Message from the Headmaster

Dear Parents and Carers,

What appears below is from the series of regular briefings to Heads of Independent Schools in Australia by the Association CEO. He has invited Heads to reproduce his material in school newsletters. I have not done so in the past, but the article which follows is too important not to be shared.

Why Learning is Embedded in Value(s)

Gerald Edelman (1929 – 2014) was a distinguished American biologist as well as an accomplished concert violinist.

While not a household name, Edelman won the Nobel Prize in 1972 for a discovery which grew out of the radical idea that the immune system works by selection. The essence of this insight led to Edelman’s (1987) Theory of Neuronal Group Selection (TNGS), also known as ‘Neural Darwinism’, an evolutionary theory of mind which explains how we see the world by interacting with it through our senses.

TNGS is based on facts about the human brain: namely that brains contain billions of neurons which form richly interconnected and complex neural systems. The cerebral cortex contains numerous cell bodies which are spidery in shape and elongated with appendages, known as dendrites and axons, which respectively send out and receive impulses from other cells. As the brain develops (neurogenesis) it lays down a huge number and diversity of firing patterns which represent a vast range of possible thoughts and actions, most of which will be of little or no use.

It follows that the human brain must have some way to ‘select’ only those patterns which produce ‘valued’ behaviour.

According to Edelman’s theory, the key to this selection process lies in brain cells located deep in the brain stem: these are believed to be the most ancient structures in the entire nervous system. These structures, which Edelman called a ‘value system’, consist of neurons which diffuse widely over the cerebral cortex. Edelman’s expression ‘value system’ conveys the idea that these systems have evolved to recognise certain events and occurrences in the environment that have adaptive ‘value’ for the organism.

These may be simple events such as sitting instead of standing, looking at an object or looking away, or grasping a rattle in preference to a toy animal, as any infant may do. Or these may be more complex ideas or questions which may – or may not – engage our attention and interest. In other words, these are events that our highly individualised ‘value system’ recognise, often unconsciously.

The key idea, of critical relevance to learning, is that these diffuse ascending systems, which travel all over the cerebral cortex, play a particularly important role in emotional responses, firing when something is resonant, salient or ‘valued’, including more highly developed moral, religious, spiritual and social values.

Every now and then a firing pattern will lead to a thought or an action which is recognised by the value system as being useful. The value system, or what Oliver Sacks called “experiential selection”, sends a chemical signal to the rest of the brain so that those connections which have just been used will be strengthened. Connections which have not been marshalled will atrophy or disappear so that “value gets imposed in the brain, by the brain” (BBC, 1994). Those firing patterns that are ‘valuable’ will become stronger and more frequent which is how selection works in the brain, and which elaborates Donald Hebb’s original idea of the Hebbian synapse (1949).

TNGS adds significantly to our understanding of how we learn complex skills without being pre-programmed. Edelman’s theory offered a new perspective on the mind, one quite unlike the model of the mind as a modular and computational machine. In Edelman’s theory, actions become suffused with value and the cycle of actions are directed towards the satisfaction of goals which have utility or benefit.

In relation to how learning in educational contexts should be understood, Edelman stresses that even the most abstract, high-level human thought is not just logical, but every aspect is imbued with feeling and emotion.

However, many cognitive scientists continue to believe that the brain is a biological computer (Fuchs, 2018). Edelman argued emphatically that a human brain is nothing like a computer, because brains constantly adapt to changes in the body and the environment. Brains, says Edelman, need accurate information about the world, a world which does not contain highly organised pieces of information with relationships that are represented in the head.

Instead, the world is ‘unlabelled’ and the brain has to impose its own boundaries and actively generate information and ideas. This cannot be achieved by applying a set of programmed rules because the problem of acquiring knowledge about the world depends upon how it is valued or what it ‘affords’ (Gibson, 1979) the organism. Edelman would say there is no stable, unambiguous description of the world other than what perceptual categorisation provides for the value-seeking human brain.

Edelman proposed a ‘selectionist’ theory of brain development based on studies of the immune system. He flatly rejected the modular model of the mind which has pervaded educational psychology and ‘computational’ theories of learning: theories which have ignored or sidestepped the necessary role of emotional and feeling in how we learn anything.

Dr Chris Duncan
CEO of Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA)

Schools and teachers within them are increasingly aware of developing neuroscience and its relevance to education. At Shore, we need to be functioning according to the best evidence-based research. Emerging brain research has debunked many previous theories and has wide implications for teaching and learning. As well as teachers being informed, it is helpful for parents to at least have a lay understanding of the main findings.

One of our key aims at Shore is to develop young men of character who think clearly and well. As a School based on Christian principles, we adopt the maxim of the Apostle Paul: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

Old Boys Union (OBU) Annual General Meeting

At this week’s OBU AGM, Mr Ian Macdonald (’79) was elected as President, after quite a number of years serving as Vice President. Thank you to the outgoing President, Mr Andrew Winslade and welcome to Ian as he takes the reigns. Ian is also a recent parent of Shore, his sons Max and Kian graduating in 2018 and 2023 respectively. 

