Altitude | Autumn 2023

In the spirit of reconciliation, The Moreton Bay Colleges’ acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land upon which our Colleges stand, the the YUGGERA (Yoo-ger-a) and the YUGAMBEH (Yoog-am-bear). We respectfully acknowledge the QUANDAMOOKA (Qwon-da-moo-ka) people of Moreton Bay, the NGUGI (Noo-gi), the NOONUCCAL (New-nuckle) and the Goenpul (Ku-wan-pal) peoples and their deep spiritual connections to the islands and waters. We thank them for the care they have continued to show the earth and sea over thousands of years. In doing so, we pay our respects to their elders, past and present.

Our Two Colleges artwork was a joint project with The Moreton Bay Colleges and Quandamooka Artists Delvine 'Cockatoo' Collins.

Gubiyija - To Grow

Mr Richard Henry | CEO and Executive Principal Moreton Bay College and Moreton Bay Boys' College

At the end of 2022, a beautiful piece of art representing the Moreton Bay Colleges was created by students, parents and teachers. The collaborative artwork encapsulates the earlier version of our Vision – Two Colleges, One Community. The title, Gubiyiya, speaks to our basic tenet as an educational institution. That is, to listen, to learn, to grow. Creating the Gubiyiya art piece, our collaboration with First Nations artist, Delvene Cockatoo Collins, was an incredible learning journey for many people and was a significant moment in my life. Throughout the creative process, it was highlighted how important it is for us to know our past before we can look to the future. The artwork is the inspiration for the theme of our new Strategic Plan collateral, which has recently been launched.

Our 2023-27 Strategic Plan outlines a new Vision for the Moreton Bay Colleges – “An inspiring and nurturing learning community which empowers students to be future-ready global citizens”. The new Strategic Plan focuses on the learner and provides not only the Vision but also our Purpose, as well as the elucidation of our Values. The five Core Priorities: Learning, Wellbeing, Sustainability, Environment and Community; are underpinned by 24 unique goals. Together, this encapsulates the framework for a continual process of improvement and brings a holistic view to advancing our students. Our College leadership teams are well underway in developing and implementing key initiatives that will see us achieve our goals.

With respect to the Vision, the Colleges have appointed an external consultant to guide us in the development of a global citizenship charter. The aim of this charter is to implement a more intentional approach to global citizenship across the Colleges.

In addition, the Moreton Bay Colleges has engaged architectural consultants, Novum, to lead us through a Master Building Plan process over the next few months. A Master Building Plan is a document that captures the long-term conceptual design of learning spaces and will provide direction for our future growth and development. Our Master Building Plan will make the connection between our facilities, communal areas and the surrounding environments with respect to the Core Priorities of our Strategic Plan. Novum will engage with the Moreton Bay Colleges community in a process of consultation, the outcome of which will be a new Master Building Plan for MBC and an updated plan for MBBC.

Our combined Colleges artwork, Gubiyiya, encapsulates the importance of knowing and respecting our past while we are growing into our future. The Strategic Plan and the Master Building Plan will provide clear sight of the path we are taking and I look forward to walking that path with you as we empower our students to be future-ready global citizens.

Foundation DayCheers to 20 Years

Mr Andrew Holmes | Principal

Friday 26 May this year will be a momentous day in the life of the College, as we celebrate our 20th birthday with the annual Foundation Day Service and celebrations. It is always a special occasion when we can connect as a whole school community and reflect on the journey of Moreton Bay Boys’ College from humble beginnings in 2003 to what is now a dynamic and vibrant community.

Foundation Day is when we celebrate the official opening of the College. On the 28 May in 2004, the then State Minister for Education, Anna Bligh, officially opened the school – the newest all-boys school to open in Brisbane for over 60 years. Recent events such as the P&F Cocktail Party and the ANZAC Day Service suggest that there is a real sense of community and belonging at MBBC. This year, we celebrate 20 years since the establishment of Moreton Bay Boys’ College, way back in 2003 when the land, originally a strawberry farm, was sold to the Colleges by the Uniting Church for one dollar.

The College community is excited to be celebrating this special milestone event, taking the time to reflect on the past and recognise the progress and achievements we have made as a community over time. It also provides an opportunity to welcome back former staff, founding parents, and the Old Boys who, over the College’s history, have contributed to what has become an outstanding independent school for boys. It is a College that truly believes in the limitless potential of each young man and the Old Boys are testament that you don’t just attend MBBC, you belong.

Throughout the year, we will be taking a look back at all the elements that make our College the special place we all know it is, now complete with values, principles and traditions. We will be highlighting our successes, challenges, and evolution across a range of platforms in collaboration with our Archives Department and the Old Boys’ Association – now a healthy cohort of over 400 young men making their mark in the world.

Of course, a school is more than just it’s student population and we recognise the need to give everyone the chance to join in the birthday celebrations for Moreton Bay Boys’ College. On Saturday 27 May, the College will host a twilight festival that promises to be the highlight of the year – inviting the Moreton Bay College community, parents, current and past staff, and friends to join in with the celebrations.

This event will provide an opportunity for our talented musicians and dancers from across both Colleges to entertain you with their amazing performances. We will have bouncing castles, inflatable runs, food trucks, and will finish off with an awe-inspiring laser show, lighting up our beautiful campus. This event will be a day of celebration, energy, colour and fun, and provide our community with the opportunity to connect with others, to share experiences and form lasting memories.

I am inspired and humbled to be part of an incredible, supportive and caring environment, and as we say ‘Cheers to 20 Years’, I hope you are able to reflect on what an extraordinary College community we have – one that inspires, nurtures and empowers your son to flourish.

Left: Prime Minister visit Opening of Library Extension.

Above: Principal Paul Teys and Minister Anna Bligh official Opening of College

Favourite Memories from 20 Years of Moreton Bay Boys' College

One of my fondest memories would be our first graduating class. The Class of 2010 – these boys were our very first Captains from Year 10 all the way through to Year 12. They were so proud to be our inaugural MBBC Old Boys. They showed character and servant leadership and were true ambassadors for MBBC, and still are.

I guess my most vivid memories involve the boys – their growth into wonderful young men and their involvement in myriad activities. I was very privileged to have shared some of their journey.

I enjoyed watching them compete doggedly in sport, sing courageously in front of audiences, play music with enjoyment, and excel at debating, drama, design

and art. I have memories of watching their faces as they entered the new Library for the first time. I especially remember watching with pride the bell ringer leading the Year 12 cohort out for the last time.

I have memories of the colour and joy of Easter parades, Book Week parades, ANZAC Day marches, mountain biking fun, Carnival Day madness, camp experiences, overseas tours, Year 12 formals and so many others. I remember every boy treading in a bucket of paint and walking across a giant canvas to record their footprints to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the College!

When I first started at MBBC in 2005, we only had four buildings in the whole school! The Office and Library were where the Year 1 classrooms are now, and we had assembly in the undercroft under C Block where the Music Rooms are now. It was very cold in Winter and Dr Crouch, our Principal, played guitar for Chapel and Assembly.

As a small school the staff wore many hats. As a Year 1 teacher, I attended the Duke of Edinburgh camps, including one sailing to Stradbroke Island then hiking the beach. Spending quality time off campus with the Seniors, who were the College Captains for 4 years, was a highlight.

Mrs Lesley Cosgrove 2008 - Present

Mr Tony Wood 2012 – 2019

Mrs Alex Givney 2005 – Present

2011 Cool companions

2007 Prime Minister visit opening library extension

Sports Hall

2007 Garden and nature refuge

2007 Working in the Garden

2017 Tree planting

Principal Paul Teys, Minister Anna Bligh and Dr Alexander Dunlop (son of Sir E. Edward 'Weary' Dunlop) - official Opening of College

Moreton Bay Boys' College Opening Soon

Strawberry fields

Strawberry fields

2003 Preschool and Grade 1

2003 Preschool and Grade 1

2011 Cool companions

2012 Spanish Song Festival

2007 Working in the Garden

2015 Mountain Track Opening

Nature Inquiry

Mr Richard Curtis | Head of Primary Mrs Bailey Lee | Early Years Student Wellbeing Coordinator

Spending time in nature enhances educational outcomes by improving children’s academic performance, focus, behaviour and love of learning. Parenting expert, Maggie Dent, says, “Basically, our children learn almost everything they need to know about life through play, from physical coordination, decision-making and problem solving to empathy and social and emotional skills.”

