The Chronicle | Issue 7 | Winter 2019

The

CHRONICLE ISSUE 7

WINTER 2019

KINROSS WOLAROI SCHOOL

GETTING WELLBEING RIGHT

A program to ensure the health and wellbeing of students

EXPERIENCING THE WORLD

Students given the opportunity to live and learn abroad

TH E C H R ONI C L E

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the latest edition of Kinross Wolaroi School’s Chronicle magazine.

This is a great time to be a student at KWS: the school is flourishing as our community recognises that exciting changes are in play that are delivering ever better outcomes for our students.

In this edition the focus is on our student wellbeing initiatives. Research has shown conclusively that improving a student’s sense of connectedness – the feeling that people at school care about them as individuals as well as about their learning – leads to better social, emotional, behavioural and learning outcomes for young people.

It is a basic human need: to feel cared for and valued by our peers and the adults who help us to learn.

The School has strategies in place to improve student connectedness across all aspects of the school – from our newly minted Mentors and Mentor Groups with extra time for wellbeing activities; to our exciting new weekend programs for boarders; strategies to smooth a child’s entry to Year 7; challenging programs aimed at helping to develop a greater sense of self; and initiatives for giving students a stronger voice of their own. Read about these and more in the following pages.

A reminder that the Chronicle is your magazine and we would love to hear from you with your feedback and story contributions.

We particularly love to hear from our ex-students, so you are encouraged to email us at the address below.

Jennifer Divall Engagement Manager

Credits Publisher Kinross Wolaroi School 59-67 Bathurst Road Orange NSW 2800 +612 6392 0300 reception@kws.nsw.edu.au kws.nsw.edu.au Editor Jennifer Divall KWS Engagement Manager Coordinator Caroline Rich KWS Publications & Design Officer Alumni Relations Luke Corinth +612 6392 0300 exstudents@kws.nsw.edu.au Journalism Skye Manson Caroline Rich Photography Graham Schumann Melise Coleman Pip Farquharson Design Graziela Machado Printing GK Craig Printing Contributions Reader contributions are welcomed.

Please forward to crich@kws.nsw.edu.au

Kinross Wolaroi School is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia Front cover: Year 7 Douglas students participating in ‘The Human Knot’ as part of their Wellbeing time

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IN THIS ISSUE From the Principal Wellbeing: A Foundation for All Learning

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Chair of Council Imagining What We Can Achieve Together 4

Features Getting Wellbeing Right 6 Rowing Nationals & Henley Royal Regatta 8 Giving Students a Voice 10

Charity Fundraisers World’s Greatest Shave Give Me 5 For Kids Beanies Warm Heads and Hearts

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Programs and Innovation You Can Sit With Me Exploring Living Skills Duke of Edinburgh Program International Student Exchange Program How We’re Transforming Weekends for Boarders Improving Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

Student Achievements Holly Gutterson Jasper Mihalich Emer Spora Fletcher Bolte Phoebe Litchfield Archie Dowling Taylah Hobbs Sophie Martin Kaydn McLachlan Da Vinci Decathlon

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Event Coverage Icebreaker Drinks 24 KWS Day 26 2019 Reunions 30 ANZAC Day 32 Cadets 34 National Boarding Week 36 Camerata Concert 38 Mother’s Day Breakfast in the Prep School 42 Prep Performing Arts Concert 44 Performing Arts Festival 46

Staff Trevor Delbridge – Business Manager Kate Callaghan – Coordinator of Staff Development and Head of New House Lisa Pengilly – Year 5 Teacher The KWS Catering Team

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Staff Achievements Tina Moshkanbaryans Foundation Fellow for 2019

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Alumni Alice Byrnes (Nee McClymont) – KWS Class of 2003 Alumni Feature: Lindy Williams, Victoria Gordon & Carolyn Pik – KWS Class of 1989 Cody Seton – KWS Class of 2018 Louella Mathews – KWS Class of 2006 Matthew Coddington – KWS Class of 1990

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Announcements 80 From the Archives

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THE CH R ONI C L E F R O M T H E P R IN C I PAL

WELLBEING: A FOUNDATION FOR ALL LEARNING The health and wellbeing of our students is an integral part of school life and the structures we have in place are continually assessed to see how they can be enhanced.

I along with a growing number of educators believe the ultimate purpose of education is human wellbeing, where our students are enabled to become complete in all aspects of their humanity.�

Dr Andrew Parry, KWS Principal

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t Kinross Wolaroi we recognise that in order for every young person to succeed to the best of their ability, they must do so in a caring and secure environment; one which encourages them to develop selfconfidence and social skills, one where relationships between all members of the community are based on trust and respect.

In 2017 in response to feedback gained through parent surveys, the School created a new senior role, Head of Wellbeing and embarked upon a review

of our wellbeing offering. An outcome of this process was to introduce a taught component to our Wellbeing Program.

The opportunity to teach wellbeing through our curriculum will enhance student engagement and achievement and teach life lessons in a way that will equip our students with the skills to face the challenges that lie before them.

Young people today face many challenges and have to make a range of important choices during the time they are at school. Managing this stressful period in their lives is critical to the maintenance of good mental health, and acquiring strategies to cope with what life presents is now viewed as an

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important aspect of the global education agenda. Now, more than ever, schools need to play a role in building the wellbeing of students in their care.

Evidence strongly suggests that whole school approaches to student wellbeing enhance not only mental health and resilience but also promote pro-social behaviour, student engagement and academic learning.1 When schools focus on the wellbeing of the whole child, this not only benefits individuals, but the communities in which they participate.

At Kinross Wolaroi we see wellbeing as central to our educational offering so that students have the greatest chance to learn, grow and become the best version

of themselves – to attain what the ancient Greeks called Arête – enabling them to flourish as an individual and community minded citizen.

Schools will always be focused on academic learning but research indicates it is time to make wellbeing a regular component of our teaching program.2 Student wellbeing and academic achievement should never be viewed as binary endeavours – where one is presented with the choice of either being happy and fulfilled or to maximise academic potential.

The link between health and wellbeing and positive academic performance is well researched.3

Our role as a school is to prepare our students for the tests of life rather than a life of tests. While both simple and powerful, this idea has become increasingly lost in an age that often considers all educational goals subordinate to narrow academic metrics and the prospects of well-paid jobs in the future.

I along with a growing number of educators believe the ultimate purpose of education is human wellbeing, where our students are enabled to become complete in all aspects of their humanity • Dr Andrew Parry Principal – KWS

1. ROFFEY, S. ‘Educational and Child Psychology’, The British Psychological Society, 2015, Vol.32, No 1.

2. WATERS, L. ‘Learning and Teaching’, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, 2016.

3. ZINS, J, ‘The Scientific Base Linking Social and Emotional Learning to School Success’, Columbia University, 2004.

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THE CH R ONI C L E C H A I R O F C O UN C IL

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.�

Nelson Mandela

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IMAGINING WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGETHER Recently I had the privilege of attending a fundraiser for the global charity “Opportunity International”.

This charity was established by a small group of visionary and clever individuals motivated by Jesus Christ’s call to love and serve the poor.

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hey have established a very successful model to break the global poverty cycle by providing very small loans to families living in poverty in developing countries.

These loans (of which 98% are repaid and recycled to help other families) are used to start small businesses and allow families to educate their children.

Mark Scott, the Secretary – NSW Department of Education and guest speaker for the evening, also reminded us of the power of a great education in our local context. He highlighted its impact by explaining that, based on the expected lifespan of current students, a Principal addressing a school assembly of 1000 students is “shaping 80,000 years of human life”. This is astounding, but even more so when you consider the exponential impact each student can ultimately have on the lives of others.

At Kinross Wolaroi School we welcome this opportunity and challenge.

This is what drives our determination to make this school the best it can be for our region and beyond. We know that this is achieved through strong leadership and highly skilled and dedicated teachers, so ensuring the school has a great team in place has been fundamental to the School Council in its forward planning.

The key goal of a KWS education is to instil in our students the skills and passion to become independent and adaptive learners. This is what will

provide the most solid foundation for each of our student’s futures. It will outlast league tables and ATARs. Of course, this can only be achieved within a safe, caring and connected community.

Ensuring the school has the structures and programs in place to achieve this for our students and their families underpins all our discussions at a governance level.

The Wellbeing framework of our 2019-2023 Strategic Plan specifically focuses on strengthening of the House system, development of the wellbeing skills of all staff, promotion of a school that is free of bullying, strengthening student leadership and, most importantly, ensuring every student has a voice.

However, a plan is not worth the paper it’s written on unless we all work together towards its success.

The first step towards achieving this is for every member of our community to live out, on a daily basis, the school’s five core values of Courage, Respect, Inclusiveness, Resilience and Commitment. This is not just an expectation we should have of our students – we all need to lead by example.

If we each focus on how we can live out these values in whatever role we play within the KWS community, imagine what we can achieve together – not just for our students but for every other community our students will serve in the future • Mrs Christine McIntosh Chair – KWS School Council

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THE CH R ONI C L E F E ATUR E S

GETTING WELLBEING RIGHT 2019 marks a positive turning point for Kinross Wolaroi as the School implements its new Strategic Plan announced in December 2018.

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new strategic direction for the School was developed after deep reflection by KWS staff and extensive investigation into how all stakeholders within the school community could best address the evolving needs of 21st century children. To help address this, wellbeing was identified as a core pillar to the new plan and will become central to the everyday lives of KWS students and staff.

A focus on wellbeing will be crucial in the development of KWS students, and equally as important as academic and other more traditional areas of school.

“Our philosophy is, ‘If we get wellbeing right then everything else gets easier,’” says Head of Student Wellbeing, Mrs Emma Bylsma. “We believe that if students are happy, self-confident, empathetic and healthy, then they are going to engage thoroughly in school.

In addition, the cultivation of these qualities generally leads to happier and more fulfilling lives.”

The KWS focus on student wellbeing will be all encompassing: engaging with the moral, intellectual, spiritual, physical, mental and social facets of students’ lives. It will become a part of lessons and activities in all Academic, Co-curricular and Wellbeing programs to ensure all staff members are involved in the pastoral care of the students. “From a young age we aim to begin building our students’ skills for dealing with changes in technology, changes in society and the uncertainty of life,” said Emma.

This year, Emma and her team have critically reviewed and enhanced the

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entire Wellbeing Framework at KWS and are developing programs focused on the important issues of mental health, bullying and leadership. This included the introduction of ‘Mentor Groups’ and ‘Houses’, a move away from ‘Tutor Groups’ and ‘Tutor Houses’.

“We now call it Wellbeing time and instead of a ‘Tutor’ we call them ‘Mentors’,” says Emma, “Tutor sounds like you are going to get academic help and that is not only what they are there for. They are like a guide or advisor; maybe even a champion. They are someone to pull you into line, help you make decisions and think about the best way to approach situations. I think that the term ‘Mentor’ better portrays their role.”

Under the new structure KWS is trialling longer Mentor Group meetings in the Senior School including; two 35-minute Wellbeing sessions each fortnight (every Thursday during term), a fortnightly whole of year group meeting and a fortnightly whole of house group meeting. The intent behind these positive changes is to allow longer periods of time for content delivery, guest speakers and extended time for students to meet with each other and their Mentor Teacher. As the Wellbeing program continues to roll out, specific programs for the three core topics of bullying, mental health and leadership will be developed.

“We found the previous time allocations were really not effective, it was too short to do anything meaningful and too long to do nothing. It means we can get guest speakers in, it allows time for more meaningful conversations or for students to debrief with the Mentor

Our Wellbeing Program must deliver a bespoke curriculum, tailored to the needs of our students.”

Mrs Emma Bylsma, Head of Student Wellbeing

Teacher, as well as the ability to take on activities such as leadership skills workshops. Another huge benefit is that we can have a proper meeting as a Year Group, allowing us the ability to tackle year based issues,” says Emma.

“As a school we are really unique.

We are regional. We are co-educational.

We are K-12 and we are a boarding school. As such, our Wellbeing framework must deliver a bespoke curriculum, tailored to the needs of

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our students. Parents need to understand our intentions and realise the life-long impact of attending to our students’ mental health and wellbeing.

At the end of their schooling at KWS, we hope that our students will be able to go on to have more successful lives in their community and to ultimately give back to these communities,” says Emma.

TOP ISSUES IMPACTING 15-19 YEAR OLDS IN AUSTRALIA TODAY The importance of wellbeing and mental health is being elevated at Kinross Wolaroi School based on the world around us. The statistics tell us the top issues impacting 1519 year olds in Australia today are:

Mental Health 33.7% Alcohol and Drugs 32.0% Equity and Discrimination 27.3% Youth in regional areas identified alcohol and drugs as more of an issue than young people from major cities (36.9% compared with 29.5%) •

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TH E C H R ONI C L E F E ATUR E S

Image provided by Felix Dieu

FROM KINROSS WOLAROI TO THE WORLD Rowing Nationals & Henley Royal Regatta For the first time in its history, Kinross Wolaroi School sent a team to compete in the world’s most famous rowing regatta, the Henley Royal Regatta in the United Kingdom.

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he undefeated Schoolgirl Coxed Quad of Freya Neville (Orange), Bridget Yeomans (Walgett), Lucy Jenkins (Nyngan), Isabelle Scammell (Cowra) and Jetta Kennett (Harden) pre-qualified to race in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup, which is the junior women’s quadruple scull race at Henley.

The crew has had an incredible breakthrough domestic season, winning Silver in the Under-19 Coxless Quad and Gold in the Schoolgirl Coxed Quad at the National Championships, where Bella and Freya also won Gold in the Under-17 Double Scull. Kinross Wolaroi School Head Rowing Coach Sarah Cook

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believes they have what it takes to be competitive on the world stage, “Henley Royal Regatta is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious regattas, however it is also one of the most challenging, and the standard in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup is exceptionally high.

