From the Principal

Portfolio Of Achievement

Over the past two years Kinross Wolaroi has been designing a framework to greater engage our Stage 5 students (Years 9 and 10) in the wonderfully rich and challenging educational experiences on offer at the School. I am immensely grateful to Mr Liam Callaghan whose vision, energy and industry have seen our desire become a reality. A great deal of research was undertaken, and models used by other schools both in Australia and overseas were investigated. Of paramount importance when designing such a program is that it meets the needs of our particular students and specific school context. All schools are different, be it in geographical location, socioeconomic conditions, or cultural alignment.

The Portfolio of Achievement is a values-based framework designed to foster character development. Our students will be challenged to set goals that reflect our School Values of Courage, Resilience, Inclusiveness, Respect and Commitment. To encourage greater awareness and engagement with the challenges we are confronting with sustainability and climate change, Environment has also been included. Students are then required to provide evidence of how they have engaged in activities that demonstrate achievement in each specific School Value. This process empowers students to explore our School Values and embark on a journey to see that they are actually lived and not merely spoken about.

The aim is to create a simple but challenging pathway for students to measure their school and community engagement and achievement. The Portfolio of Achievement is designed to be a component of the Kinross Wolaroi experience for all students in Years 9 and 10 and will enable students to experience a greater sense of purpose, providing challenge and growth that will establish an excellent foundation for their senior years.

The Portfolio of Achievement is underpinned by the philosophy that at Kinross Wolaroi School we believe in the development of the whole student, and we wish to celebrate all that they do within the School and their community. We believe exploration and achievement of their goals within this framework, one is based on the established Values of KWS and Environmentalism, will provide an excellent vehicle to contribute to our student’s character development, and in turn set them up for future success.

During the final weeks of Term 3, Mr Callaghan launched the Portfolio of Achievement to our students and facilitated workshops during Wellbeing Day exploring how the framework is structured and administered through our Schools Learning Management System, The Hub.

We are currently working on the design of our Portfolio for Stage 6 students (Years 11 and 12) that will record and demonstrate student’s skills, capacities and abilities that often are not captured in the single score ATAR that is attained by students at the conclusion of their thirteen years of schooling.

The traditional NSW HSC model has long been a cornerstone in evaluating students academic prowess. However, as we advance in the 21st century, the dynamic landscape of education and employment calls for a more comprehensive approach to assessing students’ skills, abilities, and capacities. Universities and future employers are increasingly recognising the limitation of relying solely on HSC scores and are turning towards broader measures to gain a more holistic understanding of a student’s potential.

One of the key reasons for this shift is the recognition that academic success alone does not necessarily translate to real-world competency. The HSC, while an effective measure of students grasp of academic subjects, does not capture the full spectrum of skills and qualities that are crucial in today’s rapidly evolving workplace. Employers are seeking individuals who not only possess domain specific knowledge, but also exhibit a range of transferrable skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, leadership, and an ability to work effectively with others. By considering a broader measure of student abilities, universities and employers aim to identify candidates who can thrive in diverse and unpredictable environments.

A portfolio that reflects a student’s abilities and achievements in a broad range of areas will provide a far more comprehensive view of a students potential and capacity. Such a document would include contributions to the community, involvement in co-curricular activities, leadership experience, evidence of courses and micro credentials attained, and capacity to work effectively with others. The portfolio would provide insights into a student’s learning style, motivation and areas of interest, information invaluable for universities in tailoring educational experiences that align with students strengths and passions. Employers too, benefit from understanding candidates learning profile as it can indicate how well an individual can adapt to new challenges and acquire new skills on the job.

In a world where collaboration and interpersonal skills are paramount, a narrow focus on academic achievement can lead to overlooking crucial aspects of a student’s potential. By considering a broader range of measures, universities and employers aim to identify individuals who not only excel in academic settings but also possess the social and emotional intelligence required for success in future careers.

We look forward to advancing the creation of such a portfolio for our senior students in Years 11 and 12 as it will provide evidence of their broad range of skills, attributes and capacities, and clear indication of their holistic personal development.

NAIDOC WEEK

At our recent Senior School Assembly, the primary focus of our gathering was the acknowledgement and celebration of NAIDOC Week. We heard from some of our Indigenous students about its significance and enjoyed a superb performance from our Kinross Wolaroi Girls' Indigenous Dance Group, wonderfully lead by our Head Girl, Halle Doyle.

NAIDOC week is a special time to acknowledge all First Peoples of Australia and this year’s theme “For Our Elders” provides an opportunity to acknowledge our Indigenous Elders for their contribution, wisdom, and important place they hold in our community. Over many generations our Elders have suffered much hardship, discrimination, and injustice, however it is now time to be thankful for their strength, leadership, advocacy, knowledge, and their deep love for country and community.

In schools it is important that each generation of our young people learn about the rich history and stories of our First Peoples, to honour the Stolen Generation and their families. Through education we establish a greater connection and appreciation of the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. At Kinross Wolaroi School we promote meaningful understanding and respect of all cultures and nationalities, and NAIDOC Week celebrations are an opportunity to embrace our own national heritage and culture in Australia.

During the Assembly a number of Orange NAIDOC school awards were presented. Congratulations to the following recipients of these awards: 

• Blake Dwyer
• Logan Knight
• Sienna Everson
• Georgia Williams
• Gemma Blattman
• Thalia Brett
• Chloe Mulcahy
• Declan Dixon
• Halle Doyle
• Kymarni Astill
• Keiran Vernon

The Gibbs Waldrope quiet achiever award was presented to:

• Lincoln Robinson

SWIMMING

The Kinross Wolaroi Swimming Club competed at the NSW Senior State Age Championships in September. State Championships offer swimmers the opportunity to compete at the highest level, with the quality of competition at an exceptional level. Kinross Wolaroi swimmers showed great determination and achieved a phenomenal 81% PB percentage with 16 top 10’s and 2 medals.

Well done to the following Kinross Wolaroi Swimmers: 

• Caleb Cashman
• Lazo Jalal
• Mathew Lowther
• Chloe McGilvray
• Lara McGuigan
• Chloe Provost
• Brody Steele
• Edwina Waterman
• Charlotte Williams
• Spencer Williams

DEBATING

Last Thursday evening I had the immense pleasure of supporting our Year 10 Debating Team as they contested the Final of the Dudley Cup, a competition for schools from our district. The contest was staged at Duntryleague and is generously hosted each year by the North Orange Rotary Club.

Our opponents for the final were James Sheahan High School who argued for the Affirmative that “School should start at a later hour in the day.” Though skillfully presenting their case they were unable to counter the strong case presented by the Kinross Wolaroi team who, argued successfully against this proposition.

I was greatly impressed by our students logical and well-informed arguments and by their outstanding verbal presentation skills. It was hard to believe that they are Year 10 students.

Congratulations to our Year 10 Team of Anabelle van Wyk, Lucy McIsaac, Sala Orme-Smith and Bonnie McPhee. A very special thank you to Mrs Justina Holland our MIC of Debating for her care and inspirational leadership of KWS Debating. Under her leadership KWS Debating has gone from strength to strength.

I was immensely proud of our teams performance.