(Maggie Dent, 2017)

It has been an exciting time for our College community to watch our students engage in their new nature inquiry space, purposely built to improve wellbeing, and ultimately, academic performance. Our new Strategic Plan has a stronger emphasis on wellbeing, which is exciting and imperative in today's world.

Our staff have been engaging with an advisor on ways to improve wellbeing for our students. Opportunities for more play and being in nature are a high priority. Maggie Dent says, “We need to prioritise play, especially in this world where a tsunami of screens has massively changed the way we interact with each other, learn and engage.” (Maggie

Dent, 2017)

Our older students also benefit from being in these natural spaces where there is an outdoor classroom and tranquil breakout spaces to utilise. Exploration and discovery through outdoor experiences can promote motivation to learn. Young students are biologically wired to move, and they need exploratory movement, which helps with self-regulation. Movement makes children healthier on all levels. According to research, naturebased learning is associated with reduced aggression and fewer discipline problems. We are grateful to the P&F and others for gifting Moreton Bay Boys’ College with the nature inquiry zones, and we look forward to embarking on phase 2 at the end of the year.

When welcoming guests to our College through Tours or Open Days, the topic of nature play and inquiry often comes up in conversations. There are many reasons that support our approach to this essential ingredient in a young man’s education.

Play is essential for the development of children in their Early Years of schooling, as it provides them with various benefits. Firstly, play enables children to engage with their surroundings

and discover new ideas, skills and concepts. By engaging in play, children develop a curiosity for learning, which drives their desire to explore and experiment.

In terms of MBBC’s Value of Engagement, play provides opportunities for children to actively participate and collaborate with their peers, enhancing their Engagement and fostering a sense of belonging. Through play, children can explore new challenges and work together to achieve shared goals, thus promoting Teamwork.

The Value of Care can be cultivated through play. As children engage in play, they learn to empathise with others, develop social skills, and understand how to communicate effectively. They also learn to be mindful of others' feelings and needs, thus promoting Care and respect for themselves and their peers.

Furthermore, Character development is enhanced through play. As children engage in play, they develop resilience, perseverance, and problem-solving skills, which are essential for Character development. These skills enable children to approach challenges with confidence and tenacity, promoting a positive attitude towards learning and personal growth.

Inquiry-based learning, as used in the Primary Years Programme (PYP), is an excellent complement to play-based learning. Inquirybased learning is a student-centred approach that encourages students to ask questions, explore, and discover knowledge independently. Through play, children can engage in inquiry-based learning, where they are encouraged to experiment, explore and take risks, thus promoting a deep understanding of the concepts they encounter.

In conclusion, play in the Early Years of schooling has numerous benefits, including promoting Engagement, Care, Character and Teamwork. The use of PYP inquiry learning alongside playbased learning further enhances these benefits by encouraging independent exploration and inquiry.

Make

Reference: Maggie Dent. (2017, April 27). Play & Nature Play - Maggie Dent https://www.maggiedent.com/common-concerns/play-nature-play/

College Captains of 2023 Reveal Plans for the Year

What made you want to become a College Captain?

Moreton Bay Boys’ College has nurtured me since Year 5 and one of the main reasons I wanted to become College Captain was to pay back and spread the lessons I’ve learnt throughout my previous years at the College to help build up other members of our community.

What do you want to achieve as College Captain?

As College Captain, I believe that while the big things look cool and make the most noise, it’s really the little things that matter. Being someone’s role model or helping a person when they’re struggling are actually really important and fundamental aspects to shaping a person’s character.

What made you want to become a College Captain?

I always aspired to be a positive influence within the lives of my peers and younger students and to lead the College that has fostered me for many years. Captaincy to me isn’t just wearing a badge but a form and platform of giving back; giving back in the sense of making a change within my community, representing my College proudly, and being a voice for the student body.

What do you want to achieve as College Vice-Captain?

Ideally, what I would like to achieve as a Captain is to further reinforce the College’s pride and culture; building a positive culture within the College community that boys are proud to be a part of. I want to encourage boys to always look out for their mates, and that speaking out isn’t weak but is instead one of the strongest things one can do

What made you want to become a College Captain?

I love to help people. I want to be the person that people go to when they cannot go to anyone else. I want to be someone that people look up to, whether that be for advice or even just to be someone who will listen.

What do you want to achieve as College Service Captain?

I would like to show my peers that, in most situations, it is up to you to put in the work to get where you want, and that once you truly strive for something almost nothing will be able to stop you. When you believe you deserve something, it is only up to you to achieve it.

Lachlan Hume | College Captain

Vinney Poral| College Vice-Captain

Rami Mfinanga| Service Captain

What made you want to become a College Captain?

The principal reason I chose to put my name forward for Cultural Captain was to improve. I want to improve Moreton Bay Boys’ College itself, to create a better experience for its students. At the same time, I want to challenge myself to improve my own integrity and my own commitment to my ideals.

What do you want to achieve as College Cultural Captain?

My goal is to create a more welcoming, balanced and supportive environment for everyone at the College. There are many advantages to attending MBBC; being such an intimate College there is a strong sense of mateship and connection. But there is always opportunity for growth and improvement.

What made you want to become a College Captain?

I have always admired leaders and wanted to follow in their footsteps since I was little. I’ve admired people like the legendary AFL player, Luke Hodge. Hodgey not only guided his side to victories in three of his four premiership games, but he assisted others to develop, and he always played with honour and a sense of club culture to mentor others.

What do you want to achieve as College Vice-Captain?

As Sports Captain for Moreton Bay Boys’ College, my goal is to encourage others to participate in activities that will teach them to ‘become comfortable with being uncomfortable’. This phrase has helped shape who I am today, and I want to share its meaning and the form of growth that it can produce with as many people as possible.

James Seymour | Cultural Captain

Matthew Robson| Sport Captain

Bay Beginnings –With wings we can fly

It was with much anticipation and excitement that we opened the first stage of our Bay Beginnings project. New, purpose-designed Kindergarten learning spaces, both inside and out, provided the catalyst for new discoveries, new wonderings and the start of a new journey for some of our youngest College children.

As the children gazed, looking out to the garden, the line from inside to out was blurred by the interconnected spaces that so seamlessly and beautifully blended together, bringing the inside learning space out and the outside space in.

Miss Carolyn Wilson Deputy Head of Primary (Early Learning)

With a strong ecology of play, our outside learning spaces carefully crafted by Wearthy, Early Years specialist, allowed the children to immerse themselves in nature. With natural materials, swirling pathways and climbing vegetation creating secluded play spaces, the children were invited to delve deeper into the open-ended play spaces. As they ventured outside for the very first time, they were met with subtle invitations to engage in sensory play, to create with others and to challenge themselves with the offering of risky play, along with spaces where they could ‘just be’ and soak up the owe and wonder of their new learning space. Standing prominent with pose, the Beacon structure inspired by an early pile lighthouse, the Moreton Bay Pile Light, provided the children with multiple climbing challenges, along with pockets of spaces to hide and transform.

Within a short space of time, the curved decking area became a meeting place for children, initiating a garden party for friends, with coloured transparent fabrics used as decorations hanging from the trees and bush tucker food collected from the garden offerings. The deck provided the perfect place for music, dance and stories and to meet new friends.

The discovery of trickling water in our creek bed provided an invitation to capture and transport water. The water became perfect for cooling feet on hot days and creating a trail of footprints for others to follow. Containers and hands became vessels for water filling and pouring, along with transporting water to the sandpit to create recipes like “minced garlic and cherry stew”!

The manipulation of loose parts enabled the children to change the direction of the water flow, by working together to connect pipes and tubes. Water also became an important resource for caring for the new plants and shrubs. Children engaged in deep discussions about how to look after their new space and began watering the plants, observing how they changed and grew. The discovery of broken branches initiated a plant hospital as the children carefully took them inside and researched how to further care for them. The children quickly grew a newfound respect for the natural world around them, including the insects and animals that transitioned through the space. On hot days, children offered containers of water for “drinks and baths” to the birds and insects, concerned they may not be able to access water.

The outside environment quickly became a haven for bug and insect hunts. The children looked under rocks and leaves and on the trunks of different trees, carefully observing and sharing their wonderings and theories, “I think that spider is making a web, how does it do that?” The discovery of a grasshopper initiated new vocabulary, as children noticed that the grasshopper was difficult to see when on green leaves, “it’s camouflaged”. The children discovered something interesting hanging off a leaf on a tree, “it’s like twirly and there is a pointy thing at the bottom. I can see a little hole in there. I can see some brown at the bottom”. “It’s a cocoon … a chrysalis,” sharing their prior knowledge. The children excitedly went on an adventure, looking under leaves high and low for a caterpillar. As they searched in the grass trees, they noticed something very special flying past, “a butterfly”, and following it they wondered, “Is it going to lay more eggs?”

