CGS OUTLOOK THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
DECEMBER
2015
READY FOR THE WORLD
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 1 From the Head of School EDITORIAL DETAILS
4 NEWSbites
Editor: Reece Cummings
Sony Camp 2015 CGS hosts a ‘Wheelie Fun Day’ for The Woden School African Children’s Choir in Canberra Presentation Night 2015 CGS Dragon Boating continues to succeed Basketball reaches new heights
Design & Layout: Blueboat and Vanessa Schimizzi Photography: William Hall Photography, staff and students Printed by: CanPrint/Union Offset Printers Contributions: Thank you to the many people who contributed to CGS Outlook, including the numerous teachers, students, and staff who supplied articles and photos On the cover: CGS Dragon Boating Team © Canberra Grammar School 2015
WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? Please for ward 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 updates, information, news, and community activities. CGS.ACT.EDU.AU TWITTER.COM/CANBERRAGRAMMAR LINKEDIN.COM/COMPANY/ CANBERRA-GRAMMAR-SCHOOL /CGS-ALUMNI-OLD-BOYS193268637358109/
7 A new look and feel for CGS 8 2015 North Coast Rugby Tour 8 CGS students participate in ABC’s Q&A 9
Year 10s go on a life changing experience
10 CGS hosts ANZAC Centenary Memorial Service 11 Walk Safely to School Day 11 Primary School experiences colonial times 12 Da Vinci Decathlon 2015 12 Celebrating the spoken and written word 13 Geography continues to be a winner 14 Subject Feature: Art, Design and Technology 16 Year 10 students leading in innovation 16 Year 9 IT students win Canberra iAwards 17 Young Designers excel in Light Rail Competition 17 HS.HACT Awards 2015
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20 My Confucius Institute Scholarship in China
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20 Scholarships in China
21 Senior School ventures to China 21 Primary School staff explore China 22 Chapel of Christ the King celebrates 50 years 24 Peer support in the Primary School 24 Pierre De Coubertin & Long Tan Award 25 Primary School continuing to exceed standards 25 Pre-School children celebrate 100 days of School 26 Chess continues to excel 26 CGS Old Boy awarded p prestigious Golf Scholarship 27 CGS turns pink for breast cancer research 27 CGS raises money to support local communities after devastating disasters 28 Primary School Campus Renewal Project announced 30 Atomic Landscape Exhibition 30 2015 Debating re-cap 31 Students create innovation in ICT 31 Better Music Guitar Awards recognise talent 32 CGS Alumni Reunion 33 In Memory 34 CGS Old Boys AGM 35 CGS Foundation 36 Our 2015 Supporters
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 2015 has been another very big year for Canberra Grammar School, with much activity in the daily life of our community, as is evident in these pages, and with momentous decisions taken for the future of our School. Below is a full copy of the Head’s address from Presentation Night, which includes an account of the year and the changes ahead. ‘Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests, Chairmen and members of the School and Foundation Boards, colleagues and, most importantly of all, young men of Canberra Grammar School. I am delighted to add my welcome to this celebration of 2015 and the vibrant life that is our School. Once again, we assemble here, united in appreciation of another great year of learning, of enjoyment, of friendship and achievement, of progress individually and collectively in all the domains that have defined the purpose of our School since its foundation: the intellectual, the physical, the cultural, social and spiritual. That holistic aspiration is firmly embedded in our culture, and is manifest this evening, in the award of our academic prizes, in the presentation of our scholarships, in creative and experimental performance, in great music, in the words of our student leaders, in our shared participation in prayer and song, and in the representation on screen and stage of our active and sporting endeavour, for which so many awards are also given at ceremonies throughout the year. As ever, our Presentation Night is intended to encompass as full a range of School experience as we can, and to include as many members of our student body as is possible. This occasion is not merely the formulaic closure of a year that’s done. It is an extension of the year itself; the expression of a School determined not simply to look back and inwards, but ambitious, even on the very last evening of the year, to stretch its possibilities further than before. Even tonight, we are creating the life and the culture of our School together; defining it as we speak of it, generating shared experience of it in our performances, affirming its values in the highest academic awards that we present, celebrating the joy of being so lucky as we are to experience every day the beauty of our open, sunny campus and the sheer happiness of learning and playing together as we witnessed in this evening’s opening film.
Likewise, that extraordinary experiment in digital percussion that you’ve just seen and heard on screen was the Sounds of Grammar distilled; its living pulse; the rhythm of our year, collected over months and pieced together for tonight in representation of a School that is thriving, as we feel daily in the energy that our boys bring to the cut and thrust of lessons, to the broadest diversity of sport that I have ever known in any school, to carnivals, to camps and expeditions and exchanges, to the care and connectedness that goes on in houses, to public speaking, to drama, art and music, and to the spirited singing that has lifted assemblies and Chapel all year. This was the year in which we transformed the Quad into a circus tent for Barnum, a magnificent and hugely enjoyable opportunity for more than a hundred boys and girls to rehearse, to perform, to sing, juggle, and soar into the air together, at the heart of a School that knows how to learn and grow in style. This was the year in which we marked the fiftieth anniversar y of our Chapel, and in which we opened the Snow Centre, after twelve months of construction in our midst, with per formance and poetr y in multiple languages to represent our community’s expansive embrace and to welcome to our School intellectual, political and diplomatic leaders of our city. In this year, our unique Australian Studies lecture series brought ambassadors, economists, human rights lawyers, public health consultants and defence commanders to share their insights with our senior boys in preparation for their entr y to higher studies and the world. This year, once again, no less than five of our boys earned Confucius Scholarships to universities in China following their predecessors in a trail that must now be unparalleled by any school in the country, but which is the natural extension of our desire to see our students – and indeed our staff – learning not just of the world but in the world, whether that’s on camps, on study tours abroad, on
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 1
Rugby tours to the north, or with the Dragon-boaters at the World Championships yet again, or as part of the Code Cadets’ regular outings to Silicon Valley in their on-going quest for global domination. This was the year in which we added Indonesian in the Primary School to our portfolio of languages and as part of our new PYP curriculum; we received excellence accreditations for our early learning programmes, and top NAPLAN results once more amidst all that. We also turned pink again as an entire School in awareness of breast cancer, we wore white ribbons in firm stand against domestic violence, our boys forged links with The Woden School in echo of their experience caring for children with disabilities on the Sony Camp, and they raised funds for charities and gave countless hours in service to our School and our community. I could go on but you get the picture; we ran and swam, scored goals and tries, performed on stage and barbequed and studied in what is a wonderful, truly wonderful School that we rightly love, and of which I for one am proud to be a part and privileged every day to see how much our boys enjoy it. So, the obvious question then: why change all that? Well, aside from the fact that so much of what I’ve just listed is change itself – change that has brought energy to our culture and renewed momentum to our School – this was also the year in which we countenanced a reality that has long stood on our School’s horizon. As a consequence of everything that we have done in recent years, our School is buoyant and dynamic; larger than it has ever been; and more prosperous than has been the case for a very long time. You see that in the restoration of our grounds and ovals, in the renovation of our classrooms, in the overhaul of Southside, in the desperately-needed alterations on Alexander Street, and, in less obvious ways like greater investment in professional opportunities for teachers than has ever been the case before. You see it, too, in the re-establishment and growth of our Foundation, which supports our re-emerging portfolio of scholarships, and through which the Snow Centre was funded, as will be other projects in time. Such progress in itself makes the case for change less obvious than perhaps it might have seemed in other times; but the fact remains that if we are to guarantee the future of what you and I cherish in our School – if it is to continue thriving with the momentum that we’ve given it – then we must not only look to the education it offers in a modern context but we must also, in the end, address the fundamental limitations of its underlying circumstance. People in schools don’t normally like to speak of such matters, to admit to any reasons for action other than purely educational, let alone risk candour in a competitive public domain, but I believe we must acknowledge reality. So I’d like to take this opportunity to explain, with ever yone here, both the financial and educational reasons for our change. 2 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
The hard financial reality first: as many of you will know, we receive Federal Government funding in inverse proportion to our parental demographics; but, for historical reasons that we cannot alter, almost all other non-government schools in the ACT receive maintained and indexed funding at significantly higher levels per capita than we do, even where our socio-economic scores are virtually identical. I do not begrudge them that consequence of histor y. I wish we were so fortunate. However, we simply do not have their advantage, which helps keep their fees lower and therefore their population base much broader, their enrolments fuller and their waiting lists longer, which allows them to plan, invest and expand; nor do we have a long-tended foundation, nor the capacity (nor, I hasten to add, the desire) in a city of our size to set fees at the levels of schools with which we are compared in larger capitals; nor can we currently borrow sufficiently to ser vice our long-term building replacement needs, and you only have to look at parts of the School to know how large those needs can be. We compete for a finite number of boys, and we are vulnerable to the creation of new schools as will come in the years ahead, or to the expansion of other schools, which with their funding can establish new campuses, as some already have, or to changes in the ACT employment market and even to such possibilities as an increase in the GST or its application to school fees. In short, the need to secure the School’s future by enlarging our potential population base through coeducation has in reality, for some time, been virtually inevitable given our circumstance, and we are better to embrace that now, on our terms than later as a consequence of decisions made by others. That is the reality that we squared up to this year – the bullet that we bit – with all its consequence, including hurt – even grief – that I know was real for many; and I wish that were other wise no matter what proportion of the School was at the ver y same time delighted at the prospect of change. You don’t love a School like this and want to see it torn. Yet, just as the change is necessary, it is also right for the future for our School and for the education of our boys. Of that, I have no doubt. As I have said on many occasions, the world is shifting dramatically: its climate; its technology; its economic, political and educational centres of gravity. You know that we are responding to that as a School. Yet there is another shift in the world that will only become more pronounced in the span of our students’ lifetimes. That is a profound change in the roles and expectations of men and women in our society: in the home, in education and in almost every profession and industry. The world in the lives of the boys before me tonight will be led increasingly in virtually all fields of endeavour across the globe by talented aspirational men and women together, more than has ever been the case before. It will be shaped by educated people of both genders who know each other’s capacities and perspectives, who are skilled in working together, learning together, solving problems together, thinking together, creating together, who are confident in equality with each other and in mature professional and personal friendship.