53 top crews from around the world entered this year, with 33 of those being eliminated in the qualifiers the week prior to the regatta. Our crew earned the right to start in the main draw, but it was always going to be tough to progress from day to day. Ultimately we drew the crew from Upper Latymer for our first round, who won in the fastest time of all the Diamond Jubilee races of the day.”

With the exception of one, all of the girls come from farming families

experiencing drought. The team is fortunate that the strong connections of Deputy Principal Mr James Boyd and Principal Dr Andrew Parry resulted in some assistance from St Edwards College in Oxford, UK. “It’s quite unbelievable. They provided us with a boat, somewhere to train, they transported our boat to and from Henley, we stayed at their school and ate with their students and it was all free of charge. This alleviated a huge financial burden for the girls,” says Sarah. The generosity of the Kinross Wolaroi School Community, enabled us to fully fund this trip for the team, which was an incredible outcome and we are extremely grateful.

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The fire has been lit, and we look forward to coming back stronger and faster in the future!”

Ms Sarah Cook, KWS Rowing Coach

Unfortunately, the team Cox, Jetta Kennett was unable to compete as there was only one junior women’s event at Henley and it was a coxless event. Instead she has completed her Level 1 Rowing Coach accreditation and travelled with the team as an additional coach. The team was joined by Head Coach Sarah Cook, MIC of Rowing Tobias WehrCandler, and Director of Co-Curricular Heidi Anthony. KWS rowing enthusiast and staff member John Guiffre and KWS Chair Christine McIntosh travelled to the Regatta of their own accord.

It has been an incredible rowing season for Kinross Wolaroi’s new coaching duo who say they could not have dreamt of a better outcome for all of their rowing teams.

“It’s quite extraordinary how the Quad girls are performing but also how the whole squad went. At the Head of the River every rower bar one in our senior squad won a medal and then for the girls in the top crew to be unbeaten all season is amazing. It was an incredibly challenging season from a coaching standpoint, and for Tobias and I to build a program basically from the ground up again, but we’re very excited about the future and look forward to the 2019/20 Rowing season” says Sarah •

Freya Neville, Isabelle Scammell, Bridget Yeomans, Lucy Jenkins and Jetta Kennett celebrating their success

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THE CH R ONI C L E F E AT UR E S

The SRC affords students the opportunity to work with like-minded students who are passionate about making their school better.�

Mrs Sue-Ann Gavin, Student Representative Council Coordinator

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GIVING STUDENTS A VOICE The Student Representative Council

Kinross Wolaroi School students are being given a greater voice to make changes to the School through the new Student Representative Council (SRC), now in its second year of operation.

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he first cohort of the SRC was introduced in mid-2017 by Year 12 Coordinator and Careers Adviser Mrs Kimberley Jones and in 2018 the reins were handed over to Mrs Sue-Ann Gavin, who is also the Head of Department for Social Sciences. “Encouraging students to have a voice is imperative to a successful school and I think you have to give the students the opportunity to be engaged in their environment,” says Sue-Ann. “We are really lucky; they are a brilliant bunch of kids that actually want to make positive changes to the environment that their peers are in.”

Each year the SRC is led by KWS Service Prefects (Charlotte Haling and Ben Gillham, 2019) and is made up of 4 student representatives per year from Years 8 to 11. Representatives are initially nominated by staff or students and then decided upon in a student ballot in Term 3. In 2019 the KWS Charity Prefects (Olivia Mirrington and Bradman Gavin) were also added to the Council.

This year the motto of the SRC is ‘Listen, Challenge and Change’. Under this banner the members identified three areas of the School they wanted to positively contribute to; environment, charity and school life and they formed a sub-committee for each area.

The Council meets each week on Tuesdays during lunchtime. The first thing on the agenda is always the contents of the ‘Suggestion Box’ housed in the Library and then the Council discusses ways to bring students together in a positive way.

So far, the Council has been responsible for initiatives such as the introduction of the Charity Shield as an inter-house competition, Lunchtime Litter Monitors and at the moment it is developing better communication pathways between the Council and the KWS Senior Management Team to ensure the ideas and needs of students are heard at the upper levels of management.

Sue-Ann Gavin says it is a great way to further develop leadership skills in students. “I’m not saying that all the kids in the SRC will have leadership roles in Year 12 but it gives them a strong set of skills which enables them to be more effective leaders,” she says •

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TH E C H R ONI C L E PR O G R A M S A N D IN N OVAT ION

YOU CAN SIT WITH ME Students from the Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School will be empowered to help new students settle into life in Year 7 under the ‘You Can Sit With Me’ initiative being devised and driven by Year 7 Coordinator, Mrs Claudia McCalman.

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he kindness and inclusiveness initiative ran for the first time at KWS in 2019 to help new students (and their parents) overcome any feelings of being lost or alone in an unfamiliar environment.

“I actively went looking for a solution and the ‘You Can Sit With Me’ campaign stuck with me because it’s such a simple premise; give the kids the responsibility and they will live up to it,” says Claudia. #youcansitwithme is a national campaign started in 2015 by Sydney based educational consultant Sophie Whitehouse. She designed a highly visible yellow wristband with the words, ‘You Can Sit With Me’ that could be worn by kids at schools, sports clubs and community groups. Children can sit with someone wearing the wristband no matter their age, race or culture.

In Term 4 2018 at Kinross Wolaroi’s ‘Welcome to School Day’ attended by all students starting in Year 7 the following year, all Prep School students were presented with the wristbands so that they could be identified by new students feeling lost or alone.

“You could see all the new parents thinking, ‘thank goodness, there’s going to be someone there looking after my child,’” says Claudia. “The kids in the Prep School were really proud of their responsibility. It worked beautifully with the children, who decided to really take an interest in the initiative.”

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In 2020 the ‘You Can Sit With Me’ initiative will take on a more structured approach in line with Kinross Wolaroi’s strategic direction on Wellbeing.

All Prep School students will be given a wristband and for each week during Term 1 students from a different Kinross Wolaroi Wellbeing House will take it in turns to wear the wristbands and, “look after the kids who are looking unsure in the playground or classroom,” says Claudia.

Mrs McCalman and School Counsellors Rebecca Anderson and Anne Brown will help Prep Students by holding role play and education sessions about what it’s like to be new.

Deeper psychological factors such as why it is important to belong and how to celebrate the responsibility will be addressed also.

“In that week it’s their responsibility to look after kids who look like they’re unsure. We want them to be given the responsibility of looking after things, whether it be the physical environment or the emotional environment. We will be giving every child from the Prep School an opportunity to feel what leadership and kindness feels like.”

The values of the initiative will be reinforced by KWS Mentors in Term 2 during Wellbeing sessions and will be a reminder to students that issues of bullying, inclusiveness and kindness are taken seriously by everyone in the School •

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We want them to be given the responsibility of looking after each other, whether it be the physical environment or the emotional environment.�

Mrs Claudia McCalman, Year 7 Coordinator

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THE C H R O NI CL E P R O G R A M S A N D IN N OVAT ION

Hands on experience for our Year 10 students on our School farm, ‘Windermere’

EXPLORING LIVING SKILLS Kinross Wolaroi students are discovering a love for cross curricular learning as the School rolls out its new pilot projects exploring multi-disciplinary skills outside of the classroom.

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Living Skills Initiative for Year 10 students was a great success, teaching students everyday skills such as changing car oil, ironing and the basics of building an investment portfolio.

Year 11 student Charlotte Baldwin thoroughly enjoyed the three days and recognises she’ll be needing these skills as soon as she leaves school. “We got to go out on the farm and do a lot of things we wouldn’t usually get taught. I really enjoyed the task of changing a tyre.

I couldn’t do that before then and now I can!”

Director of The Regional Engagement Enterprise, Tom Riley says this project worked well with Year 10 students because it matched their level of maturity.

“It’s also about allowing them to understand before they go into their Stage 6 HSC years that all students have a lot to offer and hopefully through this program we can reinforce there are softer skills students possess that will help them be equally if not more successful in the workforce after school,” Tom says.

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Kinross Wolaroi is known as a School that tries to provide an education for everyone and this is another way we are trying to engage all of our students in our learning.”

Mr Tom Riley, Director of The Regional Engagement Enterprise

On the first day of the project students arrived dressed as if there were going to an interview and were educated about work and life etiquette. They learnt how to introduce themselves, network at functions, make a speech and set a table. The day finished with an ironing competition!

Students were taken to the KWS Windermere farm for the second day of the project. On the scene of a mock car accident local paramedics explained what students should do if they are the first responder at the scene of an accident in a rural area. Other local business owners also took part in the day, generously sharing skills in fencing, stock handling, car servicing and how to tie down a load.

The final day of the Living Skills Initiative was about financial literacy and charity. Students learnt about superannuation, credit cards and savings with the Commonwealth Bank and then experienced charity in their local communities with organisations such as Meals on Wheels and the Uniting Church.

The project ended with specialised workshops on mindfulness, buying a car, planning a holiday, exercise and developing an investment portfolio.

Tom Riley says from what he can gauge the students loved the three days.

“Students were smiling because they were doing things that were out of their comfort zone or there were skills, like fencing, that no-one knew they were so good at and they could show this to their friends or peers,” says Tom. In particular, some of the students from farms were able to demonstrate excellent skills with stock handling in the yards. “That was a pivotal workshop to allow students who have grown up on properties to demonstrate an amazing skill set that they have to be calm under pressure. For some others it was quite daunting,” says Tom. As a result of the success, KWS will aim to spend the last three days of each year with a cross curricular project • 15

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01 D uke of Edinburgh Gold level participant, Charlotte Haling (Year 12)

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02 K WS students including Silver level participant, William Byrnes (Year 11) in Kakadu National Park 03 M r Liam Callaghan, Mrs Catherine Litchfield and Mr Anthony Begg with their Culture Immersion Tour guides in Kakadu National Park

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LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

KWS strongly believes that if students are completing the Service, Skill and Physical Recreation components of the Award they will be active participants, not only in the KWS community, but in the wider Orange community.”

Mr Liam Callaghan, KWS Coordinator of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award

Students are responding enthusiastically to Kinross Wolaroi’s reinvigoration and relaunch of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. The School has had a long and successful history with the Award program under the guidance of Toni Bilton who managed the program for 18 years.

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n Term 4, 2018 KWS relaunched the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as a Wellbeing initiative, encouraging Year 9 students to sign up to the Bronze level.

Individual registration costs were gifted by the School to each student willing to make the commitment and successfully complete the Award.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Program is a voluntary international award made up of a Bronze, Silver and Gold level with tasks and values that echo many of the intentions behind KWS’ new Strategic Plan including a desire for students to build skills to equip them for life and work. At each level students are required to complete four components; Voluntary Service, Skill, Recreation and Adventurous Journey; Gold level participants are also required to fulfil a Residential Project.

“KWS strongly believes that the Award can play a critical role in a student’s development by creating opportunities for them to develop skills, get physically active, give service and experience adventure,” says Coordinator of the KWS Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Mr Liam Callaghan. “It is a very personal program that offers our students a structure to fulfil their passions and ambitions in a way that suits them.”

His aim for the relaunch was to have 100 students enrolled by the end of 2019 and it has been a success. There are just under 100 enrolments; 70 Bronze level, 16 Silver level and 10 Gold level. “I want their motivation to be about bettering themselves, challenging themselves and giving back to the community; that is my

underpinning philosophy,” says Liam.

Liam, who started at KWS in 2016 as a Geography teacher, loves field work and is a huge advocate for getting students outdoors where he believes ‘real’ learning takes place. “You can tell students something and they may forget, you can teach students and they might remember, but if you immerse them in a different environment and challenge them they will learn and make memories,” he says.

As Coordinator of the Award, Liam is in the throes of organising overseas expeditions for students who are completing their ‘Adventurous Journey.’

He is currently working on a trip to New Zealand in 2020 for Silver and Gold level students. This year, Gold level students completed their Service and Residential projects in France and Cambodia. Liam and KWS Indigenous Students Coordinator, Mr Anthony Begg and three Duke of Edinburgh students also travelled to Kakadu in July on a cultural immersion tour aimed at creating a partnership with the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation.

Cultural immersion tours are planned to run every year for students in Years 10, 11 and 12.

“The Bronze is set-up as something very achievable and to give students initial access to Duke of Edinburgh success,” says Liam. “We are trying to encourage it and make it accessible for Year 9 students and hopefully they go on to achieve Silver and Gold in their later years of schooling.” •

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CITIZENS OF THE WORLD The International Student Exchange Program

Students at Kinross Wolaroi School are responding enthusiastically to the School’s revitalised International Student Exchange Program, which is now giving more students opportunities to visit more schools in more countries all over the globe.

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his year 50 Kinross Wolaroi students applied to take part in the program which sends and receives students from nine schools in six countries.

Coordinator of the Exchange Program, Catherine Litchfield says she was bombarded with applications this year. “It’s exciting how the program is growing. We are sending 22 students overseas in Terms 3 and 4 and receiving students from all over the world in Terms 2, 3 and 4 from nine schools in six different countries.”

Catherine’s aim as the coordinator is to widen the horizons of students and educate them to become global citizens.

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“For example, the boys that are going to India for the first time this year will not only experience life in an Indian school but there will be the opportunity to go camping in the Himalayas before school starts, so that will be an amazing experience for those boys,” she says.

