Success Semester One 2018
CONTENTS Cover: Kindergarten student, Jackson Kirtley
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RURAL SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM
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14. New Staff Profiles
4. The Class of 2030: A Global Worldview
VIETNAM COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
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HVGS TAKES A STAND
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18. Inspired Student Work
20. Celebrating Class of 2017
7. Holi Festival Celebrations in Preschool 8. New Agriculture Program 10. Visual Literacy for STEAM Innovation 11. New Mandarin Course 2
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GIRLS RUGBY 22. Sport Achievements
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HVGS INTERSCHOOLS EQUESTRIAN EVENT
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ALUMNI NEWS
Success 2018 From the Principal
BUILDING THE FUTURE By Mr Paul Teys, Principal
highlights our maturity as a school (in our 29th year), providing a recreational and leisure space for students and staff to enjoy good food, relaxation time and company in a comfortable and dignified way. The two-level cafeteria also provides a design-built dining room to accommodate 120 guests, which will prove extremely beneficial, given the number of smaller formal events we host. The multifunction design means we can also host whole of year learning events. We would hope to have the project completed by Term 4, 2019.
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isitors to our School are always impressed with our campus, grounds and facilities. For the past five to ten years, there has always been some sort of capital development underway. We are committed to providing our students with dynamic learning spaces and ensuring that older spaces are refurbished and contemporary. Our learning spaces are purposeful in their design to engage students in flexible ways, foster a sense of pride and belonging, utilise digital technologies appropriately and provide teachers with the very best tools and resources, so that our teaching and learning is the very best. At the board and executive leaders strategic planning workshops in 2017, considerable thought was given to exploring ways we can improve the
physical learning environment to better support teaching, learning and wellbeing in the School. Early this term, construction started on our new Early Learning Centre (ELC). Our new ELC will offer a world-class, architecturally designed environment to excite and energise our youngest learners. It has been intentional in its design by creating spaces that promote the attributes inherent in our International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. Flexible and inspiring natural and built settings will support play-based and inquiry learning, which is critical in shaping the brain of young children and supports higher potential for learning in later life. In November, you will start to notice the footprint of the Senior School change when an exciting new project kicks off: a new multifunctional cafeteria to replace the current canteen. This acquisition
The business of teaching and learning has changed significantly over the past decade. We are now educating tomorrow’s innovators and changemakers to develop the skills and talents they will need to work in a globalised workforce in the complex careers of the future. The reality for our young people is that future work practices will require an emphasis on different types of skills: collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking, innovation and flexibility. It is our responsibility to ensure that we provide the learning environment and the tools for them to develop these skills. The new TAS building is a perfect example of a flexible, technology and resource-rich learning space, which is enjoyable for students and teachers to work in each day and which will serve students well now and into the future. The purchase of the new school farm also means that our Agriculture program can offer real-world, hands-on, future-focused learning. It is an exciting time in the life of the School, and the revitalisation and rejuvenation of our learning spaces means that right from the very early years our students have access to outstanding facilities that enhance teaching and motivate learning.
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Success 2018 Feature Story
THE CLASS OF 2030
Developing a global world view
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By Mr Daniel McClintock, Head of Junior School
ne of my favourite childhood TV shows was Beyond 2000. That date, 2000, embodied a sense of future and wonder, of technological progress. Now, eighteen years after the turn of the century, it seems quaint. Writing about the future world of this year’s Kindergarten students faces the same fate. Our Junior School’s youngest charges will graduate from Year 12 in the year 2030. Looking ahead, 2030 is unknowable, mysterious, exciting, and in many ways a little frightening. But 2030 will come. Indeed, one day, these students will be in their 40s, and they may open this article (or a digital archive), and smile at how quaint it was for Mr McClintock to think of 2030 as some distant future. We must ask ourselves, though, what is the education a 2030 graduate needs to receive? For all the uncertainty we have around the future, one thing is clear: a futurefocused education must be one that prepares students for a global outlook – even in a regional school such as ours.
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The Hunter Valley community is a diverse one – industries thriving in our region include viticulture, marketing, hospitality, the arts, agriculture, health, construction, mining, the trades and education. In each of these sectors, the impact of increased global connections is evident, and there’s no identifiable reason for this impact to abate in the future. This will be more apparent as the influence of Artificial Intelligence is increasingly felt across all industries. Each of our region’s industries brings an increasingly diverse population to the area – students from our School identify with more than thirty separate cultural backgrounds in their own immediate family. Hunter Valley Grammar School takes its responsibility to our students incredibly seriously. To provide the absolute best outcomes for students, we must adopt a global world view, connected with and aware of the issues of the world, ready to contribute solutions globally, and ready to build bridges with those of other cultures. This is the type of education that equips this year’s Kindergartens for a global future.
HVGS is a proud World School, offering the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Program (PYP). Indeed, we are the only school in the region authorised to do so. The PYP encompasses our curriculum and our teaching practice – it is the lens through which we view what we do and who we are educating our students to be. Core to the PYP is the concept of “InternationalMindedness”, and core to that is the Learner Profile. Our goal is to graduate students who are openminded, reflective, communicators, thinkers, knowledgeable, inquirers, courageous, caring, well-balanced, principled and endeavouring. People such as this, well-educated and passionate, are best placed to make global contributions, or even simply to make local ones cognizant of the global stage.
