The MAG ISSUE 6 2022
FEATURES:
GROWING OUR SCHOOL: THIRD KINDER CLASS ADDED INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS HSC EXCELLENCE DEEP LEARNING AT MAG CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF ART
MOAMA
ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
COMPASSION | RESPECT | INTEGRITY
Welcome to Issue 6 of The MAG Welcome to the sixth issue of our bi-annual school publication, The MAG. The year is off to a flying start and we have a lot of great stories and news to share with you.
On the cover: Our new Kindergarten students enjoying reading time.
On the back cover: A sculpture by student Griffin Lias, exhibited at the 2021 MAG Visual Arts Exhibition.
Co-ordinators: Yvette Height and Chelsea Leslie Photography: Yvette Height and Chelsea Leslie. Design: Esley Studio Printing: Revolution Print
MOAMA
ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
COMPASSION | RESPECT | INTEGRITY
2 Kirchhofer Street PO Box 786 Moama NSW 2731 P: 03 5480 5900 E: info@moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au
2 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
17
FROM STUDENT TO STAFF MEMBER
06 15
4
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
5
MEET OUR SCHOOL LEADERS
6
STAFF NEWS
10 SCHOOL EVENTS 15 FEATURES
GROWING OUR SCHOOL
24 ALUMNI 27 PARENTS AND FRIENDS
19 HSC EXCELLENCE
26 CELEBRATING OUR LOVE OF ART
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 3
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Our Voices for the Future I have worked in schools for almost 30 years
happening in Europe that political commentators suggest
now and most of that time I have been in
could easily escalate and draw Australia in as well as other
a Secondary setting. I have always found teenagers keen to change the world; they
western nations. It is imperative that future generations have the desire and passion to change the world and importantly the skills to do so.
are optimistic, are not afraid of the apparent enormity of the issues and seem to have
Education needs to adapt to encourage the growth of the
boundless energy. It is wonderful when a
skills of advocacy rather than creating a passive generation.
school community can harness this energy for positive change for the benefit of the
At school we encourage student voice to create change, but we also encourage it in a way that does not victimise others and is inclusive and positive.
current and future students. Listening to our students gives me great hope; I am confident In the last few years at Moama Anglican Grammar, I have seen
that the great challenge of humanity will be improved if not
this desire for positive social change and the commitment
resolved by the future generations. Students being educated
to follow through. As a school community we all benefit. Our
today at Moama Anglican Grammar will take a lead role in
students have a strong social conscience and passion to be
improving the world tomorrow.
heard on a range of social issues.
MRS CARMEL SPRY We, the older generation, have not been able to fully address significant issues such as climate change, poverty, gender equity and identity. We currently have a major conflict
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PRINCIPAL
MEET OUR SCHOOL LEADERS
Meet Our School Captains GRACE ANDREWS
DYLAN SCOBLE
Grace, 18, comes from
Dylan, 17, comes from
Deniliquin and has been
Kyabram and commenced
traveling daily to Moama
at Moama Anglican
Anglican Grammar since
Grammar in 2018. In these
she commenced in Year 7.
past five years in secondary
When nominations opened
school, Dylan has become
for school captain last year,
active in the school
Grace had a ‘why not?’
community and started
moment, and decided to
to develop his leadership
throw her hat in the ring,
potential.
believing it would be a good opportunity for growth. It might also allow her to expand on some of the work she had begun
He recognises that progression and stability starts from within,
as a member of the school’s indigenous committee.
‘I decided to go for school captain to be a voice for my peers and to help build a more cohesive environment’. Since being
Grace is relieved that, though there are high expectations as
elected as a school captain last November, Dylan has already
a school captain, it is slightly more relaxed than she initially
assisted with running school events and bringing the ideas of
believed – the support of senior students, other school
his school colleagues to the attention of senior teachers. ‘What
leaders and teachers has allowed her to enjoy and rise to the
has surprised me the most is all the support we receive for our
challenge. In general she is finding Year 12 a little stressful, ‘not
ideas and opinions from the teachers; and also, how much fun
so much the workload, but the increased expectations you
being part of the leadership group is.’
have of yourself…it’s the pressure you put on yourself because ‘”this year counts”.
Dylan is learning rapidly about the qualities that make a good leader and how much work is involved. ‘Leaders that I look up
Grace plans to begin study in 2023 towards becoming a
to include Scott Pendlebury and Ja Morant - they demonstrate
gynaecologist. ‘I’d like to eventually work in Queensland or
integrity, accountability and a true love for what they do’.
the Northern Territory because there are more opportunities there to work with indigenous communities.’
