A message from Mr Scott Bedingfield, Head of College

As 2024 ends I would like to take a moment to wish the Oxley community a restful Christmas and New Year break. I would also like to pass on my thanks to the entire school community for a wonderful finish to the year at the 2023 Speech Night. It was a wonderful evening filled with amazing performances and a celebration of achievements throughout the year. Several announcements were made for the beginning of 2024 and I have summarised these below.

Round Square
Four weeks ago, we had an extremely affirming visit from Phillip Heath AM (Head of Barker College – another Round Square School) and Ben George (Round Square Director). They have now completed their report and last week our school was put forward for official nomination. I am extremely confident that we will hear in the next few weeks. We will update families when this happens. Click here for more information about Round Square. 

The Oxley College Centre for Ethics Thinking Critically: Exploring Ideas that Matter
We are pleased to announce this new Centre at Oxley. The centre will be led by Dr Jeremy Hall, Oxley’s new Head of Philosophy and Ethics. Dr Hall has already been hard at work in this space and the first public lectures that will be open to students, staff, parents and the wider Southern Highlands Community are lined up.

Other developments:

1. Pre-K: Oxley Colleges Pre-K program is on track with the new playground well underway. From the beginning of 2024 Oxley will be P-12.
2. Performing Arts: We have invested heavily in the Performing Arts. From the beginning of 2024, the new Music Pods will be ready to go and we have appointed a Head of Music P-12 – Mrs Renee Zink and Head of Drama P-12 – Mrs Katrine Pascoe who will support the Head of Performing Arts P-12 – Mr Andrew Young.
3. Sport: For the beginning of 2024 we will have a School Gym and Coaching Coordinator in place, supporting our Head of Senior School and Head of Junior School Sport. We have also introduced a Talented Athlete Program (TAP). This program will be headed up by Ms Megan Stanton, a talented athlete herself. More details will be available in the new year.
4. Adventure and Service: Our mandatory distinctives program will be complemented by a range of optional tours in 2024 including North Queensland for Year 6, Nepal, Thailand or Regional Service for Year 10 and Cultural Tour to Japan for current Year 8-10. Please see previous Pin Oak for more details. This will be complemented by service as part of our Year 8 curriculum.
5. New Senior School Daily Structure: The move to the 1-hour period will allow for increased electives in Year 9 where we will be moving from 2 to 3 electives. Year 8 electives will be available for the first time and we have increased subject choice in the school. We are committed to quality learning in the classrooms with their teachers and the move to 1-hour lessons allows more time to go from surface to deep learning.

Departing Staff
As part of Speech Night, we also farewelled Emma Calver and Belinda McGregor who is retiring. Please find below my words from Speech Night.

Belinda McGregor has been a member of the Oxley community for 13 years, teaching Mathematics in the Senior School. She is a very well-respected educator having taught for 43 years in a range of schools and her commitment to her students is second to none. We thank you for your service and wish you a well-deserved retirement – although we may see you around from time to time as a casual teacher.

It is hard to go past this next person without thinking about the Legacy she leaves behind. Emma Calver is an incredible person (and while she doesn’t formally teach a class) a wonderful educator. For all of us she has been the first person we have met in the College. To me personally she has taught me the importance of the history of Oxley and the magic of this place. I have no doubt that many families have felt the warmth and support of Emma and as she leaves us at the end of this year her legacy will long remain in the spirit of Oxley. Thank you, Emma.

Finish Times and Traffic
Over the summer break we will be putting together some details regarding pick up and drop off arrangements from the beginning of 2024. It will be important for families to read this information when it comes out and work with us with the new arrangements (please pass it on to people who pick your children up after school). Our priority in this area is always safety of students. Departure times for students in 2024 will be as follows:

Students with older siblings will be supervised. More details about this system will be available in the new year.

Once again, have a great break and thank you for your continued support of Oxley College.

Scott Bedingfield,

Head of College

Chair of Board of Governors Regeneration    

Speech night last Thursday was a wonderful occasion, celebrating the richness of the Oxley Community and the engagement of students throughout the year.

For those of you unable to attend, it was also a chance for me to say farewell to the College as Chair of the Board of Governors. I spoke about one of my heroes, The Doctor from Dr Who and how, at the end of each series, he regenerates into a new Doctor. In more recent times, he has regenerated into the first female Doctor in the series (after 60 years of television!). The Board of Governors is thrilled that in this handover, we welcome our first female Chair of Oxley (after only 40 years!), Mrs Jane Crowley.

The Oxley College Board has always had a maximum term. Whether serving as Governor or Chair, the total maximum term has been 12 years. With a recent update of the Constitution, the maximum term is now 9 years.

I joined the Oxley College Board of Governors in 2012 when the Primary school opened. Our 3 children joined the school and we have enjoyed 30 years of wonderful education for our children at the school. As well as being an Oxley parent, I have seen Oxley as a student, attending a young Oxley in the late 80s. In addition, I have been a Governor for 12 years with 4 of those as Chair.

While Boards have important roles such as managing risk, ensuring stable finances, and overseeing the school strategy, the most important I have come to realise, is safeguarding, and remembering, the soul of the school. People all come and go – students, parents, Boards and staff, but the important thing is that we remember why Oxley is here, what it is doing, and how it does it. I am thrilled that as a former student, a current parent and Chair, that from all I can see, the soul, the spirit, the essential, special character of Oxley remains true to its roots and we work hard to ensure that it continues to do so.

Having already served 2 years as a Board member, Jane will be a wonderful new Chair. It has been a privilege to work with Jane, and for me to share in Oxley’s story over the last 12 years. I look forward to seeing Oxley continue to thrive – welcome Jane!

“Jane Crowley is known to many of you as one of the founders of Dirty Janes, where she is currently Managing Director. Jane is an also an author and the mother of three children – all of whom have gone through Oxley – Evie is now in Year 12 – with  Jane’s association with the school beginning in 2012, when the junior school opened.

Many of you will also know Jane through her involvement in local politics – which has now given way to focus on all things Oxley.