Along with our Early Learning Centre (which is also PYP-authorised), Kindergarten is the beginning of the international mindedness journey. Our Kindergarten teachers program learning experiences that cultivate the habits and the disposition of the Learner Profile. In inquiring into games, why and how they’re played, and how they’ve been played now, in the past and in other places, Kindergarten students are inquiring into our responsibilities towards each other, the influence of technology over time and the way our lives are different from and similar to the childhood lives of their parents and grandparents. They’re learning about the factors that influence how we play, and how our country, economic status, and connections impact on our play. They are considering the importance of friendship and fair play across time and geographic and cultural divides.
So what is a global education in Kindergarten?
And so a unit on “games” is really about so much more. It is an inquiry into character and who we are. It is, indeed, the start of a learning continuum in an education that fosters internationally minded students, ready to make a positive impact on a globalised world.
As I write this, one of our Kindergarten students might tell you they’re learning about “games”. How does this contribute to a global outlook? When is a unit about “games” more than a unit on games? What is going on beneath the surface?
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Success 2018 Wellbeing and Compassion
HVGS TAKES A STAND #No Way
By Mrs Penny Curran-Peters, Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School
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ur student wellbeing program provides all students with the skills to engage deeply with their learning at every stage, and to equip them for life at school and beyond.
Take a look behind the scenes as students and teachers from across the whole school came together to take a stand: youtu.be/jjDSsE_BbHM
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Our students are optimistic, resilient and emotionally intelligent, and they understand the important role they play in supporting a safe community. In 2017, Junior and Senior School Student Leaders wrote the following pledge: At HVGS, we look out for each other. We affirm that everyone at our School has the right to be safe and respected. We demonstrate the courage and integrity to take
a stand against violence and bullying. As a community, and as individuals, we pledge to be a school of respect and compassion, free of bullying.
In support of our pledge, HVGS observed the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence. This wonderful expression from our whole School says so much more than #NO WAY – it says that we are a school full of people who collectively support those who might be experiencing bullying and/or harassment. It says that we are a school that takes our commitment seriously and together we create a positive community where people and their feelings are valued.
Success 2018 Teaching, Learning and Innovation
DEVELOPING CULTURAL COMPETENCE Holi Festival celebrations in the Early Learning Centre By Mrs Sarah Bilton-Smith, Director
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e live in a multicultural society rich in traditions, customs and beliefs. Exposure to other cultures through authentic learning experiences helps children develop a global perspective of the world and an appreciation of the diverse communities in which they live. Finding opportunities to participate in activities and celebrations that enhance the cultural competence and cultural education of our youngest learners is important.
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1 Preschooler, Arjun Kodur
We are fortunate that in the Early Learning Centre we have so many willing parents and educators eager to share their culture and customs with the children. This year, one of our educators, Mrs Lal, kindly helped facilitate the very vibrant and very exciting Holi Festival of Colour. The Holi Festival is a traditional Indian spring festival celebrated in many parts of the world. The celebration signifies a victory of good over evil, and the end of winter and arrival of spring. Fun is an important aspect of Holi and it was certainly on show in spades.
The ELC became awash with colour as children threw powdered paints onto their clothing, flung coloured water and smeared dry colours over each other – all part of the celebration.
“Through the inclusion of meaningful celebrations, we are supporting children to develop strong foundations in both the culture and language of their family and the broader community, without compromising their own cultural identity.� DEEWR (2009) Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
Incorporating celebrations such as the Holi Festival into the preschool program helps children better understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures, and promotes positive attitudes of tolerance, understanding and open-mindedness.
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Success 2018 Teaching, Learning and Innovation
PLANTING THE SEEDS OF THE FUTURE HVGS Agriculture Program
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By Mr Ian Bryson, Agriculture Teacher
SEE FOR YOURSELF:
Watch the Cattle Team in action: youtu.be/R7Svb_XIKUI
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reparing students for the work practices and opportunities of the future is an important role of any educational institution. Agriculture is expected to emerge as a booming industry – surpassing the mining sector, so it’s an important inclusion in the HVGS curricular and cocurricular offering. In a region such as ours, offering
a quality agricultural program to students is fundamental, especially when statistics suggest that for every Australian agricultural graduate, there are eight jobs available.
In 2018 HVGS launched a new Agriculture program, which is developing in leaps and bounds. Student participation in the program is incredibly varied and hands-on. Over the past six to eight months, the
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School has created research plots, a commercial glasshouse and a poultry facility behind the Cameron Centre. The recent purchase of the School farm in South Maitland has taken our program to the next level. Twenty-four beef show steer, four alpacas and six Dorper sheep call the HVGS farm home.
Studying Agriculture
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1 Cattle Team members, Harper Strachan and Nate Robertson (Year 7) 2 Year 12 Agriculture students, Lucy Starkey and Abbey Flinn 3 Year 11 students undertake wheat trials at the School research plots.
For the uninitiated, one could be forgiven for thinking that a school agriculture program consists of tractor driving or gardening, however, the breadth and depth of the course is far-reaching and is closely aligned with other subjects such as biology, commerce, chemistry and even human physiology. Future proofing students for life beyond school is fundamental. With the huge range of diversification opportunities associated with agricultural industries and the transferable skills gained through the study of agriculture, employment possibilities are endless.
For Year 7 students, Agriculture is taught as a mandatory TAS rotation (over one term). During the course, students grow their choice of horticultural crops while developing new marketing ideas for the herbs that they produce in class. In Year 9 and 10, Agriculture is offered as an elective. Students study various forms of livestock production including
sheep, poultry, cattle and even urban farming and aquaculture. In Years 11 and 12, students carry out plant and animal research trials and can specialise in their choice of agricultural technology including droning, ageconomics, agribusiness, robotic dairies and reproductive technologies such as cloning and embryo-transfer.
