Message from the

Head of Senior School

Term 2 Week 1

I hope all mothers had a relaxing day on Sunday. It was interesting speaking with my Year 8 classes today to discover what they had done to show their mum they care – it would appear there are some splendid cooks amongst them!

On Friday I attended the funeral of a ‘KWS grandpa’ in Forbes. It was clear from that lovely service just how valued the man in question was – his close (and large!) family clearly loved him a great deal and he loved them in return. Not only that, the wider Forbes community felt great affection and respect for him too. Travelling to and from Forbes in the car on my own gave me a good opportunity to reflect on the importance of extended family and community, and the place of all that in our lives. This funeral coincided with Mother’s Day, so I was reminded that we shouldn’t place too much focus on the things that don’t really matter, especially material things and possessions, fancy clothes and gadgets, and professional or personal status. There is a certain nobility in being a ‘good person’; living a relatively simple life with integrity and love for those around us is an honourable achievement in itself.

Friday also brought some welcome rain to the district. Much more is still needed but at least it reminded us that it hasn’t forgotten how to rain!

Year 7 and 9 students are completing NAPLAN tests this week. Fortunately these tests are low-key here and the students take them very much in their stride. It is a large organisational effort, however, so thanks must go to Mr Choi and his team who do the lion’s share of making sure it all runs smoothly.

On Wednesday 16 May there is an extended staff meeting after school. This provides teachers with an opportunity to develop their professional skills here without having the disruption to classes that travelling to Sydney can involve. The Director of Staff Development, Ms Susan Cameron, oversees a very broad program to support and enhance the skills of all teaching staff, both those new to the profession and those of us who are old hands. Teachers learn best from other teachers and that focus is one we promote actively at KWS.

The winter sports season is well under way. I have seen some very exciting netball and football games and look forward to seeing even more over the coming months. Thank you to parents who ensure their children are on time to games, appropriately kitted out and playing with flair and enthusiasm. A special thank-you to boarder parents who come a long way to watch their children play.

I wish you all a great couple of weeks.

Bev West

Head of Senior School