Around the Senior School
Visual Arts and Textiles HSC Showcase 2024
From Mr Andrew Orme-Smith, Head of Visual Arts
The show this year was, as always, a huge success in showcasing the incredible talent, time and effort that has gone into these two complementary subjects. There was a huge turnout despite the chilly evening, and it proved to be a lively and enthusiastic audience. For everyone involved it is an incredibly rewarding experience to see the diverse, refined exhibition as a culmination of many months of effort and emotional commitment. Likewise, the stunning Textiles works engage with thought provoking themes outlined in their folios as well as beautifully crafted objects that come to life during the wildly popular fashion parade!
The themes for Visual Arts this year ranged from personal stories of homesickness, wellbeing journeys through more general themes of domestic violence, the fragility of marine environments, medical conditions, changes in hormones over time, travel photography, journeys of the imagination and even celebrations of childhood memories and the beautiful intricacies of bee behaviour. The concepts were widely supported by the material choices made in the artworks, and the methods augmented these links. For example, in Alice Keirle’s work “Still, Life” the ghostly impressions of fish were taken from real fish and an octopus using the traditional Japanese technique Gyotaku where the fish are painted with ink before rice paper is carefully pressed over the top. Ivy Hawker’s “Deadly Brews” will get you out of every tricky situation! A selection of drinks, choose between Tetanus, Bubonic Plague or Rabies for the perfect excuse to get out of any work! Matthew Davis’s “Moments of Stillness, Stillness of Time” displayed his extraordinary photographs taken in Cambodia and Vietnam using a variety of vintage cameras. The results focused on moments of peaceful stillness in the hustle and bustle of these communities, while also celebrating the history with monumental temples and fig trees as a backdrop to monks in meditative spaces.
Textiles and Design
The HSC major projects this year included two Textile Art pieces: Maggie Anderson’s intricate quilt inspired by the fairytales of The Brothers Grimm and Georgia McIntosh’s triptych of hand felted and stitched birds and flower-hammered fabrics based upon Celtic mythology. Costume and apparel pieces hand-crafted over the last nine months were paraded at the exhibition. Elke Sweetapple’s summer flower themed dress was adorned with hundreds of laser cut, hand-dyed and CNC embroidered blossoms. Scarlett MacKenzie’s cool linen ensemble embodied the style of Jackie Kennedy and European summers with hand-dyed fabrics and reverse applique waves. Prue Whitaker’s dress personified the delphinium flower with sublimation printed ombre blues, crush and sunray pleated petals and a sculpted and beads stamen. Tessa Lawson’s garment of bone-coloured merino gaberdine lined with gold satin and faille was darned, embellished and piped to represent the concept of Wabi-Sabi from Japanese Culture.
A huge message of thanks needs to go out to all the parents of the students who assisted in their journeys of creativity. Also, the patient assistance of our wonderful technical assistant Matt Thomas, and the selfless generosity of our teaching staff, Penny Chandler and Beck Wansey. For my part, it is always a privilege, albeit very time consuming, to teach Year 12, but it is hugely rewarding to be at this stage of completion and to see such a high standard of work. For those who were not able to make it to the show this year, hopefully you will be able to attend next year. It is not something to be missed!
TAS Showcase Extravaganza
From Henry McColl, Year 12 Industrial Technology Student
At the Kinross Wolaroi School inaugural TAS Showcase Extravaganza we proudly displayed the creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship of our students. We celebrated the hard work and dedication of our Year 12 students, whose Metalwork and Design & Technology projects are a testament to their passion and skill. The show also highlighted the impressive work of students from Year 7 to 11 in Food Technology, Textiles, STEM, and Industrial Technology.
I’d like to thank our amazing teachers, Mr Finlay and Mr Lun. I’ve had the pleasure of having Mr Finlay as a teacher in Year 9, 11 and 12. The passion you have for teaching your students the skills of metal and woodwork are inspirational. I’ve also been able to interact with Mr Lun through the Cadet program, where his unwavering passion and dedication is obvious. He truly wants the best for all of his students and will help out anyway he can. The quality on display at the show was a testament to these teachers' expertise and guidance through the planning and building of our projects. They are truly an asset to the school's TAS department and on behalf of all the IT students, thank you.
I would also like to thank Mr Zinga, who’s incredible support through after-hours sessions and excellent advice helped everyone immensely. Mr Zinga, Mr Lun and Mr Finlay were presented with a gift from all of the IT students to show our appreciation.
On behalf of the Design and Tech students, I would like to thank Mr Brotherton, who is a huge support and has encouraged everyone to do their best for these demanding major works projects.
Thanks also go to Ms Youll and Mrs Rollo and the Hospitality students for their fabulous organisation of the lovely food that was served at lunch and the delicious sweets served in the evening.
Thank you to all the TAS Staff, including Mrs Chandler and Ms Anderson, for your organisation of the Showcase it has been wonderful to be able to celebrate all of these achievements in one big night.
Finally, thanks must also go to the Year 12 parents. I have no doubts you have all had some significant input into these projects, if not physically, then financially and emotionally. You have allowed us all to think imaginatively and push many boundaries, including your chequebooks. We are all very grateful.
Whether in IT, Food Technology, Textiles or STEM, we as students are privileged to have the time and attention of dedicated staff and we wouldn’t be able to achieve all that we did without them. Design education is more than just learning how to make things; it’s about understanding the process from concept to creation, whether it's digital design or working with steel. These skills are crucial in shaping the problem solvers and innovators of tomorrow.
Thank you all for joining us at the show and for helping us to celebrate the talent and hard work of our students and teachers.
English in the Sunshine
From Mrs Kate Callaghan, Academic Staff
Our Year 11 Standard English enjoyed the change of season this week and got outside to read their core text, 'The Story of Tom Brennan' in small groups. What a great way to engage our students in their texts!