Co-curricular Opportunities
Hunter Valley Grammar School’s commitment to a balanced education involves finding opportunities to holistically nurture individuals in a range of activities that appeal to students’ diverse range of interests and passions. The new Cattle Team provides a unique practical, hands-on opportunity for students in Years 7-12 to prepare, manage, and show our cattle in various rural shows and events such as Wingham Beef Week and Scone Beef Bonanza. The Cattle Team started working with our unbroken steers in early Term 2, and in the space of a week were well on their way in harnessing the patience, respect, trust and teamwork required in handling animals. All Senior Students have the potential to work with cattle. This may be the opportunity they have been waiting for to show cattle, or it just may be a chance for non-rural students to participate in a new experience. I’d be pleased to chat with students interested in the Cattle Team and Agriculture.
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Success 2018 Teaching, Learning and Innovation
VISUAL LITERACY SKILLS FOR JUNIOR STEAM INNOVATION
“Great scientists are artists as well.” Albert Einstein By Mrs Kylie Lawrence, Teacher Librarian
Why? Simply, the digital world is a visual world. To innovate we must be able to visualise, as much of the information we process – to construct knowledge – comes through our eyes.
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he development of students’ STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) skills are a high priority for educators to ensure students thrive post school in a complex 21st century, digitalised environment. At Hunter Valley Grammar School, STEAM subjects are taught through an integrated future focused learning program. With this push for STEAM skills also comes a requirement for teachers to enhance students’ visual literacy so they can successfully visualise, problem solve and communicate abstract concepts.
What is visual literacy?
Visual literacy is the ability to interpret, create and evaluate visual images for communicating information. Developing visual literacy skills plays a vital role in enhancing learning and innovation.
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Visual literacy is multifaceted and develops from the way in which we observe our world. Thinking and communicating visually stimulates critical and creative thinking across all subjects. It is essential for conceptual understanding, problem solving and expressing ideas.
Drawing in Maths, Technology and Science: a Year 4 STEAM unit Finding opportunities to incorporate visual literacy in STEAM learning is an important focus for teachers at HVGS and involves teacher librarians meeting weekly with Junior School teachers from each year group. A fantastic result of this process was a collaborative STEAM unit developed with three Year 4 teachers and an industrial designer in which students drew their own robotic creature, detailing its technology/ operating systems.
In class, students were studying Mechanica by Lance Balchin, a visual text acting as a cautionary tale about the environment and the rise of AI. Videos were used to model drawing techniques for ideation. Students then undertook an in-class assessment task to visually represent their understanding.
Through annotations and the use of symbolism, students compared the function of human systems to robotic systems, documented in a T-chart (a graphic organiser used to examine two facets of a topic). The T-charts detailed deep functional thought which proved to be a deeply engaging process and was evidenced by their final submissions. This process of graphically representing and drawing ideas is often used by designers, engineers, scientists and mathematicians. In our Year 4 task, it was important for students to forget the pretty endpoint of a picture, but instead to focus on visual problem solving. Thinking on paper (and via computeraided design programs) facilitates the process of manipulating imagery in the mind, which is a powerful way to explore how an idea may work in reality. Ultimately, visual literacy offers a wide spectrum of opportunities to enhance STEAM-based learning. Imagery truly is universal, and through acknowledging and valuing the potential of visual literacy across STEAM-related areas, we can equip our students with the tools they need to mine their imaginations for innovation. Kylie’s article on visual literacy skills for STEAM innovation was published by the NSW Department of Education and can be read in greater detail on their website: education.nsw.gov.au
Success 2018 Teaching, Learning and Innovation
LANGUAGE IN MOTION New Mandarin Course
By Ms Yin Wang, Mandarin Teacher
“Learning to speak another’s language means taking one’s place in the human community. It means reaching out to others across cultural and linguistic boundaries...” Savignon (1983)
Here’s what some of our Year 7 parents had to say about the course. “My son hasn’t stopped raving about how much he likes his Chinese Language class. He is fascinated to now learn Chinese. He’s been reading out his Chinese words to us every night. We are so happy about this.” “My daughter especially enjoys her Language class. We are surprised, as she never displayed an interest in learning another language before and we wondered how she would go. She tells us constantly this is her favourite class.”
1 Mandarin teacher, Yin Wang
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Mandarin is the mother tongue of more than 873 million people, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world. China is Australia’s biggest trading partner and the second largest economy in the world. It’s also one of the world’s oldest and richest continuous cultures.
The course has been well received by Year 7 and will grow to include Years 8-10 over subsequent years.
Mandarin is an interesting language for students to learn. This is evidenced in the commitment of students to their learning in the classroom, and the testimonials received from parents of Year 7 students studying Mandarin.
he introduction of Chinese (Mandarin) language lessons to Year 7 in 2018 broadens students’ direct experience of another culture and enhances cultural diversity as global citizens. Knowledge of another language provides opportunities for students to study or work in other countries and cultures.
