Active Education •
Tennis sees unprecedented success
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ELC Easter Parade
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Swimming welcomes new coach
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Students selected for Kookaburra Cup
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Royal Canberra Show
Dragon Boats make the Nationals and Worlds
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CGS staff member awarded 2016 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year for Youth Arts and Multimedia
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Diverse Rugby programme
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Success across all years in the cross countries
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Basketball bounces to new heights
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CGS wins three Canberra Theatre Awards
10 Around the School
26 Feature Article: Culture
12 Beijing National Day School visits CGS
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12 CGS Primary School goes international 13 CGS raises $18,222 for the World’s Greatest Shave
27 Staff Farewells 28 Alumni News •
Old Boy is highly commended Anglicare volunteer
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ASC Scholarship for Old Boy Nic McGinness
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Old Boy’s novel to be turned into TV series
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School Captains’ and Vice-Captains’ Reunion
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Class of ‘57 luncheon
15 CGS teacher explores and researches music education programmes
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London CGS Alumni Reunion
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Annual CGS Alumni Reunion Weekend
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CGS Staff nominated for Australian of the Year
15 CGS wins Innovative Schools Award
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Hong Kong and Melbourne CGS Alumni Reunions
16 Working towards a sustainable CGS
32 In Memory
13 New School Chaplain CGS.ACT.EDU.AU TWITTER.COM/CANBERRAGRAMMAR LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ CANBERRA-GRAMMAR-SCHOOL FACEBOOK.COM/ALUMNICGS
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ii | CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016
A thriving place of Arts and Culture
14 CGS teacher wins inaugural Patji Dawes award for Language Teaching
17 CGS Fete 2016
32 Connect with CGS Alumni on LinkedIn 33 CGS Foundation
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL It is a great pleasure to present another vibrant edition of CGS Outlook, packed once more with the achievements of our students, staff and community, yet merely skimming the range that is our thriving School. In this volume, as ever, you will see myriad facets of our shared life: its intellectual quality, its commitment to service, its sporting vitality, its innovation, its artistic flair. You will see the professionalism and talent of our staff, our pride in current and former students, our optimism and our continuous evolution. We are blessed to enjoy so fulfilling a daily experience as we do at Canberra Grammar School, and I give thanks both for and to all those who make it so. I have been asked a number of times recently what defines our School amid the variety so amply celebrated here; what’s the crystal at the centre of its thousand dynamic refractions? It’s a hard question to answer because that ever-changing diversity, within which so many individuals can find their place and passion, is the answer in itself. Canberra Grammar School is opportunity, and in these pages you see the outcome of embracing it. You see boys and girls – staff too – growing in the confidence that comes of discovering their own potential in the extraordinary breadth and depth of experience that our School is determined to offer; more than any I have ever known. You see, too, a defining openness of mind and heart that comes of education where there is no single mould to fit nor content set to learn, but there is always opportunity to explore and to create. There is a rigorous core curriculum at Canberra Grammar School that builds knowledge and
skills through foundational subjects towards the academic strength of both the Higher School Certificate and the International Baccalaureate, but virtually all that you see in this edition is education taken well beyond the curriculum. It is learning by boys, girls and teachers encouraged and supported in stretching to travel overseas on sporting and study tours, to take part in world-class intellectual competition, to embrace technological innovation, and to change the world through student-led initiatives and service. In the end, I hope, what that becomes is a defining and enduring aspiration in our students and our staff to grow and to give; to be ready for the world, not in fixed defence against its vicissitudes but excited by its challenges, not with the arrogance of privilege but with the confidence that comes of self-knowledge and agile intelligence developed in broad experience, not in self-interest but guided ever by compassion that stems from our faith foundation and from the care of our community. In that, there is our obligation always to give more than we receive, which, as this CGS Outlook so demonstrates, is rich indeed. Dr Justin Garrick Head of School
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PRIMARY SCHOOL CAMPUS UPDATE The December 2015 edition of CGS Outlook highlighted the launch of the Primary School Campus Renewal Project. Since then, much has been done to take the Primary School into its next era. The first stage in the Primary School Master Plan’s map to a modern and exciting campus began with the total renovation of the Southside Centre in the second half of 2015. The stunning new development opened in February this year, with nine bright, modern classrooms for girls and boys from Kindergarten to Year 2. With wide-open learning spaces for shared activities and well-lit displays of student work all round, it is now hard to imagine the facility as it was before. In addition, the Southside playground has been expanded dramatically with new equipment, new areas for play and exploration and a bright new amphitheatre for outdoor gatherings and concerts. At the same time, the complete redevelopment of the Primary School’s Alexander Street frontage has created a far safer entry to the School for students, staff and teachers with separate bus stops, better pathways, more parking spaces and longer drop-off zones than before. The start of 2016 also saw the extension of co-education to Years 3 and 4, with boys and girls mixing in the Junior School classes and playground for the first time. It has been a pleasure to observe the ease and warmth with which girls have been welcomed to the Junior School, and it is clear that there is excitement and optimism about shared experiences to come in the years ahead. Finally, after a number of years in preparation, Canberra Grammar School was fully authorised this year as an International Baccalaureate World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Building on the traditional core academic strengths of the Primary School and its long established approach to enquiry-based learning, the PYP adds emphasis to the Primary School’s global outlook and to the development of students as active learners. For more information on the Primary School Campus Renewal Project, visit CGS.ACT.EDU.AU
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MEET THE 2016 SCHOOL CAPTAINS Ben McGinness – School Captain Ben joined Canberra Grammar School in Primary School at the Northside campus. He remarks that he has always wanted to be a school leader as he felt it would be a great way to broaden his outlook on school life. Ben says that he cherishes the fact that CGS has a supportive relationship between the older and younger students, and he wants to use his role as School Captain to connect with those students of all years. Throughout his first six months in the role he has tried to assist in helping students realise their full potential, regardless of what their pursuit may be. Ben hopes that the next generation of students can be proud of who they are, and embrace all the School has to offer.
Aaron Kim – School Vice-Captain Aaron re-entered CGS in Year 8 after a few years away, and says that the School’s vibrant culture and opportunities have made it a huge part of his life. Giving back to the community and encouraging others through leadership and speeches, as those before him have done, is what he hopes to achieve from being a school leader. Aaron says that his aim is to put his time and energy into encouraging others to involve themselves not only in School activities, but in opportunities at the local, national and international level while promoting a positive mindset to help students reach their full potential through mentorship. He hopes that the future leaders of CGS will remember that challenges and failures are what shape us into better people and that ‘leaders aren’t born, they are made.’
Sam Waddoups – School Vice-Captain Sam started at CGS in Year 8 after moving from the United States, and says he has since found a great life at CGS where he is actively involved in co-curricular activities including choir, debating and tennis, and in academic competitions and classroom learning. Sam mentions that he was driven to become a school leader because of the opportunity it brings to shape and help the community and students, and for the chance to give back after all the School has given him. He says that he hopes he can inspire, as the previous school leaders have done for him, students to embrace the welcoming, supportive and thoughtful culture of the School. Sam also believes that students should take every opportunity they have to achieve their individual potential.
