Newsletter
Week 8 Term 1

Endeavour

It is a pure act of courage to set out into the unknown.

The scale of this courage correlates with the uncertainty and difficulty of the environment you may face, your level of preparedness and, importantly, your willingness and ability to adapt to the circumstances you may face.

Each time we start a new season, whether in sport or the performing arts, we are venturing into the unknown. By the start of Term 4 2021, we had extensive planning in place for the pre-season, the holiday period and Term 1 of this year. All of these plans included contingencies, and yet still, we have found ourselves dealing with the unknown. Across December and January holiday camps changed to day clinics, we adapted to different training modes, and we have continued to operate and offer all our programs to our students throughout a most uncertain time.

We have all been students in an endeavour masterclass this term. Like our students, we have collaborated, shared thinking and sought solutions, all while motivated by the most important people in our community – our students. We relied on each other as we faced the unknown of the recent flooding events, and we sought to overcome this with collective endeavour.

Without knowing if there would be another opportunity to row, let alone a Head of the River, boys kept training indoors, parents kept supporting and we forged on. With Northgate underwater, indoor training venues were booked, plans adjusted and the season continued. With teammates, coaches, tutors and program leaders ruled out for short stints on a random and frequent basis, we found ways through.

Continuity for our students was the focus of our endeavour. Their hard work deserved to be honoured with the ongoing opportunities to compete, participate and perform at their best. I am proud of our people and programs, and of what we have been able to achieve at an extraordinary time where the unexpected became commonplace.

This weekend, BGS students will compete in their final rounds of competition in Cricket, Debating, Sailing and Volleyball. We wish all students every success as they take to the field, the lectern, the water or the court this weekend. May the collective endeavour of our community support over these past few months inspire the best in you and your team.

Feedback

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we actively seek feedback at the end of each term from those who have been involved in our seasonal programs. Students, parents and coaches and staff involved in our programs have all been contacted, requesting feedback on the season.

This feedback is collated and de-identified by my office. Summaries of feedback and themes drive the formal Season Review process conducted for all seasonal programs. We cannot improve without community input, so I urge you to please use these feedback instruments to capture and share your reflections for the benefit of future BGS students.

BGS and BGGS are excited to announce the Grammar Bus Pilot 2022 – a joint school bus service for students who live in the broader Ashgrove and Clayfield corridors – will go ahead in Term 2. 

The bus pilot aims to reduce traffic congestion within our Spring Hill community, with cars currently comprising the primary form of transport for many BGS and BGGS families.

The cost will be a subsidised flat fee of $3.50 per trip ($7.00 return). Students will use a tap on system when boarding the bus using their student identification card.  

The schools will email parents a link to register for this new bus service early next week. This email will include further information about routes, and links to FAQs for parents. 

Student COVID-19 Cases

A total of 5.5% of students currently have COVID-19.

Infection Control

BGS reintroduced the compulsory wearing of masks on Monday this week. The School continues to monitor COVID-19 related issues in the wider community and track specific patterns of infection at BGS. Our infection control measures focus on personal hygiene, pedestrian flow, CO2 monitoring and classroom ventilation.

Our Boarding community continues to implement its COVID-19 plan, which involves Rapid Antigen Testing, twice weekly.

Please continue to keep your son at home if he displays any COVID-19 symptoms.

Thank you

I want to offer my appreciation to staff and parents for their commitment to establishing safe COVID-19 practices. I also want to acknowledge the students for their understanding and support of our procedures. For those unable to be at school, I remind you to contact your teachers if you are well enough to engage in learning.

As we approach the final week of Term 1, I want to remind you of a few important points. All students are expected to attend school until the end of term. If you require leave, please contact me if your son is in Senior School or Ms Rebecca Campbell if your son is in Middle School. Given that assessments are scheduled up to and including the final day of term, I expect to see boys at school. School finishes at 3.10pm on Friday 1 April.

Bell times are adjusted at school for Senior School students during Terms 2 and 3. School concludes at 3.00pm during these terms. The 10-minute difference is taken from the Consolidation and Preparation period.

Winter uniform for Senior School students will commence on Tuesday 3 May. This involves students wearing a white shirt and blazer. There will be an important ritual for Year 9 students on the morning of Tuesday 3 May – this is the first occasion for the cohort to be wearing their blazers.

