A Message from Mr Scott Bedingfield, Head of College

It has been yet another busy term here at the college, as students and teachers alike have been working diligently towards the end of our third term. It has been rewarding to see all our students working so hard throughout this period, especially our Year 12s.

It was wonderful to share with Year 12 their Graduation Ceremony on Thursday and a fun evening at the Graduation Dinner on Thursday Night. It truly was an incredible day and evening. We wish our Year 12’s all the best as they prepare for their upcoming HSC.

Over the break we have multiple trips occurring across the College. Our Year 11 students head off to the Outback, going back to Uluru for the first time in many years. This is a wonderful experience over 14 days and I look forward to joining them for part of the trip. We also have students in Year 10 heading to Nepal and others to the Whitsundays.

We also have 4 students from Year 11 (Samantha B, William B, Sophia H and Hamish S) who will accompany Stacey Taylor (Service Learning and Round Square Coordinator) and I to Kenya to the World Round Square Conference. I am excited by this opportunity to meet with students and Heads of Schools from over 150 different schools across the globe. I am sure there will be many lessons learned and I look forward to sharing them with you.

I am incredibly excited about our offering in Outdoor Education and Cultural and Service Learning Trips and I encourage you to read the information I sent out a few weeks ago about the offerings at Oxley over the next few years. Over this time we will be continuing to develop these offerings to ensure continued rich experiences for our students.

Staffing Announcements

Kate Cunich: After more than 29 years of service to the College Kate Cunich finished her time with us at the end of Term 3. Kate is looking forward to her next chapter and we wish her all the best for her future. You will find a feature of Kate’s service in this edition of Pin Oak.

Long Service Leave: I would like to wish the following staff all the best as they depart on some well deserved Long Service Leave in Term 4 this year.

Mr Bill Clewett (Humanities), Mr Steve Marnoch (TAS), Ms Joanne McVean (Humanities) Mr Andrew Young (Performing Arts).

Mr Justin Verco will be Acting Head of Humanities in Ms McVean’s absence and Mrs Renae Zink will be Acting Head of Performing Arts.

Mrs Emily Madden has been appointed Diverse Learning Coordinator (P-12) and will begin in this position from the beginning of Term 4, 2023.

Announcements for 2024: Following my earlier announcement of Mr Mark Case to the position of Deputy Head of College, I am pleased to also announce the following staff positions for the beginning of the new year. Mrs Alison Rasheed (Head of Curriculum, P-6), Mrs Alina Fisher (Senior Administrator, with responsibility for Deputy Head of College and Business Manager), Mrs Kirsty Cargill (Science), Mrs Gill Case (Junior School Teacher). Further announcements will be made shortly.

Changes to School Day from 2024

Throughout the year we have conducted a review of the school’s timetable and will be making some changes to our operations from the beginning of 2024.

End of School Day: To continue to ensure the safety and operational requirements of the College we have made the decision that from the start of 2024, pick up times in the school will be as follows:

Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 will conclude at 3.00pm

Year 3 to Year 6 will conclude at 3.10pm

Year 7 to Year 12 will continue to conclude at 3.25pm

We will also implement a plan that encourages parents not to queue up in the driveway (or surrounding streets) until 3.00pm (P-2) or 3.10pm (3-6). Parents with students in older years will have their younger students supervised until the older students have finished class. More details on this will follow in the lead up to the new year.

The future Junior School timetable structure appears as follows:

Senior School Changes: From the beginning of 2024 we will be moving to a 5 lesson day. There are multiple reasons for this change. However, the most significant would be the need to have the time in our lessons to truly go from surface learning to deep learning. Our Visible Learning framework encourages our students to become absorbed with their learning, to take the time to plan and to imagine possibilities. Extra time in lessons will continue to allow our students to further develop these and many other capacities. Further to this we are moving to allowing students in Year 9 the option of having 3 electives rather than 2 and an elective will be available for Year 8 students.

Students in Year 9 will have 17 total electives to choose from and must include ONE with ‘international‘ flavour (denoted by an * and highlighted in orange):

The future Senior School timetable structure appears as follows:

I do hope you have a wonderful break and if you are travelling, your travels are safe.

Scott Bedingfield, Head of College.

Farewell Kate Cunich

In Oxley’s 40^th anniversary year, long standing staff member Kate Cunich has made the difficult decision to end her time at the College at the conclusion of Term 3.  Kate’s passion for the students and the College has been far reaching and she leaves a huge legacy behind, having been a source of inspiration for teachers and students alike and building a deep love of learning across the College.  

Kate commenced at Oxley nearly 29 years ago as the Director of Music, having graduated from the NSW Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music Education. Across her time at the College, Kate has held a variety of leadership roles including her recent position of Deputy Head Teaching and Learning.  

In the role as Head of Co-Curricular, Kate created and implemented the Oxley distinctive OLE program K – 12. A rich and innovative week where every child is immersed in learning outside the classroom, taking part in a range of diverse experiences. In her first year as Deputy Head Academic, Kate worked with the Executive to establish the Junior School, a huge undertaking and part of her extensive legacy to the College. 

Kate directed and produced many of our outstanding productions, including the magnificent ‘Cabaret’. She also led dynamic music and performing arts tours to New York, Canberra and Melbourne and grew Oxley’s music ensembles, which have performed in Beijing and Shanghai under her guidance.  

Over the years, Kate has worked collaboratively with staff and students with one purpose – to establish Oxley as a lighthouse of exceptional learning and teaching.  Kate is well known in the teaching profession on the national and world stage and has given keynote speeches at many industry conferences.  

A highly respected educator, Kate has a unique blend of warmth and an unfaltering passion for igniting the flame of the love of learning for the students in her care.  

At the College she was well known for her off-the-cuff eloquent speeches and her inability to stand still whenever there is music. 