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Success 2018 Teaching, Learning and Innovation
RURAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Be part of something bigger By Mr Paul Teys, Principal
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Watch this video to find out more about the Rural Scholarship Program: youtu.be/bLV-MPx4-kE
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he School has recently launched an ambitious new Rural Scholarship Program aimed at providing students living in rural and regional Australia the opportunity to finish their HSC at HVGS while living with a Homestay Family. Compassion, citizenship and gratitude are just some of the core values that underpin our School’s ethos and educational philosophy, and I feel assured that our students appreciate how fortunate they are to have access to amazing educational opportunities and a fantastic school within their local area. We teach students to take a balanced view of education by seeking ways to make an impact in our local and global community. Together we acknowledge that not everyone has access to the same opportunities in education as we do. It is because of that knowledge that we’re in the unique position to help address educational disparity between rural and city kids. I’m passionate about the program, stemming from my own experience growing up in western Queensland, where quality educational opportunities simply were not available. My parents moved away from their parents so we could get access to quality schools. This is often the reality and the challenges faced by rural families. I’m so pleased that so many of our families
have expressed excitement about the program and about providing a supportive and nurturing home to a student from rural Australia.
Taking the program out to communities
Earlier in the term, I packed up the car and headed out to Goondiwindi and Dubbo to attend their annual agricultural shows and share the program with prospective rural families. Wearing my suit and name badge often drew comments from locals, and gave me an “in” to chat more about the program and our School. The feedback from both these communities has been wonderful. I have made some great connections, met many interesting people and even bumped into a few HVGS families! Hopefully I’ve stirred some interest with prospective families who are looking for a better option for their sons and daughters. I’ll be visiting Parkes, Gunnedah, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Mudgee over the coming months. If you have friends or family living in these areas or beyond, please let them know about the scholarships and ask them to get in touch. I’m proud of the program and of the HVGS community who have embraced it so willingly. I’m looking forward to welcoming our first rural students in 2019.
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Success 2018 Staff
NEW STAFF PROFILES
Mr Peter Gentz
Ms Rhiannon Hampton
Ms Madeline Smith
As the Strength and Conditioning guy, I call the gym at HVGS home. Married with one 18-year-old son (another professional coach), I spent the first thirty years of my working life in the electricity industry.
Growing up in Central West NSW, I always knew I wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to help others.
I am so pleased to have joined the HVGS team this year, having recently moved to the area. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher so completing a degree in teaching was an obvious choice for me.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
For over thirty-five years, though, I have coached young athletes in various locations across NSW to become stronger, faster and fitter. Snow in Lithgow, dust storms in Griffith, heat waves in Moree and ice in Inverell all made training interesting! Last year, I joined HVGS to coach our young athletes. I aspire to excellence in training and I’ve been working towards attaining some key qualifications to enhance my performance coaching. My biggest success story to date has been raising my son to adulthood and having one of my female athletes break the Australian 200m hurdles record last year. My two personal goals are to complete my Bachelor of Sports Science and see athletes I have trained win at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
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Psychologist
Emotional health absolutely fascinated me, so after finishing school I completed a Bachelor of Psychology and a Master of Clinical Psychology at the University of Newcastle. Over this time, I discovered that I loved working with children and young people. It is such a pleasure and privilege to be able to come up with creative evidenced-based solutions to difficult problems with the help of children, young people and their families. During this time, I have also been fortunate enough to be able to follow my other passion of travel, visiting several countries in Europe, Asia and North America. I have joined HVGS this year as part of our School Psychology Team and am extremely excited to play my part in helping our wonderful students to develop into well-rounded individuals, equipped and enthusiastic for the challenges of the future.
Junior School Teacher
After graduating from Newcastle University, I had a desire to gain some international teaching experience and pursue my love of travel, so accepted a teaching role in London. This allowed me to see the world and gain valuable teaching experience. Teaching abroad was a great experience both personally and professionally, however I began to miss Australia so returned home to the Central Coast. Here I began teaching in a large independent school that provided me with many great experiences. These experiences included the opportunity to lead a stage of passionate educators and complete my Masters. Teaching for me provides the opportunity to share my love of learning with others. I am looking forward to being able to share my love of learning with the students of HVGS for years to come.
Success 2018 Staff
Mr Ian Bryson
Mrs Dionne Molina
Ms Yin Wang
I first found my passion for Agriculture at school – the same way I hope students at HVGS will find their passion.
My desire for a creative outlet was what first attracted me to marketing. There are not too many jobs that allow you to be creative and analytical all at the same time; always something to create, measure and optimise!
I commenced learning the cello at a very young age, achieving at the highest level. At 13 I performed in France as an ambassador for a “Sister City” and twice in Korea at the age of 18.
Agriculture Teacher
I attended Sydney University, where I completed a Bachelor of Agriculture Science (majoring in Animal Production). To support myself through university, I taught the bagpipes and ran the Knox Grammar Pipe Band. Here I found my passion for education. I applied for a rural position as an animal advisor for the South Australian Government and before I knew it I was living in Gawler. I later transferred to the position of animal health advisor in the south-east of South Australia and stayed here for five years while completing my Diploma in Education. I took a position as Head of Agriculture at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill. This was my first full-time teaching position and boarding role. I returned to my old school, Knox Grammar, in 2006 as an Agriculture teacher and was later promoted to Faculty Head. It has been a bright change joining the team at HVGS, and I’m looking forward to developing the Agriculture program and making a difference to students interested in agriculture.
Marketing Manager
I’ve been working in an educational marketing context for about fifteen years and love working in schools – most recently at Central Coast Grammar. I’ve been fortunate to experience the “other side of the desk” because I’m also a primary school teacher. It’s been fantastic to join HVGS this year and to venture up the freeway each day from the Central Coast where I live with my husband and two teenage boys. I have a passion for travel and photography and will take every opportunity to hike a mountain peak, discover a vibrant city or explore some far-flung corner of the world. I love taking videos too and it’s not uncommon to see me capturing life through the lens of a smartphone. I’m looking forward to sharing the story of our School and getting stuck into some exciting new marketing projects. Watch this space! If you see me around, say hi!