Dylan has some clear plans for his future, hoping to attend university in 2023 to study exercise and sport science. Outside
Though Grace does not have much spare time this year, she
of school Dylan enjoys running and hanging out with friends.
enjoys spending it with her friends and family, swimming at the pool and river, and painting aboriginal art. Grace most looks up to her mum, who is a school counsellor, as a role model of a leader; ‘She’s very strong, independent and brave, and speaks up for what she believes in’. ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 5
STAFF NEWS
From Student to Staff Member Jayda Richardson, Tess Walton and Ashah Downie have made a swift transition from Year 12 student at the end of 2021, to trainee staff members at Moama Anglican Grammar this year. They are doing an incredible job across both the primary and secondary schools, and we spoke to them to find out what this enormous change has been like.
TESS WALTON – LEARNING SUPPORT TRAINEE I had education support aids throughout primary school and I know how much they helped me gain confidence and knowledge. I’ve always wanted to give back, the same way I received help. I’ve never realised how much effort is put into each lesson outside of the classroom. I really appreciate that I am seen as an equal to the staff and not seen as a student. I wish to pursue a career in Primary teaching; hopefully in 2023 I will be attending university. This traineeship will help to confirm for me if this is something I wish to pursue (so far, I’m loving it!). I’ve realised this is something I want to do long term. I have developed many positive relationships among the staff and students. I’ve enjoyed helping students who need extra support and guidance - from my personal experience, having been in the same shoes as these kids, I know what it feels like. These past couple of months have been nothing but positive for me and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year will bring.
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STAFF NEWS
JAYDA RICHARDSON – SPORTS TRAINEE
ASHAH DOWNIE – LEARNING SUPPORT TRAINEE
Ever since I was in Year 7, I’ve loved helping out with the
I had been wanting to take a gap year between Year 12 and
school sports teams in any way I could, whether it be
university for a while now. I wanted to do some sort of further
coaching, umpiring, water girl or assistant coaching. So when I
study on my gap year, but also wanted it to be fun. I had seen
recognised the new PDHPE trainees come through each year
past MAG students do the AFL traineeship and I thought it was
it made me realise that this is what I wanted to explore when I
such a cool idea, however I really wanted to be more involved
graduated high school.
in actual classes, so the education support traineeship was perfect for me.
The transition was easier than I thought, because I had already formed some really great relationships with the staff at MAG
The first few weeks on the ‘other side’ were pretty daunting
through the classroom environment. All the staff have been
and it took a little bit to get used to – especially calling teachers
really welcoming and made me feel very comfortable. I’m still
by their first name, but I have definitely settled in now. It has
not sure about calling them by their first names though!
been so interesting to see all the work teachers do behind the scenes that you don’t notice when you’re a student.
In 2023 I plan to study either Early Childhood and Primary Education or Secondary PDHPE teaching at Federation
In 2023 I plan to attend university. I have been offered a
University in Berwick, Melbourne. In addition, I would love to
Bachelor of Arts degree at The University of Melbourne,
keep at my footy and try and go as far as I can with that, as well
which I deferred, but plan to accept in 2023. At this stage,
as keeping in touch with my high school friends.
I intend to complete my Bachelor of Arts, then do my Masters in Education. Getting firsthand experience in the classroom will
I’ve really enjoyed learning new things about the teaching
definitely help me with this.
world, as well as building better relationships with teaching staff, professional staff and students.
So far, the thing I am enjoying the most about my traineeship is getting to know the students across the school and building relationships with them.
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 7
STAFF NEWS
Staff Arrivals and Departures We welcome a number of new staff members across the secondary and primary schools this new school year.
TOP ROW, L-R: Chris Allen (Secondary), Phillip Campbell (Secondary), Matthew Cohn (Secondary), Emma Delmenico (Primary), Nicholas Iorianni (Primary), Felicity Kew (Primary), Amy Lane (Secondary). BOTTOM ROW, L-R: Andrew Liu (Secondary), Michael Southon (Secondary), Carolyn Smith (Secondary), Curtis Townrow (Secondary), Sian Turner (Secondary), Paul Ward (Primary), Alexandra Wilkes (Secondary).
