Message from the Principal

Welcome to New Families

Welcome to school for 2022. I am excited about the prospects for the year ahead and look forward to an enriching year and hopefully a return to more normal days. To host the largest ever Year 7 in Calrossy’s history is exciting and I have already enjoyed the enthusiasm and energy they have added to our school.

I especially welcome new students and their families to our community and trust that you will enjoy a warm welcome and strong fraternity, as we partner together in seeking best outcomes for your children’s education. I love it that our staff and students so warmly include new members to Calrossy and I trust that this will be your experience. 

Staff Changes

We welcome many new staff to Calrossy, some due to growth in our student numbers. Several others are staff changes:

• Miss Julia Boland joins Calrossy from QLD as Head of Senior Secondary, overseeing Years 10 to 12. A Maths and sometimes PDHPE teacher she also has passions for student wellbeing and golf.
• Rev. Mark Rundle joins us from Arden Anglican School as our new Senior Chaplain. A lover of sport and an ex English and linguistics teacher, Mr Rundle enjoys Studies of Religion, student small groups and encouraging students to think about the questions of life around faith.
• Mrs Courtney Coe has been involved in Boarding for over 20 years but moves to take on the role of Registrar and Leadership of the Enrolments and Community team.
• Mrs Maria Buster assumes the role as Head of Boarding. Maria has had four boys travel through Calrossy and is well known to Boarder families through her support of both boys and girls in the residential setting.
• Mrs Zoe Morris is the new Head Librarian across the whole School
• Mrs Hannah Pollard rejoins Calrossy and is the new Indigenous Coordinator, supporting the School outcomes of our First Nations students.
• Mr David Hampstead is our Director of Sport.
• Mr Matthew Frazer takes on the Director of Studies role, overseeing curriculum.
• Mrs Irem Mooney moves from a classroom teacher to become our PDHPE teacher in the Junior School.
•  Mrs Zoe Morris is the new Head Librarian across the whole School and Mrs Sally-Anne Merrick is the Junior School Librarian

Other staff to join us include:

Mrs Barbara Higgins – School Assistant – Library

Miss Brittany Singleton - Maths 

Mrs Casey Fenton - Food Technology 

Mrs Catrina O’Mullane – Junior School Teacher

Mrs Chloe Bushell - Art 

Mrs Jessica Clark – Creative and Performing Arts

Mr Jonathon Staines - Wood Technology

Mrs Ruth Rundle - Music

Mr Patrick Bradbery - Maths 

Mrs Rebecca Truter – Junior School Teacher 

Miss Shae Williams – Science 

Miss Sophie Jones – Junior School Teacher 

Mrs Tamara MacKechnie  – School Assistant – Library 

Miss Alexandra Watt - Primary Industries and Cattle Club

Mrs Emma O’Connor – Secondary and eCalrossy Learning Support

Miss Madyson Warren – Secondary Teachers’ Aide

Mrs Amy Dallas - Junior School PA

Mr Peter Hardes rejoins us teaching Music

We welcome new Maintenance team members, Jason Neal and Jamie O’Neill.

We are excited by the enthusiasm of these staff members and look forward to their contribution to our learning and school life.

STOP Press – Uniform Update

The Container holding new dresses is held up in Customs. Information will be provided to parents on arrival in Tamworth asap.  Noone have advised of a slight delay of the new summer dresses for girls from Kindergarten – Year 9 that are sitting in Sydney, waiting to clear customs. When supplies arrive in Tamworth we will advise parents and students. PE uniforms are permitted to be used in the meantime.

New uniforms are available for purchase at the Noone Wearhouse at 132 Brisbane Street. Students are permitted to wear either the previous uniform or the new but not to mix and match. A two year transition period has now commenced. 

Our Senior staff leadership, in conjunction with student leaders have committed to high standards of dress and presentation in 2022. Calrossy’s enviable reputation has developed over many years and our students are invited to maintain and enhance this in the way they present our uniform. We don’t plan to be ‘draconian’ but believe that if we hold to high standards of dress and presentation, it supports learning and the positive culture within our School.

Specific details include appropriate hair length and plain belts (boys), jewellery regulations and hair ribbons (girls) and the requirement to wear the School hat to and from school (after the Easter holidays.)

Information to parents will be provided at the various information nights over early weeks of term.

Hope and Change

This year we launch a new Calrossy strategic plan and one of our big ideas promotes Calrossy students of creators of hope and agents of change. Our ex-students often talk of men and women, who leave school to make a difference and positively contribute to our society.

Special focus will be given to:

• Living with Purpose
• Growing our People (Students, Staff, Alumni and Parents)
• Learning in Partnership 

These ideas will be developed during 2022 and will be the focus of school planning.

HSC Results 

Whilst many weeks later than usual, Calrossy celebrated wonderful HSC results, again placing us at the top of our region and across Northern NSW. In another part of the newsletter our new Director of Studies Mr Matthew Frazer comments on the success enjoyed by our students. Congratulations to the Year of 2021 and their teachers for maintaining our enviable record.

Community events and programs

The Community Prayer Breakfast scheduled for this Friday will be postponed until later this term to allow us the best opportunity to go together in prayerful support of our school community.  Please look out for more details in a later newsletter.

Little Learners, regretfully will be starting later this term. Please stay posted.

I wish Calrossy families every success in 2022 and look forward to partnering with in educating our fine young men and women.

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; His love endures forever.”  Psalm 136:1

David Smith

Principal