Catherine’s role is busy and she is grateful for the help of Language Exchange Coordinator Holly Young. Their job includes complex coordination, juggling different languages, cultures and time zones and taking responsibility for students feeling comfortable in their new surroundings.

“Last year I had Term 4 off to do a study fellowship granted by KWS, so I visited all the French schools and a couple in the United Kingdom. When I went to

Christchurch last term I visited the two New Zealand schools as well.

I am trying to visit all the schools when I can because it’s so important to meet the coordinator involved, to see the school and know where the kids are going,” Catherine said.

Above all, the biggest benefit of the International Student Exchange Program is personal growth for individual students. Catherine says without a doubt, all students come back having grown up a lot. “They are more independent, for example having to make those difficult choices when you are at the airport and you are by yourself in a foreign country, all of those things add to a student’s maturity and resilience,” she says.

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It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only visit another country as a tourist but to live like a local. The best part was that I learnt to be independent and developed problem solving skills.”

Adelaide Gavin, KWS French Exchange Student

Testament to this was Adelaide Gavin’s exchange experience. She went on exchange to Pau in south-west France in Term 4 of 2018 for six weeks and navigated herself through some initial challenges with language and family dynamics. “Even though there are negatives or challenges of an exchange, the positives are endless,” she says.

“It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only visit another country as a tourist but to live like a local. The best part was that I learnt to be independent and developed problem solving skills.”

Next year students who want to apply for an international exchange will be asked to begin the process in Term 4 of Year 9. Students are required to complete an application form including a summary of co-curricular activities

and any employment a student may have had. The written application must include two confidential references, either from their Mentor or another teacher or boarding staff member. These applications are read by Catherine and she also reviews teacher comments and effort grades from the students’ previous reports. “After that I sit down and rank the students, then conduct interviews with a panel of two other staff. We match students with specific countries, schools and peers and then offer a student the opportunity to take on the exchange!”

KWS holds International Student Exchanges with schools in New Zealand, Japan, South Africa, India, Scotland and France. They are hoping to build the program to include an English school in 2020 • 19

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Over the last 18 months Mr Matt Curran, Kinross Wolaroi School Director of Boarding and his staff have been developing an innovative weekend schedule of activities for Boarders which aims to provide a truer sense of a ‘home away from home’ for students.

HOW WE’RE TRANSFORMING WEEKENDS FOR BOARDERS

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he KWS ‘Weekend Activity Program’ is being developed with detailed input from students in the form of a survey, in-house focus group meetings and staff feedback on what activities have worked well so far. The initiative is based on a successful program at Matt Curran’s previous school, Ardingly College in Sussex in the UK, which developed a dynamic and engaging weekend schedule to ensure that boarders received the best possible experience and to ease the anxieties of being away from home.

KWS will also incorporate wellbeing considerations as a major part of the program. “One of the big drivers behind this is to produce happy people. We want students to have a balanced weekend with sport, activities and some down time (because everybody needs down time),” he says. “We want it to be seen as not just a boarding house, but more of a home, a place boarders are proud of and where they feel like they can be themselves.”

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Once finalised, the Program will map out a yearly schedule including opportunities to; enjoy activities at Windermere farm; support local charities; foster healthy, respectful relationships between the boys and girls; strengthen House spirit and identity; and develop student leadership. “We have created the bones of something brilliant but we need the leadership and initiative of the senior boys and girls because a lot of this will be driven by them eventually,” says Matt. There will also be a degree of flexibility for individual Houses, led by the Heads of House, to develop their own fun. An example will be the implementation of the ‘Host House’ concept, where one of the Houses is given a budget to organise a social gathering and senior boys and girls will be asked to project manage the event.

So far, KWS Boarders have responded excitedly to the new activities. Matt says the Year 10 girls camping night at Windermere, where girls brought swags from home and cooked and camped under the stars was an awesome experience. The Year 7 ‘Tough Udder’

Challenge at Windermere was also a hit – a physical and intellectual obstacle course with stations manned by Year 12 students, culminating in a big BBQ at the end of the day. For the younger boarders, there have been visits to local nursing homes to present handmade arts and crafts and to spend quality time with members of our local community.

The boarding team is conscious of recognising and replicating what a child’s weekend would look like at home. “We are trying to take that family approach, you wouldn’t let your own children sit around all day and do nothing,” says Matt. “One thing we sometimes take for granted is that a large proportion of our boarders are off the land and come from huge properties, where they are part of the workforce and are expected to make a meaningful contribution. Many of our boarders are driving vehicles from an early age and are good with their hands.

Our boarders are practical, they love the outdoors and have highly developed problem solving skills. They are also very social beings and as a boarding school, we need to replicate that home experience.”

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We have created the bones of something brilliant but we need the leadership and initiative of the senior boys and girls because a lot of this will be driven by them eventually.”

Mr Matt Curran, Director of Boarding

Other considerations include more social events at the Windermere woolshed, the introduction of coeducational courses or workshops like cooking and yoga that run over a number of weekends and two positive wellbeing and mindset workshops will be held for Year 8 and 9 boarders over the course of 2019.

“Boarding at KWS is an opportunity for students to experience an exciting and engaging weekend program. It is an opportunity for the School to develop young people outside the classroom, to foster healthy, respectful relationships between boys and girls and to ultimately create a ‘home-away-from-home’ of which we can all be proud,” said Matt •

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IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER STUDENTS

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Kinross Wolaroi School is taking part in a collaborative project of the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales (AIS NSW) strategising ways to enhance educational outcomes for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander students and their families.

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he Project is run by the AIS NSW alongside the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research at the University of Technology, Sydney and began in 2016 as a two-year pilot that asked Schools how they could improve the academic outcomes of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. In its second phase the project has expanded to include eight more schools, including KWS, working in four separate ‘network hubs’.

The AIS NSW says a key driver of the project so far has been to develop a strong understanding of each student and their family from a cultural, personal, and wellbeing perspective, along with fostering a culturally inclusive schooling environment.

KWS Indigenous Student Coordinator Anthony Begg says this fits perfectly with KWS’ new strategic direction and he believes KWS has a lot to offer and learn through the project because of the Indigenous Education Program which has been running here for the last 5 years. “We’re doing a number of things at our school that the other schools can learn from,” says Anthony. “So it’s a twoway street, there is this collaborative approach between the four schools in our hub and once or twice a term all 12 schools meet collectively.”

KWS is partnered with Pymble Ladies College in Sydney, Scots College in Bellevue Hill, Sydney and Calrossy Anglican School in Tamworth and has identified three main outcomes; literacy and numeracy, community engagement and transition.

As a result, KWS is looking at ways it can better engage with its Indigenous communities and students before they even arrive in Orange. Anthony says it is about real face-to-face connections. “So actually going to their home communities and then maintaining that relationship within the community,” he says.

He hopes the long term outcome will be an improvement in students’ transition into further education.

“It doesn’t have to be university study though,” says Anthony. “It could be employment which could be a traineeship or an apprenticeship because we know the 6-12 months’ postschool period is often the most difficult and there isn’t the same level of support that students receive here at school.”

KWS currently has 22 Indigenous students representing 3% of the KWS secondary school population. This is reflective of the Australian population.

The School aims to maintain this number and is committed to holding four places for two boys and two girls for each year group. “We feel a social responsibility to help close the educational gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and so the KWS Council and Principal, Dr Parry are fully supportive of this project,” says Anthony.

“It’s also about what our Indigenous students can bring to our school. Our students bring a lot of strength with their diverse backgrounds and cultural knowledge; it’s not just about the child, it’s about the extension of the child (and their family) and welcoming that family to come into the school community because there is so much learning to occur,” he says • 23

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A WELCOME ICEBREAKER Over 350 parents and staff came together for an enjoyable evening at the annual ‘Icebreaker’ Drinks, held in the Chesterfield Room at The Hotel Canobolas on Friday 8 March. There was a huge turn out this year, with both new and existing KWS parents taking the opportunity to meet and catch up with other parents and staff members of the School •

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KWS DAY SHINES! The annual KWS Day was held again this year and was a huge success, raising over $35,000 for the School’s Library and Performing Arts Department.

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ortunately, the wet weather was short lived and it turned out to be a beautiful day, with crowds of people turning up throughout the day to soak up the market style atmosphere in the grounds of the Prep School.

There was a wide range of market stalls selling an array of goods, local food and wine, live music, rides and kid’s activities for the enjoyment of KWS families and the wider Orange community.

Some of our Senior staff members, including the School’s Principal Dr Andrew Parry, and our Prep and Senior Prefects kindly volunteered their time to be dunked; all for a good cause, of course. The ever-popular magician was back again, and this year children had the chance to pat and feed some very cute baby animals in the petting zoo. Students (and many competitive parents) had the chance to ‘Beat the Pro’ in the Table Tennis competition – with two professional Table Tennis players from the Orange Table Tennis Association showing off their skills and giving out some tips.

The adult-only space was a popular retreat for parents to sit down and relax over a local wine or beer, while the children were enjoying all the rides and activities. Thanks to our local KWS wine families for making this happen and supporting the day – Philip Shaw Wines, Nashdale Lane Wines, Ross Hill Wines, Swinging Bridge Wines and The Lane Cellar.

The School would like to sincerely thank all those involved in KWS Day – to all our volunteers, staff, parents, students and those in the broader community who supported the day by dedicating their time, effort and enthusiasm.

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KWS DAY SHINES! KWS Day was proudly supported by: The Hotel Canobolas Marvasti Security Leahey Auto Group Smiles Group Mastronardi Electrical Services GK Craig Printing Macquarie Alarms & Secuity Peter Smith Terry White Chemmart Williams Oriel Services Millamolong Orange Clothing Company Wheeler Industries K L Modular Systems Village Bakehouse Farmgate Butchery Dish Café – Parkes Racine Restaurant & Bakery Long Track Pantry – Jugiong Dish Café Trunkey Creek Bacon & Pork Collins Bookstore Barrett’s Wholesale Foods Philip Shaw Wines Ross Hill Wines Swinging Bridge Wines Nashdale Lane Wines The Lane Cellars Rowlee Wines Signature Travel ASI Solutions JB Hi-Fi Greenwood Designs The White Place Quest Orange Jenny’s Classroom Lucknow Skin Shop & Boot Barn Bella Spazio •

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TIME TO REMINISCE 2019 Reunions As part of their annual reunion schedule, the Ex-Students Association (ESA) organised events for the Class of 2014 right through to the Class of 1969 on Saturday 9 March.

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n total, 325 alumni returned for their reunions in 2019! The Class of 2014 had their own reunion event held at The Greenhouse of Orange, whilst the remaining year groups had exclusive hire of Duntryleague Golf Club.

In 2019, the most attended reunion was for the Class of 2014, where 90 alumni returned to Orange to celebrated their 5 Year Reunion.

This was a fantastic turnout and was the largest cohort that has attended an ESA reunion in many years.

It is great to see so many alumni return each year for their reunions and the ESA hopes that the number of attendees will continue to grow. The ESA are always interested to hear from alumni who would like to be involved in reunions. If you would like to reach out, please send an email to exstudents@kws.nsw.edu.au In 2020, the ESA will be holding reunions for the Class of 2015 through to the Class of 1970 in 5 year increments – stay tuned for more information early in the New Year.

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Golden Alumni Wolaroi College Class of 1968 were unable to get together in 2018 for their 50 Year Reunion and so earlier this year, the Old Boys met up at the Greengate Hotel in Killara.

It’s great to see our Alumni making time to celebrate their graduation milestones.

Sydney Social and Networking Event On Friday 21 June the Ex-Students’ Association (ESA) hosted a social and networking event in Sydney at the Paragon Hotel in Circular Quay.

Our attendees were front and centre at the venue with live music, all whilst enjoying a drinks and canapé package on a relaxing Friday evening. It was great to see so many alumni reconnecting and interacting from a variety of year groups.

The ESA will continue to hold similar events in the future, so keep an eye out for details or contact us to be included in our next event •

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A DAY OF RESPECT & REMEMBRANCE ANZAC Day

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On 25 April, Kinross Wolaroi School cadets, students and staff stood alongside members of the Orange community, showing their respect and remembering our fallen soldiers.

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NZAC Day is one of Australia’s most important national days of commemoration and it is so important that Kinross Wolaroi School continues to be a part of this event.

This year, approximately 200 students and staff represented Kinross Wolaroi School at the annual ANZAC Day March to the Cenotaph along Summer Street. There was a strong turnout from our Cadet Unit, who proudly marched beside our Senior and Preparatory students in their school uniforms, some adorned with medals from their own family members and relatives.

Following the march, students and staff attended the ANZAC Day Civic Commemoration Ceremony held in Robertson Park. As part of the ceremony, Head Prefects from our Senior and Preparatory Schools laid wreaths at the Cenotaph •

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ANNUAL CADET CAMP The highlight of the year for many cadets is the Annual Cadet Camp which is held during the last week of Term 1.

The camp takes place at Top Valley Station near Parkes, a property which is kindly offered to the School for use by the Steventon family.

This location allows cadets to implement new knowledge and skills that they have learnt through the training year. Top Valley Station is a wonderful backdrop that spreads into Goobang National Park; a combined area that provides beautiful country and many challenges for various cadet activities.

Cadets undertook a 3-day cross country trek including time spent paddling canoes and facing challenges on Lake Endeavour. For many of our new cadets, this camp provides their first opportunity to experience rock climbing and abseiling on the magnificent rock walls of Top Valley Station. Cadets also compete in the timed obstacle course which includes a water crossing, crawling through the “wombat hole” and ascending the slip and slide. Our students are also involved in a number of cadet skills and survival camp challenges.

