Dear Killara Families,

It has been terrific to have our community inside our school once again. Over the previous fortnight our community has celebrated student achievement across a range of events. Our school is very fortunate to have staff who extend themselves to support our wonderful students both before and after school, and during the weekends. I thank every staff member, student and family member for their contribution towards making all of our events a success. We have seen personal best achievements across the creative, socio-emotional, physical and intellectual domains, and I congratulate all of our students for the commitment to their learning and wellbeing.

Boccia Knockout 2022 Round 2 - Sydney North Champions

A very significant achievement for our school came from the collective efforts of our Boccia team. Our Boccia team members Daniel, Sebastian and Wesley came first after winning five out of five games. They were crowned Sydney North Champions. The team have advanced to the Boccia state finals. Congratulations to this wonderful team. I thank Mr Duncan Smith for his efforts in managing this event.

Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Hike

Congratulations to all students who participated in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Hike on Sunday 5th of June to Tuesday 7 June. Students undertook this adventurous journey component of this program from Somerset Education Centre, along the Colo River. This program requires students to demonstrate grit, preparation, responsibility and collaboration. I thank Mrs Downes for her management of this event, and I thank our Killara families for their support of this wonderful program. We are very proud of all students who participated in this invaluable program.

MADD Festival: Music, Dance and Drama

Our MADD Festival took place on Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 of June in our Kerrabee Centre. The evening was very well attended, and our performances were of the highest calibre. Musicians, singers, actors, and dancers all performed across two evenings, and they were supported by our talented Light and Sound team. A strong sense of community was felt across both evenings. I thank Ms Berry, Ms Dale, Ms Gollmer and Ms Kim for their support and management of this great event.

Course Selection Evening

We welcomed our Year 8 and Year 10 families into the school last week as we commenced the important course selection process. At Killara, our broad curriculum provides students with an opportunity to select from a wonderful range of courses. I encourage students to make course selection decisions based on their areas of interest and enjoyment.

Killara Schools Partnership Strings Workshop

This week we experienced the collective efforts of students from Killara High School and local primary schools. The junior and senior strings ensembles joined with our local primary schools in a workshop. On Tuesday 14 June students performed in a concert. I thank Mr Moran, Principal of Roseville Public School for preparing a wonderful BBQ dinner for the students, and Ms Read, Principal of Lindfield East Public School for supporting the event. I thank Ms Dale and Ms Dixon for their efforts in managing this event. We thank Mar’yana for her efforts in directing our students. Congratulations to all students on their wonderful achievement. This concert took place at Killara High School’s Kerrabee Centre.

School tours

School tours have commenced for 2022 for prospective students. We have had a wonderful response from our community in terms of expressions of interest for Year 7 enrolments, and we are honoured to hold such a privileged position in our community as a school which provides a high quality educative experiences. It’s our staff, students and families who combine to provide the most incredible learning environment, where we aim to unleash the potential in all students.

Let us celebrate student achievements

Overall, I want to acknowledge the efforts of every student here at Killara High School. I want to recognise every student who simply turns-up and works at their personal best level, and has a go. For some students, simply arriving at school and successfully completing a single day is an achievement. I want to recognise, celebrate and congratulate those students who do not achieve at the highest levels, but still maintain a growth mindset, demonstrate grit, persistence, and determination to constantly get better – and, in my perspective, these character traits associated with bouncing back are the highest levels of achievement, as they are an important life skill.

I want to recognise the Killara students who express their humanity towards other students in wonderful ways that are not publicly visible or not publicly recognised, and I want to say thank you to all our students who keep the wonderful Killara culture of care and respect for their peers and themselves at the forefront of their actions. The invisible acts of kindness and care are what sets the foundations for our school’s success. We have many students who engage in volunteer work, we have kind students who help others across the school every day – and these small actions and sentiments paradoxically make the biggest difference and are at the core of what makes our school great. Therefore, let’s recognise and celebrate our students who simply go about their learning and do their best, day in and day out, who do not get public recognition, but who simply revel in the intrinsic value that manifests from being a good human and citizen of our school community.

At Killara, we strive towards ensuring that every student is known, valued and cared for.

Robin Chand

Principal

MADD Festival

June 2022