College News 2025 - Term 3 Week 5

From the Headmaster

Dear BBC Families,

Term 3 is an interesting time in schools. For our Year 12 students, it marks their final stanza as full-time students in the College, as Term 4 is filled with preparations for and execution of their final examinations. While I firmly stand by the assertion that no student should be defined by their achievement on a single assessment, it is an unfortunate reality of our current matriculation system that these final examinations are very much high-stakes and, as such, bring heightened levels of stress and anxiety. To that end, I was looking over some articles relating to how we can best support our students during this difficult time, and I came across some important work around sleep and how it affects our performance and wellbeing.

Sleep is the gateway through which a life of wellbeing must travel. Recent research indicates that sleep, or lack of it, is now considered one of the most significant factors contributing to health and wellbeing. Sleep is food for the brain. To perform at your best, it has been suggested that you need around eight to ten hours of sleep each night – this is even more significant for the young men in the College.

A sleep deficit affects everything and anything, from someone’s ability to pay attention to their mood. A lack of sleep is also linked to emotional troubles. Adequate sleep, however, helps us remain physically healthy by slowing the body’s systems to reenergise us for the day’s activities ahead.

Harvard Medical School professor Dr David White says sleep restriction studies have shown that performance in the three spheres of attention, memory and executive function all deteriorate substantially when we have not slept enough. To add to this, experts say that during the teenage years, the body’s circadian rhythm is temporarily reset, essentially telling teenagers to go to sleep later and, in turn, wake up later. This may be due to the fact that the brain hormone ‘melatonin’ is produced later at night for teens than it is for younger children or even adults. To that end, the establishment of effective sleeping patterns becomes more significant at this time.

Whilst we may all have our unique routines which assist us to sleep optimally, please find below some simple yet effective strategies that may help you to sleep a little better moving forward:

• Set a regular bedtime routine – sleep should not be negotiated every night, but there should be a consistent marker.
• Exercise regularly – this ensures that our body is physically weary at the end of the day.
• Relax your mind – try guided meditation or relaxation techniques to slow your heart rate and let go of the day's busy nature.
• Avoid stimulants before bedtime.
• Keep the lights low.
• Avoid electronics just before bedtime – this is a significant challenge for young people, but a critical modification to promote adequate sleep.
• Create the right sleeping environment for you.

You can create your own destiny in this space. Schedule ‘sleep’ as a non-negotiable item on your agenda to help you stay creative, healthy and flourishing. Perhaps it is an opportunity to explore the following questions with your family:

1. How much sleep are you getting?
2. What is your bedtime routine?
3. What is your quality of sleep like?
4. What can you do to improve the quality of your sleep?

By engaging in these conversations with our sons and our students, we are providing them with essential skills that will allow them the greatest opportunity to succeed. These lessons are not just pertinent to our eldest students as they embark on their final examinations, but should be part of all young men's journey as they progress through school. Just as with effective study, if we develop effective sleep patterns, our path to wellbeing and ultimate success is more likely to be achieved,

Yours faithfully,

Mr Andre Casson
HEADMASTER

Students must sign in and out of Student Services

Please remind your son that he is required to sign in and out at Student Services when arriving to school late or departing school early. This requirement is in addition to the requirement for parents and guardians to update this information in Parent Lounge. Ensuring students also sign in and out of Student Services helps us maintain accurate attendance records and helps BBC to meet our duty of care requirements.

From the Deputy Headmaster

Dear Parents and Guardians,

BBC offers opportunities for young men that are truly unrivalled. A college where students discover their passions, surround themselves with like-minded peers, find their tribe and are supported to reach their full potential.

As I write from Scotland, watching our truly impressive Pipe Band perform on the global stage, I am filled with immense pride. Our students take to the world with confidence, composure, and integrity, representing our College with passion. Their calm assurance and ability to excel in such high-profile moments speak to the depth of preparation, support, and encouragement they receive.

What is most impressive is that these moments do not happen by chance. Behind every performance, every achievement (academic and co-curricular), are remarkable parents and staff, both here in Scotland and at home in Brisbane, who work tirelessly to ensure our students thrive. Dedicated professionals committed to seeing each student become the very best version of himself.

When asked what defines us as a school, the answer is clear: it is our unrivalled opportunities and the strength of our community. Every student belongs to something greater than himself. He becomes part of a legacy that continues to grow in stature, shaped by the achievements and character of those who have gone before him and those who stand beside him today.

This sense of belonging is more than a feeling; it is imperative for adolescents and creating Gentlemen of Honour. As KidsMatter Australia reminds us, "children who are connected and feel that they belong in the world they inhabit are more likely to develop a strong identity, a positive sense of self, and meaningful relationships with others."

The opportunities we provide are as diverse as they are enriching, whether in the classroom, on the sporting field, in cultural pursuits, or through service to others. Each pathway is designed to inspire curiosity, encourage leadership, and build resilience. Our students are given the tools and experiences they need to step confidently into the world beyond the portals.

