The Chronicle Issue 14

CHRONICLE The

THE GUYS & DOLLS SCHOOL MUSICAL DAZZLES AUDIENCES

Our Performing Arts Department Delivers

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL SAYS NO TO MOBILE PHONES

THE IMMENSE VALUE OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR A Well-rounded Education in the Junior School

PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY

Protecting the Environment for Future Generations

BIG NEW PLANS FOR WOLAROI CAMPUS

Delivering a Staged Master Plan for our Built Environment

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL

Trent Chapman, Head of Senior School

FROM THE EDITOR

We hope you enjoy this edition of The Chronicle. It paints a clear picture of a school that is thriving, with wonderful educational experiences on offer for students, strong community engagement, and exciting developments occurring across the built environment. In our Junior School there is a drive to refine and sharpen the focus on learning the basics, while at the same time delivering an innovative extra-curricular program unmatched in our region.

If you have family and friends who would enjoy receiving a copy of the magazine, remind them that they can request to be posted a copy twice per year by registering on our website at www.kws.nsw.edu.au/news-and-updates/chronicle As always, don’t hesitate to send us your story and photo contributions at the email addresses below.

Jennifer Divall Head of Marketing and Communications

Credits

Publisher Kinross Wolaroi School 59-67 Bathurst Road Orange NSW 2800 (02) 6392 0300 reception@kws.nsw.edu.au

Editor Jennifer Divall

Head of Marketing & Communications

Design & Coordination

Jen Hill

Journalism Skye Manson

Hannah Sparks

Photography

Kirsten Cunningham

Laura Cole

Graham Schumann Jen Hill

Printing Printstorm

Contributions

Reader contributions are welcomed. Please forward to jhill@kws.nsw.edu.au

Alumni Relations

Harriet Alker Events and Alumni Officer 02 5319 0321 ex-students@kws.nsw.edu.au

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Kinross Wolaroi School is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia

SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES AT KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL

From Dr Andrew Parry , Principal

As the world faces a growing climate crisis, it is crucial that we take action to protect the environment for future generations. Kinross Wolaroi School has a commitment towards a more sustainable future and is integrating sustainability into all aspects of the school to create positive business, social and academic impacts. This is, at least in part, driven by the need for our values to be aligned with our students, who have a powerful awareness of the generational impacts of climate change on our evolving world.

The school is looking to reduce its carbon footprint in a staged approach with a goal to steadily move towards net zero emissions. We are implementing new sustainability initiatives across the school, including the installation of solar panels, the reduction of plastic waste, and a focus on energy efficiency. These measures not only benefit the environment, but also help to reduce our operating costs and contribute to the financial sustainability of the school.

One important and impactful initiative is installation of photovoltaic cells at various sites across our

campuses. Renewable energy generation on-site is the most cost-effective way to increase our renewable capacity whilst decreasing operating costs. We are still in the design phase of this solar project but will soon be installing around 500KW of solar panels which are expected to meet 40% of the school’s electricity needs. A transition to LED lighting across the school is providing further savings.

There is currently an international agenda to accelerate the sustainable transformation of built environments, with organisations actively searching for and implementing solutions to reduce energy consumption in existing buildings. Implementing a cooling air circulation or destratification system in high-ceiling areas can drastically reduce cooling and heating bills. The school recently installed arrays of Airius encased ceilingmounted fan units in both the Derek Pigot Auditorium and the Swim Centre. The fans can be used during spring and autumn to provide optimal airflow and thermal comfort – at 30 times less than the cost of air-conditioning. In summer and winter, the fans work alongside, and relieve the demand on, existing air-conditioning systems, ensuring effective air circulation, improving energy efficiency and providing numerous costsaving benefits.

The impact has been impressive: the auditorium fans have reduced the run time on the gas boilers used to heat the space by 30%. The swim centre fans have had a significant effect on the pool temperature when they became operational – the temperature of the pool jumped by 1.5 degrees Celsius in 24 hours. The pool holds 620,000 litres of water, so a lot of energy would otherwise have been used to increase the temperature by that margin in such a short time period.

We recognise that sustainability is an ongoing process, and we are constantly looking for new ways to reduce our environmental impact. As such, we encourage all members of the school community to get involved and contribute to our sustainability efforts.

We believe that sustainability is a shared responsibility, and we encourage parents to support our efforts by talking to their children about the importance of sustainability and making small changes in their own lives to reduce their carbon footprint.

Together, we can make a positive impact on the environment and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Proposed Solar Configuration – Senior Campus

Proposed Solar Configuration – DPI & Anderson Building

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL GOVERNANCE FOR OUR SCHOOL: PROMOTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

The Kinross Wolaroi School Council has recognised the pressing need to prioritise Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) as part of the school’s governance process. Understanding the crucial role schools play in shaping the future generation, the Council has considered this area of governance over the last year, and committed to embedding questions and discussion around our performance and decision making in relation to ESG as we move through the agenda of each Council and sub-committee meeting. We recognise that this is about our school being a responsible part of the world in which we live, but also as we govern our school, we acknowledge the risks associated with ignoring our responsibility and our impact on the environment and society around us. As the School Council has discussions and makes decisions, we are purposefully considering how what we have decided impacts and is impacted by the environment and society around us.

ESG represents a comprehensive framework that focuses on integrating environmental, social, and governance factors into decision-making processes, and by incorporating ESG principles, our school can instil a sense of responsibility, sustainability, and ethical conduct in our students, preparing them to become responsible citizens and leaders of tomorrow.

Environmental Governance: The environmental aspect of ESG emphasizes the significance of sustainable practices and conservation efforts. Schools, as vital educational institutions, must lead by example in adopting eco-friendly initiatives. This can include measures such as implementing recycling programs, reducing waste generation, conserving energy and water resources, and promoting biodiversity on campus and on our farms, and committing to the financial investment that enables these projects to take place. By incorporating environmental governance into our daily operations, we can instil in our students and the wider community a deep understanding of the importance of environmental stewardship.

Social Governance: Social governance within the ESG framework involves fostering an inclusive and equitable environment within our school. It involves promoting diversity, respecting human rights, and ensuring fair treatment of all parts of our broad community. Kinross Wolaroi School Council’s focus on social governance highlights our commitment to nurturing an environment where every student feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. By encouraging cultural diversity, providing equal opportunities, and addressing social issues, we can help create a society that embraces and celebrates differences.

Governance: The governance aspect of ESG revolves around the principles of transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making. For our school, this means ensuring effective leadership, responsible management of resources, and open communication channels.

By demonstrating our commitment to strong ESG practices, and by involving stakeholders in decision-making processes, we aim to foster a culture of transparency and accountability.

The role of our school in promoting ESG extends beyond our boundary. By integrating ESG principles into all aspects of school life, we can educate students about the importance of sustainable development, environmental conservation, and social responsibility. Through experiential learning opportunities on our farm, through TREE, and numerous field trips, community service projects, and partnerships with local organisations, students can actively engage with realworld challenges and become changemakers in their communities.

At all levels of our school life, we should aim to collaborate with other schools, educational institutions, and community organisations, so that we can share and learn best practices and knowledge from each other, and so together foster a society that collectively works towards a sustainable future.

Chair of School Council

Rev. Andrew Cunningham

Trent Chapman

Head of Senior School

Feedback from class teachers indicates that the absence of mobile phones in the classroom has significantly impacted the learning environment for the better, particularly in reducing student distraction.”

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL SAYS NO TO MOBILE PHONES

Trent Chapman Head of Senior School

The use of mobile phones in schools is a controversial topic with differing opinions among educators, students, and parents. On one hand, phones provide a wealth of information and resources that can enhance learning. On the other hand, they can be distractions that interfere with the educational process.

Advocates of allowing phones in schools argue that they can be used for educational purposes such as online research, accessing online learning materials, and participating in virtual learning activities. Additionally, phones can serve as a tool for communication between students and teachers.

Opponents of phone use in schools argue that they can be distractions that interfere with the educational process. A study conducted by the London School of Economics found that “the mere presence of mobile phones can reduce cognitive capacity and impair learning even if the phones are not being used.”

