Message from 

the Principal

Induction of Reverend Dr Rosalie Clarke 

Last Thursday the School and the Uniting Church community had the great pleasure of undertaking the formal induction of Rev Dr Rosalie Clarke to the role of Chaplain of Kinross Wolaroi School. Even though the ceremony had to be limited in size due to the COVID restrictions that have been placed upon us, the occasion was a delightful celebration and warm welcome to our special and unique community.

Dr Denise Wood, Chairperson of the Macquarie Darling Presbytery led the Service with the support of Reverends Peter Harvey, Andrew Cunningham and Alan Robinson. Readings from the Gospel were also delivered by our Head Prefects James Thompson and Jessica Mosely. A most delightful version of ‘There is a Higher Throne’, (words and music by Keith and Kristyn Getty) was performed by Head of Performing Arts, Mrs Jacqueline Shields and Performing Arts Teacher, Mr Sebastian Key. Our School Prefects, Year 6, some staff and members of the Uniting Church community all gathered in our sunlit Chapel to support Dr Clarke in this very important day for her and our School Community. 

I am sure you will join with me in offering Dr Clarke our most sincere congratulations on her official induction as our School Chaplain and we look forward immensely to the wonderful contribution she will make in enriching and supporting our community.

World Teachers Day

Last Friday 30 October our Year 11 students most thoughtfully acknowledged the support and care that our teachers provide all the students at KWS. Our Year 11 students baked cakes and an array of delicious goodies for our teaching and support staff, each delivery accompanied by messages of gratitude and appreciation from our students.

This act of kindness was greatly appreciated by our staff, particularly towards the end of such a challenging year. I am very proud of the way our teachers responded during the pandemic, demonstrating great agility, a desire to learn new things and a genuine care and concern for the learning needs and wellbeing of our students. 

COVID-19 has reminded us of the great importance of face to face interactions and guidance from our teachers. Personal engagement and relationships lie at the heart of the educational experience and these can’t be replicated through online learning. The pandemic has also taught us new ways of doing things and encouraged us to discover new learning environments that can compliment our traditional delivery of the educational experience.

When it comes to learning, the importance of great teachers can’t be underestimated, not least because teachers have a significant influence on student achievement. I imagine we can all remember a teacher who stands out in our memories because they were particularly engaging, encouraging or inspiring. I certainly do and it is their contribution to my life that inspired me to teach.

The primacy of the teacher in the learning experience is well documented. Using data from more than 500,000 studies, Professor John Hattie, Director of the Melbourne Education Research Institute at the University of Melbourne and a lead investigator in the Science of Learning Research Centre, conducted a meta-analysis and ranked various influences on student learning and achievement.

He found that the impact teachers have on student learning is greater than other factors that often dominate public debate, such as class size, technology, individualised instruction, streaming by ability and changing school calendars or timetables.

I am immensely grateful to our wonderful dedicated teachers for all they do to support, guide and inspire our students. Our staff were deeply touched by the kind and thoughtful notes of appreciation that they received from Year 11. 

Some quotes from the cards students wrote:

“It was an incredibly difficult time for many of us, but through your amazing dedication it was made more tolerable.”

“Dear Teachers, We would like to acknowledge all the hard work you put in every day and thank you for the constant support throughout our schooling. Happy World Teachers Day. Love from the McLachlan Tutor Group”

“Dear Teachers, we really appreciate the effort and dedication you put in, especially during this COVID period. Thank you for being so supportive!”

“Thank you for your constant perseverance through these difficult times, and for your dedication to our learning. We really appreciate your efforts and support.”

Thank you, Year 11 for your thoughtfulness and kindness.

Prize Day – Thursday 3 December

Our Annual Prize Giving Ceremony will take place on the final day of Term 4, Thursday 3 December albeit in a modified format due to the COVID-19 restrictions that we are required to operate under.  

At this point in time the shortened Ceremony will be attended by students and some staff but unfortunately not parents. The Ceremony will be live streamed so that parents and families can follow the proceedings. 2020 has been a most challenging year for us all and I am most grateful for your support and understanding.