On a personal note, Kate will be greatly missed by the Executive team.  We wish Kate all the very best for her next chapter and thank her for three decades of the wisdom, passion and kindness she has given the College, its community and most importantly its students. Kate will always be a part of the magic and leaves a huge legacy at Oxley College.

Emma Calver, Head of Community Engagement and Culture

Messages of farewell

Kate celebrates the art of teaching.  As an educator, she is less of an instructor and much more an inspirer; working with staff to paint possibilities, weave dreams, let ideas dance and imagine stories of discovery and growth.  Her deep background in music teaching drives a sense of magic and synergy when the best elements combine.  Anyone who has ever worked with Kate would have vivid memories of rich, complex discussions about current educational theories and audacious goals, punctuated by a brief moment of sudden silence where she’d grab a piece of paper and say, “I have to draw it”.  Then the mental model would evolve and great plans began to take shape as the integration of theory and practice was translated for the strategic benefit of others. 

The science of educational evidence is also her friend. Part of Kate’s capacity for magic making is to interpret the relevant research to life in a school.  The vast and complex research of John Hattie’s meta-analysis and work in Visible Learning was the basis of the significant School Improvement process she led from 2017.  Her work launched Oxley College onto the global stage in education.

Justine Lind, former Head of Junior School

During my HSC year I was fortunate enough to work with Mrs Cunich. Her experience and insight into both academic work and the future beyond school made me feel motivated to do my best in all my courses. With her assistance, I set achievable goals for my trial examinations which have demonstrated to me just how much I am capable of academically.

Oliver B, Year 12 2023

I was so sad to hear of the news that you will be leaving. You have so much to be proud of. I will really miss seeing your face around the school. I will miss seeing you amongst the choir at Speech night and Foundation days and just always been present as a support, during productions and all of those special occasions. To me, you will always be that… Greenlight person. Always seeing the positive and always saying yes to good ideas and just letting them flow through to eventuating.

Dominic Lindsey, Music Teacher

Thank you for your years of service to Oxley College.   Your passion for education and learning has benefitted our children, through the implementation of new teaching initiatives at Oxley. As a parent I have appreciated your kind nature and supportive wisdom, always encouraging my children, as they moved through their high school years.  Thank you for your support of the P&F and your welcoming smile to parents and members of the Oxley community.  You have always been a great supporter of all Oxley productions, from plays and music nights to performances at Speech nights.  On these nights your love of performance and music was always evident and your pride in Oxley always on show. Megan Moore, President P&F

Voice to Parliament Referendum

“A proposed law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describes the Uluru Statement from Heart that would give Indigenous people input in policies that were particularly impacting them. In the vast history of Australia, there are moments that reverberate through time, going beyond the confines of the era to shape the future of a nation. One of these moments is upon us. Australia is standing at the edge of a transformative referendum; an event that promises to redefine the relationship between Indigenous people and the Australian government. On 14 October, Australians will decide whether to amend the Constitution to formally recognise Indigenous peoples through the creation of a body that advises the Parliament and executive government on policies affecting them.

The referendum is about the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. By voting yes, you are agreeing that there should be a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Also by voting yes, the Parliament “shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.” People are voting yes because they think that Aboriginal people should get a say around matters that will be affecting them. This also means that it will be permanent and future governments will not be able to remove it. The Voice would be a good mechanism through which to negotiate Truth and Treaty processes with the Commonwealth.

By voting No, you are voting against the proposed law to alter the Constitution, and allow a voice for the First Nations people in parliament. Though the referendum is not just simply about recognition, the proposal goes much further than many people know. Arguments against the Voice are that it is legally risky, divisive and permanent, and the government may become dysfunctional and more delayed. Legal experts do not agree, as the Australian constitution is the most important legal document we have and every word can be opened to interpretation. This truly makes this a leap into the unknown. Many details surrounding the Voice are unknown, so we only very vaguely know how it would operate, and these details will be released after the vote. Senator Jacinda Nampijnpa Price says “the Voice will not unite us; it will divide us by race”. She contends that it goes against the key principle of our democratic system, that all Australians are equal before the law and there are better ways forward.

This is a very important decision. This will be decided by every Australian; it affects every Australian. So, what are you voting? Yes, or no?

Emilie S. & Annalise W., Year 8

Literature is all around us

When I think of literature – or a good novel – I think of many things; Harry Potter, Shakespeare, and the book I read over the holidays. But when I think of it locally, I think of the past. I think of a great life before us. I think of a well-known story of our childhood: Mary Poppins.

But why would just one classic story have to do with the Southern Highlands, when it is set in London, in Edwardian times? Well, have you ever seen the Mary Poppins statue in Glebe Park? It is there to remember and commemorate the wonderful author of the book: P.L. Travers – who is closer to Bowral than we may think.

Literature is all around us…

Pamela Lyndon Travers was a writer who was born in Maryborough, Queensland, as Helen Lyndon Goff. However, after the death of her father, she and the rest of her family moved to Bowral. Here, the idea of the famous fictional character Mary Poppins was born. Her influence on such an idea? Her family and personal life played a huge role in her inspiration.

Literature is all around us…

But when we come to think of it, literature is even closer to us than we know it! For example, your favourite book to read. A textbook in class. Or perhaps a text in a foreign language – such as French, Latin, or Japanese. But then think deeper: a speech on a current world issue. An essay for a school assessment task. A poem that you love to read. These are all examples of how literature connects us all.

So, whether you are the ‘English person’ or not, or the bookworm, or a writer like me – there is a connection that we have, despite our differences. Reading and writing is like a precious gift – hold it tight and treat it with care. And if you are holding that gift in your hands, use it! Many have just done that before you. Remember…

Literature is all around us.