Logs became the perfect seats for a movie. The Beacon pulley system provided the opportunity for the children to transport balls, rocks, leaves and equipment from one level to another. The scramble net was transformed into a games board for aiming balls and the bench has become a shop where children sell ice creams and cakes.

As children are offered space, time and opened-ended resources, it allows them to inquire, to discover, to create, construct and extend their theories and thinking.

“The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences” - Loris Malaguzzi.

Faith and Service Learning

Mr Shane McCarthy | Chaplain

Chaplaincy and RE has kicked off well in 2023 with Mrs Bailey Lee looking after Primary RE and Mr Shane McCarthy overseeing Secondary RE and Chaplaincy.

The theme for Chapel this term has been looking at the “I am” statements of Jesus in the New Testament. We have unpacked what they meant in the Biblical context and how they might apply to us today.

Song forms a big part of our Primary Religion programme. We learn different songs and learn about God through song. The room is often full of joy, awe and wonder. Each class always does a grateful circle and boys can choose to join in a time of prayer. Listening to what is on each other’s hearts always builds classroom relationships and develops character. It helps the boys to understand each other and builds compassion.

Secondary RE has seen a lot of engagement and discussion by students focused on topics such as ethics, creation, the development of the Bible, and an introduction to Christianity. The boys have had lots of questions that have led to some very good discussions.

This term, we have celebrated Shrove Tuesday with a Pancake Day and were visited by the Gideon Society who provide free bibles to any student in Year 7 who would like one. There has also been an involvement in the Camp programme and the Year 9 Rite Journey, and the term was capped off with Easter Services for both Primary and Secondary.

Staff Profiles

What brought you to teaching?

I was working as a Business Banker, and I really enjoyed facilitating training for the Business Banking Centre. Training was not actually a part of my role though, so I decided to pursue a career in which it was. I studied my Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning part-time while continuing to work full-time and I have not looked back.

What is your favourite book?

The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku – an absolutely amazing story and a very powerful message. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend adding it to your list!

Describe your favourite teaching moment. I think the best moments are where staff and students just enjoy the moment or discussion, whatever the topic. There have been many ‘ahhuh’ moments over the years from a teaching perspective, and they are always brilliant moments too.

What do you love to do outside school?

I love being with my husband, Mark, and two young boys, Henry and Noah. We are often outdoors and I have loved stopping and focusing on the parts of nature that young children notice, yet we often take for granted as adults.

What are your greatest hopes for 2023?

For my students to be themselves and be proud of what they achieve, despite the letter or number. For me as an educator to build relationships with staff and students.

Which educator inspires you?

The Head of Secondary from my prior school. He believed in people and his approach always ensured that the person was at the heart of every decision.

What is the greatest lesson you have learnt from a student?

Stopping to have a genuine conversation about a topic of a student’s interest can be more important that a strict ‘plan’. Connection helps learning for people of any age!

What brought you to teaching?

I wanted a career that would be rewarding, meaningful and impacting. Teaching is all of those and much more. To know that I am shaping the lives of the next generation – that is powerful – a responsibility I take very seriously.

What is your favourite book?

The Alex Cross novel series, written by James Patterson. It is so hard to put his books down once you start reading. There is never a dull moment when reading about crime, murder and mystery!

Describe your favourite teaching moment. There is no denying that many students would consider learning a language difficult. So, for me, there is nothing better than seeing the expression on their faces when they realise they have spent the last few minutes effectively communicating in the Spanish language. It gets me every time!

What do you love to do outside school?

I love spending time with my family and catching up with friends. I also enjoy being outdoors and watching sports such as AFL and tennis.

What are your greatest hopes for 2023?

For my students to be passionate about learning another language such as Spanish, as well as to develop an understanding and appreciation for the culture. For me as an educator to continue learning and growing as an educator and to build strong connections with students, staff and the MBBC community.

Which educator inspires you?

My former work colleague and now close friend, Ms Susan Garson (Director of the Centre for School-Wide Pedagogy, Brisbane Girls Grammar). Not only is she an amazing human being who has always supported and mentored me throughout my professional career, she is also highly intelligent and incredibly passionate about quality teaching and learning. She inspires me to be a better teacher than what I was the day before!

What is the greatest lesson you have learnt from a student?

That despite the fact you may be having a bad day, tomorrow is a new day.

What brought you to teaching?

I’ve have had great teachers who went above and beyond to help out their students. The relationships they developed with me built my confidence in a way that I could take educational risks and step outside of my comfort zone. It really inspired me to be that person for someone else and really showed me the power of a good rapport.

What is your favourite book?

I have so many! I really loved The Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku, and on the opposite end of the spectrum, I really enjoy a thriller, like The Guest List by Lucy Foley.

Describe your favourite teaching moment. The lightbulb moment. There is truly nothing more satisfying than seeing a student who has struggled finally feel like they’ve got it. I also love all the moments in between the content, where you just get to have a chat and connect!

What are your greatest hopes for 2023?

For my students to continue to do what they love, connect with others, and to put their best foot forward in everything they do. For me as an educator to continue to experiment with new ideas in the classroom, to foster curiosity and be the best I can be.

Which educator inspires you?

So many of the educators I have worked with in the past, and the ones I do currently, are inspirations. Without the team of teachers we have, to lean on for questions or concerns, it would be an impossible job. I would like to give a shout out to my preservice supervisor and friend, Holly Stiles. Her ability to be creative, selfless, and constructively critical inspires me as an educator.

What is the greatest lesson you have learnt from a student?

You don’t always know what’s going on behind the scenes. Take a deep breath, be kind.

Sarah Pearce

Rosie Norfolk

Marie Mikhail

The Rite Journey

Mr Anthony Lewis | Deputy Head of Secondary - Student Wellbeing

For the first time at MBBC, the Year 9 boys have begun The Rite Journey. Designed by Andrew Lines, this programme “encourages, promotes and allows the time and space for sound educational practice.” All of this occurs within the principles of offering a healthy rite of passage for adolescents, acknowledging and developing the holistic nature of students and developing stronger relationships with peers and adults.

Throughout the year, the boys will complete a number of tasks based on one of the four themes:

Term 1: Who Am I Really?

An in-depth look into each boy’s family’s past, his story, and symbols that are important to him, which help them find out what makes them unique.

Term 2: How Do I Get On With Others?

Who are your friends? What type of friend are you? What is mateship/friendship?

Term 3: Is There Something More?

A look at mindfulness and wisdom. A time to sit back, reflect and to enjoy the silence.

Term 4: What Is My Purpose And What Do I Have To Give?

Seeking your purpose and considering, what you do I have to give?

The programme follows a seven-step version of the hero’s journey. Beginning with the calling and departure and moving all the way through a series of challenges to finish with the return and homecoming. The main idea of the programme is to help guide the boys through this period of their life where they are starting to become young men. It is designed to help the boys change their psychology from boy thinking to healthy man thinking. Changing concepts like I am the centre of the universe to I am part of the universe and I do what I believe is right.

With experts like Mr Loreaux, Mr Botha, Mr Kelly and Mr McCarthy, the programme has started strongly. The boys are engaged, and they are opening up to the opportunities as the term progresses.

Time to Crank up the Volume and Unleash our Inner Rockstar School of Rock The Musical: Combined Colleges Production

School of Rock - The Musical is more than just a story of teenage rebellion and adult exploitation; it is a tale of finding one’s voice, personal truth and agency. The story begins with Dewey Finn, a wannabe rock star who is kicked out of his band and evicted from his apartment. To make ends meet, Dewey impersonates his friend Ned, who is a qualified teacher, by working as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school named Horace Green. Dewey forms a band with his students and uses their talent to win the Battle of the Bands.

The story shifts and the audience is treated to a deeper message of self-worth as the young people plead to be noticed and understood by their parents. Dewey helps the students find their voice and empowers them to put their anger into their music. Despite several setbacks, the students make it to the Battle of the Bands where they rock the crowd and the parents and teachers rally behind them.

We see the transformation in a number of the characters as they find their truth. Dewey nominates to perform Zack’s song rather than his own, Ned and Patty turn out in full heavy metal gear as they resign from their attempt at ‘adulting’, Ms Mullins finds where

the rock went, the parents support their children’s passions, and the students and school community support each other.

