Senior School

Senior Debating- Archdale Representative Team

In Term 3, I was selected along with 11 other girls from various Independent Girls Schools for the IGSA Archdale Representative Debating Team. Girls from Years 10-12 were invited to trial, and after training over a two-week period, we were sorted into teams within the squad to compete.

As part of the Archdale Team, I was given the opportunity to debate against other talented high school students from across Sydney (namely the GPS, CHS and CAS representative teams) over a three-week period. Being part of the team enabled me to enrich and develop my debating skills with the support of coaches Georgia Cooper and Millie Posen. The opportunity to debate with some of the top debaters in Kambala’s competition circuits was greatly inspiring and has definitely pushed me to continue to improve my skills. Over the course of the tournament, I made some great friends with my teammates (comprising of students from Abbotsleigh, Ascham, MLC, Monte, PLC, Queenwood, Santa Sabina and SCEGGS), whom I look forward to seeing in the competition next year.

I am extremely grateful to Ms Barlow and the Kambala Debating Programme for allowing us to access this opportunity and to the IGSA debating coaches Georgia and Millie for all their guidance and support. Competing in Archdale has been one of the highlights of my debating experience and I hope to bring my skills back to my own Kambala team.

Sophie Regan

Student

Teachers Gets Top Marks!

Academic-in-Residence, Ron Ritchhart, in his latest book Cultures of Thinking in Action, posits that, “For classrooms to be cultures of thinking for students, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers.” And Kambala’s English Department seems to exemplify that important mindset, through the work of its dedicated teachers, who are lifelong learners.

Earlier this year, Head of English, Lauren Walsh, was awarded The John Bell and Joyce Williams Prize in Shakespeare Studies, from The University of Sydney, for achieving

the highest marks in an M.A. unit of study related to Shakespeare Studies, for two extended essays. Both papers examined Shakespeare’s problem play, Measure for Measure, set in Vienna, about a duke who pretends to leave his city on business, appointing a deputy to rule in his absence. Instead, he disguises himself as a friar, spies on his colleagues and his citizens, thus exposing some ethically questionable conduct. Ms Walsh considered the text through the contemporary theoretical lens of Presentism, a contemporary critical theory which seeks to illuminate how an extant literary text might be experienced by its audience, in the present. In doing so, Ms Walsh considered ethical issues around the matter of sexual consent, raised by the dramatic trajectory of the play’s protagonist, Isabella. She also compared the salient issues of the play with the more popular, A Midsummer Night’sDream, interrogating both texts in such a way that begs the enduring question: Why do women remain silent?

In her second prize-winning essay, Ms Walsh compared Measure for Measure with the subjectivity of Hamlet, exemplified within the divided consciousness of the mind of its titular protagonist. In this essay, Walsh interrogated the way that Isabella’s language, so rich in counter-rhetoric and arguments, and the way that it delegitimises a rival’s logic, by refining and reframing others’ values. Isabella debates, constantly, yet, in her socio-political context, she is pragmatically submissive and obedient, which is a paradox for the reader.

In May, Ms Penelope Horsley celebrated the publication of Antipodean George Eliot as part of its Nineteenth Century Series, to which she contributed the luminous chapter, Counter Impressions: Ambiguous Habits in Impressions of Theophrastus Such. The book features the literary criticism of contributors from four continents. Ms Horsley has enjoyed the work of George Eliot, the pen name of Victorian-era writer Mary Ann Evans, deeply, since she was a first-year undergraduate student studying with her mentor, Professor Margaret Harris. Previously, Ms Horsley had written about Eliot in her Honours thesis, in preparation for Phd studies In English Literature. She remains fascinated by the way that Eliot manipulates the Aristotelian idea of character and habit in her work; in particular, the way that the composer examines the fabric of human society and its evolution, examining its moral dimensions by poking fun at British cosmopolitanism and the colonial project, challenging hegemonic discourses through satire and other devices.

And in more recent times, Ms Himmi Cheruvu received the NSW English Teachers' Association Award for Academic Excellence, in the disciplines of English and Literacy. This award is awarded annually to the top student in English Method from each university in NSW. Ms Cheruvu was presented with her award by the Dean of Education from Macquarie University. The award provides two years of free membership of the English Teachers’ Association and opportunities to join a range of academic committees and opportunities for mentorship.