Jane is an active member of the Oxley building committee, and is a driving force at Oxley.  For example her first major role was in the school’s first Pin Oak Fair.

Jane has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Canberra University where she majored in Organisational Communication and her many strengths include organisational management, charitable activities and community engagement work. “

Dr Stephen Barnett

Farewell Emma Calver

Thousands of tours, dozens of orientation days, 17 years of dedicated service and the time has come to say goodbye and thank you to Mrs Emma Calver.

From the first friendly face that greets nervous families to the careful guidance offered as a College Executive member Emma, had been a calm, loving constant at Oxley College.

Emma’s first role at Oxley was as a Board Member before she started as a Staff Member in 2006. Emma has been a member of the College Executive, Registrar, Community Relations Officer and Marketer.

A driving force in the establishment of the Junior School, just over a decade ago, Emma has worked tirelessly to see these numbers grow. Passionate about the publishing opportunities Pin Oak provided students, Emma worked with students each fortnight to publish over 150 editions.

Emma Calver has been an integral part of what Oxley College is today, but her legacy is her warmth and care.

Thank you Emma for all that you have done for Oxley. We will miss you.

Your commitment and tireless efforts have made a lasting impact on Oxley College and everyone fortunate enough to be in your orbit.
While our opinions on Baz Luhrmann may differ, it hasn’t hindered our collective and formidable collaboration in bringing the Pin Oak magazine to life. The moments spent designing the magazine with you are memories I will cherish eternally.
May this new chapter in your life be filled with boundless joy and the well-deserved relaxation you’ve earned!
Lara Fischer (Class of 2023)

Emma is the heart and soul of Oxley College. New families could not ask for a better start, than spending time with such a warm and caring person who truly loves all that Oxley offers. I have had the pleasure of working closely with Emma for many years and I will miss our regular chats, her wise advice and her supportive guidance. We all wish you all the very best and look forward to you dropping in from time to time.
Peter Ayling, Deputy Head of Junior School

Oxley will be a very different place without our Emma. Her kindness, generosity and unwavering compassion for her colleagues, students, families, and our community, has always been second to none. Emma’s warmth and willingness to lend a hand whether it’s at school or in the community, has created a positive and uplifting atmosphere for everyone fortunate enough to have worked alongside her. It is however Emma’s genuine concern for the wellbeing of others around her that sets her apart. As Emma embarks on new endeavours, her absence will be keenly felt. Emma, you will be deeply missed by everyone, wishing you nothing but joy and happiness.
Rani Ritchie, School Psychologist

Emma Calver is a curious and kind human who sees the big picture without losing sight of every person and detail that makes something great and worthwhile. I loved working with Emma for 8 years and feel very lucky to have had time with her guidance, wisdom, service and laughter, at the helm of Oxley College communications.
In my first year of Oxley in 2014 Michael Parker and Emma hatched the Pin Oak, a fortnightly magazine that would see a dedicated bunch of Senior School Student writers and designers put together a magazine. Emma knew everything that should go in, who had done what, who should be celebrated, which sporting achievement or secret student talent needed to be brought to light. We learned how to use Indesign. We got a bunch of passionate young journalists, and we were off. She came to every meeting with a list of important things that needed to be reported on and said yes to every wild and wonderful idea the students wanted to write about. She was…is the Producer. And we all loved working with her! I know she loved the weekly meetings, seeing incredible articles written by the students about important things come to life and Wednesday afternoons with the student graphic designers as we put the magazine together in the library. It is hard to believe this is Issue 160!
A true Producer, making the story told about Oxley College and its talented people. 
Beattie Lanser, former Design and Technology Teacher and Pin Oak Editor 2014-2021

International Humanitarian Law Artworks

This term, Year 9 Visual Arts were challenged with a project to use the principles of International Humanitarian Law to highlight the problems, threats and the impact of war.

There are four main principles set out by the IHL:

• The distinction between civilians and combatants (don’t attack civilians or civilian objects)

• The prohibition of attacks against those hors de combat (not to target those who are injured)

• The prohibition on the infliction of unnecessary suffering (ban unnecessary suffering)

• The principle of proportionality (prohibit attacks when the civilian harm would be excessive)

• The notion of necessity (do not give the armed forces the freedom to ignore humanitarian considerations)

• The principle of humanity (the law seeks to limit harm to all)

Year 9 hopes that seeing these works will motivate viewers to ask questions about the impacts of war and will think about those events happening right now in Israel.

The Year 9 International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Art project is the result of a proposal received from the Australian Red Cross (ARC) NSW IHL Committee. This project aimed to promote understanding among students that ‘Even Wars have Laws.’   

Committee Member Kirsten Keith said “A key part of the Australian Red Cross’s mandate is the dissemination of the principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Thinking about ways to do this to reach a younger audience, I know many students are visual learners and that learning about IHL principles from textbooks would not be quite so engaging! Then I thought about Picasso’s Guernica, the commissioning of war artists to record the horrors of war, and the fact that art can be a very powerful tool to help disseminate key issues facing humanity. And from here the seeds of the Year 9 IHL art project grew, with great support from Matthew Bentham and Andrew Jones. Ben Quilty’s talk about his experiences as a war artist in Afghanistan was fascinating and linked in with the talks I later to the students on the basic principles of IHL.
 
“It was an absolute privilege to collaborate with Oxley College art department on this project and to see the students engaging with these important issues, addressing senior school assembly with videos of their finished work. Hopefully we can repeat this process as it’s important for the students to learn about key principles that they see portrayed in the media.”

The Style Section: Fashion Icons

Fashion icons. Who do you think of when you hear those two words? The term “fashion icon” can put labels on many different people across the globe, and you will find that many of them are women. Fashion has been a vital part of society throughout the world’s existence. Trends are often rapidly evolving and gaining traction, leading to many of us not being able to keep up. However, the fashion industry that we know today would not be the same without by a large number of extremely powerful and influential women in fashion throughout the last century.

