Last week School Council and Company members came together for the Annual General Meeting of The Hills Grammar School. It was a pleasure to welcome a number of past Councillors and members of the company; a reminder of the dedication, commitment and service that so many people have given to the School over the past 37 years, and who remain connected, not only to the Company and Council, but to the school community more broadly.
The AGM saw the approval of the 2018 Financial Statement and reflected on the benefits of good governance and sound financial management which support projects and activities, enabling the School’s programs and ongoing success. The AGM also saw the re-election of existing Councillors, Mr John Glover, Dr Stephen Weller and Ms Gillian Wilson. Subsequent to the AGM the School Council elected the following council members to Executive positions:
- Chair: Mr Peter Crawley
- Deputy Chair and Hon Secretary Ms Lisa Ainsworth
- Treasurer: Ms Gillian Wilson
From the Chair of School Council
The last year has been significant for both the School and the Council. I would like to thank Mr Craig Tegel for Chairing the Council for the first part of the year. His leadership and wisdom have played a critical part in the setting of the direction for the School in recent years and much is owed to his guidance and expertise. Great credit for the success of the past year is also due to the Chairs of the Council sub-committees. Thanks therefore to Dr Stephen Weller, the Chair of the Governance Committee and Ms Gillian Wilson, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee. I would also like to record my appreciation to Mrs Lisa Ainsworth the Deputy Chair of Council for being constantly available to consult and for her perceptive advice.
Academic results for 2019 were strong at the Year 12 level. The School rated as 91 in the SMH top 100 schools. The School enrolment has gently risen and our financial stability is solid. The school calendar remained diverse with programs for all abilities and interests spread through the year. The 36th Annual Presentation of Awards was a fitting celebration of the achievements of the community.
The School, under the leadership of Principal Michael Smith, has implemented a new Executive structure within its management. Fund and friend raising within the community and alumni have been part of this as has communication, re-thinking student wellbeing and the roles of Head of Senior School. The new Executive structure, designed by the Principal, has provided greater capacity to the School as it implements its strategic vision.While this has been developing over the Principal and his team have worked on curriculum, staff development and appraisal and community relationships. The senior staff are working to a defined plan for the development of the academic and wellbeing of the students. Staff learning remains a key focus for the school.
The Council selected new auditors for the School during 2018. This involved the School’s Director of Business Operations and School Council and has led to a productive outcome with a substantial improvement in the strength of our understanding of current financial abilities within the school and of future development capacity. We intend to continue to work with advisers on maturing our ten-year financial plan.
The School have also redesigned the workspace for senior students and senior staff. These plans were implemented on time and within budget. Senior staff are to be congratulated for this. Recently new solar panels have been installed within the School which will substantially reduce operational costs and provide a valuable learning experience for students in an era of consciousness about global climate change and institutional responsibility.
The School has continued monitoring community feeling and opinion (its performance through its strengths and weakness) through our survey of staff, parents and students. This feedback has been instrumental in developing the Council guidance for the Principal and the Executive team for the ahead.
My thanks to all Council members for the uniform dedication to the School. We would also like to thank the Principal, Michael Smith for his leadership of the School, his work on defining the direction of the School and for his amicable relational style of working with the Council.
Peter Crawley | Chair of Council
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