Senior School

Years 10 to 12 academic achievement

Congratulations to the following Years 10 to 12 students on their academic achievement so far this year. They are our top 10 per cent of academic achievers based on mean percentage results across all their subjects or have received all As (or the IB equivalent) for Semester 1, and at least a B in RE. All of these young men have also demonstrated excellent learning behaviours, reflecting the hard work and diligence that so often underpins real success.

A reminder that an outline of all our academic prizes can be found on myChurchie.

Year 10

• Oliver Burger
• Isaac Cheng
• Kevin Chou
• Charlie Conway
• Lucca Cragnolini
• Callum De Almeida
• James Duffy
• Daniel Godfrey
• Oliver King
• John Law
• Lachlan Moore
• Janik Nanayakkara
• Hao Hiep Nguyen
• Zac Patane
• Toby Pattison
• Finn Pollack
• Charlie Salter
• Raefe Swindle
• Joel Wade
• Arden Young

Year 11

• David Bao
• Jeongmin Choi
• William Evenden
• Sean Hansen
• Alister Hillier
• Eric Kim
• Junee Kim
• Alex Ma
• Lachlan Maier
• Henry Majer
• Callum Manitzky
• Felix Nano
• Ethan Norton
• Fraser Roach
• George Samios
• Ned Schmidt
• Pierre Sejourne
• Isaac Shooter
• Hayden Smith
• Charlie Wehl
• Eric Zhang
• Ashley Zhou

Year 12

• Hugh Agnew
• Benjamin Andrews
• James Aralar
• Hamish Barwick
• Noah Chadwick
• Akira Chang
• Garry Chen
• Luke Cormack
• Finbar Curran
• Benjamin Forrest
• Max Gao
• Angus Gray
• Charlie Gresham
• Caleb Hanly
• Henry Hillier
• William Hood
• Joshua Lansom
• Ryan Liaw
• Dario Lim
• Zhuoru Liu
• Jock Lloyd
• Tate McAllum
• Bill McCart
• Nicholas Moody
• Oskar Olechnowicz
• Luke O’Sullivan
• Oliver Pan
• Alex Parkes
• Angus Richards
• Lachlan Rumery
• Edward Shepherd
• Simon Velge
• William Whitehead
• Beau Williamson
• Beikun Yan
• Hayden Zhu

Stymie launch

We have an exciting wellbeing initiative launching this term called Stymie. Churchie is partnering with Stymie to support the safety and wellbeing of all students. Stymie is an online confidential reporting service for anyone needing help or concerned about someone else. Stymie provides a proactive opportunity for students to say something about harmful behaviours or anything they are concerned about for themselves or someone else. It works because it is accessible 24/7, anonymous, easy to use, and messages are typically delivered to approved notification recipients in our wellbeing team within a few seconds.

Churchie is introducing Stymie to ensure that students who might find it difficult to speak up now have an anonymous avenue to seek support for themselves and others. Stymie was launched at Churchie today. All students from Years 7 to 12, as well as all staff, had a 40-minute presentation by Stymie CEO Rachel Downie and Alistair Hunter about Stymie and how to use it appropriately and effectively. The Stymie platform may be accessed by students in addition to the wellbeing services already offered at the School. The boys will still have continued access to existing pastoral care channels such as their housemaster, Chaplain, and School Psychologists. We look forward to continuing to support the students through all our usual channels at Churchie as well as through the additional anonymous avenue with Stymie. For more information about Stymie, please visit the Stymie website.

Freya Young
Educational Psychologist

Timor-Leste service tour

By Year 12 student Connor Rudman

The recent Churchie service tour of Timor-Leste was an extremely enjoyable experience for all involved. Upon arriving at our partner school, AHHA Education in Alieu, we were greeted with open arms by the students and teachers who allowed all the boys to feel as though they belonged within the school environment. Each boy made an effort to embrace the cultural differences compared to Australia, which was only helped by the friendliness of the Timorese people who allowed us to feel welcome in such an unknown environment. Many challenges appeared throughout the trip because of the long days and the food options which differ from the options that we are used to back home. However, everyone took these differences in their stride, which helped make the trip so enjoyable and allowed us to further immerse ourselves in the Timorese culture. In addition to us teaching them English, the school taught us about their traditions as well as core subjects such as Portuguese and the Science of Life. This helped us gain a better understanding of the foundations that make up life in Timor and left many of the boys thinking about when they can return in the future.