Let’s go back to the 1920s, with extremely influential women such as Coco Chanel and Marilyn Monroe rising to fame. The creator and namesake of the Chanel brand, French fashion designer and businesswoman Coco Chanel, played a major role in popularising sporty, casual chic as the norm for feminine style after World War I. Marilyn Monroe on the other hand, popularised the idea of curve-accentuating, body-flaunting designs including naked dresses. This fashion era was a reflection of people’s luxurious lifestyles and liberated minds. Women’s clothes saw a fashion revolution with the advent of bras, higher hemlines, new and intriguing patterns, and smaller corsets. Trends such as headbands have been seen arising again this year, with many women and girls across the world adding headbands to spice up their outfits.

Come the 1950s, shoulder lines became more softened, corset waists became smaller, and rounded hips with long skirts became popular. During the 60s, fashionistas such as Priscilla Presley created trends of Beehive hairstyles while the movie star, Audrey Hepburn wore more styles that were
minimalist, chic and elegant compared to the bright coloured pattern clothing that was trending at the time. These fashion trends can be seen making a comeback in brands such as Prada, showcasing a variety of ‘50s silhouettes and A line white skirts on the Fall 2023 runway.

1980s fashion trends consisted of shoulder pads, leg warmers, electric and neon colours, fishnets, and other fashion fads. Mullets and high mohawks were popular hairstyles during this decade, which was arguably the most daring in modern fashion history. If you scroll through TikTok, Pinterest or Instagram, you’ll notice particular parts of Princess Diana’s wardrobe has become popular amongst Gen Z. The sporty, laidback, gym-attire outfits from the ’80s and ’90s have maintained relevance even years after Diana’s death. The outfits include an oversized sweatshirt, cycle shorts, chunky sneakers, sunglasses, vintage earrings and a designer bag. It is a smooth fusion of glamour, athleisure, and streetwear in one ensemble.

The 1990s brought about slip dresses, bomber jackets plaid flannel skirts, baby tees and thick headbands. Many of these fashion items are making their way back into the closets of many people, if they ever left them in the first place! The 90s were perhaps one of the most influential times of fashion ever, with these pieces still being relevant and stylish today. Kate Moss, who entered towards the end of the “supermodel era”, became well-known in the early 1990s as a part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her partnerships with Calvin Klein elevated her to the rank of a style icon. She is well-known for both her role in size zero fashion and her waifish body. The fashion industry popularised the ‘heroin chic’ look greatly during the 90s, featuring angular bone structures, pale complexions, dark bags under the eyes, and slender frames. The appearance was a response to the models’ “healthy” and refined appearance. Fashion did change a lot with the millennium with 2000s fashion bringing lots of low waisted jeans, denim mini skirts and icons such as Paris Hilton becoming inspiration for outfits for many women across the world.

The fashion business has seen significant changes over time, including variations in hues, styles, and individual items of clothing. The most powerful women, however, have remained constant over time, unlike the trends. These ladies are remarkable as they have shaped the industry we know today.

Harper M, Year 8

No tears about the kingdom

Possibly the largest release for Nintendo in 2023, and the largest release since Pokemon Legends Arceus, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom, is far from a sequel to Breath of the Wild.

This immense and popular title, released on the 12th of May, 2023, was directed by Hidemaro Fujibayashi, who worked alongside the producer of the entire Legend of Zelda franchise, Eiji Aonuma. It features many of the classic characters, like Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf, with many of the same important characters from Breath of the Wild, as well.

Although it is set in the same world as the immensely successful Breath of the Wild, it is a vast improvement, met to meet the standards of 2023, not just to build on the standards of 2017.

Tears of the Kingdom‘s structure involves the same structure as Breath of the Wild; lots of training in a large area, then thrown into an expansive open world, so you can prepare for the final boss fight, with shrines, and massive amounts of quests. It also has large, regional dungeons that unlock special heroes to help you in your adventure.

However, it takes the large open world that made BOTW so special, and triples its potential, by adding the Sky Islands, and the depths, both beautiful and containing heaps of content. This large amount of content is what sold the game to everyone. The shear size and depth of the world, made with all the Nintendo polish, lets you dive in, and not come out, leading to hundreds to thousands of hours in
the game, in a blink of an eye.

However, running 2023 software on 2017 hardware is difficult, and the Switch often has trouble keeping up with TOTK’s more taxing moments. However, even though there are some faults in the performance, the game holds up, and does more, and is utterly beautiful and a joy to play.

Robbie N, Year 8

A masterpiece: Dead Cells

Dead Cells is an action-packed, dungeon-crawling adventure full of danger, thrills and enough enemies to choke a horse, but is it worth all the hype? Today we find out.

Now, for those of you who don’t know, Dead Cells is a rogue-lite Metroidvania game that was released in 2018 on PC and later on console and mobile.

In a rogue-lite game, every time you die you have to go back to the start but importantly, there are some permanent upgrades you can unlock as you progress. This gives you access to more of the map and better weapons and equipment.

One problem that rogue-lites can suffer from is the map getting boring as you go through the same map over and over again. Dead Cells solves this by both the use of procedural generation to make a new map every game and that as you progress you can use new traversal methods to find new biomes that you couldn’t reach before.

This game has been very highly praised by fans and critics alike, having won several awards and having extremely high reviews. After playing over 15 hours of it I have to agree. This game is truly brilliant, expertly juggling both challenging combat and boss-fights, with fun and excitement along the way.

One thing I should note is that this is not an easy game, most players will find it very difficult and frustrating but it’s worth it for the satisfaction of reaching that new stage or finally beating that boss after dozens of attempts. One other area that Dead Cells may lack in a bit is the story, don’t get me wrong there is in fact a well-crafted story here – it just takes some digging to piece it together as a lot of it is told through various ‘lore rooms’ littered around the map which don’t always spawn so many players may never really get a wrap on what’s happening.

In conclusion, Dead Cells is a masterpiece of a game that is definitely worth playing; even if you get a bit frustrated it’s definitely worth it – 9/10.