I want to remind parents of the importance of boys having a break over the holiday and engaging in activities they enjoy. There will be many opportunities for cocurricular activities and time for boys to rest and recover from a busy term. I encourage parents to keep in mind the importance that routines play in the learning process.

Given that it is only a two-week term break, I believe it is important that not all routines are lost over the break. I encourage you to focus on maintaining good sleep patterns for your son and to restrict gaming time to a reasonable amount. This will ensure your son settles into Term 2 much easier.

I would appreciate your support in ensuring your son returns to school in Term 2 with an appropriate hairstyle. The expected standard is explained in the year level section on MyGrammar.

Director of Boarding
Berian Williams-Jones

Head of the River

On Saturday it was a privilege to support our rowers at the annual Head of the River regatta.

Preparations for the event commence at the start of Term 4 of the previous year. It is a demanding commitment for boys and staff to facilitate early-morning training across the week and to respond the demands of a physically demanding activity.

I am proud of how the boys have responded to these challenges and their commitment to the program. I congratulate Jeremy, Darcy, Henry, Shannon, Will and Ned for their respective involvement and performance at Wyaralong.

I also want to thank those supporters who travelled out to the event and the commitment of all rowers. It was a privilege to be able to thank those boys with an impromptu KFC outing that was well received by all.

End of Term Arrangements

As we approach the end of term, I remind all parents and caregivers of the arrangements and procedures for departure and return to BGS Boarding.

Term 1 will end on Friday 1 April, with lessons concluding at 3.00pm for Middle School boys, and 3.10pm for Senior School. Griffith House and Harlin House will, if needed, remain open until 12.30pm the following day (Saturday 2 April) for boarders who are not able to travel on Friday.

Please communicate your intention regarding travel through the end of term process on Reach.

Should your son need to depart BGS before Friday 1 April, I remind you that permission to be absent from lessons needs to be sought in advance from either Deputy Headmaster and Head of Senior School, Mr David Carroll, or Head of Middle School, Ms Rebecca Campbell. In the same way, any requests to depart before Friday should be communicated to the Director of Boarding.

For Term 2, Griffith House and Harlin House will open at 12.30pm on Tuesday 19 April, with lessons beginning Wednesday 20 April at 8.20am. Should your son need to access Boarding before 12.30pm on Tuesday 19 April, please contact me directly so that I can explore if staffing can be put in place.

Looking ahead to Term 2, I remind the community there will be no formal lessons on the Anzac Day holiday (Monday 25 April) or Labour Day (Monday 2 May) and we will run a modified program in Boarding on both days.

Director of Outdoor Education
Derek Jervis

The Year 5 cohort and 7F Tutor Group came to Moogerah this week for their day trip experiences. Year 5 students experienced a taste of three Outdoor Education activities, including Indigenous education, paddling on Lake Moogerah and the low ropes course.

7F were lucky enough to have Lake Moogerah open to swimming again after the rain event, and enjoyed relaxing in the lake as part of their paddling session. They also engaged in an Indigenous education session and a day hiking on Mt Edwards. 7F proved to be a positive and collaborative class willing to engage in new and challenging activities and demonstrated the behaviours associated with the program focus of Endeavour.

Tarin Langton-Lockton was celebrated for his engagement and effort during the program. Tarin chose the bushwalking option to continue to the summit of Mt Edwards and demonstrated persistence, resilience and humility. Harry Huth was very capable in all activities. He had a positive influence on his peers and was willing to help whenever possible. Anoop Balasuiriya was fully engaged in the program. When considering the value of Outdoor Education, Anoop clearly articulated the benefits of taking on and managing personal challenges. Severin Yong Gee was a polite and thoughtful student who engaged in the activities and reflection. Severin was consistently seeking opportunities to help his peers in any way he could. 7F Outdoor Education Leaders Justin Lowe, Dylan Conway and Johnathan Minchinton were excellent mentors and were sincerely thanked by the class captains at the end of the program.

The Year 5 classes were energetic and enthusiastic for everything their day trip experience had to offer – from paddling to painting, and even eating sausages and sauce at lunch! Year 5 Outdoor Education Leaders Ishaan Keane, Jacob Nucifora, Chester Battley, Benjamin Bryant, Axel Hind and Ronit Relan worked hard at their leadership roles during the day and had a positive and significant impact on the Year 5 students’ experiences.

A short movie of the boys' experiences can be viewed via the 5AB Video, 5CD Video and 7F Video links.

