Jottings

Edgecliff Mascot

From hundreds of entries, Edgecliff’s new School mascot was selected and announced at the first Assembly of 2023. ‘Wisey’ was creatively designed by Thomas Lange (6G), then brought to (larger than) life. The owl represents the passion for learning at Edgecliff, as well as being a reminder of our core values: Respect, Curiosity, Honesty, and Resilience, and the courage to live out these values each day.

Australia Day Honours

Major (AAC) Warren Cree AFSM OAM was listed in the Australia Day Honours List 2023 for an Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for his commitment to the RFS Northern Beaches District. Warren and his family are all involved as RFS volunteers and salaried officers.

Scouts

I was nine years old when a friend dragged me along to a Scout meeting with the promise of a campfire and snacks. While I went along, I remained reluctant, expecting an afternoon of knot tying, wood whittling and merit-badge earning. Instead, I found a community which I have remained a part of for nearly eight years.

Throughout my time, I’ve been exposed to opportunities and experiences I would never have been able to access elsewhere, including flying a glider, learning to sail for free, and exploring Adelaide as part of a ten-day camp held in South Australia with ten thousand other Scouts from across the world.

The most important aspect of my time within Scouts, however, has been the chance to be completely independent, selforganised and self-led. Last December, I was fortunate enough to find a small group of boys in my year willing to accompany me on a hike near Wondabyne, without any adult input or supervision. The sense of freedom that comes from having no adult leader acting as a safety net, (as is the case in Duke of Edinburgh hikes or Cadets) provided me with an unparalleled perspective on life outside of school.

Since February of 2020, I’ve been helping out at my local Cubs group and it has been extremely rewarding to assist and guide them as they experience activities such as fishing, campfire cooking, and rock climbing for the first time.

I found that Scouts allowed me to connect with my local community through various forms of volunteer work, as well as learn skills that are profoundly valuable in life.

Samadhi Patradoon (VI)

Flute Society Eisteddfod

Competing against tertiary and high school pupils, Harvey Abrahams (VI) won the Open Championship section of the Flute Society of NSW Eisteddfod in September 2022. He also won the Intermediate Championship section.

The prize money totaling $900 was an exciting surprise! Harvey is featured with Ms Janet Webb, President of The Flute Society of NSW.

End of year charity collection

Barnardos Australia is a leading children’s charity, committed to supporting Australia’s most vulnerable children and their families.

At the end of 2022, all boys at College Street purchased gift cards and collected these in their Tutorials to donate to Barnardos Gifts for Kids programme. We are thankful for the efforts of the boys.

The combined contribution was once again gratefully received by Barnardos and we hope it will make a positive difference to some young lives at the end of 2022.

Nude Your Food

Edgecliff’s first Nude Your Food competition day is one of many ways the School’s Green Team are promoting the lowering of our collective ‘waste footprint’. Nude Food is simply food that is not wrapped in foil, plastic, or commercial packaging. The best type of nude food consists mainly of fresh food, so that it is healthy and nutritious, and environmentally friendly. The boys were encouraged to pack their own lunchbox, to make conscious choices, and to think about their impact on the environment. Pictured are recipients for the winning house, McCallum.

Let us play!

It was with unabashed enthusiasm that we at the St Ives Preparatory Parents’ Association witnessed the inaugural play on the new primary playground equipment. It has been a privilege for us to work on this project in conjunction with the School. Considerable funds raised over the years were directed to this much needed upgrade, which each pupil shall no doubt utilise at some point.

Ms Stana Faulkner St Ives Parents’ Association President

St Ives relay team success

The St Ives Preparatory relay teams enjoyed an outstanding athletics season, with both the junior and senior teams performing exceptionally well in 2022. St Ives was the only school in the state to have both teams reach the NSWPSSA Final (for a second year in a row), a testament to the dedication and hard work shown by the eight boys who represented the School.

The Junior team, consisting of Jayden Chong, Lachlan Cleavely- Millwood, Harry McBurney, and James Xin, performed exceptionally well, placing first at the CIS Carnival and fourth in the state at the NSWPSSA Carnival.

The junior relay team

The Senior team, made up of Arlando Bell, Leon Goh, Michael Song, and Harvey Todd also put in an outstanding performance, securing second at the CIS Carnival and second in the state at the NSWPSSA Carnival.

The boys’ lunchtime training sessions during Terms III and IV paid off, with team work and camaraderie being key factors in their success. This phenomenal achievement has set a high bar for future teams to follow, and we are excited to build on this success in 2023.

The 2023 St Ives Preparatory Athletics Carnival will be held at the end of Term II, with the School Pathway Carnivals commencing in mid-Term III.

The senior relay team

Vale Kevin McCaskill

Kevin McCaskill joined the staff of Sydney Grammar School in 1970, after a number of years as a tutor in Modern History at the University of Sydney. As Kevin himself admitted, he found the going difficult in his early years at the School. However, he found his feet and became one of the most popular masters at the School.

When Mr Mackerras expanded the number of Tutor Groups, Kevin was appointed as Tutor of Group 16. The boys in that group affectionately referred to Kevin as ‘The Chief’. In his Valete in the 1994 Sydneian, Ray Popple commented that Kevin was highly regarded by the members of his Group, which he ran,“...with his characteristic enthusiasm and care for the boys”. That enthusiasm also characterised his classroom manner. His lessons were thoroughly prepared and full of the most up-to-date research. Many of you will know that he usually arrived at school before sunrise to ensure that he was properly prepared for the day ahead.