Matthew M, Year 8

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage

This Christmas, come into the light in the latest Assassin’s Creed installation! Mirage is a gripping coming of age story that is full of darkness, betrayal and mysteries behind every corner.

Set in 9^th century Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age, we follow Basim Ibn Ishaq, a young street thief with a knack for getting into trouble and the wits to match it. However, when he commits an accidental yet devastating crime, his wits won’t be enough. As the city guard searches for him, salvation comes in the form of the Hidden Ones. These masters of stealth are the predecessor of the Assassin Brotherhood, yet have been forced out of Baghdad, constantly hunted.

After joining the shadowy order, news reaches the Hidden Ones that their arch enemies The Order of Ancients have tightened their iron grip on Baghdad. Basim is sent back to the city to burn away the shadows that torment it.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a return to its roots in contrast to the RPG style games that have come before. You focus primarily on stealth in this game, utilising the famed Hidden Blade to silently eliminate your targets. Other tools, however, are equally effective, such as ranged throwing knives or spice smoke bombs. Speed is your friend, and if you do find yourself in open conflict, remember this.

Basim has been described by Ubisoft as a “glass cannon” capable of dealing massive damage, but unlike previous games, unable to receive much in return. Stealth is therefore essential. Blend into the crowd, use the environment to your advantage and bring safety to the city…

Work in the dark to the serve the light… and a happy holidays to one and all!

Thomas C, Year 10

Should I buy a real Christmas tree?

For many families, this can be the argument which arises every year during the festive season – which is better, real or fake Christmas trees? Fake trees can last years and years, however they just don’t seem to have the same festivity and piny scent of a real tree. If you are having trouble deciding whether you should buy a real or fake tree this Christmas, this is the review for you.

Environmentalism
Fake Christmas trees may seem the obvious eco-friendly option when buying a tree – they can be used over and over and doesn’t require cutting down real trees. However, this isn’t really the case.
Of course, neither trees are “good” for the environment – each year, 120 million real pine trees are cut down for Christmas, causing the release of roughly 3 billion kilograms of carbon into the atmosphere.
However, fake Christmas trees take huge amounts of plastic and metal to be made in factories, then are transported from there to other countries around the world; all this produces many carbon emissions. Fake trees do also eventually deteriorate, and have to be thrown out, inevitably going into landfill. So, real trees, although not good for the environment, are still more eco-friendly than fake trees, which produce more carbon emissions. If environmentalism matters to you, definitely opt for a real Christmas tree this year.

Maintenance
Real Christmas trees are quite high maintenance – they need to be watered once (or sometimes even twice) daily, plus, trimming/shaping branches on the tree may be required. Because of this, if you don’t think you’ll be home often enough to water your tree (or simply don’t want this extra chore on your agenda) fake trees require no maintenance, and would be better suited to you.

Affordability
The average “basic” fake Christmas tree can cost up to $300, however for more realistic ones (models with inbuilt lights, snow, decorations etc.) be prepared to pay thousands of dollars. Alternatively, the average 7-foot real tree costs somewhere between $110 – $170, depending on the quality, company, and demand. This seems much less than a fake Christmas tree, although keep in mind you must buy a new real tree every year! Fake trees last up to 15 years, making their cost more justifiable in the long term, whereas buying a real tree every year for 15 years could cost as much as $2500. In the long term, fake Christmas trees are amore affordable option. If you want to save money, but are prepared to pay a little extra for a fake tree at the start, then they are for you.

Authenticity
Real Christmas trees are the obvious option if you want authenticity. Their piny scents fill your house with a festive aroma, unmatched by any fake tree. Especially as Christmas is undoubtedly becoming more commercialised, real trees can bring you back to the true values and spirit of Christmas. Plastic Christmas trees of course still look real, however, they will never be as genuine as real pine trees.

The Verdict
Not everybody will be suited to the same type of tree; you should pick the one better suited to what you are looking for. If you care about the environment, and are prepared to take on the effort of caring for a tree because you want authenticity, a real Christmas tree is definitely the right choice. However, if you want an “easy” Christmas tree (cost-effective and low maintenance), pick a fake Christmas tree.
Whatever tree you choose, Christmas is a time to celebrate and spend time with your family; your tree is only one small factor of this festive season.

Matilda L, Year 8

Review: Ella Bache Bowral

I would highly recommend Ella Bache as a spa centre for any beauty or wellness treatments needed. Ella Bache is easily the nicest beauty salon in this area, from the customer service to the effective treatments, the quality of this spa is unbeatable. From the moment you book an appointment for whatever service you require you are treated with utmost kindness and respect. All the staff at Ella Bache are friendly, chatty, skilled at their jobs, and just generally very nice to interact with. Ella Bache is an iconic Australian skincare supplier, however they also run several spas across the country.

This shop is an easy escape from daily life, and the treatments and services they offer allow their customers to improve their lifestyle and happiness overall. I have received a variety of therapeutic services, including eyelash and eyebrow tints, facials, spray tans, massages, exfoliations and more. All treatments exceeded my expectations and left me feeling rejuvenated and healthy. The skincare services are completed with the highest quality natural products and have improved my skin’s health in outstanding ways. Every service offered at this salon is done with care and attention from the wonderful staff, and each has been nothing but amazing. I have explored numerous options in terms of beauty salons, but none have come close to the quality of the services at Ella Bache.

I speak very highly of this store, however, to maintain the honesty in this review I must bring up some negatives. I found that the cosmetic treatments at the salon are quite expensive in my opinion. I think some may even be slightly overpriced, as the time and products required for the service don’t appear to be worth the fee. However, most of the treatments are entirely worth the extra money, and I am willing to pay the amount in exchange for a healthier and happier lifestyle. Overall, Ella Bache is a quality beauty salon and skincare brand, and I recommend as an option for anyone who seeks to improve their living quality and wellness.