We have also bid farewell to some teachers
Alan Davidson: After a long-standing career of 44 years
who have had a significant impact at Moama
(15 of those at Moama Anglican Grammar), Alan Davidson is
Anglican Grammar.
looking forward to retirement. We all are looking forward to him making a return in 2023 as a casual relief teacher. Tracee Zweck and Michael Zweck: Now that their children have finished school, husband and wife team, Tracee and Michael have made the move to Wangaratta to be closer to family. Tracee and Michael have been valued, committed and passionate staff members and parents at Moama Anglican Grammar for 11 years. Primary teacher Kate Matthews taught Year 2 for two years, building great relationships with our staff, students and parents.
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SCHOOL EVENTS
Welcome to our Secondary Leaders Our Student Leadership Team are important representatives
Grace Andrews
School Captain
Dylan Scoble
School Captain
Charlotte Bowler
School Vice-Captain
Jaymi Clancy
School Vice-Captain
Lily Hillman
School SRC Captain
Silas Kingma
School SRC Captain
Rudy Webb
Chanter House Captain
Christian Corso
Chanter House Captain
April Eeles
Martin House Captain
carnival. They have assisted with activities during the Year 12
Taj Elliot
Martin House Captain
retreat and other school activities.
James Mawson
Meninya House Captain
Niah Bacon
Meninya House Captain
Maya Kadri
Perricoota House Captain
Emma Weiser
Perricoota House Captain
Griffin Lias
Creative Arts Captain
Jamison McFaddin
Performing Arts Captain
Harper Raverty
Performing Arts Captain
in our school community. They bear a great deal of responsibility, including being worthy role-models for our younger students. They also learn a lot about the qualities that make good leaders along the way. We are at the close of Term 1 and our Leaders have already demonstrated their leadership qualities – they have undertaken a range of duties including MCing both the Secondary Presentation assembly and Commencement assembly and leading their houses at the school swimming
Congratulations to this year’s Student Leadership Team, who we are sure will continue to demonstrate their commitment to the School’s core values of Compassion, Respect and Integrity. They were officially inducted and presented to the rest of the school during the Presentation Assembly in December 2021.
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 9
McDonald’s Echuca - Year 7 and Year 8 Dux Awards | Jacobson’s - Year 9 Dux Award
2021 Presentation Day In December we conducted a series of shorter Presentation Assemblies to ensure our celebrations were COVID-safe. We had the opportunity to look back on the school year and celebrate our student achievements and how far we’ve come during a challenging time. We provided a live feed of the event which has garnered very positive feedback from the school community. Our student leaders took leading roles in MCing and assisting the assemblies; we are lucky to have such confident and committed students in our leadership team. Throughout the assemblies, we saw many students who have embodied the School’s core values of Compassion, Respect and Integrity. A great example of this was the inspiring speech from the 2020 School Valedictorian, Faith Butt. We had outstanding musical performances throughout, from the Junior and Senior Drumlines, Year 6 Rock Band, and some of our talented individual students. We also had the opportunity to formally welcome our senior leaders into their new leadership roles – we know they will be Rich River Golf Club - Sportsperson of the Year (Primary)
10 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
a great asset to the school.
SCHOOL EVENTS
Rich River Golf Club - Sportsperson of the Year (Primary and Secondary)
This year we introduced Major Awards for each Year Level Dux recipient. Thank you to our major sponsors of these awards: Year 7 Dux: McDonald’s Echuca Awarded to William Whitbourn Year 8 Dux: McDonald’s Echuca Awarded to Amelia D’Angri Year 9 Dux: Jacobson’s Awarded to Kaitlin Weiser Year 10 Dux: the Colacino Family
Kagome - Year 11 Dux Award
Awarded to Ava Charnas Year 11 Dux: Kagome Awarded to Harper Raverty Sportsperson of the Year: Rich River Golf Club Awarded to Benjamin Anthony (Primary), Amalie Southern (Primary), Jaymi Clancy (Secondary) and Jake Clancy (Secondary). A very special thank you to all of our very generous supporters, and also those who choose to support the school anonymously. ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 11
SCHOOL EVENTS
Swimming Sports PRIMARY
Riverine Associated Schools (RAS) Swimming Carnival
With perfect weather and lots of enthusiasm from teachers
Bright eyed and bushy tailed, all of the MAG swimmers were
and students alike, the Primary Swimming carnival on
excited for the actioned packed day ahead of them. Every
Thursday 10th of February was a brilliant day of friendly
student gave their best and are congratulated on the way they
rivalry and team spirit.
represented themselves and the school.
