Head of Senior School
As the end of the year is upon us I take this opportunity to reflect upon my experiences as Head of Senior School.I have derived considerable satisfaction and enjoyment from learning first hand of the incredibly wide range of aspirations, efforts and achievements of our students. A number of these have been highlighted in my reports throughout the year. Many, many more, however, come to light as one reads the school reports of our students. It is delightful to read so many positive comments, see so many excellent attitude rating and note so many wonderful achievement awards. I congratulate all who have been successful in their areas of endeavour during 2009.
I thank all families for the fantastic support given to our students and the School. We are all fortunate to receive this support in so many forms.
I thank all staff for their incredible efforts throughout the year. These efforts have enabled our students to undertake a wide variety of academic, co-curricular and cultural activities and to receive a well rounded education.
Finally I wish one and all a restful and holy Christmas.
Mr Selwyn Church
Head of Senior School
From the Senior School Chaplain
The Carols service on Sunday night was a delight with students and staff contributing beautiful readings and music, even though I had not quite worked out what lighting we would need to supplement the delightful candle-light! It was a very special experience.On the final day of school on Wednesday, the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the School Chapel was marked with a moving service recalling the history of the building and how much it means to so many people. In his address, Mr Ian Fraser helped us appreciate the building and the care and thought evident in its design and furnishing, and the values and spirituality that the Chapel and its ministry impart. He also reflected movingly on a 51 year span of connection with the Chapel, as both student and teacher, which helped us each to consider all that this remarkable building means to us. The contribution of the students to the service included readings, prayers, inspirational music, and their respectful participation. We were honoured by the attendance of many OLs and dignitaries.
The service concluded with these two prayers, adapted from earlier dedication services in the Chapel:
A PRAYER ADAPTED FROM THE SERVICE HELD AT THE LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE, Saturday, July 30, 1932: The Headmaster
O God, from you comes every good gift. We ask you to continue to bless our school. We thank you for those who have gone before us and have left us so great a heritage. Help us to maintain and to increase all that is noble about our school. Grant us a spirit of loyalty and service. May your wisdom guide all who teach and learn. Bless the games on the playing fields, and all the artistic and cultural pursuits in our school. Help us to grow in all that is true and honest and good, and so be worthy of your heavenly kingdom. Amen.
THE PRAYER OF REDEDICATION ADAPTED FROM THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SERVICE, SUNDAY DEC 9TH 1984:
The Chaplain
We rededicate this Chapel to the worship and service of Almighty God. We pray that we, and all who follow us in this place, may have the faith and vision to continue the work of proclaiming your love and salvation to future generations. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Later, students were dismissed at our final assembly with a prayer giving thanks for the year at school and asking God’s care over one another and our families, and a safe and enjoyable holiday.
As I write, I am turning my attention to the annual Communion service and breakfast with the BHOGA ladies, early Thursday morning and always a happy gathering, and later in the day, the service marking the end of the year for the staff. Then on Sunday I will be conducting the Nativity Walk for students and guests at the Grammar Christmas camp.
Reverend Paul Grayston
Senior School Assembly
Congratulations to the following students who received awards at this week's Senior School Assembly:ACADEMIC AWARDS
GRADE 7
Michael Armarego – Academic Merit
Alexandra Ball – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Georgia Leighton – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Warwick McLean – Academic Merit and Endeavour
GRADE 8
Alice Matson – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Grace Mitchell – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Rhyannon Bowles – Academic Merit
Aram Cox – Academic Merit
John Fitzgerald Sice – Academic Merit
Rose von Bibra – Academic Merit
Chloe Lam – Academic Endeavour
Isobel Schmidt – Academic Endeavour
Lilly Stephenson – Academic Endeavour
Alice Barnett – Academic Endeavour
Ellie Jones – Academic Endeavour
GRADE 9
Natalea Smith – Academic Endeavour
Gabrielle Rogers-Smith – Academic Merit
Madeleine Wilson – Academic Merit
Nina Barnett – Academic Endeavour
Kartik Kunasegaran – Academic Endeavour
Lauren Griffiths – Academic Endeavour
Laura Hanson – Academic Endeavour
GRADE 10
(To be posted out)
Cameron Thompson – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Chai-Ying (Ann) Lee – Academic Merit
Rose Croft – Academic Merit and Endeavour
Abbie Hughes – Academic Endeavour
Mai Watanabe – Academic Endeavour
Thomas Butler – Academic Endeavour
James Cameron – Academic Merit
GRADE 7 CLASS TEACHER PRIZE
Evie Bresnehan – 7A
Rebecca Matson – 7B
Warwick McLean – 7C
Elie Roe Daniel – 7D
Cricket
CRICKET TRIUMPHS
Cricket at Grammar has picked up where we left off last season when the First XI won the State Premiership. After comfortable practice match wins over St Patrick’s College and Scotch Oakburn which enabled us to try out several young Grade 8 and 9 students, our firsts serious game was against Michael Purcell’s Invitation XI consisting of Old Launcestonians but minus Michael Purcell himself this year as he is in New York. The School team won the John Bailey Shield fairly easily thanks largely to a good innings from Jackson Miller and a 6 wicket haul by medium pacer Will McBride. Will won the award for our best player and Tye Woods for the Invitation XI for his breezy 35.
