As term 2 ends, I acknowledge that we have so much to celebrate. The uplifting enthusiasm and commitment of our staff and students, the wonderful celebrations held during HeathBeat, the Poet Laureate competition and many sporting achievements. Our executive, support staff and teachers give so much of their time and energy to Hills to ensure that our students have a rich experience.
HealthBeat
The Advancement team led by Claire Napoli organised and ran an engaging and enjoyable HealthBeat program for the staff, parents and students. Watching our children enjoying skipping across the school brought back childhood memories. Every child was given a skipping rope and were provided with skill sessions. They raised money for the very worthy Jump Rope for Heart foundation. The Juice Bikes were very popular, especially with the junior school students. It was heartwarming seeing the kindergarten students dressed in their farm outfits being assisted by our senior students when peddling to make their drinks. I enjoyed running a writing session for our parents. It was so relaxing and inspiring sitting in our newly painted yarning circle surrounded by the beauty of nature. Such a great idea!
Staff achievement
We are very proud of our junior school teachers, Katey Mills and Liz Gosper, who presented the work they have been doing for the Deep Learning program. They shared their exemplary resources and programs with teachers from across the state at the recent AISNSW Deep Learning Lab. Max Drummy, NPDL Global facilitator, acknowledged the quality of their work and stated that it was of an international standard.
Poet Laureate
On the 22 June, I had the honour of judging the Hills Poet Laureate competition with the HOD English Sandy Alderson, Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School David Hamper and our Coordinator of Professional Practice and English teacher Sarah Warby. The standard of the year 10 students vying for this title was exceptional. Their spoken poetry was centred on theme of rising above doubt. It was very challenging selecting a winner. Congratulations to the following year 10 wordsmiths: Azaya J, Steve W, Tahlia S, Mikayla M, Lachlan A, Vincent J, Florentine G, David Z and Demin C. A special thank you to their coach Justine Zarebski whose passion for instilling a love of language and poetry in our students is palpable. We could not separate the final two and even asked our current Poet Laurate Maka M to help us decide. In the end we chose two very worthy recipients: Tahlia S and Steve W. We are aiming to produce a book of poetry and provide recordings of all the students’ performing their poems. Our Poet Laureate creates and performs poems for our important school events. This year Maka presented to NSW principals at the AHISA meeting held at Hills. The principals were amazed at her sophisticated poetry and deliver. Justine Zarebski wrote about Maka, “Her work as our inaugural poet laureate has made our school a more beautiful and meaningful place. She showed the power of poetry to connect us with each other and with the world around us. I am grateful for her commitment to promoting the spoken word and making it more accessible to everyone.”
I have included an excerpt from the two poems:
What is your dream?
What is your ignited ambition?
You can’t let kinda quench that eternal fire.
And let me tell you one thing,
One thing that may change your life –
The greatest doubt you face, is not from external factors,
But from your internal soul.
It is you who doubt if other’s doubt about you is correct.
The moment you stop doubting yourself,
Is the moment you kill other people’s doubt about you.
You are going to break this cage.
You are going to not walk, not run, but
Fly to that destination, where you discover that
Time is irreversible, that you can’t
go back and make a great beginning,
but you can start now, and make a great ending.
It’s gonna be tough, and you will struggle through it.
But remember, you only struggle
When you climb to the apex of the mountain.
So, what is doubt?
Doubt is a catalyst that drives you
To find the real you.
- Steve W
The human spirit whispers voices to the horizon,
Creating a world of your own imagination.
Feeding you courage and individuality,
Possibilities of monumentality.
It pricks the beauty of liberation,
And finds the identity of determination,
Through the power of self-transformation.
The ultimate configuration of the ‘true self’.
Inner evil is not an inherent quality,
Rather a manifestation of ferocity.
Something easily manipulated,
By the opiniated of the world.
The Unstoppable Tyrant is not so invincible when faced with the chance of greatness.
If anything, it entertains us,
Telling us stories of the height of clouds,
Teaching us testaments of our surrounds,
And preaching to the sound of your spirit.
My spirit,
In the name of flight.
- Tahlia S
Intergenerational program
One of our year 7 English classes led by Seshni Hudson, the HOD of the International School, has been meeting on a weekly basis with elderly residents in their nineties from Arcare. The six ladies have told me that they love coming to meet with our students and enjoy discussing the focus of the work being studied this term in English Hero’s Journey as well as telling the students about the past and their experiences. Betty, one of the residents told me that she keeps seeing the lovely faces of our students when she returns to the home and that the visit to Hills is the highlight of her week. It is such a wonderful program for our students and the residents. Next term, the ladies will be working with a different year 7 class. At the end of the program, the children will develop an eBook of each resident’s life story.
Sporting Successes
Congratulations to our students who represented Hills in a range of sports. Mya T competed in the National Clubs Carnival Competition in rythmic gymnastics where she achieved a bronze medal for her Cat 2 Ball Trio and Cat 3 Clubs. Her Junior team won gold! A special mention is made to the teams that competed in the HZSA primary and secondary competitions. The Year 5 and 6 Football teams were champions in Division A and B. The Senior Girls Netball Division B, the Senior Girls Futsal, the Intermediate Boys Basketball were all runners up.
Music showcases
The standard of musical performance at Hills is exceptional. Thank you to Owen Nelson and his wonderful team for providing the opportunity for our students to shine. The big showcase with over 300 students performing was exceptional. The final year 8 performance last night ended the program on a special note. I have to admit to being moved to tears as our year 8 students performed with such passion and determination.
Farewell to Council Member Stephen Weller
Long standing Council member Stephen Weller’s nine-year term has come to an end. Stephen has been a very wise, supportive ands committed member. I have valued his wisdom, passion for education and wry humour. He is a gentleman and a scholar and I will miss not working with him on Council.
Strategic Plan 2022-2025
We have redeveloped our 2022-2024 Strategic Plan upon realising that we had already achieved most of what we had set out to do. We have also reshaped our mission, purpose and graduate aims to reflect what our students need to flourish and to put students at the centre of what we do.
All the best to our students traveling to Japan with our intrepid teachers led by Belinda Gerometta and to our students going to the snow with our teachers led by Mark Harrington. Wishing all of you a relaxing and special time with your families.
Karen Yager | Principal
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