But that’s the norm at Somerset. A combination of talented and enthusiastic teachers, supportive parents and students who want to achieve their own personal success produces activity, energy and wonderful outcomes.
Congratulations to Somerset College teachers and students on the successes of 2017, which merely provide a springboard for more achievement and more development in 2018.
On that note it is very exciting that on Scholars Day the Strategic Plan 2018 to 2022 will be announced. Indeed it is our future. That Strategic Plan was part of a very busy year at Somerset involving collaboration amongst the major stakeholders, teachers, parents, students, and Board members. I will not steal the Headmaster’s thunder before he announces the Strategic Plan. The only hint that I can give is that the Strategic Plan will continue to deliver through specific action items the road map for students’ personal success and global outlook.
It may seem that from a capital expenditure point of view that we have had a fairly quiet year at Somerset as we have not built a new building! Please be assured however, we have been spending a lot of time carefully planning important facilities which will continue to give our students the very best educational and life experience opportunities.
In particular, planning has basically been completed for the Performing Arts Centre which will commence towards the middle of next year. That project began as a refurbishment but has properly developed into a rebuild within and around the existing facility. This facility will provide our college with the highest standard of a performing arts venue right down to the real details of a new stage, fly tower, acoustic treatment throughout the whole of the venue, new technical equipment and a more welcoming, inviting and attractive entry and foyer space. We are also in the final stages of approving the new Design Centre which will provide a building to inspire and house an exciting collaboration of robotics, multi-media, IT and entrepreneurship.
During 2017 we have of course continued to maintain and improve our existing facilities including the ground floor Lamb Building conversion to a new Junior School Reception, offices and staff common room, extensions of the Gallus and Cordner classrooms and renovations, creation of a new Confucius Centre, further improvements and additions to our solar heating system and redevelopment of the Wyangan Oval to allow for a variety of sports including AFL, Rugby and Cricket.
But these are not the only investments that have been made or have been planned. The board encourages and indeed directs the headmaster and the college leadership team to continually explore and develop the best educational curricula and innovative learning programs for our students. This will include the following exciting programs:-
• Enhancement and development of our student wellbeing and positive education programs
• Talent identification in sports, not just identifying the very talented but identifying those students who need encouragement and development in areas where they may think they have no talent
• Building sustainable leadership capacities through dedicated programmes.
Sounds exciting! Please be assured it is well and truly beyond exciting, it is inspiring!
I can confidently report, with the assistance of my amazing Chair of Finance, Belinda Simmons, and the Finance Sub-Committee, that the College finances are both solid and robust. Our College boasts amazing buildings and innovative educational programmes. We are able to proceed with further substantial capital projects only because of careful budgeting and management. We will be able to undertake the Performing Arts Centre rebuild and the new Design Centre without the necessity to borrow further funds.
We always undertake a project that we can afford and which has been carefully planned and fits in with a sustainable financial model.
The Board has a commitment to maintain minimum school fee increases whilst of course prudently taking into account escalating costs. I am happy to announce that even against the backdrop of the significant investments made and continuing to be made in educational facilities and programmes, the fee increase for 2018 will be limited to 3 per cent.
The business profit of Somerset College must be engaged actively for the benefit of this learning environment. You will be please to know that according to all benchmark data for comparable schools our annual capital spending is well within the parameters required to provide the best product. Importantly our debt level both now and as forecast with further capital projects going forward is conservative, comfortably maintained and at levels one third less than comparable schools.
I thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Chair of the Somerset College Board of Directors. Along with my fellow directors we truly understand that to serve on the Board is not an entitlement but a challenging and yet rewarding responsibility.
Board members give their time voluntarily and with great passion and commitment. Just as Somerset does not relax, neither does the Board take for granted the commitment and education needed to perform our role as an effective College Board. Regular Board information seminars are provided in areas such as board governance and risk. As well a substantial involvement in the framing of the new Strategic Plan, the Board undertook this year an independent Board evaluation process involving one on one interviews by an independent facilitator as well as a seminar discussion and consideration of a detailed written report identifying areas in which the Board can provide an even more effective service to Somerset College. The Board has already actioned processes to implement areas of positive change.
