Pacific Streams Spring 2012

PACIFIC

A FREE Publication of Pacific Hills Christian School

A DREAM REALISED

Spring 2012

THE ULTIMATE SUPERSTAR • ON THE PAMIR HIGHWAY • MANN & SMITH • THINKING EXCELLENCE • HSC ARTWORKS PREVIEWED

PACIFIC

03 School Days 04 Your Response?

05 A Dream Realised 08 Speaking Out 09 On The Pamir Hwy 10 Malawi Fundraiser 11 The Excellence Centre 12 Purposeful Community 13 Ultimate Superstar 14 Fusion 15 Then & Now 16 The IT Crowd 17 Sport

Pacific Streams is produced by Pacific Hills Christian School for school families and the school community. Pacific Hills Christian School 9 Quarry Road Dural NSW 2158 Phone (02) 9651 2733 Fax: (02) 9651 3513 Web: www.pacifichills.net Email: pacificstreams@pacifichills.net An activity of Pacific Hills Education Limited ABN 001 832 282 CRICOS 04230G.

In this Five things to discover in this issue of Pacific Streams

Inventor’s Day

1.

You can become very sea sick crossing Drake Passage to Antarctica.

2.

Depression is real. It’s painful. It’s very difficult to address.

3.

If you commit too many players to the breakdown it leaves space outside and an open try line.

4.

The Pamir Highway forms part of the ancient Silk Road.

5.

Our Year 12 students always put together an intoxicating mix for their annual exhibition and performance night.

Speaking Out

Tajikistan

SPRING 2012 ∙ 02 Contents

School Days

THINGS THAT HAPPENED

Rugby Balance, power, skill, athleticism – all words that describe the all conquering team from Suva Grammar.

Inventor’s Day It’s pretty nifty what a Year 2 student with a screwdriver can achieve as Brendan Neale discovered at the Year 2 Invention Day. Grandparent’s Day Hugs and squeezes and being admired are high on the list of student likes.

That’s why Grandparents’ Day is high on Pacific Hills’ likes.

Fusion Imagine school without art or arts students. Too dismal to contemplate? Take a peek at the Year 12 HSC artworks previewed in this issue or on the blogs of the School website.

PS ∙ 03 Spring

Year 12 Walking the walk, the Year 12 students negotiate the Honour Guard and say goodbye to Dr Boyce and school days. We’ll miss you!!

God has given, so what is our response?

Recently, on the occasion of our Year 12 Major Works presentation, I was able to share with the school community, the words of God from Exodus 31:1-6, which says in part, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘see I have chosen Bezalel..., and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts – to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship... Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you.”

Isn’t it wonderful that God, the sovereign Lord, is interested in such detailed aspects of our lives?

This passage also reminds us that we should not be proud of what we have in the area of skills because that skill is a gift from God and therefore, we should be thankful and use that skill wholeheartedly for the glory of God and to put value in the lives of others.

As a Christian school community we are always seeking to understand God’s sovereign plan and purpose as He has revealed Himself to us in His Word, the Bible. With our understanding that God is sovereign, omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient, we begin to develop a perspective from the One who has total control over all things, including our lives and over everything.

Yet to us He has displayed His indescribable grace.

He has given us life, He has given us His Son to be our Saviour and Redeemer, and He has given us His Spirit by Whom and through Whom we live as His people, in His world, according to His character and His purpose and His power.

By God’s grace we have received gifts including the gift of life, of health, of friendships, of aptitudes and of skills.

At our staff devotions Mr Stephen O’Doherty, the

DR EJ BOYCE PRINCIPAL

CEO of Christian Schools Australia, and a long term parent of our School, spoke to us about the wonderful gifts that God has given to us in the area of music. In his presentation he shared about the details of music that reveal to us the intricacy and complexity within the beauty that is music.

