is attached here. - Blue Mountains Grammar School

Blue Mountains Grammar School
Newsletter
Vol 32, 23rd October, 2015
FROM THE HEADMASTER
Coorah Contemporary Art Gallery Exhibition
A large number of community
members enjoyed the opening of
our latest exhibition last Saturday
showcasing paintings, drawings
and prints by highly acclaimed
artist and musician, Chris
O’Doherty, aka Reg Mombassa.
Having Chris exhibit was indeed a
coup for the School.
Curator of the exhibition, Mr Leo
Robba, (parent of Lucien in Year
9)
gave
an
informative
introduction
explaining
the
significance of the work which
makes up the exhibition entitled
‘Random Manifestations of Hallucinatory Anthropomorphism, Blue Mountains Grammar Selection’.
The exhibition was officially opened by Cr Mark Greenhill, Mayor of the City of the Blue Mountains.
Pictured above, left to right: Mr. Leo Robba, Mr. Trevor Barman, Mrs. Sally Herron, Mr. Chris O’Doherty, Cr Mark Greenhill, Mr. Chris
Van Der Kley.
Over the course of this year, Year 8 Visual Arts students have studied a range of Chris O’Doherty’s
work. Consequently this exhibition has been an excellent resource for students and has provided a
valuable link between studying art and creating art, especially for those students who sought
inspiration from Chris’ works to produce their sophisticated lino prints. Twenty-four student works
are proudly on display in the annex next to Chris O Doherty’s iconic images. Visual Arts students have
also participated in a discussion about a number of works and expressed their thoughts as part of
our Cultures of Thinking initiative of Making Thinking Visible.
Our Year 7 and 8 English students too have used Chris’ work to create poetry which greatly
impressed him.
Four of our students, Matthew and Will Hedges and Cameron and Brendan Smith, also had the
pleasure of playing alongside Chris, on Coorah lawn. Chris is a former member of the Australian rock
band Mental as Anything and is currently in a band called Dog Trumpet. Chris worked with the
students for some time prior to performing to determine the songs to be played. Thank you to former
student Andy Skinner (Year 12, 2014) who also gave an inspirational solo performance.
Special thanks to all staff and student volunteers for their support of the event, in particular to Mrs
Sally Herron for all she did to contribute to the success of the exhibition opening.
Student Successes
HSC Year 12 HSC Drama Achievements
Further to the notification at the end of last term that the Year 12 HSC Drama group performance of
Lily Baker, Isabella Pecovnik, Benjamin Tarlinton and Angus Whalan had been nominated for
inclusion in OnStage, we have now received confirmation that the HSC Individual Video Drama
Project of Dylan Logue has been nominated for inclusion in the OnStage HSC showcase in February
2016.
Congratulations to all students and to their teachers, Mrs Cindy Pecovnik, Mrs. Annette Charter and
Miss Danie Evans, on these outstanding achievements.
We eagerly await hearing of further HSC successes from our Year 12 students over the weeks
ahead.
Second Australia Japan Relations Essay Contest for NSW and NT Secondary School Students 2015
Congratulations to Hannah Monk (Year 10) who has won an Outstanding Prize in the Senior Division
of this competition for her excellent essay on “Both Australia and Japan face the challenge of an
ageing population. Discuss some of the specific strategies each country is debating and employing
to address this issue”.
Our students perform alongside members of the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Penrith Strings
Last Sunday afternoon, Emily Ampt, Abraham Darley and Geraldine Weiss (all from Year 9) had the
opportunity to be a part of a second performance of the Penrith Strings, playing alongside members
of the Australian Chamber Orchestra Ensemble. It was a pleasure to watch and listen to their musical
talents. They were definitely not out of place in such distinguished company. It was a most engaging
afternoon of music, thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Trevor Barman
Headmaster
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
This week we celebrated ‘Back to the Future’ Day. Yes, the day when Marty McFly came to the
‘future’ 2015 from the ‘present’ 1985 as recounted in the Back to the Future 2 movie. I’m not sure
how this day will continue to be celebrated, whether it will grow in popularity like Star Wars Day (May
the 4th) or whether it will fade into the realm of the die-hard fans with annual movie marathons and
some uninteresting (compared to Star Wars) cosplay. Certainly there have been various things
written about the things the movie got right (and wrong) but for me, I have been remembering what I
was doing in 1985 and what I was looking forward to for the next 30 years and I find I’m no better
than the movie at predicting the future (probably worse)!
Perhaps trying to cast ourselves into the future, while entertaining (particularly for future generations
looking back), is less helpful than it may seem. The world that we are responsible for, the life that we
are living, is here and now. While there is nothing wrong with considering the impact of our present
actions on the future, to place too much confidence in our predictive abilities is naïve at best.
More serious science fiction, in contrast to the light-hearted Back to the Future type of sci-fi,
generally creates fictional future worlds to highlight issues in our present world. Rather than trying to
predict the future, they are more often examples of social commentary (eg. Isaac Asimov’s Robot
series tackling issues of racism, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World examining problems with
promiscuity and state imposed conformity).
Doc Brown states “Your future hasn’t been written yet” and perhaps this is the take-home lesson of
the Back to the Future movies, that for our daily lives, what will happen in the future is less important
than what is happening in the present. We are making our future one decision at a time, here in the
present. If today, our decisions are motivated by self-centredness and personal gain, is it reasonable
to expect that the future will avoid being a selfish individualistic dystopia?