This led us to our annual 3 Day Game – “The Bat Game” - against Scotch Oakburn. This game has been played for the last 18 years at this time of the year and has become the most keenly contested game of the year. As holders of The Bat – the John Woodroffe Trophy – we had to be beaten outright to relinquish it.
With rain forecast for all 3 days of the game acting Captain Tommy Bennett put SOC in after wining the toss. Their upper order batted well to lunch and looked comfortable but tight spells from Ronnie Mathew and Jackson Miller slowed the run rate down and they went to tea at 7 for 169. And then the rain came!
We didn’t get back on to the field until after 2.00 on Saturday by which time SOC, keen to force a result, had declared. Their pace attack rattled our batsmen and took 4 quick wickets before a steady partnership between Jackson Miller and Will McBride restored some balance but then another 4 wickets fell quickly just before stumps and we were 8 for 118 at the close of play.
With little likelihood of the outright result they needed, SOC took an early wicket on the last day before Ronnie Mathew and Ryan Lees combined for a valuable 35 run last wicket partnership and we were all out for 154.
SOC chased runs but lost wickets regularly and declared at 5 for 96 leaving themselves only 15 overs in which to dismiss us a second time, or for us to score an equally unlikely 112 to win. After losing one of our openers in the second over it was comforting for the team (and coaching staff and many parents present!) to see Tom Bennett and David Hacker bat out time and reach 50 without further loss.
So we retain “The Bat” even though we did not play particularly well. The match really serves to remind us that
we have a long way to go before we reach the standards we have set ourselves over the past 4 seasons. The Firsts have games against visiting teams St Josephs (Raymond Terrace, Brisbane), St Patrick’s College Ballarat and St Kevin’s (Melbourne) in the next week before a holiday break then our week-long tour of Geelong / Melbourne in mid-January.
Every second year our Grade 7/8s play matches against similar grade teams from The Hutchins School and The Peninsular Grammar School (Mt Eliza, Victoria) For most of our boys this is their first experience of extended (50 overs) games on turf and the step-up from their usual 30 over Saturday morning games on synthetic surfaces is extreme. Unsurprisingly we have never won any of these games. But this year we won them both!!
Game 1 on Monday was against The Hutchins School, whose boys we were billeting that evening. Batting first on a difficult track Alex Davies and new First XI player and Captain Alistair Taylor batted steadily to put together an opening partnership of 53 and steady everyone’s nerves. Connor Lockhart then combined with Alistair for another 60 runs and we completed our 50 overs at 6 for 152, an excellent effort. Alistair played a great captain’s knock of 86 before running himself out in the final over.
Our bowlers maintained a good line and length, building the pressure on the Hutchins batsmen and with the score at the halfway mark being 3 for 50 we were well on top. More wickets fell soon after and with their score at 6 for 84 (32 overs) then 8 for 96 (36 overs) we appeared well set for victory. Sensible cricket from the Hutchins lower-order though saw them edge closer and closer and it was not until good fast bowling from Gabe Bell (also in the First XI) and Alastair saw us to a win by 8 runs in the 49th over. Ethan Miller took 2 / 6 in his opening spell and Alex Davies 3 / 22 with his leggies.