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NEWSbites
PRIMARY SCHOOL DINNER RAISES $3,600 FOR CGS SONY CAMP In May 2016, the School, with support from the Parents and Friends Association, hosted the Primary School Dinner Dance where parents of students in Pre-School to Year 6 were able to get together for a night of fun, entertainment and socialisation. This year, the function was hosted at the newly refurbished Canberra Rex Hotel, where attendees were able to kick up their heels and dress up with the theme of ‘Singapore Sling’. With the efforts of a dedicated team of community members, the event was able to raise $3,600 for the CGS Sony Foundation Camp. The CGS Sony Camp is a community event where Year 11 students from CGS and CGGS, supported by staff, get together to care for 20 campers with disabilities for 3 days. This event not only provides the campers with an amazing experience, but gives their families much needed respite just prior to Christmas. CGS would like to thank all those who were involved in making the night a great success.
MATHS & CODING WHIZZ COMPETES FOR PLACE ON AUSTRALIA’S OLYMPIAD TEAM In April this year, Forbes Mailler (Year 10), who is a member of the Olympiad Junior Development team, completed the 10-day intensive selection schools training camp at Macquarie University. The camp included 25 students who were invited to the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee Selection School and 16 students who were invited to the Australian Informatics Olympiad Committee Selection School. The participants were taught a variety of advanced problem-solving skills relevant to many university courses and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. From these camps, the Australian Mathematics Trust will select the teams to represent Australia at this year’s International Olympiad in Informatics and the International Mathematical Olympiad. CGS would like to congratulate Forbes for his outstanding performances so far, and wishes him the best for the team selections.
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NEWSbites CGS OUTLOOK THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
DECEMBER
2015
READY FOR THE WORLD
CGS Outlook - December 2015 FA.indd i
6/01/2016 11:14 am
CGS OUTLOOK NOW AVAILABLE DIGITALLY
CGS GUITAR FIESTA AND BETTER MUSIC GUITAR AWARD
From this edition of CGS Outlook, the CGS community will be able to subscribe for free to the online edition of the magazine.
At the 2016 Guitar Fiesta, all three CGS Guitar Orchestras performed brilliantly with the concert culminating in over 30 guitarists playing in the finale.
CGS will now provide two options for receiving the magazine in an attempt to ensure that more of the CGS community has access, both domestically and internationally, and in an attempt to be more conscious of the environment.
The annual CGS Better Music Guitar Award, provided by local business Better Music, was also presented at the Fiesta. The Managing Director of Better Music, Mr Greg Soulsby said ‘the prize is awarded to a guitar student who is involved in the nationally renowned CGS Guitar Orchesta programme and who displays potential and dedication to their musical development.’
The last three editions of CGS Outlook can now be viewed in their interactive digital form using issuu, an electronic publishing platform for magazines. To view these magazines and other publications, visit CGS.ACT.EDU.AU and go to ABOUT CGS > PUBLICATIONS AND MEDIA. If you would like to only receive the digital edition in the future and not receive a copy in the mail, please visit CGS.ACT.EDU.AU/OUTLOOKMAG
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This year’s award and prize of a professional Katoh classical guitar was presented to Year 4 student Shyam Maharaj. CGS would like to congratulate Shyam and also thank Better Music for their sponsorship of the award.
CGS CODE CADETS AWARDED SCHOLARSHIP TO APPLE WORLDWIDE DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE Over 350 students were selected from across the world to receive a scholarship to attend the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC16) in San Francisco this year. In June this year two CGS Code Cadets, Damian Camilleri (Year 10) and Jaxon Kneipp (Year 10) ventured to the 27th WWDC with Mr Matthew Purcell, CGS Head of Digital Innovation, and Mr Ben Hegarty, Software Development Teacher, to participate in this internationally renowned conference where some of the world’s best technologicallyminded people presented their research and ideas.
ELC EASTER PARADE On the Thursday prior to Easter, the Early Learning Centre students had fun creating magnificent hats and parading them for their parents and the older kindergarten children. Eggs, rabbits and chickens featured as prominent designs on the hats, and the beautiful smiles reflected the pride of each child, with even the teachers donning their best Easter bonnets to share in the fun morning! Following the parade, the parents joined the children in the new Southside playground for hot cross buns. The event was a great success with a lovely community feeling as families got to know each other with many Easter good wishes being shared.
WWDC16 had more than 1,000 Apple engineers staffing over 150 labs where they assisted and interacted with the students at the conference. To read a full re-cap of WWDC16, check out the Semester 2 edition of CGS Outlook. To keep up-to-date with the adventures of the Code Cadets, you can follow them on Twitter or their website. TWITTER.COM/CODECADETS CODECADETS.COM
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NEWSbites
STUDENTS SELECTED FOR KOOKABURRA CUP CGS is pleased to announce that three students were selected to play for the ACT/Southern Region team at the Country Cricket NSW Kookaburra Cup U14s Carnival |in Griffith (NSW) earlier in the year. Lachlan Pedley (Year 9), Felix Ford (Year 9) and Ben Allen (Year 8) all performed extremely well during the season and were selected for the South Coast Marlins team to compete at the NSW State Challenge in Dubbo. The competition brought together eight teams of boys, selected from across NSW and the ACT (four teams of Sydney boys and four teams of boys from outside Sydney). The three CGS cricketers also played for the ACT Emerging Comets in Orange in January, along with Angus Jones (Year 9) and Nic Barclay, Lachlan Noble and Hugh Stothart (all Year 8). CGS congratulates all of the cricketers involved on their outstanding performances.
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ROYAL CANBERRA SHOW In Week 4 of Term 2, agriculture students from Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 attended the ActewAGL Royal Canberra Show where they took part in various competitions with much success. This year, Year 10 students took eight steers from the Mugga Lowline Stud to compete in the Hoof and Hook competition where the students worked with these steers in the lead up to the show, training them to wear the halter and learning to parade them. It was an impressive effort by all the students, with many making the finals in various events. Congratulations go to Toby Haylock, who came in second in the under 16s junior cattle judging, and Fynn Walker, who placed sixth in the under 15s junior paraders and fifth in the under 15s junior cattle judging. The boys also competed in the ACT Schools Sheep Judging competition. It was a great opportunity for the boys to practise their animal handling and judging skills.
CGS STAFF MEMBER AWARDED 2016 YOUNG CANBERRA CITIZEN OF THE YEAR FOR YOUTH ARTS AND MULTIMEDIA In April, Mr Leonard Weiss, CGS Music Assistant and talented Canberra musician, was named the 2016 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year for Youth Arts and Multimedia. Leonard received the award ‘for exceptional efforts in sharing, enhancing and contributing to Canberra’s musical landscape’ and in recognition of his local profile, including his roles as conductor of the Canberra Youth Orchestra and the National Capital Orchestra, a member of the ANU Choral Society and Canberra Qwire, and as a co-ordinator of the Classical H-Course at the ANU. Leonard also has a long history at Canberra Grammar School, both as a student and staff member.
CGS WINS THREE CANBERRA THEATRE AWARDS Canberra Grammar School is proud to announce that it received three ActewAGL Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) Awards for 2015 in February. These awards were presented for and to the following: • Best Musical Director for a School or Youth Production – Barnum – Mr Simon Hughes • Magic Moment – the collapse of the pyramid in Barnum – Ms Twee Phan; and • Technical Achievement Award – the construction of Jumbo the elephant in Barnum – Mr Graeme Wiggins (for SACI team). The full results can be found at CATAWARDS.COM.AU
Congratulations, Leonard, on this outstanding achievement!
