CALROSSY ANGLICAN SCHOOL. The William TELL SECONDARY BOYS NEWS

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1 CALROSSY ANGLICAN SCHOOL The William TELL SECONDARY BOYS NEWS 242 MOORE CREEK ROAD TAMWORTH NSW 2340 TELEPHONE FACSIMILE WEBSITE FROM THE HEAD OF SECONDARY BOYS We had just dropped into a friend s place for a cup of coffee when I noticed a publication from a well -known private boys school in Queensland where her father had been a student. The friends had three boys who probably did not achieve their academic potential at school and the grandfather thought the article titled From the Headmaster may be helpful. The article was based on a 2013 edition of Newsweek with the cover The Boy Crisis. In American schooling a range of statistics were quoted from the article to suggest that at every level of education boys are having trouble: Boys earn 70% of D s and E s in school assessments Boys account for two thirds of learning disability diagnosis Boys represent 90% of discipline referrals 80% of High School drop outs are male School environments may favour girls style of learning, including highly verbalised instructions and sustained activities with low levels of physical activity and so on. The Headmaster points out that his school has adopted the best practices that engage boys and can quote evidence in regards to their academic performance and the boys love for the school as proof that not all boys are struggling but the reality is that our young men are entering a rapidly changing world. He quotes from the controversial American author Hanna Rosin who wrote an article The End of Men. She identifies a number of changes including: Women are now the majority of the US workforce as from 2010 More and more managers are women For every two men who get a university degree in the US, three women will do the same Men have been the casualties of the end of the manufacturing era The global economy is evolving in a way that is eroding the historic preference for male children world- wide The William Tell 14 March 2014

2 I must confess that I was starting to get depressed and yet, at the same time, excited because of what our young men are doing at Cowper as students of Calrossy Anglican School. Every day I see and feel the connection of these young men to the school through their school spirit and the way they look to support each other in so many areas of school life. Much has been written about the causes of boys behaviours. Thirty years ago it would be argued by some that it was a result of socialization but today scientists believe that brain chemistry is a major factor and that the male sex hormones are a major influence in how we play and how we learn through life. That is a factor that we cannot change at school but interestingly two of the other major influences on the development of young men we can address at school. The transition to High School for many can be overwhelming but like the studies on juvenile primates, boys will do almost anything to avoid admitting they cannot cope. As Michael Thompson wrote in the book Raising Cain ; Boys measure everything they do or say by a single yardstick: does this make me look weak? If it does then he is not going to do it. The experts tell us that this is what makes video games so attractive to our boys: the action is constant, they can calibrate just how hard the challenge will be and when they lose, the defeat is private. The Cowper culture of Calrossy Anglican School tells our young men that they should not be scared of failure, that we try to learn and do it better next time. Knowing that you are not going to be ridiculed or humiliated but encouraged to have another go is a powerful weapon that I don t see in many other schools. The second area that we try to address is in the area of male mentors and role models. Many of our young men are fortunate because their dads have a great role in their lives. For myself, with the death of my father at an early age I understand what a void this was in my life. Research however tells us that even for those lucky young men that enjoy a good relationship with their fathers, the importance of good mentors and role models at school is critical in modelling self- restraint and solid work habits and in especially reminding them of the importance of school in their lives whether it be the completion of homework or their grades. Again it is interesting to note the comments of students as they come to the end of their schooling or even during their post school lives of the willingness of their Cowper teachers to give them time and to make them accountable whether it be in the classroom or other areas of school life. They appreciate it. I am confident that we are preparing our young men for the future. Term continues to be busy and it is impossible to keep our school community fully informed of all that has happened in this newsletter. The Year 9 expedition went well, with the recent rain enabling the canoeing to take place. Thanks must go to Mr Ian Scott, Mr Todd McDonald, Mr Conrad Starr and Rev Andrew Newman for their hard work and supervision. Cricket continues to bring success for our school teams with the 1 st X1 in the final of the Ron George Competition. In this week s game against Farrer 2 nd X1, Will Burke (Year 12) was caught on the boundary for 96 and AJ Pretorious (Year 8) scoring 76. The junior teams are starting to do very well and James Newberry is to be congratulated for his hat trick against McCarthy in the Saturday morning competition. For those who are interested there has been considerable progress in the planning to build new cricket nets at the school and hopefully more information will be available shortly. The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 2

