Events over the last few weeks have reminded me that you do not just attend MBBC, but there is sense of belonging that fosters positive relationships, which helps the boys grow in confidence and become the best version of themselves.

Last week the College held the Academic Excellence and Scholars’ Assembly to celebrate and acknowledge the Academic and Co-Curricular achievements of our students and the Scholars from the Class of 2020. It was a pleasure to welcome back our Old Boys and celebrate their outstanding achievements. Congratulations to Benjamin Tran who was awarded the College Dux, with a remarkable ATAR score of 99.90.

The large number of students who received awards during this special Assembly spoke volumes about their diligent attitude towards their studies and co-curricular activities at the College. It clearly highlighted their determination, drive and commitment to work hard to achieve their goals.

During my address, I referred to Dr. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania, who has spent years studying people, trying to understand what it is that makes high achievers so successful. In her book, Grit, she showed that the most successful people were not those who had the highest IQ scores, the best degrees, the most expensive education or the most advanced social intelligence. What led them to be successful was what Duckworth called grit, or perseverance. To put it simply, they worked hard.

There is no doubt the boys have shown grit and perseverance to achieve academic success. However, the boys have also taken advantage of the abundance of creative, exciting and engaging opportunities for them to reach their potential. From mountain biking to basketball, the Music camp to guitar ensemble and Tech Ninjas to Robotics, it is obvious that we have a rich diverse range of activities that will allow the boys the opportunity to pursue their interest and flourish. Research is clear in showing that it is those students who become involved in diverse co-curricular activities at school who enjoy the best academic outcomes.

The Interhouse Swimming Championships proved a great success, with plenty of energy, excellent rates of participation and great sportsmanship shown throughout the day. Many congratulations to Nicholls House who were crowned House Champions. I was delighted to see so many boys entering so many events throughout the day and challenging themselves.

The Primary Camps provided an opportunity for our boys to engage in activities that extended them outside of their comfort zone, build trust and develop their leadership skills. In visiting the Year 6 Camp at Emu Gully, I was impressed by the boys’ attitude, determination, and a genuine desire to take risks. As the boys embarked on various challenging activities, I was delighted with their commitment to the College Values of Teamwork, Care, Character and Engagement and focussing on the theme of ‘putting other people first’.

Emu Gully Adventure Education Group offers a variety of activities which allowed the opportunity for the boys to make friends, learn new skills and grow as a person. I would like to share with you some of the benefits of students attending camp: 

1. Develops lifelong skills of problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, communication and leadership.
2. Promotes independence.
3. Creates a sense of purpose and belonging.
4. Teaches Values: Teamwork, Character, Care and Engagement.
5. Develops resilience and perseverance.
6. Develops a self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses.
7. Encourages a connection with nature.
8. Fosters personal growth and builds self-esteem.
9. Supports healthy living.
10. Nurtures friendships and teaches the boys to respect differences.

Moreton Bay Boys’ College offers a comprehensive Camp Programme and I have every confidence that as the boys embrace the opportunities available to them, they will develop the skills to help them become lifelong learners and make a positive impact on the world around them.

Please refer to the TASS Calendar for up to date information regarding school activities.

It is hard to believe we are already approaching the end of Week 4. It seems to have been a busier start than usual to the year with a few significant events already under our belts.

The Interhouse Swimming Championships made for a fantastic day, with plenty of House spirit on display. After a couple of teething issues with the new electronic timing system, the day went smoothly, and it was great to see the participation rates were so high. Congratulations to Nicholls House on their win and thanks to Ms Hughes and all MBBC staff for making sure the day was a success.

The Scholars and Pockets assembly was a wonderful occasion to recognise the achievements of our boys. We are very proud of our 2020 scholars for the way they overcame a number of hurdles throughout their schooling, not least of which was the daunting prospect of being the first cohort to sit external exams. It is fitting to celebrate their success and hopefully inspire our boys to strive for their academic best.

Pockets were awarded to a large number of boys who are achieving success in academic, sporting, cultural or service fields, and I was delighted to announce Year 9 Steven Labanne as a recipient of a Laurel for achieving a pocket in each of those fields. This is certainly an impressive effort.

I have reminded students of the importance of establishing good study habits and routines. It is particularly important as they work towards external examinations that students are in the habit of revising past work and the only way to stay on top of this is to be very deliberate in planning how study time is used and having specific goals. Rather then planning to ‘spend an hour on maths’, a more effective plan would be ‘complete two problems from the past four topics studied’. Specificity is key here and keeping track of the revision will help students identify strengths and areas that require more attention.

