CGS Outlook 2014 AUGUST · of entertainment under the stars. A line-up of CGS students, both past and present, serenaded guests with musical performances while art students were presented

CGS Outlook | August 2014 | 1

CGS OutlookThe magaz ine o f the Canber ra Grammar Schoo l communi ty

AUGUST

2014

2 | CGS Outlook | August 2014

IN THIS ISSUE:

From the Head 1

From the Head of Primary From the Head of Senior School 2

Nature walks 3

Learning to be leaders 4

RMC leadership day 5

Julius Caesar in the ring 6

Code Cadets hack to success at GovHack 2014 6

New students 7

Asian tea ritual 10

Enlightening Australian Studies lectures 11

Remembering our ANZACs 11

Focus on: Northside 12

Fete 2014 14

Update: The Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century 15

Subject Feature: Agriculture 16

Meet Mr Clark 17

Farewell Bridget Middleton 18

Congratulations Mrs Smyth 18

Teachmeet 18

The why, what and how of Asian engagement 19

CGS hosts teachers from around the world 19

School Board update 20

Classical Encounters 21

Newsbites 22

The making of the whole School photo 24

Old Boys' reunion weekend 26

Old Boys' news 28

What I know now 30

In memory 31

©Canberra Grammar School 2014

Editor: Clare DahlstromGraphic Design: Thuy Anh PhanPhotography: William Hall, Living Portraiture

Grammar goes GatsbyCanberra Grammar School started off 2014 in style with a Gatsby-themed extravaganza in the School’s Main Quad to celebrate our 85th year and the launch of the CGS Foundation. Members of the CGS Community donned their finest furs and flapper dresses and poured into the Quad for an evening of entertainment under the stars. A line-up of CGS students, both past and present, serenaded guests with musical performances while art students were presented with a blank canvas on which to create a Gatsby-themed artwork during the course of the party. Mr Terry Snow, the CGS Foundation Patron, unveiled the plaque for the Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century which is due to open in Semester 2, 2014.

Jack Parker, Year 12, creates a Gatsby-themed artwork during the event

The plaque for the Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century is unveiled

Matthew Nicholls, Year 12, joins a chorus of student musicians


From the Head

I love the surprise that comes with each new edition of CGS Outlook. Even when you live the School every day and you thrive on its energy, you sometimes forget just how much is going on to generate the culture of a community that, as our 85th anniversary photograph proves, is now larger and more diverse than it has ever been.

It’s a pleasure therefore to flick through these pages and to be reminded again and again of highlights of the year, like the brilliant production of Julius Caesar in our Theatre transformed to a boxing gym, or the cool night of the School’s 85th birthday party in the Quad. It’s inspiring to see in vibrant variety the texture of our daily life: tea ceremonies, leadership challenges, classical music encounters, sophisticated IT programming, nature walks and, always, always, learning, learning, learning. There’s so much opportunity for personal growth in such rich experience – and we’re only half way through the year!

Yet, for all that’s happening inside the School, one of the great pleasures of this edition is its evidence of our educational experience stretching far beyond the campus; be it in the bush, on farms, at partner institutions in Canberra, in virtual lessons delivered from afar, or in national academic and sporting competitions. I want our School’s boundaries to be permeable; for students to know that education doesn’t stop at the driveway, and for our staff and students to draw experience, expertise and diversity of perspectives into the life of the School from an extraordinary community beyond.

That’s why Australian Studies, for example, is one of the jewels in our curriculum, challenging our senior boys to see their learning in national and global context through the eyes of visiting journalists, academics, politicians, soldiers, activists, migrants, ecologists, historians and more. It’s also why I’m so proud to have hosted almost three hundred IB languages teachers from across Australia and the Asia Pacific region in the last School holidays as affirmation of our connection to a world-wide educational community; and it’s why I was particularly delighted by this term’s ground-breaking day of professional development for the whole School staff – from Pre-School to Year 12 – to engage in deep discussion with some of Australia’s leading academic thinkers on our relationship with Asia from the ANU, the University of Adelaide and the University of Melbourne.

Too rarely in Schools do we have access to such concentrated intellectual expertise from higher education. Redressing that is one of the defining goals of the Snow Centre, which is rising in our midst at stunning pace. It will provide a venue for on-going interaction between teachers and researchers at both school and university levels as we develop the subject knowledge and the skills required of a world-class education in our global era. Amid the exciting busyness of our campus and community life, we must not lose sight of that goal; our enduring aspiration to deepen and enrich the quality of the education we offer, not simply to get good results, but to be a place of genuine intellectual, cultural, social and, indeed, spiritual nourishment.

To see that being realised is the true pleasure, not just of reading CGS Outlook, but of being in the School every day. For that, as always, I am very grateful to everyone in our School community for their support.

Finally, I would like to make special mention of the Board article in this edition and, both personally and on behalf of all in the School community, to thank the retiring Chairman, Mr Mark Brandon-Baker, for all that he and his colleagues have done to safeguard what we see reflected in these pages. For my own opportunity to be part of this School, for the wisdom of the Board in charting our future, and for Mark’s constant support, I am immensely grateful, and I look forward to bright prospects under the new Chairman, Mr Stephen Byron.

Justin Garrick Head of School


From the Head of Primary School

Learning within an Australian school setting is a personal,

interactive process that brings to life the required learning

from national curriculum documents, the aspirations held

by the School, the interests, abilities and reactions of the

students and the knowledge and practice of teachers.

What learning looks and feels like can differ from one

school to another.

When you move around Canberra Grammar School Primary classrooms you'll notice that a child-centred constructivist approach to learning is acutely evident. Our children are active participants in their own learning. They are empowered to investigate and reorganise their knowledge, make choices and seek out experiences that help to answer the questions they generate. They share in multifaceted ways what they discover. Their daily schedule is loosely structured to enable learning within a blend of stand-alone subject areas and transdisciplinary themes.

Our teachers encourage the children to ask questions, provide open-ended activities with multiple outcomes and seek to ignite learning through the innate curiosity of those they teach. They emphasise the importance of social awareness and the display of empathy, respect and care for one another.

Learning in a school environment is incredibly complex, yet amazingly rewarding to be part of. To see it in action and to experience the ‘buzz’ that comes from being part of the action, visit some of our classrooms. Our students will explain to you what they are learning, why and how. You will be amazed by what our students know about how they learn.

Rosalie ReevesHead of Primary School

From the Head of Senior SchoolReturning to CGS after a wonderful period of Long Service Leave in Term One was a very interesting experience. It was amazing how many things had changed in that relatively short period of time. At my first assembly, I wasn’t entirely comfortable looking out on so many unfamiliar faces; I hadn’t met all the staff; Mr Goddard had put a new chair in my office; period times were slightly adjusted; the Captains arrived a day early for our weekly meeting! I had much to learn, and as this edition of Outlook clearly shows, I had missed many wonderful events in the life of our School.

However, it didn’t take long for me to settle back into the buzz of each day at Canberra Grammar. It was obvious that so many things haven’t changed and these things are the special and defining features of CGS. Boys are still happy to stop and talk and share something of their lives, senior students continue to give enormously of their time to help younger boys, people actually care for each other, under the leadership of our staff boys are still being given incredible opportunities and the sense of belonging is so strong that it is almost tangible. I hope you enjoy reflecting on and remembering the many things that contribute to our community life at CGS as much as I have enjoyed being back in my role here.

David SmartHead of Senior School


Nature walks

At Canberra Grammar School, Pre-School and Pre-Kindergarten students participate in a bushwalking program during their year at the Early Learning Centre. The School’s close proximity to Red Hill Reserve provides a wonderful opportunity for the children to explore the natural environment, learn about sustainability and be nurtured by nature.

The length and complexity of the walks gradually increase throughout the course of the year which allows the children to build their fitness

and resilience. It is often through exertion that we feel elation. The children return after their experiences so full of energy and excitement.

The bushwalking program also develops confidence in the children as they experience new adventures and are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones.