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AROUND THE SCHOOL PRIMARY
PRIMARY
SENIOR
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BEIJING NATIONAL DAY SCHOOL VISITS CGS On Wednesday 25 May, Canberra Grammar School was delighted to host the Principal of Beijing National Day School (BNDS), Mr Xigui Li, and three BNDS Vice-Principals. The visit forms part of a School Partnership Agreement signed in 2003 and is just one of many exchange visits that has been organised between BNDS and CGS over the years. BNDS has over 4,100 students and offers a diverse range of international academic programmes, similar to CGS, including A Levels, the AP Dual Diploma Programme and the IB Diploma Programme. Students live both on-campus and off-campus, with on-campus dormitories being provided for both domestic and international students. BNDS has played host to many visits of exchange teachers and students from our School, the most recent being earlier this year when CGS Primary School students and teachers visited the BNDS Affiliated Primary School. During 2016, CGS has also been fortunate to host BNDS staff and students twice. In addition to Mr Li’s visit in May, the staff of BNDS Affiliated Primary School visited in January.
The visit by the senior leadership of BNDS in May was immensely rewarding and included discussions on the application of technology in teaching and learning in Australia, the subjects taught in the senior years, teaching pedagogy and extra-curricular training and management. CGS thanks the Principal and Vice-Principals of BNDS for their visit and friendship.
CGS PRIMARY SCHOOL GOES INTERNATIONAL In early 2016, the CGS Primary School took teachers, and Year 5 and 6 students on separate educational tours of Japan and China, where they explored the culture and learned about the region. Japan
China
Every two years, the CGS Junior School takes a small group of students on a cultural tour of Japan. This year, 11 students accompanied teachers and staff on a 14 day exploration of Japan where they were able to see snow monkeys at Jigokudani Yaen-koen (Snow Monkey Park) near Nagano, and experience an onsen (hot bath/spring) outside as the snow fell gently around them!
In April this year, a group of students and teachers travelled to China for 13 days where they had the opportunity to experience the diversity of the people, food, geography and history of China. The students remarked that they were able to reflect on the similarities and differences to their own lives. They also visited some terrific sites.
Staying in futon beds in traditional accommodation (ryokan) and dressing in yukata, students visited temples, followed ancient walks, and ate tasty food. The group was able to visit locations such as Nara, Kyoto, Tokyo, Nagano and Kii Hanto (Kii Peninsula).
Commencing in Guangzhou, the group toured schools and joined in classes, where they made friends and took the chance to see how students learn in different countries. They finished their day with a trip to the Guangzhou Tower and a ride around the top on the Bubble Tram, giving them a great view of the city. The rest of the trip included a visit to the Panda Sanctuary in Chengdu, playing hacky-sack with locals, viewing the world renowned Terracotta Warriors, and seeing a Buddhist pagoda and beautiful panoramic mountains. The trip finished with a visit to CGS’ sister school, Beijing National Day School (BNDS) for two days where the students were amazed by BNDS’ technology. Of course, there was also a visit to the world famous Great Wall of China.
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CGS RAISES $18,222 FOR THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE On Friday 7 April, Canberra Grammar School students and teachers gathered in the Senior School Quad to support the World’s Greatest Shave, an annual fundraising initiative for the Leukaemia Foundation that aims to raise money through the efforts of brave volunteers shaving or colouring their hair. School Captain, Ben McGinness, said, ‘We want to use this experience to raise some much-needed funds in support of the Leukaemia Foundation and the valuable work it does to support those undergoing treatment and their families’. CGS teacher Ms Janet O’Dell-Teys also underwent a head shave at this year’s event after promising, in 2015, to shave her head if CGS’ Eddison House raised $4,000 towards the World’s Greatest Shave.
Leukaemia is a cancer that forms in the bone marrow or other blood-forming tissues, which causes the body to suppress the production of normal blood cells. Though there are treatments for this disease, there is no cure. Every day in Australia, 34 people are diagnosed with a blood-related cancer. You can find out more on LEUKAEMIA.ORG.AU
After much hard work, the students involved with the fundraising initiative managed to raise an unprecedented $18,222.
NEW SCHOOL CHAPLAIN Faithful to its foundation, Canberra Grammar School continues to offer excellence in Anglican education. In times of change and challenge, there is a constant need to hold on to the unchanging beliefs and energies that animate us as a Christian school, yet, at the same time, to work to steady the development and enhancement of all we do. The School is a dynamic expression of faith in action. At the heart of the School’s ethos is the Christian conviction that every person is of utmost value and that a Christian community should be characterised by respect and care for all. This year marks a time of great change in the CGS Chaplaincy. After eight years of service as Chaplain, including one year as interim Head of School, Fr Chris Welsh has concluded his ministry at the School. The depth of pastoral insight, broad experience of educational life, and passionate concern for the
spiritual life of the School that marked Fr Chris’s tenure have left an enduring legacy, and he will be sorely missed by students and staff alike. Rev’d Andrew Robinson has, from Term 2, taken up the role of School Chaplain after serving as Associate Chaplain in 2013–14, and Ms Lyndal Foote was appointed the new Associate Chaplain in early 2016.
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CGS TEACHER WINS INAUGURAL PATJI DAWES AWARD FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING CGS teacher and Head of the Languages Department, Ms Sarah Payne, was recently nominated for and won the inaugural Patji Dawes Award. This award recognises outstanding achievements in language teaching by an accomplished practitioner in Australia, teaching in primary or senior schools or universities. The nominations come from ‘someone who has achieved a very high level of fluency in their chosen language and would like to honour their teacher by setting out what it was about their practice which inspired and enabled them to unlock the rewards of learning another language.’ Ms Payne was nominated by a previous student and Old Boy, Derek Bayley, who is highly proficient in multiple languages and uses them daily at work. At the time of the nomination, he was as an international lawyer in The Hague. Derek was in Ms Payne’s HSC French Continuers class and graduated from CGS in 2009 with an ATAR of 99.2. He also came in the top 10 in the State for both French and German, and was awarded the CGS School Colours for his achievements in both languages. He has since studied Arabic at University as part of his Languages/Law course at ANU and has maintained his proficiency in French and German, and was awarded the CGS School Colours for his achievements in both languages.
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Here is an extract from Derek’s nomination: ‘Sarah taught me that a fundamental of language learning is that language is a human science, which is, at its heart, a means of connecting people. Language is a medium of communication, which allows the free exchange of ideas, but, fundamentally, speaking, listening, reading and writing are skills based on human interaction and require human interaction for them to be developed. Sarah has been fantastic at creating opportunities for the “human science” elements of language learning to flourish.’ Ms Payne said that she definitely cannot take credit for the high level of proficiency that Derek has managed to achieve during and since his time at CGS, but that she is delighted to know that she has played a role in fostering Derek’s love for language learning. Congratulations to both Ms Payne and Derek Bayley on their great achievements!
CGS TEACHER EXPLORES AND RESEARCHES MUSIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMES In 2015, Dr Anita Collins, CGS music teacher, was awarded the Barbara Matthews Churchill Fellowship to explore research collaborations between music education programmes and neuroscience laboratories. This Fellowship is in its 50th year, and continues to provide support for Australians to travel overseas to conduct research in their chosen field. It aims to reward proven achievement of talented and deserving Australians with further opportunity in the pursuit of excellence for the enrichment of Australian Society.
Congratulations to Anita on her research and fellowship, and CGS looks forward to seeing the results and the contributions it makes to improving music education programmes.
In 2014, in a TEDx talk, which has been viewed over 4.5 million times, Anita also presented her research on the impact of playing an instrument on the brain. Her current work focuses on the impacts of music education on language development and executive function. Anita will present her recent findings and discuss effective ways to incorporate music education into every child’s educational experience. Anita has a long association with Canberra Grammar School in a variety of music teaching roles and is currently Assistant Professor of Music and Arts Education at the University of Canberra. She has also been a visiting lecturer at the Australian National University.
