While the march of progress continues unabated and technology reshapes everyday life, I ask you to ponder what your day-to-day existence looked like 10 years ago. For those who can, consider the world in the early 2000s. Much has changed, regardless of our individual preferences, and the reality is it will continue to do so at an ever-increasing pace. Amidst this change, however, many things remain the same, particularly when it comes to the trials and tribulations of adolescence. Hence, I draw your attention to the theme of this article, which is the commonly known proverb, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’.
Hearing the perpetual debate around education, adolescent development, technology, socialisation skills, and what should or should not be part of growing up, I am constantly reminded, as an educator, just how complex this passage of growth is. Underpinning this, I see the impact that the many have on the individual and the life-changing experiences that stem from the most innocuous of encounters. The village truly raises the child, and it is some of these encounters, those tiny unheralded events, that I seek to shine a light on.
Mutual service
The pastoral team has been coordinating a twice-weekly shoeshine for 20 minutes before school with a few Year 7 and Year 10 students from a given house. The chatter and the subsequent connections between these boys are apparent, evidenced by the interactions I see later—a fist bump, a hello and then a smile as they carry on with their day.
A chat
In catching up with senior boarders, it became apparent that a few of them organise to have a Milo as the younger students are returning from Prep. They give up their time to have a chat and see how they are doing. The impact I hear through glowing conversations as they tell me about the chat and how they are going to help them with their homework tonight.
Sharing a passion
I see the senior students who commit to coaching the youngest of the Churchie students in cocurricular activities, all while managing their final years of study. Seeing gargantuan basketballers being led around by five-year-olds as they explain their favourite dinosaur or some of our most astute academics being challenged on the ways of the world at chess is truly a sight to behold. The outcome: laughs and smiles.
In these simple interactions there is a uniting thread. The youngest members of our Prep and Senior Schools are unaware of the impact that they are having on the seniors, and they will likely never grasp the impact of their interactions.
It takes a village to raise a child.
Dr Alex Krzensk Acting Head of Senior School
CPAA General Meeting
All parents, step-parents and guardians of current Churchie students are warmly invited to attend the upcoming CPAA General Meeting at 6 pm on Thursday 1 August 2024 in Nichols Theatre (or Click here to join the meeting if you are unable to attend in person). (Please note this meeting was previously scheduled for Wednesday 31 July.)
Withdrawal of your son from Churchie requires one full term’s notice in writing to Churchie Admissions via email (admissions@churchie.com.au) as outlined in the terms and conditions of your son’s enrolment agreement. Notice of your intention to withdraw your son at the end of Term 4, 2024 (i.e. he will not be returning to Churchie in 2025) must be received by the first day of Term 4, 2024 (Monday 30 September) or one term’s fees will be charged.
I am sure there have been some early morning starts with families getting up to cheer on our Australian athletes who proudly represent our country. Watching our Aussie athletes chase their dreams this week has been inspiring, exciting, emotional and nerve-wracking—all in one race. As spectators, we ride the emotional rollercoaster as the Aussie athletes’ dreams come true through gold medal achievements, personal bests, record-breaking achievements and team wins. On the other hand, after four years of commitment, dedication and hard work, we feel the heartache when our athletes come so close to their goals and fall just short.
There are many wonderful aspects of the Olympic movement that I love—the celebration of human potential, the tradition and history, and the inspirational stories that come from each edition of the games. One key aspect that I have a connection with is the three Olympic values: excellence, friendship and respect. These values are something our boys can aspire to and use in their day-to-day lives.
Excellence is an Olympic ideal that refers to giving one’s best in the field of play or in life without measuring oneself against others. It is about achieving your personal best by setting and achieving personal goals through hard work, determination and effort. It is not only about winning but mainly about participating and making progress against personal goals.
Friendship is an Olympic ideal that places athletes at the centre of the Olympic Movement, focusing on encouraging connection and understanding between people and cultures. The Olympic Movement encourages building a peaceful and better world through team spirit, joy and optimism in sport. The athletes demonstrate this value by forming lifelong bonds with teammates as well as their fellow competitors.
Respect is an Olympic ideal that is shown when athletes have respect for themselves, respect for one another and respect for the rules of fair play and competition.