These walks are not possible without the wonderful assistance of parents. In a small group structure, the children have the benefit of an adult immediately at hand who can talk and wonder with them about the natural world. The children know the bushwalking rules which help to keep them safe but they

also have new experiences that develop their willingness to take a chance.

Climbing, collecting and discovering, the children are real explorers and inquirers of the natural environment. These experiences act as stimuli for conversation, drawing and the creation of shared stories once back in the classroom.

Most importantly the children are developing a love for the natural environment. The understanding of human impact grows from their respect of this world. The sustainable practices introduced at the Early Learning Centre are followed with purpose in a desire to protect our beloved bush.


Learning to be leaders

At Canberra Grammar School, learning about leadership is an important part of our students’ education. Students across all year groups and activities are assigned to leadership roles and those in the senior years are all expected to act as leaders within the student community.

Year 6 and Year 11 are both important years when it comes to taking an active role in the leadership of the School and, in 2014, those year groups have spent time engaged in dedicated leadership activities.

Junior School leadershipIn February, Canberra Grammar School's Year 6 students enjoyed a day dedicated to learning about leadership. As the oldest students in the School's Junior years, the boys of Year 6 take on important leadership roles.

During Leadership Day, the boys broke into small groups to complete a variety of problem-solving and role-playing challenges. Each challenge was specifically designed to help the students further develop their understanding of effective leadership, and to practise the skills necessary to become a successful leader.

Later in the month, the 2014 Junior School leaders were announced in a special assembly. In his address to the assembly, Dr Justin Garrick spoke about how all boys are leaders and not just those who are recognised in particular roles. "Every single Junior School boy sets

the tone of the School, leads the School and provides elements we can be proud of," he said.

During the assembly, a boy from each class was appointed to the Student Representative Council and the Community Care Council. Year 6 leaders were appointed in the areas of Art, Environment, Learning, Library, Media, Music, Peer Support and Sport. Year 6 boys were also appointed as the House Captains and Vice-Captains of the four Junior School houses, Shakespeare, Edwards, Garnsey and Radford.

Mrs Rosalie Reeves addressed the boys about what qualities make a great leader. They included compassion, staying true to your personal values, recognising your own strength and that of others, having the ability to bring your dreams to reality and being self-directed to do the right thing without having to be told to do so.


RMC leadership day

On a Friday in May, the entire Canberra Grammar School Year 11 cohort ventured to the Royal Military College (RMC), Duntroon to participate in the much anticipated leadership activity day. It was a rare opportunity to host the whole group with both IB and HSC students together, rolling up their sleeves and applying the theories of leadership to a range of problem-solving tasks.

The aim of the day was to break the year group into House teams and to observe the boys as they were challenged in physical activities, Army training exercises and the Leadership Reaction Course at Majura Range.

Following the Year 10 Expedition, leadership development in Year 11 seeks to build on this experiential model. An important aspect of the day is tapping into the “Leadership Tool Kit” – a concept that had been introduced and utilised by the boys during the Year 10 Expedition.

Some of the comments from the boys included:

“It was great to see how each leader coped when in the hot seat.”

“I was quite curious about the environment and perhaps joining up as an undergrad and taking up life in the forces.”

“It was a good day for House groups to operate together and build a sense of team rather than just friendships.”

“It was an insightful day that gave me a good look into RMC and how life operates on the inside. The idea of a service life appeals to me and therefore it was a good snapshot.”

“It was a fun day working in small teams, but leadership is hard.”

“It was a good opportunity to recognise each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

The Leadership Day at RMC is a highlight of the Year 11 calendar and has developed into a mutually beneficial program. Young leaders of the Defence Force get a chance to lead and manage school students and the group from CGS have a sneak peek at life in the Forces. Each year, two to three graduates from CGS win places at RMC and ADFA.

Stuart McNeillAssistant Head of Senior School


Over three nights in March, Canberra Grammar School presented Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar as you’ve never seen it before. A full-size professional boxing ring was installed in the Tim Murray Theatre to host an adaptation of the famous play set in the 1930’s in an underground boxing gym. This interpretation included the characters from the traditional Julius Caesar but changed their roles to that of fighters rather than politicians.

Along with drama coaching, CGS students received professional boxing lessons in the lead up to the production.

Audience members were met at the back entrance of the School’s Tim Murray Theatre and were directed to walk through the set of Caesar’s Gym to find their seats. The Gym was full of young boxers working out, getting ready for their next big fight. Every seat in the house had a fantastic ringside view but some lucky audience members were invited to sit on side stage where they were given the best seats in the house to view one of

the most exciting scenes of the play: the battle of Brutus and Cassius versus Octavius Caesar and Mark Antony.

This show impressed audience members who were enthralled by the twist on the classic and by the acting abilities of our CGS students. The students themselves described the show as a fantastic and challenging experience which pushed them out of their comfort zones and allowed them to explore different elements of their dramatic experience.

CGS would like to thank WillPower Personal Training and Winnunga Boxing for their support.

Code Cadets hack to success at GovHack 2014In July 2014, 23 students from the Code Cadets and IT classes at Canberra Grammar School participated in GovHack – the largest hackathon in Australia. Joining more than 1,300 other software developers across the country, teams had 46 hours to develop apps, mashups, and visualisations using open Government data in competition for over $70,000 worth of prizes.

The event focused around 'hacking' in the traditional sense – it’s not about being destructive or breaking into things, but instead taking something existing and repurposing it in an innovative way. In the case of GovHack, our students were using raw datasets provided by the Government and presenting that information using apps in a way which is helpful for the average citizen.

The seven teams from CGS wrote apps which use a variety of data sets, including ACT public art works, ACT events, geo-data about the location of parks and sporting fields, and also Commonwealth Government data about energy efficiency ratings on appliances.

Matthew PurcellMiC Code Cadets and Information and Software Technology teacher

IN THE RING

THESE FIVE STUDENTS WERE NEW TO CANBERRA GRAMMAR SCHOOL AT THE BEGINNING OF 2014We understand that being new in any situation can be a daunting experience and, at CGS, we try to make the transition as easy as possible. Turn the page to find out how these students have settled in and what advice they have for future students.



“My parents and I chose Canberra Grammar School because we were looking for a place with more opportunities and choice in terms of languages, subjects and co-curricular activities. I knew other boys who had come to CGS and it sounded really interesting. Last year I visited the School for a day with other new students and did practice classes. It was a good way to get my head around the subjects. During the first few weeks I did get lost around the School but other boys always stopped and helped me find the way. Because there are so many new boys in Year 7 it was really easy to make a lot of friends. But not all of my friends are other new kids, I have made friends with boys who came up from the Junior School as well. My advice to new students to CGS would be to stay ahead of your work. If you keep up with all your work then you can allow yourself to have fun and explore all the exciting opportunities that the School offers.”

“I came to Grammar a couple of years ago for a visit. I really liked the grounds and the style of the School. Prior to starting here I met some other Grammar boys. They were really nice people and I was impressed by how diverse they all were. They were intelligent and involved in all sorts of activities. I think the best way to meet people is to get involved so I signed up for Rugby, Cricket and Swimming and I am coaching one of the School’s Under 12 Rugby teams. I also signed up to sing in the House Music competition to push myself out of my comfort zone. As a day student I found the House system a very helpful way to connect with other students and become involved. My Housemaster has been very supportive. He is very busy but manages to have time for all the boys in his House. History is my favourite subject; it is the best History curriculum I have ever been taught. I am studying the IB and across all subjects the curriculum is really robust. I would encourage new students to become involved in the life of the School and their House. Have the right attitude and the willingness to put yourself out there and don’t worry if you’re not particularly good at something. I signed up for all the events in the Swimming Carnival just so I could get involved. CGS offers so many opportunities but you need to self-initiate to grab those opportunities. The Grammar guys will embrace you if you show you have the right attitude.”

HAMISH MURRAY, YEAR 7 Year 7 is a big intake year for the School with nearly half of the year group joining as new students.

NICOLAS GEUSNON, YEAR 11Nicolas moved to Canberra from Queensland with his family. He is studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.