Outdoor Education photos are now available via the School’s photo management system, Pixevety. The platform helps the School safely manage and share our photos. This user guide provides instructions on how to access, navigate, search and download photos. The system uses single sign on and must be accessed via MyGrammar > Useful Links > Pixevety. Once activated, you will be prompted to enter a login email and password, but please do not attempt to login this way. Instead, go back to MyGrammar and click on Pixevety again. You can then view the photos by clicking on the Outdoor Education Year 5 or Year 7 folder in Pixevety.

Director of Student Wellbeing Programs
Philippa Douglas

Drug and Alcohol Education Student and Parent Information Sessions

On Thursday 21 April, BGS will welcome Mr Paul Dillon from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) to speak to students in Years 10, 11 and 12. Mr Dillon has been working in drug education for the past 25 years and believes the best way to protect young people is to empower them through education and good quality information. Details on the topics addressed can be accessed here. You may find this information helpful in opening up a conversation with your son.

Parent and caregivers from BGS and BGGS and invited to attend an Information Evening at Brisbane Grammar School on Thursday 21 April at 6.00pm in The Lilley Centre Forum. The presentation will focus on vaping.

Please register for the evening here.

Acting Director of Counselling and Academic Services
Nathan Simmons

Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) for Year 11 and Year 12 Student Illness

As previously advised, the School is required to follow QCAA mandated procedures regarding illness and assessment for Years 11 and 12.

The School recognises the importance of Years 11 and 12. Documented records (e.g. medical certificates and AARA forms) of the potential impact of illness on assessment are essential to assist BGS in making adjustments to allow students to perform to their best.

Records become even more important when students are particularly unfortunate and have multiple or recurring events of illness across the year.

Illness on the day of an examination or assessment

Years 11 and 12 students who become ill or experience an adverse event at the time of assessment must obtain appropriate medical documentation to support any extension or application for AARA.

The School requires students to apply for AARA using this form with attached medical documentation sent to aara@brisbanegrammar.com.

Medical Documentation Requirements

The QCAA requires appropriate medical documentation from an independent AHPRA registered medical professional that includes the following details:

• the illness, condition or event (including details of a diagnosis, where applicable)
• date of diagnosis, onset or occurrence
• symptoms, treatment or course of action related to the condition or event
• explanation of the probable effect of the illness, condition or event on the student’s participation in the assessment.

Please note:

• It is not sufficient for the medical practitioner to simply state that the student had a medical illness. This will result in the AARA application being rejected.
• In all circumstances, the medical practitioner must not have a close personal relationship with, or be related to, the student.

External examinations at the end of the year

There are no possible alternative arrangements for students who do not attend a scheduled QCAA external exam at the end of 2022.

If a student is unable to complete an external exam, he must apply under illness and misadventure guidelines. There are strict rules about detailed medical documentation requirements.

Specific requirements for illness and misadventure applications will be published closer to the external exams.

Junior GPS Swimming Championships

The change in venue did not impact our Years 5 to 7 swimmers when they competed at Nudgee College last Thursday. There were some outstanding individual performances on the day with most swimmers attaining personal best times.

Congratulations to our 11 Years Division 1 swimmers Lachy Donaldson, Aidan Shen and Mason Gao on winning their individual events. Mason broke the GPS record in the 50 Breaststroke and then teamed up with Lachy, Aidan and Thomas Gorry to break the record while winning the Medley Relay. The 11 Years Division 1 boys Freestyle Relay team of Nicholas Bourne, Teddy Lau, Lucas Tian and Tom Bender were also victorious.

The 12 Years boys also produced some notable performances with Max Wang winning the Division 1 50 Breaststroke. Max later combined with Sebastian Ashby Cliffe, Josh Spiez and Leo Ellemor to win the Medley Relay.

It was an outstanding team performance with 31 season-best swim times produced and a fourth overall team placing.  

Interwing Volleyball for Year 7

The Interwing Volleyball competition concluded this week and I’m sure the Year 7 boys enjoyed the experience. Thanks to the wing captains and coordinators for providing the opportunity for the boys to play. A special mention also to Mr Cox and senior players for helping set up equipment before the boys arrived each week. Their generosity allowed the Year 7 boys to play for the entire break time.

The wing captains will look to provide an opportunity for the Year 5 boys next term.