Ruby C., Year 7

The Graduation of the Class of 2023

Year 12 Graduation for 2023 was slightly different this year, with the Class of 2023 having their own dedicated Graduation ceremony and evening event at Peppers Manor House.

It was a wonderful celebration for this Year Group, and we wish them luck with the HSC examinations.

2023 College Award Winners

The Endeavour Award John Smedley
The Peter Bray Award for Patience & Fortitude Daniel Murray
The Good Citizenship Award Brydie Taylor
The Parents’ and Friends’ Prize Elizabeth Zupp
Contribution to Sport Award Jack Ayling
Oxley Sportswoman of the Year Alexandra Kennedy
Oxley Sportsman of the Year Duncan Greig
The Murray Walker Art Prize Lara Fischer
David Hoskins Memorial Music Award Spencer Lewis
The McErlane Music Composition Award Sophie Dunn
The Cultural Award Millijana Arthur
The Hamlet Prize Lara Fischer
The Helmut Schaefer Memorial Award for Leadership Elliot Bryden
The David Wright All-Rounder Award Leah Halstead
The Oxley Award Sophie Dunn

Year 12 2023 Yearbook

Oxley Out and About

Recently, Year 1 presented their Grandfriends from Harbison Care with an underwater-inspired artwork. Having worked with their friends from The Creative Club on this piece for a while, it meant a lot for the Year 1s to share this with those from Harbison. Harbison residents liked the painting so much that they have decided to have it hung up in the dining hall for all residents to look at and enjoy.

Well done Year 1. 

Congratulations to those students involved in the 2023 Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee.

The event allows students to complete 30 spelling words in a fun and fast-paced environment where accuracy is key, while competing against other students around Australia.

Congratulations to George H, Fred R and Tarik A, who were selected to represent Southern Highlands in the Boys under 13 NSW State Championships for Hockey NSW, held in Tamworth between July 14 and 16, 2023. The team became the Division 2 NSW under 13s Boys State Field Champions and went undefeated throughout their whole season, competing against 12 teams across 2 divisions, scoring 27 goals and only having 6 scored against them.  

Looking beyond the success of the team, the Oxley boys had a wonderful experience that they will cherish for years to come, making new friends while competing at the highest level, with George and Fred selected in the NSW State squad for trials.

WORLD CHAMPION! Incredible achievements by Senior School Techer Meaghan Stanton, who has recently participated in the Masters Mountain Bike World Championships in the marathon division, just south of Perth.

She came first in her race and is now a world champion mountain biker!

“It was a super tough race and I’m exhausted but feeling very proud of my efforts, after months of training,” said Meaghan after her race.

NEWS FROM ABROAD: Harry Keats won the Mille Gruyère, in Switzerland. It’s a 1000m race which is their national championship race and open to foreigners. He also beat the race record by 4 seconds. Well done Harry!

Sport Hall of Fame Scholarship – Phoenix S

A huge congratulations to Phoenix S, who has been selected to represent Australia in the upcoming IOC-AOC Olympic Solidarity Youth Athlete Development Camp. Phoenix will depart in October to attend the Olympic Solidarity IBU Youth Camp, travelling to Lenzerheide, Switzerland. He is anticipated to be selected for The Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 in South Korea and has high-level coaches lined up to maximise his growth and success. He will be staying in Europe to train and compete in IBU Junior Cup1 in Czech Republic and IBU Junior Cup2 in Italy later in the year.

He has also been awarded a Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship for the Winter Olympic sport of biathlon. Phoenix has twice been selected as part of the National Youth and Junior World Championships Team where he competed alongside his teammates in the USA (in 2022) and Kazakhstan (in 2023). Phoenix is the first biathlete to be part of this Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program.

ISA Winter Sport Grand Finals

Congratulations to the ten teams representing the College across various sporting events in the ISA Grand Finals for the Winter Sport Season. Additionally, there were three teams that were premiers of their season, including: 

–        1^st Girls Football 

–        15s Rugby 

–        2^nd Tennis 

Well done to these students and thank you to their coaches and families for your dedication and support throughout the season.

Climate Fresk Incursion

The Oxley Environment Group and The Earthshot Group were involved in an incursion workshop run by Climate Fresk. Hear more about this below.

Thank you, Oscar Fox, for your efforts with this wonderful video.

Senior School Athletics

Congratulations to the following students for the recent Athletics results.

ISA Athletics Carnival   12 September   Sydney Olympic Park 

Oxley Junior Boys finished 7^th in Division 1

Oxley Intermediate Boys finished 5^th in Division 1

Oxley Senior Boys finished 8^th in Division 1

Then they combine these three results and Oxley Boys finished 8^th overall in Division 1.

Oxley Junior Girls finished 5^th in Division 1

Oxley Intermediate Girls finished 2^nd in Division 1

Oxley Senior Girls finished 5^th in Division 1

Overall, Oxley Girls finished 4^th in Division 1

Fred H broke a record in the 15 Boys 400m with a time of 51.32 seconds.

Milo SW, Year 7 U12 Boys 800m – 1st U12 Boys 400m – 3rd

CIS Athletics Carnivals

The following students were selected in the 2023 CIS Secondary Athletics Merit Team:

Sophie D

Fred H

Sam H

Ben H

Milo SW

Junior School Athletics

In August, 46 students from the Junior School travelled to Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre to represent Oxley at the IPSHA Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to everyone involved.

The following students then qualified to represent IPSHA at the NSWCIS Athletics Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.

CIS Athletics Carnivals

Congratulations to Lucas H who won the 100m and came 2nd in the 200m! Incredible work! Lucas will now represent CIS at the NSWPSSA Athletics Championships in October.

Junior School Assembly Award Recipients

Congratulations to these Junior School Students for their outstanding efforts.