Inspiring the Joy of Reading
From Ms Amy Proudford-Nalder, Academic Staff
A massive thanks to those of you who got behind Book Week in the Senior School.
English rocked - of course - but special mention has to go to Mr Magic Pudding Ryan, Mr Bruce "the Druid" Paine, all the Thelma the Unicorns, the Science Bookshelf, and one Maths "muggle"!
With overwhelming research that links reading with increased mental and physical wellbeing, it's so important that we keep reading relevant and joyful. And you all made it so much fun!
Gordon House Cancer Council Fundraising
From Mr Henry Adams, Gordon House Head Mentor
On Monday 19 August Gordon House staged a very successful bake sale, raising over $380 to go toward much needed research and support to those impacted by cancer. Well done to so many of the Gordon cohort who baked the moreish morsels for the day, and the Year 11 Gordon students who ran the stall on the day. ...And a big thank you to everyone who came and made a purchase in support.
On Thursday 22 August, we had another successful involvement, with eight of our Year 11 Gordon students taking to the main street of town and selling Daffodil Day merchandise. Well done to all involved, it was a great success, and a great opportunity for so many students to serve in the agency of something greater than themselves – bravo!
A big thank you must also go to Mr Ben Doyle and Mr Peter Finlay.
Year 9 Visual Arts drawing workshop with scientific illustrator and author Sami Bayly
From Mr Andrew Orme-Smith, Head of Visual Arts
Year 9 students have experienced a range of skill development activities so far this year including drawing and water colour. For this reason it was particularly beneficial for them to attend a workshop with Sami Bayly, a Newcastle-based author and illustrator of scientifically accurate books for children.
Ms Bayly's presentation was informative both on her pathway to a career in illustration as well as an insight into the drawing process. It was especially relevant as Year 9 started 2024 with a deep dive into Surrealism, and while Ms Bayly’s creatures are scientifically accurate, she chooses to portray Nature’s most unlikely and surreal-looking animals. A huge thanks must go to Lisa Pengilly for arranging this opportunity and I look forward to seeing its impact in weeks to come!
To find out more information about Sami, please click on the link All — Sami Bayly
Science Week
From Ms Alex McLennan, Acting Head of Science
Our second annual Science Fair was held in Week 3 this term, coinciding with the 2024 National Science Week. Our Year 9 students were tasked with designing models based on the theme for Science Week, Species Survival: More than just sustainability. Many exceptional models and novel ideas were on display, with a focus on designing a prototype to be used in a real-world setting. The Science Fair was hosted by Year 12 students George Wakem and Sophie Smith, and there were many practical and hands on demonstrations of science on the night, led by Will Haseler, Sandy Robb and Tommy Poulton, who gave up their time to help engage their younger peers in the science fun. We also shared displays from the Junior School, showcasing the exciting projects they have been involved in this year, and hearing from them what they think science is. I had the pleasure of attending the year group meeting for Year 9 last week to award our prize winners from the fair. The winners were:
- First Overall – George Hunt
- Second Overall – Austin Cutter
- Third Overall - Nethuli Pathirana
- People’s Choice – Flynn Jones
- Junior School Favourite – Minnie Whittle
Science Extension Presentations
From Ms Alex McLennan, Acting Head of Science
Week 4 saw us celebrate our Science Extension students as they presented their major research projects to their mentors, friends, family and staff. In only our second year running the course, our cohort numbers have grown immensely, and it is always a rewarding night to see our students present their work in such an accomplished manner.
This year, we invited the Science Extension students from Orange High School to join us, along with their teacher and Head of Science, Jess Huggett. It was wonderful to be able to share the night with our wider community and for our students to network and share their experiences with the students from Orange High School. A big congratulations to all the students who presented on the night. We continue to be amazed by the quality of the work you produce each year.
Indigenous Program Visit to Dubbo and Coonamble
From Nash Adams, Year 9 Student
On Wednesday 21 August, 16 Indigenous students from Years 7 to 10 left Kinross Wolaroi to go on the first Indigenous Program Camp 3-day trip to Dubbo and Coonamble. On the first day we left school and went to Dubbo Zoo to stay the night. We got off the bus, set up camp and sat at the fire that was made by the ladies that worked there.
We then had dinner which was hotdogs, cheesy pasta, and coleslaw. After dinner we went on a night tour to look at all the amazing Australian species such as quokkas, koalas, emus, and echidnas, then we came back and got ready to go to bed. The next morning, we woke up nice and early at 6am to have brekkie, get ready for the day, and pack our things away. We then had another tour to look at at different species of animals, including the Lemur, Bongos, and Gibbons, which wanted to challenge Mr Taylor to a fight. We then all hopped on the bus and went to Orana Mall where we all got supplies for the night at Coonamble. We then went on a 2-hour trip from Dubbo to Coonamble to have lunch at the pub, where we meet some of our families and had chicken schnitzels and burgers. After we said bye to all our families we left and went off to stay the night at a property called Gilgooma.
The lady that owned it, Pip, was so nice and made us lamb stew for dinner and we spent the night playing touch, yabbying, hanging out with Pip’s children Chuck and Clancy, and practicing our dances for the next day. The next day we had bacon and egg rolls and packed up camp to head into Coonamble and dance at two schools - St Brigid's and the Coonable Public School. At the public-school, Declan Dixon’s younger brother danced with us. After, we went to Coonamble High where we had sausage sandwiches and played touch. After that it was time to hit the road back to Orange. With some phones flat, we had to do something none of us wanted to do, socialise! Some of us slept and some lucky ones still had their phones. We made some pitstops here and there and eventually arrived back on site at around 7pm Friday.
Special thanks to Mr Lee Taylor, Mr Cory McLean for organising this trip.