Regards

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

Chaplains’ Chat

There have been some remarkable stories in history. Some almost seem unbelievable at first glance. One such story I read about was Tsutomu Yamaguchi, who survived the first atomic blast at Hiroshima in August 1945. He dragged himself to an air-raid shelter, spent the night in the shelter and then remarkably caught a train the next day to his town of Nagasaki. Three days later, the second atomic bomb fell on this city, and again, remarkably, Tsutomu survived the utter devastation of both bomb blasts.

Perhaps we can all think of stories that seem almost unbelievable. The Bible story of Jesus and his resurrection fits into this category. It is the most amazing miracle in the Bible, which speaks of Jesus coming back to life again in bodily form. The difficulty for us, as we hear this, is that it just doesn’t happen in life! However, the Bible gives us pieces of evidence that point to this resurrection, including an empty tomb, the disciples’ witness of seeing Jesus alive, as well as their willingness to attest to this fact, even dying for what they know they saw. The implications of the resurrection are immense. It certainly points to the fact of Jesus conquering death. And yet as one of the eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection, Peter, would later write, God “In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. “(1 Peter 1:3)” What a wonderful thing to have a living hope that rests on a secure historical event and a hope that does not perish, spoil or fade.

Rev Anthony Benn
Chaplain

CRU Update

Last week at Shore, we had our Christian Focus Week, and we were fortunate enough to hear from a number of guest speakers during various lunchtimes. On Thursday and Friday, we continued to look into the Gospel of Mark. We began with a game called “Did Jesus say it?” where we were given a quote and tasked with figuring out whether Jesus or another celebrity (such as Ed Sheeran or Dr Collier) said it. Then, we were lucky to welcome back Old Boy Isaac Lanham to give a brief interview and Bible Reading on Mark 10:35-45.

After that, we heard a talk from Daniel Becker, who began by recounting his experience of seeing King Charles in person at his church. The King was surrounded by the media and treated very specially, as you may expect from a ruler. However, Daniel described Jesus instead as a servant king. Instead of being treated like a ruler, he was treated horrifically, being mocked and spat on and eventually crucified. In Verse 45, Jesus reminds us all that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus is the perfect example of a ruler who came to serve – through healing blind men such as Bartimaeus when no one else came to his aid. And we ought to not only trust in Jesus but also follow him in our lives. We often pride ourselves on our glory in sports, academics and other co-curricular activities, but we rarely take a step back and place others’ interests before our own, just like Jesus did. Jesus was the ultimate servant king who was willing to die to serve us.

Moving forward, we will have CRU on Thursday lunchtimes for Years 7 to 8 and Friday lunchtimes for Years 9 to 12. In addition, there is a weekly Bible study run every lunch for each Year group, and an exciting weekend camp held with Abbotsleigh coming up soon. You don’t need to be a Christian to come to CRU – all you need is yourself and an interest in looking further into Christianity with a supportive group of friends, a soft drink and a sausage sandwich.

Science and Christianity (Wednesday lunchtime) – Dr Frank Stootman

Doesn’t science disprove the Bible? Is it even possible for both science and Christianity to exist together? These questions are commonly raised when considering Christianity, and last Wednesday, we were fortunate to have astrophysicist Dr Frank Stootman come into the Christian Studies department at Shore to explain his perspective to us. 

Dr Stootman noted that science and Christianity have not historically been at war but, for many, were closely linked together. In fact, many scientists who have made great discoveries are said to have had a faith of their own, studying God’s creation to learn about it. 

Additionally, Dr Stootman emphasised the general resonance between science and the Bible, especially in the opening section of Genesis. Examples of this include the way humans were created last by God in the Genesis account, while scientific records also agree, or the idea of the Big Bang generally aligning with the account of God creating the earth. 

InterCRU at Ravenswood

The question of identity is central in today’s world. On Friday, a handful of Shore boys headed out to Ravenswood for InterCRU for Term 2 to consider this idea more deeply. InterCRU is an event where schools from across the North Shore come together to enjoy some food, learn from God’s Word, praise Him and pray together for one another’s schools. 

Ravenswood and Knox were hosting together, and their band began by leading us in two songs: 10000 Reasons and Man of Sorrows. Following this, we played a fun game of Four Corners Trivia before some Ravenswood students shared about their experience of their CRU group and the way God has been working at their school. 

After this we moved into the Bible reading and the talk where the passage was 2 Corinthians 5:11-21. The speaker, Jesse spoke about the way we were made in the image of God, linking this to the idea of how, in the game Super Smash Bros, each character was made with a purpose, and they thrive when embracing this identity, using their skills. Similarly, our purpose is to be in relationship with God and reflect Him. However, we have failed to live in this way, with all of us falling short of God’s glory. Yet, by God’s grace, we are given a new identity in Christ, where “The old is gone and the new is here”. This is all made possible by Jesus, who died in our place, taking our sin away and giving us new lives so we become the righteousness of God, allowing us to live out our purpose in relationship with God, living for His glory.