CGS WINS INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS AWARD Late last year, The Educator Magazine approached schools around Australia, trying to find the most innovative schools ‘that are truly pushing the boundaries of education’. Nearly 200 schools submitted entries for the 2015 Innovative Schools Award, but only the most cutting edge, those leading in change and innovation, were selected, with 40 schools being identified as going ‘above and beyond’ with regards to innovation.
to communications technology, a broadening concept of contemporary learning and an enhanced capacity to engage with the world. This innovation and forward thinking culminated in the creation of the new flagship building The Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century.
Canberra Grammar School was selected as a 2015 winner for its outward vision that focuses on intercultural understanding through engagement with Asia. Areas in which it excelled were identified as the classroom upgrades, great access
You can view a full copy of the article (on page 22 of Issue 1.2), or for more information on the 2015 Innovative School Awards, view the the magazine online at EDUCATORONLINE.COM.AU
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WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE CGS A small group of determined and motivated Years 7-12 Canberra Grammar School students has come together in their own time to form Sustainable CGS. The aim of this group is to discuss environment and climate issues, raise awareness and take action within their School and the broader community. Through the process of taking action to reduce the School’s carbon footprint, they have helped reduce the costs of electricity and water. The CGS Fete was no place to forget about sustainability, and the team used a number of strategies to remind Fete goers to be environmentally conscious. These included asking the Actsmart Public Event Programme to provide the Fete with signs to place above bins and stalls to display information on which bin to use for waste and supply water stations in all key eating areas. In addition, all stalls were provided with recyclable plates, bowls, cups and utensils and with signs that identified the items that could be recycled. The team also had a stall at the entrance of the Fete, where team members spoke to visitors about their group, the goals they were working towards and the recycling available at the Fete. The master of ceremonies also made several engaging and fun announcements to remind people to recycle and to raise awareness of sustainability at CGS.
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The students were thrilled to have CGS Old Boy, ACT Education Minister and Leader of the ACT Greens, Mr Shane Rattenbury, visit the stall at the Fete and support the initiative. If you’d like to keep up-to-date with how CGS is committed to sustainability, you can follow the team on Twitter @SustainableCGS @CanberraGrammar
CGS FETE 2016 Held on 2 April this year, the annual CGS Fete was once again fortunate to be on a beautiful sunny day where all in the community could enjoy themselves in the beautiful grounds of Canberra Grammar School. The community day had a great carnival atmosphere with sport on the ovals, rides, food, music, art and terrific stalls for all ages. As a change to this year’s Fete, the Primary School stalls moved to a new location outside The Residence, Performing Arts Centre (PAC), and The Snow Centre where they proved to be greatly popular, especially among the younger children. In an effort to provide a more tranquil scene, the Kids Café spread their picnic rugs for the Hay House Devonshire Teas on the beautiful lawns outside The Residence.
This year’s new attractions included the Bubble Soccer on the lawns of the PAC, the Eddison House Spring Bulbs, the Sheaffe House 100% Pure Juice stand, and the Snowsports Network Spuds (baked jacket potatos) in the Main Quad, all of which proved to be big hits. With amazing items also up for selection at the P&F Silent Auction, and the Major Raffle offering two terms’ fees, the day was certainly one of the best in the 2016 calendar. Thank you to all those students, staff, parents and community members who consistency contribute to making this a great day every year.
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FEATURE ARTICLES: ACADEMIC
ACADEMIC SUCCESS AUSTRALIAN COMPUTATIONAL AND LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD In early March, eight students from Years 10 and 11 participated in the annual Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO). The top three senior teams and one junior team from across the ACT also took part in the second round, where the students worked on a range of problems associated with language and grammar. Although they were not able to match the State Round success, both teams did very well, finishing in the top 20. The boys received a certificate as well as a $100 book voucher from the Australian Head of OzCLO, Dr Elisabeth Mayer. The teams included: Junior Team (Year 10) • Jonathan Lee • Timothy Muya • James Phillips; and The competition is held online annually, and students work in teams of four to solve language-based problems, with a total of 63 teams from across the ACT entering this year’s competition. The competition is held simultaneously in all states and territories, and the papers are then marked by the organising committee. Despite there only being two teams from CGS, both placed first in the State Round of the competition in the Junior and Senior sections. As a result, the students then participated in the National Round at the end of March at the ANU.
• Sean Taylor. Senior Team (Year 11) • James Boric • Elliott Murphy • Michael Nguyen-Kim; and • Christopher Seidl.
CGS’ SUCCESS AT THE 2016 KIDS’ LIT QUIZ On Wednesday 16 March, Canberra Grammar School again hosted the Canberra heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz Australia (KLQ). KLQ is a non-profit organisation that aims to promote literacy through an annual literature competition for children aged 10 to 13. Canberra Grammar School is pleased to announce that CGS’ Team 2 placed first in the Canberra Heat of the KLQ and was also successful at the Australian Final on Saturday 19 March, where they placed third.
Congratulations to all the CGS students who took part in the KLQ!
FEATURE ARTICLES: ACADEMIC
DA VINCI DECATHLON The da Vinci Decathlon began at Knox Grammar School in Sydney in 2001, and Canberra Grammar School has hosted the event for schools in the ACT and surrounding region since 2008. As an academic inter-school gala day held in the spirit of an Olympic Decathlon, the event offers students a variety of challenges in the fields of art and poetry, cartography, code breaking, creative productions, engineering, english, general knowledge, mathematics, philosophy and science. It is very much a team challenge (each team has eight students) and not an individual pursuit. The theme for the event in 2016 was ‘Exploration’. On Tuesday 31 May, 27 schools and 408 Years 7 and 8 students participated in the event at Canberra Grammar School, and on Wednesday 1 June, 31 schools and over 400 children participated in the Year 5 and 6 event. Surrounding country and regional schools attended both days, which made it an extra special event. The winning teams received a perpetual trophy, and gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to all members of the teams that finished first, second and third. All competitors were awarded certificates of participation. The winning Year 7 school will also be invited to participate in the National da Vinci Decathlon in Sydney from Saturday 25 June to Tuesday 28 June 2016.
The day is a terrific enrichment opportunity for top students across a variety of areas. There are sections on mathematics, english (including spelling), science and art, and poetry, and creative producers draw upon those with strengths in the visual arts, drama, music and performance.
FEATURE ARTICLES: COMMUNITY
A COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY THROUGH CREATIVITY, ACTION AND SERVICE (CAS) The CAS component is core to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) at CGS, and is an option that students can select as their course of study in Years 11 and 12. The CAS component of the IBDP aims to teach the elements of the learner profile that the academic components of the course cannot fulfil. As part of CAS, students undertake a project of their own design. Students can work individually or in small groups
and they work through the project from the initiating and planning stages to the implementation and evaluation stages. CAS projects are as unique as the students implementing them. Josh Waugh (graduating class of 2015), Drew Smith (graduating class of 2016) and Ben Maliel (graduating class of 2017) discuss their CAS projects below:
JOSH WAUGH – ANGLICARE PANTRY APPEAL ‘The Pantry Appeal is an annual appeal organised by Anglicare to collect food for the homeless and disadvantaged people of Canberra. Volunteers collect non-perishable food items outside supermarkets around Canberra, and the general public also donates very generously; however, they do not know where the food goes. The aim of this project was to educate the public about where the items they donate go. To do this, I followed a series of donations from the collection outside the shop and filmed their journey to the variety of distribution points around Canberra. In undertaking this activity, I learned how to make a model release form. In case I take videos for future CAS projects,
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this model release form will be a compulsory and all parties will need to agree with prior to filming. As there were actors needed in this CAS project and a major supermarket was in the picture, they all needed to sign this form and agree to the terms and conditions that I presented. As I was creating this document, I realised how big this project really was, and it made me feel good that I was a part of it. Anglicare will use my film as promotional material for future Pantry Appeals, both at the collection sites in shopping centres and also at schools around Canberra and the surrounding regions.’
