SUCCESS semester one 2022
From the Principal Success, the title of this magazine, is a complex term. Often in schools we measure success in relation to grades, NAPLAN results, and whether our school made it into the top 100 schools based on students’ HSC results. Other visible markers of success are whether your child walks across the stage to get a commendation or wears a badge demonstrating their leadership position in the school. Like standardised tests and HSC results, these are tangible and measurable. We can see and quantify the success based on known metrics. There is a degree of objectivity, and we take great comfort in this. Intuitively we know that the success of our students is much more complicated than grades, awards or leadership badges. These measures of success are very important, but so are the attributes and competencies people need to create a safe world where everyone belongs. These attributes and competencies feel much less tangible but are no less necessary to determine the success of individuals and societies. In 2018 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) published the global competence framework titled: “Our Youth for an Inclusive and Sustainable World”. Sitting alongside this framework was a global competency assessment conducted by PISA in participating countries and schools. This document laid out a clear framework for what a successful education for the future looks like in schools. In the foreword to the publication, Gabriela Ramos (OECD Chief of Staff at the time) made this bold statement:
“Reinforcing global competence is vital for individuals to thrive in a rapidly changing world and for societies to progress without leaving anyone behind. Against a context in which we all have much to gain from growing openness and connectivity, and much to lose from rising inequalities and radicalism, citizens need not only the skills to be competitive and ready for a new world of work, but, more importantly, they also need to develop the capacity to analyse and understand global and intercultural issues. The development of social and emotional skills, as well as values like respect, selfconfidence and a sense of belonging, are of the utmost importance to create opportunities for all and advance a shared respect for human dignity. … Together, we can foster global competence for more inclusive societies.” Becoming globally competent involves developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that foster inclusive practices. This means engaging in actions that support peace, wellbeing and sustainability, and demonstrating compassion for others and our world. The global competence framework (see below) defines success as a young person’s ability to move between spaces of cultural difference with sensitivity and humility and a desire to listen to understand. It defines success as a person’s ability to acknowledge that thought diversity and alternative perspectives make our world richer and contribute to complex problem-solving. Success, then, involves a high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to work across cultural and linguistic divides to find solutions to our global problems. Pandemics, wars, rising nationalism and extremism, and the increasing divide between rich and poor means we need to move away from competitive metrics as the main measure of success in our schools. Instead, we need to embrace
< Cover: HVGS Principal Rebecca Butterworth reads with kindergarten student Grace F.
programs of learning that foster global competencies and the ways of being that are hard to measure in our young people. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, I am proud to say that HVGS strives to do just that. By embodying our values for life (responsibility, integrity, respect, citizenship, courage, compassion, optimism, gratitude) and the IB Learner Profile, we strive to think beyond the here and now to create a sense of hope that young people can create a more equitable and peaceful future. Through the IB programmes, we enable the development of the OECD global competencies. In this edition of Success you will hear about our passionate musicians and dramatists, the joy of ELC life, students who have excelled academically at HVGS and post-school, students who are exploring the possibilities of technology and business, athletes who give back through umpiring, and how HVGS enables all students to thrive through our rich cocurricular program. You will also hear the stories of our IBCP students who have embraced the challenge of pursuing an IB education through a career-related journey. These students embody the global competencies mentioned above as they engage, reflect and take action based on their learning. Overlaying all that we do is a desire to embrace inclusion through intercultural learning. In Success you will also read about this new journey we have embarked on as a School. Beyond the stories in this magazine, our students embody the OECD global competencies and HVGS values every day. This is evident when our HVGS students champion inclusivity for all and ask us, as adults, to recognise the diverse identities that make up a contemporary school. It is evident when a student puts aside their opportunity to win a race to instead keep pace with a student who is struggling. It is there when an older student sits beside a younger student in distress about their homework and helps them through the Maths problem,
or when a student buys lunch for another who has forgotten their money. This is also evident when students understand that strength in leadership is evident when a person demonstrates humility and compassion, and the courage to stand up for what is right. We often take these everyday occurrences for granted, but they are the invisible markers of the success of our learning programmes. This success is the extent to which we can feel, see and hear our HVGS students embodying the global competencies that are so needed in the citizens and leaders of the future.