To finish, each school shared prayer points, and we prayed in small groups for each other’s schools, and we drew to a close with Yet Not I But through Christ in Me.  

Jayden Pan
Year 11

Treasured Connections 2025

An Invitation for Year 8 Fathers or Carers

Shore School is delighted to invite Fathers or Carers and their Year 8 students to a Father and Son Night.

Treasured Connections is a night for the boys as they witness their fathers or father figures discussing what it means to them to be a Dad (or mentor) and the importance of showing their son what it means to be a good man. This special evening is part of the transition events that we offer our Year 8 students.

Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025

Time: 5.30pm for supper in Christian Studies rooms. Session starts at 6.00pm in the War Memorial Hall.

RSVP: Please secure your place by registering via this link

Enquiries: Pastoral Care Office Ph: 9900 4782

Shore Foundation Giving Day – A Tradition of Giving

Our annual Giving Day is coming!

Much of what we have at Shore is thanks to the generosity of those who came before us. As we focus on “A Tradition of Giving”, we once again call on the Shore Community to lend its support.

Each year, the Shore Foundation holds its Annual Appeal Giving Day, inviting our community to contribute to key areas of the School.

This year, on Thursday 5 June, every dollar you donate to the Shore Foundation will be doubled, maximising the impact for both the School and our students.

For 24 hours, your donation will be matched by a generous donor and Old Boy of the School.

$100 will become $200

$250 will become $500

$1000 will become $2000, and so on.

The Power of Giving Day

Our first Giving Day was in 2018 when 385 donors came together to support the Country Boarders Bursary. This initiative was named the “385 Bursary” in honour of everyone who gave. Since then, this endowment has grown significantly, from supporting one family in 2018 to over 20 families in 2025.

Thanks to previous Giving Days, we’ve been able to:

• Help fund the R A I Grant Centre
• Expand our Indigenous Bursaries
• Increase Staff Professional Development
• Invest in future capital needs for the School

This Year’s Focus – 2025

In 2025, we seek your support across a range of means-tested bursaries as well as calling for contributions for Shore’s future capital projects. You can choose to support Bursaries or Future Capital needs. Both options are tax deductible.

Mark your calendar for Thursday 5 June, and join us in making a difference. Every gift, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated and valued.

You can also make your donation ahead of time (and your gift will still be doubled) by clicking here.

This is a wonderful way to start or continue your giving journey and give back to the areas of Shore that matter most to you.  

Thank you for being part of this tradition.

Vitai Lampada Tradunt

Mr David Mason-Jones
Executive Director, Shore Foundation

Reconciliation Week 

Shore marked National Reconciliation Week with assemblies across both the Junior and Senior Schools, reflecting on the 2025 theme Bridging Now to Next and the importance of truth-telling, respectful relationships, and shared action.

At the Senior School Assembly, held under the Aboriginal, Torres Strait and Australian flags on 29 May, Year 12 student Luke Horwood delivered a heartfelt Acknowledgement of Country, recognising the Cammeraygal people, and called on our community to walk together toward meaningful change. Rev Anthony Benn led a Reconciliation Prayer, followed by a keynote address from Mr Gene Ross, a Dharawal saltwater man living on Gadigal Country. Gene spoke about the importance of cultural connection and reminded students that “we walk together because we are all part of the story of this land.” Students also marked the occasion with the presentation of Indigenous designed jerseys for AFL, Football, and Rugby, presented by Kayden O’Grady, and a symbolic presentation of the match ball to the Rugby captain, by Dominic Nagle.

In the Junior School, Luke and Kayden led a special assembly, sharing the significance of Reconciliation Week and its key milestones: the 1967 referendum and the 1992 Mabo decision. They highlighted prominent pioneers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and recognition, while encouraging younger students to embrace their role in fostering respect, understanding, and unity.

These assemblies reminded all members of the Shore community that reconciliation is not just about looking back, it is about walking forward together with purpose, respect, and shared responsibility.

Mrs Paola Tamberlin
Head of Indigenous Programme

American Tea – Save the Date

Friday 12 September 8.20am – 2.00pm

Mark your calendars! The legendary Shore American Tea is roaring back for its spectacular 87th edition on Friday 12 September. From 8.20am – 2.00pm, this vibrant Spring Fair and fundraiser transforms the entire School campus into a buzzing community hub, inviting students, families, and friends to join in the festivities.

Originally a wartime fundraiser, post-1945, the American Tea shifted its focus to enhancing school facilities and has evolved into a cherished tradition. Keeping the spirit alive, attendees continue the fun tradition of bringing a gift or a dish to exchange and purchase.

At the American Tea on the North Sydney Campus, the excitement begins with the Year 10 Father and Son BBQ, setting the stage for the Year 7 Grandparents’ Morning Tea. As the morning school bell rings, the campus bursts into life with activities like Trash and Treasure, Fairy Floss, Lucky Jars, Show Bags, Skittles, thrilling Entertainment Rides, and so much more.