So, amidst the occasional minor course language that Dewey brings to the classroom, and the playful rebelliousness of the students, emerges a story of the joy that can come from empowered individuals in an inclusive community.

And isn’t that an example of art imitating life? Although just to clarify, this is no way an endorsement of truancy, fraud and unprofessional pedagogy!

The Moreton Bay Colleges’ community works inclusively to build future-focussed empowered individuals and this principle is embodied in the showcase of talent and personal student opportunity and growth laid bare in a production of this scale. Supporting the core creative and administrative crew of teachers and teacher aides from Moreton Bay Boys’ College in the design, production and direction of the show has been a multitude of teaching and non-teaching staff and community volunteers from both Colleges. Look out for the reviews!

Ms Stephanie Smith, Head of The Arts and HPE

4, 5, 6 May 2023

Based on the Paramount movie written by Mike White

Book by Julian Fellowes • Lyrics by Glenn Slater

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ORIGIN™ THEATRICAL ON BEHALF OF THE REALLY USEFUL GROUP LIMITED

Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Miss Camille Rochin

The artwork, Gubiyiya, was created as part of the new Moreton Bay Colleges’ Strategic Plan. It tells the story of Two Colleges, One Community and represents our ongoing commitment to reconciliation. Community members from both Colleges, together with Quandamooka artist, Delvene Cockatoo Collins, created this artwork during a day of culture and connection on Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island). Comprised of individual pieces woven together to represent the fabric of our community, the artwork was separated in two, so that each College displays one half on each campus. Moving forward, an annual ceremony will be held to swap the artworks between campuses, to signify interconnectedness and inclusivity. We hope that the artwork will serve as one physical reminder of our joint commitment to reconciliation and inspire further conversations about reconciliation with First Nations communities.

In 2023, the RAP Committee will continue to focus on further strengthening relationships with First Nations peoples, providing opportunities for First Nations students, and embedding First

Nations perspectives authentically and purposefully within teaching and learning. The Moreton Bay Colleges’ inaugural Red Earth Immersion Tour is a new initiative that will provide selected students with the incredible opportunity to visit remote First Nations homelands in Central Australia this year. During the tour, students will live on Country while learning from traditional custodians. They will return with a richer cross-cultural understanding and appreciation for Indigenous Australia to share with others.

Our hope is that these actions will create a more inclusive learning environment for all students, and one that values the histories, cultures and contributions of First Nations peoples, as we continue our ongoing reconciliation journey together.

Wellbeing

Mr Anthony Lewis | Deputy Head of Secondary - Student Wellbeing Mrs Bailey Lee | Early Years Student Wellbeing Coordinator & Primary Teacher

As a College, we have been focusing on a wellbeing strategy. We have engaged in professional development with Sue Chandler, an advisor from Transformative Schools. Knowing that a wellbeing strategy will only be effective when we look at context, we have done some deep thinking as a team to unpack what is wellbeing and to understand our ‘why’. We have focused on knowing our why, as success loves clarity. When we know what we are doing and why we are doing it, our actions are so much more purposeful, and the results are so much stronger.

In the Primary School, we have focused our efforts on both student and staff wellbeing. We unpacked the value in explicit teaching of social skills and encouraging more play and movement throughout the day to enhance boys feeling good and functioning effectively.

Explicit teaching of social skills has been achieved through focusing on the Learner Profile Attributes. Prep to Year 2 students have begun to explore the Learner Profile Attributes through Beanie Boos toy characters. Each character has been chosen and named to reflect the attributes of each Learner Profile. For example, ‘Carmille the Communicator’ is a camel. She was chosen because a camel lives in the desert and learns to communicate by listening and speaking when it reaches the oasis. Boys looked at what effective communication is for their age. With ‘Balanced Basha’, a flamingo, the boys unpacked what it means to be a ‘balanced’ individual. Questions were asked, such as, what can we do to help us if we are out of balance? ‘Theo the Thinker’ is a sloth, as sloths can be slow but purposeful. Thinking does not always need to be fast as we can take time to think through our answers, scenarios, and the way we react to people and situations. Students brainstormed ideas and described what they thought it meant to be a good communicator. The Year 6 students have been creative in writing stories about the characters and how they became effective at their Learner Profile Attributes. The Year 6 stories will be published and will become part of the wellbeing explicit teaching programme to use for years to come.

Our College counsellor and wellbeing coordinator have worked closely this term thinking about what our young students need in order to have success during their day. We have spent time with our youngest students reading and unpacking many different books, such as Don’t Hug Doug, by Carrie Finison. This book is about asking our friends if it is OK to hug them or give a high five or a fist pump, as some friends do not like being touched. Another book was Making Friends is an Art!, by Julia Cook. This book helped students understand relationships and the creative and fun ways to think of friendships. Miss Understood, by Kathryn Apel, was a book about how we accept people for who they are and find the beautiful in each person. The students have benefited from the explicit teaching of these concepts, and this will remain a focus for the remainder of the year.

The nature play and inquiry space has positively impacted the general wellbeing of our students. This purpose-built space benefits students by being in nature while learning to understand their sense of self and sense of their world and where they fit into it. Children are wired to play and be curious, and this space enables and encourages them to do this.

These are only a small snapshot of what is happening in the wellbeing space in Primary, and we look forward to showcasing more of the initiatives that have been created and implemented over the year.

Mrs Bailey Lee

The boys in the Secondary College set off for camp in the second week of the year. Even with a heat wave sweeping over South East Queensland, most cohorts had a memorable and enjoyable experience. For the first time, the Year 12 students enjoyed a retreat-style camp, which gave them a chance to bond as the leaders of our College, while still giving them an opportunity to fulfil their study timetable.

During Secondary School Time (SST) on Thursdays, each year level was introduced to their term’s programme to help their personal development. The programmes are designed to be targeted towards the boys’ cognitive maturity level. The Year 7 boys worked through their Introduction to Secondary with the onboarding of their laptops, understanding Student Café, and working with their mentors in Year 11. As the leaders of the future, Year 11s spent the term learning about Leadership. The leadership programme focuses on, but is not limited to, leadership. Year 8 focused on three separate topics, Balance and Breathe, Digital Etiquette and Global Citizenship. Each boy will rotate through each topic during the first three terms of the year. In Year 9, the boys began The Rite Journey. Year 10 will focus on their Set Plans and setting themselves up for their Senior Years, while the whole year for the Year 12s is centred around Life After Year 12.

House Spirit continued to grow in the early stages of the year. With the assistance of the four Heads of House, the attendance and participation in Interhouse Carnivals and during Pastoral Care time have seen a significant increase. Maybe it was the crazy outfits, the loud music or the ability to cheer your House on, but it was pleasing to see so many boys take part in all of the events planned for the term.

Early in Term 2, the Secondary boys were fortunate to have Ben Russell present to each year level around the topic of Respectful Relationships. Ben’s presentations focused on healthy relationships that humanise one another, developing empathy, and for young people to engage socially with each other in a safe, nonthreatening, positive environment.

Like in Primary, these are only a small snapshot of what is happening in the wellbeing space in Secondary, and we look forward to showcasing more of the initiatives that have been created and implemented over the year.

Mr Anthony Lewis

Student Agency –International Women’s Day

Mrs Naomi Williams | Head of Secondary

Working in a College for boys, you often don’t think that there is awareness of, or interest in, International Women’s Day. The disparity in gender equity and equality is not usually at the forefront of a boy’s or a young man’s mind.

But for our community or global community to flourish, we all need to be part of that conversation; we all need to be invested in the advancement of all people – not just some of them. So, it was very heartening this year when, not only did all our Primary and Secondary Captains write cards of gratitude and thanks to our female staff, but two of our Secondary Captains spoke on Assembly to raise the profile of this very important issue. And they did it in such a powerful and personal way.

MBBC Service Captain, Rami Mfinanga, chose to celebrate the single most important person, let alone woman, in his life…his mother.

My mother [he said] did not have to become a nurse, but she wanted to help the less fortunate in a foreign country. My mother did not have to educate, but there were people who needed it and she felt if she didn’t then no one would. My mother did not have to help thousands in Tanzania through the company, except that’s exactly what she did. She took those risks in order to make the world better, one step at a time.

My mother does not tell people what she has done, she does not raise her voice and campaign to embrace equity. She shows it, she is not the person telling people what they should do. She is the one who does what needs to be done.

An example of grit, determination, and resilience in a woman.

She is a symbol of hope to thousands.

A teacher to hundreds.

A friend to a few.