I am looking forward to watching the 2024 version of the Olympic Games and witnessing the inspiring stories that unfold in the next week and a half. I am sure our boys will see for themselves the Olympic Values in action, hopefully inspiring them to potentially become Olympians themselves.
Prep value of the week: reliability
Reliability means that others can depend on you. You keep your commitments and give your best to every job. You are responsible. You don’t forget and you don’t need to be reminded. Other people can relax knowing things are in your reliable hands.
Attribute of the week: caring
When you are caring, you show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. You have a personal commitment to service and act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and the environment.
The Scots College
Churchie Prep recently welcomed touring school The Scots College for a spirited series of sports matches. The rivalry was fierce and friendly, starting with an intense rugby game. Scots narrowly edged out Churchie with a 17 to 15 victory, thanks to the exceptional performance of Blair Tremlett. The excitement continued on the football field, where Churchie showcased their dominance with a commanding 5 to 0 victory. Tom Burke stood out as the star player, leading his team to a resounding win. The event celebrated athletic talent, camaraderie and sportsmanship between the two schools. Thank you to the many Churchie families for coming out and supporting the boys in both matches.
2A has been using Australian coins and notes to calculate change. This week, we looked into deciding calculation strategies to add up coins in the ‘money money’ board game. The boys enjoyed using their addition strategies to group the coins and count the amount.
Shay Thomas Year 2 Teacher
Spirit Awards – Music
In 2024, we are delighted to offer a new award to recognise outstanding contributions and participation in our Prep School cocurricular music ensembles. Spirit awards are awarded to one boy in each ensemble per term (Years 3 to 6) and presented at the end of Semesters 1 and 2. The award recognises and acknowledges outstanding effort, enthusiasm, commitment, responsibility and teamwork. The boys who receive the award exhibit and exemplify the ideals of positive spirit and leadership attributes in their participation as a team member in the music ensemble programme.
We congratulate the following boys who received spirit awards for Terms 1 and 2:
Ensemble
Term 1
Term 2
Squeak
Finnegan Kilpatrick
Michael Jin
Prep Band
Wallace McPhedran
William King
Prep Junior Strings
Ternence Lu
Sean Pan
Prep Strings
Quinton Cheung
Theo Drakakis
Prep Junior Choir
Oliver Flack
Louis Lucido
Prep Choir
Ari Matthews
Hiro Miyajima
Melissa Black Head of Prep Music
Preparatory School mentoring Monday afternoons
Through a partnership between Prep and Senior Schools, a group of Year 9 Personal Development and Leadership students are offering homework and mentoring on Monday afternoons for Years 3 and 4 students in Terms 3 and 4. The dates offered are every Monday from 5 August to 19 August and in Term 4, from Monday 14 October to 11 November. This group will meet at the steps of School House at 3:15 pm most Mondays, then join Year 9 students for homework help, check-in time, organisational support and some fun activities together before being returned to parents and caregivers on Oaklands Parade at 4:15 pm. This group is supervised by a Senior School housemaster and there is space for 20 Years 3 and 4 students to join.
If you would like your Year 3 or 4 son involved in this opportunity, please complete an application by following this link. Positions will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis with a waiting list applied to maximise the number of students able to participate. Queries about the programme should be directed to the Director of Service Clayton Kelly, at Clayton.Kelly@churchie.com.au.
Clayton Kelly Director of Service
Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 author visit
On Friday 16 August, the boys in Years 3 to 6 will have an author visit from the fabulous Sarah Armstrong, author of Big Magic and its gripping sequel Magic Awry, in keeping with Book Week’s theme this year—‘Reading is Magic!’
Please place your orders by Monday 12 August if you would like your book to be autographed by Sarah on the day. Otherwise, unsigned book orders will be available for up to three days after Sarah’s visit. Follow the steps on the online order site and please select our school from the list.
Belinda Booth Prep School Librarian
Book Week Parade Reception to Year 6
This year’s Book Week parade is being held on Monday 19 August in the Campbell Centre, commencing at 8:40 am.
Our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 boys dress up as their favourite book characters for our Book Week parade. The boys in Years 3 to 6 are also invited to join the parade if they would like to. There will be a class prize given out for the best participation of a class in Reception to Year 3 and also for Years 4 to 6.
Boys are to come to school in their costumes with their blue and grey uniforms in their bags so that they can change following the parade.
