KWS Magazine 2012 Issue Two - Kinross Wolaroi School

KWS Strings Star at ACOKWS has a history of excellence in Music and our currentcrop of Music students are certainly doing their bit tocement the School’s outstanding reputation.Strings players Rebekah Kwa and Annabelle Carter wereamong just 27 students Australia-wide selected to playwith the Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO) and attenda week-long ACO Academy in Sydney.Rebekah, who plays the cello, and Annabelle, a violinist,have been playing since they were four years old.The academy saw the girls rehearse with the ACO, attendcareers forums, spend one-on-one time with musiciansand go behind the scenes. The pair also performed withthe orchestra at the City Recital Hall.Rebekah and Annabelle met up with the ACO musiciansagain in August, when they attended an ACO workshopin Sydney along with their fellow KWS Strings Groupmembers.It was a wonderful experience for all the KWS stringsplayers, especially Annabelle who was chosen as one ofthe soloists for the workshop and concert.Mixing MusiciansTwelve Senior KWS Music studentswere exposed to an amazing arrayof talent when they took part in theCombined Schools Music Festival atRadford College in Canberra.Seven schools took part in thefestival, forming four massedensembles: Orchestra conductedby Tobias Foskett, Concert Bandconducted by John Saunders, StageBand conducted by Neils Rosendahland Choir conducted by Paul Holley.There was one KWS musician in theConcert Band, Owen Patfield, whodid an excellent job on bass clarinet.Two KWS students performedimprovised solos in the Stage Band:Kurt Taylor on trombone and AshleySnare on baritone saxophone.Rebekah Kwa was chosen to leadthe cello section in the Orchestra,while Annabelle Carter was chosenas Concertmaster. Annabelle won theFestival Award for the most valuedleader of any ensemble.Following all their hard work thestudents – and teachers – let downtheir hair (mullets!) for an 80s nightof dance and cringe-worthy fashion.Pictures: Top left - KWS Strings Group withmembers of the ACO; Right - Annabelle Carter(playing violin and Rebekah Kwa on cello.5

SENIOR SCHOOLMusic MattersMusical Over theRainbowThe KWS School Musical is always ahighlight of our year, but this year’sproduction set a new benchmark inthe dramatic life of the School.The Wizard of Oz showcased thetalents of 120 KWS students, withrespected film critic MargaretPomeranz describing theirperformance as “magic”.Ms Pomeranz, who was luckyenough to be in the audience forthe sell-out Saturday evening show,said from the moment the curtainwas raised she was captivatedand amazed by the fantasticperformance.The musical was the School’s biggestever, with about one-seventh of thestudent body involved.The performances, which receivedrapturous applause and rave reviews,were the product of six months’ hardwork outside school hours from over100 students, more than a dozenstaff and 25 musicians.Produced by David Budden anddirected by Catherine Litchfield, themusical recreated the magic of theoriginal movie, while introducing alittle KWS style.The production starred Olivia Fisheras Dorothy, Arabella Jorgensen-Hull as the Witch, Ben Watt asthe Scarecrow; Angus Crutcherplayed the Lion and Luke Eberle theTinman, with support from a faultlessensemble cast.The amazing 25-piece orchestrashowcased their abilities with thestunning set of popular and agelesstunes from the show.Opera House CallsThree KWS Music studentshave been granted an amazingopportunity to play with theAustralian Opera and BalletOrchestra (AOBO).Year 12 student Leonie Pringle(flute), Annabelle Carter (Year 11,violin) and Cecilia Carter (Year 9,clarinet) have been accepted intothe orchestra’s Young PerformersProgram.They are three of very few studentsaccepted into the AOBO programacross the State and they will havea chance to perform in an OperaAustralia production at the SydneyOpera House.Congratulations go to these talentedand dedicated musicians.6

HICES Music FestivalThis year’s HICES Music Festivalpresented a whole host of wonderfulopportunities to our Music students.Sixteen KWS students from Year 7to Year 10 joined more than 330other students from co-educationalindependent schools for the threedaycamp at Kurrajong, in the BlueMountains.Students were treated to workshopswith a cappella ensemble The Ideaof North, while the orchestral playerswere fortunate to have George Ellisas their conductor. George hasconducted orchestras all over theworld and brings flamboyance toperformance.Pictures: Previous page featured individuals,Lion Angus Crutcher and Scarecrow Ben Watt;Above - HICES Music Festival participants atthe Sydney Town Hall.For the Music Festival Concert atSydney Town Hall, George madethe orchestra stand up as the musicbecame louder and sit down as themusic got softer.The finale, which involved all 350students performing Zadok ThePriest, was a real spectacle and auraldelight.Our principal Brian Kennelly waslucky enough to be in the audienceand commented on how impressiveit was.Festival organiser Owen Nelsonof Hills Grammar also praised theKWS students for their talents andbehaviour.Speech andDrama ShowcaseSpeech and Drama students enjoyedthe opportunity to perform onstage in front of friends and familyrecently.The Take a Bow concert was run bySpeech and Drama teacher Kerry-Anne Callaughan, who is passionateabout establishing performanceopportunities for her students.The event was a showcase of theskills and talents of KWS Speechand Drama students, with plenty ofpoetry and drama in costume, andentertaining performances.Congratulations to the performersHamish Cameron, Babs King-Christopher, Vasee Vijayakumar,Kiri Vijayakumar, Kalina Davis,Parham Raoof, Georgie Spora,Lilla McKenzie, Sarah Hagarty,Kate Booth, Anna Williams,Georgia Booth, Prep students AilishSeedsman, Emily McLachlan andCatriona Denholm.The students displayed a high levelof confidence and many parentscommented on how well spoken andexpressive they were.Effort RewardedCongratulations to Bradyn Mirabelleand Annelise Corey, who have beenawarded their Diploma in Speechand Drama.The pair attended the IMEBGraduation at the AustralianInternational Conservatorium inSydney.7