Interwing Track and Field

The response to the sign-on survey for the Interwing Track and Field carnival was excellent and I thank all parents and carers who helped us achieve this. A reminder that every Middle School student is required to wear their coloured wing shirt next Friday. These shirts are available for purchase from the Grammar Shop. Further details regarding the day will be emailed to all Middle School families this weekend.

Glenn McFarlane
Head of Activities

Players of the Week

Team	name
5A	Hugo Small
5B	Alex Coates
5C	Yuvi Lashand
6A	Adam Johansen
6B	Gabriel Levy
6C	Ben Davis
7A	Oliver Harris
7B	Archie Slatter
7C	Ned Clayton
7D	Edward Driessen
7E	Harry Savage
7F	Leopold Ryan
7G	Joseph Arthur
8A	Ben Rothwell
8B	Nick Walker
8C	Rohan Morris
8D	Eamman Conomos
8E	Billy Brand

Team	name
Year 5	Max Woods
Year 6	Dhilan Varsani
Year 7	Thomas Schott
Year 8	Hamish Ellerman

Team	name
10 years	Felix Li
11 years	Nicholas Bourne
12 years	Oliver Elphinston

Team	name
7A	Xavier Grey
7B	Billy Rogers
7C	Alex Jiang
7D	Elvin Wong
7E	Alex Wong
8A	Zach Smith
8B	Vuk Prentis
8C	Harvey Kerr
8D	Aaron Alphonso

Somerset Storyfest

On Thursday 17 March, a group of  Year 6 students attended Somerset Storyfest at Somerset College, Mudgeeraba. The excitement was palpable during the literary festival, which was teeming with authors, illustrators, storytellers and book lovers.

Boys enjoyed a great day listening to authors Matt Stanton and Sue Whiting. There were stories of annoying hostages, exploding whales and even an Antarctic cliffhanger that had us all fooled. The day was a success, and boys absorbed valuable advice and tips for writing their own stories. We are very proud of the boys and how they represented Brisbane Grammar School on the day.

Sarah Lusink
Teacher Librarian

Accelerated Reader Hall of Fame

Ethan Clarkson has read voraciously to become our first Hall of Fame recipient for 2022. He has already accrued more than 500 points and read nearly 3.5 million words since the beginning of the year. Congratulations on a fine effort.

Accelerated Reader is run as part of the Years 5 and 6 English programs to encourage boys to select and read texts to develop their reading skills. Points are awarded for quizzes, and small rewards are given to boys who reach milestones and reading targets. This program is one of many strategies we use to help improve the literacy skills of our students.

Vicki Palmer
Teacher Librarian

Lord of the Flies | Senior Dramatic Production

Many parallels can be drawn between the post World War II Cold War era and the world we live in today. We are ‘living with COVID’ in ‘unprecedented times’ and Russia has invaded Ukraine.

It’s not hard to see how the key messages of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies are relevant today. Written in 1954, Golding’s novel centres around a group of schoolboys who find themselves stranded on an uninhabited island after being sent away to escape the Cold War. Their disastrous attempts to govern themselves highlights opposing concepts such as ‘individual vs institution’, ‘rational vs irrational’ and ‘morality vs immorality’.

However, it all began with a game: hunt or be hunted? It’s just boys playing, isn’t it?

Drawing heavily on his own experiences as a junior officer in the Brittish Royal Navy, Golding knew the effects of warfare and the cruelty and violence that swiftly followed once war was declared. He began to question the capacity for violence and our own moral compass when thrown into extreme conditions.

In the BGS production of Lord of the Flies, we aim to challenge our audience with similar questions. Our production brings the narrative into the present day, exploring the same concepts Golding called into question in the late 1950s. Has humanity learned anything? Or are we failing to recognise our shortcomings in society to keep civilisation ‘civil’?

Ticketing information will be available soon. Follow @grammarplay.bgs on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes photos and sneak peeks.

Ben Newth, Patrick Last and Naomi Russell
Lord of the Flies Creative Team

Round 8 of the GPS season saw our Cricket program come up against the might of Churchie. As they have been significantly impacted by flood damage, BGS hosted the majority of fixtures this round. To maintain the integrity of as many games as possible, and in a first for the GPS competition, we played seven mid-week matches at Northgate. This worked well and I thank all those involved in making this happen.