As Mr Stephen O’Doherty reminded us, all that we have received in this area of life, as well as every other area, is a gift from God. Therefore, our response should be worship in obedience, praise, thanksgiving and service, in order that we might reflect His grace to us. Psalm 150 reminds us that our response to the gifts from God is praise and thanksgiving. This we do with music and with many other of the skills and resources that we have received from our Heavenly Father.

In essence, however, God wants us to do His will.

In 1 John 3:23, we read: “This is God’s command: that you believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and that you love one another, as God has commanded you to do”.

So our response to God is obedient worship and thanksgiving. Tied to that is service as we are enjoined in 1 Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift received (from God) to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms”. Moreover, when Jesus was here on earth, He told us that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbour as ourselves (Matthew 22:34-40).

Therefore, love is the pinnacle of our expression of response to God, indeed it is the essence.

Therefore, it is our desire at Pacific Hills Christian School that we are a community where God’s love is evident in us, and through us, both in our local situation and wherever God takes us.

SPRING 2012 ∙ 04 Devotion

Antarct A Dream Real I’ve been fascinated by Antarctica for a long time.

PS ∙ 05 Spring

tica lised

Miss Alison Little YEAR 5 TEACHER

C

hristmas morning. The sun is shining brightly, but the wind is blowing straight through me. I’m in a zodiac, bouncing over waves, heading for the snow capped island ahead. On the beach I can see thousands of tiny stones. As I get closer, I realise the stones are moving. They are in fact chinstrap penguins heading towards the water for their morning swim. Tears prick my eyes as I realise I’m living a dream come true.

Getting to the dream, though, was tough. It has been said that if Antarctica was easy to get to, everyone would go. I was learning the hard way about the challenges involved. Over the previous days I had been asking questions: Why had I spent days flying to the remote tip of Argentina? Why had I endured sleepless nights of being tossed out of bed, hanging on to the mattress by my fingertips and battling seasickness as I crossed the Drake Passage, the roughest waters in the world? Why had I drained my bank account, putting off the house deposit for a few more years? Why was I spending Christmas alone on a boat with strangers, away from my family and friends?

So, why was I in Antarctica?

I’ve been fascinated by Antarctica for a long time. I have always been interested in maps and the world, and have been a victim of the travel bug since my first mission trip to Fiji at 14. Since then, I have wanted to explore as much of the world as I could, visit places near and far, civilised and remote and reach all seven continents.

Antarctica, to me, was the final frontier. Teaching Year 5 at Pacific Hills has brought Antarctica to the spotlight every year during Term 3. I would research the explorers, read all the books I could get my hands on, study the maps, watch documentaries on the wildlife, and then share my passion with the children I taught.

And now, finally, I was seeing it for myself. That one week in Antarctica was truly mind blowing. We spent days travelling up and down the Antarctic Peninsula, seeing different species of penguins and seals, the most beautiful icebergs, glaciers and snow capped mountains and marvelling at God’s creation.

I loved climbing mountains so deeply covered with snow that I was buried up to my thighs and had to dig myself out. Even better was tobogganing back down the mountain – far quicker and easier than stepping in foot holes the whole way down.

The icebergs were a big surprise. They were not homogenous blocks of white ice, bobbing in the ocean. Rather, they had extraordinary patterns gouged into them as the waves washed up against them.

One beautiful cloudless day travelling through the Gerlache Straight, we came across pods of orcas hunting a minke whale. We stopped our engine for a couple of hours as we observed – and participated in, when the minke hid under our boat for protection – the food web in action. Some orcas trained their young, practising their hunting skills on a few unlucky penguins. It was like a game of cat and mouse, the orcas clearly going to win the battle, but taking their time and having fun playing along the way. Eventually, the penguin was put out of its torment, and the sea birds swooped in on lunch. I’m pleased to report that the minke whale survived… that day, anyway.