Please let me thank my Deputy Chair, Terry Herbert, Chair of Finance, Belinda Simmons, Chair of Governance, Penny Thurnwald, Chair of the Foundation, Bede Young, Peter Trimble, Jason Cordner, Louise Davidson, Neeraj Chadha, Catherine O’Sullivan and Simon Chan. Unfortunately Neeraj Chadha who has been a member of our Board since 2014 has just announced his retirement. Neeraj and his family are taking up an exciting career opportunity overseas and of course whilst we regret his departure with the Board we congratulate him on his very successful career move. Neeraj has provided very sound business and commercial advice to the Board and has always shown a fierce commitment to Somerset College. Thank you Neeraj.
However, whilst I can list so many wonderful attributes of Somerset College the important thing is, are you happy? Are the parents happy, are the students happy? We do our best to carry out surveys and inquiries and we take the feedback and treat it with appropriate action.
I readily recall as a new parent at Somerset, too many years ago to confess to the general Somerset public, the encouragement was always given to parents to give feedback in student diaries and personally. That position has never changed and so I continue to encourage you to talk to Somerset about any concerns and also of course about all the positives! I assure you Somerset cares and Somerset pays attention!
I cannot finish this report without applauding the vision and leadership of the College given by our Headmaster, Craig Bassingthwaighte, our Chief Operating Officer, David Thornton and members of our College Leadership Team. Craig, I thank you and your team and all the teachers and staff for the excellence in all that you do!
Thank you for supporting this wonderful place that is Somerset College. I wish you a holiday and festive season full of joy, happiness and peace.
For all families and friends who came to watch on Wednesday night, I am sure you were greatly impressed!
The highlight of the night was singing Away in a Manger as our encore. Year 1 teachers and students wish all members of the Somerset Community a safe and happy Christmas.
Unfortunately construction around the school saw the tube damaged by earth movers. This then allowed moisture in the, otherwise sealed, container, and so a lot of possessions were damaged.
However, we did retrieve the remnants of Harris Franzman’s miniature cricket bat, Eleanor’s Billy Cart’s wooden name, a prized tile?, Rosie and Issy’s pet rocks from the Tassie trip and various letters written to ‘self’ from 7W.
All in all a few giggles were had
Back in 2015, for Emma, on the day the goods for Hayley’s Cupboard were dropped off at the Crisis Centre it was cold and wet, and she saw first-hand the real meaning of homelessness. That spurred her into action when she decided to organise a blanket drive for the Winter Appeal - it received an outstanding response from everyone. In the same year, with Christmas fast approaching, Emma didn’t stop there. She didn't want these families to not experience a Christmas as she knew it. Over 150 emails were sent out to different companies. She wasn’t sure what sort of response she would receive.
Emma was constantly reminded by her supporters not to be disheartened if she didn't get any responses – well as it turned out, she was inundated with offers from well-known companies like Coca Cola, Darrell Lea, Kmart to Broadbeach Rotary and Bidfood – they all came on board! These companies today still support Emma in her ventures. The time that Emma dedicates to the Surfers Paradise Crisis Centre is truly amazing. She’s even managed to turn her parent’s shopfront into a point of call for donations to be passed on not only for Christmas or the winter months but for their day to day needs that we all take for granted.
Recently, Emma was nominated not once but twice by local organisations for her achievements and contributions to her community. Emma will be one of many local legends who will share the dream and carry the Queen’s Baton with pride in the Commonwealth Games Relay on the same day that the Games are opened. Emma’s service actions inspire others to be great.
The group spoke with confidence and enthusiasm, impressing members of the Gold Coast business community, who were in attendance. A College parent at the event summed up the girls' presentation as follows:
"The Bond University Demo Day provided Lilly, Katisha and Montana an amazing opportunity to pitch their School Run entrepreneurial project. What an interesting and exciting evening it was! I was impressed with the eloquence and confidence with which the girls pitched their business idea and interacted with other business developers and Bond University staff and alumni. It was a very good opportunity for the girls to hone their public speaking and networking skills as well as meet people who may be able to help them with the development of their product."
The girls are working with Blue Lens Consulting to develop their School Run business as a result of winning the Bond University Turbo Charged Startup Course in Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition at the Somerset Celebration of Entrepreneurship. Thanks again to the Somerset Alumni Association for providing the girls with $3000 in seed capital to start their business.