Furthermore, phones can be used for non-educational purposes such as texting, playing games, or browsing social media, which can be a major source of distraction for students.

In a survey conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research, it was found that students who use their phones in class are “less likely to engage in the learning process” (Australia Council for Educational Research, 2016). Additionally, research conducted by the University of Melbourne found that students who are allowed to use their phones in class are “more likely to be distracted, have lower academic achievement and lower levels of critical thinking skills” (Guffey & Rhodes, 2019).

The growth of technology, and its role in education for the 21st Century Student, has been very exciting but also very challenging. Students are faced with more distractions than ever before and are struggling to maintain focus and concentration, manage impulsivity and avoid distraction. It is the role of the School to help support them to develop

as successful learners.

Whilst the debate over the use of mobiles phones is complex and multifaceted, Kinross Wolaroi School has made the decision to significantly restrict student use of phones. Since Term 1 2023, Years 7 – 10 students are not permitted to have a mobile phone on their person during the school day.

Feedback from the school community has been hugely positive. Our parents see this is a proactive move by the school to promote a constructive teaching and learning environment and encourage positive interactions between students.

Feedback from class teachers indicates that the absence of mobile phones in the classroom has significantly impacted the learning environment for the better, particularly in reducing student distraction. It is also noticeable in the playground with increased interactions and conversations amongst our younger students.

Whilst some students have found the transition challenging, the move to no mobile phones has been a success and significant step forward for the school.

A BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE

By Dr Andrew Parry, Principal

Kinross Wolaroi School is embarking on delivering a staged master plan for its built environment that will provide modern, integrated infrastructure designed to meet the needs of our students and staff for many decades. This blueprint, devised in conjunction with architects McIldowie Partners, represents a carefully planned, multi-million-dollar investment: an expression of the exceptional confidence we have in the future of our School and our deep commitment to excellence in education.

At the time of writing, work was due to commence in late 2023 on stage one of the masterplan: completing the longawaited second wing of the Wolaroi Boarding House. This will primarily accommodate boy boarders in Years 7, 8 and 9. The development of the new boarding house wing represents a unique opportunity to continue to fulfill the long-term vision for boarding and to enhance our boys’ boarding experience. This fulfills a strategic objective to attract and retain students in the boarding

program, consistent with the School’s Strategic Plan, but is also an enabling move: by relocating boarders from Tower House and Trathen House, we unlock opportunities for redevelopment in the academic precinct of the School.

The design focuses on wellbeing by incorporating a strong connection to the outdoors, optimising natural light, and ventilation with fresh air. Materials will be natural and tactile and there will be a variety of spaces to suit small or large groups, as well as smaller nooks for retreat. We will also incorporate a space for parents to refresh after travel and connect with their sons.

Across two floors - with Year 7 at

ground level and Years 8 and 9 on level one - the new building will offer accommodation for 64 students in rooms of four cubicles, each featuring privacy screens, king single beds, personal desks and ample storage. A further four sets of paired single rooms, each with a shared full bathroom, will accommodate students from Years 11 and 12. Nine additional small breakout spaces, designed to provide home-like kitchen and lounge areas for relaxation, will complement a huge shared common room. The new wing will also feature a home and office for the Head of House, accommodation for residential staff, a mud room, laundry, and parent lounge.

Architect’s rendering of the new boys’ boarding wing.

Wolaroi boarding 2nd wing - first floor

A unique opportunity to fulfill the long-term vision for boarding and to enhance our boys’ boarding experience.”

Once the Wolaroi Boarding House project is completed, there will be a major renovation of the Tower Building/ Wolaroi Mansion (stage two of the masterplan). The Tower Building/ Wolaroi Mansion, with its deep links to our history, is integral to the School’s identity and will be restored to become a showcase and signature building for the School. The renovation will include refurbishment of heritage features throughout, including a new roof and restoration of the iconic tower.

The update will create spaces that are flexible and adaptable to support the School’s vision of developing independent and adaptable learners who thrive socially and academically in an engaging learning environment. Renovation of the top floor will deliver three new flexible classrooms connected to an expansive breakout area, plus amenities for students and staff.

The historic front section of the building will provide additional office and meeting spaces. Access to the upper floors will be via a new external stair to the north-eastern side of the building, and new accessibility provisions will include a lift and ramps.

On the ground floor, an expanded boarders’ dining room will offer seating capacity for the entire boys boarding community, or a whole school year, with greatly improved access from a new verandah and a series of double doorways.

Under stage three of the master plan, additional teaching spaces will be made available in the War Memorial Building when a new administration service area is created on the main drive, opposite the Tower Building/Wolaroi Mansion, in 2025. The former Principal’s residence at the top of the driveway will be repurposed as accommodation for Admissions and Marketing offices, featuring dedicated areas for the School’s archives and alumni for the first time.

The residence directly opposite the Tower Building will be refitted as a retail space to accommodate the School’s uniform shop. An area between the two buildings will provide convenient parking for visitors to this precinct. Moving the uniform shop will clear the ground floor of the old stables for a new and conveniently-located day house home room.

Following the completion of the Tower Building/Wolaroi Mansion restoration, we will be in a position to demolish and replace Trathen House and the Bennett Building (stage four). This exciting opportunity to plan futureready teaching spaces for the academic precinct adjacent to the Mathematics and Science blocks has been a longstanding objective that is now in sight.

Alongside implementing the staged masterplan, work has also begun to advance the development of our girls

boarding location, the PLC campus, as a world-class boarding facility. Major upgrades of the House common areas and re-carpeting and painting across the site took place during 2022 and 2023. Now, we turn our attention to constructing three new townhouses to accommodate Heads of Houses and their families. The additional space will release new boarding house spaces that are the subject of the broader masterplan for the PLC campus. This masterplan will draw on the benefit of beautiful and generous grounds, as well as the extensive existing infrastructure on the PLC campus.

We are committed to sustainable design principles across all developments and all projects will encompass best practice and innovation including natural ventilation to circulate fresh air; thermally-efficient design; the harvesting and management of rainwater; and the use of sustainable and recycled materials where appropriate.

Kinross Wolaroi has been the preferred school for numerous families since its beginning, and the long-awaited plans will ensure its continued success for many years to come. As we progress to the next level of these exciting plans, we will continue to update our community.

“Watch this space!”

Tower building/Wolaroi mansion - first floor

Architect’s rendering of the renovated Wolaroi Mansion/Tower Building.

Mrs Denise Hayward, Head of Junior School

MORE THAN JUST READIN’, WRITIN’ & ‘RITHMETIC: THE IMMENSE VALUE OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR S

chools are most often associated with traditional subjects such as reading, writing, and mathematics, however, they provide much more than this. They are crucial for the holistic development of children, equipping them with a broad range of skills that are essential for personal, social, and emotional development. They provide a chance to explore interests, build social skills, and develop leadership qualities. The role of schools

is not only to produce knowledgeable students but well-rounded individuals. For this to happen schools need to engage students. Engagement refers to the level of involvement, enthusiasm, and investment students have in their academic work. At Kinross Wolaroi we know engaged students are more likely to be motivated, persistent, and achieve success in their learning endeavours. There are many factors that influence student engagement, including their relationships with school, curriculum, and pedagogy. We know for many students engagement develops not in the

classroom but through extra-curricular opportunities. These provide a space where students can connect with likeminded individuals and form meaningful relationships based on shared interests and passions. To that end, our extracurricular programs seek to develop and extend students in ways that are over and above the set classroom and cocurricular activities in sport and music. They are designed to widen student horizons and enable them to find their niche, allowing more opportunities for them to grow in confidence.

Extra-curricular activities provide a safe and supportive environment for students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them. They teach resilience and perseverance, which are valuable life skills that will serve students well beyond their school years. Through our extra-curricular offering, we hope to further inspire our students to be curious, courageous, and collaborative.

