ALTITUDE EDITION 1 2020
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LIFE BEGINS OUTSIDE OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Mr Andrew Holmes | Head of College In Term 1, I spoke to the boys about the benefits of stepping outside of your comfort zone and I shared a favourite quote of mine from author John A. Shedd, 'A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for'. Research tells us that those who step outside of their comfort zone are able to deal with challenges, acquire new skills and grow in self-confidence. They find purpose, grow, fulfil their potential and succeed. In short, if we stay inside of our comfort zone, nothing changes, and we don’t grow. Since the start of the year, I have witnessed in abundance students benefiting from stepping outside of their comfort zone, taking risks, challenging themselves, becoming more creative and developing new skills. In a remarkably short period of time, our teachers have reimagined their pedagogical practice and are delivering remote and online learning experiences which are preparing our students for tomorrow's world. The platform of innovation in teaching and learning has been fast tracked and the Coronavirus pandemic has revolutionised education at MBBC. Recent events surrounding COVID-19 and new remote
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learning models have presented opportunities for our students, staff and parents to experience the benefits of stepping outside of their comfort zone. Here are five benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone: You will grow: Challenging yourself can help
'A ship in habour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for' - John A. Shedd. you reach your potential, develop new skills and prepare you for a rapidly changing world. In a short period of time, staff and students at MBBC have had to adapt to new teaching and learning models. From our youngest learners who are developing independence as they strive to navigate their daily plans to our secondary students proactively establishing their new routines, each is adapting to a new model of learning. In turn, this is building confidence to move from face-to-face interactions to online connectivity, and so prepare students for life beyond school. For our senior students particularly, this experience has presented a
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transition opportunity, as they are gaining firsthand experience of what online and collaborative learning will be like in any tertiary course. Learn to take risks: Taking risks will help you grow as an individual and help you identify your interests, talents, strengths and weaknesses. Recent camps provided an opportunity for our boys to engage in activities that extended themselves outside of their comfort zone, build trust and develop their leadership skills. In visiting the various camps throughout the term, I witnessed boys challenging themselves to achieve something that they did not think they were capable of, becoming more confident, knowledgeable and more skilled. I have been impressed by the boys’ attitude, determination, desire to take risks and overcome their own personal barriers. Become more creative: Evidence suggests that when you try something new, you find your own creativity in order to reach a solution. This term we have witnessed first-
hand the enormous effort the staff have made in preparing inspiring, engaging and motivating materials and activities for Remote At Home Learning. They have had to become adaptable, resourceful and flexible in maintaining the quality of teaching and learning. I am in awe of the staff for their dedication and commitment as they have so rapidly, creatively and efficiently launched the various remote learning models, be it through Zoom or Teams. As we embark on this new way of remote learning, I am delighted that our boys and their families have embraced the challenges and appreciate the opportunity to engage in creative activities at home. Become more adaptable and learn to deal with challenges: In a rapidly changing world, where life is unpredictable, it is important to have the skills and confidence to face life’s challenges head on. By being more adaptable, it teaches us to deal with the uncertainty of life and builds our confidence of being proactive rather than reactive in our responses. John Hattie, Australian Institute
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for Teaching and School Leadership Chairman and education advisor after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes of 2011, claims that students will recover quickly from the COVID-19 crisis; results in Christchurch did not suffer. We have a similar confidence that our boys will become more adaptable and recover quickly. From this adversity has come the opportunity for growth and innovation with respect to students’ long-term learning goals. These are challenging, and yet, exciting times. We know students need to be prepared with the skills to enter the world as independent, confident, creative and collaborative learners in their local and global communities. Increase your self-confidence: By leaving your comfort zone, taking a leap of faith and proving to yourself you can push past your boundaries builds your self-confidence and self-esteem. You will start to realise what is possible and what you are truly capable of. The Primary House Vice-Captains and Secondary Student Leaders have taken that leap of faith and are leading by example. No doubt, there will be times throughout the course of this year where the student leaders will have to show courage, but I have every confidence that these fine young men will step up to the challenge and uphold the College Values of Teamwork, Engagement, Character and Care. While the benefits of stepping outside your comfort zone are evident, it is not always easy to do so. Stepping outside your comfort zone requires a positive attitude, perseverance, resilience, commitment, dedication and hard work. Dr. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who has spent years studying people, trying to understand what it is that makes high achievers so successful. In her book Grit, she showed that the most successful people were not those who had the highest IQ scores, the best degrees, the most expensive education or the most advanced social intelligence. What led them to be successful was what Duckworth called grit, or perseverance. Similarly, Carol Dweck, a professor of Psychology at Stanford University who has spent years studying school students to measure what it is that makes them achieve successful outcomes.