When Jesus was advising people how to deal with their concerns for their present needs and their
future security He said “Seek first God’s kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will
be met as well. So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each
day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:33-34)
A. Dane
PARENTS’ AND FRIENDS’ ASSOCIATION NEWS
The next and final General Meeting of the Parents’ and Friends’ Association for 2015 is on Tuesday
10th November at 7:30pm in Coorah. This is an opportunity for Parents to bring ideas and/or
concerns to the table to be considered and discussed by the committee and the Headmaster. All are
welcome. If you have any issues you wish to raise, but cannot attend, please contact us on the email
or number below:
C. Young and C. Smith
Co-Chairs, BMGS Parents’ and Friends’ Association
Carole Young E: caroleyoung@ecosteps.com.au M: 0431 661 387
FROM THE DEPUTY HEAD – HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL
Social networking – for Parents!
Social networking is using the internet to connect with other people. Social networking sites are a big
part of teenagers’ and children’s social lives. You can help your child get the most out of social
networking and avoid its downsides.
Social networking for children and teenagers
Social networking is using the internet to interact, form communities and build connections with
people who share common interests.
Teenagers use social networking sites such as Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram
to:
 create online profiles
 post comments on their own and other people’s posts, photos and videos
upload links, photos and videos, in which they can tag other people, or be tagged by others
send and receive messages
join or follow interest groups.
Some children and teenagers also connect with other people through online gaming sites.



What your child gets from social networking sites
Overall, social networking sites are like an extension of face-to-face interactions. So the biggest
benefit your child might get from using social networking sites is a sense of connection and
belonging to family, friends and peers. This is because social networking sites let your child share
what he’s doing and how he’s feeling, keep in touch with others, connect with new people and find
new communities based on shared interests. Your child can get a lot of other benefits from using
social networking sites, including:
 digital media literacy: exploring and experimenting on social networking sites helps your child
build knowledge and skills
 improved learning outcomes: schools often use educational social networking sites to
encourage collaboration and sharing
 creativity: your child can get creative with profile pages, posts, photo and video uploads and
so on
 civic and political engagement: your child can get information about current affairs, explore
values and ideas and take action on issues
 mental health and wellbeing: a sense of connection and belonging is good for your child’s
self-esteem– and your child might be able to get help with things that are worrying her by
using social networking.
Risks of social networking sites
Social networking risks might include your child connecting with people who humiliate, bully or stalk
him or even someone who wants to harm him. Your child might also post comments, photos or
videos of herself or others, which could cause problems. For example, images can be sent on to
people your child doesn’t know, or they can get negative attention. Sometimes old and embarrassing
images left online can even affect future job prospects. Learning how to navigate social networking
risks can help your child become more resilient.
Social networking: what you can do
You can’t keep up with everything your child is doing online every day. But you can build trust by
having regular, respectful conversations with your child that show him you understand how
important social networking is to him.
It’s also a good idea to get to know the sites your child is using. Ask your child to show you what sites
are popular or how parts of her favourite site or app work. If your child is over 13, avoid directly
asking to see her social networking page, because she might feel you’re intruding.
Creating your own profile on a social networking site will also help you get to know and understand
how sites work. Encourage your child to be your online friend. But respect your child’s privacy by not
posting on his timeline or making comments on his posts – he might find this embarrassing and
might not want to stay connected with you online.
Family guidelines for social networking
Here are some practical social networking guidelines that might be useful for your family:
 Check that the social networking sites your child wants to use are appropriate for her age. For
example, to have a Facebook account you need to be 13 or older.
 Negotiate guidelines with your child about when it’s OK to use social networking sites. For
example, you might both decide that the message feature needs to be turned off when it’s
time to do homework.
 Negotiate guidelines for online time. Software programs that limit the amount of time spent
online might be useful for some families.
raisingchildren.net.au
Summer Uniform: My sincere thanks to all the students who have remembered to wear their hats
from the start of this term. A reminder also that jumpers may only be worn at School. If the weather
is cooler, blazers or sleeveless vests may be worn to and from School.
Please note that Sport/Co-curricular hoodies are not permitted to be worn at School or to or from
School.
Student Parking: A reminder to all students that they are not permitted to park on the School
grounds. Any student who wishes to drive to school needs to complete the requisite documentation.
This is available from the Senior School Student Reception Office.
P. Humble
Captain’s Report
Anomaly: something that deviates from what is standard, normal
or expected. Some examples include, Mr Fleming telling a funny
joke or the All Blacks losing to Namibia. Now that that’s out of the
way, I’d like to make the statement that every person is an
anomaly, because we are all unique. However, we often become
attracted to doing things the same way as others, becoming the
norm. This is because we are fearful of rejection. So many people
go through life living in someone else’s shoes, and holding back their own ambitions
due to the fear of not being good enough as the entire version of themselves. I myself am guilty of
this, and I’m sure most people reading this can relate, but ask yourself who is going to recognise the
person who fitted in with everyone else? Some of the greatest minds of our generation Steve Jobs,
Mark Zuckerberg, and Kanye West (genius) have stood out from the crowd based on their style,
opinions and ideas, but they all rose above the rest because of this. I encourage you to embrace
being an anomaly, because in order for you to rise up and unleash your ambition you must acquire
the courage to be different. Be a pioneer, be a trailblazer, because that’s what it means to be an
anomaly.
