Dear Alumni,
Long time, no chat!
I thought I would take the opportunity of the latest TOHGA Talks to touch base with you all, and to reconnect. Many of you I will know directly because you were students when I was Deputy Principal to Mr Phipps, others are before my time – but your names and reputations proceed you and, of course, we share the experience of being proud Hills Grammarians.
Whilst I see some of you at reunions and during the occasional drop-in, it is true to say that once a Hills Grammarian leaves school, they do not need to return. I remember Robert Phipps using this as one of his Graduation Assembly themes at which he said ‘It was time for the graduates to leave’, adding ‘because they were ready to’. I remain supremely confident that one of the great strengths of our School is that students graduate ready to take the next steps into the world they will lead and in which they will flourish.
I hope you know you are always welcome at your school and since I became Principal in 2017, it has been one of my goals to ensure that graduates add their voice and experience to the learning of the current crop of students. Your experiences, voice and perspectives enrich the learning of those who attend in 2020 and beyond, so please engage with Liz Pellinkhof so we can lock you in with the staff when they are planning extraordinary learning opportunities for their current students. Over the past three years an increasing number of graduates have returned and participated in our learning programs - I trust you saw many of these celebrated in the last edition of The Pennant and hope to see many more names added in the future.
Please also feel free to visit at any time you are passing. We would love to show you around the campus, now approximately 54 acres with the recent purchase of the old Art Gallery site at 39 Kenthurst Road.
When you visit you will still recognise your old school, but also marvel at the changes and developments that have been achieved over the past 38 years, and more recently in the last four. Most importantly, you will still sense the character and spirit of the School, which I believe has been present since our humble beginnings in 1982, but strongly unites all those who have passed through the gates. The culture, history and language of the School remains palpable and again links us with those who have come before.
As a school we have not stood still or rested on our laurels but are committed to continuous improvement and the ongoing development our School; not at the expense of our heritage, but built upon it to ensure what we do now, is sustainable into the future. The foundations, upon which the School was built, interesting and rocky at times in the past, are nevertheless strong and inform our present and future.
To give you a sense of some of the areas of growth and development in recent years you may be interested in the following click-throughs:
- Website
- School Ethos: Our Vision, Mission, Character, Graduate Aim
- Deeper Water, Deeper Learning: Learning and Teaching and Hills Grammar
- Gallery of Facilities: recent improvements to the campus
- Four Years in Four Minutes: a summary of the past four years
- 2020 HSC Results: best ever
Covid-19 has also challenged us in recent times! A school without its students is simply not a school. However, the teaching staff, many who you will remember fondly, have been magnificent in transitioning learning to online platforms without losing the essence of the Hills Grammar. Distance Learning @ Hills Grammar explains our approach. We are proud of our staff, students and their parents who have had to take on the role of teacher in recent times, but we are looking forward to welcoming our 930 (K to 12) students back to school as soon as possible. In the meantime, our twice-rated ‘Exceeding’ Early Childhood Education Centre (3 and 4 year olds) continues to function, and flourish amidst the crisis.
Let us look for opportunities for you to remain active and frequent members of your School community. Consider
- organising a reunion
- participating in the learning program
- being a mentor to current students
- trusting the school with your own children and enrol them
- advocating to your friends and associates the qualities and strengths of the School
- visiting and have a trip down memory lane
Whatever ways you can be involved – you are most welcome and we look forward to engaging with you more often as we approach our 40th anniversary in 2022.
Take care!
Michael Smith | Principal
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