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Her research demonstrates that when students possess engagement, perseverance and challenge themselves, they see the greatest improvements and the most successful outcomes. Her research showed that those improvements increase their confidence, motivation, and therefore, they stepped outside of their comfort zone and achieved higher levels of success. Now I am aware that being a proud father of three boys, two academic educational psychologists may not gain the greatest traction. Therefore, I would like to refer to Michael Jordan, the most brilliant and successful basketball player of all time – a six time NBA champion, five time NBA MVP, 10 time NBA high scorer, 14 time NBA All Star and three time NBA All Star MVP. A man who went from a humble working-class family background to earn a personal fortune said to be north of 2 billion dollars. Most importantly, Jordan’s story in his own words is marked by a moment in time when he knew that he was going to have to work harder, learn from his own failures, and that he could not succeed on talent alone. That moment came when Jordan, a supremely gifted basketballer even as a child, failed to make his senior year high school basketball team because the coach considered that he hadn’t worked hard enough to earn a spot. Hard to believe considering Jordan’s success later on. Upon reflection, Jordan knew that he had to work even harder and step outside of his comfort zone if he was going to succeed. He said, “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life; but, most significantly, I can accept failure, everyone fails at something, but I can’t accept not trying”. I appreciate that not everyone will become a six time NBA Champion, a Professor or a Psychologist. However, there are huge benefits of stepping outside of your comfort zone. In a changing world, if you can deal with challenges, inevitably it will help you to grow. Only when we are willing to step outside our comfort zone will growth really take place. Only when we are comfortable of stepping outside our comfort zone will we discover, and ultimately reach, our full potential.
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FAREWELL CLASS OF 2019 The College said goodbye and thank you to the Senior Class of 2019 in mid-November, with a special graduation ceremony, followed by the guard of honour and the ringing of the bell. With a number of boys having started their MBBC journey in Prep, the day is an emotional time for many, as they leave the College to chase down their dreams. 84% of our students were OP eligible, with 18.8% achieving an OP of 5 or above, 62.5% achieving an OP of 10 or above and 100% achieving an OP of 15 or above. These strong results meant an impressive 100% of the Senior Class of 2019
who applied for a tertiary course were made an offer in the first round, to a wide range of tertiary courses at QUT, Griffith and UQ. We are extremely proud of the achievements of our graduating students. The achievements and destinations of our Seniors of 2019 remind us that outstanding academic success can go hand in hand with all-round growth and development. This broad and balanced education is what best equips our graduates to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead of them. We wish these boys all the best for the future.
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FAREWELL, MR WOOD At the end of 2019, Head of College, Mr Tony Wood retired. In his eight years at MBBC, Tony embedded himself in the community, being visible and engaging with our boys and families at every opportunity. Tony is an avid reader and lifelong learner and these attributes shone through as he guided the College through many phases during his time with us. Tony will be missed at many a Saturday morning cricket game or standing at the top of our school, greeting parents and students as they enter to start the day. What will remain amongst his significant achievements, is the unique Cross, standing tall in the center of our roundabout, visible from Manly Road. Tony used his holiday time in 2015, along with his carpentry skills, to build this Cross, which now stands as an iconic structure as you enter our school. It is symbolic of the lasting legacy Mr Wood leaves at MBBC.
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CHAPLAIN'S CORNER Mr Shane McCarthy | Chaplain In this world, we have so many different expectations of us. Our partners have expectations, our friends and family have expectations, our work has expectations and our community has expectations of us as well. Amidst all the noise of these, at times, competing voices, this smothering blanket of expectations and demands; it is important to work out what our priorities are going to be. What are we going to strive to be and do? Ultimately in this life, we choose who we want to be. But what is it that God requires of us? Well the Prophet Micah put it this way: He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
And finally, to Care by walking humbly with God. Humility means that we simply remember that we are ultimately frail creatures who have been very blessed. Blessed to have people around us who love us and Care for us, blessed to live in a community that has such freedom and life options, blessed to have each moment to live our life to the fullest. We do not take people for granted or use people but instead we honour them and encourage them. In a world that can seem out of control at times and maybe even a bit scary, we are reminded to make a choice. A choice about who we will be and how we will interact with the world around us. Choose to Care by acting justly, by loving mercy and by walking humbly with God.
One of our values as a College is that of Care, and in this passage, we see that Care is at the heart of God as well. In fact, it is an expectation of God. To Care for our community and those around us by acting justly. Or, in other words, act with fairness, honesty, and integrity. To Care by loving mercy. We are to fill our hearts with compassion and kindness toward one another. To be a person of mercy and love and to extend that especially to those in need.
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YOUR 2020 CAPTAINS Oliver Fletcher | College Captain Who is your greatest role model, and why? While I don’t have one specific role model, someone I look up to is Tom Hanks. He has achieved so much and just seems to be very honest, genuine and inspirational. What are your key goals for 2020? This year is an important time for me both academically and personally. Academically, would like to get a good ATAR that keeps as many doors open as possible, as I remain unsure what I want to do. Therefore, I would also like to get a better understanding of who I am, while making and maintaining those important relationships with friends and family around me. What would you like the class of 2020 to be remembered for? Our cohort has certainly faced some bumps from curriculum changes to a pandemic, so I hope we are remembered for our resilience despite these challenges. More importantly though, I hope the kindness, humour and energy I see and feel every day from our cohort is what the MBBC community remembers us for.
