Celebrating Book Week
Mr Andrew Holmes | holmesa@mbbc.qld.edu.au
To help celebrate book week, I sat down Hugo from Prep, Jack from Year 1 and our College Captain Hugh to discuss our favourite books, characters and why we love reading.
To help celebrate book week, I sat down Hugo from Prep, Jack from Year 1 and our College Captain Hugh to discuss our favourite books, characters and why we love reading.
Please refer to the TASS Calendar for up to date information regarding school activities.
Recent Senior Education and Training Plan (SET plan) interviews with Year 10 have been a heart-warming and uplifting experience – for me – not sure this is how the boys would describe them though. These interviews are aimed at helping our boys consider, with their parents, their after-school lives so that together we can plan their academic pathways. And achieve these goals.
The boys’ excitement was palpable as they talked about getting out into the real world, being cardiologists and carpenters, doing Diplomas of Project Management and Business, what it would be like to be a naval architect, the joys of studying in Glasgow, and how to get into ADFA. We talked about procrastination, time management, and part-time work. Then one of the Dads said to me, “This feels important and urgent. How do we know we’re doing the right thing for our son?” My heart skipped a beat – great question. And the love of a father was made abundantly clear.
My Dad was a pharmacist who loves learning and passed that on to my brothers and me. In Grade 1, Dad walked me into my classroom across the endless bitumen playground dotted with Bottle Trees every day – until Sister Mary Terrance said I was old enough to walk in by myself. I was five! When a boy was annoying me at school and I asked Dad what to do while he was filling prescriptions, he distractedly said, “Tell him to drop dead.” The next day I proudly told him what I’d done! Dad was mortified. He sat with me and gently told me I couldn’t say things like that because “His mother loves him just as much as yours loves you.” I got it – that kid was precious, he was loved, he mattered. I was top of Maths in Year 8 but by the end of Year 9 I’d convinced Dad to let me drop to General Maths. It took him about six months to realise I had done that to be with my friends. And three years of Maths tutoring after school became my lot, but hey, I more than passed the equivalent of Maths Methods! On my wedding day, I asked him what advice he had for me, and he said, “If I haven’t taught you now…” And I felt calm. When I became a Mum, Dad reassured me that he has been an apprentice Dad and that Mum who was a mid-wife and nurse had told him she knew how to look after a baby for ten days and had no idea after that. Dad let me know it was fine to not know all the answers. Just keep learning.
One of the Year 10 Mums said, “I don’t want the boys thinking Senior School is a hell hole.” And the love of a mother was made abundantly clear.
Year 10, Senior should be a time of balance – work hard, play hard, remember the roles you have that make you you. Enjoy these two years where you see your mates daily and where your relationships with your teachers are developing through shared experiences and inside jokes. Enjoy this special time where your parents are your biggest cheer leaders and look forward to you conquering, healing, teaching the world in the best way you know how.
As parents, we do our best. But learning is the key to success in life. And goals can be achieved through many different pathways. As Steve Biddulph says in Raising Boys in the Twenty-first Century, “Enjoy your boy, love him well, and set him free to fly in his own special way.”
So in the lead up to Sunday, I extend my thanks to all MBBC Dads and wish you a happy Father’s Day. We are blessed to work with Dads who love their sons and want the best for them. Thank you also to our Mums who go above and beyond to support your sons – even though we might secretly want them to hold our hands just a little longer. Sometimes I ring my beautiful parents as I walk down the hill in the morning just so Dad can walk me into school again. Why? Because I still can.
In 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic had hit the world, the World Health Organisation made some damning predictions about the state of mental health in the future. Two of those, were:
These are scary predictions – not only for their content, but because the WHO usually get these predictions pretty spot on. Since this report, we have encountered copious amounts of factors that influence our wellbeing, some of which are out of our control.
There is some good news though, the WHO also make recommendations about how to help prevent these from occurring. The number one thing they say we should adults teach our boys: resilience.
Earlier in the year, I was lucky enough to attend a professional development delivered by Hugh Van Cuylenburg from the Resilience Project. Among other things, he talks about practicing three facets every day to improve your own wellbeing. He even simplified it for us by calling it GEM.
G – Gratitude: Paying attention to what you have. Don’t stress about what you don’t have.
E – Empathy: Feeling what someone else is feeling.
M – Mindfulness: The ability to be calm and present.
If you would like to try it, in the morning, ask your son the following questions:
o As an extra, try having one mindfulness morning every week where you all put devices away.
I hope you can all stay well.
The Combined Colleges Music Extension concert took place last week in front of an enthusiastic audience of supporters. The evening was a wonderful showcase of the depth of talent in our senior music students and they should all feel very proud of their achievements in this subject throughout the year. Thanks must go to MBC student Pippa Reilly for taking such great photos on the evening. Keep an eye out on the Colleges’ social media pages for some clips of the performances.
Dr Anita Collins is an award-winning researcher and author in the fields of brain development and music learning. A few years back, animators created this Youtube video based on one of her TED-Ed talks, where she discusse ways in which playing a music instrument benefits your brain – you can just watch the introductory 90 seconds to get the idea.
Apart from the obvious application of many of these mathematical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills within all areas of schooling, there is also a large element of Teamwork (one of our College Values) involved in preparing and presenting a musical performance. One of the best examples of teamwork I have seen, and a great application of our ‘Two Schools, One Community’ ideal, was last week’s Music Extension Recital, featuring advanced Year 12 musicians from both campuses.