The 350 cadets and 50 staff all faced many challenges and went home with many fun stories to be told •

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CADET UNIT FORMAL MESS DINNER

The Mess Dinner was held on Friday 14 June in the Private Room at the Orange Ex-Services Club. This dinner represents the final cadet commitment for the Year 12 outgoing Officers; celebrating the contributions they have made to the cadet program. It was an absolute pleasure to have so many friends and family members come to celebrate the CUO’s and band member’s achievements, growth and successes.

Guest of Honour for the evening was President of the Orange Ex-Services Club, Mr Graham Gentles, who spoke so well on the contributions of the military and the cadets. SUO Olivia Hilder, 2IC Isaac Prince and Drum Major Jasper Mihalich also took to the stage to speak about the personal growth they experienced as part of the Cadet Unit.

Deputy Chair of KWS Council, Mr Dan Blyde also addressed attendees on the history and development of the KWS Cadet Unit, before MAJ Simon Lun gave thanks to those who have assisted and provided service to the Unit and the departing CUOs •

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CADET LEADERSHIP CAMP The Cadet Leadership Camp is held at the beginning of the June/July school holidays over six days by KWS Cadet Unit staff. The intensive residential camp endeavours to provide high quality training for experienced cadets in the field of leadership. Three courses are offered during the camp; cadets complete courses sequentially over a 3-year period with one course being completed and appropriate experience gained per year. The Junior Leaders Course aims to provide introductory leadership at Section level (leading approx. 10 cadets). The Senior Leaders Course Module 1 provides leadership training at Platoon level (leading approx. 25 cadets). The Senior Leaders Course Module 2 provides higher level leadership and organisation training at Platoon, Company and Full unit level (leading up to approx. 350 cadets at KWSACU). Upon satisfactory completion, these courses equip cadets with the qualifications required for promotion within the Cadet Unit •

CADET FAREWELL PARADE

The Cadet Farewell Parade is always a sad and exciting event. This parade is a celebration, a thank you and a farewell to the Year 12 rank who have provided the leadership, training and care for our cadets throughout the year.

At this parade, camp awards are also presented for the best Company, Platoon and Individual performances during the annual camp. The full unit parade of 350 cadets was held on the KWS Main oval.

Mr Russell Jones (Senior Vice President – Orange Ex-Services Club) was our reviewing officer who, with Chair of Council Mrs Christine McIntosh and Principal Dr Andrew Parry, inspected the cadets and presented the awards •

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CELEBRATING NATIONAL BOARDING WEEK In the middle of May, all boarding schools around Australia, under the guidance and encouragement of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) celebrated National Boarding Week.

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or KWS it was the perfect opportunity to celebrate all that is good about our boarding students and life in boarding at Kinross Wolaroi School.

The week was introduced to the School at a Boarders’ Assembly. Year 11 student Will Byrnes hosted an interesting Q&A session with a mix of boarders from both PLC and Wolaroi, a former boarding parent in the guise of Mrs Claudia McCalman and two of our boarding staff in Anthony Begg and Jason Smith. Max Day (Year 9) performed a memorable piece on his guitar for the whole school and in

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addition to this, one of our boarding videos focusing on ‘Life at Home’ and starring two of our boarders, Emma Younghusband (Year 10) and Fletcher Bolte (Year 10), was presented to the School for the first time.

For the remainder of the week, KWS Boarding hosted several other events.

Lunchtime Music Concerts outside the Dining Hall gave William Brennan (Year 12) and Kelvin Tang (Year 8) a wonderful opportunity to showcase their musical talent. Morning teas on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday gave all our boarders and staff the chance to mix and socialise. Wednesday morning tea was especially exciting as boarders had the opportunity to thank support staff for

their contribution to KWS boarding.

On Wednesday at lunchtime, all boarders took part in a great big photoshoot on the Main Oval. On Thursday evening, a group of teachers took part in ‘Be a Boarder for an Hour’; joining boarders for dinner and then being taken back into Houses to be given the royal tour of life as a boarder.

Director of Boarding Mr Matt Curran was thrilled to see Boarding at the heart of all that is KWS, saying “All in all, it was an exciting week and will only get bigger and better next year with greater student involvement. It gave me great pleasure to have our boarders front and centre for the week and also to see the support from other staff •

We are all very proud of the diversity within our boarding community and it was a lot of fun to showcase that.”

Mr Matt Curran, Director of Boarding

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A SHOWCASE OF PREMIERE SOLO PERFORMANCES Camerata Concert The Camerata Concert held in the School Chapel was a celebration of classical compositions and performance.

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utstanding solo performers from Years 7-12 did an exceptional job competing in the Camerata Competition earlier in the year and the Camerata Concert was their opportunity to perform their pieces in a formal setting.

Music Teacher and Acting Coordinator of Instrumental Music, Jo Lenton coordinated the event and was impressed with the professionalism of all performers and the sophistication of the concert.

“The intimacy of the concert allowed the audience to engage with both the performers and the music. We were there with the performers as they breathed into phrases, expressively shaped melody lines and attacked fast passages with accuracy. Each student conveyed the depth of classical music with maturity, clarity and enjoyment. The variety of instruments and composers showcased made for an interesting and dynamic program that was enjoyed by all,” said Jo. “Thank you to the audience for supporting our students and for providing a delicious supper at intermission, and thank you to our wonderful accompanists, without whom nights like these would not be possible. Classical music has always held a significant place in our Performing Arts Program and we are eager to see what our musicians bring to the concert next year.”

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Senior soloists who performed in the Camerata Concert in 2019: Zachary Annett (Year 8) French Horn Sally Carter (Year 9) Cello Nicholas de Bruyn (Year 8) Viola Pantsie Dwyer (Year 9) Trumpet Toby Gough (Year 8) Bassoon Ben Hoskins-Murphy (Year 9) Trumpet Thomas Karbowiak (Year 12) Flute William Knight (Year 7) Violin Elizabeth Kwa (Year 10) Piano Jasper Mihalich (Year 12) Tuba Olivia Small (Year 12) Cello Kelvin Tang (Year 8) Piano Oscar Tierney (Year 12) Soprano Saxophone •

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The intimacy of the concert allowed the audience to engage with both the performers and the music.�

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Ms Jo Lenton, Music Teacher and Acting Coordinator of Instrumental Music

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01 J asper Mihalich on Tuba 02 T homas Karbowiak on Flute 03 S ally Carter on Cello 04 Elizabeth Kwa on Piano

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CELEBRATING OUR FABULOUS MUMS Mother’s Day Breakfast in the Prep School

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Year 3 was delighted to host a very special Mother’s Day breakfast in early May. Students and mothers braved the early morning chill to enjoy a warm drink and muffin together at school. Mums were welcomed into the classroom and presented with a card, poem and small gift. Students enjoyed showing their work in the classroom and reflecting on their learning so far this year •

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PREP STUDENTS TAKE TO THE STAGE Prep Performing Arts Concert

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The Prep Performing Arts Concert in June opened with the fabulous Prep Band performing a high energy item called ‘Junk Funk’ which was all about the rhythm and set the tone for the concert to come.

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ext up, Prep Dance students took to the stage with a toe-tapping, energetic and colourful interpretation of ‘Oh Baby’ – what a catchy tune!

The first solo performance of the night was by Year 6 student Isaac de Bruyn who has been playing the violin since he was just 6 years old. Isaac performed the Allegro taken from Telemann’s G Major Violin Concerto demonstrating his flair for the instrument with a very exciting performance of this tricky piece. The second soloist of the evening was another Year 6 student, Olivia Martin who was accompanied by her tutor Dahle Innes and played a jazz piece ‘Snappy Rag’ on trumpet with great understanding of jazz articulation and rhythms.

Year 6 Speech and Drama students, Ava Rouse and Alice Hansen presented a charismatic performance of ‘Vote for Me’ by Laurie Allen. Given our recent election, this was quite fitting. ‘Vote for Me’ is a duologue about the most popular girl in school trying to remind her school mates to vote for her, however she soon finds out that not everyone knows her!

Prep Strings demonstrated their love of all things Mexican with their performance of a piece called ‘Taco Time!’ which was performed with appropriate spice and zest. Continuing on with the Mexican theme, our Saxophone ensemble of Koby Bryan (Year 6), Hugh Payne (Year 6), William Karrasch (Year 5), Isabella Lloyd George (Year 6) and Thomas Hunt (Year 4) took to the stage with an arrangement of Mexican folk song, ‘La Bamba’, directed by their tutor Laith Ismail.

Our Percussion ensemble are known for doing things differently, from playing traditional percussion instruments to whacking chairs and buckets. Keeping with tradition, they chose to perform an item without a single instrument! Their series of body percussion rhythms was titled ‘Attention in Detention’ and was based on all the clever things you could get up to if you were stuck in detention.

Year 1-2 Choir sang ‘Spinning Spinning’; a song about the beautiful webs that a spider creates with its threads. The performance began with a poem taken from the book ‘Mad About Mini-beasts’

by Giles Andreae, which was presented

by Year 2 Speech and Drama student, Mia Martin.

For their very first on-stage debut, our Kindergarten students performed a medley of four well known night-time pieces with themes of the moon and stars. As expected, these young students won the hearts of the audience with their big voices, enthusiastic actions and exuberant performance.

This year, seven talented string players (5 violins and 2 cello players) were chosen to form a string chamber ensemble called ‘7-Strings’ under the direction of Lorraine Moxey.

They performed another piece with a South American flavour ‘Toucan Tango’.

The cello players drove the piece with a strong pizzicato tango rhythm whilst the others took turns in creating a traditional Argentinian tango, demonstrating great aptitude and versatility with their performance.

The Year 3-4 Choir performed a song from the musical ‘Peter Pan’ called ‘I won’t Grow Up’. Students reinforced

the fact that they do not want to grow up anytime soon by drawing the audience’s attention to all the awful things about being a grown up.

The finale of the evening featured our Year 5-6 Choir, all 120 of them!

They performed one of Mrs Sinclair’s favourite pieces, ‘Goodbye Captain’ which speaks of the idea of childhood memories, longings and losses. Despite the large numbers, the choir sang with great tenderness and conviction and brought the concert to an end with a truly spine-tingling performance.

Coordinator of Prep Performing Arts, Mrs Katie Sinclair was delighted with all students’ performances and would like to thank all those involved in making the concert such a success, saying, “Thank you to all our parents, families and friends who supported our students at the Prep School Performing Arts Concert. It was a wonderful display of talent in all areas of performing arts and showcased the incredible variety of what we offer here at KWS and the high quality our students are capable of achieving. A big thank you to our fabulous tutors and ensemble directors that lead our groups with such passion and dedication.” •

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A KALEIDOSCOPE OF COLOUR AND SOUND Performing Arts Festival

Kaleidoscopes make it possible to view everyday objects in extraordinary ways.

Peeking through, you see colours and shapes clashing with one another creating something magical and very extraordinary.

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he Kaleidoscope was the inspiration behind this year’s Performing Arts Festival held in June, aptly titled ‘A Kaleidoscope of Colour and Sound’. The festival is the Performing Arts Department’s premiere performance night of the year and featured a wide variety of musical styles and sounds.

This year, over 120 Senior School students performed in the festival from an impressive number of ensembles, including: Orchestra with the finale featuring Oscar Tierney on pianoforte; Koristers; Symphonic Wind Ensemble; Chamber Strings; Chamber Choir; Stage Band; Vox Ensemble; Senior and Intermediate Woodwind Ensembles; Thompson String Ensemble; Saxophone Ensemble; and a senior dance solo by Charlotte Nonnenmacher.

Amongst the colour and sound, the audience was also treated to a sneak-preview of the upcoming KWS production of ‘Oliver!’, with the cast performing the well-known, ‘Pick a Pocket’.

At the finale of the festival, a longstanding tradition continued as Oscar Tierney in his final year, ‘passed the baton’ to bright, young pianist Andrew Bell (Year 2), just as ex-student and accompanist David Shaw passed it to Oscar back in 2007 •

01 S tyle and grace from Charlotte Nonnenmacher in her solo dance performance 02 E x-student and accompanist David Shaw with Andrew Bell (Year 2) and Oscar Tierney (Year 12)

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WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE

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A group of brave students, a few pairs of clippers and a whole lot of generosity has led to Kinross Wolaroi School raising a whopping $28,662 for the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave this year.

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t KWS the World’s Greatest Shave has become an annual event and is now seen as almost a rite of passage for Year 11 students who are courageous enough to brave the shave.

A total of 17 students participated in the event this year – Lachlan Adams, Erin Bracks, Dempsey Bryant, Digby Cooper, Joshua Dominello, Adelaide Gavin, Samuel Houghton, Oliver Kairaitis, Nicholas Keirle, Cody Kelso, Hugh McIntyre, Joe Priest, Nicholas Rasmussen, Thomas Richardson, Hunter Rose, Lachlan Smith and Edward Taylor.

Some students had their heads shaved in front of huge crowds at the School’s annual KWS Day and others faced the music in front of hundreds of students, staff and media on the School’s Main Oval on 13 March.

Special mention must go to the three brave female students Erin, Dempsey and Adelaide who came to School with locks well below their shoulders and went home sporting a bold new look.

In addition to this, their ponytails have been donated to the cause and will now be turned into wigs for those with cancer.

Each of the students joined for reasons of their own – for some, they have witnessed first-hand a friend or family member living with blood cancer. For others, they simply wanted to help those who have been diagnosed to receive the financial and emotional support that they need.

Thank you to all of the students, families, friends and community members that helped these students with their donations • 51

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GIVE ME 5 FOR KIDS Give Me 5 for Kids is Southern Cross Austereo’s national fundraiser which has been supporting and raising funds for local children’s hospital wards across regional Australia for the last 25 years.