This year there were over 9000 students across Australia and New Zealand entered in our Year 7 and 8 divisions, with individual prizes going to students in the top 25 per cent or better.
Year 7
Special Achievement/Encouragement award: Lauren Chan
Top 25%: Aaron Lim, Anna Georgeson, Keanu Matsuura
Top 10%: Nathalie Brown, Kei Naito
Year 8
Special Achievement/Encouragement award: Andre Vasquez
Top 25%: Giulia Provenzano, Anna Hori
Top 10%: Tris Zhou, Momoe Gondo, Chloe Ming
Top 2%: Roy Hsu, Vincent Chen, Miku Adachi
The Year 8 team did particularly well this year and were second in Queensland.
The attainment band is awarded as follows:
Grade Three
Grade Two
Grade One
Initial
Grade One
From the beginning of the season, every one of the girls have improved significantly. Although all girls were worthy of receiving an award, the MVP award went to Jessica Nguyen for her skill level coming from a background in Soccer. The Effort & Commitment award went to Xiaoxiao Wang, for always trying her best. She is a great asset to have in the ruck and puts the team at an advantage.
Overall the girls had a great season and are looking forward to the 2018 season!
The tournament will feature current US Open Singles Champions Sloane Stephens and Rafael Nadal. Somerset College is one of only two schools in the state to have a team qualify in each section. Last year’s Runners up in the Orange event will be competing for a third straight year, only this time in the Green Ball event. In all, sixteen players will be representing the School in the State finals from January 4th to 7th. We would like to wish all the competitors the best of luck.
I would like to congratulate Jack Newman and Luke Buker for their success over the weekend in winning the Gold Coast Closed tournament in the U12 doubles. Both boys will be playing in the Green Ball the Brisbane International Schools’ Challenge.
Merry Christmas!
You see Kronos devoured his son for fear of being supplanted by him, and Kronos is also held to be a personification of time. Both of these elements of the myth are relevant here. For time is against one side of the Staff/Student Cricket contest, and sickeningly on the side of the other. The other element of the myth involves our metaphoric cricket sons (for what is the coach’s role but a cranky and ineffective father figure) supplanting us in the arena of cricket. Hence, we must devour them – in our case, humbling them on the cricket field.
Our campaign to do this very thing began with us assuming our prerogative and choosing whether to bat or bowl first – we chose batting.
Dave Hinze and I opened, and withstood some withering pace from Kai and Goldie. Our running between wickets was about as swift as treacle running of a spoon in Mawson’s Hut. We compensated for this by interposing our considerable bulks between the fielders and the wickets, casting a pall over the stumps, as well as the long tradition of the game itself. We were soon bowled after putting on some runs, and then the dangerman of Brad Cates was also dismissed in a like manner, with Stu Proctor following soon after. The students by this stage had a sniff of a rout as profound as the Italian army’s at Corporetto.
They counted not on our engine room. Troy Zernicke was one half of the Araldite, with Damien Healy and Gappies, Mitch and Liam, providing the other. Andrew Halloran was the corroded nail that mixed them together.
In the end we put on an intimidating 156 off our 26 overs, with Troy Z remaining not out with 40 something.
At this stage our jackboot was on the throat of the students, metaphorically enacting the fantasy of many a teacher – although not at Somerset. We unleashed our opening four bowlers like the blasts of the dark side of the Force from the Emperor in Return of the Jedi. Brad Cates was fearsome, and Ross Keefer, Michael Bray and Damien Healy gave little away. Ross’ over-the-shoulder catch to dismiss the dangerous Goldie was perhaps a game-changer.
We continued applying the pressure by drawing on our Gappies. Their excellent bowling more than made up for our resentment of their youth. Stuart also bowled well and the rest of our bowlers acquitted themselves well. Jack Cerutti owes a debt to the game of cricket by allowing me to temporarily think I can bowl when he charged the only ball I’ve ever turned in my life to be stumped.
Michael Guy stabilised a teetering student order, but after a few more wickets, the staff were chirping. That chirping soon resembled a canary’s in a particularly methane-rich coalmine when James Guy turned the tide. His batting, ably assisted by Will Lynch, was a thing to watch – in terms of pluck and beauty. In the end, it was not enough, and the teachers won the day, adding their name to the trophy that now marks the tenth year of this contest. I certainly felt it when I had to be helped up from my knee after holding it for the team photo.
