Week 3, Term 1, 2025 | Friday 14 February

Student Leadership at Canterbury College 

Earlier this term we had the great pleasure of inducting our Year 6 and 9 school leaders. This followed our Year 12 prefect team being inducted at the end of the 2024 school year, ready for them to step into their roles right from the earliest moments of 2025. 

Student leadership at Canterbury College plays a crucial role in shaping the overall school experience, providing our students with unique opportunities to grow both personally and academically. Taking on leadership roles within our school community, whether through prefect positions, house captains, or involvement in student-run initiatives like our Student Parliament, allows students to develop essential skills that go beyond the curriculum. 

At Canterbury, student leaders are empowered to take initiative, guide their peers, and create a positive, inclusive environment. This fosters a sense of responsibility and pride in their school, encouraging others to contribute and make a difference. Being a student leader here means more than just holding a title; it’s about setting an example of integrity, respect and teamwork for fellow students. 

We value the idea of student leadership as an avenue for personal growth. Student leaders are also given the platform to lead meaningful school projects and events, reinforcing their ability to collaborate and inspire positive change within the Canterbury community. Ultimately, student leadership at Canterbury College is about developing strong, confident young people who contribute to a vibrant school culture and prepares our graduates to be ‘World Ready’. 

If you would like to know more about the Student Leadership program at the school, there are several key staff who would be more than happy to support you in answering questions, or working with your child to help them think about becoming involved in a leadership opportunity. In the Junior School, do not hesitate in reaching out to our Assistant Head of JS Years 4-6, Andrew Powell or our Coordinator of Community and Service Learning Years P-6, Joelene Anderson. In the Senior School, our Director of Student Development, Amanda von Kanel is your best contact. Heads of House and the Assistant Head of Senior School, Tory Mills are also great people to support you. 

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
– John C. Maxwell, American Leadership Expert, Author, Speaker and Pastor 

More Info: MyCC News OR Website News

Rites of Passage and Outdoor Education

This week saw the first of our Outdoor Education camps for 2025, with our Year 10s heading to Emu Gully in the Lockyer Valley (photos below). Later this term, our Year 7s will head to Kenilworth in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, and throughout the year, there will be similar experiences for other year levels in Senior School.

At Canterbury, we believe strongly in the value of these programs, and the opportunities they present to provide valuable learning experiences for our students, that cannot be achieved during the conventional school day. One such example is creating ‘Rites of Passage’ for our students, which celebrate important milestones in their personal growth, while marking the transitions they are making in their school journey.

In his book, ‘The Making of Men’, Dr Arne Rubenstein highlights that Rites of Passage in one form or another have been an important element in most human civilisations throughout history and across the world. The characteristics they were seeking to develop in their young people reflected the values of their specific culture, and the role these young people were expected to play in that community.

Interestingly, there were some very consistent characteristics to these ceremonies, even though they originated from different places around the world. These characteristics were:

• Separation – Where the young people were apart from the rest of the community for a period of time.

• Transition – A time where some community values would be passed on. This often involved a challenge where the young people had to overcome fears or difficulties. And finally, the community elders would acknowledge the young person’s individual gifts.

• Return – Where the community recognised and celebrated the completed transition.

Dr Rubenstein notes that in contemporary society, often these rites have been devalued or discontinued to the extent where youth feel the need to invent their own Rites of Passage, which can involve significant risk-taking.

So led by Mr Marraiya, our Canterbury team is reviewing our camp programs and seeking to gradually incorporate ceremonial elements into our Outdoor Education, and develop healthy Rites of Passage which:

1. Promote healthy family and school community relationships
2. Develop key life skills
3. Promote good physical and mental health
4. Recognise the talents and gifts of each student and encourage them to develop them
5. Provide support through the critical transitions from childhood to adolescence to adulthood.

We are excited about the opportunities this presents for helping our already wonderful students negotiate their challenging adolescent years and become flourishing adults.