Specialist Music Teacher/ Mandarin Teacher
I attended one of China’s top 10 universities and graduated with a Bachelor of Music. I later completed my Master of Teaching (Secondary) at the University of Newcastle. In 2002, I joined HVGS as a Specialist Music Teacher of cello. I enjoy playing alongside students and it’s always amazing to see how quickly they learn. My involvement within the HVGS Instrumental Program also extends to the Ensemble Program as a director of three String Quartets, Beginner Strings and as a supporting musician/tutor in the HVGS Symphony Orchestra and Senior Strings. In 2018 my position at HVGS was further extended in an entirely new direction as our first Mandarin Teacher. It’s pleasing to see Year 7 Mandarin students eager to learn and speak the tonal language that requires high levels of listening skills. I personally believe that both Mandarin and Music connect students beautifully to the IB philosophy of greater cultural understanding and international mindedness.
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Success 2018 Community Service Projects
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Success 2018 Community Service Projects
VIETNAM COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT HVGS students and teachers continue to have a significant impact in the broader community. The 2018 Vietnam Community Service Project built four houses this year, bringing the total to eleven over six trips. The work students undertake while in Vietnam and in the lead up to the trip, has a significant impact to the families they help but also a personal impact. Many students return home with an increased sense of humility and new perspectives on the world which can stay with them forever.
See for yourself. Take a look at what our students had to say about the 2018 trip:
youtu.be/urvNnekzpwc Students from the 2018 tour in Vietnam.
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Success 2018 Event Coverage
INSPIRED STUDENTS
By Ms Sue Richardson, HVGS Curator The opportunity for HVGS students to enter their artwork in the annual Inspired Art Exhibition reinforces the notion that their ideas and creativity have value in a technologically driven world. “Handmade” has become something of a buzzword in a modern society that is increasingly losing these skills. Inspired provides students with an opportunity to engage with practising artists’ works and to participate in an art show in the same manner as an artist. This year, Inspired attracted more than sixty HVGS artists across many diverse mediums including paintings, drawings, collages and digital images. Building students’ pride and self-confidence is paramount, and this is evident when they see their work on display, if they win a prize or when someone unknown to them purchases their work.
Encouragement award: Haunted, by Kyla Borghero (Year 11)
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4 1 Student winner: The View, Ben Dennis (Y8) 2 Encouragement award: Another Brick in the Wall, Aidan Smith (ELC) 3 Encouragement award: Hill with Lighthouse, Lachlan Davies (Y5) 4 A telescope gifted to Ben from his grandfather inspired his piece
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Success 2018 Student Achievement
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2017 By Mr Nick Jolliffe, Dean of Innovative Curriculum
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ear 12 students are active and engaged members of our learning community. The 2017 HSC cohort achieved the highest number of Band 6 results in the School’s history, with more than a third of our students recognised on the Distinguished Achievers List. Congratulations to our Business Studies, PDHPE, Modern History and Science students, who achieved more than double the state average of Band 6 results. Legal Studies students also excelled achieving nearly three times the state percentage of Band 6 results.
Individual Achievements
1 Elizabeth Heitmeyer 2 Callum Lynn 3 Distinguished achievers 4 Alberta Redgrove 5 Fiona Stalker 6 Victoria Gill 7 Elinor Bowman 8 Kate Burfitt
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Elizabeth Heitmeyer was named on the state’s All Rounders List for achieving a Band 6 in ten or more units of study. In fact, she received a Band 6 in all her eleven units, with her lowest subject result an impressive 93%. Elizabeth was named Dux of 2017 and also scored the School’s highest ATAR of 98.7.
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Callum Lynn was another notable high achiever, with nine Band 6 results and the honour of achieving the School’s second highest HSC Physics result in more than twenty years.
ENCORE
Callum Lynn (piano) and Alberta Redgrove (voice) were nominated for inclusion in ENCORE, a program of outstanding performances and compositions by HSC Music students.
John Lincoln Youth Community Award
Fiona Stalker was one of only twenty-six students across the state to be awarded the John Lincoln Youth Community Award from the Office of the Order of Australia NSW Branch. The award recognises students with an excellent record of community service.
Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards Victoria Gill, Elinor Bowman and Kate Burfitt received their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
Success 2018 Sport Coverage
GIRLS MAKING THEIR MARK Girls’ Rugby at HVGS
By Mrs Elissa O’Brien, Girls’ Rugby Coach Learning from experienced players and coaches within the School is proving beneficial in enhancing their skills and game strategy. The 2018 girls’ rugby team had success at the City 7s Invitational Gala, winning two out of their three games, going down narrowly by a conversion to Hunter Sports High School. The confidence the girls gained from this experience was amazing.
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The physical training sessions and games have pushed the girls outside their comfort zones, but have also enabled a real sense of achievement. Many of our girls have now successfully competed in rugby representative teams outside of school. The girls are growing in the belief of their ability and tenacity, which will serve them well on and off the field. 1
he momentum and resurgence of women’s rugby following the Australian Women’s Rugby 7s gold medal win at the 2016 Olympics sparked an idea for the introduction of a girls’ rugby program at HVGS. While the program is still in its infancy, there’s been a great deal of energy and interest in the sport from girls in Years 7 to 12. The support for girls’ rugby has been extremely encouraging. Each Wednesday afternoon the girls train alongside the boys’ teams to promote an inclusive rugby culture at the School.
