Headmistress’s Report 2015 Headmistress’s Contents Report 2015 1 An amazing year of celebration ABBOTSLEIGH 6 Christian purpose FACEBOOK AND TWITTER 8 HSC results Stay in touch with the latest from Abbotsleigh 9 Band summaries 2014 via social media. Like us at https://www.facebook.com/Abbotsleigh 10 NAPLAN And follow us at www.twitter.com/abbotsleigh 12 Competition results 14 Early Learning 16 Transition Headmistress’s Report 16 Junior School 2015 is a publication for the Abbotsleigh school 20 Senior School community. 26 Boarding Published by the Abbotsleigh Development Office. 28 AbbSchool Copyright is retained by Abbotsleigh. This material must not be reproduced without consent. 30 Sport 35 Environmental education DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Yvette Vignando [email protected] 36 Service-Learning PUBLICATIONS MANAGER Alex Norton 37 Outdoor education [email protected] GRAPHIC DESIGNER Deb Smith 38 Global experiences 39 Grace Cossington Smith Gallery 40 Clubs and activities An amazing year of celebration Abbotsleigh has educated young women for 130 years and we This whole centre sits among the gum trees and blends in have enjoyed a year remembering those who have gone before beautifully with the natural environment. The building has and those here today keeping our current school vibrant and been ergonomically designed for natural light, natural air alive. We continue to press the boundaries of what is possible flow and water retention. Abbotsleigh not only has state-of- as we build women of character who are ready to embrace the-art sporting facilities, it has an aesthetically pleasing the wider community. Making connections with our world is masterpiece to enjoy. an important aspect of our learning as we build meaningful To celebrate this important milestone for Abbotsleigh, all relationships with other students, parents, Old Girls and local students from Kindergarten to Year 12 joined together with community members. To truly know ourselves we must grow in Old Girls and VIPs for a ceremony and sports showcase an understanding of others. inside the new hall, followed by a full school dance on the We began our year with the Commissioning of our new Chaplain, new sports field. All girls were then treated to a sausage the Reverend Jenni Stoddart, who comes to us from the local sizzle lunch and active games. It was a joyful day that will be St Swithun’s Church. Rev Stoddart is one of the few ordained remembered for years. females in the Diocese and is our first female Chaplain. After The Prefect theme this year has been A Bigger Picture... and 130 years, there is much to celebrate in her appointment and the Year 12 cohort has challenged the girls to look beyond we feel blessed to have such a wonderful role model for the girls. themselves to see the issues of the world. As part of this, On 22 April, Old Girls joined us to commemorate 50 years since they have encouraged girls to support St Andrew’s School the Chapel was opened. Miss Kath McCredie, Old Girl and past in Hyderabad, India, where education is being provided for Headmistress, shared her experience of students contributing the disadvantaged. small amounts each week to the Chapel fund. In 1965, the Chapel with its high ceiling and symmetrical stately design was opened. The pipe organ, beautifully painted wall and stained glass windows were all later additions. Georgia Barker, an Old Girl and past Chapel Prefect, spoke of the memories and spiritual importance of this special place as we paused to thank God as a community. Every true, momentous celebration at Abbotsleigh somehow involves music. On 23 April, the Tapestry of Sound concert was held at the Opera House for all students from Year 5 to Year 12 plus Year 4 Cantare singers. The audience was taken on an emotional journey as vibrant, energetic performances, complemented by reflective pieces, commemorated 130 years of Abbotsleigh’s history and the centenary of the Gallipoli landing. Two Old Girls joined the evening with Jenny Liu (2007) singing an opera piece from Carmen and Sophie Phillips (2014) returning to join the students in Skyfall. The celebration ended with Mambo, complete with streamers and balloons to mark the occasion. On 20 July, Abbotsleigh’s actual birthday, the School’s new Sports Precinct opened. Included in this new facility are a synthetic playing field, the new Sports Hall, with its first-class basketball/netball/badminton courts, spectator seating, change rooms, first aid facilities and function room, dance studios, a strength and conditioning room, and underground parking for close to 200 cars. 1 Outstanding staff achievements Early Learning Conference, June 2015 Abbotsleigh’s highly professional staff are continually Early Learning: The Wonder of Young Minds was a two- updating their skills and many are engaged in formal day conference for teachers of children in prior to school postgraduate research and study. It is with pleasure that settings as well as the first years of school. Around 100 I share some of the recent accomplishments. educators examined the infinite potential of children’s