Another very cold day, when the wind and snow made me want to climb back aboard the warm ship, a leopard seal slithered off its

SPRING 2012 ∙ 06 Journeys

For most people, Antarctica is a mythical place of ice, snow, penguins, ferocious winds and intrepid explorers. iceberg and began showing off around us, leaping in the air and attempting backflips. It swum around us and gave us a few heart stopping moments as it sunk its sharp teeth into the side of the zodiac. Our guide had never seen anything like it before, and reinforced to us how extraordinary the wildlife is when you are out among it and catch it in action. We were an hour late for lunch that day and I had numb feet, but it was worth it.

In Year 5, we spend a term learning about Antarctica as part of Human Society and Its Environment. Over the years we have worked hard to bring a foreign location into the classroom and make it come alive.

We start the unit by having an “Antarctica Morning”, where the classroom is covered in “snow” and paper icicles hang from the ceiling. The teachers dress in their warmest ski clothing and the temperature in the room is lowered. We do experiments with ice cubes to see how fresh water icebergs melt in salty sea water, and do a devotion marvelling at the way our God washes us white as snow.

Mr Graeme Murphy, one of our school patrons, visits us and shares stories of his adventure trekking from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

While we can’t take Year 5 on an excursion to Antarctica, (actually, can we Dr Boyce?) the next best thing is visiting IMAX and seeing two documentaries; one on Antarctica’s landscape and another on Shackleton’s last expedition. It is always inspiring witnessing the challenges Shackleton endured and how he lead his crew to safety despite the overwhelming odds against their survival.

This year, 5L are also making a snow cave out of milk bottles. You can visit our blog on the school website to read our step by step progress of building the snow cave, how we overcame the obstacles along the way and to see the latest photos.

PS ∙ 07 Spring

So why do we learn about Antarctica?

For most people, Antarctica is a mythical place of ice, snow, penguins, ferocious winds and intrepid explorers. While much of this is true, the reality is we gain so much more than learning random facts about the frozen continent at the bottom of the world. We learn about the unique landscape, which makes us stand in awe of the Creator. We discover the delicate balance of the food web, and the need to be ecologically sustainable amid the world wide concerns of over fishing and whaling practices. We learn about perseverance and sacrifice as we find out about the early explorers and the challenges they faced. We learn about today’s scientists, spending months in remote locations, discovering more about our world and its atmosphere, helping us make informed decisions for our future. We are inspired as we learn how many countries of our world are successfully working together for the protection of Antarctica. These countries have agreed that while no one country owns Antarctica, we are all responsible for its future. We must work together to live at peace, to learn together how to care for our world. This brings us hope in a world tainted by fighting and destruction.

I celebrated New Year’s Eve with a final landing on King George Island and bracing myself for the crossing of the Drake Passage North. Making it back on dry land and returning to the busyness of the rest of the world made me reflect on what I had experienced. I will never, ever forget that week and feel extraordinarily blessed to have been able to step ashore that great, white land. I may never set foot on Antarctica again, but I am blessed with the memory, and relish the opportunity to take my Year 5 students there – in their minds at least – each year.

Speaking out & seeking help

Mrs Lauren Graham SCHOOL COUNSELLOR

It’s a difficult topic. It’s hard. It’s confronting. It can make people uncomfortable and lower the mood. It’s complicated and complex. It’s real. It’s painful. It is so very important to address. Depression.

In every school in our state, and indeed, in our nation, the issue of teenage depression looms large. It touches each community in different and sometimes tragic ways, and yet all too often, there remains a residual silence surrounding it, as if it is too broad to circumnavigate or too distressing to dissect. Not so here at Pacific Hills.

From the many years I have worked in this community, I can say with confidence that we are a school that tries hard to recognise the issues our students are facing and, as far as possible, to address what we see. We are a school that wants what is best for our students spiritually, academically, socially and emotionally and that will sometimes involve tackling topics that are not always easy or comfortable.

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking with all the students in Years 11 and 12, in a seminar focused exclusively on the issue of depression.