Ms Rebecca Butterworth Principal
From the Principal Success 2022
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Future of Education An interview by Hugh Gelder (Year 12) with Principal Rebecca Butterworth Our new Principal, Ms Rebecca Butterworth, has an insightful perspective on the future of education. Her views on the challenges young people face and her desire to elevate learning to be progressive, inclusive and forward-thinking offer a positive driving force for current and future HVGS students. Ms Butterworth joined HVGS this year after 20 years teaching abroad in International Baccalaureate Schools in China, Zurich, and most recently, Singapore. Inspired by a remarkable English teacher, Ms Butterworth pursued teaching – after realising that her original career path of law, really wasn’t where her heart lay. Early in her career, she was offered a position at a school to be the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Coordinator, which opened the doorway to international education and a path of leadership from quite early in her career. Ms Butterworth’s career trajectory and experiences gained in international education place our School in good stead to synthesise our current practice with new ways of thinking. This thinking will help shape and define our curriculum, culture and focus for the future. Our conversation covered Ms Butterworth’s IB experience, her role in supporting HVGS students and her future plans for the School. As a Year 12 student, my time at HVGS has almost come to an end; however, I’m really excited about what Ms Butterworth brings to the HVGS community and can’t wait to see where to next for HVGS. HG: Do you feel your involvement with the IB influenced your career? RB: When I got introduced to the MYP, it was a really exciting time. The program was very young. I worked
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in Queensland at the time, and we didn’t have a national curriculum; we had our state curriculum. Teachers had a lot of autonomy, and we could blend the IB and state curricula quite well. The MYP is very concept-driven and inquiry-driven and what we were doing in Queensland was also. While I was still teaching, I also worked with the IB as a workshop leader, authorising schools to do the MYP. This opened the door to international education, taking me to new overseas experiences. HG: I’m interested in your overseas experience and what you have learned from this. I see your international experience as a significant advantage to HVGS and students studying the IB. RB: Schools are very similar, no matter where you are. There is a universal need for all students to feel a sense of belonging and care at school. The curriculum is a pathway to help students realise their potential and feel that deep sense of belonging and care. Working in international schools gave me a lot of autonomy and scope to enhance curriculum and policies. That knowledge and understanding are something I can bring to HVGS. HG: On a more personal level, what are some of your hobbies and interests? RB: My hobbies have evolved over time. I find it important to be reading. I also like to do some of my own writing because finding ways to express myself and share my thoughts is important to me. HG: On that notion of self-expression, do you feel this is something that students also require in their schooling? RB: Elevating student voice and giving students agency in their learning is very important to me. Voice can be spoken, written, and nonverbal, but it’s ultimately about finding ways for students to feel a sense of belonging and safety.
They need a way to express what they’re thinking, feeling and, importantly, what they need. HG: This can be hard for some students. How should schools support students to find their voice or the right words? RB: We can do that in multiple ways and through different opportunities in which to do that. It doesn’t all have to be in a conversation. For example, for Year 7 and 8 students, our Head of Stage Vanessa Dean brought in Skodel, a wellbeing app. Students can select an emoticon to express how they’re feeling, and they’ve got an option of answering a couple of questions and adding a comment to say they’d like the teacher to reach out to them or not. Mentors get that report every week, which helps support students who are experiencing challenges. This gives students a voice about how they’re feeling and the autonomy to say, “I would like to have a conversation”, or “I would not like to talk”, rather than asking them at the end of the class how they are feeling because they’re probably going to say “fine” and walk away. HG: Following on from that, what do you feel are the key challenges currently faced by young people? RB: The plethora of choices about their future is one challenge. You’re told, you can create your own career, but what does that mean? And then how do you know what skills you need if you’re creating your own career? Choice is also a challenge in terms of accessibility to information and knowledge. How can young people be critical, wise consumers of knowledge? They need time to read, so they can dig below the surface to really understand an issue. Also, young people’s access to drugs and alcohol is not a new concern, but it’s awfully easy for them to access the things that can harm them. We have a responsibility to help young people make good choices. There are real pressures on young people regarding the cost of living. This means they might be living at home for longer. That financial autonomy and independence that young people would hope to have in their early to mid-twenties; it’s not the same as it was for previous generations. Although I think the world is hopeful and fantastic, talking about mental health is challenging. I think it’s positive to talk about it, but on the flip side, the more we talk about anxiety, the more we create anxiety, too. We always need to live with
a little bit of worry and support young people to understand what is ‘okay stress’ and ‘okay anxiety’. Having time and space for that development of self-awareness is critical. HG: What has been your impression of HVGS, and what is the plan for the future? RB: HVGS is a caring community, and I think it’s quite a connected one. One of my highlights has been how keen the community is for moving forward, for wanting to look into the future and saying, “who can we be?” I see that amongst staff, parents, the Board, and our students. My immediate plans are to involve the whole community in helping set our strategic direction. I really want to engage the community in that process. We’ll start doing that in Term 3 with the involvement of parents, staff and students. Another focus for me is community, culture and connection. We are thinking about how we build a shared understanding of our identity and our culture as HVGS. I’m also focused on equity and inclusion. We have a group of staff who want to be allies for our LGBTQI+ students. We are setting up an affinity group for students who wish to join as allies or as people who identify as gender nonbinary or lesbian, gay, queer - and I’m excited by that. I see my role as enabling that to happen and then stepping back and connecting like-minded students and staff, letting them run with things, and seeing how that evolves - while also honouring all other identities in the School. I’m also excited about how we can more authentically and meaningfully support our Indigenous students and our local community.