“I moved to CGS because of the quality in teaching and the

wide range of subjects. Settling into the Boarding House was

a bit scary at first. I wasn’t used to such a strict routine. But

all the people were really welcoming and nice. I was assigned

a Boarding House buddy who showed me around the School.

The staff are very nice too and I find it useful to be able to go

to them with any questions or concerns. I have made friends

through boarding but also with day boys through my classes.

My favourite subjects are French, Maths, History, PE and

Science and I am really enjoying Badminton as a co-curricular

activity. I would advise new boarding students to be friendly to

everyone and to get into the routine as quickly as possible. The

best thing about being a boarder is the sense of friendship and

bonding. The worst thing is trying to wake up in the morning.”

“At first I wasn’t very excited to be leaving my old school as I had a really good group of friends there. But as soon as I arrived here it got easier. The boys in my year are all very inclusive. They were really kind to me and let me join in their games. They do not put any pressure on me or say anything that makes me uncomfortable. My favourite subjects at CGS are English, French, Music and Art. I am looking forward to joining the Senior School. I would encourage all new students to come into the School with a positive attitude. I wasn’t very excited at first but I needn’t have been worried because it was easy to fit in.”

“I like Canberra Grammar School. I have made

lots of friends. Some of them are girls and some

are boys but they are all really nice and funny and

sometimes they are silly. My teacher is kind and

she teaches us lots of new things about Maths and

English. I like Inquiry time where we learn about

memories and thoughts. My favourite thing about

CGS is PE. We get to do sport with balls and go in

the gym and do activities. I think that other kids

would enjoy coming here.”

KIRAN RAJESH, YEAR 10 BOARDERKiran is from Bega on the South Coast of NSW. He moved into the CGS Boarding House at the beginning of the year.

JORDAN IGLESIAS, YEAR 4Jordan came to Canberra Grammar School from a local primary school. Year 4 is becoming a common intake year for CGS as parents want their children to transition into life at Grammar prior to starting in the Senior School.

MADELINE STAINER, YEAR 2Madeline moved to Canberra with her family at the end of last year.


“I’ve learned new ways to calm my brain down and also relax my body. I find the process of making the tea, as well as being calming and relaxing, a fun thing to do. The tea is refreshing and wakes me up in the mornings.”

Noah Gorrell

“I like the tea dance, when it is all moving around it looks sometimes like seaweed and sometimes like a flower in the water. I’ve learned a way of calming myself down. Whenever I feel stressed I can do the tea ritual.”

Matthew Rensch

Asian tea ritualEight junior Canberra Grammar School students have spent each Wednesday morning during Term 2 participating in an Asian Tea Ritual. The pilot program, presented by Masters of Education student, Suzanne Rientis, was devised especially for upper primary school children to introduce Chinese cultural practices that enhance health and well-being, increase awareness of the senses, foster calm and curiosity, engage respectfully with others and the environment, improve posture and provide tools for stress reduction.

Suzanne has been teaching and designing programs for thirty years. She attended the initial session at CGS personally and delivered the rest of the program via the School's new video conferencing facility, with teachers Ms Saskia Hancott and Mr Matthew Gould acting as facilitators and co-participants during each session.

During the Wednesday morning sessions the boys learnt how to create the environment for a calming and mindful tea ceremony experience. In particular they participated in strategies for settling themselves and focusing on breathing and relaxation of body and mind, the correct procedure for sharing tea, experiencing different types of tea and reflecting on these differences.

Instruction for the boys followed the same sequence each week:

➤ 1. settle and greet

➤ 2. set the space

➤ 3. awaken the pots

➤ 4. measure and look

➤ 5. tea dances

➤ 6. pour and share

➤ 7. experience, enjoy

➤ 8. journey more… wash and pack

➤ 9. thanking self, friends & the space

A warm, inviting and personal feel was an important part of the program in spite of the distance being crossed by technology. Particularly on cold foggy mornings, the children’s enjoyment of spending time together meant that the end of a session was often met with disappointment.


Remembering our ANZACsCanberra Grammar School recognised ANZAC Day in 2014 with two services. A dawn service was held in the School’s quad on ANZAC Day and was attended by members of the CGS and wider Canberra communities. The following Monday, on the first day of Term2, a special service was held for CGS students. Commander Jonathan Earley from the Royal Australian Navy, a parent of the School, visited CGS that day and delivered an important message to the boys.

“I ask you to support your mates, be fair, be respectful, believe in yourselves, strive to do your best and be confident that you can do it,” he said. “Don’t tell people what you can’t do, tell them what you can. I ask you to be principled and I ask that you to be aware of risk, and not be afraid of it. Know that you have the courage to rise to the challenge. And if you are ever uncertain, afraid or think the road ahead is just too hard, spare a thought for the boys and men that landed on the pebbly beaches of Gallipoli in the early hours of 25 April 1915. Because they are no different to any of you.”

Enlightening Australian Studies lectures

Privilege is always a value laden word and especially so when preceded by the adjective educational. Nevertheless, these words are fair and relevant when applied to Year 11 Canberra Grammar School students’ experience of guest speakers in Australian Studies.

Already in 2014 students have heard from Dr David Headon, a prime figure in last year’s Canberra centenary celebrations who spoke about the historical background to Canberra’s existence and Mr Stephen Bartos, executive director at ACIL Allen Consulting and a former senior public servant who assessed the current state of the APS. Dr Chris Roberts (ANU) and Dr Bill O’Malley (ONA retired) evaluated Australia’s geo-political, business and cultural relationship with Asia while,

most recently, Brigadier Adam Findlay ADF and Mr Ali Reza Yunespour, an Afghan academic and PhD candidate at UNSW assessed the impact and outcome of ten years of military interventions in Afghanistan.

Mr Yunespour also addressed his primary passion, which is the development of educational opportunity in his country. He is closely involved in the Borjegai Project in Ghazni Province where, for the first time in the village’s history, girls are being educated. He also gave a fascinating insight to the historical, geographical and cultural complexities of Afghanistan.

Following 17 years as Head of Australian Studies, Mr Ashley Hogan is stepping down from the position in 2014. He will leave the subject with a legacy of impeccable organisation and a history of inspiring speakers.

Mr Mohammad Anwar Haidari, Thomas Matz, Mr Ali Reza Younespour, Jordan Kibukamusoke and Mr Ashley Hogan

Students observe a moment of silence during the School's ANZAC Day service


FOCUS ON: NorthsideCanberra Grammar School’s main campus in Red Hill caters for children from Pre-School through to Year 12. On the north side of Canberra the School has a second campus, an intimate learning environment which caters for one hundred young boys and girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2.

Closely connected to the rest of the School, the staff and students at Northside enjoy the benefits of being part of a small community which is strongly supported by the resources and community of the broader life of Canberra Grammar School.

MEET THE DIRECTORJenny Thompson has been a teacher at Canberra Grammar School since 1999 and has been the Director at Northside since 2008. She has vast experience in primary teaching and early childhood care but continues to study – most recently on a tour to Shanghai and Hangzhou and on a trip to Italy to learn more about the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education.

INTRODUCING THE PYPAlready registered as an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme School, Canberra Grammar School is now a candidate for the IB’s Primary Years Programme (PYP). The Programme is currently being introduced into the Primary School, which includes the Northside campus. The PYP has an emphasis on inquiry-based learning methods which have already been used at CGS for many years.


CGS CAREBefore School, after School and holiday time care is available at the Northside campus under the banner of CGS Care. Operated by the School, CGS Care provides a safe, caring, quality environment in which children are empowered to make choices around activities and encouraged to develop positive relationships. A combination of indoor and outdoor activities are provided each day and guided by children’s interests and abilities.

IPADS IN THE CLASSROOMCanberra Grammar School has introduced mobile technology into all year levels of the School. Using School-owned iPads in early childhood years eases children into the concept of bringing their own device in later years. At this level the iPads are used either in small groups or individually to develop literacy and numeracy skills. In this photo Year 1 children are using an app called Explain Everything to learn about how raw materials are used to make clothing.