Regular classes were cancelled, in fact the seminar itself was rescheduled so that all students in these year groups were able to attend. As I stressed to the students during our time together, this is a school that cares about so much more than just the academic results generated - it cares…, we care, about the emotional and mental health of each and every student here.

We know that in a school of our size, there are many students facing different difficulties and challenges.

Specifically, there are students struggling with depression whether diagnosed or not; and part of the thought process behind speaking with these senior students was to be intentional, both in our help of those who are personally walking this path and our

encouragement for others who have friends or family suffering from depression.

I had given some students from this group the opportunity to ask questions about depression beforehand which helped shape what was discussed. I was impressed at the maturity and depth of insight in the questions we received; all indicative of people who were sensitively trying to grasp the complexity of this condition. Some asked about causes, others about ways to cope, others still questioned the role of God. In turn, we looked together at what depression is, the different types of depression, what the risk factors and possible causes are, how common it is, what the signs and symptoms are, where is God in depression, how to support a friend who is going through depression and what to do if you think you have depression yourself. We talked about some serious and significant issues during this time, including suicide and what to do if you think someone close to you is considering taking their own life. My strongest encouragement to all the students, whether supporting friends or going through depression themselves, was to always speak out and seek help.

Since this seminar with Years 11 and 12, I have had Senior students come to see me for the first time.

Some have been worried about friends and others have come forward to talk about their own current experience of depression. I am so grateful to be a part of a community that recognises the importance of mental health and allows us as counsellors, the opportunities to encourage our students to do the same. May we all, with God’s help, continue to speak out, seek help and support one another along the journey.

SPRING 2012 ∙ 08 Wellbeing

Tajikistan

ON THE PAMIR HIGHWAY MR MARK McCRINDLE

in July, Mark McCrindle, a former student and current parent of the school, along with his two eldest children, Acacia and Jasper visited Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Tajikistan is a small country in Central Asia bordered by Afghanistan and China.

The purpose of the visit was for Mark to visit his brother Peter, also a past student, Peter’s wife Sophia, and their two children Jessica and Daniel who also attend Pacific Hills when they are out on furlough. Mark writes: “It was excellent to see the rich culture and interact with the very welcoming Tajiks in this country that for so long was under the strong Soviet influence as part of the USSR. Acacia and Jasper had a great time playing with their cousins, shopping in the local markets and enjoying the Persian food for which Tajikistan is famous. It was great to see the common language that children can share through play as I watched my children, from such a different upbringing in Australia, interact so naturally with the local Tajik children. I spent a week in a large village school assisting in teaching English to Tajik high school students. Their enthusiasm for learning and gratefulness for the input we gave was all the more poignant in the context of their humble material circumstances and lack of learning resources. My children particularly noticed the contrast in this school from Pacific Hills where the school day had to be split into two halves to accommodate the 3,000 students, 1,500 at a time, and the learning took place in very old buildings and with not even a single computer in the whole school. What touched us most was to spend time with my brother’s team who had come from all parts of the western world, putting aside their own careers to dedicate themselves to developing the leadership and educational capacity of the next generation of Tajiks and in doing so demonstrating the sacrificial love of Christ”.

At a glance Australia

Population

Tajikistan

22.7

Religion

Largest City

Australia 61% Christian Tajikistan

7.7

National Flag Australia

Island Continent

Spring

Dushanbe 725 thousand.

55K

Landlocked Country

PS ∙ 09

.725

Tajikistan 98% Islam

Australia

Average annual income $55,000.

Tajikistan

Average annual income. $1000

4.7 1K

Largest City Sydney 4.7 million.

It was great to see our parents and students enthusiastic about being generous towards a global community in need.

In July this year two members of the Pacific Valley school community joined a team that included other members of the Pacific Hills and Pacific Coast Christian Schools and travelled to Malawi in Africa to build accommodation for field workers there. The team was lead by Mr Max Maddock, who is the Board Chair at Pacific Valley, and also included one of our parents, Mr Simon Young, who is a plumber by trade. We are excited to see more members of the Pacific Valley community becoming involved in mission trips.

