Message from 

the Principal

As 2020 draws to a close we have much to reflect upon and to be grateful for.  The year has been one of great challenge for us all individually and as a School community, yet we have much to celebrate and to be greatly proud about. We have been challenged and yet we have triumphed. One only needs to have observed our students and staff to have an abundance of evidence to support this claim.

The eminent 18th Century Statesman and one of the founding fathers of the Unites States, Benjamin Franklin wrote:

“Out of adversity comes opportunity.”

This is as true now as it has ever been and 2020 has provided much opportunity for us to grow, learn, adapt and innovate. We have been presented with drought, fire, hail and pandemic but we have emerged from this adversity stronger, more united and full of hope for the future.

I am immensely grateful for the way our community has worked together as we have navigated the uncertain terrain and incredibly proud of the character, resilience, adaptability and optimism shown by our students and staff this year. In the face of such disruption and disappointment, of lost opportunity and social dislocation, and periods of remote learning – your individual and community spirit was not diminished.

Our students have been determined to make the best of circumstances and to see the glass at least half full. Their spirit of optimism and adaptability have been an outstanding tribute to them. The tests of the year have enabled our students to demonstrate their resilience and positivity and has seen them support each other along the way. Our students have looked for opportunities and possibilities and not dwelt on what could have been. 

Resilience, optimism, positivity, and adaptability are all such important qualities to possess and will equip them very well for the future. The work force of the future is a rapidly changing and evolving place and to thrive our students will need these qualities. They will need to be agile and to possess the skill to learn independently.  

This year COVID-19 forced swift and dynamic innovation and creativity as teaching hastily transitioned from face to face interactions to remote learning at home. In our response teachers, parents and students had to think critically, problem solve, be imaginative, communicate, collaborate and be agile. As a result you have seized the opportunity to develop greater independent learning skills and those other aforementioned important attributes required to flourish in the modern world. 

I believe the pandemic this year has also made us appreciate the phenomenal value played by human engagement and personal interaction in the teaching and learning experience. 

We have been provided a stark reminder of the critical importance of school not just as a place of learning, but of socialization, care and coaching, of community and shared space, characteristics difficult to achieve through the digital experience. 

We have seen the immense role schools play in the holisitic social and emotional development of young people. 

Staff appointments

Change is a usual part of life and of organisations. 

Two and a half thousand years ago Heraclites argued that:

‘The only constant is change.’

It is always sad when staff move on to other adventures but it is also exciting that new staff bring with them new vision, ideas and experience. Change is constant and renewal is healthy for without evolution one will perish.

I am delighted to announce the following appointments:

Miss Katie Cutcliffe 

PDHPE Teacher, Head of Gordon House, MIC Football

Miss Katie Cutcliffe will be joining PDHPE faculty commencing in 2021. Katie joins us from Orange High School where she is the Year 7 Coordinator, PDHPE teacher and Year 8 PDHPE Program Coordinator. Katie has also been selected by Rural and Distance Education to author a cross-curricular program for the Department of Education, which will be implemented across a range of schools to cater for disadvantaged students. Katie brings to the role excellent experience in implementing a number of successful wellbeing initiatives. 

Katie has a Bachelor of Physical Education & Health Education (Dean’s Scholar) from University of Wollongong and is currently studying a Master of Inclusive Education through Charles Sturt University. Katie is also a former pupil of Kinross Wolaroi School and member of Gordon House.

Miss Elle Clifford

French Teacher

Miss Elle Clifford will join the languages faculty of Kinross Wolaroi School at the commencement of 2021.  Elle has taught at Mereweather High School, St Pius X, Warners Bay High School and Hunter Valley Grammar School, and is also a French Teacher for Alliance Francaise in Newcastle. Elle brings with her fabulous international teaching experience after spending a number of years in France at College Auguste Janvier, Universite de Picardie Jules Verne, College Eugene Lefebvre and the College Jacques Brel. 

Elle has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Secondary Teaching in French and History from University of Newcastle. 

Ms Gina Dunlop

English Teacher

I am delighted to announce that Gina Dunlop will join the English Faculty commencing next year.

Gina has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Humanities – English and Media from Exeter University, United Kingdom and a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education in English, Film and Media from Griffith University.

Gina has a wealth of life and teaching experience having been a business owner of several businesses and a production manager for Discovery Channel in the UK. Gina’s is currently teaching at Mt Isa where she is a District Relief Teacher for the Mt Isa Centre for Learning and Wellbeing which covers 22 remote schools in North Queensland. She has also taught English, History and Geography at Mansfield State High School;  classroom teacher of English – Film, Television and New Media at Rochedale State High School and English Teacher at MacGregor State High School.

Mr Lee Taylor 

Head of Indigenous Education and 2IC Tower House

I am delighted to announce that Mr Lee Taylor will take on the role of Head of Indigenous Education at Kinross Wolaroi School following Mr Anthony Begg’s appointment to Head of Boys Boarding. 

Lee is a dedicated and passionate educator who brings with him a range of experience. For the past 10 years he has been involved in leading Indigenous Education programs in Western Australia. Lee comes to us from Bunbury Cathedral School where he was Indigenous Students Coordinator, a Boarding Housemaster and Teacher of PDHPE. Prior to this he spent five years as School Officer at Bayulu Remote Community School at Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley in Western Australia.