But she will always be my mother, and I am so lucky to have her.

Rami spoke with such pride and love for his mother that my heart swelled. And in that moment, I, as a female leader, didn’t think that I could be more proud of the young men I lead than I was listening to Rami speak.

MBBC Cultural Captain, James Seymour, then stepped up to the microphone. You see, knowing how interested James is in politics, I suggested that he speak to the Assembly about the political implications of International Women’s Day – but he chose to speak about something much more valuable and engaging.

There has never been a terrorist organisation headed by women. Men have never been oppressed on the basis of their gender in any society throughout history. The percentage of female murderers, rapists, crime boss’s is miniscule compared to men, and apart from monarchs there has never been a female dictator.

I know [Mrs Williams is right when she says this], the internet confirms that she’s right, but even so I didn’t really want to admit it. Why?

I think the answer has something to do with the guilt many of us feel when faced with these facts. For me, as a white, mostly straight and especially British male, I get this a lot. Whenever I hear about something horrific my ancestors did, and the list is fairly endless, it does seem as if I am taking some of the blame, even if there is no suggestion of the kind. That’s why there has been such a pushback in the media recently over ‘White guilt’ or ‘Male guilt.’ It is a common reaction.

The problem comes when we run from this guilt. If we feel like men are being objectified or accused, it’s very easy to switch off. Take the gender pay gap, for example. There have been many persistent claims online that it doesn’t exist. You’ve probably heard them yourself, they’re everywhere. The thing is, it does exist. Research from a huge number of different organisations, including reputable ones like Pew Research Centre and Oxford, will prove that it does, and that it is a product of society’s conception over what jobs women should accept. And yet, a lot of men just will it out of existence…

…The painful fact is the system is rigged. Our ancestors, the men we’re descended from, rigged it for us. That’s not our fault, and there should not be such thing as male guilt. But there should be such a thing as male responsibility. There should not be such thing as white guilt, but there should be white responsibility. Because, like it or not, our ancestors gave us all the trump cards; we still have an undue share of power. We shouldn’t wait for the people who are already at a disadvantage to change the system, as has happened with almost every other civil rights movement in history. We have to use that power to address embedded inequality; not because we started it, but because we are in the best position to end it.

And as James spoke, you could have heard a pin drop.

When we, as educators, truly believe in the concept of student agency and provide the young people in our care the opportunity

to speak, we see that they have the ability and the will to positively influence their own lives and the world around them.

We encourage student agency at MBBC and we believe that learning involves not only instruction and evaluation, but also co-construction. This co-agency, when teachers and students become co-creators in the teaching and learning process, recognises that students, teachers, parents and communities can work together to not only help students progress towards their own goals, but realise their potential to make a very positive, genuine and real difference in our world.

Every day, I am inspired by the boys and young men at Moreton Bay Boys’ College and this year’s International Women’s Day gave me hope that one day our world will be a more inclusive and equitable place for all.

How Co-Curricular Music supports our Learning framework

Mr Ben Langford | Director of Music

Dr Anita Collins is an award-winning researcher and author in the fields of brain development and music learning. This animated YouTube Video based on one of her TED-Ed talks discusses the ways in which playing a music instrument benefits your brain (TED-Ed, 2014). Watching the first 90 seconds of the video is enough to illustrate the basis of these ideas. Dr Collins’ research shows that when you play music in a group, you are:

• Using gross motor skills (breathing, holding and manipulating instruments)

• Using fine motor skills (moving valves and keys, making chord shapes,manipulating drumsticks and bows)

• Reading and interpreting a script with signs, symbols and text

• Employing mathematical and spacial awareness to interpret rhythm, tempo and time

• Listening to other players in the ensemble

• Interpreting and following visual and aural cues from other players, the conductor and the audience

• Using analysing and critical thinking skills to interpret all this and adjust your own performance to match

• Doing all these tasks simultaneously and in real time.

Apart from the obvious application of many of these mathematical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills within all areas of

schooling, there are also significant requirements of Collaboration (communication/cooperation), Reflection (growth/progress), Agency (choice/ownership), Curiosity (what is possible) and Agility (resilience/adaptability) evident in preparing and presenting these musical performances – the five key approaches of The MBC Learning Star and MBBC Five Star Learning.

During Term 1, our student musicians have been given many opportunities to develop these important attributes, particularly through their participation in major events such as the Choral Workshop Day, Twilight Picnic and Classics Concert. Some of our Music Captains and Senior musicians were invited to reflect on the benefits and challenges of performing at these events, providing a student-focused perspective regarding participation in CoCurricular Music.

Choral Workshop Student Reflection

In early Term 1, the Secondary Vocal Ensemble joined the MBC Chorale, Chamber Choir and Vocal Point for the annual Choral Workshop Day to learn new pieces for the upcoming year. On the day, the Secondary Vocal Ensemble learnt two new songs, Elton John’s Your Song and Don’t Be Cruel by Elvis, and we are extremely grateful for Mr Paul Holly from Voices of Birralee who came in to guide us and help us improve our singing. In the second half of the day, all the choirs joined together to learn a collaborative piece for the Classics Concert finale, Do you Hear the People Sing? from Les Misérables

Jonathan Xecanas, Year 11 Musician

Reference List

TED-Ed. (2014, July 22). How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins [Video].

Classics Concert Student Reflection

The teamwork shown during the Classics Concert brought a sense of joy and fun to the musicians. Collaborating with fellow musicians, sharing ideas, and collectively working towards a common goal created a sense of camaraderie and excitement. The interactions and dynamics between musicians during rehearsals and performances were incredibly enjoyable, with shared laughter and a sense of shared accomplishment. The energy and enthusiasm of working together as a team were infectious, spreading throughout the various music groups to create an uplifting atmosphere throughout rehearsals. The fun and enjoyment that musicians experience through teamwork added an extra layer of magic to the Classics Concert, making it a memorable and rewarding experience for everyone involved, especially the Year12s for whom this was their last opportunity to perform at this event.

Ryan Chang, Music Captain Pemulwuy Prelude Concert Student Reflection

The Secondary Vocal Ensemble was invited to perform at a Pemulwuy Prelude Concert in March. It was a privilege performing with male choirs, with both changed and unchanged voices, from other schools. We performed September by Earth, Wind and Fire, and Elton John’s hit, Your Song. It was then amazing when the seven choirs joined together for the grand finale of When the Saints Go Marching In. Despite the tight squeeze to learn, polish and perfect our pieces in three rehearsals, we rose to the challenge and gave a brilliant performance. Many thanks to Mr Chamberlain and Mrs Venn for all their hard work and persistence with us. We thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to work together and showcase our combined talents.

Harry

Twilight Picnic Student Reflections

I had a fantastic time at the Twilight Picnic! It was a great opportunity for me to develop my performance skills and showcase my talents in front of a larger-than-usual audience. With the event’s proximity to the start of the year, our busy school schedule limiting our lead-in rehearsal time, and the need to quickly adjust to our band’s new year line-up, we all had to show great flexibility and agility to prepare our set in just two rehearsals. Our guitarist particularly needed to adapt quickly to suit the new line-up and create an effective feel for the Dire Straits’ song, Sultans of Swing. There were musical challenges and mistakes made but this adaption is part of the learning experience of live performance, and I am proud to say that we were able to rise to the occasion and entertain the crowd. Overall, the Twilight Picnic was a really rewarding experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and has me looking forward to our future performances as a band!

Naumann, Year 11 Musician

Jayden Lawrence, Year 11 Musician

Twilight Picnic

Pemulwuy Concert

Classics - Wind Ensemble

Classics - Secondary Vocal Ensemble

Sport Update

Mrs Pipsa Rippon | Head of Sport

Teamwork, fun, taking part, doing your best, encouraging, trying, supporting, enjoying. These are important words, essential factors in sports, like in life itself.

These words come to mind when I reflect on the MBBC Interhouse Carnivals this year. Both Swimming and Cross-Country Carnivals were a success in many ways. Our students developed a greater understanding of how everyone plays a part in the success of the team. We had an incredible level of participation, scooping up points for their house, building house spirit and giving their all. As well as seeing the boys enjoying the Carnival spirit, I could see them enjoy the togetherness that the Carnivals bring to the College, all the staff and students together.

Our Primary students competed in the Britton Shield competition for Swimming, bringing the ‘Best School’ Trophy back to MBBC again, an outstanding team effort from the boys! Our College will also take part in the Britton Shield Touch, Cross Country and Football in the first Semester of the year. Exciting to see if the Trophies return to MBBC in these events as well.