Term 3 Week 6

Learning Journey

Oliver d B, Alex W, Ella R, Will K, Elena C, Esther S, Violet B, Hudson S, William P, Oscar C, George A, David W, Anna S, Oliver J, Valentine M, Archie A, Sebastian L, Albie F, Leo LG, Amelia K, Hewin W.

Oxley Values

Lulu E, Aston H, Freya C, Willow D, Beth P, Jack S, Sophia T, Oscar LG, Ronnie F, Annabelle B, Georgia H, Chloe B, Eliza A, Clementine P, Madi C, Mariella V, Veryan B, Thatcher D, Charlie S, Emil dH, Lucas H, Gigi K.

Spelling Bee

Charlie H

Term 3 Week 8

Learning Journey

Orlando L, Gabi vS, Maddie C, Chase H, Zac C, Charlie G, Christo G, Henry G, James G, Georgie W, Harry M, Will K, Thomas M.

Oxley Values

Jack R, Hadley M, Harriet T-S, Elsie H, Sophie H, Scarlett D, Bianca B, Eloise R, Charlie S, Levi O, Darcy J, Dulcie C, Ava S, Cassidy R.

Term 3 Week 9

Learning Journey

Charlotte B, Ailie W, Evan C, Amelia G, Charlotte B, Anna-Sophia P, Alice H, Elodie A, Archie T, Theo L-S, Frankie R, Edward C, William T, Angus K.

Oxley Values

Steele T, Griff H-J, Ruby R, Cosette S, Arthur P, Fergus T, Luca P, Naomi R, Ellery B, Xavier H, Sophie C, Liam C, Chloe W.

Term 3 Week 10

Learning Journey     

Hudson S, Orlando L, Thomas B, Elodie A, Charlie O, Beatrix P, Chloe W, Cassidy R, Amelia G, Thomas M, Evan C, Oliver B, Imogen F, Luca S, Thomas A, Jameson C, Elliot S, Isabella F, Edward C, Grace B, Piper W, Sapphire S,  Chloe M, Xander F.

Oxley Values

Henry P, Cassidy R, Tom P, Barclay R, Stella B, Imogen F, Eli W, Luca P, Ailie W, Isobel C, Grace B, Louisa W, Harvey T, Cora B, Victoria F, Francesca H, Max W, Bonnie M, Charlie M, Cameron B, Lisa M, Raj S, Harry A.

WriteOn Competition

Elena C, Lily B, Greta S, Evelyn H.

2023 Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Student Achievement Community Languages Schools

Levi O. 

Junior School Poetry Competition

Poetry Competition

Chisholm

Stage 1 – Juliet N

Stage 2- Clara H

Stage 3 – Hadley M

Flynn

Stage 1 – Charlie M

Stage 2 – James G

Stage 3 – Ayden H

Watson

Stage 1 – Annabelle B

Stage 2 – Cora B

Stage 3 – Lucy B

Poetry Competition Winners

Stage 1 – Juliet N

Stage 2 – Clara H

Stage 3 – Hadley M

Poetry Competition won by – Chisholm House

Old Oxleyan Tully Mahr secures NASA Internship

We have received the wonderful news that Old Oxleyan Tully Mahr is one of five Australians selected for an internship with NASA, where she will spend three months researching life’s origins and planet habitability

Tully’s achievement as received widespread press coverage.

If you have a Southern Highlands News account, you can read more:

Or watch the Seven News Story from approx 20:13 story called ‘Out of this world’

Snowsports

The Oxley College Snowsports Team recently participated in the 2023 Subaru NSW/ACT/QLD State Championships, held at Perisher, and they produced some wonderful results. 30 students ranging from Year 3 to Year 12 travelled to the competition and took part in Alpine, Skier Cross, Moguls, Cross Country Classics and Cross Country Relay events. The Junior School Oxley Team came second in cross country and sixth overall in the co-educational school competition. The Senior School Oxley Team came first in cross country and fifth overall in the co-educational school competition. 

21 students in total, across all five divisions, qualified and were selected to compete at the Australian Interschools Championships, held at Mt Buller, Victoria. Unfortunately, due to insufficient snow, the Australian Championships were cancelled. Despite this disappointment, the team are looking forward to competing once again next year and encourage other skiers and snowboarders to take part in the Regional Championships, held in July next year. 

Congratulations to:

Individual Medal Winners 

• 1st Div. 1 Male Cross Country Classic – Phoenix S
• 2nd Div. 2 Female Cross Country Classic – Chilli S
• 3rd Div. 1 Male Alpine – Rocco P
• 3rd Div. 4 Female- Cross Country Classic – Sapphire S

Team Medal Winners 

• 1st Div. 1 Male Cross Country Classic – Phoenix S. Matteo P, Salvatore P
• 1st Div. 1 Male Cross Country Relay – Phoenix S. Matteo P, Salvatore P
• 2nd Div. 2 Female Cross Country Classic – Chilli S, Nicola G, Camille V
• 2nd Div. 2 Female Cross Country Relay – Chilli S, Nicola G, Camille V
• 2nd Div. 4 Female Cross Country Relay – Sapphire S, Phoebe B, Gabi VS

Additional Australian Interschools Qualifying Teams and Individuals 

• 4th Div. 2 Female Cross Country Classic Team – Abigail H, Eva D, Molly D
• 4th Div. 3 Male Cross Country Classic Team– Henry B, Rory S, Brayden A
• 4th Div. 4 Female Cross Country Classic Team – Sapphire S, Gabi VS, Phoebe B
• 5th Div. 1 Male Skier Cross Team – Rocco P
• 5th Div. 2 Female Cross Country Relay Team – Abigail H, Eva D, Molly D
• 5th Div. 3 Male Cross Country Relay Team – Henry B, Rory S, Brayden A
• 6th Div. 1 Male Skier Cross Team – Rocco P, Harrison K
• 15th Div. 1 Male Cross Country Classic – Harper A
• 16th Div. 5 Male Cross Country Classic Individual – Albert H
• 19th Div. 4 Male Alpine Individual – Harper A
• 19th Div. 4 Female Cross Country Classic Individual – Sophie H
• 20th Div. 4 Female Moguls Individual – Cora B