Meanwhile, parents and grandparents can indulge in a feast of fresh country produce from our Boarder families, street food festival, freshly shucked oysters, charcuterie boards and beautifully arranged freshly cut flowers, second hand uniforms, second hand books and ski gear – all while exploring an array of enticing stalls from external vendors.

This is an incredible opportunity to dive into the heart of the Shore community. Whether you’re on the planning team, managing or working on a stall, or showcasing your small business as an external vendor, there’s a spot for everyone to contribute.

Sign-ups for volunteers for the day and in the lead-up will open at the start of Term 3, and we’re always on the lookout for donations for the various stalls and silent auction!

Keep an eye out on the American Tea page on Lampada for more updates as we get closer to the event.

We are still on the lookout for more street food offerings. If you can fill one of these stalls, please contact Amelia, the American Tea Convenor for 2025, at spaamericantea@shore.nsw.edu.au

Let’s make the 87th American Tea a day to remember – we can’t wait to see you there!

Explore News Your Way on Lampada

Stay Connected!

Accessing Shore news has never been easier. Through our digital portal, Lampada, parents can enjoy a more streamlined, personalised experience to help you stay connected with life at Shore. Whenever it suits you.

Our news platform on Lampada offers categorised topics at the top of the page, allowing you to quickly find updates that matter most to you, whether it’s Co-Curricular, Community, Boarding, Academic or more.

You’ll also notice a tailored news feed curated specifically for you. As a parent, this means seeing not only important school-wide announcements, but also news items specific to your child’s Year Group and/or House, all in one convenient place.

To make things even easier, we’ve introduced a Weekly News Wrap-Up sent each Wednesday morning via email. This concise summary delivers only the news relevant to your family, ensuring you don’t miss key updates even if you haven’t logged in recently. If there’s no new content for you, you won’t receive an email that week, and you can choose to opt-out at any time.

For help on using Lampada, you can click the ‘Help’ button located in the top navigation bar.

We encourage all parents to log in to Lampada regularly and explore the updated News section.

Ms Sarah Taylor
Director of Community Engagement

Lampada Tips and Tricks

Sport Training Fixtures

Sports training fixtures are displayed via your son’s calendar on Lampada. If there are any cancellations, this will be updated within the calendar.

1. On the Lampada Homepage, click on the ‘Calendar’ button connected to your son’s profile.

2. This will take you to your son’s calendar which will display all their classes, co-curricular activities and sporting fixtures. Training (and other activities) will be highlighted with the yellow/green colour. If there is a cancellation to training, this calendar will be updated.

The training session on the calendar can also be clicked for more information including its status:

Music Calendar

All dates and events are subject to change, please confirm with the Music Department.

Year 12 2025 Graduation

In preparation for the celebration activities at the end of Term 3, the event information and booking links are now available for you on the Year 12 2025 Celebration Events Lampada page here.

To help with planning and to ease the financial commitment, parents are more than welcome to purchase Valedictory Dinner tickets individually over the coming months. We’ll ensure your family is seated together on the night, no matter when tickets are purchased. Please feel free to contact events@shore.nsw.edu.au if you have any queries.

We are looking forward to joining with you in celebrating our 2025 cohort.

Community Engagement Team

Term Dates 2025

Dates for Term 2 and 3 Progress Meetings

Parents and students in Years 8, 10 and 11 are asked to note the following dates for Term 2 Progress Meetings:

Term 2

• Year 11 Progress Meetings: Tuesday 24 June (Week 9) between 4pm and 7pm

Term 3

• Year 8 Progress Meetings: Monday 28 July (Week 2) between 4pm and 7pm
• Year 10 Progress Meetings: Monday 4 August (Week 3) between 4pm and 7pm

Booking information and meeting details will be emailed to parents and published on Lampada two weeks before the meeting date. Progress meetings will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams.

Boys are expected to attend in School uniform.

There are no co-curricular activities on these dates for students attending Progress Meetings.

Ms Emma Campbell
Academic Data Manager

High Potential Learners Excel at Da Vinci Decathlon

Our High Potential Learners Programme (HPL) has once again demonstrated its commitment to academic excellence, with students achieving outstanding results at the 2025 NSW Da Vinci Decathlon. Competing against 76 schools from across the state, Shore’s top Year 7 to 11 students showcased their talents in this prestigious academic competition.

The Da Vinci Decathlon challenges students across ten disciplines, including Engineering, Mathematics, Code-breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative producers, Cartography, and Legacy. Shore’s teams achieved remarkable success: Year 7 secured 1st place in Science, Year 9 clinched 1st in English, Year 11 topped Mathematics, and Year 8 earned 3rd in Creative Producers. Overall, Shore ranked within the top 15 schools in the state across all year groups.

These achievements reflect the dedication and intellectual curiosity fostered by the HPL programme, which offers students opportunities to engage in advanced academic pursuits and competitions. The programme’s success at the Da Vinci Decathlon underscores its role in nurturing the talents of Shore’s most gifted minds.