If that is to be the reality, and it will be – which of us wants it otherwise? – then our boys, as young men, should be fully engaged with it and proud of their part in making it so. It’s not about school merely mimicking the workforce – education is so much more than that – it’s about acquiring the personal confidence and ease and naturalness of relationship and mutual understanding that will give our boys – and girls in time – the best chance of flourishing in the kind of world that we know that they are going to enter; a world in which girls are now very confident and more-thanequal participants, not just in education but in a broader social reality that’s very different to the one that prevailed even only a generation ago. Of course, there are real concerns about transition and, in particular, an understandable worry that boys and girls will not be free to study without distraction or to play sport or express themselves or sing or perform or show emotion or friendship without inhibition outside the relative innocence that comes of a single-sex environment. I understand that concern and, having loved the School so very much as it is, I share the hesitation to change, but I also know that the existence of flourishing intellectual, artistic and sporting communities at healthy co-educational schools – and indeed universities – all over the world is proof that boys and girls can and do perform impressively in all domains in the presence of each other. Our own co-educational experiences within the existing co-curricular offering of our School amply confirm that. More importantly – and here is the key point of the night for me – we should trust our boys. Not only will we be working with them in preparation for welcoming girls to the School, and not only will we be ensuring that they study and take part in all the activities of School life in conditions that are well-super vised, structured and purposeful, but, far more importantly than that, remember that our boys are impressively civilised young men, who between them have already created a community that is open, progressive and respectful in its ver y nature. I have known all-male schools that are aggressive, arrogant and graceless institutions that have no place in the modern world. That emphatically is not the case for us, precisely because of the quality of our boys’ characters and the culture that they create at its ver y best, and that is why they will handle this change superbly and will continue creating the culture of a great School.
In the past few weeks I have had lunch in groups with all boys in Year 7, as I do each year, and co-education, of course, has been a topic at the table every day. I cannot adequately convey just how impressive discussion has been; how thoughtful, how curious, how open-minded, and mature. It is one of the great privileges of my job, and it’s how I know that this step is right for the young men of our School and that they will respond with intelligence and complexity; they already are. For evidence, just look around us tonight. See our boys’ role in the on-going creation of all that we are celebrating. Their enjoyment of that in itself is the spirit of a School that thrives in creating itself anew; and it comes from our boys; their intellect, their confidence, their care for each other, their desire to seize opportunity, and their profound – and rightful – loyalty to each other and their School. Trust our boys. In the change that comes, we must hold firm to that; to recognise the strength in what is now so special, and yet be confident also to imagine the opportunity in what could be. If we are in fact truly secure in the quality and vitality of our culture – and we are – then we can only make it all the richer, broader, deeper and more vibrant by adding to it. It’s not always the case in life that what you must do is also what you should do. In this case it is. For that reason, I look forward all the more, and with excitement, to watching just how much our boys will grow as young men in making it reality.’ Dr Justin Garrick Head of School
As I’ve said here before, our society expects too little sophistication of boys, intellectually and emotionally. I don’t think we need accept that as the standard of our School, and I never have. I’ve written home a number of times recently expressing my profound admiration for the boys’ response to this topic, in single conversations, in groups around the School, in year group meetings, in all of which the level of discourse has been extraordinary, intelligent and insightful, as has been the dignity of those boys charged, for example, with leading our musicians towards a night like this in confidence and spirit. I should not be surprised, but what’s clear already is that the quality of our boys’ thinking and conversation on this is now a powerful part of their education itself.
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 3
NEWSbites
SONY CAMP 2015 For the 5th year in a row, the Sony Foundation Children’s Holiday Camp (Sony Camp) has continued to grow with campers not only attending from Canberra, but from the surrounding regional areas of Cooma, Bungendore, Yass, and for the first time, Albury-Wodonga. The camp started off with swimming, ginger-bread house making and continued last year’s inaugural Dragon Boating on Lake Burley Griffin. This year campers were also able to experience African Drumming and a ride in the RAAF hot-air balloon. For the senior students from CGS and Canberra Girls Grammar School, the camp is a profoundly moving learning experience in which they care night and day for campers with a wide range of personal needs. The students discover what it is to be depended upon, and they always finish the camp with an enormous sense of fulfilment. For campers, too, the event provides hugely enjoyable opportunities outside of normal daily experience as well as chances to form new friendships. The camp concluded with an emotional farewell after a special three-days, with both campers and companions having built strong and life-changing relationships.
4 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
CGS HOSTS A ‘WHEELIE FUN DAY’ FOR THE WODEN SCHOOL During Semester 1 this year, boys from Year 10 have been working with children from The Woden School (TWS). CGS has had two excursions to TWS, and has hosted students at the CGS campus, sharing in exciting experiences and undertaking games and challenges together. TWS offers a unique supported high school and/or college programme for students who have a disability. This year, CGS partnered with TWS to help mentor students and to learn about caring and helping others. The CGS boys said that they were taken aback with an experience they will never forget since first walking through the front doors of TWS. The students they were working with constantly showed the CGS boys their amazing abilities and how they could adapt to being thrown into new challenges which involved talking, dancing, singing and competing. One of the highlights of the partnership was the ‘Wheelie Fun Day’, which included cycling, wheelchair races, football matches and a disco. This has been a great chance for the CGS boys to learn about mentorship and will undoubtedly be an experience they remember forever.
AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR IN CANBERRA The African Children’s Choir was hosted by Canberra Grammar School as part of their tour ‘Under One Sky’. The tour aims to raise money for the Choir’s village to help build schools, and give access to fresh water and farming. The choir is comprised of orphaned and vulnerable children from the disadvantaged Kampala and Luwero areas of Uganda. Canberra residents were treated to a unique musical experience with the African Children’s Choir during its second Australian tour. In addition to the performances, the Uganda-based choir conducted workshops with the local community and students of CGS. The singers’ vibrancy and outstanding musical and dancing abilities have captured the world’s imagination every year since the choir has toured North America and Europe to raise money for children’s education. The children and event organisers were also billeted by CGS staff and students during their time in Canberra, allowing them to enjoy the local experiences. Through the choir’s fundraising efforts over the past 30 years, 52,000 children have received a better education with choir members educated to university level and often returning to the community as lawyers and doctors.
PRESENTATION NIGHT 2015 Presentation Night, held on Friday 4 December this year, proved to be another spectacular event to celebrate our students’ wide range of achievements this year. This year has been one of many announcements and progressive change, and as always, the night recognisied not only the outstanding academic performance of students, but that of their co-curricular involvements with arts and languages, community service and sport. It was also spectacular to see the number of scholarships awarded to CGS students this year. Prior to the ceremony, guests were treated to a performance of Hip Hop by the Primary Horizons Programme students, the Organ Solo ‘Toccata Scherzo’ by Benjamin Chesworth, an extract from the Junior School Production ‘The Arrival’, and the Finale from the Organ Symphony by the Orchestra. The night was also opened with the essence of Canberra Grammar School being captured in a wonder ful film produced by CGS Old Boy, Luka Vertessy. With welcomes conducted, other per formances throughout the night from CGS Music students included ‘Sounds of Grammar’ and ‘Electricity’, and hit song ‘Hello’ being covered by the CGS Big Band and soloist Jack Andrighetto. For a copy of the Head of School’s speech on Presentation Night, please see page 1.
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 5
NEWSbites
CGS DRAGON BOATING CONTINUES TO SUCCEED There was much anticipation amongst the paddlers who were keen to defend their record of success over recent years, so on arrival in Perth it was straight to the course for a training session to familiarise the team with the conditions. After that, boys enjoyed the next two days of sightseeing, which included a day trip to Rottnest Island and the chance to get up close and personal with the local quokkas. The teams also enjoyed down time together at Cottesloe Beach, where sun, surf and sand were the order of the day. The next few days involved some amazing paddling, with many of the students representing the ACT in the State vs State Championship, before two days of club competition. The boys faced the strongest junior clubs around Australia and were successful in all of the categories, including both large and small boats. The mixed boats were also successful in their categories and once again the combined club was awarded the overall champion award with Club Captains Oliver Tonks and Sophie Francis accepting the award on behalf of the club. Special thanks go to all the paddlers for their commitment and enthusiasm throughout the trip and to the staff, Ms Gates, Ms Holbrook, Mr Lai, Mr Goddard and Mr Bragg for giving up a week of their holidays along with colleagues from CGGS.
6 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
Additionally, CGS had 10 boys and one staff member selected as a part of the Australian Dragon Boat Team to represent Australia at the 2015 World Dragon Boat Championships held in August in Canada. Well done to: James Rogers, Olly Tonks, Josh Lauinger, James Field, Drew Thompson, Robert Bruessel, Harry Korte, Ojas Jyoti, Jonty Kevin, Pat Soulsby and Ms Sally Gates (coach).
A special thank you Canberra Grammar Schools Dragon Boat Club would like to express special appreciation to the Tonks family, for their generous donation at the end of the 2014/15 season. After their long association with Dragon Boating at CGS, the Tonks family has kindly donated some very fine and much needed training boats to help the CGS squad remain on top of the competition.