We will again be presenting prizes for the best homemade costumes. In the interest of reducing, reusing and recycling, we are encouraging boys to work with their parents to create a costume from things that they already have at home. Homemade costumes can, of course, include a shop-bought element – for example, a red t-shirt if a character needs one.
An alternative costume option for our Book Week parade is to make and wear a sandwich board costume. Sandwich boards are made using two large pieces of cardboard which are joined using shoulder straps. The boys wear the sandwich board – with one piece of cardboard at the front and the other at the back of their body. The sandwich board could be decorated by the boys to show the cover of their favourite book or characters from a book. For instructions about making a sandwich board sign, follow this link.
More detailed information about our Book Week Parade will be posted on myChurchie year-level pages.
Mark Wyer Head of Preparatory School
Senior School
Years 7 to 9 academic achievement
Congratulations to the following Years 7 to 9 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 7
Tony Cao
Ansh Chauhan
William Clark
Lachlan Cooper
Thomas Dirckze
Edward Grace
Thomas Holdt
Daniel Huo
Edward Lu
Stanley Luo
James Mathew
Robert Meehan
Ryan Mullins
Yunfan Shu
Charlie Shulman
Ethan Xie
Ryan Xing
Roy Xu
Alex Yu
Year 8
Sebastian Behrens
Jack Burke
Ayrton Carmichael
Harry Gong
Daniel He
Joschka Holdt
Arin Jadhav
Henry Juniper
Jaydy Kim
Oliver Kotsomitis
Oscar Moore
James Nash
Kimon Pantelis
Archie Reilly
Jonathan Vickery
Will Wang
Caleb Watson
Joe Welsh
David Zheng
Deric Zou
Year 9
Aadit Arora
Lachlan Barry
Marcus Chan
Harrison Chandler
Charles Chen
Ian Chen
Caleb Chow
Hamilton Chuang
Santi De Leon
Arlee Di Bella
Isaac Jeon
Noah Midson
Xavier Miller
Flynn Moloney
Zac Moore
Tom Norton
Jayden Ooi
Edward Orthman
Angus Peters
Darby Prabhu
Flynn Schmidt
Hugo Schneidewin
Max Tonkin
Benjamin Watson
Owen Yu
Justin Zhu
Academic Achievement Year 7Academic Achievement Year 8Academic Achievement Year 9PHOTOS: CHURCHIE NEWS
Oxbridge Tour
By Year 10 students Oliver King and Charlie Salter.
On Thursday 4 July, 19 boys from Years 10 and 11, accompanied by Ms Beth Gilpatrick, Miss Kelly Jackson and Mr John Collins, embarked on a journey across the globe to the United Kingdom (UK) to take part in the Cambridge Tradition: an Oxbridge Academic Program offering students the chance to study a range of subjects including Espionage, Engineering, Astrophysics, Zoology and Global Business.
London experience
During our time in London, we explored several historic sites, including Buckingham Palace, the Natural History and Science Museums, the War Rooms and the Imperial War Museum. The scale and intricate details of these landmarks left us in awe, sparking curiosity and a desire to learn more about the stories and events that shaped them. Some of our favourites were Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral. We were also lucky enough to be in England for the European Football Championship and the bustling football culture shone through as we went back to our hotel.
Jesus College: The College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint John the Evangelist and the Glorious Virgin Saint Radegund, Cambridge
The academic programme covers various subjects, from medical science and espionage to photography. The curriculum is designed to challenge students and deepen our knowledge in specific areas of interest. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking and research skills. We learnt how to analyse complex problems, conduct independent research and present our findings effectively.
Our courses have been a thrill and have given us a taste of university life, which we are now looking forward to. Having the sovereignty to explore the campus and the township of Cambridge is something we have never experienced. It has left us with a sense of responsibility and maturity beyond our years. Overall, Oxbridge has been a fantastic experience that will forever mark our lives. Given the opportunity, I would eagerly return to Cambridge next year.
All the students enjoyed the opportunity to experience other cultures, meet and develop new friendships and broaden their understanding of the world. Oxbridge is a transformative educational experience that shapes our perspectives and skills equipping us with the knowledge, confidence and global awareness needed to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.