Daniel Lodewyke
School Vice-Captain
AROUND THE HOUSES
KELLEY
MACLAURIN
PITT
From the Captains of Kelley House
In Kelley House, we pride ourselves on service and involvement in
community initiatives. We greatly encourage students of all cohorts to
partake in activities and co-curricular options within the School
environment and greater society.
This has been exemplified, with current Year 11
student Brad Stewart, who is involved in
Glenbrook/Lapstone RFS Volunteering with the
position of one of the Deputy Captains within the
Brigade. Being part of the RFS involves attending
the Glenbrook/Lapstone Fire Station every Friday afternoon for alternate
maintenance nights and scenario training. Through practical training and
theoretical elements individuals are then enabled to venture into events offering
assistance to the community. Recent events Glenbrook/Lapstone Brigade has
partaken in include Glenbrook and Springwood Fair. RFS is a great initiative to become involved in
as, through involvement within the community. an individual forms friendship, skill, insights and
highly valuable experience. RFS Cadets and volunteering offers a great stepping-stone for future
endeavours and the value of experience and teamwork. We strongly encourage students to partake
in this initiative, through the Cadet programme offered at the School and/or volunteering at a fire
station. If you are interested, speak to Brad or your tutor, or contact your local fire station and visit
the following website: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/publications/volunteering
Finally, we wish the current Year 12s all the best in the completion of their HSC Exams, as we are
excited to see their upcoming success. Our wishes extend to Year 9s throughout their current exam
week. Well done all!
Sunny Manon and Samuel Wilson
Captains of Kelley House
From the Captains of MacLaurin House
Firstly a massive congratulations to you all in MacLaurin House on the
success of winning the House Sports Day at the end of last Term. Not
only would we like to acknowledge the talented athletes but also the
amazing sportsmanship and modest behaviour shown on the day. This
day was a great triumph and I wish for many more successful carnivals
throughout the following year.
Newly transitioning into Year 12, we find ourselves contemplating our
time at Blue Mountains Grammar School and the amount of
experiences and opportunities presented to us. Although Year 12 is an exciting milestone we are
wary of the fact that this is our last year at school. Being in Year 12, we now cherish the memories
and experiences we have formed whilst participating in the co-curricular activities which the School
offers.
Entering the summer season for sports I am ecstatic to be on the court again playing sports with my
teammates. I believe it’s important that people break out of their own comfort barriers and put
themselves out there in situations they would not usually be involved in. Knocking down barriers
such as this is great for character building and builds resilience to life’s problems. I encourage
everyone who did not sign on for summer sports to consider their options for winter sports.
As Captains, both Kayla and I want to initiate a House charity for MacLaurin as part of building the
camaraderie of our House. This will include having annual fundraisers where as a House we can
raise funds for a good cause. If anybody in MacLaurin has any suggestions or a charity that may be
close to your heart please come and talk to either of us at any time.
Kayla Nichols and Nicholas Filla
Captains of MacLaurin House
From the Captains of Pitt House
With the beginning of Term 4, we would like to issue all Pitt House
students with a challenge. The challenge is to make every moment
count. Spend your free time in a more productive manner. A quote to
enthuse comes from filmmaker Casey Neistat, “Free time is the enemy
of progress.” So the challenge is to do something interesting and
worth your time. It is important to note that “worth your time” does not
necessarily equate to schoolwork, so we encourage all students to
attempt something new. Defy convention, break the mould, it doesn’t
matter what you learn as long as you are passionate. Learn a
language, learn to program, start running or read more often. What you do is unimportant. It is that
you are expanding your horizons that counts. Set goals and stick to them. It will be tough at times,
but it is when we are faced with adversity that we learn our true nature. The challenge has been set:
try new things… who knows where they may take you? To conclude we would like to leave you with
another Neistat quote; “My biggest motivator to any question is: ‘because I can.’ Why run now? Why
make something now? Life gets a little bit shorter every day. I feel an obligation to cram in as much
as what’s humanly possible.”
Finally we would like to extend our best wishes to the Year 12s who are currently completing their
final HSC exams; from Pitt House, our thoughts are with you.
Zoe Abbott and Joshua Sweetland
Captains of Pitt House
FROM THE DEPUTY HEAD – TEACHING & LEARNING
Year 10 Students
Year 10 students have their examination timetable for their end of year examinations (it is also
attached to the Year 10 page of the Portal). Please discuss revision strategies and plans with your
Tutor. Past exam papers are available from the SDrive. Students are strongly advised to complete
these in preparation for their examinations. Students in Year 10 are given the privilege of not
attending school when they do not have an examination, however, if parents wish their child to
attend school for all of the four days in the examination block, please contact the Teaching &
Learning office and let us know.
The Senior Preparation Program timetable is now available for students. Students will be receiving
their Year 10 examination results, completing some sessions on study techniques, student
leadership and relaxation methods. After this they will form their Year 11 2016 classes for four days
of introductory sessions in the subjects they have chosen for the Preliminary courses. These
introductory sessions will be run by the current Year 10 teachers where possible – and so the
classes may not be taken by the teachers who are assigned for 2016. Student attendance during
these two weeks is compulsory and normal procedures will occur if students do not attend.
Year 11 Students – Disability Provisions for the HSC Examinations
The Board of Studies has a program to help students with practical support in their Higher School
Certificate examinations. Disability provisions in the HSC are practical arrangements designed to
help students who couldn't otherwise make a fair attempt to show what they know in an exam room.
The provisions granted are solely determined by how the student’s exam performance is affected.