The Addams Family
connects the community
Playwright Jen Diamond said, “…seeing and making theatre is a communal experience”, and this is certainly true of the HVGS process when it comes to staging our annual school production.
magical world where collaboration and cooperation are literally, ‘up in lights’ for all to see. It’s a true partnership between staff and students (and their dutiful and supportive families) that enriches the fabric of our School.
The performing arts hold a special place in every community, providing an essential sense of connection - and not only for the student performers. The benefits of the performing arts on students’ sense of connectedness and belonging at school is well documented, but when other members of the school community can engage in the arts, those benefits extend beyond the student experience, and have a ripple effect on staff and parents, too.
Matilda Fortune Head of Costumes for The Addams Family is currently in Year 10. She has been involved in HVGS productions since starting Senior School. For Matilda, connection is key to her involvement.
School productions at HVGS authentically connect our community members to each other, to students’ talents and strengths and to powerful shared experiences that can collectively move, entertain, humour, and provoke us; thus, bringing us closer. This year’s production of The Addams Family is a celebration of our School community coming together to co-create a
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“Working so closely with everyone allows me to build up friendships and connections that I otherwise would not have,” says Matilda. “We develop a respect for each other, and we know everyone involved is important and feels safe, supported and loved.” It is no small feat to bring a school musical from script to stage. What the audience enjoys is the culmination of months of hard work behind the scenes. It is this hard work and shared sense of accountability that bond the cast and crew through the process.
Hamish Coates who plays Gomez Addams, finds that it’s the hard work that delivers the biggest sense of achievement. “I have always found school hard and playing a character is still hard work, but learning lines is easier than learning formulas. The performance at the end is worth the hard work.” After two years of limited opportunity to engage in performance, the curtain could finally rise on The Addams Family – and it did not disappoint. The hype around the show and a desire for students and adults to reconnect to the arts post-pandemic, emphasised how vital school productions are for our School. The Addams Family opened to three sold out shows (plus a waitlist) and sent a kooky, spooky, excitable buzz through the School – the type of buzz that only musical theatre can generate.
props, and lighting, The Addams Family surpassed all expectations. The performers and the production crew should feel an incredible sense of pride and joy in their work. The Addams Family is a show about family, about having each other’s back and growing and changing together. For our student cast and crew it’s a matter of life imitating art because it is the kinship and connection with their theatre family that will endure long after the final curtain.
Scan to read our Behind the Curtain Interview with Matilda Fortune
From the on-stage performances to the set, sound, costumes, Thrive Success 2022
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Developing inclusive practice through
Intercultural Learning
In an increasingly globalised world, it is more important than ever to develop cultural competence and inclusive practices for students to navigate complex environments and contribute as peaceful world citizens. Schools are best placed to develop and nurture these attributes through wellconsidered intercultural learning programs, practices and pedagogies. This year, HVGS staff have embarked on a collaborative Intercultural Learning program led by renowned intercultural educator Dr Eeqbal Hassim. Intercultural learning at HVGS builds staff capacity to develop the attributes required of students as global citizens while supporting them to thrive in a world where complexity and change are typical.
When we think of intercultural learning, it is essential to understand that it goes beyond merely learning about ‘other cultures and customs’. Instead, it focuses on the cultural encounters between people. In other words, what happens when cultures intersect. Dr Hassim explains, “intercultural learning builds on our intercultural reality and prepares us to work constructively with diversity. “It is concerned with how we work together as people with a shared humanity, despite our differences and how we can effectively interact across cultures.”