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What defines leadership? Leadership looks different to everyone, and I am still understanding what defines it. I believe that the core to leadership is one’s integrity and how they use it to set an example and inspire others into making positive changes within their community.
Korben Lyall-Wilson | College Vice Captain Who is your greatest role model, and why? Elon Musk. He has built multiple companies and organisations which have revolutionized many different industries, forcing older more established companies to innovate. As he says, "I just want to think about the future and not be sad". Every decision he makes links beautifully into his master plan for the future, never wasting opportunities and always thinking out of the box, making decisions most people wouldn't even think of. What are your key goals for 2020? My main goal is to graduate with an ATAR which is high enough to get into any of the Engineering or Information Technology courses at Uni (the minimum is an ATAR of ~75). I also would like to have spent
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the year developing key skills that I will use later in my professional life. What motivates you to succeed? Doing the best I can now will make my life much easier later in life when I branch out into whatever I want to do. Success is practical. Where will we find you in five years? In five years I would like to have graduated from University with either a Bachelors of Engineering majoring in Mechatronics or a Bachelors of Information Technology majoring in Computer Science. I love travelling and would like to have been overseas and have travelled through various countries, but who knows how long the COVID-19 pandemic will impact international travel.
Daniel Field | Cultural Captain Who is your greatest role model, and why? One of my greatest role models is Daniel Howell. Not only is he very entertaining and relatable, but he is a source of positivity, inspiration and often much-needed validation for millions of young people. He uses his platform and influence as an instrument for positive change, through activism in such areas as mental illness and youth and LGBT+ rights. He is one of the few "influencers" that focuses on what is really important. I also approve of his strictly monochrome fashion sense, and I kind of wish that I was British. What are your key goals for 2020? I definitely want to do the best I can in my studies, but some things are more important. (Look away now teachers!). Above all, my emotional and mental wellbeing is of great
importance to me. Ultimately, I would like to end the year having some idea of not just where I am going, but also of who I am going to be. What inspired your love of the Arts? I of course love movies, games, music and the like, but art is much more than just entertainment. We're all just living on this big floating rock, and art captures and expresses our individual and collective experiences. It brings us together, mentally and physically, and helps us to gain an understanding of the overall human condition. Also, playing drums is cool. Who would play you in a movie of your life? This is an excellent question. I am so glad that I went for Cultural Captain. Have you seen the questions for some of the other Captains? They're far less fun. Anyway, I would obviously be played by Helena Bonham Carter.
Callum Sey | Sports Captain Who is your greatest role model, and why? My greatest role model is my friend Momo Frank. He has been riding since he was 8 years old, has three National titles as well as multiple State titles and he has represented Australia in mountain biking. He managed to coordinate an intense training regime alongside his Year 12 studies and achieved a very impressive OP result. I've followed Momo's results and I've watched him race for many years. I admire and look up to him as a role model. I am now fortunate enough to train alongside him and he is a very dear friend. What are your key goals for 2020?
teachers and friends and make the most out of every opportunity presented. Another key goal is to compete in the National and State Mountain Bike Championships and prepare to hopefully qualify for the 2021 World Championship representing Australia. What do you enjoy most about competitive sports? The main part of competitive sport that I most enjoy is the friendships that I have made, the places that I have travelled and the opportunities that I have been given. How do you motivate the boys before a big event? Before big events I like to play music, have group discussion and war cries.
Lachlan Walker | Service Captain Who is your greatest role model, and why? Jesus, through his multiple teachings of the gospel. As well as his pioneering Christian qualities and life lessons. What are your key goals for 2020? My key goals for 2020 is too achieve a high grade for entry into university. Allowing me to get into my desired course at Uni. What role does faith play in your daily activities? Faith plays an active role with my everyday activities such as helping me with deciding what I am going to do on a daily basis. What memory brings you joy? A memory that brings me Joy, is one when my family and I first went to Legoland in Germany.
My key goals for 2020 are to enjoy my final year in school with my
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ALUMNI - WHERE ARE THEY NOW
Gregg Wilson Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Kieran Harbinson Third Year Pharmacy Student
Post MBBC, Gregg Wilson (class of 2010) studied a year of town planning and started an apprenticeship in mechanics, but found that neither inspired him the way he was hoping for.
Kieran Harbinson (class of 2017) considers a Year 11 trip to UQ’s Pharmacy Research Labs a pivotal influence in his decision to study Pharmacy.
Gregg’s brother had studied physiotherapy and suggested Gregg enter the health industry, and so in 2016 Gregg graduated from QUT as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist and quickly built a cliental across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Discovering a desire to help people further, Gregg went on to study Nursing. In 2019, he graduated as a Registered Nurse from QUT and secured a job in the Intensive Care Unit at the Princess Alexandra Hospital. Gregg has been caring for COVID-19 patients and has been involved in undertaking measures to increase Intensive Care Unit capacity in case of large influxes in patients. You’d be right to think that starting a nursing career during a pandemic is tough, however Gregg believes it to be the best as he is learning and growing quickly. He says his time as a Nurse has been both incredibly rewarding and challenging, as he supports some of the most vulnerable patients in Queensland.