PHOTOS: CHURCHIE STAFF
Year 9 Outdoor Education
Week 2 Mansfield and Hillary House
Into the wild we went and the arctic wind followed. Weathering an icy cold snap, the boys of Mansfield and Hillary House showed their iron character as they adventured through Cooloola. Whether it was waking up in the dark to paddle with the rising sun, abseiling, climbing, or hiking, the boys revealed resilience, leadership and determination.
Through a week of dazzling winter weather, the Grenfell and Kingsley House boys ventured. Touring through the Noosa Everglades, Cooloola Wilderness area and Mt Tinbeerwah/Brooyah, they combined adventure, naturalist studies, camp skills and relational skills. Whether climbing the cliffs, paddling through the river of mirrors, or hiking to the Sand Patch, the boys showed resilience, skill and leadership.
Congratulations to Sam Zuo and Ben Wu (Year 8) who travelled to Kuala Lumpur in the mid-year break to contest the World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) Global Round. WSC is a challenging interdisciplinary academic competition contested over four rounds: essay writing, an exam, debating and a quiz. Competing against over 100 schools from across Asia and the world, the boys finished sixth in the exam division and 14th overall. Sam was ranked eleventh place overall individual and placed fourth in the quiz division.
Maths Team Challenge
On 29 July, Churchie hosted its tenth annual Maths Team Challenge competition with 70 teams from 13 schools joining us in Morris Hall and, in some instances, remotely on their own school’s site. The teams of five students faced two rounds of challenging problems fiendishly devised by Ben Wasley and John Krasniewicz. Churchie was represented by nine teams who performed admirably. Our leading senior team of Max Yan, Quan Nguyen, Garry Chen, Felix Nano and Eric Zhang received our first-ever outright win in the leading division. The team of Finn Pollack, John Law, Darby Prabhu, Owen Yu and Kevin Tan finished second in the intermediate division with the team of Arden Young, Kevin Chou, Hao Hiep Nguyen, Lucas Ding and Jayden Ooi placing third. The junior division was won by Daniel He, Lucas Shan, Ben Wu, Yunfan Shu and Lucas Xue, with the team of Brian Yao, Ben Frederiksen, Max Miles, Alex Yu and Stanley Luo finishing as runners-up. The cumulative results meant that Churchie was named best overall school for the third year in a row. Many thanks to Jessica Ross for her leadership in this event.
Model UN Conference
A delegation of eight students in Years 8 and 9 recently attended The Southport School Model UN conference, together with over 150 students from other schools, each representing different nations. The students were asked to debate resolutions in regard to issues around cybersecurity and refugees. Churchie was represented by Connor Goodwin, Harrison Chandler, Marcus Chan, Charles Chen, Daniel Keegan, Aiden Jamieson, Ewan Keogh, Jon Vickery and Harry Gong.
International Robotics Competition
Dario Lim in Year 12 recently represented Australia in the Robocup Junior international championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Dario, a longtime enthusiast of robotics, won the national championships in the Lightweight Soccer division in 2023 and was chosen to represent the country. The lightweight soccer division requires participants to build two robots to play a scaled-down version of soccer. As such, Dario had to design a completely custom robot with a complex system of sensors to track a ball and direct it towards the goal. Out of 25 international teams, Dario finished second in the preliminary rounds before ultimately finishing fourth in the finals. As Dario enters the final stages of his Churchie career, he is considering pursuing a degree in Engineering next year.
Junior Science Olympiad
Congratulations to the following students who received High Distinctions in the Australian Science Innovations Junior Science Olympiads:
Year 7 – Lucas Xue, Yunfan Shu
Year 8 – Daniel He, Bruce Allen
Year 9 – Owen Yu, Charles Chen, Santi De Leon
Over 30 students from Years 7 to 10 contested this competition. Best of luck to Owen Yu who, having been part of the JSO development programme, will contest the entry exam for the Science Olympiad Spring School training programme this week.
Write a Book in a Day
On 10 September, students in Years 7 and 8 are offered the opportunity to participate in the ‘Write a Book in a Day’ competition. Working in teams of five to ten students, they will be asked to produce a book based on specified prompts within a school day. The programme is run by the Kids Cancer Project and students who participate raise funds through sponsorship for this great charity. If you would like to be involved or find out more, please email Grant Smith at grant.smith@churchie.com.au.