In what turned out to be a relatively tough round, BGS managed to win 12 out of the 26 GPS fixtures played. There were some very close finishes and a number of games came down to the last over of the match. We were successful in five of the six supplementary matches contested, which enabled us to finish the day on a positive note. A special mention must go to the Year 12 and Year 7 age groups who won all of their GPS fixtures.

With one round to go, we currently have the 6A, 7B, 7D, 7E, 7F, 8D, 8E, 9D, 10D, 11C and First XI teams remaining undefeated in their GPS seasons. I urge you all to do your best to run into positions between overs to help with our over rate. A few teams failed to complete their overs in time last week and this cost us dearly. BBC will be our last obstacle for the season and I wish all teams the best of luck.  

Oliver Buck (11B) – 5/12	Ethan Dupayne (First XI) – 49*
Nick Walker (7B) – 4/12	Oscar Smith (Third XI) – 3/26 and 39*
Ben Mooney (Second XI) - 55 (86) and 1/28	Bertie Kendall (10B) – 3/9
Nadula Tennakoon (Second XI) - 53	Archie Slatter (7B) – 33 (54) & 1/4
Guy Hilditch (11B) – 51 (38)	Ned Clayton (7C) – 31 & 1/4
Ben Rothwell (8A) –  51 (87)

Player of the Round

Oliver Buck (11B) – 5/12 (4) v NC, Saturday 19 March

Oliver single-handedly tore through the Nudgee top order last weekend to claim the first four wickets of the match to leave Nudgee reeling at 4/21. He came back on late to claim the last wicket and finish with a wonderful five-wicket haul. Oliver was close to doing the same the round prior against TGS where he claimed the first four wickets again to finish with amazing figures of 4/10 (4). Congratulations Oliver!

Team of the Week

BGS 7E 5/131 def ACGS 9/37

The BGS 7E cricket team continued their undefeated season with a comprehensive demolition of their Churchie counterparts on the weekend. Batting first we amassed 5/131 off our allotted overs with solid contributions from Samuel Prasad and Harry Savage. Extras managed to score a half century also. With the ball however, our boys were ruthless, bowling Churchie out in the 11th over. Nate Karoly was the chief destroyer with three wickets and Harry Savage and Charlton Parr each collecting two wickets. Congratulations boys and best of luck in your last round of the season.

A reminder that the Willow Club Cricket-a-thon Fundraiser has finished. What an outstanding achievement by all involved. There are still some pledge payments requiring attention. An email has been sent with the final amounts. Thanks again for your attention to this matter.

Season Top 10 Performers

Run Scorers

1	Tennakoon, Nadula (Second XI)	192
2	Tolhurst, Angus (First XI)	177
3	Feltham, Duncan (11B)	172
4	Wallwork, Sam (10A)	162
5	Rothwell, Ben (8A)	146
6	Weibgen, Hugh (First XI)	137
7	Davis, Jonty (11A)	136
8	Clark, Max (11A)	126
9	Lee, Zed (10C)	119
10	Timblo, Armaan (8A)	117

Wickets

1	Nair, Sid (Second XI)	12
2	Vidler, Callum (First XI)	12
3	Buck, Oliver (11B)	10
4	Walker, Nicholas (8B)	9
5	Dore, Michael (9B)	9
6	Kendall, Bertie (10B)	9
7	Mercer, Henry (10A)	9
8	Redmond, Ben (9B)	8
9	Woolley, Max (7A)	8
10	Weibgen, Hugh (First XI)	8

Catches/Run Outs

1	Hooper, George (7D)	6/3
2	Spence, Alexander (9A)	6/3
3	Swan, Marcus (5A)	5/1
4	Harris, Oliver (7A)	5/1
5	Beirne, Harry (9A)	5/0
6	Spence, Mitchell (7A)	3/2
7	Morris, Rohan (8C)	4/1
8	Donaldson, Luke (9B)	4/1
9	Cochrane, Robert (10A)	4/0
10	Weibgen, Hugh (First XI)	4/0

A reminder that Saturday lunchtime is the Years 5 and 6 Presentation Afternoon at Northgate, followed by the Years 7 to 12 function at AB Fields on Saturday evening. Boys in Years 7 to 12 are expected to wear full summer formal uniform to the event. I look forward to seeing you all there.

Trevor Irvine
Cricket Director

Holiday camp

Monday 11 April – Wednesday 13 April 2022
BGS Indoor Sports Centre
Specific details and the link to register for camp is on MyGrammar.