Provisions may include braille papers, large-print papers, use of a reader and/or writer, extra time or
rest breaks.
It is not embarrassing to apply for or use provisions. More than 5,000 HSC students apply for
provisions each year. Provisions help students to show the markers what they know and can do.
To apply for provisions, the School submits an online application to the Board of Studies. This
application tells us which provisions the student is requesting and includes recent evidence.
Evidence may include medical reports, reading results, spelling results, writing samples and teacher
comments.
For more information see http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/disability-provisions/students-andparents.html
If you wish to find out more about this provision please contact Mrs. Tina Boyd by emailing
tboyd@bmgs.nsw.edu.au
M. Hastie
FROM THE HEAD OF MUSIC
Student Achievement
Congratulations to Diana Babajanyan (Year 10) who performed in an intimate
closed concert for the 25th Anniversary of the Joan Sutherland Centre during
the last school holidays. The concert was attended by the late Dame Joan
Sutherland’s husband Richard Bonynge and the Mayor of Penrith.
Reg Mobassa Exhibition Opening
at the Coorah Contemporary
Gallery
Thank you to Matthew Hedges
(Year 11), Cameron Smith (Year
11), William Hedges (Year 7) and
Brendan Smith (Year 7) whose
band performed at the Reg
Mombassa Gallery opening at
Coorah on Saturday. The rock
band performed four songs with
Mr.
Mombassa
(aka
Chris
O’Doherty from ‘Mental as
Anything’
fame)
before
entertaining the crowd with several
rock classics.
Andie Skinner (Year 12, 2014) performed a one hour set before the official opening of the event by
the Blue Mountains City Mayor, Clr Mark Greenhill.
Penrith Strings
Emily Ampt (Year 9), Abraham Darley (Year 9) and Geraldine Weiss (Year 9) performed in the second
concert of this series which was in collaboration with the ACO at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts
Centre on Sunday afternoon.
Fundraising for Blue Mountains ANZAC Memorial Hospital Concert
Mrs Cooney would like to thank the following students who so generously gave of their time and
talents on Sunday afternoon for the Katoomba ANZAC Memorial Hospital fundraising concert held at
Katoomba primary school: Olivana Smith-Lathouris (Year 11), Hamish Davidson (Year 11), Matthew
Hedges (Year 11), Brodie Wylde (Year 8), Lucas Girardi (Year 8), Diana Babajanyan (Year 10) and
Joanna Cooney (BMGS 2009). The audience was very appreciative of the performances and our
students were delighted to support such a wonderful cause.
Blue Mountains Youth Choir
Project Three 2015: three brand new songs fresh off the press from local composers Jane Andino
and Catriona MacKay as well as works by HSC composition student Grace Shalders have been
written especially for the choir (boys and girls 9-16 years). Rehearsals will be Sunday afternoon 8,
15, 22 November – more information from www.academysingers.com.au Youth choir page or 0418
602690.
Band and Choir rehearsals
From this week Stage Band will return to rehearsing every Tuesday in the Recital Room at lunchtime
and Choir will rehearse on Fridays at lunchtime in the Recital Room.
French Choir
Jocelyn Moen is holding rehearsals for this newly formed group on Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00pm, at St
Hilda's Anglican Church, Katoomba Street. ($15 casual, $10 conc, $120/term). All welcome –
further information can be obtained from the Music Office.
Diary dates:
Thursday 22 October:
Friday 30 October:
Saturday 31 October:
Soiree No. 3, 7:00pm, Recital Room (PAC)
Greystanes Garden Party – Chamber Ensemble
Blue Mountains Concert Band and Youth Band concert, Community Hub,
Springwood 8.00pm
Wednesday 11 November: Remembrance Day, Wentworth Falls Cenotaph
D. Smith
FROM THE UNIFORM SHOP
Senior Girls (Year 11, 2016) navy skirts have arrived and are ready for collection at the Uniform
Shop. Balances will need to be settled on collection.
Many thanks,
K. Arrell
CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR
COMPASSION PROJECT
A wonderful way to buy your Christmas cards this
year is by ordering packs of cards that consist of
beautiful photographs from the Blue Mountains as
well as special moments from the Compassion
Project in Indonesia. Thank you for the support of
the Compassion Project - helping to lift children out
of poverty through a holistic Child Survival Project
near Manado, Indonesia.
All cards are blank so they can be used not only for
Christmas but as greeting cards any time of the year.
Due to a change of supplier we can now offer an
excellent deal of a mixed pack of 12 cards for $10.
Cards will be available from reception at Coorah
shortly. Please place your order by emailing
kknight@bmgs.nsw.edu.au
K. Knight
CAREERS NEWS
Careers information for students is now available on the Portal. Please note also that
www.mhscareers.com is a website that provides a careers information service. A hard copy is
displayed on the LRC's Careers Noticeboard and a digital copy is also uploaded to the Portal. Anyone
in the School community can access the MHSCareers.com website with a password. The password
can be found on the "Careers Information at BMGS" document on the Portal (for Years 9 to 12).
Students or parents who wish to register for MHSCareers.com email alerts need to send an email to
nsw@mhscareers.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Please include your name, the name of
the school, and whether you are a student or a parent. Students/parents who are currently
subscribed do not need to subscribe again. Please use your home email address, not your School
email address.
B. Fewer
FROM THE LEARNING SUPPORT DEPARTMENT
After school on Tuesday and Thursday, assistance with literacy or homework/assessments or exam
preparation is available in the Learning Support Room (next to SF3).