In the Junior School we now offer students a wide range of before school, lunch time and after school activities designed to develop skills in leadership,

communication, creativity, and cooperation, and ranging from dance, to drama, music, creative arts, the ‘Little Potters’ gardening club, debating and public speaking, Junior Journalists, Science and Technology in ‘AREA 51’ and chess. Social service is also an important aspect of a child’s education at Kinross Wolaroi School. The concept of giving and the spirit of ‘being rather than seeming to be’ is core to our Student Representative Council and Little TWIG groups whose activities have included knitting beanies for the homeless at lunchtimes.

Extra-curricular activities provide a safe and supportive environment for students to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them.”

The ‘Little Potters’ Gardening Club is a popular extra-curricular choice in the Junior School.

Some of our activities are designed for students who might like to join for the occasional lunchtime. Others require a commitment for the term or a level of readiness to participate. By providing a variety of extra-curricular activities, the Junior School seeks to continue to foster physical and intellectual pursuits and further develop passions ignited in the classroom.

Our goals are to improve the learning experiences of our students, help them identify and develop their inner talents. Through our extra-curricular offering

we hope to provide an enriched learning environment for students.

While we provide a range of experiences across the school day, week and across year groups, it is not our intention that students sign up for something every day. Being out on the playground, playing on the oval, handball courts and fixed equipment or sitting and chatting with friends is equally as important as engaging in more structured activities.

Extra-curricular activities provide our students with opportunities to

discover who they are, develop their skills and passions, and become the best version of themselves. At Kinross Wolaroi we invest in extra-curricular activities to ensure students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in all areas of life. Not so they can grow up to be something but rather so they can answer the invitation to think about what kind of person they want to be — and about all the different things they might want to do.

Beebot Robotics in AREA 51, where students’ passion for technology is at the core.

At Kinross Wolaroi we invest in extra-curricular activities to ensure students receive a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in all areas of life.”

ROUND SQUARE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2022

By Max Reidy, Tom Patton, Hugh Thompson, Georgia Mudford, Charlotte Raffen and Eleanor Matheson-Clarke

The 2022 Round Square International Conference held in Oxford, UK, was the first involvement with Round Square for Kinross Wolaroi School on a global scale. We were excited to immerse ourselves into Round Square and find out how Kinross Wolaroi could deepen its understanding and involvement within it. All delegates stayed at the university colleges and our delegation was placed into The Queen’s College for our food, accommodation and our baraza discussions. The theme of this conference was ‘Take Less; Be More’. We met people from many different countries and schools, including

Northern Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Namibia, England and Canada. However, there were over fifty countries in attendance. On the cultural performance night, we celebrated our cultural differences through song and dance, such as the Gumboot Dance from South Africa. The term ‘baraza’ is a Swahili term that means meeting place. The idea of baraza group for Round Square is to discuss and debate relevant and important ideas and theories. Each group consisted of 10-15 delegates. In these groups, we discussed our views on keynote speeches, important social and political issues, and how each school explores the ideas within Round Square. This, at its heart, embodies the key Round Square ‘IDEAL’ of Democracy.

Environmentalism was the key IDEAL explored within the keynote speech by Sir Dieter Helm, Professor of Economic Policy at Oxford, who spoke about the ramifications and changes needed in global economic policy to achieve climate justice. Emily Penn, who is an oceans advocate, talked about her experiences in founding ‘eXXpedition’, a foundation led by a group of women with the aim of analysing and drawing attention to ocean pollution. We also learnt from fellow delegates about their personal experiences with climate change, such as those living in Bermuda and The Bahamas who will have been affected by rising sea levels and natural disasters. We enjoyed a speech by adventurer and broadcaster, Ben Fogle, who shared

his life journey, including the experience of climbing Mount Everest and having his oxygen tank crack just 50 metres from the summit.

While in Switzerland, we saw the clouds clear from around the Alps, to reveal a spectacular view of the snow line, which was something truly special.

The fifth area of focus in within the Round Square IDEALS is Leadership. Leadership was linked through several features of the conference, firstly through the Round Square alumni speakers. A key theme was advocating for others. Whether it be service projects, or day-to-day life, we need to ensure we lift up those who otherwise can’t do it themselves. Round Square isn’t about making yourself seen or heard, but making sure others are. We

must be leaders and take initiative with the restoration of the environment. Our impact on the environment is our responsibility and we must take ownership.

We were lucky to hear from some inspiring speakers that have helped change and shape our worldview for the better. We heard from Elliot Berry, founder of “The Noah Initiative” who spoke about his campaign to provide disadvantaged young men and single mothers in Kenya with positive mentors. The Noah Initiative currently supports more than 60 boys, rescued from human traffickers or a life on the streets, and helps them to thrive in school. Josceline Cluff is a Safeguarding Manager for the Better Cotton Initiative, a non-profit, multi-stakeholder governance group

that promotes better standards in cotton farming and practices across twentyone countries. After hearing from these inspiring speakers and many more, we realised that service doesn’t need to be huge; but if we all start small and give back as much as we take, we can leave everyone in a better place.

By the end, each of us had branched out and connected with many likeminded people within this global network and many solid friendships were made. We all learnt so much and had this great experience thanks to the hard work of our teachers, Ms Anderson and Mrs Gavin.

GUYS & DOLLS

Another show-stopping Musical from the Performing Arts department wows Orange.

Con men, gamblers, floating crap games, five thousand “potatoes”, whiskey joints, and “NicelyNicely Johnson”.

This is the whole, strange world that Kinross Wolaroi drama students have learnt for this year’s production of “Guys and Dolls”.

Playing at Orange Civic Theatre, this classic 1950s musical requires the

cast to studiously perfect the tortured Bugs Bunny-esque Brooklyn accents of a mythical, wiseacre New York city of punters and hustlers.

Rehearsing the show during the recent school holidays, director Alex Dunkley says the cast have found it surprisingly easy to immerse themselves in the fantasy-comedy set around Damon Runyon’s iconic short-story

characters.

“It’s a classic, with really catchy and memorable songs,” Alex says.

“It also requires a large cast, making it ideal for school productions, and the characters are very much caricatures.”

She said that this requires the cast to learn about a non-PC world of dames and dolls, “Galahads” and guys.

“It’s a really good play to develop their acting skills; the language and its embroidery are great,” she said, adding that getting the inflections and rapid-fire speech right, is essential.

“Absolutely, accents can make or break a production, and there’s so much terminology, ‘crap game’, ‘welch on a moula’ they’re all new terms.”

The play’s light-hearted style, spirit, and mood also make it ideal for these times, she said.

“It’s a romantic comedy, very tonguein-cheek, it’s incredibly vibrant and fun.

“There’s a lot of musical numbers and

it’s not at all dark or grim,” she added. Having started preparing for the play in Term Four of last year with auditions in Term One of this, the annual shows take up a fair chunk of her school life as a drama teacher.

“It’s worth it, it’s so much fun.”

Year 10 student Niamh Webster, who plays the perpetually put-off romantic lead “Miss Adelaide” — engaged 14 years and counting — said the unfamiliar setting of the play is part of its appeal.

“I didn’t even know what a ‘crap game’ (gambling fixture played with two dice) meant. It’s a whole different

world,” she said.

Despite its old-style romantic entanglements with Miss Adelaide pressing Nathan to marry her after more than a decade affianced, she sees her character as a hero.

“She may be Nathan’s long-suffering fiancée, but she has fighting spirit, she’s very loyal and positive.”

With one of the broadest of Brooklyn accents in the show, she says that getting it down, is largely a matter of being in the right frame of mind.

“Once you start speaking like that, it becomes quite easy, and it’s so fun

watching the other performers do it as well.”

Miss Adelaide’s reluctant fiancé, Nathan Detroit, is played by Year 11 student, Oscar McLaughlin who said that getting into the character is about practice.

“It was a bit difficult at first, getting into the mind of a gambler and criminal. Now it’s really easy to switch in and out.

“When we went into the auditions, I was quite jaunty, but it’s been a really good experience,” he said.