HVGS is fortunate to have Dr Hassim working with us as we collectively explore our intercultural understanding. His own cultural experiences perfectly position him to lead us in this work.
Due to the increasing diversity of culture and the multifaceted nature of the world in which we live, it is clear why HVGS is building competence this area as a way of helping our students ‘learn to live together’.
“I was born in Singapore and came to Australia as an 11-yearold international student,” said Dr Hassim. “My migrant journey and my personal experience of culture fuelled my interest in the intercultural space.
Hunter Valley Grammar School is diverse, and our School community’s varied perspectives necessitate respect, selfreflection, responsiveness, and advocacy as we navigate difference and diversity. As we begin to better understand what motivates individuals in how they behave and act, we can then deliberately consider how we interact with each other and honour our difference.
“I went through school with other international students and many felt they had to adapt to fit into a majority. My wish is for
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all students to be themselves and be accepted.”
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Through the learning journey with Dr Hassim, HVGS staff can appreciate that intercultural learning is central and essential to responsive practice in education to meet the emerging needs of our students. This realisation has been both empowering and inspiring for staff. “HVGS is willing and ready to do this work,” says Dr Hassim. “There is such openness from staff to share their experiences, get the conversation started and to value and honour everyone’s experience.” Dr Hassim and other HVGS staff have also had an opportunity to engage with a small group of students on intercultural learning. Their voice and insights have been powerful and are essential in how we develop intercultural competency as a school. Olivia Daffy (Year 10) had some insightful reflections from the training, “I’m going to focus on promoting a more open-mindset, being more confident in my ideas, and speaking up and taking action where necessary,” said Olivia. Intercultural learning at HVGS does not stop with just intercultural training. We must continue to apply the knowledge and teachings from Dr Hassim to our everyday experience if we are to be genuinely inclusive and accepting of all. Dr Hassim offers this simple and deliberate way people can do this in daily interactions: “when in a conversation where someone is sharing their personal experience, simply pause and ask yourself, am I truly honouring that person’s experience and their authentic self?”
Meet Dr Hassim Dr Eeqbal Hassim is an education consultant specialising in the intersections of curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment in intercultural and transnational contexts. He holds the title of associate professor as an honorary principal fellow at Melbourne Graduate School of Education at The University of Melbourne. He is a qualified administrator of Intercultural Development Inventory and holds a bachelor’s degree in arts with first-class honours and a doctoral degree from The University of Melbourne.
Dr Hassim will continue working with the School to elevate and amplify student voice, while further developing our core focus areas and next steps. As a learning community we are excited about developing our cultural competence and the long-term benefits this will yield for students and the broader community, now and into the future.
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Exploring the
Career-related Programme pathway
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) is a unique programme addressing the needs of students engaged in career-related education. It guides students to further studies, apprenticeships, or employment. We met with HVGS Director of IB Programmes Pauliene O’Grady to find out what career opportunities this presents for students and why other students should consider this pathway.
our Early Learning Centre (ELC). She is refining her skills in a real-world setting, positioning her as a preferred applicant as she transitions into the workforce. What other aspects of the IBCP support the development of students’ careers? There are many aspects of the IBCP that support students’ careers, including: •
Students undertake 50 hours of service learning to apply their skills in a practical setting, whilst helping others. Students are given the opportunity to use this service towards attaining a Duke of Edinburgh Award.
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Courses in personal and professional skills and language development, teach skills suited to a workplace.
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The Reflective Project develops research and critical thinking skills, by investigating an ethical dilemma associated with a students’ career area.
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Completing two Diploma courses develops students’ academic skills.
Why is the IB CP a pathway students should explore? It is a great way for students to develop skills in applied knowledge, critical thinking, communication, and crosscultural engagement in their interested career. It is a realworld approach to learning. Students can study their career of choice whilst guided by their teachers in a supportive environment. What are the students currently studying in the IBCP at HVGS? Students are studying Early Childhood Education and Care, Primary Industries and Support Services (Aged Care). Two Year 11 students have moved into further studies. One student was granted early entry into Tocal Agriculture College, and another accepted a hospitality apprenticeship. Currently, a Year 12 student is undertaking her career studies in VET Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care in
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What qualifications will the students receive by the end of the programme, and what are their options postschool? Students will graduate with a VET Certificate in their career area plus the IB Career-related Programme Certificate.