FEATURE ARTICLES: COMMUNITY
DREW SMITH – ART WARS ‘In Term 1 of 2015, the three IB higher-level art class students (Drew Smith, Jayden Bhummabhuti and Mitchell St George) organised the first ever CGS Art Wars competition. CGS Art Wars were promoted as “a competitive art battle for artists of all ages”. The competitors were given a topic, and each artist was then free to create whatever 2D work that they chose within the time permitted. Our goal with this CAS project was to bring a fun, artistic event to the students of CGS. We hoped that the event would have something for everyone to enjoy and would highlight visual arts as a fun and interactive experience. This in-School competition aimed to bring the arts to the forefront of CGS culture and to demonstrate that anyone, at any age, can enjoy creating, interacting and taking part in the world of art. The competition was free to enter, and both staff and students took part. The theme of the competition was “black and white”, and there was a $100 prize for the winning piece. The artists had only 30 minutes in which to create their masterpieces, all the while surrounded by crowds of cheering students and teachers! After a term of planning, meetings, and sourcing materials and funds, we were finally able to hold the “battle”.
Surprisingly, it was a lot of fun to organise, and I feel the School as a whole benefited from the day. The competition was unlike anything I’ve ever done before, and I feel I now have a better understanding of, and interest in, both art and planning fun events for others. The best part of the entire experience was not only watching the magnificent paintings take form but also witnessing the immense joy and the connections that emerged, with so many different individuals discussing, laughing and enjoying the creative process. Art Wars was truly an unforgettable experience, and if it wasn’t for the CAS programme it would have never become the successful event that it was. CAS enables students to expand their knowledge of the world and its people and to share this ever-growing knowledge with the people around them and their community. I would really love to see this idea repeated as a future CAS project and perhaps see it become an annual event. I feel that the continuation of this competition would certainly be achievable and would, without a doubt, be considered to be a type of promotion of the visual arts, which is a key endeavour in my role as Visual Arts Captain of the School.’
BEN MALIEL – SUSTAINABLE CGS ‘When trying to decide what I should do for my CAS project, I was advised to think about my interests and passions and to see where gaps needed filling in these areas. Recently, Sustainable CGS was formed with the aim of discussing environmental and climate issues and raising awareness and taking action within both our School and the broader communities. I was part of the first group of students to join and get this initiative going. Mr David Tonna led the initiative, and, as a group, we started by taking action at the School to reduce our carbon footprint. In the process, we reduced the School’s electricity, water and other running costs. For my CAS project, I am trying to implement recycling within the School. Sustainable CGS has already undertaken an audit of the waste stream leaving the property. We found that, in just one afternoon in the schoolyard, we were producing
WATER
ENERGY
almost 100 kilograms of waste, of which, 50 per cent was recyclable. This equates to approximately 14,000 kilograms of recyclable material going to landfill each year. After conducting the audit and confirming that we had the critical mass needed to make recycling worthwhile, we contacted various waste disposal companies for quotes on collection. Now, we’re in the process of collating this information and forming a business case to take to the Head of School, Dr Garrick. We plan to show that recycling will be less expensive for the School in the long-term and to outline our plan to create the necessary behavioural change in students to ensure that the recycling is successful. I am really excited about leading this change and heading this initiative as part of my CAS project this year.’
BIODIVERSITY
WASTE
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FEATURE FEATURE ARTICLES: ACTIVE EDUCATION ARTICLE: ACTIVEEDUCATION
A RICH ACTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME TENNIS SEES UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS This season, CGS has entered three teams into the 2016 Autumn Junior Pennant Tennis League—two junior teams in Division 4 and one senior team in Division 2. With two training sessions a week and the pennant competition on Sundays, the two junior teams have made an excellent start in their introduction to tennis at a competitive level, making significant progress in both their gameplay and their drive as a team. The Division 2 team has led by example for the junior teams, progressing through the tournament, with only one loss and several straight set wins against the members’ respective opponents. They now have their sights set on the grand final. The pennant players also faced off against four representative teams from Oxley College Bowral, a brilliant event in which all
the students could represent their School and play against teams from outside Canberra. CGS’ Pennant Tennis programme has begun to develop into a flourishing community, thanks to the dedication of all the students and, in particular, the hard work and organisation of coach and mentor Mr Ashley Hogan. Although the School Tennis season has come to an end, we wish all the Pennant players the best of luck for the remainder of the tournament.
SWIMMING WELCOMES NEW COACH CGS Swimming has welcomed a new head coach, Mr Josh Waugh, who is a CGS Old Boy of 2015 and an ex-Hay House member. In 2016, Swimming has continued to grow with many students achieving success at high levels of competition. Coach Josh has many years of competitive swimming experience under his belt, including competing at the national level, leaving CGS Swimming in excellent hands. Together
with the assistant coach, CGS student Josh Silk-Jones, both coaches have made great technical improvements over the summer season, with some of the students competing successfully at the School Swimming Carnival. The CGS Swimming programme is excellent preparation for students who wish to transfer to competitive club swimming. In November last year, 10 club swimmers from CGS represented the ACT at the Pacific School Games (PSG). This was possibly the largest contingent from any single school in Australia. The PSG is an international competition and was hosted in Adelaide in 2015, with 12 nations represented. Swimmers have the opportunity to qualify for the PSG every four years. CGS Swimming is a great opportunity for all students to enjoy themselves recreationally or to get fit or for athletes of other sports who want to keep their fitness up in their off-season.
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FEATURE ARTICLES: ACTIVE EDUCATION
DRAGON BOATS MAKE THE NATIONALS AND WORLDS The 2015/2016 Canberra Grammar dragon boat season was once again a successful and rewarding experience for all those involved. The highlights of the season were the interstate trips to Sydney for Chinese New Year and to Adelaide for the Australian National Dragon Boat Championships and World Club Crew Championships. The season began with training and racing in mixed ability teams, where the School teams enjoyed some success in local Canberra regattas. The beginning of 2016, however, also introduced CGS crews to a whole new scale of competition, namely national and international regattas. Despite the rigorous training and tough competition, the entire squad maintained a positive attitude and eagerly looked forward to every new race. The Chinese New Year regatta in Sydney was a pleasant beginning to the season’s professional racing, with both mixed, women’s and open teams celebrating victories in their respective categories. The regatta was also a great opportunity for the teams to apply the complexities of teamwork, which are so important to dragon boat success.
Championships, also held in Adelaide. This trip proved to be one of the most difficult experiences for many boys as they faced tough teams from Germany and New Zealand. Nevertheless, the boys of the combined Canberra Grammar School teams came away with even more medals than the Nationals, together with the Trever Huggard Trophy for the best dragon boat club in Australia! The 2015/2016 season has been inspirational, to say the least. A huge thank you goes out to all the parents, friends, teachers and coaches who helped make the season so successful and enjoyable. Hopefully the School will continue to see more success on the water for many years to come! Full credit goes to all paddlers for their hard work throughout the season under the guidance of super coaches Ms Sally Gates, who has been appointed as the under 18s Australian Coach for the World Campaign in October 2017, and Mr Brett Sherd.