Liv S, Year 8

Good and other news

Milly A (Year 12, 2023) auditioned at all the major acting schools in Australia following her HSC. These were WAAPA (Perth), NIDA (Sydney) AND VCA (Melbourne). Remarkably, she was accepted into all 3 institutions! She has accepted VCA and will begin her studies next year. Milly is one to keep an eye on in the Performing Arts moving forward. Congratulations Milly!

Over 20 Year 12 students and staff were a part of the Oxley Mo Bros, raising funds and awareness during Movember for men’s health issues. $4347 was raised – great work Team Mo Bro!

Five Oxley students received their scholarships to the Illawarra Academy of Sport (IAS) at a Mayoral Reception at Wingecarribee Shire Council.

The athletes are Harry G (Mountain Bike), Lily S (Hockey), Ben B (Hockey), Imogen G (Netball) and Pixie H (Triathlon).

The IAS identifies and develops the best young athletes in the region and prepares them for state, national and international competition in their respective sports. Some AIS alumni include Olympians Emma McKeon, David McKeon, Caleb Ewan, Sally Fitzgibbons and Sarah Carli.

Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Christmas hampers for Community Links. Their representatives were very grateful for the donations and shared that the hampers would be going to those in need.

William C – World Champion!

A huge congratulations to William C, Year 9 who has had the most extraordinary success throughout the year playing the bagpipes.

In August, William attended the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Scotland playing in the Scots All Saints Pipe Band, where he played 27 events to thousands of people. He went on to win the Scottish National Championships, World Championships AND they achieved the Champion of Champions, the first time this title has ever left the UK.

William’s dedication has also seen, in the last couple of weeks, come 1^st in the NSW State championships in x2 events.

Incredible work, William!

Phoenix S – Olympian!

We are so incredibly proud of Phoenix S, Year 12 2024, who has been selected to represent Australia at the 2024 Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, South Korea in the sport of Biathlon!

What is Biathlon?

Biathlon is a winter Olympic sport, a combination of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.

A biathlon race consists of participants skiing around a cross-country trail system. The total distance is broken into two or four shooting rounds, half in standing position and the other half in a prone position. An extra time is added to the participant’s total running time depending on his or her shooting performance. In each shooting round, the participants must hit five targets.

Phoenix will join 1900 other athletes from around the world, competing in 7 sports, 15 disciplines, and 81 events.

Best of luck with your final preparations. We’ll be cheering you on in January!

Junior School String Spectacular

Oxley students joined with other students from the region at the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music to form the Southern Highlands String Spectacular. It was an amazing day of learning with students from around the Illawarra, Shoalhaven and Far South Coast. The final orchestra was over 100 students strong!

Students involved were: Sophia B, Cora B, Lucy B, Harry B, Oliver C, Greta L, Beatrix P, Naomi R, Esther S, Greta S, Euan S, Beth P.

Christmas Gifts for Harbison

Last week, Year 6 and Kindergarten students worked together to make hand-made gifts for our Harbison Grandfriends. They presented these gifts to them on their last visit to Oxley for 2023.

Their time together was cherished by all involved!

Silver & Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Qualifying Hike

The first weekend of the summer saw 21 Oxley students escaping to the Snowy Mountains for our qualifying Duke of Edinburgh’s Award journey. After many hours on the highway, neglected handbraking(!) and a long-awaited McDonalds dinner, we arrived at our first campsite to be greeted by our instructors Eamon, Alex, Ben, Rachel and… the relentless rain! With a growing concern for the extreme weather predictions within the group, what set the tone for the hike was a mutual understanding of the challenges ahead.

On the first morning having acquired both extra raincoats and dry sleeping bags, we jauntily set off on the Kosciuszko Summit Trail for 12 kilometres to eventually reach Australia’s highest peak. This day saw relatively blue skies, snow slides, tumbles and conspiracies around whether the underwhelming Kosciuszko truly is the highest point in Australia. Our descent coincided with low cloud and rain, meaning camp was relocated to a sheltered valley below Muellers Pass – still above 2000 metres – where tents combined as a means of warmth and protection, with the use of the dreaded ‘poo tube’!

Saturday’s conditions encapsulated the essence of the Award; as we persevered through the weekend’s lowest temperatures, highest rainfall and strongest winds, the group evacuated camp to escape an ominous and fast-approaching electrical storm. Sporting every layer possible, with inventive balaclava creations, soggy raincoats and frozen fingertips, we trekked back through cloud along the Summit Trail for another 12 kilometres.

Eventually we sighted the friendly faces on our Oxley bus as the group moved to a new and dry campsite for Hot Sauce Roulette, a dehydrated dinner by the fire and our first night’s sleep without persistent rain. As the weather cleared, our spirits heightened for the final leg of the trip, a beautiful and scenic nine kilometre hike from Guthega to Charlotte’s Pass.

From hours of driving to Oscar’s eclectic playlist, snow fights and other morale-boosting antics, it is safe to say the entire group is thankful for the immense effort in prior planning and throughout our trek from all those involved; a trip of such magnitude couldn’t be successful without the efforts of Mr Dibdin, Mrs Cargill and the OE team – thank you!

Clementine H, Year 10

Senior Production

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ Audition Process 

For the past few weeks, the cast and crew of Oxley’s 7-10 production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ have been hard at work practising and beginning rehearsals. With dozens of students coming forward to audition in Week 9 of Term 3, the cast and crew selected have started creating this vision. There has been an outstanding amount of people coming forward to dedicate their time to the play in roles other than just acting. Lighting and tech, hair and makeup, costume and promotion are great alternative ways that students have been able to get involved with the play and help bring the vision to life.   

Olivia Quilty, cast in the role of Hermia, says how easy and enjoyable the audition process was. “Thanks to all the girls that helped us organise what order we were auditioning in and where to go before and after the audition, it was relatively easy and fun. Before audition day, Ms Pascoe sent out monologues according to which part you wanted to audition for, and if you wanted to audition in groups, she would send out scenes for us to practise ensuring everyone came prepared.” Olivia decided to audition for the production as she was yet to be involved with an Oxley production. “I put myself forward to audition because I haven’t been a part of one of the Oxley productions so far and I definitely felt like I was missing out. I am also doing Drama as an elective and knew that Ms Pascoe would make a great cast and production.” 

