News and Publications


  • Message from Mr Kennelly

    24 September, 2009

    Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,
    As we draw near to the end of another outstanding term, I acknowledge the students and staff for their enormous contributions to a wide range of achievements. From the extremely professional, high quality production of Les Miserables, the outstanding success of the Musicians at the Orange Eisteddfod, the two thoroughly enjoyable Prep School Drama productions, to the remarkable success of many of the winter sports teams, including those involved in the athletics programme, we are extremely proud of our student achievements.
    In addition students have excelled in the various state-wide Academic competitions with a comparatively high percentage of students gaining High Distinctions and Distinctions across a range of subjects. These are all measures of a vibrant and successful school focussed on ensuring students are extended in all areas of school life. It has been a pleasure to share the success with so many students skilfully supported by a committed staff team.
    At the end of this term, we farewell the Year 12 students and wish them well for their forthcoming HSC examinations. The formal Chapel service, farewell House lunches, the Graduation Ceremony and the Graduation Ball finale are memorable occasions, providing a fitting farewell to our senior students. I take this opportunity to wish the Year 12 student's all the best for the forthcoming exams. I encourage them to ensure they maintain a balanced focus on their studies over the coming holiday period.
    I draw your attention to a significant event next term involving the retirement of Derek Pigot from the School and from the Chair of School Council. Derek's contribution to the school over 30 plus years has been nothing short of outstanding. To celebrate this significant occasion we are holding a Black Tie dinner on Friday 20 November in the DPA. Please call the school to purchase your tickets for this event. In addition, on Friday 13 November, there is the extremely popular School Musical Festival. I urge families to buy their tickets for this event as it is a thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable evening.
    The two major building programmes in the school, the refurbishment of Wolaroi House veranda and the Prep school classrooms, continue on target. We look forward to the completion of both projects by the end of this year.
    Next term we welcome back Louise Brand from long service leave and Trinnie Graham from maternity leave. I also acknowledge and thank Elaine Curl as Acting Head of Studies and Gary Bone as Acting Head of HSIE for their wonderful efforts during term 3. With Trinnie returning to the classroom I take this opportunity to thank Heidi Bush for all her wonderful work during her time with us.
    In closing, I wish to thank all families for their ongoing and valued support of Kinross Wolaroi School. I feel privileged that we have such highly supportive parents who offer us wonderful assistance in the educational journey of their children. I wish all families an enjoyable, relaxing and rewarding holiday break.
    I look forward to the return of students for the beginning of classes on Monday 19 October.

  • Assisting the Doomadgee Community

    7 August, 2009

    At Kinross Wolaroi School we recognise the importance of educating our young people for life in a global village with a knowledge and understanding of communities and the needs of others beyond the front gates of the school. To achieve this, we aim for staff and students to forge links with a range of people, groups and organisations including those from different countries and cultures.
    With this in mind, we are involved in two new projects which, in time, will become the focus of future social justice and service activities for students at KWS.
    The first project is George Brown High School, the United Church School in East Britain, Papua New Guinea. The school is poorly resourced with limited infrastructure, buildings in a state of disrepair, large class sizes and teachers who lack appropriate training and instruction to enable them to prepare students adequately for the National PNG examinations.
    The second relates to a remote indigenous community in the Gulf of Carpentaria called Doomadgee, with a population of approximately 1200. Tim May, the Deputy Head of the Prep School, was selected to undertake the initial visit to Doomadgee to meet with the Elders of the community, with the view of cementing a partnership. Tim is pictured here with an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory which equipped him to go to Doomadgee.
    In doing this we will work closely with the Wadjularbinna Foundation, a not-for-profit corporation, to create for KWS students and staff, educational opportunities that foster cultural appreciation, understanding and respect between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Additionally, we acknowledge two aspects - firstly, that we have much to learn from the Doomadgee Community and, secondly, our commitment to cultural appreciation.

    Why do we wish to be involved with a school that is in a relatively remote part of PNG and, in addition, the Doomadgee Community? To me, it is vitally important to make students more aware of issues beyond school. We have fantastic support from students and their families for the various charity fundraisers that we undertake throughout the year. These mostly revolve around students bringing money to donate to a worthwhile cause. The Victorian bushfire crisis was wonderfully supported by the school community, raising thousands of dollars while donating blankets, clothing and other much needed items. The speed of the response to this crisis typifies the commitment that students and their families have to assisting and helping others. However, for many students, they still ask the question: "What can we do to make a difference in the lives of others who lack opportunities?" Our aim is to teach students about how they can make a difference for those less fortunate than themselves and how they can do this now and in life beyond school. We must continually work on broadening the horizons of KWS students so that they gain a wider perspective on life.