Year 10 student, Scarlett Gee, playing the Salvation Army missionary, Sarah

Brown who falls in love while trying to save the gamblers and crooks from eternal damnation, has a more-refined intonation that, she said, was easier to master.

“My character doesn’t have quite the same accent as some of the gambling characters, so I found it not too hard.

“It’s basically a play about two very different love stories… and I do love musicals,” she enthused.

Year 11 student Max Bloomfield who plays the fourth lead, Sky Masterson, said the fictional world in which the play is set, is part of its charm.

“It’s very foreign, that’s a part of its appeal. It’s so immersive because it’s so different. Everyone’s so over-the-top,” he added.

Like most drama students, the interaction with the audience, is the greatest reward of live performing.

“It’s the energy, the connection with the audience.

“Just the buzz you get from that, it’s like a big puzzle which you have to sort through,” he concluded.

Article courtesy of Orange City Life Magazine

SENIOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP INDUCTION

Dr Andrew Parry

In the final week of Term 3 2022 we held our Senior School Student Leadership Induction Service. The ceremony staged before the Senior School and our incoming leaders’ families saw our 2022/23 Student Leaders and Prefects commit themselves to the responsibilities of their offices and the school community pledge their support for them.

Over 2021/22 we were superbly led by our Head Prefects, Ellen Arundell and Mac Webster who demonstrated that true leadership is about service and commitment, and were very well

supported by a hard working and motivated Prefect team. Many of these senior students set outstanding examples and showed courage and commitment in their desire to make our school a finer place.

I offer my congratulations to our incoming leaders who have been recognised for their ability to lead, to serve, and to uphold the values of Kinross Wolaroi School.

We know leadership is not about position or wearing a badge. Leadership is about service. It is about contributing to the lives of others and striving to make our school a finer place. Our

new leadership team have a wonderful opportunity to build upon those timehonoured and worthy traditions of this fine school, and to demonstrate their initiative and vision by starting new practices and establishing new traditions.

What a special opportunity our new leaders have to demonstrate service and exhibit courage, resilience, commitment, inclusiveness and respect.

I thank them for taking on this responsibility. Our staff and I very much look forward to working with them over the next 12 months as we strive to make our school a very special place for all within our community.

SENIOR LEADERS

Head Prefects:

Greta Bourne

Hugh Thompson

Deputy Head

Prefects:

Anna-Louise Limbers

Fletcher Smith

Senior Boarder

Prefects:

Heidi Ferguson

Mack Johnston

SUO Cadets

Ned Jones

Prefects:

Max Bloomfield

Annie Dedman

William Deshon

Claudia Francis

Elle McGufficke

Oscar McLaughlin

Tom Patton

Fin Shephard

HOUSE LEADERS

Blackman Prefect:

Oscar McLaughlin

Blackman Captains:

Jayde Caro

Brydee Roll

James Noble

Brown Prefect:

Max Bloomfield

Brown Captains:

Will Pearce

Lilla Attenborough

Elle Armstrong

Dean Prefect:

Fin Shephard

Dean Captains:

Phoebe Gordon

Lucy Searle

Jock Litchfield

Douglas Prefect:

Elle McGufficke

Douglas Captains:

Toby Gough

Luke Dominello

Taylah Hobbs

Gordon Prefect:

William Deshon

Gordon Captains:

Gordon Suthers

Molly Wilson

Maka Mutyiri

McLachlan Prefect:

Annie Dedman

McLachlan Captains:

Charlie Condon

Michelle Hayes

Lily Robson

Richards Prefect:

Claudia Francis

Richards Captains:

Lydia Durkin

Charlie Tink

Eleanor Matheson-

Clark

Williams Prefect:

Tom Patton

Williams Captains:

Milly Lane

Lucy Scammell

Eloise Mc Miles

BOARDING HOUSE LEADERS

BOARDING HOUSE

Loader Captain: Milly Lane

Vice-Captain: Prue Donnelly

Miller Captain: Lilla Attenborough

Vice-Captain: Gem McGufficke

New Captain: Lucy Scammell

Vice-Captain: Anna Arthur

Stuart Douglas Captain: Georgia Mudford

Vice-Captain: Megan Connan

Tower Captain: Bradley Kildey

Vice-Captain: Ned Jones

Trathen Captain: James Noble

Vice-Captain: Willow Carter

Weymouth Captain: Charles Condon

Vice-Captain: Archie Baldwinson

Wolaroi Captain: Will Deshon

Vice-Captain: Hugh Warren

100 DAYS SMARTER FOR KINDERGARTEN CELEBRATIONS

Our Kindergarten pupils reached a big milestone on 10 August - 100 days of school! They celebrated the occasion with 100 cupcakes, looking at each other’s collection of 100 things, and planting 100 plants at our Windermere farm. You bet; they can count to 100!

Our Kindergarten Teachers, Mrs Cuming and Mrs Robson, said: “The changes in children, both

socially and academically are significant after 100 days. Children have grown in their ability to work independently and in a group, forging friendships along the way. An exciting part of being in Kindergarten is learning to read. A range of positive learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom, have set these children on the path to a lifelong love of learning.

OPENING OF OUR NEW TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Kinross Wolaroi School officially opened its new Technology Centre for Metals and Engineering on Monday 29 August 2022. Students and teachers were joined by notable locals including Local Member, Phil Donato for the opening late last week.

It is being hailed as a state of the art facility which will assist in the education

of senior students on campus.

“It was a privilege to be invited to join with School Principal Dr Andrew Parry and past Chair and current board member Mrs Christine McIntosh to help officially open the Kinross Wolaroi School Technology Centre for Metals and Engineering,” Mr Donato said.

“A world class, state of the art facility to encourage, nurture, teach and

promote metal engineering for its year 11 and 12 students.

“Well done and congratulations to the school community and the board for having the vision and commitment to address the skills shortage and provide a career pathway for many of their students who wish to embark on a rewarding career in the metal engineering trade.”

Phil Donato MP, Dr Andrew Parry, Principal and Christine McIntosh, Kinross Wolaroi School Council

IT Teachers Angus Brotherton, Simon Lun, Peter Finlay and Nathan Zinga

The new Tchnology Centre

CLASS OF 2022 GRADUATION CEREMONY

We were immensely proud of the impressive manner in which the Class of 2022 concluded their time at Kinross Wolaroi School.

Their grace, dignity and positive spirit set a wonderful example for every student in the school and clearly reflected their affection for the School, their peers and staff. They should be proud of the mature, spirited and respectful way they concluded their journey at the School.

We celebrated their hard work and successes with a moving Graduation Ceremony on Thursday 22 September on their final day at School.

YEAR 12 GRADUATION CELEBRATION

Year 12 students wrapped up their last day at Kinross Wolaroi School with a Graduation Celebration at Philip Shaw Winery on Thursday 22 September.

Despite the weather not coming to the party it was a lovely evening of cocktails, canapes and dancing. Students, parents and staff alike let down their hair and celebrated all the hard work and dedication that had been undertaken to get to this point. Congratulations and we hope this memory is one that will be cherished.

SPRING SOIREE

Almost 300 current and future parents turned out for a fun night at Ross Hill Wines for our annual Spring Soiree cocktail event on Friday 25 November 2022. The Soiree is an opportunity for our parents to get together and enjoy each other’s company one last time before the school year ends. A big thank you to everyone who came along for making it such a great night. Big thanks must also go to the P&F, who supported the event, and to the wonderful Ross Hill Wines who were amazing hosts.

TRIVIA NIGHT ‘FUN’DRAISING SUCCESS

Sarah Glover, P&F President 2022

It has been at least two years since the P&F have been able to hold a major event that embraced participation from the ‘whole School’; Pre-Kinder to Year 12.

Two years was way too long, judging by the enthusiasm and fun with which the whole School embraced the P&F Trivia Fundraiser on Friday 5 August at the Orange Function Centre.