In order to support the trip the families and staff at Pacific Valley held a car boot sale and charity auction fundraising day at the School during the holidays. Many local businesses supported the event and contributed a number of lovely items to be auctioned.

Board member, Graham Robb, did a wonderful job as auctioneer to an enthusiastic crowd of bidders.

As a school community it was great to see our parents and students enthusiastic about being generous towards a global community in need. We had a variety of stalls including an op-shop, art & craft, sausage sizzle, plant, fresh orange juice, hair feathers, face painting and cake stall on the day. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students in particular to gain a deeper understanding about the blessing of being a service to others. The day was very successful with over $3,000 raised.

Spring 2012 ∙ 10 Community

THE EXCELLENCE CENTRE thinking christian education

We Live in a Time of Great Change MR BRENDAN CORR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: TEACHING & LEARNING

The world of education is not exempt or immune – in fact much of the changes in technology, in values, in knowledge and information, and in lifestyle have their most significant implications in how they influence the philosophy and the practice of systems, of schools, and of classrooms.

The life our students live and the life they can expect into the future, for which school is preparing them, has changed.

Some of the change is required by recent government legislation. Some is flowing from shifts in society, particularly in modes of communication and connection. Other change derives from new knowledge and understanding of child and adolescent brain physiology and development. Still other is the outworking of the new economics of neo-capitalist philosophy of the 21st Century, with its pragmatic emphasis in education as preparation for contributing to Gross Domestic Product, efficiency and market advantage.

In light of these pressures within the education sector and within society more broadly, what is excellent Christian education? Are all these innovations actually improving things? In this shifting, developing landscape do Christian Educators have any comment or perspective, any argument or point of view?

It can only be by clearly moving what we do to be closer to what is of true and enduring value that change can be properly developmental – leading to real improvement – and not be simply cosmetic. Only in this way can change be purposefully harnessed in the pursuit of true excellence and not be simply responsive to whim, fad or emerging possibility.

The Excellence Centre (TEC) has been established to be a strong Christian voice speaking into all the areas of education - pedagogy, curriculum, professional development - and beyond that to the general elements of our shared social experience. The Excellence Centre holds the firm belief that Christians should be actively engaged in the intellectual and spiritual conversations that are shaping contemporary society, evaluating and contributing to innovation from the solid ground of biblical and theological principle and finding better and more authentic ways in which the truth and grace of God can make sense of our changing world.

The Excellence Centre commits to serving the broader movement of Christian Education and within it the community of Pacific Hills Christian School by encouraging and supporting the pursuit of excellence in the understanding and practice of Christian Education. The Excellence Centre aspires to create a place and to gather a community that is committed to think deeply and intentionally about Christian Education. It hopes to encourage the development in all Christian Schools of an experience of Christian education for students that equips them to think critically about the world, its claims and values.

PS ∙ 11 Spring

Purposeful Community MR BRENDAN CORR ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL: TEACHING & LEARNING

In July of this year I was privileged to be given the opportunity of attending Regent College Summer School in Vancouver, Canada and of completing two intensive week-long courses – The Soul of Leadership and Promoting the Gospel in Contemporary Culture.

The Soul of Leadership course opened new understanding for me regarding the philosophical framework that informs personal and collective values and behaviours and of the historical context of these philosophies.

Promoting the Gospel in Contemporary Culture included a significant amount of historical and biblical content as it argued for a clear understanding of the classically radical nature of the Gospel and of the Mission of God’s people in every culture.

I was most impacted, indeed almost overwhelmed, by the deep sense of community that I experienced at Regent.

A sense of community, however, that was not directly based in relationships between people. Those I met were indeed very friendly, conversation flowed easily, and time and service were given generously.

But it was not in these interpersonal exchanges that I felt community.

Rather, it was in being drawn into a shared sense of purpose that this sense of belonging was conveyed. My sense was less of belonging to a community of people and more of being absorbed into being part of a community of purpose.

