College News 2025 - Term 1 Week 10

From the Headmaster

From the Heads of School

Request for Student Volunteers - Open Day - Sunday, 18 May

As you would already be aware, due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, Open Day has been rescheduled to Term 2. It will now be held on Sunday, 18 May from 9am - 12pm.

If you have a son in Secondary School, he will have been sent a message from the College on Highlands asking him to sign up to volunteer on Open Day.

This is an important event for the College, allowing us to share the spirit of the Green, White, and Black with the broader Brisbane community. It is also a chance for your son to seize a leadership opportunity, extend himself beyond his usual routine, and showcase his talents. If you believe your son can make a difference on the day, we would appreciate your encouragement. He has been encouraged to fill out a Microsoft Form, outlining his availability on the day and preferences by Monday, 28 April.

Any students who volunteer on the day will be provided a free morning tea, served in the Boarding House Dining Room. 

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If you know of any families considering sending their son to BBC and they would like to attend Open Day, please direct them to www.bbc.qld.edu.au/open-day-2025 to register their attendance. Only prospective families are requested to register their attendance.

If you are a Junior School family who is interested in finding more about the Secondary School, we encourage you to join us on the day and explore everything on offer in the Secondary School.

Easter - From a Child’s Perspective

Little Philip, born with Down Syndrome, attended a third-grade Sunday School class with several eight-year-old boys and girls. Typical of that age, the children did not readily accept Philip with his differences. But because of a creative teacher, they began to care about Philip and accept him as part of the group, though not fully.

The Sunday after Easter, the teacher brought Leggs pantyhose containers, the kind that look like large eggs. Each receiving one, the children were told to go outside on that lovely spring day, find some symbol for new life, and put it in the egg-like container.

Back in the classroom, they would share their new-life symbols, opening the containers one by one in surprise fashion. After running about the church property in wild confusion, the students returned to the classroom and placed the containers on the table.

Surrounded by the children, the teacher began to open them one by one. After each one, whether flower, butterfly, or leaf, the class would ooh and ahh. Then, one was opened, revealing nothing inside.

The children exclaimed, “That’s stupid. That’s not fair. Somebody didn’t do their assignment.” Philip spoke up, “That’s mine.”

“Philip, you don’t ever do things right!” the student retorted. “There’s nothing there!” “I did so do it,” Philip insisted. “I did do it. It’s empty. the tomb was empty!” Silence followed. From then on, Philip became a full member of the class.

He died not long afterwards ... At the funeral, this class of eight-year-olds marched up to the altar, not with flowers but with their Sunday school teacher, each to lay on it an empty pantyhose egg.

• Christianity Today, Leadership Journal, Summer 1985

Recently, I was watching a television quiz show. When they got to the last ‘1%’ question, I was thinking about it in all the complicated and difficult ways I could imagine. Feeling flat, I couldn’t come up with the answer. When they revealed it to everyone, I cried out, “Ahhh!” because the solution was not complex at all. It was quite straightforward.

I think Philip understood that about the empty tomb. The simple solution is that Jesus came back to life and walked out of it – and because of that, there is a living hope for the people of the world.

Mr Stephen Ward
COLLEGE CHAPLAIN

Co-Curricular | Culture and Enrichment

Pipe Band

A huge congratulations to our three Pipe Bands who competed at the Wynnum RSL Pipe Band Competition on Saturday.

We were very happy with our performance level, especially with this being our first competition of the season. It was so great to see so many new faces playing for the first time.

As you’ll see below, the boys achieved some excellent results, and we are very proud of them.

Development Grade

• 1st Brisbane Boys College No 3
• Drums Brisbane Boys College No 3
• Dress Brisbane Boys College No 3

Novice Juvenile B

• 1st Brisbane Boys' College Number 2
• 2nd Brisbane Boys' College Number 3
• 3rd Qld Police Juvenile Pipes & Drums
• Drums Brisbane Boys' College Number 2
• Dress Brisbane Boys' College Number 2

Novice Juvenile A

• 1st Brisbane Boys College No 1
• Drums Brisbane Boys College No 1
• Dress Brisbane Boys College No 1

4B/Novice Juvenile B Medley

• 1st Brisbane Boys' College Number 2
• 2nd Wynnum RSL Pipe Band
• Drums Brisbane Boys' College Number 2
• Dress N/A

Grade 3

• 1st Brisbane Boys' College Number 1
• 2nd BBC Old Collegians Pipe Band
• Drums Brisbane Boys' College Number 1
• Dress Brisbane Boys' College Number 1

Inter-School Christian Fellowship

Sign Up for the Breakfast Launch of the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal

Each year, Brisbane Boys’ College proudly supports The Salvation Army through three key events:

• Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Breakfast Launch – Friday, May 2, 2025
• Visit to Government House for Afternoon Tea with the Governor – Wednesday, May 7, 2025
• College Camp Out – Saturday, May 24, 2025

The Red Shield Appeal Breakfast Launch is an inspiring event held at the Brisbane Convention Centre, where students and parents can learn more about the important work of the Salvation Army. The event starts at 7:00am, but boys must be there by 6:45am for registration. It finishes at 9:00am, but students can leave early to attend their first lesson at school.

This opportunity is open to students in Years 9 to 12 and any interested parents. However, spaces are limited to only 18 boys, and in addition to student spots, we also have availability for a table of nine parents to attend. We encourage early expressions of interest, with the final RSVP deadline set for Tuesday, 29 April.

For more details or to express interest, please email tmcpherson@bbc.qld.edu.au

Ms Kate Albury
HEAD OF CO-CURRICULAR – CULTURE AND ENRICHMENT

Supplies needed for the da Vinci Decathlon

Next term, BBC is hosting the da Vinci Decathlon, one of Australia’s most renowned and competitive academic tournaments. We’re gathering resources to ensure the event is the greatest it can be, and we’d appreciate your help sourcing one very specific kind of item.

If you work at or own a business that uses boxed reams of A4 paper, we’d greatly appreciate it if you could keep the lids and send them along to BBC, either by delivering them to Main Reception or by having your son do the same.

These lids are going to play a key part in the day’s events, so we’re grateful for any you can provide.

We look forward to seeing you at the competition next term as the boys put their skills to the test.

Community Notices

Have you heard about the BBC Care and Concern program?

The Care and Concern program is run by Parent Connections and aims to help BBC families in times of need, including serious illness and bereavement. This support can take a variety of forms, including supplied meals and offers of transport.

The program is always happy to take on new volunteers. To sign up as a volunteer or to reach out for assistance, please contact parentconnections@bbc.qld.edu.au

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