READY FOR THE WORLD
A NEW LOOK & FEEL FOR CGS
CGS.ACT.EDU.AU
BASKETBALL REACHES NEW HEIGHTS CGS Basketball would like to announce the addition of former Australian players Mr Cal Bruton (left) and Mr Ben Allen (centre) to our coaching ranks. Both coaches are looking to pass on their expert advice to the CGS basketball players and look forward to working with CGS. Cal is a former player and coach in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) and, while originally an American import, he has since become a naturalized Australian. Nicknamed the ‘Black Peark’, his legendary status was cemented in 1998 when he was inducted into the NBL Hall of Fame. In addition to coaching at CGS, Cal is currently coaching the Under 19 Division 1 team.
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The team is also joined by Ben Allen who is one of the tallest players in the country and best known for his stint at St Mary’s College, USA, where he helped the College reach the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. He was also a member of the Australian team for the 2009 Word University Games and recently played for the Townsville Crocodiles and the Sydney Kings in the NBL.
CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 7
2015 NORTH COAST RUGBY TOUR In April this year, 28 members of the CGS Opens Rugby Squad met in the early hours of the morning to venture off on a 12 hour bus trip for their 2015 North Coast Rugby Tour. After arriving at The Armidale School (TAS) and a night of rest, the boys set out for a pre-game morning training session in preparation for their afternoon match against TAS. After a tough and physical game, CGS came out as victors with a final score of 19:7. The next day the boys set off to Coffs Harbour for some rest and recreation where they were able to show off their multi-talents in surfing, bowling and beach touch football.
The following day, the boys returned to Canberra for their final match against Kinross on home soil. Unfortunately, the Second and First teams were unsuccessful, being defeated by Kinross after intensive games. Congratulations to the Rugby teams on their exceptional performances and to the tour’s ‘Best Team Player’, Oliver Wayte, and to the ‘Best and Fairest on Tour’, Daniel Smart.
The second part of the Rugby tour commenced with travelling to the Gosford RSL Club to watch the Brumbies win their match.
CGS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ABC’S Q&A In June this year, 15 CGS students, Ms Trkulja and Mr Bragg gathered in front of Parliament House on a cold Monday night to join the audience of ABC’s Q&A for a special episode being filmed in Canberra to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. Students from both the HSC and IB Economics classes, as well as from HSC Extension History, were invited to nominate themselves to receive one of the highly sought after places in the audience by submitting the question they would like to ask the panel. The panel on the night included such notables as indigenous leader Mr Noel Pearson, and the Chair of the Human Rights Commission, Professor Gillian Triggs. The boys submitted a number of excellent questions, with Patrick Hendy’s question short listed for inclusion. Patrick’s question was about the need for an independent Speaker. Unfortunately just as it was about to be asked, the host, Mr Tony Jones wrapped up with his famous line ‘that’s all we have time for tonight!’. After the show, the boys were able to speak to Professor Triggs and Mr Pearson, about numerous topics which proved to be particularly relevant to their studies in HSC English. 8 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
YEARS 10s GO ON A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE At the end of April this year, the entire Year 10 cohort ventured out to the Deua National Park for their nine day expedition – an adventure that every Year 10 student will go on. This is the final structured outdoor experience most CGS students will have, and for many it has significant impact on the way they view the world, and those around them. Over the nine days the boys get to experience life in a different format, one not determined by bells and timetables, but by sunrise and sunset and an understanding about what has to be achieved during that time. The opportunities are plenty on the expedition with the chance to develop personal organisation and independent living skills. Throughout the trip the boys formed a partnership with the outdoors where they were given a high degree of responsibility and where they worked with their teachers to look at the strengths and weaknesses of the groups, and come up with solutions to numerous problems.
The expedition held in Deua National Park meant the boys spent a majority of their time in relatively untouched nature, giving them the opportunity to be immersed in the environment, allowing the boys a chance to recharge their batteries from their normal school work and engage in important character development.
where the boys are confident and very capable of managing themselves in new and challenging environments. Well done to the Year 10 cohort of 2015 for continuing to grow as our future leaders.
Outdoor Education has long been an important part of the CGS experience and the programme is embedded into the School from Year 3 and each year the programme builds to a point
‘THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE PLENTY ON THE EXPEDITION WITH THE CHANCE TO DEVELOP PERSONAL ORGANISATION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS.’ CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 9
CGS HOSTS ANZAC CENTENARY MEMORIAL SERVICE
With the national remembrances at the Australian War Memorial just down the road, the decision to establish a dawn service at Canberra Grammar School a few years ago was a bold undertaking. The idea had been in the mind of the previous Chair of the CGS Board, Mr Mark Baker, for some years, but the loss of recent Old Boy, Private Robert Poate, in Afghanistan in 2012 seemed to provide important context and impetus to CGS holding a memorial of its own. This year’s service was particularly significant as it was the centenary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli and the national service was set to be one of the largest ever. The aim at CGS, therefore, was to provide an intimate chance to remember those who have been lost In war, particularly from the School community. Around 300 friends of the School gathered for the ceremony, many noting that they found the quiet
stillness of a small congregation to be an appropriate way to remember the first dawn at Gallipoli. School Chaplain, Father Chris Welsh, said at the service that ‘someone once said that we must pray where we can rather than where we can’t. The same, it seems, applies to commemoration’. He continued that ‘the service follows conventions that are well established in the ANZAC Day tradition. Prayer, hymns, silence, the bugle calls, an occasional address. Wreaths are laid and other tributes from those gathered. The School’s attempt to create something true to that tradition causes us to reflect upon the nature of an ANZAC Day service. Clearly, it is not principally religious. It is a
civic event, a community expression of gratitude, a chance to reflect and to remember; there are significant military flavours. Yet the religious and overtly Christian themes ring out, as they do in ceremonies around the world. And God is very much present in what is, perhaps one of the very few, or the only, expressions of civic religion. It will continue, because it seems the right thing to do. It has diminished nothing at all but added something to our community life. Lest we forget.’
‘THE AIM AT CGS, THEREFORE, WAS TO PROVIDE AN INTIMATE CHANCE TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LOST IN WAR, PARTICULARLY FROM THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.’
10 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL DAY In May this year, many Primary School students ventured to the outside grounds of Canberra Grammar School to meet Constable Kenny Koala to learn about leading a safe, active, and healthy life by walking to and from school. Walk Safely to School Day is organised by the Pedestrian Council of Australia and students across the country are encouraged to participate in an initiative aimed at raising awareness of road safety, transport and the health benefits of regular walking. In the lead up to the day, ACT Policing’s Constable Kenny Koala visited CGS to have a chat to students about road safety. Walking and riding to school is a great way for the children to learn independence, and in co-operation with families it is vital to teaching the children about being safe near roads and crossings, and to be vigilant around traffic.
PRIMARY SCHOOL EXPERIENCES COLONIAL TIMES In August 2015, Year 4 embarked on their latest programme of inquir y centred on ‘where we are in place and time’. With a presentation from Iconic Per formance, The Colonial Show was an interactive educational event that allowed the boys to experience what life was like during the colonisation of Australia. With professional actors, authentic props, real-life anecdotes, songs and events from the past, the boys joined an Irish convict along with a British settler to experience the hardships of the day and the tyranny they faced at the hands of soldiers.
The boys were then engaged by a character named ‘Sergeant Kennedy’ who told the story of the military’s involvement in colonialisation. The boys went on to relive the voyage of the First Fleet under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip, and later to experience the repercussions of the theft of damper and the court arrest of the convict right in front of their eyes. Colonial Day was a powerful education experience, reminding the boys of the differences between then and now. CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 11
DA VINCI DECATHLON 2015 CGS has again hosted an electric two days of academic competition with the 2015 Da Vinci Decathlon held in Term 2. The competitions saw more than 800 students from schools across the ACT and surrounding regions compete in teams of eight in areas including English, Philosophy, Mathematics, Engineering, Chess, Science, Art and Poetry, Creativity, Code Breaking, and General Knowledge. The competition is global with regional, national and international sections. CGS teams worked hard in the weeks leading up to the competition to understand all the task areas and to direct the expertise in their team to each task. Students were required to construct, calculate, compose and create their way through timed tasks which stretched their skills and strengths.
• Year 5 – 3rd in ACT
The Canberra Grammar teams were successful at all year levels. Results and highlights included:
Congratulations to all teams on their outstanding performances, and a special mention to those Senior students who have been involved in the Da Vinci Decathlon since Year 5.
• Year 7 – 1st in ACT • Year 10 – 1st in NSW • Year 10 – 3rd in Australia; and • Year 11 – 1st in NSW
CELEBRATING THE SPOKEN AND WRITTEN WORD ‘A Way With Words’ is an annual presentation hosted by the English Department aimed at celebrating the spoken and written word through poetr y readings and public speaking. The night was one of the best yet, with all boys presenting superbly. Their most power ful speeches were also given during Senior School assembly.