No beef about Beef Week In the months leading up to Beef Week, our Cattle Team can be found on the HVGS farm working their steer and putting them through their final paces before the much anticipated start of competition. Beef Week, held in June, is a highlight for the team because it offers a rare opportunity for them to participate in live cattle assessment, carcase assessment, meat judging, beef appreciation workshops, parading and judging competitions. It’s also an opportunity for the team to see the fruits of their labour, the work they have put into their steer, and the benefit of waking to those 6:00 am weekday alarms. The HVGS Cattle team has grown exponentially since it first launched in 2018. Always a popular endeavour for HVGS students willing to forgo a sleep-in, it’s now burgeoning to well over 60 students from Years 7 – 12. Head of Agriculture and Cattle Team Manager Ian Bryson is heartened by the popularity of Cattle Team and agriculture in general at HVGS. “Some of the students who joined the Cattle Team when it launched as fresh-faced Year 7 students are now in Year 11 and have stayed committed members of the team. This retention is important for their own development and their role in mentoring younger and new students joining the team.”
Away at Beef Week 2022 Ten new Year 7 students represented HVGS at Beef Week this year. It’s a unique experience where students quickly learn that livestock do not operate on a 9 – 5 cycle, and they require feeding, washing, cleaning and plenty of last-minute preparation for competition. It’s also a very tiring trip! “We are away for an entire school week, and it’s exhausting,” says Ian. “Our older students really step up to help the younger students care for the livestock and are there for them when that little bit of homesickness and tiredness sets in.” This year HVGS entered a range of competitions: parading, judging (where students become the judge), carcase competition and for the first time, the intercollegiate meat judging competition for students in Years 10 and over. This competition attracts university-level entries and requires participants to judge a ‘good steak” before and after the animal is deceased. This was exciting for Senior students, who have always been interested in this competition, to finally take a bold leap into a new experience which provided new perspective on what constitutes a good cut of meat.
2022 Cattle Team Results
This mentorship from Senior students comes to the fore at Beef Week when our youngest and newest team members can require some emotional TLC as they farewell their steer to the carcase judging competition!
Parading Ribbons Congratulations to Eliza Barret, Toby Smith, Emily Layzell, Audrey McPherson, Grace Lawrence, Lachlan Lidbury and Matilda Lidbury.
“Students form a bond with their steer over months of working with them at the farm,” says Ian. “For the students with steer entered in the carcase judging competition, it can be an emotional farewell.
Judging Finalists Congratulations to Olivia Livingstone, Caitlin Biddle, Zac Irwin and Felix Ashton (first place).
“But it is the experience of the older students having been through it before and the partnership and comradery between students which helps them realise that this is but one small, sad part of a whole wonderful activity.”
Carcase success One of our Simmental steers was awarded second place in the carcase (400 – 420kg) judging competition.
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Student News Coding quest success!
Innovation in action
Congratulations to Ronan Green and Patrick Knight (Year 11), who recently placed second in the annual Lockheed Martin Code Quest competition - an international computer programming competition.
Year 12 Design student, Georgia King, is making waves with her HSC Major Design Project – Sharksurf, which encompasses a shark repellent surfboard, wetsuit and attachable.
Ronan and Patrick started in the novice competition but were quickly promoted to advanced, finishing second overall. The level of challenge is extremely high so this achievement is a huge credit to their skills and effort. Team Coach, Mr Chris Wyatt, was thrilled with the boys’ results. “Their score of 200 points, achieved in 2.5 hours, is the highest score achieved by any of the teams I’ve coached. They were the only Australian team to place in the top six with the remainder of the top teams coming from Singapore. A mind-blowing achievement!”
Georgia’s idea was to incorporate shark-repellent technology into commonly used products. Her design uses magnets on the underside of the surfboard and in the rider’s wetsuit to disrupt the shark’s electrical receptors, deterring them from the rider without harming the shark. This is just one of the exciting Major Design Projects that our students are completing. Like all of the Design students, Georgia’s journey has involved complex scientific and market research and testing to get to this point. Congratulations Georgia for having her project featured in the Newcastle Herald and on radio station 106.9.
Investor victory Logan Griffiths (Year 9) placed third in Australia in the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Schools Sharemarket Game. Students were allocated a virtual $50,000 they could invest over a 10-week period, in over 300 listed companies. The prices students buy and sell at are the same prices as they would get in the live market, so this is as close to real-life share trading as they can get. During a difficult time in the market, Logan made $8,000 profit!