SENIOR SCHOOLTeam Triumphs8StudentSpectacularThe Inter-House Spectacular lived upto its name, with brilliant costumes,fabulous choreography andenthusiastic performances makingthe 2012 show one to remember.After more than a term ofpreparation, students from Year 7 to11 hit the stage in an outstandingdisplay of acting, dancing and vocalabilities.It was a wonderful opportunity forthe students, with many soaring tonew heights and getting right out oftheir comfort zone to give their best.Special mention must go to the Year11 students who were in charge ofevery aspect of the performances,from writing scripts to directing theirHouses.The Inter-House Spectacular 2012results were:• Best Choir: McLachlan• Best Original Script/Concept:Richards• Best Choreography: Richards• Best Band: McLachlan• Runner-Up Director: Richards• Best Director: Richards• Best Supporting Female: IsabellaGaudiosi• Best Supporting Male: CameronHilder/Tom Rummery• Best Female: Sophia Cassimatis• Best Male: Ben Watt• Runner-Up Best Performance:Richards• Best Performance: McLachlanPictures: Top - Students from McLachlanHouse; Boys from Dean House; Right -students from Year 7 led by members of theAsanti Dance group in a traditional drum beat.Dance to the BeatYear 7 students put the books awayand brought their studies to liferecently, when the Asanti DanceTheatre came to KWS.The whole of Year 7 spent a periodplaying African drums, clapping,singing and dancing to the rhythmsand songs of the performers.It was a wonderful event, whichfocused on call and response, beatand various rhythmic patterns.The students had been studyingMusic Around the World and theperformance really solidified some ofthe concepts they had been learningin class.The students particularly loved theaerial flips of the incredibly talenteddancer and playing of the ‘AfricanPlaystation’, a handheld pair ofrattles.The teachers’ performance of achicken dance was also a hit!

Participation KeyMcLachlan House has been crownedSenior Athletics Champions for 2012,after an athletics carnival that sawrecord numbers of participants.The carnival had to be postponed inTerm Two due to snow, but the delayonly whet the competitors’ appetitesfor success.The two-day carnival began with theNational Anthem, and then Chariotsof Fire was played over the PA to geteveryone in an Olympic mood.Records broken during the eventwere:• 12 Year Girls Discus – McKenzieCarr 16.81 m• 13 Year Girls Discus – PrudenceSchiffman 23.85 m• 14 Year Girls Discus – SophieFenton 23.90 m• 15 Year Girls Discus – BrigittaHolland 27.11 m• 12 – 13 Year Girls Javelin –Kelsea Bellamy 17.85 m• 12 – 13 Year Boys Javelin –Henry Welsh 26.12 mHighlight of the carnival was easilythe incredible number of studentsparticipating in every event available,with special mention to the 17 YearsBoys group.A hush came over the School asthe Staff lined up against the HouseCaptains for the most anticipatedrace of the carnival; a 12 x 50mrelay, an event of truly Olympicproportions. The race has been heldfor 16 years, with the scores tallylocked at Staff 8, Students 8, but theStaff displayed their true class andtook out the 2012 event.Congratulations go to all for a greatcarnival and a wonderful display ofteam spirit.Sport Philosophy Starts at the TopAt KWS we believe that sport playsa vital role in educating the wholeperson and it’s a philosophy thatgoes right to the top!This year KWS Principal BrianKennelly will compete in histhird Triathlon World Age GroupChampionships and he’ll be joinedon the sport’s world stage by Year 10KWS student Luke Chalker.The dedicated triathletes have bothbeen selected in the Australianteam to compete in Auckland, NewZealand.Sixteen-year-old Luke will competein the men’s 16-19 years category,while Brian will contest the men’s60-64 years category.Luke’s sprint distance event willconsist of a challenging 750m swim,20km ride and 5km run.Brian will complete the Olympicdistance of a 1500m swim, 40kmride and 10km run.Luke and Brian have been doingsome training together, bravingOrange’s chilly winter conditions tocomplete between 9 and 12 sessionsa week.“It’s not hard when you havesomething like Worlds to motivateyou,” Luke said.Pictures: Top - Douglas House students Kelsea Bellamy, Tracey Kasjan, Eliose Coleman and Mary Munro 9

SENIOR SCHOOLSenior Sport SnippetsPictures: Above - Under 18s Western Regions Basketball winners, the Orange EaglesKWS Help EaglesWin FinalKWS was well represented whenthe Orange Eagles Under 18s men’sside capped off a stellar season towin their Western Region BasketballGrand Final.The Eagles defeated the Dubbo Rams76-43 after going into the GrandFinal on the back of 14 straight wins;undefeated for the season.Seven KWS students were in thepremiership-winning side: HenryOpie, Simon Douch, Dylan Prince,Alex Robinson, Tom Whitehead,Eden Taylorwood-Roe and NickSpina.The boys said they really appreciatedthe great support they received fromfellow KWS students, who broughtthe roof down cheering for theOrange side during the Grand Finalmatch.The Western Junior League seesteams from Lithgow, Orange,Bathurst, Dubbo and the Riverina(Griffith, Young, Narrandera andLeeton) play over three rounds.It had been many years since theOrange Basketball Association hadtaken out a WJL premiership and theprized 18 Men’s division was a realbonus.10Luke’s Tennis TriumphYear 10 KWS student Luke Petraglia(pictured right) has shown impressivededication and determination tosecure a place in the State tennischampionships.Luke is a member of the Central Westregional development squad and herecently won the region’s Championof Champions title, which pittedthe top eight players from this year’sJunior Development Series againsteach other.Luke won each single-set match, withthe closest ending 6-2 in his favour.The 15-year-old will play in the 16Years and Under Boys’ competitionat the Medibank State Final atPenrith.Last year Luke made it to the Final ofthis event in the Under 14s division,and he hopes to go one better in2012.Coach Stuart Thompson said Lukehas made great progress over the pastsix months: “He’s just developed,both physically and mentally, so thathe can dominate a match.”