Julie Reynolds, the Deputy of Abbotsleigh, completed thinking and learning. Experts shared their research on her PhD in the School of Education at the University of Wollongong best practice in areas such as technology, environmental in July this year with research entitled: Imagining and Shaping: education, the development of interdisciplinary projects, Exploring Creativity in Leadership. She is now fondly addressed gross motor development, art, the transition to formal as Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds and will take on an additional schooling and the communication of ideas through the brief in 2016 of promoting research across the School among ‘hundred languages’. students and staff. Sally Ruston, Head of Junior School, received the prestigious Teacher Librarians’ Conference, PAI 2015 John Laing Award, which acknowledges principals who August 2015 demonstrate outstanding leadership. Abbotsleigh held its third Teacher Librarians’ Kate Grzanka, who has been appointed the Deputy of the Junior Conference with a theme of Visible Libraries: an School from 2016, completed her Master of Education from UNSW. exploration of the relevance of a physical library in Melissa Kennedy completed a Master of Arts (Writing) from a digital age, and included speakers from Monash Swinburne University of Technology. University Library, the State Library of NSW, the University Malyn Mawby finished her Post-Graduate Certificate in Special of Technology Sydney Library, and school practitioners. Education from Macquarie University. Topics ranged from visual information to online curation Darcy-Lee Tindale had her book launch in February for her middle and ways to improve digital literacy. More than 100 school reader Thumb Pickles and Other Cautionary Preserves. She delegates from across Australia attended the conference, also was nominated for the second year in a row in the Ned Kelly which included a panel discussion on the relevance of Crime Writing Award for her story Roux’s Sister, and placed 2nd in a physical library in a digital age, and sessions allowing the Stringybark Award for her story Shoo. delegates to explore new resources, teaching ideas and programs, and to see a 3D printer in action. Viola Dominello won the John & Elizabeth Newham Pring Memorial Prize, awarded to the best watercolour by a female artist, for her Staff movements work entitled On the River. This prize is related to the Wynne Prize This time of year is when we also acknowledge and and was on display at the Art Gallery of NSW. farewell long serving staff who will be taking on new Megan Townes received a Vocational Teaching Award from the challenges outside the Abbotsleigh community. For Rotary Club of Wahroonga for her outstanding work in the area those who will be enjoying retirement, we thank you for of ICT. your service to Abbotsleigh and wish you well in your The Gladly Teach Awards were presented on International new lifestyle. Teachers’ Day. This year the Junior School award went to Nicole Stuart Coppin has been Hunt for her passion in providing a rich learning environment the Deputy of our Junior where girls’ academic and pastoral needs are individualised and School since 2010. He is an for her continued learning, personal development and for sharing outstanding educator with her wisdom with fellow colleagues. The Senior School award was a high focus on the pastoral presented to Sheri Upasiri for her outstanding commitment to needs of each student. His best practice in meeting the academic and pastoral needs of the knowledge of curriculum students and promoting a collaborative environment for colleagues and his capacity to promote in project work. It is with joy we celebrate these two fine educators. and support innovative While many staff presented at conferences this year, Abbotsleigh teaching practices continually organised several learning opportunities that reached into wider encourages teachers to be reflective practitioners. professional groups. Mr Coppin will be remembered for his empathy, good humour and sense of fun. We wish him well as he now Art Symposium, May 2015 embraces his role as Head of Junior School at Kambala. The inaugural MASTERCLASS symposium was a one-day lecture- Helen Watkins started at style conference open to all Visual Arts educators in NSW. Its aim Abbotsleigh as the Head of was to investigate the delivery of the Visual Arts Stage 6 syllabus. Junior School Music in 2005. Presenters explored student engagement as it relates to different She strengthened our Music forms of art making and the development of a body of work, Department and expanded with an emphasis on successful strategies. Areas addressed the instrumental program and were digital media, painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation, breadth of ensemble groups. new media and ceramics. More than 100 participants gained In 2011 she became the insights into real classroom experiences and the application of first Head of Environmental specific approaches to open-ended problem solving, with a view to Education, in which role she enhancing student learning outcomes.