College News 2025 - Term 3 Week 7

From the Headmaster

Dear BBC Families,

Being the Headmaster of Brisbane Boys’ College is a position that I never take for granted. In this role, I have the rare privilege to engage with the most incredible people and to share a small part of the rich tapestry of their lives. This is the advantage of working in education – we have the opportunity to ‘touch the future’ through the lives of the students we come into contact with each week. This is an honour and a gift, and I am grateful for it every day. Over the past two weeks, I have had several such opportunities, which I would like to share with our community.  

As many of our families will know, particularly those of Year 11 students, we are in the final stages of our selection process for 2026 student leaders. Our procedures are rigorous and replicate any recruitment process I have undergone for leadership positions in the schools where I have worked. The stringent nature of this process is twofold. Firstly, these young men represent the leadership of the student body. To that end, we need to be assured that they are ready to assume the responsibilities of these roles, which are built on the legacy of those leaders before them. Secondly, the quality of students that grace our College is nothing short of spectacular. Hence, to select the final group of leaders, we need to consider a huge variety of factors to narrow down such a competitive field.  

With our Prefects announced, the final phase of the selection process has continued with the interviews for the College Captain and Vice-Captains positions. It is my great honour, as Headmaster, to be part of the final interview panel for a College Captaincy Team. The feedback from these interviews forms an essential aspect of the data that is collected to determine the makeup of the final leadership group. The maturity and passion with which each candidate engaged in the interviews were both humbling and inspiring. They each shared a profound vision for the College under their stewardship with an authentic and engaging style. I left the school that afternoon much wiser and richer for my time with these impressive Gentlemen of Honour. They represent all that is great in a BBC education. No matter the outcome, I am extremely excited about what the Class of 2026 will bring to our community as its new leaders.  

This weekend is also significant for the BBC community, as it marks our Cultural Round, a time when we celebrate the wonderful cultural and racial diversity that is a central focus of who we are as a College. A particular focus of this weekend is our connection with our First Nations students. Each year, our Year 12 First Nations students assist in designing the Cultural Round jerseys and ties for our basketball, debating, and rugby First/Premier teams. This year, we had seven contributors to the jersey design, which, I am sure, our community will find spectacular. 

The jerseys represent the boys’ stories and their connection to BBC. Importantly, they draw from their First Nations cultures to personify their journeys. The story of the jersey has been shared on several of our social media channels, and the reflections of the students inspired me. Their work with our Marketing Team and the staff from New Balance has created a shared emblem about which all at the College should be immensely proud. I am sure that the day will be an immense success, and I know that the boys who wear this kit will do BBC and their brothers proud.  

My final reflection focuses on the magnificent effort of our community with the recent 40 Hour Famine. Those in our school of a similar vintage to me will recall the words of Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody in their ballad about the coming together of Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and First Nations leader Vincent Lingiari, From Little Things Big Things Grow. Just like in the song, the seed of something great was inspired by a conversation between Mr Steve Ward, our College Chaplain, and two of the 2025 student leaders of Amnesty International, Christian Alexander (Year 12) and Josh Chi (Year 12), after last year’s 40 Hour Famine. In 2024, the College had many boys engage with this significant charity event, but only a handful of students officially ‘signed up’ and even fewer engaged with sponsors. This small group of committed individuals saw an opportunity to galvanise our community to achieve something remarkable to improve the lives of others.  

A plan was put in place to promote this activity, which involved speeches at assemblies, posters around the school and social media posts. Momentum was gained when Mr Ward visited his sponsor child in Africa this year and was able to see, firsthand, what the funds from the 40 Hour Famine do to improve the lives of others. With everything in place and through the concerted efforts of our community, the College had more than 250 students participating in the 40 Hour Famine, the largest school group in Australia, and we raised over $24,000. It is inspiring to me to see our value of honour come to life. The boys have shown immense honour and respect for those less fortunate than us. We banded together and achieved something amazing.  