Our Primary and Secondary students took part in the CSSAQ Swimming Carnival with a 40-student strong team. Outstanding team effort was rewarded with the Primary and Secondary percentage trophies. Our students will also take part in the coming CSSAQ Cross Country and – Athletics Carnivals.

The Summer Season for Basketball and Volleyball brought more success to MBBC teams. In Basketball, the U20’s and the U11’s White Team won the Summer Season 2022-2023 Premiership in their SDBL Division, whilst the U13’s C Team were runners up for their division. The MBBC Volleyball White Team finished in fifth place in the Junior Level, and the MBBC Blue took fourth place in the A-grade Level. The Redlands A-Grade Tournament offers high

level of competition and our boys have done well the last three seasons, consistently finishing in the top four.

The Moreton Bay Colleges’ Mountain Biking started this year with a win at the Brisbane Mountain Biking Schools Competition, where the Team received the Champion School Award. The ongoing excellence of the Mountain Biking programme is reflected in the vast growth in the rider numbers. It seems the programme is starting to echo the multiple times MBBC won Mountain Biking prize “EPIC”, literally.

The College sailors participated in the Southern Queensland Teams Racing State Championships held at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron earlier in the year. Showing great team effort, both MBBC teams finished in the top ten, with the first team finishing in second place. This is the first podium place in the history of Moreton Bay Colleges’ as part of School Sailing and shows how the programme has supported the great ability of our young sailors. By finishing on the podium, the team has been invited to take part in the Secondary Schools Teams Racing Nationals in Adelaide in July.

With these great results and achievements, I would like to congratulate all the students for their efforts, resilience and strength they have displayed, and most importantly, Teamwork. I would like to extend my gratitude to the coaches, coordinators, parents and caregivers for your continued support to make this all happen.

“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of the member is the team”. - Phil Jackson

Student Athlete

Matthew Robson | Sport Captain

Who is your greatest role model and why?

My greatest role model is a former AFL player, Luke Hodge.’Hodgey’ played from 2002 to 2019 playing 346 games for Hawthorn and The Brisbane Lions. If you don’t know Luke Hodge, picture a lion, king of the jungle. Even though it’s not the biggest, the fastest, or the smartest animal in the jungle, a lion has the strongest mentality.

He’s won four Premierships, Captaining three, is a two-time Norm Smith Medallist and is regarded as one of the best and most respected players and captains, to have played the game. Hodgeys steps are the ones I want to follow.

What is the role of the MBBC Sports Captain?

To me, the role of MBBC Sports Captain is to not only promote the sporting spirit at the College, but also teaching kids to get out of their comfort zone. My coach once told myself and my footy team before we ran out for our Grand Final game, we needed to get comfortable being uncomfortable and to me that is the meaning and the message that I as the Sport Captain want to promote.

How did you get into sport?

Theres a funny story to this question. From the ages 5-7 I played football (soccer), like most other kids my age did. My best mate from primary school brought in a massive trophy in to show and tell, let's just say I was gobsmacked. This trophy was the size of an A3 piece of paper. So like any kid my age, I wanted that trophy. I quit soccer and signed up for his AFL team. I played the under 8s season and by the time trophy day came around I was filled with joy because the only reason I signed up was to get a big trophy. The team name gets called, a kid goes up and tears start to roll down my face along with the other 11 boys in my team. That year we all received a medal and a little red pennant. However that just made me more determined to come back the next year and try again. I then began to fall in love with the sport and the people I met along the way.

What do you enjoy most about your sport?

I not only enjoy AFL for what it is. I love AFL because of the people I meet along the way. Sport is not always about how good you are or how good or bad your team may be. It’s the people you meet and the journey you go on. All the coaches and players that I’ve spoken too all say the same thing. Their lifelong mates and relationships have come through playing sports.

What Sport would you love to try?

In April I went to the Philippines for two weeks. One of the activities that we did there was canyoneering, where you jump off rocks that vary from two meters to 10 meters. I loved it. I had no experience with jumping off things that high, but I made myself get uncomfortable and not only jumped but grew confident enough to do front flips off them. I turned to Mum walking back to our hotel and said I would love to give diving a go. When I see the divers jumping off the blocks at Chandler Swimming Complex, doing flips and spins in the air, I just sit there in amazement.

What is your ‘go to’ study strategy?

If I could recommend anything for Year 12 when it comes to schoolwork. If you have the opportunity, invest in a tutor. They not only make sure you are keeping up and understanding the information you’re learning in class, but they help you learn the information in another way if you don’t understand the way the teacher may teach. Another tip is to start early. The further you are ahead of the workload and not having to constantly catch up the less stress you will have on yourself when it comes to assessment time.

Where will we find you in five years?

I hope that you find me playing for the Brisbane Lions in five years, but if not probably overseas travelling the world.

What is your favourite quote?

“Learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Sport - The Last Dance

Lachlan Hume | College Captain

When I joined Moreton Bay Boys’ College in 2016 in Year 5 and winter Basketball trials came along, I thought, 'why not give Basketball a go?' There were only four teams across Primary and Secondary back then, all struggling to pull together numbers to form a team. Basketball in Australia has grown exponentially since 2016, and we have seen this same trend within MBBC. Over the years, the culture in all sports at MBBC has changed significantly. Currently, we have over 100 boys in 13 full-sized Basketball teams competing in this year’s winter season. The U20s team membership has remained constant for the last two seasons. The team is coming straight off winning the championship last year; so, it is looking like an interesting 2023 winter season ahead. The 2022-2023 summer season saw the U20 boys go the entire season undefeated, winning the grand final by over 25 points. The season had a tonne of highs, and it was great to see the team join together to achieve a collective goal of which we can all be proud. We had the likes of Harry Thomas using his height to get some highlight-worthy blocks; Kayle Randall and Vinney Poral using their speed to set up and finish a bunch of plays; Marcus Brims and Max Simmonds finding their element with the pick and roll and perfecting this sequence, allowing them to get some really tough finishes at the rim; and Zachary Millar and Roan Kircher

could always be relied on to put in 100% effort, running down to play some defence. Our coach, Aidan Graham, was always pushing us, to get the most out of everyone on the team. The championship really comes down to his effort to develop us as individuals and teach us how to play as one team.

This is just one example of how Basketball has grown at MBBC. At the rate of 13 teams this year, the effort, the culture, and the results are just going to keep on growing and racking up. Personally, I believe these last few years have been a mere indication on the size of growth to be expected in future years, and I cannot wait to see how big and successful Basketball will be at MBBC in a few years’ time. It is crazy to think that this will be my last season of Basketball at MBBC. I am so grateful for the opportunities, pathways and lessons I have gained through playing Basketball for the College. Looking at the youth coming up, I can say with no doubt that the future of MBBC Basketball is incredibly bright.

Gifted and Talented

Mrs Bree Hackett

Miraca Gross, Founder of Gifted Education Research, Resource and information Centre (GERRIC) highlights, “One size does not fit all.” From classroom groupings to extra-curricular competitions and events, we are excited to be able to offer a wide range of individualised options for our highly capable students in 2023 through the ALTITUS programme.

The Extension Programmes in Mathematics and English in Years 7 to 10 have recommenced this year. The English group is exploring their creativity and areas of interest and publishing the Bay Boys’ Bulletin, a collection of articles written by the students. The Mathematics group has been busy preparing for a range of competitions, both individually and in teams. Next term, they will compete as individuals and as a Senior team in the APSMO Maths Olympiad and work together on the AMT Maths Challenge.

Congratulations to the Year 10 boys who were nominated and took part in the Australian Brain Bee Challenge. The Brain Bee Challenge is an opportunity to learn about the brain and its functions, neuroscience research, careers in neuroscience, and to dispel misconceptions about neurological and mental illnesses.

Our Primary Maths Olympiad team have also commenced preparations for their APSMO Competition, with four Olympiads

to be held in Terms 2 and 3. We have been visited by some passionate Secondary teachers and Senior boys to help mentor our youngest mathematics prodigies. Our invited Primary boys also took part in the G.A.T.E.WAYS programme at Moreton Bay College this term, which had a science flair, and they are excited to attend Anglican Church Grammar School next term to be challenged in the language and literature fields. We also have boys in Years 2 to 8 attending the BRAINways Academicus programme at Central Queensland University (Brisbane Campus) over the holidays.

The Da Vinci Decathlon will also be held at Nudgee College during Term 3. We were lucky to secure a place in three divisions in this highly regarded competition, with places filling within a few hours. The Junior School Ethics Olympiad teams will also compete at Olympiad after preparing responses to six cases over the term.