T. Boyd
SPORTS NEWS
ISA Summer Season
What a great day it was last Saturday at BMGS. The weather was impeccable for the 1 st XI cricket
team and on the courts there were some great games amongst the boys’ and girls’ Basketball
teams.
The match of the day for me was Boys’ 17s’ contest. They played against Oxley College and the score
was close throughout the whole game. I could see how nervous Mrs Harris was in the final minutes
of the second half as both teams were tied. In the last nail biting minutes of the game, BMGS scored
and we finished with a 3-point win! Well done to all teams who played last week, for detailed
summaries on each game please read match reports below.
Summer sport continues with Round 2 this Saturday the 24th October. All boys’ Basketball, girls’
Basketball teams and 2nd XI Cricket team are away. Please check table below for all fixtures and
transport information. The 1st XI Cricket team will be at home this weekend playing against St Pius X.
Tennis Tournament
Tennis tournament information was handed out at Assembly last week. The School’s Tennis
tournament will commence on the 23rd November for Year 7 students. Entries for this event close
on the 4th November so I need all permission notes and money to be paid at Coorah Reception by
2nd November. I will not be accepting any applications after this date. Students have the opportunity
to enter as an individual, in Doubles events or as a team where they will play two Single matches and
two Double matches. Singles cost $30 per student, Doubles are $12 per player and teams are $20
per player. If you require further information please contact Miss Petaccia.
Co-Curricular Photos
The photo price error on the website has now been amended. All co-curricular photos are now
available for order. Albums with the photos are available in the Senior School Student Reception
office. Photos can be viewed and ordered online. Go to the Advanced Life website to process any
orders. www.advancedlife.com.au and enter the code: DQ8 FJY 77A. Photos are $17 per group
photo. Online orders can only be paid for by credit/debit cards. For cash or cheque payments,
envelopes are available from the Senior School Student Reception office.
Student Achievement
Sarah Zakis (Year 10) competed in the state Football titles over the September holidays, with her
team finishing 4th overall.
Emma Jackson (also Year 10) and Sarah played in the Tri State Series for Girls’ Football. They
represented the ISA team in Melbourne over the first weekend of the September holidays.
The team were unfortunately defeated in both games but were
down a few players during the competition. Both Sarah and
Emma enjoyed the weekend away, as they also travelled with the
ISA hockey and netball representative teams in Melbourne. The
girls commented that it was a great opportunity. The ISA organise
teams to enter the Tri State Series each year. Girls who are
successful in the representative trials have the opportunity to
attend the Tri State Series and travel with all the ISA
Representative teams. Well done, girls! Emma and Sarah are pictured
here together.
Year 10 Work Experience
As the Work Experience week approaches Year 10 students
should start contacting their employers to confirm start times, if
there is lunch available (shops nearby etc) or if it is
recommended that students bring their own lunch and any
required equipment. Students who are using public transport
should make sure they check times to ensure they arrive on time
for work. If for any circumstance a student is sick, etc and is
unable to attend a day at work, they are to contact the employer
themselves and advise they are unwell.
Evaluation sheets will be distributed via Tutors this week. There are two evaluation forms, one to be
handed to the employer and one is to be completed by the student. These are to be returned to Miss
Petaccia after the Work Experience week or by the end of the term.
ISA Summer Sport - Round 2 - 24/10/15
Team
Opponent
Venue
Time
Field/Court
Staff/Coach
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
13s
14s
15s
17s
st
1 V
St Patrick’s
St Patrick’s
St Patrick’s
St Patrick’s
St Patrick’s
St Patrick’s College
St Patrick’s College
St Patrick’s College
St Patrick’s College
St Patrick’s College
9:00am
12:00pm
11:00am
10:00am
1:00pm
L. Van Horen
Ms D. Offner
Mrs M. Harris
Ms D. Offner
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Junior D
Junior D
Junior A
Intermediate B
Intermediate A
Open C
st
1 V
St Spyridon
St Spyridon
Chevalier
St Spyridon
Chevalier
Chevalier
St Spyridon
Marrickville
Marrickville
Moss vale
Marrickville
Moss vale
Moss vale
Marrickville
9:00am
10:30am
1:30pm
10:00am
2:30pm
2:30pm
9:00am
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
Ms S. Greentree
Mr C. Ingold
Mr S. Walpole
Ms S. Greentree
Mr S. Walpole
Ms S. Schultz
Mr C. Ingold
CRICKET
st
1 XI
nd
2 XI
U14
St Pius X
St Greg’s
Lithgow
Thunder
Home
Campbelltown
10:00am
10:00am
8:30am
Mr S. Collins
Mr D. Horwood
Mr G. Horne/
Mr D. Weibye
Transport Arrangements: ISA Summer Sport 24/10/15
Sport
Teams
Venue
Departure Times
Return Times
BMGS 7:45am
Buttenshaw Park 8:10am
Glenbrook Oval 8:25am
Return time to BMGS is
6:00pm
Cricket
2nds XI
St Gregory’s College
Girls’ Basketball
Junior D, Intermediate B
and 1st V
Debbie and Abbey
Borgia Recreation
Centre
Girls’ Basketball
Junior A, Intermediate A
and Open C
Moss Vale Basketball
Stadium
Boys’ Basketball
All teams
St Patrick’s College
BMGS 6:50am
Hazelbrook 7:00am
Buttenshaw Park 7:15am
Glenbrook Oval 7:30am
BMGS 11:00am
Buttenshaw Park 11:20am
Glenbrook Oval 11:35am
Blackheath 6:50am
Medlow Bath 6:55am
BMGS 7:05am
Hazelbrook 7:15am
Buttenshaw Park 7:25am
Glenbrook Oval 7:40am
Return time to BMGS is
1:00pm
Return time to BMGS is
5:30pm
Return time to BMGS is
3:30pm
St Gregory’s College - 100 Badgally Rd, Campbelltown
St Spyridon’s College - 531 Illawarra Rd, Marrickville
Chevalier College - Parkes Rd, Moss Vale
St Patricks College - Francis Street, Strathfield
**It is the student’s responsibility to notify parents of an earlier/later return time to your drop off point.**
J. Petaccia
MATCH REPORTS – ROUND 1, 17TH OCTOBER, 2015
Girls’ Basketball:
BMGS First V 24 defeated St. Paul’s Grammar School 20
The girls had a tough opposition for their first game of the season against St Paul’s Grammar School.