NSW Interschools State Championships representatives and their disciplines 

Year 12  

• Elliot B- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Hamish G– Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 

Year 11  

• Matteo P- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Rocco P- Alpine, Ski Cross, Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Salvatore P- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Phoenix S- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 

Year 10  

• Eva D- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Nicola G- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Abigail H- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Harrison K– Alpine, Ski Cross 
• Chilli S- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 

Year 9  

• Molly D- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Camille V- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 

Year 7  

• Brayden A– Alpine, Skier Cross, Moguls, Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Henry B- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Daphne H- Cross Country Classic 
• Rory S– Skier Cross, Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Rosie V- Cross Country Classic 

Year 6  

• Sapphire S- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Gabi VS- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Elijah W- Alpine 

Year 5  

• Harper A- Alpine, Skier Cross, Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Lucy B- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Phoebe B- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Sophie H- Cross Country Classic, Cross Country Relay 
• Euan S– Alpine, Skier Cross 
• Alexander W- Alpine, Skier Cross 

Year 4  

• Felix C- Alpine, Skier Cross 
• Albert H- Cross Country Classic 

Year 3  

• Cora B– Moguls

Français à Oxley!

Crepe Day

Students in French and Year 7 Language Arts classes enjoyed Crêpe Day this term. They were rewarded for ordering in French and their comments ranged from “c’est bon, bon, bon!” to “très bon!”, “miam miam!” and “délicieux!”

Next term, students will be sampling croissants dipped in hot chocolate like French children do, and graphing class preferences, so will get the chance to wish each other “Bon appétit!” again soon.

Pétanque

Pétanque is a fun and exciting game that originated in Provence, France. It falls into the category of boules sports, which also includes games like bocce and lawn bowls. The objective of pétanque is to score points by throwing or rolling metal balls, called boules, as close as possible to a smaller wooden ball called the cochonnet. The game is played on hard dirt or gravel and can be enjoyed in public areas or dedicated facilities called boulodromes.

Elvo Lawn is a great place for an afternoon of pétanque!

TechGirls Finalists

Congratulations to the Junior School students involved in the Techgirls competition. Greta, Elena, Lisa, Ava and Sienna were State Finalists in the competition. For their submission, the girls decided to create an app called Start Smart Jobs, which matches teenagers, with little to no workforce experience, to potential employers. The app is designed to help them find their first job, and the idea for the app runs alongside United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number 8 – ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’.  

“It simplifies both the job search and employee search process, offering valuable resources for young job seekers, such as the ability to upload information about yourself, browse jobs in your area, and complete checklists and quizzes. Start Smart Jobs guides teenagers on their journey to employment success, and helps employers find workers”, says Lisa.

The competition is run by the Techgirls Movement Foundation, who are all about encouraging girls to enter STEM fields throughout their schooling and higher education journeys. This experience ran for 12 weeks and tasked the girls to go through the process of ideating, planning, researching and coding an app that solves a problem in the community. The group was coached by Mrs Rasheed and the group’s mentor, an app developer for Commonwealth Bank. 

Congratulations to all involved. 

Mountain Biking

The Oxley Mountain Biking team took part in the ACT Mountain Bike Interschool Championships. These 15 students took part in the biggest and longest running mountain biking school event in Australia and competed against over 600 students from 49 schools across NSW and the ACT. A huge congratulations to: 

• Harry G, who was the fastest rider in the Year 11/12 category, even though he is only in Year 10. 
• The Year 9/10 girls, Elsie H, Chloe D and Isla T, who came second in their category. 
• The Year 7/8 mixed team, Sam B-L, Freddie K and Piper O’S. 

Thank you to Peter Dowse, Australian Mountain Biking Team manager and mechanic, for repairs during races. 

Ben Quilty shares with Year 9 Visual Art about his time as Official War Artist in Afghanistan

As a part of the Australian Red Cross International Humanitarian Law (IHL) art project, Year 9 students heard from artist Ben Quilty, about his time in Afganistan as the Australian War memorial’s offical artist.

Art is a powerful means of reaching a wide and diverse audience. Through this medium, the Red Cross is able to educate people about IHL and the different aspects of wars, as well as how balance is achieved between military action and humanitarian protection.

Thanks to Ben for this moving presentation and to Kirsten Keith, a Red Cross representative for helping to facilitate this incursion.

Australian Geography Competition

Earlier this year, students in Year 7-12 had the opportunity to take part in the Australian Geography competition. Over 65 000 students from 700 schools across Australia, took part in the competition and we had quite a number of students who performed to a very high level. As a school, we received 24 distinctions, 17 high distinctions and one Year 8 student, Fraser Findlay whose result placed him in the top 1% of his age group in Australia.

The following students received a High Distinction (top 10% of students in their age group):

Max G

Jasper U

Asher B

Matilda L

Harrison R

Oscar V

Emily B

Milo SW

Elsie H

Harry K

Peter K

Jude O

Patrick BL

Banjo C

Anouk H

Max T

Bryn W

Congratulations to all students who took part.

Intern at Oxley

Hey everyone, Lachie here.

I Just completed an internship here at Oxley as part of my final semester at university and thought I could share a few insights about my time being back at the College. There are a few questions that I’ve answered from Amberley, one of my (very nice and funny and smart) supervisors, so let’s go.

What years did you attend Oxley?