Ms Anna Messarati

English Teacher/Future Problem Solving Coach

Future Problem Solving National Finals

In October 2023, Kambala was delighted to receive a phenomenal 44 qualifying invitations to the 2023, 34th Future Problem Solving National Finals hosted by Brisbane Grammar School. What an incredible result! Performance in National Finals determines the students qualify for International Finals invitations in June 2024, which will be held at Indiana University, Bloomington, in the USA.

Many students from our Kambala cohort, distinguished themselves in the National Finals competition. It was exciting to take so many qualifiers to Brisbane, drawn from Years 8, 9, 10 and 11. Qualification was a major achievement in and of itself, so every student who attended Nationals should be proud and happy about reaching this milestone.

At the pointy end of the competition, 5 Kambala Global Issues Problem Solving teams shone in the Presentation of Action Plan Heats, to make the Finals. Those students were: 2022 National Champions, Sasha Laragy, Alana Zhou, Emma Janes and Grace Zhang; Sarah Ong, Lisa Wang, Maddy Baukh from Year 11, with Bonnie Zheng from Year 10; Heidi Gerber, Matilda Herron, Temple Grant-Klar and Elektra Kostas from Year 11; Alice Livingstone, Quincy Sheldrick, Hania Skimin, Tara Chen, Elle Dlugosz, Gisele Correa from Year 8 and Elsie Paton, Laura Janes, Kate Wu, Chloe Paleologos and Danica Zheng from Year 9. At the Closing and Awards Ceremony, more impressive Kambala achievements were announced, including:

1st Place in the Senior Division MAGIC competition going to Ashleigh Gibson (Year 10) and Elle Dlugosz (Year 8);

2nd Place in GIPS Individual in Middle Division for Danica Zheng (Year 9), making her an automatic qualifier for the 2024 International Finals;

3rd Place for our GIPS Senior Division Australian National Champions from 2022, Emma Janes, Sasha Laragy, Alana Zhou and Grace Zhang (Year 11) making them automatic qualifiers for 2024 International Finals;

3rd Place in the Presentation of Action Plan Senior Division for Elektra Kostas, Heidi Gerber, Matilda Herron, Temple Grant-Klar (Year 11;

3rd Place in the Presentation of Action Plan in Middle Division for Chloe Paloelogos, Elsie Paton, Kate Wu, Laura Janes and Danica Zheng (Year 11);

3rd Place in the MAGIC Middle Division competition going to Emma Li (Year 8) and last but not least,

10th Place in the GIPS Middle Division going to Year 8 students Ariane Tzaneros, Chelsea Wong, Coco Sweeney and DuoDuo Ye.

In the wash-up, our 2022 Senior Division champions in Year 11 three Year 9 teams and one individual, have received invitations to International Finals in 2024 to participate in the GIPS and Middle and Senior Division MAGIC competitions. This is an exciting event to look forward to in the coming year.

Coaches Alice Duthie, Katherine Tsingos and I feel incredibly proud of Kambala’s 2023 National and International Finalists’ efforts and achievements. And for those FPS students who did not 'win' in a traditional sense, we hope that the sense of achievement remains ever-present in their regular and ongoing participation within the Future Problem Solving program.

Ms Anna Messariti

Future Problem Solving Coach & Coordinator

Connection through Competition and Fun

When students are feeling well, they function well. That is the strong message that research is directing us to in the field of education. At a recent professional learning conference, Emeritus Professor Donna Cross from The University of Western Australia presented findings in children and youth mental health and wellbeing. She spoke about how providing social and emotional competency instructions and learning environments that are safe, caring and participatory are key for better academic performance and success of young people in school and life. Experiences such as positive social interactions with peers and adults and learning about and practising emotional regulation are key indicators that improve a young person’s sense of social connectedness, self-efficacy and self-worth. Learning is both a social and emotional process. Our emotions impact our motivation, our attention and our cognition, in essence school is an emotional rollercoaster.