The 2015 ‘A Way With Words’ winners were:
The Littlejohn Prize for Public Speaking
The Guilfoyle Prize for Poetry (7-9)
The Sir Littleton Groom Memorial Prize for Reading
Junior Finalist: Nicholas Bull
Taylor Miners
Junior Finalist: Lachlan White
Intermediate Finalist: Christian Flynn
Intermediate Finalist: Jaxon Kneipp
Senior Finalist: Aaron Kim
Senior Finalist: Daniel Talanine
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The Harold Ellis Memorial Prize for Poetry (10-12) William Woodrow
GEOGRAPHY CONTINUES TO BE A WINNER Canberra Grammar has continued to perform well in the Australian Geography Competition. With over 70,000 students from 760 schools, CGS gained 2nd place in Australia and has also continued to maintain its dominance in the combined Territories gaining 1st Position for the 16th consecutive year! The Australian Geography Competition is a contest for Australian secondary school students, assessing their geographical knowledge and skills. The Competition aims to encourage interest in Geography and to reward excellence. Michael Nguyen-Kim, Year 10, gained 1st in the combined Territories at the intermediate level. This is the 3rd year that he has achieved this outstanding success. He received a medal, book, and special certificate. Michael comments that ‘Geography provides a broadened understanding of cultures and environments other than one’s own which allows people to enrich their lives with a greater level of colour and detail, leading to a more diverse and varied range of life experiences.’ Michael also believes that Geography can have a greater impact on the world and our future: ‘A great deal of issues facing society relate closely
to the environment in which we live, such as global warming, poverty and famine, and a good understanding of Geography and its associated concepts can lead us to find solutions for these issues, both on a national and international level.’ Deepan Kumar, Year 10, also gained first in the combined Territories at the senior level. He received a medal, book, and special certificate. Deepan was also given the opportunity to represent the ACT at Geography’s Big Week Out, held in September on North Stradbroke Island in Queensland. The week focused on fieldwork, spatial technologies and analytical skills. As a result of his excellent per formances, Deepan has also
been selected to represent Australia at the 2016 International Geography Olympiad in Beijing. The CGS International Relations and Geographical Studies Department aims to provide the best possible environment and opportunities for every boy to achieve their potential, while hopefully instilling a great interest in the changing world. Michael comments that ‘the understanding of the world gained from a geographical perspective is notable for its propensity to aid in the development of solutions to issues affecting individuals and society in the 21st centur y and beyond and that the studies of these subjects are crucial.’
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SUBJECT FEATURE
ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (ADT) Laser cutting technology arrives at Canberra Grammar School An exciting new opportunity has arisen for CGS with the arrival of new laser cutting technology earlier this year in the Art, Design and Technology Department. In the short time the technology has been at the School, students in a number of Design and Technology classes have already had the opportunity to create a range of innovative products, toys, jeweller y, lighting and games.
Design output is only limited by imagination and size, and the School’s machine can engrave and cut a range of materials including acrylics, timber, glass, leather, fabric, paper and card. This technology gives students the ability to develop contemporary digital design skills which can be applied directly to tertiary, business and industrial design contexts.
The machine signifies the beginning of the ADT Department’s new teaching and learning focus on Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/ CAM). This curriculum shift mirrors global contemporar y practice in design and manufacturing industries.
The technology has already been used to create a new CGS icon, Jumbo the elephant from ‘Barnum – The Musical’, and more student designs were exhibited at the CGS Launch Festival.
The advantages of this type of manufacturing are speed and precision of production, ease of personalisation and reduction of waste, with laser cut designing being highly intricate without risking damage to the material.
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‘MORE THAN 200 CGS STUDENTS PARTICIPATED OVER THE THREE DAYS, AND MUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK WAS RECEIVED.’
Students introduce 3D printing to ACT kids During the Term 2 holidays, five CGS students worked with the Australian 3D Manufacturing Association at the 3D Printing Camp held at Westfield Woden to teach kids how to use cutting edge technology to design simple products. The unique experience was a highly effective collaboration between the Code Cadets and ADT Department with students from both subject areas participating. There was a range of cross-curricular links between digital and manufacturing technologies. The camp was a great success with all sessions being booked out. More than 200 CGS students participated over the three days, and much positive feedback was received. 3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. Applications for 3D printing are limitless including speeding up prototyping of products, creating moulds for manufacturing processes without the need for casting. The technology is also used in the medical field to create anatomic models, one day possibly leading to the ability to print human tissue with live cells. Canberra Grammar School is introducing curriculum changes in Design and Technology this year which will enable 3D printing technology to be used in all elective subjects.
Student success at International Robo Rescue In 2015, student Rory Wade returned from competing in the 2015 International RoboCup Competition in Heifei, China. RoboCup is the largest international event for intelligent and autonomous robots with about 3,000 competitors from 40 countries competing in events from robot soccer to robot search and rescue.
The team were awarded the highly respected Best Technical Documentation in the Rescue Maze League, placing 16th overall. They drew Portugal for their Super Team Partner for a collaborative rescue challenge. Rory said that ‘from an engineering perspective, our robot was consistent, reliable and capable of adapting to the Super Team challenge, and our programming was solid and performed well in the early rounds, but once we got the final rounds our robot had issues with our maze mapping algorithm – giving us something we will be sure to work on next year.’ CGS has applied for AIS STEM funding to assist in developing the Senior Robotics Academic and Co-curricular programmes, which will help bridge the gap between school and tertiary robotics opportunities.
Behind the Department Mr Graeme Wiggins is the Head of the Art, Design and Technology Department at CGS and has been spearheading many of the developments within ADT. Graeme has had a diverse life, studying sculpture at Monash University by chance and working at the National Gallery of Victoria, prior to teaching at Trinity Grammar School and now at CGS. Graeme says that ‘teaching was intended to be a vehicle to continue working my way around the world. However, design education ended up proving a bigger passion than wanderlust, and 12 years later I find myself where I am, enthusiastic as ever about art, design and technology education, and living in a town as beautiful as the one I was born in.’
Rory and his partner, Ines, competed in the Junior Rescue Maze League. They designed and manufactured their robot using a variety of rapid prototyping technologies including laser cutting, CNC routing, 3D printing and a custom printed circuit board to integrate electronic components. CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 15
YEAR 10 STUDENTS LEADING IN INNOVATION In May 2015, three Year 10 students Deepan Kumar, Ben Maliel and Christopher Seidl won scholarships to attend the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2015 (WWDC15) in San Francisco. The students were successful in winning their scholarships by submitting their own coded iOS application for iPhone or iPad. The conference is aimed at encouraging students to develop creative ideas that could solve many challenges that society face. The Apple Conference is famous for its presentations and keynote speakers, and the scholarships are extremely sought after. Only 350 scholarships were awarded for the 26th annual WWDC15 held in San Francisco this year. During the conference, attendees heard from various Vice-Presidents and Senior Engineers at Apple about their journey to working at Apple, and had the chance to meet and socialise with other attendees and engineers, including a surprise visit from the Apple CEO, Mr Tim Cook. The conference officially opened with the special Annual Keynote conference where Apple announced their latest innovations. The rest of the week was then spent
at lab sessions, and in some one-on-one time with Apple Engineers who presented their work and allowed attendees to ask questions on how to implement and improve new and existing technologies. Ben Maliel said that ‘the conference was an amazing experience for us all. We all gained new knowledge and insights into programming as well as a unique look into the tech industry. The trip has inspired us all to further our programming endeavors and has fueled our passion to work in Silicon Valley in one of these tech companies one day. We’d like to thank Mr Purcell and our parents for making the trip possible.’ Canberra Grammar School offers an extensive computing and information technology programme, including major industry programming competitions and hackathons, informatics competitions and an international tour to San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
YEAR 9 IT STUDENTS WIN CANBERRA iAWARDS In June 2015, Year 9 students Thomas Faulder and Tim Muya who won categories at the Young ICT Explorers 2014 were invited to the black-tie Canberra iAwards at the National Gallery where they were presented with the prize for the
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Secondary Student category for their product ‘Reduce Your Emissions’.
the industry who were recognised for their work over the past year.
These awards are arguably some of the most important IT awards in the country, and the CGS students shared the stage with pioneers in
Congratulations to the boys on their exceptional project.
YOUNG DESIGNERS EXCEL IN LIGHT RAIL COMPETITION Over 100 Year 9 and 10 students from 14 schools participated in the Young Designers Light Rail Ideas Competition, held 7 – 8 April 2015. Three talented teams of students from Canberra Grammar School participated. Although they didn’t receive an award in what turned out to be a ver y competitive event, students said that the competition was a ‘great oppor tunity to obtain valuable design experience and work with architects.’ Each team presented wonder ful ideas on the design and integration of light rail. The calibre of entries was outstanding – congratulations to all students for their enthusiasm and brilliant ideas: • Dimitri Efstathiadis, Rawson Wade and Jack Westcombe Casey
‘EACH TEAM PRESENTED WONDERFUL IDEAS ON THE DESIGN AND INTEGRATION OF LIGHT RAIL.’
Capital Metro and the Institute of Architects also expressed their thanks to the schools and budding designers for sharing their ideas for a light rail of the future. Plans are under way for all design entries to be exhibited at public libraries.
• Matt Laduzko, Jon Howles, Tim Cross and Ash Glassock; and • Joseph Fergusson, David Guinane and Tim Hibbins.
HS.HACT AWARDS 2015 Congratulations go to the CGS students who entered the hs.hact awards held at the University of Canberra INSPIRE Centre. CGS was successful in taking home over half the awards, with many placing in the top 3:
Best Start-up Potential Michael Nguyen-Kim, Luke Faulder, Deepan Kumar, Jason Tran, Keshav Karupiah and Shriram Vaitheeswaran for ‘Hunt Pro’ – 1st Ben Maliel and Chris Seidl for ‘Wallet Mate’ – 2nd
Best Website Nic Barclay – 1st Best Mobile App Ben Maliel and Chris Seidl for ‘Wallet Mate’ – 1st
Josh Whitcombe, Sam Moore and James Treloar for ‘Challenger’ – 3rd People’s Choice Award Ben Maliel and Chris Seidl for ‘Wallet Mate’ – 1st
Best Pitch Video Ben Maliel and Chris Seidl for ‘Wallet Mate’ – 1st
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THE BIG TOP COMES TO CGS
In May this year, CGS took the idea of a school musical to a whole new level by erecting a 35 metre tent in the centre of the School Quad (which is only 34 metres wide), for their performance of ‘Barnum - The Musical’. that ‘what you saw was the culmination of nine months of preparation from the initial concept stages in August 2014, to auditions, presentations, boot camps and rehearsals until the performances in May 2015.’ The show was ver y impressive with stunning displays of acrobatics and gymnastics, skilful singing, detailed costumes, a great cast of talent and per formers, and real fireworks!