More Info: MyCC News OR Website News 

2025 Music Camp and Junior School Musical 

Performing Arts at Canterbury has enjoyed an active start to 2025. Before the school year began, 85 Senior School students attended the annual Music Camp from January 24-26 at QCCC Brookfield. The camp included rehearsals for bands, orchestras, choirs and rock ensembles, along with time to catch up with friends and enjoy their own Talent Show. This year’s camp was one of our best, setting up our music groups for a successful year of performances. 

This Week 3 marks the second week of rehearsals for our Music and Dance ensembles. The Performing Arts Centre and Junior School Dance and Music Rooms are buzzing with activity before and after school most days. It’s great to see so many students from both Junior and Senior School participating in the Performing Arts. If students haven’t joined an activity yet, it’s certainly not too late. 

At the Week 2 Junior School Assembly, I announced that early in Term 3, we are bringing the musical ‘Frozen KIDS’ to Canterbury. This production is a fantastic opportunity for Years 4-6 students to be part of a musical, with many roles available for actors, singers and dancers. More information will be available on MyCC soon.

Growth Mindset and Processing the School Day 

As parents, we all want our children to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. One powerful way to support their development is by fostering a growth mindset. The work of Carol Dweck illustrates that encouraging a growth mindset in children can lead to remarkable improvements in their resilience and overall wellbeing. 

Studies highlight that children who adopt a growth mindset are more likely to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. This positive outlook helps them develop a stronger sense of self-efficacy and confidence in their abilities. 

One practical way to nurture a growth mindset is through simple everyday discussions, such as talking about the school day with your child. Instead of asking the generic: “What did you do at school today?” resulting in common responses such as “nothing,” it is helpful to ask specific, yet open-ended questions. Framing questions in a positive way will also assist in children learning to look for the good in everyday, which is vital for developing an optimistic outlook and good mental health. 

Incorporating growth mindset principles into daily conversations can also help children process their emotions and experiences more effectively. When they encounter difficulties, make a mistake, or endure consequences for behavioural choices, remind them that challenge is a natural part of learning. Support your child to own their choice and think about what they would do next time. When blame, excuses and deflection come into the conversation, children miss the learning opportunity, and inevitably the behaviour reoccurs.

Additionally, it’s essential to model a growth mindset yourself. Share your own experiences of overcoming challenges and learning from mistakes. This demonstrates that growth is a lifelong journey and that everyone, regardless of age, can develop their abilities. Celebrate their efforts and progress, no matter how small, to reinforce the idea that growth is achievable.

For more tips on supporting your child to process the school day, please see Judith Locke’s video: Reconnecting at the end of a school day by clicking here.

2025 Student Theme: ‘Be The Voice’

As School Captains, we had the pleasure of collaborating with the Prefect team to create our 2025 Student Theme: ‘Be the Voice’. This theme, which has already started spreading throughout the school, encapsulates the message that every student has the chance to lead, and create an impact in their community, big or small.

We urge each student in our community to ‘Be the Voice’ of encouragement, pride, kindness, strength and support, in every aspect of their school lives. We believe it is important that students know that everyone is different, but each person’s unique abilities and gifts are important. We all have something different to offer and each contribution is valuable.

In Week 1 we congratulated our newly inducted Year 6 and Year 9 Student Leaders. At this special Assembly, we also shared the message of ‘Be the Voice’ and spoke with our peers and various staff to gain some insights into how we can all show leadership.

2025 is the year for every student to remember that you all can make a difference, and a title does not define your ability to lead. We have attached a video below from the recent Student Leaders Investiture Ceremony, which focuses on all the important points surrounding leadership.

Year 1 CaRE: Character and Resilience Education

For the last few weeks, the Year 1 cohort has been exploring the College Values of Integrity, Respect, Gratitude and Effort. Each class has created a ‘Class Charter’ of agreed ways that we can show these Values in the classroom and playground. As part of this exploration, the students have identified that while we may look different, enjoy different things, need different learning tools, or speak differently, that we are like a jigsaw puzzle. And when all of our different ‘pieces’ come together, we are able to create something great! 