Lee has experience in Literacy Education and has taught English Enrichment and Philosophy and Ethics. Lee has a Bachelor of Education (K-10).

Lee will be the Assistant Boarding Housemaster of Tower House. 

We look forward to welcoming Lee and his family to the KWS community in January.

Mr Connor Weetman

MIC Rugby

Mr Connor Weetman joins the cocurricular program at KWS as MIC Rugby. Connor has extensive experience across the full spectrum of age groups in coaching and delivering Rugby programs.

Since moving to Australia in 2018 Connor has been involved in the Rugby program at The Scots College and Waverley College and has led his own Rugby coaching business. Prior to emigrating from the United Kingdom Connor was a Rugby Development Officer for Edinburgh with the Scottish Rugby Union; coached the University of Edinburgh and also at Fettes College, Yorkshire Carnegie and with the Leicester Tigers.

Connor has a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports Coaching and Development from the University of Hull and is soon to complete his Level 3 Coaching accreditation with Rugby Australia. 

Mrs Marnie Grogan / Mrs Suellen Young 

Leader of Staff Development 

Mrs Marnie Grogan will assume the role of Leader of Staff Development upon her return from Maternity Leave in Term 3. Marnie is well known to the KWS community, where she started in 2011 in the Social Sciences faculty. 

I am grateful to Mrs Suellen Young who has agreed to take on this role for the first two terms of 2021. Suellen is well known to the School and we look forward to seeing her familiar face again soon.

Mrs Sophie Fardell 

Head of Loader House - 2021

Mrs Sophie Fardell will take on the role of Head of Loader House for 2021. Sophie has been outstanding as Acting Head of Loader and is well known and respected by the School and Loader community. 

Ms Amy Newsom 

Psychologist

Ms Amy Newsom has accepted the role of full-time School Psychologist, commencing in 2021.  Amy will be relocating to Orange, after spending the last few years in Sydney. Amy has much experience in the school setting, currently working at MLC, Sydney. Prior to that Amy was at Abbotsleigh, Moriah College and working in private practice. Amy is a Registered Psychologist with AHRPA and brings a wealth of experience with her to Kinross Wolaroi School.

Amy has a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from University of Sydney and studied her Honours in Psychological Sciences at the Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP).

Junior School positions

I am delighted to announce the following appointments:

Ms Tiffany Holland 

Junior School Teacher

Ms Tiffany Holland has accepted a fixed term position as a full-time teacher in the Junior School, commencing in 2021. Tiffany is known and respected amongst the Kinross Wolaroi community and has been covering Mr Hordynsky’s Year 6 class for the past two Terms. Tiffany is a highly experienced educator having taught in the Northern Territory, Saibai Island, Queensland and more recently in the Catholic and Public systems in Bathurst. 

Tiffany has a Bachelor of Education from RMIT, Melbourne with 1st Class Honours and has undertaken some very interesting international teaching placements in Malaysia and Nepal.

Mr Jarred Tyack 

Junior School Teacher

Mr Jarred Tyack has accepted a fixed term position as a full-time teacher in the Junior School, commencing in 2021. Jarred comes from the Central West and has been a casual teacher at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Orange, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Molong and Catherine McAuley Primary in Orange. Jarred has experience as a Youth Worker/Mentor for Boys to the Bush; in Learning Support for Forbes High School and Forbes North Public School. 

Jarred has a Bachelor of Exercise & Sports Science and a Master of Teaching from Charles Sturt University.

Please join me in welcoming our new staff to the KWS community and wishing all the very best in their new roles.

Long Service Leave

Mr Paul Tierney 

Terms 2 & 3 of 2021

Mr Paul Tierney has decided to take Terms 2 and Term 3 of 2021 as Long Service Leave to enjoy a well-deserved break from teaching and to pursue his many interests. Paul hopes to visit his daughter in America for her last year of study there.

Resignations

Mr David de Bruyn

TAS Teacher & Head of Gordon House

It is with some sadness that I advise that David de Bruyn will be finishing at Kinross Wolaroi at the end of term to relocate to his home city of Adelaide to take up a position as TAS teacher at St Peter’s College. David has served the KWS community for 15 years and been a wonderful contributor to the fabric of the School. David has supervised the production of some outstanding HSC Major Works over the years and has been a keen promoter of the Human Powered Vehicle program at KWS. David has been an effective Head of Gordon House and will be missed by many.

Mr Tim May 

Junior School teacher

Mr May has decided that he will move on from Kinross Wolaroi next year to teach at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Kempsey, commencing in 2021. Tim has been at Kinross Wolaroi School for 14 years and made an immense contribution to the Junior School across the breadth of our educational offering. There is no doubt that he will be missed by his colleagues and students.

Merry Christmas

2020 has been a year of great challenge and disruption. I think we are all ready for a break and some time to rest, reflect and refresh for hopefully a much smoother year in 2021.

I sincerely thank you for your support and understanding as we have all navigated the difficult terrain of 2020.

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and hope that you can spend some special time together with family and friends. 

With my very best wishes,

Dr Andrew Parry

Principal