Congratulations to Pericoota, who took out the
We had some great results and some outstanding
House honours!
achievements that came out of the day. Jack Hawkins finished first in the 11-Year-Old Boys Breaststroke which is a terrific
Congratulations also to our age champions of the
achievement. Tommy Teasedale-Dohnt placed fourth in the
Primary Swimming:
10-Year-Old Boys Freestyle. Well done to both boys!
8-9 Years Girls
Hannah McCleary
8-9 Years Boys
Fletcher Gilbert
From the RAS carnival we had four students who qualified
10 Years Girls
Violet McGillivray
for the NSW CIS Swimming Carnival to be held in Sydney.
10 Years Boys
Tommy Teasdale-Dohnt
Jack Hawkins, Tommy Teasedale-Dohnt, Charlotte Moller and
11 Years Girls
Charlese Kirkpatrick
Lachlan Nagle will all head to Sydney at the end of March.
11 Years Boys
Joint Winners Sam McCleary and Jack Hawkins
12 Years Girls
Charlotte Moller
12 Years Boys
Toby Kennedy
A big thank you to the Year 10 VET students who helped coordinate the swimming carnival as part of their VET subject.
12 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
SECONDARY
Border Independent Schools Sports Association (BISSA)
It was a great day in and out of the pool for the Secondary
Swimming Carnival
Swimming carnival on Tuesday 8 February. Spectators enjoyed
Wagga Wagga turned on the sunshine for the BISSA swimming
the sunshine, while everyone overall was thrilled to be able
carnival and MAG’s students didn’t fail to impress during their
to get to the pool for some fun and house competition. The
swims. Macklan Dalziel took out third place in Butterfly, second
friendly rivalry came to a head at the end of the day between
in Breaststroke, second in Backstroke and first in Freestyle.
students and staff, who raced head to head in the annual
What an amazing day for Macklan!
“Student vs Staff” relays. We had a few students put their hand up to tackle the grueling Our age champions of the Secondary Swimming were:
200m Individual Medley. Jaymi Clancy, Lenny Griffiths, Lachlan
13 Years Girls
Zarly Horne
Barlow, Jordan Dalziel and Macklan Dalziel all volunteered to
13 Years Boys
Frederick Peat
swim the IM and each did a great job. Well done to each of
14 Years Girls
Jordan Dalziel
them! Special mention to Jaymi Clancy who placed fourth in
14 Years Boys
Tanner Peters
her Individual Medley.
15 Years Girls
Joint Winners Ayla Wise and Emma Mitchell
15 Years Boys
Lenny Griffiths
16 Years Girls
Kaitlin Weiser
16 Years Boys
Archer Luke
Open Girls
Emma Weiser
Open Boys
Jake Clancy
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 13
SCHOOL EVENTS
Commencement Assembly – Looking to the Future K – 6 School Leaders Alexander Attalh Zara Hensley Toby Kennedy Molly Webb K – 6 Music Leaders Kokona Koreeda Grace McMaster Our 2022 Commencement Assembly marked an enthusiastic start to the new school year. We enjoyed an energetic performance from our incredible drumline, led by Kevin Kiely. School leaders, Jaymi Clancy and Dylan Scoble took on MCing duties for the morning.
K – 6 House Leaders Chanter Sophie Jardine and Jack Millar Martin Charlotte Moller and Finn Murphy Meninya Benjamin Anthony and Darcy Mislicki
Mrs Catt proudly recognised the hard work of our nine 2021 Band 6 recipients, and presented the 2021 Dux of the school – Jenna Park. Jenna gave an inspiring speech, encouraging students to be their best.
Perricoota Oliver Davidson and Hugh McDonald K - 6 Co-curricular Captains Tyler Cox
This year we presented both our new Year 12 cohort and Kinder students to the School. The Year 12s presented each Kinder with a native plant, symbolising the growth yet to come. Our 2022 Primary Leaders were inducted by Head of Primary, Mrs Deller; and Careers Advisor, Mr Townrow, led the Year 9 Beacon Leaders in reading their pledge.
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Jencie Dunn
FEATURES
Growing our School This year, for the first time in the School’s history, we have added a third kinder class to our school community! The integration of the third class has gone very smoothly so far, and with the addition of our new Kinder class teacher – Mrs Felicity Kew – the Kinder students are having a wonderful transition to school life. Mrs Kew joins Mrs Reid and Mrs Cowin in the Kinder teaching ranks, whilst Mrs Ripon is now teaching the Year 1s. Each of our Kinder classes have been kept to under 20 students, so that the students get to benefit from the small class experience. With the very healthy growth of the Moama and Echuca populations, and the growing demand for kinder places, we expect that the three classes will be a permanent addition. If you or someone you know has a child entering Kinder/Prep in 2023, now is the time to enrol at Moama Anglican Grammar. Contact our Registrar at registrar@moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au or call 03 5480 5900.