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“UQ showed us what goes on in the labs, such as compounding medications and determining medication outcomes. This motivated me into looking into pharmacy as a job I’d want to do in the future since it incorporated many things I was passionate about, such as caring for others, but also Chemistry and Biology.” While studying, Kieran has been working in pharmacies such as Terry White and Chemist Warehouse as a Pharmacy Student, where he gets to help patients with problems they may have regarding medications or general medical concerns which are believed to not need a doctor (i.e. Conjunctivitis). He also has an interest in Rural Pharmacy, and has been working out west, where he has enjoyed disconnecting from the rush of metro life. Kieran also considers his Year 12 Biology Teacher Mrs Leisa O’Connor a significant influence on his chosen career path, citing her Biology classes introducing him to Organic Chemistry, which is now informing his career as a Pharmacist using Pharmacology.
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Dr Michael Wong BMedSc, MD Associate Lecturer UQ
Sam Atkins Third Year Paramedic Student and Professional Surf Lifesaver
After graduating in 2013, Michael studied the Bachelor of Medical Science at Griffith University (Class of 2015), followed by the Doctor of Medicine (Class of 2019). He also developed an interest in medical education, acting as the National Strategy Director for the Pre-Internship (PRINT) Conference, the largest academic event for final year medical students in Australia.
Sam Atkins (class of 2016), like many Seniors, was unsure which direction he wanted to take immediately out of school, but his passion and interest in Surf Lifesaving provided an important guide.
Since then, Michael has been working successfully as a doctor at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital across a variety of disciplines. He also has an appointment as an Associate Lecturer with the University of Queensland’s School of Clinical Medicine teaching medical students and is actively involved in research. Talking about the recent COVID-19 pandemic, Michael says “It’s certainly been an interesting year in healthcare. The field of medicine embodies lifelong learning, and we have had to rapidly adapt to the current circumstances … each day is different to the last. I have come to appreciate the impact of the many individuals who contribute to the robust health system we enjoy in Australia.”
In Year 6, Sam started Surf Lifesaving as a Nipper, and went on to attain multiple awards, including his First Aid and CPR awards. He remembers looking on in admiration as professional lifeguards worked to revive a man, and this day inspired him to follow in their footsteps. Sam was selected for a Surf Lifesaving Leadership Camp in 2015, which started a journey to patrol all 129 Surf Lifesaving Clubs in NSW, including all 21 clubs on the northern beaches of Sydney - all achieved before he started Year 12! Sam went on to become a professional lifeguard, with regular patrol duties for Point Lookout Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) on Stradbroke Island, followed by Brunswick SLSC in Northern NSW. Sam is now taking his desire to help others further. He is in his third year studying towards a Bachelor of Paramedicine at ACU, and excited about his future as a Paramedic.
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OUR FIRST YEAR OF PRE-PREP 2019 saw our first ever Pre-Prep class spend a year in our new, purpose-built Pre-Prep facility. A mixed-gender model for Pre-Prep is best practice for children aged 3 to 4, and as such a unique cohort of both girls and boys engaged in many projects throughout the year and fully established themselves within the Moreton Bay Colleges community. Over the year, the Pre-Prep children developed strong connections with their Year 6 buddies, listened to visiting authors and worked alongside the gardeners to plant new shrubs. The
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children also shared their learning space with Grandparents, inviting them to a special morning in Pre-Prep. Together they enjoyed playing games, singing songs and shared a morning tea. It was an exciting, and at times sad day when the first Pre-Prep cohort ‘graduated’ from Pre-Prep and went on to continue their education, joining either Moreton Bay College or Moreton Bay Boys’ College in the Prep class of 2020. It was a truly memorable first year for our Pre-Prep learners.
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1. Pre-Prep at Grandparents Day. 2. Arbour Day with our Year 6 friends 3. Patel with his Grandparents 4. Getting ready to plant 5. Thomas and his Grandad 6. Jasper enjoying his chocolate cake 7. Thomas with his Grandad 8. Enjoying delicious chocolate cake 9. Planting with our environmental leaders
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WHEN FEAR RUNS HIGH, THE NEED FOR COURAGE RUNS HIGHER Mr Richard Curtis | Head of Primary I recently read an article written by Margie Warrel titled Leading Through Covid-19: Making Smart Decisions Amid Uncertainty. It made me think about our school context and how many things had changed in recent weeks. Over the past few years, VUCA (the acronym for the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous nature of today's world) has been one of the key terms in most workplaces. I have certainly heard it discussed plenty of times at Teaching and Principal conferences in recent years.
inevitable returning of students to classrooms. Firstly, we had the cancellation of many events leading up to the shutting down of the Colleges. Then, we had significant changes in routine and behaviour expectations (i.e. distancing),
Suddenly, I see that my understanding of VUCA has rapidly changed. If ever the phrase VUCA felt appropriate to use, it's now. The times we are presently living through are unprecedented. Things are changing rapidly and will continue to for some time. We dealt with rapid changes when the boys were still at school, then again as we moved to remote at-home learning. But VUCA still remains, even with the
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which brought about many questions from the boys. As teachers, we had to go straight back to our core business of high care, high expectations. It was necessary as the boys experienced uncertainty and volatility, that they knew we were there for them.