One of the production’s creative directors, Juliette Johnson, speaks on her commitment and what her role entails as a keen and key aspect of the play. “In my role as creative director, I focus more on the aesthetic of the production surrounding costume, set design and hair and makeup.” Juliette’s previous work in our last school production of Chicago inspired her to join this production in a larger and more critical role. “I put myself forward for the position as creative director as I had previously worked in costume, hair and makeup in the Chicago production. I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it so I thought I would put myself forward for this role.”  

The production has seen many different students come forward all with their own individual skill sets and passions that are helping create this play, all wanting to get involved for different reasons. The number of roles that were offered to students makes this play a place where everyone can get involved in an area that they love and enjoy. We encourage everyone in any future productions to put themselves forward as there will always be a place for you and a chance to help create something magical and something that the whole school can be proud of. We can’t wait to see how the production unfolds over the next term! 

Charlie G, Year 9

Climate Change resistant housing

Year 9 students have been exploring climate change-resistant housing.

The UN Environment program has found that “accounting for 38 per cent of total global energy-related CO2 emissions, the construction industry will play an important role in achieving our goal to limit global warming to well below 2°C. According to some estimates, investing in more resilient infrastructure could also save humanity a whopping $4.2 trillion from climate change damages.”

This activity saw Year 9 students working on climate change-resistant housing that will be subjected to cyclonic conditions to see how the structures hold up. Students were only allowed to use plasticine, spaghetti, paper and sticky tape.

For more information, check out 5 ways to make buildings climate change resilient.

Good work, Year 9!

Year 3 Service Learning – Pop In Fundraiser

Year 3 undertook service learning this Term 4 by focusing on a local charity called “Pop In”. It is a wonderful service that caters to the needs of families in The Southern Highlands.

It provides assistance and support for those who require a helping hand. The organization is dedicated to making a positive impact on the community by providing a range of services that cater to the needs of families, including food and clothing donations, and counseling. Pop In understands the challenges faced by some families and strives to make their lives easier by providing a welcoming environment that promotes a sense of community and belonging. The team at Pop In is committed to helping families in need and making a difference in their lives. The Year 3 students as well as the other classes in the Junior School have been extremely generous with the amount of donations, we have collected in such a short period of time. I know Pop In will be extremely grateful for all the donations they will receive from the Oxley College community.

Mr Brett Bacon and Mrs Alison Rasheed, Year 3 Teachers

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Students in the Junior School recently completed the Premier’s Reading Challenge, where students are tasked with reading as many books as they can. The challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure for students.

Congratulations to these students:

Kindergarten:

Liam C, Alexander C-H, Isobel C, Edward C, Amelia K, Harry M, William P, Harry T, Steele T, Sophia T, William T, Ailie W

Year 1:

Elsie H, Isaac C, Luca R, Theo L-S

Year 2:

Clementine B, Evan C, Madeline C, George K, Eden M, Freddie P, Henry P

Year 3:

Cora B, Thatcher D, Fearne P, Harrison P, Beth P

Year 4:

Hudson A, Stella B, Chloe B, Lily B, Harry B, Zoe C, Hannah C, Max C, Amelia G, Albert H, Rose H, Eric M, Luella S, Heidi S-H, Chloe W

Year 5:

Lucy B, Cassius B, Elena C, Lucas D, Harry M, Clementine P, Beatrix P, Anna-Sophia P, Fergus T, Nina Z

Year 6:

Ivy B, Thomas B, Theodore B, Oscar C, Pixie H, Lisa M, Isabella S, Anna S, Mariella V

Year 7:

Charlotte B, Ruby C, Scarlett C

Year 8:

Dakota W

Is your Christmas too commercial?

Christmas. It’s nearly here! The holiday we have been preparing for since…well, it feels like forever. Organising food, family, friends, and, of course, decorations and presents. Overall, a huge chunk out of most people’s savings accounts. During the festive season many people are under a lot of pressure, to host a memorable day or live up to the expectations of a commercialised Christmas.

Christmas was first connected to commercialisation way back in the1840s, when Sir Henry Cole certified the first ever (official) Christmas card. Retailers saw Christmas as an easy way to sell their goods. Christmas continued to grow, with sales and great deals overtaking many stores.
However, it didn’t stop there. Many songs and movies were created about Christmas, such as All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey, released in November 1994, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, directed by Ron Howard and created in 2000. Both of these hits, and many more, have been loved by countless people around the world, sharing a special holiday with family and friends.

A huge amount of money is put into the festive season, whether it be for decorations, food, or presents. In 2022 the overall spending during the festivities in America was a colossal $936.3 billion USD, which is $1408.9 billion AUD! To put this into context, you could raise around 110 million children with this amount of money!

People are encouraging this, with the cost continuing to grow each year. Sales such as Black Friday, the Friday after the Thanksgiving weekend, and Cyber Monday, as well as Boxing Day sales the day after Christmas. Customers save their money for big sales like this, where they can splurge on gifts for others, and often, themselves.

This isn’t all. During the festive season, around 7 million tonnes of food are wasted, Christmas trees are discarded without a second thought, and let’s not forget all the wrapping paper and unwanted Christmas cards.

So, what can we do to decrease the impact that this joyous occasion has on the world?

There are many parts of festivities and customs that we can alter to create an eco-friendly, less costly Christmas. We can reduce our food waste by cooking portions that are more suited to the amount of people we are providing for. Give leftovers to neighbour’s chickens, or put them in a compost bin. You can recycle gift wrap and cards, as long as it is just the paper and no tape, glitter or ribbons are put in to be recycled with them. Use real Christmas trees instead of fake ones, as they biodegrade easily in your green bin instead of landfill, where fake plastic trees sit for many years. Next, to reduce cost and commercialisation, make homemade gifts, baked goods such as gingerbread, or crafts, which children love to participate in.