16As UndefeatedChampionsThe future of Rugby looks bright atKWS after a 2012 season to be proudof.The Senior sides travelled to Sydneyfor their final games of the season,taking on the might of St Augustine’son their home turf.The 15As and Bs scored fine wins,showing their perserverence anddetermination over the season.The First XV suffered a narrow loss ina game that was in the balance untilafter the final siren. Credit must go tothe players and coaches who showeddiscipline and heart all season tofinish the ISA competition in thirdplace.Highlight of the day, and the season,went to the mighty 16As team,who were crowned undefeated ISAChampions following their nailbiting10-5 win over St Augustines.As these players move into the seniorage group next year, things arelooking promising again for the nexttwo seasons in ISA Rugby for KWS.The Prep School wrapped up itsRugby season for 2012 with matchesin the Canowindra Rugby gala day.The final round of the six gala daysheld this year saw the teams fromthe Under 9s and Under 11s playthree games each against matchhardenenedteams from all over theCentral West and beyond.Our senior Prep team, the Under12s, also had a successful andrewarding season. The efforts of thevolunteer parent coaches have beenamazing, as they forged specialbonds with their charges, bringingout the very best in character andskill from the boys.The future of Rugby at KWS is ingood hands, and certainly looks verybright.Boarding and Rugbya Winning CombinationTalented Rugby half-back TonyPellow (pictured right) is relishing theopportunities available at KWS.The Year 10 boarder is thrilled withhis selection in the NSW U16sside to play in the Santos NationalIndigenous Championships on theGold Coast.The Dubbo boy has happily settledinto Boarding life in Orange and,according to his mum, is keen to getback to the School at the end of eachholiday.“KWS has so much to offer,” Tony’smum Roxanne said.“There are a couple of gyms to keephim occupied, he can continue toplay touch (football) and he justloves his sport.”“Playing in the ISA (IndependentSchools Association) Rugbycompetition has opened newdoors for him, which has led to hisselection in the NSW Indigenous sidefor the Australian championships.”Picture: Above - The winning KWS 16As.11

SENIOR SCHOOLUnassuming AchievementsEquestrian Team Leap to New HeightsThe KWS Equestrian team (picturedabove) had a very busy andsuccessful winter in the saddle,competing throughout central westNSW as well as in Sydney.The team has 30 members fromYear 6 through to Year 12, and 15 ofthem competed at the North WestEquestrian Expo in Coonabarabran.Outstanding results includedSavannah Coddington (Champion14 years rider); Zali Thomas (2nd– D grade One Day Event); JulietSharpe (1st – Combined Training 2);Georgie Mutton (Reserve Champion– 17 Years Show Jumping); andAnnabel Mutton (1st – B gradeOne Day Event). Annabel has alsorecently qualified as a member of theNSW Interschool Team to competein Prelim Eventing at the NationalInterschool Championships inToowoomba later this year.Equestrian team member NatashaYeo attended the Gulgong HorseSports where she was named the 12Years Point Score Champion, thebest rider of the day (from 121 riders)and gave KWS the second highestaverage point score of all schoolscompeting.KWS team members Juliet Sharpe,Ben Robinson, Natasha Yeo andEmma Pryse Jones also saddled upfor the Coolah Interschool HorseSports Day.Thirty schools competed and KWShad the 3rd highest overall pointscore for schools with less than fiveriders.The KWS Equestrian team is lookingforward to new riders joining themin 2013 and hopes to host its ownschool event in the lead-up to nextyear’s North West Expo.Hospitality PlusKWS Hospitality students were raringto go when the Millamolong PoloClub hosted the annual charity JohnDavis Volvo Polo Carnival.Eleven KWS students volunteeredto assist with catering and foundthemselves working flat-out for sixhours, pumping out hundreds ofmeals with minimal breaks.Some of the students worked in theTrough & Fodder kitchen, preparingand serving spicy chicken wraps,gourmet steak and onion rolls,venison pies, Portuguese tarts, muffinsand other delights. Others workedin the VIPS (Very Important PonyShed) Lounge with Sam, the sous cheffrom Factory Espresso, preparing andserving restaurant-quality fare.The committee members commentedon how delightful all the girls were,what great food preparation andcustomer service skills they possessedand, most particularly, how willingthey were to just pitch in and get thejob done.The students volunteered for the eventas a form of community service, andwere also able to count the worktowards one of their course units.12Picture: Right - Stephanie Raftery and Sarah Elfar

Titration GoldKWS Senior Chemistry studentsreacted with delight when theywon a gold medal in the NSW StateTitration Competition.Ben Madafiglio, Skye Haigh andJacqui Morgan won gold in theregional team event, with the wingaining them a berth in the NationalTitration Competition.The regional event attracted 14 teamsfrom KWS, Orange, Canobolas andLithgow High Schools, and JamesSheahan Catholic High School.Students competed in teams of threeand, in 90 minutes, were requiredto complete a set of acid-basetitrations to determine the unknownconcentration of a weak acid.Skye Haigh came second in theindividual event with a very accurateset of titrations.The KWS team ‘The Three Radicals’,consisting of Murrie Kemp, HughWilloughby and Elin Williams, wonthe award for the best team name.KWS was also represented byGeorgia Holmes, Nicola Ball andKatie McKenzie.Brain BeeChallenge Best YetFour KWS Year 10 students‘expanded their hemispheres’ whenthey took part in the Australian BrainBee Challenge (ABBC).The ABBC motivates young people tolearn about the brain and has beencreated to inspire students to pursuecareers in neuroscience research.KWS students Tom Eyeington,Lochlan Halloway, Michelle Lukand Nicole Pickford travelled to theUniversity of Western Sydney tocompete in both the individual andteam challenges.The team faced stiff opposition frommany other schools, but managed toachieve the best KWS result to date.They placed equal second withPenrith and Baulkham Hills HighSchools in the team challenge,before Baulkham Hills emergedvictorious in a sudden-death roundbetween the three schools.Students Meet the MarkersStudents and staff at KWS are luckyto have many opportunities tofurther their knowledge and skills byattending workshops and seminarswith visiting specialists.One such opportunity was Orange’sfirst ‘Meet the Markers’ workshop,delivered by the Science Teachers’Association of NSW.Four HSC markers covering Physics,Biology, Chemistry and EES visitedOrange and met with about 80 staffand students from the district.It was a great opportunity for KWSstudents to meet students from otherschools and work on a variety ofproblems together.Students were given insight into howto maximise their marks in the HSCScience papers from the experiencedmarkers. They also participated inspecific subject area sessions to seewhat is required to gain a Band 6result.Teachers attended specific subjectarea sessions to learn about themarking schemes, different bandanswers and the overall process ofmarking the HSC.Pictures: Above top - Murrie Kemp; abovesecond - L to R Gold Medal winners SkyeHaigh, Ben Madafiglio and Jacqui Morgan;Right - KWS students deep in conversationwith HSC markers13