They were playing the team who had made it to the Finals last season and had played together for
some time. The SPGS team was also tall and had some experienced players. During the opening
minutes of the game the girls struggled with their shot, eight minutes passing without scoring a
basket. After a time out was called, the girls went back out onto the court with purpose and began to
claw back some points, being down 12-10 at the half time whistle. The opening minutes of the second
half saw the girls take the lead with some tough defence that forced turnovers and bad shots from
SPGS. While the girls still struggled with their shot their strong team work and tough defensive effort
saw them walk away with their first win of the season. Throughout the game the girls showed a strong
team effort and supported each other well. It was good to achieve a win for the first game of the
season and the girls are looking forward to playing next week.
BMGS Intermediate 22 were defeated by St. Andrew’s Cathedral School 44
The intermediate A team had a tough match on the weekend against SACS. They were a tall team and
it was clear that they had experience playing together. Although the girls started the game a little
nervously, they were the first to put points on the board. As the first half wore on, SACS gained a 10point lead which they would hold into the second half. Try as they may, the girls could not seem to
catch up at this point. The start of the second half saw a surge from the BMGS team through some
good defence and offence seeing us reducing the deficit. Unfortunately, the last five minutes saw
SACS run away with the score as the girls had some defensive lapses. The end result did not reflect
the battle that had occurred throughout the game. It was good to see such great team work among
the girls and they offered a lot of support and encouragement to each other throughout the game. We
look forward to playing next week.
BMGS Senior C 2 were defeated by St. Andrew’s Cathedral School 62
The Open Cs played extremely well for a team who hadn't played together before. The girls showed
great determination and have good foundations to build on during the season. Unfortunately the score
against SACS did not reflect the amount of effort the girls showed on Saturday morning.
BMGS Intermediate B 6 were defeated by St. Andrew’s Cathedral School 30
The girls had a tough game against SACS this week and unfortunately lost the first game of the
season. After having such a long break from Basketball, the girls did extremely well to get back into
the swing of things. In the first few minutes of the game we were up 2-0, however, unfortunately,
SACS was able to make a few fast breaks which ended in the final score of 6-30. Defensively the girls
were quite strong, often forcing SACS to shoot from outside the key, allowing us to get some rebounds
and have another shot attempt. Considering the Intermediate Bs all played in the Junior competition
last year, I am extremely proud of the effort they put in to this week’s game and they never gave up.
There is something to be said about their maturity and sportsmanship at such a young age. We
definitely look forward to the game next week and hope to have our first win of the season.
BMGS Junior A 13 were defeated by St Paul’s Grammar School 37
Against SPGS we started off with a zone defence and kept the opposition to only four points in the first
five minutes. SPGS played a one-on-one defence to start the game and continued this throughout the
game. Their one on one pressure made it a little tough on our transition which led to us making too
many unforced and forced errors. We had trained the last few sessions on quick break transition just
in case the first team we played went with a high pressure one on one defence, but we were a little off
the pace and appeared a little overwhelmed in this first game. We went in at half time down 17 points
to 3… Just before the second half we switched to one on one and started to slow down SPGS scoring.
St Pauls came out firing and our first 5mins in the second half we struggled to pick up our opposite
player. After the first five minutes of the second half we finally got into a groove and started to win a
lot of turnovers and score some points. We only lost the second half 10-20 which was a marked
improvement and given we are a such a new team, there is no doubt that we will continue our
improvement!
BMGS Junior D 14 defeated St. Andrew’s Cathedral School 10
The Junior Ds played a very close game. SACS scored the first goal, closely followed by a goal from the
Junior Ds. After their first goal, the Junior Ds gained their confidence and started to work as a team
which lead to a 10-14 win. We were very happy with their performance as it was the first time that they
had played together and it was good to see such great teamwork so early in the season. The girls are
looking forward to the game next week.
C. Ingold
MIC Girls’ Basketball
Boys’ Basketball:
BMGS First V were defeated by Oxley College, 47-35
In a tight first game of the ISA season, the First V team was able to put all they had learned from the
off-season and the pre-season games into practice. Oxley College were always going to be a tough first
assignment and this proved to be the case. Shooting, defence and fitness were all markedly improved
from previous weeks and the signs of team cohesion, trust and belief were evident throughout the
gruelling encounter. Nick Filla, Aidan Morgan and Matthew Van Horen were standouts in a good team
performance that saw BMGS fall away in the final stages to go down in a close game.