All of these things help to reduce the commercialisation and the overall cost of Christmas, not just the economical side of things, but the environmental as well. And remember, Christmas is a time to have fun with family and friends, it’s about the little things, not just the presents!

Louisa HB, Year 8

Year 10 Personal Interest Projects

Speech Night

Final Junior School Assembly

Year 6 Jamberoo

On Friday 24 November, Year 6 was lucky enough to go to Jamberoo Action Park. The bus ride down was a lot of fun and when we arrived the whole grade was jumping with excitement. We had to complete a ‘water test’ before everyone frantically made their way to the rides. The whole experience was so much fun, making it a fabulous way to complete our days in the Junior School. I would like to thank all the teachers that organised the experience.

Jemima A, Year 6

French Day – Oui Oui

Year 6 Celebration

The Year 6 Class of 2023 rounded out their Junior School years with a pizza party and disco. It was an evening filled with fun, a reflection on their last year and their favourite memories of their Junior School years.

Easing the transition to Senior School

The Year 12 visit was excellent!

All my most burning questions were answered, like ‘are the Oodgeroo lockers awful?’ and ‘does the canteen serve different food in Senior School?’. 

I got to meet some great Year 12 students and everyone in my group had all their questions answered too, plus we all had a good laugh. 

Andy C, Year 6 

Pre-K pop-in

Last week, we welcomed our Pre-K students for a pop-In. Our inaugural Pre-K cohort had the chance to experience a little taste of Oxley before they become fully-fledged members of the Oxley College community in 2024.

We thoroughly enjoyed having them on campus!

Angels in our Town

Thank you to those students who so beautifully represented our school at the Angels in our Town parade.

Car Raffle winner!

It’s not every day a shiny new Suzuki is parked on Elvo Lawn.

Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket in our car raffle!

We were able to raise funds to support the Oxley College Foundation. Congratulations to Murry V, a current parent who was the winner.

A big thank you to the generous support of Brett and the team at the Moss Vale Motor Group – we are so grateful for your support.

P&F News

After several quiet years with few major events organised by the P&F this year was certainly a busy one.

Preliminary discussions last year about Oxley’s 40^th birthday all focussed on the same idea of celebration and reconnection.  So with these goals in mind the P&F created events for this special year in the life of Oxley College.

A black-tie birthday party was held on the 20^th May at Centennial Vineyards restaurant.  What a night we had!  Current parents, staff, alumni and past parents all came together to dance the night away to the fabulous big band sounds of the John Field band.  As a band member and performer, Oxley’s own Dom Lindsay was instrumental to the success of the night.  Parent, Chris Ahern, acted as our MC for the evening and controlled a noisy crowd while we conducted a fundraising drive for the newly launched Oxley Foundation.  Paul Milner, auctioneer and Oxley parent conducted a live auction while many other items were snapped up in a silent auction.  Our thanks to those businesses and individuals who so generously donated items with proceeds going towards the newly created Oxley Foundation. 

Ex parent and writer Amanda Mackevicius undertook a mammoth task of writing and compiling the 40^th anniversary book of Oxley College–Amanda spent weeks in the archives here at Oxley finding all sorts of newspaper articles, speeches and photographs that she has included in this lovely publication; To think, to dare, to dream.  Throughout the process I assisted Amanda in finding photos and information and found myself swept up in the memories of Oxley.  I am still blown away by the determination and courage of parents in setting up this school – I thought a Pin Oak Fair was a big deal – but a school??! Please be sure to purchase a copy and spread the word that this is now available for sale.

After several postponements and cancellations due to weather the Oxley Equestrian Day was held this year in Term 3 on the 20 August. Entries were down on previous years, but we were fortunate to hold a successful event with the sun shining.  Parents contributed to this event by baking, BBQing, working in the canteen and helping with the overall organisation. 

Just a week later a group of enthusiastic junior school parents had us dress up in Prom Night theme as they organised a fabulous whole school trivia night.  The committee worked hard to source lots of donated prizes that were raffled and won throughout the evening. Over 120 people attended with some great costumes on display and the PCC has never looked so good. This was a great night for our parent community.

Throughout the year all our wonderful Year reps have organised an amazing variety of functions- there have been drinks nights, dinners and coffee mornings.  Thank you to all our year reps who have taken the time to coordinate these functions and provided the opportunities for our parents to meet, and to manage our WhatsApp groups.  To our 2023 Yr 12 year reps thank you for organising monthly drinks and a glittering formal for our graduates.  We wish you all the best and thank you for your involvement in the P&F.

Planning for the Pin Oak Fair commenced last year when determining a date and format this event would take.  Fortunately, the previous Pin Oak Fair committee had extensive notes that were passed on and believe me I thumbed through those pages on many occasions looking for hints or clues on previous numbers, stock quantities and costs.  My thanks to Jane Crowley for passing on her knowledge and I am currently compiling a dossier of information that I hope will be just as helpful for the next organising committee.

From our initial planning meetings, the aim of this year’s Pin Oak Fair was to be the ultimate celebration of 40 years and the culmination of a year celebrating the College’s birthday and community re-connection. 

The challenges faced in organising such a Fair are many but a few of the greatest were timing and cost and I will address these now as I have been asked often about our decisions.

The previous Pin Oak Fair was held on a Saturday in November in 2016.  It was held on a day when Year 12 had finished their exams and held to coincide with the Southern Highlands Art Trail, as an art show was a component of this event. It was purposefully planned on a day when sport was played so this could be showcased and families from visiting schools were sent further information about the fair and invited to attend.  The decision to hold the event on a Saturday was based on the fact that many market stallholders, who we were wanting to attract, have regular market commitments on Sundays.

We made the decision to follow the same format this year, for all the same reasons.  We were notified once our advertising had commenced that the Art Trail would not be including galleries or school exhibitions as it was only featuring studios this year.