The P&F Trivia event was generously supported on so many levels. 370 parents and friends purchased tickets.  Families and local and regional businesses donated items for the raffle, games’ prizes and silent auction fundraisers.  This included cash raised from families and friends to help the night get going. Oh! And did we mention the army of

volunteers?  Raising money relies on people power to bring it home and that’s exactly what happened. We had so many wonderful volunteers working on the lead up, setting up on the day, working in the kitchen and helping with the components of the event on the night – everyone including the guests were happy to get amongst it for a good cause.  Thanks must go to the School’s Marketing and Engagement Manager, Jennifer Divall who was the rock behind us – helping with printing, managing tickets sales, payment facilities, guest list, ferrying items and masterfully organising the tables, sending out numerous promotions and communications and of course the table themes!

And the night? It was just pure fun!

Due to everyone’s amazing enthusiasm and generosity we able to meet our fundraising target of $25,000. Thank you to everyone who was part of this event – the P&F’s goal this year is to raise money to support the upgrade of the Performance Theatre.  The refurbishment of this facility is part of the School’s Capital Development Program.  Thank you to the School community in assisting to provide ‘the cream on top’ for furnishings and equipment for this great space.  This will benefit many students for years to come.

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S RUGBY 7 s VISIT

The School’s Rugby Community was treated to an amazing experience in October 2022 when the World Cup winning Australian Women’s 7s team was in town and used Kinross Wolaroi School as a base for their pre-season camp.

The team conducted sessions in our weights room, the school pool and on the Ex-students field. Our Girls’ Rugby

7s players were invited to watch an open training session, where 15 of our boys trained head to head in a 30 minute open scrimmage, against these world class athletes.

Our Year 10 PASS students were treated to a coaching seminar from Olympic Gold Medal winning coach Tim Walsh and our Junior School students ran through Rugby 7s clinics with the

Australian 7s players.

As we continue to build our Rugby Program, we are very thankful for these opportunities. I would like to thank our students for their enthusiasm, the teaching and clerical staff for their support, and a big thank you to our Grounds staff who did an amazing job getting our fields in outstanding shape.

Matt Tink, MIC Rugby

YEAR 6 2022 GRADUATION DINNER

It was wonderful to celebrate our Year 6 students with a Graduation dinner on Friday 18 November, a significant milestone. The culmination of what has been, for some, eight years in the junior learning community, and the start of a new season in their lives. Every Year 6 student received mementoes to remind them of their time together at Kinross Wolaroi and to acknowledge their hard work throughout their junior years.

Dinner was a wonderful event, students arrived dressed to the nines. They were treated to delicious food from Smoking Brothers and a dessert bar provided by our very own Kinross Wolaroi hospitality students. Throughout the night they heard from their class teachers and our Head Boy and Girl. After a delicious dinner, the students and teachers hit the dance floor for a fun night of dancing and festivities. It was an incredible evening of celebration, and the teachers were impressed by the maturity and camaraderie displayed among this wonderful cohort who have set the bar high as they come to an end of their time in the Junior School.

As George Nash, our Head Boy, and Georgie Simpson, our Head Girl, shared with their peers:

“We have had so many amazing adventures and memories that we have shared together this year. This is not about to end. Moving up to Senior

School only doubles the opportunities; new classmates, teachers, subjects, and surroundings, just to name a few. Throughout our years of Junior school, we have tried many different activities, learnt so many skills and developed many friendships. Going into Senior School should not make us forget about those important things. One thing we will most definitely remember is the drama productions and co–curricular sports we have participated in throughout the years.

We have dominated the field in soccer as Mariners, took charge on the court in basketball as Lakers and Flames, lapped the pool in swimming in PE, slid in the mud in rugby, hit sixes in cricket as Under 13s, stole the ball in hockey as the Brumbies and Rhinos and dove for tries in touch football as the Lightning.

“In drama, we have shone as actors from the beginning. Starting at our K-2 show acting in ‘Mixed up Fairy Tales’. In Year 4 we took on the roles as pirates looking for lost treasure in the Caribbean. And who could forget the catchy chorus of ‘Me and My Screen’ and ‘Beautiful Sky’ from the past two years, acting as fanatical gamers, punctual students, gangster hooligans and wise elders.

“Over the past seven years of schooling, we have also taken on the roles in the classroom as mathematicians, authors, debaters, chess players, knitters, musicians,

leaders and most importantly learning to show the school’s values; courage, commitment, respect, inclusiveness, and resilience, which we should all continue to display in high school.

I have lost count of all the skills and lessons we have learnt through our years of Junior School, but one thing I know for sure is that we can move up to Year 7 confidently with no regrets. As the quote goes, ‘Move on. It is just a chapter in the past. But don’t close the book. Just turn the page.’

“For the next six years of Senior School, let’s choose to show our values, be good friends, and most importantly, enjoy those years, because you only go through Senior School once. It’s important to enjoy the journey that is school. We can’t wait to see what life in the big fishpond that is Senior School holds for us.”

Nights like this don’t just happen. Thanks go to Kirsty Chambers and her team of mums for their decorating skills and willingness to be involved; Mrs Sharron Ryan and Mrs Natalie Davis for ensuring we had enough of everything on the night; to Mr Mark Whitehead and Ms Belle Hazelton for their creation of lasting memories for their students; and finally, to all the staff of the Junior School who joined together to make this event a memorable one.

PLAYFUL TALES: AN EVENING OF COMICAL STORYTELLING

Staff and students in the Junior School were delighted to finally have their productions on stage after the hiatus COVID presented in the last few years.

Year 3-4 students presented ‘Storyville’ while Year 5-6 students performed ‘Giants in the Sky’ at the Orange Function Centre on 14 and 15 September.

Students had diligently worked alongside their teachers, learning words, songs and dance moves, whilst our fabulous production teams worked on

sets, props and costumes. We were also very grateful to have some wonderful parent helpers that created some of our fantastic costumes.

The atmosphere inside the Orange Function Centre at each performance was thrilling, as both cast, and audience thoroughly enjoyed the experience of coming together for live theatre and music.

The Junior School has a long and illustrious history of musicals, courtesy of Mr Romko Hordynsky, who wrote and directed incredible musicals for many

years. We hope that we have honoured that legacy with our dramatic offerings this year.

We are very blessed at Kinross Wolaroi to be able to run a performing arts program that involves all children and gives our students a unique opportunity to be involved in a collective project that requires self-discipline, resilience, courage and often requires students to step outside their comfort zone. These are skills that will serve our children well into Senior School and beyond.

Storyville

Storyville

Storyville

Storyville

Giants In The Sky

Giants In The Sky

Giants In The Sky Giants In The Sky

JUNIOR SCHOOL FATHER’S DAY BREAKFAST

Thanks to all of our Junior School students’ dads and significant men for joining us for breakfast and a classroom visit to celebrate Father’s Day on 2 September. Bacon and egg rolls were served from our Glasshouse and Round Garden to feed the hungry crowd. The kids loved showing the men in their lives around and even partook in a game of handball or two.

SMILES ALL ROUND FOR GRAND FRIEND’S DAY IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Thanks to all our lovely Grandfriends for visiting us on 21 October. It was a great day to show our older relatives and friends how much they mean to us. We celebrated with a range of Junior School ensembles and a beautiful picnic lunch.

OLD SCHOOL JERSEY DAY

On 26 July it was ‘Old School Jersey Day’ for our Rugby teams. We asked the boys to go through Dad’s wardrobe and find the best retro rugby jersey they could find. Turns out our Kinross Dads had the goods!

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS FROM THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

The Kinross Wolaroi School community were treated to a very special festive event for Christmas 2022: The Nativity Play staged by Kindergarten to Year 2 was brilliant. The enthusiasm, commitment and courage shown by the students as they brought this production to life were fabulous. To all those who assisted with costumes, music and guiding the students - thank you. Mrs Marlo Robson deserves special mention as it was her leadership, enthusiasm and vision that ensured the play was such a great success – thank you!

SCHOOL SUCCESS

HSC Industrial Technology students

An impressive fourteen students from our HSC class of 2022 were nominated for inclusion in InTech – the annual exhibition of outstanding Major Projects by HSC Industrial Technology students. Congratulations to all.