We congratulate all participating students and their mentors for their exceptional performance and for upholding the School’s tradition of academic distinction.

Stories Worth Telling

Last Term, Year 9 English students embarked on a memoir writing journey through the unit Stories Worth Telling. Their challenge was to uncover and craft a compelling narrative about someone who has left a meaningful mark on their lives.

The English Department was impressed with the calibre of the stories across the cohort. These memoirs are a testament to the power of personal narrative and the creative potential of our students.

We are proud to feature a short excerpt from Victor Zuo’s story worth telling, The Other Sun She Saw:

In the vast, restless city of Shanghai, I, a little girl, learned a lesson that would stay with me long after childhood faded into memory.

My parents weren’t with me when I was growing up, occupied with work in the various cities of China, so they left me in the capable arms of my grandmother. I called her “外婆” (grandma/ ā-bú (Shanghainese)). The person who raised me.

Every day, I rode my rusted bike through the packed corridors of my neighbourhood, dodging fresh fruit, vegetables on the floor, laid out on carpets for the passersby, as hawkers called out their prices in hoarse voices, worn from years of bargaining. The air thick with sizzling oil and sweet roasted chestnuts, the noise of the city a constant hum in the background. I was just another grain of sand in the great, unyielding desert of life in Shanghai.

Coming back from school, (a tiring Wednesday), my uniform damp with sweat, my schoolbag heavy with the weight of expectations, the sun felt like a burden on my body. I felt as though I was about to crash like a lonesome wave collapses onto the shore, powerless after a relentless journey across the ocean.

I stepped through our small wooden door, but as I stepped through, like a portal, I saw her,  外婆, sitting on her chair on the grass, with her hands moving in a steady rhythm, knitting under the golden embrace of the late afternoon sun, a different sun than I had seen that day. Light traced the soft lines of her face, her silver hair glowing amidst gold. She looked so peaceful, so familiar, so everlasting, as if she’d always belonged to that exact spot, as if time itself would never dare move her.

Ms Zoe Doutreband
English Teacher

Year 9 Commerce Incursion

On Friday 26 May 2025, Year 9 Commerce students had the privilege of attending an investing panel, featuring a professional investor, Mr Charles Genocchio, as well as Mr Matthew Keane, an ex-banker turned mortgage broker who manages his own personal investments.

This incursion coincided wonderfully with Year 9’s Assessment Task, which sees students constructing a portfolio worth $1 million across various asset classes, including long-term debt, shares and property. Fortunately for them, these two experts were able to provide timely, actionable advice to our boys, prompting serious consideration as to how to optimise their portfolios to achieve their goals.

The panel was hosted in the Smith Auditorium and lead by MC, Leo Callanan. Whilst it was Leo’s first time hosting an event of this nature, he did an exceptional job, oftentimes making the teachers in the room forget it was a student leading the panel. Mr Genocchio and Mr Keane answered questions with grace, expertise and conversed easily to not only demonstrate their individual expertise, but also to show our students how they may incorporate effective investing practices into their day-to-day lives.

A big thank you is owed to Mr Genocchio and Mr Keane for taking time out of their busy schedules to discuss these interesting topics with our students. Year 9 is also to be congratulated on their attention, engagement and insightful questions which demonstrated an excellent level of understanding and interest.

For those Year 9 students interested in having a go at investing, keep an eye out for when the Economics and Business Studies department releases details regarding the next edition of the ASX Sharemarket game, which sees students from across the country battle it out to see who the best investor is over months. This will be open to all Year 9 students regardless of enrolment in Commerce!

Mr Nicholas Dudley
Economics and Commerce Teacher

A New Chapter: Announcing Mackey House

The foundation of Pastoral Care at Shore is our outstanding House system—a structure introduced around 25 years ago to ensure that every boy is known, supported, and experiences a strong sense of belonging and community throughout his time in the Senior School.

I’m pleased to share with the Shore community that from the beginning of Term 1, 2026, Shore will be introducing a new Day House, our 19th House. The new House reflects our deep commitment to ensuring every boy continues to be known, supported, and nurtured within a strong and positive community. It will allow us to further strengthen the Pastoral Care that lies at the heart of the Shore experience, to grow small, creating more opportunities for meaningful relationships, character formation, and a deep sense of belonging. While it will also help ease some practical pressures on shared spaces, the driving purpose is to preserve and enhance the quality of care and connection that defines our House system.

We are especially delighted to announce that this new House will be named Mackey House, in honour of Miss Meta Mackey, affectionately remembered by generations of Shore boys as Madame Mackey.

Miss Mackey was a pioneer in every sense. She was the first full-time female staff member at Shore, serving from 1921 to 1944, and she was very much a person who embodied what it means to be a Shore schoolmaster. Born in Northern Ireland and a graduate of the Royal University of Ireland, she brought with her a wealth of experience, including time teaching in Germany and at Scotch College, Perth. At Shore, she taught French with energetic competence and achieved outstanding results. Her forthright character, tireless dedication, and deep care for her students earned their respect and affection.