Staff appointments

Head of Boys and Head of Girls Boarding 

Head of Boys Boarding

Mr Anthony Begg 

Mr Anthony Begg, who is very well known and respected within our community, will take up the role of Head of Boys Boarding from January 2021 and continue in his role as Head of Tower House. We are delighted that he has accepted this role as he has had considerable impact on boys boarding through his various roles. Anthony commenced teaching at Kinross Wolaroi in 2007 and has held the positions of responsibility of Head of Weymouth House, Head of Tower House and was the School’s first Indigenous Students Coordinator, a role that has grown over the years and which is now titled Head of Indigenous Education. Anthony has also been Athletics Coordinator, First XV Rugby Coach and Senior Absail Leader in the Cadet Corps.

Mr Begg’s leadership, wisdom and genuine care and concern for wellbeing and personal development of his students has seen the School’s Indigenous program develop from an idea into a nationally recognised program and have a profound impact upon the culture within the boys boarding environment.

Mrs Margaret Nilon

Head of Girls Boarding

I am pleased to announce that Mrs Margaret Nilon has been appointed as the Head of Girls Boarding and Head of Loader House to commence in January 2021.

Marg is known to some in our community having been on the staff of Kinross Wolaroi School from 2012-2016. She comes with much experience having been Head of Senior Boarding in Kincoppal Rose Bay, a Stage and Year Coordinator, a Community Service Coordinator (K-12) at the Australian International School in Singapore and most recently, Head of Religious Education and Boarding Coordinator at SCEGGS Darlinghurst. 

Marg grew up in the Central West and she and her husband Mark are very much looking forward to reconnecting with their extensive network of friends and family.

Marg has a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics, Master of Arts and Master of Education from the University of Sydney and a Diploma of Education from the University of New England. She is an engaging educator who believes that effective Pastoral Care and establishing a sense of belonging and optimism in students are key for our students to achieve academic and social success. 

Mrs Sophie Fardell will continue in her role as 2IC of Loader House. We are most grateful for the excellent job Sophie has done in Loader as Acting Head of House for the past two terms.

Junior School Coordinator positions

I am delighted to announce the following appointments.

Mrs Amanda Dodson

Coordinator of Teaching and Learning, K-6

Mrs Amanda Dodson has been a classroom teacher with Kinross Wolaroi School for almost two years and has done some very impressive work to date, including in her role as a Project Officer with the TREE program. Amanda’s experience and education will allow her to further develop our Teaching and Learning program, encouraging stronger integration with library and learning resources, the TREE program, the Wellbeing program and leading experts in our community. Prior to arriving at KWS, Amanda was K-2 Coordinator and K-6 STEM Coordinator at St Catherine’s School, Waverley.

Mrs Emma Charlton

Coordinator of Wellbeing, K-6

Mrs Emma Charlton is well known to the KWS community being a classroom teacher for the last five years as well as being the Coordinator of Wellbeing since 2016 and more recently the Literacy Coordinator for K-6. Emma is passionate about Wellbeing and will continue to lead an engaging and proactive wellbeing program in the Junior School.

Please join with me to wish Amanda and Emma every success as they take on these exciting roles in the Junior School.

Retirements and resignations

Miss Stephanie Floyd

Mathematics Teacher

Miss Stephanie Floyd has met with me recently to advise that she has been successful in an application to teach at MacKillop College in Bathurst, her Alma Mater. Whilst Stephanie admits that she had not intended to leave Kinross Wolaroi School so soon after starting with us, she is very excited about the opportunity to return to MacKillop as their goals align with her own ambition to bring more girls into higher levels of mathematics in their Senior years. 

I wish to thank Stephanie for her contribution over the past two years and wish her all the best achieving her goals at MacKillop. Stephanie will commence at MacKillop at the beginning of 2021.