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Logan’s strategy was to look for undervalued companies with strong cash flows and analyst predictions of higher dividend returns in the months and years ahead. “I targeted market sectors that I thought would do well in an environment of rising inflation and geopolitical turmoil. That lead me towards energy stocks, some of which are on our own doorstep here in the Hunter Valley,” said Logan.
The Official Side of Sport At HVGS we love to celebrate the achievements of our star athletes. We share stories of fierce competitions and emotion-charged clashes but what about those athletes who manage the on-field battles. Umpires and referees have opportunities to officiate at a representative level and here we celebrate two HVGS students doing just that - Kimberley Clements (Netball) and Hamish Grebert (Hockey).
What do you enjoy about umpiring? I enjoy studying the technicalities of the game. It’s a highly technical and fast sport that requires immense amounts of concentration. There is consideration of your positioning, vison, timing, calls, rule-knowledge and recall. Plus, decisions must be made in milliseconds to ensure a clean, disciplined, integral game. It also allows me to give something back to the netball community. What does it mean to umpire at a representative level? In 2019, I represented HRIS and CIS as an umpire at the NSW Primary PSSA three-day Netball Championships. Under the guidance of Netball NSW mentors, I attained my National C-badge at 14 years-old. This allowed me to umpire the Grand Finals of the Saturday Netball season. In 2021, I was assigned the top A-Grade division at Maitland and umpired for a season. I made the Hunter Academy of Sport Umpiring Squad where I attended two-day Academy Games and received my National B-badge. I also umpired the Open’s Championship (Division 1) at the Senior State Titles event. Though intimidating at first, it was incredibly exciting and humbling. In preparation for umpiring at a National level, I have recently been selected in the Netball NSW Development Umpires Group, which is a targeted group for 17-25-year-olds. I hope that I can eventually attain a National A-badge, and begin to umpire Nationally, and perhaps one-day the Suncorp Super Netball. What’s up next for you?
Kimberley Clements (Year 12) How long have you played netball for? Since I was 11 years old. I represented Maitland in 2016 and 2018 and have since continued to represent HVGS for my school life. Why umpiring? I started umpiring with the Saturday Netball club then joined the HVGS Umpiring Club in 2018. It was the guidance and advice from students and staff that kept me pursuing umpiring. I have also started mentoring umpires. It is difficult to retain young people, so I want to share my knowledge and offer my input to ensure that they have the confidence to keep going.
I hope that I can eventually attain a National A-badge, and begin to umpire Nationally, and perhaps one-day the Suncorp Super Netball. What would you tell other students who might be considering umpiring? Just do it! Though controlling a whole game may seem intimidating, there are so many people out there that will mentor, guide and encourage you! The constant feedback that you receive will allow you to develop as a sportsman/ woman. Starting at a grass-roots level will help develop confidence and meet life-long friends.
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Hamish Grebert (Year 7) How long have you played hockey for? I first started playing hockey in 2016 when I was 8 and at 11 I joined the Newcastle competition and started playing in the representative team. In 2019 I was selected in the CIS team to compete at the PSSA.
Junior School representative
Achievements
Our Junior School students have been doing great things at a representative level too. Congratulations to the following students from Junior School who have had representative success already this year:
What made you become interested in umpiring hockey? I would spend a lot of time watching my brothers’ games. The club didn’t have many umpires, so I put my hand up to help out. I really enjoyed it but was still playing, so I didn’t really pursue it. However, early last year I sustained a serious injury that meant I was unable to play. During my time in a wheelchair I started officiating games and realised how involved I was and wanted to pursue this aspect of the game further.
HRIS Swimming and Netball – Sienna Bullen (Year 6)
HRIS Swimming – Archie Begg (Year 2)
CIS Netball – Zali Lancey (Year 6)
CIS Touch – Finn Carlson (Year 6)
What do you enjoy about umpiring? I love that it gives a different perspective on a sport. I enjoy watching games that are fair, with consistent decision making and I like that umpiring gives me the chance to do this. Umpiring at a representative level, what does that involve? Late last year I was selected for the Hunter Academy of Sports Hockey Umpiring program and was lucky enough to work with Hockey NSW’s Umpiring Development Manager to further develop my skills. In the school holidays I represented the Hunter Academy of Sport as an umpire at the 2022 Academy Games and gained my Level 1 umpiring accreditation. From here I was selected to represent CIS as an umpire at the PSSA Hockey Tournament in Tamworth this Term. What would you tell any other student who might be considering umpiring? Just give it a try. Having to focus on the rules and make sure they are being followed is a really great way to understand the game and you get to see different ways players and teams approach the game. It makes you appreciate the work that umpires do.