BGS Musketeers welcome function

Saturday 23 April 2022
Figs on Sylvan
More details and ticket sales are available on MyGrammar.

Musketeers call for members

The Musketeers are immediately looking for the following positions on the committee:

• Shadow President
• Shadow Treasurer
• Year Level representatives

If you can contribute, please let me know or contact our President Julia Lim for more information. The membership form is available on MyGrammar. Any parent willing to assist would be greatly appreciated. New members are always welcome.

Whites hire

Whites hire has closed. Students who still need whites must contact the Fencing Director.

We had 180 boys sign on for fencing this year. The stock of whites that the Musketeers have available for hire was exhausted. Those students who signed on late or did not make alternate arrangements for whites hire will need to acquire whites elsewhere or purchase their own. For safety reasons, students cannot fence without wearing proper whites. This is why the support of the Musketeers is so vital to the program.

Musketeers raffle call for donations

Thank you to those parents who have reached out with donations towards the raffle. We continue to accept any donations from BGS Fencing families.

Alternatively, if a direct donation is not possible but you could help us source prizes for our 2022 raffle, this would be greatly appreciated. The prizes can range from smaller items that can be added to a larger 'basket' prize, to a more significant gift to be a major raffle prize. Past donations have included artworks, electronics, gaming consoles (Xbox/PlayStation), wine, gift vouchers, dinners, hotel accommodation, memorabilia, hampers, and cash donations.

All funds raised from raffle ticket sales will make a huge difference to the continued success, safety and enjoyment of all the boys involved in BGS Fencing.

To make a donation or recommend a prize source, please contact us, Jackie Window at jackie@wayneandjackie.com or Sally Topping at sally.topping@gmail.com.

Other Important Dates

Training starts in Term 2 on Tuesday 19 April. Check MyGrammar for specific training times and squad details.

Melanie Chin
Fencing Director

BGS Football Clinic | Monday 4 April – Tuesday 5 APRIL

The BGS Football camp will take place at Northgate from 8.30am to 12.00pm on Monday 4 April and Tuesday 5 April. Please note the following logistics:

• Buses will be available to transport students to and from Northgate.
• Buses will leave at 8.00am from the front of the School.
• Buses will leave Northgate at 12.00pm and arrive at BGS by 12.30pm.
• Morning tea is provided (please indicate dietary requirements when completing the sign-on form).
• Boys must wear the BGS sports uniform and bring a water bottle, hat and sunscreen.

Camp sign-on is available via the Football section of MyGrammar. Sign on strictly closes at midnight, Thursday 31 March. Registrations will not be accepted after this deadline.

Trial Games v BBC – Saturday 2 April

Selected squads will play trial games against Brisbane Boys’ College on Saturday 2 April at Northgate. A schedule is available via MyGrammar. Teams will be released on Monday 28 March.

Graham Harvey
Football Director

The 100th GPS Head of the River was held last Saturday 19 March. After what has been a turbulent end to the 2022 season, which saw most of our team unable to train on the water for three or four weeks, it was a proud moment to see the boys turn up last Saturday with such positive energy ready for a great day of racing.

The Year 9s started the mornings racing with great results. The group secured one first place, two second places and two third places, as well as some close fourth placings. This positioned the age group to finish the day in third place overall, only one point behind Gregory Terrace in second. Congratulations to the Year 9 Second Quad on their outstanding first place result in a tight race that saw less than two seconds between first to third. I’m excited to see all these boys return in the senior program next year.

The Year 10s followed up with the first point-scoring crews of the GPS championships. Despite some determined racing and some tight margins, the Year 10s had a challenging day. The boys represented the School proudly with some close fourth and fifth place results, notably the Fifth Quad missing the podium by under a second. I’m excited to see these boys step up into the sweep program next year as they embark on their journey in the VIIIs.

The senior program saw mixed results at Head of the River. The Year 11 age group enjoyed some competitive racing, with the Year 11 First VIII challenging for second place during the race, ending with a strong fourth place result. The Open Third VIII and Second VIII both started their races strongly and contested proudly in their final race as schoolboys to finish in fourth and sixth place respectively.