Her influence extended well beyond the classroom. She was a generous contributor to the School Museum and Library, and she ran the French and Sweet stall at the School Fete. She also supported the Millers Point Boys Club and the Erskineville Club, where many Shore boys served the community. In 1928, The Torch Bearer noted that the Erskineville Club was indebted to her for her interest in its welfare and her many donations.

One story, shared recently by longtime staff member Mr Sam Walker, captures the warmth and character of Miss Mackey’s relationship with her students. His father, an Old Boy who left Shore in 1942, recalled how later in her career, after a fall, Miss Mackey was carried to class in her chair by the boys. In the original building, above what is now the Common Room where we teach Mathematics and Commerce, she was placed on a raised platform at the front of the room. The boys would sometimes let one leg of the chair slip slightly off the edge, causing it to tilt. They would then catch her, and she would thank them. It was a light-hearted exchange and an example of the kind of exchanges that occurred at the time, showing mutual affection and respect between staff and boys.

The naming of Mackey House is not only a tribute to a pioneer in Shore’s history, but also a celebration of the values she lived out—service, character, and community. As we prepare to welcome this new House in 2026, we look forward to a series of events that will inaugurate its Housemaster and student leaders and begin building a strong and positive community from day one.

Later this year, boys in Years 7 to 11 will have the opportunity to express interest in joining Mackey House. This process will be carefully guided by the pastoral team to ensure thoughtful and balanced placement. Our aim is to create a House where every boy is known, supported, and given the opportunity to grow in character and connection. We’re currently in the process of appointing the new Housemaster, and more information will be shared with you in due course.

To mark the beginning of this new chapter, we will be hosting a series of events later this year and throughout Term 1, 2026. These gatherings will bring together students, parents, and staff to celebrate the launch of Mackey House and to foster the sense of community that lies at the heart of our House system.

We would also like to thank Mrs Tanya Hill (School Archivist) and our Community Engagement team for their work in preserving our School’s history, which has allowed us to rediscover and honour the legacy of Miss Mackey.

For now, a new chapter in Shore’s story is beginning.

Mr Derek Champion
Deputy Head, Pastoral Care

Parent Seminar Series 2025

From the Music Department

Congratulations to…

Noah Kordek, Jono Loy, Jeddy Sam, Joe Stephens and Rory Wenden, for their wonderful performances last Wednesday evening. The evening was filled with an array of instruments and contrasting repertoire from a variety of styles. Thank you to Mr Brereton and Ms Day, who accompanied the students, and to the Music 2 class Teacher, Ms Robertson.

Upcoming Events

Sydney Eisteddfod – Symphonic Winds Tuesday 10 June

Symphonic Winds will be participating in the Sydney Eisteddfod at Chatswood Concourse on Tuesday 10 June. The Band will meet in the Band Room at 3pm and will perform at the Concourse at approximately 5.45pm. Tickets may be purchased in support of the boys at Sydney Eisteddfod Ticketing System – Secondary School Premium Concert Band. Thank you to Ms Robertson and the Music Mentors for providing this opportunity to Symphonic Winds and we wish you all the very best.

Winter Concert – Chatswood Concourse Thursday 12 June

Winter Concert will be held this Term on Thursday 12 June, at Chatswood Concourse. There will be no Band Concert or Instrumental/Choral Concert this Term. This concert features all of our Core Ensembles in the one evening. Tickets can be purchased here.

Date changes

Term 3, the Band Concert will be on Tuesday 5 August, with the day rehearsal on Thursday 31 July, and the Instrumental/Choral Concert will be on Tuesday 16 September, with a rehearsal on the day of the 16^th. Both concerts are held at Shore.

Private Music Lessons

Private Music Lessons have recommenced for Term 2. If you would like your son to begin private Music lessons at Shore, please complete the application form found here.

Term 2 Music Calendar

If you have any enquiries, please contact our administrative assistant – Performing Arts, Ms Nethery @ performingarts@shore.nsw.edu.au

Ms Kim Barber
Head of Music

Student Articles Available in Lampada

In keeping with tradition, printed copies of student articles are handed out at the Senior School gates every Friday. This allows us to honour the Shore Weekly Record’s mission, ‘by the boys, for the boys,’ while making the digital version more concise for parents. A PDF of the student articles is also available each week on Lampada in the publications page.

AFL Report

Friday 23 and Saturday 24 May

Last year, we started a new alliance with North Shore Bombers U19. We are keen to try and build a pathway for our Shore boys to connect with an AFL club while at school and after they leave school. To do this, North Shore Bombers U19 invited our First XVIII squad to join their training session. Last Tuesday was the first of three sessions they will attend throughout the season. Our boys came away loving it and getting a stronger understanding of what senior club footy is all about. We are forming a great relationship, and it is one we want to continue building.