Jake Barnes-Philpott – Enclosed Dirt Bike Trailer

Max Day – Rodeo Bucking Shute

Charlie McCaskie – Farm Motor Bike Trailer

Jonathon Rasmussen – Hydraulic Log Splitter

Jock Stuart – Flatbed Trailer

Hugh Wilson – Multi Feeder Towable Sheep Feeder Bin

Matthew Adams - Tube Frame Racing Simulator

Jake Chudleigh – Aluminium Canopy for Land Cruiser

James Kennett – Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer

Darcy Schofield – Camper Trailer

Ethan Smith – Tandem Axle Tipping Trailer

Clancy Wilson – Double Horse Float

James Glasson – Enclosed Motor Bike Trailer

Francis Poulton – Tandem Axle Tool Trailer

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT: ANABEL VAN WYK

Anabel Van Wyk always envisaged visiting the Statue of Liberty and Times Square if ever she was to travel to New York. However, the fifteen-year-old Kinross Wolaroi School student never imagined performing at the city’s - let alone the world’s - grandest music venue.

Located in Midtown Manhattan and built between 1889 and 1891, Carnegie Hall has hosted big classical music and popular music names. From Jay-Z to Tchaikovsky and The Beatles, Anabel can now also add her name to the hall of fame.

Anabel’s extraordinary talent on the saxophone saw her rise to the top of the 2022 Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition, and first prize just so happened to be performing at Carnegie Hall.

“It was amazing! Carnegie Hall was an awesome place to play, not just because of the wonderful acoustics and beautiful interior but also because of its history. So many incredible people have performed there, and it was unbelievable to play in

the footsteps of the icons,” said Anabel. Sitting in one of the hall’s 3761 seats was Anabel’s dad, who accompanied her to New York. Anabel spotted her dad as she walked onto the stage, just in time to calm her nerves before taking part in the once-in-a-lifetime performance. Despite performing alongside 30 other musicians, Anabel was the only one from Australia.

“I felt really excited but also slightly daunted to play in Carnegie Hall. Probably because it is built up to be and valued as the greatest hall in the world!”

Anabel said the highlight was the acoustics and that she will never forget what it sounded like to play inside the great hall.

“It is the only place I have played where I could hear myself perfectly whilst playing. It was a surreal performance because I could almost experience what the audience hears! In most places I can barely hear myself, making it difficult to adjust my sound and expression in performances, but this wasn’t an issue in Carnegie Hall.”

Anabel began playing the saxophone aged ten. Her talent was noticed a couple of years later in Parkes, where she won the Primary category of the Australian National Busking Championships. As a result, Anabel was offered a scholarship to play the saxophone with the Sydney Youth Orchestra, expanding her repertoire and experience exponentially.

The bright star’s advice to other young people wishing to advance their talents in music now, is to find the right instrument.

“Music is something that needs a lot of commitment and time, so choose an instrument that you are really interested in and play music that you enjoy, otherwise it’ll be difficult to find the motivation for practise and you’ll struggle to make progress!”

In fact, Anabel experienced her own setbacks with finding the right instrument. Despite being determined to play the saxophone, Anabel was first told that she was too small and that the clarinet was a better fit. Nevertheless, Anabel remained resolute and refused to play anything other than a saxophone.

“Eventually, the teachers at my school allowed me to start lessons on an old saxophone that was almost as big as me!” said Anabel.

Then again when Anabel’s family immigrated to Australia from South Africa, she was unable to find a saxophone teacher to help her progress. It wasn’t until Anabel moved to a school in Parkes that she was able to find a teacher. Anabel subsequently joined the town band, but quickly found travelling the distance from their remote farm into town too much.

“My primary school of barely 100 kids back then had no music ensembles either! There were no other saxophonists and very few other young musicians in my school.”

This was when Anabel turned to busking, and how she ended up performing at Carnegie Hall. Now enrolled at Kinross Wolaroi School, Anabel’s skills and experience on the saxophone have grown ten-fold.

“I moved to Kinross Wolaroi in Year 7, where there are a lot more musical opportunities! Last year I became a member of the Sydney Youth Orchestra’s (SYO) Wind Ensemble, which has taught me a lot! It’s allowed me to play at the Sydney Conservatorium and meet heaps of other young musicians. COVID-19 affected a lot of performances with SYO, but these activities are slowly starting up again.”

While Anabel has a few years before completing her school studies, her career in music already looks bright. Anabel plans to continue performing with SYO and even complete the Saxophone Associate (AMusA) exams. And if she were ever to be invited back to perform Carnegie Hall, Anabel’s answer would be, without a doubt, be a resounding “Yes!”.

“Carnegie Hall was an awesome place to play, not just because of the wonderful acoustics and beautiful interior but also because of its history.”

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL

Liv Fredriksson & Isabella Baldwin

Congratulations to Liv Fredriksson and Isabella Baldwin whose HSC artworks were nominated for ARTEXPRESS, as part of the HSC Showcase season in 2023.

Liv Fredriksson’s artworks, “Kära Morfar”, explores the reality of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the effect memory loss has on the individual and their loved ones. The series of portraits depicts Liv’s grandfather, Ove Fredriksson and explores the nature of memories and how they shape identity and relationships.

Isabella Baldwin’s artworks, “Show and Tell”, examine the concept of intimacy and the sometimes difficult and awkward nature of physical and emotional interactions. The work aims to challenge the audiences’ perceptions and understandings what is to receive and give affection.

Joe Denman

Toby Gough

Toby Gough Year 11, spent a week working with B-Rock and Fox Sport reporter Brian Van De Wakker working toward his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

As part of this role he announced the Driver Parade and Driver Signing Day.

Congratulations to Joe Denman for being selected as a winner for the 2023 Heywire competition for his short story that expresses the unrealistic and overwhelming pressures that young men face in rural communities.

Heywire is an initiative of ABC Radio through ABC Rural aimed at giving a voice to the issues and aspirations of regional and rural youth.

Towards the end of March, the group of around 30 winners spent 4 nights in Canberra at the 2023 Heywire Summit, including a special function at Parliament House. The group will be taking a lead role as the voice of youth in regional Australia throughout 2023 and the summit participants will work together in groups to develop ideas to make positive change in their communities.

Xanthe St Clair

Xanthe St Clair’s major Textiles and Design project was selected for the TEXstyle HSC Exhibition. Xanthe’s work was on display at Gallery 76, 76 Queen Street, Concord West, Sydney, 5 March - 28 April 2023. Titled ‘Anthozoa’, the dress has a bodice is of Silk dupioni with circular ruffled sleeves, bemsilk lining and the skirt is a sublimation printed dress satin. The dress has an over skirt with train made of silk organza which is hand-painted, block printed and embellished with hand dyed yo-yos, couched metallic yarn, hand embroidery and appliqued with CNC machine embroidery. The project aims to visually portray the ongoing devastation to the earth’s underwater ecosystems. The use of decorative techniques incorporated into my design represent the debasement of coral reefs lead by human behaviours.

Ethan Kairaitis

Congratulations to Year 12 Drama student Ethan Kairaitis whose nuanced and perceptively crafted Individual Performance piece resulted in his nomination for inclusion in OnStage 2022.

Ethan’s piece, titled A Time to Kill, was inspired by the harrowing racially motivated crime events which occurred in Mississippi in the 1980s.

William Englund

Congratulations to musician William Englund whose excellent skills and beautiful musicality on the tenor saxophone landed him a nomination for inclusion in Encore 2022. William performed Beat Me by the Australian composer Barry Cockcroft, a work which requires the performer to incorporate a number of complex extended techniques on the saxophone.

Maka Mutyiri

Congratulations to Year 11 student Maka Mutyiri for being selected for the National Youth Science Forum, held in January 2023 across several universities including Sydney, NSW, Macquarie and UTS. It included exciting practical experiences as well as lectures in cutting-edge science and technologies, engagement with industry partners and tours of science and technology facilities. A big thank you to the Orange Rotary Club for funding half of the program cost.