Cadets’ FittingFarewellThe KWS Cadet Unit hosted a fittingfarewell for a great group of leaderswhen the annual Cadet FarewellParade and Cadet Under Officers’Dinner were held recently.Special guest Commander MatthewBrown from the Royal AustralianNaval Reserve addressed the cadets,while the Marching Band, ledby Drum Major Lucas Pritchard,performed with great finesse at theFarewell Parade.The parade was followed by a muchlovedKWS tradition, the Cadet UnderOfficers’ Dinner, which was the largestever held at the School.CUOs and guests enjoyed excellentCamp RecordThe KWS Cadet Unit has earned astrong reputation over many yearsand continues to be a very importantand popular part of the School’s Cocurricularprogram.A record number of studentsattended the Cadet Unit PromotionsCamp during the June schoolholidays, with 35 Cadet UnderOfficers (CUOs), 48 Sergeants and43 Corporals achieving promotion.Following the camp it wasannounced that Yr 11 studentArabella Jorgensen-Hull wouldbe the new SUO (Senior UnderOfficer) of the KWS Cadet Unit forspeeches from Commander BrownRANR, SUO (Senior Under Officer)Ben Kremer, 2IC Jessica Simpson andLucas Pritchard.Wonderful musical entertainmentwas supplied by the Stage Bandunder Craig Alloway’s direction, andthe Chamber Strings group led by2012/2013. Charles McIntosh wasnamed the new 2IC.The other Cadet leaders for 2012/13are: RSM Jake Coleman, AdjutantSamantha Charry and AssistantAdjutant Kate Wilson. CompanyCommanders will be: A Coy ShelbyArcher, B Coy Erin Smith, C CoyIndia Dixon, D Coy Nick Lukins,E Coy Jack Yeomans, F Coy NickShillington, Headquarters CoyBeatrice Patterson.The KWS Cadet Unit has more than300 students in its ranks, and placesgreat emphasis on outdoor educationand adventure training.Lorraine Moxey.All agreed the event was a fittingfarewell to a great group of leaderswho stepped up and ran the CadetUnit with skill and confidence.Our ACE CadetPictures: Top right - KWS Cadets during the farewell parade; Above - Sarah Burns, Molly McLaughlin, Riana Finn, GeorgiaMorrison and Georgina Mutton. at the Cadet Under Officers dinner.KWS Year 11 student and Cadet UnderOfficer Lloyd Lockwood (picturedbelow) was selected to participatein the Army Cadet Exchange (ACE)program.Lloyd joined fellow Australian cadetsin Melbourne before heading toCanada for a taste of Canadian militarylife.The ACE trip was entirely funded bythe Australian Army and gives cadetsa wonderful opportunity to traveloverseas and train with foreign cadetunits, forging lifelong friendshipsand enjoying once-in-a-lifetimeexperiences.KWS has been lucky enough to wina place in the exchange each year,due largely to the high calibre of ourcadets.15

SENIOR SCHOOLOriginal CreationsExhibition ofArtistic ExpressionArt takes many forms at KWS and westrive to nurture talent and serve abroad range of creative interests.The outstanding talents of our 2012HSC Visual Arts and Textiles studentswere on show recently when theannual Major Works show was held,prior to the commencement of HSCmarking.An enormous crowd of well-wishersand admirers attended the one-nightonlyshowing, including members ofthe public, the school family and thestudents’ very supportive peers.Emilie Miller and Meagan Byrnewere just two of the HSC Visual Artsstudents who used their major worksto share very personal messages.Emilie, who became a paraplegicafter a swimming accident in2008, said she wanted to challengepeople’s ideas of what is ‘normal’.“People seem to think that peoplewith a disability can’t be included inactivities because they’re different,”she said.“I wanted to show that that wasn’tthe case.”The students each put in anenormous effort to create their majorworks, with support and guidancefrom the equally committed KWSCreative Arts staff.Pictures: Featured individual - Emile Miller ;next page featured individuals from top rightdown - Malcom Cloete, Michael Langham andRory Hart16

SENIOR SCHOOLCommunity LinksTechnicalConnectionsKWS is committed to ensuring thatour students are not only aware ofcommunity needs, but also make ahands-on contribution to making lifebetter for other people.As part of this philosophy, 30 Year10 students recently spent two anda half hours helping senior citizensbecome familiar with iPads andtouch-screen technology.The students helped out as part ofTelstra’s outreach program, TelstraConnected Seniors, which helpssenior citizens feel more connectedto their families and communitythrough digital technology.In 2011 a group of then Year 9 KWSstudents worked with senior citizensto help them use mobile phones;Telstra were so impressed by thequality of our students’ interactionswith the participants that they werekeen to invite KWS students again in2012.The students made wonderfulconnections with the oldercommunity members and KWSreceived great appreciation on theday and many emails and lettersafter the event, thanking our studentsfor their patience and generosity ofspirit.Pictures: KWS Year 10 students helping localseniors with iPad use, above - Sarah Fraser;right Ben RainesRite Journey Reaching OutAfter more than 125 years ofeducating young people, KWS iswell placed to understand that theadolescent years can be turbulentones.The Rite Journey program, whichour students undertake in Year 9, isspecifically designed to help studentsthrough these challenges.As part of their Rite Journey program,our Year 9 girls (pictured right)recently helped out the local ZontaClub by assembling birthing kits.Zonta, in association with BirthingKits Australia, works to provideclean basic equipment to mothersin developing countries, or inemergency situations.Simple procedures like having themother not on bare ground when shedelivers her baby can make a hugedifference to maternal and infantsurvival rates.The girls were very touched bythe significance of what they weredoing; in some cases the mothers inquestion are no older than our Year 9students, so it was a very meaningfulact of service to assemble the kits.The girls worked in teams and werecommitted and energetic right to theend of the process.18