The following day, the First XVIII squad attended the Junior A session and ran a mentor day where the First XVIII coached the Junior A team. It was so beneficial for everyone, and the younger one’s absolutely adored it. I am sure this will be a training session they will always remember, and hopefully, one day, they too will, pass on the torch, to the next generation of players.

After Shore’s big win in the previous week against Barker, our boys were eager to continue with their momentum against Cranbrook. With heavy rain falling all week, our game, which was originally planned on Bat and Ball Oval, was always going to be in doubt. All week we scrambled to find a ground replacement. In the final hours, we managed to secure Gore Hill Oval for 7pm. Our boys were pumped and excited to get on. The game was quite scrappy and our boys were playing a style that was more looking at the week ahead rather than the game at hand. Halfway through the third quarter, the boys started to turn it on and displayed the style of footy we now expect from them. From here, they dominated the game and ran away with it. Mitchell Dettman kicked four (4) more goals to take his tally to 17 for the season, with Monte Cairns hot on his heels, kicking three (3) for the night to go to 14 goals for the season. What was most pleasing was the strong support from Shore boys. They were then invited into the change room to sing the team song.

Unfortunately, all other games for Shore were cancelled.

Next week is a huge game for the First XVIII, playing against defending champions and State Champions, Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview First XVIII. Last year they demoralised us by 150 points. This year, we believe we can challenge them. The game is taking place on Friday night at Gore Hill Oval at 7pm. Come along and cheer the boys on.

‘Beyond the Bridge’

Mr Geoff Tesoriero
MIC of AFL

Results

Football Report

Saturday 24 May 2025

On Saturday 24 May, we matched up with Sydney Boys High with the First and Second XI teams playing St Joseph’s College (Joeys) for 7th and 8th placings in the GPS Plate Cup. Unfortunately, due to the constant rain during the week, all games scheduled for Centennial Park were washed out. With the other games played at Northbridge we had wins in the Sixth XI, Seventh XI, 14A’s and a draw with the Fifth XI.

Hopefully with a bit of sunshine this week to dry out the soggy grounds, all of our games vs Sydney Grammar on Saturday 31 May, will be played.

First XI vs Joeys 0-3 loss

On Saturday, the Shore First XI faced a formidable Joeys side on a heavily waterlogged pitch after weeks of relentless rain. Missing key players Fred King and Alex Wilde due to injury, Shore knew they were in for a challenging match. Joeys took advantage early, earning a penalty within the first 10 minutes off a costly defensive error. It was Shore’s mistakes in the back line that proved costly, with another goal slipping through shortly after. Despite the early setbacks, Shore’s defenders showed resilience, holding off further attacks for the remainder of the half. However, the early goals had taken a toll on team morale. In the second half, Shore showed signs of revival, with promising attacking efforts from Hamish Walls, Danny Higgs, and Will Procter. Unfortunately, the Joeys defence held firm and successfully maintained our attacking efforts. Joeys sealed the game with a third goal late in the second half again due to a defensive mistake. The 3-0 defeat marked the end of Shore’s plate series. With the GPS season kicking off next week, the Firsts must regroup and lift their performance for a successful season ahead, remembering to start strong and play with bravery to get the win.

14A’s vs Sydney Boys High 1-0 win

The 14A’s played a brilliant game of football on Saturday vs Sydney Boys. From the start, our boys were highly motivated and determined to be their best and give their all for each other. The focus was: when we have the ball, keep it, and look to create goal-scoring opportunities. If we lose the ball, win it back quickly and counterattack… We play in their half and stay in their half! 

The boys have been working on their “combination play” in training and “killer passes” to get our attackers in behind the opposing defence. The work they put in was clearly displayed by the way they played. We won the ball quickly and kept the ball. We created multiple chances with clever passes and forward runs in behind. If the boys were free enough to shoot, they did or they passed to someone else who was. Shots rained down on the Sydney Boys goal, and we were unfortunate not to be a few goals ahead by half-time. The focus for the second half was more of the same and kept our levels high. The boys rose to the challenge and kept pushing forward. Our defenders, midfielders, and attackers all doing stellar jobs. Eventually, we wore Sydney Boys down, and our hard work paid off with an excellent poacher goal from Louis Razza, assisted by Leonardo Iacovelli. We were 1-0 ahead but kept looking to create and score more. Some excellent defending kept Sydney Boys at bay, and we dominated possession. It was a tremendous performance all around by the boys, and they should all feel very proud of themselves. Well done! 

Mr Elvis DeMarchi
Head of Football

Results

Rugby Report

Saturday 24 May

Shore vs The Scots College (Scots) – Bellevue Hill

After a week of heavy rain, Shore Sportsmasters were hard at work at the end of the week ensuring games could still go ahead. Thankfully, we were able to host some games at Northbridge and, therefore, saw all the Under 13s and Under 14s teams play at the Bridge. To our positive surprise, the fields at Centennial Park were open as well, meaning many other age groups were able to play. A glorious day then greeted our teams, and it was great to see Northbridge humming in the morning. Games were even against Scots with both schools registering wins and losses in the Junior age teams.