To further support the social and ongoing academic success of our Year 7 cohort, every Friday until the end of the year the cohort will have the opportunity to strengthen their sense of belonging, social competence, and connectedness to the community through their involvement in a variety of activities. These lunchtime sessions began last Friday, 10 November with a handball competition in the pool courtyard. Fierce competition by some Year 11 students and our resident photographer Theo were no match for the agility and skills of Year 7. Next Friday, 17 November there will be a House bench ball competition in the gym, and we look forward to continuing our focus on connection and belonging through competition and fun for Year 7 until the end of Term 4.

Ms Julie Laytham

Head of Student Life

Year 9 Recital

On the 9th of November, the Year 9 Recital was held in the performance theatre in the evening. Year 9 elective music students performed challenging pieces on a wide variety of instruments, including Frankie Somerville playing So What by Davis on the bass guitar, Claudia Gerber on the saxophone playing Ballad II by Ben-Haim, and Jackie Li on piano playing Suzume by Hara.

The recital was very exciting and enjoyable, and it was a great opportunity for students to showcase the effort they've invested in learning and polishing their pieces.

Congratulations to all performers, and thank you so much to the audience, private music tutors and music department staff for your dedication, hard work and unwavering support!

Kate Wu

Music Committee

Traditions Old and New

I have a fact that may excite some and terrify others; there are only 3 Monday’s left in the 2023 school year! No matter if this piece of information fills you with joy or angst, those Monday mornings will come and go, as will the summer holidays and before we know it the start of another school year will be upon us. I highlight this not to wish away the restful break that is ahead of us, but to acknowledge that as we look forward to the rituals and special moments at the end of the year (Monday countdowns are one of mine), there is also much to look forward to in the new school year.

Our community may remember that at the start of 2023 our expectations were re-established, and Ms Danvers outlined that these are important as they remind us about how we show up for each other. We will continue with these same expectations in 2024 but there will be several new supports and processes in place when we return in the new school year. In each of the remaining issues of the 2023 Whole Girl newsletters, I will share some of these to prepare students, parents and carers. Listed below are some of the initiatives that will begin when we return for 2024:

House lanyards for all students in the Senior School – current Year 11 and Year 6 students have been issued with their House lanyards and I would encourage them to start to use these to keep their student cards safe, secure and easy to access in bags and lockers. Students in Years 8 – 10 will receive their House lanyards on the first day of 2024. All students in Years 8 – 12 in 2024 will receive a new student card on their first day of the new school year.
Developing students’ capacity to be self-reliant – in 2024 we aim to assist students in the senior school to develop their capacity to be autonomous. With this in mind, (a) students will be able to access one ‘canteen slip’ each term in the event they forget their student card. The introduction of House lanyards will support students to care for this important card that is used for several important functions during the school day. (b) Senior school students will be discouraged from phoning parents during the school day from reception to ask them to bring in items they have forgotten or left at home. We are asking parents and carers to assist us in this endeavour by not dropping off items to further develop our young people’s capacity to be self-sufficient.
Increased communication with families and carers – beginning in 2024, a weekly family digest will be sent to students, parents and carers that will summarise three main parts of the week for each student. The first section will be centred on ‘celebrations’, specifically in the form of merits. This part will summarise and highlight an area that a student has demonstrated that aligns with our school values. The second area will be ‘positive observations’ that have taken place during the week, in the classroom, at break times or other interactions throughout the day that members of staff would like to share. The final part of the weekly digest will be an ‘expectations’ section that will communicate any challenges that a student may have encountered. Including difficulties with meeting uniform expectations, inappropriate ICT usage in the school day (mobile phone confiscations) or actions that may not be aligned with our school values. This section will also set out what supports have been put in place , such as 7-day mobile phone hand in or an after school reflection sessions for example. The aim of this weekly digest is to ensure communication that is balanced and regular. Further information will be communicated at the start of the 2024 school year but please be aware that if a student has no information around celebrations or expectations in a week, then the student, parents and carers will not receive unnecessary blank summaries.

I look forward to sharing some more of these activations that aim to strengthen our community in the next issue of The Whole Girl.

Ms Julie Laytham

Head of Student Life

Congratulations Grace Zhang

Congratulations to Grace Zhang Year 11 who has written an article: "Loyalty: definitely not your best asset" which has been published on the global social publishing network medium.com. An insightful, beautifully written piece.