Cross CountryForty two of our best runners competed at theWAS Cross Country and HICES Cross Country. Theteam did extremely well, showing their fitness andstamina on the demanding course.The next event on the Cross Country calendarwas CIS which took place at Eastern Creek inSydney. Our students were part of the HICES andran exceptionally well, with most of our studentsplacing in the top half of each race. Results andtimes for our placed athletes were:2km course1st: Phoebe Litchfield 7:46.09 (100 in race)28th: Bailie-Rose Miller 8:58.36 (100 in race)23rd: Max Bylsma 8:00.23 (99 in race)3km course2nd: Ollie Steele-Park 11:14.70 (102 in race)25th: Emma Crossing 13:37.80 (96 in race)54th: Florence Conway 14:44.14 (96 in race)35th: Hamish MacSmith 12:37.70 (96 in race)39th: Will Cheney 12:46.80 (96 in race)34th: Hannah Solari 14:07.71 (91 in race)37th: Emma Holman 14:15.11 (91 in race)NSWPSSA Cross CountryOllie Steele-Park (Year 5) and Phoebe Litchfield (Year3) were selected to represent CIS at the NSWPSSACross Country held at Eastern Creek. Their resultswere a huge testament to their determination andability. Ollie took to the 3km course and came acredible 8th, missing a spot in the NSW team by oneplace. Phoebe ran an amazing 2km race, receiving abronze medal for her efforts (see story right)Pictures: Previous page top group - L to R Oliver Perkins, HarryMunro, Will Knight and Max Munro; middle left - Principal BrianKennelly with Gordon House sport captains Jemma Barrett andLuke Houghton.Pocket RocketKWS Prep pocket rocket PhoebeLitchfield (pictured right) wona bronze medal in the NSWAll Schools Cross CountryChampionships recently.A dedicated and enthusiasticrunner, nine-year-old Phoebewas selected in the CombinedIndependent Schools Primaryteam to compete in the 8-9 Yearsevent.The talented young sportswomancompleted the challenging2000m course in a time of eightminutes and 27 seconds; just fiveseconds behind first place!Placing third would normallysecure a place in the Nationals,however there is no 8/9 Yearsrace, so Phoebe is alreadylooking to 2013.21

PREP SCHOOLExpanding ExperiencesWorth a Notable MentionNelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcherand Sir Isaac Newton were justsome of the notables who made anappearance at KWS Prep Schoolrecently.The famous figures were part ofthe Night of the Notables exerciseundertaken by students as part ofthe Prep School’s very successfulScientia Program.Following three months of intensivepreparation, research, collaborationand construction, selected studentspresented the work on their notablein the Performance Theatre.A notable was chosen by eachstudent as someone who hadmade an enormous impact onhistory through their humanitariancontributions to the world.Around 20 students transformed intocharacters from Nelson Mandelaand Margaret Thatcher to EltonJohn and Isaac Newton. Famousclimbers, artists, ladies with lampsand adventurers were present in anafternoon showcasing the skills andthoughtfulness of the students.Scientia co-ordinator Mark Pritchardwas so impressed he has asked thestudents to reprise their roles asnotables for November’s Open Day.Pictures: Top left - Owen Bloomfield; Right -Maddie Smith22A Good Argument Goes a Long WayThe KWS Prep School’s DebatingTeam belied their sweet naturesand successfully argued all the wayto the quarter-finals of the HICEScompetition.Debating tutor Cathy Bloomfield wasvery impressed with her squad offive (pictured left) - Jamie Abiassaf,Charlotte May, Ailish Seedsman,Myriam Kwa and Charlotte Anderson- who argued their way through fourWestern Area rounds undefeated.Charlotte and Ailish earned a specialprize for being highest scoringspeakers.The quarter-final was an impromptudebate and saw KWS go up againstBroughton College, arguing thenegative side of the topic: ‘That therich are obliged to support the poor’.Despite going down in the round,Cathy said she was very proud of heryoung debaters.“I feel enormously proud of theseclever, motivated and hardworkingchildren who have developedwonderfully in their debating skills,soaking it up like sponges,” she said.“My apologies to parents who nowhave to deal with more persistentand canny arguers at home.”

Chess Champs Bring Home TrophyKWS Prep School’s chess team(pictured right) has won its firsttrophies in the NSW Junior ChessLeague.The 16-member team consists of twoSenior sides and two Junior sides.Each team faced a very high standardof competition in the NSW JuniorChess League, which is played overtwo days between schools from thepublic, Catholic and independentsystems.The two Senior teams played inthe Championship Division withthe B team placing 5th and the Ateam 7th against some formidablecompetition.The two Junior teams played in theIntermediate and newly formedRookies divisions.They won their divisions and tookout the first chess trophies to be wonby KWS Prep School chess teams.The team members were:Championship A: Will Cheney,Fletcher Rose, Sanjay Townrow andOscar Tierney.Championship B: Bradman Gavin,Christopher McClare, DominicPearce and Sherjeel Ahmad.Intermediate: Jeremy L’Estrange,Jack Pengilly, Max Bylsma and WillRawson.Rookies: Lachie Smith, Ethan Teber-Rossi, Joel Furness and Vihan Roy.Pictures: Below left - Jayde Caro, Lily Murray and Fletcher Smith;right - Sherry Ahmad and Blake JonesSmall Sparks in Big SchoolThe bright sparks from Class 1A atKWS Prep had fun visiting the ‘bigschool’ recently.The Prep students were studying aunit on Electricity and were invitedby Senior School Science teacherEmma Bylsma to visit the Sciencelabs.The students enjoyed an afternoonconducting electricity-basedexperiments, including lookingat circuits and the Van de Graaffgenerator, creating static electricitywith balloons and rods, and lots ofother exciting activities.The KWS Prep students are luckyto have such an enriched learningenvironment at their fingertips.23