CO-CURRICULAR LEARNINGNorthside students are engaged in a wide variety of co-curricular activities including chess, creative dance and movement, Mandarin and Chinese culture and French. The campus also has a very active music program. A number of children learn the piano and the violin and there is a beginners and a more advanced strings group. Twice a year the children have the opportunity to perform in front of an audience at a musical soiree. All Year 2 students are in the combined Year 2 Grammar Choir which sings at Floriade and the National Eisteddfod.

GROWING THROUGH GARDENINGHaving read Peter Rabbit earlier in the year, the Pre-Kindergarten class decided they would like to plant a garden just like Mr McGregor’s. So they did and their plantings include silverbeet, carrots, edible flowers and a variety of different lettuces. The children were all involved in planting the garden and they now follow a watering roster to ensure it is maintained. This type of learning helps children to become familiar with the concept of sustainability. They have already enjoyed the fruits of their labour at a number of special lunches where the children were responsible not only for harvesting the salad ingredients but for setting the table and making a vinaigrette. They are yet to spot Peter Rabbit darting in and out of the garden but they remain ever hopeful.

An intermittent drizzle was not enough to dampen the festive atmosphere at the 2014 CGS Fete on Saturday 5 April. After six years’ of sunny skies, we were probably overdue a little wet weather and no-one seemed to mind, with thousands turning up, all decked out in gumboots and beaming smiles, ready to explore the wide array of attractions on offer.

A stunning display of fresh cut flowers greeted guests as they tramped up the front steps, dispelling any hint of gloominess from the grey skies, while a truly outstanding selection of colourful, scrumptious cakes on offer in the Breezeway set the bar high for this year’s many stands.

With rides, a huge White Elephant stall, loads of amazing second-hand toys and books on sale for a steal, endless yummy foods to choose from, a host

of talented CGS bands providing music, a petting zoo full of feathered and furry cuties, and plenty more, yet again, the day proved a huge success. Not only does the Fete function as a great support and fundraiser for the School, it serves as a wonderful opportunity for all in our community to spend a day celebrating CGS in the stunning grounds of the School and enjoying a great day out with family and friends.

A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made it such a successful and enjoyable event. Also a very special thank you to our students, parents, staff volunteers and sponsors who all pulled together to create such a wonderful event. At the completion of their five-year sponsorship contract the School would like to thank Supersmiles Superdontist for their generous support of the Fete.


Garnsey students got into character for the cut flower stall Janaki Garrick helped her dad pick a winner for the Fete's major raffle - a term's worth of School fees

The School's hall was converted into a second hand bookstore for the day

UPDATE: The Snow Centre for Education in the Asian CenturyRegular visitors to Canberra Grammar School will have had the chance to witness the evolving construction of the Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century.

The state-of-the-art centre, which is dedicated to the development of Australian education in the global era, will house twelve classrooms for the teaching of Asian languages, geography, history, economics and culture. It will include an amphitheatre for lectures, an exhibition area, open learning spaces, student collaboration pods and video conferencing facilities to link lessons with schools and universities around the world.

The establishment of the centre has been made possible thanks to the extraordinary gift of $8million from Canberra Airport owner, philanthropist and CGS Old Boy, Mr Terry Snow.

Construction of the building has been steady throughout 2014 and it is at that exciting point now where visibly significant changes can be seen from week to week. Students and staff have enjoyed watching the progress from a cleared space to what will be a three storey building.

The centre is due to be open in Term 4 2014. The photos here show the cleared site at the commencement of construction and the progress of the structure.



SUBJECT FEATURE: Agriculture

There is a classroom at Canberra Grammar School where students can be found making cheese, testing soil, producing wine and watching baby chickens hatch. Outside of the classroom they might be planting wheat crops, working with cattle or travelling around the country to visit olive, grape and cherry farms. Welcome to Agriculture.

Taught by Mr Rowland Clark, Agriculture is offered at CGS for students in Years 9-12. On campus the School has a purpose-built agriculture room with a small animal room to the side which is used for incubating and housing poultry. There is also a vineyard with 30 vines, 20 plots in which trial wheat crops are grown, four vegetable beds and a glasshouse and shade house where students learn to produce plants through grafting and cuttings. Off campus, the School regularly visits a farmyard in Symonston to learn about cattle and an annual trip takes them to farms across NSW. Many of the farms they visit are those run by Old Boys of the School who have been successful in Agriculture.

In February each year, the Year 10 Agriculture students attend The Canberra Show to participate in the Student Steer Paraders Competition and in sheep and cattle judging. In the lead up to this event, the students visit the Symonston farmyard once a week to work with

Dwarf Angus cattle. Learning about animal psychology and about the safe way to deal with animals is a very important part of this process. In 2013, further opportunity for professional competition was introduced through the poultry program, in which students witness the growth of a bird from fertilised egg to adult chicken before they are adopted by families of the School. During the incubation process they study the foetus through a process called candling which allows them to see inside the egg. As the birds grow and develop, students learn about poultry, nutrition and management, pests and diseases and reproduction and physiology. Finally, they enter their birds in the Steggles Meat Bird Competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

Along with their study of animals, students learn much about horticulture, viticulture, soil and micro-organisms. They make their own camembert cheese, butter, yoghurt and ginger beer. They produce their own bottle of wine and, in doing so, take part in everything from grafting and training the vines to bottling and labelling the finished product which is given to their parents during a parent/teacher interview.

Canberra Grammar School’s students go on to a wide variety of endeavours following their studies and a number have had successful careers in Agriculture as farmers, winemakers, veterinarians, scientists and economists.


Meet Mr ClarkMr Rowland Clark, Head of Agriculture, studied Agriculture at Hawkesbury Agriculture College before working as a Soil Conservation Officer in the Northern Territory and a microbiologist at ANU. He has been teaching Agriculture at CGS since 1989. A working farmer himself, Mr Clark has a farm at Bungendore with grapes, cattle and horses and a family farm at Bega with cattle, sheep and horses.

Old Boy profileShane Thomson (2007) studied Agriculture at Canberra Grammar School under Mr Rowland Clark. The subject satisfied his strong interest in science and animals and, following a School excursion to Charles Sturt University, Shane cemented his decision to become a vet. Working now at a vet centre in Holbrook and specialising in beef cattle consultancy in the areas of disease management and reproduction, Shane believes his study at CGS gave him an advantage at university. “Rowland Clark has a very high standard and talks a lot about livestock,” says Shane. “He takes it upon himself to have his students on top of their game for university.”

Shane now hosts a yearly excursion for CGS students to his family’s property in Yass where they do ultrasounds and learn about artificial insemination and embryo transfer.

Mr Clark demonstrating safe methods of chicken handling


Mrs Anne Smyth, a PE teacher in Canberra Grammar School’s Early Learning Centre, won a staggering nine medals at the Australian Masters National Swimming Championships in Rockhampton in April 2014.

Mrs Smyth, who has taught PE in different areas of the Primary School for many years and who coaches co-curricular swimming, competed in four days of pool swimming and an open water swim.

At the end of the meet her medal tally was three Gold ( 800m Freestyle, 400m Individual Medley, 200m Butterfly), four Silver ( 400m freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 100m Butterfly and 2.5km open water swim) and two Bronze ( 200 Individual Medley and a Relay). Mrs Smyth’s team of ten swimmers placed 8th overall in Australia and gained the highest average points per swimmer.

Mrs Smyth says it is important to her that the children she teaches understand the importance of exercise and the need to embrace it as a lifelong commitment.

Mrs Bridget Middleton retired from Canberra Grammar School in 2014 after more than 40 years of service to the School.

Bridget came to the School with her husband, Adrian, in 1974 when he joined as a Housemaster. Since then, she has served in numerous roles: assisting in the Intermediate Boarding and Blaxland Houses, then operating as part time Creditors’ Clerk (1982 to 1988), as full time Creditors’ Clerk, (1988 to 2000) and as Property Manager (2000 to 2011). Since 2011, Bridget has managed the School’s cleaning, catering and other contracted services and she has looked after the external hire of School facilities.