A pleasant by-product from the program has been the opportunity for students to facilitate meaningful relationships across year groups. Our older girls are proving to be excellent role models for younger students, and those who have not had formal opportunities to demonstrate leadership qualities are stepping up. Finding ways to network with rugby association experts has also been an important aspect of the program. Michael Howell (2009, HVGS First XIV player) is the Hunter Rugby Development Officer and has coached the girls on two occasions. Girls’ rugby at HVGS will only go from strength to strength, and I’m looking forward to working with girls eager to give rugby a go.
1 The girls with alumnus, Michael Howell
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Success 2018 Sport Coverage
SPORT ACHIEVEMENTS HVGS AT THE STAWELL GIFT
ROWING SUCCESS
It was the opportunity of a lifetime for talented runners Ava Osland, Bella Murray, Grace Hewitt, Kaitlyn Klein and Riley Woods, who were the first ever HVGS athletes to represent the School at the iconic Stawell Gift.
The rowing season may be over for now but the success of our rowers is still very much top of mind.
by Mr Peter Gentz, Strength and Conditioning Coach
The Stawell Gift is a prestigious event. It is the oldest and richest foot race in Australia, and athletes who compete are held in the highest esteem, with many going on to have Olympic careers. It is held over the Easter weekend on an uphill grass track, and athletes are given handicaps ranging from scratch right up to 10m for males and 11m for females. Our runners arrived in peak physical fitness, having just come off the summer athletics season. The handicaps given to our team proved difficult, but they were determined to push themselves beyond their limits and bring home a couple of personal best times and a wealth of experience. I’ll be looking to build on our experiences from this year, to develop our athletes to compete in the Stawell Gift in the future.
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by Mr Tom Herborn, Director of Rowing
Early last term, eleven HVGS students competed at the Australian Rowing Championships in Penrith. Racing against the best oarsmen and oarswomen around the country, these students not only represented HVGS with great distinction, but in many cases flew the flag for all of NSW as well. HVGS qualified for six A finals – the highest number the School has ever qualified for at a single national championship. Congratulations to the entire team!
NEWS FLASH
Hunter Valley Grammar School has been named Champion Club of the Central Districts Rowing Association for the 2017/18 season. We have also received the Combined U16/17 Shield which is awarded to the club or school with the highest point score accrued through Rowing NSW Regattas.
Success 2018 Sport Coverage
HVGS INTERSCHOOLS EQUESTRIAN DAY Hunter Valley Grammar School’s 2018 Interschools Equestrian Event was a huge success. Twenty-one HVGS riders competed alongside more than sixty schools in over 130 horse and rider combinations in both Show Jumping and Dressage events. Congratulations to the HVGS team who were named Overall Champion School. Interschools is the fastest growing competition of Equestrian NSW, and HVGS is the only school in the region to hold this event. Olivia Peters, Year 12
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Success 2018 Alumni Profiles
Mission Possible
ANDREAS (ANDREW) ANTONIADES, 2008
A
t the very core of scientific discovery is the ability to look beyond the limits of what is known and explore new frontiers, so it’s no wonder that Andreas’s early love of Science would tilt his gaze skyward to space. “I’m passionate to see humanity reach the stars,” Andreas says. “Not only to spread our wings, but many, if not most, of the technologies that are designed for space travel and exploration have a significant contribution back to Earth in almost every field.”
In 2015 Andreas graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) (Honours), and a Bachelor of Business. An active member of the student community, he took every opportunity to explore all that was on offer. “I was involved in everything,” Andreas says. “I built electric motorbikes and cars and was a founder of the UoN MakerSpace. I undertook internships with BHP Billiton, MRM Engineering and Gloucester Coal and even worked with HMRI as part of a stroke-rehabilitation project. It was a privilege to be asked to be an ambassador for the UoN Engineering Faculty.” The thesis Andreas wrote while at UoN, discussing the radical redesign
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of modern microsatellites to reduce cost and barriers to space for those who wanted to fly spacecraft, was a key motivator in the creation of his own company, Obelisk Systems – Australia’s first microsatellite hardware company. Named after the monument in Newcastle (because it resembled a rocket), the business grew rapidly, employing five staff and several interns. They received more than $250,000 in funding, several large grants and awards and were crucial to the delivery of Australia’s first commercial payload to the International Space Station. In 2017, Andreas handed full control of Obelisk Systems over to the other team members and departed for Sydney to undertake more advanced space engineering. He is currently a lead avionics engineer at Saber Astronautics, working on the next generation of space mission software, space traffic control, and even a beer designed for astronauts! Their work with the Australian Air Force, US Air Force, and pioneering machine-learning applications with many universities and space companies around the world, is taking off in leaps and bounds. Despite Andreas’s extraordinary life, he still gives back to HVGS through sharing his expertise with students, most recently working with Mr Walker and Technology students to design a motherboard to collect data, which was sent to space. “Huge thanks to Mrs O’Grady, Mr Walker, Mrs Wheeler and Dr Ealing. They all helped guide me (particularly in my last couple of years at HVGS) without obscuring my passions, and all went out of their way to show me new ideas and concepts when they realised I was hunting for them.”
Success 2018 Alumni Profiles
Hear Blaise Roar BLAISE McCANN, 2009
B success.
laise returned to HVGS as guest speaker at the 2018 Business Industry Dinner and gave her account of her unconventional road to
After leaving HVGS, Blaise studied Communications at UTS (majoring in Social Inquiry and Gender, Culture, Power).