We are excited to run the UQ-QAMT Problem Solving Competition in Term 2 to all registered Secondary students and we wish them all the best. We will also be running the Big Science Competition for students in Years 7 to 10. We are excited to have been able to offer these competitions to any interested students, thus increasing the scope of the ALTITUS programme.

House Spirit

I am Rob Kelly, the new Head of Doherty House. I have been a Physics and Engineering teacher here at MBBC for six years and took on the role of Head of House at the start of this year. I emigrated to Queensland six years ago from the UK and love the lifestyle in Australia. Outside of school, I enjoy being out in nature, where I like to photograph the amazing and unique wildlife that we have all around us. I also love to travel as I get to experience different cultures, especially the cuisine.

I have enjoyed the new role as the Head of House as I have been able to visit different Form rooms each morning and have been able to forge new bonds with the boys of Doherty House. The Swimming Carnival at the start of the year did not go well for us and the House was a little down about being at the bottom of the pile. However, the boys have rallied around, led by our House Captain, Lachlan Howe, and I have been impressed by their House spirit and determination. The boys have been working well in their classes, accumulating many positive behaviour tickets that are turned into House points. The boys turned up in good numbers for the Cross Country and we had numerous winners across the age categories helping us to finish second.

Mr Robert Kelly Head of House

Going forward, I hope that we continue to foster this positive House spirit and camaraderie. I believe that a sense of belonging is important for our boys; somewhere they feel supported, somewhere they feel that they can be themselves and somewhere they feel safe. Through the pastoral programme, we plan to give the boys the opportunity to explore social and emotional concepts as well as to reflect upon their own lives.

Mr Edward Cox Head of House

My experiences as House captain have been extremely positive. One of my key takeaways is learning that the best teams are not always led by one person, but by a collective group. As obvious as it may sound, by working together you can achieve something much more special than if you did it alone. I am so proud to work with two amazing Heads of House who have supported me every step of the way. I am also very grateful for the three wonderful, kind, and thoughtful form teachers that are always willing to offer a lending hand, no matter the circumstances. The responsibility of being House captain I believe has made me a better person. I am not only more confident, but I also think the opportunities I have been given have made me more confident at public speaking and addressing large amounts of people.

House meetings occur once a week, and all three form classes come together as a collective. This provides an opportunity for the head of House to pass on any important messages and is a platform for the House Captain to promote participation for any upcoming competitions. I decided to change House assemblies to better engage the students and to get them more involved. It started firstly with an interview with our new form teacher, Miss Mikhail, who joined at the start of the year, and this one activity started the chain of activities. We have done guess the song challenge, keep the balloon up, coffee bean chopstick challenge and the students were able to interview me. We have had the Swimming Carnival and Cross-Country Carnival which were two of the four main College sports competition. The main goal for me was to increase participation and get people involved. The results show that majority of students did participate and that was extremely pleasing. This wasn’t just achieved by me pushing participation, but because the form teachers, Head of House, and fellow Year 12’s all got behind the idea of encouraging participation.

I am looking forward to the new challenges that will arise during my remaining time as House Captain because I know that regardless of the severity of the challenge, I will have an incredible support group ready to help me. After stepping back and analysing what I have achieved so far as House captain I am incredibly proud of the changes I have made and will make sure to use my remaining weeks to continue to serve Dunlop admirably.

Noah Still

I am very honoured to be named as the Head of House for Nicholls House. Their success has been a testament to the pride the boys have of their House, and I am drawn to this and will endeavour to strengthen that connection. My name is Werner Botha, and this is my 10th year at the College. I teach Health and Physical Education and Science for the Senior College.

Having been surrounded by sport and teams I do feel that my passion lies in building connections with others. My goal for this year is to do exactly that, nurturing and highlighting that everyone has a connection and a purpose. We started this by developing a “House pledge” that acts as a promise and sign of commitment to each other and the House.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the golden rays burn our crest. Whatever the challenge I’ll give my all, be it honourable victories or a gracious fall. Yellow and gold is what we bleed, we’ll carry each other in times of need. Hear the thunder, be the thunder, our heart beats … let us rise…. Nicholls thunder!

We have created a “House Song” that we will be singing more and more, to unite and bring us together. My goal is for every Nicholls boy to learn it and be proud of it. I want to strengthen connections with our Nicholls Primary boys. I hope to continue our dominance in the Interhouse competitions while also creating new House events with a more “giving” aspect. I am looking forward to the year ahead to see the boys grow and achieve together.

It is with a great deal of pleasure and excitement that I have embarked on the role as Head of Flynn House. With over 14 years of experience teaching in boys’ schools, I bring a strong understanding of the wellbeing needs for young men. Together with expertise as a Visual Arts teacher, I aim to develop programmes that will enable our students to amplify their creativity and a sense of culture and belonging to Flynn House.

The start of 2023 was marked by a collaboration between the Senior Flynn boys who wrote a House pledge that expresses the values and qualities that exemplify the House spirit:

“I, as a member of Flynn House at Moreton Bay Boys College, pledge to uphold the legacy of John Flynn, the founder of the Royal Flying Doctors. I will strive to embody his spirit of service and compassion in all that I do. I will work cooperatively to support my House and achieve our goals in the pursuit of excellence. I will be a respectful and responsible member of our community, and will use my abilities to make a positive impact on the world around me.

We are Flynn, and we are dedicated to making a difference.”

Through House activities, competitions and charity events, I aim to enable opportunities for our students to practice wellbeing attributes such as resilience, independence and intelligent risk-taking. These qualities help boys strengthen their academic skills and are also the personal qualities that contribute to them becoming good people with a strength of character and knowledge and skills to face the unknown future. I feel extremely fortunate to be working collaboratively with the Form teachers of Flynn, who bring their experience and dedication as they care deeply about the progress of every student.

As teachers of House Flynn, we endeavour to model the qualities that we wish to see in the boys. One example of this is ensuring that we always show an interest in their lives, learning progress and cocurricular explorations, and full experience at MBBC. It is a passion of mine to foster the practice of genuine, meaningful discussions among boys. One way I hope to achieve this is by being consistently available during Form and Pastoral Care classes to listen to the boys, offer support, and seek their feedback.

We have enjoyed an energising start to 2023 for Flynn, and I am looking forward to what the rest of the year brings for our House.

Mr Leon Loreaux Head of House

Mr Werner Botha Head of House

Years 4-12

Swimming Championships

Years 4-12

Cross Country

Years P - 3

Cross Country

Spotlight on Recent Graduates

Viraj Khatri | Class of 2022

What are you currently studying?

I am currently studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) at the University of Queensland.

Has this differed from your original plan while completing your final years at the College?

My current path has most certainly differed to the original plan I had while completing Year 12. As I spoke about at this years’ Scholar’s Assembly, I wanted to study a Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry at the Queensland University of Technology; however, I was just off the ATAR cut-off required to study that course. Instead, I am now studying Physiotherapy and, despite it not being my first choice, I am absolutely loving this UQ course, even though learning anatomy sometimes makes me reconsider many life choices.

How are you remaining connected with the College and why do you feel that's important?

Despite having graduated, I find myself visiting the College a numerous number of times after leaving. The teachers who I grew up with here at MBBC have become lifelong mentors and role models to me. I find myself constantly coming back for their advice and guidance for any of life’s challenges that come my way. I adore this Moreton Bay community in which I have spent the last eight years of my life, and I love nothing more than coming back to visit.

Ethan Kircher | Class of 2022

What are you currently studying?

I am Studying a Bachelor of Music Specialising in Classical Trumpet Performance at Griffith University, Queensland Conservatorium of Music.

Has this differed from your original plan while completing your final years at school?

My original plan was always to studying music performance, with the hope to eventually perform in a professional orchestra. I received an early offer from Griffith, receiving my first preference for trumpet. I am enjoying this degree and have met some amazing people and I am keen to keep improving on my skills.

How are you remaining connected with the College and why do you feel that's important?

Although I have departed from the College, I do occasionally come back to visit mostly to help with some music teaching experience. I am hoping to make this more regular in the future to fit with my university timetable. It is always good to see my teachers again and engage in conversation. I also plan to stay connected through the MBBC Old Boys’ events that take place throughout the year. I love Moreton Bay Boys’ College, and I will continue to visit. I remain connected to both colleges through Moreton Bay College where I volunteer on a fortnightly basis with the music immersion programme for Brass.

The Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Mr Ken Gargan | President, MBBC Parents & Friends Association

E: p&fpresident@mbbc.qld.edu.au

the challenges this brings. However, I am very excited to see what we can all achieve together. With many events throughout the year, we welcome you to get involved to help secure an even brighter future for our children.

One of the main traditional focuses of a P&F is to raise funds for special project-based activities throughout the year. This is not our only concern as parents are special people too. We are currently working on some ‘friend raising activities’ as opposed to ‘fundraising activities’, as your inclusion in our College community is as equally as important as your child’s experience.

Welcome to Moreton Bay Boys’ College Parents’ and Friends’ Association.

MBBC Parents’ and Friends’ Association is a friendly and energetic group of parents who work together to provide community, social, educational and fundraising activities for our College, while supporting our children to have an awesome experience and grow into amazing young men.

As the newly elected President of your P&F, there is no doubt that I have big shoes to fill, as the outgoing President was very active in his role and set down a great foundation for me to follow. Our Executive and supporting groups within the P&F work tirelessly to make sure that our children have the best experience possible during their time at MBBC. I have been blown away by the level of dedication, commitment and energy of this amazing team.

As a parent of three College children in Years 8, 10 and 12, in both MBBC and MBC, I fully understand the business of life and

Starting at a new College has a huge impact on the lives of our children and new parents. A whole new environment, new friends, new skills and new fears become part of their everyday life. Creating a close College community is one of the roles of our P&F Association. At MBBC, lifelong friendships are made, and you too have a chance to be involved in creating opportunities and improvements for the College, which in return benefits all our children.

You have made a valuable decision to enrol your child at MBBC, as they will flourish and be rewarded with care and a fantastic education; but the satisfaction and personal fulfilment from stepping forward and being involved is so much more rewarding for you, your family and your child.

We encourage you to come along, listen, comment and be involved.

Please feel free to reach out.

Interested to Know More?

There are many ways parents can support the College. We welcome anyone to get in touch about becoming a P&F Committee member, a year level Parent Representative, or a general volunteer for the various initiatives run by the P&F throughout the year.

Find meeting dates, event dates, key contact details and more on our website at

P&F Cocktail Party 2023

In March, the MBBC P&F hosted their annual cocktail party at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. They took the opportunity to host the event in Term 1 this year to help say Cheers to 20 Years and kickstart the College’s 20-year anniversary celebrations. With over $11,000 worth of prizes on offer, the P&F were ecstatic with the result in raising over $15,000 for the P&F, which in turn will go towards projects to benefit our boys! A big thank you to the P&F Committee who worked tirelessly to organise and run an unforgettable evening.

'Belonging' at The Moreton Bay Colleges

In 2023, the Community Engagement Team was officially formed with a view to bringing greater connection to our vast Colleges’ community; one that consists of over 1900 current students and their families, 10 000+ past students, 350+ current staff, many generous supporters and 121 years of past families and staff.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, developed in 1943 by American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, is a model for understanding the motivations for human behaviour. ‘Belonging’ features in the third level of the five-tiered pyramid, and is a fundamental part of our human experience, essential for our emotional and mental wellbeing.

For many families, their daily connection to the Colleges spans up to 14 years per child. However, as long a student’s tenure may be, the educational journey has a profound impact on their, and their families’, development of values, identity, friendships, achievements and surrounding community. It is no surprise then, that a strong sense of belonging to the Colleges remains for a lifetime.

The Community Engagement Team’s vision is ‘The Moreton Bay Colleges will be a place where each and every person feels a sense of belonging and has the opportunity to engage through a wide range of initiatives that supports the Colleges’ vision and values’, aligning with the Core priority of ‘Community’ in the 2023–27 Strategic Plan.

Our team’s strategic planning has identified three key priorities to support our vision:

• Communication – providing our community members with the resources required to encourage and support everyone to engage meaningfully with the Colleges and with each other.

• Connection – providing our community with the opportunity to connect with the Colleges and with each other.

• Collaboration – providing our community with the opportunity to work with the Colleges to support its sustainability to deliver exceptional learning experiences for current and future students.

We will deliver these key priorities through five pillars:

• Parent engagement – Foster a whole of Colleges’ approach to parent engagement and participation in partnership with our Parents’ and Friends’ Association and Auxiliaries.

• Alumni engagement – Collaborate with the Old Girls’ Association and Old Boys to create and enhance life‐long connections with the Colleges.

• External community connection – Develop connections with the Bayside community, providing opportunity for facility use and involvement in student learning.

• Foundation – Through a range of philanthropic initiatives, grow a corpus of funds to support the long-term infrastructure of the Colleges and bursaries that provide outstanding experiences for students who otherwise would not have had the opportunity of an outstanding education.

• Archives – Collect, preserve, and celebrate historical Colleges’ information to ensure an ongoing appreciation for our traditions, values and achievements.

The Community Engagement team looks forward to creating opportunities for everyone in our community to come together to support the Colleges and each other.

Mrs Penny Bowman Director of Community Engagement

Mrs Alex Givney Community Advancement Manager

Mrs Victoria Matthews Community Development Officer

Mrs Lisa Crick Assistant Archivist

Community Event - Twilight Picnic

In February, our two Colleges came together at our annual Twilight Picnic to ring in the new year and celebrate our diverse, multicultural community.

A brief downpour did not dampen the spirits of over 1500 members of our community who were treated to an amazing concert by our talented students, family activities and a selection of foods from around the globe.

The Twilight Picnic certainly highlighted our communities’ spirit and we are looking forward to hosting this again next year.

The Foundation

A Message from the Chair – Mr Anthony Lee

In 2023, the Moreton Bay Colleges’ Foundation seeks to build on the impact and programmes we have established to support the Colleges' five pillars of Learning, Wellbeing, Sustainability, Environment and Community, as articulated in the 2023-27 Strategic Plan. Our role as a Foundation is to provide a clear pathway for our community to engage and provide support for the long-term infrastructure and bursaries that provide outstanding student experiences. We will continue to support students through the Quentin Bryce and Jennifer Haynes bursaries, providing tuition to those who would otherwise not have had access to each College.

Achieving impact of scale for the Colleges importantly requires a total community approach. To this end, we look forward to holding our annual Giving Day to support our key funding priorities and engaging more broadly with the community through our Business Breakfast and Lunch series. Furthermore, we look to better engage the business community in The Moreton Circle partnership programme to enable organisations aligned with our purpose to provide support for our programmes.

I encourage all members of the Moreton Bay Colleges’ community, however they may be associated, be it supplying services to the Colleges, alumni, past staff, relatives or friends, to engage with our programmes and consider how they can assist us in continuing a legacy of benevolent contribution to the current and future generations of students.

Business Breakfast

In March, The Foundation was thrilled to host Dr Kay Danes OAM, Grant Robert Menzies and Jessica Danes with MC Brad Ralph (MBBC Parent) for the Business Breakfast at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron to discuss Business Leadership. Special guests included Cameron Costello, who delivered the Welcome to Country, and Councillors Krista Adams, Lisa Atwood and Ryan Murphy. It was an engaging morning with business professionals attending from Wynnum/ Manly, Port of Brisbane and the wider South East Queensland region. The breakfast was the perfect opportunity to launch the Foundation’s new partnership programme, The Moreton Circle.

The Moreton Circle – Partnering with The Moreton Bay Colleges’ to Support Our Learning Community

With thanks to our corporate partners

The Moreton Circle programme has been developed to build a community of aligned corporate organisations and provide these businesses with opportunities to support our Colleges through the generosity of financial sponsorship, sharing of expertise and the gift of time, to enhance our students’ educational experience.

Generations of The Moreton Bay Colleges

To find out more visit our website

The Generations of The Moreton Bay Colleges’ come together for an annual afternoon tea in the Quadrangle to reminisce on their time at the Colleges. In March, The Foundation hosted many of our MBC past students and their daughters, sons, granddaughters and grandsons to celebrate our multigenerational families. In 2023, we have 131 students enrolled at MBC and MBBC who are part of this special group. Each year we invite current and long-standing past staff to the event and this year we were privileged that Mr Ken Waller, past MBC Headmaster, and his wife, Mrs Janet Waller, were able to join us. The Foundation values growing a community of legacy families, as we are proud to support the tradition of one generation looking after the next.

302 Manly Road

Manly West Queensland 4179

P 07 3906 9444

mail@mbbc.qld.edu.au

mbbc.qld.edu.au

A Pre-Prep - Year 12 Uniting Church School for boys CRICOS 03772J