While these have been Bridget’s official roles she has done much more, contributing countless hours to the smooth operations of the School and to the care of boys, staff and families. Her outstanding and long-standing service to the School and its community were recognised in the Ian Powell Award of 2009; and of course they are reflected in the friendship and admiration of so many of her colleagues, both past and present.

Canberra Grammar School was host for the Teachmeet network meeting In May 2014. Thirty-two teachers from around the ACT and NSW met at CGS to share resources on the theme “Interactivity in the classroom: pedagogy for empowering students”.

Many teachers from our local schools presented including five from CGS: Mr Greg Elliot, Mrs Patti Kennedy-Hine, Mr Justin Hassall, Mr Harry Lai and Ms Cristina Diaz. The presentations included resources to promote interaction at local as well as international levels. Areas of interest included technology and using a blog as an educational tool. These activities all focussed on how to interact with other children and teachers from schools around Australia and the world.

Attendees reported the evening to be productive and an enjoyable opportunity to share and exchange resources.

TEACHMEET

FAREWELL BRIDGET MIDDLETON

CONGRATULATIONS MRS SMYTH


The why, what and how of Asian engagementAt the start of Term 3, the combined teaching and support staff of the Primary and Senior Schools enjoyed one of the School’s most significant and intellectually challenging professional learning sessions in recent memory. With leading academics visiting from universities around the country, staff took part in discussions and workshops designed to elaborate the why, what and how of the School’s strategic commitment to educational engagement with Asia.

Dr Eeqbal Hassim, Senior Manager of Research and Curriculum at the Asia Education Foundation, at the University of Melbourne, opened the day with a thoroughly engaging presentation on global citizenship and intercultural understanding between Australia and Asia. He challenged staff to move from transactional engagement with our region, to transformational engagement, bridging psychological differences and seeing interaction with Asia as a personal opportunity not just an economic and political imperative for the country. He urged staff to help students be comfortable with being uncomfortable and to embrace cultural difference.

In the second session, Professor Kent Anderson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) at the University

of Adelaide and CGS Board member, applied the implications of Dr Hassim’s presentation to the School’s context, outlining potential objectives for change and practical approaches to building more international perspectives into the curriculum. He spoke of three broad pillars supporting the School’s educational engagement with Asia: the study of languages, studies of Asia, and studies in Asia.

Staff then divided into workshop groups to explore the morning’s concepts in relation to their own classrooms and sections of the School. It was an extraordinary privilege for those groups to be led not only by Professor Anderson and Dr Hassim but by such distinguished experts in Asia education as Professor Richard Rigby, Executive Director of the ANU China Institute, Professor Jenny Corbett, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Training) at the ANU, Dr Carol Hayes and Dr Mark Strange, both of the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific.

We look forward to the ideas of the day finding their way into the reality of School life for many years to come.

Justin HassallCoordinator of Asian Engagement

CGS hosts teachers from around the world

During the July 2014 School holidays, Canberra Grammar School hosted an International Baccalaureate workshop event for language teachers from across Australia and the Asia Pacific. Attended by 300 teachers and covering German, Mandarin, Indonesian, Japanese, English, Spanish and French, the three day conference gave our teachers and visitors to the School an invaluable opportunity to learn from each other and the conference leaders about different approaches to language teaching.

The conference was hosted across the campu in the War Memorial Hall and in classrooms. The opening later this year of the School’s Snow Centre for Education in the Asian Century will provide enhanced facilities for future conferences and workshops and the School looks forward to hosting teachers and students from schools and universities around the world in that space, whether it be physically or via video conferencing technology.

Delegates of the IB conference held at CGSDelegates of the IB conference held at CGS


School Board update

Mr Mark Brandon-Baker retired from the Canberra Grammar School Board at the end of Term 2 2014, following eleven years as a Board member and seven years as Chair of the Board.

Mark’s term as Chair of the CGS Board was during a period of considerable change and renewal for the School. His achievements include modernisation of the Board’s constitution, development of the new CGS Foundation constitution, and establishment of the Staff-Board Consultative Committee to provide a positive conduit for communications between the staff and the Board. He also oversaw the appointments of Dr Justin Garrick as Head of School and of Reverend Chris Welsh, as Interim Head, during a time of great uncertainty for the School.

“I know that Mark will be thanked by the entire School community for his outstanding service and commitment, says Dr Justin Garrick. “There are few who will have done so much with such quiet dignity and yet such firm purpose to ensure the good governance, sound management and sustainability of our School.”

Mark’s Board colleagues have always appreciated his commitment to the School. “Mark has been a transformational Chair of the CGS Board and is to be congratulated on his many achievements,” says fellow Board member Mr Ian Johnson. “His unwavering dedication, professionalism and forward thinking approach, together with his excellent communication skills have undoubtedly contributed to the success of the School and have made it a pleasure to be a member of the Board.”

Mr Stephen Byron has been elected as the next Chair of the School Board. Stephen, the Managing Director of Canberra Airport, joined the Board in 2013 and is an Old Boy of the School (1979-1987). His father, uncles, brother and sisters also attended the School and his children are currently in the Primary School. Stephen is also a Board Governor of the Australian National University’s Endowment for Excellence.

Along with Mark, Mr Tony Howard, Dr Felicity Williams, Mr Stewart Ellis and Dr Pauline Griffiths all retired from the Board in the past year and the School thanks them for their on-going and generous support. We also welcome Professor Kent Anderson, Ms Belinda Clark and Mr Stephen Jaggers as recent appointments to the Board.

Outgoing Chair of the School Board, Mr Mark Brandon-Baker (left) with incoming Chair Mr Stephen Byron

Part of the CGS Board with members of the School leadership team at the second planning day in May

Joshua Healey, a Year 12 Music Captain at Canberra Grammar School is the brains behind Classical Encounters, a program of music Masterclasses which work to grant Canberra student musicians access to some of Australia’s top teachers.

The Classical Encounters program invites prominent music teachers from across Australia to visit Canberra and conduct lessons for student musicians. Importantly, the lessons are open to all music students from Canberra and the region, from both secondary and tertiary institutions.

The program was launched at CGS in May 2014, with an inaugural cello recital and Masterclass with renowned cellist Kalina Krusteva. Currently based in Melbourne, working with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and as a regular guest principal with Orchestra Victoria and Victorian Opera, Kalina has also performed as a guest principal with the Brighton Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic and as a principal of the Russian Chamber Orchestra.

The Sunday afternoon consisted of a 30 minute recital by Kalina followed by a two hour Masterclass for four student cello players.

The Masterclass was held in front of an audience which allowed more people than just the students on stage to benefit from Kalina’s teaching.

Year 12 student Joshua has been busily juggling the coordination of Classical Encounters with his final year of school and studying for his Higher School Certificate. He developed the idea for the program as a way for him and his fellow music students to gain experience in event management.

“Musicians are forever participating in concerts and recitals,“ says Joshua. “But as a music student you are not taught about the logistics of running a concert or event. I have already learned so much through the experience of launching Classical Encounters and I hope that, after I graduate, the program will continue to be managed year after year by other students.”

Classical Encounters


Kalina Krusteva works with one of the student musicians

Joshua Healey launches Classical Encounters at CGS


N EWSbite s

YEAR 9 CARILLON COMPOSITION CONCERT In May 2014 a group of Year 9 Canberra Grammar School students were invited to compose an original piece of music for Canberra’s iconic carillon instrument. The pieces were performed at a public concert by Canberra’s leading carillonist Lyn Fuller and CGS music staff member and Old Boy Leonard Weiss.

The project was a class initiative to get students thinking about composing specifically for performance on a unique instrument. This required the Year 9 students to think about the presentation and coherence of their compositions as well as just the musical aspect.

CGS AWARDED NINE CANBERRA AREA THEATRE AWARDS.Canberra Grammar School's drama productions, The Burning and Guys and Dolls were awarded a staggering nine awards in the 2013 Canberra Area Theatre Awards including Best Youth Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, Best Youth Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical, Best Orchestra for a School or Youth Production and Best Production of a School or Youth Musical. Guys and Dolls received six gongs and tied with another production to receive the most awards on the night. The awards aim to provide recognition of the contribution made by non-professional groups to the artistic life of Australia and, in particular, Canberra and the surrounding region. The awards for CGS reflect the huge amount of work, by both staff and students, that went into both productions.