In 1989 Kevin was appointed one of the inaugural Housemasters. It was here that, as Ray Popple wrote: “His dedication to his House was second to none. All his Tutors marvelled at his detailed knowledge of … every boy in KBM and his concern for their welfare. His House Meetings bore the fruit of the seemingly endless hours of preparation Kevin did … Parents will recall the tremendous KBM House picnics … Kevin went to great lengths to get all the parents to attend in what became a true extravaganza”.

Kevin also coached cricket, was part of the library staff, was stage manager for a number of drama productions, including Neil Smith’s memorable production of The Alchemist, winner of the NSW School’s Drama Competition, and he founded the Gourmet Food Society. He also served as Secretary to the Common Room for many years. On relinquishing his role as a Housemaster, Kevin became a Lower School Form Master, and he showed the same enthusiasm as before.

He retired at the end of 2003 and continued to live quietly in the old family home in Lindfield with his music, books and a number of long-standing friends for company.

On Wednesday 22 March, Dr Senthorun Raj (OS 2006) visited the School to speak with the Pride Club. Sen is a law professor at Manchester University specialising in human rights issues. He has previously worked in government relations and law reform as the Senior Policy Advisor for the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby in Australia. He is currently the chair of Amnesty International UK. He was in Sydney for the LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Conference on March 1–3. Sen shared with the boys some memories of his time at Grammar as well as his passion for human rights issues.

Dr Senthorun Raj spoke to the Pride Club

On Friday 24 February, Pride cookies were sold at the School with the profits donated to Twenty10, a charity supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. Uniforms and clothing were adorned with rainbow stickers.

SGN’s House Meeting welcomed the Director of Programming and Operations from the Sydney Mardi Gras, Mr PJ Gahan. He gave an outline of the origins and history of Mardi Gras, talked about what it means for the Progress Pride flag to be flying above the School and encouraged the boys to support each other and speak out if they witness something that isn’t right.

Pride cookies sold to raise funds for LGBTQIA+ youth

Back to Edgecliff Day

‘Old’ Edgecliff boys were invited back to connect with classmates and class teachers over some afternoon tea, with the post-COVID return of ‘Back to Edgecliff Day’. Pictured are College Street boys catching up with their Preparatory School Spanish Teacher, Mr Salva Esteve Verdejo.

Science Fair

Budding scientists from Edgecliff K–6 chose to design and present their own model, practical experiment, or investigation. Boys used their learning from class lessons or selected an area of passion to showcase. Volcanic eruptions, rollercoasters, ‘Elephant Toothpaste’ and the old favourite of ‘Coke and Mentos’ were some of the endeavours on display.

Library Lovers’ Month

Edgecliff boys love to read, with the Library being one popular place. Library Lovers’ Month was celebrated throughout February, being dedicated to those who love libraries – whole buildings devoted to reading. Each day, a giant calendar revealed a staff member’s ‘most-loved’ book. Other activities involved ‘meet a new book’, literary lunches, the introduction of a staff book club, and reading was enjoyed by all!

Photo by Anne Morphett

Ken Davis speaks at Pride Club

The activist and historian, Ken Davis, spoke to Pride Club on 9 November 2022 about the 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras, his high school experience and queer identities.

In 1968 the birth of the civil rights movement, as well as the fight for women’s rights and legal recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, influenced a new era for gay liberation. Ken, along with a coalition of gay and lesbian groups, organised this mobilisation for homosexual law reform in solidarity with the 1969 Stonewall riots. He elaborated on the radicalisation and political discussion relevant to pupils of his generation during high school, and on the lack of protection for an increasingly diverse population. The queer identity rose to prominence, which adopted sexuality as a political construction that included intersex, drag kings and queens, as well as transsexuals and transvestites. Being “gay” meant recognising homosexual oppression and viewing it as a political concern.

Continuing to fight for the rights of all LGBTQIA+ people, the Mardi Gras retains colourful, performative visibilities and serves as a beacon for human rights.

Short film achievement

Tipping Point, a short film created by Sasha Danko (VI), was a finalist at the 2022 Short+Sweet Film Festival in Sydney. Tipping Point deals with the complicated relationship between a young boy and his father who is set in his ways – insisting on the only thing he is interested in; reading. The short film follows the nuances of this relationship as the boy longingly hears kids playing outside while he is trapped inside with his father who never even looks up at him.

Mime-O-Rama

Mr Dennis Clare, a renowned mime artist from ‘Mime-O-Rama’, entertained our Grammar boys in the most unexpected way.

He used giant, but incredibly mobile, slinkies inhabited by silent yet sociable characters. The performance was interactive allowing the boys to actively engage with the artist. We were shown that the world of mime allows us to open up our imagination and realise that there is so much more to communicating than just the language we speak.

CBCA Forum 2022

Lucian Samuels, Asher Raphael and Alex Austin Evans (all Form III) represented the school at a Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Week forum held at Ravenswood in August 2022. The event was moderated by Mr Paul Macdonald and the boys all spoke articulately and passionately on the young adult novels, which were the focus for the forum. It was a wonderful opportunity to encourage the joy of reading and we are looking forward to fostering many such events in future.

Australian Open Tennis Tour

Grammar boys ventured to Melbourne for the Australian Open Tennis Tour in January. In addition to practicing on local courts, the boys were able to attend the opening day festivities of the Australian Open, tour the Melbourne Cricket Ground, take a guided walk around Melbourne CBD, as well as hear from an Olympian athlete about their sporting experiences.

Special thanks to Mr John Rimmer, Head Coach Mr Fernando Ibarrola and Mr David Garth for accompanying the boys and making the trip possible.