From the Principal

Partnerships to enrich learning

As stated in our Strategic Plan, we believe that the purpose of education at Hills Grammar, is to prepare our students to be resilient, courageous, creative and confident. We want our students to be able to delve deeply into academic disciplines – in the arts, in the sciences, in mathematics, languages, humanities and technology – while also emerging with deep learning competencies to thrive in an ever-changing world, one filled with problems, challenges and opportunities we are yet to imagine.

One of the key strategies to enable this to be possible and to future proof our students is creating partnerships with universities that can offer our students a university experience, expose them to blue sky thinking and enable them to have the confidence to embrace new challenges and stretch their learning beyond the curriculum.

The UTS year 10 program has been exceptional. The students Creative Intelligence microcredential that will count towards the first year of university and advance standing challenged our students to adopt blue sky thinking as they developed a strategy that would assist our School in reaching net zero by 2035. They were supported by university staff, such as engineers and a climate change specialist, and marked at a university standard. One student told me that it was life changing. The results were extraordinary. 16 students achieved a High Distinction, 13 a Distinction HD and 9 a credit. The university team was so impressed with the ideas that were generated. Four of the teams presented at our Strategic Planning Day to Council and the Executive. One idea regarding reducing the use of paper will be implemented this year. The team met with our Director of Business Services to plan how their idea can be adopted across the whole school. The other three audacious ideas will be explored further through a feasibility study.

This year we launched the Hex University if Sydney microcredential for year 9 students that gives them advance standing if they complete the course successfully at USYD and other Australian Universities. The students work online after school and have the opportunity to have two catchups a week with successful entrepreneurs from Atlassian, Google and various start-up companies. David Hamper and I met with the 21 students doing the entrepreneurial courses that complements our own entrepreneurial program in week 2. The students were so excited and expressed their absolute support for the program. They could not believe that got to chat with an industry leader and ask questions. 20 students will do the course in term 3.

Another important partnership that is engaging and inspiring our junior school students to strive for excellence is one with the Institute of Sport. The Birrong students spent time with an Olympic diver Olivia O’Rourke representing the Institute who shared with the students how she how she reached the top of her sport. Olivia focused on the importance of strengthening the body, collaboration and creativity. The students have been challenged to invent a new sport for the Olympics.

Learning Centre Education Series

Dr Chris Furner and Sarah Warby have developed a brilliant professional learning program for teachers at Hills and beyond. We have approximately 40 teachers attending the first session in person or virtually. Some of those teachers are from remote regional areas and one is from Queensland. Hills does not charge for this professional learning, so this makes it accessible to all teachers. Our own teachers are presenting these accredited courses. On the 29 February, Sarah Warby presented an informative and engaging session on “A Cognitive Psychology Approach”. This is an area that Sarah is researching for her Masters.

Sarah was awarded on Wednesday evening at the NSW Professional Teachers Council awards night, Outstanding Professional Service Award. This prestigious award acknowledges the valued volunteer work that Sarah does as a Director for the NSW English Teachers Association. Congratulations to Sarah!