In late 2017, she launched her own company, Hear Us Roar, an online marketplace for curvy fashion which seeks to empower women to feel good about what they look like. Working mostly with Australian brands, the business drop-ships fashion from around the country to its customers without ever owning or touching the stock. “If you had told me in high school ‘Blaise, you will own your own company at 25’ I would have laughed out loud. I had ideas of being a journalist, or writing for a magazine, little did I ever think that I would be the subject of the magazine,” Blaise says. “I had no idea what life had in store for me when I left HVGS. I did a very broad degree that led me down many different paths.” Blaise has been featured on Sunrise, Mamamia, ABC Breakfast and as a guest speaker at a Marie Claire event.
You can check out Hear Us Roar at hearusroar.com.au
Blaise’s advice to Year 12 was to live outside your comfort zone and remember that there is no set way to do things, and no timeline that you must adhere to. Don’t put pressure on yourself to have all the answers and always be open to exploring new ideas. She also believes that if you want to be successful in this world, follow your passion, not a pay cheque. If you love what you do, the money will follow.
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Success 2018 Alumni Profiles
James Lifts Off
JAMES SPEARPOINT, 2015
J
ames Spearpoint is flying high. He is currently studying a Bachelor of Aviation and spends his days exploring Victoria and southern NSW from the sky. James shared the ups and downs of learning to fly.
How did you become interested in flying?
From a young age growing up on a cattle farm, I was always fascinated with my environment, whether it be the weather or watching wedgedtailed eagles soar above. This, coupled with my interest in the engineering capabilities of aircrafts, shaped my pursuit to become a pilot. What have you been up to since leaving HVGS?
After graduating in 2015 I took a gap year and worked full time on the family cattle farm, and part time at Woolworths. I spent my spare time reading and preparing to study a Bachelor of Aviation (Piloting) at
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Swinburne University of Technology. At the end of 2016, I relocated to Melbourne to study. The transition from the country to the city was a big change – I’m still trying to adjust. What is required to become a pilot?
At university I study aviation-related subjects and do practical flying training at Moorabbin Airport. Additionally, I’m required to study a lot of theory for the flying licences, conducted by the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy. As most people know, flying is expensive and I am pleased to have been awarded a couple of scholarships, which helped immensely. Receiving these scholarships was partly due to the profile I developed while attending HVGS, immersing myself in various co-curricular activities and working hard on my academic studies. Hard work absolutely pays off! What’s the first year of flying been like?
2016 was a time of immense stress! With a gruelling schedule of theory and
practical lessons, together with moving out of home for the first time and some health issues, I almost reached breaking point. Thankfully, the time management skills I developed at school provided a solid grounding and discipline to see me through. The following year was much better. I had my first solo flight in a powered plane, and later in the year acquired my Private Pilot’s Licence. This meant I could fly a single-engine aircraft below 5700kg anywhere in Australia solo. Fast forward to 2018 and I’m living the dream! I’m in my second year at university, now flying at night and doing solo crosscountry hour building flights before I sit my Commercial Pilot’s Licence flight test later this year. What’s your next goal?
Although this course has been intense, I’m looking forward to graduating in 2019. I’ll then be seeking employment as a flight instructor or a pilot. I’ll head wherever flying takes me.
Success 2018 Alumni News
Alumni Updates
Communications Manager, Mrs Susan Boyd, catches up with our past students.
JON LITTLEWOOD, 2009
Jonathan Littlewood is carving out a successful career as a mechanical engineer. After leaving HVGS, Jon studied a combined Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical)/Bachelor of Business degree at the University of Newcastle. In 2017, he joined GHD as a mechanical engineer working on projects in the mining, industrial, rail and defence sectors. Jon’s had a few travel adventures too. In 2014 he fulfilled a childhood dream and attend the FIFA World Cup in Brazil (with fellow alumni Matt McGuigan, Patrick Calderwood and Alisdair Tulloch). He was also lucky enough to travel to the US and Europe, returning in early 2015 after a year away. Outside of work he enjoys soccer, camping, reading or just soaking in the laidback atmosphere of Newcastle.
MYFFY DOYLE (OAKES), 1997
After graduating from HVGS, Myffy travelled to England and spent twelve months working at a boarding school. She’s enjoyed many return visits to catch up with friends she made there. Myffy commenced a degree at the Newcastle Conservatorium of Music studying trumpet and a Dip Ed, but decided that business was more appealing and changed to a Business Diploma. She is currently employed as the Recreation and Community Facilities Officer at Maitland City Council and manages seventy-one bookable recreational areas, twenty-seven community halls, five childcare centres and the museum. Myffy has been with the council for thirteen years, is married and has two children Tom, 12 and Eva, 9.
MADISON BOYD (CAPTAIN), 2014 Leadership is in Maddison’s DNA and she continues to build her capacity as a leader in a variety of contexts. She commenced a Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law (Hons) at the University of Newcastle, while managing two McDonald’s restaurants in Newcastle. In her spare time, Maddy facilitates leadership workshops and camps for school students and continues developing her own leadership skills through attending events such as the National Student Leadership Forum (NSLF). NSLF brings together over 200 university students from Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, America, China and India to further develop themselves as leaders.