Perhaps it could be more accurately

described as belonging to a people with a purpose.

Conspicuously displayed in the centre of the communal area of Regent is a statement of purpose: Regent College cultivates, intelligent, rigorous, joyful commitment to Jesus Christ, His Church and His world.

My experience was that the ethereal substance described by this statement of purpose was what permeated each class, each event, each course and each person who participated in any of these. So, in fact, any intimacy that might have been experienced between any individuals was not so much due to their own natures but more due to the nature of the shared commitment they enjoyed. It was less about what they brought to the interaction and more about what they were entering in to share.

In this way it reminded me of the concept of being members of the body of Christ.

It is not the personal connection between members that is most important but the larger context and purpose that brings them into connection that is paramount.

It is this concept, I think, that sets the ideal for the type of culture to which Dr Boyce aspires for Pacific Hills. It is certainly one of the best experiences of purposeful learning community I have had and is what I will be promoting wherever I can in building something similar amongst our community of Pacific Hills.

SPRING 2012 ∙ 12 Regents College

Junior School Musical THE ULTIMATE SUPERSTAR

diligence. The Year 5/6 students under Mr Henry’s care delivered a very funny and entertaining performance as they questioned who the Ultimate Superstar could be….

All Junior School classes had the opportunity to perform a song that led the audience to knowing that our Ultimate Superstar is Jesus.

The ‘Ultimate Superstar experience’ was delightfully enjoyed by many on Thursday, 30 August as the Junior School of Pacific Coast Christian School put on a fantastic first musical for the School and the wider Tweed Heads community. The Junior School staff worked tirelessly with their students to deliver a wonderful, entertaining and joyful musical for parents, friends and senior students to enjoy.

Our special thanks to Mr Matthew Henry (Year 5/6 Teacher) who took up the charge of coordinating the musical and did so with contagious enthusiasm and PS ∙ 13 Spring

Both the Matinee and Evening Performances were well received. It was an incredible blessing to witness so many young lives gain confidence, enthusiasm and be caught up in the adrenalin of the moment. It was a special privilege to be a part of such a milestone in the story of our young school and our young students’ lives.

Many were conscious of God’s presence. We do indeed serve a wonderful God and He uses things like musicals to touch all of our lives.

Gallery

HSC ARTWORKS PREVIEW

SPRING 2012 ∙ 14 Profile

What are some memories from your time at Pacific Hills?

It is amazing to look back to 1993 when I started as a Kindergarten student with Mrs Byrnes and compare the school grounds and facilities then to now. Of the many changes some that stand out to me are the current Kiss and Drop area, it was once the bus bay and we used to have school assemblies in the sun on the old basketball court. My Year 3 Home Room class, which I think has one of the most varied timelines within the school, was an integration classroom, then a Year 3 classroom and is currently the Assistant Principals’ office.

Phil McDougall THEN & NOW

Then: Student, Year 12 ‘05 Now: Audiovisual Technician & Webmaster, PHCS.

What teacher made a significant impact on your life?

Two teachers that stand out were Wendy Hawkins and Andrew Berthelsen. Both these teachers showed a relentless passion for their subject and had the ability to share that passion with their students. I feel that this passion turned schoolwork from a chore into an enjoyable challenge.

How did school impact your relationship with Christ?

Pacific Hills gave me a firm grounding in what it means to follow Christ and how that is actively lived out in everything we do. This was and still is shown by the Christ mindedness shared by the staff. In the midst of my many failings I am encouraged to continue on the course God has marked out for me.

What have you done since leaving school?

The greatest happening in my life since leaving school has been marrying my beautiful wife, Mel. Earlier this year we were given the precious gift of an adorable baby boy, Hunter Winston McDougall. He is an absolute cutie and it is so amazing coming home from work each day to my little family.

