Bob Meakin, Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School
Dear Parents and Carers
Yesterday’s assembly was held in recognition of Reconciliation Week as well as many student achievements. An excellent video presentation for Reconciliation Week: ‘Now More than Ever’ put together by Mr Thomas McDonnell, shared an important message from Auntie Sharon from the Wolgan Valley area as well as some amazing photographs from the recent Central Australia Tour over the Easter break.
We also celebrated the achievements of many students, and I would like to acknowledge Year 11 student Noah Teitler as he received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award for NSW for his Service to the Surf Life Saving Association. As well as being a competitor, he is also a manager of around 50 surf lifesavers whom he mentors and coaches with distinction. We commend you, Noah.
We also acknowledged our Senior Mooting team of Caspar Nicholson, James Rivlin, Owen Woolford. The finals of the National Competition took place last weekend at Bond University, with over 70 schools from Australia and New Zealand. Caspar, James and Owen finished in overall 2nd position, which is an incredible achievement. Congratulations Mooters!
We also celebrated more Oratory achievements, with our Senior A Debaters making the ISDA Grand Final against Sydney Grammar which takes place next Friday 14 June. We would like to wish Alex Hong, Angus Malcolm, Caspar Nicholson, Jack Stone and Robbie Wyer the very best for this debate.
We also acknowledged the superb charity work of a number of students for the charity Kids Giving Back, who assisted in helping to provide over 6500 meals, snack packs and care packages to support 15 charities across Sydney. These students gave freely of their time with a generous spirit, and I commend the following students; Charlie Griffin Year 8, Charlie Roberts Year 7, Henry Roberts Year 9, Tommy Leigh Year 9, Miles Murphy Year 7.
On the sporting front, we congratulated Cillian Gibney and Zach Crowe for their selection in the CIS Opens Football team. This is the team that represents all Independent Schools in NSW and it is an incredible achievement.
Finally, in assembly we acknowledged and farewelled Ms Kate Allen, our Director of MYP. Since taking on this role more than 6 years ago, Kate has turned the concept of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme into a thriving curriculum programme in the School which has enabled us to be an IB Continuum school. We thank Ms Allen for her dedicated leadership and wish her every success as she moves to London to head up the Arts Faculty at the University College School.
I would like to wish everyone well for their Parent/Teacher interviews tomorrow. Please note, this format is a trial, and we will be seeking feedback after the long weekend. I would like to wish everyone a happy and enjoyable long weekend.
Best Wishes
Bob Meakin
Deputy Headmaster & Head of Senior School