The experience was truly rewarding and memorable and definitely a tour I would strongly recommend to every boy in the future. I would like to offer a huge thanks to Mr Kelly, Mr Howe, and Mr Hugheston-Roberts for taking us on this experience as well as all the boys involved for the significant impact they had on the staff and students of AHHA Education.

Parent Wellbeing panel discussion (Week 4)

Mental Health and Seeking Support – 31 July 2024

The Senior School is hosting a Wellbeing Panel Discussion on Mental Health and Seeking Support in collaboration with Parent Connect and the Old Boys’ Association. The panel discussion will be facilitated by Old Boy Damien Edmonds (1987), co-founder of Edmonds Marketing. The panel will include Alastair McDonald, a current Year 12 student and Wellbeing Ambassador; Mitch Rosenlund, teacher and Nansen Housemaster; and Toby Ford, an Old Boy (1977) who is the founder and CEO of Ford Health and an expert in corporate health and resilience.

You are welcome to join the panel and Churchie staff for a barbecue before the commencement of this discussion. Please note the following details:

Date: Wednesday 31 July 2024
Details: Barbecue 5:30 to 6 pm (undercroft of The Centenary Library)
Presentation: 6 to 7:15 pm (The Centenary Library Lecture Theatre)

As with all presentations in the Parent Wellbeing Lecture Series, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions during the session.

This free event is for parents, guardians, and members of the Old Boys community.

If you have any queries, please contact the Senior School office via email at seniorschool@churchie.com.au or the OBA office at oba@churchie.com.au.

Josh Di Bella
Deputy Head of Senior School (Years 10 to 12)

School bus zones

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of parents or guardians dropping boys off and picking them up at school from the School’s bus zones. These are the zones alongside Magnus Quad, Morris Hall, Chapel, and in front of the Preparatory School (virtually the eastern side of Oaklands Parade). They are designated by Brisbane City Council as Bus Zones between 7 to 9 am and between 2 to 4 pm. It is illegal to set down or pick up from a Bus Zone no matter how short the time frame; more importantly, it can endanger the lives of our young men and hinder other road users when buses cannot properly access these zones because of the vehicles that are stopped there.

Craig Howe OAM
School Marshal

Senior School photos

Senior School photos, which include Years 7 to 12 house photos, portraits, Year 12 Valedictory photos and sibling photos, are scheduled for Thursday 25 July (week three) for all houses except Grenfell and Kingsley. Year 7 form photos are also scheduled for this day. 

Thursday 1 August (week four) is the scheduled photo day for Goodwin, Grenfell and Kingsley, including their sibling photos.

Students are to wear Whites, and there is a high expectation of all students to have the correct haircut, as per the School Handbook and Student Diary. Please note the following extract for personal grooming:

Hair must be such that it can be kept well-groomed and tidy. The expectation is that the hairstyle be conservative and that hair should be above the collar at the back. Ears must be completely visible and must not have hair hanging over them or brushed behind them. The length of sideburns is to be no lower than the middle of the ears.

The following are considered unacceptable:

• undercuts or layering
• excess length, including long fringes that extend beyond the eyebrows when the hair is pulled downwards towards the nose
• dreadlocks
• excessive hair product
• extremes of fashion
• hair colouring beyond the natural colour
• shaved heads at blade cut less than 3
• tracks through the hair or eyebrows.

Furthermore, students must be clean-shaven at all times and the wearing of visible jewellery, studs or piercings is unacceptable; religious jewellery must be kept under the clothing.

Students not suitably presented will be excluded from the photos.

Ordering photos

To order photos please refer to the Leading Image flyer below or use the following instructions: 

1. Go to https://leadingimage.com.au/ 
2. Click on Order School Photos
3. Select your State
4. Enter the following Access Key: 9AJLTMZ8

Leading Image will communicate directly with you online and post your photos to your home for your convenience. Individual student ordering will stay open after the photo day. Orders placed after the photo day may incur a postage charge per order. Any enquiries should be referred directly to Leading Image via info@leadingimage.com.au

Sibling photos

Sibling photos must be ordered before photo day. For administration purposes, please order your sons’ sibling photos by Monday 22 July at 4 pm via the Leading Image School Photos website. 

Year 8 Grandparents and Special Guests Lunch

Please view the invitation to the Year 8 Grandparents and Special Guests Lunch to be held on Monday 12 August from 11:45 am. 

Year 8 students are welcome to invite up to two guests for this special event. We ask that only grandparents or special guests attend this sit-down lunch. It is important for parents to RSVP by Monday 5 August on behalf of their son’s guests via the following link: please click here

Grandparents and special guests will receive a programme before the event.

Dr Alex Krzensk
Acting Head of Senior School