George ProudfordNalder

Congratulations to George who won the 2022 NSW Southern Stars Junior Go Karting Championship. This involved competing in four rounds of racing at Orange, Dubbo, Griffith and Canberra during the year. George now has the honour of racing with the Number 1 red plate for the next 12 months. Congratulations to George, a true example of where hard work and dedication can take you.

Benjamin Hoskins-Murphy

Benjamin Hoskins-Murphy received a 2022 OnStage nomination for his HSC Drama Individual Scriptwriting Project entitled “The Door”. Ben’s original short play portrays the existential struggle of a young man, Alfred, a poet who nobody has ever read, stuck in a small town, stuck in his bedroom, stuck inside his head. The internal drama expresses his internal purgatory, as he falls into existential despair.

FAREWELLS

Mr Paul Tierney 33 years of service

Mathematics Teacher and Academic Administrator

Mr Paul Tierney has made an enormous contribution during his 33 years at the School. As well as being a gifted and dynamic Mathematics teacher Paul has held many roles including his whole family living in Stuart Douglas House for over three years, the Registrar/Enrolments Officer, Head of the TAS faculty, Head of Richards House and more recently in the Academic Administration role.

ADDITIONS

New Arrivals

Paul has shared with us some interesting facts about his time at the School, including that he is the only staff member ever to have coached three different sports at First Grade level (Rugby, Hockey and Football) and is the oldest person to ever play in a Kinross Wolaroi First Grade team (Football).

Paul’s experience and contribution will be greatly missed and we wish him every happiness and success.

MATILDA

JEAN LAWLER-GROGAN

Matilda (Tildy) Jean Lawler-Grogan, second child of Marnie Grogan and Josh Lawler, sister to Bobby.

Born 20/09/2022 weighing 4.74kg.

HAMISH TED FARDELL

Hamish Ted Fardell was born on 22/09/2022 at 1.33pm, weighing 3.4kg.

Our congratulations and best wishes to Hayley (PA to the Head of the Senior School) and Louis Fardell.

MATT TINK, MIC RUGBY AND SCHOOL SERGEANT

Matt Tink isn’t one to take his eye off the ball.

After two years as Kinross Wolaroi School’s MIC Rugby, Mr Tink has realised he can apply the same lessons he teaches on the field to prepare students for life after school.

The former Wallaroos coach and Central West Rugby CEO will therefore wear two hats from 2023, remaining as the School’s part-time MIC Rugby while also stepping into Gary Yeo’s former role as School Sergeant.

The School Sergeant is responsible for setting the tone and discipline of students in the Senior School.

Mr Tink will do so by establishing strong relationships with students based on mutual trust and respect and working in partnership with the Head of Student Wellbeing, Heads of Boarding, Head Mentors and Heads of Boarding Houses.

“I really enjoy working with the students and seeing their enthusiasm for life. There are so many kids at Kinross Wolaroi prepared to have a crack at most things and it is incredibly enjoyable seeing them achieve,” said Mr Tink.

Mr Tink knows all about helping players achieve their best and building a team that’s on the same page. His motto is to treat everyone fairly and with respect.

“Empathy and understanding go a long way,” he said. “I hope to improve the general tone and environment of the school to ensure our students have a great experience at Kinross Wolaroi. It is always exciting to see our students achieving in their chosen fields, but even more pleasing is seeing their personal growth. Whilst this role often entails working through discipline issues with students, it is rewarding to see improvement in individuals.”

There is no doubt Mr Tink’s rugby experience will stand him in good stead in his new role and that there will be many eyes now watching him lead the next generation into life beyond school.

“It is always exciting to see our students achieving in their chosen fields, but even more pleasing is seeing their personal growth.”

Matt Tink

BROOKE CHURCH, CO-ORDINATOR OF LEARNING ENHANCEMENT (PRE-KINDER - 6)

Kinross Wolaroi School is thrilled to welcome experienced teacher Brooke Church in 2023 as the new Co-ordinator of Learning Enhancement (Pre-Kinder - 6).

Mrs Church is no stranger to the Orange community, having most recently taught nearby at Catherine McAuley Catholic Primary School, and St Ceclia’s Balgowlah and St Ambrose Concord West prior to that.

The local mother of three will be a fantastic addition to Kinross Wolaroi. She sees her new role as an opportunity to connect with students and move her career in a new direction after teaching a range of grades, from Kindergarten to Year 6, in regional and metropolitan settings. Mrs Church was also impressed by the initiatives Kinross Wolaroi has already undertaken to engage students with their learning through The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE) and Round Square.

In her role as Co-ordinator of Learning Enhancement, Mrs Church will be responsible for creating a

supportive and engaging learning environment that enables learners to reach their full potential. She will do so by identifying, developing, and facilitating support and enrichment programs that suit each student’s needs in partnership with the School’s teaching staff.

“The Co-ordinator of Learning Enhancement is an important role as all students are unique and have individual strengths. Students also have areas for development which need to be acknowledged. Where support is needed for students, we are able to put programs and scaffolds in place to help them reach their full potential,” said Mrs Church.

This year, Mrs Church’s focus is on building relationships with students and regularly communicating with parents and carers about their child’s educational needs.

“The focus is on building skills, not only academic but also social and emotional regulation and teaching students how to ask for help,” said Mrs Church.

Mrs Church will also collect data to inform decisions about support for students and measure student growth.

“Within the role, I analyse data and hold conversations with teachers and parents to ensure that students are achieving to the best of their ability. I coordinate groups of students for extra instruction in Literacy and Numeracy and ensure these groups are wellmanaged and resourced. I also manage a team of six Learning Enhancement Aids who assist the classroom teachers with the delivery of all subjects to ensure students with diverse educational needs are accessing the curriculum,” said Mrs Church.

Mrs Church has been warmly welcomed into Kinross Wolaroi since accepting the role earlier this year and is looking forward to meeting more students and families.

“Education is a heart job and finding connections with others is so important,” she said.

Education is a heart job and finding connections with others is so important.”

Brooke Church

STAFF MILESTONES

Wes McDonald

20 years of service

Wes McDonald is proud to have been part of the Kinross Wolaroi family for 20 years. After completing a greenkeeping apprenticeship at Cowra Golf Club, Wes moved to Orange in 2002 for love, which led him to the role of labourer/cricket curator at the School. Here, he found a place to call homewith an open and friendly community and grounds he could dedicate his life’s work to making the best. “In my first few weeks here, the deputy principal introduced themself and said welcome to our family here at Kinross Wolaroi. To this day, I have a connection with the students - they come up to have a chat in the playground, and the staff are always friendly and willing to lend a hand,” said Wes. What started as a basic setup has blossomed into something grand - from installing irrigation and gardens to even having the Australian wallabies come and train on the main oval. Wes is proud of what he and his team of six have achieved and looks forward to many more milestones within the School’s grounds - including resurfacing and installing new irrigation and drainage on the main oval this summer. His unwavering dedication to making the School grounds perfect for students, staff, and sporting teams remains steadfast - no matter how much things change!

Bryan Thomas

42 years of service

Bryan Thomas has Economics in his veins. His father, an Economics teacher, ensured there was always spirited debate around the dinner table. In 1981, after graduating from a teaching degree, Bryan applied for two positions and was invited to an interview at Kinross Wolaroi upon his return from a biking adventure in Queensland. At the end of the interview, Bryan was offered a teaching position and House Master duties, but he’d need to be resourceful. Without blackboards - let alone whiteboards - back then, butcher’s paper on the wall had to suffice for lessons. Bryan often spent his nights off duty in Wolaroi House (now Tower House) making overhead projector slides from another teacher’s holiday slide collection and library research tasks (there was no internet, of course). A lover of sports, Bryan has enjoyed supporting the frequent cricket, rugby, basketball, athletics, rowing and Cadet programs at Kinross Wolaroi and has put both his sons through the School he is so fond of. “I have always believed in the old saying, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and I genuinely believe that life is too short to do something each day that you don’t enjoy,” said Bryan. “I have stayed teaching here because I love my job. I work with great kids and great staff.” It’s probably no surprise that given the choice, Bryan would happily do it all again.