Grant Smith Head of Gifted Education (Aquila)
Headspace Viking Run
Years 5 to 12 students are invited to join with the Senior School at this year’s Headspace Viking Run, a fun afternoon of mental wellbeing, walking and running after school on Friday 9 August. The Viking Run sees students from Churchie and St Margaret’s complete a 4.5 km fun run course (2.5 km for Years 5 and 6) while wearing viking helmets, with the course lined with conversation starters, music and drink stations to add to the feel of the event. Starting on the Flat at 3:45 pm, there will be a record attempt (Largest Gathering of People Running in Viking Helmets) verified by our Federal member Max Chandler-Mather MP and local councillor Fiona Cunningham. Students have also organised bands, a sausage sizzle, a food truck selling sushi and prizes for runners who get involved. It is also a fundraiser for Headspace Woolloongabba, with the funds helping to connect young people in our community to wellbeing services.
Entries are $16 and this pays for entry, a donation to Headspace, helmet hire, entry to the prize draws and a memento from Headspace. Prep School students can be collected from the Flat from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm. Entries can be purchased from the Churchie payment portal here with pre-registrations including a wristband and entry to the prize draw. Any questions about the event can be directed to the Director of Service Clayton Kelly at Clayton.Kelly@churchie.com.au.
Clayton Kelly Director of Service
SchoolTV wellbeing resource
SchoolTV is a wellbeing resource at our school to help support you in the challenges of modern-day parenting relating to youth mental health and wellbeing. To see the latest topics, including a report on Eating Anxiety by Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, please access them via myChurchie or by clicking on the following link: School TV
Parent Wellbeing panel discussion
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.
Josh Di Bella Deputy Head of Senior School (Years 10 to 12)
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 1 August for Goodwin, Grenfell and Kingsley House, including their sibling photos.
Students who missed their sibling photo or individual photo last week are welcome to make their way to the Mezzanine level of Morris Hall from 7:45 am to 8:15 am or from 10:30 to 10:50 am on Thursday.
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.
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:
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 except for sibling photos. If brothers have had their photo taken your families will receive communication about the method for ordering photos. 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.
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
Music
Jazzin’ Up the Mall Success
Congratulations to Big Band 1 and Camber Strings 1 on their recent success at the Jazzin’ Up the Mall festival which ran from Monday to Sunday with schools from all over South-East Queensland. The following places were announced during the week, placing these premier ensembles on the right trajectory as they approach the Signature Concert Series of Jazz Under the Stars and Gala:
Division 1
Most Outstanding Jazz Ensemble: Anglican Church Grammar School
Most Outstanding String Ensemble – Senior School: – Anglican Church Grammar Chamber Strings
To listen to these amazing performances please visit the following links below:
Assembly Viking Vocals 1
As we near the pinnacle performance at Jazz Under the Stars for Viking Vocals 1 in 2024, it can be said that preparations are well and truly on track with yet another splendid performance at Headmaster’s Assembly. George Harrison’s composition Something lends itself beautifully to rich harmonics and rhythmic accompaniment.
Please follow this link to a recording of Viking Vocals 1 performing at Headmaster’s Assembly:
Churchie’s Best Solos
If you missed the amazing winning performance from Gabin Won (Flute) and all the other finalists, please take some time to view the video recording below. You can also find a copy of the programme with notes on the performers and their scores:
Percussion Spectacular
On Thursday 25 July 2024 members of Percussion Ensemble 1 travelled to Somerville House for a combined percussion afternoon. The students performed their repertoire for each other and finished with a fully rehearsed tom piece conducted by Mr Will Eager. It was a fantastic collaboration between both schools. A big thank you to Mr Smith and Mr Williamson for organising and overseeing this valuable opportunity for both schools to perform music and share the stage.
Audition music
Audition music for 2025 ensembles is now available on myChurchie. Please take the time to consult your tutor about the best excerpt to perform and the best selection for your own choice. You may wish to use your soiree piece and dedicate your time to perfecting the excerpt. Your tutor will also be able to assist you with any other questions about the process. Upload recordings are due by the end of week seven to allow for new ensembles to begin in Term 4, 2024. If you are successful in your audition for a premiere ensemble, you will be expected to attend Music Camp from 18 to 20 October 2024 so please save the date.
