Message from 

the Principal

“The only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people. Our lives become the sum of all whom we have loved”. 

George Vaillant

Over the past few weeks as we have all wrestled with the multitude of challenges cast upon us during COVID-19 pandemic, a theme we have considered during this time of disruption has been gratitude, of us taking a little time to consider how fortunate we are and that most of us have a great deal to be thankful for. We all live such busy lives and it is so easy to be caught up in the hustle and bustle of modern living. 

The period of social distancing and of isolation has enabled us to slow down, spend time with our families and to think about those things in our lives that truly bring us happiness and fulfilment.

What has been highly evident on our students’ return to School is the great value they place on human relationships. Having been separated from friends and sharing special time with family has awakened among many of us the importance of human connection in our lives. Our Year 7 students have recently spent some time reflecting about the things in life that they are grateful for – this exercise, led by Mrs McCalman, saw our students construct a Gratitude Wall. It was wonderful to see their comments, hundreds of them - nearly everyone focusing on family, friends, teachers and home. What really stood out was the complete absence of material items. For it was not possessions or things that our young students valued and appreciated – it was people and the special human relationships in their lives. It is interesting to see such wisdom from the young as many of us can lose focus on the things of true value as we get caught up in the helter skelter of everyday life.

The greyer my hair becomes and the more I read, the more convinced I become that the single most important determinant for human wellbeing is not money, or status or power, or celebrity, but the ability to develop warm and fulfilling relationships with other people. To my mind, if you had to select just one key ingredient to The Good Life, I believe that would be it.

I recently read an article in the Harvard Gazette that lends substantial weight to this thesis. The paper described the findings of George Vaillant of the Harvard Medical School who for thirty-seven years was in charge of the Harvard study, research which perhaps was the longest running, and most exhaustive, longitudinal study of mental and physical wellbeing in history. The study tracked the lives of more than two hundred healthy, well adjusted (admittedly all male – as the college was all male when the study commenced) students at the prestigious University. It tracked their progress, their mental and physical wellbeing, over a seventy – plus year period starting with their time at Harvard in 1942 and continuing in many cases with their death several decades later. Throughout their lives, they allowed themselves to be subjected to regular medical examinations and psychological tests – as well as completing regular questionnaires and interviews. George Vaillant, a psychiatrist processed all this data and when he was recently asked what his life work had taught him about the secret of happiness, he replied:

“That the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships with other people.”

George Vaillant

The quality and depth of Vaillant’s lifetime study gives him great authority on this subject and strongly affirms my view of the immense importance of relationships in our lives. 

It was wonderfully refreshing to read that our Year 7’s readily identified this thesis, as it was woven through all their comments on their Gratitude Wall.    

Staff Appointment

Mrs Sophie Fardell – Acting Head of Loader House – Terms 3 & 4

I am pleased to announce that Mrs Sophie Fardell has been successful in her application as the Acting Head of Loader House. Sophie will be primarily responsible for the safety, wellbeing, personal and academic development of the Year 8 – 12 girls in Loader. She is currently a Boarding Assistant in Loader House and has developed many strong and effective relationships with students and parents. Sophie has found the experience extremely rewarding and possesses a strong passion for boarding life. Prior to her involvement in Loader, Sophie was involved in providing academic support in Wolaroi House. 

Sophie has a Bachelor of Exercise Science and a Bachelor of Teaching. She is a member of our PDHPE Department and teaches a number of Junior and Senior courses offered in the faculty. Sophie brings a wealth of experience to the role, being a member of the academic staff, MIC of Netball and Basketball, and also a Wellbeing Mentor.

Please join me in congratulating Sophie on her appointment.

Staff Retirement

Ms Dahle Innes – Brass Teacher and Ensemble Director

Following 33 years of dedicated service as a member of the Kinross Wolaroi School Music Department, Ms Dahle Innes has shared with me her wish to retire from her role at the end of Term 2. Her contribution to the School’s Music Department has been quite outstanding.

Dahle’s primary role during her time at KWS has been as a Brass Teacher and Ensemble Director, however, she has also undertaken many additional responsibilities and conducted the School Orchestra for many years. Her calm leadership of this group enabled the students perform with a real sense of occasion for our major School events such as the Year 12 Graduation Ceremony and Speech Day. 

A highly accomplished pianist, she has accompanied countless HSC students in their final performance exams, accompanied many Choirs including the Junior choirs and the Chamber Choir, as well as being the repetiteur for numerous Senior School Musicals. Dahle also held the baton as the Musical Director for the Senior School productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, and West Side Story. 

Dahle is a much beloved colleague. Her presence will be sorely missed by her students and by all of those who have had the pleasure of working with her over the years. 

Dahle is very much looking forward to focussing on a new stage of her life, wherever that may take her. Please join me in thanking Dahle for her marvellous contribution to the School and wishing her well in her future endeavours.

Dr Andrew Parry 

Principal - KWS