PREP SCHOOLInspired ExpressionPerforming for our ParentsMusic is an integral part of life atKWS Prep, so it is no surprise thatstudents and their families eagerlyanticipate the annual PreparatoryMusic Concert.The 2012 concert proved to bea fabulous evening of music andperformance, with every studentgiven an opportunity to shine on thebig stage.A very proud Tim May, with ahelping hand from prefects AilishSeedsman and Hamish MacSmith,introduced the 14 different acts.Annie MacRae directed the threeStage Choirs, with each singingsuperbly.With an increase in ensembles forPrep students to participate in thisyear, the audience enjoyed theshowcase of woodwind, brass andsaxophone ensembles.The Prep Strings Quintet, playingin their last Prep concert beforeheading off to Senior School,displayed outstanding musicianship.The evening featured solos byHannah Solari (piano), Will Cheney(trombone), Myriam Kwa (viola) andBillie Brownlow playing piano andsinging Someone Like You by Adele.The Kindergarten performers closedthe show with So Long, Farewellfrom The Sound of Music.Pictures: Top left - members of the SaxaphoneEnsemble; Right - members of the Prep JuniorBand; below - Sam FabarYear 3 Band Just the BeginningYear 3 students have been reapingthe benefits of a fabulous programwhich has seen them all learn aband instrument this year.The Prep students put their newfoundmusical talents to the test inJune when they presented a fantasticconcert in the Performance Theatre.The Year 3 Band performed AuClaire De La Lune, Donkey Roundand Surprise Symphony, with moststudents also performing a solo orduet.The program was run by AnnieMcRae, with support from tutorsLaith Ismail, Dahle Innes and MsBennett.Annie directed the band rehearsalsand instilled in the students a realsense of excitement about music andperformance.It is now hoped that most studentswill continue to learn theirinstruments and move through thewonderful KWS Band Program.All Year 3 students are encouragedto continue performing on theirinstruments by attending PrepJunior Band, which is a fun-filledexperience for all involved.24

KWS Strings WinBig at EisteddfodThe KWS Prep Strings playerscontinue to be a shining exampleof our School’s outstanding Musiceducation program.The Prep Strings groups won bothof their sections at the 2012 Cityof Orange Eisteddfod, earning bothhigh points and praise on the day.A very proud Head of Strings,Lorraine Moxey, said it waswonderful to see the youngmusicians rewarded for their hardwork and dedication, and helpful forthem to receive feedback from theadjudicator.“The Prep Strings members werepraised for their fine tuning andattentiveness to the conductor,”Lorraine said.The strings players won two sections:Prep Strings won Primary School AgeString Ensemble (6 or more players);Prep Quintet won Primary SchoolAge String Ensemble (3 to 5 players).Our Senior players also had a verysuccessful day, scooping the SeniorString sections at the eisteddfod.Their results were: Chamber Stringswon Secondary School Age StringEnsemble (6 or more players); SeniorString Quartet won Open StringEnsemble (3 to 5 players); ChamberStrings won Open String Ensemble (6or more players).“Our Chamber Strings’ performanceof Molly on the Shore by PercyGrainger in the Open Strings sectionreceived the highest score of the daywith 95 points,” Lorraine said.“The adjudicator said they playedwith energy and accuracy and it wasobvious that everyone was havingfun doing it.”Pictures: Prep Quintet players AilishSeedsman, Henry Carter, Hannah Solari,Myriam Kwa and Jessica Amos25

PREP SCHOOLSharing ValuesHow Does Your Garden Grow?KWS is famed for its well-roundedacademic program and diverseCo-curricular activities, but did youknow our Prep students can alsoclaim to be avid green thumbs?The Prep School boasts a thrivingvegetable garden with pumpkins,onions, leeks and spinach recentlybeing harvested by our keen younggardeners.Weeding and fertilising have beenkept up throughout the coldermonths, with students excited aboutplanting vegetables for a summerharvest.The children from Year 5 have beenenthusiastic sellers of the produceand regularly update morningassemblies. All money raised goesback into the garden to purchasemore seedlings.The vegetable garden offersmany valuable benefits to thePrep students, including makingthem aware of sustainablegardening practices, giving theman appreciation of the value offresh food, and learning to takeresponsibility as they care for theplants.Eating Lollies for CharityKWS Prep students are certainlyliving up to our School’s proudtradition of community service andalways being ready to help others inneed.The students from Gordon Housegot behind the Juvenile DiabetesResearch Foundation’s annualKWS Kids Love BooksKWS Library was the place to be when Book Weekcelebrations were held recently.Story time in the Library was even more fun thanusual for the Pre-Preps, with some of our Year 7students sharing their love of literature with the littleones.The Prep school held a wonderful 'dress up' dayand did special activities with their Peer Supportgroups.Characters making an appearance on the dayincluded Indiana Jones, Miss Trunchbull, PippiLongstocking and loads more.Teacher Librarian Nicole Deans then put on hergame show coat and ran a literature quiz, completewith official judges and a huge selection of bookprizes.Pictures: Far Left - Peer Support leaders with their groups; left -Abbygail Hunt as The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson; below - Year5 vegie sales team Megan Murray and Emma Crossingfundraiser this year, raising awhopping $1600 for the charityorganisation.Prep students sold Jelly Baby badgesand confectionery, and dressed inJelly Baby colours for the specialfundraising event.26