Along with the extremely high standard of all the student assessments presented, what I found most impressive was the willingness of students to put aside time from developing their own work to help others in the class through playing in multiple band items. It was also great to see girls and boys in Years 8 through to 12 from outside the Extension Class filling out spots in the ensembles or assisting with sound and lighting to make sure the assessed students could perform to their potential.
Well done to all students and staff involved, particularly Mrs Angela Bowen (Music Extension Teacher) and the two Colleges’ subject heads, Ms Stephanie Smith and Ms Hannah Bliss, for organising such a fantastic concert.
While it is pleasing to see restrictions gradually easing, in light of current instructions regarding mask wearing, the Colleges will continue to take a cautious approach to events in the last few weeks of Term 3 in order to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our community.
Our upcoming Chamber Concert will therefore proceed on Wednesday 15 September employing extra conditions regarding reduced audience capacity, physical distancing, food-service and cleaning. If restrictions ease further prior to this event, increased flexibility regarding these measures may be possible.
Full details regarding ticketing and organisation will be emailed to families involved this week. Please make sure the date is in your diaries, particularly if your son is a member of one of the following groups, who we are expecting to perform: MBBC Primary Vocal Ensemble, String Ensemble, Junior Stage Band, Junior Percussion Ensembles, Guitar Ensemble, Brass Ensemble.
One of the great privileges of my role is participating in a broad cross-section of Co-Curricular sports and activities.
Each week I walk the campus, watch teams train, and listen to coaches, before seeing our boys compete each weekend. I know CLT members make time each week to do this too, which speaks to the value of these experiences.
I see the full range of behaviour and responses to challenges, as you might expect. I see young men who train with purpose and intensity, performing well when the time comes. I also see boys whose skills don’t match those of their peers, persevering to grasp those marginal improvements.
Our students train and perform better when they have a sense of connection with others. Their best comes when they share a common purpose, have a group around them they trust, believe in each other, and receive quality adult guidance and instruction. This does not naturally occur by picking a team or group based on selection criteria or auditions. The group dynamic needs to be cultivated; accountabilities need to be clear, collective beliefs and values need to be agreed to, and honesty channelled through clear communication must be present.
Having endured so much adversity yet again this year, now is the perfect time to engage with and benefit from the synergy within boys’ respective ‘teams’ across the campus. On the court or field, a group of like-minded, hard-working students with a shared identity can achieve – in any given moment, against any obstacle.
It was great to see the boys return to full training ahead of the return to competition rounds,
After cancellations, a week of lockdown, two weeks of modified training, we understand and are buoyed by the fact that many of our students were excited to return to their sporting involvement and engagement.
I extend thanks to our coaching staff, parents and caregivers who dedicated themselves to preparing our boys for competition as we transitioned safely out of COVID restrictions. After a full week of training and match preparation, it was exciting to see Athletics, Basketball, Football, Mountain Biking, Tennis, Touch Football and Volleyball resume.
The 2021 Interhouse Athletics Championships for Year 4 to 12 students was held on the Moreton Bay College Campus on Monday 30 August, with great winter weather, awesome student participation and house spirit, and top-quality athletic performances.
All students proudly represented their house with pride and passion, with many opportunities for all athletes to compete and earn points for their respective houses.
Congratulations to all our age champions who competed and showcased their talents in multiple events to earn the top individual award in their respective age groups.
The final House and Age Champion results will be announced and awarded at the Performance Assembly, Thursday 16 September 2021.
MBBC Sport is now inviting expressions of interest for the Summer Cricket season for students aged 9 to 18 years.
Players will register via our affiliated club Wynnum Manly Junior Cricket. If we are unable to form MBBC teams due to insufficient playing numbers, students will be put in teams (together) with additional players registered with the club.
Please note: Wynnum Manly Junior Cricket Club will keep MBBC players in the same teams for their respective age groups.
Wynnum Manly Junior Club Cricket
SEASON INFORMATION
MBBC EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
CLOSING DATE: Friday 3 September 2021.
The Mountain Bike Program invites students to enter the 2021 Epic MTB event.
The EPIC weekend now has something for everyone, from the novice riders through to the professionals of each discipline, offering 3 races over 2 days and several categories to challenge and reward riders.
The 2021 EPIC promises to be the biggest and best yet! Be a part of this iconic event, register early and join in the festivities.
Our resident Head Coach, Mark Watts will be attending the event and supporting our college mountain bike riders.
Date: 11 September 2021
Location: Hiddenvale Adventure Park
How to Enter: Please enter via the link enclosed below.
Events: Students can select from the events listed.
The MTB Programme will be conducting course familiarisation sessions under the guidance of Head Coach - Mark Watts in preparation for the upcoming Epic Mountain Biking event from 11-12 September 2021.
The planned Epic Familiarisations will run as follows.
Dates:
Meeting location: The trail head hut, Hiddenvale Adventure Park (closest building to the carpark)
How to register: Parents must register students via the link enclosed below.
Closing date: 5:00pm - Friday 3 September
The Moreton Bay Colleges are seeking families to warmly welcome international students to Australia.
Hosting international students can be an enriching cultural exchange opportunity for the whole family. Being a homestay host also has generous remuneration, with qualifying hosts receiving a weekly payment for each student.
Learn more here.
Our local Athlete’s Foot Store at Capalaba is moving from Capalaba Central to Capalaba Park Shopping Centre as of Friday 3 September. Don’t forgot to visit the Athlete’s Foot Stores at Capalaba, Carindale & Mt Gravatt for all your footwear needs and be sure to drop our name so our school can benefit from your purchase through the Community Rewards Programme.
Click here for PDF and here to book.
Click here for PDF.
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