In terms of employment I have worked professionally in the audio visual industry. After a few exhausting years in the live events industry a door was opened to become the audio visual technician at Pacific Hills. This is a great job where I work alongside many of the staff and students in all areas of the school. In 2012 I also became webmaster for the school’s new website. Over the last year my wife and I started a photography business. This has been a lot of fun as we have the chance to explore a hobby of ours while working and spending time together.

How did you decide what you would do after school?

I did not have much of an idea what I was going to do after school for most of Years 11 and 12. I had a keen interest in sound and lighting that sprouted in Mr Murthen’s Year 3 class. This interest continued to expand through my time at school but even then I was not sure of the direction to take with it.

However, God had a plan in it all and during my final year a possible job opportunity reared its head. I was instructed to finish my HSC examinations before anything more was discussed. Within a few weeks of completing my HSC exams I started a job in the AV industry. Thanks to God it has all flowed on from that.

What advice do you have for current students?

Identify your passion and with God’s help and guidance do what you can to expand yourself. And secondly, don’t write anything off as useless or unnecessary because we don’t know what God has in store for us in the future.

PS ∙ 15 Spring

Congratulations Weddings Laura Stanford (Yr 12/2008) and Luke Turner are to be married on 1 December 2012.

Births Emma Brown (Sakoulas Yr 12/2000) and husband Peter, a baby son, Lucas Peter, born 12 June 2012.

Sarah (Oates Yr 12/2005) and Murray Border, a son, Malakai Peter Border, born 27 August 2012.

Mrs Bree Mayes (Junior School Teacher) and husband Alex welcomed their first child, Benjamin Alexander, born 20 July 2012.

Mrs Hayley Stephens (Junior School Teacher) and husband Jarrad welcomed their first child, a daughter, Willowby, born 28 July 2012.

Appointments Jeffrey King, MA/PhD, (attended PHCS 197981) appointed National Director of the Federal Marshals Service in Canada, September 2012.

There was no television or computers in my home growing up.

Rob Lawler

PACIFIC HILLS IT GURU How would you describe yourself?

Laid-back, forthright, multi-skilled, skinny, bald, fit.

What do you enjoy doing out of work hours?

Wilderness sports, carpentry, playing guitar, Australian native horticulture. Hanging out with my family.

Tell us about your family.

I have been married to the most awesome woman, Saskia, for 15 years and we have three sensational sons - Mitchell (11), Jake (9) and Oliver (7). We live in the most delightful old cottage full of asbestos...I love it!!!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

There was no television or computers in my home growing up so I spent my childhood either down in the local bushland building forts and rafts or pulling things apart to see how they worked. I was always interested in electronic gadgetry so much so that I decided to build a career around that.

What career path led you to your work at Pacific Hills?

Following a slow migration into computing after 15 years in the electronics industry, I was working for an IT consulting business that did some contract work for Christian Schools Australia and a few Christian Schools. After much prayer about employment, it was very clear that God led me to PHCS. What study path would a student take if they wanted a role like yours?

Best option is to go University and study Computer Science then some vendor specific certificates. Shorter courses in Team Building and Project Management would also be beneficial.

What’s your favourite thing about working at Pacific Hills?

The Christian fellowship and the “IT Crowd”.

What’s one new thing you plan to do this year?

Done it already! Walk 100km non-stop to raise money for poverty relief. I plan to cycle a lot more the rest of this year.

If you could use only one word to describe God, what would it be?

Good!

Where do you hope to be in five years time?

Serving the Lord in everything I do.

What’s your greatest challenge right now?

Serving the Lord in everything I do.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Raising a family is a great achievement for anyone. Taking them to live in remote Tanzania for 12 months extends that greatly.

How would you define happiness?

24 degrees, sunny, gracefully telemark, turning down the back ridge of the main range in the Snowy Mountains on a perfect cover of snow.

SPRING 2012 ∙ 16 Profile

Have you met the new staff on the block, MISS ALYSSA SMITH AND MISS JAMIE MANN?