From time to time you might need to contact the College regarding your son’s academic progress, his wellbeing or you may have a general question and we always welcome contact because we value the partnership between staff and parents. If you are not sure who to contact, you could try your son’s Form Teacher, College Reception/Student Reception, Deputy Head of Secondary Teaching and Learning for academic matters or Deputy Head of Secondary Student Wellbeing for pastoral matters. Please remember that teachers can have full days when they are teaching every lesson so might not always be able to reply immediately. Should you wish to speak with your son’s teacher, which is often more effective than an email exchange, please email briefly outlining the matter you would like to discuss and ask to arrange a suitable time to speak on the phone. Through open, honest, and respectful dialogue, we can work towards outcomes that meet the needs of all parties.

This past week has seen the start-up of the Primary Music Immersion Programme for 2021, meaning lots of excited Year 4 students trialling instruments from double bass to flute, and bassoon to trumpet. It’s a complex process that considers student preferences, matching natural aptitudes for each instrument type, creating musically balanced groupings, physical size of students versus each instrument, etc. The aim is to put each student on an instrument they will enjoy and be successful on for the next two years – a significant commitment of time and effort. 

One of the most important indicators of success is that the student likes the sound of the instrument with which they are paired, as they will need to listen to themselves create this sound daily while they play at school and at home. Creating a beautiful sound makes this playing so much more satisfying, but it doesn’t happen instantly (as many Year 4 parents are about to find out…..). Just as a child learns to speak by listening to those around her, listening to great players on your instrument is a really important part of learning to develop your own sound. You can’t create a sound you haven’t heard! This idea got me thinking about who our music captains and Senior students listen to and over the next few weeks I will share what they have told me. But first, I thought I would start by giving two of my own favourites. 

As a trumpet player, two musicians who inspire me are jazz legend Clark Terry, and contemporary classical virtuoso Alison Balsom. HERE is a clip of Alison Balsom playing the third movement of the Hummel Trumpet Concerto. Her sound is so pure and effortless, and is combined with absolutely immaculate technique (skip to the passage at 3’09’’ to 3’17’’ and you’ll see what I mean). HERE is Clark Terry playing the jazz standard Mack the Knife with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown. Again, a beautiful sound and such an amazing improviser! So, who do you listen to for inspiration on your instrument?

Congratulations

Thank you and congratulations must go to all the young musicians in String Sextet and Vocal Point (performing at the Awards/Scholar’s Assemblies), Senior Stage Band, Vocal Soloists and Rock Band members (performing at the Twilight Picnic) who have already ticked off their first events for 2021 with impressive performances during Week 2. What a great way to get underway for the start of the new year! 

Upcoming Events

Classics Concert date change!

Could all families please note that we have moved the date of the Classics Concert to Wednesday 31 March 7.00pm in the MBC Concert Hall. Performing groups for this event are: Orchestra, Chamber Strings, College Strings, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Percussion Ensemble, Chorale, Chamber Choir, Vocal Point, MBBC secondary Vocal Ensemble, and the Senior Stage Band. 

Music Camp

I hope all our senior instrumentalists are looking forward to Music Camp at Mt Tambourine this weekend. We will be taking students in Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Senior Stage Band, Chamber Strings and College Strings. The camp is a major part of our preparation towards Term 1’s Classics Concert, as well as a nice social opportunity. I’m looking forward to hearing how the groups develop over this short but intense session of rehearsals. 

Choir Day Camp

This event is scheduled for the end of Week 4 (Sunday 21 February) and is the choral students’ extra preparation for our Term 1 Classics Concert. More information will be sent to families very soon, but please make sure you are available for this event if you are in Chorale, Chamber Choir, Vocal Point or MBBC Secondary Vocal Ensemble.

For the first time in the combined Moreton Bay Colleges’ history, Year 12 students are allowed to study Music Extension together. This is a wonderful opportunity for our most advanced Music students to develop their talents in either Performing, Musicology or Composition to a level beyond what can normally be achieved in a classroom setting. An important aspect of this subject, which contributes to a student’s ATAR, is to develop relationships with mentors outside of the classroom setting in order to develop individual artistry and musicianship in a professional environment. We are fortunate to have had a number of very experienced and talented mentors agree to work with our students. They are listed below:

Blaise Sison II: 

Bass guitar player (Las Vegas, USA): Blaise has worked in a number of bands throughout the United States, and was the bass player for Human Nature’s “Motown” Las Vegas residency for many years, where he also toured with the band around both the USA and Australia.

Stewart Morris: 

As a founding member of the very successful group “The Ten Tenors,” Stewart has headlined more than 2000 concerts in 29 countries, was awarded numerous gold and platinum albums in Australia and abroad, sold more than 3.5 million concert tickets, has shared the stage with artists including Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocceli, Lionel Richie, Christina Aguilera and has performed in many high-profile venues worldwide, such as the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and the Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as appearing extensively on TV.