Barnum is a performance based on the life of showman P.T. Barnum, who took his performing companies and the spectacle circus across America and around the world from 1835 to 1880. With over 160 students from Years 5 – 12 from both CGS and Canberra Girls Grammar School, the Barnum Big Top forged new territory as a performance space, offering exciting challenges for the actors, musicians, crew and creative team. The production was unique as it allowed all involved to work to their talents and to develop new ones from juggling, stilt and tightrope walking, clowning and acrobatics to singing and dancing. The creative team had determined from the outset that students would experience an industry standard production, including auditions, acting and choreography. Mr Simon Hughes, Director of Barnum, said
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‘CGS values the Arts as an integral and crucial aspect of life for students and staff,’ said Dr Marty Steven, Director of Creative and Co-curricular Education. ‘The School aspires to innovate not replicate, to challenge convention and inspire leadership in all facets of the arts from Music, Drama, Design, Art and Technology in events we run,’ she said. Alessandro Barilaro, Year 11 CGS student who played the lead of P.T. Barnum, said that ‘being Barnum was an amazing bonding experience; I’ve formed friendships I’ll hold for life.’ With shows running over four days, and with 2,897 people passing through the doors of the terrific performance space, congratulations to the students, staff and parents who were involved in all aspects of the production are greatly warranted. The performance of Barnum was certainly one to be remembered.
BEHIND THE SCENES Behind the terrific actors and actresses, many departments worked together to ensure ticketing, seating, music, food and drink, invitations, programs, lighting, sound, backstage, mechanics, and everything else that goes with a professionalstandard production went to plan. Alongside Maintenance, Community Development, ADT and the outsourced digital printing and steel fabrication, hordes of boys glued, nailed, screwed and painted the construction of sets and props. The production and technical team also continually worked hard to ensure the performers, props and sets were all running in synchronisation.
CONSTRUCTION OF JUMBO THE ELEPHANT By the end of the show, Jumbo, the full-sized Asian elephant seemed to have developed a following behind the curtain and in the audience. The ADT team had faced numerous design challenges, including the biggest one of all: making a pile of steel, plastic and foam look and move like a living pachyderm. Despite nearly falling apart after the first rehearsal and having his eyes installed and wrinkles painted only an hour before curtain time, Jumbo came alive with a mesmerising performance.
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MY CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE SCHOLARSHIP IN CHINA– EXPERIENCES FROM 2012 OLD BOYS Eoin White
Harrison Barnett
Kevin Kelly
‘A scholarship opportunity of this magnitude is not just an opportunity to fast track your learning of the Chinese language, but one to open your eyes to the real China. You become a part of the community, learn and experience culture and traditions, make unexpected friends, form new perspectives and opinions and you develop your personality and values. It is this emersion in China that made this an unforgettable experience that has driven my passion for learning the Chinese language and my desire to seek job opportunities in this area. Whether it be in China or another country, I would highly recommend an experience like this one to anyone seeking to discover themselves and develop an understanding of global communities.’
‘The scholarship I received in 2012 was quite truly an experience of a lifetime for me. At a point in our lives when not all of us have a set university or area of employment to aim towards, this scholarship and semester abroad allowed me to realise what I wanted to strive for in my life.
‘I studied at Fudan University in Shanghai on a scholarship. My study abroad experience was the best educational experience I’ve had so far.
Living in the relatively secluded country of Australia, often truly experiencing and understanding the culture and way of life of others can be a challenge. During my time at Shanghai University, I had the pleasure of becoming friends with students from every area of the earth, which enriched my cultural understanding and ability to be an international person, which I feel is becoming an increasingly important requirement in the modern world.
It was a unique opportunity to immerse myself in the Chinese culture to improve my language skills and to forge lasting friendships. The internationally diverse community at Fudan University was the highlight of my trip. Besides Chinese friends, I met people from all over the world including Russia, Italy, Zimbawe, Kazakhstan, Peru and many other places. From studying abroad, you really do not only become more culturally aware, but also more mature as an individual.’
This scholarship was truly an experience I will never forget and gave me the opportunity to discover more about the world and myself.’
SCHOLARSHIPS TO CHINA Five Year 12 students have been offered a Confucius Institute Scholarship to study at some of the most prestigious universities in China in 2016. This is the fourth year in a row that CGS has
had students awarded this scholarship, an achievement which is unprecedented. Congratulations go to: Dominic Harvey Taylorn Shanghai Fudan University
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Alex Maleganeas Peking University Ivan Ip Hubai University Jack Madew Renmin University of China
Joseph Hall-Lomax Shanghai International Studies University Well done to all the recipients.
SENIOR SCHOOL VENTURES TO CHINA During the Term 1 holidays this year, 14 students along with Mr Hassall, Ms Rock and Ms Trinh embarked on what would be a journey of a lifetime. After a long flight, the CGS contingent arrived at 4:00am Beijing time and navigated the peak hour traffic to arrive at Beijing National Day School to meet the families that would be playing host. One of the aims of the China trip was to present students with an opportunity to immerse themselves in an Asian culture and to experience what it was like to live in China. The boys said ‘it was very different, like nothing that we’ve ever known before’, and that ‘living in a two bedroom apartment 30 floors high, eating rice with chopsticks and drinking hot milk is something that we’ll never forget’. The Beijing National Day School sits on grounds less than half the size of Canberra Grammar School, but is attended by 5,000 students each day. To cater for the size of the student body, the School’s buildings tower to six stories high and include underground classrooms. At the School, students were able to experience a routine that requires
outstanding work ethic. Lessons started at 8:00am and finished at 5:30pm, with only a one hour break, followed by more study in the evenings. Outside of the school, students were able to visit some spectacular sites in Beijing such as the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace. The journey then continued to Zhangjiajie, a city of four million people that somehow remains green, followed by a trip to Tianzi Mountain where the group waited for five hours for a one minute ride on the elevator to see the scenic view. Despite the wait, the group said the ride was ‘nothing short of superb’.
is often referred to as the most beautiful city in China because of its numerous gardens and canals. The group were also fortunate to visit the Shanghai Bund to view the Pudong Business District at night. As they boarded the plane back to Sydney, the boys said that, while they may have been glad to be returning home, they had also left a little bit of themselves behind in China.
The adventures then continued to Shanghai for a short rest break, followed by a visit to Suzhou, which
PRIMARY SCHOOL STAFF EXPLORE CHINA AND SISTER SCHOOLS In April 2015, the Year 6 teachers, the Junior School Chinese teacher and the Head of Primar y School travelled to China as part of the Primar y School’s Education for the Asian Centur y Development Plan. This plan involves the implementation and development a co-teaching approach to the deliver y of Chinese that includes not just the learning of a language but also understanding of culture through authentic learning experiences. The itinerar y included a visit to Beijing National Day School (CGS’s sister school), and also a visit to a group of schools which CGS has a developing relationships with in Guangzhou. Teachers had the opportunity to gain an insight into the education system in China, share their
expertise, and participate in discussions with teachers and parents about how to achieve the best outcomes for students. Teachers were also able to travel to key destinations in China, and the itinerary was devised with the Year 6 students’ assistance with challenges set for the teachers to complete! Challenges included making purchases, eating scorpions, taking a photo at the Shaolin Monastery and much more. The experience has proved to be very rewarding and has presented the chance to engage CGS students at home through first-hand stories and experiences.
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CHAPEL OF CHRIST THE KING CELEBRATES 50 YEARS The Chapel of Christ the King was completed and dedicated in August 1965. Earlier makeshift chapels had served the School well but the determination of Mr Paul McKeown, Headmaster for 27 years, encouraged enthusiastic fund-raising for the innovative design to be brought to reality. That determination was grounded in the original vision of Canon Edwards, that a Canberra Grammar education should be broad, encompassing strong intellectual growth with physical and social development. The spiritual dimension of being human completes that wholeness and breadth and remains, in the mind of some, the binding element in any education of the whole person. The 50th anniversary of that dedication offered a perfect opportunity to remind ourselves of the centrality of the Chapel, where the School gathers daily and to which alumni return for baptisms, weddings and farewells. Of course, attitudes have changed over those 50 years as has the structure of the Chapel itself. Yet some things are constant and unchanging. The celebration was joyous, beginning with a revival of the ancient tradition of ‘beating the bounds’. We walked
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around the perimeter of the School, making a noise and the boarders marking our territory with the sticks they carried, bishops, clergy and former chaplains joining the procession in their robes. A celebratory Eucharist followed, a thanksgiving to God and a statement of unity for the community. And the celebration continued in the Quad with a lamb spit-roast, and many commented on the wonderful mood of the day. Of course, such occasions are not simply a longing look into history. They are a statement about the present. If history is identity, this was very evident in the fiftieth anniversary celebration, where the ‘school in the grounds of the chapel’ embraced again that reality – for the next 50 years.
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PEER SUPPORT IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Compassion is a quality that CGS greatly values and nurtures in our students. Our young people come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and at Canberra Grammar School we aspire to instill a sense of ‘giving back’; an attitude of care and understanding, genuine empathy and guidance from young people who are keen to make their own contributions to the world from around them. In the Primary School, Year 6 Peer Support Leaders assist on the Southside and Northside campuses, serving as mentors and role-models and helping the younger students to navigate playtime challenges. They also spend time in the classrooms, collaborating with teachers and playing an active role in their buddies’ learning. The little ones love having their mentors around,
and this allows the Year 6 Peer Leaders to gain a better understanding of what it means to help others. CGS Year 6 Students are able to engage in a range of student leadership opportunities across the course of the year, including Sports, Information and Technology, Arts and the Environment.