3 I would like to thank the P&F for all the momentum they are generating to make this project a reality. The HRIS swimming carnival has taken place and even though we only sent a small team, we have done well and the boys deserve our congratulations, especially the senior boys (Sam T, Ashley L and Dan N) who gave up class time to attend. We won both the 13 Years and 15 Years boys championships and Angus W was the champion swimmer in the 15 Years age group. Impressively we won the junior and intermediate relays in both the medley and freestyle. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of Mr Mark Lange who took our team to the carnival. The ultimate schools debating competition in Tamworth, The Federation Cup, will reach its climax on Thursday 27 March. We have two teams from the boys contesting the grand final however it is our Stage 5 team which will be contesting for the third place that may hold the key to the overall winning school. Although not yet enjoying that winning feeling they have improved considerably and I would like to encourage all our school body to consider coming and supporting the teams in the final debates for There is a danger that we tend to focus on the representative sports and forget the everyday involvement of staff. At times I confess I take things for granted and it is right that I thank Mr Darren Burke for what he does every week at lunch time for the boys. He has run an inter house competition for the boys that involves sports such as soccer, basketball and the undisputed favourite, dodgeball. Boys from all years participate and you only have to go to the hall to see the boys enjoyment. Last week saw the P&F Welcome BBQ. Circumstances saw a shift from February to March and maybe we need to reconsider the date but for those who came there was a very pleasant opportunity to meet other parents and to enjoy not having to cook for the night. Thanks to the P&F for doing all the work on the night. The next P&F meeting is Wednesday 2 April. By the time you receive this newsletter Foundation Day would have occurred. A change this year is that all the proceedings will have been led by the students. It is a reminder that we are one school and that we have a unique structure that we need to appreciate and work hard at so that we can enjoy the benefits that it brings. Next week Year 7 go to Coffs Harbour on expedition. The Cross Country is scheduled for the Thursday while they are away and after much deliberation the decision has been made to run the Year 7 boys on the Tuesday before they leave. It is unfortunate but sometimes due to the busyness of school life, clashes of dates occur and we have no viable alternative. We will also have a number of boys participating at the Tamworth Show in various competitions. There has been a lot of preparation with the boys going to the school farm after school and on weekends to get the livestock ready. We wish them well. Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank one of our parents, Mr Steve Buster, who is returning this weekend from a visit to Su u School in the Solomon Islands. Steve and his son Bill (Year 10) went to install a pump as part of a project that the school has been involved in. In the next newsletter there will be a more detailed report as I hope that our school community will become more involved. Joe Goldsworthy Head of Secondary Boys The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 3

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5 CURRICULUM MATTERS This term, staff members have had an intensive focus on having the boys use their homework diary as a record of what needs to be completed at home. Teachers have also endeavoured to inform parents through the diary of any concerns in this area. Could I ask parents to sign their son s diary and put a comment regarding how he has been approaching homework from your perspective at home: that is, does he seem to be working regularly, does he seem to have enough, too much too little, does he seem to be organised and coping with the demands. This will give the homeroom teachers some feedback as to how your son is managing and overall how homework is being approached which we can discuss as a whole staff. Thank you to all of the parents who were able to attend the stage nights. If you missed and would like further information as to what was covered you can go to the school website and view a recording of the evenings. Mick Larkin Curriculum Coordinator ENVIRO RACE REPORT Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Namoi Sustainable Living Amazing Enviro-Race at Bicentennial Park on Friday 28 February. This 5km race complete with ten creative and mental tasks based on issues pertaining to sustainability was a great challenge for most. It was good to see our students decked out in competitive attire and display such a positive attitude. Many students were successful in terms of completing the challenge and most teams still had a smile on their face at the finish line - though some looked notably frustrated and exhausted! I would like to take this opportunity to encourage more students to participate in this event in It is a great opportunity to compete against other local schools in a competitive yet humorous setting. The event may also increase your understanding of environmental issues in our regions. Well done to those with the initiative this year. The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 5

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7 FEDERATION CUP DEBATING Since Week 3 of this term students from the boys and girls campuses having been competing in the Federation Cup Debating competition. This has involved a series of round robin debates between Carinya Christian School, McCarthy Catholic College and Calrossy Anglican School Boys and Girls. The finals will be held on Thursday 27 March on the Brisbane Street Campus from 7:00pm to 8:00pm. The most gratifying aspect of the debating so far has been the noticeable improvement in all of the teams debating ability which was a central aim of establishing the competition. The final round robin points are: Stage 6 Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total Calrossy Boys Calrossy Boys Calrossy Girls McCarthy Stage 5 Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total Calrossy Boys Calrossy Girls Carinya McCarthy Stage 4 Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Total Calrossy Boys Calrossy Girls Carinya 1 3 McCarthy 3 1 Round robin 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss Finals Grand final 6 points for a win, 4 points for a loss; Play off final 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss. At this point the competition could potentially be won by Calrossy Anglican School Boys or Girls or McCarthy (if their Stage 4 team wins through to the top tier final). Parents and students are welcome to come and watch the finals on 27 March. A big thank you must be given to the coaches of the Calrossy teams Mr Burke, Mrs Burke, Mr Chong and Mrs Wainwright. We have also been very fortunate to have the expertise of many of the solicitors in town who have given up their Thursday evening to adjudicate. The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 7