BMGS U17 defeated Oxley College, 31-28
What a great start to the season, taking home the win. With a team made up of only a few
experienced Basketball players, it was always going to be interesting to see what the boys would come
up with. They started well, scoring the first two baskets, before the passing became ordinary and Oxley
quickly took the lead. As the game progressed, Jaxson Mannes was given the task of dealing with the
key Oxley player. He was able to shut down this player’s scoring and allow the rest of our team to work
on intercepts and fast breaks. The game ended with Oxley having possession, desperately trying to
score and draw the game. Credit must go to the BMGS boys who kept their heads and finished
reasonably calmly!! Looking forward to next week’s game against St Patrick’s.
BMGS U15 were defeated by Oxley College 36-25
A quick start by the Oxley side woke the boys out of the off-season and had the boys on the back foot
early. However, it wasn’t long before the boys began to apply the pressure and slim down the early
break Oxley had made. Keighran Brown’s quick hands led to many turnovers and fast break buckets
whilst Sam Baker kept the opposition’s scoring to a minimum under his ring rebounding and his
blocking of all those who ventured too near. A lapse in concentration saw the Oxley side break free
early in the second half and this proved too hard to chase down. Ensuring that the boys start the game
with intensity and maintain it throughout will greatly help in the long run. Well done to Felix on his first
game with the new team and hopefully with a full complement with Cian Rowntree returning next week
we can get the win. Well done and welcome back boys.
Liam Van Horen
BMGS U14 defeated Oxley College, 36-11
The 14s had a very good start to the season on Saturday with a great win against Oxley College. The
boys played very hard and executed well on both offence and defence. There were moments to
improve on, but being the first game of the season that is to be expected. With hard work they can
only improve from here.
BMGS U13 defeated Oxley College 36-15
What a way to start the season for the newest BMGS boys’ team. Facing up against Oxley it was
always going to be a good game and a great gauge of the season to come. As the boys played their
first game alongside each other, the nerves showed early with neither team scoring. After the first
basket dropped by Ethan, the boys switched on and began to work together well. The halftime score of
10-11 indicates how close the match was. During the break the boys really switched on and went out
firing and didn’t let up all game. Tyrone Saunders and Sebastian Mannes worked well in defence to
continuously steal the ball and kept the Oxley team from reaching our half. Josh Gale showed that size
doesn’t matter on the court, fooling the defence for three easy baskets. The bench showed its depth
and allowed for regular subs to continually keep the scoreboard ticking over finishing the game with a
strong score line. Well done to the boys on their first home day win and I’m excited to see the progress
the boys make this season.
Liam Van Horen
M. Harris
MIC Boys’ Basketball
Cricket:
BMGS 1st XI were defeated by St. Pius XI
After a strong showing in the trial match at St. Pius the previous Saturday the 1st XI were feeling
confident going into the first game of the season against St Stanislaus at home. In his first game as
Captain, Danny Lodewyke won the toss and elected to bowl first. Danny (3/20) and Joe O’Doherty
(1/20) opened up well and were well-supported in the field, which continued for the whole innings. Fynn
Norman (3/20), Julian Aldridge (1/25) and Sam Bloodsworth (2/25) backed up the openers with good
spells. Through good bowling and fielding we were able to restrict St. Pius’ score to 145. The run chase
didn’t start well, with both Lodewyke and Trihey getting good deliveries early and leaving Norman (17),
O’Doherty (37) and Aldridge (36) to turn the tide. These three batsmen settled things down and put us
back on track. Bloodsworth chipped in with 16 to keep the innings rolling. Unfortunately none of the
boys were able to turn their innings into the big scores that were needed to chase down the total. As
they say in the cricketing classics, the tail didn’t wag and we were dismissed for 129.
S Collins
BMGS 2nd XI v St. Patrick’s 3rd XI
The BMGS 2nd XI made a strong start to the season with a resounding 87 run victory over St Patrick’s 3rd
XI. A stoic opening partnership by Zac Franklin and Christian Wright provided an excellent platform for
our innings and took the total to 0/135 in the 42rd over. In an effort to boost the run rate, Zac swung at
a wide ball and was dismissed for 58 in the 43rd over; an outstanding effort. James Jansons-Edwards
and Christian then added 43 runs in four overs with some dazzling boundary hitting before Christian
selflessly ran himself out for 61 to ensure that his Captain was there for the final three overs. James
continued the big hitting and finished the innings 40 not out from only 23 deliveries – a wonderful
innings. The final total was 2/198 which was a fantastic effort and should give the team a confidence
boost for the rest of the season. Thanks to Harrison Wilkman-Dean for a fantastic effort in learning to
score and completing the entire innings as scorer. A beguiling opening spell of swing bowling from Tom
Bloodsworth, 4/10 from 5 overs, put enormous pressure on the opposition; great work, Tom. However,
St Patrick’s stabilised to be 4/67 in the 16th over. A tactical bowling change in the last over before
drinks saw Christian Wright dismiss the opposition’s Captain for 45 with a solid catch from Harrison.
Christian followed on after drinks and produced an amazing over to take 4 wickets in 5 balls
(w.1.w.w.w.) - a game changing hat trick! Harrison took the final wicket with an excellent delivery to
dismiss St Patrick’s for 111.