I was at Oxley from the second half of Year 4 all the way until I finished Year 12, so from 2012 to 2020. I was actually part of one of the first set of students taken into the junior school when it was first built, which is kind of crazy to think about.

What have you done since you left school?

Once I left, I basically went straight to university. I originally got accepted into an accounting degree at Macquarie University, which I did for about a year. After that, I decided that accounting wasn’t really for me, and that I would be better suited to writing articles rather than analysing debits and credits. So, I transferred degrees to a Bachelor of Media and Communications (also at Macquarie), majoring in Journalism and Non-Fiction Writing, of which I’m now in my final semester. I also got a job in retail so I could make some money for when I finish university. I’ve been doing my degree mostly online, with one semester staying on campus. Aside from that, I’ve just been enjoying my final few years of relative freedom, before I go out and get a 9-5 next year.

Tell me a little about your time here as an intern at Oxley.

I’ve been a part of the Marketing and Communications Team here at the college for 70 hours, completing an internship as part of my degree. But what that means, really, is being Amberley’s lackey, getting coffee and tea for staff and running their personal errands (I don’t know how many different places I’ve been to collect teachers’ dry-cleaning).

Jokes aside, working for Amberley and Emma has offered me a great insight into the media world outside of assessment and essays. I’ve been doing a range of media-and-communications-related activities throughout my time here. My tasks have mainly consisted of writing articles for the school, capturing content around the school for events and putting it all together to create social media posts and content for the Pin Oak magazine. Additionally, I was able to create some content for the Head of College Scott Bedingfield’s presentations inside this edition of Pin Oak, which I’m actually pretty proud of. I also got to go to a staff morning tea, and it was interesting to see what goes on in the staffroom where I couldn’t go all those years ago. It’s been really good to get some first-hand experience in my future field, and I’m feeling quite a bit more prepared for work than before I started my internship. It has also been really convenient to not have to credit every single word I write in a Harvard or APA referencing style.

What has changed since you were here? What’s stayed the same?

When I first walked in on my first day, it brought me way back to when I used to come to school as a student every day. There have been quite a few changes since I left, being the new art classrooms, revamped junior school and I’ve seen a few new teachers. The Monash lockers have been moved near the toilets now, so I found that a little disrespectful to my old house. It’s also a lot different being on the teachers’ team now, rather than on the kids’ team. I guess not having to wear school uniform helped a bit with that.

On the other hand, it doesn’t really seem like much has changed at all, at least in the three years I’ve been away. Most of the other classrooms are basically the same since I left, so it was nice to revisit some of the spots where I used to pretend to concentrate in class. It’s also been great to see a bunch of my old teachers; Mr Clewett, Mr Chambers, Mr and Mrs Simpson, Mrs McVean and Mr Marnoch, just to name a few. Having called them ‘sir’ and ‘miss’ for about 5 years, it was strange to address my former superiors by their first name:

“Hey Bill.” and “Hi Jo.” just didn’t feel right.

What do you hope to do in the future?

In all honesty, I still don’t know exactly what I want to do after I finish university. I was thinking I might take a year off from study, as I didn’t take a gap year, and just continue to work and get some money. But I could also try and go straight into a 9-5 after I graduate. I think I’d eventually like to end up in something that involves tasks like I’ve been doing during this internship. Or maybe something different. I have no clue.

I guess it all depends on how I feel at the end.

In any case, I greatly appreciate Emma and Amberley’s efforts, as well as the rest of the staff, to accommodate me for the internship, given that it was set up on such late notice. I hope that I have been of use to you both throughout the 70 hours that I’ve completed. I know that I’ve learned a great deal during my time back at school, and certainly feel better-equipped for my endeavours beyond tertiary education.

I didn’t think I would, but I did enjoy my time back at school, seeing new and old faces, and getting some real-world work experience.

Thanks to everyone involved, and thanks for reading.

Lachie.

Word of the Week

Graduation

[GRA-joo-AY-shun]

The realisation that all of a sudden, you’re not a Year 7 kid running late to period 4 Cornerstone but a Year 12 who is sitting practice papers for their HSC in their last week of school. But more importantly, it’s the process of togetherness, community and reflection that brings our Oxley Year 12s together for their last week of school. Week 9 has been full of fun for our Year 12s, from Hawaiian shirts, to pink on Wednesdays (of course) and funny socks to brighten up the week. In some dictionaries (obviously less reliable than the Oxley College Pin Oak) ‘graduation’ means to receive an academic degree, but at Oxley that experience is so much more. It’s Mission Day, and the farewell arch, and mucking up and your very last school assembly. 

Violet F., Year 10

The Style Section: NYFW

Happy New York Fashion Week! This is such an exciting month with filled with new and unique Spring ready-to-wear looks. New York Fashion Week is held in February and September each year, typically spanning seven to nine days. Many shows are held throughout each day ranging designers, venues, and guest lists. Typically, these exclusive events are invite-only. But it is not just New York Fashion Week we get to look forward to twice a year; there are so many more fashion weeks scattered across major cities. Through September and October are London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Los Angeles Fashion Week, and of course New York Fashion Week. I am excited to debrief more of these in the next Pin Oak article.

A marriage between east and west cultures is the only way to describe Naeem Khan’s most recent collection. Filled with vibrant colours and textures, this collection does not go unnoticed. A unique blend of materials and silhouettes maintain a luxurious, yet Spring feel throughout the whole collection. This inimitable collection debuted during New York Fashion Week on 12 September 2023; what an exciting look to the future of Naeem Khan.

Michael Kors similarly debuted their most recent Spring ready-to-wear collection in New York. This new collection transported the venue from New York to the south of France with a range of coastal themes, featuring lace and crochet, paired with neutral colours. Look 7 subtly reminds me of look 90/91 of Todd Oldham’s 1995 Spring ready-to-wear collection with the iconic sequin skirt and structured shirt, a spring trend that has lived on throughout the years.