8 CALROSSY CELEBRATING 95 YEARS Issue 2: Staff of William Cowper Anglican Secondary Boys School (2001) Right to left: Mr Stephen Laurence (Principal), Mrs Jenny Scott, Ms Yukiko Kasahara, Mr Adam Day, Mrs Dimi Gouvoussis and Mrs Kim Ridley photographed outside the current Wearhouse (Rose Cottage) Mrs Scott was the librarian. The library was located at 56 Napier Street. Ms Kasahara taught Japanese to the Primary students and the girls. Mr Day taught music. Mrs Gouvoussis was employed as a secondary teacher, teaching mainly Maths and Science. She was the only full time teacher on the staff, apart from the Principal when William Cowper Anglican Secondary Boys' School commenced. Mrs Ridley was the Administrative Assistant at the school. Note the original William Cowper crest and motto on the board behind the staff. The Archives Department welcomes contributions of photos and other memorabilia to add to its collection. If you wish to make a donation of such material or contribute in other ways please contact me at archive@calrossy.nsw.edu.au. Rosalind Jones The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 8

9 SPORT Gala Day Report Calrossy Anglican School entered an Open Boys Hockey Team in the HRIS gala day and selection trial in Newcastle on Monday 3 March. The boys played exceptional hockey where they were awarded Champion School. Our results were wins against St Columba 7-0 (Jeremy B 3, Sam B 2, Mitch S 1, Jack W 1), St Phillips Lambton 4-0 Jeremy B 2, Matt S 1, Henry C 1 and Bishop Tyrell 2-1 (Henry C 2). Connor C was largely uncontested in goals but was very safe, and made some athletic saves when called upon. Jeremy B controlled the midfield strongly and Matthew S scored a brilliant first time goal. Mitch S peppered the opposition goalkeeper frequently being unlucky not to score many more. Henry C led the team strongly and made valuable contributions to the play. It should be noted the strong efforts made by our year 7 boys Sam M and Hugh D. As a result the following boys were named in the HRIS team to contest the AICES selection trial in May: Jeremy B, Mitch S, Matthew S, Angus W, Connor C, Henry C. Mr Ian Scott Coach Thank you to Mr Ian Scott for accompanying the team and also on his appointment as coach of the HRIS team to contest the AICES Championships. Triathlon Congratulations to all our triathletes who competed in the 2014 NSW All Schools Triathlon on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 March. Calrossy Anglican School had two individual competitors, Zoe R and Emily J. Zoe had a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run in the Senior Triathlon. Zoe finished 7 th overall and 2 nd in CIS from a field of 63 athletes. Emily had a 600m swim, 15km cycle and 4km run. Emily finished 42 nd overall from a field of 108 athletes. Both girls have given a huge effort in completing the course and performing to the standard they have achieved. Friday saw the teams events with Calrossy Anglican School providing seven teams, four from Brisbane Street and three from the William Cowper Campus. All teams performed well in extremely hot conditions with each team finishing mid field in their division. Our junior and intermediate teams had a 400m swim, 10km cycle and 3km run. Lucienne G (swim), Sharna T (bike) and Grace B (run) excelled and had a 9 th finish overall and 5 th place in CIS in their Junior event. The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 9

10 Well done to all our athletes, Zoe R, Jaimie P, Claudia H, Kate R, Katie S, Emily J, Katrina O, Angus W, Sam L, Jeremy B, Amelia H, Ella L, Skye S, Lucienne G, Sharna T, Grace B, William C, Joshua L and Bailey M. The number of Triathlon teams we are able to enter each year is dependent on the number of competent bike riders available for selection. A most positive aspect in this year s teams was the number of bike riders in Year 7 and 8. To ensure Calrossy Anglican School continues to be represented in both the teams and individual event at the NSW All Schools I encourage any interested athletes to contact me and our Triathlon coach will be able to give tuition in all facets on the Triathlon, including the bike. Tamworth and surrounding areas conduct many Triathlon competitions and the opportunity to compete at a number of levels is readily available. Thank you to Mrs Suckling, Mr McDonald and Mr Hetherington for accompanying the team to Triathlon. Mark Gallienne Director of Sport EQUESTRIAN BROW BANDS Forms for the purchase of Equestrian Team Browbands are available from Mrs Sarah Chaffey at Reception. The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 10

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14 Anglicare Northern Inland (ANI) is a ministry of the Anglican Diocese of Armidale. Among other services, it provides an amazing set of well-being courses. We would like our school community to be aware of this education program as part of our welfare program. ANGLICAN CHURCH SERVICE TIMES Oxley Vale Anglican Community Church Sundays 8:00am, 10:00am Oxley Vale Public School Manilla Rd TAMWORTH ovacc@internode.on.net St John s East Tamworth Saturday 6:00pm, Sunday 8:30am, 10:30am 102 Carthage Street TAMWORTH stjohnstamworth@bigpond.com St Paul s West Tamworth Sundays 8:00am, 10:00am, 6:00pm 18 Church Street WEST TAMWORTH stpaulstamworth@internode.on.net St Peter s South Tamworth Saturday 5:00pm, Sunday 8:15am, 10:15am, 6:00pm Cnr Kathleen & Vera Streets TAMWORTH stpeters@northnet.com.au, St Luke s Loomberah Sundays 9:00am Duri-Dungowan Road, Loomberah St Michael s Westdale Sundays 9:00am (1st and 3rd Sunday of the month) Marathon Street, Westdale The William Tell 14 March 2014 Page 14