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 15
FEATURES
International Women’s Day #BreakTheBias themes that kept popping up in the presentation from these accomplished young women – that you can change your mind about your career; you don’t have to stick with your original choice if it does not fit, and that success comes when you grab the opportunities that come your way. MAG alumni, Mackenzie Downie was fortunate enough to be selected for the coveted MECCA Brands graduate program straight out of university. She now works at MECCA as a Marketing Specialist, after an interesting start to her dream job in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Another MAG alumni, Tyla Naughton, spoke about the ups and
For International Women’s Day 2022, we chose to stay closer to home and to
downs of being a small business owner. Tyla gave the students some great advice about following your dreams, changing your mind, and staying motivated on your career path.
shine a light on three of the amazing young alumni women who have graduated from Moama Anglican Grammar and gone on to do some amazing things in a relatively short timeframe.
Isobella Lucic who graduated from MAG in 2014 also presented. After a false start, Isobella realised she wanted a career that incorporated her favourite subject at school – geography. After navigating a few twists and turns in her career path, she is now a senior town planner.
We also invited one of our current MAG staff members
Our final panelist, Laura Angove – who is also MAG’s IT
to present about her changing career path. A panel of
Systems Administrator – gave a fabulous presentation that
accomplished young women was the perfect choice to really
demonstrated tenacity and hard work can get you where
engage with our Year 9s, 10s and 11s. The presentations were
you want to go. After leaving school, and starting a family
filmed prior, so that we could hold the event in two locations,
earlier in life than she expected, Laura’s determination and
ensuring COVID-safety measures were in place.
drive saw her become a baker, a chef and now an IT Systems Administrator.
Each panel member shared their experiences of their career progression and some spoke of the challenges and biases that they have come up against. There were a few common
16 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
SOPHIE DOUGLAS –
under the age of 30 are female and the number of female
WINNER OF THE 2022 BALANCE FOR BETTER
apprentices drops to only 8%. Coinciding with International
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Women’s Day Sophie was awarded $800 from the 2022 Balance for Better Scholarship Program, to help her
Women only occupy 10.9% of all roles in the construction
buy tools.
industry, with only 2.5% of workers being female trades people working on the frontline. It is these numbers that makes
Sophie feels supported and treated without gender bias in
Sophie’s story something worth celebrating.
her workplace, but in the short time she has been out on worksites, she has already come up against some sexist
Sophie Douglas graduated from Moama Anglican Grammar in
comments, though she feels lucky to have a boss who speaks
2016. She knew she did not want to go to University, as she
up against it.
preferred hands-on learning to academic studies. Her gap year turned into four years working at Big W followed by a year
Moama Anglican Grammar wishes Sophie well in her new
at Intersports Echuca. She did not want to spend her life in
career, where she is a part of breaking the bias, and we look
the retail industry and that was when she decided to try
forward to following her journey.
cabinet making. This year marks our second year as a school offering VET Sophie recently started her apprenticeship with Riverland
Construction as a HSC subject. Students complete VET
Cabinets and Joinery, a local business owned by a Moama
Construction as an early entry to the HSC and sit their HSC
Anglican Grammar family. She is enjoying the challenges of
examination for this course when they are in Year 11.
learning new skills and the variety in the job. Some days are spent in the workshop, while other days are spent out on site
Our second group of construction students have pleasingly got
installing the cabinetry, where Sophie finds it rewarding to see
our first female students! Only 5% of all Construction students
the end product. Sophie will also be completing a Certificate III
across the state are female, so these girls will be amongst
in Cabinet Making at Shepparton TAFE over the course of her
a small group of students to attain the carpentry skills and
four year apprenticeship.
credentials to work in construction in the future.
Sophie is working in an industry where only 14% of all workers ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 17
SCHOOL FEATURES EVENTS
Community Achievements Goulburn Murray Cricket League
Athletic Achievements
Presentation Night Nathaniel, Ethan and Benjamin Anthony all attended the LAVIC The Goulburn Murray Cricket League presentation night was
Combined Events Championship at Lakeside Stadium, Albert
held at the Moama Bowling Club in February.
Park over the weekend of 29-30 January. The Combined Events Championship involves athletes competing in a number of
Congratulations to Delaney Laffy (Year 11) who took out the
events, much like the modern pentathlon or decathlon events.