Jazz Under the Stars – James Morrison
A reminder that you can pre-purchase food and drinks to ensure you have everything you need to enjoy the evening this Friday. There will also be food trucks (as an additional option to BYO food), coffee/hot chocolate and beverages for sale on the night (strictly no BYO alcohol). There a still a few tickets available for sale so be quick and don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy great music and food, and support Churchie Music on Main Oval. Tickets are $65 per person for table seating and $50 for general admission. This is great value to see James Morrison and Darren Percival live on Main Oval. Don’t miss out on this amazing event! Please take some time to view the Jazz Under the Stars promotional video below:
Gala Concert
Think of your favourite space movie or a theme that relates to time. Chances are you will hear it and see it at the Gala Concert on Thursday 15 August 2024. Save the date for this spectacular night of themed music with an audio-visual extravaganza.
Congratulations to Bill McCart
Bill has been a committed and enthusiastic member of the music programme since Year 5, currently in Morris Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra. He is a great example of balancing his cocurricular and academic pursuits and has recently been offered the Tuckwell Scholarship at ANU. The website states that ‘Scholars are selected on the basis of intellect, character, leadership and their commitment to Australia’. Bill is a great example of the pathways that music and other cocurricular studies can provide in an academic journey.
Congratulations Bill!
Bohdan Davison Director of Music
Sport
2025 Cocurricular selection portal open
Thank you to all those families who viewed our Cocurricular Selection presentation released this week. As promised, the 2025 Cocurricular Selection Portal online link is now open for families to commence the process. Families will have twenty days to deliberate and make choices for 2025 cocurricular sports and activities.
The selection portal link access will be disabled to all from Sunday 18 August at 6 pm. Please click on the links below for access:
If you require further information, visit myChurchie – Cocurricular Selections. For a particular sport or activity, please reach out to directors and coordinators throughout the week. Their contact information can be found on each myChurchie site.
Trent Goodrick Head of Cocurricular
Basketball
Round three saw a great and well-spirited round of GPS games against Nudgee College. The 37 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw tell a story of strong results and well-structured play; however, the sportsmanship shown by both teams was the story of the day.
A strong crowd witnessed a tight battle early in the First V game. However, in the second quarter, the game broke open behind some amazing transition play by the Churchie team as a whole. The 118–82 final scoreline was a nice way to head into what is a crucial two-week set of games against the remaining undefeated teams from Toowoomba and BBC.
Churchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchieChurchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchieChurchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchiePHOTOS: AMY STOREN AND MICHAEL MARSTON (EPIXEL IMAGES) VIEW ADDITIONAL PHOTOS VIA PIXEVETY
The programme has some impressive performances and summaries of these can be found through the coaches’ match reports on the myChurchie basketball page. With 35 teams still remaining in GPS first-place contention from Year 5 to Year 12, the round against Toowoomba Grammar School is an important step towards the second half of the season for all teams.
Good luck to all boys as they balance their training commitment, scholastic endeavours and game day performance at an optimum level during this busy phase of the term.
Enjoy the various photos that show the passion, enjoyment and skill on display each week at GPS basketball. Thanks to Amy Storen and the marketing team for their efforts to have these available through the newsletter and Pixevety.
Aaron Harding Director of Basketball
Churchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchieChurchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchieChurchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchieChurchie Basketball v Nudgee College in the Sir John Pigeon Sports Centre, ChurchiePHOTOS: AMY STOREN AND MICHAEL MARSTON (EPIXEL IMAGES) VIEW ADDITIONAL PHOTOS VIA PIXEVETY
Chess
I am thrilled to share that round three of the 2024 GPS Chess season saw Churchie take on Nudgee College in The Centenary Library, where we achieved a resounding victory. Our students displayed exceptional strength and dedication, winning all 11 teams down to Open H. Special congratulations go to players in our Premier, Senior, Junior, Open A, B, F, G and H teams, who all won their games. Their achievements are a source of pride and inspiration for our entire community.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our Parent Support Group volunteers for their invaluable contribution to preparing and serving food for the students of both teams. Your support is deeply appreciated and plays a significant role in the success of our chess programme. We are truly grateful for your dedication and commitment.