KIDS’ LIT QUIZFor the third year in a row, a team from Canberra Grammar School were the winners of the Kids’ Lit Quiz Australian Final in 2014. The Kids' Lit Quiz is a competition for students aged between 10-13 years which tests their knowledge of everything literature. The students compete in teams to answer questions about books. Following the convincing win, from a pool of 69 teams, the team of Nick and Leo Barnard (Year 7), Jesse Lane (Year 7) and Angus Cleary (Year 6), coached by Mrs Janine Hudson, advanced to the World Finals in Cornwall, England. The team performed outstandingly at the World Finals to finish a very close second to the team from the UK.

LEARNING VIA VIDEO LINKCanberra Grammar School music students have had the opportunity in 2014 to learn from some premier teachers based around Australia without leaving the School’s grounds. Thanks to video conferencing technology, flute and guitar students have participated in music master classes along with students from schools across Australia, with some of the country’s top teachers and musicians. Further classes will be offered to students in the future.

Callum Bodman receives his award for Best Youth Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical

The CGS Kids' Lit Quiz team at the Australian final


AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHY COMPETITIONCanberra Grammar School once again performed outstandingly in the Australian Geography Competition in 2014. More than 70,000 students from 760 schools across Australia participated in the annual competition. CGS gained second place in Australia ahead of schools such as James Ruse Agricultural School, Camberwell Grammar School and Sydney Boys High. CGS also continued to maintain its dominance in the Territories in gaining first position for the 15th consecutive year.

CGS students gained 140 High Distinctions, with 25 boys receiving results in the top 1% of all participants. Joshua Welling gained equal first in the ACT in the junior level. Michael Nguyen-Kim gained equal first in the ACT in the intermediate level and he was invited to sit the qualifying test for Australian team selection to the 2015 National Geographic World Championship. Miles Davis, Niels Beowulf-McGowan, and Thomas Willson were equal firsts in the ACT in the senior level. In addition Miles Davis will represent the ACT at Geography’s Big Week Out, being held in September in Sydney.

CGS RECEIVES NEW SAILING BOATSCanberra Grammar School’s sailing community gathered together in June 2014 to celebrate the commission of the new fleet of racing boats. The three Pacer sailing dinghies are the first sailing boats owned by the School and they will be used for Team Racing. Sailing is a rapidly-growing sport at CGS and our sailors had a very successful 2013-2014 season. The club holds the 2014 ACT Championship title for Team Racing and has enjoyed success at interstate championships and regattas.

MATT GITEAU CUP Canberra Grammar School teams finished the champions in two divisions in the 2014 Matt Giteau Cup – an inter-school rugby competition for primary school students in the ACT and surrounds.

A Year 3/4 team and a Year 5/6 team displayed good sportsmanship and some brilliant running Rugby during a number of tightly-contested games in June 2014. All boys were thrilled to go home as winners of the cup.

SHEAFFE’S FUNDRAISING EFFORTSOn a wet and blustery Sunday in February 2014, Sheaffe House students participated in the St Vincent de Paul doorknock and raised $2,112 for the charity. 2014 marked Sheaffe's 31st year participating in the doorknock and the amount raised brought their total doorknock fundraising efforts over time to more than $90,000.

Also this year, Sheaffe donated $3,600 to Pegasus Riding for the Disabled which provides horse and farm activities for people with a disability in the Canberra region. The money, raised from the 2013 Sheaffe House Mini Fete, will be used by the organisation to buy new riding helmets, riding boots and bridles.

CGS sailors show off the School's new fleet of boats

Matt Giteau Cup Champions

Michael Nguyen-Kim, Miles Davis, Niels Beowulf-McGowan and Thomas Willson with their Australian Geography Competition prizes


In 2014, Canberra Grammar School marked its 85th anniversary year with a whole School photo. The photo was taken in stages and digitally morphed.

Here’s how it was put together...



Old Boys' reunion weekendAs Canberra Grammar School celebrates its 85th anniversary in 2014, our oldest living Old Boy, Irwin Prowse (1933), is celebrating his 100th birthday. Irwin Prowse began his education at CGS on the School’s opening day (February 5, 1929). He was student number 32 and graduated in 1933.

In the 1997 book Catching the Vision, Irwin recalls his thoughts about the School’s founding Headmaster, Canon Edwards: “Canon Edwards was a man of vision, and a great man for the School to have as its first Headmaster. His dominating passion was the progress and advancement of the School – the School being, in his oft-repeated words, the boys and staff, not the buildings. The buildings were essential, but it was the boys that gave the School character. That he laid a firm foundation, in spite of all the frustrations and difficulties of those early years, is apparent by the subsequent success of the School: a classic case of the right man in the right place at the right time. The memory of his enthusiasm and determination is one that will always remain with me.”

At the Old Boys' reunion dinner on Saturday May 31 the Old Boys celebrated Irwin’s remarkable milestone.

Guests were welcomed into the reunion dinner (held this year at the National Portrait Gallery) by Mango Jam, a band made up of CGS Old Boys from the Class of 2012. Inside, Chris Timpson (1958) spoke about Irwin and his importance to the CGS community. Irwin was presented with a cake and the guests serenaded him with a chorus of Happy Birthday.

At the same time the Old Boys from the Class of 2004 were holding their own reunion at Uni Pub in the city and, earlier in the day, the Class of 1994 caught up for lunch in the School’s Gallery. In the afternoon many Old Boys flocked to the School’s Main Oval to watch the 1st XV play.

At the Australian War Memorial on Saturday afternoon, a number of CGS Old Boys gathered for the Last Post Ceremony. A wreath was laid in memory of fallen Old Boys by Mr Sandy Goddard, the School’s Director of Community Development, and Old Boy Julian Hohnen (1996).

Canberra Grammar School and the Old Boys' Association were delighted that so many Old Boys were able to participate in this year’s reunion weekend. We hope to see even more of you there in 2015.

The Class of 1994 reunion was held in the School's Gallery

Guests from the Class of 1974 at the reunion dinner


Irwin Prowse (right) cuts his 100th birthday cake with Chris Timpson

Guests at the Class of 1994 reunion

President of the Old Boys' Association, Stewart Ellis, speaks at the reunion dinner

Sandy Goddard and Julian Hohnen lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial's Last Post Ceremony

SAVE THE DATE

The 2015 Old Boys' Reunion Weekend will be held on Friday 29 May – Sunday 31 May

If you are an Old Boy and interested in being a year coordinator for next year’s reunion please contact the Community Development office on (02) 6260 9606 or [email protected]


Congratulations to Andrew Constance (1991) on his appointment as Treasurer of New South Wales in April 2014. Andrew has previously held positions in the NSW parliament as Minister for Ageing and the Minister for Finance and Services.

Following a trip to Ghana in 2010, Boyd Whalan (2007) had a bright idea for a social start-up business that has won awards and grants in the Sydney Genesis competition and the 2012 CEMS Global Social Business Plan Competition. Born from the need for dependable, sustainable lighting in homes and businesses in developing nations, Boyd’s business, which he has founded with a fellow student from Sydney University, will provide solar lamps to some of the world’s poorest people.

On his travels through Ghana Boyd discovered that many people who have access to electricity suffered from frequent blackouts and farmers in some rural areas had no access to lighting at all.

The lamps will not be provided for free. Recipients will receive a solar lighting system and be able to top it up to access more light when they can afford it. Once the cost of the lamp is paid off recipients will own them outright and will have them for continued use. Boyd and his business partner chose a for profit business model because it will allow them to expand at a faster rate.

Following a four month pilot program in Ghana, Boyd hopes to expand the business to West Africa and perhaps to other countries through licence to international partners.