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CIS Hockey – William Lidbury (Year 6)
Drawing, singing
and sharing morning tea with friends ELC Grandparent’s and Special Friend’s enjoyed a morning tea of delicious homemade tarts, cheese plates and other goodies. As a surprise, students sketched a portrait of their grandparent and/or special friend and gifted it to them on the day. They also shared their learning profiles and songs they have been practicing during their weekly music sessions with Mrs Harvie.
Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards 2022
Congratulations to our fantastic Early Learning Centre team who won the Large Community Regional Service of the Year Award at this year’s Excellence in Early Education Awards. We are so proud of this recognition of our team who provide outstanding care and education to our littlest learners. Special congratulations also to our ELC Director Sarah Bilton-Smith who was awarded the Regional Educator Leader Excellence Award.
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Distinguished Achievers 2021 At the beginning of each school year, Senior School students and staff celebrate students who achieved excellent results in their HSC (from the year before) and announce the Dux based on ATARs. Unfortunately, the ceremony did not go ahead due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The School acknowledges those Distinguished Achievers who achieved a Band 6 in any of their courses (or an E4 in an Extension course), and those who achieved an ATAR of 90 plus in their HSC.
Congratulations to the 27 HVGS graduates from the Class of 2021 who earned a place on the NSW Education Standards Authority Distinguished Achievers List. Ella Bendeich
Jack Ellis
Lucy Long
Olivia Blissett
Emily Fortunaso-Klocker
Sophie O’Brien
Morgan Clyne
Riley Hackett
Angus Rogers
Kiahny Rose Cooper
Genevieve Janse van Rensburg
Ian Stalker
Kathleen Doherty
Georgia Lidbury
James Burke
Charlotte Coakes-Jenkins Angelina Devorsine Ellen Dungavell
Asher Gale
Olivia Halliwell
Hannah Rath Lucy Saywell
Claire Lawrence
Charlotte Stephenson
Bridie Long
Laura Way
DUX of 2021
Rose Sutherland
Congratulations to Angus Rogers who was named DUX based on ATAR results. Angus was awarded the Cameron Prize for DUX.
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On the Grapevine with
Dionne Molina and Adam Bird Director of Advancement and Community Engagement and Director of Information and Communication Technology
We caught up with Dionne Molina and Adam Bird on the HVGS grapevine to learn about their interests, role at HVGS and future aspirations.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I’ve had an interesting career journey – I have worked as both a teacher and as a marketing/ advancement professional so a career in education marketing/advancement is the perfect complement to my qualifications and skills.
As the youngest of four children, I grew up just down the road in Tarro where my parents still live to this day. From an early age I had a passion for working with computers and always knew that was what I wanted to do as a career.
In my spare time there is nothing I love more than hitting the hiking trails and I try to travel to New Zealand annually to do a hike. I’m so thankful to have seen some of the most beautiful vistas from atop an alpine summit. As an avid traveller and landscape photographer the beauty and awe of our natural world is certainly not lost on me.
I’ve been lucky enough to work for a variety of technology organisations throughout my career, ranging from an international internet provider to a local Information Technology (IT) support company. Most recently, I worked in IT Services at the University of Newcastle before accepting the opportunity here at HVGS.
What is your role here at HVGS?
Even though my career has been in IT, my focus has always been on building strong relationships and understanding what challenges or opportunities exist that technology can help with.
I’m the Director of Advancement and Community Engagement which is a new role in the School. It’s my job to ensure that the School’s marketing, communications, enrolment and engagement strategies are aligned to our goals and to develop new strategies to deeply engage our past student network and connect our community - inside and outside the school. What is on your wish list for HVGS? HVGS is a fantastic school with so many passionate people. My wish is for our students (past and present), staff and parents to feel a deep level of connection and community. What’s your big dream in life? At school I had dreams of becoming an archaeologist because I have a love of ancient history, particularly ancient Egyptian history. So, my big dream in life is to visit Egypt and absorb the mastery and ingenuity of our ancient ancestors and to visit all the places I have only read about in (dozens and dozens) of history books.