Cocurricular showcase
The cocurricular showcase held over the weekend was a resounding success. We were thrilled to see so many future students visit our chess tent and we look forward to welcoming them to our chess programme next year. Special thanks go to Year 12 students Ellis Hogan and Vincent Wu for their dedication and for playing against some promising talents. Their participation added an extra layer of excitement to the event.
Round four
This week, we travel to Toowoomba Grammar School for round four. A bus will depart at 2:10 pm on Friday, taking students selected for GPS teams. Students should assemble at the Flagpole at 2 pm. Prep School students will be brought up from the Prep office simultaneously.
A bus will bring all students back from TGS. We intend to stop for a refreshments break at the Gatton McDonald’s, where students can purchase a snack for the remainder of the trip home. We will post our expected arrival time and have your son ring when we are 40 minutes from Oaklands Parade.
Max Condon Director of Chess
Rugby
Round three of the GPS rugby competition saw Churchie take on Nudgee College. With warm weather and large crowds from both schools, the stage was set for another cracking day of rugby. Churchie started the day well with the U11 and U12 age groups dominating early, coming away with some impressive results. Nudgee took control in the middle of the day with strong performances in the U13, U14 and U15 age groups.
However, it was Churchie who closed the gap later in the day with the 16A, Third XV and First XV all putting on some quality rugby. Nudgee was too strong overall, but the day was capped off with an impressive contest in the First XV fixture, with both schools playing exceptional rugby.
The Prep School faced off against the touring Scots College from Sydney. The match was a nail-biter, with both teams showcasing impressive skill and determination. Despite Churchie’s strong performance, Scots College clinched the victory with a final score of 17 to 15. It was a game filled with excitement, sportsmanship and unforgettable moments on the field. A big thank you to all the families and spectators from both schools who showed up to support the boys.
The first half of the Firsts game kicked off with Nudgee applying all the pressure in our half. Some hearty defence kept them under control, but it wasn’t long before that pressure turned to points, with Nudgee going over in the corner to make it 7–0.
The Churchie defence held strong on the halfway line, which forced a stray pass by a Nudgee player that was intercepted by Oliver Chancellor. His speed was too much for the Nudgee defenders to keep up with and he scored to bring the scores level at 7–7. Nudgee kicked deep and gained a lineout five metres out from the Churchie try line. A well-worked maul try led to Nudgee scoring, making it 8–14.
For the next 15 minutes leading into half-time, Churchie dominated possession inside the Nudgee half. Relentless pressure led to Nudgee having a player sent off and the forwards crashed over in the corner, bringing the score to 15–14 at half-time.
The second half kicked off with the wind behind Churchie as they played down towards the old boys’ scoreboard. Will Bloxham almost ran away with a 50-metre intercept try; some very good Nudgee defending prevented him from scoring. Nudgee applied lots of pressure in the Churchie 22. Some very good defensive work from Tom Wood and George Ward helped relieve some of that pressure. The Nudgee forward pack sneaked over for a pick-and-go try, making the score 15–19.
Some well-worked defence from Churchie saw them win back the ball on their own try line. Some quick taps and smart ball movement almost resulted in Churchie breaking away for a try that would have sealed the game in the final few minutes. Nudgee held out to take the win, 15–19, in what was a fantastic game of rugby.
Andrew Moloney Director of Rugby
Sporting Achievements
Cricket
Congratulations to the following boys who have gained selection in the 10 to 12 Years Lytton District team to attend the 10 to 12 Years Metropolitan East trials on 19 and 20 August:
Tully Fuss
Archie Maloney
Henry Orthman
Oliver Tsui
Dylan Wood
Trent Goodrick Head of Cocurricular
Boarding on the road
Upcoming events
Churchie Boarding is continuing to travel far and wide to meet with current, future and past community members. We are pleased to be supported by members of the OBA Committee, School Executive, School Council and the Churchie Foundation at many of these events. Please spread the word or visit us if you are in the area.
Toowoomba families function, 3 August
Australian Cotton Conference, 6 to 8 August
See Churchie Boarding on the road for RSVP links and further details:
Recently retired Wallaby skipper, Michael Hooper, will join Wallaby Coach, Joe Schmidt on the panel at the upcoming Churchie Rugby Luncheon.