After Chinese New Year, the next step was the Nationals held in Adelaide. Crews were once again reshuffled and reorganised, and training was more difficult than ever. The Adelaide Nationals consisted of two tiring days of racing, with CGS winning multiple gold medals and making countless memories of hilarious antics and emotional races. Returning to the School for a short five days, a select crew of older students was chosen to compete at the Club Crew World
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FEATURE ARTICLES: ACTIVE EDUCATION
DIVERSE RUGBY PROGRAMME NEW RUGBY TECHNICAL DIRECTOR CGS Rugby is pleased to announce the appointment of a Rugby Technical Director (TD) for the 2016 season and beyond. Mr Paul Simonsson will be taking up the Rugby TD role at the start of Term 1 to help develop the game of Rugby at CGS across all age groups. Mr Simonsson will have direct input into the rugby education of CGS students and the coaches. Economics teacher and boarding house tutor, Mr Alex Sumpter has also taken over the administration of CGS Rugby as the Master in Charge from Mr Jason W Reilly during 2016, as Mr Reilly moves onto focusing on all CGS sports as the Head of Sport.
UNDER 12s RUGBY AND FOOTBALL TOUR TO SYDNEY On Monday 30 May, nearly 60 CGS students travelled to Sydney for the annual matches against Shore and Mosman. An excellent spirit was evident at the matches, and CGS enjoyed a particularly successful tour. For the first time in recent memory, the CGS Rugby’s Navy team was able to outlast a gallant Shore team to hold on for a nail biting 28–26 win! In addition, our under 12s Sky team played some impressive rugby to nearly claim a win against the Shore 2nds. The next day, the Navy team had a decisive win over Mosman, while the results were reversed in the Sky match, with Mosman running out comfortable winners. In the football, CGS continued its current winning form in division one, with CGS Navy defeating Shore and Mosman and conceding only two goals across both games. A highlight of the first match was Max Yeaman’s triple save in the dying moments. In the second match, Felix Wesley dribbled through
five defenders to score an amazing goal. Moments later, he scored off a corner, curling the ball in at the far post. CGS Sky also racked up impressive wins, playing some brilliant team football on the first day to take the honours against Shore. If the match against Mosman is anything to go by, then this team is on the up. Recording an incredible nine goals was a true reflection of how well these players worked together as a team. Highlights included Ben Lee’s goal from left back, where he dribbled through the entire opposition team to score, and Elliott Lee’s bullet-like passing game. A big thank you to the Shore parents for hosting our students and to our CGS staff who attended the tour. We look forward to hosting the Shore students when they come to Canberra in late June.
CGS RUGBY TRAVELS OVERSEAS In the first half of 2016, the various CGS Rugby teams were fortunate to travel to both New Zealand and Japan. be a terrific success on and off the field, and has given a strong start to the Opens Rugby programme for the season ahead. At the same time in New Zealand, the team started their adventure at the Rangitoto College where both CGS teams faced tough games against their first opponents of the NZ tour, before moving off to Auckland to explore the city and surrounds. The Opens Rugby pre-season preparations culminated for the team in a tour of Japan, where the squad was initially based in Fukuoka to absorb the culture and history of Japan in between intense training sessions. Throughout the visit, the students were also able to have a cultural exchange with a local high school, experience the food, and go shopping. Before a brief stay in Kyoto and Tokyo, where they took on some of the strongest teams in Japan, the CGS teams also competed against local high schools at their base camp of the Global Arena on two separate match days. The tour was reported to 24 | CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016
The students were then given a sensational reception at the Long Bay School with a traditional Maori welcome before their game with the Long Bay’s under 16s. On the way to their final match at St Bedes, students were able to visit the hot springs, the Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley in Christchurch, and a traditional Maori village. Before they finished off the tour, they were able to go on an adventure, which included downhill go-karting, gondola riding, and a high-speed boat experience.
FEATURE ARTICLES: ACTIVE EDUCATION
SUCCESS ACROSS ALL YEARS IN THE CROSS COUNTRIES The 2016 cross country season saw notable success in competitions at the school-level and beyond. To start the season, the 2016 CGS Cross Country Carnival was held in mid-April, as a finish to Term 1. The students embraced the superb weather on the day, and all Houses put in a fine effort. The spirit of the Houses was palpable on the day, throughout all age groups, and resulted in accomplishments that the students deserved. There was a high level of competition for all Houses at the event with Manaro, Garnsey and Garran placing first, second and third, respectively. The following top performers finished first in their age groups: Zak Levine, Taj Hutchinson, Angus Thompson, Daniel Grove, Duncan Miller and Andrew Waddell. All runners performed to a high standard. Runners who finished in the top 10 in each age group qualified for the Associated Schools Carnival in May. This event, held in Weston Park, turned out to be a great success for the students involved. The school achieved an overall placing of second, ahead of Radford but behind Marist in
the male schools competition. The following CGS runners finished in the top four in their age groups: Taj Hutchinson, Angus Thompson, Alex Hughes, Daniel Grove and Jack Wallis. Overall, all runners displayed true CGS spirit by their determination and perseverance throughout the day. Additionally, in April this year, 45 runners from the CGS Junior School represented the School at the annual South Weston Cross Country Carnival. The Primary School cross country also proved to be greatly successful with Garnsey House taking out first place. Cross country continues to be a great challenge for all students. CGS runners should be very proud of the effort they put into their training and races this year!
BASKETBALL BOUNCES TO NEW HEIGHTS Basketball at CGS has been on the rise over the last year with each student bringing enthusiasm and a positive mindset to the Basketball programme, which has been key to its enjoyment and growth. It has also been very pleasing to see so many boys joining up with their group of friends and having a good time while learning the game of Basketball. The success of this season was largely due to the high standard of coaching provided to the students by both teachers and external coaches, including Old Boys and associates of the School. The time and effort that they put into the teams was outstanding and resulted in the boys developing existing skills and learning new ones. CGS is privileged to have Coach Calvin Burton working with the 1st V team (you can read more about Cal in the December 2015 edition of CGS Outlook). This summer season has been a tremendous success, with four teams making the grand finals!
Parents play a key role in the CGS Basketball programme, and we would like to thank them for what they have done for CGS Basketball. This includes the scoring and cheering for their children and the teams they play in. With the new backboards for the Junior School Gym purchased from the proceeds of the basketball raffle, more team sessions can now be held. A well-deserved congratulations goes to all the students on the team, and to Mr Peter Dunn and Mr Michael Graves for their contributions, and time and effort put into the successes in 2016.
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FEATURE ARTICLE: CULTURE
A THRIVING PLACE OF ARTS AND CULTURE The CGS Gallery is centrally located in the heritage listed Main Quad of Canberra Grammar School. This year is the 25th Anniversary of the Gallery, which was established in 1991 by then Headmaster, Mr Tim Murray. Ms Dorothy Danta was originally appointed to establish this new resource and to manage the School’s art collection, as she had previously owned a gallery in Kingston and was also a CGS parent. Dorothy managed the exhibition programme until her retirement in 2005, and the Gallery continues to be managed by Mr Trevor Dunbar, a visual arts teacher at the School. The Gallery was established as a facility to enhance the holistic education of students from across the School, and to act as a venue that provides a diverse exhibition programme to the CGS community. The focus for gallery exhibitions is in support of the ‘young and emerging artists’ both nationally and internationally, with a long and continued history of supporting indigenous artists and communities through exhibitions of their work. When Trevor was asked about one of the highlights of his time at the School, he remarked that ‘the Artists-in-Residence programme where we had Rover Thomas, Queenie McKenzie, Mabel Julip and two other artists from Turkey Creek on the campus for a week, making work and engaging the students with stories from their culture in northwest WA, was certainly one of the most exciting times for me.’ The Gallery has also been a venue for many international artists whose work has found its way into The CGS Gallery from various embassies, where the Mexican Embassy has had a particularly strong representation in the past. With a long and continued association with the ANU School of Art and their Emerging Artists Support Scheme, many of the artists in our exhibition programme are graduates form the ANU.