What are your favourite hobbies? The 3 R’s. Running, riding and reading. Tell us something about you that would surprise us? I am a Christmas light nut. What is your role here at HVGS? As Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), I want to ensure the technology we use is the best it can be to maximise learning and teaching opportunities. What is on your wish list for HVGS? There is a big list! My focus at the moment is on ensuring we are maximising the value of our investment in technology at the School.
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Overcoming any hurdle
Aimee Fisher (2019) Aimee Fisher is an inspirational elite para-athlete and has recently been to Switzerland to compete in the WPA Grand Prix/Swiss National Championships and Daniele Jutzeler Memorial athletics competitions. She has a fierce determination to achieve her goals including competing in the Paralympics You’ve had an interesting career path since you left HVGS. Tell us more.
A L U M N I
After graduating in 2019 I received an offer to study a Bachelor of Medical Sonography/Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography (Central Queensland University, Sydney campus) and I am currently in my third year of this degree. I have always wanted to pursue a career in radiography and sonography particularly sparked my interest because I enjoy problem solving and the intellectual challenge, but it was also a very hands-on career that I could still engage with independently in a wheelchair. I also train six days a week for athletics between the track and gym and compete. What advice do you have for student leavers trying to decide on their future career path? It’s important to remember that there are a lot of different pathways. Whether you know exactly what you want to pursue, aren’t quite sure and change along the way, or have to follow a different path to what you had planned to achieve your goal, everything is ultimately taking you in the right direction. Have more than just plan A and don’t be disheartened if there are a few hurdles along the way. If you have a goal or a dream keep pushing forward and don’t let anything stand in your way. How has your education here at HVGS helped set you up for the future? I started in Kindergarten at HVGS and followed my education here through until year 12. I’ve known a lot of the staff here for those 13 years and others just through Junior or Senior
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Success 2022 Alumni
school, but the relationships you develop over time and the mentoring and support is really important. Having that support network and encouragement can really shape your approach and skillset going forward. I’m very thankful for the experiences and things I’ve learned both in the curriculum and from staff in the way of personal development and opportunities provided beyond the classroom. I’m sure each of those staff members, from teachers to support staff, will know who they are, and I am grateful for their support over the years. “Whatever she set out to do, she’d get there and be the best at it. – Mr Burgess” You were recently awarded the Newcastle Knights Minerva Scholarship – Congratulations. What opportunities has this presented? What they’ve put together is an incredible opportunity. I’m currently receiving mentorship from an ex-radiography professional, the funding is assisting with my university costs, and it has opened the door for many other opportunities to share my passion for sport and education and make a difference in the community. What is next for you? I will continue to complete my university degree full-time and I’m on track to graduate at the end of next year before moving into a career in sonography. I also hope to complete a Master of Medical Sonography in the future. On the track my major goals are to qualify for the World Championships next year or the rescheduled championships in 2024 and then the Paralympic Games in Paris.
The world’s a stage...
Tynan Fuller (2020)
His love of the arts has extended beyond HVGS, and he’s now channelling his energy into his tertiary studies with the Australian Institute of Music and several performance opportunities, too. Tynan returned to the School for our Careers Quest event to share his journey of pursuing the performing arts post-school and the tertiary options available to those students also interested in the performing arts. What have you been doing since leaving HVGS? I’ve been working in the performing arts industry as a children’s entertainer and a trivia host. I’ve also recently finished a tour with an Irish Dance Group as the solo vocalist (not a dancer, which is certainly not my foray!). I’m also a second-year student at the Australian Institute of Music studying a Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre).
You returned for Careers Quest to advise students on tertiary study options in the performing arts. Why did you feel it essential to share your journey?
A L U M N I
Tynan Fuller (2020) is a hard face to forget. Over his seven years at the School, he could often be found on the HVGS stage as a musician, actor, or both! Who could forget his performance as Ursula the Sea Witch in the Little Mermaid!
Events like Careers Quest offer an excellent perspective for students on a whole range of different industries. For a HVGS student interested in the performing arts, access to a fellow HVGS student, who has trod the path before, is incredibly valuable. In the performing arts, having increased exposure to performers and more opportunities to understand the pathways available helps students leaving school successfully navigate the path forward. What’s your big dream in life?
I want to work in the Musical Theatre scene in Sydney. The performing arts have suffered a hit over COVID, and it’s a reasonably volatile industry at the moment, but I’m ready for what comes next.
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E: communityrelations@hvgs.nsw.edu.au www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au