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I believe we did a great job of achieving this. Although a few boys would have liked more time to experience a proper closure to Term 1 with their teachers, I'm happy we made the decision we did. As I write this article, I've spent recent weeks following the everyday learning of our Prep to Year 6 boys on Seesaw. I'm looking at the great work that the boys are uploading, and I'm enjoying reading the feedback from teachers. It's a massive undertaking, with parents supporting learning at home and teachers delivering the curriculum online. Some advice that came from this article led me to think about my behaviour, the behaviour of my staff, and what I expect of my own children as we move through the next few weeks and months. Reassure: Role model 'Self-certainty' All leadership begins with self-leadership. Given the immense uncertainty around coronavirus, it's vital that leaders are conscious about showing up in ways that dial down anxiety, not stoke it. You can do this by role modelling "self-certainty" - something you can build by being grounded in values like we have at MBBC; Care, Character, Engagement and Teamwork. After several weeks of witnessing boys working form home, we've witnessed a growth in self-direction, independence and the realisation that ingenuity has a part to play in adapting and moving forward. Foster connection: Right now, the primary staff are feeling the changes that are occurring in education. While they may not be coming together physically due to the nature of this threat, as Channel 7 says "We're all in this together, and we will get through it together". Building on the already established trust between staff, parents and the boys is essential. I wish we had chosen the term' physical distancing and social nearing', as we've seen the absolute value of Zoom lessons, parties, trivia and the need to maintain a social relationship with our friends, which applies to adults as well as students.
Act inclusively: Using your heart as well as your head Relationships are the key to our success; the boys need to see our high care and high expectations and see that we are working together through this time. I've also felt in recent weeks that the relationships between parents and children, children and nature and between friends have changed for the better. There has been a strong positive lift in 'counting our blessings', being inclusive of others and surrendering to the understanding that living simply is incredibly beneficial. Risk Over-Communication: I find that, in general, Independent Schools sometimes over-communicate with families, but in this current case, I think not. I'm happy to see that my staff are uploading comprehensive amounts of work for parents to look over and do at home with the boys. I'm proud that we are trying to be as transparent as possible. For some, this will seem too much, and others not enough, but over-communicating takes away the fear of not knowing what to do. And finally, from the article itself, a conclusion which I feel has a great deal of merit. ‘After all, when fear runs high, the need for courage runs higher’. If history has taught us anything, it's that the worst of times can bring out the best in people individually and collectively - stretching us to think more broadly and advance more intelligently. From watching the boys of MBBC go through the past month or so I have seen (albeit online) a greater connection with the environment, increased connections with those in their house as well as others, innovative behaviour, a growing responsibility and sense of gratitude for what they have in their lives. Let us continue to focus on all the positives to come from this journey.
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REMOVING SELFIMPOSED LIMITATIONS Mr Michael Holland | Head of Secondary All of us have some level of self-awareness. We know what we enjoy, what we do well, what we don’t like and what we find challenging. This understanding of ourselves can be a good thing; it helps us navigate our way through life, making reasonably informed decisions. We need to guard against being too fixed in how we perceive ourselves. If we are not careful, we might ignore opportunities or, worse, not pursue opportunities, because we don’t think we are good at something. It is easy to call to mind someone you know who is a good athlete, an academic, a ‘gifted’ musician. We see their ability and assume it is an innate part of their makeup, but we don’t always see the hard work and commitment that has developed their skills. While it must be acknowledged that we might be born with certain aptitudes, the role of our environment or external influences should not be ignored. If we believe we are either ‘good’ or ‘bad’ at something, we become fixed in our mindset, and this can have disastrous results. If we allow our abilities to become too closely linked to our identity, it can be problematic. A ‘straight A’ student may struggle to cope
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with the disappointment of an assessment that falls short of their usual standard and not see the opportunity for growth. A ‘shy’ student may avoid opportunities for public speaking or performance at all costs and hence never develop the confidence needed to do either.
'More crucial in achieving anything worthwhile is a willingness to try, to commit, to fail, to dust yourself off and try again with a slightly different approach, based on what you have learned from previous attempts.' At every opportunity, I encourage our young men to adopt a ‘growth’ mindset, to acknowledge that talent is but one ingredient of success. More crucial in achieving anything worthwhile is a willingness to try, to commit, to fail, to dust yourself off and try again with a slightly different approach, based on what you have learned from previous attempts. Successful students adopt this approach in the classroom and the sporting arena. Successful students set goals and work hard towards them. Successful students put in the effort and embrace the feedback when it comes. The good news here
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is that every student is capable of taking the approach outlined above and, in so doing, being successful.
the time, saw the creation of the phrase “to do a Bradbury” that is, to achieve success through random luck.