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With the success of the Sculpture Festival in 2014 to celebrate the School’s 85th Anniversary highlighting what could be possible in our physical environment, the School has continued to innovate in all of its exhibitions. The Gallery exhibition programme is intended to provide a stimulating range of exhibitions, including the work of our own students who have the benefit of engaging audiences with their own work in a formal exhibition space. The Gallery is a welcoming part of the School campus, and CGS would like to invite the CGS community to attend exhibition openings and support our young and emerging artists by purchasing their work and investing in the intention of creating a stimulating visual environment for our students to work in. Exhibits this year included (pictured above): • Art, Design & Technology teacher exhibit • Fete Art Show • ‘Short Stories’ by Ms Jenny Hull; and • ‘Contact’ by Ms Rose Townsend and Mr Tim Spellman.
STAFF FAREWELLS FATHER CHRIS WELSH After eight years of service to CGS as School Chaplain, including a year as Interim Headmaster, Father Chris Welsh retired at the end of Term 1 this year. Known for his appreciation of the liturgy, for his scholarly manner and wit, and above all for his deep compassion for all in the School community, Father Chris’ ministry extended to all corners of the School from Northside, to the ELC at Southside and to all in the Senior School, the staff, the Alumni community and beyond. Motivated by a profound sense of service to humanity and to God, Father Chris provided an example of giving to all with humour, intelligence, grace, heart, mind, body and soul. As Chaplain, he tended to more in times of need and sorrow and joy than any of us will ever really know, and as Interim Headmaster in 2010 he gave wise and strong leadership to the School at a pivotal point in its history. His daily presence will be missed by all but he will remain a part of our community and he has our warmest wishes for his future adventures.
MR TERRY WERNER Terry spent over 37 years at Canberra Grammar School, and was often known as an abstract, lateral thinker who was motivated, compassionate, and energetic in his teaching. He held many roles throughout his time at CGS, including Assistant Jones Housemaser and Garran Housemaster. Throughout his time at CGS he has also held positions as Assistant Head of Department, as Acting Director of Pastoral Care, and as Master in Charge of Squash and Karting. Terry was known for his devotion to all he did, and while he has now retired to ‘slow down’, CGS knows that Terry will continue to keep his motivation, compassion and energy in everything that he does.
MR ROWLAND CLARKE Rowland spent 26 years teaching Agriculture and Science at Canberra Grammar School, coaching Cricket (including firsts), Soccer, Badminton, and Pennant Tennis. He was dedicated to his teaching of Agriculture, and through his tenure saw many students achieve state-rankings and move onto agricultural career paths, including as vets, agronomists, consultants, managers and researches. He was greatly responsisiblity for the expansion of agriculture at CGS through wheat trial plots, a vineyard, a glasshouse, a shadehouse and a small orchard, all while organising the Year 10 two-day excursions, Year 12 case studies, and three days at the Royal Canberra Show each year. Mr Clark was well known amongst the students, and regarded by many as a teacher who would do whatever it took to help students improve, and one that made a huge difference, not only in the results, but in the lives of many students. CGS thanks Rowland for his dedication to his teaching, and wishes him the best in the future.
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ALUMNI NEWS
OLD BOY IS HIGHLY COMMENDED ANGLICARE VOLUNTEER Mr Josh Waugh, CGS Old Boy (’15), has been volunteering for Anglicare NSW South, NSW West and ACT every year since 2007, when he was nine years old. His volunteering activities include collecting food for Anglicare’s Pantry Appeal while at School, counting and distributing Christmas cards, collecting donations at the Brumbies rugby games, selling Anglicare bears to his mates, helping with newsletter mail-outs and organising a winter jacket appeal at CGS. Josh is a quiet achiever and despite his commitments while at School and his competitive swimming, He has spent over 350 hours volunteering with Anglicare over the past three years. He shares with others the importance of giving back
and supporting those who just need a helping hand, and he is continually looking for ways to raise money and support others while having fun. The judges said that Josh was an outstanding role model and showed great leadership. Congratulations to Josh on his contributions to such a worthy cause at a young age.
ASC SCHOLARSHIP FOR OLD BOY NIC McGINNESS Awarded by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport, the National Officiating Scholarship (NOS) is aimed at officials who have the potential to officiate at the highest level of their chosen sport and ‘provides professional development opportunities in a range of areas, practical experience at a high performance level together with mentoring and coaching to improve officiating skills. CGS Old Boy (‘14) Mr Nic McGinness, was one of four Australian Rules Football umpires from all around Australia to be selected to participate in the 2016 programme. The programme consists of three workshops during the year, the first of which was held on the Gold Coast from
25 to 28 February. Nic has also been assigned a mentor who is currently umpiring in the AFL. He mentioned that he is ‘extremely excited about the NOS and hopes that as a result of the scholarship other opportunities will arise during the season – like the National Championships’.
OLD BOY’S NOVEL TO BE TURNED INTO TV SERIES Congratulations to CGS Old Boy and author Daniel O’Malley (’97), whose first book, The Rook, is to be made into a TV series by Lionsgate. The series will be produced by Stephanie Meyer and will be shown on Netflix. Dan has achieved amazing things since his days as a Garnsey student. He went on to become a graduate of Michigan State University and then obtained a Master’s degree in medieval history from Ohio State University. The Rook, which was published in 2012, is set in London and tells the tale of Myfanwy Thomas, who awakes with no memory and discovers that she is an operative for a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats.
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Along with the TV series, Dan’s new book, Stiletto, is due for release in Australia in June 2016.
SCHOOL CAPTAINS’ AND VICE-CAPTAINS’ REUNION Being a School Captain or Vice-Captain is an enormous responsibility, and is a prized position that is in strong contention among CGS students. The ability to initiate or influence change can be hugely rewarding if you are able to see those changes come to fruition. Recently, CGS held its first ever School Captains’ and ViceCaptains’ Reunion, inviting all Captains and Vice-Captains back to where it all began. CGS welcomed over 40 guests, ranging from leaders from the 1950s to our current CGS Captains. An amazing array of ages, personalities and stories gave the event a quality that we don’t often see at reunions. Many of the captains didn’t know each other on arrival (due to the span of time between year groups); however, all shared the common ground of being captains of the School at one time or another. They shared stories of the highlights and pitfalls of being in such a position and the things they would have changed if they had the time over again.
important advice for future captains who take on this important role in the years to come. While there were some comical memories and stories of inspirational teachers who clearly left their mark, a strong theme seemed to carry through the advice given to future captains: stay true to who you are and don’t be afraid to influence change. This highlights the grave responsibility of captains to lead the student body. It is not a position for the faint hearted. Canberra Grammar School would like to thank all the guests who attended the reunion, and the School looks forward to another School Captains’ and Vice-Captains’ Reunion in the coming years.