A Grade Women’s Cricketer of the Year! Delaney also won U21 Female Player of the Year and A Grade Women’s Batting
Representing the Echuca-Moama Little Athletics Centre, all
Aggregate with 170 runs and an average of 85.00 runs.
boys performed really well against a strong field of athletes, mostly from the larger city centres, and should be proud of
Teacher Miss Danielle Garden won the A Grade Women’s
their achievements.
Bowling Aggregate with 16 wickets and an economy rate of 5.75.
Ethan (U13) and Benjamin (U12) competed in the 80M hurdles, 100M, 800M, discus and long jump events; Ethan’s
Isabella’s Summer of Tennis
performances placed him 41st overall, while Benjamin secured 29th place in his age group.
Year 10 student, Isabella Crossman has had a fantastic summer of tennis success – receiving a wildcard entry into
Nathaniel (U14) performed across both days in the
the 2022 Traralgon International in early January. Traralgon is
aforementioned events as well as the high jump in which he
used by many young players as a warm up for the junior draw
performed a PB. He came in at 27th in his age group.
for the Australian Open. Unfortunately, Isabella was knocked out of the competition by Japan’s Mio Mushika in the second round – but what an amazing feat to just be there! Prior to Traralgon, Isabella won the open women’s title in Horsham. Isabella has a tennis rating of 8.56 which places her among the top juniors in her age category in Victoria.
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FEATURES
HSC Excellence Jenna Park didn’t let the additional challenges of studying during a pandemic get in the way of her attaining an admirable ATAR of 99.35 and gaining entry into Veterinary Science at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga. Jenna will spend five and a half years studying to become a vet and intends to practice in a rural community once she is fully qualified. Jenna also received a Band 6 (90-100) for each of the subjects
Jenna flourished. She has excelled in the science subjects and
she undertook for her HSC, including Physics, Chemistry,
credits her teachers at Moama Anglican Grammar with helping
Biology, Advanced Maths, Advanced English and Extension
her to really engage with the subject matter.
Maths. These results led to her gaining a place on both the NESA All-rounders Honour Roll and the Distinguished
Jenna is thrilled with her HSC results and delighted to
Achievers list.
be named the Dux of the school – ‘I just wanted to know for myself that I’d done my best to get in to vet science…
“I was so excited and surprised to get my results – I wasn’t
everyone’s worked so hard this year.’
expecting it. I just wanted to do my best to get in to my university course!” Jenna said.
Jenna believes having been part of a smaller year level, smaller sized classes and having access to teachers that really pushed
Jenna grew up on a farm in South Africa before her family
her to do her best enabled her to strive for excellence. “The
migrated to Australia at the start of Year 7 to run a cattle farm
teachers have given all of us support and encouragement…
in Bunnaloo. She has always loved being around animals and
our cohort has worked hard, especially through the COVID
working with livestock, and has been inspired by her uncle who
pandemic, and it’s great to see that we have all done so well
is also a vet.
despite COVID related challenges” said Jenna.
The first year of transition to Australia was a bit rocky for Jenna,
The School community wishes Jenna the very best of luck in
but once she and her family settled on the farm and she grew
the next steps toward achieving her dream of practicing as a
accustomed to Australian English and the style of teaching,
rural vet! ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 19
FEATURES
FEATURES
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 21
FEATURES
Deep Learning at MAG What is Deep Learning? Moama Anglican Grammar is a Deep Learning School. Deep Learning creates innovative learning opportunities and experiences for our students that tap into their personal passion areas, giving them a real purpose and options to unleash their full potential. The Deep Learning competencies (6C’s) are at the core of
Moama Anglican Grammar students learn the best conditions
what is critical for learner’s today and what it means to be
to build capacity with Deep Learning by using self-assessment
a Deep Learner. We want our students to be our upcoming
tools, student friendly deep- learning progressions and school
change makers, build their skills and be proficient in the areas
conditions rubrics to identify their strengths and areas for
of Citizenship, Collaboration, Character, Communication,
improvement to help guide further improvement and assess
Creativity and Critical thinking.
their progress. Our students learn as part of a collaborative inquiry process whereby powerful conversations are created
At Moama Anglican Grammar we are preparing our
at every stage of development. We have adopted Deep
students for the future where we embrace new roles and
Learning and encourage our staff to regularly share their
understandings. We shift our thinking and educational
innovative practices and provide models for reflection and
practices in the elements of Deep Learning design to
action planning with our school community.
partner with others in our learning, consider our learning environments and leverage digital technology to amplify learning; therefore creating opportunities and building new relationships between and among teachers, students and families.