Game 2 on Tuesday was against Peninsular who had beaten SOC the day before. Again we batted first but our start was in contrast to the day before and we were reduced to 4 for 32 in the 14th over. Aram Cox batted sensibly at number 3 to celebrate his birthday and re-build the innings in a 58 run partnership with Gabe Bell. Gabe went on with the job in an innings of great maturity to end up 91 not out and dominate the play and allow us to end up with 8 for 180. Jesse Warren batted well to help add 36 towards the end.
Our experience of defending a total the day before, told us we only had to bowl line and length and field well to win. Peninsular started steadily but found it hard to score against Aram’s and Jesse’s on-the-sport medium pace, then when Huw McMahon had only 8 taken from his first 6 overs of left arm off spin, Peninsular were in trouble at 4 for 83 at the last drink break and needed a run a ball from the last 16 overs.
From there though things went a little awry. Great catches earlier by Alastair Taylor and Will Jordan were offset when our better fielders put down easy catches, bowlers forgot the basics and tried to land the ball on their own toes, and there seemed to be a contest to see who could fall over and let the most runs through!!!
Despite this, good overs from Tom Curran, Alastair and Gabe applied enough pressure for us to secure several run outs and we finally dismissed them for 164.
Two great games, two great wins, and valuable experience and a huge number of lessons to be learned for the School’s best young cricketers.
Mr Ian Fraser
From the Foundation
The Launcestonian Foundation wishes to thank all benefactors who have recently contributed to the Foundation. These donations, coupled with the philanthropy of past generations, make a real and lasting difference to our School.Annual Giving:
Mrs P Stewart
Member:
Mr & Mrs P L Smith
Friends of the Chapel Fund:
Mr A Tanner
Junior School Indonesian Certificates
Eleanor McLean - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
George Voorham - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Isabelle Bastow - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Lucy Aras Academic - Achievement in Indonesian
Dominic Schiliro Academic - Achievement in Indonesian
Eliza Ballantyne Academic - Achievement in Indonesian
Morgan Wye - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Laine Kirkpatrick - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Nicola Scott - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Beth Heazlewood - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Mushfiqual Khan - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Isabella Torcasio - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Chloe Fisher - Academic Achievement in Indonesian
Rowing
Lake Barrington Rowing Camps 2010Camp Number 1: Open Boys/Open Girls/ under 16 Boys/ Under 16 Girls
Date/Time: Sunday 24th January to Wednesday 27th January 2010. 9am ( at the Lake) through to 2pm Wednesday. Parents to collect from Lake Barrington.
Requirements: Lunch on Sunday 24th January 2010. Sleeping Gear/ water bottle/ sun cream/sun hat/ personal gear/ swimming gear/ warm clothes.
Camp Number 2: Under 15 Boys/ Under 15 girls/ Under 14 Boys/ Under 14 Girls
Date/Time: Wednesday 27th January to Friday 29th January 2010. 1pm ( at the Lake) through to 2pm Friday. Parents to collect from Lake Barrington at 2pm.
Requirements: Lunch on Wednesday 27th January 2010. Sleeping Gear/ water bottle/ sun cream/sun hat/ personal gear/ swimming gear/ warm clothes.
All food and drinks (soft) will be catered for during the stay and charged to your school account.
The contact at Lake Barrington is Mr Peter Newman ( Rowing Co-ordinator) on 0437149095.
Parents must contact Peter prior to the camp to get the Agreement and Indemnity form.
School Holiday Swimming Lessons
2010 Summer HOLIDAYS5 day intensive Learn to Swim Programme. Starting: Monday, 4 January for 5 weeks.Classes: from 9:00am Monday - Friday
Cost: $70 for 1 week or $130 for 2 weeks
TERM 1 2010
Starting: Monday, 15 February
Classes: from 3:30pm Monday to Friday, from 9:00am Saturday
Cost: $150 for 12 weeks. A minimum $20 deposit is required on all classes to secure a spot.
To book please callthe Grammar Pool on 6336 6083.
Tasmanian Library Activities
The State Library has many activities over the holidays for children. Visit www.statelibrary.tas.gov.au/summerprogram/kids for more information.