From the Principal

On Tuesday this week students and parents from the Class of 2024 were welcomed to Secondary School for their Year 7 2019 Orientation. Redlands Hall was full to capacity as the students had a brief introduction before heading off for a day of exciting Tutor Group and House activities and taster lessons, while their parents were provided with further details to make their children’s transition to Secondary School as smooth as possible. Our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders and Year 11 House Captains did a wonderful job of making the new students feel welcome and at the end of the day there was a real buzz in their air as the students departed the Senior Campus. A new element this year was all the Year 7 2019 students being asked to come in casual clothes to help them feel part of a new cohort. I wish to thank the many people involved in providing such a splendid experience of Secondary School life for Year 7 2019, especially Ms Carolyn Shaw, Mr Sean Corcoran, Mr Ben Castelli, Mrs Katharine Boase, Mr Simon Colyer, Mrs Wendy Hollings, Mrs Joanne Robinson and our Enrolments team.

Congratulations to our Mooting team which was victorious in the Grand Final of the Kirby Cup High School Mooting competition held at the Parramatta Family Court last Friday, run by the University of Western Sydney. Competing for the first time in this competition and winning all their elimination rounds, our team of two barristers, Lindsay McNeil and Lachlan van der Pluijm, advising solicitor Chloe Woodward and clerk of the court Isabel Binnekamp defeated the Queenwood team, which won the previous year’s competition. Ms McGarry and I were delighted to attend the Grand Final and were very impressed with the legal arguments mounted by our Redlands team as the judges tested our two barristers for this final moot with impromptu questions from the bench. Well done to the students and thank you to Ms Rebecca Mountain who coached the team in this challenging competition. You can read more about their success here: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/more_news_stories/2018_kirby_derby

I also wish to congratulate two further students who have been nominated for HSC Showcases for their major works. Montegah Grace has been nominated for ARTEXPRESS, the Visual Arts Showcase, for his graphic design work The Present 2045 and Duncan McLellan for SHAPE, the Design and Technology Showcase for his Cyclusio luggage, designed for the urban bike rider. In total, 11 students have received 21 nominations in the HSC Showcases this year for their major works, an excellent achievement!

Thank you to all the parents who responded to our Uniform Survey. There was a good response to the survey, with responses received from over 25% of parents. We will share the results of the survey once the results have been analysed.

I am very much looking forward to attending the annual Ballet and Dance Concert tonight. I hear from those who attended last night’s performance it is yet another wonderful spectacular.

Dr Peter Lennox

Photo caption: Students lighting up the stage at this year’s Drama Celebration evening.