PIERRE DE COUBERTIN & LONG TAN AWARD Daniel Smart has been awarded the prestigious 2015 Pierre de Coubertin Award to celebrate Olympic Spirit, and the ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Award. He was awarded the Pierre De Coubertin Award, which is endorsed by the Australian Olympic Committee, for displaying the Olympic ideals of fair play and sportsmanship. Daniel was specifically nominated for his per formance in rowing, weight lifting, Rugby Union and Dragon Boating. Daniel was also awarded the Long Tan Award for demonstrating leadership and teamwork within both the School and the broader local community. He was presented this award for his ongoing commitment to the leadership of Garran House, his enduring values and commitment to his faith. Despite significant personal setbacks during the year, Daniel was able to rise above adversity and display his true spirit and determination. 24 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
PRIMARY SCHOOL CONTINUING TO EXCEED STANDARDS The CGS Primary School has now had three services rated as ‘exceeding’ the National Quality Framework (NQF). In addition in 2015, the ELC and Pre-K at Southside and Northside have progressed to achieve the ‘excellence’ rating, the highest possible rating under the framework. One of CGS’s strongest programmes, ‘Bush School’, played an integral part in achieving the rating. The programme encourages children and their families to spend time together in the near by bushland, helping to increase children’s resilience and fitness, and develop a strong appreciation of the fragility of their surrounding environment.
We see our children as eager explorers; they have an intense desire to make sense of the world around them. We nurture their sense of wonder and endeavour to look at the world through them not for them. Unhurried and unstructured time to play using all of the senses allow our children to respond to their surrounds and foster their creativity.’
The NQF’s rating process has been reported to be especially rigorous. It requires evidence be presented in order to prove quality in the following areas: care, management, physical environment, learning and teaching and community involvement.
This is a significant achievement and acknowledges the exceptional standard of education and care Canberra Grammar School is providing, it also reflects the School’s commitment to improving outcomes for the students and families. Within the ACT, only 23% of ser vices have been rated as the ‘exceeding’ level, so this rating can give parents the reassurances that their children are receiving quality care throughout the whole day.
Head of Primar y School, Ms Rosalie Reeves, said that ‘this rating is a testament of the staff’s commitment to ongoing reflection, their partnerships with parents and their openness to learning alongside our children.
‘WE SEE OUR CHILDREN AS EAGER EXPLORERS; THEY HAVE AN INTENSE DESIRE TO MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM.’
PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN CELEBRATE 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL In August this year, the children in Pre-School celebrated their first 100 days of their education journey with a wonderful day of stories about bears, making butter, and preparing honey sandwiches to share as a part of the teddy bear picnic. It was a day of celebration, with staff having a terrific experience spending time with the youngest of the students.
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CHESS CONTINUES TO EXCEL Joining in Term 1, Chess Master (with a rating of around 2,400) Mr Endre Ambrus, has worked with the players to teach them how to improve various components of the game, how to play more skilfully and give them a competitive edge. Endre’s arrival has resulted in the addition of an extra chess session each week, giving the students more chance to refine their abilities. All of the changes have had positive results with CGS taking 1st place in the Allegro Boot Camp and tournament. In the Westfield Chess Challenge, CGS placed 1st as a team and took the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th place individual trophies. Finally, In the South Canberra Open, CGS teams took 1st and 3rd place trophies.
On the weekend of 5-6 December, students of the CGS Junior School Chess Team, Joshua Lee (Year 6), Elliott Lee (Year 5), A.J. Fraser (Year 6), and Lachlan Ho (Year 4), travelled to Melbourne High School to participate in the Australian Schools Team Chess Competition where they placed 3rd. A particularly outstanding performance was given by Lachlan Ho who received the top score for Board 4 in the Primary Open Division. Well done to the boys for their hard work, to Mr David Messina for coaching the students, and to the parents who accompanied and supported the team. Congratulations!
Congratulations to all of the members of the Senior School Chess Club. At the end of Term 3, the Senior School Chess Team Captain, Shane Arora, organised the Chess Captain’s Cup to be held in Quad. The amazing event was held over two lunches and showcased the skill of CGS’s chess players, drawing even more interest for 2016.
CGS OLD BOY AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS GOLF SCHOLARSHIP Harry Bolton, who recently joined the ranks of the 2014 CGS Alumni and was a first-year graduate of the CGS IB programme was offered a prestigious scholarship to the Newberry College in South Carolina. He had over 65 offers to choose from, but after actively pursuing golf while at CGS, he decided that taking the scholarship at Newberry would open up the best opportunities in the future. 26 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
CGS TURNS PINK FOR BREAST CANCER RESEARCH Canberra Grammar School donned pink beanies for the day in support of breast cancer research. This day has continued the tradition of the past two years where the boys have also worn pink socks and ties. A record 2,000 beanies have been purchased this year in support of the event with an expected $8,000 being raised for the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA). The CGS initiative has become larger than just a School event over the past years, with pink beanies being purchased by members of the wider Canberra community and being spotted in Manuka and Woden. With 14,000 women and 130 men diagnosed with breast cancer each year, this cause is one close to the students’ hearts. In addition to raising money for the BCNA, the day is a chance to show support for members of the CGS community and wider Canberra community who have been affected by breast cancer.
CGS RAISES MONEY TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES AFTER DEVASTATING DISASTERS
‘A RECORD 2,000 BEANIES HAVE BEEN PURCHASED THIS YEAR IN SUPPORT OF THE EVENT.’
As a part of the international and local response to the Nepalese Earthquake, CGS donated $700 to the Nepalese co-ordination committee of Canberra and Queanbeyan as well as 50 sleeping bags and 15 tents. These donations were made by Primary School families and were received with much appreciation. CGS thanks all of the CGS community, families and Ms Nayni Wing and Ms Punam Panta who assisted in the co-ordination efforts for the School.
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PRIMARY SCHOOL CAMPUS RENEWAL PROJECT ANNOUNCED After many months of consultation and preparation, Canberra Grammar School was delighted to announce the launch of the Primary School Campus Renewal Project earlier this year. The new Primary School Master Plan maps a way towards a more modern and sustainable campus in the years ahead, and continues to build on the School’s commitment to improving and developing its campus. ‘Those who experience the Primary campus at Red Hill each day know what a wonderfully warm community it supports, but they’ll also know about some of the issues we have with road and building access. Schools aren’t all about buildings, but good buildings and good campuses help!’ said Dr Garrick, Head of School. Starting with the first round of changes to Alexander Street and to the main Southside building which began in Term 3. The Plan envisages the exciting remodeling of the John Lingard Hall and, ultimately, with support for the CGS Foundation, the construction of a new facility modeled on the principles of discovery learning to replace a number of the current aging classroom blocks. Work has also commenced on renovating the current Southside building to provide brighter and fresher learning facilities, additional space for Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2, and better linkage to the rest of the Primar y School. As a consequence, we have been able to offer additional places at Southside for the start of 2016, providing scope for the future, and opening much needed entry points to the School between Pre-School and Year 3. The existing Music rooms have been converted to classrooms with a number of the other rooms refurbished and reconfigured to provide a new open learning and reception space at the heart of the Southside building. There will also be a new entrance to Southside from the landing outside the John Lingard Hall. The Southside playground will be extended towards the Health Clinic and International Centre, and the back patio will be redeveloped.
‘EVERYONE IN THE CGS COMMUNITY IS WARMLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE OPENING OF THE SOUTHSIDE BUILDING AT THE WHOLE SCHOOL FAMILY PICNIC EARLY IN 2016.’
For more information on the Primary School Campus Renewal Project, visit CGS.ACT.EDU.AU
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ATOMIC LANDSCAPE EXHIBITION In May this year, CGS teacher and artist, Mr David Hodges, created his stunning exhibition entitled ‘Atomic Landscapes’. David said that his inspiration came from visiting the South Coast of NSW regularly where he would draw and paint views and landforms.
David said that ‘familiarity with these places has changed the way I work with and see the landscape’. The exhibition focuses on the traditional conventions of a ‘view’, but have been supplemented with the need to express and record patterns of scale including the subtle and microscopic veins of quartz in a tiny pebble or a worn shell. Many of the artworks have also combined several views into a single painting, relating an experience of a place as if it were a memory which was fragmented and disjointed. David continued to say that ‘my practise is a vehicle to explore, question and test the world. It provides me with a lens to engage and relate to the patterns and similarities of a place – a landscape of particles, an Atomic Landscape.’
‘FAMILIARITY WITH THESE PLACES HAS CHANGED THE WAY I WORK WITH AND SEE THE LANDSCAPE.’
2015 DEBATING RE-CAP Debating started strong in 2015 with a squad of 14 teams taking part in the ACT Debating Union’s Year 7-12 Competitions. The competition was against schools from all across the Canberra Region, and despite tough adversaries, CGS have had four teams progress to the finals in their respective rounds. In May 2015, the annual Kitchen Tyrrel Debates took place with the Year 9s debating the topic that ‘we regret the cultural ideas of superheroes’ and taking the negative, while the Year 12s took the affirmative on the topic that ‘Canberra, as the nation’s capital, has failed to epitomise and symbolise the national character’. After two ver y intellectually heated yet witty debates, CGS is proud 30 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
to announce that both trophies have rightfully returned to the CGS trophy cabinet. This year CGS was also invited to participate in the inaugural TtEDSC Debating Competition which saw teams from well-respected debating schools all across Australia come together via video conferencing to debate the ‘big issues’. This year we have three teams entered in the
competition and at this stage we have been victorious in our Year 12s debate against Ivanhoe Grammar and our Year 10s debate against PLC Armidale. This has been a unique and exciting project for the boys, and the potential expansion of the competition-by-video only brings more opportunities.
