From the Principal

An Attitude of Gratitude

As we approach the end of Term 1, it is a timely opportunity to pause, reflect on what has been achieved over the past months, and focus on the importance of gratitude. Gratitude is a simple yet powerful habit, closely aligned with the values we seek to nurture in our young people. It helps us notice the good around us and recognise the people who support us, encourage us and help us to do our best.

It has been a very busy and productive term, with our community fully engaged in the broad range of academic, co‑curricular and pastoral opportunities offered by the School. From my perspective, it has been a very positive term, and there is much for which we can be thankful – not only for what has been achieved, but for the way it has been achieved: through commitment, teamwork, respect and care for one another.

The word gratitude comes from the Latin gratia, meaning grace, graciousness or gratefulness. In many ways, gratitude reflects the values at the heart of a strong school community. It is about appreciating what we receive – whether something significant or something small and easily overlooked – and recognising that our successes are rarely achieved alone.

When we practise gratitude, we begin to notice just how much good already exists in our lives. We also come to understand that much of this good comes from beyond ourselves – from the people around us, from our community and from the shared values that connect us. Gratitude reminds us that we are supported, that we belong and that we have a responsibility to contribute positively to the lives of others.

Research in positive psychology consistently links gratitude with greater happiness and wellbeing. It is also closely connected to qualities we value in education: resilience, empathy, humility and perspective. When students and adults practise gratitude, they are more likely to notice positive moments, respond constructively to challenges, strengthen relationships and approach learning and life with optimism and purpose.

Gratitude can be expressed in many ways – by looking back with appreciation, noticing what we have in the present, and looking ahead with hope. Perhaps most importantly, gratitude is something we can all develop. Like any value, it grows through intentional practice, through reflection, acknowledgement and action.

As a school community, this matters deeply. Taking the time to acknowledge effort, to say thank you, or to recognise the contribution of others reinforces the values we hope to see lived out every day. In doing so, we model leadership through everyday actions – small choices that shape culture, strengthen relationships and lift those around us.

As I reflect on the term, I am personally grateful for the warm welcome my family and I have received since moving to Orange; for the opportunity to work alongside colleagues who share a deep commitment to education; for students who are so fully engaged in all that they do; and for the trust placed in us by our students and their families. I am also deeply thankful for the support of my own family, who continue to be a source of strength and encouragement.

As we wrap up the term, I encourage everyone to bring an attitude of gratitude into the way we relate and the way we treat one another. Look for progress, acknowledge effort, recognise the support you receive and be the person who helps lift the standard for those around you.

Thank you to all members of our community who have contributed to the life of the School this term. As we head into the Easter break, I wish all families a relaxing and refreshing holiday, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back, recharged and ready for another busy and successful Term 2.

Introducing the Pre-K to Year 2 Student Loyalty Program

I am excited to announce the introduction of our new Pre-K to Year 2 Student Loyalty Program, available to families with children enrolled in Pre-Kinder from 2026.

This program has been created to recognise and support families who make an ongoing commitment to their child’s education at Kinross Wolaroi School. As part of the program, families will receive a rebate equivalent to 100% of their child’s Pre-Kinder tuition fees, returned across the first three years of Junior School.

The rebate will be credited in three equal instalments at the commencement of Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2, provided the student remains enrolled at the School during this period. This initiative is designed to help make the early years of schooling more financially manageable, while acknowledging the value of continuity and long-term partnership with our families.

A Kindergarten to Year 6 education at Kinross Wolaroi School provides children with a strong academic foundation, a nurturing environment and the skills needed to thrive throughout their learning journey. The Pre-K to Year 2 Student Loyalty Program is one way we are supporting families as they invest in this important stage of their child’s education.

Naming our new boarding facility

As we prepare for the opening of our new boarding facilities in Term 3, I am pleased to share that we have chosen a name that reflects both the heritage and future of our School community. The new boarding house will be known as Wyvern House.

The wyvern has a long and meaningful association with Kinross Wolaroi School. It is a legacy symbol inherited from Wolaroi College, one of the two schools that merged in 1975 to form the School we know today. The wyvern appeared at the top of the original Wolaroi crest from the earliest days of the school’s history, making this name a fitting nod to the traditions that continue to shape our community.

The symbol itself traces back to the heraldic arms associated with John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. When Wolaroi College adopted its crest, the wyvern – a winged, two-legged dragon – was placed above the shield to reflect the school’s Methodist heritage and its connection to Wesley’s Christian educational tradition. In heraldry, the wyvern symbolises strength, courage, vigilance and guardianship – qualities that resonate strongly with our vision for boarding and the development of character in our young people.

Over many years the wyvern became embedded in Wolaroi tradition, appearing on badges, publications and even the “Wyvern Patrol” within the school’s Scout troop. Today, it continues to live on in elements of School life including our Cadet badges and as a symbol associated for many years with Trathen Boarding House.

The name also creates a pleasing sense of continuity across our boys’ boarding houses, forming the alliterative trio of Weymouth, Wolaroi and Wyvern.

With the opening of Wyvern House, the existing Trathen and Tower boarding houses will close and come together within the new facility. Both buildings will be subject to planned upgrades once vacated. In recognition of the significant contribution of former Principal Rev. DA Trathen to the life of the School, the Trathen House building will continue to be known as the Trathen Building, ensuring his legacy remains part of our campus even as facilities evolve over time.

Wyvern House will provide a modern and welcoming environment designed to support both study and community life for our boarders. We hope it will be a place where students feel a strong sense of belonging, where friendships are formed and where the traditions of boarding at Kinross Wolaroi continue to flourish.

The opening of Wyvern House is just one step in a broader masterplan aimed at updating our school’s infrastructure and facilities for the benefit of all our students.

This is an exciting moment for our School and especially for the boarders who will soon call this wonderful new space home. We look forward to seeing the first boys move into Wyvern House and begin building the stories and traditions that will shape its future.

Wyvern House will open in Term 3

Strengthening Student Culture and Wellbeing

At Kinross Wolaroi School, we are proud of the strength, quality and reputation of our boarding program, which plays a longstanding and valued role in school life. We are committed not only to maintaining this standard, but to continually refining our practice to ensure it reflects leading contemporary thinking in student wellbeing, care and culture. In this context, during 2025 we undertook the Boarding Culture Project - a review designed to strengthen consistency, clarity and alignment across an already strong boarding environment. 

The Boarding Culture Project included interviews with students, surveys of students and staff, and collaborative planning with House leaders, supported by parent input. The aim was to listen carefully to student voice, test our practices against recognised best practice in boarding education, and ensure a shared understanding about how to foster belonging, responsibility and relationships in a residential context.

The findings affirmed what we know to be true at Kinross Wolaroi School: strong staff–student relationships, high levels of peer connection, pride in boarding life and strong engagement in co‑curricular and weekend programs. The feedback also identified opportunities to further strengthen leading practice - particularly through greater consistency in expectations, clearer behaviour processes, earlier leadership development and more visible recognition of positive student role models. These refinements reflect what high‑performing boarding schools prioritise to sustain safe, supportive and aspirational communities.

As a result, a clear, term‑by‑term Boarding Culture Action Plan is now in place for 2026, structured around the shared themes of Belonging, Responsibility, Relationships and Role Models. The plan focuses on common language, predictable routines, aligned leadership practices and transparent communication, ensuring our boarding program continues to evolve while complementing our broader whole‑school culture and wellbeing priorities. Progress on the plan will be closely monitored and shared with our communityas we continue to build on the strong foundations already in place.

Yours sincerely

Timothy Kelly

Principal