Limited seats remain
The annual Churchie Rugby Luncheon will be held on Friday 9 August 2024 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in Brisbane’s South Bank. This event precedes the Wallabies’ match against the current World Champions, the South African Springboks at Suncorp Stadium. As always, there will be top-level entertainment, with Justin Harrison as the main speaker, along with a panel discussion conducted by MC Greg Clark featuring new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt and other former Wallabies. Additionally, there will be the usual raffles, auctions and the ball-passing competition for both men and women.
With the much talked about British and Irish Lions Tour in 2025, tables purchased for the 2024 luncheon will receive priority for 2025, which will undoubtedly be a sell-out at the new venue, The Star Casino, Brisbane. Save the date for the Churchie British and Irish Lions Test on Friday 18 July 2025.
Pixevety is Churchie’s photo platform, where photos from across the School will be uploaded weekly. The system recognises students so parents can simply click ‘myVIPs’ and see their son’s photos in one easy location.
Families new to the School may not see ‘myVIPs’ yet, as new student ID photos are still to be processed in the system. However, you can still browse the galleries.
Watch the video below to learn how to use Pixevety.
Parent Connect is the school-wide parent community support group focused on nurturing the fun and family-centric side of school life. We provide valuable support services through formal and informal networks across the School. We intentionally communicate, connect, coordinate services and facilitate wellbeing support for our families and the greater community. Click here to view on myChurchie
Join Parent Connect
Join here. The Churchie parent community has a long-standing initiative to enable the sharing of contact details for those who opt-in and provide consent. Joining the Parent Connect database is easy. Once you have joined, you will receive communication from your parent coordinators, access to your cohort’s parent contact list and membership to the private Facebook groups.
Parent Connect contacts
Click here to meet the executive team and coordinator community of volunteer parents. Each Year, House and Service activity has dedicated, friendly peer contacts for parents, helping them navigate school life, host social connections and administer private Facebook groups.
Services and volunteer engagement
Community Cookers is a confidential service that provides meals for families within our community. Meals are dropped off and picked up via the staff at The Arches. Maddie Legget is the parent coordinator. Click here to volunteer or request support.
Any member of the Churchie community (parents, Old Boys, friends and staff) can participate in these services or make a confidential request for wellbeing support.
Upcoming events
We host several events throughout the year to unite our community and we would love for you to join us. Our upcoming events include:
Wednesday 31 July | Parent BBQ & Wellbeing Speaker Series Event | Lecture Theatre | 5:30 pm
Friday 16 August | Mansfield Goat Burger Day | Churchie | from 12 noon
Sunday 18 August | Kingsley Parent catch up | Revel Rivermakers | 3 to 6 pm | RSVP
Wednesday 11 September | Mothers Spring Lunch | Greek Club | 11:30 am
Wednesday 25 to 28 September | Zei Balas Rugby Supporter | ABF QLD Murri Carnival | TBA
Thursday 12 September | Year 12 Father & Son Breakfast
Student-led initiative – Zei Balas (Bonded Brothers) rugby team
Thanks to the growing community of supporters within Churchie who generously gave to help the team hit the next milestone of paying for their uniforms. We are excited for you to see the team uniform. It is their own story, creatively designed by Bema Nona (Year 8) with artist Wendy Rix. This is the artist telling of the logo designed for Zei Balas by Churchie parent Tex O’Neil:
‘Young men from all over the nations on this continent gather at the Turrbal lands that Churchie sits on; to learn, grow and share over the course of their journey with the School. The oval is a key meeting place that feeds their competitive and team spirits; it is also an analogy for the way in which Churchie rounds off a youth into a man through mind, body and soul. The Us represents the young men from many different communities they come from. In the centre of the oval is the symbol with the two circles and the lines connecting them are waterholes and running water between them (Maiwar/Brisbane River). Like the young men, running water moves and works together but also, like a river, individual paths are carved through determination and support; while always remaining connected. The young men remain always connected through the time they spent together at Churchie. The lines indicate their belonging both at home and in the world and how Churchie holds and nurtures their young minds and encourages their dreams.’
Best wishes, Parent Connect Executive Team and Coordinator Community.
Tuckshop news
Viking Café volunteers
We welcome mums and dads to volunteer at our tuckshops. Please contact the Tuckshop Volunteers Coordinator for more details if you can spare some time during the term to help in our busy tuckshops.