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eginning in the mid-90s as a simple coin drive from the Central Coast region, this annual charity drive has since raised $25.9 million nationally, and benefited over 40 children’s hospital wards.

This year, for the first time, Kinross Wolaroi School decided to get behind the cause and raise much needed funds for Orange Health Service children’s ward. Driven by the KWS Student Representative Council, students organised a schoolwide Pyjama Day. Our students loved coming dressed in their pyjamas on a cold winter’s day!

Co-ordinator of the SRC, Mrs SueAnn Gavin, said that students set out with a target of $2000 but was thrilled to announce that they far exceeded this target, in total raising $2,941.90.

“KWS Prefects of Charity, Olivia Mirrington and Bradman Gavin, as well as Prefect of Service, Benjamin Gillham presented a cheque for $2941.90 to the Give Me 5 For Kids charity organisers.

This is a fantastic whole school charity event that we’ll look forward to supporting again in 2020,” said Mrs Gavin.

Thank you to all our students, staff and teachers who participated; the funds are going to a very worthwhile cause •

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BEANIES WARM HEADS AND HEARTS

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In the midst of the bitter Orange winter, some of our Prep School students were getting behind a new School initiative to knit beanies for homeless people in our region.

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rep School Teaching Aide, Mrs Bernie Sharpe was the driving force behind the initiative, saying “Unfortunately the homeless population in Orange continues to grow and so the school is always looking at ways that we can help within our community. Engaging with the community is one of the aims of our strategic plan.”

Mrs Sharpe reached out to the KWS community to ask for donations of soft and chunky weight yarn which are the best for Orange winters and are quick to knit. Her request was warmly met with students bringing in a huge variety of coloured yarn for the cause.

A group of Prep School students who were keen to get involved then gathered to form a lunch time Charity Knitting Club. After many knitting sessions they were able to present their handmade beanies to representatives of Housing Plus in Orange for distribution to the homeless around Orange.

Thank you to the KWS students and families that have enabled this very simple initiative to make a difference in our community •

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STUDENT SUCCESS AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL

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Holly Gutterson Year 11 – Horse Riding

I know where I want to go and what I want to do… and I know what it will take to get there.”

Holly Gutterson, Year 11

Year 11 student, Holly Gutterson admits that her dreams are a little crazy but she is still determined to make those crazy dreams a reality.

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very day, I am totally committed to getting a little closer to achieving my goals.

Ever since I was little, I have wanted to own a ranch and live in Texas. That is my ultimate goal,” Holly says.

Holly started riding on a horse named Tigger when she was only 2 years old.

Her loyal Tigger is now almost 30 and has retired from competition, but Holly is only just getting started.

Holly’s passion is showing Australian Quarter Horses and in April she had the opportunity to compete at National level at the Australian Quarter Horse Association National Championships Show – the Q19. Each year, the Q19 features an impressive line-up of Quarter Horses vying for national honours in a huge range of events over 11 action packed days.

“This year I competed at State and National level with my 6-year-old mare that I prepared at home with my Mum. I went up an age division this year and at the National Show I placed in the top 10 in all of my events receiving two Reserve Champion National titles and third in another. I also competed at Victorian and NSW State Championships earlier in

the year, where I was awarded several State titles and achieved some good placings,” says Holly.

Holly is no stranger to the world stage and over the past few years, has been fortunate enough to attend many showings and add to her list of achievements.

“My main achievements are competing at the Youth World Show in Fort Worth Texas in 2016, and being selected as a riding Team Member of the Quarter Horse Youth World Cup Team that competed for Australia in College Station Texas in 2018. I won the Coaches’ Award at the Youth World Cup competing against teams from 19 countries and placed in the top 10 in most of my classes. Just recently, I have qualified and been invited to attend the American Quarter Horse Youth World Show in Oklahoma in August.

Unfortunately, I will not get there as it will be during school term,” says Holly.

Holly has also recently delved into the world of ‘Cutting’ events and entered as a ‘Green Newcomer’ to compete in the National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) Futurity Show to be held in Tamworth in June. Cutting is a western-

style equestrian competition in which a horse and rider work as a team before a judge or panel of judges to demonstrate the horse’s athleticism and ability to handle cattle during a 2 ½ minute performance, called a ‘run’.

“This year I have started to compete on a new horse in Cutting events – this has been a dream and goal for a while now,” says Holly. “This is a huge learning curve so I have been getting help from a trainer – I really love it!”

Holly now turns her attention to her HSC and is grateful for recent opportunities that have helped her decide on a path for the future.

“When I finish school I would like to work with animals, particularly in the equine field. I would love to do Vet Science. Through KWS, I had the opportunity to be involved in the TREE Internship Program and completed my Internship at Central West Equine Veterinary. I absolutely loved this experience and have learnt about artificial breeding and embryo transfers as well as veterinary care of mares, foals and stallions. I am so grateful for this opportunity and it has given me a direction for my future career,” says Holly.

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Jasper Mihalich Year 12 – Tuba

This year is shaping up to be ‘All about that Bass’ for Year 12 day student Jasper Mihalich.

The Tuba brings out the other sounds and it holds the rest of the orchestra together. If the orchestra was a house, the Tuba would be the first slab – the foundation. It feels awesome to be relied on.”

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asper plays the Tuba, which is often referred to as the ‘big daddy’ of the orchestra. It is the largest and lowest brass instrument and anchors the harmony not only of the brass family but the whole orchestra with its deep rich sound.

“I have been playing music since I was five (a shaky start on the violin) and then in Year 3 I started on Euphonium. I have been playing the Tuba since I started at Kinross Wolaroi School in Year 7,” says Jasper.

Jasper was drawn to the Tuba for its big distinctive sounds and the fact that it is one of the most crucial instruments in the Orchestra.

“The Tuba brings out the other sounds and it holds the rest of the orchestra together. If the orchestra was a house, the Tuba would be the first slab – the foundation. It feels awesome to be relied on,” explains Jasper.

Jasper has immersed himself in the KWS music program and extends himself by participating in a range of musical groups in the wider community. His list of

accomplishments is one that many musical students aspire to.

“This year, I am proud to have a leadership role at Kinross Wolaroi School as Band Leader and Drum Major and I am part of six music ensembles at School,” says Jasper.

He has also been selected to attend Sydney Symphony Orchestra Playerlink!

Program for the last 5 years, has attended HICES Music Camps, has received High Distinctions in AMEB exams for Euphonium and Tuba and is a member of the Sydney Youth Orchestra (SYO) Sydney Wind Orchestra.

Earlier this year, Jasper was also offered the highly coveted position of Principal Tuba in the SYO International Tour Orchestra.

The tour allows members to develop their skills playing in an orchestra and is a unique opportunity to forge professional and educational partnerships with musicians from the best orchestras in the UK and the world.

In April, Jasper packed up his Tuba (a feat in itself) and travelled to the UK along with sixty other talented orchestral instrumentalists.

“We visited Cardiff, Manchester, Knightsbridge, Cambridge, Oxford and London, performing concerts with amazing orchestras, including the Halle Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. We were performing in the ‘side-by-side’ method, where the professional players sat alongside us! We also attended seminars on presenting yourself for an audition at the Royal College of Music,” says Jasper.

Jasper described this opportunity as priceless and would like to acknowledge the important people who helped him in the lead up to the trip.

“I would like to thank all the people who helped me raise funds for my trip to the UK, all those who were generous enough to donate and my family and friends who were so helpful and supportive,” says Jasper.

Now back on Aussie soil, Jasper is preparing for his next calendar of musical events, notably HSC Music performances, university auditions and AMusA performances on Tuba.

“I have always enjoyed playing within groups of like-minded musicians – with KWS and the wider community. My achievements so far have influenced me in deciding what I would like to do after school, as I now know how enriching performing with a large group of musicians can be. After school, I would like to go to university to study Music Performance,” says Jasper.

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Emer Spora

Year 12 – Public Speaking Many of us have a tendency to shy away from the spotlight. That is simply not the case for Year 12 boarding student Emer Spora, who says one day she would like to get into politics and lists ‘Prime Minister’ as a role she is considering once she finishes school.

to answer general knowledge questions.

Then, at the ceremony in the evening, all candidates must deliver 2 impromptu speeches and a 5-minute prepared speech in front of all guests,” Emer explains.

Emer successfully won the event and was announced the Orange Lions Club Youth of the Year. She also took out the Public Speaking award and progressed to the Zone Final of the competition.

Held in Bathurst, the Zone Final saw winners of each District Lions Club, come together. Again, each applicant was interviewed by a judging panel then participated in a public speaking competition in the evening.

Remarkably, Emer also won this final and progressed to the State final in Griffith – which she says was wonderful news but brought with it some challenges.

“After winning the Bathurst Final, my family and I were notified that the next round would be held in Griffith on the same night as the Schoolgirl Head of the River (Rowing Regatta held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith),” says Emer.

Fortunately, Emer’s parents were determined that their daughter would have the opportunity to attend both important events, pulling in a favour to hire a plane to get Emer from one event to the next.

“That day at Head of the River, after many months of training, our crew won the Schoolgirl Quad event by 1 second against Queenwood. Straight after receiving my medal, we were off to the airport and flew to Griffith. I made it just in time for my interview and was able to flash my new medal to the panel of his boarding student from 5 judges,” exclaimed Emer.

Gulargambone is the definition of Emer was named Runner-up in the a high achiever.

State Final and her parents Lorna and In 2018, Emer was named Boarder Dominic could not be prouder. of the Year for Loader House; Captain “Emer is a middle child and has always of Public Speaking and Debating; had to speak up to be heard, especially at Peer Support Leader; and Head of home! We think this is what has made her Communications for The Regional the person she is with the personality she Engagement Enterprise. has. Emer has always been a strong willed This year, Emer is a very fitting Head character and I guess she needed to be, Girl Prefect of Kinross Wolaroi and her list being one of four children,” says Lorna. of achievements continues to grow.

Emer says that these competitions In March, Emer was selected to have helped her decide what she would represent the School in the Orange Lions like to do once she finishes school.

Club Youth of the Year Quest which is “I have done public speaking and designed to foster, encourage and develop debating for many years and absolutely leadership of our youth in conjunction love it, as finally the spotlight is on me and with other citizenship qualities at the age I can share what I believe. I would like to when they are about to enter employment study Law in Sydney and in the future get or higher education. involved in politics as I am always voicing “At the Orange level, you have to go my opinions and standing up for what through an interview process that reviews I believe in,” says Emer. all areas: academic; leadership; community Step aside Scott Morrison! spirit; and co-curricular. You also need

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Fletcher Bolte Year 10 – Basketball

Last year, we saw Year 10 student Fletcher Bolte take on the lead role of basketball all-star Troy Bolton in Kinross Wolaroi’s production of ‘High School Musical On Stage’. While Fletcher spent many hours rehearsing and preparing for the role, his basketball skill on stage was no act.

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letcher has been a member of the KWS 1st Basketball Team since his first year at KWS when he was in Year 7. Now in Year 10, Fletcher continues to represent our School in Basketball and is now set on representing his state, and one day he hopes to represent the country.

In January Fletcher was invited to be a member of the Under 17 Team in the 2019 NSW Country Development Tournament. This annual event is hosted

by Basketball NSW to assist players from both regional and metropolitan

associations with individual skill and concept development. The tournament was hosted by Newcastle Basketball Association and the University of Newcastle and the experience was invaluable.

Also earlier this year Fletcher was selected for the 2019 Open AICES Basketball team, which is an impressive achievement for a Year 10 student.

As part of the Opens Team he had the opportunity to attend the AICES Championships Carnival held in March at Hills Basketball Stadium in Castle Hill.

Fletcher has also caught the attention of state selectors and was identified at a basketball camp by one of Basketball NSW’ Coaches as a prospective player to join the State Performance Program (SPP). The SPP is the second tier of a three tier system and is designed to assist in identifying, developing, and preparing athletes in the Under 16 and Under 18 age groups; where they represent New South Wales at the Australian Junior Championships. Fletcher has been training with the current SPP team in Bathurst and is hopeful that he will officially be selected for the Program at the trials in September.

Fletcher says that it is his commitment to the sport and the hard work he puts in to training that has helped him to progress along the high performance athlete pathway.

“I train most days of the week with my Coach and am trying to get better and better. Training takes up a lot of time during the week and on the weekends but you can really see the impact that those trainings have once you look back on them,” says Fletcher.

Selections for the State Performance Program and the 2020 Under 17 Country Development Tournament will be announced later in the year and Fletcher is focussed on making the cut.

After school, he would like to have the opportunity to attend College in the USA and play basketball abroad.

Fletcher has many friends and family that he would like to thank for their support, “my Coach Grant Cole, for spending so much of his time training me and always being there. I’d also like to thank my family, especially Mum and Dad, for sacrificing so much of their time to take me to all of my games and camps.”

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Phoebe Litchfield Year 10 – Cricket

In the last edition of The Chronicle, Phoebe Litchfield told us that her ultimate goal was to play cricket for the Australian Women’s Team. Well, six months later, Phoebe can tick that box.

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n January, Phoebe was named the highest run-scorer in Cricket Australia’s Under 18 Women’s National Championships. Following a series of matches in Bendigo and Ballarat in Victoria, the then 15-yearold was surprised to be named in Australia’s Under 19 Team that would tour New Zealand.

“I’m really stoked. It’s pretty surprising I got named in the side to be honest. I’m happy and all the hard work has paid off now,” exclaimed Phoebe.

In March, the 14-strong Australian squad travelled to the Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University in New Zealand.