I have shared the story of Stephen Bradbury with students before, and I will share it again because his success was built firmly on a dogged determination that can only be born of a growth mindset. At numerous points in his career, he could have been deterred by injury or failure, but he did not relent in his pursuit of Olympic gold.
I issued a challenge to the students to be like Steven Bradbury, but I’m not asking them to rely on luck. Most people don’t realise that Salt Lake City was Bradbury’s fourth Winter Olympics. He had trained for 12 years, enduring failures and some life-threatening and career-ending injuries on the way.
Success came early for Bradbury who, at 17, was a member of the Australian World Champion winning short-track speed skating relay team. This was the first title won by Australia in a major winter sport and quite an achievement.
It might seem like fortune smiled on him when he made it into the semi-finals in 2002 because another competitor was disqualified. He ‘got lucky’ again in the semi-finals, when a collision between two competitors in front of him provided an opening for him to advance into the final, which he won because he was quite literally, the last man standing.
In 1994, he was impaled on the blade of another skater. The wound and subsequent blood loss could have been fatal. In 1998, he took part in his second Winter Olympics but failed to make it out of the heats. In 2000, he was involved in an accident at training, colliding headfirst into a wall at top speed. He broke his neck and was told he might not walk again. Bradbury had competed at three Winter Olympics and hadn’t done his best at any of them. Salt Lake City in 2002 was effectively his last shot. After trailing, and it must be said by some way, for about 980 metres of the 1000 metre shorttrack final, he avoided a pile-up, because he was so far back, that left all his competitors sprawling. His win, considered lucky by all who saw it at
The truth is, Bradbury had persevered in the face of substantial adversity. He kept himself in the game, and that is what I urge our young men to do. They will encounter obstacles in the pursuit of their academic, sporting or life goals, but none that are insurmountable. They can always find a way forward, sometimes with the help of others, but progress is always a possibility as long as they keep trying. There is no limit to what our young men can achieve; only the limits they set on themselves. Our role as parents and teachers is to help them move beyond those self-imposed limitations.
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SPORTS SUCCESS
EVEN SURGERY NOT SLOWING CALLUM DOWN 2020 Sport Captain Callum underwent extensive chest surgery in November 2019, but even that hasn’t stopped him from competing in State and National sporting events. Across 2019, Callum co-captained The Moreton Bay Colleges’ Mountain Biking team, where they defended their titles of Mountain Biking Australia Schools National Champions and Most EPIC School at the Flight Centre Cycle Epic, where he had multiple placings in the top ten. Individually, Callum also competed in the Giant 3 Plus 3, where he placed 3rd in the U19 category, and he competed in the National Cup, where riders accumulate points from their top 12 races to achieve a National ranking. Callum competed extensively across South East QLD and also travelled to Mackay, Armidale, Bright, New Italy and Orange. His final National ranking in the U17 category was a very commendable 7th. Cullum’s chest surgery in November took a toll on his training schedule. Regular training five days a week became no training for eight weeks. This lack of training meant Callum was unsure if he would be able to compete at the State Triathlon Championship in February or the National MTB Championship in March. But as a true man of Character, Callum wasn’t going to let surgery and a lack of training slow him down! In February, Callum competed at the State Triathlon Championship in Hervey Bay, where he was nominated as Captain of the Metropolitan East Team and his relay team placed 4th in the Senior category. 2020 has seen Callum move up to the U19 category for Mountain Biking racing, where he is competing against a very talented pool of riders from across Australia. In March, he headed to Victoria for the National MTB Championships where, once again, he was unsure if he had the
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fitness to compete on the gruelling technical track. This year was all about gaining experience competing against the more experienced and older riders. Callum was very pleased to place in the top 20 for both the Cross Country Olympic course and the Cross Country Short course. Callum has recently been given the opportunity to join a local road cycling team ‘Intervello’ based in Wellington Point. This is a feeder team for young riders to step up to national level. Supported by ex-professional riders and quality coaches, this will lay foundations and support him as he progresses. With this additional support he plans to compete in the National road championships at the start of next year (2021), the 2021 UCI world MTB championships in Val di Sole (Italy) as well as high profile events around the SEQ area.
NASH SWIMS TO SUCCESS Year 5 Nash Boal is making his mark in the water, with a string of successes over the last few months. In October, Nash was selected in the Met East team to compete in the Aquathlon at Kawana Waters on the Sunshine Coast and in November he was in the school relay team for the QSSA swimming champs at Chandler. Nash started 2020 by being crowned our 11 Years Age Champion at the Interhouse Swimming Carnival, and followed this up at the Lytton swimming trials, where he was selected to compete in six events and qualified for all six, allowing him to swim in the Met East Trials. Nash made the Met East team and is now going on to compete at the State Championships. Nash also competed at the State Aquathlon Championships at Hervey Bay and qualified for the National Championships, which are scheduled to be held later in the year. Most recently, swimming at the Wondall Road Challenge in March, Nash placed first in all his events. We’ll be watching intently as Nash competes at his State and National events this year!