We also recognised that while there are differences, there are some things that are the same. One of these things is the ability to make choices. Using our Bridge Builder resources, the students are learning that they can choose friendly or conflict choices. The students engaged in playing games to identify what friendly and conflict choices look like in the classroom and the playground. 

By teaching this common language throughout the Junior School, it supports students to be able to discuss social conflict concerns when they arise, and also begin to take responsibility for their own choices when something goes wrong. Empowering students to identify and resolve conflict is essential to developing confident, compassionate and resilient adults. 

For more information on Year 1 CaRE, please log onto your Bridge Builders parent login sent via email.

Year 6 RaVE

Year 6 RaVE lessons have commenced with students sharing what RaVE means to them, while showing respect to each student’s background and experiences. Students have also re-familiarised themselves with all the elements of the Bible, focusing on the purpose and differences between the Old and New Testaments. 

There has been rich and in-depth discussions around the purpose and value of the Bible, and how messages within the Bible can still be applied to our lives today. In coming weeks, we are moving our attention to studies about the values of Easter, including the significance of Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday during Lent.

Year 8 RaVE

It’s hard to believe that this time last year, our Year 8s were only just embarking on their high school journey as new Year 7s, receiving their House Badges at our annual Canterbury College St John’s Cathedral City Service. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful events throughout the year, which strengthen our ties to the school, our Houses and to each other. 

This spirit of Community is the focus of our work in Year 8 RaVE this term. We explore the Canterbury Values and consider how these are lived each day in our school. We also examine the role religious values can have in shaping a person, by looking at different Christians across history who have made major impacts. 

The Year 8s end the course with a presentation about a local hero who serves their community. It is heartening for students to see so many different role models giving back to their communities – in faith groups, charity work, sporting clubs, emergency services and more. It reminds our students that they too can make a positive difference in people’s lives in a myriad of ways.

REMINDER: TAS Sport Terms 1 & 2, MyCC, Clipboard and Co-Curricular Schedules 

A quick reminder for all families about our co-curricular programs, with our Senior School girls’ teams now playing basketball, football (soccer) and tennis, while the boys’ teams are playing cricket and volleyball. 

This Week 3 our Term 2 activities are opening on Clipboard for students to nominate for girls’ hockey or netball, and boys’ rugby or tennis, with pre-season training commencing soon. All sport nominations are submitted through Clipboard which can be accessed via MyCC here. Both MyCC and Clipboard highlight training times, venues and fixture information. 

Parents and students need to join both the Senior Sport MyCC page, and the relevant individual sport pages, to receive all relevant information. Please see our summary video here which includes a section on how to join groups on MyCC. 

There are so many options for students to join, that we are creating a Student Co-Curricular Menu, to assist families to navigate them all. This document gives a snapshot of the daily training or rehearsals, and student development schedules – including venues, and the coordinator or staff member overseeing each activity. 

Again I encourage all our athletes and families to represent the true Canterbury Taipans spirit, by showing commitment, support and sportsmanship throughout 2025. 

Term 1, 2025 Co-Curricular Schedule – Junior School  |  Term 1, 2025 Co-Curricular Schedule – Senior School

Dear Parents and Carers, 

We want to find out what’s important to you. So we kindly request your participation in an important longitudinal survey conducted each year by ISQ: Independent Schools Queensland. 

The ‘What Parents Want’ Survey examines the decision-making process parents and carers undertake when choosing an independent school, including: cultural influences, family and friends, online and offline information, and a whole myriad of other factors like reputation, distance, student wellbeing and academic results. All parents and carers are welcome to complete this valuable survey – especially new parents and carers, and those sending their children to Prep or Year 7. 

Please click here to start the survey, which takes 15-20 minutes, and closes on Monday 24 March 2025.

Parents & Carers Guide To Canterbury’s Communication Channels

It’s important that our parents and carers stay easily connected with Canterbury College, and kept fully informed about the school, through our various communications channels. So here is a quick and easy summary of our communications platforms: MyCC, Parent Lounge, Clipboard, the Canterbury College App, Canterbury Taipans App and our College Social Media.

More Info: MyCC News OR Website News

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