From the Head of Senior School

Debating Teams Advance to Preliminary Finals

We are thrilled to announce the outstanding achievements of our Year 8 and Year 11 debating teams in the HICES Debating competition. Both teams have emerged victorious in all three rounds and are now advancing to the Preliminary Finals, where they will face off against All Saints Belmore. 

Our Year 8 team members – Poppy Warren, Georgie Simpson, Anna Orr, and Lola Mages – have shown remarkable dedication and skill. Equally impressive are our Year 11 debaters – Sala Orme-Smith, Ollie Krause, Lulu Clinton, Anabelle Van Wyk, George Hogg, and Isabelle Wong. 

Congratulations to all our debaters for their hard work, commitment, and exceptional teamwork. A special thank you to Mrs Christie Smith, our MIC of Debating, for her unwavering support and expert coordination of the program. Her guidance has been instrumental in our teams’ success. 

We wish both teams the best of luck in the Preliminary Finals! 

Year 9 Commerce - Running a Business, Promotion and Selling 

Recently our Year 9 Commerce students we were blessed with a wonderful guest speaker to prepare students for their “Running a Business” topic and upcoming task. Coco from ‘Hearty Blooms’ ran a masterclass in floral arrangement, all the while talking through the trials and tribulations of establishing and running a small business in regional NSW. Some key takeaways included the importance of online advertising, and the value of Search-Engine Optimisation to make sure her business came up front and centre. 

Coco was so generous with her time, answering many well-considered questions from two of our Year 9 Commerce classes. A couple of the boys were even lucky enough to learn all about “flexing” rose petals. Well done to everyone who took part, and no doubt learned a great deal from the experience. 

As we approach the King's Birthday holiday weekend, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and extend my thanks to our wonderful students and staff for their tremendous effort and dedication over the past few weeks. It has been an exceptionally busy period, filled with assessments, reporting, excursions, and a variety of co-curricular activities. I am continually impressed by the commitment and resilience displayed by our students and staff in managing these demands. Your hard work and enthusiasm are what make our school community so vibrant and successful.  

Wishing all a safe and enjoyable break. Take this time to relax, recharge, and spend quality moments with your loved ones.