The Open First VIII had an excellent race start, putting them in second place behind a strong BBC crew. Rowing through the first 1000m, the crew pushed away from ACGS and GT, in the adjacent lanes, to stay with race leaders BBC and fight for second place with TSS. At the 1000m mark the crew remained in second place, with TSS nipping at their heels. Coming into 1250m ACGS, GT and NC began to close the margins, as TSS pushed into second place. In the closing stages of the race, all crews increased their stroke rate as the race for the line began. The BGS boys stayed in touch but were outmatched by the ACGS and GT crews alongside them, finishing in sixth place. Notably, the BGS crew rowed a fast time of 5:52.35, which demonstrates the potent racing line-up that was the GPS First VIII race in 2022.

The First VIII have been excellent role models for the shed this season. As we continue to change the culture around our First VIII, which began with the undefeated crew in 2020, we focus on work ethic, pride, trust, and humility. I am humbled to say that these boys have proudly added to the legacy that is forming around our First VIII.

On Saturday, the team came together for the captain’s final war cry. After what has been a challenging few weeks and months, I was incredibly proud to see the entire team together, under the able leadership of Oscar and Tommy. The boys led a loud and proud war cry. The legacy and spirit of the thousands of past Brisbane Grammar School rowers – and the Old Boy supporters who came from far and wide – was represented proudly in that moment.

Thank you and congratulations to Captain of Boats, Oscar, and Vice Captain of Boats, Tommy on their outstanding leadership and guidance of the team. Both students are young men of excellent character, determination, and pride for the School.

On Saturday evening, the community came together for the End of Season Celebration, to recognise the students on their efforts through the season.

Congratulations to all award recipients:

Year 8 Most Improved

Zac Wrigley
George Chalmers
James Grant
Ashton Hamra
Lachlan Baker

Year 9 Most Improved

Arki Wackwitz

Most Improved Junior Coxswain

Darcy Lewis

Year 8 Oarsman of the Year

Douglas Forno

DR C.R. BOYCE MEMORIAL TROPHY – Year 9 Oarsman of the Year

Bennett Huf

RICHARD SOMERVILLE TROPHY – Junior Coxswain of the Year

Will Maher

Year 8 Crew of the Year

First Quad
Joshua Poynter, Lachie Kerr, George Chalmers, Doug Forno, Hamish O’Sullivan, coach: Jon Tannahill, Tom Fennon

Year 9 Crew of the Year

Sixth Quad
Lukas Gresshoff, Joshia Liu, Antonio Hasselmann, Archer Davies, Jeremy Boo, coach: Marcus Mulholland

Year 10 Most Improved

Ocean Xia

Year 11 Most Improved

Sam Cameron

DUNLOP TROPHY – Most Improved Senior Oarsman

Luke Agnew

Most Improved Senior Coxswain

Hamish Cooke

Year 10 Oarsman of the Year

Lewis Williams

JACK KORTLANG AWARD – Senior Oarsman of the Year

Thomas Doe

KEVIN HERBISON SHIELD – Senior Coxswain of the Year

Will Shaw

Year 10 Crew of the Year

Seventh Quad (7 members)
Jim Curley, Jacob Choi, Oliver Kelly, George Hammer, Nick Hammett, Henry Tuma, Alex MacFarlane

Senior Crew of the Year

Year 11 First VIII
Seth Fidler, Ryan Khan, Harry Douglas, Harry Clifton, Hugh Bunce, Jake Nicholson, Myles Houghton, Sam Forbes, Lachie Reck, Coach: Andy Botting and Claire Ryan

SCOTT WINDERS MEMORIAL TROPHY – Captain of Boats

Oscar Akhavan

Open Sculling Champion

Tommy Doe

BARRY MONTAGUE CUP – Fastest Ergometer Score

John Morrissey

Services to the Shed

Campbell Stoneley

 

Coaching Awards

Most Improved Coach

Cheng Xing

Above and Beyond Award

Nicky Hughes

RHONDA COCHRANE AWARD – Coach of the Year

Richard Powell

Farewell Joanne Villiers

It is with sadness the P&F Auxiliary farewells Joanne Villiers, the Auxiliary’s Commercial Manager, following three years of dedicated service. Joanne has been integral to the efficient operation and the strategic gains the P&F Auxiliary has made in the time since she joined BGS. She has improved processes and introduced initiatives to ensure the Auxiliary continues to serve the needs of all BGS families. In doing so she has considerably enhanced the Auxiliary’s ability to make meaningful contributions to the School. Joanne has fostered a warm and inclusive workplace environment for our staff and volunteers, and with other support groups and departments within the School. I wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge Joanne’s faithful and steadfast commitment to the Auxiliary and its goals, particularly during the uncertainties of the past two Covid-wracked years. Joanne will be missed by us all. Thank you and best wishes, Joanne.

