Parents & Friends Association

Meeting and Tour

On 30 October the P&F met for their final formal meeting for 2024. As part of the meeting a tour was conducted for the Committee to view two projects that had recently been supported - the new Weights Room and the upgraded Junior School Innovation Centre. 

Our thanks to Mr Sam Bettle, Head of Strength and Conditioning, for being very generous with his time providing a tour of the weights room and answering our many questions.

The Committee was also in receipt of the following note from Norm Moore, which we would like to share with the wider community:

Dear Parents and Friends,

While I’m no longer able to run the Strength and Conditioning program at the school, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude for your generous contributions of time, money, and effort to the construction of our new weight room. Since joining KWS in 2012, I’ve dreamt of creating a space that could cater to the needs of our entire community, from elite athletes to casual fitness enthusiasts. I never could have imagined that we'd one day have a facility like this. Thanks to the P&F and the wider KWS community, this dream has become a reality. I’m confident that this new weights room will positively impact the lives of countless young people for years to come. It’s an investment that will undoubtedly pay dividends.

Thank you again.

Norm Moore

Our group then met in the Junior School's updated Innovation Centre, where Mrs Milliken updated us on the new kitchen and fitout that was supported by P&F fundraising and will be utilised by every Junior School student to explore and learn about digital technology. It is great to see our efforts delivering very real benefits for our students.

World Teacher's Day

World Teacher's Day on Friday 25 October was an opportunity for our community to thank our exceptional educators, which we did with a morning tea of free coffee and home made goodies baked by Junior School parents in the Glasshouse.  It was a wonderful opportunity to thank the teachers and support staff for all that they do for our children. The event was extremely well attended and very much appreciated. I would like to pass on the following message:

Please thank the P&F Committee for their beautiful gesture in providing morning tea to the staff last Friday for World Teacher's Day. It was very well received by all staff and everyone was so impressed by the huge effort the P&F went to.

Mrs Lisa Pengilly, Library

New Diving Blocks

We have been informed that new diving blocks for the School's indoor pool have now been ordered, thanks to the support provided by parents and carers. The P&F voted at its last meeting to contribute the full cost of one block from its current funds and the Junior School parents, led by Kate Strahorn, chose to stage a Junior School Raffle to further contribute to the cost. 

Every year group in the Junior School contributed to create a selection of amazing prize baskets and raffle tickets that were sold to school families online and at the Junior School production. A number of families also made generous direct donations to the Building Fund. Final fundraising exceeded $13,000 and was pivotal in making the installation possible. A huge thank you to everyone for their efforts. We look forward to touring the pool when the new blocks have been installed!

Performing Arts Video Equipment

Our last meeting also approved a contribution of $6000 from its funds towards the provision of a professional video camera and sound equipment for the Performing Arts Department.

Drama and Music classes routinely record performances, showcases and assessments to help support student learning in these subjects.  Recordings allow students to critically analyse, reflect and refine their performances. They also provide staff and students with quality records of exemplar works and allow students and their families access to recordings of performances.

The school has a proud history of its HSC Drama and Music students being nominated for OnStage and Encore. OnStage and Encore are NESA’s showcases of exemplary performances in HSC Drama and Music.  The process for a student’s inclusion in OnStage and Encore includes submission of a good quality video of their HSC performances.

I would like to share the following note with parents:

Dear members of Kinross Wolaroi Parents & Friends,

I'm writing on behalf of the Performing Arts Department to thank you for your generous donation towards the purchase of a good quality video camera. We look forward to utilising this resource in our classrooms soon.

Kind regards,

Jacqueline Shields, Head of Performing Arts

Great School Community Engagement Events

The work of our terrific Year Group Representatives continued with a well attended Year 4 mum's dinner at Parrot Distillery on 25 October and a Year 10 P&F Pizza Night on 1 November.  Warm thanks to our organisers and to everyone who supported by coming along.

Christmas Celebrations

P&F Dates for 2025

Add these dates to your diaries for next year...

MEETINGS

Wednesday 12 March 6pm

Wednesday 9 April 6pm – AGM is to be moved to this date to allow auditors to complete accounts. 

Wednesday 14 May 6pm

Wednesday 4 June 6pm

Wednesday 6 August 6pm

Wednesday 3 September 6pm

Wednesday 5 November 6pm

Wednesday 26 November 6pm

2025 EVENTS

The following P&F events are planned for next year:

Tuesday 4 February New Parent P&F Welcome Coffee

Friday 14 February Senior School Icebreakers 6:30pm-9:30pm, Greenhouse of Orange 

Friday 28 February Junior School Icebreakers 6:30pm-9:30pm, Greenhouse of Orange 

Friday 21 March Open Day 9am-3:30pm, P&F will be supporting 

Saturday 5 April P&F '50 Years of Kinross Wolaroi' Black Tie Celebration –  Orange Ex-Services Club, with band 'Panorama' (same as 2023 Graduation Ball); planning to commence in Term 1, 2025

Friday 9 May JS Mothers and Others Day 8:30am -10:00am

Friday 14 November Orientation Day 8:30am-3:30pm - P&F to support

Friday 14 November Spring Soiree 6:30pm-10:30pm

Country Fair 2026 – Saturday 14 February (tbc)

The P&F is excited to confirm that we will stage our next Country Fair in 2026!

Active planning will commence next year, when we will be calling for a volunteer committee. 

Next meeting

In place of a formal meeting, the P&F Executive, Committee and Year Group Representatives will gather one last time for 2024 at the Oriana, 6pm Wednesday 27 November to mark the end of a very successful year for the Association. 

Attendees are asked to RSVP at https://events.humanitix.com/end-of-year-p-and-f-committee-drinks