Howard Debenham (1960) has published a book about his childhood and his 43 years in Australia’s Foreign Service. The early part of the book includes quite a few tales about Howard’s life at Canberra Grammar School through the 1950’s. Following his graduation from CGS, Howard joined the Department of External Affairs and his career took him through eleven overseas postings in nine countries – India, South Korea, Japan, Israel, Italy, Yugoslavia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and the USA. He became a member of the Senior Executive of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Consul-General in Bangkok and Tokyo, Minister/Counsellor and Consul-General in Washington DC, and High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. Howard’s book, titled Waiting ‘Round the Bend – Recollections of childhood and a life in Australia’s Foreign Service, has received positive reviews from prominent Australians including Phillip Adams who wrote

“(He has) a gift for narrative. A good, simple writing style that’s a pleasure to read”.

Congratulations to Australian swimmer Ben Treffers (2009) who won a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the 50m backstroke event with a time of 24.67 seconds. Along with his intensive swimming commitments, Ben is studying a Bachelor of Commerce at ANU.

Following a first place in Classics at ANU in 2013 Robert Selth (2008) has been awarded a Clarendon Scholarship to University College, Oxford to continue his Classics studies.

OLD BOYS' NEWS Boyd Whalan in Ghana. Photo David Lawrie

Ben Treffers Credit: Delly Carr Swimming Australia Ltd.


A group of recently graduated Canberra Grammar School Old Boys who are studying at Sydney University have been reunited through rugby. Matthew Narracott (2012), Harry Fleming (2012), Edward L’Estrange (2011), Alister Turbayne (2012), Jamil Khalfan (2012), Joshua Friend (2012) and Oliver Maxwell (2013) all play for the Sydney Uni Colts 3rd team. The five 2012 graduates were all part of the ACT Junior Rugby Union Grand Final winning team in 2012.

Cody Meakin (2008) was honoured with an OAM medal in this year’s Australia Day honours for service to sport as a gold medalist at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Soldier On is a charity which provides support to Australian Defence Force personnel who have been physically or psychologically wounded. On Thursday 27 February 2014, Soldier On opened its first full time Reintegration and Recovery Centre in Canberra. The Centre was named The Poate Centre, after Private Robert Poate (2007) who was killed in action in 2012. The Centre will offer drop in and counselling services, as well as community events such as training sessions and family events. It will also serve as the charity’s headquarters, where programs that span the country will be coordinated. Robert’s father Hugh told Soldier On how much it meant to their family to have the Centre named after Robert.

“Robert’s mates meant everything to him and we have no doubt that he would have been involved in an organisation like Soldier On had he survived, particularly as many of them have been affected by their service in some way or another.”

Two articles in the February 2014 edition of CGS Outlook, one about the China study tour and another referencing former teacher Mr Ian Powell, caught the attention of one of our Old Boys, Michael Barber (1976). Michael recalls being part of a group of 13 students who, on a CGS trip led by Ian Powell in 1974, were the first Australian teenagers to enter the People’s Republic of China after the easing of barriers against western tourists. Ian Powell was instrumental in establishing the Asian Studies Department at CGS and this trip to China was the first of many. Two other CGS teachers, Mr Malcolm Lamb & Mr Geoff Clarke assisted in managing the group. In China the boys spent a large part of their time visiting Schools and learning about the differences in education styles between the two countries.

To mark the School’s 85th Anniversary in 2014, Canberra Grammar School has released an updated Old Boys' tie. Seen here modelled by former students and current teachers Mr James Cameron, Mr Tim Harrison and Mr Matthew Purcell, the tie is available for $27 each and can be purchased online at: www.trybooking.com/FFPS

A photo from the trip in the 1974 Canberran – Michael Barber and David Gedye haul Mr Powell up the Great Wall

The Poate Reintegration and Recovery Centre


What I know now

Peter Hazlehurst (1990) is based in the US in the technology sector and has worked for, among others, Google and Nokia. Outlook caught up with Peter to talk about where life has taken him and his reflections on his time at CGS.

Do you have some favourite memories of your time at CGS?I have so many interesting and great memories from CGS. I really was into music and it was great to have so many options from Concert Band to Symphonic Orchestra. I think the best music day was when the Girls' School was integrated and we combined the orchestras and finally got to pull together an amazing talented group. It really changed everything and we got to play much more challenging music.

Is there a particular teacher that stands out to you from your time at School?The teacher that influenced me the most was likely Tim Norfolk. He was my English teacher in Second Form (Year 8) when I returned to CGS after a year at Geelong Grammar School. He really pushed me to think and learn. Also, Walter Hine was fabulous as a French teacher. I remember him c ooking a steak on a candle for Bastille Day. It was so funny.

What advice do you wish someone had given you when you were still at School?To not take everything so seriously. School was really intense, and we didn't have a whole lot of free time to actually enjoy life. I wish I'd realized that there was a world outside of Red Hill.

If you could change anything about your School experience what would it be?Have a better integrated technology program. CGS in the 80s and 90s really didn't embrace computers and was a laggard. I'm pleased that things are improving now, but there's still a long way to go.

Where has life taken you since you finished School at CGS?To the US and to Technology Startups. I've been very lucky to explore all different aspects of tech - from Banking Software to Mobile Email. It's been a wild ride, with an IPO, two company sales, and another IPO on the way. My last few years at Google were really an amazing experience, and something that I think many people would love.

At the same time, I was incredibly lucky to meet my wife Yuriko who has been my fantastic companion and support. Three years ago we had twins - Luke and Leah - and I can say that being a dad trumps any success that I've had in my career.

You have been very successful in your career. What advice would you give to students looking to pursue a career in the technology sector?Do what you love! Lots of pressure exists at CGS and other schools to get into university and do subjects that are ‘difficult’ or ‘prestigious’ like law or medicine. But if you don't actually like that, don't do it. You need to remember that you will be working for 30+ years after college, and you probably want to have some fun and joy in that. Don't just do the hardest thing at university because it shows how "smart you are", choose subjects that stimulate and challenge you. You will be a better student and have a better life as a result.

You fund a science and technology scholarship at the School. Why is this something that you consider important?There's a lot of potential for students that want to excel in technology. CGS has been great at rewarding artists, musicians and general academics, but the new economy is powered by tech. Having a scholarship that pushes students in that direction is great for them and great for the world.

Peter with his wife Yuriko and twins Luke and Leah


Adrian Seton Town (teacher and founding Garnsey Housemaster 1975-2000)

1945-2014

Adrian Town graduated from Sydney Technical College with a Diploma of Art in Design and Craft. He went on to teach at Trinity Grammar School before starting at Canberra Grammar School as an art teacher in 1975. Along with his role in the Art Department, Adrian took on important pastoral care duties including the Assistant Sheaffe Housemaster and the Acting Sheaffe Housemaster. In 1982, when the School founded the new house of Garnsey, Adrian was appointed the inaugural Housemaster. Adrian was also the Master-in-Charge of Dragon Boats and coached Rugby. Following retirement from CGS Adrian continued to play an active role in the School’s Old Boys' Association.

Adrian died on 20 April 2014. Garnsey Old Boy Rod Kafer was among those to deliver a tribute at Adrian’s funeral.

Here he is remembered by members of the CGS community:

“Difficult to think of another whose love and loyalty to Canberra Grammar has been greater. His friendship to the Old Boys' Association and to me especially has always been highly valued.”

Tony May (1957)

“As teachers in the Art Department, Adrian and I had a great working relationship. We would leave the door between our rooms open and the boys always knew they could go back and forth. There was always music going and setting a great atmosphere – often The Rolling Stones. In that job there was really no such thing as regular hours. If you had to be here after hours you would be and Adrian would regularly come back each night to check on the kiln with the boys’ projects inside. He also invested a lot into taking the boys on trips and excursions. He used to run a caving excursion to Wee Jasper. Adrian and I coached Rugby together and in 1983 we led the boys on the School’s first ever international Rugby tour, to New Zealand.It was the Headmaster’s choice to appoint Adrian as the founding Housemaster of Garnsey. I think he did so because Adrian was very caring and would pay attention to everyone he taught. I ran the School’s Fete for 21 years and Adrian was a great help to me. One year we decided to sell sloppy joes with the School crest printed on them. We made 1000 of them, each one individually screen printed by hand by Adrian and I. We had to hang them up to dry – there were sweaters hanging all around the art room. We sold of them at that Fete – the first one to the Headmaster. Adrian also helped with set design and painting for School productions. He had a house at Durras because he liked to be by the sea. We used to go there and go prawn fishing and swimming on the beach. Later he built a house on a 20 acre block in Adaminaby on the shores of Lake Eucumbene. I left the School in 1989 but Adrian and I kept in touch. We spoke on the phone and wrote letters and sent each other Christmas cards. I was glad of the opportunity to visit him at Christmas last year.”