    Through their involvement in George Brown High School and the Doomadgee Community the students and staff at KWS are actively demonstrating, as a community, a commitment to making a difference locally and internationally. We are valuing service as a means of developing intercultural understandings, while celebrating and supporting diversity. These two projects will bring staff and students into contact with people from different cultures and with those who are less privileged. While both projects are in their early stages there is strong support from staff and students to build and develop these relationships further.

  • New Prep School Classrooms

    8 May, 2009

    I am pleased to advise that the Australian Government recently announced that Kinross Wolaroi will receive $2 million in funding in the first round of the Primary Schools For The 21st Century element of the Building the Education Revolution programme.

    This funding will assist in the building of six new classrooms on the flat piece of land to the North of the current Prep classrooms. The format of the project will be three blocks of two classrooms in the same style and colours as the recent new buildings. With the continuing growth of student numbers in the Prep school, these six new classrooms will provide for much needed classroom space. Currently three classes from the Prep School have been housed in the Senior School.

    With this new building, and with an additional class in Kindergarten next year, we need these six new classrooms to cater for increased student numbers and therefore relieve pressure on the Senior School classroom space. Obtaining this money in the first round allows us to continue with the current process of finalising a Builder for this project. We are hopeful of beginning construction in June this year.

    I would like to pass on my thanks to Joe Donnelly, the Bursar, Graham Jaques, the Registrar, Rob McLean, Head of Preparatory School and all Members of School Council  for their work in ensuring that we are one of the first schools to be able to commence projects under this element of the BER program.

    Brian Kennelly
    Principal

  • Life Lessons and Goals

    21 April, 2009

    I have received so many favourable comments from parents and students regarding our Guest Speaker Sam Bailey at the 2008 Kinross Wolaroi School Speech Day, that I have decided to elaborate on Sam Bailey's life story.

    Sam held enormous appeal for the staff, students and parents with his relaxed and casual approach to speaking. With his farming background and love for the land, Sam attracted the interest of the majority of the community. He explained how his life changed dramatically at 18 years of age while travelling in a car, sitting in
    the back seat with his seat belt unbuckled. A front tyre blew which threw the car into a spin. Sam recalls waking up from the crash and thinking to himself, "I hope I don't have to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair."

    Sam held the audience spellbound with his humorous yet vivid recall of his battle with the sudden change in his life from a free spirited young man, with hardly a care in the world, to being wheelchair bound and dependent on others. What was most impressive was the positive manner in which Sam has viewed his life since the accident. Sam has not dwelled on the trauma and enormous angst he has suffered in the dramatic change to his life. Sam has accepted the challenge of being a quadriplegic and set about enjoying life to the best of his ability.

    We can all draw valuable lessons from Sam's story. I believe these are:
    • When faced with adversity, challenge yourself to overcome this
    • A positive attitude is essential if we wish to enjoy our lives to the full extent
    • Make every possible effort to achieve as highly as you can in all areas of life
    • Never accept a situation as being hopeless or a lost cause; set about trying to change it
    • Continue to improve yourself daily

    At the first assembly of the school year I drew on a number of points
    made by Sam and spoke to the students about their approach to the
    new year. I emphasised that 2009 is a fresh start for all. I asked
    students to focus on setting goals for the year ahead bearing in
    mind the following:
    • Get serious - make the decision to do your very best, work hard, don't waste time and don't fool yourself
    • Identify what's holding you back, what your greatest weakness is and what should you work on to improve your results
    • Spend time with positive people, stay away from those who complain or blame others for their poor results
    • Take care of your heath - good diet, physical exercise, plenty of sleep
    • Write down your goals for the year ahead; these goals act as your vision for the year ahead - they help you change and grow
    • Take action now; don't put it off. When you have a task to do make a start on it immediately

    Throughout first term, students have been working on goal setting in their Tutor Groups. There will be many opportunities for the students to revisit and reassess their goals this year.

    In closing I must emphasise that we have had a wonderful start to the 2009 school year. I take this opportunity to wish the students, parents and friends of the Kinross Wolaroi School community all the best for the remainder of the year and thank you for your support in sharing the educational partnership.
Category:
Page 1 of 2
1  2 
Archived News