Sustainable School Shop

Thanks to the KPA who have introduced an exciting new initiative to provide parents with the ability to buy, sell and trade second-hand items such as uniforms, books and musical equipment via the online Sustainable School Shop.

This service is very accessible and is utilised by many other school communities with great success. You will be required to register in order to gain access to the Shop, and the platform is easy to use and navigate.

The KPA is kindly providing this service and there is no cost to families.

For Year 12 families who may want to consider second hand text books through this site, this link will provide you access to the Kambala Year 12 Book List.

Should you not have computer access at any given time, the Sustainable School Shop can be contacted on 0438 743444.

The Kambala Voice Podcast: The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at Kambala Part 2

A Pathway to Global Citizenship: Mother Tongue, Languages and the IB

Principal Jane Danvers discusses the study of English Literature and the study of modern and classical languages at Kambala. Joining her discussion is Deputy Principal Carolyn Gedling, Head of IB Phillip Bird and a range of past, present and current students.

In the next episode we will focus on the IB Sciences and Mathematics courses and independent student projects from those disciplines.

Sound engineer: Nathan Barraclough Presenter: Jane Danvers Producer: Anna Messariti.

Available on spotify, google and amazon podcast platforms. Search The Kambala Voice.

Civil Liability Update: Risk Warnings 2024

Risk Warning 1

(Under Section 5M of Civil Liability Act 2002)

On Behalf of Kambala and IGSA.

Sporting Activities 2024

The following is a legal requirement that we must inform you of:

Kambala organises many individual and team sporting activities during the course of a year. Some of these are organised in conjunction with IGSA Sport, a sub-committee of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools NSW (AHIGS), now trading as IGSA. Students participating in these sporting activities take part in practice and in competitions.

Kambala and IGSA Sport expect students to take responsibility for their own safety by wearing compulsory safety equipment, by thinking carefully about the use of safety equipment that is highly recommended and by behaving in a safe and responsible manner towards team members, opponents, spectators, officials, property and grounds.

Kambala and IGSA Sport also expect parents, spectators and other participants to behave in a safe and responsible manner, to comply with the Codes of Conduct and to set a good example for the girls.

While Kambala and IGSA Sport take measures to make the sporting activities as safe as reasonably possible for participants, there is a risk that students can be injured and suffer loss (including financial loss) and damage as a result of their participation in these sporting activities, whether at training or in actual events.

Such injury can occur while the student is engaging in or watching a sporting activity, or travelling to and from the event. The injury may result from a student's actions, the actions of others, the state of the premises or equipment failure.

On some occasions, an injury can be serious (such as torn ligaments, dislocations, back injuries, concussion or broken bones). In very rare cases an injury can be life threatening or result in permanent disability. If a student has a pre-existing injury, participating in a sporting activity could result in an exacerbation of that injury.

Students could also suffer loss as a result of their personal property being lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

Risk Warning 2

(Under Section 5M of Civil Liability Act 2002)

On Behalf of Kambala and IGSA.

Non-Sporting Activities 2024

Kambala organises many activities such as debating, mock trial, orchestra, choir, insert relevant activities and delete irrelevant ones during the course of a year. Some of these are organised in conjunction with the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools NSW (AHIGS), trading as IGSA. Students participating in these activities take part in practice and in competitions.

IGSA administers and convenes inter-school activities (such as IGSA Archdale Debating, IGSA Festival of Speech, IGSA Choral Festival, IGSA Dance Festival and IGSA Chess) in which many students, including students of this school, participate.

Kambala and IGSA also expect parents, spectators and other participants to behave in a safe and responsible manner, to comply with the Codes of Conduct and to set a good example for the girls.

While Kambala and IGSA take measures to make the activities as safe as reasonably possible for participants, there is a risk that students can be injured and suffer loss (including financial loss) and damage as a result of their participation in these activities, whether at practice or in actual events.

Such injury can occur while the student is engaging in or watching a non-sporting activity, or travelling to and from the event. The injury may result from a student's actions, the actions of others, the state of the premises or equipment failure (e.g. a collapsed stage during a debating competition).

Students could also suffer loss as a result of their personal property being lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.