Senior School News

Year 12 Geography Fieldwork 

20th - 21st May

The Year 12 Geographers travelled to Sydney to investigate the urban process shaping the morphology of Sydney. The first stop was Cabramatta where students had Yum Cha together, the chicken feet were a big hit with some of the students. 

They then travelled the CBD to complete an urban transect though the city. Barangaroo was the next stop followed by The Rocks. Students were able to account for the changes that have shaped the city from industrial Sydney to Sydney as a world city. The Geographers finished the trip with a treasure hunt around Pyrmont and a kayak of middle Harbour.

Round Square mini-conference

On Friday May 21st five students (Fletcher Smith, Hugh Thompson, Edward Southwell, Matilda Quigley and Halle Doyle) and Mrs Kate Anderson, drove to MLC in Sydney for the first Round Square mini-conference since Covid. This was also Kinross’ first experience in Round Square. 

Students were pushed out of their comfort zones by being separated into “baraza groups”. This is a Swahili term, meaning “meeting group” and a place for MLC students to facilitate discussions on the issues raised at the conference. There were “get to know you” games, guest speakers, a TED talk, a cultural boat cruise on Sydney Harbour, a trivia quiz plus a scavenger hunt through the city streets. 

Throughout the weekend students gained an understanding of the Round Square Ideals (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service) and how they fit into the curriculum at Kinross already. They have returned home with enthusiasm, ideas and passion and are excited for what lies ahead. 

Lost Civilizations - Year 10

Year 10 have come to the end of a unit of work called “Lost Civilizations”. The underlying theme was to understand the basis for the successful construction of a 3-dimensional object, viewed “in the round”. It also provided an opportunity to explore the art and architecture of a wide range of cultures, to see how beliefs and design aesthetic were manifested in buildings. The efforts of the artisans and artists could be appreciated for their different approaches to similar aims, both architectural and cultural. 

The scope was wide, from the mud buildings of Mali in West Africa, through Jordanian temples carved from stone, to Hindu temples, Mayan ruins and the Cathedrals of Europe. The brief required students to imagine they had ‘stumbled’ on such a building from a civilization long lost to the modern world. What would it look like, what purpose did the building serve, and what remained of its decoration after the ravages of weathering and the events of history? 

Following this creativity of concept, building their designs incorporated problem solving and skilling up in various ceramic building techniques over several weeks. Decoration required developing an understanding of slips and glazes, and the application of them to achieve the desired effects. Successful ceramics requires creativity and planning, patience and determination and a degree of chance- it is impossible to know exactly what the work will look like as the kiln door is opened. As such, perhaps it serves as a metaphor for life?  

Economics Bonanza

It has been a busy few weeks in Social Science – especially for our economists!

Federal Budget Night: On Tuesday 11 May, Mr Thomas hosted the keen economists (both Year 11 and Year 12) at the PLC site to watch the Treasurer deliver the 2021-22 Budget. A great opportunity to apply their learning in real time – how the government is planning to use fiscal policy to manage our economy and address specific economic issues.

2021 Macroeconomic Q&A Panel Discussion – Livestream: On Wednesday 19 May, KWS HSC Economics class participated in the after school livestream Economics panel discussion co-hosted by Shore School, SCEGGS Darlinghurst and Sydney Grammar School. The focus of the event was “Challenges facing the Australian economy from an internal and external perspective”. The panel included:

1. Sue-Lin Ong (Chief Economist at RBC)
2. Paul Bloxham (Chief Economist at HSBC)
3. Besa Deda (Chief Economist at Westpac Business Bank)

KWS students were invited to submit questions for panel consideration and valued the chance to hear from some of the best economists in Australia! 

YEAR 12 ENGLISH LOCAL HEROES PROJECT

Mrs Justina Holland 

As part of the HSC course work, Year 12 English Studies students are researching Local Heroes in the Orange Community. Earlier this term the class visited Ronald McDonald House and interviewed Ms Rebecca Walsh Executive Officer of Orange Charities who gave them a tour of local facilities. The Year 12 English Studies class chose to advertise Ronald McDonald House as a service that provides free accommodation for families in our wider community who need assistance when their child becomes ill and needs to go to hospital. They felt it important to raise awareness that this facility is reliant on community donations and volunteers, so they created brochures to advertise the services on offer, with the hope of raising awareness and support for this not-for-profit organization.