STUDENTS CREATE INNOVATION IN ICT Young ICT Explorers is a national ICT competition run in five locations around the country, including Canberra. The competition involves creating a project involving ICT and demonstrating it at a local judging day. Similar to a science fair, students decorate and pitch their projects in an assigned booth to three judges. CGS had all different forms of projects being presented including iOS, Android and Firefox OS apps, websites and complex ideas for future projects. CGS had another successful year in the competition, with seven teams bringing home prizes.
Year 9 and 10 category • Merit award – Thomas Faulder and Timothy Muya for their project ‘Earth Scan’ • 3rd – Alex Malone and Shayan Rasaratnam for their project ‘epicerie’; and • 2nd – Damian Camilleri and Jaxon Kneipp for ‘WaterWhere’. Also, congratulations to Rory Wade and his team, who entered the competition with their Robotics Club, and for placing 1st in the Year 9 - 10 category with their advanced robotics knowledge. Additionally, on Wednesday 25 November all winning teams from CGS had the opportunity to demonstrate their projects at Parliament House to Federal Ministers, MPs, and Senators as part of a Coding and Innovation Bootcamp organised by Intel Australia. The students were very fortunate to have an opportunity to speak with the leaders of our country, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, about their projects and the importance of coding within schools.
Year 7 and 8 category • Merit award – Angus Mailer for his project Pet Care • Equal 3rd – Andrew Liang and Nic Barclay with their project Code Helper and Ujjwal Thakran with his project Survival; and • 1st – Jack Carey with his project Mail Alert, and because Jack placed first in his categor y he represented CGS at the National Young ICT Explorers finals in Sydney.
BETTER MUSIC GUITAR AWARDS RECOGNISE TALENT At the recent Guitar Fiesta, all three CGS Guitar Orchestras performed brilliantly, with the concert culminating in a finale of over 50 guitarists. The annual Guitar prize, provided by local business Better Music was also presented.
The Managing Director, Mr Greg Soulsby (left) attended to present a professional Katoh classical guitar to the 2015 winner, Year 6 student Noah Gorrell (right). The prize is awarded to a guitar student who is involved in the nationally renowned CGS Guitar Orchestra program and who displays potential and dedication to his musical development. CGS is thankful for the support given by Greg and his team.
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 31
CGS ALUMNI REUNION The Reunion Weekend was a huge success with over 200 Alumni attending various functions and events. The weekend gave all Old Boys, regardless of peer year, an opportunity to reconnect with fellow class mates and Canberra Grammar School. Saturday 30 May began with the 1995 (20 Year Out) Reunion Luncheon in the CGS Galler y. It was well attended by over 40 guests. It was a beautiful winter day and as such gave the Old Boys a great excuse to continue the celebrations at the Main Oval to watch the CGS 1st XV take on St Edmunds College in the Rugby. Saturday night saw over 200 Old Boys and partners attend 3 separate reunions in Canberra. The National Portrait Galler y was host to the annual OBA Reunion Dinner, while at the same time the 2005 (10 Year Out) Reunion was being held at The UniPub in the City, and the 1975 (40 Year Out) Reunion was at the Commonwealth Club in Yarralumla. The 2015 Reunion Weekend had the highest attendance in many years. It is hoped that 2016 can top this, yet again. The Old Boys’ Association AGM was held at the National Portrait Galler y prior to the dinner on Saturday 30 May and was attended by 17 Old Boys. Following a lengthy process, a unanimous vote resulted in the OBA making the difficult decision to cease operating into the future and to pass administration of Old Boys’ activities to the come of the School’s Community Development Office (see page 34).
32 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
‘OVERALL, THE OBA REUNION WEEKEND WAS A GREAT OCCASION WITH MANY STORIES, LAUGHS AND MEMORIES SHARED BY ALL.’ On Sunday 31 May, approximately 30 Old Boys attended a Chapel Ser vice followed by morning tea in The Snow Centre. This was a great opportunity to take a tour of the School and see what has changed in the years since the Old Boys had last visited. Overall, the Reunion Weekend was a great occasion with many stories, laughs and memories shared by all.
IN MEMORY
PHILLIP ARTHUR ALSTON
IRWIN PROWSE
Phillip, who graduated in 1947 sadly passed away on 5 April 2015 aged 85 years old.
Irwin was a beloved member of the CGS community, the oldest member of the Vintage Club, and became a student at CGS on its founding day of 1929 as student number 32. He sadly passed away at 100 years old on 17 August 2015.
ARTHUR POWELL KENYON AM Arthur was a great friend of the CGS community, and father to an Old Boy. Arthur served on the Board of Management from 1973 to 1982 and sat on a variety of sub-committees. He sadly passed away on 5 July 2015 at 89 years old.
VALE EDWARD MCGOVERN HAY Ed was a beloved former School Captain, sportsman, Old Boy and member of the CGS community. He sadly passed away on 20 July 2015 aged 65 years old.
Throughout his time at the School, Irwin received not only many academic prizes, but was a high performer across a number of sports, including Athletics, Football and Hockey – even playing a game of Rugby in the snow. After leaving the School, Irwin joined the public service and also served in the Army from 1939 to 1944 in the Middle East and New Guinea as a part of the 2/6 Australian Field Regiment. He then rejoined the public service on his return home and shortly after married his wife, Joyce Shelton. Retiring in 1979, Irwin was a long loved member of the CGS community and the boys always looked forward to seeing him regularly at events.
PETER MENZIES Peter graduated in 1971 and sadly passed away on 6 February 2015 aged 62 years old.
CR FERGUS THOMSON OAM Fergus who graduated in the class of 1962, sadly passed away on 24 July 2015 aged 69 years old.
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 33
CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL OLD BOYS DECISION OF MEMBERS AT THE 2015 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ––– Members were notified that at the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Canberra Grammar School Old Boys Association on 30 May 2015, they would be asked to consider and make a decision on two Special Resolutions. Notification was undertaken in a number of ways. Members who have a current postal address registered with CGS were notified in a flyer in the CGS Outlook Magazine posted on 8 May 2015. A Notice also appeared on the CGS Alumni and Old Boys’ website and in the Canberra Times on 9 May 2015. On 5 May 2015, a notice was also sent by email to all members for whom the School had current email addresses. The Special Resolutions moved at the AGM on 30 May 2015 were: 1. That in satisfaction of the objects of the Association and in particular, the purpose set out clause 2A 2.d. of the Association’s Constitution, namely to assist in the education of the children of former students of the School and such others as the Committee may from time to time think fit, it is resolved that, after paying out all expenses and debts of the Association, any remaining funds of the Association be gifted to the Canberra Grammar School Foundation Limited (ACN 008 549 880) (“the Foundation”) pursuant to a Deed of Gift which is to: I. provide for the Foundation to hold the funds as part of the Canberra Grammar School Foundation Scholarship Trust and require the funds to be utilised on the basis set out in the Deed of Gift; and II. be negotiated, and entered into on behalf of the Association, by the Committee and on such terms the Committee deems most appropriate in satisfaction of the object and purposes of the Association. 2. That following the payment of the expenses and debts and the gifting of the funds as specified in Resolution 1: I. the Association cease to further operate; and II. the Committee, on behalf of the Association, to advise the ACT Registrar General of that cessation. From March 2015, information about the background to these Resolutions was made available to all members on the CGS Website. On 16 March 2015, members were notified in both the Australian and Canberra Times newspapers and on the CGS Alumni website about arrangements for consultation on the proposed resolutions to be held at CGS on 31 March 2015. The consultation was arranged to provide an opportunity, prior to the AGM, for the Committee to provide detailed information to and consult and seek input from members on the proposed resolutions. I now advise that at the AGM, members who attended and those who voted by proxy voted unanimously to approve these special resolutions. As a result, the OBA Committee will now be working to implement these decisions. Stewart Ellis President June 2015
DON’T FORGET TO RSVP BY VISITING CGSALUMNI.ORG.AU
ALUMNI DATES FOR DIARY 2016 For full event details, please visit cgsalumni.org.au
27 FEB
25 APR
3 JUL
21 OCT
London Reunion
ANZAC Day Dawn Service
Hong Kong AEAS Expo and Reunion
CGS former Staff Reunion
19 MAR
28 & 29 MAY
Melbourne Reunion
CGS Alumni Reunion Weekend
2 APR CGS Fete
34 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
17 & 18 JUN Wagga Boarding Expo and CGS Function
4 NOV Vintage Club Reunion
SHAPING OUR FUTURE
GREAT SCHOOLS DON’T JUST HAPPEN At Canberra Grammar School, we are only able to offer the opportunities and exceptional facilities our students enjoy because of the support of many generations of CGS families and alumni. Now you can help to shape the future of our School by becoming part of the CGS Foundation.
THE CGS FOUNDATION SUPPORTS: SCHOLARSHIPS Providing opportunities for students who excel, regardless of their background. FACILITIES RENEWAL PROJECTS Including the Primary Campus Renewal Project that is currently underway to upgrade our Primary School facilities. TRANSFORMATIVE BUILDING PROJECTS The Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century shows what is possible when an inspiring ambition for a new approach to education meets visionary generosity.
YOUR OPPORTUNITY Become part of a passionate and engaged group of like-minded alumni, parents and CGS community members. For more information, contact the CGS Foundation office on 6260 9665.