22 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
Connect @ MAG – our Big Ideas Project
Neighbourhood House to deliver sandwiches, fresh fruit, bottled water and canned food. This will go to people in need
In November last year our Secondary students in Years 7-10
in the local Echuca Moama community. The students arranged
stepped away from their usual schedule to work on a Big
this event entirely themselves during Connect @ MAGS week.
Idea’s project, focused on Citizenship and Collaboration. This
Thank you to the local businesses that donated fresh produce
dedicated week presented an opportunity for students to
for this excellent cause: Moama Bakery, Forever Fresh Echuca
participate in a rich learning experience, to step out of our
and McGillivray Butchers Gunbower.
traditional timetable and embrace a week of Big Idea Projects through ‘Connect @ MAG’ week. Students worked in groups to develop a project that addresses
Some of the other innovative projects that
a need identified by their group associated with Community,
students initiated during the Connect @ MAG
Peers and School. The ultimate goal of the week was to
week include:
generate conversations, relationships and critical and creative
•
Canteen and food inclusion project: recipes
thinking, while embracing individual and societal wellbeing and
catering for dietary requirements identified and
global issues.
provided to the school canteen to ensure this food is accessible by all students. These recipes have
The Connect @ MAG week was student driven with the support of teaching staff. Students worked tirelessly on their
been utilised by the school canteen in 2022.
•
a sheep show conducted for the Junior School
projects - we have seen significant growth in our students
students, demonstrating the benefits for students
and rich conversations have resulted. Our students should be
of working with the animals.
proud of how they have developed their skills as citizens who
•
are willing to address global issues and work with compassion and empathy through their project work.
a restoration project idea for bike tracks in the local community
• •
idea for starting a School co-op shop school student-centric podcast (this is currently
One fantastic example of these projects was initiated by Year
being run and broadcast entirely by students
7 students (now in Year 8), Tia Ferris, Madeline Davy, Jack
in 2022!)
Sander and Fergus McGillivray. The students attended Echuca ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 23
ALUMNI
SARAH CAIN
INGRID MCDONALD
CLASS OF 2013
CLASS OF 2016
Class of 2013 Alumni Sarah
Ingrid McDonald (formerly
Cain is now working at
Williams) began her MAG
Echuca Regional Health after
journey in Year 6 in 2010. After
completing a Bachelor of
graduating in 2016, Ingrid
Nursing at Deakin University
spent four years at La Trobe
in 2017. Sarah started at ERH as a Registered Nurse working
University studying a Bachelor of Applied Science and Master
on the medical ward and high dependency unit. She’s more
of Podiatric Practice.
recently stepped up to the role of Associate Nurse Unit Manager (ANUM) on the medical ward.
Ingrid is now working as a podiatrist in private practice at Gen Health in Hamilton, Victoria and has recently been
‘I am very proud of my professional accomplishments.
married. ‘Becoming a full-time podiatrist in such a vibrant and
I certainly hadn’t anticipated stepping into the role of an
collaborative workplace has been my greatest professional
ANUM so soon. I am also extremely proud of completing my
accomplishment since finishing school, while personally,
postgraduate studies in an area I am deeply passionate about.
having a wedding during COVID and marrying Bryce has been
However, I think I am most proud of the hard work my fiancé
my proudest and most exciting accomplishment.’
and I have done in building our first home. ‘I am so thankful for the time I had at MAG and it is such a I fondly remember my time at MAGs. I had amazing teachers
privilege to see how much it’s grown since I started in 2010.
who inspired and encouraged me. Shout out to Mr Webb who
The opportunity that MAG gave me and the support I received
supported me during HSC chemistry, which was a definite
from my teachers has allowed me to end up where I am today’.
challenge. My fondest memories at MAGs are those in my final years spent with great friends.
Ingrid’s message to senior students at MAG is that these years are very special, despite the challenges, ‘Do your best, that’s
It can be easy to feel the pressure to do well and get the
all that’s asked and make sure you are kind to one another.
ATAR that you want. Recognising and aiming for your goals
Always show empathy, be proactive and prioritise genuine
is always a great driving force to achieve them. However,
relationships. In 10 years from now, you won’t look back and
self-care and taking time for things you enjoy are essential.
regret those things’.
Listen to yourself, your gut feeling and those of the people you trust most when making your decisions. I was very lucky that I always knew I wanted to work in healthcare. Nursing is my passion. For those who are unsure; do be open to trying new things and challenge yourself, life is long and it’s okay if you don’t love the first thing you try.’
