Published on: 20 June 2024

  • Music across the School
  • Students compete in Olympic trials
  • New concussion guidelines

The Christ Church community is currently enjoying two weeks of exceptional musical performances. On Monday evening, our talented musicians performed at Ellington’s Jazz Club. Known for its rich musical heritage, the venue provided the perfect setting for an unforgettable night of jazz. The audience was treated to a mix of classic standards and innovative compositions, showcasing the incredible skill and creativity of our performers. This Sunday, our Rock Workshop musicians will perform at the Rosemount Hotel for the eagerly awaited Rock at Rosemount. This annual event is a favourite among students and promises to be a memorable afternoon, with performers from Years 3 to 12 showcasing the extensive range of musical talent at our school. Next Tuesday, our Preparatory School music ensembles will perform at the Prep Winter Concert. This is always a wonderful evening, with our youngest musicians demonstrating the skills they’ve learnt over the past two terms. I encourage those who are available to attend Rock at Rosemount and the Prep Winter Concert in support of our performers.

Three of our students recently competed at the Olympic trials in Brisbane, delivering outstanding performances against some of the fastest swimmers in the country. Sean Alcorn (Year 12), Jackson Anderson (Year 11), and Sam Hicks (Year 11) faced a highly competitive field, which swimming legend Ian Thorpe described as the best Australia has ever had at an Olympics.

The All Schools Cross Country event is taking place today, with our team tackling a challenging 4km course. Last week, our team continued their undefeated streak, achieving a resounding victory in the All Schools 5 x 3 km relay. I encourage anyone interested to come down and support the runners.

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) recently released a new Health Position Statement on concussion and brain health, which has been endorsed by the Public Schools Association (PSA). This endorsement comes with the Australian Concussion Guidelines for Youth and Community Sport. According to these guidelines, if a student is diagnosed with a concussion, they are not allowed to participate in any PSA competitions for at least twenty-one days from the time of the injury. Moreover, they must be symptom-free for at least fourteen days before they can resume playing. This policy applies to both contact and non-contact sports. At Christ Church, safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our students is of utmost importance, and we wholeheartedly support these guidelines.

Yesterday, our Year 6 students attended the Building Good Men Breakfast where they were treated to a presentation from our Year 12 Prefects. Our oldest students shared insights into life in the Senior School and reflected on their personal academic journeys. It was wonderful to see these young men inspire their Year 6 peers.

The 5th On Queenslea Drive (OQD) program for 2024 concludes this weekend with the graduation of our Year 9 Romsey students. This unique Rites of Passage program is led by our new Head of OQD, Chris Miles, alongside a dedicated team of staff, including old boys. Our OQD offering is nationally recognised as a leader in its field, with our students often citing it as a highlight of their time at Christ Church.

Alan Jones
Principal