Xenia Puskarz – Thomas: 

Xenia is currently a Kovner Fellow at the Julliard School New York, where she hopes to recommence her in-person studies in December. A university medal recipient graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium, Xenia was a scholar of the Melba Opera Trust program and recipient of the prestigious Opera Foundation for young Australian’s Lady Fairfax New York scholarship, allowing her to perform at Carnigie Hall and study with teachers from the Metropolitan Opera House. 

Iain Henderson: 

Iain has performed with Opera Queensland (Australia), Queensland Symphony Orchestra (Australia), Opera North (UK), Buxton Opera Festival (UK), Glyndebourne Festival Opera (UK), and many other companies both as an ensemble member or soloist, and as a guest artist at many international festivals throughout the world.  Winner of the 2016 Dame Joan Sutherland Award from the Noosa Federation of the Arts, he has also won the Joyce Campbell-Lloyd Scholarship, Ronald Dowd Memorial Prize and was a semi-finalist in the 2014 Australian Singing Competition. He is due to return to the UK later this year to rejoin the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

Dr. Kristina Kelman: 

Kristina is regarded and respected as an accomplished jazz and contemporary singer and has performed throughout Australia and overseas alongside such artists as: Tina Arena, James Morrison, Don Burrows, Grace Knight, Frank Bennett, Jackie Love and Barry Crocker and has been a support artist for Marcia Hines and Glen Shorrock. She is currently a senior lecturer at QUT’s school of Creative Practice lecturing in music industry, performance, songwriting, critical listening, and music education.

Xanthe Lowe-Brown: 

Xanthe is currently a 3^rd year student at the University of Melbourne studying a Bachelor of Music (Performance - Contemporary Guitar) with a Minor in Psychology.

We were so fortunate to have Xenia Puskarz-Thomas and Iain Henderson at MBBC last week to run a masterclass with the Extension students, providing them with expert feedback on their upcoming assessment pieces and also advice on post-school options and professional pathways. The students all got a great deal out of the experience.

Correct physical and mental preparation is essential – whether you are training or competing, winning, or losing. This outlook should become second nature to MBBC students across cocurricular endeavours.

“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” – Thomas Jefferson

Aligning with effective thinking cultures in sport, we encourage boys to reflect on their actions – successful and unsuccessful – and their thought processes that lead them to those actions to continue the feedback loop of action (reflection – adjustment – action). I challenge boys to actively engage this process throughout the year.

When students apply this message, individuals and teams can remain focussed, regardless of how many obstacles are in front of them. They reflect on their actions to derive a better outcome next time, and they celebrate the small wins.

While our basketballers did not win every game last weekend, or our sailors every race, the development of their mental resilience through the feedback loop of action (reflection – adjustment – action) will be invaluable for the rest of the season.

Whether it be preseason grading, weekly team selections or championship selections, team and individual selections are often contentious. I encourage boys to use selections as an opportunity to develop and practise their mental resilience.

This year, many MBBC sports and activities aim to provide structure and clarity through identifiable selections. Programmes will communicate these selections well in advance. While being mindful that transparent selections will not solve all issues, we hope that, through greater transparency, our boys’ enjoyment remains the top priority and team culture remains positive.

I wish all boys competing for this weekend the best of luck.

MBBC Sport has secured Karley Banks, current Australian U18 Boys and Men's 35's Head Coach, for a series of Touch Clinics at MBBC. Karley has 35 years of experience in the game at every level, from grassroots to International representation as both a player and a coach, and is one of the most sought after coaches in Australia. For those who want to be ready for the 2021 Touch Football season, whether that's competing in Schools Carnivals, Club Competitions, or considering representative pathways these clinics are for you. This is an incredible and unique opportunity exclusive to Moreton Bay Boys' College and the Touch Football Programme. Please note, all students who attend the College are welcome to attend.  REGISTER NOW Dates:

• Friday 19 February
• Friday 26 February
• Friday 19 March

Age Groups: U9 to Opens Duration: 1-hour sessions Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm Cost:

• $25 per session or
• $60 for all three sessions

PLEASE NOTE: All students MUST Register via the Parent Lounge invite. 

It is not too late to register for the 2021 Football season.  

The MBBC Football Programme is running the final 'Come and Try' session for any student interested in playing football for MBBC.  

Additionally, all students who have already registered for the 2021 Football season via the Parent Lounge sign-on are invited to trial to assist coaches with 2021 team selections.  