Our students are not just good, they are phenomenal. The combination of opportunity, guidance, and belonging shapes them into men of character who will go on to make a positive difference in the world.

Green, white, black!

Warm regards,

Mr Scott Murphy
DEPUTY HEADMASTER

Announcing the Secondary School Prefects

Over the past week we have had the wonderful opportunity to recognise some amazing young men who will take on leadership roles at the College. The Semester 2 Middle Leaders were inducted in a ceremony on Friday last week where they were reminded that true leadership begins with service. Putting others before yourself. It’s not about being the first in line—it’s about holding the door open for someone else. These young men have already stepped into these roles with gusto and are planning their initiatives to improve spirit in the lower secondary years and help those in our Junior School with their transition to the secondary school. We wish them all the best as they take up these roles.

Year 9 Semester 2 Middle Leaders

Throughout Term 3, many of our Year 11 students have been through a thorough and rigorous selection process that culminated in the announcement of the 2026 Prefect team on Tuesday morning.

We extend our congratulations to all candidates who nominated for leadership this year. For those not appointed as prefects, we encourage you to continue demonstrating your leadership and positive influence throughout the year in the areas you are most passionate about.

It is a privilege to be in a leadership position at BBC and something that students and staff are very proud of. There were many outstanding candidates this year and we are thrilled to have such a strong team represent the spirit of BBC. This group will commence their leadership tenure at the beginning of Term 4. Our College Captain nominees will present their speeches to the entire school on Friday, followed by interviews with me. The 2026 College Captains will then be finalised and announced later in the term.

Congratulations to the following students on their appointment as 2026 Prefects.

Year 12 House Prefects

 College Prefects

2026 College Captain Nominees

Ms Amelia Apogremiotis  
HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL

ISCF Epic Games Night and Social

We took a different direction for the BBC ISCF this year after the hall for our bush dance was torn down. We decided to run an ‘Epic Games Night’ instead.

About 90 girls and boys from our PMSA schools descended on the Chapel at 5:30pm on Saturday for a few announcements, a few songs, and a bit of catch-up time. After a quick rain shower passed, we made our way down to the Tennis Pavilion for a barbecue dinner and ice cream.

A big thanks go out to the Hunt-Sharp, Park, and Hughes families for volunteering their time to bring this meal together, as well as Ros Ward for her endless behind-the-scenes support.

We moved over to the Sports Complex next, where we engaged in a few games, ran around, mingled, and had a laugh—one game involved having two pegs on your clothing. You then had to defend others from taking your pegs off and putting them on themselves, while simultaneously trying to detach pegs from others. With 90 students running in every direction, it was a bit ridiculous and a lot of fun.

Our ‘Taskmaster’ (ChEd teacher Mr Nathan Sands) then ran a series of challenges after we moved the students into about ten groups. These activities included estimating 72 seconds with a blindfold and earmuffs on, as well as a giant paper plane throwing contest.

We ended this section of the night with a Bible ‘Kahoot’ challenge, and prizes were given out to the winning teams. Many new friends were made.

To conclude the night, we returned to the Chapel for our Leadership Service. We sang some worship songs to the Lord, led ably by our BBC boys. A message of serving others was presented by the Somerville ISCF Captain, Gwyn, who spoke of love for others and following Jesus’ example. Her talk was based on Mark 10:43-45, which says,

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We prayed for all the Seniors as they come to the end of their school journey, and we commissioned our new BBC leaders, from Years 8-12, who will take responsibility for serving over the next 12 months.

Great singing, great food, great connections, great games, great parent support, great fun, great relationships, great leadership and great worship of a great God. Great night!

Mr Stephen Ward
CHAPLAIN

Spring Bling Tickets

Tickets to this year's Spring Bling Ladies Lunch are on sale now. Click the link below to purchase your tickets today.

To ensure you can successfully purchase tickets to this year's event, we've prepared a Ticket Purchasing Guide to help answer any questions you might have. Please view the linked PDF below for all the information you might need. For any event-related enquiries, please email parentconnections@bbc.qld.edu.au and one of the team's parent volunteers will be able to respond as soon as possible.

Order Your Copy of the 2025 Portal Yearbook

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

We have begun preparing the free 2025 BBC yearbook: the Portal. 

To help us continue to advance our sustainability efforts, we will only print copies of the Portal for families who place an order. 

To order a Portal for your son or sons, please complete this online form. You will be asked to provide the name and year level of your eldest son to receive a copy. 

Please be aware that if you do not complete this form, your family will not be provided with a complimentary copy of the 2025 Portal.  

The 2025 Portal will be distributed to students in class during Term 1, 2026.  

Parents ordering copies for current Year 12 students are strongly encouraged to provide a valid contact email address. This will enable BBC to notify you when your Portal is available for collection. You will be able to retrieve your order from the Alumni Office in early 2026.  

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via communications@bbc.qld.edu.au 

Warm regards, 
BBC Communications 

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