D. Horwood
FROM THE HEAD OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
Last week our Year 1 and Year 2 children joined with other children from local schools in the Upper
Blue Mountains Music Festival and performed at Katoomba Public School. There were three
wonderful concerts and our children sang beautifully. The repertoire included old favourites like Puff
the Magic Dragon and songs that were vividly Australian such as Kakadu. Each performance was
punctuated by engaging soloists, one of whom was our own Mary Smallhorn from 6K on piano who
played enchantingly. Well done to all the children who participated and thank you to Mrs Cooney,
Mrs Goodlet and Mr Bell for helping the children prepare; and of course thank you and well done to
Mary for representing our School with such distinction.
At the recently held P & F Ice Cream Day, $247 was raised thanks to Mrs Bonnie Mamo and her
team of helpers Mrs Justine Hampartzoumian, Mrs Raelene Lord and Mrs Catharine Tierney. Coming
up next Friday, October 30th is the P & F Fun Run for all children during their sports session. If you
haven’t already done so you can easily activate your online Student Profile Page by clicking on this
link; www.schoolfunrun.com.au/students
Children can then choose their prize and set their goal. Once a student raises $10, he or she can
enter the Win a trip to Disneyland Competition. This can be accessed through his or her online
Student Profile Page. Mrs Mamo is keen to know if there are any parents able to help on the day, so
if you are keen please contact the Junior School office. We are soon to be installing our new
projector with a specially painted screen in the Hall thanks to funds raised by the P & F over the last
18 months, and the new project that funds are being raised for is to landscape and beautify the
upper playground, providing more seating and an outdoor learning space in the process.
In conjunction with the P & F Fun Run
on Friday, October 30th, MacLaurin
Kelley are holding a fundraiser to
support Compassion – Releasing
children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
There will be cakes for sale at break
times and for the donation of $2
children can wear pyjamas and/or
crazy hair; but don’t forget to have
clothes suitable for the Fun Run!
Inspired by support given to family
members, Mitchell, Angus and Indigo
Herron
along
with
Morghan
Broadbent have been striving to hold
a Have a Heart Day to support the
Heart Foundation. Supported by their
parents in arranging this event, the
children have the day ready to go
next Wednesday, October 28th. For a
gold coin donation children can wear
red mufti and there will be a paper
plane flying competition at lunch.
Please see accompanying flyer for
details.
It is important to encourage altruistic
acts initiated by the children. It
further develops those character
strengths we strive for such as
empathy and connectedness.
It is great to see a genuine interest in helping others being displayed by the children organising these
events.
Student Awards
In Assembly this week the following awards were presented:
Bronze – Zachery Dalton (3F), Mea-Mei Stanbury (6K)
Gold – Mary Smallhorn (6K)
N. Cockington
Preparatory and Junior Swimming Lessons
The Preparatory and Junior Schools’ swimming lessons are booked for the end of October and
November. Permission notes and event information have been sent out to students. The lessons will
cover basic swimming principles and some aspects of swim to survive.
Dates:
29th October - Year 2 students, from Wentworth Falls only, 9:00am – 2:00pm
10th and 11th November - Years 2 to 4 students from Valley Heights, 1:00pm – 2.45pm
16th and 17th November - Year 3 and 4 Junior School 9:00am -2:00pm
18th and 19th November - Year 5 and 6 Junior School 9:00am- 2:00pm
J. Petaccia
FROM THE HEAD OF THE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Thank you to Springwood Fire Brigade for last
week’s visit to our Pre-Kindergarten and
Kindergarten classes. The ever important
safety message was reinforced by the exciting
‘hands on’ opportunities for the children.
Years 1 and 2 will travel to the Bicentennial
Park Education Centre next Wednesday 28
October. Students will consider how the land
has evolved by experiencing aspects of the
park including woodlands, playgrounds, wet
environments and heritage features. They will
explore the issues of health and safety,
pollution and design techniques used in
parklands.
Student Awards
Pre-Kindergarten - Noah Winfield and Harrison Brown
Kindergarten - Xavier Stephens
Year 1 - Lachlan Burgess
Year 2 - Luke Johnson-Leibbrand
Years 3 and 4 – Oliver Mills-Mateer and Bill Klein
E. Flett
Preparatory and Junior Swimming Lessons
The Preparatory and Junior Schools’ swimming lessons are booked for the end of October and
November. Permission notes and event information have been sent out to students. The lessons will
cover basic swimming principles and some aspects of swim to survive.
Dates:
29th October - Year 2 students, from Wentworth Falls only, 9:00am – 2:00pm
10th and 11th November - Years 2 to 4 students from Valley Heights, 1:00pm – 2.45pm
16th and 17th November - Year 3 and 4 Junior School 9:00am - 2:00pm
18th and 19th November - Year 5 and 6 Junior School 9:00am - 2:00pm
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY – OCTOBER 2015
Saturday, Oct 24 – Preparatory School Open Morning
Monday, Oct 26 – HSC Examinations continue
Monday, Oct 26 to Thursday Oct 29 – Year 10 Examinations
Tuesday, Oct 27 – Tour Day – Senior and Junior Schools
Wednesday, Oct 28 – Year 11 Drama excursion to NIDA
Wednesday, Oct 28 – Year 1 and 2 (Preparatory School) to Sydney Olympic Park
Wednesday, Oct 28 – Have a Heart Charity Day (Junior School)
Wednesday, Oct 28 to Friday Oct 30 – Year 7 Camp
Thursday, Oct 29 – Year 2 Learn to Swim
Friday, Oct 30 – MILO In2CRICKET Programme
Friday, Oct 30 – Junior School P & F Fun Run