Mr Yooie Choi

Coordinator of Learning Enhancement

It is with sadness and pleasure that I have accepted Yooie Choi’s resignation from Kinross Wolaroi School effective at the end of the 2020 academic year.

I am sad to lose a valued colleague but delighted for Yooie who will be taking up the position of Deputy Principal at Orange Christian School. This opportunity will provide Yooie with new challenges and enable him to develop professionally at a Senior Executive level. 

He has made a great contribution to the life of the School for which I am most grateful. There is no doubt that he will be missed by many. I am sure we all wish Yooie every success in his new and exciting role as Deputy Principal at Orange Christian School.

Mr Huon Barrett

Head of PDHPE

Mr Huon Barrett has recently met with me to advise that he has been successful in his application to become the Director of Co-Curricular at The Armidale School, commencing in Term 1 2021. It is with sadness that I accept this resignation. Huon has been the Head of the PDHPE Department at Kinross Wolaroi School for 11 years over which time he has made an extensive contribution across the full life of the school. 

Huon will be missed by his colleagues and students but is taking up a great professional opportunity with TAS and will be a wonderful opportunity for his family to experience rural living in another thriving regional centre.     

Ms Amy Laing

English Teacher

It is with sadness that I announce that Ms Amy Laing will finish with Kinross Wolaroi at the end of this Term. Amy has accepted a position with James Sheahan Catholic High School in Orange as an English Teacher. Amy commenced at Kinross in 2013 as a ‘fresh’ new scheme teacher. During her time at KWS Amy taught both English and French and developed her interest in the wellbeing area demonstrating strong leadership as Head of Blackman House. Amy also completed the NESLI Leadership Colloquium in 2017. 

Amy is an outstanding classroom practitioner and there is no doubt that she will be missed by her students and colleagues.

Mr Matt Curran 

Head of Boarding /Mathematics Teacher

Mr Matthew Curran has recently advised that he has accepted a role with All Saints’ College, Maitland commencing in Term 1 2021. Over his three years at KWS, Matt has made a significant contribution to improving the School’s boarding standards – implementing staffing restructures, improving the level of pastoral care and behaviour standards in boarding, developing an engaging weekend activity program and integrating a greater number of academic staff into our boarding community. Matt is also a very capable Mathematics and Science teacher. 

The School is most grateful for the dedicated contribution that Matt has made to Kinross Wolaroi School, particularly to our boarding community. He will certainly be missed by many staff and students.

I am sure you will join with me in wishing Matthew every success as he moves his family into another thriving area of NSW.

Mr Romko Hordynsky

Junior School teacher

I write to advise of the resignation from Kinross Wolaroi of Romko Hordynsky. Romko has been at KWS for 37 years and has been an outstanding educator, well loved by students, parents and staff. 

His innovative ideas in assisting with children’s learning have engaged so many students from all academic levels. 

Romko’s passions have been drama and outdoor education. He has been writing, directing and producing musicals for 31 years – productions which have won many awards through the CAT (Canberra Area Theatre) groups. The time spent ensuring each child had an opportunity to perform was always at the forefront of his writing.  He spent numerous hours of his own time preparing sets and props. 

Romko has supervised the Outdoor Education program for many years but it was his camps previous to the current external provider options which provided so many character building experiences for the students. 

Romko has made an incredible contribution to the Junior School and the lives of many and he will be greatly missed by all. We wish him all the very best for a well-deserved retirement. 

Kate Bracks

Junior School teacher

Mrs Kate Bracks will complete her fixed term role in the Junior School at the conclusion of the year to take on a full-time permanent position at Orange Anglican Grammar School. Kate has fulfilled a number of roles across the Junior and Secondary School over the years. She has taught Religious Education, Chaplaincy, Food Technology, classroom teacher as well as being instrumental in introducing of the Junior School Values. 

We wish her every success in her new role.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Year 8 student Lolli-Rose Pasquali who was invited to play in a PGA Golf Tournament in Sydney earlier this week. A great achievement, Lolli-Rose!

Dr Andrew Parry

Principal