Phoebe went in with an open mind, hoping to soak up the experience whether she got to take to the ground or not.

“Unfortunately, I got injured at a practice camp in Brisbane so was unable to play the first game in New Zealand but was able to play in the second. We played New Zealand’s Open 2nd ranked side, so it was challenging. Unfortunately, we lost both matches – the second in the last over, on the second last ball, so it was exciting!” says Phoebe.

“We spent a week in New Zealand but only played two matches from a planned four. Our tour was interrupted by the Christchurch massacre in the mosques, which was traumatic and terribly sad.

Our tour was cut short and we were evacuated the next day back to Sydney,” says Phoebe.

Despite the loss, the accolades continue for Phoebe and she has recently been named as one of only five new faces to receive a NSW Breakers contract in the 17 player squad named for 2019/20.

Incredibly, Phoebe has also been named in the 2019 NSW All Schools Under 16 Girls Hockey Team… yes, Hockey! She hopes to pursue this pathway also and one day represent Australia in Hockey as well!

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Archie Dowling (pictured 2nd from left) with his team mates at the Australian Polo Federation Schools International Image provided by Stephen Mowbray Photography

Archie Dowling Year 8 – Polo

Year 8 boarding student Archie Dowling was born and raised in the beautiful valleys of Murringo in southern NSW where his parents Angus and Sonya run Enviroganic Farm, which not only produces organically certified poultry, sheep and lambs, but as an added bonus the family also breed and train their own horses.

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layed on horseback, Polo is one of the world’s oldest known team sports. Formerly reserved for royalty and society’s elite, nowadays polo is played all over the country and the world and it is a sport that the whole family can get involved in.

Archie’s family is one of those families. In fact, polo is a sport that has been adored by many generations in Archie’s family. His Grandfather, Gordon Dowling was an avid polo player who had the honour of being named Captain of the New South Wales team in his heyday.

Archie’s parents, Angus and Sonya have also been lifelong participants in the sport, still riding regularly at Millamolong Polo Club. Following suit, Archie and his four siblings also spend many weekends during Autumn and Spring riding, training and competing in polo competitions.

Archie started riding horses when he was just 2 years old and by the age of 7 was attending polo schools along with his siblings. He played in his first ever polo tournament when he was 11 at Windsor Polo Club in Sydney.

This year, Archie had the honour of wearing the green and gold when he was selected for the Australian Schools Polo Team to play against New Zealand in the Schools International.

Held at Windsor Polo Club in April, the Schools International is a great opportunity for young polo players to be involved in a fast paced competition against players of a similar age. This year, Archie and his team mates came away with a win against New Zealand, scoring 4-3.

Archie says it is this amazing experience that keeps him striving for more.

“Polo is my favourite sport and I want to keep on playing well after I finish school. Playing at the Schools International has made me want to stick at it. I spend a lot of time on weekends training for competition, riding lots and practicing,” he says.

With the support of his family, Archie has now set his sights on being selected for the NSW Polo Association’s Colts team that will play prior to the Polo International in April 2020.

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Taylah Hobbs Year 10 – Cattle Showing

“Whatever you do in life, you have to be committed to doing it well. Commitment will help you in whatever you do and it’s important that you never give up.”

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hese are the wise words of Year 8 student Taylah Hobbs, who has proven time and time again that with the right amount of passion and commitment your dreams can become your reality.

For Taylah, it is all about cattle showing. Home to Taylah is ‘Round EmUp’ Cattle Stud in Molong where she lives with her parents David and Ashleigh and brother Hunter. On the stud, they breed Simmental and Red Angus cattle and naturally with this comes cattle showing.

In January this year, the Hobbs family all travelled to Armidale to attend the 2019 Angus Youth Round Up – the largest single breed event of its kind in Australia. They were joined by over 170 other young beef cattle enthusiasts and their families for the four-day event. The Round Up included various educational sessions and a range of competitions open to experienced and novice competitors alike, aged between 8 and 25 years. Remarkably, Taylah came away from the event with a swag of awards including the Champion Junior Herdsman; Champion Junior Parader; and the EJ Angus Encouragement Award.

The event also gave Taylah the opportunity to learn from some extremely experienced members of the industry, all while networking with likeminded young people.

The Hobbs family have attended Round Up events in the past (Mount Gambier in 2017 and Armidale in 2016) but this is the first year that Taylah has come away with an award – testament to her commitment.

Never a dull moment, Taylah and her family are now preparing for their next cattle shows – the Red Angus Simmental National and the Scone Beef Bonanza.

“It doesn’t just take a day to break cattle in and get them in top condition for the shows – it takes months to get them how you want them. It’s important that your animals are handled well and they trust you,” says Taylah.

Looking forward, Taylah would like to travel to America or Canada to work on some ranches abroad. She is also considering studying physiotherapy at University.

It doesn’t just take a day to break cattle in and get them in top condition for the shows – it takes months to get them how you want them. It’s important that your animals are handled well and they trust you.”

Taylah Hobbs, Year 8

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Sophie Martin

Year 8 – Triathlon For many athletes, a triathlon is the pinnacle of competitive sports and the ultimate endurance challenge. Participation alone is no easy feat and athletes must submit to a rigorous training regime in order to survive the gruelling course of swimming, cycling and running.

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ear 8 student Sophie Martin has demonstrated that she has just the right amount of grit and determination to succeed in this sport. Sophie has just capped off an outstanding 2018/19 triathlon season by representing NSW in a team of six females at the School Sport Australia National Triathlon Championships.

Set on the shores of stunning Lake Kawana on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, the Championships offer students the opportunity to participate in the dynamic sport on a national level.

Over two days of competition, Sophie made short work of the 300m swim, 10km bike ride and 2km run that made up the Junior course of the Championships.

“The first day was the individual event where I placed 15th overall.

The second day was the mixed teams event. Generally, triathlon is an individual sport, however over recent years’ triathlon relay events have become very popular for all levels of triathlon competition. The races are really fast and exciting because the distances are shorter,” explains Sophie.

“At the Schools National event, my team (NSW2) was made up of two

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female and two male triathletes who all did an individual triathlon.

Our team placed 5th overall.”

In the lead up to her selection for the National Championships, Sophie had quite the season, claiming: — 1st place in the NSW Club Championships Super Sprint Individual Triathlon — 1st place in the NSW All Schools Team Triathlon — 1st place in the Triathlon NSW Junior Triathlon Festival (super sprint non–drafting) — 2nd place in the Nepean Triathlon (11-13 Individual) — 2nd place in the Under 20 Country NSW Short Course Championships — 5th place in the NSW All Schools Individual Triathlon.

Now that the Triathlon season has come to an end, Sophie has turned her attention to maintaining her fitness and improving her swimming.

“My short-term triathlon goal is to be selected into the Tri NSW Talent ID squad which is to be announced later in the year,” says Sophie. “I am trying to cycle and run once a week and I know I need to improve my swimming to be more competitive. We have amazing

We have amazing swimming coaches here at KWS so I just need to make the most of it and try to improve my technique and strength over the next few years.”

Sophie Martin, Year 8

swimming coaches here at KWS so I just need to make the most of it and try to improve my technique and strength over the next few years.”

Sophie would like to thank her Triathlon Coach Mr Anthony Le Couteur, her parents, family, friends and team mates for supporting her throughout her journey so far.

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Kaydn McLachlan Year 4 – Tennis

Two years ago, Kaydn McLachlan attended his friend’s 7th birthday party at the Orange Ex-Services Tennis Courts and realised just how much he enjoyed playing tennis.

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he party was hosted by Tennis Coach, Alison Gersbach and seeing how much their son enjoyed playing the sport, Kaydn’s parents, Ken and Fiona asked about how their son could get involved.

“He really enjoyed the birthday party, so Alison told us about a group program she holds each Friday afternoon called Hot Shots (for primary school children who are beginning tennis). Kaydn started going each Friday and really enjoyed it – it seemed to come quite naturally to him. He also started going to the Gersbach Tennis Clinics each school holidays and hasn’t missed one since!” explained Fiona.

Two years on, Kaydn has made impressive strides in the sport and now has two trophies which take pride of place in his bedroom for taking out 1st place in both the Central West Junior Development Series (JDS) Under 10 Boys Tennis Tournament held in Parkes in May and the tournament held in Dubbo in June. These two wins followed a 2nd placing at the JDS Orange meet held in April and a string of placings throughout the 2018 season.

“I have placed in the quarters, semifinals or higher in all my tournaments

this year and made it into the Central West Champion of Champions Tournament for the top eight boys in the Under 10 JDS in 2018,” says Kaydn.

Central West JDS events are designed to be a player’s first tournament experience and are held for Under 10’s up to Under 18’s, acting as an introduction to tournament play.

These events are participation based and will be the initial step in tournament play before the Junior Tour events that offer Australian Ranking points.

Kaydn says that his achievements this year have spurred him on and keep him focused on his training.

“I am really enjoying my tennis and with each achievement I am gaining confidence and experience. The things I am learning at KWS and through my tennis training will hopefully help my tennis in the future,” says Kaydn. “I have several other tournaments this year for the Central West JDS Under 10’s and I am also planning on competing in a Junior Tournament later in the year.”

“I would like to thank my Mum and Dad for taking me to training, lessons and tournaments, and for being there for moral support and guidance.

I also want to thank Gersbach Tennis

I am really enjoying my tennis and with each achievement I am gaining confidence and experience.

The things I am learning at KWS and through my tennis training will hopefully help my tennis in the future.”

Kaydn McLachlan, Year 4

(Darren and Alison Gersbach) who are my coaches – they have been extremely supportive and continue to help me with my training, technique, skills, mental training and fitness.”

Even though he is only in Year 4, Kaydn already knows what he wants to do once he finishes school – he says quite simply that he would like to be a professional tennis player and travel the world with his family! •

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DA VINCI DECATHLON The da Vinci Decathlon is an academic competition designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of school students.

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tudents compete in teams of eight across 10 disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics and Chess, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and General Knowledge.

Whilst the Decathlon began in 2002, this was the first time Kinross Wolaroi School has taken part in the competition. Eight KWS students from each year level from Year 5 through to Year 8 were selected based on their academic strengths and abilities to tackle varying challenges at the Central West da Vinci Decathlon, held in Bathurst in April.

Notably, the KWS Year 5 and Year 8 teams were the winners of the Central West Decathlon and were invited to compete at the State Finals held at Knox Grammar School in Sydney in May. As there was no Central West Decathlon for Years 9 and 10, these teams were also invited to attend Knox Grammar School to participate in the decathlons.

KWS Coordinator of Learning Enhancement, Mr Yooie Choi, Prep School Learning Support Teacher, Mr Luke Bracks and Prep School Teacher/ Chaplain, Mrs Kate Bracks accompanied the students to the State Final.

“At the state finals, each year group competed against 80 different schools (or teams) for the first 16 places. Our teams

enjoyed the friendly competition and were blown away by the sheer number of schools competing,” said Mr Choi.

Mr Bracks was overjoyed to learn that the KWS Year 5 team not only prevailed as the Central West champions in their division, but also received a placing at state level for Mathematics.

“There was a sea of the state’s most capable thinkers representing close to 100 public and independent schools.

Clearly competition was tough and whilst we did not make the podium a notable achievement was our Year 5 team coming 7th in Mathematics. The students represented their school and our region well and should be proud of their conduct and achievements,” said Mr Bracks.

Mr Choi was equally proud of the senior school students’ performances, saying, “other notable top 10 placings included Year 10 achieving 5th place for Art and Poetry and 7th place in General Knowledge; Year 9 achieving 7th place in Engineering and the Year 8 team achieving 9th place in both General Knowledge and Code Breaking.”

“These competitions enable our gifted students to expand their learning opportunities beyond our region and mix amongst the top achieving schools across NSW and ACT. The fact that we received 6 top 10 placings at the Knox Decathlon is an incredible achievement worth celebrating,” says Mr Choi •

Students who represented KWS at the da Vinci Decathlon: Year 5 Olive Glover Phoebe Hunter Daniel Lord Sam Martin Molly Mason Alice Scholte Olivia Wilson Bianca Wong

Year 8 Jack Chamberlain William Gaston Sophie Heath Daniel Hunter Airlie Mason Makanaka Mutyiri Shubhang Nagar Gordon Suthers

Year 9 Fergus Connick Ellenor Crawford Adelaide Cunningham William Denman William Englund Sophia Nelson Hannah Richardson Eliza Ward

Year 10 Fergus Baldwin Emma Choi George Cumming Hannah Leisk Jessica Mosely Lara O’Brien Will Rawson Charlie Southwell 67

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STAFF PROFILES I wasn’t just joining another ‘company’ as such I was joining a place that was producing people who live and work in our communities.”

Mr Trevor Delbridge, KWS Business Manager

Trevor Delbridge Business Manager

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inross Wolaroi School’s new Business Manager, Trevor Delbridge is excited about the new approach KWS is taking to Wellbeing and says he can play a part in ensuring staff, students and KWS families feel happy and safe by carefully managing resources to ensure not only a successful business but that staff are allowed enough time to effectively look after students. “I really think the biggest part we play in Wellbeing is the interactions with students. From a financial perspective my aim and my goal is to try to open up enough time so staff can be interacting and connecting with students to make sure they are well and happy and safe and comfortable as well as effectively partnering with families,” Trevor says.

Trevor arrived at Kinross Wolaroi School in March 2016 as the Finance Manager and was promoted to Business Manager in February 2019. He was born in Sydney’s North Shore and educated at Oxley College in Bowral, before moving back to Sydney for seven years to complete his Bachelor of Business

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through University of Technology in 2009 and his Chartered Accountancy in 2013. Prior to his family’s move to Orange in January of this year Trevor lived in Bathurst for 6 years.