Photo: Madison (far right)
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Success 2018 Alumni News
VINCENT REDGROVE, 2015
JET SETTING LYDIA LYDIA O’CONNOR (NEE PARSONS), 2005
Vincent still had time to return to HVGS late last year to support younger sister Alberta in her HSC performance music examination. He accompanied her on guitar and sang harmony as they performed Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. Alberta was very grateful and said Vincent was as “cool as a cucumber”, which helped reassure her. Vincent is in his third year of a Civil Engineering degree at The University of Newcastle.
You may remember Lydia as our Vice-Captain in 2005. After leaving HVGS, Lydia became quite the jetsetter! She spent a gap year living in the French Alps and since 2017 has been living in Shanghai with her husband Matt. “We are enjoying living and working as expats in the former French Concession area and meeting new people, learning the local history, becoming accustomed to the high-rises, the food and the fast pace of the city,” Lydia says. Lydia has a Bachelor of Business in Hotel and Resort Management from the University of Newcastle. She worked for the Crowne Plaza Group and as an Executive Assistant at a large architecture firm in Sydney. However, her passion to pursue teaching has occupied her time most recently. “I completed a second degree by correspondence through CSU to become a primary teacher. I’m now qualified and excited to pursue a position working as an English teacher at a school in Shanghai,” Lydia says. “While here, we’ve both also been studying Mandarin and are starting to be able to communicate through both the written and spoken language, which is opening many more cultural, social and professional experiences.” HVGS past students, Charles and Lydia were partners at our Foundation Ball and managed to recreate the 2004 photo of Nicholas, Charles and Lydia at her wedding.
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BRIN McCASKIE, 2012
We were delighted to hear from Brin McCaskie, who is keeping herself very busy since leaving HVGS. She’s returned from Papua New Guinea, having walked the Kokoda Track. She also volunteered on a medical ship, delivering primary health care to Western and Gulf Province while there. There’s no rest for Brin though – she is now studying Medicine at the University of Notre Dame. Congratulations and very best of luck, Brin.
Success 2018 Alumni News
SCOTT HEADS TO HARVARD SCOTT BOLTON (CAPTAIN), 2006
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cott Bolton has been awarded one of two 2018 Robert Gordon Menzies Scholarships to Harvard.
This scholarship is known as the most prestigious national award for post-graduate study in the USA and is awarded by the Harvard Club of Australia and the Australian National University. Scott studied a Bachelor degree in Science and Commerce and Honours in Neuroscience at ANU. The studies were followed by a placement in metropolitan Melbourne, where he continued in his leadership role at Glenroy College for the following year as head of the Science department. He implemented changes around accurate assessment of the Science curriculum, and completed
his Masters thesis on Educational Neuroscience under supervision of Professor John Hattie. Recently he has been gaining policy and educational consultancy skills before returning to the classroom in the United Kingdom to gain international experience. At Harvard, Scott will study at the Graduate School of Education doing a Master of Education (school leadership). His goal is to return to Australia and help to lead a reform in educationally disadvantaged parts of Australia.
You can read more about the scholarship and Scott’s achievements on the Harvard Club website.
BUILDING A PERSONAL BRAND
Now more than ever, it’s important to manage one’s own personal brand to build a professional image that connects you to and showcases your work, skills and talents to the people you most want to connect with.
One way to do this in 2018 is to have a LinkedIn profile. If you’re currently on LinkedIn we’d love for you to connect with us. In the ‘education field’ on your profile, start typing Hunter Valley Grammar and select us from the dropdown. If you already have us as your school, be sure to select the official Hunter Valley Grammar School account. We will be sharing a lot more alumni news in LinkedIn. While you’re there, why not follow our page too!
If you’re not yet on LinkedIn, give it a go. We’d be happy to chat to you about developing your profile. We’re always excited to hear from our past students, so if you have news to share, visit www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au/alumni.html.
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Success 2018 Alumni
Year 12 Business Industry Dinner
I
t was wonderful to welcome back some of our past students to chat with Year 12 at the 2018 Business Industry Dinner. Their advice is invaluable, and the students gain a great deal from the experience. If you would like to be a part of future Business Industry Dinners, please register your interest with Communications Manager, Susan Boyd.
See for yourself: Take a look at this short video taken on the night: youtu.be/ZyW68FEpxRQ Alumni at the Business Industry Dinner Blaise McCann 2009, guest speaker, entrepreneur; Jonathan Littlewood 2009, mechanical engineer, GHD; Lucy Boyd 2010, HMRI research assistant and PhD candidate; Julian Otway 2010, film producer and director; Caitlin Knox 2013, Sports Science student; Kenneth Wilks 2005, criminal and family law solicitor; Lisa Littlewood 2000, associate solicitor at Hallam & Littlewood; Jodie Wilks 2007, HVGS primary PDHPE teacher.
CLASS OF 2008 10-YEAR REUNION The Class of 2008 will celebrate their 10-year reunion at The Mezzanine, Honeysuckle Hotel Newcastle, on Saturday 29 September. We’d love to see you there with old friends and partners. Details can be found on the Alumni page on the HVGS website. In 2008: • The Newcastle Jets won the A-League grand final • No Country for Old Men won best picture at the Academy Awards. • Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open. • The world farewelled Jane McGrath, Smoky Dawson and Heath Ledger
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Success is a Hunter Valley Grammar School publication. Editorial Team Dionne Molina and Susan Boyd Graphic Design Sneddon & Co.
42 Norfolk St Ashtonfield NSW 2323 | PO Box 458 East Maitland NSW 2323 | P 02 4934 2444 | registrar@hvgs.nsw.edu.au
www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au