Finally, one of my favourite collections to debut in New York this September would have to the LoveShackFancy Spring ready-to-wear. This feminine, timeless, and distinctive fashion brand has managed to keep the same distinguishing vibe of all of their collections. This most recent one is no different – exciting spring looks with lively colours and delicate patterns. LoveShackFancy is one of my favourite new and upcoming companies that have only recently spiked in popularity. I am very excited to see the new looks owner Rebecca Hessel Cohen comes up with.

Juliette J., Year 10

Game time: Fortnite

Fortnite. The one language that any gamer can speak. You hear it being screamed in the chat. Your friend that has multiple accounts won’t shut up about it. AND LORD ALMIGHTY THE MEMES.

Fortnite is made up of different franchises. This is pretty much the only game where you can see Spiderman smoke Darth Vader in front of Master Chief, while Batman and Joker throw up hands in the background. It’s got something for any fan! You’ve got Halo, Doom, DC, Dragon Ball, Marvel, Star Wars, Rick and Morty, LeBron James, Alien, Terminator, even Attack on Titan!

But what do you do with all these diverse character choices and over 15 million players sitting in their parent’s basements sipping Mountain Dew? How about you throw them onto an island filled with weapons that even God fears and let them fight until only 1 person or team remains (cue the #1 Victory Royal Griddy). While you aren’t watching a giant robot kicking giga ice monster tooshie, you get to experience a ring of imminent death slowly forcing bloodthirsty players towards each other. If you are imagining the Hunger Games, you are not far off the mark. Players catch the ‘Battle Bus’ (basically, an airborne bus with a balloon and a jet engine) and select their drop location. The aim of the game is to survive until you are the last one standing.

Apart from all the reality resets, Fortnite is just tons of fun to play with friends. As many people have found out, ‘emotes bring the funny.’ These wacky expressions of oneself can make even the most serious of characters want to crawl back into the primordial soup. And most of the time, Fortnite is just about seeing how dumb you can be while sending other players packing. From hunting anime characters to defying the Star Wars lore by making Stormtroopers actually hit their targets, the possibilities are endless!

So pick your landing zone and prepare for an insane and gripping Battle Royale!

Thomas C., Year 10

Beauty and the Beast: a new take on a timeless classic

Last week, Year 10 Drama and Music got the opportunity to watch Beauty and the Beast written by Linda Woolverton and directed by Robert Jess Roth at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney. This is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful piece of theatre that can be enjoyed by all. This musical was extravagantly beautiful with a stunning set and costuming, all adding to the beautiful story we all know and love. This musical is full of spectacular surprises at every turn that will leave the whole family wanting more.

The musical is set in a small town in France where Belle, an intelligent young girl, lives. Long before this in a nearby kingdom, a young man was cursed as result of his greed and selfishness. He and all his staff rot away waiting for the curse to finish them or until the prince-turned-Beast finds true love and receives true love in return. After an accident, Belle become trapped in the castle, and with the help of the enchanted servants they draw the cold-hearted Beast out of his shell in hopes that true love is formed, but will it be enough to break the curse? The musical demonstrates themes of love and greed and highlights to the viewer the importance of not judging a book by its cover.

The cast truly brought this enchanting musical to life. We had the pleasure of seeing Shubshri Kandiah as Belle and Brendan Xavier as the Beast. Kandiah was spectacular as Belle and had a faultless performance. Her portrayal of Belle was exquisite, and she brought new life to the classic songs we all know and love such as the song ‘Belle.’ Xavier as the Beast was excellent; he took on the strength and cold-hearted nature of the character but showed us the softer, more insecure side of it as well. He made such an unlovable character somehow lovable. My one fault of his performance is he lacked a bit of intensity and I felt as though he was missing some of the energy shown by the other members of the cast. Despite this, the casting for Belle and the Beast was amazing and added so much to the musical. Overall, the casting for everyone was exceptional, together creating the magic of the musical.

The musical’s charming set certainly took you away to the magical kingdom. It was believable yet simplistic, adding to but not overpowering the actors’ performances. The costuming was enchanting and had so much work behind each detail. The costume for Chip and the servant’s outfits as well as Belle’s iconic yellow ball gown were so intricate and beautifully made, truly drawing the audience into the fantasy. This was partnered with the incredible use of lighting which added to the mood and atmosphere of the scene further highlighting the amazing features of the set and costuming.

Beauty and the Beast is an incredible musical, taking a new spin on this beloved classic. With its stunning music, costuming, sets and cast, this musical is beyond worthy of 5 stars. The performances from Belle were beautiful not to mention the servants and all the amazing other singers and dancers that blessed the stage with their talents. The Beast was also beautiful, though he did lose some of his intensity throughout the performance and did seem to lack some of the energy shown by the other members of the cast. Despite this, the performances truly took you away to a whole new world, and I’m sure all the audience could agree to being at the edge of their seats the entire show. Overall, it was truly such a beautiful and heart-warming musical, and a stunning reimagining of this beloved classic.

Eliza-Grace B., Year 10

HSC Music Showcase

Students performed their HSC Major works for family, friends and staff.

HSC Drama Showcase

Family, friends and staff gathered in Hoskins Hall to support those who were in the HSC Drama performance. This gave students a valuable opportunity to perform individual and group pieces in front of a live audience before their HSC Drama performance.

HSC Design and Technology Showcase

The Year 12 students got an opportunity to show off their major works in the HSC Design and Technology Showcase. The students have been working tirelessly to complete these works throughout the year and were excited to share their creations with others.

HSC Art Showcase

On Wednesday 6th September, we held our HSC Visual Art exhibition.