Miss Jaimie Mann started teaching at Pacific Hills at the beginning of Term 1 this year. She came on board as a PDHPE teacher and is enjoying every day of it. Miss Mann completed her University degree at the end of last year and believes that God blessed her abundantly with the provision of this role in the PDHPE Faculty. “I feel incredibly privileged to be teaching in a place that provides an abundance of love and support and blessed that I can share my faith through my teaching.” Miss Mann has grown up with sport as her passion and loves that she gets to pursue it as her career. She is heavily involved in Netball, whether that be competing at high levels or coaching young beginners. Miss Mann thoroughly enjoys being active and loves every chance she can get to join in with the students during class activities and being involved in sport at the school.

Miss Alyssa Smith started at the beginning of Term 2 and took on a role in the PDHPE Faculty. Miss Smith is a past student of Pacific Hills and is thrilled to have the opportunity to come back and teach. After completing her degree at Sydney University, she then spent a couple of years working and travelling overseas. Miss Smith has always loved sport, primarily hockey, in which she has been competing for 15 years. She is passionate about health and loves educating about the human body and making positive lifestyle choices. She feels blessed to now be working in a job that she is passionate about, alongside a fantastic team of staff and in an environment where she can combine her Christian faith with her teaching. Both Miss Mann and Miss Smith are excited and looking forward to continue serving alongside the staff and students of Pacific Hills. They believe everything they have experienced so far at the School has been an answer to prayer.

PS ∙ 17 Spring

A Fitting Farewell Congratulations to the Open Boys Football team who were convincing winners at the recent State Championships held at Jamison Park, Penrith. After a devastating loss in the regional finals Pacific Hills received a late call up to fill a vacant spot in the Championship draw. With nothing to lose the boys set out to prove themselves in the early rounds and slowly worked their way through their pool to finish in second position. After a convincing semi final win over Belmont, the only undefeated team, the boys were brimming with confidence. Brilliantly led by co-captains Glen Kelshaw and David Kanaley the team entered the Final with a desire to go one better than was realised in 2011. When the final whistle was blown Pacific Hills had secured a dominating 6-1 win over their lower Blue Mountains opposition to claim the trophy and give the departing Year 12 boys a fitting farewell.

The Hoopstars In 2012 Basketball has been included as one of the Hills Zone Sports Association regular season competitions. Previously run as a gala day the popularity of this sport demanded its inclusion in the weekly competition. Pacific Hills entered three divisions, with all teams performing admirably throughout the season. However, it was our all conquering Junior Boys that went through the season undefeated to claim the premiership and title of Champion for 2012. The boys were outstanding every week as they worked as a well oiled machine to breakdown the most resilient defences to score. Congratulations boys on a fantastic season. A special thank you must go to Mr Elliott who coached the boys and Cathy Dearden who acted as manager throughout the season.

Success for Siblings at Representative Level Lauren Giulieri in Year 5 was selected to swim with the NSW All Schools Team at the School Sports Australia Championships held at Homebush between the 28 July and 3 August 2012. Lauren performed outstandingly well in her SWD events gaining two gold medals in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay and the 4 x 50m medley relay.

Congratulations and well done, Lauren.

What is your Favourite sport? Horse riding.

What do you love most about doing sport? I love being active and moving around, I love being around horses!

What would be your Sporting highlight in 2012 so far?

Winning two Gold Medals in swimming and participating in my first horse jumping competition.

Jack Giulieri in Year 8 has had a wonderful year in his two favourite events Discus and Shot Put. Jack has just competed at the Secondary State Athletics Carnival at Homebush gaining 1st place in the AWD Discus and 3rd in the AWD Shot Put. Jack won gold at the CIS Athletics Carnival on the 19th September. Congratulations and well done, Jack.

What is your favourite sport? Cycling the M7 as I am just starting to realize my potential in Athletics.

What do you love most about doing sport? The fun and the challenges.

SPRING 2012 ∙ 18 Sport

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