Mick Macdonald (teacher and Housemaster of Burgmann 1967-1989)

IN MEMORY

Lee De Hunt(1955)

1938-2014

Lee Hunt, who boarded at Canberra Grammar School from 1951-1955, passed away on 6 February 2014.

Lachlan Peter Christian Sanderson(2000)

1983-2014

Lachlan Sanderson, who attended Canberra Grammar School from 1991-2000, passed away suddenly in Taiwan on 1 May 2014, age 30. Lachlan leaves behind his parents John and Lynne, step-parents Jude and Ron and siblings Jake (CGS 1997) and Zoe. The celebration of his life was attended by CGS School friends. Lachlan’s father John contributed some words about his son’s life post CGS:

“Lachlan went on to achieve a Masters in Engineering at UNSW after topping the ACT in Year 12. He was the leading mechatronic engineer in Taichung, Taiwan for Memjet, a company which has just produced a super-fast PC printer with no moving parts. His legacy will be used worldwide. He had thirty engineers in Taiwan working to him and they all stated that he was a gentleman, humble and helped them all. Many of his achievements were grounded at CGS and particularly his respect for his colleagues.”

CGS FOUNDATION PATRON

Mr Terry Snow

CGS FOUNDATION BENEFACTORS ($100,000+)

Mr Ken & Mrs Susan Cooper Mr Peter Hazlehurst Anonymous (2)

CGS FOUNDATION MEMBERS ($10,000+)

Mrs Hermina & Mr Daryl Blaxland

Mrs Thea De Salis

Mrs Georgina & Mr David Gazard

Mr Derek Jory

Mrs Wendy & Mr Vivian King

Mr Robert Mark

Mr Graham Matthews

Mrs Helen & Dr Simon McCredie

Mr Dennis Milin

Mrs Janny & Mr Hugh Poate

Mr Irwin Prowse

Dr Lynne & Dr Anthony Tonks

Mr Dino Augusto Vido

Mrs Heather & Dr Samuel Whittle

Anonymous

CGS GIVING CLUB DONORS, 2014Mrs J AllenMr P A AlstonMs J AndersonProf K AndersonMr A AttygalleMr S AustinMrs J & Mr D BisaMrs H & Mr D BlaxlandMr M Brandon-BakerMr C A & Mrs K BrieseMrs C Brighenti Ms B ClarkMr S & Mrs L CollinsDr G Cooper & Mr W BurkeMr K & Mrs S CooperMr D Evans & Dr R LandyDr C DrosteDr C DugganMrs T & Mr R FarmerDr J A Garrick & Ms D Ganesan RajuMr D & Mrs G GazardCol T Gellel Archdeacon H GibsonMr A H Gidley-BairdMr A N GoddardMr S GoggsMs K Gowans

Mrs R GurneyCommander D HarrisMr T HarrisonDr C Hawkins & Dr D YipMr P HazlehurstMrs P Heldon Mrs P & Mr T HillMr P HoMr D A HodgesMr M IliffMr T IrelandMr R & Mrs C Ingram Mrs P JohnstoneMr D JoryMrs S & Mr E KalenjukMr M KendallMrs Mary KingsfordMrs W & Mr V KingMrs M KingsfordMr M LambMrs R LaneMs C LarcombeMr M D LeachMr S Lee Mr C M LordLove Family (James, Keith & Deidre)Mrs M & Mr B Lyristakis

Mr R B MarkMr G MatthewsMr A W MaudeMs D MayMr A F MayMrs E McCormackMrs H & Dr S McCredieMr D MilinDino, Dimitri & Constantine NikiasMr H J NotarasMs R PageMrs K PandyMr A PearsonMrs C PolglaseMrs A PurdyMr M & Mrs T RavishankerDr S J RobsonMs K M RockMrs D & Mr P RocksMrs S RodriguezMr S J RogersMrs C RotondoMr J & Mrs A SaintyMr R J ScottMr S N SchiesslMs J L SeabornMr M & Mrs G Selepeng

Mrs B SimkinMr T SnowMr A StewartMrs S SusaMs L TaylorMr D J ThomasMr B M ThomsonMr Z H TianDr L & Dr A TonksMr G & Mrs L TremopoulosMrs C E TrumanDr N Tsai & Mrs C HuangMs J TurbayneMr D A & Mrs D S VidoMrs N VolisWaddle Family (Holly, Michael & Logan)Dr A Wajdi Mr C Ward & Dr H M BrindleyMr D WellsMiss E & Master K Welsh Mr J WhalanMrs H & Dr S WhittleMr S WildeDr F WilliamsMr W WuMs P YongeAnonymous (14)

Donor details are listed as entered at time of donation. If you believe you have been omitted from this list, we apologise. Please contact us via [email protected]


Thank you to all in the School community who have greeted so warmly and generously the launch of the new CGS Foundation. It is a tribute to our School’s spirit that support has already come from all quarters; from parents, Old Boys, staff and friends of the School.

Such commitment comes, I believe, from great affection for our School and from recognition of its value to so many. But it also reflects a shared vision of our future: the future of a School thriving with opportunity; a School able to grow, adapt and prosper in dynamic times; a School flourishing with the life that comes from education that is truly challenging, vibrant and open to the world.

We can’t create that future without a strong Foundation. We need the capacity to renew and develop and, above all, to continue offering a truly world-class education that rises to the

challenge of a global era in which revolutions in education are driving transformation on unprecedented scale. We want our students to be part of that and to lead with knowledge, confidence and compassion.

For that we need your support. We have never been a School built on wealthy endowment; our School has always been built on the determined imagination, hard work and generosity of its community. Now is our turn so that together we may continue to create something extraordinary and share pride, as a community, in our students’ achievements.

Once again, I am very grateful and I hope that you will consider supporting our Foundation, our School and our students’ futures.

Dr Justin GarrickHead of School

cgsfoundation.org.au

…A shared vision of our future: the future of a School thriving with opportunity; a School able to grow, adapt

and prosper in dynamic times; a School flourishing with the life that comes from an education that is truly challenging, vibrant and open to the world.

We can’t create that future without a strong Foundation.

Canberra Grammar School’s MAJOR FETE SPONSORDr Michael Hyde has been creating beautiful smiles for the parents and children of Canberra Grammar Schools for the last 23 years.

◄ Has successfully completed the prestigious exam by the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons in the Special Field of Orthodontics. He is one of only 7 orthodontists in the world with this qualification.

◄ A member of the Australian Society of Orthodontists, the Australian Dental Association, the Australian Orthodontic Board, and the European Orthodontic Society.

◄ Is a clinical tutor and lecturer for the Masters Program in

Orthodontics at The University of Sydney.

◄ Appointed as an Examiner for the Royal College of Dental Surgeons in the Special Field of Orthodontics.

The Supersmiles Practice is considered to be the most friendly, caring, fun practice in Canberra, committed to excellence in the treatment of patients and to building loving friendships with children and adults alike.

For all your orthodontic needs and for a great smile using the latest cutting edge technology, including self ligating braces, Invisalign and Incognito the absolute ultimate in totally invisible orthodontic treatment.

Canberra City 6249 7818 Belconnen 6251 0663

www.supersmile.com.au

Supersmiles Superdontist – a proud supporter of Canberra Grammar School!

T +61 (0)2 6260 9700 E [email protected]

40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill ACT 2603 www.canberragrammar.org.au

Documents

CGS Outlook 2014 AUGUST · of entertainment under the stars. A line-up of CGS students, both past and present, serenaded guests with musical performances while art students were presented