Shore’s 15A’s were back in the winning corner, and the 16A’s played a thriller on the Scots number 1 oval. This was a game that could have gone to either school, and Scots scored right at the death to record the win. A great game to watch, and the 16A’s played a near-perfect first 10 minutes, which, if they can maintain, no school can beat them.

The Third XV played its final trial game before going into its Competition this weekend. Scots always field strong teams in Opens, and this was no different. Shore, however played excellent rugby with team combinations working nicely. Defence was strong, and Shore’s execution in attack proved to be the difference. Whilst Scots scored very late in the game, it was a strong game from our Thirds.

The Second XV came out seeking to turn around last week’s result, and that they did from the start of the game. In a display that was more aligned with their excellent pre-season form, a close loss of 12-17 to last year’s Second XV Premiers represented a performance that sees the Second XV get back on track. It was an unusual end to a game, given the referee shortened the match and left both sides a little confused!

The First XV played in an epic schoolboy Rugby encounter. The quality on display from both sides was first rate and proved why schoolboy rugby is so enjoyable to watch. Shore came out firing, and Oscar d’Almeida showed why he is Captain of Basketball with multiple aerial skills – he was the first to score from an intercept, and Shore was up 7-0. Scots fought back though, and with a yellow card against the Shoremen, Scots were able to pile on some points. We were down 7 –17 but not out after a Henry Baxter try brought the score back to 14-17.

The game then see-sawed. Scots in, Shore then in. It was 22-21 to Scots. Scots in, Shore in. Now it was 28-27 to Shore! Stirling Strachan was kicking very well indeed. Five minutes to go, and the gutsy men from Shore were holding out attacking raids. Time and time again great defence was on display against bigger bodies. “How long to go ref?” “Two minutes”. But… suddenly the referee’s arm went in the direction of Scots. They had penalty advantage. A penalty goal attempt was decided by the men in gold. And, unfortunately for the hearts of Shore, the kick was successful. Final whistle.

It was a tough loss to take, but once again, Shore proved why and how they are one of the toughest teams in the GPS. As our 13A’s learned in their own game on Saturday, you don’t always have to be the biggest on the field. Move fast, tackle well, do your job – and all Shore teams can prevail.

Newington at Stanmore tomorrow. We look forward to our loyal supporters cheering us on once again.

Go Shore!

Mr David Mason-Jones
MIC Rugby

Results

Swimming Report

Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May

The 2025 NSW All Schools Swimming Championships were held last Thursday afternoon and Friday at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC), showcasing the best school swimmers from across the state. Shore had eight students qualify through the GPS competition and then at the CIS championships to be a part of what was a formidable CIS outfit.

Across the two days, Shore was proudly represented with a total of eight medals won and many personal bests achieved along the way.

Individual Medal Winners

Harrison A

• 2nd in 14 yrs 50m Free – 25.39
• 3rd in 14 yrs 200m Freestyle – 2:03.98

William B

• 3rd in 50m Freestyle – 24.03
• 3rd in 50m Backstroke – 28.00
• 3rd in 50m Butterfly – 25.72

Jonty J

• 3rd in 200m Backstroke – 2:10.86

Relay Successes

Shore also fielded two relay teams, both of which came away with the bronze medal.

• Intermediate 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay – 3rd in 1:38.72 – team of Hugo S, Archie L, Jonty J and William B
• Intermediate 4 x 50m Medley Relay – 3rd in 1:52.48 – team of Jonty J, Samuel C, William B and Noah M

A special mention also goes to Harry Pollitt, who placed 5th in the 17 and Over 50m Breaststroke with a time of 31.03.

As a result of the above outstanding performances, Harrison A (50m Freestyle), William B (50m Freestyle, 50m Backstroke and 50m Butterfly), and Jonty J (200m Backstroke) have all gained selection onto the NSW team to compete at the School Sport Australia national championships being held in Brisbane in late July – congratulations boys, this is an awesome achievement.

Go Shore!

Mr Tom O’Keeffe
Head of Swimming

Taekwondo Tournament

Saturday 24 May 2025

On Saturday 24 May, Shore students delivered an impressive performance at the Taekwondo Tournament hosted by St Ignatius’ College, Riverview. In a tough match-up, Shore proved too good for St Aloysius’ College with a strong 4–1 victory in a demonstration of the team’s skill and discipline.

A special mention goes to Christian Wong (Year 11), who sparred with exceptional technique and focus throughout the event. The team was expertly led by Captain Andrew Gilchrist (Year 12), whose leadership and strategic guidance were instrumental, alongside the steady support of Joshua Lo (Year 11).

While not every result went our way, Benjamin Pennefather’s (Year 12) effort deserves recognition. He faced one of the top fighters of the tournament and pushed through with unmatched endurance, lasting longer than any other competitor. His resilience was a clear reflection of the team’s overall tenacity.

Congratulations to all our Taekwondo students who represented Shore with such distinction. The tournament was a chance for our boys to learn, grow, and support each other in the true spirit of the sport.