Bringing Out the BestCelebration Equal to the SuccessA star-studded line-up of specialguests ensured the 2012 KWSRowing Dinner set a new benchmarkfor end-of-season sportingcelebrations at the School.Master of Ceremonies was SteveNewnham, who was a member ofthe 1974 and 1979 Australian Eightat the World Championships.Australian Opera concertmasterAubrey Murphy accompaniedthe KWS Orchestra and played abreathtaking solo on his 160-year-oldviolin.Wallabies coach Robbie Deans(pictured right) was keynote speakerand he spoke passionately abouthis involvement in sport, what isrequired for success, and just howimportant the word T.E.A.M. is tovictory and happiness.As the 2012 season has been hailedas the most successful ever inthe short history of KWS Rowing,mention was made of our position asarguably the most successful rowingschool over the past season.There were many highlightsduring the evening, including theannouncement of 2012/2013 rowingcaptains, Kellie O'Connor andCharles McIntosh.World Class WorkshopsOffering students an enrichedlearning environment is one ofthe secrets to success of the KWSeducation program.Our young musicians were delightedto take advantage of one of theseenriching experiences recently,when Opera Australia concertmasterAubrey Murphy (pictured right)visited the school.An acclaimed violinist, Aubreyhosted string workshops at theSchool, with a variety of studentsfrom Years 3 to 12 performing andobserving.The world-renowned performersaid he was impressed with thestandard of our string players andcomplimented head of stringsLorraine Moxey on the standard ofher teaching.Following a very brief rehearsalin Period 5, the KWS Orchestraperformed at the Rowing Dinner thatevening.Aubrey acted as concertmaster and,due to the absence of many of ourleading performers at the CombinedSchools Music Festival, several Musicstaff helped out.Rhoslyn Carney and Skye Haighperformed stunning solos and allagreed that having Aubrey Murphy asconcertmaster was a real thrill.27

ConnectionsMemorable ExperiencesOlympic DreamNot content with steering the KWSRowing team to their most successfulyear ever, KWS rowing founder, JoeDonnelly has been making dreamscome true for the Vietnamese RowingTeam as well.Joe and the Vietnamese team (picturedright) recently returned from the LondonOlympics, where they were the centreof plenty of hype and excitement.A former Australian Men’s VIII cox, Joebecame associated with the Vietnameserowing program in mid-2009, havingtravelled to the country with his wife formany years.Under Joe’s guidance, and despite the lack of financial assistance and medical support, the Vietnamese women’slightweight double scull team managed to qualify for London. The team finished 16th in the world at the Olympics,where they came 5th in the C Final.Attending Olympic functions in Hanoi and seeing where the Vietnamese athletes lived gave Joe a new sense ofappreciation for their achievements. He was amazed by their happiness despite their living conditions, as well as thephysical commitment and dedication they put into rowing.The Olympic experience was also invaluable for the Vietnamese rowers who have now set their sights on qualifying forthe 2016 Games.28Science Block Up and RunningExcitement levels are rising amongKWS staff and students, with Stage 1of the new Science block occupiedand almost complete.The clean and uncluttered learningspaces are providing a great boost toall who occupy the new labs.Each lab has a designated dry areaand a designated wet area, allowingfor multiple and efficient uses of thespaces.In the meantime, with a building sitenext door and the wait ahead for aproper prep room, there are still afew minor frustrations to endure.Fortunately the staff and studentshave been patient and flexibleand they eagerly anticipate thecompletion of Stage 2 and thelandscaped surrounds.

Yooie Goes to HarvardYooie Choi (pictured right) gainedsome wonderful insights at a HarvardGraduate School of Education course,but he was also able to confirm whathe already knew: that KWS teachersare doing a great job.The KWS Senior School Director ofLearning attended an intensive coursetitled ‘Enhancing Teacher Effectivenessin High Schools’, where he was both aparticipant and nominated convenor.“This course taught me a lot regardinginternational best teaching practice,but it also confirmed to me that whatwe do at KWS is very good,” Yooiesaid.“We have an excellent focus onteacher professional development inboth subject expertise and effectiveteaching practice, as well as agood focus on individual studentachievement.“What I hope to share with mycolleagues is how we can better focuson what we do in the classroom insuch a way that makes thinking andlearning more visible.“By focusing on effort-based abilityinstead of traditional views of fixedability and, in turn, fixed achievement,all students could benefit from thispedagogical shift in teaching andlearning in order to improve studentconfidence and achievement levelsacross the whole school.”Learning Though Student ExperienceProviding staff with innovative and inspiring professional developmentopportunities is essential for the ongoing success of KWS.Recently our Senior School staff members took part in a professionaldevelopment day that gave them a unique insight into what it’s like to bea KWS student. Senior School teachers were each allocated to a ‘class’,attended typical Year 10 lessons, and ate their lunch in the playground.The teachers were required to take their own paper, pens and calculators toclass, as well as their sense of humour.The aim of the day was to encourage Senior School staff to reflect ontheir own teaching practice through observation of others and throughcollaborative discussion with colleagues. The teachers were also asked toidentify approaches which different subject areas take to engage the studentsin learning.Finally, the development day aimed to encourage participation in teachingand learning activities that may be able to be adapted and applied in theteachers’ own classrooms.Pictures: Top left - Head of Senior School Bev West and Principal BrianKennelly wear the school uniform with pride; focused Senior staff in class29