The decision to hold this event on Saturday unfortunately impacted 4 Oxley sports teams who had to travel away for their matches.  In our favour was the 7 busloads of athletes who travelled from other schools to play at Oxley and enjoy the fun of the Fair.

The hectic schedule of sport on the day meant that many of our Oxley students who were part of music groups and ensembles were unavailable to perform. Fortunately, the Oxley Pipe Band were still on hand to open the Fair with a wonderful performance through the school grounds.

I am going to mention the weather.  Closely reviewing at least 5 weather sites in the lead up to the Fair I think it’s now fair to say that meteorology is not an exact science.  While we didn’t have howling winds or driving rain, we had a steady drizzle which I think impacted the numbers of visitors from outside our Oxley community. Our beautifully decorated High tea area possibly suffered due to the weather, but the cool air certainly meant our pizza and gozleme stalls did well on the day.  While on the weather a very big thank you to the brave members of Oxley staff who agreed to be ‘dunked’ on the day – such good sports all of them.

Costs – It’s fair to say I felt completely sick and lost a few nights of sleep when we paid the deposit for our amusement rides. I thank AnnMarie Greenop for sharing this sickness and sleeplessness with me!  AnnMarie spent many hours researching ride companies and ringing other schools to check the reputation of these companies. It was important for us that we catered for students from K-12 and offered a variety of rides to suit all ages.  Previous Pin Oak Figures showed that at the time around 80% of students purchased a wristband (at a similar cost to this year) so we did the maths on our current enrolment numbers and worked out what $ amount we could afford to spend on rides, with our aim being to keep the cost low for our students, and just cover our costs. We also doubled the number of rides we had in 2016.

Every day in the week prior to the Fair we texted each other with the number of wristbands sold, sometimes on an hourly basis, as we were sweating on covering the exorbitant amount of money we spent on rides.  The good news is that we covered it and actually had a few hundred dollars over – but not until the day of the Fair.  AnnMarie’s Year 12 daughter actually commented that we were starting to look desperate when we turned up at lunchtime and walked around with an EFTPOS machine trying to coax wristband sales out of Oxley students!

If I ever say the word wristband again it will be too soon! 

Without any indication of how many people we could expect at the Fair we chose to hire a traffic management company to manage this to reduce risk on the day.

Though our Pin Oak Fair financials are still being tallied we are hoping to come out with some profit but in terms of reaching our goal of celebration and reconnection, I believe we well and truly achieved this.  We had over 261 parents sign up to assist – some on more than one timeslot and this number is in addition to the many organisers and P&F year reps who encouraged and supported the event. 

Well, the Pin Oak Fair concludes my term as President of the P&F. I am going out on a high – still buoyed by the fabulous community we have here at Oxley.  In my years on the P&F I have been fortunate to meet and work with many people and will share memories with them for years to come – I have loved sharing this journey with Sooz Heinrich and AnnMarie Greenop, and can’t thank you ladies enough for your thoughts, advice and encouragement over the many years we have been here together. 

At Oxley we are very fortunate to have the full support of our Executive who are always encouraging of any events we organise.  Thank you to Scott, Jane and the rest of the Exec for backing us on the events we create and allowing us to have fun along the way.

Thank you to the fabulous dream team of Em Calver, Amberley Guilly and Alex Stone.  I met with them all on a monthly basis for most of last year as we started to plan this year’s events, then for the last few terms we’ve met weekly.  I have felt constantly supported by all of you and have had a lot of fun working with you.

Emma Calver, I can’t imagine this place without you. You are one of the kindest, caring, and most supportive women I know, and I am glad to consider you a friend.  You are a shining jewel in the crown of Oxley and I thank you for your wisdom and constant guiding hand while holding this role within the P&F.

I have a great sense of pride in this school and have really valued the experiences my children have had here.  I wish the new P&F committee all the very best for the journey ahead. 

Thank you

Mrs Megan Moore, President Oxley College Parents and Friends Association

Pin Oak Fair – Thank You

So many parents and staff were involved in the organising and running of the Fair.

I really wanted to pass on our thanks to the following who coordinated and organised a component of this event:

AnnMarie Greenop – amusement rides and farmyard

Sooz Heinrich – Market Stall coordinator

Bec Morse – coordinating all the Sign Up rosters for all stalls

Anneliese Arnot – our P&F Treasurer, who managed finances on the day

Emma Lawford and Jayne Walsh – Junior School activities and stalls

Emma Bragg and Annabel Robertson – BBQ

Kate Moore – Lolly stall

Alison Rasheed – Secondhand clothing

Karen Reynolds – Art show and cocktail party

Lynda Smith – High Tea

Skye Sandilands – Secondhand bookstall

Timara Kay – Plants

Liz Pilkington and Rel Maxwell – Pin Oak Pooch Parade

Geraldine Hessey – organising and promoting our Car Raffle

The Oxley Maintenance Team – for your support and assistance in the lead up and on the day of the Pin Oak Fair

In addition to these individuals, we would like to thank the following parents/companies for their assistance with the Pin Oak Fair:

• The McGill family from Berry Wholesale Nursery, for generously supplying all the plants for our plant stall.
• Kielty’s Sauces for their donation to the BBQ.
• Charlie Carter and Chris Watson from Southern Highlands Veterinary Centre for judging our Pin Oak Pooch Parade and Jeremy Maitland from We Know Pets for kindly donating prizes and gifts for all our furry entrants.
• James Herriot for donating wines for our art show cocktail party
• Bowral Sweets and Treats for donating lollies to our stall and always being so generous to the Oxley P&F

In addition to these stall coordinators we had over 260 parent helpers assisting.  Your help and support is so appreciated.  Thank you and please enjoy your holidays.

Kind regards,

Megan Moore

Editor’s Note:

A huge thank you to our P & F President, Megan Moore, and her amazing team, for an incredible 40^th year of celebrations. With her passion for Oxley, enormous energy and vision, Megan has reinvigorated our P & F.  Megan’s term as President has sadly come to an end but we are forever grateful for her leadership over the past years.