24 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
ALUMNI
Alumni News If you know of any exciting happenings amongst our alumni, please let us know! Send us a message at communications@moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au
Congratulations to MAG alumnus Bridget Morrison on winning the lead role in the Cracked Actors Theatre production of ‘Lenore: A Tale of Mournful and Never-ending Remembrance’ in Melbourne. The Age newspaper published a great article about the show and Bridget’s role. She has certainly come a long way since playing Rosalie in MAG’s production of ‘Shuddersome: Tales of Poe’!
Anthony McMahon (Class of 2015) married Olivia O’Brien (Class of 2015) in Mathoura at the TimberCutters on 8 January, 2022. They were excited to be able to finally celebrate their special day and share it with family and friends. The couple have bought a house in Echuca where they are now settled. Olivia has completed both a Bachelor in Nursing and a Masters of Primary Education, and Anthony is working at Moama Anglican Grammar as CoCurricular Coordinator.
Hannah White (Class of 2016) married Blair Richards on 20 February 2021 during a gap in COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions. They married in Bendigo at Hannah’s uncle’s venue, Waratah Weddings. The couple are living on Blair’s family farm in Calivil. Hannah has been working as an Early Childhood Educator, but is currently enjoying time with her two children whilst on maternity leave.
Polly Healy (Class of 2012) married Dylon Haimes (originally from Rochester) on 19 December, 2021 in Gunbower. They married at the Gunbower Butter Factory, where they are also currently living while they await their house to be built in Moama. Polly is currently the Acting Principal at Lake Charm Primary School, and will be returning to Leitchville Primary School as a classroom teacher in Term 2 this year.
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 25
FEATURES
Celebrating our Love of Art A beautiful, visual showcase of MAG student, alumni and staff art works were recently showcased for all to appreciate in our local community. The 2021 MAG Visual Arts Exhibition opened on Saturday 4 December and ran until Wednesday 5 January at Customs House Gallery, Echuca. The opening night was well attended by the school and extended local community. Works of arts from current students HSC Body of Work, Alumni students and MAG Staff were available for purchase. The exhibition celebrates the continued love of the arts in our school community and featured:
• • • • •
22 Visual Artists participating with over 100 works 2021 HSC Visual Arts Body of Work 2022 HSC Visual Arts Year 11 Body of Work Alumni Visual Arts students Staff works (Tara-Lee Moon - Head of Creative and Performing Arts and Gretl Schiller)
Alumni students work featured include: Anna Walsh (one of the first HSC students at Moama Anglican Grammar), Emma Lewis (Perry), Emily Lawrie, Tilly Keenan, Brooke Glennen, Charley Apps, Daniel Aburrow, Alex Smith, Amanda Mitchell, Amber Devereux, Tilly (Matilda) Bradly, Georgia Rose and Grace Murphy. Customs House is a community gallery, and have confirmed that Moama Anglican Grammar can hold a showcase event annually each December. Congratulations to all of the artists involved in this wonderful exhibition! 26 | MOAMA ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
PARENTS & FRIENDS
Parents and Friends Our Parents and Friends Association have been busy already in 2022 and we’ve only just finished Term 1! We appreciate all of the work and commitment of the Parents and Friends, and enjoy having such a fun way to connect within our school community. The Parent and Friends association welcome any new members who are ready and willing to engage in the school community, help out at school events throughout the year and have some fun whilst doing it! Please get in touch via email: pfa@moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au
Shrove Tuesday On Tuesday 1 March, we marked Shrove Tuesday with a morning tea of pancakes for the students. The Parents and Friends cooked up a pancake storm in the primary kitchen. Students braved the rainy weather to collect their pancakes and donate a gold coin to the Anglican Relief and Development Fund.
RAHT Kit Distribution The Parents and Friends volunteers helped turn an enormous logistical process into something much more manageable when they volunteered their time to assist the professional staff to distribute RAHT kits to families. Initially the volunteers helped out with distributing the kits to families via a ‘drive-by’ process, and then for later batches, volunteers assisted with printing out labels and sorting kits to enable students to take home their allotments in their school bags.
ISSUE 6 - 2022 | 27
MOAMA
ANGLICAN GRAMMAR
COMPASSION | RESPECT | INTEGRITY
2 Kirchhofer Street Moama, NSW, 2731 P: (03) 5480 5900 www.moamagrammar.nsw.edu.au