Over the last few days our full staff have come back to campus to prepare for the 2022 School year. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting them all and sharing with them my passion for education, wellbeing and growing love for Hills Grammar.
In preparing for this meeting with our staff I immersed myself in the School and its history. I looked to the core elements of what makes Hills Grammar the school it is today. The words of the School song resonated with me as they reflect the culture of our school, the challenges we are currently facing as a society and the dreams and aspirations we have for our students. Working as one we have the will to succeed – If we all work together – students staff and families - and show kindness, compassion and understanding we all have The pow’r to meet each challenge in our hands.
I reflected on the changing face of education and our students graduating in to the “5th Industrial revolution where humanism, civility, inclusivity, creativity and purpose will thrive alongside profit and digitally-enabled progress” (Maureen Thurston, 2021). I am confident that Hills Grammar, with its humanist approach that emphasises the personal worth of the individual, the centrality of human values, and the creative, active nature of human beings, will provide our students with necessary skills to thrive in the future.
Ron Ayling, Principal from 1985-1995, insightfully stated “I believe that education is about locating the genius in each and every child, that particle of the extraordinary, that glint of the divine, that resides in every single one of you, and moulding the path of its fulfilment.” Our founders envisioned a school where creative thinking, creative arts and creative teachers took precedence. With this in mind, we will be developing and implementing The Hills Education Passport for the Future that will be achieved through the accumulation of micro-credentials. The Passport will enable students to discover and shine the light on their “genius”. We aim to not only awaken passions and inspire the pursuit of learning in the classroom but beyond, fostering each student’s potential for greatness. The Passport recognises that students are more than a grade. It validates the passion, knowledge and skills that students already have, encouraging them to be agentic, committed and responsible citizens who have the courage to move beyond their comfort zone and embrace learning beyond the curriculum to enrich and expand their skills and knowledge.
In 2020, Professor Shergold wrote about the need for an Australian Education Passport. He stated that “Students will be guided to recognise the attributes they have acquired through study in the classroom as well as from work experience, volunteering and personal achievement...” Hills’ students from Early Childhood through to year 12 will be encouraged to look at the things that they currently do at Hills and in the community. It might be a start-up, coaching a team, doing a Coursera course, volunteering, AMEB exams and so much more.
Led by Ros Pereira, Head of Futures and Enterprise, we will be calling for Year 5-12 students, teachers and parents to join the planning team. Marcus Claxton, our IT Manager, is already working on an IT solution. The student team will then drive the dissemination of information to the student body, produce promotion materials and become the key advisory body for any needed changes or additions.
We are starting 2022 in a great position with enrolments over 990 students K – 12. Each and every student is an individual who has skills, talents, hopes and dreams - A myriad of dreams and aspirations, It’s here the seeds of learning are sown.
I am looking forward to meeting you all throughout the term.
Kind regards
Karen Yager Principal
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