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CULTURAL SUCCESS
CARTER SHIELD 2019 saw the 23rd Carter Shield battled out at Iona College. As always, the Carter Shield was a highly anticipated event, because it is not only competitive, but collegial. Every speech on the night was powerful either in its use of rhetoric, humour or creativity. The Moreton Bay Boys’ College team rose to the occasion, earning yet another well-deserved win. The MBBC team consisted of Oliver Sickinger, Wil Bancroft, Viraj Khatri, Miku Sugimura, Oliver Fletcher, and Connor Southern.
VIVA LA MUSICA Viva La Musica and the Music Awards evening proved a fantastic finish to 2019, a year filled with many challenges and achievements in Music. This special night also allowed us to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work of many of our musicians through the presentation of awards. Viva la Musica certainly was a night filled with laughter, tears and smiles, and was a wonderful occasion to celebrate both student achievement, and the Music department here at The Moreton Bay Colleges.
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CULTURAL SUCCESS
MANIFESTMBBC 2019 The extended College community gathered in the middle of October for the opening night of ManifestMBBC 2019. The Visual Art staff and the art students of MBBC were excited to be able to hold the event in the new the library, which allowed extended viewing time for three extra days. It was also an opportunity to showcase the new exhibition space, the Corridor Gallery, which will allow the Art students to exhibit their work all year round. In continuing to establish Art Department traditions, ManifestMBBC 2019 saw the return of the ‘Student Recognition of Excellence Awards’ and ‘People’s Choice Awards’. Designed to recognise and award up to five students from Lower and Upper Primary and Lower and Upper Secondary for their excellence in Art, this year’s awards were judged by Mr Michael Zavros. A leading Contemporary Australian Artist, Mr Zavros has an extensive background in exhibiting in Australia and overseas. ManifestMBBC is a high point on the school’s cultural calendar, and the one occasion where students can view their artwork in context. ManifestMBBC 2019 documented and celebrated student’s creative journeys from Prep to Year 12, and we were thrilled to see the continued support of the College community for this event.
ORIGINALS NIGHT In early November, the MBC and MBBC joint rock bands hosted the first ever Original’s Night, showcasing music and lyrics composed, written and played by the students over the past school year. Each band was able to produce a couple of songs with the help of band coordinator Ms Locke, and some songs were even recorded professionally at the music production studio, creating polished and impressive final pieces.
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CAMP HIGHLIGHTS Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
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Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9 and 10 23
INTERHOUSE YEARS 4 - 6 SWIMMING CARNIVAL
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FROM THE ARCHIVES JUNE 2012 ABC radio interviewed our Prep boys at their Vege Market stall, where they displayed and sold vegetables and herbs they had grown in the Prep Veggie Garden!
SEPTEMBER 2012 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd visited our school on Thursday for a quick tour and chat to the boys.
OCTOBER 2015 Executive Principal Mr Slowman officially opened the new C-Block Science Building at the MBBC Science Night.
AUGUST 2015 MBBC sent off its first international Exchange Student to South Africa! Tavis Bancroft travelled to Clifton school in Durban a coastal city in eastern South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, known for its African, Indian and colonial influences.
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FROM THE FOUNDATION Mr Jason Titman | Chair of the Moreton Bay Colleges’ Foundation Board The Moreton Bay Colleges’ Foundation is excited to be a part of the first edition of Altitude. While still in its infancy, the Foundation has taken great strides to develop relationships with our current school families, past students and the wider community. Just as today’s students benefit from the generosity of past families, students and donors, the Foundation continues to nurture the spirit of giving that forms part of the fabric of our Colleges. During the year, our Board welcomed the release of The Moreton Bay Colleges’ Foundation Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2022. This document - which you can find on our website - outlines our objectives to support the College to deliver exceptional educational experiences, support student bursaries and provide new buildings and better facilities. We do this through a range of funding activities including: •
growing the Voluntary Building Fund to invest back into the Colleges
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donations to bursary funds
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grants and partnerships
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fundraising initiatives
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external corporate sponsorships
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capital campaigns
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bequests and other donations.
For the second year in a row, during 2019 we ran a fundraising car raffle, thanks to the
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generous support of Motorline BMW. The top prize was won by a parent and former old girl of MBC, with second prize - a $5,000 travel voucher from Trendell and Turner Travel Associates, won by an MBBC grandparent. In the spirit of ‘friend raising’, the Foundation hosted the Day @ the Bay- The Ultimate 80’s night, a family event with live music and food trucks. The atmosphere on this night was an indication of the strength of our community. We were thrilled to formally name The Dollar Family Grandstand, at the MBC pool, and recognise all the donors who contributed to this project. The Foundation also supported the College in recognising the ongoing and generous contributions and support of the Krook family by officially naming the The Darryl N. Krook Boardroom, part of the new MBBC Library. The Foundation has played a leading role in supporting the growth of the MBBC Old Boys by increasing connections with past students, updating the contact database and contributing to the organisation of the Old Boys Christmas function. We are proud that our Old Boys continue to engage with the College and look forward to driving future initiatives with these young men. During 2019, the Foundation also launched our first “Generations of Moreton Bay” afternoon tea. This special event brought together over 100 current MBC and MBBC students with their mothers and grandmothers who also attended Moreton Bay College. We continue to work across both Colleges to support traditions and build new ones.