Berthine Ommensen
P&F Auxiliary President

The P&F Auxiliary is a subcommittee of the P&F Association that facilitates fundraising and fosters parent fellowship and the sense of strong community at Brisbane Grammar School. All profits are returned to the School to enhance the experience for students and families.

The Tuckshop and Grammar Shop are currently operating cash-free, so please plan accordingly. Safety guidelines regarding social distancing and hand sanitising will continue in both locations. 

Tuckshop

Open weekdays before school and during breaks.

The Tuckshop provides a selection of hot food, fresh salads, wraps, rolls and drinks.

The BGS Card is the only payment method. Please add funds to your Student ID card here (MyGrammar > MyStudent > BGS Card). 

Grammar Shop

Open weekdays from 7.30am to 11.00am.

SENIOR WINTER UNIFORMS

Senior winter uniforms (blazer, long-sleeved white shirt, tie, trousers, black belt and optional navy jumper) are to be worn by all senior students from Tuesday 3 May 2022. These items are now available for purchase from the Grammar Shop.

It’s now too late to submit blazers for Colours Award embroidery as they will not be returned in time for the winter uniform season. The next opportunity to submit blazers will be the end of Term 2 during the winter school holidays.

PAYMENT and ONLINE ORDERS

Purchases can be made in-store and online using Visa, Mastercard or your BGS Card account, which can be accessed here. Please ensure funds are available for students before they come to make purchases.

Once you are in the BGS Card system, the online store can be accessed by clicking the ‘Grammar Shop Online’ link at the top centre of the screen.

Returned embroidery

Please click here or go to MyGrammar | P&F Auxiliary | Embroidered Blazer/Item Pick up list to check whether your blazer or other embroidered items are ready to be picked up. We appreciate your collecting these items as soon as possible.

Joanne Villiers
P&F Auxiliary

Tuckshop +61 7 3834 5229
Grammar Shop +61 7 3834 5347
Roster Secretary Lana Szumowski - auxiliaryvolunteers@brisbanegrammar.com

Grammar Shop hours
Weekdays 7.30am – 11.00am

Tuckshop hours
Weekdays 7.00am – 2.00pm

Date claimers

Friday 6 May - BGS Reds Family and Friends Match v Highlanders

Saturday 4 June - BGS Rugby Season Launch Function

Click here for more information on upcoming events.

Save the date | 2022 BGS Art Show

Welcome to all new and returning BGS parents.

We are thrilled to announce the 2022 BGS Art Show will be held earlier in the year, with the Gala on Friday 6 May and a viewing on BGS Open Day (Saturday 7 May).

The BGS Art Show is a premier celebration of professional artists, local and abroad. The show features established and emerging artists, as well as stunning contributions from former students and esteemed BGS Art Department staff.

Staged over two days, the show commences with an ticketed Gala event with all works available for sale. The show features over 200 items ranging from paintings, drawings, ceramics, mixed media, sculpture, and jewellery.

All funds raised contribute towards the development and maintenance of the BGS Art Collection, Emerging Artist Awards, and resources and projects for the School’s Art Department.

The very special and highly sought-after event in the BGS social calendar is an occasion for all BGS year groups, their family and friends, and wider community members.

Be sure not to miss out on this year’s show. Keep up to date on works for sale and ticketing by simply following us on Facebook and Instagram.

April Whittam
Art Support Group

BGS Golf Day 2022 | Friday 22 July

Tee up your team. After COVID interrupted our event plans in 2021, the rescheduled BGS Golf Day will be held on Friday 22 July at The Brisbane Golf Club.

The BGS community is invited to join us for a great day of golf to support the BGS Bursary Fund. Players of all skill levels are welcome. 

Register for the event here. 

If you are interested in sponsoring the event or donating a prize, please contact the BGS Alumni and Community Relations Manager Carla Hardy on 07 3834 5206 or carla.hardy@brisbanegrammar.com.

Term 1
Tuesday 25 January - Friday 1 April

Term 2
Wednesday 20 April - Friday 17 June

Term 3
Tuesday 12 July - Friday 16 September

Term 4
Tuesday 4 October - Friday 25 November