Students must REGISTER to attend to ensure sufficient coaching staff are in attendance.  

Age Group: 5-16 Years 

Dates: 

• Friday 12 February | 2:45pm-4:00pm 
• Friday 19 February | 2:45pm-4:00pm 

Location: MBBC oval  

How to register:

• Please login to Parent Lounge
• Go to 'Tours/Excursions'
• 2021 SPORT | Football 'Come and Try' and 'Trials’. 
• Click 'accept' 

  Please note: Students with an earlier finish will be supervised until the session commences at 2:45pm 

Throughout the year, students can participate in many pathways for representative sports. District, Regional and State competitions are all opportunities for boys to compete representatively.

If you are interested in representative sport, please review the nomination procedures for Lytton District, Composite District and Met East below.

• Trial notices will be published via the College App when they become available. Students will then nominate for selection.
• Selection may involve discussion with the Head of Primary, Head of Secondary and Head of Sport.
• All students who nominate for selection will be advised of their selection to attend trials, or omission, by the Head of Sport. 

The trial calendar is heavily populated. Parents and Caregivers are encouraged to pay careful attention to the College App – ‘Representative Sport’ for the trial notices.

Nominations for all representative sport must be received before their respective deadlines. 

Nicholls House had plenty to celebrate after being announced the winners of the 2021 Interhouse Swimming Championships on Friday 5 February.

With House Captain Nathan at the helm, Nicholls swimmers fought hard to take the title and were closely followed by Doherty House.

Points from the Interhouse Swimming Championships are as follows:

1st place: Nicholls | 3,101 points 

2^nd place: Doherty | 2,857.50 points 

3^rd place: Dunlop | 2,466.50 points 

4^th place: Flynn | 2,370 points   

AGE CHAMPIONS

The Age Championship points are allocated to swimmers who compete in the following events: 50m Freestyle, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly and the 100m Freestyle. MBBC is pleased to announce the 2021 Age Champions:

9YRS 

1^st        Ruben Hicks | 28 points 

2^nd        William Wood | 23 points 

3^rd        Brendan Switala | 17 points 

10YRS 

1^st        Daniel Glasper | 50 points 

2^nd        Hamish Kane | 31 points  

3^rd        Angus Trass | 27 points  

11YRS 

1^st         Zane Keily | 50 points 

2^nd        Kalan Kenniff-Clapper | 37 points 

3^rd        William White | 32 points 

12YRS 

1^st        Nash Boal | 50 points 

2^nd        Patrick McGarry | 36 points 

3^rd        Samson Morrow-Woods | 32 points 

13YRS 

1^st        Ioan Griffiths | 48 points 

2^nd        Rohan Kendal | 28 points 

3^rd        Mackenzie Graham | 29 points 

14YRS 

1^st        Liam Sorenson | 50 points 

2^nd        Ethan O’Hagan | 31 points 

3^rd        Orion Jeffery | 22 points 

15YRS 

1^st        Francis Chitukudza | 50 points 

2^nd        Ryan Wheeler | 40 points 

3^rd        Liam Johnson | 27 points 

16YRS 

1^st        Lachlan Sorenson | 50 points 

2^nd        Lachlan Hume | 32 points 

3^rd        Matthew Robson | 25 points 

17YRS AND OVER 

1^st        Nathan Stuchbery | 40 points 

2^nd       Jordan Nichols | 24 points 

3^rd        Ethan Kircher | 21 points 

Calling out to MBBC families to see if they have any old soccer boots laying in the cupboards that are now too small or simply not used.  

A College parent is current volunteering for a wonderful Not for Profit organisation called Pushing Barriers. Their primary objective is to advance and improve the lives and welfare of refugee youth by providing them with opportunities and funding to be included and welcomed into Australian culture and society through sport. For more info: www.pushingbarriers.org 

While Pushing Barriers pays the registration fees and provides the transport for the boys to/from training and matches, it is a huge expense to also provide the boys with soccer boots.  

For this reason we are seeking donations of some second hand soccer boots. There will be a collection box at MBBC Student reception and we will be taking donations up until Friday 26 February.

Thank you very much for your consideration. 

Yours sincerely,

Our colleges have a strong and supportive partnership with Motorline BMW and Motorline MINI Garage, both located at Springwood/Daisy Hill. Dealership Principal and MBBC parent Andrew Robson, and his team offer our families, staff and students their Corporate Package which includes complimentary servicing for 3 years/60,000km and other attractive incentives.

This week Motorline BMW is launching a big sale event from 16-18 of February. Click below to find out more.

We hope you have had a chance to see the luxury vehicle on campus this past week. We look forward to further working with Motorline BMW and MINI Garage in 2021.