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7. 1. 2019 Raffle second prize winner Irene Thompson, MBBC grandparent 2. Naming of the Darryl N Krook Board Room 3. The Calford Family enjoying Day @ the Bay 4. The New MBBC library building was supported by the Foundation and many of our generous donors 5. The Chambers family win the BMW X1! 6. The Generations of Moreton Bay event 7. The Dollar Family Grandstand is named
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P&F ASSOCIATION Mr Stephen Gray | P&F President The 2020 school year has been one of the most testing faced by the MBBC Parents & Friends Association (P&F). The dedicated parents, friends and MBBC staff who form the committee have turned their usual focus from fundraising to a broader commitment based on community support and planning for whatever postCOVID-19 activities may be possible this year. The committee’s usual signature social and fund-raising events, such as the P&F Ball and Trivia Night, have been postponed while our regular support of schoolbased activities such as Mothers' Day Stall have been cancelled. A priority for the committee will be to join with the College and wider College community as we rebuild and regenerate in the wake of the Pandemic. This year’s Committee contains several first-time members and their enthusiasm and dedication alongside returning members has added significantly to our school. The P&F’s success is sometimes not measured by the amount of funds raised, but more importantly, by the community engagement and support we see. We achieved some wonderful outcomes for our students in 2019. Funds raised allowed the purchase of a brand new data projector and screen for the Sports Hall, an artificial turf
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area outside E block and the P&F also committed funds toward flexible learning furniture to assist the school create flexible learning spaces for our boys in Primary School. We are very fortunate to have the support of the dedicated College leadership team, who attend our P&F meetings, and a special thanks to our the new Head of College, Mr Andrew Holmes, for his support of the P&F already this year. This year we will continue to build an even stronger connection with our sister college, Moreton Bay College, and have undertaken initiatives with the assistance of MBC Head of College Janet Stewart to continue to build a strong community. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to the hard working and dedicated MBBC P&F Committee.
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OLD BOYS The Moreton Bay Boys’ College Old Boys, while officially in its infancy, has been actively engaged since our first graduates in 2010. As Australia’s youngest boys’ schools with just ten years of graduates, we now have a group of over 250 fine young men who can proudly call themselves Old Boys of Moreton Bay Boys’ College.
his farewell assembly for their chance to say their good-byes and thank him for his leadership.
In 2019, the Old Boys’ started putting in place a more formalised structure, and we held our very first committee meeting with nine past students from a variety of graduating classes. This meeting resulted in the development and introduction of an official Old Boys gift, an eagle pin, to be given to the graduating 2019 class.
Later this year, we are excited to be hosting the first MBBC Old Boys reunion for the class of 2010, this event is scheduled for Saturday 10 October 2020.
Each year, we host an Alumni Panel, where we invite past students to share their stories with the graduating Seniors. In 2019 we heard from five boys from cohorts 2010-2018 as they shared what life is like after school - the good, the bad and the sometimes unexpected.
The much-anticipated annual Christmas Function, supported by The Moreton Bay Colleges’ Foundation, was well attended and as always, a great way to engage with Old Boys and staff alike.
Eagle Pin
2019 saw the end of an era with the retirement of Mr Tony Wood. Many of our Old Boys attended
First ever Old Boys Committee Meeting
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OLD BOYS' CELEBRATIONS Class of 2014
Jesse Bradford married his wife Kimberley on April 13 2018.
Class of 2010
Joshua Ferguson married his wife Jess on December 2, 2017.
Class of 2010
Luke Egan married his wife Tayla on November 30, 2019. Fellow classmates Adam Ralls and Dave Levenspiel were groomsmen for Luke.
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Class of 2013
Jason Ferguson and his partner Jessica Cloughessy welcomed Ella on May 9th 2020 and big brother Hudson (born 15th January 2018) is thrilled with the addition of his sister. As far as we are aware Jason and Jess are the proud parents of our first “Bay babies�, where mum attended MBC and dad attended MBBC!
Class of 2010
Daniel Kyranis and his wife Sasha welcomed Claire Anne Kyranis to their family on the 7th of November 2019. Big brothers Luke (born 9th of May 2013) and Oliver (born 28th March 2018) are thrilled with the addition of their little sister.
Class of 2010
David Levenspiel and partner Jamee welcomed their daughter Mia-Lee Levenspiel on 26 April 2019 at the Redlands Hospital.
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Find out more Visit our website and download a Prospectus. www.mbbc.qld.edu.au
Visit us Book a College Tour with our Enrolments team. registrar@mbbc.qld.edu.au 07 3249 9322
302 Manly Road Manly West Queensland 4179 P 07 3906 9444
Enrol online For your convenience our online enrolment process is now available. www.mbbc.qld.edu.au/enrol
mail@mbbc.qld.edu.au www.mbbc.qld.edu.au A Pre-Prep - Year 12 Uniting Church School for boys CRICOS 03772J