Peter Stevens

40 years of service

Peter Stevens has had a long and storied teaching career at Kinross Wolaroi. He first started teaching Latin and Ancient History in August 1983 after a ten-year stint in Sydney that left him ready for a tree change. One of the first differences Peter noticed after making the move was between his studentsfinding those at Kinross Wolaroi more open to conversation and accepting of new challenges. Over his four decades at the School, Peter has seen much change, both in terms of its physical appearance

with additions such as the Music Centre in 1991 and Library in 1996, while also witnessing its technological transformation, beginning with 25 staff – including himself – gathering in the woodwork shed to be introduced to the School’s first computers back in 1984. Though he remembers this foray into the digital world not being as successful as one may hope due to an oversight about needing a networking facility! Other special memories include attending or hosting major events, such as the

Western Associated Schools Athletics Carnival in late 1983 and the centenary celebration of when the Victoria Cross was first awarded to Dr Neville Howse of Orange - an event attended by then Prime Minister John Howard. Peter is looking towards a semi-retirement where he’ll be able to spend more time with his wife Anne on their small property while still being connected to Kinross Wolaroi and teaching in a parttime capacity.

CLASS OF 1976 REUNION

The reunion of the class of 1976 was a great success with just under 30 ex-students and 10 partners attending a weekend of catching up. The group had drinks and dinner at the Canobolas Hotel on the Friday evening with a couple of ex-teachers popping in for a drink (John Casbier and Rod Hancock). On Saturday, many took advantage of the reasonable weather to visit the Botanic Gardens and some of the wineries. They then enjoyed a school tour with Archivist, Peter Stevens followed by dinner at the Lord Anson in their upstairs room. On Sunday morning the vast majority attended brunch at Duntryleague.

ALUMNI PROFILE

Monique Worsley

Class of 2018

Monique Worsley joined Kinross Wolaroi School in 2009, where she soon made a name for herself by becoming the Senior Under Officer of the Cadet Unit. She graduated in 2018 with one of the top ten ATAR scores as well as awards for courtesy, character and school spirit and the Youth Long Tan leadership award.

Monique credits her teachers at Kinross Wolaroi for having the most profound impact during her time there and remains in contact with many of them.

“Many of my teachers taught me the importance of self-belief and staying in my own lane, focusing on what I was doing and just doing my best. They taught me the values of kindness, candour and hard work and I think these have shaped my trajectory in life,” said Monique.

In 2019, Monique was rewarded with a scholarship to complete a Double Bachelor of Laws and Science (Honours) at the Australian National University in Canberra. During her studies, she has been active in many roles, including as a Young Ambassador with UNICEF Australia; a Policy Officer at the

Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment; a Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport; an Assessment Officer at the NSW Department of Primary Industries; a Paralegal at Canberra Criminal Lawyers; a Youth Advocate with Every Child; and a Deputy Director of The Australian Crisis Simulation Summit, and has completed several parliamentary internships.

Monique has achieved numerous successes, from presenting several UNICEF reports to Parliament on rural and regional health, education and youth mental health, among others (resulting in commendations from both Prime Minister and NSW State Premier) to being invited as the opening keynote speaker at the Australian National Drought Summit in Toowoomba in 2020, which stemmed from being an attendee at the Youth National Drought Summit in 2019.

Through her work with UNICEF Australia, Monique seeks to represent youth voices to those in power.

“Working with UNICEF is an achievement to me because it has allowed

me to represent young people and elevate countless voices to the Australian Parliament and beyond. Seeing the work that UNICEF does in creating meaningful change is something I cannot put words to. The connections I’ve made in my time with UNICEF and the impact that my work with them has had is something I will always be incredibly proud of,” said Monique.

Monique has achieved incredible things in the few short years since leaving Kinross Wolaroi and has a bright future ahead of her. Monique is considering pursuing medicine as a postgraduate or a role in international diplomacy or advocacy with an international not-for-profit.

“There are countless opportunities once I finish my study and I am so excited to see where life takes me. Ultimately, I hope to have a long and successful career, making an impact on the lives of others,” said Monique.

The future also looks bright for Monique outside of work and study, having recently become engaged to fellow ex-student Monty Eccleston.

Many of my teachers taught me the importance of self-belief and staying in my own lane, focusing on what I was doing and just doing my best.”

IN MEMORIAM

Vale

LIONEL GRADY WOLAROI 1951-1952

Lionel Grady, a former student of Wolaroi College, Orange died on 5 September 2022 after a 21 year battle with cancer. Lionel’s two sons Andrew and Timothy both attended Kinross Wolaroi College and at that time Lionel was active in the Ex-Students Association being Treasurer for several years.

Lionel suffered a horrific farm accident in 1955 resulting in the loss of a leg. This did not stop him from leading a very active life which included amongst other things, taking up golf and learning to bare foot water ski (he is believed to be the first amputee in Australia to achieve this).

Lionel qualified to swim at the 2000 Para-0lympics but was unable to compete due to illness. He was a runner up in the NSW State Disabled Bowls and was invited to compete in the World Championship for Disabled Golfers.

Lionel is survived by his wife Jacqueline, sons Andrew and Timothy, daughter -in-law Bec and grandchildren Daisy, Poppy and Allie. A private funeral was held at St, Peters Anglican Church, Swansea.

GEORGE DANIEL OAKES

1934-2022 - Wolaroi 1945-1947

George Daniel Oakes was born at Vunarimu near Rabaul, Papua New Guinea on 25 January 1934. His parents were Methodist Missionaries. In 1941 George, his brother Parker and their mother were evacuated ahead of the Japanese landing in Rabaul. They didn’t see their father again. Civilian men and soldiers were put on a Prisoner of War ship, the Monte Video Maru, which was torpedoed off Luzon.

After living with grandparents in Sydney for several years, George and Parker boarded at Wolaroi where his mother Marion also worked as Matron for some time. John Shelton, whose father was also lost on the ship, was with them there. At Wolaroi George met his life long friend Alan Kingsmill. George excelled at sports, especially running, and kept the trophies and awards he won. He joined the Cadets. George was in Brown House. He recalled the freezing winters with numerous blankets on his bed!

George remembered VIP Day (Victory in the Pacific Day). All the pupils ran onto the school oval banging garbage bin lids to celebrate. Some months later, George, Parker and John were called into the headmaster’s office to be told their fathers ‘would not be coming home.’

When his mother remarried in 1947 George and Parker moved to Newington College as Day boys, where he completed his schooling.

After matriculating, he worked in the Mines Department, but at 19 he returned to PNG as a Patrol Officer. His duties were many, but his proudest achievement was re-building an airstrip at Nuku in the Sepik District. George earned his Bachelor of Commerce via distance education through the University of Queensland. He spent over 20 years in PNG with the last years in Port Moresby as a Business Advisory Officer, helping the local people establish businesses in the time leading up to Independence. He wrote booklets on how to set up a business and keep accounts.

George married Edna in 1958. They had three childrenWesley (1959- 1998), Denise (1961) and Stephen (1965-2016). Wesley and Stephen boarded at Kinross Wolaroi in 1974-1975. The family returned to Australia in 1975 and George worked at Barker College as the Bursar for 18 years. Edna and George retired to Woodford in the Blue Mountains in 1992, where he enjoyed bushwalking and bird watching. He also wrote his memoir: Return to PNG. He died peacefully on 14 December 2022.

George is survived by Edna, his wife of almost 64 years, and his daughter Denise Tilly.

Vale

FROM THE ARCHIVES

A flip through the photo albums of yesteryear.

The entrance to the Wolaroi Campus driveway in the 1920s.

Wolaroi Dormitory in the 1920s.

Grant Kenny opening the Anderson Centre in 1989.

The Wolaroi Dining Room in the 1920s.

The Wolaroi Campus Quadrangle in the 1990s, looking towards what is now the new Reception Building and main oval.

Athletics Carnival on the main Wolaroi Oval in the early 1900s.