It was the physical beauty of Kinross Wolaroi that initially sold him on KWS. He recalls driving up the beautiful driveway for his interview and says to this day the entrance into work is something that makes him happy. “I think your physical location, your surroundings and the kind of environment you work in makes a big difference,” he says.

Trevor spent the early part of his career working for Ernst & Young in Sydney and soon realised he wanted to focus his career in the not-for-profit and community sector as opposed to a ‘big bank’ or corporate company.

This is where the values of Kinross Wolaroi really appealed to him. “The real sense of what KWS gave back to the community was enticing for me,” he says. “I wasn’t just joining another ‘company’ as such, I was joining a place that was producing people who live

and work in our communities. I am really excited about the personalised approach KWS is taking to Wellbeing and the partnership approach the school is taking.”

His aim as the Business Manager is to allow KWS to operate as a School first and a business second. “That means the budget, the building and maintenance works, marketing and hiring staff is all structured around getting the best values for the School itself as opposed to just the business success,” Trevor says.

“I like to think my work envelops the core operations of the school. Very much I am an outside looking in person and that is the focus of my role; to make sure that what is happening in the middle is happening as effectively as possible.”

Trevor’s oldest child Adeline attends KWS Pre-Prep School.

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I fundamentally believe that being a good educator is all about developing and fostering strong relationships with students, colleagues and families.”

Mrs Kate Callaghan, Coordinator of Staff Development and Head of New House

Kate Callaghan Coordinator of Staff Development and Head of New House

K

ate Callaghan comes from a family of teachers. Her husband and many members of her immediate and extended family are teachers and while it was a career path she tried to avoid, she couldn’t keep herself away from the wonderful community that comes from good educational environments.

It was Kinross Wolaroi’s unique sense of community that aligned with Kate’s educational philosophy of developing and fostering strong relationships and drew her to the School in 2017. “I knew a number of staff and ex-students and they all spoke so positively about their experiences at KWS that I hoped to be a part of that community one day,” says Kate.

Kate is the Head of New House, the Coordinator of Staff Development and has previously taught English. Before coming to KWS Kate was an English teacher for five years at St Stanislaus’ College, Bathurst and an English teacher and Senior Tutor at Pymble Ladies’ College, Sydney from 2006-2011. She grew up on a farm at Gunnedah and

studied a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Teaching at the University of Sydney.

Together with her husband Liam, who is also a staff member at KWS, and their young children Isla, Harry and Patrick, Kate lives in the New House Cottage next to the boarding house. They love living on campus and feel lucky to have such beautiful views and room for their children to roam.

Each day begins before 6:30am when Kate wakes the boarding girls (if she’s on duty) ensuring they eat breakfast, get ready for school and catch the bus to the main campus on time. Kate too, heads to the main campus to work in her Coordinator of Staff Development role. This may include meetings with colleagues, teacher observations, planning for professional development days and courses and managing any issues that may have arisen with boarding.

“It is an exciting time to work here with the launch of the new Strategic Plan,” says Kate. “It provides opportunities for professional growth and it is so exciting to see the different ways we are growing and changing as a community.”

The day comes to an end with afternoon boarding duty (from 4-11pm) making sure the girls are attending meals, completing prep, assisting with homework and assessments (mainly English or humanities) and then ensuring they are all in bed ready for the next day. “I have the most wonderful girls in my boarding house who are kind, funny, intelligent and diverse young women who make every day interesting and enjoyable for me,” she says.

Kate sees her close relationship with the girls and their families as a vital part of looking after their wellbeing. To help with this, she has developed a number of programs to acknowledge and build up girls in the House including Star of the Week, Scholar of the Week, a Big Sister/ Little Sister buddying program and staff/ student Family and Mentor groups.

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Lisa Pengilly Year 5 Teacher

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hen Kinross Wolaroi Prep teacher Lisa Pengilly came to the School in 1997, she said to herself that she would only stay for 5 years. She didn’t want her children to have to attend the same school where she was teaching. But 22 years later Lisa is still here and her children, Jack, Annabel and Angus are in Year 11, 9 and 7 respectively.

In years gone by, Lisa would drive over 100 kilometres from her husband’s family farm between Eugowra and Forbes on the Lachlan River to teach at Kinross Wolaroi. “My son once asked why he lives further away than many of the boarders.

I now stay a few nights a week in town but I am always home on weekends after Saturday sport!” says Lisa.

Lisa is currently the staff member in charge of Prep Netball and teaches Maths, English, Science, History, Geography and Art to Year 5 students. She is guided by a personal philosophy to always look for the positives and find the good in all people.

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For development and growth to take place children must feel secure and happy within their learning environment and they must be ready to learn.”

Mrs Lisa Pengilly, Year 5 Teacher

“I believe if a child can’t learn from the way I teach then I have to teach the way they learn,” says Lisa.

It is a line of thinking that is increasingly relevant at Kinross Wolaroi as it begins to implement its new Strategic Plan which identifies wellbeing as a crucial part of its entire educational experience. Lisa is a supporter of children learning through practical hands-on experiences that

meet the developmental needs of individual students, hence she is very excited about the activities of the KWS TREE program.

“All children have the right to a balanced, well-rounded education that fosters their physical, intellectual, creative, emotional, social and spiritual development. For this development and growth to take place children must feel secure and happy within their learning environment and they must be ready to learn,” she says.

Lisa always wanted to be a teacher and remembers often playing ‘schools’ as a young girl. The reason she loves teaching so much is the buzz she gets from helping someone. “The thing I enjoy most is the light bulb moments,” she says. “Watching a child struggle to understand a concept and then all of a sudden they ‘get it’. I love the challenge of coming up with different ways to help children understand.”

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I love the smell of freshly baked biscuits or the aroma of a hot pot. I have always said I would be happy if my kids ate as well as the boarding students.”

Mr Marcus Kostitch, KWS Catering Manager

The KWS Catering Team

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ating healthy, nutritious meals is a huge part of any person’s wellbeing and the Kinross Wolaroi School catering staff pride themselves on the daily preparation of fresh food that sustains the active minds and bodies of students.

The KWS catering team is made up of 17 staff led by Catering Manager, Marcus Kostitch, who arrived at Kinross Wolaroi as a duty chef four years ago after working at the Orange Ex-Services Club for 17 years. He is a qualified commercial chef and butcher and is currently studying a Diploma of Leadership and Management.

During Marcus’ time at Kinross Wolaroi the individual kitchens on both campuses (Kinross Wolaroi and PLC) have changed a lot. “We’ve moved from a ‘cook chill method’ and hired a team of chefs to enable the preparation of fresh meals on a daily basis at both sites and we really pride ourselves on providing fresh tasty food for the students,” he

says. “I love the smell of freshly baked biscuits or the aroma of a hot pot. I have always said I would be happy if my kids ate as well as the boarding students.”

Each term the team meets to discuss a seasonal reiteration of the KWS dining room menu and the team has just been approached by the Student Representative Council to help with recycling and be more proactive in sourcing sustainable products.

First and foremost, the catering staff are focused on the needs of boarders but their roles have expanded to including the provision of more than 1400 meals per day for boarders as well as speciality catering for events such as parent teacher interviews, Golden Alumni functions, sports dinners and carnivals, school camps, excursions, conferences and staff professional learning days.

“The main reason the catering team is here is to look after the boarders, so getting to know the boarding students is our primary focus,” Marcus says.

“It’s hard to recognise them sometimes as they change so much during the school year. Once a term we meet with the Boarding Food Committee and students have representatives who have input on the menu.”

In 2018, Marcus led an initiative for the KWS catering team, cooking meals for the homeless once a week. “To fund the meals KWS staff make a donation out of their pay each week. Catering staff volunteer to prepare the meals which are picked up and distributed at the CWA Hall in Robertson park every Tuesday.

I am very proud to be a part of it as it represents the KWS values,” he says • Each week KWS boarders consume: 3000 pieces of fresh food 1500 slices of cheese 650 litres of milk 400 litres of fruit juice 350 loaves of bread

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STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS The Kinross Wolaroi Foundation continues to foster Teacher Professional Learning by giving academic staff the opportunity to spend up to one term on sabbatical from their teaching duties to pursue research in their chosen area of study through the annual Foundation Teacher Fellowship.

Tina Moshkanbaryans Foundation Fellow for 2019

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earning Support Coordinator, Ms Tina Moshkanbaryans has been named as the Foundation Fellow for 2019 and will be researching the premise that we must inclusively meet the needs of diverse learners in order to foster a ‘grit-growth’ mindset at KWS. Over the past year, Tina has been integral in the restructure of the Student Academic Services (SAS) Team at KWS with the aim of ultimately providing better advocacy for pupils with learning support needs as well as students who need to be extended.

“The traditional education system is designed for students who can read, write and process information with ease. There are so many students that don’t fit this mould and I see it as my responsibility to advocate for them,” says Tina.

It is undeniable that KWS has been making inroads in the area of learning support of late. The restructure of the Student Academic Services Team to allow Coordinators to focus their efforts and provide targeted support for students and the implementation of a

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The traditional education system is designed for students who can read, write and process information with ease.

There are so many students that don’t fit this mould and I see it as my responsibility to advocate for them.”

Ms Tina Moshkanbaryans, Learning Support Coordinator

number of new initiatives designed to help students in need are two examples of this. However, Tina believes there is still more work to be done.

“It is my firm belief that we still have a long road ahead before our classroom practice is inclusive of all types of learners,” says Tina. “My particular area of interest is students with dyslexia,

however, the knowledge gained from studying how schools around the world meet the needs of dyslexic learners will be invaluable to all students in our rural context.”

“The purpose of my proposed study is to explore the ways that schools across the United Kingdom and the United States are supporting students with literacy related difficulties in specialised and mainstream, day and boarding, coeducational environments,” says Tina.

Next year, Tina will be visiting a number of schools in the UK and USA where she will be shadowing teachers and students, speaking to students, parents and teachers about how their school ensures the literacy development of their students and will be spending time with the support teams at each of the Schools.

Upon her return, Tina will summarise her findings and develop at least two NESA endorsed courses to deliver to KWS staff. Furthermore, the knowledge gained will be invaluable in the development of strategies for a united approach to literacy for all students at our School •

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EX-STUDENT PROFILES The Chronicle follows up with our Alumni.

Quentin Bryce always said ‘You can have it all, but not all at the same time’ but, geez I want to prove her wrong and show that you can at least give it a crack!”

Alice Byrnes, KWS Class of 2003

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Alice Byrnes (Nee McClymont) KWS Class of 2003

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Girl power: Owners of Orange’s first all-female law firm.

Left to right: Dannielle Ford, Alice Byrnes and Kirsty Evans

he fundamental aim of educators at Kinross Wolaroi School has long been to nurture and develop students’ skills and ambitions allowing them to lead successful careers and become active citizens within their individual communities once they leave school.

Former KWS student, Alice Byrnes (nee McClymont) is shining a light on this ethos alongside two other local women who have made history in Orange this year by becoming the city’s first all-female owned law firm.

Alice and her partners Dannielle Ford and Kirsty Evans purchased the legal practice Cheney Suthers from Tony Cheney and Aaron Suthers in April 2019.

“It was huge. I was still on maternity leave with my six-month-old baby but if we didn’t take the chance to buy the firm it would have been lost,” says Alice.

“There is not a lot of opportunity to buy an established firm, let alone be offered a law partnership when you have young kids – there has been and will continue to be a lot of blood, sweat and tears between the three of us.”

Alice, who was born and bred in Orange finished at KWS in 2003 after arriving in Year 7. Tony Cheney, from whom she bought the law firm, also has a long association with Kinross Wolaroi having been on the KWS Council for 18 years, seven of them as the Chair.

His children also attended KWS. For Alice, the KWS connections do not stop there – although they weren’t high school sweethearts – Alice married former classmate Samuel Byrnes after meeting out-of-school in 2009.

All of their siblings attended KWS as

did Sam’s father Mark Byrnes. Sam’s mother Cherie Byrnes (deceased August 2017) taught Business Studies at KWS for decades and was Alice’s esteemed Careers Advisor. “The teacher who inspired me most was my gorgeous mother-in-law and her smile and laugh – you could hear her a mile off,” says Alice.

“Cherie suggested I would love the new Media course at Sydney University and I did.” Alice says she’s eternally grateful for the friendships cherished at KWS and remains ‘thick as thieves’ with all of her friends today.

After school Alice took a Gap Year at Rendcomb College in Cirencester, England and returned to study a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) at the University of Sydney. Alice went on to complete a Bachelor of Law at the University of New South Wales and attended the College of Law in 2012 while undertaking a graduate program with Lander and Rogers Lawyers.

Now, as a Director of Cheney Suthers Lawyers, Alice mainly practices in commercial law, employment and family law and estate disputes. She works fulltime and has two children, Matilda and Oliver who are on the waiting list to attend Kinross Wolaroi.

For the moment she is revelling in what she has been able to achieve as a female in her profession and in her home town – something that may not have happened in a bigger city. “Quentin Bryce always said that ‘You can have it all, but not all at the same time’ but geez I want to prove her wrong and show that you can at least give it a crack!” says Alice.

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Carolyn Pik with husband, Justin and children, Maddie and Liam

Lindy Williams, Victoria Gordon & Carolyn Pik KWS Class of 1989

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here must have been something in the water at Kinross Wolaroi in 1989 because a handful of classmates from this year group – Lindy Williams (nee Hodge), Carolyn Pik (nee Simpson) and Victoria Gordon – went on to study the exact same course at University; Applied Science, and have since established rewarding careers in the health and rehabilitation sector.