Part of the evening was devoted to noting the fond memories and inspirational moments of their times and offering some
CLASS OF ’57 LUNCHEON While many CGS Old Boys visited the School for the School Captains’ and Vice-Captains’ Reunion, it was Arthur Roberts’ attendance at the reunion that prompted a small gathering of his Class of ’57 for lunch at the Canberra Yacht Club. The lunch proved to be a great one, with two members of the CGGS Class of ’57 (Wendy Townley nee Prance and Lyn Barlow nee Swanson) also joining the small group. Wendy was in town for the launch of the book For Love of Country, which took place at CGS. The book celebrates the life of Captain Walter Eddison, Wendy’s grandfather, who settled in the Woden Valley in 1920 on a soldier-settlement block. Anthony Hill is the author of this beautifully written book. It is a story of toil, hardship, sacrifice and tragedy. It tells the story of Canon Edwards, our first headmaster, who made the short but harrowing journey to ‘Yamba’, the family farm, not once but three times, to help console a grieving family over the loss of a son and an old boy of Canberra Grammar School. Rarely has the one family been dealt a crueller blow.
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LONDON CGS ALUMNI REUNION It was a long way to travel-over 20 hours in a plane, but one that proved to be well worth it. In February this year, CGS staff members Mr Sandy Goddard, Director of Community Development, and Mr Peter Cursley, CGS Foundation Manager, travelled to London to meet with Old Boys now living overseas.
As at most CGS Reunions, the Old Boys immediately struck up conversations with others, both those who they knew and those that they didn’t, and conversed like they had been friends in constant contact for years.
Thanks to Facebook, LinkedIn and some hard work by the CGS Alumni Coordinator, Ms Tammy Foley, the School was able to make contact with many Old Boys whose contact details on the School database had long been superseded.
Thank you to all the Old Boys and staff that made the effort to attend this event.
The previous CGS Alumni London Reunion dinner had attracted about nine Old Boys, but when Sandy and Peter left Australia for London, 23 Old Boys had accepted CGS’s invitation, with around half that again who would have loved to have accepted, but, for one reason or another, were unable to attend.
Do we have your correct details? Update them online at CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU
ANNUAL CGS ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND The Annual CGS Alumni Reunion Weekend was one of the largest reunions CGS has had the pleasure of hosting in recent years, with five separate functions and over 200 Old Boys in attendance! The first event of the weekend was the Class of 2015 (1 Year Out Reunion) held at The Kingston Hotel. This was the first time a reunion has been held for those who left CGS only a year ago, however, it proved to be a great day with over 50 past students attending.
groups are represented, the Classes of 1976 and 1986 (40 and 30 Years Out) were in particular abundance, with a terrific night being had by all. In addition to the Annual Reunion Dinner, the Class of 2006 (10 Year Out) Reunion was simultaneously being held at the UniPub in the City.
On Saturday 28 May, the day began with a Luncheon in The CGS Gallery for the Classes of 1991 and 1996 (25 and 20 Years Out), which was, as always, well attended and a great point for many old friends to meet up and plan their events for the rest of the day. Although Canberra provided one of its cold and gloomy days, the Old Boys did not let that stop them, with many cheering on CGS’ 1st XV on the Main Oval and then moving to the Australian War Memorial for the Last Post Ceremony.
Sunday Chapel Service and morning tea at the School was attended by a small group and provided a lovely opportunity for participants to look around the beautiful School grounds and meet the newly appointed School Chaplain, Father Andrew Robinson.
The Annual Reunion Dinner for 2016 was this year held at Hotel Realm on Saturday evening and, although many year 30 | CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016
Overall, the weekend was a resounding success, with many Old Boys reconnecting for the first time in many years. We now start the planning for an even bigger Reunion Weekend for 2017, so make sure you add 26-28 May 2017 to your diary!
CGS OLD BOYS NOMINATED FOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS In October last year, Canberra Grammar School was proud to announce that two CGS Alumni, who are also current staff at the School, were nominated as finalists for the 2016 Australian of the Year Awards. Congratulations go to: • Mr Peter Cursley (Old Boy and CGS Foundation Manager) – ACT Local Hero Winner; and • Mr Leonard Weiss (Old Boy and CGS Music Assistant) – ACT Young Australian of the Year Finalist. You can read more about the awards and those nominated on AUSTRALIANOFTHEYEAR.ORG.AU
HONG KONG AND MELBOURNE CGS CGS OutlookALUMNI | Semester One 2016 | 31 REUNIONS
IN MEMORY
JOHN BEATTIE (CLASS OF 1945)
JAMES MCCAULEY (CLASS OF 1979)
John unfortunately passed away on 6 Feb 2016, aged 87 years old.
James, who attended CGS as a member of Eddison House, unfortunately passed away at 54 years old on 12 March 2016.
PETER FLASKAS (CLASS OF 1947) Peter sadly passed away on 6 March 2016, aged 88 years old.
GEOFFREY ERLE COX (CLASS OF 1948) Geoff was a prominent member of the early CGS community, and sadly passed away on 23 January 2015 at age 84. Geoff is survived by his wife, one son, two daughters, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren and was known for having a successful career as a professional engineer.
GEOFF RASMUSSEN (CLASS OF 1988) Geoff was a prominent member of the Perth business community, and after a battle with kidney cancer sadly passed away on 19 May 2016 at 45 years old. Geoff’s son expressed that his father had fond memories of CGS and would often take delight and reminisce of his time at the School and the lifelong friends that he made.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted notices to CGS for the ‘In Memory’ section over the years. CGS will be, after this edition, moving the ‘In Memory’ section online to a dedicated area at CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU/IN-MEMORIAM This will ensure that the School can publish memorial notices in a timelier manner, and with more memories of its beloved community members.
CONNECT WITH CGS ALUMNI ON LINKEDIN The School has now created a CGS Alumni showcase page on LinkedIn, the most popular professional online networking tool, to allow all Old Boys, parents and community members to connect with each other. Follow the CGS Alumni LinkedIn page for reunion dates, to catch up with Old Boys and to receive news and updates. You can also visit CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU to see how you can get (re-)connected with the School, and you can also follow the Facebook page for news and updates. LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/CGS-ALUMNI
32 | CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016
FACEBOOK.COM/ALUMNICGS
SHAPING OUR FUTURE
GREAT SCHOOLS DON’T JUST HAPPEN To all in the School community, On behalf of Canberra Grammar School, I would like to thank everyone who has supported the CGS Foundation in recent years. As a consequence of that generosity, the CGS Foundation has grown to play a vital part in the life and development of our School. In addition to its role in the creation of The Snow Centre and the contribution it will make to future building projects, the CGS Foundation now assists the School in offering around 40 scholarships and bursaries to deserving students every year. These include among others, the Robert Poate Scholarship for Leadership, the Peter Hazlehurst Scholarship for Science and Technology, the Tim Murray Scholarship for Musical Excellence, the Paul McKeown Scholarship for Academic Excellence, and the newly created Old Boys’ Scholarship. With your on-going generosity, we can continue offering our unique scholarships programme to recognise, encourage and enhance the capacity of talented students to realise their educational aspirations and then go on to make a difference in the world. We can also realise our own aspirations in the years ahead to support a broader range of students in accessing the School’s extraordinary opportunities. Please be very proud of the impact that your generosity will have on the education and opportunities of our students. With sincere thanks and regards, Dr Justin Garrick Head of School
SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL Donations to the Scholarships Fund or the Building Fund are tax deductible and can be made online via the CGS Foundation’s new website:
CGSFOUNDATION.ORG.AU/GIVING/SUPPORT
CGS Outlook | Semester One 2016 | 33
T +61 (2) 6260 9700 E communications@cgs.act.edu.au 40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill ACT 2603 CGS.ACT.EDU.AU CIRCOS Provider No 00580G