ConnectionsStaff SubjectsAdam HarrisonSenior Rowing CoachAdam has a Sports Science degreefrom the University of Canterbury,New Zealand. He has completeda Level 2 Rowing CoachingCertificate in New Zealand andAustralia and has been heavilyinvolved in rowing programs in anumber of schools in New Zealand. More recentlyhe was Head Coach and Director of Rowing atNewcastle Grammar School from 2009.Caroline KennaughAssistant to the RegistrarCaroline has a Bachelor ofBusiness and Tourism Hospitalityfrom La Trobe University anda number of Certificate III’sand diplomas supporting herdegree. Her recent employmentinvolved work with Flight Centrein Queensland and she has worked extensivelyin projects and marketing for a number oforganisations.Current Staff ActivityPaul Mirrington has been appointed to the newlyrestructured position of Director of Teaching and Learning.Additional StaffKatie Sinclair is Acting Co-ordinator of Prep SchoolMusic for 18 months.Karissa Taylor is replacing David Gregory, who iscurrently on leave, teaching English and History.Newest Family MemberScience Teacher EmmaBylsma, husband Tim andtheir two Prep School boysMax and Harry, as well assister Grace, were thrilledto welcome Archie James tothe family on 28 August.Gary HollywoodHead Swim CoachGary has a Bachelor of ScienceDegree in Economics from theUniversity of Ulster and extensiveexperience including NationalHead Coach, Birmingham,Advance Swimming CoachingScheme; Head Coach, BritishDeaf Swimming Association; Head Coach, BritishModern Pentathlon Association; Head Coach,Durham University Swim Team. More recently hehas taken an underperforming Howick PakurangaSwimming Club to the top swimming club in NewZealand.Corey McLeanIndigenous Education SupportOfficerCorey is undertaking a TAFEtraineeship in EducationalSupport with a particular focus onIndigenous Education. Corey willwork directly with a number ofour Indigenous students and willbe present in a number of classrooms along withassisting key Indigenous students with their prep inthe Boarding House. Corey is a former Head Boy ofCanobolas High School.Richard RoachMaster in Charge of RugbyRichard is completing hischartered accountancyqualifications and has a Bachelorof Science and Mathematics fromUNSW and an MBA from HerriotWatt University in Edinburgh.Richard is a former Australianrowing representative and was a NSW schoolboyRugby representative. He lives in Bathurst with hiswife Catriona and their two sons.30

Former StudentsGiving BackAngus Still Going the Extra MileMany of our alumni have realised thebenefits of a few more letters aftertheir name and are now staying on atuniversity to complete an extra yearof study.Angus McGregor (KWS ’07)graduated mid-year from theUniversity of Wollongong, beingawarded a Bachelor of Science, withPaul O’Keeffe - Love Letter CourierRenowned Sydney plastic surgeonDr Paul O’Keeffe (Wolaroi ’56) isa fellow of the Kinross WolaroiFoundation and he recently made agenerous donation to the School’sscholarship funds.Paul started at Wolaroi College in1947 as one of two students in thirdgrade.Paul had a sister at PLC who was10 years his senior, and his fondestmemory of the early days of primarywas being chosen as the ‘love lettercourier’ between the Wolaroi boysa major in Geology.Angus is now completing hisHonours year in Geology, whichwill keep him at UoW until Aprilnext year, but will see him comeout of uni as a more highly qualifiedspecialist than many of his fellowgraduates.and the PLC girls. This enviable tasksaw him as an extremely popularmember of the school!It is wonderful to have Paul continueto show a keen interest in his school,and we are very fortunate to havehim as a high profile donor andambassador of KWS.If you would like more informationabout our fledgling scholarshipprogram, or other donationopportunities, please contact theDirector of Development, PaulTierney, directly on 6392 0305.Taking the LongWay HomeDr Peter Kilby (KWS ’99) hascompleted his medical trainingand is now working as orthopaedicregistrar on a six-month placementat Shriners Hospital for Children inOregon, in the USA.There are 20 Shriners Hospitalsacross the USA offering freeorthopaedic care to children withdisabilities. The hospitals are fundedindependently by the Shriners, a subgroupwithin the Freemasons.Peter will take up a placement inOrange next year at our new hospital,and he is very much looking forwardto reigniting old friendships with hisformer schoolmates and the staff.Image Above: Caption here31

Former StudentsEnduring RelationshipsWall of FameKWS ex-students continue to excelin many fields and we love to keeptrack of their achievements.Those who visit the School on aregular basis may have noticedthat the number of pictures andmemorabilia items featuring famousex-student sportspeople is growing.The Ex-students’ Association recentlymade a generous donation to theSchool to help this Wall of Famecontinue to grow.Recent additions to the wall aremany and varied, but include CoreyBrown, Veronica Wallington, GraceMichell and Ben McCalman.It is hoped with continued support,prominent ex-students in other fieldsof endeavour can also be proudlydisplayed about the School.The Sixties Chicks Still Going StrongThe PLC class of 1968 have decided tomeet at the same place, on the sameweekend each year, to reconnect.Schooled in the 60s and now agedin their 60s, this dynamic group ofwomen (affectionately known as TheSixties Chicks and pictured right)have developed a contact list of 38classmates, 11 of whom were ableto attend the inaugural Sixties ChicksReunion in Katoomba in March thisyear. A huge report and lots of photoscan be found on the Alumni pages ofthe KWS website.The driving force behind the reunionwas class member Janelle (Wykes)Newberry, who worked tirelesslyin getting the girls together. It isanticipated that more ex-students will32be able to join this group next year.If PLC friends from the forms aboveor below this year group would liketo join this group, please contact PaulTierney at the Development Office on(02) 6392 0305.

Upcoming ReunionsDiary DatesNov 2 Grandparents DayNov 2 Music FestivalNov 3 Prep Open DayNov 3 Year 7 (2013) OrientationDec 4 Prep Celebration AssemblyDec 5 Speech DayFor the full School Calendar visit www.kws.nsw.edu.auNov 10 - PLC Class of 1965 reunion: afternoon teaat Wolaroi, then dinner at the Ambassador Motel.A tree planting ceremony is planned for Sundaymorning. For more details contact Robyn (Wright)Lewis via email geoffandrobyn@dodo.com.au or02 6337 3795Are you interested in being a contact person (ororganiser) for an Ex-student reunion in 2013?Current plans for next year are to hold reunions for’08, ’03, ’93 and almost certainly other anniversaryyears.For expressions of interest in this area or moreinformation please contact The Director ofDevelopment, Mr Paul Tierney on 61 2 63920305 orptierney@kws.nsw.edu.au