After school, Lindy Williams studied a Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) at the University of Sydney, a degree that allowed her to specialise in helping people who have suffered a brain or spinal injury regain function and quality of life. Her work has taken her to many places in Australia, including roles with The Spastic Centre (now Cerebral Palsy Alliance) and in the area of brain injury at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

Lindy lives in Kellyville now and works as a Senior Occupational Therapist/ Rehabilitation Consultant with the Lighthouse Health Group.

Fellow classmate, Victoria Gordon received a distinction at the same University studying the same degree but majoring in Physiotherapy (Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy).

It was an accolade that opened doors for her to work in the United Kingdom for over two years.

She has since completed a Masters in Health Science (Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy) and says her work is immensely satisfying. Victoria lives and works in Orange during the school term working in locum stints, the most recent at the Orange Health Service.

Carolyn Pik grew up in Bourke and attended KWS from Years 8 – 12 as a boarder (day student in Year 12).

In a similar vein, she too was led to rehabilitation after studying a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) and later a Masters of Health Science (Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy) both through the University of Sydney.

Carolyn has worked at St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, been Senior

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Victoria Gordon with her children Mac and Niamh

Every day I am going to work; I am helping people. Patients can often be vulnerable in our care and assisting them in their return to health is a real privilege.”

Cody Seton KWS Class of 2018

Victoria Gordon, KWS Class of 1989

Physiotherapist (and clinical educator) at The Canberra Hospital, a lecturer in Masters of Physiotherapy at the University of Canberra and also a physiotherapist at a local sleep apnoea clinic in the ACT. Carolyn says her most rewarding work was in acute care and intensive care in a large teaching hospital. “The patients are very unwell so the right treatment can make a huge difference. It is a challenge to do this in medically unstable patients who are connected to lots of equipment and requires a lot of trust, planning and commitment from the whole team.”

While at Kinross Wolaroi the girls received a solid grounding in Science and achieved pleasing results in the HSC, backed by teachers who always encouraged them to fulfil their potential.

Victoria Gordon says she had no desire to become a physiotherapist when she was at School, in fact she had no idea what she wanted to do! “My parents probably had some influence in my decision, their criteria was a job that

I could fall back on wherever life took me and physiotherapy proved to be all of those things. It has been a very rewarding career personally.”

It is clear that a career in this field has given all three women an appreciation for two things in life: family and health. They all attest their work is often challenging but also incredibly fulfilling. “Every day I am going to work I am helping people,” says Victoria. “Patients can often be vulnerable in our care and assisting them in their return is a real privilege and for the most part satisfying.”

C

ongratulations to Cody Seton (KWS Class of 2018) who has been awarded the highly esteemed and prestigious International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) Professional Scholarship.

As part of the Scholarship application process, candidates were required to submit their applications, including transcripts, written essay, community contributions, certificates, high school achievements and a curriculum vitae.

Cody progressed through the application round, which was followed by two panel interviews and was finally rewarded for her efforts.

KWS and the Ex-Student Association congratulate Cody on this achievement and wish her the best of luck with her education and future within ICMS.

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Louella Mathews

KWS Class of 2006

I always find that School is such a personal experience but for me I really think I found my confidence level at Kinross Wolaroi.”

Louella Mathews, KWS Class of 2006

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WS Alumna Louella Mathews, aged 30, is chasing her ambition to become one of the leading female sommeliers in the Australian wine industry and has successfully carved a career for herself in a profession that hardly existed when she was at school.

Louella who grew up in Narromine, was a day student at KWS for three years from 2003 – 2006 and is now the Head Sommelier at Bibo Wine Bar in Double Bay, an establishment coined by some Australian wine critics as the best wine bar in Sydney.

She says the days of studying 2-unit Maths have definitely helped her. “We had a fun class and now that I am in the wine and restaurant business a lot of tools I learnt in that class I apply now,” she says. “But I also loved problem solving and doing page length equations and finding you got the results right.”

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Louella leads a fascinating career in a profession that she knew nothing about at school. Before moving to work in the smaller more community focused bar, Bibo, Louella was the Beverage Administrator for Rockpool Dining Group in Sydney, managing 4000 wines and the company’s wine lists and private cellar. In 2013 she commenced her Level 3 Award in Wines with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust through NSW TAFE. Then in 2015 she began her journey to try to become Australia’s first female Master Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers – an examination based qualification with different levels.

She is currently a certified sommelier with only two more examinations to complete before reaching her milestone.

“It is still an aim of mine but I am not as influenced by it as when I was younger,” says Louella. “Now that I have successfully been running

Bibo Wine Bar for three years, I am loving creating my own little wine community and focusing on that rather than just focusing on how many appellations I can memorise.”

Louella is currently working on a wine making collaboration with ex-KWS student Nadja Wallington (KWS Class of 2006 and winemaker at Philip Shaw) and has plans to one day start an innovative education and mentoring program for the next wave of sommeliers.

Her certainty comes in-part from her grounding at KWS. “I always find that School is such a personal experience for each person but for me I really think I found my confidence level at Kinross Wolaroi,” says Louella. “I was quite an outgoing person already but I just found the teachers to be so invested in what we were doing and the relationships I had with them is something I don’t really think you get anywhere else.”

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Matthew Coddington KWS Class of 1990

When I am in Board meetings with different types of people, I can draw on the leadership experiences I had at KWS.” Matthew Coddington, KWS Class of 1990

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ormer Kinross Wolaroi boarder Matthew Coddington says he wasn’t much of a student academically, but it is the leadership skills he learnt while at Kinross Wolaroi that have helped him become a leader in the Australian Merino sheep industry.

He came to Kinross Wolaroi as a boarder in Year 8 in 1986 and left after the HSC in 1990. There was no doubt in Matthew’s mind what he would do when he finished school – he would be going straight back to the family sheep farm at Dubbo to become the fifth generation of Coddingtons to take on the enterprise.

Roseville Park Merino Stud was established in 1938 by his grandfather George Coddington and was taken over

by Matthew and his wife Cherie 15 years ago when they purchased half the farm and started their own business, which has since added even more farms to the mix.

Matthew and Cherie have five children all of whom have attended, are in

attendance or will be attending Kinross Wolaroi School, Savannah (21), Tessa (19), Charlie (18), Millie (16) and Tim (9).

While at Kinross Wolaroi, Matthew was always captain of his rugby team and became Head of Weymouth House in Year 12, 1990. He says that not being particularly academic has not prevented him from reaching his goals in life.

“There have been a lot of achievements that we have made over the years, a lot of awards and a lot of firsts in our industry,” says Matthew.

In 2013 he and Cherie were joint winners of the NSW Department of Primary Industries NSW Farmer of the Year Award and Matthew has been involved in numerous boards, committees and advisory groups on genetics including Australian Wool Innovation, Meat and Livestock Australia, the Sheep Cooperative Research Centre, NSW Stud Merino Breeders Association, Merino Link,

Sheep Genetics Australia and the NSW DPI. “I learnt a lot about leadership roles and leading by example when I was at Kinross Wolaroi,” he says. “It’s helped me to be a leader in the community and industry now. In Board meetings with different types of people, I can draw on the leadership experiences I had at KWS. Funnily enough, I am now training university professors, teachers, veterinarians, consultants and government officials and I love working with young people in my industry.”

Matthew’s proudest achievement to date is the establishment of the three day National Schools Wether Challenge at Dubbo National Merino Show and Sale. This year it will involve 300 wethers and 400 students from 70 schools including KWS •

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THE CH R ONI C L E A N N O UN C E M E N T S

ANNOUNCEMENTS Births KAYLEN MATTHEW GEORGIOU Jade Georgiou (KWS Academic Staff ) and husband, Matthew A baby boy, Kaylen Georgiou Born 29 January 2019

QUINN DOOKA FARDELL Sophie Fardell (KWS Academic Staff ) and husband, Harry A baby girl, Quinn Fardell Born 1 April 2019

TAHLIA LUCY IDA ELKINS Jessica Lowe (KWS Class of 2011) and partner Jack Elkins A baby girl, Tahlia Elkins Born 18 August 2018 •

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TH E CH R ONI C L E F R O M T H E A R C H I VES

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

Good Manners From the ‘The Wyvern’, Wolaroi College Magazine, 1951

“M

The same reaction occurs when we jump into the air. To make the jump, we first push the earth with our feet, and then spring up. The action of pushing against the earth tends to push the earth down a little, but there is an immediate reaction which assists our jump by pushing us into the air.

Of course, the amount by which the earth is pushed down is far too slight to be measured, but it does actually move.

If all the people and animals on the earth jumped simultaneously, a distinct motion would possibly be felt.

So, to move the earth, just jump!

anners makyth man” is an old but true saying.

It is our generally accepted code of manners which places a curb on selfishness, thoughtlessness and unkindness, and promotes many of the fine and most distinctively human attitudes.

Meal-time is one of the important occasions when our knowledge of, and willingness to exercise, manners is apparent. If, at table, we reach for the pepper and salt, and thrust out our arm for the butter at the other end of the table when there is some other person near enough to pass it, we seem to show greed. This may be a wrong impression.

If we were to take the trouble to ask, we would avoid giving such a wrong impression. An onlooker may conclude from our behaviour that, if we are not greedy, we are the victims of prolonged starvation. This is hardly likely in our case. A person who eats hurriedly and almost licks the plate, likewise appears greedy.

Whenever there are comparatively large gatherings of people, as, for example, at dances, theatres and cinemas, manners – consideration for others – are necessary. The “go-getter” type of person who simply pushes his way through the crowd does not give others a good impression of himself.

Respect for other people, especially respect shown by gentlemen for ladies, is very important. Such respect, may be shown not only by giving way to our friends when we pass through a doorway, or in the case of men by raising the hat when they meet a lady, but chiefly by our general manner of speech. The person who is continually reminding us of what he thinks without paying much or any attention to the view of others, or who contradicts what another has said is showing no respect for others.

It is worthwhile to remember that one’s manners are taken by others to be some reflection of one’s home training and the type of community, or section of the community, to which one belongs.

Rawl, Third Year

R. Howard, Fourth Year

Can We Move The Earth?

From the ‘The Wyvern’, Wolaroi College Magazine, 1951

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ne of Newton’s laws of motion states, “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

This applies not only to actions in the scientific world, but to all actions.

An empty chair supports nothing but the air above it. When you sit on the chair it is able to support the downward pressure you exert because it reacts and pushes, with an equal force, upwards.

Also, a man in a rowing boat pushes the oar against a pier. The pier immediately reacts with a similar pressure and the boat moves away.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

01

Memories of Helen Helen Hoogendijk-Floor (PLC Orange Class of 1945)

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or most parents, the decision to send a child to boarding school is one based on education, experience and opportunity. For others, the decision to send a child away to school is less of a choice and more a necessity.

In 1940 despite having a policy of neutrality and demonstrating resistance, the Netherlands was invaded

by German troops. After five long days at war, the Dutch forces surrendered and German occupation of the Netherlands officially began. During the Nazi occupation, the toll on human life and suffering was enormous.

In 1941, Helen Hoogendijk-Floor was only a child, but remembers vividly when her parents made the difficult decision to send her to boarding school in Australia.

Helen attended the Presbyterian Ladies College (PLC) Orange from 1941–1945 and the Principal of the School at the time, Miss Ina Miller became her official guardian. During this time, Helen did not know the whereabouts of her parents, but longed for them and hoped every day that they were alive and well. In 1945, Helen finally received a letter from the Red Cross advising that they had in fact survived the war.

Today, Helen happily resides in The Hague, a city on the North Sea coast of western Netherlands, with her husband Pete. Over recent times Helen has made a point of recalling and recording her memories of her years in boarding school and her holidays spent in Australia.

Below are some of Helen’s memories: “Leaning out of the window on the veranda, where we all slept as peas in a pod in long rows. Looking intently into the night and the myriads of stars, trying to visualise a God up there in the vast spaces of the universe. Asking 82

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him earnestly to please bring back my mother and father alive and believing unconditionally that he would answer my prayer, and he did!”

“Playing truant while we had our hour of tennis to get through. Eating a good share of blackberries, which grew behind the tennis court, while looking for one of the many tennis balls that had gone astray in the bushes.”

“Munching figs, sitting comfortably on one of the branches of the fig tree with a book, hidden from prying eyes in the thick foliage.”

“Winning the Junior Swimming Championship in 1945 to the surprise of my fellow pupils and the satisfaction of eavesdropping on two girls who had to acknowledge that ‘that Dutch girl’ could do something after all.”

“The mingling of embarrassment and exhilaration on being the first pupil to receive the blazer emblem of PLC Orange during assembly hour. I received the first emblem because the Principal, Miss Ina Miller was my guardian during the war years in case my parents should not survive.”

“Bursting out into Chicken Pox on the very day that a letter arrived on my birthday, 1st October, via Red Cross from my parents to tell me that they were alive. It was the first sign of life in four years.”

“Playing the part of one of the orphan boys in ‘Daddy Long Legs’ in 1943 and the part of the Little Prince in ‘The Ivory Door’ in 1944, in the prologue and epilogue.”

“Spending a weekend in Sydney with Miss Miller and some other girls of my class towards the end of the war.

We visited a cinema and saw Fantasia, my first film.” •

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01 A ct 2 of Daddy Long Legs in 1943 02 A 13 year old Helen Hoogendijk-Floor at Lake Canobolas 03 1940 PLC Prefects 04 T he first ever PLC embroidered blazer pocket and Junior Swimming Championship awards from 1945 05 1945 PLC Prefects

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kws.nsw.edu.au