Secondary School

This week has been a big week in the classroom in Secondary School. The students and staff are into the rhythm of term and preparing for a busy few weeks ahead. There has been some ICAS testing and some senior science Olympiads that have been happening within the classrooms.

Value and Christian Service (VaCS)

VaCS started this week, with Years Seven to Nine playing sports on Wednesday and the Years Ten to Twelve students doing Arts and Culture activities. VaCS is a unique offering at GSG, where students test out a range of cocurricular activities during periods five and six on a Wednesday. The idea behind VaCS is to foster House spirit and bonding and provide a platform for pastoral care of students, including some leadership opportunities for senior students.

It also serves as a way of exposing our students to new activities and encouraging them to expand their comfort zone. If they love something they are exposed to in VaCS, there is often an opportunity to pursue it in more depth through our cocurricular programme or within the community.

The sports that the students try at VaCS this term include touch rugby, softball, volleyball, basketball and netball. GSG offers a mix of sports through clubs, such as Griffins, as well as new sports.

In Arts and Culture, students get the chance to do debating, battle of the bands, woodwork, painting and media, as well as trying some more niche things such as macrame or textiles.

Years Nine and Ten GSSSSA Football Carnival

This week, around 60 of our Years Nine and Ten students participated in the GSSSSA AFL Carnival against other schools in the area. Our teams represented the school well and were successful with our boys' team narrowly losing the Grand Final. A huge thank you to Mr Bryce McLean and Mr Lachie Steytler, who took the teams away.

Similar to VaCS, the Carnival provided an opportunity for those who love their football to have a chance to represent the school in that sport. It also provided an opportunity for students who do not play football at a club level, to have a go and see if it is something they want to pursue and possibly try out for Country Week teams in future years.

Big Sleepout

Our Year Eleven Certificate IV Business students are currently working hard to help organise the Albany Big Sleepout event for the community. The students are in charge of organising a food truck and entertainment for the event, as well as donating time to help set up and fundraise. Our students are hosting two movie afternoons next week to help fundraise for the event.

On Tuesday 12 August, the Primary School will be watching a movie in the Hall after school and on Thursday 14 August, Happy Gilmore 2 is being screened for Secondary School students.

Tickets are being sold at lunch and recess on the day before the movie and tickets will also be available at the door. Tickets are $10. Please discuss with your child how this might affect transport to and from school and also whether you are “happy” for your child to watch the movie. Of course, there are opportunities to donate without watching the movie.

Merit, Endeavour, Hospitality Awards

At assembly this week, we celebrated students who have attained merit certificates, based on their grades from their recent reports. We also celebrated a number of students who earned Endeavour Awards. We were also able to celebrate and showcase our Hospitality students who won a national award last year for their recipes in the Flavour Forecast Recipe Challenge. The students won the WA State and the National Awards for most creative recipes in Australia! Congratulations to all our students for achieving their awards. It was also great to see so many parents/guardians at our assembly. We love seeing families attend, so please always feel welcome.

Mr Jordan Owenell | Deputy Principal - Head of Secondary

GSSSSA AFL Carnival Recap by Mr Bryce McLean

On Tuesday 5 August, 60 students and staff gathered to embark on a day of what promised to be wet and dirty footy! Being represented by one Girls' and one Boys' team, Great Southern Grammar was to be pitted against teams from North Albany Senior High School, Albany Senior High School, St Joseph's College, Denmark Senior High School and Mount Barker Community College. Both teams had their first game against Mount Barker Community College and genuine sportsmanship was on display right away, with both sides offering multiple players to play for the other team to even the numbers up. Convincing wins had both sides off to a good start.

From there, the day became tough for the girls who battled it out against strong opposition, notably Denmark and NASHS. It was great to see the development of the girls throughout the day. Seasoned campaigners Molly O’Malley and Fenella O’Neill led the midfield, while Mackirra Williams was tenacious through defence. Lexie Kershaw made sure opponents got out of her way with her attack on the footy. Sophie Pearson gave first use to her midfielders in the ruck, but the most consistent performer of the day was Poppy Ford, whose skills improved and her commitment to the contest left nothing to be desired. The girls managed another win and finished fourth in a day of fantastic development.

Every player fully embraced the muddy conditions on the day and is to be commended for their efforts. Well done to Michala Sandy and Jas Anning for coaching the girls, and a huge thanks to Matt Cant and Fraser King, who umpired them all day.

The boys ended up going through the preliminary rounds undefeated, with a really tight win against NASHS and convincing wins against every other team. Corinthian proved an unstoppable force in attack, booting 15 goals for the day, well supported by Leo Cunningham and Nathan Tomlinson in attack.

Fletcher Patterson proved he is a multi-sport talent with several strong contests. The midfield was a strength throughout the day with big Jack Rowe giving silver service to Mason Watkins, Lucas Baker, Liam Cybula, Aiden Keen and Sam Osborne all day.

In the last pool game of the day, Lucas Baker copped a nasty finger injury and despite his desire to play on, he needed to be put on ice. Adding to this, a few other injury troubles and some tired bodies meant the boys were up for a fight in the Grand Final against NASHS, having prevailed by two points in a tight contest earlier. The game delivered on its promise and after NASHS got off to a flyer, the boys fought back hard in the second half and ultimately fell a couple of goals short, not through any lack of effort. Again, a massive well done to the boys for all their grit across the day, under the guidance of apprentice coach, Mr Lachie Steytler, with Mr Byrce McLean being demoted to runner for the day. Thanks, and well done to Zane Cairns for his excellent efforts umpiring all day and to Lucas Smart and Naite Chambers for goal umpiring.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of Mrs Louise Sprigg for her tireless work behind the scenes to get everything sorted, as well as Ms Charlie Warren, Chaplain Levi, Mr Lachie Steytler and Miss Grove (practicum teacher), for their constant support and encouragement of the students all day.

AFL is alive and well at GSG!

Mr Bryce McLean | Head of Mokare House

Murdoch University Open Nights

Murdoch University Open Nights are on again in 2025 and everyone is invited!

Murdoch University have four amazing evenings designed to help students and their families discover courses and explore their future opportunities.

These Open Nights allow students to engage with their future lecturers and mentors, meet current students who are studying the same course they are interested in, tour the facilities and get hands-on with interactive displays.

Murdoch University Nursing Open Night

Wednesday 27 August, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Murdoch University Health & Education Open Night

Tuesday 2 September, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Murdoch University Sciences, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Open Night

Wednesday 3 September, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Murdoch University Business, Law, HASS & Creative Media Open Night

Thursday 4 September, 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Visit the links above to find out more.