It was a memorable opportunity for our Year 12 artists to share their unique vision with the world, friends, family and staff, and deservedly, to embrace the many compliments that came their way.

As an added interest to the exhibition Mr Bedingfield requested that awards be displayed next to student’s work in order to be discovered when viewing the entirety of the event. These awards were generously supported by Eckersleys, S&S Wholesalers and ArtHead Moss Vale.

The prize-winning students were:

Most Thought-Provoking Body of Work – Daniel M

Most Socially Engaged Body of Work – Emma M

Award for Technical Skill and Refinement – Lara F

Award for Uplifting the Spirit: Poppy O

Head of College Award – Joe Q

Ms Aitken and Mr Bentham are extremely proud of all HSC Visual Art students and are looking forward to learning about their ongoing passion for art, seeing their next exhibition, or hearing about their travels abroad to the Uffizi or BQ Berlin.

Throughout the creation of my Body of Work, I have utterly enjoyed sculpting in my spare time, along with going to various locations to shoot my photography. As I dropped off my BOW in Sydney, I couldn’t help but reminisce where I was a year ago, drafting ideas and making foil bases to go underneath my sculptures, serving as a reminder of how far my work has come. Being an art student, specifically in terms of crafting my major work, has been such a great outlet in the midst of content-heavy exams and it also has furthered my artistic skills as I explored 3 forms (sculpting, photography and drawing)

– Reflection by HSC Visual Artist Morgan Morrison

Q. What have you enjoyed or valued about creating your own Body of Work for the HSC?

I have loved being immersed in the process of developing my body of work. Creating my body of work has allowed me to practice my skills and explore a conceptual focus that has personal interest and relevance.

Q. How did you feel having YOUR First art exhibition?

Well, it wasn’t my first and I hope it’s not my last. However, it felt very surreal to see people view my body of work that I worked on for 9 months.

Q. How did people respond to your artworks?

People responded positively to my artworks, commenting on the skill and hyper realistic material practice, and the inclusion of postmodern elements such as the 3D prints.

Q. Will you miss being an art student or do you plan to continue being a young creative for years to come?

I will miss being an art student, specifically at Oxley College as it was such a joyous experience. However, I will continue being a young creative for many years to come.

– by Lara Fischer, recipient of Award for technical skill and refinement

Book Week

2023’s Book Week theme was ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’. Members of both the Junior and Senior School experienced these real-time as the Senior Students made time to share some buddy reading time with the younger students.

A Night at the Museum

A collection of ‘museum artefacts’ created by the Year 7 and the Year 9 History classes were on display in Hoskins Hall. There were various themes that these students were tasked to represent, including archaeology, Ancient Greece and Australians at War. Each student expressed their passion for History in a variety of ways, including models and battle replicas.

Well done to Year 7 and Year 9.

Father’s Day Breakfast

It was great to see all the dads and other family members that came to the Junior School’s Father’s Day Breakfast. Also, a huge thank you to the mums who gave their time to ensure the event was a success.

Year 9 Visual Art

The year 9 Visual Artists have completed their collection of landscape artworks. Some replicated real locations, while others created landscapes from their imagination.

Well done Year 9!

Equestrian Day

The Oxley College Equestrian Day has finally returned! After years of cancellations, competitors from a range of schools in the region participated at Bong Bong Racecourse.

Thank you to all involved, including students, as well as parents and staff who worked so tirelessly to make the event happen.

Year 8 Medieval Day

Year 8 experienced their Medieval Day, spending their time learning the ins and outs of medieval, Ancient Greeks and Ancient Persians. They watched a presentation detailing the daily life of each group, as well as their weapons, armour and the battles they fought. They then shared a medieval feast fit for royalty.

Year 6 Market Day

It is tradition that Year 6 raise money and purchase a gift to give to the Junior School as they finish their final years in primary school and transition into Senior School.

The whole Junior School dressed in casual clothes and had a fun day raising money. Hosting a sausage sizzle and collection of different stalls, everyone had a great day. There were a variety of different stalls, including pet rocks and accessories, plants, a football shootout and mega ring toss. There was even a water-balloon-throwing station with live targets! It’s safe to say Mr Bacon, Mr Case and Mr Ayling weren’t so hot in the sun when all was said and done…

Junior School Indigenous Incursion

The Junior School had the opportunity to learn about and experience Indigenous tucker and wildlife from Jackie, who is part of the Indigenous education group ‘Earth, Seed and Fire’. On display were different types of Indigenous food and drink gathered from the land, such as lemon myrtle tea and wattle seeds. Additionally, a presentation about Indigenous living was given. Students also learned about different animals, including the Booro (kangaroo) and the Weerika (goanna), as well as dreamtime stories.

Junior School Sport

Celebrating some of the sporting fun students have been enjoying in the Junior School, including supporting the Matildas and Gala days.

P and F Trivia Night

The PCC was transformed for the first K-12 Trivia Night!

Junior School Drone Day

The Junior School had their Drone Day and enjoyed the fun and challenge of programming and flying drones around the PCC. After each group had collaborated, planned and programmed their drones, they undertook a variety of challenges, including flying drones across a set area, moving objects along a track and landing the drone. Once the challenges were completed, each group took a time trial to see who the fastest drone pilot was. 

Win a Suzuki Swift!

P&F News – Pin Oak Fair

Make sure you have this in your diary:

Oxley College Pin Oak Fair – Saturday 4th November 2023

Oxley College grounds will come alive to celebrate 40yrs!!

Lots of fun for all our Oxley families and the Highlands community from 10am – 3pm.

Oxley Shop Holiday Hours

Term 3 2023 School Holidays

Tuesday 26 September – Thursday 29 September

Tuesday 3 October – Thursday 5 October

8.30am-3.30pm