I look forward to this day – the students are great young fellows to be around and play the game in the right spirit, and we all enjoyed out friendly banter. This surely is a microcosmic representation of the strengths of these relationships at the College. Similarly, the camaraderie I feel with my fellow staff is worth sacrificing my dwindling stocks of cartilage.
Thanks go to Mr Bassingthwaighte for his continued patronage of this event, as well as Mr Attoe and Mr Own, who umpired (with varying degrees of competence – just ask Ross Keefer). Bring on the Ashes – a secondary event, to be sure, but cricket is cricket, eh?
Group A focused on investigating the required materials for operating a post-apocalyptic survival kit, whilst Group B investigated the topic Science in the Movies, focusing on Spider-Man and the feasibility of his ability to climb walls. Several meetings occurred to organise the planning of the investigations to overcome the difficulty of incorporating aspects of all three sciences into the investigation.
Group A worked on determining what clothing materials would provide the strongest insulation, and would dry the fastest when submerged in water. Also, Group A focused on finding out what easy to find natural resources would act as the most efficient fuel source. For the determining the best insulation, we wrapped a beaker of boiling water in different fabrics and measured the temperature drop of the water over time. We discovered that fleece had the lowest temperature drop, making it the best insulator. Additionally, after dipping various materials and measuring their masses after they dried, we found that the material that dries the quickest would be made of acetate. Finally, we determined that pine nuts would be the best natural fuel resource, as they had the highest enthalpy.
Group B decided to explore the science within the movie, Spider-Man, in particular, focusing on the feasibility of Spider-Man’s ability to climb and stick on walls. Through the investigation, Group B discovered that Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield), weighing 74kg, would need 54 suction cups to hold his weight in reality. Furthermore, the investigation resulted in the conclusion that suction cups in fact don’t stick onto rough surfaces such as limestone, brick and wood. This disproves Spider-Man's ability to climb on brick buildings!
Overall, this project has allowed the IB students to explore and investigate all of the sciences, giving us a greater understanding of the natural world. Through this experience, we have learnt to work together as a team, share ideas and learn new concepts from our peers. We believe that we have definitely grown closer as a group, and we are grateful for this amazing experience that the IB programme has provided us.
The students only had five school days to prepare and create a solution for a problem that they had brainstormed in the previous week.
Their 'business brief' was to create a company name, logo, mission statement, financial background and prospectus, a code of conduct outlining human rights for their workers, how to lessen the impact on the environment and what charities they were going to support with this new venture.
These were modelled and taught in different subject classes during Term Four so that the students could then use these skills from IAS, Mathematics, Science, English and Design lessons to produce their final presentation.
In teams of mainly three they had to produce four to six slides outlining their company’s product and policies, and present it to the judges. Heats were held to choose two winners in each House who would then progress to the Grand Final in the Performing Arts Centre. Our Guest Judge, Mr Scott Mackintosh from Scooter Hut, accompanied our Year 11 judges who had the very hard task of choosing first, second and third place winners.
The Year 7 Teaching Team would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who made this happen, Mr Oman for the very generous donations of prizes and a Trophy, Mr Moore for organising the Year 11 Judges, Ms Morley –PA preparation, Mrs C McDonald for the company posters Mr Jones, Mr Grocott, Mrs Jordan and Mrs Walker for their immense involvement in ensuring the students had the knowledge and skills to complete this Interdisciplinary Unit of work.
Year 11 Heat Judges: Jimmy Li, Keita Emsden, Esra Cuhardoroglu, Lilly Thomson, Katisha Webb, Montana McFarlane, Tiffany Yuen, Jess Lekich, Jasmine Swift, Shuban, James Walsh, Oliver Leeder and Zoe Steinfort
Year 11 Grand Final Judges: Michael Guy, Jess Lekich, Shuban Krishnan, Tiffany Yuen - Mr Scott Mackintosh-Scooter Hut
A big Thank You to all the Year 7’s who worked very hard together to take advantage of the chance to be imaginative, creative, and experience the workings of the corporate world!
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