CGSFOUNDATION.ORG.AU
SHAPING OUR FUTURE
OUR 2015 SUPPORTERS
CGS FOUNDATION PATRON Mr Terry Snow
CGS FOUNDATION BENEFACTORS Mrs Susan* and Mr Ken Cooper
Mr Peter Hazlehurst
Anonymous (2)
CGS FOUNDATION MEMBERS Mrs Hermina and Mr Daryl Blaxland Mrs Thea De Salis Mrs Louise Clegg and Mr Angus Taylor Mr Derek Jory Mrs Georgina and
Mr David Gazard Mrs Wendy and Mr Vivian King Mr Robert Mark Mr Graham Matthews Mrs Helen and Dr Simon McCredie
Mrs Karen and Mr Stephen Byron Ms Dharini Ganesan Raju and Dr Justin Garrick Mr Dennis Milin Mrs Janny and Mr Hugh Poate
Mr Irwin Prowse* Dr Lynne and Dr Tony Tonks Mr Dino Augusto Vido Mrs Heather and Dr Samuel Whittle
Mrs P and Mr T Hill Dr E Ho Mr P Ho Mr D A Hodges Mrs S Huang Mrs Z Hu Mr A Hunt Mr M Iliff Mrs C and Mr R Ingram Mr T Ireland Ms N Jackson Mrs J Jobson Ms C Johnstone Ms P Johnstone Mr A Jones Mr D Jory Mr B Junk-Gibson Mrs S and Mr E Kalenjuk Ms K Kaur Mr M Kendall Mrs J Kenny Mr M Kerrisk Ms B Kilcullen Mrs S Kilmartin Mrs W and Mr V King Mrs M Kingsford Mr M Lamb Dr R Landy Mrs R Lane Ms C Larcombe Mr R Lawrence Mr M D Leach Mr S Lee Mrs J Liang
Mrs K Lim Mrs J and Mr X Liu Mrs S Loder Mr C M Lord Love Family (James, Keith & Deidre) Mrs M and Mr B Lyristakis Mr P Madew Mr R B Mark Mr G Mansfield Mr G Matthews Mr A W Maude Mr G Mauldon Ms D May Mr A F May Mrs I and Mr A McColl Mrs E McCormack Mrs H and Dr S McCredie Mrs B Mellor Mrs B Middleton Mr D Milin Mr J Millyard Mr N Moss Old Boys Assoc Nikias Family (Dino, Dimitri & Constantine) Mr H J Notaras Mr B O’Reilly Ms R Page Mrs K Pandy Dr A A Pearson Dr S Pickard Mrs K Pittar
Anonymous (1)
CGS GIVING CLUB DONORS Mrs J Allen Mrs K M Allen Mr P A Alston Ms J Anderson Mr P Angelatos Ms M Ashton Mr A Attygalle Mr S Austin Mr D Baird Mrs J Bisa Mrs H and Mr D Blaxland Mr M Bowden Mr M Brandon-Baker Mrs K and Mr C Briese Mrs C Brighenti Dr H Brindley and Mr C Ward Mr W Burke and Dr G Cooper Mr S J and Mrs K Byron Mr G Cairns Mr H Charlesworth Ms B Clark Mrs L Clegg and Mr A Taylor Mr P Coggins Mr S Collins Mr K and Mrs S Cooper Dr G Cooper Mrs K and Mr M de Crespigny Mrs A Davis Mr P Dean Mr R Dean Mrs T de Salis
Mrs S and Dr J Dowden Dr C Droste Dr C Duggan Dr P English Mr D Evans and Dr R Landy Mrs T Farmer Ms C Fei Dr J A Garrick and Ms D Ganesan Raju Mrs K Garwood Mrs G and Mr D Gazard Col T and Mrs J Gellel Dr A Gibson Archdeacon J Gibson Ms P Gibson Mr A H Gidley-Baird Mr S Glassock Mr A N Goddard Mr S Goggs Ms S and Mr P Goodear Dr N Gorddard Mrs S Gosney Ms K Gowans Mrs J and Major E Grant Mr M Greentree Mrs R Gurney Cmdr D Harris Mr T Harrison Mr T Harper Mr D Harvey Dr C Hawkins and Dr D Yip Mr P Hazlehurst Mrs P Heldon Mrs K Hick
Donor details are listed as entered at time of donation. If you believe you have been omitted from this list, we apologise. Please contact us via foundation@cgs.act.edu.au. *Indicates a Foundation supporter who has since passed away. 36 | CGS Outlook | December 2015
‘I SET UP THIS SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE I WANTED TO ENCOURAGE KIDS WITH A PASSION FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND TO INSPIRE THEM TO ACHIEVE.’
Peter Hazlehurst, CGS Foundation Benefactor and Hazlehurst Science and Technology Scholarship Donor
‘WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS, CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL HAS THE CAPACITY TO BE THE MOST RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN AUSTRALIA.’
CGS Foundation Founder, Canberra Airport Owner and CGS Old Boy, Mr Terry Snow
Mr S Platis Mrs C Polglase Mrs A Purdy Mrs T and Mr R Ravishanker Dr C and Mr J Richards Dr S J Robson Ms K M Rock Mrs D and Mr P Rocks Mrs S Rodriguez Mr S J Rogers Mrs C Rotondo Mrs A and Mr J Sainty Mrs P Sampson Mr M Scott Mr R J Scott Mr S N Schiessl Mrs J L Seaborn Mr M and Mrs G Selepeng Mrs B Simkin Mr T Snow Mrs C and Mr I Spencer Mrs T Spooner Mr A Stewart Mr W Stanczew Mr M Steer Mrs L Steer Mrs C Stuart Mrs B and Dr R StuartHarris Mrs S Susa Ms L Taylor Mr D Templeman Mrs V Templeman Mr C Thomas Mr D J Thomas
Mr M Thompson Mr B M Thomson Mr Z H Tian Dr L and Dr T Tonks Mr B Topfer Mr A Tongue Mrs L and Mr G Tremopoulos Dr D and Mr D Tridgell Mrs C E Truman Dr N Tsai and Mrs C Huang Ms J Turbayne Mr W Vass Mrs D and Dr R Vertessy Dr S Vickers Mr D A and Mrs D S Vido Mrs N Volis Waddle Family (Holly, Michael & Logan) Dr A Wajdi Mr C Ward Mr D Wells Mrs A Welsh Miss E and Master K Welsh Mr D Westcombe Mr J Whalan Ms L White Mrs H and Dr S Whittle Mr S Wilde Dr F William Mr T Womack Mr W Wu Ms Y Xu Dr D Yip Ms P Yonge Anonymous (19)
‘WE GIVE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN WHAT CGS CAN ACHIEVE. IT’S A FANTASTIC SCHOOL AND WE’RE HAPPY THAT OUR SUPPORT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BOYS.’
CGS Foundation Members and donors, Daryl and Hermina Blaxland
CGS Outlook | December 2015 | 37
LAST MINUTE NEWS!
2015 YEAR 12 RESULTS Canberra Grammar School is delighted to congratulate the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) and International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme students of Year 12 2015 on an excellent set of results. Individual and subject per formances in the HSC this year were amongst the School’s ver y best over the past decade and they stand as tribute to the hard work and high aspirations of students and staff alike. Patrick Hendy, Jonathan Moore and James Treloar are to be congratulated on gaining placements in the top ten of the state for individual subjects and we congratulate nine students on gaining places on the All Round Achievers’ List for attaining over 90% in 10 or more of their units: Shane Arora, Sahil Chopra, Brendan Falk, Patrick Hendy, Ivan Ip, Kevin Jacob, Ryan Jeffreson, Joshua Martin and Stephen Melhuish. Likewise, we congratulate the School Captain, Brendan Falk, who was dux of the School’s HSC cohort with a superb overall result of 99.85. Once again this year, upper band results in the great majority of subjects were well beyond state percentages in Bands 5 and 6, with especially strong performances in the following subjects in which Band 6 percentages alone significantly exceeded the state percentages: •
Agriculture: 75% Band 6 compared with 7% for the state
•
Software Design and Development: 75% Band 6 compared with 8% for the state
•
Ancient History: 43% Band 6 compared with 8% for the state; and
•
Biology: 23% Band 6 compared with 6% for the state.
In addition, students taking Chemistry, Modern History, History Extension and General Mathematics attained at least triple the state percentage in Band 6, while Economics, Physics
and French Continuers students at least doubled the state percentage at Band 6. Efforts in English in recent years also saw a threefold increase in top level results in Advanced English. Schools taking the HSC under the New South Wales system do not receive ATARs and cannot therefore produce ATAR statistics. Nonetheless, as a non-selective school, Canberra Grammar School is especially proud that students gained 152 places on the HSC Honour Roll for top Band results. 98% of students will graduate with an ATAR. The School’s second cohort of IB students also performed exceptionally well. With an impressive median ATAR of 93.25, the School’s second ever group of IB students gained an average IB score of 35. This exceeds the Australian, Asia-Pacific and global averages for the IB and is exceptionally pleasing, especially for a non-selective cohort from across the academic spectrum of the School. 24% of the group attained IB scores of 40 or higher (equivalent to ATARs above 98), while 64% of students attained IB scores equivalent to ATARs above 90, and 88% gained ATARs above 85. We are particularly pleased to congratulate Nicolas Guesnon, who was dux of the IB cohort with an exceptional IB score of 44 and an ATAR of 99.85, making him co-dux of 2015. Taken together, the students’ IB and HSC results in 2015 represent historically high performance for the School, with around 25% of the combined HSC/IB year group receiving ATARsover 95, the highest proportion on record. We congratulate all boys once again and thank them for their great contribution to the life of the School.
T +61 (2) 6260 9700 E community@cgs.act.edu.au 40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill ACT 2603 CGS.ACT.EDU.AU CIRCOS Provider No 00580G