Published on: 19 October 2022

  • Farewell Year 12 cohort
  • Year 12 Boarding Farewell Dinner
  • Surf Life Saving program turns 21
  • Free Hockey clinic in Bunbury
  • House Rowing Regatta this Sunday

This week marked the start of the farewell for our Year 12 cohort. Tuesday saw the students enjoy an off-campus morning of fun, and today we held the Assembly in Honour of Year 12 where we announced Dux of School, Joshua Chen, our Non-ATAR Excellence Award winner Thomas Read, and all of our Year 12 prize-winners. Congratulations to all of the boys who have given so much to the School during their journey. It is a time marked with sadness and excitement as the boys look towards exams and the next phase of their lives. The full list of prize-winners can be found here. The celebrations continue this evening with our Valedictory Chapel Service and Dinner.

This morning Captain of School and Vice-Captain of School 2023 were announced – congratulations to Luke Annear and Eddie Vijayasekaran respectively, and we look forward to your leadership next year.

On Tuesday evening the Senior School Art Exhibition was held with large numbers in attendance. I am delighted to share with you the prize winners and congratulate all entrants and winners for their outstanding work. 

Last night was the Year 12 Boarding Farewell Dinner which was a lovely celebration of our boarders and the community that has surrounded them during their Christ Church journey. It was also a momentous occasion for Brad Downing who will conclude his time as Director of Boarding at the end of this year, with Todd Harnwell commencing as Director in 2023. Photos from the evening can be viewed on Nexus.

This week’s beautiful weather was enjoyed by a couple of our Year 5 classes who visited Kooringal. Our Outdoor Education program develops character and skills in the boys through promotion of self-reliance, leadership, teamwork, responsibility, healthy risk taking and environmental care. Some photos of the visits can be found here.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to attending an event for our Surf Life Savings Cadet Unit, as this year we celebrate 21 years of our students’ commitment to the surf movement. This program commenced at the Swanbourne SLSC in the early 2000s and then moved to the North Cottesloe SLSC two years later. This program has so many benefits including the development of cardiovascular fitness and endurance, overall body strength and of course the provision of service to the broader community – something that we encourage with all students.

The School is running a free Hockey Clinic in Bunbury on 13 November. We are fortunate to have Eddie Ockenden leading the clinic. Eddie coached our Firsts Hockey team and is one of three people in the world to have played 400 international hockey games. Together with a number of students and staff we will be on the Bunbury Hockey Turf and running this free community clinic for local hockey enthusiasts. If you are in the area and would like to call in, the clinic runs from 9.00am to 12.00pm. Details can be found here.

This Sunday we have our annual Rowing House Regatta at the River Precinct. Commencing at 8.30am this event includes the House Eights, Challenge Eights, Combined Quad, the 2022 Awards and the announcement of the 2023 group. I look forward to seeing parents and boys on the foreshore for this fun event.

Alan Jones
Principal