I have shared on several occasions in the past that to be the Headmaster of Brisbane Boys’ College is, without doubt, the best job in the world. The anecdotes I have just recounted, although impressive, form just a small part of my day-to-day interactions at the College. Notwithstanding the challenges that we have faced and will continue to face – for these are a reality of life – it is my firm assertion that the moments of brilliance, both big and small, far outweigh any setbacks. We have much to celebrate, and we must take those moments to reflect on the greatness of our school. It is my pleasure to work within our community. There is much about which we should be proud.  

Yours faithfully,

Mr Andre Casson
HEADMASTER

40 Hour Famine at BBC – First in Queensland, Second in Australia

We’ve come to the end of our World Vision 40 Hour Famine fundraiser for 2025, and the boys have been outstanding. When I put the challenge to them to get involved and make a difference for people they have never met, I didn’t know how they would respond. They were incredible.  

In total, the boys have raised $24,862 for those in need. This makes BBC first in Queensland and second in all of Australia in terms of money raised. A special mention must go to William Fanshawe (Year 12), who has individually raised $2,125. 

This cumulative amount is roughly enough money to feed 41 families for an entire year! Of course, it will be used for various projects around the world where there is the greatest need, but that should give you an idea of the scale of positive impact the boys have already had. These funds will also help refugees, support clean water projects, aid famine victims, educate local farmers, and provide start-up support to businesses, aiming to generate a regular income in poorer communities.  

I would also like to point out that we are first in Australia for the number of participants in the 40 Hour Famine. This means more of our boys were willing to serve others than in any other school in our nation! This is a principle Jesus role-modelled for us all, especially in terms of leadership. It also means they have a heart of compassion, which is at the core of the Christian faith. We don’t just teach about Jesus Christ and his words; we teach about the way he treated others as well.  

I am just so delighted by what the boys have achieved. A massive thank you to all parents for supporting your sons in this activity. We could not have done this without you.   

This is the BBC we are all so proud of. Tell the world what the boys have done. 

Mr Stephen Ward
CHAPLAIN

Spring Bling Ticket Sales Close on Sunday

This Sunday, 31 August is the final day to purchase tickets to this year's Spring Bling Ladies Lunch. 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.

2026 PMSA Teacher Education Scholarships

Each year, the PMSA offers a limited number of Teacher Education Scholarships to selected current Year 12 students or recent graduates from our PMSA schools.

The scholarship aims to foster a respect for the importance of education as a profession and enable aspiring educators to make a difference in the schools and communities they serve.

The scholarships are each worth $2,000 per year for up to four years of study for suitable students entering an undergraduate teacher education degree or early childhood education course. 

This year’s proposed scholarship prospectus can be accessed here.  

Applications close on October 24, 2025. 

New Photos Available on GeoSnapShot

For those interested, we have uploaded a number of images onto GeoSnapShot that we received from photographers at the following events: 

• Year 11 Semi-Formal 

• GPS Chess (Round 4 vs Nudgee College) 

• Middle Leaders’ Assembly – Semester 2 

• Junior School Grandparents and Friends’ Day 

• GPS Rugby (Round 5 vs IGS) 

• Book Week Parade 

• Music Showcase Concert 

If your son was involved in any of these events, please log into Highlands and select ‘View Photos’ underneath your son's name to check for new images. 

Order Your Copy of the 2025 Portal Yearbook

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 by Friday, 19 September. 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 

Upcoming Events

Term 4 College Gymnastics & Spring Holiday Program – Enrol Now!

We’re excited to announce that enrolments are now open for Term 4 Gymnastics Classes, encompassing a 10-week program for all ages and levels from 7 October to 13 December. Check out the timetable below for more information. 

College Gymnastics is also pleased to confirm that our Spring Holiday Program will be held from 29 September to 3 October over the school holidays. This is the perfect way to stay active, learn new skills, and have fun, and it’s open to all children – no experience required.

We accept Play On! Sports Vouchers, so use yours towards enrolment and get your child moving. 

Places are limited, so enrol now to secure your spot. 

• Returning families can sign up via the Parent Portal 

• New families can register here 

For more info, visit the College Gymnastics website. 

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